📍 Essaouira, Morocco
Photo: Arabi629 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Our Morocco guide already covers Essaouira bay in detail. This page goes further: Moulay Bouzerktoun to the north and Sidi Kaouki to the south, the two spots that make this region a real wind mecca.
Cross-shore thermal wind, plenty of schools, a UNESCO medina right behind the beach. The region's entry point, for all levels — see our dedicated guide.
Morocco guide arrow_forward
20-25 km north, a rocky point where a right-hander breaks over a rock slab. Historically a windsurf spot, kite here is for advanced riders only.
The spot in detail arrow_forward
25 km south, a long sandy beach where the wind blows stronger than in the bay, with fewer crowds and more waves.
The spot in detail arrow_forwardThree spots, one main airport.
A spot best known for windsurfing, where kitesurfing demands real skill.
20-25 km north of Essaouira bay, the small village of Moulay Bouzerktoun (also spelled Moulay Bouzarqtoune) sits on a rocky point where a right-hand wave breaks over a slab of rock and reef. The spot guides consulted agree on one thing: it is a historically windsurf spot, renowned worldwide as such, where kitesurfers have to work with a limited sandy launch area and a rocky shoreline. A sandy beach with dunes stretches just north of the village and offers a more workable kite launch area.
See on Google Maps open_in_newThe same north-east trade wind that blows in the bay, locally called the Charki, blows cross-shore (side-shore) here from mid-March to mid-September or mid-October depending on the source, strengthening noticeably in summer to reach Beaufort force 7. The wind-speed ranges reported vary by source — some cite 15-30 knots across the season, others describe summer gusts that go beyond that range — with neither standing out as more reliable, so both are reported rather than reconciled. Autumn brings clean swell back with more moderate wind.
The Atlantic swell breaks on the rock slab as a clean right-hander, documented at 1.5-3 m from March to June, smaller once the summer wind strengthens, then bigger again (several metres) with winter swells. The spot guides consulted unanimously class Moulay Bouzerktoun as an advanced-only spot: a strong current, exposed rocks, holes in the reef at low tide, and a slippery entry. It is not a beginner beach.
Magic Fun Moulay is based directly at the spot, with equipment rental, lessons and coached courses in both windsurfing and kitesurfing. It's the local reference for anyone visiting the spot for the first time — checking the day's conditions before going out alone remains essential, since the tide dramatically changes how exposed the reef is.
A long sandy beach, fewer crowds, and wind documented as stronger than in the bay.
About 25 km south of Essaouira, Sidi Kaouki is a long, open sandy beach, less crowded than the bay, where several spot guides document wind 3-5 knots stronger than in town — the effect of having no coastal obstacles along this stretch of coast. The reported speed ranges run from April to October, typically 15-25 knots, peaking in July-August at a common 20-28 knots; May, June and September stay more moderate (15-22 knots) while remaining very rideable.
See on Google Maps open_in_newThe spot combines strong wind with waves, which puts it in the intermediate-to-advanced category rather than beginner: riders who already have the bay dialled often come here for more power, sometimes on a downwinder from town. Several schools based in Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki itself — including Surf Twins Essaouira, Ocean Vibes Morocco and Essaouira Surf Camp School — run kitesurf, wing foil and surf lessons on this stretch, alongside their bay-based courses.
What was found — and what wasn't.
Morocco has no codified national rule for kitesurfing or windsurfing comparable to France's Division 240. The relevant authority in principle is the Direction de la Marine Marchande (Merchant Marine Directorate), backed up by any local municipal or harbour-authority ordinances. No municipal ordinance or Marine Marchande notice specific to kite/windsurf was found for Essaouira, Moulay Bouzerktoun or Sidi Kaouki in the sources consulted for this page — that absence is reported as such rather than filled in with an invented rule. In practice, safety relies on local schools and common sense: check the day's conditions and the tide before going out, especially at Moulay Bouzerktoun where the reef's exposure changes dramatically.
A local airport, or Marrakech 2h30 by road.
Essaouira-Mogador Airport (ESU) offers seasonal direct flights, a convenient gateway for the whole region. Failing that, Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) has far more connections, about 2h30 by road from Essaouira. From the bay, allow a further 20-30 minutes by road to Moulay Bouzerktoun in the north, and 30-40 minutes to Sidi Kaouki in the south — there's no regular public transport, so a car (rental or taxi) is needed to reach either satellite spot.
Mid-March to mid-October for wind, peaking June-August.
The Charki blows reliably from mid-March to mid-October across the whole region, peaking between June and August. Autumn (September-October) often combines wind that's still present with cleaner swell, a good compromise for riders after both. Winter is less consistent for wind, but brings bigger swells back to Moulay Bouzerktoun. See our Morocco guide for water temperature and wetsuit recommendations, which apply across the whole region.
What riders ask before venturing out of Essaouira bay.
Historically and internationally, it's first and foremost a windsurf spot. Kitesurfing is possible but more technical: the sandy launch area is limited and the shoreline rocky, which is why spot guides reserve it for advanced kiters, while windsurfing there also welcomes beginner lessons.
Spot guides class it intermediate to advanced rather than beginner: the wind is documented as stronger than in Essaouira bay, and waves are more present. For a first lesson, Essaouira bay itself remains the recommended entry point — see our Morocco guide.
Morocco has no codified national rule for kitesurfing or windsurfing. The Direction de la Marine Marchande is the authority in principle, but no local ordinance specific to kite/windsurf was found for Essaouira, Moulay Bouzerktoun or Sidi Kaouki in the sources consulted for this page.
There's no regular public transport to either satellite spot: plan on a rental car or a taxi. Allow 20-30 minutes to Moulay Bouzerktoun in the north, and 30-40 minutes to Sidi Kaouki in the south, from Essaouira bay.