Essaouira is a top class surfing location with good conditions all year round. This little fishing town boasts long, white sandy beaches and some of the best conditions for windsurfing in the whole Morocco, and Africa.

This is the place to go to when you want to just kick back and relax. It still remains relatively unspoiled. It's more popular with independent travellers and holidaying Moroccans than package tours.

Promoting itself as the "Windy City Afrika" Essaouira hosts a number of major national and international windsurfing competitions each year. The most popular places to go windsurfing are Diabat, Sidi Kaouki and Cap Sim. Over the years, it has built up quite a reputation for itself as one of the best spots. The hippies have gradually moved out and the windsurfers have moved in.

Essaouira's main bay offers mixed conditions. The water close to the town fairly flat. In the mid bay area there's quite a bit of chop. It's ideal for beginners. Just half an hours drive from the town, there are two full on wave spots.

During the summer you normally get flat conditions with a slight windchop in the morning. The waves build in the afternoon.

In spring and autumn the best wave conditions (between one and two metres) can be found on the southern side of the bay. From mid-June to August they don't get much bigger than one metre.

The waters off Morocco's Atlantic coast are not nearly as warm as what you'd find in The Caribbean (17-20°C), but there's plenty of space to sail and completely reliable winds in the main season.