Is Dakhla a dangerous destination?

Morocco is an exceptional destination, attracting more and more visitors every year. It’s a beautiful country with wide open spaces, imperial cities, palm groves and vast stretches of beach. Its culture is a fascinating blend of African, Berber and Arab cultures. Among its beautiful towns is Dakhla. In terms of tourism, Dakhla is a kitesurfing paradise. It’s a city rich in history and culture. But what about the dangers, or rather the best practices to follow to avoid any risk of problems?

Is Dakhla a safe town for tourists?

Welcome to a controversial world where the question of who owns the town remains. Unlike much of Morocco, Dakhla has been under Spanish control for many years. As a result, it is more closely linked to the Canary Islands than to other towns in this part of Morocco.

Many travellers stick to the seaside resorts for fear of the dangers they might encounter.

However, Dakhla is a breath of fresh air for tourists who have had bad experiences in some parts of Morocco. The people here are incredibly gentle and welcoming.

But like all destinations around the world, some places are not particularly recommended. Generally speaking, there are a few border regions in the Western Sahara that should be avoided when visiting Dakhla. They are rather dangerous. These include

• West of the berm, within a 300km radius: This is a militarised zone. It is located on the border between Morocco and Western Sahara;
• The areas to the east and south between the berm and neighbouring countries.

Care centres and hospitals

Sores and minor injuries are very common among kitesurfing aficionados. Feet being the first victims, you’ll have to be careful. In Dakhla, there is no shortage of hospitals that can take care of your little accidents. In 2020, Dakhla welcomed a state-of-the-art hospital, but there are also numerous clinics and care centres.

Depending on the problem, the camp manager will be able to direct you towards an appropriate solution. For major injuries, they usually send customers to the Dakhla Military Hospital. It’s the best hospital in the region. Finally, for more serious cases, you will be repatriated to Casablanca in complete safety.

“It consists of a ground floor + 1 clinic and includes several areas, including an auditorium, an image diagnosis area, emergency, surgery and outpatient services, as well as haemodialysis. There will also be a maternity, paediatrics, gynaecology and other blocks. This new medical facility will be built on a total area of 2 hectares belonging to the region to the north of the city, and will provide services in the following areas: maternity (gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics and children’s surgery), neurology, cardiology, vascular surgery, urology, traumatology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, otorhinolaryngology, pneumology, diabetology, gastro-enterology and visceral surgery. The polyclinic will also have an in-house pharmacy, an emergency analysis laboratory and a blood bank. The clinic will meet specific quality criteria, such as organisation, procedures, equipment, technology and appropriate skills.Source: Aujourd’hui.ma

What to wear in Dakhla

The Dakhla peninsula is an attractive and interesting tourist town, but one that remains very much rooted in its cultures. If you’re planning to visit, you’ll need to respect their way of life. Morocco, and the vast majority of its surrounding towns, is a Muslim country. You must therefore respect its culture, particularly in terms of dress.

Women and men should not wear tight-fitting clothes. It is advisable to wear clothes that cover the shoulders to the knees. Don’t overexpose yourself, especially if you’re a woman! Two-piece swimming costumes, open collars, cleavage and bare backs, mini shorts and dresses, and clothing that shows off your waistline are also forbidden. At the hotel where you are staying, you can dress as you like.
But in the city, it’s best to opt for loose-fitting clothes.

For your safety

Whether you are in Dakhla for personal or professional reasons, always be on your guard when you are in public places. Take the time to pay particular attention to your choice of hotel. Make sure you sleep in a place with reliable security measures.

Beware: you are never safe, and no place can be considered completely safe. Extreme vigilance is essential at all times. Also, stay away from places where demonstrations are being held.

That said, be sure to:

• stick to places officially designated for tourism;
• check with the tourist authorities before travelling to the desert regions of the south;
• Hire guides recommended by travel agencies, hotels or the authorities;
• use mainly four-wheel-drive cars for off-road trips;
• take all the equipment and provisions you need for your trek, as well as first-aid items to avoid any inconvenience.

Before your kitesurfing session, always make sure you check the spot, the conditions and your equipment. You can find out more on the appropriate websites or from the kitecamps managers, who will be able to give you sound advice!

Embassy and Ariane

When you go on holiday, it’s sometimes hard to find up-to-date information. While some information is easy to find, others require a bit more searching. This government site gives tourists all the information they need about their next destination!

If you’re going on holiday abroad, get the Ariane reflex!
More information on the Moroccan embassy website

Places to be careful :

Mur des sables

The Wall of Sands is a militarised border separating the part of the Western Sahara controlled by Morocco from the rest of the Sahara, which borders Algeria and Mauritania. Every year, unexploded ordnance in this region claims many victims.

Border with Algeria

If there is a very closed border, it is the one with Algeria. So you should never attempt to enter by land. It is more than 300km from Dakhla.

Sahara occidental

The Western Sahara is a long-standing conflict zone. And even today, many unexploded landmines remain, particularly in remote areas.

The sand dunes

Whenever you feel like going for a walk, always ask the locals or the managers of the hotels or kitecamp where you are staying for directions. Stray dogs can be found in certain areas of Dakhla, nothing dangerous if you don’t go off the beaten track, but you mustn’t forget that these are wild animals. Just as you shouldn’t venture out alone into the mangroves at night, you shouldn’t do so in the sand dunes of Dakhla once the sun has set either!

If you come across stray dogs, don’t panic, just raise your voice at the first encounter, don’t turn your back on them and if they don’t leave after these initial warnings, don’t hesitate to throw a few missiles to scare them off – they’re more afraid of us than we are of them!