Hi,
so far we are 4 kitesurfers planning to fly to marrakesch or agadir - marrakesch because ryanair offers pretty cheap flights.
does anyone have an idea where we could rent a cheap, big car or bus to get to the beaches? except from the international car rental companies like sixt etc. which are expensive (compared to the local price level)
were should we stay over night - we thought about staying somewhere around Moulay to get waves and maybe some flatwater in Bhibah (according to kitebeaches.com)
thansk a million,
Chris
Marocco - any suggestions
Spent quite a bit of time in Morocco a few years back, since I was working there off/on for about 9 months.
The wind in the Essaouira area, including Sidi Kaoki and Moulay Bouzerktoune - cranks during this season (25-35 knots). Essaouira bay is crappy offshore-ish and gusty, the worst spot of the area. Avoid it, if you ask me.
Here's the trick...the further you drive north from Essaouira, the less the wind...so if it's 30-35 knots in the Bay, 20 kms up north on the coast it might be 20 knots (and not gusty), with waves that can seriously build (not so much in summer though).
The bad news: you need a 4x4 to access some of the more remote (not a soul around) spots north of essaouira. And a 4x4 costs an arm and a leg in Morocco, plus, even with a 4x4 there is no guarantee that you'll be able to find a path from the road to the ocean that is not "private" land. We had a run-in once with an ex-pat "local" because we drove on his land. Once we also got stuck in the sand (thank god there was a signal on the cellphone), and a number of other times friends of mine have had their cars stuck as well.
If you can afford it, get a 4x4. I had a Mitsu Pajero 7-seater when I was there, 100 EUR/day, and that was 3 years ago. Pricey. You could always rent a normal car, but then you got a long hike from the road to the beach, with your gear (the return trip is uphill...).
Having said that: once you hit those northern beaches, it's epic.
Steve
The wind in the Essaouira area, including Sidi Kaoki and Moulay Bouzerktoune - cranks during this season (25-35 knots). Essaouira bay is crappy offshore-ish and gusty, the worst spot of the area. Avoid it, if you ask me.
Here's the trick...the further you drive north from Essaouira, the less the wind...so if it's 30-35 knots in the Bay, 20 kms up north on the coast it might be 20 knots (and not gusty), with waves that can seriously build (not so much in summer though).
The bad news: you need a 4x4 to access some of the more remote (not a soul around) spots north of essaouira. And a 4x4 costs an arm and a leg in Morocco, plus, even with a 4x4 there is no guarantee that you'll be able to find a path from the road to the ocean that is not "private" land. We had a run-in once with an ex-pat "local" because we drove on his land. Once we also got stuck in the sand (thank god there was a signal on the cellphone), and a number of other times friends of mine have had their cars stuck as well.
If you can afford it, get a 4x4. I had a Mitsu Pajero 7-seater when I was there, 100 EUR/day, and that was 3 years ago. Pricey. You could always rent a normal car, but then you got a long hike from the road to the beach, with your gear (the return trip is uphill...).
Having said that: once you hit those northern beaches, it's epic.
Steve