Most visitors spend two or three days in Essaouira and never leave the walls. That is a pity, because a few day trips from Essaouira are enough to discover some of the most beautiful and least crowded countryside in Morocco: empty beaches, argan forests with goats in the branches, women's cooperatives, Sunday markets and fishing villages that barely appear on maps.
Here are the day trips from Essaouira we recommend most often to our own passengers, sorted by direction, with realistic times.
Day trips from Essaouira at a glance
| Destination | Direction | Drive | Ideal length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabat and the Oued Ksob estuary | South | 10 min | Half day |
| Argan cooperatives and villages | East / south | 15–30 min | Half day |
| Sidi Kaouki | South | about 30 min | Full day |
| Had Draa Sunday market | East | about 30 min | Morning |
| Moulay Bouzerktoun | North | about 30 min | Half day |
| Imsouane | South | about 1 h 30 | Full day or overnight |
South: Diabat, the estuary and Sidi Kaouki
Just past the southern end of Essaouira's beach, the village of Diabat sits above the Oued Ksob river. Below it, the sand-battered ruins of Borj El Berod come with a famous — and probably invented — story about Jimi Hendrix. The estuary is a favourite with birdwatchers, and the dunes behind the beach stretch for kilometres. Our half-day excursion covers all of this plus a women's argan cooperative, in four hours; we describe it in detail in our Essaouira half-day tour guide.
Further south, Sidi Kaouki is a long, wild beach with a whitewashed shrine at the water's edge, a handful of cafés and camels resting on the sand. It is a surf and kite spot, but you do not need a board to love it. Our full-day excursion combines it with argan forests, a Berber souk and the cliff road — see our Sidi Kaouki day trip guide.
Inland: argan country and village markets
Turn your back on the ocean and within fifteen minutes you are in the argan forest that covers this whole region. Cooperatives run by local women open their workshops to visitors, and you can watch the nuts being cracked by hand before tasting the oil and amlou. Our argan cooperative visit guide explains what to look for and what to buy.
On Sundays, the village of Had Draa holds one of the biggest markets in the area — "had" means Sunday — with livestock, vegetables, spices and barbers under canvas. Go early; by early afternoon it is winding down. Our guide to visiting a Berber market has the etiquette.
North: the kite beaches
About half an hour north, Moulay Bouzerktoun is a small village famous for its strong, steady wind and its kitesurfers and windsurfers. Even as a spectator, watching the kites race across the waves on a sunny afternoon is a great way to spend a couple of hours.
Further afield: Imsouane
An hour and a half south along the coast road, Imsouane is a fishing village in a sheltered bay with one of Morocco's longest waves. It makes a great full day for surfers — or a night or two. Our Essaouira to Imsouane transfer carries surfboards.
Something different: a private picnic
If you would rather spend the day doing very little in a beautiful place, our private picnic excursion takes you to a clifftop, a quiet cove or a clearing in the argan forest, with blankets and cushions set up for you. Our guide to a private picnic in Essaouira explains how it works.
Which day trip suits you?
- Only a morning or an afternoon: the half-day tour to Diabat, the dunes and a cooperative.
- Beach lovers: a full day at Sidi Kaouki, with the argan forest and the cliff road on the way back.
- Couples: the private picnic, ideally with a sunset departure.
- Families with young children: the half day, or the picnic, where nobody has to sit still in a restaurant.
- Culture and photography: Had Draa on a Sunday morning, followed by an argan cooperative.
- Surfers: Imsouane for the long wave, or Sidi Kaouki when the swell is up.
Arriving from Marrakech? Our Marrakech to Essaouira transfer can stop at a cooperative and at the goat trees on the way, so your first day trip starts before you even reach the coast.
Planning your day trips from Essaouira
- Wind: it usually picks up in the afternoon, especially in spring and summer. Plan beach time in the morning.
- Layers: the coast can be cool even when inland is hot. Bring a jacket.
- Cash: villages and small cafés work in dirhams.
- Timing: our half-day tour leaves at 8 am or 2 pm; the full day runs from 9 am to 5 pm. Private cars go at your pace, with stops wherever you like.
At the time of writing, our private tours from Essaouira start at €80 per vehicle for the half day and €120 for the full day, for up to three people, with hotel pickup included. For everything to do in town itself, see our Essaouira travel guide — and when you are ready to explore further, the best day trips from Essaouira are only a few minutes beyond the ramparts.
