fbpx

The Road to Dakhla on the Atlantic Coast

Last updated

January 19, 2018  

One of the downsides – among many – of a disputed territory such as Western Sahara, is that some areas can be full of landmines. In some parts of this region it’s not advised to go off-road, which is why the official rally stage was getting us directly down to Dakhla on the main road.

The landmine situation is mainly true for the eastern part, close to the area controlled by the Polisario Front, where Morocco built a long wall used as a defensive line. Maintaining their border control costs them roughly $400 million per year. It sounds insane for a mud-sand wall in the desert.

shipwreck in western sahara

We didn’t really mind driving on the mostly well built highway on this sunny day, driving right next to the Atlantic Ocean. We only had one site to visit; a couple of abandoned shipwrecks. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find the history of these ships anywhere online, but they were still really cool to see.

IMG 9277Main

Other than the shipwrecks and the breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean, it was a relatively monotonous drive to Dakhla, where we arrived just before sunset. We had time for a nice(ish) dinner in a local restaurant, which was probably the only one that served beer too. Highly recommended: Restaurant Bahia. We’ve heard rumors that Casa Luis also serves beer, but we didn’t try it so we don’t know for sure.

IMG 9345
IMG 9348

Dakhla is a relatively developed town situated at the end of a very long peninsula. It’s known for being terribly windy, which is why it’s very popular among kite surfers. There are a number of cool campsites around, mostly busy with kite surfers from Europe all year round.

IMG 9360

Our dedicated bivouac was a sandy site at the beginning of the peninsula. By the time we got there after our dinner it was completely dark and insanely windy. Nevertheless, we got our rooftop tent set up and had a few more drinks with the guys from our convoy. We were all in agreement that the more intense part would start the next day, when we were going to head for the Mauritanian border.

[elementor-template id=”14569″]

Photo of author
AUTHOR
Ferenc
Ferenc Elekes has been a devout Overlanding enthusiast for many years. During that time, Ferenc has explored 75 countries on six continents, with overland travel involved in 40 countries on three continents. From his trusty 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with a roof-top tent, he’s blogged about experiences that can only be found in the remotest regions on Earth. Along the way, he's gained in-depth knowledge of the novel challenges overlanders encounter and practical ways to meet them. On his website, he shares informed opinions about everything from the best overland gear to how to get a vehicle unstuck. Ferenc has also written for Ih8mud, the Expedition Portal, the Overland Journal, and he is often invited as a guest to outdoors-related podcasts.
Which Overlanding Vehicle Best Fits You?!

Take the quiz to find out which overlanding vehicle best fits you and your travel style.

Overlandsite - take the quiz

Leave a Comment

What type of vehicle suits your overlanding style?