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Fancy an adventure? If so, there’s a place you can easily visit right now that has almost certainly never been on your radar.
Near Spain’s Canary Islands lies a controversial city with a history of controversy. Is it Morocco? Is it Western Sahara? You are the judge.
The point is that, despite government conflicts, tensions are nowhere near the levels of Morocco and Algeria, where land borders have been closed since the mid-1990s, or worse, Russia and Ukraine.
More akin to disgruntled relatives at Thanksgiving dinner, we’ll go with Western Sahara because that’s technically the location, and we just know it’s widely considered a safe destination for tourists.
Regardless of the fact that you may never know the city Dakhla existed, new flightsswanky resorts and old world culture await on virtually untouched coastlines along North Africa’s little-known slice of paradise.
Note: the United Nations considers Western Sahara, including Dakhla, as a non-self-governing territory not classified as “Morocco”.
Why visit Dakhla?
With Fodor’s just releasing nine destinations to avoid, largely due to concerns about overtourism, travelers are starting to open their eyes to new possibilities and off-the-beaten-path adventures.
Rather than following what you know about, say, Spain’s abundance of popular islands, Dakhla is at the opposite end of the spectrum and embraces visitors rather than pushing them away.
In the same area as the Canary Islands, your journey by plane will only take a little longer. Better yet, Dakhla’s pristine coastlines are largely undiscovered except for the locals who know their stuff.
In fact, Dakhla’s eventual claim to fame is as a kitesurfing destination.
In addition, a new playground beckons for explorers, with city streets full of graceful buildings reminiscent of the vast cityscapes of Morocco.
Bustling markets, dazzling mosques and an array of cultural subtleties will leave you fascinated by the Sahrawi way of life and warmly welcoming visitors.
Located on a peninsula that is ready to be explored, with views of the Atlantic Ocean a very important reason to consider a visit, Dakhla is already equipped with luxury resorts, boutique stays and easy-to-navigate streets, such as the quiet Corniche promenade. .
You never know what surprising delights you’ll encounter, from hidden alleyways to charming cafes, such as Cafe Anastasia, located on the bay with an airy patio.
Furthermore, Dakhla boasts beautiful weather all year round, despite being just out of reach of a very desolate region of the African desert.
Expect the 70s through the winter months from low to mid 70s through July and a slight increase into the late summer and early fall 80s.
Dakhla flees in more ways than one
When airlines notice a certain place, it usually means something is going on.
In the case of Dakhla, this potential has simply been ignored for a long time and all it takes is one airline to shine the light.
Ryanair is doing just that by offering not one but two new routes to Dakhla for the first time in its history.
Ryanair is known as one of the stricter budget airlines when it comes to baggage allowances, seat assignments and downright hilarious social media feeds. Ryanair is well connected and safe, so you don’t have to worry about booking with them.
Ryanair’s new routes are as follows:
- From January 8, 2025: Madrid (MAD) to Dakhla (VIL) twice a week
- From January 11, 2025: Lanzarote (ACE) to Dakhla (VIL) twice a week
Better yet, you don’t have to wait until January as there are already easy connections from Paris and Casablanca Transavia And Royal Air Morocco.
Another development to keep an eye on is Air oasis, a new airline The headquarters are expected to be located in Dakhla, but there is no official word on when and where this will take placee to heaven.
Dakhla’s affordable beach resorts
One of Dakhla’s most notable bright spots is that the city’s posh resorts have yet to benefit from supply and demand, making them very budget-friendly.
Dakhla beach hotels are spread across the peninsula, but these 5 are the best to consider for their great value for money and prime real estate:
3-star accommodations:
Bavaro Beach Dakhla – $84
Dakhla Pose – $94
4-star accommodations:
Hotel Oasis Dakhla – $103
Dakhla South Bay – $107
Dakhla Club Hotel & Spa – $151
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
