Last updated: 9 October 2026 · written by the team who sail these spots
There are only two windsurf centres on the whole of Dakhla Lagoon. One is at La Tour d’Éole on the remote east side, and the other is at Dakhla Attitude at the north end, right next to the famous speed spot. For a windsurf holiday, stay at one of those two, or at Dakhla Club, about a 15-minute stroll from the Dakhla Attitude centre.
Dakhla is one of our most popular windsurf destinations. The lagoon is huge and flat, with big shallow areas, and the wind blows on 70 to 80% of days across the year. For windsurfing, it’s hard to think of anywhere better. The catch is that Dakhla is best known as a kitesurf destination, and most places on the lagoon have a kite school rather than a windsurf centre. So if you windsurf, sort out where you’re staying first.
For the bigger picture of the lagoon and the season, see our Dakhla windsurfing holidays page.
Where are the windsurf centres in Dakhla?
The two centres are on opposite sides of the lagoon, and they feel very different.
The watersports centre at La Tour d’Éole
The centre at La Tour d’Éole is a long way from every other sports centre on the lagoon, so you have buckets of space on the water. It was extended recently and has the latest Duotone and Fanatic windsurf kit. It’s rare to find a windsurf centre this well equipped in Dakhla. The lagoon is wide here, so expect some wind chop once the wind gets up. Beginner lessons normally run in the morning, before the wind picks up too much.
Off the water, the beach club next to the centre has hot showers, a big storage area, lockers and sun loungers out of the wind, and a barbecue at lunchtime.
The Dakhla Windsurf Centre at Dakhla Attitude
The Dakhla Windsurf Centre is fully equipped, with JP boards from 85 to 180 litres, NeilPryde sails from 2 to 7 m² and kit for children. It runs a pool system, so each day you can pick whichever available board suits the conditions. Close to the beach the water is flat, and further out it’s choppy, which makes it a good playground for your first chop hop or the latest freestyle moves. The speed spot is right next to the centre.
Wetsuits, buoyancy aids, helmets and harnesses are free if you’re having lessons, but the centre recommends you bring your own wetsuit and harness.
The two centres side by side
| La Tour d’Éole | Dakhla Attitude | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is | Remote east side of the lagoon | North end, on Dakhla Attitude’s own small peninsula |
| Kit | The latest Duotone and Fanatic kit | JP boards from 85 to 180 litres, NeilPryde sails from 2 to 7 m², kids’ kit |
| The water in front | Wide open lagoon, with some chop when it’s windy | Flat close to the beach, choppier further out |
| Nearby | Nothing but desert, and lots of space on the water | The speed spot, right next to the centre |
| The feel | Quiet and remote, with the best hotel in Dakhla | Lively and social, with kite and wing schools close by |
Where to stay in Dakhla for windsurfing: our top three
Two of our top three have a windsurf centre on site, and the third is a short walk from one.
| Where to stay | Windsurf centre | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| La Tour d’Éole | On site, a couple of minutes from reception by electric buggy | Top-quality food, service and rooms, and partners or families who don’t windsurf |
| Dakhla Attitude | On site, with the speed spot right next to the centre | Value, a lively atmosphere and mixing the sports |
| Dakhla Club | About a 15-minute stroll to the centre at Dakhla Attitude | An all-inclusive holiday close to the windsurfing |
La Tour d’Éole: when only the best will do
For food, service and the overall standard, no other place in Dakhla comes close to La Tour d’Éole. It’s our top-rated property on the lagoon and the best you can get here by a distance. It sits further south, a long way from the busier water at the north end, and out here you really feel you’re in the Western Sahara.
The property is spread over three levels. At the top, the 3 and 4-bedroom pool villas look out over the lagoon from a raised position. A five-minute walk down the path, or a short ride in an electric buggy, takes you to reception, the restaurant and the private bungalows, most of which have direct sea views. Book the first line if you want a guaranteed clear view of the water. From reception, another couple of minutes in the buggy gets you down to the beach club and the windsurf centre.
The food is the best in Dakhla by a long way, which is impressive given how remote it is. The chef buys from small organic farms and makes the most of the local fish, oysters and lobster. The rooms are excellent too, and the beds in particular.
It’s great for non-windsurfers as well. Yoga is free every day, with morning sessions for toning and strengthening and late afternoon sessions to help you recover. There’s a massage room, and a pool next to the restaurant that’s sheltered from the wind. The excursions team runs 4×4 trips to the White Dune and the hot springs. It suits singles, couples and families alike, and there are new family bungalows for 2027. Our luxury windsurf holidays page has more places like this.
If you want a lively bar scene and the speed spot on your doorstep, Dakhla Attitude will suit you better.
Dakhla Attitude: the original camp on the lagoon
Dakhla Attitude opened in 2003 as the first camp on the lagoon, and it took the best position going: a little peninsula with water on almost every side (around 300 degrees of shoreline). The north end of the lagoon has filled up over the years, but thanks to that position there’s still good space on the water. Twenty-odd years on, it’s still one of the best places to be on the lagoon.
For windsurfers, the big plus is that one of the two windsurf centres is right here, with the speed spot next to it. It’s great for mixing the sports too, with plenty of up-to-date kitesurf and wingfoil kit to hire, so it works well if not everyone in your group windsurfs.
It’s great value for money, and it’s lively and fun, which makes it a good choice if you’re travelling on your own (see our windsurf holidays for singles). The lodge is constantly improving, and 2024 brought premium rooms, a whole new accommodation area called Speed Spot, and a new restaurant and bar.
You can stay in one of three areas. Dragon Camp is closest to the restaurant, the beach bar and the sports centres, with standard, premium and VIP bungalows built on four levels, all looking across the lagoon towards Dragon Island. Windhunter Camp is 500 m away, about a five-minute walk, in a wilder spot nearer the wind. Speed Spot, new in 2024, has standard and large premium rooms in new gardens looking over to the speed spot. It’s a 5 to 10-minute stroll from the restaurant and the centres, and it’s quieter, so families may prefer it.
It has always been one of our firm favourites.
Dakhla Club: a 15-minute stroll from the windsurf centre
Dakhla Club is about a 15-minute stroll from the windsurf centre at Dakhla Attitude, which makes it another good option. It’s an all-inclusive package resort with the relaxed feel of a beach club. The food is a buffet, the bar has a big selection of local beer and wine, and there are Zumba classes and romance packages.
There are budget rooms at the back near reception, which are good if you’re on a smaller budget, but they’re in a block and don’t get much natural light. Budget permitting, the bungalows set around the grounds along gravel paths are a better bet. Only the Sea Front Deluxe Bungalows have air-conditioning, so tell us if that matters to you.
Dakhla Club has its own kitesurf and wingfoil school as well. For windsurfing, we book your lessons or kit hire at the Dakhla Attitude centre and confirm it before you fly.
What about Palais Rhoul?
Palais Rhoul and Spa is the other hotel on our Dakhla page. It’s a luxury spa hotel built on a rocky point, with private access straight onto the lagoon, and its team can arrange watersports from their own boats, windsurfing included, depending on your level, the season, the wind and the tide. It isn’t next to either windsurf centre, so for a windsurf holiday we’d normally steer you to one of the three above.
Which windsurf centre suits the way you sail?
Learning to windsurf
Either centre works. The lagoon is flat with big shallow areas, and we rate Dakhla 100% for learning. At La Tour d’Éole, beginner lessons normally run in the morning before the wind picks up. At Dakhla Attitude the water is flat close to the beach. Our learn to windsurf holidays page has more ideas.
Improving: gybes, chop hops and freestyle
Dakhla Attitude. The flat water near the beach is good for gybe practice, and the choppier water further out is where you’ll try your first chop hops and freestyle moves.
Speed
Dakhla Attitude, because the speed spot is right next to the centre.
Waves
Dakhla is a flat-water place first, and we rate it 20% for waves. There are four wave spots within 30 minutes for advanced sailors, though, and on a windy day they have 2 to 4 metre peeling waves with side to side-offshore wind. If waves are the main reason you travel, look at our wave windsurfing holidays as well.
Windfoiling
We rate Dakhla 100% for windfoiling. Tell us if you’d like to hire windfoil kit and we’ll check what each centre has for your dates.
Travelling with non-windsurfers or children
La Tour d’Éole, with its daily yoga, pools, pool villas and new family bungalows for 2027. At Dakhla Attitude, families often go for the quieter Speed Spot rooms. Our family windsurf holidays page has more options.
Where you’ll sail on the lagoon
The lagoon is enormous. You can launch straight in front of where you’re staying, or hitch a ride on the rescue boat to one of the many other spots around it. Wherever you go, the water is flat and the wind is clean and consistent, which is why it’s so easy for beginners and improvers.
The famous speed spot is right next to the windsurf centre at Dakhla Attitude, and you can walk to it from the camp or take a short boat ride. Advanced sailors also have the four wave spots within 30 minutes.
When is the best time to windsurf in Dakhla?
You can sail in Dakhla in any month. In our experience the wind blows on 70 to 80% of days across the year. The lightest months are December and January, and even then it’s still around 60%. In our ranking of the best windsurfing holidays, Dakhla comes second, with April to October the best months and the rest of the year good.
That makes it a strong option for UK and European sailors over the winter too, and it’s second in our top 10 winter windsurf destinations.
Should you take your own kit or hire?
You don’t need to bring a board. Both centres hire kit, and if you pre-book it through us it’s guaranteed for your dates. We book at trade rates and almost always beat the centre’s own price, and paying locally can cost a lot more. Most centres fix your ideal board size so it’s there for you, but you can use any of the available kit.
Equipment insurance isn’t included in hire, so check your travel insurance, or most centres offer local cover for around €45 a week. You may be asked for a VDWS, RYA or equivalent certificate before you hire, so bring yours if you have one. And bring your own wetsuit and harness either way.
If you’d rather bring your own board, your sports bag goes free on the flight when you book with us. We call everyone before they travel, and whether to take your own board or hire is one of the things we’ll talk through.
What to do when the wind drops
Days without wind are rare in Dakhla, but there are good trips for when one comes along. You can visit the White Dune, where the lagoon meets the desert, or the Asmaa hot spring, where sulphur water comes out at 38°C. There’s Dragon Island with its fiddler crabs and flamingos, and a catamaran trip with a chance of dolphins. Dakhla town has a craft centre, and the fishing port is worth seeing when the trawlers come back in. Our guide to things to do in Dakhla has more ideas.
One practical point: only a few places in Dakhla have reliable wifi. If you need it for work, tell us when you enquire and we’ll point you to them. Elsewhere, expect it to be slow and patchy.
Adding the rest of Morocco
Dakhla is only one small part of Morocco, and we specialise in tailor-made tours that combine the lagoon with the rest of the country: Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, Essaouira, Agadir and Casablanca. The Dakhla and Highlights of Morocco tour gives you six nights sailing from La Tour d’Éole first. After that it’s a flight up to Casablanca for one night, then Marrakech, where you stay in the medina for two nights and have a private guide for a day. You finish with two nights in a Berber village up in the Atlas Mountains. The tour is 12 days and costs around £1,700 per person, including internal flights, private transfers and all the hotels.
Best of Dakhla – East vs West Lagoon splits ten days between the two sides of the lagoon. The first part is at La Tour d’Éole, in the quiet of the east side, and the second is at Lassarga, right at the tip of the peninsula by the wave spot. Meals and transfers are all included, and it’s around £1,300 per person.
If you’d like a second windsurf spot, Essaouira, further up the Atlantic coast, has strong winds and bigger waves and suits more experienced sailors. Our guide to windsurfing in Morocco compares the two, and everything else we do in the country is on our Morocco page. Tour prices are a guide per person based on two sharing, and international flights are extra.
Getting to Dakhla
Flights from the UK leave from London or Manchester. None of them fly direct, so expect to connect in Casablanca, usually with Royal Air Maroc, and the last leg from Casablanca to Dakhla takes about two hours. Coming from elsewhere, you have multiple options, including direct flights from Paris and from Las Palmas in Gran Canaria.
Once you land, it’s 20 to 30 minutes by road to the camps at the north end of the lagoon, and further out to La Tour d’Éole on the east side. Now and then a Royal Air Maroc schedule change means a night in Casablanca. If that happens to you, we sort it out and move your transfers to match.
Why book your Dakhla windsurf trip with us
You can book Dakhla yourself. Booking through a specialist pays off when something changes between booking and arriving, and with Dakhla’s flights it sometimes does.
- Our trade rates on hotels, flights and transfers are exclusive to us, and for lessons and kit hire we almost always beat the centre’s own price.
- There’s 24/7 support while you’re away. You message or call one number at any hour, and the person who answers knows your holiday.
- We handle flight changes for you, including the occasional Royal Air Maroc overnight in Casablanca.
- If you’re bringing your own kit, your sports bag goes free on the flight.
- Every transfer is booked for you, with English-speaking drivers.
- We pre-book the right windsurf lessons or kit hire and confirm it before you fly, so it’s waiting for you.
- You have 100% financial protection. The money you pay sits in a trust account until after your holiday, and we’re ATOL protected (T7314).
Planning a windsurf trip to Dakhla?
With only two windsurf centres on the lagoon, a quick chat with us before you book is worth it. Tell us how you sail, when you can travel and who’s coming with you, and we’ll pick the right place, priced with flights, transfers and the windsurf centre.
Speaking to one of our experts is always the best way to plan Dakhla, but if you just want a quick price, every Dakhla hotel page has our new live price checker. It adds the windsurf centre for you and takes about a minute.
Ask us for a free quote, tailored to you, or call +44 (0)1273 921 001.
There’s no charge and no obligation. Planet has been a UK tour operator since 2001, and we’re ATOL protected (T7314) and members of the Travel Trust Association.
Frequently asked questions
How many windsurf centres are there in Dakhla?
Two. One is at La Tour d’Éole on the remote east side of the lagoon, with the latest Duotone and Fanatic kit. The other is the Dakhla Windsurf Centre at Dakhla Attitude, at the north end, right next to the speed spot.
Where should I stay in Dakhla for windsurfing?
Stay at one of the two windsurf centres or close to one. La Tour d’Éole is the highest standard in Dakhla, Dakhla Attitude is great value with a lively atmosphere, and Dakhla Club, an all-inclusive resort, is about a 15-minute stroll from the Dakhla Attitude centre.
Is Dakhla good for beginner windsurfers?
Yes. The lagoon is flat with big shallow areas, and we rate it 100% for learning. At La Tour d’Éole beginner lessons normally run in the morning, and at Dakhla Attitude the water is flat close to the beach.
Where is the speed spot in Dakhla?
It’s right next to the Dakhla Windsurf Centre at Dakhla Attitude, at the north end of the lagoon. You can walk to it from the camp or take a short boat ride.
Can you windsurf waves in Dakhla?
Yes, if you’re an advanced sailor. There are four wave spots within 30 minutes, and on a windy day they have 2 to 4 metre peeling waves with side to side-offshore wind. Dakhla is a flat-water destination first, though.
Do I need to bring my own windsurf kit to Dakhla?
No. Both centres hire kit, and Dakhla Attitude has JP boards from 85 to 180 litres and NeilPryde sails from 2 to 7 m². Pre-book it through us so it’s guaranteed, and bring your own wetsuit and harness. If you do bring a board, you get a free sports bag on your flight.
Is Dakhla good for non-windsurfing partners and families?
Yes, if they don’t mind being somewhere remote. We’d book them into La Tour d’Éole, which has free daily yoga, a massage room, pools, 3 and 4-bedroom pool villas and, from 2027, new family bungalows.
When is the best time to windsurf in Dakhla?
Any month works. The wind blows on 70 to 80% of days across the year, the lightest months (December and January) still manage around 60%, and April to October is the best period.
How do you get to Dakhla from the UK?
Flights leave from London or Manchester. None fly direct, so you’ll normally connect in Casablanca, usually with Royal Air Maroc, and the Casablanca to Dakhla leg takes about two hours.
Are there direct flights to Dakhla?
Yes, but not from the UK. From outside the UK there are multiple options, including direct flights from Paris and Las Palmas.
Is there wifi in Dakhla?
Only a few places have reliable wifi. If you need it for work, tell us when you enquire and we’ll point you to them. Elsewhere, expect it to be slow and patchy.
Do I need a certificate to hire windsurf kit in Dakhla?
You may be asked for a VDWS, RYA or equivalent certificate to show you can sail on your own, so bring yours if you have one.
