After the desert trip it was time to cool down at the coast. We choose to go to the old Portugese colony Essouira (in Portugese Mogadir) at the west coast of Morocco at the Atlantic Ocean. Its a long drive back from the desert. First 300 km back to Ouarzazate (passing Tagounite, Zagora). Then further on to Marrakech which is another 200 km. Then from Marrakech to Essaouira , again 200km drive. We did all this with public transport which is real easy to do and very cheap to travel. To fun part is that with shared taxis you can discuss about the price and you get in touch with the locals. Everyone is interested and talks with you. It took us 1 full day to get from M'hamid to Ouarzazate. We slept in a nice riad (guesthouse) and we moved on the next day to Marrakech and Essaouira.
The medinaof Essaouira (old city part) is UNESCO world heritage. It's full of small shops and restaurants where you can easily spend a day or two. In the sixties this was a favorite place for Jimi Hendrix who got inspired by this place and wrote Castles Made Of Sand.
It's also a hot place for surfers as it is extremely windy in Essaouira. Next to the Medina you find the modern part of town and a big beach where you can go for sunbathing. The Medina has also a rocky beach.
