Western Sahara

Travel Guide > Africa > Western Sahara

Introduction
Brief History
Geography
Regions
Cities
Sights and Activities
- Driving
- Desert shipwrecks
- Other sights and activities
Events and Festivals
Weather
Getting There
- By Plane
- By Car
- By Bus
- By Boat
Getting Around
- By Car
- By Bus
- By Boat
Red Tape
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Quick Facts

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Local name: As-Ṣaḥrā' al-Ġarbiyyah
Capital: El Aaiún (disputed)
Government: Sovereignity unresolved
Nationality
Population: 267,000
Religions: Islam
Languages: Arabic
Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
Calling Code: +212
Time Zone: UTC+0

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Introduction

Moody seascape

Sparsely populated – an obvious consequence of its desert-dominated landscape – the contentious land of Western Sahara has been a matter of serious debate and conflict for decades. When Spain relinquished its colonial hold on the territory in 1975, neighbouring Morocco and Mauritania divided up the land between themselves, ignoring the protest of the Polisario Front, a party dedicated to the national emancipation of the Sahrawi people. To this day, the matter remains unresolved and a point of bitter division, with thousands of Moroccan troops defending their claim and occasional insurgencies led by the Polisario Front.

For these reasons, Western Sahara is hardly a holiday destination. It has been hard for journalists and human rights delegates to travel there – let alone tourists.

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Brief History

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Geography

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Regions

Western Sahara is divided into 4 provinces (wilayas)^[1]

Boujdour Province
Es Semara Province
Laâyoune Province (El Aaiún)
Oued el Dahab Province

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Cities

Boujdour
Bir Lehlou, the temporary capital, as designated by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Dakhla
El Aaiún (Laâyoune)
Smara

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Sights and Activities

Driving

Driving? Yes, to leave the state as soon as possible. Most of the country is mined, the landscape is impressive but monotonous and after all, it is a very popular route from Europe towards West Africa. Still, if you like desert landscapes and good tarred roads, this is the country for you. Roads from Morocco towards Mauritania are now paved almost all the way and a few inland roads are paved as well.

Desert shipwrecks

The coastal area has a number of shipwrecks on the beaches where the Sahara starts immediately. There are quiet a few and for a quick impression visit this website.

Other sights and activities

The Longest Conveyor Belt in the World!

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Events and Festivals

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Weather

The Western Sahara has a desert climate with generally hot, dry and sunny conditions.
Temperatures along the coast are somewhat tempered and generally are between 25 and 30 degrees Celcius during the day and between 15 and 20 degrees at night. Inland, temperatures during summer (June to September) can be much higher, averaging around 40 degrees Celcius, but close to 50 degrees is possible. With winds blowing directly east from the Sahara, also the coast gets its fair share of hot days above 40 degrees. Inland, winter nights can be rather chilly, especially in the north along the border with Morocco.
Rainfall is sparse and unreliable but usually summers are virtually rainless while most of the rainy days are between November and March, but only a few each month.

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Getting There

By Plane

Hassan Airport (EUN) near El Aaiún receives most international flights, mainly from Agadir and Casablanca in Morocco (Royal Air Maroc and Regional Airlines) and to and from Las Palmas and several other seasonal flights from cities in Spain. Air Algérie has flights as well. Other than that there are not many options. Infrequent flights connect Dakhla with Agadir and Casablanca as well.

By Car

The route from Morocco to West Africa travels through the Western Sahara and is getting more and more popular now that almost the entire road is paved all the way to Mauritania. You don't need a 4wd car to get you there, a regular car will be fine. Be sure to have you papers and insurance in order though. You can take rental cars from Morocco to Western Sahara and as Morocco treats the region as domestic part of the country, there are no formal designated borders.

By Bus

Buses travel between both Dakhla and Laayoun towards Moroccan cities like Agadir and Casablanca, but it takes a long time to get there and flying is preferable. CTM has buses on these route, stopping in Tarfaya, Tan Tan, Goulmime and a few other places en route.

By Boat

There are no boats between Western Sahara and other countries.

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Getting Around

By Car

The main roads along the coast is paved all the way from Morocco to Mauritania and in a good shape. Don't wander of this road or several other major roads, as there is always the risk of landmines. Rental cars are available at the international airport or in Dakhla and El Auin. Most visitors travelling around by car though have brought there own car from Europe or rented a car in Morocco. Check policies before entering though. Traffic drives on the right and you need an international driving permit.

By Bus

Buses like at least Dakhla and El Auin on a daily basis. Minibuses and shared taxis also ply the main routes between cities and towns, but as there are few people living in the country, there is not always sufficient demand.