Place du Mechouar
The great square of the city, with its tall canopies and evening crowds.
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Destination guide · The city of the dunes
Laâyoune
العيون، حاضرة الصحراء
Wide squares, white domes and dunes that start where the streets end, with the Atlantic half an hour away: Laâyoune is the place to discover the culture of the Sahara.
Nearest host city
Agadir, a flight or a long day on the road
Airport
Laâyoune Hassan I (EUN)
Summer weather
Hot, dry and breezy; cooler by the sea
By coach
From Agadir, overnight
Don't miss
The dunes at the city's edge
Golden sand begins where the last streets end. Go at sunset.
Foum El Oued
The city's beach, about 25 km away: long sand, surf and seafood cafés.
Saint Francis of Assisi church
A whitewashed church from the Spanish era, one of the city's oldest buildings.
The Saguia el Hamra valley
The wide riverbed below the city, best seen from the viewpoints at dusk.
The souk
Melhfa fabrics, silver jewellery, tea sets and incense from the Sahrawi traders.
Eat like a local
بصحتك
Camel, fresh fish and tea shared under the tent. Five things to taste in Laâyoune.
- Camel meatGrilled, in a tagine or as kebabs: the meat of the Sahara
- Fresh fishSardines, sea bream and shrimp from the port of El Marsa
- Sahrawi teaThree slow glasses under the tent: the first bitter, the last sweet
- CouscousServed on Fridays and for guests, often with camel or lamb
- Dates and camel milkThe traditional welcome in a Sahrawi home
Where to stay
The city centre
Hotels near Place du Mechouar, restaurants and the souk.
Foum El Oued
Beach apartments and small hotels by the ocean.
A desert camp
Traditional khaima tents in the dunes outside the city.
Run a riad or hotel in Laâyoune?
Get listed for free in this guide and reach fans planning their trip.
Day trips from Laâyoune
Full day
Tarfaya
The coastal town of the old airmail route, with its Saint-Exupéry museum and the Casa del Mar in the waves.
Full day
Khnifiss lagoon
A national park lagoon with dunes, flamingos and boat trips.
Half day
Foum El Oued
Beach, surf and a fish lunch, half an hour from town.
Long day
Boujdour
A long drive south to the lighthouse town and its wild Atlantic coast.
Local tips
Accept the tea: being invited in for three glasses is how friendships start in the Sahara.
Hire a local driver for the dunes and the coast: tracks change with the wind.
Dress modestly in town: light, covering clothes are also the best protection from the sun and sand.