Essaouira



Essaouira is a resort town on the Atlantic Ocean in Morocco.

Hitchhiking out
The roundabout for all directions is on Boulevard Mohammed V. a few hundred meters south of the swimming beach and its associated buildings like the Sofitel hotel and petrol station. As of December 2011, construction is going on and the streets are a mess, but ask how to walk to the barrage (police roadblock) and then hitchhike right after the police.

East to Marrakesh
The road east to Marrakesh goes along the R207 road. Right at the south east corner of the city there is a roundabout where cars can stop easily. At a small distance from there seems to be a popular spot for police patrols, which makes it unlikely that people pick up hitchhikers. Locals recommend the petrol station to the west, which works fairly well.

South to Agadir
For Agadir, there are two options.

The inland road
The R207 road has the most traffic. Follow the directions for Marrakesh above and go until the town of Chichaoua, approximately 100 kilometers from Essaouira. Nearly all traffic between Marrakesh and Agadir passes through Chichaoua, where it turns onto the N8 highway going south, so one can easily hitch on from there.

The coastal road
The N1 road has less traffic and may take an entire day, but it is a scenic route. It passes through endless argan groves and then ocean views. First, get to Essaouira Ville Nouvelle/Ghazoua, about 7 km south of Essaouira. There you'll find an intersection marked Agadir and Marrakesh. Get a lift on the Agadir road until the first village, Smimou, some 25 km further. You can then hop from village to village. You can take from main entrance of medina bus №3 to Smimou or №2 to Sidi Kauki. isin: Morocco