The old road south from Essaouira used to go via Diabat , but since the bridge over the Oued Ksob was broken and replaced by a tricky ford, the main road (P8A leading to P8) crosses the river upstream before joining the P8 to Agadir. A turning to the right just before this junction takes you to Diabat by a metalled side road.

 

En route to Diabat and signposted from the main road is the Auberge Tangaro (tel 04/478 5735 or 478 4784; over 800dh), a rather chic, Italian-owned place that provides a tempting alternative to staying in Essaouira, if you have transport of your own. Little used except at weekends, when groups of French and German windsurfers arrive from Casablanca and Marrakesh, the auberge has a number of chalet rooms , and it serves excellent meals. Half-board is obligatory. Next door is a small campsite with hot showers and youth hostel prices (20dh per person). The beach is a half-hour hike.

Back on the P8, a further 7km brings you to a sideroad signposted to SIDI KAOUKI . The beach here attracts windsurfers virtually year-round, and looks set for mainstream development. Currently, the choice of accommodation is limited to three possibilities. The Residence Kaouki Beach has ten comfortable rooms; it's run by the Villa Maroc in Essaouira (bookings through it: tel 04/447 3147; 100-150dh). Half-board is available and much cheaper than the Auberge Tangaro ; the restaurant is fine and open - by reservation - to nonresidents in the evening. The newer Auberge de la Plage (tel 04/447 6600, fax 447 3383; 200-400dh) is managed by a German/Italian couple who have a small stable and horses to hire for trekking along the beach. There's also the mildly eccentric Villa Bougies (tel 04/447 2411; 200-400dh), with four rooms, nine beds, solar energy and lots of candles. To supplement the hotel restaurants, there is one beach café, Chez Omar .

Near the beach is the original Marabout of Sidi Kaouki , which has a reputation for curing sterility in women, and beyond that is Cap Sim , backed by long expanses of dunes.