Diabat

Diabat is a small village on the bluff south of Essaouira across the Ksob river, and it is known for a story: that Jimi Hendrix stayed here, lived in the ruined fort on the shore, and wrote Castles Made of Sand about it. He did visit Essaouira, briefly, in July 1969 - but the song was released in 1967, two years earlier, which settles the matter, and the fort in question, the Borj el-Baroud, is an eighteenth-century powder store half swallowed by dune long before he arrived. The story is repeated locally anyway and there is a cafe named for him. What is actually there is worth the walk: the ruin in the sand, the river mouth with its birdlife, the dunes and argan behind, and horse stables that run rides down the beach. The village itself has a handful of guesthouses and is very quiet.

What to look for

• A story that does not hold - the Hendrix song predates his visit by two years.
• Borj el-Baroud - an eighteenth-century powder store half buried in dune on the shore.
• The Ksob river mouth - birdlife and dunes between the village and Essaouira.
• Beach stables - horse rides along the sand and into the argan behind.

When to go

April to October. Half a day, walking down the beach from Essaouira.

Practical notes

The Hendrix connection is repeated confidently and is not accurate. The fort is a ruin with no access control. The Ksob river cannot be crossed on foot when it is running - check before walking down. The village has very few services.

Nearby

Essaouira is north across the river; Sidi Kaouki is further south.

Key facts