Plage Blanche

Plage Blanche is a run of about forty kilometres of pale sand on the Atlantic between the Draa mouth and Sidi Ifni, backed by dunes and low cliffs and behind them stony desert - and its character is entirely negative in the useful sense: there are no buildings, no road along it, no resorts, no lifeguards and generally nobody on it. Development schemes for the beach have been announced repeatedly since the 1990s and have not been built, which most people who go there consider fortunate. The Atlantic here is cold, the swell is heavy and the current is strong; this is a beach to walk, not to swim. Fishermen work the shore in places and there are seasonal camps. Access is by track from Guelmim or from the coast road, and the sand can bog a low car - four-wheel drive and knowledge of the route are advisable, and going alone is not.

Highlights

• Forty kilometres of empty sand - no buildings, road or facilities along it.
• Desert meeting ocean - dunes and stony desert running directly to the Atlantic.
• Schemes never built - repeated resort proposals that have not materialised.
• Fishermen's camps - seasonal shelters along parts of the shore.

When to go

October to April. A day, with a suitable vehicle and company.

What to expect

There is nothing there - no water, shade, phone coverage or help. Currents are strong and swimming is unwise. Sand tracks bog low vehicles; four-wheel drive and a companion vehicle are sensible. Do not attempt it alone or in summer.

Nearby

Guelmim is inland; Sidi Ifni is north up the coast.

Key facts