Windsurfing

Windsurfing is Essaouira’s original wind sport. Boards have been sailing Moulay Bouzerktoune, where a wave-sailing contest has been held every year since 2023. Two stretches of water, two disciplines. Essaouira bay is for learning and freeride. Moulay Bouzerktoune, 29 km north by road, is for waves. The PWA held its first World Cup in Morocco there in 2018 (World Sailing, 10 April 2018). The season runs April to September, and it happens in the afternoon.

The sport that made this wind famous

The Wave Classic organisers name the Trilogy among the first competitions held at the spot. On 27 March 2018 the spot opened the professional PWA season. It was the first windsurf World Cup in Morocco, and the first women-only wave event. Spain’s Iballa Moreno won it (World Sailing, 10 April 2018).

The spot has kept a competition, the Wave Classic Moulay, a World Wave Tour stop. Its 2026 edition ran from 25 April to 2 May with 63 riders. The next one is announced for 24 April to 1 May 2027 (event site, read on 16 October 2026). Other competitions are followed in our Sport agenda.

The bay or Moulay Bouzerktoune: two waters, two disciplines

The bay is the water for learning and for freeride. Its bottom, wind and tide are the ones our kitesurfing section describes for beginners. One school starts its beginners on the far side of the bay, where the water is calmer. A boat goes with them (school site, read on 25 September 2026). For your first runs, aim for low tide: at high water the chop builds.

Moulay Bouzerktoune is a wave spot, and it does not forgive. Magic Fun, the windsurf centre in the village, describes a right-hander breaking over a rock slab, in front of a small sandy beach. The same centre advertises waves of 1.5 to 3 m from March to June (centre’s site, read on 16 October 2026). The wave works on a rising tide. Our view: do not go without a gybe you land in chop and a waterstart that never fails. Both beaches are described in our beaches pages. With a rig, hire the whole grand taxi rather than a seat.

What windsurfing does with the same wind as kite

Same trade wind, different reading. A big kite rides from 15 knots, where our kite window starts. A board on a big sail planes at about 15 knots too, but we suggest waiting for more wind if you want to plane without a fight. So the windsurfer waits for the afternoon, when the thermal passes 20 knots. On the 1991-2020 normals July has 20 days above 15 knots out of 31. The day’s wind, spot by spot, is read before you rig.

The second difference is space. With no 25 m lines, a board shares a crowded bay without endangering swimmers. At Moulay, the rocks and the cliff leave little room for lines. Wing foiling is taught in the same bay, but it runs by the tide, because the foil needs depth.

Lessons, rental and what it costs

In the bay, Ocean Vagabond rents gear from €62 for two hours and €95 for the day. Explora keeps its customers’ kit in lockable lockers. At Moulay, Magic Fun rents board, sail, harness and wetsuit for €70 a day. A two-hour private lesson costs €90 at Magic Fun, €130 (1,430 MAD) at Explora and from €147 at Ocean Vagabond (published prices, read on 16 October 2026). No rental price is published legibly in MAD: ask for it in writing.

Two questions before you pay. How many runs the school guarantees when the morning wind fails. And whether a boat follows the students. The water needs a wetsuit all year, and our Surfing pages say which one. Bed, lessons and gear packages are in surf and kite camps.