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Morocco Travel Guide
Your guide to explore Morocco
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Laayoune

Laayoune — Gateway to the Sahara Coast

Laayoune (El Aaiún) is the largest city in Morocco’s southern Saharan provinces, an administrative and cultural hub shaped by Sahrawi traditions and a distinctive Spanish colonial past. Wide boulevards, whitewashed buildings, and the turquoise waters of the nearby Naila Lagoon make it a quieter, more authentic stop for travellers heading further south toward Dakhla.

Why Laayoune?

  • The lagoon and dunes of Naila Lagoon, popular for kitesurfing
  • The central Place Mechouar and its Sahrawi architecture
  • Sahrawi crafts, tea culture, and camel-wool textiles
  • A quieter, authentic gateway to Morocco’s deep south

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