Best Tourist Places to Visit in El Aaiun (Laayoune), Western Sahara, Morocco, Africa
El Aaiun, or Laayoune, is the capital city of Western Sahara, a disputed territory of Morocco since 1976. It is also the administrative centre of the Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra region, situated around 1100 km southwest of Casablanca, the largest city of Morocco. The city is detached by dry river of Saguia el Hamra, located between 27°9′13″ N latitude and 13°12′12″ W longitude. El Aaiun experiences a mild desert climate with an average temperature of 20°C per year. El Aaiun is home to the famous football club, called Jeunesse Massira, which is the part of the Moroccan premier league.
History of El Aaiun:
The Spanish colonizer Antonio de Oro was the founder of El Aaiun, founded in 1938 and promoted it as the capital of the Spanish Sahara in 1940. The name El Aaiun is the French translated form of the Arabic term ‘Layoun’, which literally means ‘the water sources’.
Getting El Aaiun:
Hassan I Airport is the airport serving El Aaiún with the scheduled flights from Las Palmas, Agadir and Casablanca, catered by Binter Canarias, CanaryFly and Royal Air Maroc.
Despite its position in Western Sahara, El Aaiun is well linked by bus to all the important southern Moroccan cities like Marrakech, Inezgane and Agadir.
The local transportation of El Aaiún is upgraded, served by public buses, costing around USD0.25 and petit taxis, which generally cost around MAD6.
Food and Shopping in El Aaiun:
The area of Sheria Mekka in El Aaiun is famous for the shopping of antique knives, jewelry, local craft and artworks.
El Aaiun is home to many pizza corners, traditional and modern restaurants. Pizzeria Samir is one of the famous options.
What to do in El Aaiun?
- Shopping
- Walking
- Visiting gardens
What to see in El Aaiun?
Stade Sheikh Mohamed Laghdaf:
The Stade Sheikh Mohamed Laghdaf is a multipurpose stadium, holding a capacity of around 30,000 spectators. It is used mainly for football matches and is the home ground of the football club, JS Massira.
Hassan I Airport:
The Hassan I Airport is situated around 2 km west of the heart of El Aaiun. It is named in the honor of Hassan I of Morocco. The airport is modern and well constructed, while its elevation measures 63 meters.
Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi:
The Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi was constructed during the Spanish colonial rule in Western Sahara. This former cathedral is known both for its construction and surrounding environment. It is currently used for administrative purposes.
Avenue Makkah al-Mukarramah:
Avenue Makkah al-Mukarramah is a well maintained and one of the important avenues of El Aaiun. The avenue features many brick colored buildings that are nice to see.
Other places of interest in and around El Aaiun include:
- Beaches in El Aaiun
- Mosque in Dakhla
- Beaches in Dakhla
- Windfish Pro-Center
- Centre Artisanal
- Laayoune Off Road
- Beaches in Agadir
- The Souss-Massa National Park
- Mosque Loubnan in Agadir
- The garden of Ibn Zaidoun
- Museum Municipal du Patrimoine Amazigh
- Mohammed V Mosque
- Musee Municipal de Agadir
- Imouzzer Ida Ou Tanane
When to visit El Aaiun?
Generally during the months between May and September is best to visit El Aaiun in Western Sahara, Morocco.
Where to stay in El Aaiun?
El Aaiun is home to around 15 standard hotels, of which many are located in downtown El Aaiun. Budget options can be found on the outskirts of the city. Advance booking is preferred by most hotels in the city. The prominent hotels in and around El Aaiun are listed below:
- Hotel Josefina
- Hotel Nagjir Ville
- Hotel Salwan
- Camping Sabor del Sahara
- Hotel Parador
- Le Camp Bedouin
- La Corniche
- Hotel de France
- Hotel Afra
- Ksar Tafnidilt