October 9, 2025 — Staying Another Day in Dakhla
Good day. October 9, 2025. We decided to stay in Dakhla another day, another night at the same place. It’s a very basic spot, but it was fun to explore it a little bit more and get a better feel for the rhythm of the town.
The Fishing Peninsula
We ended up driving to the end of the peninsula to visit a fishing area. I wouldn’t call it a village, but there are around 1,385 fishing boats parked on the sand along this stretch. The way they get the boats to the water is by tractor — probably about 15 of them moving constantly, pulling and pushing boats into and out of the sea. I imagine the outboard engines are kept inside the boats, as we didn’t see any mounted when we visited.
A Protected and Simple Way of Life
It’s a very protected area. I wasn’t allowed to film or take photos of a container that housed police presence. Other than that, everyone seemed to go about their day peacefully. People here get by with three or four water tanks, each probably holding about 2,000 liters. Everything is incredibly basic — very, very basic indeed. Much of the town is still in disrepair or under construction, with roads and sidewalks half-paved or crumbling.
Life in the Heat
The place comes alive in the evenings when the temperature cools down. During the day, it’s simply too hot for much activity. Watching the shift from quiet afternoon to busy evening was fascinating — the whole town moving in sync with the sun.
A Surprise Behind a Guarded Door
One thing we hadn’t encountered yet in Morocco or Western Sahara was alcohol. Out of curiosity, I stepped into a restaurant that had a guard at the door. To my surprise, inside was a fully stocked bar with everything one would expect back home. I didn’t have a drink, but it was interesting to see that small hidden world exist within such a conservative area.
Language Barriers and Friendly Faces
The hardest part of being here is not knowing Arabic. It makes communication tricky, and even with the little French I know, it can be challenging to get by. Still, we managed — as always. We wandered through town, enjoyed another meal, and sipped on more coffees and teas. People were friendly, as they have been all along.
Our Last Full Day in Western Sahara
It was a quiet, satisfying day — full of small discoveries and new impressions. This marks our last full day in Western Sahara before moving on, and I’ll remember Dakhla for its simplicity, resilience, and warmth.
