Is Essaouira safe? Morocco travel risk
Is Essaouira safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Essaouira scores 47/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Morocco Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 4 Sep 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Essaouira scores 47/100 (Moderate). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Morocco (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Essaouira: nearest emergency and transport facilities, frequently asked questions.
Driven by: security (55/100) and health and medical access (63/100).
A score of 47 is higher than the scores of 62% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Morocco travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Geographic & Regional Coordinates
Positioned at 31.5131° N, 9.7697° W in Marrakech-Safi, Essaouira features an altitude of 7 m. The settlement is located 390.7 km NE from Rabat.
Marrakech-Safi
31.5131° N, 9.7697° W
7 m
Africa/Casablanca
56,074
Emergency & Aviation Access
Nearby Towns & Settlements in Morocco
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Most earthquake events within 100 km of Essaouira happened in September (1 of 1 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
1 major seismic event recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M6.8 on 8 Sep 2023 (141 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Morocco travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Morocco entry requirements.
Evaluated Destinations in this Region
Questions travellers ask about Essaouira
Is Essaouira safe?
Essaouira currently scores 47/100 on our composite travel risk index (moderate risk; lower is safer). It already includes the current US State Department advisory for Morocco (Level 2 of 4). Official advice can change quickly, so check it again shortly before you travel.
Sources: Travel Risk Calculator — Essaouira · Methodology
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