Surfing in Morocco: The Best Places to Surf, Region by Region

Surfing in Morocco has something for everyone: long right-hand point breaks that feature in surf films, gentle sandy beaches where thousands of people stand up for the first time every year, and warm, sunny weather even in the middle of the European winter. The Atlantic coast is long and full of variety, so the hardest part is choosing where to go. This guide takes you through the seven best places to surf in Morocco, the right season for your level and everything you need to pack.

Why Surfing in Morocco Is So Good

Morocco faces straight into the North Atlantic, so the same low-pressure systems that bring storms to Europe send long, clean groundswells to its coast. Much of that coast is lined with rocky headlands and bays that bend the swell into right-hand point breaks, the kind of wave surfers travel across the world for. In between are wide sandy beaches that stay small and friendly, which is why surfing in Morocco works for complete beginners and experts in the same week.

Add more than 300 days of sunshine a year in the south, low living costs, and flights of three to four hours from most European cities, and it is easy to see why the country became one of the most popular surf destinations close to Europe.

The 7 Best Places to Surf in Morocco

Here are the main surf spots in Morocco from south to north, with the level they suit and how far they are from Taghazout, the most popular base for surfing in Morocco.

Region	Best for	Level	From Taghazout
Mirleft & Sidi Ifni	Quiet beaches and reefs	All levels	About 3 hours
Agadir beaches	Learning in small waves	Beginners	30 minutes
Taghazout & Tamraght	Famous right-hand points and learner beaches	All levels	Right here
Imsouane	One of the longest waves in Africa	Beginners to intermediates	About 1 hour 30
Essaouira & Sidi Kaouki	Wind sports and a UNESCO medina	Intermediates	About 2 hours 30
Safi	Heavy barrels on its famous point	Experts only	About 4 hours
Rabat & the north	City surf and summer beach breaks	All levels	A day’s drive

1. Taghazout and Tamraght

The heart of surfing in Morocco. Within 20 minutes of the village you have Anchor Point, Killer Point and Boilers for experienced surfers, Hash Point and Panoramas for improvers, and the sandy beaches of Tamraght, Devil’s Rock and Banana Beach for beginners. The spots face slightly different directions, so there is nearly always somewhere working, and the village has the biggest choice of surf camps, cafés and surf shops in the country.

2. Imsouane

A fishing village an hour and a half north of Taghazout, famous for La Baie, a sheltered right-hand wave that can peel for several hundred metres. It is slow and forgiving, which makes it a paradise for longboarders and improving beginners. Around the headland, La Cathédrale is a faster, more powerful wave for intermediate and advanced surfers.

3. Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki

Essaouira is better known for wind than waves: strong trade winds make it one of Morocco’s kitesurfing and windsurfing capitals, and its walled medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For surfing, head to Sidi Kaouki, 25 km south, or come early in the morning before the wind picks up. It is a brilliant stop on a road trip, but most surfers prefer to base themselves further south.

4. Safi

Safi is home to one of the most famous waves in Africa: a hollow right-hand point known as Le Jardin or "The Garden". On a big winter swell it produces long, heavy barrels, but it is fickle, shallow and strictly for experts. If you are not a very experienced surfer, it is a place to watch from the cliff rather than paddle out.

5. Agadir’s beaches

Agadir’s long city beach is sheltered from most swell and often too small, but just north of the city, Banana Beach at Aourir and the beaches around Tamraght are some of the best learning waves in the country, with soft sand bottoms and long, gentle whitewater.

6. Mirleft and Sidi Ifni

South of Agadir the crowds thin out. Mirleft has a string of dramatic coves and beach breaks, and the old Spanish town of Sidi Ifni has a left-hand wave and a laid-back, end-of-the-road feel. It is ideal for a surf road trip if you have your own car and want empty line-ups.

7. Rabat and the north

Morocco’s capital has its own surf scene, with beach breaks in the city and nearby Mehdia and Bouznika. The north catches more summer swell than the south but is cooler and wetter in winter, so it suits a summer city break with a few surf sessions rather than a dedicated winter surf trip.

Best Time for Surfing in Morocco

Surfing in Morocco is possible all year, but the season changes what you will find. Use this table to match the months to your level and pack the right wetsuit; water temperatures are typical for the Agadir coast.

Months	Waves	Water	Wetsuit	Best for
October – November	First big swells, often clean	19–21 °C	3/2 mm	All levels
December – March	Biggest and most consistent	16–18 °C	4/3 mm	Intermediate and advanced
April – June	Medium swells, more wind	17–19 °C	3/2 mm	Beginners and improvers
July – September	Small and warm	20–22 °C	Shorty or 3/2 mm	Beginners and families

Surfing in Morocco for Beginners

If you have never surfed before, Morocco is one of the easiest places in the world to start. Book lessons with a qualified instructor for your first week: they will choose the right beach for the day’s conditions, give you a soft-top board and teach you safety and etiquette before you ever reach the famous points. Most surf camps include transport to the beach every day, which matters in Morocco because the best learning spot changes with the swell, wind and tide.

Surf Etiquette and Local Tips

• The surfer closest to the peak has priority: never drop in on someone already riding the wave.
• Stay on the beginner beaches until you can turn and control your board; the points are crowded and rocky.
• Surf in the morning: the wind usually picks up in the afternoon, especially from April to September.
• Wear reef booties at rocky points such as Anchor Point, and use strong, reef-safe sunscreen.

Frequently asked questions

The complete guide to Taghazout surf spots

Best time to surf in Taghazout, month by month

Imsouane surf guide: La Baie and La Cathédrale

Surf lessons in Taghazout: a beginner’s guide

Find your surf week in Taghazout

Safi Garden (Le Jardin) surf guide on Surf-Forecast