Morocco’s west coast: a must for surfing and skateboarding

What better way to recharge your batteries in winter than under the sun of the Moroccan coast? This is the idea we had when we returned from our round-the-world trip to think about where we’d like to spend New Year’s Eve.

It’s been 5 years since we last visited this country, which we love so much. I have articles on the subject. When we went with the kids between Fez, Meknes and Rabat. And our slow travel between Agadir and Sidi Ifni.

It has to be said that from Nantes, the destination has everything to please. A 3-hour flight. Many low-cost airlines serve the many airports in the area. The journey is equally easy by car. In a van or camper van, you drive down to Spain via the Strait of Gibraltar.

For board sports enthusiasts, you may not know it, but the Moroccan west coast is a highly reputed surfing destination. The spots are known to be among the best in Africa and the world. So it’s hardly surprising to find surfers in Taghazout and Imsouane wearing wetsuits and sun cream smeared all over their faces from morning till night. In addition to waves ideal for all types of surfers, you can enjoy desert landscapes perfect for hiking, tasty local cuisine with a thousand spices, and the tranquility of local life.

Are you tempted by road-trip? Get your doc bag ready and follow the guide 🙂

Practical information before departure and to the airport

• Flights: we chose to buy our plane tickets from Nantes to Casa with Transavia(an Air France subsidiary) for around 300 euros return. We were during the school vacations, which explains the higher prices. We could also have flown direct to Agadir, but prices were higher.
• Practical applications to download.

Before leaving, my darling took the time to download the maps of Morocco on the MAPS.ME application . It’s very practical if you don’t have a network. Another very practical application that works in the country is the In Drive app, which you can use especially in the big cities (Casa, Rabat, Agadir). Tested in Agadir, it’s the equivalent of Uber, but allows you to get the fare and then pay the driver in cash. If you use it, just make sure you stay away from a train station or places frequented by cabs or gendarmes, as it’s not really authorized at the moment (normal, as it competes with cabs, as it did in the early days of Uber in France). Hurry to get into the car and act as if you know the driver.

• Currency in the country. The currency in Morocco is the dirham. You can withdraw cash at the airport from the various exchange offices available (at not very advantageous exchange rates). Alternatively, you can use your bank card to withdraw cash directly from ATMs. We usually use the REVOLUT bank card, which is very practical because it allows you to pay without fees, and thanks to its app, you can select the currency of the country you’re in. We just put the money we want on it and then withdraw or pay with this card.
• SIM card. At the airport, you’ll find at least two or three cell phone operators offering local packages. We opted fora single Orange sim card at 100 dirhams (approx. 10 euros) per 20 GB, which is more than enough to share a connection for 10 days. On the other hand, you’ll need to keep your local telephone number, as train and bus booking websites will ask you for a local number. Don’t forget to ask the hostess who will sell you the SIM card.
• Clothing during the period (December – January). During the Moroccan winter, it’s quite warm during the day (you can get a tan ;)), but in the evening and early morning, it’s a good idea to bring sweaters, pants and a coat such as a k-way or small down jacket.

From Casa to Essaouira via El Jadida, slow travel takes the pulse of a country in the throes of change.

From the airport, we take a direct train to Casa-Port station(50 dirham per ticket, i.e. around 5 euros). The accommodation we found on AirBnb at Nadia’s is just around the corner, a 10-minute walk from the station. The value for money is very good for us (less than 25 euros a night). It’s a traditional family home where Nadia lives with her sister. The only thing she can improve on is the water in the shower (on the terrace), which is a little temperamental when changing from hot to cold. Her welcome, on the other hand, is not capricious. Nadia is warm and friendly, and always offers you a welcome cup of tea, which makes for great conversation.

Close to the train station, you can also walk from here to the medina and marina.

For lunch or dinner nearby, make a date with your eyes closed at restaurant la Scala (formerly café maure). Everything is tasty and the price is slightly higher than local restaurants, but still very reasonable. For example, two people can enjoy “Kemia” specialties for 90 dirhams (approx. 9 euros).

After lunch, we pay a visit to the nearby heritage interpretation center. It’s free and very interesting.

Another must-see if you have time to spend in Casa: the Habous district, with its hundreds of arches and ochre and white tones. It’s here that antique dealers and interior design boutiques have wisely chosen to set up shop.

Not far away is theformer Royal Palace. If you’d like to visit, please note that it’s only open on Mondays and Tuesdays.

You can also visit Casablanca Cathedral and, of course, the famous Hassan II Mosque.

As Casa is not a particularly touristy city (it’s mainly the economic capital), we take the road to discover El Jadida before heading down to Essaouira and the rest of the coast.

We make our way by train, which is always very convenient. From Casa Port station(there is also another station in Casa, Casa Voyageurs), there are trains every two hours from 8:30 a.m., for 37 dirhams per ticket.

El Jadida, the authentic former Portuguese city

Like Essaouira, El Jadida (formerly Mazagan) is an ancient Portuguese city. While it’s pleasant to spend a night there to discover its beautiful fortifications, it’s unfortunately not worth lingering over, as the city has not been able to exploit its riches to the same extent as Essaouira.

After visiting the fortress, you can enjoy the sunset by taking a bus to Sidi Bouzid. Take bus no. 14 just in front of the Post Office (3 dirhams a ticket), and for the return journey (ideally before 8.00 p.m.), also take bus no. 14, but this time opposite the mosque. It will drop you off opposite the departure stop opposite the Post Office.

For meals, head to the Lokal restaurant for hearty, delicious food. And every evening, you can listen to music played by local youngsters, including the guembri(originally from Ghana/Guinea), a Gnaoua plucked-string musical instrument.

The room we found was perfect. A little haven of peace found on Airbnb next to the Portuguese city.

We’re back on the road to Essaouira, but this time there’s no train between the two towns. So we take the bus. In Morocco, there’s a serious company offering numerous routes between the country’s cities: CTM. You can book your tickets directly via their website, which is well designed and shows the different timetables available. Prices vary according to distance, but they’re still quite reasonable, and the stations are easily accessible and known to cabs. For example, we paid 11 euros / pers, or 220 dirhams for 2 for this trip.

On arrival in Essaouira, if you’re feeling a little hungry, IMAM is just around the corner from the CTM bus stop. The small couple who prepare typical dishes work with a lot of love and for very affordable prices.

Essaouira, the“Moroccan Saint-Malo

The medina of Essaouira, nicknamed the ” Moroccan Saint-Malo “, or the “City of the Winds”, is a Moroccan medina still considered one of Morocco’s most picturesque port towns. It is listed as a historic monument in Morocco, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. The town is twinned with the French cities of Saint-Malo and La Rochelle 🙂

For the record, Essaouira, formerly Mogador, became the home port of the Portuguese who, in 1506, built a fortress defended by imposing cannons, which can still be seen today. A Portuguese church, the only one of its kind in the country, still stands, its bells ringing at 10 a.m. every Sunday.

Like El Jadida, the city was subsequently rebuilt between the 18th and 19th centuries by Sultan Mohamed Ben Abdellah, who entrusted the work to French military architect Théodore Cornut (a disciple of the Marquis de Vauban). Cornut drew his inspiration from the fortified town of Saint-Malo in Brittany, and built the city in a blend of the surviving Portuguese Manueline style, Islamic architecture and Vauban’s French fortress-style military architecture. It was at this point that the town was christened Essaouira(Arabic for “the Well-Drawn”).

This powerful city played a key strategic military and international commercial role in Morocco’s history. It was a strategic point of exchange between the long trans-Saharan trade routes and the great maritime routes of the time. The new ports of Casablanca, Tangier Med and Agadir in the late 19th century gradually replaced Essaouira’s international shipping activities, as its waters were not deep enough for large ships.

Today, this multicultural city of some 70,000 inhabitants is a major Moroccan fishing port and one of Morocco’s tourist hotspots.

It’s easy to see why, as you stroll around Essaouira, you get the feeling that the city is constantly improving, thanks to the efforts of the authorities, who are committed to protecting and further developing the city as a cultural, artistic and tourist attraction. For example, it offers walkers a cycle path and a pedestrian area, not to mention public toilets, which are also to be found throughout the town.

• Treat yourself to a traditional hammam with body scrub.

This time it was my darling who gave me this treatment for Christmas. And once again, I really recommend the experience. He went through Azur Spa. The place is clean and very professional. After the hammam and scrub, I wanted to try a more toning treatment. As someone who usually has a hard time letting myself be massaged, I really appreciated the Moroccan women’s way of massaging. Their technique is peculiar, but compared with Asian or French massages, I much prefer their way of massaging.

• To dine at small addresses, but big on flavor! In particular, I’d like to recommend two addresses that we really liked: KhmissaKhmissa, but you have to get there early! No reservations and limited space, but really delicious dishes. And if it’s full, you can go to Barie tajine, just around the corner and just as tasty.

After this relaxing and gourmet break in Essaouira, it was time for us to hit the road again, heading for two towns I’d often heard about: Imsouane and Taghazout. If you’re a gliding enthusiast, you can’t miss these mythical spots, once known only to a few purists, but now becoming particularly famous, especially for those in search of a peaceful, bohemian quality of life.

Tips: before going to these two slightly rootsy towns, withdraw money first, as there is no bank in Taghazout, let alone Imsouane.

We took a large cab for 70 dirhams per person(around 7 euros). It’s a good deal, even if you have to wait until it’s full before setting off, as it drops you off directly in the center of Imsouane, whereas the bus drops you off more than 20km away, so you have to take a cab afterwards. The large cab station is located right next to the bus station. Convenient to compare and choose one or the other.

Wild Imsouane

Once we’ve arrived in the village, we start by putting down our luggage in our guest house. It’s the Imsouane sunrise guesthouse. I recommend it, because for 32 euros a night (the price at the time of our booking), it’s simple but efficient and practical. There’s even a kitchen for self-catering. It’s also possible to rent surfboards and wetsuits, which is handy for changing and showering straight after surfing.

We then set off for a stroll through the village. And here we fell in love, because the town is still very authentic. The atmosphere is very “chill”, with surfers wandering all over the place, vans and trucks set up in parking areas with young people chatting over mint tea.

This presentation may not be what you see. Since we’ve been here, the Moroccan authorities have been tearing things down, apparently to build large hotels. The face of Imsouane will change. Unfortunately…

The village is renowned for its excellent surfing, bodyboarding and longboarding conditions. In fact, the village boasts two spots: the reef (frequented mainly by shortboarders and bodyboarders), which is characterized by a hollow wave that can reach heights of 5 to 6 m in winter, and the bay, a longboarder’s paradise, with a flat wave over 800 meters long.

Although we didn’t go surfing on this first visit, as we were expected to spend New Year’s Eve at the larger and more touristy Taghazout, the desire to come back here for a week’s surfing is clearly there.

The next day we set off again, still in a large cab, towards Taghazout for 80 dirhams per person(there were only 5 of us in the cab. He charges 400 dirhams for the car).

The road between the two villages is very pleasant and easy to drive. It takes just under an hour, with a view of the coast and lined with argan trees.

In particular, you’ll have the opportunity to drive through Tamri, a village where the surrounding countryside is still unspoilt. You’ll find palm trees, argan trees and banana trees along the estuary. The beaches, cliffs and coves hidden behind their wave-sculpted rocks offer breathtaking views.

Taghazout, the town with the wind in its sails

From hippie hideaway to new-look seaside resort, the town has come a long way. So it’s hardly surprising that luxury hotel chains such as Fairmont and Marriott have chosen this spot to establish themselves, making Taghazout Bay a new “place to be”. It has everything you could wish for: sunshine, waves made for gliding and a hinterland ideal for hiking. Add to this an airport 40 minutes away (Agadir) and you’ve got a breath of fresh air ideal for boosting your energy levels in the middle of winter.

We just hope that Taghazout, which has become very touristy, doesn’t totally lose its bohemian soul. In any case, it’s a lovely cosmopolitan mix, as Agadir locals love to take the bus or their car at weekends to take their time and clear their minds.

Arriving in Taghazout, we just cross the road to Ali, the manager ofHorizon House . Aptly named, it’s one of Taghazout’s tallest buildings.

Ali is 36 years old and his mother is a native of the village. After 15 years in France to study in Paris, he decided to come back and work here, surrounded by friends and with a completely different quality of life and vibe. He invested and gave his all to create this warm, family-run guest house. Only 8 rooms, giving it a convivial feel, enhanced by a double rooftop. The icing on the cake is that there’s even a spa on the ground floor, a real treat when you’re back from a walk or a surf trip. Prices are very reasonable for the welcome and services provided.

Ali’s strength also lies in its ability to offer you tailor-made outings and stays, according to your wishes and desires. We were able to see this for ourselves as we celebrated New Year’s Eve here. Culturally, Moroccans don’t celebrate New Year’s Eve. Nevertheless, we were all French in the building. Ali offered us an all-you-can-eat buffet of Moroccan specialties. In addition, he offered to buy us alcohol. His cook prepared an incredible gourmet dinner, which we were able to enjoy on the terrace, while taking in the surrounding fireworks from the bay.

Ali can also propose various outings, hikes and even weekly packages with transfer from Agadir airport, dinner, breakfast, surf spots at very reasonable prices, spa access…

On the other hand, it’s best to book early and contact Ali directly if you want to organize this type of stay. He’s very much in demand and word-of-mouth works well. Here’s his Whats-app number (+212 602-915894).

After the New Year’s party, I take to the heights of the town to skate on a mythical spot. For skateboarders, Taghazout is home to a magnificent skatepark, the brainchild of the president of the Taghazout Skate association. Taghazout Skatepark was created with and for the community. The skatepark brings together people from all over the world. A cultural exchange that creates friendships transcending nationality, social class, religion and cultural origin. Taghazout Skate provides skateboards and protective equipment for children who can’t afford them. In the future, Taghazout Skate aims to expand the park to accommodate more young people from low-income families, as well as disadvantaged women and girls.

What a pleasure to ride on the heights, with that magical view of the sea! In the evening, the atmosphere is fantastic. Young and old, beginners and pros alike, indulge in their passion, with a sunset over the sea in the background.

We also took advantage of the coastal walk along the embankment all along the bay. It’s a pleasant ten kilometers, with a light breeze to cool you down.

Agadir, one of Morocco’s pearls

The country’s main seaside resort , the city of 300 days of sunshine a year is always welcoming. With its marina and ten-kilometre-long seafront, the pleasant year-round climate offers tourists magnificent opportunities to indulge in idleness in the best possible conditions, with a change of scenery and tranquillity guaranteed. It’s always a pleasure to stroll through the El Had souk, with more than 6,000 stores selling the country’s finest products. Never idle and like Essaouira, the town hosts a festival, Timitar, dedicated to world music and more specifically to Amazigh music. The musical and artistic program focuses on the values of living together. Previously scheduled for July, since 2023 it has been moved to early September.

We travelled between Taghazout and Agadir by local bus, which runs every 50 minutes for a few dirhams. It’s also possible to take a large cab, but make sure they don’t offer you crazy fares. You might want to ask Ali to arrange this for you.

We couldn’t wait to get to this town because a few years ago, we’d had a wonderful encounter. I tell you about it in one of my blog posts entitled: slow travel in Morocco, between Agadir and Sifi Ifni. We met Mohamed, a young migrant, and also Moussa, who gave us a lift near the airport.

Five years later, it’s as if we’d parted the day before! We caught up with him again, as calm, generous and smiling as ever, in his stall no. 167, near gate no. 5 of the El Had souk. We were delighted to see him expand his business. He now owns a 2nd stall, has launched a small cooperative, and exports his products and honey all over Europe. His brother is also working with him, and plans to launch a website so as not to miss out on e-commerce. A lovely family we were lucky enough to meet for a meal at their home.

We also spent an evening with Youssef and Birok, two young men we met in Taghazout, at the skatepark. Two motivated young people who work in the luxury hotel business, and more specifically at the hotel currently being renovated, “the VieW”. Rich conversations to better understand the desires and lifestyles of Moroccan youth.

During our stay in Agadir, we found quite decent accommodation on Airbnb, in Hamid’s residence Arrahma 2, for less than 40 euros a night. There are lots of offers on the site. Feel free to search and choose according to the area where you prefer to stay.

What to see and do in Agadir :

• Climb to the top of the hill to see the ancient Agadir Oufella kasbah

Unfortunately, it was closed for renovation when we visited. However, the view from the top is quite nice. The tip is to take a cab to the bottom of the hill and then take a local bus that goes up and down every hour for 8 dirhams per person each way.

A new feature is the cable car that takes you up from the town center. Proof that there’s still plenty of room for development and a desire to make Agadir even more of a tourist destination, with new attractions and easy access (a busway is also under construction at the bottom of the hill). However, we find the fares prohibitive, especially for foreigners. 12 euros for a round trip… In our opinion, it’s a tourist trap.

• Marina and embankment walk

After taking the bus back down, we walk to the Marina, not far from the hill. One of the city’s landmarks, the Marina is a warm and welcoming place that welcomes thousands of tourists every year. It boasts a marina with around 300 boats. Facing the bay, not far from the fishing port, it combines modernity and authenticity.

• Evening visit to Kasbah Souss.

After a long drive along the bay, we end our day with a visit to a really interesting craft village, which I can only recommend. It’s called Kasbah Souss.

Here, history and creativity come together to create an authentically Moroccan experience. Looking for genuine local craftsmanship? Then this place is a crossroads of inspiration, expression and know-how.

Here, you’ll enter a world of artisan workshops. Each space is dedicated to a different Moroccan tradition. Whether it’s the precise weaving of Berber carpets, the subtlety of pottery, woodworking, wickerwork or used tires!

Here, everything is skilfully salvaged and transformed. This is where we met Mohamed Khattou, a brilliant artist who founded Upcycle Mo. It’s in this workshop that he recovers, imagines, designs and brings to life numerous decorative products from used tires (bicycle, car, motorcycle etc.). From tables and chairs to furniture and handbags, it seems as if anything can be made, given his mastery of the material. He delivers his pieces all over Europe, so if you like his work, don’t hesitate to order!

In any case, it’s hard for us to leave this place without taking back some memories! What’s more, it makes you want to move in and tastefully furnish and decorate with all its wonders.

At the end of our visit, we also stumbled intoHassna‘s store. This woman makes a number of original creations with her own hands, some from paper and old magazines. She reuses them by plasticizing them. She then sews them into bags, pouches and purses. It’s an attractive approach that allows her to put a colleague to work.

Marrakech, Morocco’s must-see ochre city

After enjoying Agadir, we resume our road trip to our last destination before returning to Casa: Marrakech.

We’re both Morocco fans, but surprisingly the tourist capital wasn’t a fantastic memory for us. We’d each done it on our own years ago, yet our opinions were the same. Too touristy, too annoying, too noisy, too bling bling… too many negative superlatives and, above all, not authentic enough for us.

However, we didn’t want to leave it at that. Especially as the country is changing at breakneck speed. Indeed, Morocco is currently undergoing continuous development unprecedented in its history.

For the journey between Agadir and Marrakech, as usual, we take the bus, via the CTM company, for 120 dirhams each(around ten euros).

Once we arrive at the station, we prefer to use theIn Drive application I recommended at the start of this article.

The driver drops us off near Place Jemaa El Fna, as our guest house is located right in the heart of the medina. It’s the Riad El Boukhiri. For us and our budget, it’s good value for money. It’s located right in the medina, near the square. Amina, the guest house manager, is a real mother, kindness incarnate.

For dinner, we choose to go to the terrace of the Tiznit restaurant next door in the medina. It’s very simple and inexpensive, and the local dishes are delicious. Many groups dine here, as do local families.

We’re taking advantage of our short stay to see new things we haven’t yet explored:

• The Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum

Named after its founder, French painter Jacques Majorelle, who created it in 1931, this garden has become almost as timeless and iconic as Yves Saint Laurent, its purchaser with Pierre Bergé in the 1980s.

This garden in the heart of Marrakech is a veritable bubble of freshness, featuring exotic plants and rare species (cacti, palms, bamboo) brought back by Majorelle from his travels around the world.

It was in 1937 that the artist created Majorelle blue, an ultramarine/cobalt blue both intense and clear, with which he painted the walls of his villa. A very Instagrammable blue today, it’s a favorite of the many tourists who flock here.

After the artist’s death in 1962, the garden was abandoned for several years. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, who discovered the Majorelle Garden in 1966 during their first visit to Marrakech, bought it in 1980(their third acquisition in Marrakech).

They live in the artist’s villa, renamed Villa Oasis, and undertake major restoration work on the garden to “make the Majorelle garden the most beautiful garden, the one Jacques Majorelle had thought of, envisioned “.

Since 2011, the painter’s studio has been transformed into a Berber museum open to the public, with an exhibition of haute couture works from the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé collection.

What’s more, since 2017, a museum has paid tribute to Yves Saint-Laurent, displaying works by the couturier.

Despite the large number of tourists, I think the visit is a must. Don’t forget to book your visit directly on the site, choosing your schedule. To do both, choose the combined ticket.

• The secret garden in the medina is well worth a visit.

Another beautiful walk, and a favorite for us, is this secret garden located just a few steps from our guest house. Admittedly, entry is not cheap – around ten euros – but the renovation of the garden and the explanation of the architecture and the arrival of water in traditional riads are really interesting.

The origins of this garden date back to the second half of the 16th century, when the Saadian Sultan Moulay ‘Abd-Allah undertook the urbanization of what is today the Mouassine district. Passed through the hands of a number of wealthy Moroccan and Marrakesh politicians, the property began to fall into disrepair and disrepair. Its restoration was planned in 2008, and in 2016 it was opened to the public.

Marrakech’s souk is pretty, but too touristy, with prices much higher than elsewhere in the country.

Before leaving the city, we stop by the ON WASH laundromat (rue Oum Rabii, Residence Zineb III), handy for backpackers 🙂

Another tip for backpackers and those who want to avoid cabs: don’t hesitate to follow Google Maps for public buses: for 4 dirhams you can go almost anywhere 🙂

We leave the city and take the train to Casa, which costs around 300 dirhams for twopeople (about 15 euros per person per ticket). There are many departures during the day and it’s very practical, with toilets if necessary, unlike the buses.

Marrakech has pleasantly surprised us this time. We remain on a rather good note, even if it still lacks authenticity in our opinion. There seem to be fewer touts than before. No doubt Morocco understands that this type of behavior scares and puts off the public.

We spend the night back in Casa at Nadia’s, our host from the first night.

There you have it friends, I hope our road trip has inspired you to come and discover this Moroccan coast and come surf or skate. I’m still available in comments to answer any questions you might have on the subject, and if you’d like more photos, head over to the front pages of my Instagram account.

See you soon for new adventures!