If you’re into expertly pulled tea service, deeply satisfying goat feasts, and mazes of open-air markets, Morocco is the place for you. But you likely already knew that. What most travelers visiting the North African country miss out on during their visit is hiding in plain sight further down the Atlantic Coast. Not a secret to Moroccans, the southern coast is filled with nearly-tourist-free beaches, incredible surf spots, welcoming hospitality, and astoundingly good food. With new highways running from major cities like Marrakech and Agadir, these beachy treasures are now more easily accessible than ever.
Of course, you’re not wrong to start off in Marrakech. The city is lively and filled with souks (markets), shisha bars, beautiful museums (hit up YSL’s), and glorious hotels (try Villa des Orangers). After a few days of exploring the many wonders of the city, it’s time to head south. Within minutes of skipping town, you’ll feel a new sense of calm: the roads are clear, there are fewer people, and the wind through the argan-tree-dotted hillsides of the countryside will remind you what happiness feels like. (If you look closely, you’ll see goats in those trees, balancing on branches while they nosh on the trees’ bounty. It’s cute as hell.)
In a few hours’ time, you’ll reach Taghazout. Like many up-and-coming surf spots, this one was originally a fishing village that wandering (foreign) surfers set up camp in back in the 70s. Now you’ll find Moroccans shredding the perfect waves here in addition to surf-seekers from around the globe. Even if you’re not a seasoned surfer, you’ll feel at ease in Taghazout. “The profile of the surfer is changing here, from the very good bunch of adventure surfers coming down to surf, to beginners coming to learn, coming to live the lifestyle,” says Younes Arabab, a professional surfer-turned surf industry professional. He manages the surfing program at Tadenga Surf Village, a resort at which you should definitely stay when you’re in town. (Each little villa room comes with its own hammock, so you can relax after a super-stressful day of carving.) “What makes this spot so good for learning is the sea topography, like its sand bottom,” Arabab tells me. “And thin sand, not a thick volcanic sand or like coral. The waves are not that rough and water temperature is good—we have over 300 sunny days here.” With the opportunity to surf in the morning, do yoga in the afternoon, and eat beef tagine with prunes at night, it is explicitly clear why a vacation to Taghazout is increasingly appealing. The secret is definitely out—the Four Seasons is currently in construction and a Hyatt is already available for the booking.
Further south, you’ll find more sandy stretches for your holiday pleasure. Legzira Beach doesn’t have much going on in terms of hotel accommodations or town life, but it’s a lovely red rock-flanked place to spend an afternoon drinking tea and soak up the Atlantic. Further south yet is Sidi Ifni, an even better place to lay your head. A former Spanish port city, it is now a super-calm place that attracts Moroccan vacationers. There’s not the same sort of tourist racket you’ll get in larger cities like Casablanca, just ~chill vibes~. “There are no people expecting tourists so they can sell them stuff. There is nobody will stop you in the middle of the road and tell you come here, eat in my restaurant,” explains Khalid Lamlih, who runs tours throughout Morocco for Intrepid Travel. Instead, the town is a place to surf, eat fresh sardines, sit at a sidewalk cafe table and people watch. You’ll leave the place feeling recharged, refreshed, and baptized by the holy power of the ocean water.
