Beaches, Morocco

Agadir

Located on the Atlantic Coast, with a busy port and beach resort sprawling beneath its Kasbah, Agadir was completely rebuilt following a devastating earthquake in 1960 and is now one of the most popular holiday destinations in Morocco.

If you want sunshine this is the place to be, with no less than 300 sunny days a year. The mild winter climate (January average midday temperature 20.5° C) have made it a major “winter sun” destination for northern Europeans.

It has a wide crescent beach and a seaside promenade lined with cafes, restaurants, and bars. Arching south of the shiny white marina, the sandy beach offers beautifully, clear and clean waters. A beach full of class and luxury, there are many fine hotels here as well as private clubs and an expansive marina, lovely to stroll around.

Asilah

Located just south of Tangier in Northern Morocco, charming Asilah town is a popular seaside resort. The town is quiet for most of the year, but in the summer months it gets extremely busy and the streets and town beach are packed with sun-seeking Moroccan and Spanish families.

The best beaches in Asilah is Paradise Beach, located approximately 1.5 km south of the medina. The sea is clear and the sandy beach is clean and lovely making it a great place for swimming, sunbathing. You can even take a camel ride along the sand.

Another highlight you cannot miss is the pedestrian-only medina (old town) with its colourful Mediterranean styled houses, colourful arts scene and restaurants serving a wonderful fish tagine.

The town is quite small and can easily be explored on foot but there are also horse and donkey carts to hire.

Dakhla

Dakhla is a unique seaside town in Western Sahara that the Moroccan government has turned into a visitor’s paradise. Although Western Saharan tensions do still linger and there is a Moroccan army and navy presence here, Dakhla inhabitants appear happy, friendly as well as fairly modern and progressive.

Dakhla Bay is a surfer’s paradise with the north-east trade winds blowing in regularly from March to September. Even if you have not surfed before, there are many surf camps ready to teach you. The awe-inspiring golden sand and incredibly clear waters make this a heavenly place to sunbathe, camel ride, deep sea fish or fish from the shore, try out various water sports or simply soak up the sun and people watch.

When you are ready for something different, be sure to visit the famous White Dunes in the bay, where you may just spot some beautiful Pink Flamingos.

Essaouira

Essaouira beach is the ideal destination for keen lovers of water sports such as windsurfing and kitesurfing. If you just want to chill out you can hire a sunbed and umbrella at a ridiculously cheap price. The beach is very clean and the waters are lovely but do watch out as the breeze off the ocean stops you from feeling too hot, and you can easily burn.

Many of the beach lined bars and restaurants at the north end, have sections on the beach where they are happy to bring your drinks and food to you. You do get the odd beach trader popping over but they are always friendly and polite and continue on their way if you are not interested.

Diabat is a nearby Berber Village and offers the opportunity for horse riding not only on the beach but throughout the town.

Legzira Plage

Legzira Plage made the headlines in 2016 when one of the famous arched natural rock formations collapsed due to erosion. The other arch, however, still stands and there are other natural arches dotted along the coastline from Legzira to Sidi Ifni. If you are feeling energetic, you can walk this 10 km stretch of beach while admiring the rugged coastline and magnificent arches. If you don’t fancy walking you can hire quad bikes.

The rubble of the collapsed arch still remains but it does not detract from the beauty of this secluded, sandy bay and its lovely clear waters. You can lie on the sands and bask in the Moroccan sunshine on this beautiful quiet beach or climb up the cliff for views of the red rock formations and the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s just a short stroll from the car park to the beach where there are several places to eat.

Martil

Martil is a sea resort northeast of Tetouan, Morocco in the Mediterranean Sea. This little but rapidly growing town is very tourist orientated and everything is done to make sure visitors have a lovely time.

Along the beautiful beach, you can find many cafes, fast-food restaurants, and ice-cream parlours. This beach is good not only for those that like to relax and soak up the sun but for the more energetic as there are various water sports available and sunbeds and umbrellas for hire.

The locals are very friendly and the beach is well-known all over Morocco. No wonder King Mohammed the VIth chose this area for his summer residence.

The town also has a golf course and a pair of small shopping centres and the evenings in Martil are famous for their festive atmosphere, especially on the terraces of the cafes.

Saidia

With summer temperatures averaging in the high 30s, Morocco is a popular destination for sun worshipers. Saidia, also known as the “Blue Pearl”, is a beach in the Berkane region, in the north-eastern corner of Morocco. Its 14-km coastline is one of the longest beaches of Morocco and has beautiful white sands and crystal clear blue Mediterranean waters.

Sadia is ideal if you want a relaxing break, making the most of the glorious sunshine, chilling out on the beach with a good book, cooling off in the beautiful waters and perhaps taking a boat out to do some scuba-diving. However, if you want something more it has several resorts and attractions, including private beach resorts, shopping malls, golf courses and sports facilities

Much of the surrounding area is unspoiled countryside and you should definitely consider visiting the nearby Sidi Yahya oasis and climbing the large eucalyptus covered dunes. It’s truely fantastic.

Sidi Kaouki

Sidi Kaouki Beach is located 25 km south of Essaouira and is a strange combination of a religious site and a surfer’s paradise. There is a ruin of a shrine actually on the beach which is said to be the final resting place of Sufi saint Sidi Kaouki, who was known for his healing abilities.

The constant blustery winds and the wild beach at Sidi Kaouki have made it one of Morocco’s top windsurfing and surfing spots. It is not for the inexperienced though as the waves average 1m to 3m and the currents can be dangerous. You can hire windsurfing and kitesurfing equipment at the beaches own Surf Club, a colourful café-clubhouse with a stylish atmosphere.

You can also take camel or horse rides all day until sunset but, as with everything in Morocco, make sure you haggle over the price.

Temara Plage

Temara Plage is approximately 4km from the actual village of Temara and is a popular beach resort for the people living in the nearby town of Rabat (Morocco’s capital). The beach consists of several sandy strips and is popular with sunbathers and surfers in summer but there are dangerous rips so swimmers should be cautious.

There are magnificent beachfront villas owned by very wealthy locals who use them as holiday homes during the summer months but for those of us with not quite so much money, there are reasonably priced hotels, small villas and apartments to rent or even camp-sites.

There are excellent restaurants in the hotels or a choice of local cafes, bars, and restaurants, offering a good selection of snacks, meals and drinks. As evening falls why not take a wander along La Corniche, the oceanfront path offers incredible views of the sunset.

Tetouan

Tetouan is one of the major Moroccan ports along the Mediterranean and its name translates literally as “the eyes” but an indirect translation is “the water springs”. As a seaport city, it is one of most popular tourist destination in Morocco.

Tetouan boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Morocco. Its clear waters, golden sands, and the mountainous backdrop make the town with its whitewashed buildings and its gorgeous beaches extremely attractive to tourists.

During the main summer months, the temperature can be anything from 25 to 35 degrees Celsius and the beaches do get quite busy, with locals and tourists making the most of the sunshine. There are sunbeds and parasols for hire on the beach and various activities on offer. The cafes, bars, and restaurants all offer lovely food at reasonable prices.