Taghazout, Morocco: Highlights, Surfing Tips & Best Hotels

What You Need to Know About Taghazout

Taghazout is one of the most popular surfing destinations in Morocco. The mix of Oriental life and cool surf vibes is truly one of a kind. For us, it’s an absolute highlight in Morocco.

All year long, you’ll find the most diverse crowd of people here. Older Moroccans sipping mint tea, surfers walking along the beach with their boards, and tourists sitting in small cafés and restaurants.

No wonder — Taghazout enjoys sunshine almost all the time, and a light, refreshing breeze always blows in from the Atlantic through this former fishing village.

But even if surfing isn’t really your thing, it’s worth making a short getaway to Taghazout on your road trip through Morocco. Because, contrary to what you might think, there are actually a few more upscale hotels here for a proper beach vacation.

And at the same time, the laid-back surf vibes of the cafés, surf camps, and beach will totally rub off on you. A really cool mix!

Taghazout on a Map

Taghazout is located on the southern Atlantic coast of Morocco. The nearest airport is in Agadir, which is only about 25 kilometers south of Taghazout.

For a better overview, we’ve marked the town, Taghazout Beach, Tamraght Beach (our highlight #4), and the popular surf spot Banana Point on a map.

Surfing in Taghazout

One of the coolest activities in Morocco is surfing. And the best place to do it is Taghazout. Along with spots in Portugal, Fuerteventura, and Bali, it’s considered one of the best surf spots in the world.

The waves in Taghazout are perfect year-round, for beginners and pros alike. The nearby Imsouane Bay is said to have the longest wave in Africa.

If you want to try surfing in Taghazout and aren’t quite a pro yet, we recommend booking a lesson.

You can either take a single-day lesson or sign up for several days at a surf camp in Taghazout.

We love surf camps that offer everything: accommodation, food, and daily surf lessons. That’s where you’ll experience the ultimate surf vibes. And the best part: unlike many other countries, surf camps in Taghazout are super affordable!

Here are our surf lesson and surf camp recommendations in Taghazout
For beginners:
2.5-hour surf lesson

5-night surf camp including accommodation and meals
For all surf levels:
7-night surf camp including accommodation and meals

If you already know how to surf and want to head out on your own, there are plenty of bays to surf in and around Taghazout. You can rent surfboards and wetsuits locally in Taghazout or sometimes directly on the beach.

Really great surf spots around Taghazout for beginners are:

• Croco
• Panorama Point
• Mysteries
• Banana Point
• Douze (K12)
• Onze (K11)
• Devil’s Rock in Imourane

Really great surf spots around Taghazout for pros are:

• Anchor Point
• Imsouane Bay
• Boilers
• Killer Point

Our tip: Ask at your surf hostel or accommodation exactly where the surf spots are — and where the waves are best that day. The locals always know that stuff best.

Note: If you’re truly a beginner, we strongly advise you to book a lesson or a surf camp. Heading out into the water alone without any prior experience is really far too dangerous in Morocco!

Our 5 Highlights in Taghazout

But surfing isn’t the only thing to do in Taghazout. Beyond the athletic activities, there are also a few small, lovely sights worth seeing here.

Even if they’re not grand attractions like in Marrakech or major must-sees like in Fès — Taghazout is still totally worth your time.

Yoga in Taghazout

Besides surfers, yogis love Taghazout too. This little fishing village on the Atlantic is the perfect place to switch off and unwind. Stretching, finding your balance, and breathing exercises with a view of the ocean — so cool!

In addition to standalone yoga retreats, most surf camps in Taghazout offer yoga classes. After all, yoga is the perfect complement to surfing.

After a surf session, yoga is incredibly relaxing for body and soul. It stretches out the muscles you’ve been working, and it also gives you a better sense of balance, stability, and focus — all essential for surfing.

So if you’re keen to try surfing and yoga together, we recommend booking a surf camp in Taghazout that offers this combo.

7-night surf camp with yoga in Taghazout

Strolling and Shopping in Taghazout

Unlike, say, Marrakech, Fès, or Rabat, Taghazout has no large old town or sprawling markets. But maybe that’s exactly what gives Taghazout its charm.

The center is pretty compact, with narrow little alleyways. The mix of authentic Moroccan life and relaxed tourist vibe is perfect for a breather on your Morocco trip.

You’ll still find plenty of shops in the alleyways where you can pick up colorful rugs, Moroccan ceramics, delicious spices, or other souvenirs.

Around every corner you’ll also find small, charming cafés and restaurants where you can linger for a good long while and soak up the atmosphere.

Swimming and Walking at Taghazout Beach

At Taghazout Beach you can relax on the sandy shore, take a swim, or enjoy a beach walk. For us, it definitely ranks among the 12 most beautiful beaches in Morocco.

It’s especially lovely here in the evenings, because the sun sets right over the Atlantic — simply breathtaking! There are also a few restaurants right on the beach near the center with stunning views.

A really fun activity at the beaches around Taghazout is sandboarding, where you essentially ride snow- or surfboards down large sand dunes.

We didn’t try it in Taghazout, but we did in the Sahara on our desert tour in the Erg Chebbi. So we can promise you it’s an absolute blast.

Sandboarding adventure in the sand dunes

Beach in Tamraght

Keep walking south along the Taghazout beach and after about 4 kilometers you’ll automatically reach Imourane Beach — a really lovely walk.

Imourane Beach belongs to the small neighboring village of Tamraght. This is also where you’ll find the popular surf spot Banana Point, where some of the best waves in Morocco break.

The sandy beach in Tamraght is also popular with classic beach vacationers, since it’s long and wide. It’s the perfect spot to relax and simply watch the surfers. We love it!

Above the beach there are a few great restaurants with the perfect view of the ocean and the sunset.

Quad bike ride on the beach at Tamraght

Coworking in Taghazout

If you have the option to work remotely, we can highly recommend Taghazout as a destination for a little workation.

The advantages for digital nomads are obvious:

• Even in winter the weather is really great.
• Accommodation and food are fairly affordable.
• A cool work-life balance between working and surfing.
• There are plenty of co-working spaces.

Cafés and Restaurants in Taghazout

In Taghazout and the surrounding area you’ll find a perfect mix of authentic Moroccan restaurants and modern cafés — ideal for diving into the delicious Moroccan food scene.

Honestly, there’s something here for every taste.

Here are our restaurant recommendations:
#1 Windy Bay in Taghazout

At Windy Bay restaurant (open in Google Maps), you sit on a really lovely terrace right on Taghazout Beach. You can get breakfast, poke bowls, fish, tagine, or pizza all day long.

Next to the restaurant there’s also a cool co-working space you can book.

#2 Café Taliouine in Taghazout

Café Taliouine (open in Google Maps) might not look that impressive at first glance, but the food is absolutely delicious. The menu features classic Moroccan dishes like tagine, couscous, and fish.

#3 Café Hey Yallah in Tamraght

For really great coffee and vegan, homemade muffins and cakes, head to Café Hey Yallah in Tamraght (open in Google Maps). Every weekend they host workshops and pop-up events. It is, however, closed in the summer.

#4 Let’s Be Healing Food in Tamraght

At Let’s Be Healing Food in Tamraght (open in Google Maps) you’ll find incredibly delicious, healthy dishes. We especially love the breakfast here. The great thing: the restaurant is open all day.

The Best Hotels in Taghazout

Your best bet is to stay overnight in Taghazout or Tamraght. The accommodations here are quite different from the rest of Morocco. You’ll find a colorful mix of surf hostels, small guesthouses, and large luxury hotels.

Traditional places to stay like the riads in Marrakech or the riads in Fès are actually hard to come by here. But the accommodations in Taghazout are still lovely, of course!

Cool Day Trips in the Area

If you’re in Taghazout for a while — surfing, working remotely, or just soaking it all up — you can also take some really great day trips into the surrounding area on your days off.

Here are six cool ideas!

Day Trip to Agadir

The coastal city of Agadir is only about 25 kilometers south of Taghazout, making it perfect for a short outing. Agadir is a hugely popular vacation destination for beach-goers.

But there are also a few nice attractions to check out here, like the ruins of the old Kasbah, which stand on a 236-meter-high hill — you can get up there by cable car.

Also very popular in Agadir is the Souk El Had d’Agadir, said to be one of the most beautiful and authentic souks (markets) in all of Morocco — even better than those in Marrakech and Fès.

The best way to get there and back is by minivan. We recommend booking both legs in advance online through the booking platform 12Go.

Day Trip to Imsouane

About 70 kilometers to the north lies Imsouane. This small coastal town on the Atlantic is also an absolute surfer’s paradise, though a bit smaller than Taghazout.

The beach at Imsouane is said to have one of the longest waves in the world — an absolute dream for surfers. Along with several surf camps, you’ll also find small surf cafés and plenty of authentic restaurants here.

Like many other places in Morocco, such as Agadir or Meknès, Imsouane is currently changing rapidly. Since 2024 there has been construction work in town. Where small wooden houses once stood, larger hotel complexes are planned for the future.

For surfing especially, Imsouane is still well worth the trip. The best way to get there is by van, which you can book in advance online through the 12Go website.

Day Trip to Essaouira

One of our favorite places in Morocco is without a doubt the small port city of Essaouira. The historic center is full of gorgeous white buildings, there’s fresh fish at the harbor, and surfers chill on the beach alongside camels.

An absolute standout is also the fortress Sqala de la Kasbahe, which served as a filming location for Game of Thrones! The desert town of Ait-Ben-Haddou in Morocco was too, by the way — incredible!

Essaouira is about 150 kilometers north of Taghazout. You can do a day trip, but feel free to stay one or two nights as well. The accommodations in Essaouira are really lovely and there’s more than enough to see.

If you’re not on a guided tour or traveling by car, you can easily book a bus on the 12Go website. We also recommend Essaouira as a great day trip from Marrakech, if that’s on your itinerary.

Guided day trip to the Medina of Essaouira

In a dedicated article, we’ve written up all the highlights in Essaouira and share even more tips:

Day Trip to the Timlalin Dunes

Towering sand dunes, golden sand, fun sandboarding, and a glimpse into the life of Moroccan nomads — that’s a pretty good summary of a trip to the Timlalin Dunes.

If you’re not planning a desert tour in Morocco during your trip — whether in the Erg Chebbi, the Erg Chegaga, or the Agafay Desert — the Timlaline Dunes are a great alternative.

The sand dunes aren’t huge and it’s not a real desert, but you can still get some cool desert photos here.

The dunes are about 45 kilometers north of Taghazout, near Imsouane. So you can easily combine both spots if you’re traveling by car.

3-hour sunset tour to the Timlalin Dunes

Day Trip to Paradise Valley

The Tamraght River winds its way through Paradise Valley. With its rock pools, steep cliffs, small waterfalls, and palm trees, Paradise Valley is truly paradisiacal. You’re almost in the Atlas Mountains here.

You can relax in the pools and of course take a swim. If you’re in the mood for a bit more adrenaline, you can jump off the rocks into the pools.

The restaurants are really cool too — while you sip a fresh mint tea or enjoy a delicious tagine, you can dangle your feet in the cool water. So great.

Especially during the best time of year to visit Morocco, Paradise Valley can get really crowded. If you want to enjoy the valley on your own, head out early in the morning by rental car or taxi. Guided tours are of course available too.

Day trip to Paradise Valley & Atlas Mountains

Boat Trip on the Atlantic

If you’re in the mood for a little adventure on the water, you can also take a cool boat trip on the Atlantic — a fun alternative day trip from Taghazout.

On this tour, you’ll be picked up from your accommodation in the morning and driven to the marina in Agadir. Then you’ll board a cool sailing boat.

During the trip you can fish or soak up the sun. At a stop along the way, you can swim in the ocean — so great!

Included is a really delicious lunch featuring fresh fish and a salad. In the afternoon you’ll dock again and be taken back to your hotel in Taghazout.

Half-day boat trip & lunch

General Tips and FAQs About Taghazout