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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast
introA hop and a skip from mainland Europe, the same time zone as CET, diverse and affordable: Morocco is the perfect warm-weather escape, even more so if you want to catch some sun AND waves. You can surf all along the North African country’s Atlantic coast, but the best spots are to be found between Agadir and Essaouira, especially around Taghazout. The picturesque former fishing village is rife with sandy beaches perfect for beginners, as well as several spectacular sand and reef breaks that attract more skilled surfers. Suit up and jump in!
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
AttitudeThe Attitude – Large-scale surf tourism arrived relatively recently, so Taghazout village itself has remained almost completely unchanged by the arrival of wetsuit-clad wave chasers. Instead of newly built hotels, supermarkets and surf shacks, you will find all the surf camps, shops, restaurants and cafés tucked away inside the same tall, white houses with flat roofs occupied by the locals. This can make finding your way around challenging, as you search for the entrance to a rooftop yoga studio hidden down a narrow side alley, or try to figure out the quickest way back to the shop where you saw that cute caftan yesterday.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
The LookThe Look – When you’re not mimicking a wet seal, by way of a neoprene pelt, you will want to embrace your inner Talitha Getty and slip on some flowing, boho, authentically embroidered local threads. Revealing fashion, including shorts and miniskirts, are not frowned upon, but you’ll blend in with the locals more easily if you adopt at least some of the local styles. Local concept store Talisman offers a contemporary twist on traditional, upcycled and vintage fashions, and features a selected range of items by local artisans and makers. Our faves include their cropped caftans and djellabas.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
ArganThe Place – You hardly need us to tell you what argan oil is or to extoll its virtues, but did you know that the beauty ingredient is farmed exclusively in Morocco and traditionally produced only by women, usually in local cooperatives? Show them some support and find out more about the painstaking labour involved in harvesting the fruit of the argan tree, extracting the kernel and squeezing the oil from it – all by hand – on a visit to a local argan cooperative. As part of the new development, Taghazout is getting its very own cooperative that you can visit and support by purchasing its products.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
ViewThe View – Taghazout is teeming with rooftop terraces and waterfront cafés, and offers countless vantage points from which to observe the surfers doing their thing. The best spot to get a long view of the scenery, as well as the riders on the waves, is the top of Devil’s Rock. This rocky outcrop on the far end of Taghazout beach is a popular location to catch the sunset while watching others catch the day’s last waves.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
LunchThe Lunch – If you’re out surfing all day, then lunch is best had on the beach. Thankfully, Morocco caters generously to al fresco picnickers. Bring a packed lunch, with fresh fish bought directly from the local fishermen (they’ll cook it for you on request), followed by roasted nuts, a delicious donut and fresh peppermint tea or coffee from one of the many vendors hawking their goods on any one of the more popular surf spots up and down the coast. [Photo: Heather Cowper/Flickr]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
DinnerThe Dinner – Taghazout offers a reasonable range of dining options. Just make sure you’re flush with Dirhams, as most venues are cash-only and the nearest ATM is two towns over. Resist your first impulse to dine on the waterfront, and discover a cosy gem on the main street instead. Dar Josephine offers the most well-rounded menu, with a mix of French and Moroccan dishes, all homemade from local ingredients. The leafy terrace is a delight for animal lovers who get to enjoy their dinner in the company of countless stray cats and dogs who are remarkably well-behaved and never beg for scraps (only cuddles).
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
HangoutThe Hangout – After a long day in the water, when your arms feel like jelly and your skin is scratched and bruised, treat yourself to a trip to the Hammam. Beautiful Massage is situated on a hilltop just outside town (transfers are included). Half an hour of the ritualised steam bath scrub using local argan oil products, followed by a half-hour massage administered by the hands-on staff, and you’ll feel good as new.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
FlavourThe Flavour – You’ll quickly develop a taste for tagine, which is served in every restaurant in town – for good reason. Learn to cook the healthy, tasty dish from a local – if only as an excuse to take home one of the beautiful clay vessels used to cook it in. Serving an authentic dish stewed in this traditional manner is sure to impress back home!
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
WalkThe Walk – As the foothills of the High Atlas mountains run right to the coast, the area is a hiker’s paradise. Paradise Valley is the go-to day destination, easy to explore alone or with a guide. It can be a bit hit-or-miss, depending on the season – but in winter and spring, when the rockpools are full, the waterfalls cascade and the water is deep enough for some rock diving, it does its name justice. Tawada Hiking can take you there, or on other treks off the beaten track, for an experience blending nature and culture. [Photo: kad09/Wikimedia Commons]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Morocco’s Surf Coast.
DriveThe Drive – If you can restrain yourself and don’t stop at every surfable break along the way, Essaouira, a 2-5-hour drive north, is a great day trip destination. The stunning walled city most recently stood in for Astapor in Game of Thrones, and boasts a well-reserved UNESCO-listed medina. Alcohol is available more freely here than in Taghazout, so this is your chance for as much of a boozy night on the town as you’re going to find in Morocco.
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