Essaouira & Sidi Kaouki.

The breaks

Recognised, publicly known surf spots around Essaouira & Sidi Kaouki. Suitability depends on the day's swell, wind and tide, so treat the level as a guide, not a guarantee.

A medina by the sea, and a wind you plan around

Essaouira was formerly called Mogador, and its medina was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. The core area is only 30 hectares, which is why it feels so walkable: ramparts, a working fishing harbour, narrow lanes and cafés all sit within a short stroll of the beach. The town historically served as the port for Marrakech, and the road between the two runs in a nearly straight line.

The defining feature of the place for any water user is the wind. Strong trade winds drive the coastal upwelling that feeds the local fishing industry, and they also blow across the bay on most afternoons. Surf guides describe a collision of Atlantic trade winds with hot Saharan air that produces near-constant gusts, strongest in the summer months of May to September. That is why Essaouira is a kitesurf and windsurf capital first and a surf town second.

The practical advice is simple. Choose winter if you want surf, plan sessions for the first part of the morning and treat the afternoon as a time for the medina, a walk on the ramparts and fish at the harbour.

How Mogador Island shapes the city beach

The island of Mogador sits just offshore and partly shelters the bay, which is why the harbour is calm and why the town's own beach has smaller, softer waves than the exposed coast around it. Surf guides note that the island shields the city beach from most north and north-west swell, though winter swells that wrap into the bay can still produce chest-high waves that suit beginners.

That shelter cuts both ways. On big days the city beach may be one of the few places that is manageable for newcomers, while on small days it can be flat. It also tends to hold the wind, because the broad, flat beach and the dry hinterland leave little to block it.

The island has history too: archaeologists have excavated a Roman villa there, along with Phoenician pottery. It is not a surf spot but it is a reminder that this bay has been a sheltered harbour for a very long time.

Tagharte and the southern end of the beach

The south end of Essaouira's beach, often called Tagharte, is more exposed than the central stretch, so it gets bigger and more consistent waves. It is mostly shorebreak, with a small left point at the far southern end, and it is prone to closeouts and mush when the wind comes up. In the summer months it is mostly a kite beach.

For surfers the useful rule is to check the water in the morning and bring something with a bit of volume. Longer boards and soft-tops make the best of weak, wind-affected surf. The bottom is sandy, but there are rocky patches near the point, and the whole stretch can show currents when a swell is running. As with all Moroccan beaches, take care where the water is moving seaward.

The southern end is also where most of the kite schools and rental huts sit, so share the space politely and keep clear of kite lines.

Sidi Kaouki: the surf village

Sidi Kaouki, about half an hour south of Essaouira, is a small village on an open beach with five or six named peaks, a right-hand reef point at the north end for more experienced surfers and a long stretch of sand for everyone else. Surf guides describe the break as mainly beach break with reef sections, and best on west to north-west swells with easterly offshores. The village is windier than the town's main beach and is also a kitesurf and horse-riding spot.

The pace is slower than in Essaouira. There are a handful of guesthouses, cafés and surf shops, a marabout shrine on the beach and little else, so it suits people who want a quiet base for a week of surf and long walks. It can be blown out in summer, so the best months for surf are the cooler ones.

If you stay here, plan your food and cash in advance, and be prepared to take a taxi into Essaouira in the evening.

Cap Sim, Tafedna and the rougher points south

South of Essaouira the coast turns rockier. Cap Sim is reached by a rough track and is mainly a right-hand point with some short lefts. It works best on steady 5 to 6 foot swells from the west or north, and barrels need a strong easterly. The bottom is sand and jagged rock, which makes it a spot for competent surfers who can read the water.

Tafedna, over an hour south, has long right points and several peaks and is rarely crowded. It is the kind of place that needs a car, a local contact and good judgement, because services are almost non-existent and the tracks can be rough.

The usual approach is to hire a local driver or ask a surf school to take you. Respect the village, park where you are directed and take out whatever you take in. Do not treat these spots as places for large groups: they are small, and the locals who live nearby have first claim to the waves.

Getting to Essaouira and moving around

Essaouira–Mogador airport is about 7 to 8 kilometres from the town and has a few low-cost flights from France and London Stansted, plus some domestic routes, according to one surf guide. For wider choice, many visitors fly to Marrakech, where the bus takes about three hours with Supratours as the main operator named, or to Agadir and travel north.

Casablanca is roughly four hours away by road, and Taghazout is about two hours by car. Imsouane, famous for its long, easy wave, is also about two hours south, and some visitors combine the two bases. Sidi Kaouki is a taxi ride from town, and local taxis and shared grand taxis link nearby villages.

A car is useful for the southern points but not essential if you stay in town or at Sidi Kaouki. Roads in Morocco can be busy, and night driving is best avoided because of animals and unlit vehicles.

Flat days, festivals and food

When there is no surf, the town does a very good job. Walk the sea walls, visit the fishing port and eat grilled fish at the stalls, which is part of the daily life of the place. The medina has craft workshops, particularly wood marquetry, and a small, walkable souk.

Essaouira is also known for music. The Gnaoua festival has been held since 1998, normally in the last week of June over four days, and draws around 450,000 spectators a year according to Wikipedia. It is a very busy time and accommodation fills early, so book ahead or avoid the dates if you want a calm trip.

For days out, horse and camel rides on the beach, hikes in the argan forests inland and cycle trips are all common. Argan oil is a local product, and cooperatives sell it directly if you want to buy it.

Wetsuits, sun and etiquette on this coast

Water along this stretch of the Moroccan coast is cool because of the Canary Current and coastal upwelling, so a 3/2 or 4/3 suit is normal in winter and a shorty is enough in late summer. The sun is intense in summer, even when the wind is cold, so bring a hat and long sleeves for the beach.

Wind makes a lot of difference to how cold you feel. A windproof layer for the walk to the water and back is worth more than an extra millimetre of rubber. Surf shops sell basic equipment, but a spare leash and fins are worth bringing.

This is a Muslim country, and modest dress away from the beach is appropriate. Surfers are welcome, but remember that you share the water with kitesurfers, windsurfers, fishermen and swimmers. Stay clear of kite lines, avoid crowds on small days and keep an eye on beach signs and local advice.

Essaouira & Sidi Kaouki surf season month by month

A broad planning picture, not a forecast. Swell, wind and water temperature vary from year to year.

Learning to surf around Essaouira

Essaouira is a modest place to learn, and it is best in winter. The sheltered city beach and Sidi Kaouki both have beginner-friendly waves on the right day, and surf schools and camps operate in both. Because the wind builds fast, lessons usually run in the morning and the best schools adapt the location to the forecast.

Ask how many students each instructor takes, whether the school provides a wetsuit that fits properly and what the plan is on a windy day. A decent school will have a backup, such as a lesson at a more sheltered beach or a theory and skate session.

If you want a more consistent learning wave, consider combining Essaouira with Imsouane, about two hours south, where the sandy-bottomed bay produces long, forgiving rides. Many travellers split their week between the two.

Comparing options across the country? Read our guide to surfing in Morocco.