Taghazout: Morocco’s surf village

Where it is

Taghazout sits on the coast road that runs north from Agadir towards Cap Ghir and Essaouira. Agadir’s airport is about an hour away by car. To the south lie Aourir, home of Banana Point, and Tamraght; to the north the coast becomes wilder, with reef breaks and small coves on the way to Imsouane.

The village is built on a slope above the beach. Fishing boats are still pulled up on the sand, and the narrow lanes are lined with surf schools, guesthouses and cafés. A large resort area, Taghazout Bay, has been developed just south of the village.

The surf points

Anchor Point is the best known. It is a long right-hand wave that wraps around a rocky headland a short walk from the village and can hold big winter swells. When it is working properly, it is a wave for experienced surfers.

Hash Point, in front of the village, is smaller and gentler. Further north, Killer Point is a fast right-hander for confident surfers; its name is usually linked to orcas seen offshore. Panoramas and Boilers are among the other breaks along this stretch.

Most of these waves break over rock and reef. Reef booties help, and it is worth asking locally about tide and swell before paddling out.

When to go

The main surf season runs roughly from October to April, when North Atlantic storms send long swells down the coast. Summer is usually smaller and calmer, which suits beginners and lessons. September and October often bring the first good swells with warm weather.

The water stays cool all year. A 3/2 mm wetsuit is the usual choice for much of the year, with a thicker one useful in the middle of winter.

Life in the village

Taghazout is a working village, not only a surf camp. Dress with a little more cover away from the beach, ask before photographing people, and respect local surfers in the water: many of them have surfed these points all their lives.

Mint tea, grilled fish and tagines are easy to find. Many visitors stay for weeks, splitting the day between the morning session, a long lunch and the sunset.

From Safi pottery to surf fins

The Unbreakable Habit design starts from Safi pottery. Its painted ceramic decoration and bare terracotta become three surfboard fins: a delicate craft object turned into the part of the board that keeps you on the wave, for surfers who come back to these points season after season.