South Atlantic Coast

The South Atlantic Coast of Morocco, home to some great beach towns, is more laid-back than its northern counterpart.

Towns

• 1 Agadir - best-known for its beaches, the town is a nice example of modern Morocco, with less emphasis on history and culture. Take the local bus for a few cents and go 2 or 3 villages north, where there are more beaches.
• 2 Essaouira - an ancient sea-side town newly rediscovered by tourists. From mid June to August the beaches are packed but any other time and you'll be the only person there. Good music and great people.
• 3 Imouzzer - usually visited to see the Cascades d'Immouzer.
• 4 Safi - more industrial city but worth a day trip to see the pottery quarter.
• 5 Taghazout and its neighbouring towns of Tamraght and Aourir (the latter two also known as "Banana Village").

Other destinations

• 1 Souss-Massa National Park

Get in

By bus

The cities at the south Atlantic coast are not connected by train, so your other option is the mostly reliable bus network operated by several companies (see Morocco overview page). A trip from Marrakech to Agadir takes about 3½ hours.

By road

If you are travelling with a car, you can easily access the south via the stable road network.

By plane

• Essaouira-Mogador Airport (ESU ^IATA)

Get around

Between Essaouira and Agadir it is very easy to catch an intercity bus anywhere along the way. During the day there is one bus about every hour. While CTM and Supratours are not allowed to pick up additional passengers, local intercity buses do not have such a restriction. This is a great way to explore the coast including places like Taghazout, Aourir and others between these two cities without issues. The regular price for the full distance is 50 dirham, 2.5 hr.

See

• 1 Goats in argan tree (On route 207 west of Essaouira towards Marrakech). The CTM buses often stop here for a photo. (updated Apr 2019)

Goats in argan tree, seen from below

Do

• "Watersports". Morocco and the South Atlantic Coast are a great place for activities like surfing, kiteboarding, stand-up paddleboarding. During summer months, the afternoons are quite windy, so it will suit kiteboarders better, but surfers can still have some good time especially in the morning. From October onwards, the winds are less powerful and surfing is better. For classical surfing, the most famous places to head to are the three neighbouring villages of Taghazout, Tamragh and Aourir on the one hand and Sidi Ifni more in the south on the other. There are plenty of schools along the coast where you can get surf or kite lessons. (updated Feb 2016)