Surfing in Taghazout: Spots, Seasons, Camps and Prices (2026)

Taghazout is the best-known surf village in Morocco, and it deserves the name. Along a short stretch of coast there are long right-hand points for experienced surfers and sandy, gentle beaches where complete beginners can learn. The catch is that the famous points are not beginner waves, and the swell season (roughly October to April) is also the busiest time of year. Learners can surf all year if they go where the schools go. Intermediates and experts usually come in winter. Below is our honest guide, checked on 22 October 2026: which spot suits which level, when to come, what wetsuit to pack, what camps and lessons cost in 2026, how to stay safe in the water, and where to sleep.

When to go: swell season or summer

There are two seasons, and they feel very different:

• October to April – the swell season. Atlantic storms send long-period swell from the north-west and the points come alive. Surf Maroc and The Surf Atlas both call this the high season, and The Surf Atlas puts the peak from November to March, when 2–4 m (6–12 ft) days are common. This is when Anchor Point and Killer Point work. It is also when the line-ups are most crowded.
• May to September – summer. Waves are smaller. North winds often blow onshore in the afternoon, so the surf is choppier, but it is mostly whitewater, which is what beginners need. The water is warmer and prices are often lower. Experienced surfers usually find summer frustrating.

Tip: If you are learning, the shoulder months (October–November and April–May) usually give a good mix: enough waves, warmer water than mid-winter, and fewer people than around Christmas and February.

Water temperature and wetsuit by month

The Atlantic here is cooler than the sunshine suggests. Averages reported by surf and climate sites put the water around 16–18 °C from December to May and around 21–22 °C in August and September. The table is an approximate guide, not a measurement:

Wetsuits are easy to rent in the village, so you do not have to fly with one. Pack a rash vest, high-factor sunscreen and a hat: UV is strong even in January.

The main spots, honestly by level

Guides do not always agree on levels; where they differ, we say so. Conditions change everything: a "beginner" spot can be dangerous on a big day, and an expert point can be gentle on a tiny one. Ask a local school or surf shop each morning.

For beginners

• Panoramas. The beach in front of the south end of the village. On small days its sandy inside is a classic beginner and school spot. The point at its north end, close to the cliffs, gets steep and is better left to intermediates.
• Banana Beach (Banana Point). A few kilometres south, near Aourir, named after the banana plantations around it. A soft, often mushy right over sand rolls into beach peaks. Guides describe it as beginner-to-intermediate and good for longboards, and almost always crowded.
• The beaches around Tamraght. The sandy stretches between Tamraght and Aourir are where many camps take first-timers.

For improvers

• Hash Point. A mellow right-hand point in the village itself, sheltered by Cap Ghir and rideable in most swells. It is a good step up from the beach once you can paddle out and catch green waves. The entry is over rocks, so watch your footing and time your paddle-out.
• Devil's Rock. A beach break at the Tamraght end of the bay, with A-frame peaks over sand in winter. One guide rates it for all levels, another for intermediates and up. Both note it is quieter than Anchor Point. It also has submerged rocks, and urchins are common, so booties are a good idea.

For intermediate and advanced surfers

• Anchor Point. Just north of the village, it is the best-known wave in the area: a long right that can run for hundreds of metres and hold very big swell. It is intermediate-plus on small days and expert-only when it is big. It is often crowded. Rocks and urchins are reported at the take-off at low tide, and a strong current pulls south on big days.
• Killer Point. Further north and more exposed. It is a heavy, pitching right with a long paddle (up to 20 minutes on big days) and strong currents. It is for experts only.
• Mysteries and Boilers. Mysteries, next to Anchor Point, suits upper intermediates on small days. Boilers, north of Killer Point near an old wreck, is a fast right with a difficult rock entry and urchins.

Imsouane, for longboarders

About an hour north by road, Imsouane's The Bay is one of the longest, gentlest rights in Morocco. It is a slow, peeling wave that longboarders and beginners love, with rides that can last hundreds of metres. Cathedral, on the other side of the village, is faster and suits intermediates. Part of the Cathedral side was demolished in January 2024 in a clearance of unlicensed buildings, so check what is open before you book.

Surf camp, lessons or just board hire?

How you surf decides how you should book.

• Surf camp (package). You usually get accommodation (dorm or private room), breakfast and often dinner, daily transport to the spot that is working, a board and wetsuit, and lessons or coaching. Many camps add yoga, and some include the airport transfer. Camps sort guests into lessons (first steps, in whitewater, with an instructor), coaching (for improvers, often with video feedback) or guiding (for independent surfers: a guide drives you to the best spot but does not teach). On the 2026 price lists we checked, one large Taghazout operator advertised guiding weeks from about 5,600 MAD and coaching weeks from about 7,400 MAD per person, and its surf-and-yoga retreats from about 8,900 MAD. Smaller camps in Tamraght sell five-day dorm packages for well under half that.
• Lessons only. Good if you have already booked a room. A day of group lessons with board, wetsuit and transport costs roughly 350–400 MAD (about $40) in 2026. Hotel surf academies charge more.
• Board hire. For surfers who can already choose a spot on their own. Expect about 100–150 MAD a day for a standard board in 2026, often with a weekly discount. Wetsuits are sometimes included and sometimes extra.

Tip: Before you pay, ask how many students each instructor teaches, whether the transport and the wetsuit are included, and what happens on flat or stormy days.

Safety in the water

• No lifeguards, strong currents. GOV.UK warns that many Moroccan beaches have little or no lifeguard cover, and that strong currents and unexpected waves happen. France Diplomatie says most beaches are unsupervised, drownings are frequent, and surfing calls for proper precautions. Do not paddle out alone at an empty spot, and stay in the zone your level suits.
• Rocks and urchins. Most of the points break near rock, and urchins are common at low tide at Anchor Point, Devil's Rock and Boilers. Wear booties, learn the entry and exit from a local before you paddle out, and take your time.
• Insurance. GOV.UK reminds travellers that water-sports providers may not meet the safety standards they are used to, and that some policies exclude certain activities. Check that yours covers surfing.
• Theft. Leave nothing visible in cars at beach car parks. Petty theft is common in tourist areas.
• Emergency numbers (checked 22 October 2026): police 190 (or 19), ambulance and fire 150 (or 15), gendarmerie 177 outside towns. France Diplomatie also lists an Agadir medical emergency line (AMU): +212 5 28 82 88 88.

Etiquette and localism

The atmosphere in the water is mostly friendly. One surf guide rates localism as low to moderate but crowds as a real issue. The usual rules prevent nearly all friction: the surfer closest to the peak has priority, never drop in, paddle wide of people riding, and keep hold of your board. Beginners should stay off Anchor and Killer Point. Remember that local surfers grew up on these waves and many surf before or after work, so a smile and some patience go a long way.

Yoga, cafés and the village vibe

Taghazout is still a fishing village. Blue boats line the beach, and narrow lanes run down to the sea, lined with cafés, rooftop terraces and surf shops. Morning yoga and evening stretching are part of most camp packages, and several operators run full surf-and-yoga retreats. Evenings are mostly quiet: sunsets, dinner on a terrace and early nights before dawn sessions.

Locals are mostly Amazigh and Muslim. Wear a cover-up away from the beach and keep swimwear for the sand. Ramadan is expected to start around February 2027, in the middle of the swell season. Life slows down during the day, and some cafés change their hours.

Getting there from Agadir airport

Agadir Al Massira airport is south-east of Agadir, and Taghazout is on the coast road north of the city.

• Taxi or transfer. The simplest option, about 45 minutes to an hour. In recent traveller reports taxis ask roughly 300–400 MAD for the car, more late at night. Agree the price before you get in, check that your board fits, or ask your camp. Many arrange the pickup, and some include it.
• Bus. The airport shuttle bus (about 50 MAD) runs to Agadir, then local buses or shared grand taxis continue north. It is cheap but slow, and buses may refuse surfboards.
• Hire car. Useful if you want to chase swell to Imsouane or further. Parking near the points is informal, so do not leave valuables.

Where to stay

• Taghazout village. You can walk to Hash Point, Panoramas and Anchor Point, and there are plenty of cafés. It is the liveliest and busiest choice, with rooms ranging from surf-camp dorms to small guesthouses.
• Tamraght. A few minutes south. It is calmer, with many camps and surf houses and quick access to Devil's Rock and the beginner beaches. You will need the camp van or a taxi to reach the points.
• Aourir. The local town closer to Agadir, near Banana Beach. It is usually the cheapest option, and the most local.
• Taghazout Bay. The planned resort just south of the village, with branded seafront hotels, a 27-hole golf course and its own surf academy. It is comfortable for families and non-surfers, but you will need a car or taxi to reach the village and most spots.

Browse places to stay in Taghazout, or stay in Agadir and surf on day trips.

Checklist before you book

• Match your level to the season. Learners can come all year. Point surfers should come from October to April.
• Choose your base: the village for walking to waves, Tamraght or Aourir for calm and price, Taghazout Bay for comfort.
• Compare camps on what is really included: transport, board, wetsuit, meals, airport pickup.
• Pack booties, sunscreen, a rash vest and a 3/2 wetsuit (or plan to rent one).
• Check that your travel insurance covers surfing, and save the emergency numbers in your phone.
• Read your government's travel advice in the week you travel.

More planning ideas are in all our guides.