Taghazout
Morocco
A fishing village turned surf town, on a run of right-hand point breaks north of Agadir
Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash
Photos by Louis Hansel, Louis Hansel and Louis Hansel on Unsplash
Best time to visit all of Morocco
October to April for the surf season, when the winter swells arrive — high summer is small waves, crowded, and for beginners
Climate month by month
The next sixteen daysOpen-Meteo
Average high and low · °C
Rainfall · mm per month
Best months to visit This month · wettest 50mm in Dec
Where it is
30.54°N, 9.71°W Open in Google Maps
Things to do
Several days- Book a surf camp or guide for the first days, so someone matches the break to the swell and your level
- Learn on the sand at Tamraght or Banana Beach, not on the point breaks
- Watch Anchor Point from the cliff on a big day, which is the best show in the village
- Do a yoga morning between sessions; most camps run them
- Take a surf trip north towards Imsouane when the points here are flat
- Eat sardines grilled on the beach at sunset
Taghazout travel tipsthe general rules
Currency budget Morocco
Mid-rangeThe dirham cannot be bought abroad, so change at the airport or in Agadir. Surf camps quote in euros and take cards; board hire, cafés and the fish on the beach are dirhams and cash.
ATMs & cards
The village has few machines. Draw in Agadir or Aourir on the way in. Machines charge foreign cards a flat fee per withdrawal, so take out more, less often.
Avoid these
- relying on the few machines in the village
Use these instead
- Attijariwafa Bank
- Banque Populaire
- BMCE
- CIH — in Agadir or Aourir
Machines charge foreign cards a flat fee per withdrawal whatever the amount. The dirham cannot be taken out, so change leftovers back at the airport.
Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.
Safety all of Morocco
SafeRelaxed, and among the least hassled places in Morocco. The ocean is the thing to respect: Anchor Point and the other points break over rock and urchins and are for surfers who can already turn, and beginners belong on the sand-bottom beaches at Tamraght and Banana Beach. The coast road through the village is fast, unlit and has no pavement in places — walk it with a torch. Stay a week if you surf, since a swell can take days to arrive; two nights if you do not, because there is little else.
Where to walk, and where to pay attention (6 areas)
Comfortable, including after dark
- Taghazout
- Tamraght
- Taghazout Bay — the resort south of the village
Worth more attention
- Anchor Point — a point break over rock and urchins, for surfers who can already turn
- Rip currents on every beach here when the swell is up — swim where the surfers are not, and not alone
- The coast road — fast traffic through the village, no lighting and in places no pavement
Our own assessment, not a sourced index.
Entry & visa Morocco visa rules
No visa neededup to 90 days
Other passports
e-Visa required~€50
Morocco operates an e-visa for a growing list of nationalities.
Entry rules change often and depend on your passport, not where you live — the official page above is the authority, and the airline checks before you board.
Health & emergencies all of Morocco
Good but costlyRequired to enter
- Yellow fever certificate, but only if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present
Jabs worth having, and what happens if you need a doctor
Worth having
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid
- Tetanus up to date
- Rabies for longer stays — stray dogs and cats are everywhere
Getting treated
Private clinics in Marrakesh and Casablanca are reasonable and inexpensive, and expect cash or an insurance guarantee up front. Public hospitals are basic. Pharmacies are excellent, widespread and can dispense a lot without a prescription.
Do not drink the tap water. Stomach upsets are the most common complaint by a distance.
Orientation, not medical advice — entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history. Check with a travel clinic four to six weeks before you go.
Food tip
GoodFish grilled on the beach, tagine at the cafés on the main road, and amlou — argan, almonds and honey — on everything at breakfast. Most surf camps include meals. This is still a village: alcohol is for the resort hotels at Taghazout Bay, not the cafés on the main road.
Travel tipsGetting around
Limited- CareemWorks here
- YangoWorks here
- HeetchWorks here
- UberNot here
- BoltNot here
Careem Casablanca and Rabat · Heetch Casablanca
- Against a taxi
- The petits taxis are metered by law and frequently are not in practice. Insist on the meter or agree the fare first.
Uber left Morocco in 2018. In the tourist cities the apps barely operate and the petit taxi is the system.
Time zone and your working day
Africa/Casablanca — 4 hours ahead of you
4 hours of overlap with a 09:00–17:00 day where you are — 09:00–13:00 your time, 13:00–17:00 theirs.
No overlap with a 09:00–17:00 day where you are. Working from here means one of you keeps odd hours — their day starts at 05:00 on your clock.
office hours both at once night
Their 09:00–17:00 is 05:00–13:00 on yours.
The difference from the UK, Europe, the US and ten more
Worked out against America/New York, which is where this request looks like it came from.
eSIM
A data eSIM for Morocco, installed before you fly and working the moment you land:
Works here
Works hereRevolutIn the app
Must-see
Travel tipsNearby day trips
Travel tipsSay a few words
Arabic
- Helloمرحبا — MarhabaMAR-ha-ba
- Pleaseمن فضلك — Min fadlakmin FAD-lak
- Thank youشكرا — ShukranSHOOK-ran
- Yes / Noنعم / لا — Na’am / LaNA-am / la
4 more phrases
- Excuse meعفوا — AfwanAF-wan
- How much is it?بكم — Bikam?bi-KAM
- The bill, pleaseالحساب — Al-hisabal-hi-SAB
- Welcomeأهلا وسهلا — Ahlan wa sahlanAH-lan wa SAH-lan
Inshallah, meaning God willing, follows nearly any statement about the future and is conversational rather than religious.
Travel tipsReligion
Sunni Muslim
Islam is the state religion and the king holds religious authority. Non-Muslims may not enter most mosques — the Hassan II in Casablanca is the main exception. Ramadan changes opening hours everywhere.
Travel tipsDo's and don'ts
Do
- Haggle in the souks — the first price is an opening, and good humour is part of it
- Dress modestly, particularly women and particularly away from tourist areas
- Use the right hand for eating and giving
- Accept mint tea; it is the standard gesture of welcome
Don't
- Do not follow unofficial guides who offer to show you the way in the medina; the help ends in a demand
- Do not photograph people, market stalls or performers without asking — payment will be expected
- Do not enter mosques unless you are Muslim; almost all are closed to visitors
- Do not show public affection, and avoid discussing the monarchy critically
Where to stay in Taghazout
No Holistay rentals in Taghazout yet — the platform is just opening up. Every listing here will have a video tour and the option to negotiate the nightly price directly with the host.
In the meantime, here is Taghazout on the sites that do have the inventory — each search is already filled in:
- Booking.com hotels, guesthouses and apartments — the widest coverage almost everywhere
- Airbnb whole homes and apartments, and the better option for a week or more
How to get there
Fly into Al Massira AGA
45 minfrom the airport· 37 km as the crow flies
45 min by taxi.
Google Flights · Rome2Rio for the trains, buses and ferries as well as the flights
