Anchor Point Taghazout: Morocco’s Premier Right-Hander

Anchor Point is firmly an intermediate-to-advanced wave. On its best days — overhead to double-overhead with a long wall — it demands confident duck-diving through a rock-lined channel, reliable positioning on a fast point, and the composure to handle a set on the head in a busy lineup. Complete beginners have no business paddling out here; those in their first or second season should spend time at Hash Point or Panoramas before attempting it. Strong intermediates who can read a lineup and consistently make steep drops will enjoy the wave enormously, particularly at 1.5–2 m when it is not too punishing.

A northwest to west-northwest groundswell — roughly 290° to 310° on the compass — hits the headland at the ideal angle to produce long, walling rights. Pure west swells (270°) tend to be less organised at the point, while north swells above 340° lose energy before reaching the take-off zone. Atlantic groundswell with a period of 12–18 seconds is the sweet spot: it travels cleaner and produces more defined sets with longer intervals to paddle back out.

December and January are statistically the most consistent months: Atlantic low-pressure systems deliver groundswell every 5–10 days, water temperature sits around 18–19°C (a 3/2 mm wetsuit is comfortable), and the NE trades provide offshore mornings before the sea breeze kicks in around noon. October and November offer warmer water and lighter crowds. March still catches residual Atlantic swells. April through September the wave mostly switches off — residual small swells do appear, but Anchor Point needs size to show its character.

On the best days, with a proper 2–3 m NW groundswell and a mid-to-high tide, rides can run 300–400 metres along the rocky headland — long enough that your legs are burning by the time you reach the inside section. The paddle back out is correspondingly long, roughly 5–8 minutes depending on where you exit. More typical rides on a moderate 1.5 m day are 150–200 m, still excellent by Atlantic standards. The wave tends to section on the inside at low tide, so most surfers kick out before the final shore break.

From Taghazout village, walk or drive 1.5 km north along the coastal road (N1) toward Aourir. A rough track on the left drops down to the cliff above the break — look for parked cars and the footpath that zigzags to the rocky shoreline. The paddle-out channel runs along the base of the cliff on the right side of the point; paddle straight out through the channel, then position yourself up the point near the rocks at the top of the reef. A grand taxi from central Taghazout takes 5 minutes and costs 10–15 MAD indicatively.

Honestly, yes — during a pumping December swell, you can count 40–80 surfers in the water, with the take-off zone the most competitive section. The wave has enough length that the crowd spreads out, but the peak can feel like a scrum. Early mornings (before 8 am) are noticeably quieter before the surf camps dispatch their students. Mid-week sessions are calmer than weekends. Anchoring yourself up the point near the rocks gives priority on the longer sets; paddling into the middle of the lineup and fighting for scraps is a losing strategy.

The area directly below the Anchor Point headland is all rock — it is not a swimming or sunbathing beach. Non-surfers who want to watch can stand on the cliff above and get excellent views across the entire point. For beach time, the sandy stretch between Taghazout and Aourir (locally called Banana Beach or Taghazout Bay) is a short drive or 20-minute walk south, with calmer water and beach cafés.