Morocco's best beach towns

Essaouira is the beach town that does not need sunshine to impress. The Atlantic wind hammers this fortified port city almost every day, which is exactly why windsurfers and kitesurfers keep coming back. Behind the ramparts, the medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — a compact grid of blue-shuttered streets, art galleries, thuya wood workshops, and seafood grills. The pace is slower than Marrakech, the touts are fewer, and the Gnaoua World Music Festival each June draws crowds from across the globe. The fishing port is worth a morning visit: watch boats unload sardines and sea bream, then eat grilled fish at the harbor stalls for from 40 MAD a plate.

Taghazout was a fishing village until surfers discovered its point breaks in the 1960s. Today it is Morocco's surf headquarters — a single street of cafes, board rental shops, and rooftop terraces looking out at the Atlantic. The vibe is laid-back to the point of horizontal. Mornings start with yoga on a rooftop, afternoons are spent chasing waves, and evenings end with tagine and mint tea. The coastline north and south of town holds over a dozen breaks, from beginner-friendly Panoramas to the powerful Anchor Point, considered one of the best right-hand point breaks in North Africa. A massive luxury development (Taghazout Bay) has added upscale hotels without erasing the scruffy charm of the old village.

Asilah is the quietest, most refined beach town on Morocco's Atlantic coast. The medina is tiny, immaculate, and covered in murals — repainted each summer during the annual Asilah Arts Festival, which has run since 1978. Portuguese fortifications ring the old town, and from the ramparts you can watch the sun drop into the Atlantic. The beaches north of town are calm and family-friendly, a contrast to the rough Atlantic surf further south. Asilah draws Moroccan and Spanish weekenders rather than backpackers, so the restaurants tend to be a step above the average coastal town. Fresh fish, Spanish-influenced tapas, and strong coffee dominate the dining scene. The train connection to Tangier makes this an easy day trip or a peaceful base for exploring the north.

Mirleft is what Taghazout looked like 20 years ago. This small town sits above a series of cliff-backed coves on the Anti-Atlas coast, two hours south of Agadir. There are no resorts, no chain restaurants, and no crowds. The beaches are reached by scrambling down rocky paths, and on most days you will have an entire cove to yourself. A growing number of guesthouses and a few cafes have appeared, but the infrastructure is deliberately minimal. Travelers come here specifically to disconnect. The weekly souk brings the surrounding Berber countryside into town, and the sunsets from the cliff paths are some of the finest on the Moroccan coast.

Sidi Ifni was the last Spanish territory in Morocco, handed back only in 1969. The Art Deco cinema, the old Spanish consulate, and the crumbling airstrip are reminders of that colonial chapter. The town sits on a cliff above a wide beach, wrapped in Atlantic fog more mornings than not. There is a faded, end-of-the-road atmosphere that appeals to a specific kind of traveler — the type who finds beauty in peeling paint and empty plazas. The fishing port produces some of the freshest and cheapest seafood on the coast. Grilled sole and chips at a port-side stall costs from 30 MAD. Legzira Beach, with its famous red stone arches, is a 15-minute drive south and is the primary reason many visitors pass through.

Dakhla is less a beach town than a wind-sports base at the edge of the Sahara. The town sits on a narrow peninsula jutting into the Atlantic, creating a 40 km lagoon with flat, warm water and near-constant trade winds. The surrounding landscape is pure desert: sand, sky, and ocean merging at the horizon. Getting here requires either a flight from Casablanca or a multi-day drive through Western Sahara. The remoteness is part of the draw. Oyster farms dot the lagoon, flamingos wade in the shallows, and the night sky is very dark. Several well-run kite camps offer all-inclusive packages that handle logistics in a region where independent travel takes effort.

Legzira is a beach, not a town, but it deserves a place on this list for its geological drama alone. Massive red sandstone arches rise from the sand, carved into shape by Atlantic waves over millions of years. One of the two largest arches collapsed in September 2016, but the remaining formations are still among the most photographed natural features in Morocco. Visiting requires timing: at high tide, the beach disappears and the arches are inaccessible. Check the tide tables and arrive two hours before low tide for the best light and the most walking room. The cliffs above offer paragliding launches, and a few guesthouses perched on the edge serve meals with a view that would cost ten times as much anywhere in southern Europe.

Oualidia is where Moroccans go when they want a beach that is actually safe to swim in. The town wraps around a crescent-shaped lagoon protected from the Atlantic by a natural sandbar, creating a pool of calm, warm water that is perfect for families and non-swimmers. Oualidia is also Morocco's oyster capital — the lagoon's clean, nutrient-rich water supports several oyster farms, and you can eat a dozen freshly shucked oysters with lemon for from 50 MAD at waterside shacks. The town itself is small and unhurried. Birdwatchers come for the flamingos and herons that feed in the lagoon at dawn. La Sultana, one of Morocco's finest boutique hotels, sits on the lagoon shore and offers a rare taste of luxury in an otherwise low-key destination.