We started our 10 day journey surrounded by the craziness of Marrakesh. Taking in all the exotic smells of spices and getting lost in the maze of tiny colourful alleyways that shape Medina (the old cultural and economic centre of the city).
Places to eat: Kif Kif
Not to miss: Jardin Marjorelle
Not to miss: Jardin Marjorelle
We wanted to be as flexible as possible during our travels, to find the best surf breaks and explore hidden places so we decided to hire a car: the classic Moroccan tourist wheels a Dacia Logan.
Our first stop along the coast was Sidi Kaouki, 30 minutes south of Essaouria. We decided to take the scenic route instead of the highway which even though slower, gave us more chance to stop and explore the hilly countryside. Unfortunately, when we arrived in Sidi Kouki we were welcomed with onshore winds and really messy surf.
Travel tip: Bring enough cash, there are not many ATM's out of the bigger cities
We checked the forecast for the next few days over lunch and decided it was best to continue further south to Imsouane. Here we were greeted with breathtaking views from the cliffs overlooking the bay and plenty of swell!
Imsouane has two surf spots: The Bay, a really long right-hand point (a longer version of The Pass in Byron Bay) and The Cathedral, a faster and spicier right hander. Imsouane generally catches more swell than the further lying surf town of Taghazout as it faces west catching the North Atlantic swell.
After spending a few days in Imsouane it was time for us to continue on. Our next stop was Taghazout. A little fishing town which used to be famous for its calamari and its hippies. Now, it is one of the biggest destinations for people who want to escape the North-European winter and try their hand at surfing (caution: there are many wanna' be surfers hiring boards too small for their skill set here). Expect surf spots to be crowded.
Day trip to: Paradise Valley - perfect for a waveless afternoon, bring your swimmers
That said, there are many different surf spots around Taghazout for all levels and conditions: Hash Point, Banana Beach, La Source, Killers (a 20 minute paddle out named after the sighting of killer whales), Desert Point and the famous Anchor Point which, if working can deliver an epic ride.
A few days later we drove down to Mirleft. Mirleft is a small village that borders the Sahara in the Sidi Infni province. The drive to get here was epic, full of rugged and ever changing landscapes. Alas, the waves, forecast and accomodation weren't in our favour so after a visit to the rock archways on Legzira Beach we left and started our journey back up north.
We had no real plan driving back and presumed we would spend another night in Taghazout. As it turns out, after stopping for lunch and surf at Banana Beach we stumbled across an amazing little surf shack that we decided to call home for the night. It was really simple and not the cleanest but it had a beautiful location overlooking the beach and surf break. Sadly, this was our last night on the coast and after two surfs and lunch we departed on our way back inland to Marrakesh.
Words and story by Demi Kerkhof