There’s a reason why it’s known as the land of never-ending rights – Morocco is home to some of the best pointbreaks on the planet. Within the same 100km stretch of coast that houses Anchor Point and Boilers, you’ll also find some of the more forgiving sand-bottomed beach breaks, and plenty of space in the water to learn.
Here’s where we send first-timers, and why.
Anza
Anza sits just north of Agadir, a long stretch of sand that rarely gets crowded because most visiting surfers drive straight past it. That’s a mistake if you’re learning. The waves here are soft and give you room to spread out from other surfers without fighting for a wave.
It works on most swells, which makes it a reliable fallback when the points further north are too powerful for a first session. The catch is that Anza can go flat on smaller days, so it’s more of a spot to check than a guaranteed booking.
Tamraght: Banana Point and Devil’s Rock
Tamraght, a few kilometres south of Taghazout, has become the beginner base of choice for a lot of surf schools, and for good reason. Banana Point and Devil’s Rock both break over sand rather than rock, and both hold a gentle, rolling wave that’s easy to read even if you’ve never paddled into an unbroken wave before.
The village itself helps too. Tamraght moves at a slower pace than Taghazout, no crowds spilling off tour buses, no rush on the walk to the water.
Panoramas, Taghazout
Panoramas sits right on the southern edge of Taghazout village. At high tide, the wave softens up considerably and becomes beginner-friendly; low tide turns it faster and punchier, better suited to someone with a session or two already under their belt.
It’s popular, which means some sessions come with a bit of a queue, but the vibe in the water tends to be relaxed rather than competitive. If you’re staying at our Taghazout Villa, Panoramas is close enough to check on foot before deciding whether to get in.
Imsouane: The Bay
If you only surf one wave in Morocco, most local coaches would point you here. The Bay at Imsouane is a long, mellow right-hander that can run for hundreds of metres on a good day, breaking over sand the whole way.
Imsouane sits about an hour south of Taghazout, which is why we run it as a day trip rather than a base camp. You get the wave without giving up the wider choice of breaks and beaches back at the villa.
Agadir’s main beach
Agadir’s beach doesn’t get much attention in surf guides, but it’s perfect for absolute beginners. It’s wide, sandy and consistent enough that surf schools use it for first-timers, the kind of session where the goal is simply standing up in whitewash, the broken, foamy part of the wave, for the first time.
It’s not somewhere experienced surfers travel for, but as a stepping stone before you head to Taghazout or Tamraght, it does the job well.
Sidi Kaouki, near Essaouira
Further north, close to Essaouira, Sidi Kaouki is a wider beach break with a soft sand bottom and a more remote atmosphere than the Agadir-Taghazout stretch. It’s further from where most surf camps, including ours, are based, so it’s more of a road-trip detour than a weekly session. Worth knowing about if you’re combining a Morocco trip with some time in Essaouira itself.
Getting the timing right
Beginners tend to do best in Morocco outside the big winter swells. From April through August, the wave sizes drop and the surf spots become noticeably friendlier, especially Anza, Tamraght and Panoramas. September can still work well too, when the first swells of the season arrive but haven’t ramped up to the powerful winter conditions that show towards the back half of the year.
Whatever time of year, you’ll want a wetsuit. The Atlantic here stays cooler than the air temperature suggests, and a 3/2mm suit handles it comfortably for most of the season.
Why we base ourselves where we do
Our villa sits on the headland just north of Taghazout, within walking distance of Panoramas and a short drive from Anza, Tamraght and Anchor Point when you’re ready for it. We’ve been running surf coaching here since 2008, which is long enough to know exactly which beach break is working on any given morning, and we build guided trips out to Imsouane into the week when conditions line up.
If you’re just starting out, our surf coaching package is built around small groups and patient instruction on the gentlest breaks nearby. Take a look at our Taghazout Surf & Yoga Villa or get in touch if you’re not sure which package fits your level.