BRITT CROSBY

Travel Guide: Taghazout, Morocco

So you discovered Taghazout? Here’s everything you need to know…

I dreamed of traveling to Morocco ever since my first Arabic class at sixteen. I imagined how incredible it would be to experience a culture so completely different to my own and putting my knowledge of the language to use.

After a few years of continuous travel, I was feeling accustomed to the lifestyle, confident in my travel capabilities and was finally feeling ready to venture down to Africa (a continent I always found intimidating as a whole.) I was also yearning to feel that thrill of travel again where everything is new, exciting and unfamiliar.

So I convinced my partner that we should spend some time in Morocco in 2018. His only requirement was that we spend at least a couple weeks somewhere he could surf and that had a co-working space. My first thought was… how the hell am I going to find that in Morocco? I had imagined the wildness of Marrakech and the blue streets of inland Chefchaouen, not a Digital Nomad surf town! That was until I miraculously stumbled upon Taghazout.

Taghazout, Morocco – The surfing hippie’s Santorini. A grunge version of Mykonos with better beaches, surf & Internet. Bohemian chic boutique hotels without the pretentious Instagramers.

Taghazout is a tiny little, white-washed fishing village between Agadir and Essaouira. It checked all of our usual boxes: surf/coastal, co-working and small town. Accommodations were also really affordable!

While I went to Morocco to experience “culture shock,” ironically, I found a place that felt like home. We planned on staying in Taghazout for two weeks… we ended up staying for over a month!

Taghazout is the perfect place for Digital Nomads but also for anyone who appreciates a small town and surf. If you’re planning on making your way to this little gem in Morocco, here is a complete guide… everything you need to know about Where to Stay, Where to Eat, Where to Drink, What to Do and even Where to Work and How to Stay (or Get!) Fit.

Taghazout is one of those places with plenty of secrets and it took me almost a month there to learn them, read on if you’d like a short-cut. 😉

Where to Stay:

Amouage

Surf Maroc is a collection of oceanfront accommodations in Taghazout, their properties include: Taghazout Apartments, Taghazout Villa, Villa Mandala, and Amouage. After receiving the tours, there is one location I personally see as the obvious and really the only choice and that is Amouage – This boutique hotel is somewhere you’re going to want to star on your map whether you decide to stay here or not (although I seriously recommend you do.) It’s spectacular in every way, from it’s 70s style Moroccan decor to the chic events they host each night. Amenities include an infinity pool, a spa, yoga and so much more.
Prices start at 3,050 dirhams.

D’Frost

A surf & yoga house close by to Amouage. It offers an in-house restaurant with a full-bar reserved exclusively for guests. They offer a surf school, daily yoga and cultural expeditions. This is Amouage for the budget traveler.
Prices start at 437 dirhams.

World of Waves

This place is absolutely perfect for Digital Nomads and for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the local culture. It’s right on the bustling beachfront, the cafe is energized and where every westerner in the whole town seems to congregate. They offer daily yoga on the rooftop overlooking the water with a lovely instructor as well as daily surf guides. Where Amouage and D’Frost offer an exclusive resort experience, WOW feels more lively and local.
Prices start at 1,050 dirhams.

Munga Guest House

Exceptional decor, inside and out, and right in the center of town. Their rooftop arguably offers the best view in town. Like every other hotel in Taghazout they also offer surf packages and in-house yoga. The decor is what sets Munga Guest House apart and justifies the price point in my opinion, that and the fact that it’s the only place in town with a rooftop pool.
Prices start at 1,500 dirhams.

Hashpoint Surf Camp

Great place for those on a budget. It’s in a good part of town and the rooftop is stunning.
Prices start at 546 dirhams.

Airbnb

We primarily stayed at this Airbnb in the center of town. I would 100% recommend to anyone staying longer than a week. The view was exceptional and you can’t beat the location. I also personally love having a kitchen and this one was decent enough for our needs.
Prices start at 600 dirhams.

Where to Eat:

World of Waves I’m not even going to pretend like I didn’t go here every single day. It was hard not to (especially because we lived right above it.) But beyond its proximity, it was the beautiful staff like Nabil, Abdel, and Isham who made each trip in memorable. The food is some of the best in town, the coffee is decent, the view can’t be beaten, they’re always playing great music and the price is right.
Sunset Burger – OMFG!!!!!!! Just go. Just go and get the vegetarian burger and if you don’t pass out from pure pleasure feel free to thank me. I would literally ride in the trunk of an old Citroen with an entire family and herd of goats from Marrakech to Taghazout just to eat the Vegetarian burger one more time.
Cafe La Paix – If you’re looking to mix it up I’d suggest coming here for the falafels.
Windy Bay – It took a while to give this place a try, but once we did we found it to be the BEST PIZZA in town (especially the quattro formaggio.)
West Coast – Located right on the main drag and run by a nice Frenchman. If you make it here try the waffle salad. Yes, it sounds super weird, but ugh so tasty with goat cheese and beetroot.
L’Auberge – Right on the beach, great price and really good falafels!
Let’s Be – Okay- this is NOT in Taghazout town but it Tamraght which is about an hour or so long walk along the beach. And you should absolutely, 1000% walk here every chance you get. The food is out of control. I recommend getting one of everything. This place has the best vegan/vegetarian options probably on the entire Moroccan coast.
Taghazout Tajine Palace – Must admit – I didn’t actually go here. Just the word tajine, even now, makes me roll my eyes in disgust. I find tajines to be the most overrated thing in all of Morocco. BUT if you’re into them this place apparently has the best.

Things to Do:

Surf – This is pretty obvious. You can do this on your own or with a surf guide. I recommend going with WOW for the surf guide, I believe it’s 200 dirhams which includes board, lunch and transport. The guys who run it are legends and it’s just a really fun experience. My partner and I surfed every other day on Panorama beach. The waves were perfect for beginners and just super fun for really any level. You’ll need to rent a board in town, I recommend Surf Berber

TIP: Haggle. Most people won’t budge on price but my partner was able to negotiate a good rate with the guys at Surf Berber. He paid 50 dirhams for 2 hours – if he went over the 2 hours he offered to pay 50 dirhams more but they never actually asked him to do that which was really nice.

Yoga – Literally every hotel in Taghazout offers yoga. Again, I went to WOW when I did yoga, it was 100 dirhams for a session (most are around this.) I loved WOW because they instructor was great and the view was of the ocean. Amouage, Surf Maroc, Munga House, Playa Surf House, Surf & Yoga Paradise and Amayour Surf & Yoga Hostel all offer classes for around the same price.
Hammam and Massage in the hills – Sundesk Co-Working helped us to organize this so we got a special deal of 400 dirhams for a traditional hammam and massage. It lasted 2-hours and I felt like a newborn baby afterward. There’s so much dust and dirt in the town that it’s nice to get a good deep clean. Plus you can’t leave Morocco without experiencing a hammam.
BBQ on Thursday at Amouage – Book this at least 24 hours ahead of time by emailing reception. It’s one of the few opportunities to grab a glass of wine in town (Morocco is obviously a Muslim country and Taghazout happens to be one of the driest towns in the whole country.) 150 dirhams at Amouage provides you access to a massive BBQ buffet (plenty of veg options) but most of all it allows you entry to their facilities so you can get a bottle of wine at happy hour for 100 dirhams and enjoy the pool and sunset.
Paradise Valley – We booked this with Sundesk as well and it was only 100 dirhams for the whole day. Our driver brought us out to the start of the trail which is about an hour drive from the center of Taghazout. We hiked along the trail which was a piece of cake and easy for anyone of any athletic level. Along the way you’ll see a little rock pool where you’ll also likely see hundreds of people swimming. Don’t stop, keep walking until you come across the next rock pool and swim there instead. It’s more beautiful, secluded and quiet.
Rescue some puppies – There are so many stray pups all around town. Sometimes it’s sad (like when a shop owner starts kicking a little puppy out of his shop) sometimes they’re well looked after and then they’re a joy to see. When we found a little puppy getting kicked around we grabbed it out from under the shop owners foot, brought him home and gave him a bath and some food. We ended up finding a woman at a shelter willing to take him in as long as we paid for his admission which was essential $20USD for shots, food and a temporary home until someone adopted him. He was adopted within a few days!
Work on yourself – Life in Taghazout is slow and simple. There’s really no drinking and certainly no nightlife. This is a great opportunity to save some money, exercise, spend plenty of time outdoors, eat well, read, meditate, do some yoga and really practice some self-care.
Walk to Killer Point – You’ll see the point from Taghazout town (it’s the little point with the palm trees and stone homes the sun sets over.) It’s a nice place to walk and enjoy the sight of massive waves rolling in and out. Certain times of year you’ll even see Killer Wales here.
Golfing – We didn’t actually do this but there is a beautiful golf course just outside town.
Movie night at Amouage – This activity is reserved for guests, but as we learned from our friends at reception, buying dinner is your ticket to everything the hotel has to offer. (Yoga and the spa are always fair game for non-guests.) On Wednesday nights they show movies in their cinema so if you’re looking for a class date night out but you’re staying elsewhere I recommend dinner and a movie at Amouage.
Pool day at Amouage – Yes, ANOTHER Amouage activity but seriously, this place is amazing. If you’re a non-guest you can access the hotel and pool for an entire day for 200 dirhams. The pool is spectacular – so worth it in my opinion since you can also indulge in happy hour.

Staying Fit in Taghazout:

Surf – see above
Yoga – see above
Berber Fit -This is run by our sassy, sweet English friend Sara. She runs 30-minute sessions every weekday. They’re always different, they’re always fun and they’re always a great way to start a day. Plus you’ll make friends with all the local dogs who insist on joining in. Follow @berberfitmorocco and message Sara personally for more info.
Skate Park – Over where the goats hang out (you’ll figure out where I’m talking about pretty quickly) you’ll see a trail going up the dirt mountain. If you follow that trail you’ll come across a great little skate park.
Hike – See Paradise Valley above
Paddleboard – You’ll see people paddling out super far all day long all the way until sunset. A fun water activity if you’re not keen on surfing.
Kayak – Another fun water activity for the non-surfers.
Run Along the Boardwalk – There’s an awesome little beach boardwalk that runs from Taghazout to Tamraght. You’re mostly walking past construction right now but you also have the beach. This is a great running/walking trail and if you follow it from Taghazout you’ll have Let’s Be waiting for you at the other end.

The Underground World of Drinking in Taghazout (Ignore if you’re looking for a detox.)

Delivery – It is possible to deliver alcohol to Taghazout from Agadir. I didn’t do this personally but a few people at the co-working space did.
Get an in at WOW – We went to this place every single day so we became pretty well acquainted with the staff. It took a while to get an in but after we did the surf day with WOW we were finally invited to partake in the evening cocktail hour.
Munga Guest House – Their chef is fairly well known around town and makes a nightly feasts for guests and non-guests. I recommend booking ahead of time. The cost is STEEP for Morocco – 300 dirhams and does not include wine… but there IS wine so if you’re willing to pay the fee for the food then you’re in.
Amouage – Go for dinner or a pool day and you’ll gain access to their bar and their amazing rose.
Sol House – Follow the boardwalk from Taghazout to Panorama, the first hotel is a big brown building which is Sol House. You don’t need to be a guest to go grab a drink, you also don’t need to pay to have dinner. I was thankful this place was fairly far out of town, otherwise, it would have been dangerous and sabotaged our one drink a week rule.

Other Things To Know – My Secrets/An Insider’s Scoop:

Getting to Taghazout – We took a taxi to Taghazout because we had been camping the days prior. The taxi from the Agafay Desert was 1,200 dirhams! However, if you’d like to save some serious money there’s a bus from Marrakech to Agadir for like 100 dirhams and is actually very comfortable, air-conditioned, fast and reliable. From Agadir it’s easy to find a taxi directly to your hotel in Taghazout for around 200 dirhams.
Surfboard Hire: Negotiate a good rate with the guys at Surf Berber. We paid 50 dirhams for 2 hours and 50 dirhams more if we went over 2 hours. Sundesk also organizes you a solid rate at a different shop in town if you’re staying there.
Working – There is one co-working space in town and it is a BEAUT. Sundesk is run by the lovely Magda from Germany and her husband. The internet is good, there’s a solid sense of community and she helps organize everything you could need in town through her connections. She’s also the most delightful person you’ll ever meet.
Transport -If you’re living in Taghazout for a period of time you’ll often find yourself going to Banana town. It’s 50 dirhams one-way for a private taxi or 5 dirhams to share.
Cash – World of Waves (WOW) accepts credit card if your bill is over 100 dirhams, otherwise, it’s cash everywhere all the time (except for hotels like Amouage.) When you need to take cash out you’ll need to go to the ATMs in Banana. They have a 4,000 dirhams limit so you’ll probably find yourself going there every other week at least. Better to stock up on cash before going to Taghazout to save yourself some hassle. It also may be possible to utilize World Remit in Banana. We didn’t do this but if you’re interested in giving it a try and saving $ on fees I have a whole article on the process HERE.
Fresh Fruit – There’s a fresh fruit guy that walks along the beach. It was the best thing ever when he approached us at WOW for the first time offering figs, raspberries, and blackberries for 10 dirhams a carton.
Groceries– There are grocery/convenient stores all along the main strip in the town but it is very limited. I recommend going to Banana’s market on Wednesday night to stock up on veggies. We got a huge bag of vegetables for 60 dirhams and it lasted us several days. Make sure to visit the olive guy for delicious, seasoned and spiced olives for cheap!
Language – I recommend brushing up on your French and learning the absolute basics of Arabic (like hello, thank you, goodnight, etc.) Moroccans speak French, Arabic, Berber and many times English but it’s always good to attempt speaking their language as a tourist in their country.
Water – Be super careful of the water. Wash your veggies in boiled water and always buy bottles. Also, be careful of where you eat out. My partner and I both got sick several times and it lasted for several days sometimes. NOT FUN! Hotels are likely a safer bet when it comes to clean water but it’s almost inevitable if you leave your hotel.
Cellphone Data – There are places to buy an Orange SIM card and top-up. I don’t think it’s necessary, the town is so small and you won’t want to bring your phone to the beach. Even if you do there’s wifi at all the cafes so it’s not necessary.

Well, I think that’s it! Are you a Digital Nomad or surfer? Have I convinced you that you NEED to get to Taghazout ASAP? If not, here are 30 photos that may help convince you.

Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions! I’d be happy to help. 🙂