What are the best sunset spots in Morocco?

Nothing beats sunset over the Sahara. From a desert camp at Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, the move is to climb the tallest dune behind camp 30 minutes before sundown and watch the whole sea of sand shift from gold to apricot to deep rose as the shadows of the ripples lengthen. It's silent, vast, and genuinely the best sunset I know anywhere. The dunes near Chegaga at M'Hamid do the same if you go deeper south. This alone is reason enough to spend a night in the desert rather than just visiting.

On the coast, Essaouira is my favourite. Walk the old Skala ramparts as the sun drops into the Atlantic behind the fishing harbour and the gulls wheel over the blue boats — it's windswept and romantic and totally free. Further north, the Cap Spartel headland just outside Tangier is a special one: it's the corner of Africa where the Atlantic officially meets the Mediterranean, and the sunset over the ocean from the lighthouse there feels like standing at the edge of the continent.

In Marrakech, sunset is a rooftop ritual. The terraces around the Jemaa el-Fnaa fill as the call to prayer rises and the square's food stalls light up below; for a calmer version, a riad roof terrace or a hotel bar with a view of the Koutoubia minaret silhouetted against a pink sky is hard to beat. The light on the red city walls in the last half hour of day is why they call it the Red City.

For pure drama, Aït Benhaddou at sunset is unforgettable — the ancient earthen ksar turns molten gold and the whole fortified village glows against the hills behind it. Cross the river, climb to the granary at the top before the light goes, and you'll see why every film crew chases that hour. My one tip everywhere: arrive 30–40 minutes early, because in Morocco the best colour often comes after the sun has actually dipped.