What are the best beaches in Morocco?

Travellers are often surprised Morocco has so much coastline — both Atlantic and Mediterranean — and the honest truth is that the 'best' beach depends entirely on whether you want to swim, surf, or simply soak up atmosphere, because Morocco's beaches are more about wind, waves, and character than the bathwater-calm turquoise of, say, the Caribbean. Let me break the coast into its real personalities.

On the Atlantic, my heart belongs to Essaouira — a fortified, blue-and-white former Portuguese port with a wide windswept beach, a fishing harbour, and a wonderfully artsy, laid-back medina. The wind that whips the beach makes it a kitesurfing and windsurfing capital rather than a lazy-sunbathing spot, which is exactly its charm; for calmer sand nearby, locals slip down to Sidi Kaouki. Further south, Agadir is Morocco's purpose-built beach resort — a long, sheltered, sun-soaked sweep that's the closest thing to a conventional warm-water beach holiday — and just up the coast Taghazout has become a global surf-and-yoga mecca, all surf camps and smoothie cafés.

The northern Atlantic and Mediterranean have their own gems. Asilah, near Tangier, is a pretty whitewashed artists' town with murals and a relaxed beach scene; Legzira, south of Sidi Ifni, is famous for its towering natural stone arches over the sand and is genuinely one of the most dramatic beaches in the country (though do check the current state of the arches, as one collapsed some years ago). Over on the Mediterranean side, the coast around Saidia, Al Hoceima, and the Cala Iris area offers the calmest, clearest, most swimmable water in Morocco — gentler and warmer than the wild Atlantic — and it's where many Moroccans themselves go to swim.

So how to choose honestly: if you want character, photography, and a town to wander as much as a beach, go to Essaouira — it's my default recommendation and pairs beautifully with Marrakech. If you want to actually swim in calm warm water, look to the Mediterranean coast or sheltered Agadir bay. If you've come to surf, Taghazout and the Atlantic coast around it are world-class. And set expectations: the Atlantic is bracing, often windy, and the water is cooler than people expect even in summer, so Morocco is a fantastic coastal destination for atmosphere and watersports more than for tropical lounging — which, once you embrace it, is a wonderful thing.