What is the Atlantic south (Sidi Ifni, Mirleft) like?

The stretch of Atlantic coast south of Agadir, running down through Mirleft toward Sidi Ifni, is one of my favourite slow-travel corners of Morocco. The Anti-Atlas drops almost to the sea, so the coastline is a dramatic run of red cliffs, rock arches and pocket beaches pounded by cold Atlantic swell. The mood is unmistakably bohemian — surf camps, yoga retreats, cheap fish grills, a scattering of Europeans who came for a week and stayed a winter. It is the antithesis of Agadir's package-resort feel.

Mirleft is the gentler of the two — a small, friendly village strung above a series of beautiful sandy bays, including the famous Legzira-style arched coves. It has become a relaxed hub for surfers, paragliders and travellers who want simple guesthouses, sunsets over the ocean and absolutely nothing to do but swim, surf and read. Prices are low, the pace is horizontal, and the welcome is warm. Nearby Legzira beach, with its great natural rock arch (one of the celebrated arches collapsed a few years ago, so do check current conditions), remains one of the most photographed spots on this coast.

Sidi Ifni, a little further south, is the curiosity. It was a Spanish enclave until 1969, and it still wears that history in its weather-beaten Art Deco architecture — sweeping blue-and-white municipal buildings, a curved old plaza, a melancholy faded grandeur unlike anywhere else in Morocco. Perched above a wild surf beach and an active fishing port, it has a windswept, end-of-things atmosphere that some people find romantic and others find bleak. I love it for exactly that mood, and the fresh fish straight off the boats is superb.

I am honest that this coast is not for everyone. It is often grey, breezy and cool even when the interior bakes; the infrastructure is rustic; and there are no monuments to sightsee. But for surfers, slow travellers, budget-minded wanderers and anyone who wants a counter-cultural, ocean-facing Morocco far from the tour buses, the Atlantic south is a gem. Pair it with Tiznit and the Anti-Atlas for a proper southern loop, and give yourself permission to do very little.