What is the Souss-Massa region like?

The Souss-Massa region is the broad valley sheltered between the High Atlas to the north and the Anti-Atlas to the south, watered by the Souss river and blessed with a mild, almost permanently sunny climate. It is Morocco's market garden — argan groves where goats really do climb the trees, citrus orchards, banana plantations, early tomatoes and saffron up toward Taliouine. Most travellers only ever see Agadir's beachfront and never discover that the soul of the region sits inland.

Taroudant is the reason I bring people here. It is a walled town wrapped in magnificent ochre ramparts you can circle by horse-drawn calèche or bicycle, with two honest, unfussy souks — the Arab souk and the Berber souk — and a genuine working-town atmosphere that earns its "little Marrakech" nickname without any of Marrakech's pressure. I use it as a calm base; the grand old Palais Salam inside the walls and a couple of lovely riads make for a restful night, and the Tiout palmery nearby, with its kasbah above a sea of date palms, is a beautiful half-day.

The conservation jewel is the Souss-Massa National Park, south of Agadir where the Massa river meets the Atlantic. This estuary and its cliffs shelter the very last truly wild colony of the northern bald ibis — a strange, ancient-looking bird that has vanished almost everywhere else on earth — alongside flamingos, spoonbills and migrating waders. For birdwatchers it is genuinely world-class, and even for non-birders the quiet beaches and the dune-backed lagoon are a peaceful counterpoint to the resort strip.

Agadir itself I treat honestly as a modern beach anchor rather than old Morocco — rebuilt after the 1960 earthquake, it is all promenade, reliable sun and good grilled fish, with very little history left to see. I usually position the whole Souss-Massa region as the gentle, recuperative chapter of a journey: land here after the intensity of Marrakech or the desert, slow down in Taroudant, walk in the park, eat well, and let the sunshine do its work. It suits families, honeymooners winding down, and anyone who wants easy days.