What is the Souss region / around Agadir like?

The Souss is the broad, fertile valley behind Agadir, sheltered between the High Atlas to the north and the Anti-Atlas to the south. It's argan and citrus and saffron country, with a mild, sunny climate that makes it Morocco's market garden. Most travellers only see Agadir's beachfront and never realise the real character of the region sits a little inland.

Taroudant is the reason to come. It's a walled town encircled by magnificent ochre ramparts you can drive or cycle around, with a genuine, unfussy souk that earns its nickname "little Marrakech" — except without Marrakech's hustle or crowds. I love it as a calmer alternative base; the famous Palais Salam and a couple of grand riads make it a comfortable overnight, and the Tiout palmery nearby is a lovely excursion.

On the coast and just south, the Souss-Massa National Park protects estuary wetlands and is one of the last refuges of the critically endangered northern bald ibis — proper birdwatching territory, plus quiet beaches. Agadir itself, rebuilt after the 1960 earthquake, is your modern-resort anchor: reliable sun, a long beach promenade, good seafood, but very little old Morocco.

I usually position the Souss as the gentle, restful chapter of a trip — a place to land after the intensity of Marrakech or the desert, eat well, slow down in Taroudant, and maybe push into the Anti-Atlas. It's not packed with headline monuments, but it's warm, green and easy, which is sometimes exactly what a journey needs.