What ocean is Morocco on, the Atlantic or the Mediterranean?

Morocco sits on two bodies of water. To the west it faces the Atlantic Ocean along a coast that runs south from Tangier past Rabat, Casablanca, El Jadida, Essaouira and Agadir. To the north it faces the Mediterranean Sea, from the area around Tangier and Tetouan east past Al Hoceima towards the Algerian border. Morocco is one of only three countries, with Spain and France, that have both an Atlantic and a Mediterranean coastline.

The two meet at the Strait of Gibraltar, the channel between Spain and Morocco that links the ocean and the sea. At its narrowest it is only about 14 km wide, which is why Spain can be seen from the hills around Tangier on a clear day. The stretch of Mediterranean just east of the strait is called the Alboran Sea; it sits between Spain to the north and Morocco and Algeria to the south, and it is a transition zone where Atlantic and Mediterranean marine life mix.

For travellers, the two coasts feel quite different. The Atlantic side is open ocean: long beaches, steady swell and cooler water, with the waves that make Taghazout, Imsouane and the coast north of Agadir popular for surfing, and the wind that brings windsurfers and kitesurfers to Essaouira. The climate there is Mediterranean with an oceanic influence, so summers stay milder than inland. Strong currents are common on Atlantic beaches, so swim where there are lifeguards and follow local flags.

The Mediterranean coast is the calmer of the two in summer, with smaller waves and coves backed by the Rif mountains around Al Hoceima, and resort beaches near Tetouan and towards Saidia in the east. It is quieter outside the Moroccan summer holidays, when many families from the cities head north.

If you are choosing a coast, the Atlantic suits surfing, long beach walks and towns like Essaouira and Agadir, while the Mediterranean suits calmer swimming in summer and a trip that also takes in Chefchaouen and Tangier. Sea temperatures differ by season and coast, so check the water before you plan a swimming holiday, and pack a wetsuit if you want to surf the Atlantic outside summer.