Where can I swim in Morocco — the safest and nicest spots?

Where you swim well in Morocco depends a lot on which coast you choose. The Mediterranean north is the calmest and clearest. Al Hoceima has gorgeous turquoise coves backed by the Rif mountains, and Saidia near the Algerian border has miles of soft golden sand and warm, gentle water — it is the closest thing Morocco has to a classic family beach holiday. The water there is far calmer than the Atlantic and the swimming is genuinely lovely.

On the Atlantic, be honest with yourself about conditions. Essaouira is wonderful but windy with real currents — fabulous for kitesurfing, less so for casual swimming. Agadir is the main resort beach, long and sheltered by its bay, with lifeguarded sections and the warmest Atlantic water in the country; it is the safest big Atlantic beach for families. The coves around Taghazout and Tamraght just north are beautiful and good for swimming between surf sessions when the sea is calm. Wherever you swim on the Atlantic, respect the flags and stay in lifeguarded zones — rip currents are the real risk.

Inland, the Atlas has freshwater swimming that few visitors expect. The Ourika valley and Setti Fatma, an hour from Marrakech, have river pools and small waterfalls where locals cool off in summer — cold, clear mountain water, lovely on a hot day. The cascades at Ouzoud (the country’s most famous waterfalls) have natural pools at the base you can swim in, with Barbary macaques watching from the trees. These are gentle and shallow but watch your footing on wet rock.

My most reliable answer, though, is the pool. A good riad or hotel pool — a courtyard plunge pool in the medina, an infinity pool at a desert camp or Atlas lodge — is where most of my clients actually do their best swimming, in total safety and privacy. If swimming matters to your trip, I simply make sure each base has a great pool, and treat the sea as a bonus on the days the conditions are right.