My junior year I was looking at Surfer Magazine in my AP American History class (because what else would I be doing) when I saw an article all about surfing in Morocco. That's when the dream started. I've been obsessed with the idea of going to Morocco to surf, but it was always one of those things that I would kill to do (like see a Kings of Leon concert), but never thought it would actually happen. But it did. So here's what I did and learned while in Morocco.
We split the trip up into two sections: Taghazout & Marrakech. Taghazout is the small town on the coast that has turned into a surfing destination. Surf Maroc has basically taken over half the town. The peak season is during the winter months because that's when they have the biggest swell. My school in London has a week long break in the first week of November, so I convinced my two friends to go with me.
The Swell:
The swell really depends on what beach you go to. We went to Paradise Beach & a local beach about an hour from Taghazout. Paradise Beach had some nice swell that was spaced out, so if you're a beginner or intermediate that beach would be perfect. I surf in Maine a few times every summer, but I have a 5'7" Shortboard and the waves in my part of Maine are 4 feet on a good day, so basically I'm no Jack Freestone. The local beach had barrels and was more rough the day we went. That beach is definitely better for more experienced surfers.
note: most of the beaches have a lot of jelly fish
Places to stay:
I stayed at the Dfrost Surf & Yoga Villa, and it was amazing. The whole city of Taghazout is on the coast, so you really can't go wrong where you stay, but I definitely recommend Dfrost. It's all-inclusive and they set everything up for you. We fly into Marrakech because it was cheaper than Agadir (the closest airport to Taghazout), and they had a taxi driver waiting for us. They also schedule everything from transportation to the beaches to daily yoga classes. The community at Dfrost reminded me of a hostel in the best way. Everyone there was there to enjoy some nice surfing and experience Morocco. The majority of the people were Europeans in their early thirties. We even met a guy apart of the Point Surf Team. Basically the vibes were good and the food was too.
note: no matter where you stay, try to only eat things that have been cooked or you've peeled it yourself & stay away from meat because you will get sick, it's a fact
What to wear:
Normally when people think about Morocco, they think about covering up as much as possible which is normal, but because Taghazout has risen in tourism because of the surf culture, shorts and t-shirts are okay as long as you stay near the Surf Maroc area. You can also wear your normal swim suit at the beach. Marrakech is very different though. Before we went I read all these blogs about girls being harassed in the Medina, but when I got there the cat-calling was not bad at all. Honestly sometimes it was even less than in London.
The key to avoiding attention is wearing loss clothing that covers a lot. I wore maxi and midi skirts with a loss t-shirt everyday. I saw tourist in leggings and short with crop tops while we there. That is just going to draw more attention to you, but most importantly it is disrespectful in some parts of the city.
THINGS TO BRING:
-face wipes
-sunscreen
-moisturizer/ lotion
-bandana (the dust in the Medina is really thick and messed up my nose and throat for a few days)
- light sweater or jacket (it gets cool during the night)
THINGS TO DO IN MARRAKECH:
- stay at a Riad in the Medina (we stayed at Riad Rodamon)
- hire a tour guide for the Medina & Souks because it gets really confusing
- eat at one of the rooftop restaurants ( I recommend the NOMAD)
- go on a camel ride in the desert (we didn't do this, but I really wanted to)
TIPS:
- only drink bottle water (even when brushing your teeth)
- bring a swimsuit even if you only go to Marrakech because more Riads have pools or lounge chairs
- when you get to the airport and are taking out cash DO NOT let them confuse you into getting a travelers card because its the same thing as your credit card, but you have to pay a fee every time you use it
- bring a bandana or scarf because Marrakech (especially in the Medina) is really dusty and can mess up your throat and nose
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