Imsouane, Morocco: the village and the bay
Imsouane sits on the Atlantic coast between Agadir and Essaouira, in the Souss-Massa region, where the western end of the High Atlas comes down to the ocean. It is still a working fishing port. The harbour on the point is the centre of village life, small boats work the water off the jetty, and the restaurants by the port serve fish. Fishing and surf tourism are what the village lives on.
The village spreads along the headland. Below it, sheltered by the point, the bay curves away in a long beach under dry cliffs, which is the view in the photograph at the top of this page. Outside the swell season Imsouane is a quiet place.
The Bay: the long right and its gentler inside
The Bay is the wave Imsouane is known for, and the longest wave in Morocco. The swell wraps around the point, the take-off is next to the harbour pier, and the wave peels along a sandy bottom into the bay. A ride of several hundred metres is normal, and on the best days it runs for 500 m and more.
For most of its length the wave is gentle and slow. Beginners and longboarders ride the softer waves further into the bay, and the surf guides list The Bay for every level, from learners to advanced surfers. On a winter swell the sections connect and the wave gets faster, which is when an improver starts to feel what a point break asks of them.
It works best at 1–2 m, from low to mid tide, on a north-west swell, with the wind from the east or north-east, which blows offshore. Surf-forecast warns of strong rips at the point, so watch where the water moves before you paddle out, and keep out of the take-off if you are still learning.
Cathedral: the exposed side
Cathedral is on the exposed side of the headland, open to more of the swell and more of the wind. It breaks over sand and reef in several peaks, and it is faster and more powerful than The Bay: a wave for intermediate and advanced surfers, at its best from 1.5 to 3 m. Because it takes more of the swell, Cathedral can have waves on days when The Bay is small.
| The Bay | Cathedral | |
|---|---|---|
| Wave | Long right off the point, sandy bottom | Beach and reef peaks, more power |
| Level | Everyone; beginners and longboarders further inside | Intermediate to advanced |
| Best size | 1–2 m | 1.5–3 m |
| Swell and wind | North-west swell, east to north-east wind | North-west swell, east wind |
| Exposure | Sheltered by the point | Open to more swell and wind |
When Imsouane works
Like the rest of this coast, Imsouane is at its best from October to April, when lows in the North Atlantic send long-period swell, and at its biggest and most reliable in winter. Surf-forecast's statistics give the point clean, surfable waves 68% of the time in January. From June to September the swell is small, and The Bay becomes a gentle wave for beginners and longboards.
The water is a little cooler than at Taghazout. Ten years of readings on seatemperature.info put the monthly average at about 16 °C in February and March and 20 °C in August and September, and surf guides suggest a 3/2 wetsuit for most of the year. For the coast's air temperature, rain and sun month by month, read our Taghazout weather guide.
Who it suits, by level
- Beginners: the softer waves further into The Bay, on the smaller days.
- Longboarders: The Bay, slow and long enough to walk the board.
- Improvers and intermediates: The Bay on a winter swell, when the sections link up and the wave speeds up.
- Intermediate and advanced surfers: Cathedral at 1.5 to 3 m, faster, more powerful and less forgiving.
- Non-surfers: the port, the fish restaurants and the view over the bay make a good day without a board.
The drive from Taghazout and Tamraght
Imsouane is 71 km from our Taghazout hostel and 78 km from our Tamraght hostel. Google Maps gives 1 h 24 and 1 h 32 on an empty road, so we call it about an hour and a half in the van. The road follows the coast north through Taghazout and past Cap Ghir, and the 80 km from Agadir to Imsouane hold more than a dozen named surf spots. Our guide to the surf spots from Agadir to Imsouane lists them in the order you drive past them, with the level and the months for each.
The SurfsHUB day trip to Imsouane
Once a week, when the waves are on, SurfsHUB runs a day trip to Imsouane. It costs €40 per person, paid on the day. It is optional, and it is not in the package price.
It is also separate from the excursion day. From 5 nights, every stay includes one full day for Paradise Valley, Souk El Had and an argan-oil village, in place of that day's surf trip. Imsouane is a surf day, and it comes on top of that.
The trip goes when Imsouane is working. The wave itself is at its most reliable from October to April, so if it is one of the reasons for your trip, those are the months to come.
The day works for non-surfers too. If a partner or friend who does not surf is coming with you, write to us with your dates before you book: the booking page prices surfers only, and we quote their stay without coaching by email.
Where to stay for Imsouane
Both hostels are about an hour and a half from Imsouane, the Taghazout one a few minutes closer, so choose by the rest of your week. If you already surf, our Taghazout surf camp has Panorama, Hash Point and Anchor Point within walking distance, and the Taghazout travel guide covers the village itself. For a first week, our Tamraght surf camp is eight minutes in the van from Devil's Rock and Banana Point. Both are described room by room on the hostels page, what every package includes is on the packages page, and you can book your stay online.
