Essaouira is one of my favorite towns in Morocco, though I’ll be honest from the start: it is a better place to fall in love with the country than to score world-class surf. This walled, whitewashed medina on the Atlantic is nicknamed the Wind City, and that wind is the whole story here, a relentless summer blow that made it a global windsurf and kite capital and, for much of the year, keeps the pure surf mellow. The bay itself is one of the friendliest beginner waves in Morocco, and the points scattered up and down the coast come alive in winter when the wind finally drops. Come for the culture, the color and the easy waves. This is a characterful stop on our guide to surfing in Morocco. Here’s every break worth knowing, when to go, and how to set up.
Quick surf guide to Essaouira
- Best season: winter (November to March) for cleaner surf, when the wind eases and NW swell arrives
- Best for beginners: Essaouira Bay, Sidi Kaouki
- Best for advanced: Cap Sim, Moulay Bouzerktoun
- Wave type: a sandy beginner bay plus a run of rock and beach points
- Water temp: 16 to 22°C, a 4/3 in winter down to a shorty in summer
- Crowds: busy with schools in the bay, quieter at the outer points
- Getting there: Essaouira (ESU), or Marrakech (RAK) 2.5 hours away
- Budget: $35 to $70 a day, one of the better-value surf trips going
Where to surf in Essaouira
Think of it in three parts: the mellow learners’ bay right in front of town, a string of proper surf points to the south, and the famous wind spot to the north. Tap a marker to preview a break, then click its name to jump to my full rundown below.
Essaouira Bay: where to learn
The wide sandy bay right in front of the medina is the safest, friendliest surf in the region, and the first place I take anyone learning.
Essaouira Bay
The main bay is a big, forgiving sandy beach break, sheltered enough that it rarely gets scary, which is exactly why it is Morocco’s go-to learner spot and why every school in town teaches here. Waves are usually gentle and chest-high, the bottom is sand, and there is no serious current, so it suits first-timers and kids. Surf it early: this is the Wind City, and the trades usually turn the bay to chop by late morning, so a dawn session is worth the alarm.
The southern surf points
Head south from town and the coast serves up the area’s real waves, points that need a swell and an early start before the wind wrecks them.
Sidi Kaouki
About 30 minutes south, Sidi Kaouki is the best surf town on this stretch and where I would base myself if waves mattered more than the medina. It has a long, forgiving beach for improvers and a right-hand reef point at the northern end for stronger surfers, spread across several peaks so it rarely feels crowded. Still a mellow, low-key village, and a lovely place to spend a few days chasing the morning glass.
Cap Sim
Across the bay to the south, Cap Sim is the pick of the local points when it is on: a right that can throw the odd barrel when a solid swell lines up with an offshore easterly. It breaks over a mix of sand and sharp rock and it is less predictable than Sidi Kaouki, so it rewards patience and a bit of local knowledge, but score it clean and it is the best wave near town. Mind your feet on the rock at low tide.
Tafedna
About an hour south, Tafedna is a scenic, cliff-backed bay that stays close to a local secret because you need a car to reach it. It is more sheltered than the exposed beaches, so it is often surfable when the coast is windy, and on a clean morning it offers mellow, uncrowded fun. Worth the drive for the setting alone, and a good bolt-hole when everything to the north is blown out.
The wind capital
North of town is the spot that made Essaouira world-famous, though it belongs to windsurfers and kiters far more than to surfers.
Moulay Bouzerktoun
Moulay, about 30 minutes north, is one of the great windsurf and kite spots on Earth, a strong right point that pulls a serious wind crowd through the windy months. For pure surfing it only really works on the rare day the wind lays down, when it becomes a fast, sometimes hollow wave over rock for experienced surfers. I include it because it is a big part of the Essaouira story, but if you’re here to surf rather than sail, you’ll spend most of your time at the points to the south.
When to surf in Essaouira
Shoulder
Summer trade winds (windsurf season)
For surfing, winter is the season here. From November to March the Atlantic sends in NW groundswell and, crucially, the relentless trade winds ease off, so the bay and the southern points get their cleanest, most rideable days. December is often the most reliable month, and the water, while cooler, is still very manageable in a 4/3. If you want actual waves rather than a windsurf holiday, this is when to come.
Summer, roughly May to September, is when Essaouira earns its Wind City name: powerful trade winds blow almost daily, which is heaven for windsurfers and kiters but blows the surf to pieces by mid-morning. You can still get a dawn session in the bay before it fills in, and the water is at its warmest, but do not plan a pure surf trip around the summer. Spring and autumn sit in between, with decent swell and moderating wind.
Surf camps, schools and where to stay in Essaouira
Essaouira has a busy surf-and-windsurf school scene, most of it working out of the main bay, and it makes an easy, sociable base with a rented board and a lesson or two. I’d stay inside the medina, the walled old town, where riads and guesthouses put you a short walk from the beach, the port and the best food and music in town; if waves are your priority, the little village at Sidi Kaouki is a surfier, quieter alternative right on the sand. Board and wetsuit rental is cheap and everywhere. For my wider rundown of the country’s camps, see our guide to the best surf camps in Morocco.
Compare surf camps in Essaouira on BookSurfCamps
What to pack for Essaouira
Cool Atlantic water, sharp rock at the points and a lot of wind and sun are what to plan for. My Essaouira checklist:
- A wetsuit: a 4/3 in winter, a 3/2 in spring and autumn, and a shorty on the warmest summer days
- The right board: a longboard or foamie for the bay, a shortboard for the points; see our best beginner surfboards and check your board volume
- Sun and wind protection: reef-safe SPF and a surf hat, because the exposed coast burns and dries you out fast
- A surf watch for the tides, a spare leash, and a car if you want the outer points
Getting to Essaouira
Essaouira has its own small airport, Essaouira-Mogador (ESU), about 15 minutes from town with a handful of seasonal European routes. Most people, though, fly into Marrakech (RAK) and make the easy two-and-a-half to three hour trip west by bus, shared transfer or car, which also lets you tie in a few days in Marrakech. In town you can walk everywhere and reach the bay on foot, but you’ll want a car or a taxi to get out to Sidi Kaouki, Cap Sim, Moulay and especially remote Tafedna. If you’re planning a wider trip, pair this with surfing in Morocco and its powerhouse points further south around Taghazout.
Frequently asked questions
Is Essaouira good for beginner surfers?
Yes, it is one of the best places in Morocco to learn. Essaouira Bay is a wide, sandy, sheltered beach break with gentle waves, no serious currents and a school on every corner, and the beach at Sidi Kaouki is a good next step. Just surf early before the wind gets up.
When is the best time to surf in Essaouira?
Winter, November to March, is the surf season: the Atlantic sends in NW groundswell and the strong trade winds ease off, giving the cleanest waves. December is often the most reliable. Summer is dominated by wind and is far better for windsurfing and kiting than surfing.
What is the best surf spot in Essaouira?
For learning, the main bay; for real waves, Sidi Kaouki (a friendly beach plus a right point) is the standout surf town, while Cap Sim is the best quality wave near town when a clean swell meets an offshore wind. The bay suits beginners, the points suit stronger surfers.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Essaouira?
Yes. The Atlantic here runs about 16 to 22 degrees Celsius, so a 4/3 is comfortable in winter, a 3/2 in spring and autumn, and a shorty on the warmest summer days. Bring boots if you plan to surf the rocky points.
Why is surfing in Essaouira so affected by wind?
Essaouira sits where strong Atlantic trade winds funnel along the coast, peaking in summer, which is why it is world-famous for windsurfing and kitesurfing. For surfers that means dawn sessions before the wind fills in, and choosing winter, when the trades ease and the surf cleans up.
Can you surf in Essaouira year-round?
You can surf the sheltered bay most of the year, but the quality swings hugely with the wind. Winter delivers the cleanest, most consistent surf, while summer is so windy that it belongs to windsurfers and kiters, with only early-morning surf on offer.
Essaouira is a trip I recommend for the whole experience, not just the waves: learn to surf in the friendly bay, chase the clean mornings at Sidi Kaouki and Cap Sim, and lose an afternoon in the medina between sessions. Come in winter for the best surf, bring a warm wetsuit and an early alarm, and let the wind decide the rest. See you in the lineup.
