The Final Swell: Ending an Epic Surf Season
Clean, double-overhead sets have been firing across our stretch of Moroccan coastline these past two days—a rare treat of a swell this surf season of the year!
It’s been far too heavy for any beach breaks, massive towering lines close out as far as you can see. But our world-class local point and reef breaks such as Anchor Point, Banana Point, Boilers, Draculas and Spiders, have been perfectly lit up, and stoke levels are at an all time high.
Our peak surf season here is November-February, when the winter storms roll down from the North. So to have a swell this massive and clean at the end of March is a truly special rarity—the cherry on top of an incredible season!
This winter brought much bigger and more consistent waves than a typical year. There were a handful of double overhead swells that rolled in with near perfect conditions — 15+ second periods, little to no wind under sunny Moroccan skies.
The best part? It’s still not over!
While this swell already peaked on Thursday evening, chest to head high sets should keep rolling in throughout the week. A 2 meter swell will peak again on Tuesday, and another swell is coming the following week… it’s not over till it’s over!
If you are looking for a sunny, warm winter escape and want to learn to surf, eat amazing Moroccan food and meet like minded people then a surf camp in Morocco is a perfect place to be.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for live updates as the swell continues to roll in!
The Art of the Moroccan Tajine
At Original Surf Morocco we are spoiled with fresh, home cooked authentic Moroccan cuisine every day. And nothing represents Moroccan tajine cooking better than the classic clay dish our chef Omar prepares — a Moroccan tajine is not just a meal, it’s a tradition passed down through generations
What Is a Moroccan Tajine
The tajine itself is a clay earthen dish with a triangular lid. What makes it so special and tasty is that it is served in the same dish it was cooked in, so all the deepest flavors and juices are preserved.
The Different Types of Moroccan Tajine
Tajine usually has meat or fish at the center of the dish with loads of fresh veggies surrounding it, but can be vegetarian as well. Being so close to the sea, we are often eating fresh, locally caught fish picked up from the local souk, or market, that same day.
To cook a tajine, the meat is added in first at the center of the dish. Different vegetables are then layered on in a circular formation, creating a beautiful, wheel-like colorful piece of art at the end.
The vegetables that take the longest amount of time to cook are added in first, and then layered on depending on how much time they need. Tajine is slow cooked over low heat for at least half an hour, sometimes up to an hour or even longer.
It seems the Moroccan way is to take your time, do it right, and enjoy the whole process of creation from start to finish.
Small amounts of water are added in to keep the bottom from burning, the triangular lid often has a hole at the top to allow for evaporation.
Omar’s tajines are not only extremely tasty and beautiful to look at, but also easily digestible, light on the stomach, and perfectly spiced – usually through a combination of salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, corriander, and turmeric.
We enjoy it almost every night here at Original Surf Morocco, with big family style dinners on our terrace overlooking the sea.
What Makes the Moroccan Tajine So Special
My favorite part about tajine is that instead of using silverware, you use bread to scoop up bites by hand. We’re always scraping up every last bit of the tajine – the best part is soaking up the yummy sauces and spice remnants leftover at the end.
Tajine is an absolute must try for all explorers experiencing Morocco.
Coming to Morocco without experiencing tajine is like arriving at a perfect surf break only to realize you forgot your board!
At our surf camp in Morocco, tajine is served fresh every day, it’s one of the highlights of every guest’s stay.
The Beauty of Taghazout Village
Taghazout village is one of Morocco’s most iconic destinations, a small fishing and surf town perched on the Atlantic coast, just 20km north of Agadir. Taghazout village has transformed over the years from a quiet fishing community into a world-famous surf destination, while somehow managing to keep its authentic Moroccan charm.
Aѕ afore-mentioned, thеrе аrе mаnу аrеаѕ fоr surfers in the thiѕ African country. Priоr tо starting уоur trip, hоwеvеr, you ѕhоuld knоw where уоu саn have mеmоrаblе surfing асtivitiеѕ. The mоѕt rеnоwnеd destination fоr lovers оf ѕurfing iѕ Taghazout village. Taghazout is a little fishing town 19 km north of the city of Agadir in southwestern Morocco. The tenants are mainly of Berber origin. The basic source of income in this small village include tourism, fishing and the production of Argan oil. The flourishing tourism industry guarantees a significant boost in the wealth of the village.
It is a small village thаt harboured a camping in Panoram beach in the 70s and 80s. At the time, the village was home to hippie and the camp was made out of numerous tents. However, the camp has been banned and instead replaced with fully equipped hotels and resorts where tourists can stay. Just as it was a home for immigrants and hippies in the 70s, the promising boost the little village assured could be accorded to the welcoming terrain and beautiful beaches that attract tourists from all over the world. As a tourist, there is a lot of excitement awaiting you in this beautiful village. This made me highlight some things you must do when you visit Tаghаzоut.
Things you can’t afford to miss out on
Beautiful places to capture
Walking around town while taking in and capturing the beautiful and attractive view of Taghazout will turn even the least photo-savvy of travellers into professionals! Taking a stroll through the sleepy streets of this small town and quickly winding up on the tranquil
beach as the town’s anglers were bringing in fresh fishes of the morning will forever be etched in your mind
Breakfast shake at a Beachfront Cafe
When you stumbled upon the adorable beach of Taghazout, you will have to stop for a healthy and refreshing shake. The delicious Avocado Milk option stirred with banana, dates, avocado and milk. This, you get for a considerably cheap price in this village for as low as 25 dirham (equivalent to around $2.50), so you really can’t beat it!
Paradise Valley
You cannot visit Taghazout (or anywhere near Agadir) without making a trip to Paradise Valley as if you are a rock and cliff-jumping aficionado, this place is literally your paradise.
The surf and sand is adorable
Whether you enjoy full on-surfing, or simply wading out into the water, the beaches in and around Taghazout do not disappoint. Sandy bottoms and not many rocks mean there is less to be worried about in the water. Beaches suited to a beginner, intermediate and professional surfers are in this beautiful town and there is many surf camps in the area.
Coffee or mint tea from the vendor on the beach
For 10 dirham (approximately 1 USD), you can’t go wrong with this deliciousness, especially after a good surf. Try a traditional Moroccan mint tea sweetened with your choice of sugar or honey or a cosy coffee with the option of milk and sugar.
Beaches in Taghazout village and Around
First, viѕitоrѕ саn аdmirе thе Tаghаzоut rеѕоrt, lосаtеd ѕоmе 12 miles аwау from Agаdir, on thе Atlantic соаѕt. Thiѕ tоwn iѕ a rоmаntiс littlе fishing villаgе, known аѕ оnе оf the best spots for ѕurfing in thе whоlе kingdоm, еnjоуѕ over 300 dауѕ оf sunshine реr year аnd оffеrѕ аn unbеаtаblе орроrtunitу tо еnjоу thе beauty оf the Atlаntiс Oсеаn. There are numerous beaches in the north of Agadir, which all offer a decent alternative to the local beach in the village. The setting of these shorelines can be most alluring, with mountains on all sides, yet with a wide and clean shoreline that enshrine every single essential comfort. The biggest
and mainstream beaches are: Tamawanza (12 km), Aitswal Beach or Tamraght Beach, Imouran (17 km),Taghazout beach (19 km), Du lkhmiss (20 km), Bouyirdn (21 km), Timzguida allal (22 km), Imiouadar (27 km), Aghroud (30 km), Banana Beach (27 km) and Panoram beach (17 km).
These beaches are points of attraction to numerous tourists, especially Taghazout beach as it is often time called “surfer’s heavеn” and аlѕо among thе most admired in thе world. Taghazout is the quietest place comprehensible to practice yoga in Morocco; the veranda of a manor high over the Atlantic on a delightful warm night, the sun plunging beneath the skyline, turning the sky and waves pink, the surf breaking on the stones underneath making an unwinding soundtrack.
If уоu hаvе nоt surfed bеfоrе, and you consider yourself a nоviсе, dо not leave Mоrоссо withоut viѕiting Taghazout. It оffеrѕ lеft аnd right wаvеѕ and a safe ѕаndу bottom fоr a starter likе you. Aftеr a session, go tо оnе of the lосаl restaurants for a trоublе-frее relaxation and dеliсiоuѕ lосаl сuiѕinеѕ. The beautiful village may seem small but it is a home for every lover of adventure. There are so mаnу unѕроilеd ѕurfing аrеаѕ in Mоrоссо that аnу раѕѕiоnаtе ѕurfеr would want tо visit but your journey would not be complete if you miss out on Taghazout. Visit the village and enjoy the best of surfing and yoga on African soil.
Christmas and New Year holidays in a surf and yoga camp
Christmas and New Year holidays can be so intense. We all know that, even if we are waiting for this moment all the time, once it’s there just around the corner things could get a little bit crazy due to all the things we have to do, the people we have to meet, and the events we have to attend. One of the best things you could do, as a gift to yourself, is to rely on some vacation away from the city’s buzz and all the festive frantic rhythm. This year you should consider the chance to fully immerse into our Original Surf Morocco’s Christmas and New Year’s Camp.
Our goal is to give you amazing tools to make you feel better, ready to close the old year in a wonderful way and get ready to rock 2018! As you may know we deeply care about the mental and physical wellness and, this is the reason why we decided to create the perfect balanced mixed of surf and yoga setting down retreats for every need and level. This is the time of the year when you can see everything in perspective, considering everything you’ve been through and how to manage what’s next with the right approach and mindset. Our camps are not only about physical activity but they are more about a 350 wellness focus as you will have of course yoga and surf by your side but even amazing accommodation, delicious yummy food and a team of expert guiding you all way down your stay there. Located in the quiet peaceful and relaxing Moroccan village of Tamraght you will spot Devil’s Rock visible from your terrace for a vacation rich In culture and history too. It’s a very short walk away from the Original Surf Morocco surf camp and the town of Taghazout is a quick drive to the north and the city of Agadir is 15 Kms to the south making this as a lifetime experience to full immerse into local beauties and cultural/historical background.
If you really need to switch off and reconnect Original Surf Morocco is the answer you were looking for: the sea, the calming scenarios, the food and the full immersion into something new and beautiful will make the most of this experience. You definitely should try some of our yoga sessions on our rooftop where you can forget about the usual common routine and have the chance to reconnect with mother-nature, to what really matters in life, your inner balance and total body health. Our camps resemble to a sukha like organization as it’s like a unique community created to socialize with people from all around the world, people like you in need of something different, who want to focus on themselves first, while soaking in the views over Tamraght and the sea. It is the perfect place from which to watch the sunrise and sunset, the perfect place to meditate and find your way to your surfboard with the right mindful and positive approach.
Our yoga classes are held every morning before breakfast on the terrace. If you’ve never experienced yoga outside with the sound of the waves in the background, you’re in for a real treat. It’s the ideal way to greet the morning sun and get ready for a positive productive way all focused on health and peace. We can also hold sunset yoga classes to help you to stretch out after surfing and chill out before an evening dinner made up of relaxation and culinary experience marveling at Moroccan sky and its magical warm starry night. Don’t underestimate the power of nature as, all our activities and services, are all well framed into beautiful scenarios helping you to feel more grounded, disconnected to the craziness of your daily life but reconnected to the better side of yourself.
Remember that this time of the year is so important for you to recharge and find the right mindset you may have lost into our everyday crazy schedule and lifestyle. Try to switch to a healthier and happier holiday to really find the perfect balance between a lean beautiful body, a strong but calm mind and, of course, enriched by one of the best experience of your life! Check our website for more information, to learn something more about us and our service and, most of all, to book your next Christmas and New Year holidays with us! You won’t regret it!