Imi Ouaddar – COMPLETE Surf & Travel Guide
What if we told you that there was a place with access to all the same right-hand points that Taghazout has, only without the huge winter surf crowds as what’s not Morocco’s most famous surf town? What if we said that it was a chill beach escape beloved by local tourists, offering nice coast guesthouses and some fine visions of the rugged Anti-Atlas crashing in to the sea?
Well, it exists. It’s called Imi Ouaddar.
It’s one of those places that feels like it’s somehow slipped between the cracks. It’s north of Taghazout, but far enough away to feel calmer, slower. You still get surfers passing through on the road to Imsouane, and there’s no doubt it’s on the radar of surf camps and road trippers these days, but the overall mood is still chilled and off-radar.
The beach is the centrepiece. It’s long, broad, sandy, and usually has loads of space, especially compared to the busier Taghazout beaches. The Anti-Atlas foothills rise inland to give the place a handsome backdrop, and on a clear morning it really can look the part. By afternoon, though, expect the wind to start doing its thing, which can spoil beach chilling sessions and surf alike.
The selling point is really the location. Within a short drive, you’ve got some of Morocco’s most famous right-hand point breaks, from Anchor to Killers. You can hit them and then return to a pretty authentically Moroccan coast town with a nice wave and fine sunsets of its own.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
Read more about surfing in Morocco
Where is Imi Ouaddar?
Imi Ouaddar sits on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, just north of Taghazout and south of Tamri, on the same road that keeps winding up toward Imsouane. In other words, it’s right in the middle of one of the country’s best surf corridors, but without the full-blown Taghazout circus.
It’s around 23km from Agadir and roughly 7km from Taghazout, so getting in is easy if you land at Agadir Al Massira Airport and rent a car or grab a transfer.
Souk to Surf now also lists Imi Ouaddar as a stop on its shuttle network and offers buses that go there direct from Agadir Airport, taking like an hour or a bit more if memory serves.
The surf in Imi Ouaddar
The main surf spot here is Imi Ouaddar Beach, which is okay. It’s long, open beach break that’s tailored almost entirely to beginners and lower intermediates most of the time. On the right sort of day, it’s about as user-friendly as the learner waves around Tamraght, and often even softer. The whole thing is sand-bottomed and lacks proper shape, making it a perfect learner zone for those hunting mush and nothing more.
When it gets bigger and the banks have magically aligned in a good way (which is kinda rare about these parts), you can get some nice peaks to work on up and down the bay. Just don’t go thinking you’re going to get anything close to the quality of Imsouane’s main right or the firing barrels that work at Killers etc.
The major downside is the wind. Imi Ouaddar is not nearly as protected as some of the better-known reefs and points nearby, so if the breeze gets into it, the surf quality drops fast. That happens a lot throughout the summer (the off season) and winds kick in late morning in the winter too. It’s basically very dang fickle.
Personally, and this might just be a thing when I was around town, the better, punchier waves seemed to be at the north end of the beach.
Other surf spots near to Imi Ouaddar
This is really where Imi Ouaddar starts to make loads of sense as a base. You’re not staying here because the local beach is Morocco’s best wave (clue: It’s not). You’re staying here because it’s a quieter alternative to Taghazout while still giving you quick access to the famous right-handers of the region.
- Killer Point – Killer Point is a long right-hand point break with more muscle and more mood than Anchor Point, and good intermediates through to advanced surfers tend to love it for that reason. There’s often a shifty take-off, which makes it feel less straightforward than Anchor. But when it’s on, there are some of the longest rights in North Africa.
- Le Source – Le Source is another classic right-hand setup nearby, although it can also throw up a little A-frame in the middle of the bay too. It’s trickier than it first looks because there’s proper reef involved and low tide exposes the rock. Upper intermediates again.
- Anchor Point – Then there’s Anchor Point, probably Morocco’s most iconic wave (big words eh). On a solid winter NW swell, it reels down the point in a long, running wall that seems made for carve-after-carve surfing. One of the very best around and just 12 minutes’ drive south of Imi.
On top of all that, you’ve also got two major nearby surf towns that add to the appeal of staying in Imi Ouaddar. Taghazout is only 10-20 minutes depending on traffic. It’s the most famous surf town in Morocco, with all the camps, cafés, board rentals, and post-surf buzz that comes with that.
Imsouane is further north at around 63km away, roughly an hour or a touch more by road, but still close enough for day trips. That opens the door to one of Morocco’s best learner rights and one of the great longboard waves anywhere on this coast – scratch that, continent.
When to surf in Imi Ouaddar?
Like most of this stretch of coast, Imi Ouaddar is best in winter. The key ingredient is the run of NW Atlantic swells that start pulsing more consistently through the cooler months. That’s when the nearby points properly wake up.
Just as important, the wind tends to be less of a nuisance than it is in the summer. That matters a lot here because the local beach is relatively exposed and can get chopped up pretty quickly when the breeze arrives. Winter is also when Morocco’s famous right points, especially Anchor and Killers, are most likely to show their best side.
Summer is often too windy to enjoy.
What to do in Imi Ouaddar when there’s no surf?
There isn’t a giant sightseeing list in Imi Ouaddar itself, but that’s partly the charm. This is more a place for beach time, slow lunches, and easy day trips. You come here to unplug a bit – esp after the hecticness of Taghazout.
- Chill on Imi Ouaddar Beach – The main beach is the obvious one. It’s broad, sandy, and good for long walks, lazy afternoons, and sunset hangs. Some nice teahouses just behind to keep you supplied too, and I go through like 20 a day in Maroc!
- Do a desert or dune adventure – There are half-day adventure trips that bundle in things like sandboarding, canyon visits, camel rides, and quad biking from the Agadir-Taghazout coast. Good for breaking up the surfing.
- Head to Paradise Valley – The natural pools and rocky landscapes of this valley inland from Agadir are one of the classic day trips from this region. Swimming in the desert is an experience you don’t forget.
Where to stay in Imi Ouaddar?
Some nice stays on the coast await here. You get a beachfront base, easy access to the local wave, and hardly a fraction of the crowds you’ll get in Taghazout or Imsouane in peak season. Some stays lean toward the surf-and-yoga holiday feel, others are more apartment-style and practical for longer stays or families.
- Paradis Plage Surf Yoga & Spa – A yoga-surf hotel perched on the dunes above the main beach. Lovely style that mixes modern with old-school Berber design throughout. Also, one of the very best pools in town!
- Blue Wave Lodge – A great family or couples hotel overlooking the heart of the main beach. The rooftop lounge is the gem, with sunset views you won’t forget. Very chill, very nice.
- YMY Beach House – A top choice for those who like more private space, this aparthotel stay has big suite rooms done out really modern. You get nice kitchens, lounges and balconies.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
