The Morocco Surf Season – A Complete Guide, Month-by-Month

Seasons are super-duper important in Morocco. I’d say it’s more important to time your trip correctly here than it is in just about anywhere. The reason? While the top destinations in Europe and Asia have waves almost all year round, even during their official “low season,” Morocco is much more a one-sided deal.

Truth be told, there’s swell on offer on the Moroccan Atlantic coast all year, but it’s really only very good to world-class for the late-autumn and winter periods between November and March.

That’s when famous point breaks really wake up, with North Atlantic swell lines running into places like Anchor Point, Killer Point, and Boilers, feeding the never-ending stream of international surfers that head to Taghazout and outlying villages.

The summer still has waves – I’ve surfed them. But wind is the real enemy. It really picks up on the main north-south stretch that goes down from Essaouria (a town they actually call “Wind City”) and can mess pretty much the whole place up.

Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of what to expect where and when.

>>This is just one part of our greater guide to surfing in Morocco

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Autumn in Morocco (September to November)

Autumn is arguably the sweet spot in Morocco. September still has some of the easier feel of summer, since the big NW swells haven’t hit in earnest yet. They have by October, mind you, which means the famous points around Taghazout start switching back on without always having the full winter intensity – Killer Point and Anchor Point tend to be nice and manageable until well into November, so there’s a bit more attraction for us mere mortals.

This is also a very good time for intermediates. Waves like Panorama, Banana Point, Hash Point, and mellow days at Imsouane can offer long, workable walls without the heavier punch that can come through in peak winter.

October especially often gets talked about as one of the most balanced months, because the weather is still realllly warm and there’s good swell consistency all round.

By November, Morocco starts to look much more like the classic winter trip people imagine. Bigger, more regular swell starts bending into Anchor Point, Mirleft, and all those other famous locations, though there’s still lots for improvers around the Tamraght area (Morocco’s main beginner beach) and the north-facing Moroccan Atlantic coast, towns like Oualidia¸ for example.

Best for: All surfers. Especially beginners and surf campers who want slightly mellower conditions.

Winter in Morocco (December to March)

Winter is considered the peak surf season in Morocco. It’s the prime time for anyone chasing proper point-break surf – which is what this country does so well.

North Atlantic storm tracks are most active through this period. They send regular hits of long-period swell from way up in the top of the hemisphere down to hit the bends and corners of the shoreline. As it collides with Africa, you get really famous peeling rights like Anchor Point going off like clockwork.

That’s the reason why the classic winter call is the Taghazout zone. Anchor Point, Killer Point, Boilers, La Source, Mysteries, and nearby setups can all come alive on the right swell, with east or southeast-leaning offshores grooming the faces, usually for the morning session. Imsouane is another major winter draw because it can turn all that Atlantic energy into long, more manageable rides – hence why it’s often the beginner choice, alongside Tamraght, where the above swells are more like the punchy beach breaks you get in Portugal.

The other reason it’s super popular here from December through to March is that you can get days of like 70-80 degrees F and endless sun, all within 4 hours’ flight time of major European airports.

Best for: All surfers, especially those after the famous right-hand point breaks.

>>Read our complete guide to the top surf towns in Morocco right now

Spring in Morocco (April to May)

Spring still offers some leftover North Atlantic energy, especially in April, but there’s generally less raw power and a bit more room to breathe in the lineups as European surfers return back to Portugal and France for their prime times.

For lots of people, this is another very smart window to target, particularly if you want the point-break feel of Morocco without too many people around.

April can still be really fun around Taghazout and Imsouane. There’s often enough swell for the points to work, but it’s more likely to come in user-friendly doses. My only tip would be this: Pick early spring if possible. By late spring, the strong African desert winds can kick in and bring some really bad – and hot – breezes that ruin all the surf.

Early spring also remains a prime time to escape the tail end of the cold season in Europe and spend some time hitting the souqs with a bit of surfing on the side. Esp as low-cost flights remain quite cheap before the summer rush.

Best for: Intermediates who don’t like crowds – particularly early spring.

Summer in Morocco (June to August)

Summer is the low season for surfing in Morocco. Those reeling points around Taghazout are at their worst now, because swell is generally smaller and less consistent, while wind becomes a bigger issue across exposed stretches of coast – including that coast between Taghazout and Essaouria.

Talking of Essaouira – there, strong trade winds are part of the area’s whole identity and tend to intensify through summer, making it much more of a windsport destination than a reliable pure surf base. (There are tons of windsurfing and kitesurfing schools if you’re into that).

I will say that summer still has a place in the Morocco surf season. It’s often a decent time for beginners, improvers, and longboarders, because the waves are usually smaller, less intimidating, and more forgiving. Often, they are whatever the windswell throws up rather than heavy long-fetch groundswell.

Mellow beaches near Tamraght, plus the long rollers of Imsouane, can offer exactly the sort of conditions people want for lessons or easygoing surf trips.

You just have to keep expectations in check. This is not the time to arrive expecting the Morocco you’ve seen in the surf mags is all.

Best for: People who don’t come for JUST the surfing. Come to explore Morocco and maybe do some surfing if swells align.