Sidi Ifni Surf & Travel Guide for 2026
If you want quiet, want authentic, and want good surf – consider Sidi Ifni.
Far away to the south of the mainstay surf towns of the country (places like Tamraght and Taghazout), it’s around two hours’ drive to the south of Agadir (which is where you’ll want to arrive).
20,000 locals call it their home; mostly Shilha Berber fishingfolks and those who work in the fish export business.
The town itself is a well-organized set of rectangular blocks that converge on a pleasant promenade that can be traced back to the age of Spanish rule in this part of Africa. Relaxed cafés, tagine houses, and campgrounds are all in attendance.
The surf here is highly consistent throughout the winter season. It’s also varied, thanks to a shoreline that runs from the harbor walls of Sidi Ifni’s port all the way up to the rust-hued beaches of Legzira and beyond.
Perhaps this part of Morocco lacks the pounding rights of Anchor but there’s something in that: It’s arguably a better region for moderately skilled intermediates and learners. You basically get lots of space, shapely beach breaks galore, and lots of low-tide point breaks that work best in mid-level swells.
There’s also been an uptick in the surf scene in the last few years. As eyes and vans have strayed south of Agadir, so too have the entrepreneurs, and you’ll now find plenty of locally owned surf camps and the like in the region.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Morocco
Sidi Ifni surf at a glance
The good…
- Hardly any crowds (at least not as of 2024/25)
- Excellent range of breaks (points/beaches/reefs)
- It’s an adventure to come here!
The bad…
- Harder to reach that Morocco’s more famous surf towns
- Big swells can closeout many of the beaches, espeically to beginners
Where is Sidi Ifni?
Sidi Ifni is just over 80 miles south of Agadir as the crow flies. That puts it in the southern region of Guelmim-Oued Noun, which is split between Morocco and the territory of Western Sahara (which is semi independent but also claimed by Morocco).
Don’t worry – the town of Sidi Ifni isn’t anywhere near the disputed borders, which can be tricky areas to travel.
To get here, you’ll either need to catch a private taxi, a shared Grand Taxi, or a bus from Agadir. Or, the best thing, rent your own car.
The drive down will take a minimum of two hours on relatively good roads, first on the N1 motorway and then on the R104 coast road.
The R104 is where you start to encounter the cream of southern Morocco’s remotes surf spots. On the way to Sidi Ifni, you’ll pass through little Mirleft and Legzira, which are both worthy pitstops with good waves.
A hire car isn’t usually that expensive in Morocco and we’ve found the driving to be okay, especially in this southern part of the country where the roads aren’t too busy. Search for a car hire on DiscoverCars if you’re going to go that way – I tend to find them the cheapest right now.
Sidi Ifni surf spots
Sidi Ifni is emerging as the southern end of Morocoo’s more undiscovered section of Atlantic shoreline. Spots here run from the town of Mirleft all the way to the beaches just south of Sidi Ifni’s harbor, and there’s something there for everyone, all within an hour’s drive.
Surfing in Sidi Ifni itslef
The town breaks stretch out all the way from the main beach to the harbor nearby. These are the spots you’ll be surfing if you stick to Sidi Ifni itself.
Plage Sidi Ifni
The main focus of the surf in Sidi Ifni – despite some high-quality learner spots and some pretty fantastic lefts (see below) just to the south – is the main beach.
Known as Plage Sidi Ifni, it’s nice run of brown-hued sand folded under the hills. Whitewashed beach huts and cafes line the access point, which you can walk to from most stays in the center.
You can choose here: Hit those shorebreaks and practice in gurgling whitewash, or track north to the patch of reef that really comes into its own on a lower tide, when it offers long right peelers that adore NE wind hits.
Plage Sidi Ifni is likely where you’ll surf most often if you do a surf camp down here. That, or the beaches just to the north of town.
Teleférico
If you’re lucky enough to be in town on a day with an E wind off the Sahara and a NW winter swell, get ready to witness one of the most underrated waves in Morocco.
Whacking it’s way off a ruined Spanish cable car station (the remnants of a curious and unique ship loading system that goes back to the 1960s), Teleférico is a left that can hold serious size.
The shallow beach shelf here helps to drag out the wavelength and fatten the sets up nicely, so you’re usually left with something really workable; that you can rip top to bottom and play with doing cutbacks in and out of the pocket.
The Harbor
There are a few question marks over the water quality on the beach past the harbor but there’s no denying that it’s one of the best learner spots in town when the swells creep into that overhead range.
The rest of the coast here can be maxed out, or the points roaring away with bombs, but the breakwaters and walls of the port mean that those dominant NW swells need to work hard and wrap in to hit the beachfront, offering a tempered swell that’s punchy but small.
Mix of cobble and sand underfoot. Good vibes in the water as it’s usually a place for the learner crews.
Plage Tazrout (Boats)
Super secluded Plage Tazrout is a 15 minute drive south of Sidi Ifni’s port. Access to the parking is down a bumpy dust track that we think is just about worth risking in the rental car (but that’s up to you ofc) for its totally deserted A-frame waves.
They break just off the side of a rivermouth on a little clutch of built-up sand and stone and are bowly little things that like to peel for a while (100m+). The left are better since the rights run into a couple of shipwrecks ruined on the shore.
Other surf spots close to Sidi Ifni
I’d personally say that the general location of Sidi Ifni is a bit of a highlight in and of itself. If you have a car then you’ll be able to cruise one of the wildest and less-visited bits of Morocco to seek out waves without other people on them.
Spots within striking distance from here hold some real promise, including:
Legzira
Legzira is so gorgeous you really HAVE to pitstop here during your time in Sidi Ifni.
You’ll want to anyway, just because it’s one of the top surf spots in this region. Before you paddle out, just be sure to take some time to admire the amazing red-colored rock arches that poke out from the high cliffs and straight into the Atlantic.
There are beach breaks that peak on either side of the lovely Legzira arches, but also patches of reef here that offer some spectacularly long rights that are a logger’s dream on smaller swells – trimmable from start to finish over 200m+!
>>Read our full guide to the beaches and surf spots of Legzira
Mirleft
Magical Mirleft is a small little fishing town that’s slowly emerging as the gateway to this southern region of Morocco. It’s got beach breaks to the south of town and pumping right hander points that work nearby. It’s also home to some good stays and is a shorter drive from Agadir Airport than Sidi Ifni itself.
>>Read our full guide to traveling and surfing Mirleft right now
When to surf in Sidi Ifni?
The top time to surf in Sidi Ifni is the winter, between November and March.
The Moroccan coast gets notoriously windy throughout the summer months. There are days between May and August when the gusts can quieten and things can clean up for a decent session, but it’s much more of a risk. On top of that, swells in the Atlantic tend to shift W when it warms, so the good NW channels that are ideal for the reefs and points of south Morocco don’t work quite so well.
The winter can go from double overhead to knee-high in a day – it’s unpredictable. But something like 85-90% of days are surfable after the start of November, especially if you find the offshore Chergui winds (which blow mainly from the east) are up.
One thing we wouldn’t skip on is sunscreen.
I use Suntribe’s blocks because they’ve made a real effort to strip out any unneccessary chemicals.
Plus, they offer Surf Atlas readers 10% off orders with code Surfatlas10.
Where to stay in Sidi Ifni?
Surf camps in Sidi Ifni
When it comes to surf-focused stays in this relatively small Moroccan sea town, don’t expect the same overload of options as in, say, Taghazout or Tamraght (but then you don’t get the same HUGE line ups either! Swing and roundabouts and all that).
There are some really great options though, which offer bed, board, and surf lessons all under the same roof…
- El Moja Surfhouse – Super-friendly, super-welcoming El Moja is the surf house of choice in Sidi Ifni these days. It’s a cross between a hostel and a boutique hotel, and they run daily surf lessons that you can join for an absaloute bargain.
- Ifni Surf – These guys are the real trailblazers down here in South Morocco. They’ve kinda put the place on the map with their tailored surf camp packages for beginners and intermediates up, not least of all becuase they have a gnarly 4X4 that can get you out to the secret spots!
Where to stay when surfing in Sidi Ifni?
Be careful when looking for accommodation in Sidi Ifni – there’s been an uptick in the number of scam properties on sites like Booking.com in the last few years.
Our advice would be to ALWAYS check reviews thoroughly. Don’t just rely on pics.
Anyhow, the spots in town that we like are…
- Casa Lucía – Run by the guys at Ifni Surf, these self-catering apartments are perfect for couples and small groups who want some extra space. They don’t all have kitchens but are well done up and you’ll have a contact to the top local surf school for rentals/lessons.
- Janna d’Ifni – For a more hotel experience that’s relatively close to the beach, pick charming Janna d’Ifni, a traditional Moroccan coast home with a pool and uber-relaxing garden area.
- Dar Amina – A really nice little pad with sea views in a quiet area. It’s really good for families, what with its 2x bedrooms, balcony, and private kitchen.
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!
There are now direct buses from Taghazout & Tamraght to Sidi Ifni run by Souk to Surf.
They cost €20 and can book them here: http://www.souktosurf.com