Surfing in Rabat – A COMPLETE Guide, Spots, Beaches & More
A lot of people seem to forget that Morocco’s capital is not Marrakesh. You go there for souks and tourist riads. The first city here is Rabat, and it faces the open Atlantic Ocean, which runs up its western haunch across beaches and rivermouths.
The city itself isn’t really on the major tourist runaround of Morocco. People will often hit Fez, Marrakesh, Agadir, and even Essaouira before they come here. And that’s not even mentioning the fact that 99% of surfers stick to tried-and-tested territory around Taghzaout, Tamraght, and Imsouane. (I made that stat up BTW, but you get the idea).
Basically, whichever way you skew it, Rabat is a bit off the beaten track.
I’ll say this: That’s part of the charm here. And so are the big French-style promenades that skirt the ocean, the medina area (which is WAY less busy than the ones in Fez or Marrakech), and the more local, authentic vibes.
Surf wise, Rabat most definitely does not have the versatility of Taghazout or places on the more wave-blessed coast further south. What it does offer is a series of well-protected beaches that are great for complete beginners and improvers, have hardly a speck of crowds, and access to some long beach breaks that work in the winter months like something out of the Portuguese Algarve. Plus, there are a few spots that can handle bigger swell hits; reefs and jetty breaks that can go off, but you’ll need to time it right.
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>>Read more about surfing in Morocco
Where is Rabat (and how to get here)?
Rabat sits on the northwest coast of Morocco, about an hour’s drive north of Casablanca.
There are plenty of airports to aim for. Casblanca has one (the biggest one in the country, actually), but so does Rabat itself (the Rabat–Salé Airport).
A very good, comfy, modern train now runs from Casablanca straight to Rabat – takes like an hour and costs something like $10 per person.
Surfing in Rabat
Rabat has surfing right there on the doorstep. It comes in the form of Rabat Beach, also known as Doura, which basically where the river enters the sea between two huge jetties. The protection from those makes it a great beginner option most of the time, with protection on two sides.
If you want a different challenge, you’ll need to venture north or south along the coast. It’s a coast riddled with long, exposed beach breaks that can actually work all year round, and can actually offer some neat sandbank breaks, all without a simdge of the crowds seen in Tamraght et al.
Here’s a closer look at all the spots closest to Rabat itself:
- Rabat Beach (Doura) – This is the main one. It’s a wide beach flanked to the south and north by long concrete jetties. The water can get murky just because those jetties are there to help the river enter the ocean. On the flip side, they shape anything in the NW-SW swell channel into long, peeling lines that are soft, mellow, and makeable. It’s only on the biggest days that you get heavy sets in here, and it’s all sand underfoot, hence why this is widely seen as one of the better learner locations in the area.And basically hence why there’s now a nascent surf-camp offering in Rabat!
- Plage des Nations – Okay, so Nations is about 35-40 mins drive out of town but the surf camps will come here because it offers much better exposure than the city beach, the water’s cleaner, and it’s more a classic beach-break, sandbar setup. Works best on a pushing tide with moderate swell and a medium period – say, 4 feet, 8-12 seconds. Wind will mess it up since there’s no protection, so watch those summer days, when it’s likely to be slop. LOADS of space. Hardly any crowds.
Other surf spots near to Rabat
The other selling point to Rabat is that it sits on a pretty wave-rich bit of the Moroccan northwest coast. There are good beach breaks to the north and south, and some more jetty breaks that can throw out some very good lefts and rights depending on what’s in the forecast.
To be honest, if you’re not planning on renting a car and are planning on coming to Rabat for a surf holiday, then a surf camp is probably your best bet for getting variety of waves. They’ll usually travel between the town breaks and at least one other spot nearby, and include transport to the waves to make it easy peasy.
- Mehdia Beach [1-hour north of Rabat] – A long jetty will hook in nice NW swells to give long right walls at Mehdia Beach, but there are also lots of peaks along the beach for learners, and some reef sections that’ll hollow up on low tides to barrel when it’s big. It’s a very versatile spot that’s arguably the best in the area.
- Bouznika [1-hour south of Rabat] – A series of great beach breaks offer spots for beginners, while locations like La Cirque, a peeling right hander off a patch of pretty exposed reef, is there for more advanced surfers (or longboarders when it’s smaller). To be honest, I’d recommend this one more than Rabat if you’re after a pure surf trip and aren’t too interested in culture (you can still daytrip to Rabat/Casablanca!).
When to surf in Rabat?
The winter is the most consistent, with the bigger swells, but summer months can still be a good option for learner surfers.
Unlike the more west-facing surf mainstays of Morocco – Taghazout, Essouaria, etc – it’s not quite so important to time a visit here for the winter months between November and March.
Yes, winds get up in the summer but you can still score some decent days with NW groundswell, or solid windswell on the beach breaks between June and August. Just be warned that summers are a) hot AF and b) still much windier, so it’s likely to be a bit messier. Thing is, these beaches really lend themselves to learners, and key Rabat spots are well protected by their very nature so summers are still an okay idea.
>>Read our complete guide to the Moroccan surf season
Where to stay in Rabat (for surfing?)
One of the good things about Rabat compared to more popular surf-campy destinations is that you can basically merge a big hit of Moroccan culture into a surf trip here.
For me, personally, that means getting a riad hotel. They’re a highlight of any trip to Morocco, because they are so darn lovely – think stunning courtyards, great rooms, top food, and they don’t often break the bank that much.
There are also some surf camps here too that could be worth checking out if you want a more planned, surf-focused trip.
- Riad Amaris – A stunning riad accommodation right in the heart of the old center. You’ll walk maybe 20 mins from here to the main surf beach, where you can rent surf stuff.Then, get back to cosy up in the courtyards or in a room with lovely arabesque detailing.
- Ilyana Surfhouse – One of the few full-on surf camps in Rabat, this one has a sunny rooftop terrace, a mix of shared and private rooms, and some lovely communal spaces, all tied together with that trademark riad style.
Top things to do in Rabat when you’re not surfing
Rabat has loads of stuff to explore off the waves. That’s one of the real selling points of coming here actually. It’s like surf with a side of real Moroccan culture; and not the over-touristed type you get in Marrakesh either!
- Kasbah des Oudaias – They call this one the blue town of Morocco (but it’s not quite as blue as Chefchaouen, so don’t get all that excited). Sat on a hill above Rabat’s river, the Kasbah is the oldest part of town and a joy to go wandering through. You’ll be hassled by people the minute you arrive but push past and get stuck into the touristy area. It’s souvenir hunting 101 and great for the camera.
- Rabat Medina – The old heart of the city continues on through the relatively compact medina area. It’s good for shopping and people watching and nothing like the ultra-busy areas you get in Marrakesh.
- Walking tour – I’d pre-book mine because haggling once you arrive is just ridiculously hard. Walking tours of Rabat are a good idea becuase the town’s major sites are kinda easy to get around on foot. The tour that’s linked includes all the main locations – the kasbah, the gardens, etc – and it’s private, so you get a guide to yourself to answer all Qs.
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!
