Agadir Beach Promenade

Agadir's bay curves for about ten kilometres and faces south-west, which shelters it from the prevailing north wind and makes the water calmer and the sun longer than on the exposed Atlantic coast either side - that geography is the whole reason the resort exists, and after the 1960 earthquake destroyed the city the rebuilding put a hotel strip along the beach and made Agadir the centre of Moroccan package tourism, which it still is. The promenade behind the sand is paved, planted and lit, with cafes, restaurants and the usual seafront trade, and is walked heavily in the evening by residents as much as visitors. Camel and horse rides work the sand. The water is Atlantic and cold by Mediterranean standards but warmer than further north, and lifeguards are posted in season. The city behind is entirely post-1960 and has no old quarter.

What you actually see

• A sheltered south-west bay - the geography that made the resort possible.
• Ten kilometres of promenade - paved, planted and walked in the evening.
• A hotel strip - the rebuilding after 1960 that created Moroccan package tourism.
• Camels and horses - working the sand along the beach.

When to go

October to May; the shoulder months are warm and less crowded. Half a day.

Honest expectations

There is no old town - Agadir was rebuilt entirely after 1960. The strip is package-resort in character. Beach vendors and ride operators are persistent. The Atlantic is cold even in summer.

Nearby

The marina is at the northern end; the Souss estuary is south.