Al Hoceima National Park

The national park west of Al Hoceima protects one of the least developed stretches of the Moroccan Mediterranean: white limestone cliffs dropping straight into clear water, small coves reached only from the sea, and inland hills of thuya, juniper and olive. Ospreys nest on the cliffs, one of the few remaining Mediterranean populations, and dolphins are seen offshore. The fishing harbour at Cala Iris, with its rocky islet just offshore, is the usual base, and boatmen run trips along the coast to beaches that have no road at all. Inland, rough tracks link villages where terraced fields and stone houses sit high above the sea.

What you actually see

• The cliff coast - white limestone walls falling into clear Mediterranean water.
• Cala Iris - the small fishing harbour and the islet off its beach.
• The boat coves - beaches along the park reachable only from the water.
• The ospreys - cliff nesting fish eagles, rare in the Mediterranean.

When to go

Summer is when boat trips run reliably and the water is warm enough to swim, though August fills the beaches with Moroccan families. June and September give the same sea with more space. Spring is green and good for walking inland. Winter closes most boat services and the sea gets rough.

Honest expectations

Access is the hard part: the coast road is slow and winding, most of the best beaches have no road at all, and boats depend on the weather and on finding other passengers to share the cost. Facilities inside the park are close to nonexistent, signage is poor and maps are unreliable. Rubbish washes up in the coves after storms.

Nearby

The town of Al Hoceima and its bay are just east, and the coast road runs on west towards Tetouan.