Imsouane Bay

Imsouane is a fishing village in a bay on the coast between Agadir and Essaouira, and its wave is the reason surfers know it: the Bay is a long right-hander that peels along the inside of the headland and, on a good swell, can be ridden for several hundred metres, which is unusually long and makes it a wave that intermediate surfers can enjoy at length rather than in bursts. Cathedral Point at the other end of the bay is shorter and heavier. A community of camps, hostels and cafes grew round it over two decades. In January 2024 the authorities demolished a large part of that development on the grounds that it had been built without permits on public land, displacing residents and businesses, and the village has been rebuilding and adjusting since - so anyone going should check what is currently open rather than relying on older listings.

The main sights

• A very long right - a wave that peels for several hundred metres on a good swell.
• A working fishing bay - boats and a harbour alongside the surf economy.
• Cathedral Point - the shorter heavier wave at the other end of the bay.
• A demolished strip - much of the informal development cleared in January 2024.

When to go

September to April for swell. Two to three days.

What to expect

Much of the village's accommodation was demolished in 2024 - check what is actually open before booking. The Atlantic is cold and needs a wetsuit. The access road is a long detour off the coast road. Crowds in the lineup are heavy when it is working.

Nearby

Taghazout and Tamraght are south; Essaouira is north.

Key facts