Legzira Beach

Legzira is a wide beach of dark red sand below crumbling sandstone cliffs on the Atlantic coast north of Sidi Ifni, and it became known for the natural arches the sea cut through those cliffs. One of the two best known arches collapsed in 2016, which changed the view people came for, but the beach itself is still long, wild and nearly empty outside weekends, with heavy surf, wet sand that mirrors the cliffs at low tide, and rock stacks that glow rust and orange in late light. A handful of simple guesthouses and cafés sit at the top of the track. It is a walking and photography beach rather than a swimming one.

What you actually see

• The red cliffs - the eroded sandstone walls that give the beach its colour.
• The remaining rock arch - what is left of the formations that made the beach known.
• The low tide flats - wide wet sand that reflects the cliffs in the evening.
• The surf - a heavy Atlantic break watched from the sand rather than swum in.

When to go

Late afternoon is the time to be here, when the low sun turns the sandstone orange and the tide is out. Spring and autumn give warm days without the summer crowd from Agadir. Winter is mild but grey and windy, and the Atlantic swell is at its biggest. Check the tide before walking below the cliffs.

Honest expectations

The arch that made this beach famous is gone, and some visitors arrive expecting it and leave disappointed. The cliffs shed rock, so walking directly beneath them is unwise and sections are closed off after falls. Swimming is unsafe in the cold water and strong current. There is no shade and the track down is rough.

Nearby

Sidi Ifni, with its whitewashed art deco streets, is a short drive south, and Mirleft lies to the north.