Tifnit Beach

Tifnit is a small fishing settlement on the Atlantic south of Agadir, at the point where the cliff behind the beach is soft enough to dig into - and generations of families have done exactly that, cutting rooms back into the rock face and building a wall and door across the front, so the village is half masonry and half cave. Some are still lived in, others are used as stores or as weekend places, and a few have been fitted out as simple rooms for visitors. Below is a beach of coarse sand and rock with small boats drawn up on it and grilled sardine sold from stalls. The Souss-Massa national park boundary is south of here, and the coast between is where the bald ibis survives - one of the rarest birds in the world, whose last substantial wild population is on these cliffs. The Atlantic is cold and the current is strong.

What you actually see

• Cave dwellings - rooms cut into the soft cliff with walls and doors across the front.
• A working fishing beach - small boats drawn up, sardines grilled at stalls.
• Souss-Massa nearby - the park boundary south along this coast.
• Northern bald ibis - one of the rarest birds in the world, breeding on these cliffs.

When to go

September to May. Half a day; sunset on the cliffs.

Honest expectations

The Atlantic current here is strong and there are no lifeguards. Facilities are minimal - stalls and a few rooms. Some caves are private homes; ask before photographing or entering. Weekend crowds from Agadir leave litter.

Nearby

Souss-Massa National Park is south; Agadir is north.