You Need to Add This Moroccan City to Your Travel Bucket List Immediately
TripAdvisor’s 2026 Travellers’ Choice Awards placed one small Moroccan coastal town on its global trending list, and it stood alone as the only African destination among heavy hitters like Madeira, Tbilisi, and Chicago.
Between January and October 2025, Morocco welcomed 16.6 million visitors, a 14 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024, and ranked 13th worldwide in the latest United Nations Tourism rankings. One place on the Atlantic coast keeps showing up in those numbers, and its rise has been anything but random.
A Surf Town That Grew Up Fast
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Heather Cowper
Taghazout began as a Berber fishing village about three hours from Marrakesh and around 40 to 45 minutes north of Agadir. In the 1960s, traveling musicians and surfers started drifting through, drawn by the reliable waves and warm winter sun.
For decades, backpackers and free-spirited travelers shaped the town’s reputation. The pace shifted in 2021 when Fairmont Taghazout Bay opened along a 45-acre stretch of coastline as the area’s first major luxury resort. Hilton Taghazout Bay Beach Resort & Spa and Hotel Riu Palace Tikida Taghazout followed in 2022, while Radisson Blu Resort Taghazout expanded the upscale scene, with double rooms around $174 per night in recent travel reports.
Today, construction cranes rise above the coast, and new boutique hotels keep appearing. Even so, the original village center still shows the town’s roots, with narrow streets, small surf shops, and relaxed cafés where locals and surfers continue to gather.
Waves For Every Skill Level
Taghazout built its name on surf, and that foundation still carries the town. Beginners gravitate toward Banana Beach and Panoramas Beach, where small, steady sets make lessons manageable. Local instructors who grew up along this coast run many of the surf schools, and “surfaris” take visitors to multiple breaks within an hour’s drive.
More experienced surfers head straight to Anchor Point or Boilers for longer right-hand rides. Even travelers who never plan to stand on a board spend afternoons watching locals carve across the Atlantic. Surf remains the main draw, but it no longer defines the entire experience.
Wellness, Cafés, And Digital Nomads
Yoga retreats expanded alongside the surf scene, turning Taghazout into a magnet for remote workers and lifestyle-focused travelers. Plant-based cafés such as Red Clay Café and Teapot Café built loyal followings with breakfast bowls, pastries, and brunch menus.
World of Waves blends beachside dining with smoothie-heavy lunches, while mint tea spots overlooking the water stay busy at sunset. Many travelers now prioritize nature, community, and flexible stays over traditional city breaks, and Taghazout delivers all three in a compact footprint.
A Day Trip That Feels Like Another World
45 minutes inland, Paradise Valley adds a different layer to the itinerary. Limestone cliffs, palm groves, and natural rock pools create a sharp contrast to the Atlantic shoreline. As of 2025, there was no entry fee, which helps explain the crowds that arrive by midmorning, especially on weekends.
Visitors who show up before 9 a.m. often find quieter swimming spots. The route involves narrow paths and light scrambling, so sturdy shoes help. Local tour operators run full-day excursions for around £16 per person, and many include lunch with Berber families in nearby villages.
Taghazout’s inclusion in Tripadvisor’s 2026 trending list signals that its under-the-radar phase has ended. Morocco’s overall tourism surge adds momentum, and new hotels continue to raise the profile of this once-sleepy coast.
At the same time, the town still offers sunrise yoga sessions, laid-back surf culture, and argan oil cooperatives that support local women. The mix of old surf roots and new investment creates energy that feels current without erasing its history.