Coast of Morocco: bohemian roadtrip from Taghazout bay
We loved the coast of Morocco, Essaouira and our roadtrips in the past years, so here we go our 4th time, from the Atlantic Coast in Taghazout bay at the luxuriously chilled Fairmont to arty Palais Claudio Bravo by Taroudant and to kasbahs by Atlas mountains in Ouarzazate. Taghazout beaches captivated the hearts of wave catchers for decades, whilst the small Berber fishing village remains an authentic Moroccan spot, cute with its hipster cafes and terraces, 30 minutes north of Agadir but surely feeling very different. The kids highlight was the Souss-Massa National Park; 33,800 hectares national park on the Atlantic coast of Morocco ; the estuary of the Oued Souss is the northern limit of the park, the habitat is grazed steppe with dunes, beaches and wetlands; a blast to observe close-by so many ostriches including the Red-necked in its mating dance, white storks, falcons, oryxes and gazelles. The grown-ups absolutely adored the Claudio Bravo gorgeous & zen palais and gardens by Taroudant, its gems and exquisite art collection, his paintings, greeneries and lake and planning to come back.
Golden sands, blue high skies, a fabulous coast golf course moments away, the Fairmont Taghazout Bay has been warmly recommended by Moroccan heritage friends as one of Morocco’s finest resorts, idyllic escape for sunseekers, luxury and spa lovers, surfing families at all levels.
Kids clubs and teens facilities, tones of sports and 4 pools, jacuzzi and infinity pool included, 6 exquisite restaurants and few bars, cycling station and golf club, a perfect blend for chilling and adventure. The gardens are lush, whilst the beachfront promenade fantastic for runners and cyclist lovers; from fishing village of Tamraght, barely a mile from the resort, stretching to Taghazout village.
Shades of ochre, sand and ocean blue, Fairmont suite and villas channel a modern Berber-inspired style. Oversized marble bathroom, generous private balconies with sea views, feng shui landscaped gardens with jacuzzi and heated infinity pool, this is where contemporary luxury meets traditional Moroccan architecture. Taghazout coastline is beautifully populated by dromedaries, horses and ponies; surfers all levels and seaside enthusiasts. The sunsets over the Atlantic are stunning and Fairmont or Hilton and Hyatt nearby have great beach bars to celebrate over 1 drink or 2.
Our 8 years old adored Fairmont in Abu Dhabi, so he was thrilled to hear about spending a week in Taghazaout. His notes for Morocco in here: they have a hangout for children from 7 years old to 14 years old; 2 play station 5 and a big football arena. If you don’t like those activities, you can play pool or watch the football games. There is a small kids club from 2 years old to 6 years old. Favourite activities outside kids club? Pony riding, playing in the waves with friends, the safari. Favourite restaurant: Morimoto, the Japanese! Dining under the stars and fab live DJ bonus for parents.
11 years old notes: Fairmont is an amazing experience for all ages, whether it’s the beach, the football, the surf and basketball arena. Top facilities include 3 family pools – one heated and the rest are unheated, a gym and a fantastic spa with a magnesium pool, massages, steam rooms and saunas. For the kids, there are two kids clubs, one for 2-8, and the Hangout, for 9-14. The younger ones have a playground outside, a tiny trampoline and movie nights. The Hangout has table tennis, a pool table, an astroturf football pitch and a basketball court, both outside, two PS4’s with many games and table football. Favourite activities outside kids club? Taghazout surfing, playing in the waves with friends, swimming. Favourite restaurant: Paper Moon, the Italian and goes without saying Morimoto.
We adored the breakfasts, alternated between Paper Moon inside, outside and Juniper; the tapas are good and the so is Beef & Reef , perfect spot for sunset early dinner, where simplicity flirts with luxury they said; good kids menu and fresh, local seafood, good Moroccan wines and cocktails.
Add some great daytrips to Souss- Massa natural reserve and Paradise Valley to fully experience the coast or if the time allows, pair Taghazout with Essaouira! Artists and surfers have been flocking to Essaouira for years; a beacon for hippies and counterculture, including guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. Half a century later, Essaouira’s creative spirit still endures: artists proudly display their creations in the winding lanes of the city’s medina, whilst Essaouira harbour fortress plays a central part in the epic Game of Thrones.
Taghazout or Essaouira? Whilst Essaouira feels more abundant in history, picturesque blue-and-white buildings., culture and art, Fairmont Taghazout hospitality scores higher to Sofitel Essaouira – noting also likely a change in ownership as Sofitel looks closed for now in there.
Our drive from Taghazout to Ouarzazate was smooth but long; through barren Atlas mountains and villages, sunset was stunning and the star gazing without the light pollution on the road, out of this world. I dreamt about Riads for a long time and it felt lovely to wrap up the trip with 2 nights at Dar Daif, the labour of love and the life project of a lovely French and Moroccan mountain guides. Awarded 11 years ago the Morocco Responsible Tourism Awards in the theme “Value, tradition and culture” for their trips and projects, Jean-Pierre and his team are a sweet Moroccan discovery, authentic experience and beautiful hospitality.
Having landed in Agadir airport, we wrapped our Moroccan roadtrip at Ouarzazate riads and topped up on sunshine, Egypt and Tibetan history – yes you read that right, thank you Atlas Film Studios. Nicknamed the door of the desert and literally meaning in Berber phrase without noise/ without confusion, Ouarzazate makes an easy fly back destination with its tiny, cute airport.
For an 8 days, fab pampering at Banyan Tree and a week Morocco itinerary head here, we have been spoilt from Tangier to Tamouda Bay, to Chefchaouen, Casablanca and Marrakesh. For further Arabic inspiration, check our Jordan roadtrip, 7 fantastic roadtrips from Dubai or Dubai stay, Abu Dhabi, Oman 10 days itinerary or Qatar to UAE roadtrip in here.
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