Taghazout, Morocco

Traveling from the US you can connect either in Casablanca or at a European airport and then to Agadir or Marrakech. From Agadir airport, it’s a 45-minute drive southeast along the coast road. Transportation from Agadir is included in the retreat fee.

Transport from Marrakech can be easily arranged and the new motorway has dramatically cut the journey time down to 3 hours.

EU and US passport holders do not require a visa to enter Morocco for tourist purposes. Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay. If you hold a passport from outside the European Union or the United States, we strongly recommend that you check with your nearest Moroccan Embassy.

The Moroccan currency is the Dirham. Exchange rates at the last time of checking were around 10.5Dh to the $1 and 11Dh to the €.

Dirhams can only be obtained within Morocco. There are exchange facilities and ATMs in the airport. There are also plenty of ATMs in Agadir. There are no ATMs in Taghazout, the nearest is Aourir, a ten-minute drive from Taghazout. This machine and many other ATMs in Morocco do not accept Maestro and can be unreliable, if you have a VISA card we recommend you bring it.

Nearly all networks work in Morocco and coverage is good. Contact your network for data roaming and call charges.

There is fiber optic at Surf Maroc.

During the winter months, starting in October, the waves, that have made Morocco famous, come to life. There is a huge variety of surf in this area of Morocco. There are not many places like it in the world. The region has something for everyone, from ideal beginner waves to challenging reef ledges. Intermediates and those new to the sport should not be put off or worried. Due to the nature of the coastline, there is almost always somewhere sheltered and manageable, and those looking for something challenging won’t be disappointed.

Morocco is blessed with well over 300 days of sunshine a year. Temperatures for October are generally in the high 70s during the day with lows in the low 60s at night. It is generally sunny with little chance of rain.

With such a large range and choice of waves, you may want to bring a whole quiver of boards.

To generalize, the majority of waves are right-hand point breaks from soft, slow, rolling spots to heavy, fast barrelling spots. Bring equipment to suit your ability and what you want to surf. If you don’t want to go big, your everyday board will suffice, there’s nearly always somewhere sheltered. If you do want to charge the big stuff, bring something suitable for mid-winter waves that can get up to 15ft.

At the Surf Maroc surf shop, you will be able to rent standard and premium boards.

There is an abundance of restaurants and cafes in Taghazout. The are plenty of grocery shops selling fruit, vegetable and other essentials. There is a well-stocked pharmacy and four surf shops.

Morocco is a liberal Muslim country, and men and women are welcome to wear shorts and T-shirts. Swim suits and bikinis are normal on the beach but it is advisable to cover up your arms and legs a bit when walking around town. Shorts, tees and flip flops are the norm. Jackets or pants may be needed for the cool evenings.

No vaccinations are required for visitors to Morocco – and anti-malarial precautions are not necessary.

First aid equipment along with staff trained in administering first aid are available.

In the case of an emergency, there are hospitals and clinics in Agadir. Medical charges will apply according to the treatment received so make sure you have travel insurance before you arrive.

There is a well-stocked pharmacy in Taghazout which is open every day.

Morocco is a developing country that offers different foods, water, bacteria, and climate that you may not be used to. By taking some sensible precautions, you can help reduce the risk of getting an upset stomach which often occurs when traveling to rural areas in developing countries. Some guests have found that taking probiotics before traveling has helped to prevent gastro-related illness.

If you are pregnant, have any conditions or illness, or are generally concerned, we recommend you get in touch with your doctor or travel clinic for advice before you travel.

Please note our advice is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and does not constitute medical or other professional advice.

We recommend you do not drink tap water at all in Morocco, even in hotels, as it contains much higher levels of minerals than the water in Europe & the US.

Surf Maroc provides free-of-charge, safe filtered water. We recommend that you bring your reusable water bottle to refill on-site.

Surf Maroc sells glass-bottled water for 30 dirhams to help eliminate plastic bottles.

Yoga clothes, beach clothes, beach towel, sun cream (as it’s more expensive in Morocco), something warm for the evenings & early mornings, an adaptor for 2 prong European plugs sockets, a good book for the beach, something to cover shoulders/legs for markets/towns. Mostly bring an open heart.

The beautiful yoga shala is fully equipped with yoga mats, yogi toes, blocks, straps, bolsters, blankets, lavender eye pillows, and even sandbags!

During the week, as part of the Yoga Surf Retreat, we offer time off from surfing and yoga to explore the souk of Agadir and the Argan oil cooperative and sand dunes.

If you wish, Surf Maroc can also organize the following activities for you during your stay, in addition to your package: camel or horse riding, hammam, massage and other spa treatments. Also, day trips to Essaouira (2.5 hours north), Taroudant (1.5 hours east), and Paradise Valley (25 minutes inland).

A load of laundry costs 100dh ($9.75)

Transfer from Marrakech (free from Agadir).

Meals or drinks in town if you choose.

Available additional activities include:

Paradise Valley trip

Day trip to Essaouira

Day trip to Taroudant

Horse and camel riding

Souk tours and shopping

Massage & Spa treatments

Pricing for additional activities + spa is available upon request. Please note that pricing will most likely change slightly by retreat dates.

Of course no one signs up for a retreat expecting to have to cancel, but in the event that you must; here is our policy:

100% Refundable by January 1, 2024:

Participants can cancel their reservation and receive a full refund if the cancellation is made on or before January 1, 2024.

Non-Refundable Deposit After January 1, 2024:

After January 1, 2024, a non-refundable deposit of $500 will be in effect for all reservations. This deposit will be retained in the event of cancellation.

Early Bird Pricing Ends March 1, 2024:

Early bird pricing will be available until March 1, 2024. Participants who cancel after this date will be subject to the following policy.

50% refundable from March to July 12th.

If a cancellation is made prior to 12 weeks before the start date of the retreat (i.e., before/on July 12, 2024).

Non-Refundable 12 Weeks Prior to October 12, 2024: (retreat is transferable to another human)

Please note that any cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to bluemangoyoga@gmail.com and will be processed according to the above policy. We recommend that participants consider purchasing travel insurance to protect against unforeseen circumstances that may affect their ability to attend the retreat.