Taghazout

A perfect day in Taghazout

Taghazout

Surfer or no surfer, Taghazout is definitely worth a visit. I went by public bus to this small fishers village, which is now a relaxed surfing heaven. Taghazout has some of the best surf spots in Morocco and offers a lot of classes to beginners and more advanced surfers. I like to surf, but this time I did not go to surf. I took my camera, travel journal and swimsuit and was ready to enjoy a nice and relaxed weekend day.

How to get to Taghazout

To go to Taghazout, which is located around 20 kilometres up North from Agadir, you can take bus 32 from Wilaya – Jardin Belvere and it will cost you 5,5 dirhams. This bus will run every 15 minutes, but be prepared that the bus can run late. After half an hour you will arrive in Taghazout, but make sure to pay attention because the bus driver will not tell you where you are.

I went without a plan, so I was kind of lost in the beginning. However, when you start walking you will soon see that it consists of one big street with shops and restaurants and when you turn left into the small streets and just keep walking, you will end up at the beach. And that is where we want to be! If you want to go surfing, there are tons of surf shops and schools to choose from. Either take classes or rent your equipment and start playing in the sea yourself! As I worked all week and spend the whole Saturday walking in the streets of Agadir, I chose to do the surfing some other time.

Taghazout bus stop

Where the bus stops – Taghazout

Taghazout without surfing?

Also without surfing Taghazout is great fun! Drink a smoothie and eat some healthy food at World of Waves or eat a nice pizza, pasta or tajine at Windy Bay. Both places have a very nice atmosphere, with nice staff and a great view over the beach and the Atlantic ocean. Use one of the stairs to get to the beach and stroll around through all the little boats that are laying on the beach. I used this opportunity to take some pictures of this picturesque spot.

Now that you are on the beach already, you can go enjoy the sea and take a nice swim. At first I did not feel very comfortable with wearing a bikini, but then I saw multiple tourists doing it so it was okay. The local people here are very friendly and they will not stare at you. They are minding their own business and playing some sports on the beach.

World of Waves

World of Waves

Windy Bay

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Anchor Point & Surf Berbere café

After some relaxation at the beach I was ready for the second part of my day: walking towards Anchor Point. This should be the spot to watch the professional surfers, instead I was walking in the heat and I did not see anything spectacular. Maybe it was because of the time of the day and the little amount of wind, but I was a bit disappointed by that. After giving water to some cute kittens there, I walked back to the centre of the village (a 20 minute walk). I decided that I did not want to end my day like this, so I went back to the cafes at the water and sat down at the Surf Berbere café for a nice mint tea. This spot is just like a dream! Sitting on a Berber cushion with a low table and looking at the water with the sun getting lower is the perfect way to end your day in Taghazout. But be aware: practicing your Moroccan tea pouring skills here is maybe not the best idea as the wind might blow your tea away!

The view during the walk to Anchor Point

Moroccan mint tea at Surf Berbere café

The way back to Agadir

Around 6 pm I decided it was time for me to get back to the busy city of Agadir, so I walked back to the same spot where the bus dropped me off. The bus was (according to Google Maps) supposed to come around 6.20 pm but it did not show up. Something past 7 pm the bus was finally there and as I was getting up to go to the bus, I got passed by a lot of locals that tried to get in the bus before everyone else. I ended up standing in the bus again even though it arrived empty.. So be prepared to ‘fight’ for your spot in the bus! On the way back, the bus cost me 7.5 dirhams.

I loved Taghazout and I will definitely go back to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and maybe do some surfing!

 

Moroccan mint tea

Morocco: Where to eat?

Moroccan mint tea

This blog is all about FOOD! Because I LOVE food and I think it is a huge part of a person’s experience at a destination. Food is culture, food is ambiance, food is enjoying what a place has to offer. Still, I do think that the place where you eat is very important and as a vegetarian it is slightly more difficult to find a good spot where you can enjoy some (local) cuisine. Local here is between brackets because we all know that after some days (or meals) you might want something else than local food.

Morocco is famous for its Tajine dishes, couscous with fresh vegetables, pastries and the most delicious mint tea you will ever have! Next up are some places to eat that I loved during my trip to Morocco. Hopefully, as I am living in Morocco, this list can get bigger! But for now: Bon Appetit! 

Marrakech

Let’s start with Morocco’s most popular destination by tourists: Marrakech. This city in the middle of the country is famous for its medina and the Djemaa el Fna square, as it is a famous city trip destination, you can find a lot of nice places to eat. Of course, a lot of travel books like the Lonely Planet already wrote a lot about these places. Still I would like to share some of my pearls, that I enjoyed during my time in Marrakech.

Broc the Kashbah

So my number one we found on one of the last days of our trip. It is a bit further away in the medina but once you get a hold of the medina in Marrakech, it is easy to find. This place is called: “Broc the Kashbah”. There are some nice guys working and it is all about vegetarian and vegan food, vintage clothing and atmosphere and fresh juices! There are only a few dishes on the menu but they are delicious! I liked the fact that they sell vintage clothing and make clothes themselves. The staff working there are super nice and helpful. The whole place screams creativity and fresh food. I would definitely recommend going here if you would like to escape the crowds.

 

NOMAD, Le Jardin, Cafe des Epices

My next tip are three different restaurants in the medina of Marrakech but they are in the same concept. That is why I combined the three of them. You will probably already know these places but as I thought they are very nice, I wanted to share them with you! These places all offer Moroccan dishes with a twist and they are vegetarian friendly! At NOMAD and Café des Epices there is a nice rooftop and both are located nearby a cute square in the medina. Le Jardin is a bit more hidden and is a nice garden inside a building in the medina. They are all worth a visit for either lunch or dinner!

 

Kosy Bar

My last tip in Marrakech is called: “Kosy Bar”. This restaurant is located in the centre of Marrakech near the palaces like the Bahia Palace, which is a famous tourist spot in Marrakech. The best place of Kosy Bar is its rooftop overlooking a small square. Here you can eat dishes like homemade pizzas or Asian food like sushi. But if you prefer the Moroccan cuisine this is also your place!

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view from Kosy Bar

Essaouira

The next city that I would like to discuss is Essaouira. I loved this little fishers town because to me this felt like authentic Morocco. Essaouira is famous for its great waves for surfing and its arty medina. There is a lot of art for sale in the medina and near the coast you can see and buy fresh fish from the fish market.

Le LOVE by Caravane

This restaurant was one of my highlights of my trip. It is divided into two separate restaurants by a little street in the middle of the medina of Essaouira. One restaurant is mainly cocktails and tapas and the other is an a la carte restaurant. Both inspired on the Moroccan cuisine, however with a complete unique twist! The staff is incredibly kind and helpful and the menu is very different and unique. But besides the great and different food, the decorations of this restaurant are what makes this place extra special. It is located in old riads with a lot of light coming from the top and decorated in the brightest colours. Here you can really feel the artistic vibes of Essaouira. The owner himself is an artist, which becomes very clear when you look at the surroundings. If you are lucky, you will experience a traditional show during your dinner. Le LOVE by Caravane is the place to be if you are looking for something unique and exciting!

Vagabond Beach

After a morning of intensive surfing you might want to sit down and enjoy a good lunch. We did this at the Vagabond beach. This relaxed and nice restaurant is located at the surf spot of Essaouira and offers multiple dishes varying from fresh salads with goat cheese to nice homemade burgers. Come here to enjoy a nice view of the beach and the camels laying on the beach waiting for customers.

Le Chalet de la Plage

This place is located at the beginning of the beach of Essaouira and offers what a beach restaurant should offer: fish! However, if you are a vegetarian like me, it is still a very nice restaurant to go to. I enjoyed some of the best filled eggplants (aubergines farcies) I have ever had in my life. However, it is not the cheapest place, but if you have some money to spend, enjoy some nice fresh seafood here or choose one of the other Moroccan dishes.

Rooftop of Le LOVE by Caravane

Fez

Fes was one of my favourite destinations in Morocco. Its ancient, dazzling medina with 9000 streets make you feel lost in a second. However, if you do know where you are and you are looking for a nice place to eat and cool down from the heat: here you can find my favourite spot of the Fes medina.

Nacho Mama

As a vegetarian, the Moroccan kitchen is not always the easiest. So every time we had the option to try something else I was very happy. After a hot day getting lost in the medina of Fes we stumbled upon a tiny, pink restaurant called: “Nacho Mama”. We fell in love with its colours and happiness and its Mexican inspired food! But not only the food is good about this place, the two people (at that time) working here are very kind and make time for you to talk to you. This little Mexican restaurant is set up by a native Moroccan lady called Najat Kanaache who lives in Fes but also lived in Mexico for a while. Najat is an amazing chef and also has another famous restaurant called: “NUR”. I have not been here myself but from what I heard it is a famous restaurant serving Moroccan dishes in a unique way. More about Najat is coming soon on my website so stay tuned!

Rabat

As Rabat is the capital city of Morocco we did not want to skip this place. Here we were impressed by its different medina and its location at the coast. There was one restaurant that stole my heart here..

Le Dhow

It is not the cheapest place in Morocco to eat but it is definitely worth a visit. Le Dhow is an old traditional ship laying at the boulevard of Rabat and serves all kinds of fresh seafood. It has a magical atmosphere to dine on a ship. However it is not entirely vegetarian friendly, besides the salads. So I went here for a seafood risotto and it was delicious (apart from my guilt of course..).