Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Midas Tümülüsü (Tumulus MM)
The Devil's Column
Weightlifting Hall of Fame
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
2 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
3 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
4 days ago
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
5 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Morocco Assaka Imsouane

Imsouane

Hidden behind mountains in Morocco, a remote town hides a thriving surfing community.

Assaka, Morocco

Added By
monalisa73
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Pixabay
  Pixabay
Cathedral Point   monalisa73 / Atlas Obscura User
Sunset surfing at Cathedral Point   monalisa73 / Atlas Obscura User
Magic Bay and the fishing port   monalisa73 / Atlas Obscura User
Imsouane centre   monalisa73 / Atlas Obscura User
Imsouane Port   moroccanzest / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Nestled down the mountain road a mere 90 minutes from both Agadir and Essaouira airports rests the town of Imsouane. Here in this remote and idyllic community, you'll find a gaggle of surfers and fishermen hanging easy by the sea.

When one thinks of Morocco, it is the image of exotic souks, the Sahara Desert, and camel riding that comes to mind. Surfing, eating fresh-caught fish, and finding a California-esq surfer community are a surprise found in Imsouane, a dreamy town by the sea, hidden by the mountains. 

Imsouane is a haven for surfers who come to La Catedrale (a beach-break surf spot) and La Bay (a point break wave) to catch some serious rides. La Bay is known for having the longest waves in Morocco, proving a prime draw for the surfing community. 

Near La Catedrale, there are small fisherman villages where fish arrive by the boat full each morning to be sold at market and grilled for diners. This fish market is open for visitors. If you visit in the early morning, you will be able to buy fresh fish for really cheap and either cook it yourself in your hotel or Airbnb, or give it to local restaurants to cook it the way you like. Locals like to grill it with sea salt.

Being one of the cleanest beaches in all of Morocco, Imsouane is a draw for its pristine setting, waves, and local culture. 

Related Tags

Morocco Surfing Surf Africa

Know Before You Go

Because of its remote location, getting to Imsouane can be tricky. Reaching Imsouane is best done by car. It takes about an hour and a half to reach the surfing town from the city of Agadir. Taxis are available as well, although a taxi ride from Agadir to Imsouane will set you back about $85 to $100 USD. The easiest and cheapest way to reach Imsouane is by getting the Souk to Surf shuttle bus. This shuttle runs everyday from Essaouira, Taghazout, Tamraght and Agadir and costs $9 per person. You can bring your surfboard with you too!

Some travelers are known to hitchhike to Imsouane, although this should be done with extreme caution. From Marrakech, travelers can catch a bus for $8 to $12 USD and travel three hours to Agadir, and from there rent a car, taxi, or shuttle to get to Imsouane. Once arrived at Imsouane, there are plenty of affordable hostels as well as surf camps and lessons to choose from. Many wellness retreats that combine surfing and yoga are available to travelers as well.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Morocco: Souks, Spices & Saharan Stars

A Moroccan Culinary Adventure from Marrakech to Essaouira.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

monalisa73

Edited By

blakeajb, moroccanzest, Nikki Vargas

  • blakeajb
  • moroccanzest
  • Nikki Vargas

Published

October 10, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • www.hosteltafouktimsouane.com
  • http://surfparadisemorocco.net/bezoek-imsouane/
  • https://moroccanzest.com/best-beaches-in-morocco/
Imsouane
Assaka
Morocco
30.812292, -9.779023
Visit Website

Nearby Places

The Tree Goats of Morocco

Tamri, Morocco

miles away

Taghazout Community Skatepark

Taghazout, Morocco

miles away

Tide Pools of Essaouira

Essaouira, Morocco

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Morocco

Morocco

Africa

Places 74
Stories 8

Nearby Places

The Tree Goats of Morocco

Tamri, Morocco

miles away

Taghazout Community Skatepark

Taghazout, Morocco

miles away

Tide Pools of Essaouira

Essaouira, Morocco

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Morocco

Morocco

Africa

Places 74
Stories 8

Related Places

  • A set of amuse-bouches.

    Nairobi, Kenya

    Embark Restaurant

    Farm-to-table East African-European cuisine is on the menu here.

  • Kelly Slater Statue

    Cocoa Beach, Florida

    Kelly Slater Statue

    A tribute to a hometown hero and surfing legend.

  • A plate of samaki, or fried fish.

    Detroit, Michigan

    Baobab Fare

    Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere opened this community-minded restaurant serving dishes from their native Burundi.

  • A surf mural in the interior of Dogtown Coffee.

    Santa Monica, California

    Dogtown Coffee

    Grab a latte at the birthplace of modern American skateboarding.

  • Surfers on Klitmøller Beach

    Klitmøller, Denmark

    Klitmøller Beach

    On a stretch of Danish coast known as "Cold Hawaii," this fishing village has become a surfing town.

  • Veado

    Nazaré, Portugal

    'Veado'

    A deer-headed statue that brings together a 12th-century legend and big wave surfing.

  • Lesotho

    Ha Kome Cave Dwellings

    An 18th-century hideout became a permanent and ongoing residence for one Lesotho tribe.

  • Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

    Bangui, Central African Republic

    Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

    Amidst political unrest, this Roman Catholic Cathedral has helped organize peace talks.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.