SIDI KAUOKI

I first came to Morocco in 2019. My friend advised me to go to Sidi Kaouki, not the most popular, but quite famous and rapidly developing surfing destination in Morocco. That time I spent three months in the country, I visited Imsuan – longboarders' favorite wave, as well as Taghazout – the very center of surf tourism, but I liked Sidi Kaouki the most. Both surf spots and the village itself. In 2021, I was happy to come here again!

History

The original village of Sidi Kaouki is actually located one and a half kilometers away from the ocean. What surfers now call by this name used to be just a beach. Fishermen of the village built temporary tents to keep the equipment and sometimes stay overnight. Then some healer hermit settled down at the beach. Legends say he successfully treated female infertility until finally found his peace in this land. On the site of his modest dwelling, grateful folks erected Marabout, in Islam, it is something like a sacred tomb, Mecca in miniature. The people believed that if you go three times around this building with the relics of the saint, this will restore fertility and women's health. Pilgrims needed a place to stay, so slowly the temporary tents of Sidi Kaouki beach began to be rebuilt into permanent ones.

Surfing in Sidi Kaouki, Morocco

Season

Winter is believed to be the best surf season in this part of Morocco. This does not mean there are no waves at all in summer, but swells are small and rare. Strong winds are common too. However, even in winter, it may get so windy that you can't surf for a week. Here in Kaouki and in the nearest large city of Essaouira, kitesurfing is popular as well. Many surfers just choose the activity according to the weather. It's a common practice around the world, the same you can see, for example, in Mauritius. Among other things, in summer it is hot as hell, so the general recommendation is to come from November to March.

The water temperature in Morocco fluctuates slightly throughout the year: from 17°C in winter to 20°C in summer, so you always need a wetsuit to surf here. 3/2mm for summer, 4/3mm for autumn and winter. Most surfers go out barefoot, but I wore 3mm neoprene boots for my being sensitive to cold.

I joke that Sidi Kaouki is the Encyclopedia of Surfing in miniature. There are all four types of waves here: beach break, reef break, rivermouth, and pointbreak. The first two are within walking distance, the others are a short drive away.

Marabout

Beachbreak is located in the very corner of a long sandy beach, in front of the Marabout building. Break starts to work on the medium tide, best conditions are at the high tide. Opposite Marabout there is a strong rip current, which is the easiest way to paddle out. The bottom is rocky there, so if the tide is still quite low, paddle out carefully and get off the left-hander wave in advance.

Like most beach breaks, the Marabout wave changes slightly in shape, and starting point wanders around. The left-hander wave ends up in the channel, which then takes you back to the lineup. The right-hander goes all the way to the beach and ends up with a shore break. It will take some time to fight your way back to the lineup, but when conditions are good, a right-hander can be twice as long as the left-hander.

Who it's for: All levels. In a big swell, a pro can hunt for a barrel, in a medium swell wave has a clean face for progressive maneuvers on a shortboard, in a small swell, it's perfect for classic longboard noserides, and good for beginners. About 100-200 meters left from the Marabout there is excellent white water for the first surf lessons.

La Bouteille

The reef break, a five-minute walk left from Marabou, is called the French word "Bottle" because of the shape of its bottom. There is a wide flat stone with a narrowing channel resembling a neck of a bottle. Normally surfers paddle out on a medium or high tide, but I saw surfers on a very low tide as well. The wave breaks on a low tide farther from the beach, behind this big flat rock, but the conditions are still surfable, just more dangerous due to the shallow rocky bottom.

La Bouteille is a consistent right-hander wave. You can also surf left, but the left-hander is way shorter and closes out most of the time. To get to the lineup it's better to walk in from the side of the left-hander. A line of the sandy bottom stretches to the depth from where you can paddle on. It's dangerous to walk in from the side of the right-hander since the strong current can drag you to the rocks. Besides, the bottom is very uncomfortable to walk.

Who it's for: Intermediate and advanced levels. A critical section is quite short, so you need to constantly cutback on the wave.

Rivermouth

At the far end of the Sidi Kaouki beach, about 2 km left from the Marabout, there is a river mouth. The river itself appears only occasionally after heavy rain, which is rare in Marocco. However, through many repetitions, the river made a sandbank and formed a nice break, very similar to the Balian surf spot in Bali.

The spot works best on a rising tide from medium to high. The wave is fat and mellow, difficult to catch from the shoulder. Additional volume is your friend at this spot, better take a step-up or malibu. Should be a lot of fun with a 7'-8' single fin or a performance longboard. Rivermouth is an A-Frame, you can surf both right and left, but paddling back to the lineup is easier along the channel of a left-hander. The same side should be used for going out and in.

Who it's for: beginners with guts, intermediate, advanced. The wave looks quite big but pushes only at the very last moment before breaking. To catch it surfer has to be confident, and should not be scared of a wipeout if he doesn't succeed.

La Grotte & La Couronne

6 km to the right of Marabout, technically in the neighboring village of Kapsim, there are two right-hander points: La Grotte and La Couronne. Some say with the right swell direction and power, they turn into one super-long wave, but this is not certain. Spots work at medium and high tide.

The adventure starts with getting to the beach with a surfboard. After driving to Kapsim you have to walk for 15-20 minutes on a rocky path on top of the cliff, and then go down an almost sheer slope. No kidding, the path is literally dug into the vertical sandstone wall and goes down in a steep zigzag. It's not so easy even without a board. With a shortboard, it is difficult but possible. No idea how to get there with a longboard.

Who it's for: experienced surfers and, due to the difficulty of entry, shortboards. I didn't surf there, so I can't give advice on where to paddle out, how to get in, e.t.c. I would recommend asking the surfers on the shore or taking a surf guiding from the locals.

On the small square next to Marabout there are several surf kite stations where you can rent equipment or take a surf / kitesurf lesson. I personally know Boujma, the owner of Ocean Vibes (in the photo on the right), but in general, there is not much difference.

There are long and short softtops for rent, as well as hardtop malibu and minimalibu. You will not find some outstanding models, just ordinary surfboards for a fun session.

As for surf lessons, in Morocco, a really good surf instructor is difficult to find. For beginners, I would advise not to rely on chance but to find a local or visiting experienced surf instructor by the word of mouth. Maybe even not in Sidi Kaouki.

Tourism played a major role in the development of Sidi Kaouki, so there is no problem to rent accommodation. Options vary from small bed and breakfast rooms to private villas and resorts with a swimming pool. You can book it in advance through Booking or Airbnb, or you can try booking on site. The first option is more reliable, the second is cheaper. From personal experience, I can recommend two hotels.

The cheaper option is Dar Afoulki – the small family-run hotel decorated in a traditional Moroccan style with stone walls and Berber ornaments. There is a private shower with excellent pressure of hot water (important!) and a cozy common area with a fireplace and Wi-Fi. In 2021 price per night with breakfast was 200 MAD, book in advance by whatsapp +212643127515 Muhammed.

If you want a more comfortable and modern option – go for Blue Kaouki. It's a large, bright, stylish hotel with a rooftop terrace, Wi-Fi, a shared kitchenette, and a washing machine. The hotel is located about 100 meters from the beach and gives a perfect view of the ocean, you can check the Marabou and La Bouté surf spots from a rooftop. The price is about 600 MAD per night, it depends a lot on a season.

Breakfast is usually included in the price of accommodation, so I'll tell you where to eat out. The most delicious tagine I've tried in Morocco was in Sidi Kaouki in a small cafe «Chez l'Arbi».

Arbi, the owner and chef, cooks pre-orders. If you want to dine at Arbi's, you are to come during the day and tell him which dishes you would like and what time you will come. Order tagine at least 1.5 hours in advance or even earlier. This dish isn't to be cooked in a hurry. Arbi's also serves fresh fish from local fishermen.

If you suddenly feel hungry and are desperate to eat, go to Omar. A couple of years ago his eatery looked like a cave, but now he has built a beautiful terrace overlooking the beach. He also cooks himself but in small amounts, first come, first served. Traditional Bisara soup in the morning, tagines in the afternoon and evening, strong Moroccan tea at any time of the day are his specials.

Before the pandemic, there used to be a famous fish restaurant on the main road which runs along the beach. It has been closed, but the neighbors trying to imitate it serve low-quality overpriced food. If neither Arbi nor Omar can serve you, better go to a cafe on a square at Marabou, next to surf schools. Or cook at home!

The grocery store in Sidi Kaouki is located between Omar and Arbi. It is small, but you will find everything there: bread, milk, tea, coffee, vegetables, cereals, pasta, sweets. Don't be shocked by the price tags, because the prices are in Rials. Rial is a virtual currency in Morocco used by locals, 20 Rial = 1 Dirham. Buy eggs and chicken in a specialized shop nearby, fish and octopuses – directly from the fishermen. You don't have to look for them, those who have a catch will find you themselves.

The beach of Sidi Kaouki provides plenty of typical tourist activities: quad biking, horse and camel riding, kayak rentals.

I am not fond of riding animals, but if you are an experienced horseman, I advise you to contact Hassan. He is a young guy who loves his horses and takes good care of them. He knows the scenic routes through the local forests and empty beaches. Unfortunately, I don't have his contacts, but he works part-time at Arbi's restaurant, you can ask there.

For people like me who prefer to walk I advise a beautiful walking route to the lighthouse in Kapsim. I took the route through the forest and small sand dunes there, and along the beach to catch a stunning sunset back.

Essaouira is the nearest big town to Sidi Kaouki. Visit it to have a walk, lunch, and do some shopping. On Sunday several blocks turn into a flea market with stands of secondhand, jewelry, books, sweets, vegetables, fruit, and literally anything you can imagine. The oriental bazaar haps seven days a week inside the Medina.

A long nice promenade stretches along the beach all the way to the port. Don't trust the restaurants on this beach walk, they show beautiful fat sea basses and dorados on the ice stands, but it's not what they really cook in the kitchen. Better go to the port and buy fish from the fresh catch to cook it later at home. You can eat fresh oysters right in the port too, they cost a penny.

I highly recommend going to Essaouira for a Friday lunch. Traditionally Friday is a couscous day in Morocco, and I have found the most delicious one in a small, hidden eatery Chez El Ouazzani inside the Medina too. You will hardly find a table there coz there is none, just a narrow bar along the wall, and there is always a line. The old man cooks so deliciously and skillfuly, that everyone patiently waits while he flies with a soup ladle over his pots.

Essaouira has a large Carrefour supermarket that sells imported products, good cheese, and even alcohol. But the alcohol department is closed on Fridays for some religious reasons.

Morocco is a country not only with stunning nature but also with a unique culture. Don't miss the chance to experience it. When local people greet each other, they give a very soft handshake, which feels almost like a touch if it's a woman. And then they put a hand on a chest.

Wherever they are – in the store, at the market, on the street – people first sincerely ask each other about life and health. Only on getting an honest answer do they move on to the topic. Remember the magic words:

1) Salam Alaikum - a wish for peace, a message that you have come with peace
2) Becher - things are fine
3) Lebez - no problem
4) Kulshi Mzien - everything is good

Intonation determines whether it's a question or a statement. So same words are used to ask and to answer. Additional answer:

5) Hamdulilah - Thanks God

A conversation with someone, and especially with someone you know, begins, for example, like this: 1 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 3 - 2 - 5 - 4 - 4 -5. Old friends can exchange these phrases for 10 minutes in random order. Seriously, I've seen it.

Moroccans will be pleasantly taken aback when visitors know a few phrases in their language. Try starting a conversation this way. Just don't fake it. Take a moment to sincerely ask the person, how life is. You will see how it will break the ice at once.

Enjoy Morocco. Travel smart. Surf smart.