We’ve spent almost two weeks in the country, and we’ve decided that it’s time to get away from the heat. After doing some readings online, I’ve learned that the coastal towns in Morocco have cooler temperatures. We decided to go to Agadir and Essaouira. Those two are the more famous coastal towns, therefore transportation won’t be a problem for us.

From Marrakesh, there are lots of buses that can take you to both Agadir and Essaouira. And since both places are fairly near (about 3-4 hours away by bus), a lot of people choose to take day trips instead of spending a night or two in those places. In my opinion, you’re going to miss a lot if you just do a day trip. And besides, why would anyone wan’t to go back so soon to Marrakesh, especially during the summer? We took a Supratours bus to Agadir. Supratours is a luxury bus line and most tourists take these buses due to the comfort they provide and their track record in safety. Supratours bus tickets aren’t really that expensive, but if you’re on a tight budget there are cheaper buses available.

We chose to spend one night in Agadir because we wanted to go to a place that we can swim on the beach. After all those days traveling around Morocco, we wanted to spend some time in a place that would look somewhat familiar. Agadir is a modern city. An earthquake destroyed most of the ancient structures so there’s not much to see if you’re interested in history and culture. It can also be described as a tourist trap. Everything is very expensive, from food to hotels. Clearly it’s not a place for backpackers on a budget, but what the heck. We decided to splurge for just one day. We chose one of the cheaper hotels which had no direct access to the beach. It was only a ten minute walk to the beach anyway, so we didn’t mind. Those hotels with direct beach access and those with their own private beaches were way over our budget.

The public beach was very crowded. There were very few foreigners, so we stood out somewhat lol. If you go to the place where the locals swim, you’d notice that most of the women  dress conservatively even when swimming. it did look a bit silly but you have to respect and understand their culture. The same rules do not seem to apply to men. Men were shirtless and wearing swim shorts— the same attire you’d see men wearing in beaches in the US and other western countries. A funny thing happened on the way back to the hotel though. So on the beach, walking around without a shirt is acceptable, but once you’re far from the beach you should wear a shirt. I did not have a shirt on while I was walking on the sidewalks and crossing the streets on the way back to our hotel. No wonder everyone was staring at me. It was clear from the way they were looking at me that they were judging me somewhat. LOL. That night, it suddenly became cold. The continuous ocean breeze really does make a huge difference. While walking outside at night I wished i brought a sweater. Coming from Marrakesh, it’s hard to believe that i was still in the same country.

Looking back, Agadir is a place you can easily skip. Only visit this city if you want to go to a typical beach town. Even then, there are lesser known coastal towns that have similar beaches, and it would be so much cheaper to go to those less developed places instead. Even if the locals are still somewhat conservative, Agadir as a whole is mostly westernized. You won’t be seeing much of the real Morocco here.

So after one day, it was time to go to Essaouira (formerly known as Mogador). When we arrived at the bus station, we discovered that there was no Supratours bus going to Essaouira that day. Unlike The Marrakesh- Agadir and the Marrakesh- Essaouira bus routes, there’s no high demand for the Agadir- Essaouira route. As a result, there are fewer buses available between the two towns. We checked the bus that would leave the earliest. It had air conditioning, so it couldn’t be that bad. It was also way cheaper than taking a Supratours bus. Was there a catch? Yeah there was. For one thing, the bus arrived late. It was almost an hour late, we actually thought we missed it. And the bus driver was driving so fast along winding roads, that a lot of people were vomiting inside the bus– no joke. Motion sickness rarely affects me, so i did not become nauseous, but the stench of puke inside the bus soon overwhelmed my senses. I had to force myself to sleep so that the stench won’t bother me.

Even though the bus was late, we did arrive on time in Essaouira. Not really surprised since we were probably traveling at the speed of light. The bus station was a bit chaotic, but once we got outside the difference between Essaouira and Marrakesh was very pronounced, especially the Medina. Both inside and outside the Medina, there are less crowds. Some areas in town were even deserted in the middle of the day. You get the same feeling you get in Marrakesh in terms of being exposed to local culture, but without the stress of a crowded and chaotic environment. And I wasn’t even pestered by a single tout! That was really something.

We stayed at Essaouira Youth Hostel. When we read the reviews on the internet, it looked like a really fun place— and it was. Just like the whole town, this hostel had a chill vibe. It was also very easy to find since the place is listed on the Ulmon Offline Maps app on my phone (If I haven’t mentioned it before, that’s the map app i use the most while traveling. Google Maps pales in comparison). The hostel wasn’t full, but during our stay our fellow travelers were really awesome. Yeah there was a party vibe going on, and we were drinking beer and playing card games until sunrise. Music was playing all night so i wouldn’t suggest staying in this place if you want peace and quiet. But if you’re looking for a bit of fun, I would really recommend staying here. I only have kind words about the owner and his staff. they were all so awesome. And yeah they have a dog too (a mixed Labrador of sorts), that dog never gets tired of playing!

Fans of Game of Thrones would find Essaouira familiar. Essaouria is Astapor on that TV show. By the coast you’d find these structures that are very different from the ones you’d see in Marrakesh. These structures were built by the Portuguese during their occupation. Once again the variety of scenery in Morocco astounded me. It’s amazing how one place can look so different from another even if they are only a few miles apart.

Because of the strong wind near the coast, Essaouira is known for water sports like surfing, kite surfing, and wind surfing. Lots of shops rent out boards and they also offer lessons. The strong wind is also the reason why the beaches in Essaouira are not that popular for swimming. The currents are strong, and if you sit on the beach the sand has a tendency to get in your eyes. Some areas are fit for swimming though. You’d recognize them because lots of people converge in those swimming areas, either sunbathing or swimming near the shore.

Food was fairly cheap. Orange juice though was expensive for some reason. Stick to Marrakesh for your orange juice fix. Seafood though was cheap. There are lots of restaurants by the shore, you can easily find a cheap place. Just stay away from the more touristy areas. At night it got really cold, even colder than Agadir. i was shivering the whole time we were walking back to the hostel from the shore.

Essaouira is my favorite place in Morocco. I can imagine myself living here. There were so many ancient structures to see, and there are lots of activities you can do as well. Granted,  I do have a bias toward any town near the ocean. i just love being near the sea. The unique buildings in Essaouira make the town even more appealing. But above anything else, I love the vibe. Chill and laid back, it’s a place you can spend many lazy afternoons in, just lying on a hammock doing nothing, without a care in the world. No wonder I’ve met a lot of travelers here who are staying indefinitely. It’s such a beautiful place, i wonder why it’s not as popular as the other towns in Morocco. Maybe it’s just as well. If it’s not as popular as Marrakesh, then the crowds would continue to stay away. Too many people would only ruin the vibe. While everyone is spending their time in Marrakesh, do a side trip to Essaouira, it’s only a few hours away. Spend at least two days, maybe even a week. Heck, you can stay for a month if you’re not in a rush. I guarantee that you won’t regret it. 🙂