Surf day trip to Imsouane

Imsouane is a small fishing village 80 km south of Essaouira with one of the longest right-hand point breaks in Africa. On a clean day the wave at The Bay can run for more than a kilometre, so long that surfers walk back up the point after each ride. Next to it, beyond the cliff, The Cathedral is faster, hollower and for experienced surfers only.

Pick-up is early, around 7am, for an hour and a half down the coast road through Sidi Kaouki and Tafedna, with a coffee stop, so you are in the water around 9am while the wind is still light. You surf two long sessions, eat fresh fish at the port, and are back in Essaouira in the early evening. The van carries longboards, fish and mid-lengths for The Bay, and shortboards and hybrids for The Cathedral; bring your own board if you have one you love.

The Bay is forgiving enough for beginners who have had a few lessons, and perfect for longboarders; beginners never go to The Cathedral. The line-up gets busy on good days, and the guide helps you find your place without upsetting anyone. The trip depends on the swell: if it does not line up for Imsouane, the school suggests Sidi Kaouki or another day, with no charge for cancelling.