Mirleft

Two hours south of Agadir, past the point where most surf traffic stops, Mirleft is a small town on a coast of cliffs and hidden coves. It has a scattering of surf spots, very few surfers and a distinctly different feel from the north.

The beaches sit below cliffs and are reached by tracks, which keeps numbers low. Imin Tourga, Aftas and the beaches around Legzira are the names to know — Legzira for its collapsed sandstone arches, still spectacular even after one of them fell.

The town has grown a small, easygoing traveller scene without becoming a resort. Prices are lower and the pace is slower than anywhere north.

There is no surf industry to speak of, which is the point and also the catch: board hire and lessons exist but are thin on the ground, so most people arrive with a board or pick one up in Agadir or Tiznit on the way through. A car changes the trip completely — the coast road down to Sidi Ifni strings together a series of beaches that are effectively empty on a weekday, and without wheels you will surf whichever one you can walk to.