Any surfing enthusiast will already have Tamri beach marked on their map of favourite places in Morocco; for others, its name and attractions will be unfamiliar. Although Tamri cannot match the great surfing destinations, it is nevertheless one place in Morocco where you can enjoy water sports, or simply relax from your hectic routine for a few days. Tamri and its beach are popular excursions from Agadir, so large numbers of tourists come here to enjoy a day on the beach, have lunch in the town, and enjoy water sports without staying overnight.
Over the past few decades, Morocco’s Atlantic coast has become a sought-after waters sports destination — although it has in fact been attracting surfers from all over the world since the 1970s. The sea and wind conditions are ideal for activities such as surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, and the whole area adds further to that with beautiful scenery, mountains, banana trees, and deserts all nearby. In addition, this central stretch of the Atlantic coastline has several towns that welcome visitors throughout the year. A lively atmosphere always pervades the beach and the little bars in the various towns.
Tamri beach
Tamri beach extends to the north of the Cap Rhir. This is the point where the small Asif n’Srou enters the sea, although it is very depleted — its water is used to irrigate the banana plantations that enhance the landscape with their greenery. Visitors to this beach are mainly drawn by the opportunities it offers for water sports: the waves are good virtually all year round, and it is a place suitable for surfers of all levels of ability.
Apart from its appeal to surfers, Tamri beach is also popular with tourists who simply want to enjoy a quiet day at the beach. Here you can stroll among the attractive dunes which makes you feel as if you’re in the Sahara desert, enjoying the coastal plant life, and the cliffs with strange rock formations, arches and recesses that form caves. Moreover (if your luck is in), as you stroll around you will see fishermen arriving in their boats — and you may even be able to buy some freshly caught fish.
Cap Rhir
An excursion from Agadir to a destination such as Tamri should include a stop on Cap Rhir, if only to spend a few moments admiring the scenery and taking photographs. Visitors will be rewarded with a scene featuring cliffs, a lighthouse that appears to defy the elements, and the waves forcefully battering the coast. The sound track is provided by the gulls and other seabirds circling overhead. If you fancy a dip, there are beaches here too, both to the north and the south, which are protected from the strong winds.
Tamri town
The town of Tamri belongs to the county of Ida Outanane, which is in turn part of the province of Agadir. The town lies inland, close to the Tamri Nature Park, and is reached along a road that crosses a rural landscape, with pasture land, banana trees, camels, and goats dotted here and there. Although the area does not offer much in the way of facilities for tourists, you will find pleasant bars where you can enjoy local cuisine, with no shortage of goat meat, fresh fish, amlou (a paste for spreading, made with almonds, honey and argan oil), bananas, and watermelons. Tamri is a good place to find the much-sought-after argan oil; you can buy it in any shop. or you can visit a cooperative with a social welfare dimension.
One activity you may enjoy in the Tamri area is bird watching. Of particular interest are the northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita) and Audouin’s gulls (Ichthyaetus audouinii) at the mouth of the river Tamri, or you may like to visit some of the county’s inland towns and villages.
Where to stay near Tamri
Accommodation in and around Tamri is very thin on the ground, so we recommend you choose a hotel which offers every comfort you could possibly need, even if it is a little further away. Around 50 kilometres from Tamri beach is the popular city of Agadir, a well-known tourist destination offering culture, with good restaurants and hotels, including the Allegro Agadir, a four-star hotel with 321 rooms and offering the Barceló guarantee of quality. The hotel facilities are ideal for surfing enthusiasts, as the hotel faces a beach over 12 kilometres long, and close by there are other towns with superb beaches where you can enjoy your favourite water sport.
Apart from comfortable rooms decorated in a modern style, the hotel offers a large swimming pool, gardens, a buffet restaurant, two snack bars, and an attractive entertainment programme. And if you love golf, you’ll find a golf course where you can play a few holes. What more could you ask?
