The red rock walls of the Todra gorge rising over the riverside road, a few walkers below

Couple questions: Romantic places

Agadir or Essaouira for a beach honeymoon?

Agadir if you want a calm swimming beach and reliable sun: a sheltered bay of about 10 km with resort hotels behind it. Essaouira if you want character: a UNESCO-listed walled port, Gnawa music and seafood, but a windy, wilder beach. They are about 2 hours 45 minutes apart, so a coastal honeymoon can include both.

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Answered by the Morocco Honeymoons team. Checked October 2026.

The short answer

The Erg Chebbi dunes after sunset, a sharp ridge in the foreground and a rose and violet sky — Erg Chebbi after sunset, MerzougaPhoto: Mike Prince, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized and colour-graded)

In more detail

Our comparison is clear on the beaches. Agadir's is a sheltered arc of fine sand with calm swimming, sun-lounger service and around 300 sunny days a year. Essaouira's is dramatic but the trade winds are constant, which makes it excellent for kitesurfing and walks and less good for lying in the sun.

The balance tips the other way on atmosphere. Agadir was rebuilt after the 1960 earthquake and has few historic monuments. Essaouira has an 18th-century medina, sea ramparts that catch the sunset, an arts scene and some of the freshest grilled fish in the country.

Gulls wheeling around the low sun over the sea tower and harbour wall of Essaouira — Sunset from the Skala, EssaouiraPhoto: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized)

For a honeymoon, many couples want a little of each: two nights in Agadir for the beach and spa, then the argan coast road north to Essaouira for two nights, flying home from Essaouira or continuing to Marrakech. Agadir has its own international airport, which makes it an easy start or finish.