When to Go

Unlike inland destinations that get too hot in summer, high season for the coast is August, with peaks at Christmas, New Year's Day, and June. The best months for visiting may be October and November, when it's off-season but still warm. Summer tends to be busy with vacationing Moroccan families; spring in Agadir is the main season for vacationers and families from abroad. Surfers and divers come year-round, although early spring is by far the best time for surf.

In the Souss Valley, spring is the most spectacular time to visit, when almond trees and wildflowers are in bloom, the harvest is near, and the weather is sunny but not too hot. Fall temperatures are moderate, but landscapes are a bit more drab after the summer harvest. As long as rains don't wash out the roads, winter is pleasant as well—coastal areas are warm, although inland temperatures can be cold and heated rooms hard to find. If you must come in summer, stick to the coast: even an hour inland, in Taroudant, the July and August heat is unbearable in all but the nighttime hours.