The Southern Atlantic Coast Travel Guide

They're both on the coast, and they both have beaches that people rave about, but Essaouira and Agadir couldn't be more dissimilar. A hippie hangout whose secret travelers refused to tell for years, Essaouira is only now coming into the limelight as a mainstream destination, but it nevertheless retains its slightly "other" feel. Windy beaches attract water-sports enthusiasts rather than sunseekers, and riad-hotels cater to independent travelers. Agadir, on the other hand, was made for mass tourism. It's a modern resort city with every kind of singing, dancing, and casino-betting distraction on hand and long stretches of hot, sandy beaches, and calm seas perfect for sunbathing families. Both, however, have lively ports worth seeing in action and superb fresh fish and seafood. In between are less-frequented spots good for diving, surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, and bodyboarding, or, for the less active, sunbathing and hiding out from the world a little.