10 Best Sights in Agadir, Agadir and the Southern Atlantic Coast

Agadir's municipal museum celebrates the Amazigh heritage of the region with collections of photography, jewelry, artifacts, and local handicrafts, as well as temporary exhibits. It's worth a visit to learn about the symbolism seen in Amazigh carpets and jewelry; there's also information about the Igouder (plural of agadir, a communal granary) of the local villages. If you're lucky, an English-speaking intern may be on hand to guide you around.

A rapidly expanding outdoor tourism project, DaniaLand has a water park with 7 pools and 14 slides. It also boasts Morocco's first-ever cable cars, which will give you 360-degree panoramic views of Agadir.

The beach here swings around a crescent from southeast to northwest; you're more likely to find a quiet spot if you wander south, although be careful to avoid the private beaches of the resorts. The most crowded areas, frequented year-round by families and locals, are to the north. Along the flanking thoroughfare, known as the Corniche (promenade), are cafés, bars, and restaurants. At the very northern end is the swanky marina development where private yachts are moored. The promenade comes alive at dusk, when families and youngsters take their evening walks, but as night falls, it can become a little sketchy. Nonetheless, from the shelter of a café terrace, it's still a good spot to stop and watch the world go by. The northern tip is also the place to rent a Jet Ski, catamaran, or surf equipment. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: sunset.

This combination ethnological museum and bazaar is the dream of Moroccan-born Italian decorator-architect Coco Polizzi, who wanted to replace the medina Agadir lost to the 1960 earthquake with a new one on his own land. Located in Ben Sergao, a few miles south of Agadir, on the Inezgane road, the remarkable 13-acre project was completed in 2007 by hundreds of Moroccan craftspeople who used centuries-old techniques. Each stone was laid by hand, and the buildings are made of earth, rock from the Souss, slate from the High Atlas, and local woods such as thuya and eucalyptus. Decorations follow both Amazigh and Saharan motifs. You can find a few mosaic craftspeople, painters, jewelers, metalworkers, and carpenters in workshop nooks throughout the medina. The medina also houses some restaurants and shops.

During most of the year, a few stray Western surfers seek out waves around the bend from the lighthouse at Cap Rhir. There are no facilities, so it's ideal for those seeking a quiet sunset. You may come across a bald ibis in the area north of the lighthouse, which is said to be one of their nesting sites. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset.

High up on the hill to the northwest that looks over Agadir are the few ruins of the old kasbah, the main site of Agadir until an earthquake razed the city in 1960. The devastating earthquake created the opportunity for the development of modern Agadir, which stands today to the south. Although there is little to see here of the former city, the panoramas are breathtaking, especially at sunset. The most pleasant way to get here is by taking a cable car, which offers 360-degree views of the sky, the sea, and the city. A one-way ride up costs 80 DH and a round-trip is 120 DH. Otherwise, you can take a bus with ALSA, the public transportation company, from the parking lot at the foot of the mountain. The bus leaves every 20 minutes from 8 am to 9:30 pm (8:30 pm on Saturday) and costs about 4 DH each way. 

Emblazoned on the side of the hill below the kasbah are three Arabic words that keep guard over Agadir at all times. Their meaning? God, country, and the king. By day they're a patchwork of huge white stones against the green grass. At night they're lighted up powerfully against the dark. The huge hill is really a burial mound, covering the old medina and the impromptu graves of those who died in the earthquake.

In the northeastern corner of the city, this daily bazaar sells souvenirs, household goods, and the produce of the fertile Souss plains. It's one of the biggest in Morocco, and you'll need to bargain hard. The souk is a great place to witness and participate in real Moroccan life. 

This sprawling, 338-square-km (131-square-mile) national park on the coast south of Agadir is a breeding ground for a number of indigenous and migratory bird species, including the bald ibis. There are also captive-breeding programs for four threatened North African antelope and gazelle species, as well as for ostriches, which were previously extinct in Morocco since 1945. Tours are available within the park, which also contains a number of guesthouses and other accommodation options. Many of these support sustainable tourism and offer bird- and animal-watching excursions. One entry point for the park is 15 km (9 miles) south of Agadir at Rokein information center; the other is 60 km (37 miles) south of Agadir at the Sidi Binzarne eco-guide kiosk.

Smaller, less developed, and with much more of a local vibe, Tamraght is the laid-back little sibling of Taghazout. It spills down the side of a mountain toward the national coastal road and has a beautiful, spacious beach. New hotel and upscale vacation villa developments have begun to spring up, but there's still a natural feel to the coastline, where a new foot and bike path of about 5 km (3 miles) leads directly into Taghazout. You can stay in surf houses, private apartments, and small boutique hotels, enjoying the quiet nights and the sound of the rushing ocean. The area is 15 km (9 miles) north of Agadir. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming.