Essaouira or Taghazout – Which is better? (Morocco Travel Guide)

Essaouira, the stunning port city on the coast of Morocco or Taghazout, the chilled-out up and coming beach town. Which is the better Moroccan destination? 

If you have read any of my Morocco travel blog posts or watched my Morocco travel vlog YouTube series, you will know It’s no secret that I love both of these places.

In fact, I love Morocco in general.

However, which of these places is a better travel destination? 

It’s a good question, I don’t think I can even decide at the moment.

essaouira or taghazout?

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Essaouira

I’ve actually posted two full blog posts on Essaouira and the amazing city that it is.

So if you want to learn in detail about Essaouira then you can check out the blog posts below.

Check out my YouTube vlog from Essaouira too!

Taghazout

I’ve actually posted two full blog posts on Taghazout and the chilled-out coastal town that it is.

So if you want to learn in detail about Taghazout then you can check out the blog posts below.

TAGHAZOUT BLOG POSTS

Check out my YouTube vlog from Taghazout too!

Essaouira or Taghazout – comparison

So now you know all about the two destinations, let’s take a look at which place ranks higher as a tourist destination.

I’ll be comparing both Essaouira and Taghazout in 8 different categories.

Hopefully, that will make the decision easier for you.

Every traveller is different so they may find one place more suited to them. 

Cost of travel

Cost of travel was almost identical.

The only slight difference is a slight increase in the price of accommodation in Taghazout. 

This is largely due to the fact that there are more private rooms/hotels than hostels in Taghazout. 

A private room in Taghazout was roughly $8-10 per night.

Whereas in Essaouira you could find many hostels. Some of them offering rates as low as $4 per night.

All other travel expenses were evenly priced.

Ease of travel

Essaouira wins this one quite easily. 

Taghazout is definitely worth the struggle to get to. However, with it being a small coastal town yet to see a boom in tourism. It can be difficult to get to.

You can easily get to/from Essaouira via Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca and Rabat.

However, getting to Taghazout is only possible from Agadir. Officially anyway.

You can also get to/from Taghazout from Essaouira, however, you will have to prearrange with the driver to drop you off near Taghazout as most buses don’t stop there.

Read more about getting to Taghazout here.

Food & drink

One common theme that you will find throughout Morocco is the menu in cafes and restaurants. 

It’s a copy and paste job.

They’re all identical.

Therefore, I’m not going to compare food options or prices.

What I will compare is my favourite places in both places.

Breakfast – Essaouira (Snack Mogador).

Lunch – Taghazout (Florida).

Dinner – Taghazout (Le spot).

Coffee – Essaouira (Cafe L’Esprit).

I can’t separate them.

They’re the two best destinations for food and drink in Morocco, in my opinion. 

Accommodation

There a lot of accommodation options in both Essaouira and Taghazout. 

However, slightly different options.

In Taghazout, most places are private rooms or hotels. Usually with the word “surf” in the name.

Honestly, try and find a hotel or hostel in Taghazout without the word “surf” in the name. It is a challenge.

Whereas, in Essaouira, there is a greater range of accommodation types. From budget hostels to luxury hotels.

The price of accommodation is near enough the same in Essaouira and Taghazout, along with the rest of Morocco.

Things to do

Neither place is a sightseer’s paradise. 

Both places are however a travellers paradise.

Yes, there is a difference.

In terms of sightseeing. Museums, Mosques, Galleries and Mosques. Neither place offers too much.

I’m sure if you done some deep researching, you might find some sightseeing things to do in Essaouira.

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to do.

The main attraction for both Taghazout and Essaouira is, of course, the beach.

Essaouira only offers one beach, in walking distance at least.

Whereas Taghazout has 3 or 4 beaches all within walking distance.

Surfing is very popular in both destinations, maybe slightly more so Taghazout.

For a full list of the best things to do in Taghazout and Essaouira, click on the names of each destination to read the blog posts. 

Locals

As you might know by now.

I love the locals all over Morocco.

It would be impossible to try and separate them.

I will say I had amazing experiences with the locals at Cafe L’Esprit (Essaouira) and Le Spot (Taghazout).

Vibe

Both places are actually very chilled out. 

Taghazout, maybe ever so slightly more chilled. Only for the fact that there are a lot fewer people there. (5,200 compared to 78,000 of Essaouira). 

Neither places any feel of chaos that you might find in Marrakech or Fez.

Whilst Essaouira does have a medina it is nowhere near as busy. 

You will find a different demographic of people in each place.

From my personal experience, Taghazout had a more youthful crowd. Surfers, travellers, skateboarders and nomads.

Whereas, Essaouira had more families, fewer backpackers and more ‘holiday-makers’. 

Obviously, having said that, I don’t mean if you fall into one of the demographics you can’t go to the other place. 

I fall into the Taghazout demographic, however, I feel like I connected more with the people of Essaouira. 

Tourism rates 

There are a lot more tourists in Essaouira.

It is nowhere near Marrakech or Fez levels.

However, it is significantly more than Taghazout.

The Verdict: Essaouira or Taghazout

Both.

Sorry, I can’t separate them.

Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to have time to go to both places during my time in Morocco.

In an ideal world, I would advise you to make time in your Morocco itinerary to go to both destinations. 

However, I know that is not always possible. 

Therefore, as I mentioned earlier, the decision will heavily depend on what appeals to you more.

Everyone is different and may like one place more than another.

Therefore, I don’t want to make a recommendation to you as each and every single one of you are different. 

I’d advise you use this blog post to make your decision based on your style of travel.

If you need further help deciding, be sure to check out my other Morocco blog posts.

I have also made a number of Morocco travel vlogs over on YouTube that will help you out.

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