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The essentials in three lines

  • Agadir – Taghazout: around 20 km along the N1 national road (the Essaouira road), 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. From Al Massira airport, allow nearly 45 km and about an hour.
  • The village is best explored on foot. Leave the car in the paid, attended car park at the top of the village, then take the steps down to the beach.
  • With Carsalis, the essentials are already included for this trip: unlimited kilometres, third-party insurance, 24-hour assistance, no deposit. Stay on the tarmac: dirt tracks are prohibited under our conditions.

You're in Agadir with a hire car, or you're landing at Al Massira, and you want to spend a day in Taghazout, or settle in there for the week. Two questions come up every week on our WhatsApp: how long does the drive take, and where do you leave the car once you get there. Here is what we answer, with verified distances and what our hire conditions say.

Agadir – Taghazout: 20 km along the coastal road

Taghazout lies around 20.5 km north of Agadir, along the N1 national road, known in town as the Essaouira road. You leave Agadir to the north, follow the ocean and pass through Aourir, at 12 km, known for its bananas, then Tamraght, at 15 km. Next comes the Taghazout Bay resort, with its hotels and golf course, then the village of Taghazout itself.

Allow 20 to 30 minutes from the centre of Agadir, and about an hour from the airport. Route planners quote around twenty minutes, local guides more like 25 to 35: the difference comes down to the traffic lights in Agadir and getting through the villages. In summer, the beach and the village are very busy: set off early in the morning, you'll have an easy drive and you'll find a parking space.

From Al Massira airport, the drive is longer than you might think: around 45 km to Taghazout, roughly an hour on the road, because you have to cross the whole city on the N1 before reaching the coast.

The road in practice: speed, checkpoints, signs

The N1 is a tarmac national road; you won't use any motorway on this route. Outside built-up areas, the limit is 100 km/h for a car (120 km/h on motorways). But over these 20 km, you'll rarely be doing 100: the road passes through several villages where the limit drops.

On this drive, the rule is simple: obey the signs, especially when passing through Aourir and Tamraght. Police checkpoints are common in Morocco. Road signs are generally bilingual, in Arabic and French, with the same sign shapes as in Europe. Any fine received during the hire period is the hirer's to pay: you may as well drive calmly, the scenery lends itself to it.

As for the licence, a valid European driving licence is enough: Law 52-05 (Article 2) allows a foreign driver to drive on their national licence for one year of temporary stay. Keep your original licence and your passport with you.

Parking in Taghazout: the village is best explored on foot

Taghazout is a former fishing village. The houses are stacked up the hillside facing the ocean, linked by narrow lanes that were never designed for cars. Don't try to drive down to the beach: you'd end up turning around in a dead end.

The approach that works: leave the car at the top of the village and walk down. A paid, attended car park sits on the high ground, above the beach and the village. Steps lead straight down to the centre: a few minutes' walk to the cafés and the beach.

The car park attendant is part of the Moroccan landscape: he guides you to a space and keeps an eye on the cars. If you're staying in Taghazout or Taghazout Bay, ask your hotel where to park.

Two habits before leaving the car. Don't leave anything visible on the seats. And shake out towels and sandals before getting back in: our conditions provide for a cleaning fee if the vehicle comes back with sand or rubbish inside.

What our conditions say for this trip

A round trip Agadir – Taghazout is around forty kilometres. With Carsalis, that makes no difference to your bill: kilometres are unlimited on all our rates. You can go every day, carry on to Imourane beach in Tamraght, or come back to Agadir for dinner, without counting.

The essentials for Taghazout are already included: unlimited kilometres, third-party insurance, 24/7 assistance, and no deposit. You have third-party insurance. No card pre-authorisation, no security deposit: you leave with the car and your documents, nothing more.

One point is worth making clear before you head off to surf. Our conditions prohibit any off-road use, on unpaved tracks, except for vehicles expressly designed for it. The N1 to Taghazout is tarmac. However, some access routes to coves or surf spots turn into dirt tracks: park on the tarmac or in an attended car park, and finish on foot.

Finally, a hire day is 24 hours. If you like Taghazout so much that you stay an extra night, let us know on WhatsApp before the return time: beyond two hours late without prior agreement, a full day is charged. And return the car with the same fuel level as at the start.

Delivery: free in Agadir, to Taghazout on request

We deliver free of charge anywhere in Agadir: at Al Massira airport, at your hotel, in the city centre or at your home. For Marrakech, Essaouira, the Souss region and Taroudant, a surcharge of 60 € per journey applies. Taghazout isn't on that list: handing over the vehicle there is possible on request.

Delivery is free anywhere in Agadir; for a handover directly in Taghazout, message us and we'll tell you what's possible. Send us on WhatsApp the type of car you want, your dates and times, the pick-up and return location, and your flight number if you're arriving by plane. We confirm availability and price, usually within a minute, then we ask you for a copy of your passport and both sides of your driving licence to prepare the contract.

The main driver must be at least 21 and have held a licence for two years. A second driver is possible for a surcharge. For payment, we prefer bank transfer, European transfers accepted; cash on arrival remains possible subject to conditions, and card payment adds a 5% fee.

Route Distance Good to know
Agadir → Aourir 12 km Village on the N1, known for its bananas. Lower speed limit, signs to be obeyed.
Agadir → Tamraght 15 km Between Aourir and Taghazout. Imourane beach is very popular with surfers.
Agadir → Taghazout 20.5 km Former fishing village. Paid, attended car park at the top of the village, steps down to the beach. Allow 20 to 30 minutes' drive.
Al Massira Airport → Taghazout Around 45 km About an hour: you have to cross Agadir on the N1 before reaching the coast.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need an international driving permit to go to Taghazout?

No. A valid European driving licence is enough for a tourist: Law 52-05 allows driving on a foreign licence for one year of temporary stay. Some countries recommend the international driving permit simply as a translation, but it isn't compulsory in Morocco.

Can you reach the surf spots by car?

As far as the tarmac goes, yes. The N1 is tarmac. The dirt tracks leading down to some coves are prohibited under our hire conditions, unless the vehicle is expressly designed for it. Park on the tarmac or in an attended car park, then walk with your board.

Does the drive count towards the mileage?

No, kilometres are unlimited on all our rates. The only rule: return the car with the same fuel level as at the start, and clean, with no sand inside.

Sources

Written by the Carsalis team, in Agadir. We have been hiring out cars from our office at 4 Bis rue Moulay Driss since 2008. What you read here comes from our own hire conditions and from what our customers ask us every week on WhatsApp.

A question about your car hire in Agadir? Message us on WhatsApp on +212 648 291 116, or use our booking request. We usually reply within a minute, and we'll tell you honestly whether the car is available or not.

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