Aourir, the town between Tamraght and Agadir, is known to everyone as Banana Village. Ask why and you'll get two answers: the banana plantations that used to fill the river valley, or the bunches of bananas hanging over the stalls on the main road. Both are probably part of it. The wave at the end of the beach took the name, and it's the wave a lot of people end up loving most on this coast.
Where it is
At Aourir, about three kilometres south of Tamraght. There's a paved path along the coast from Tamraght, which takes about half an hour on foot, or it's a ten-minute drive from Taghazout. If you're driving, turn off the main road by the Atlantic campsite.
How the wave works
People call it a mini Anchor Point, and that's fair. It's a long right peeling off a rocky headland, over a mix of sand, rock and reef. On small days it's mellow, a bit mushy, and perfect for a longboard. On a proper swell it lines up into long walls that good intermediates can ride for a long way.
Two things make it special. It likes low tide, which is when most of the beach breaks around here stop working. And it sits out of the northerly wind that comes up most afternoons, so it's often clean when everything else is messy.
- Swell: north-west, medium size
- Wind: offshore in east to south-east winds, sheltered from northerlies
- Tide: best at low. When it's overhead it works through the tide.
- Season: autumn to spring
- Level: all levels on small days, confident intermediates when it's bigger
Things to know
- After rain, don't. The river comes out right next to the point, and after rain it brings everything with it. Wait a couple of days or you'll spend the next two in bed.
- The crowd. Because it works when other spots don't, it's often busy. On a big day half the coast shows up. Take your turn, and don't drop in on the locals.
- Rips. On bigger swells there's a strong pull along the point.
Around it
Aourir has its weekly souk on Wednesday, and the town is known for its tagines. It's a good place to have lunch after a morning session. For more about the souks, see our souks guide.
The live forecast for Banana Point is on this page above.