Short answer: January is the heart of the Atlantic swell season on this coast. The famous points around Taghazout work most often now, the holiday crowd has gone home after the first week, days are about 20°C, nights about 8 to 10°C, and the water is about 17°C, which means a 4/3 wetsuit, included. A week at The Pearl in January costs what it costs in any other month: from €420 (dorm) all-inclusive for surf, from €510 (dorm) with daily yoga.
We run two surf houses in Tamraght, a village a few minutes south of Taghazout, and January is the month for anyone who wants the points at their best.
The three numbers
| January in Tamraght | |
|---|---|
| Air | about 20°C by day, about 8 to 10°C at night |
| Water | about 17°C, a 4/3 wetsuit is the right suit, wetsuits are included |
| Daylight | the sun goes around six and it is dark by seven; mornings are the session |
Averages for the Agadir coast, not a forecast. The gap between day and night is the thing to plan for: shorts on the beach at midday, a proper jacket on the roof once the sun has gone.
The waves
December to February is when the biggest and most consistent Atlantic swells reach this coast, and January sits in the middle of that window. The point breaks that put Taghazout on the map need this kind of swell, and in January they work more often than in any autumn month. For an improver or an intermediate, this is when the long walls happen.
For beginners the method does not change. Coaching stays on the beach breaks around Tamraght, where the whitewater is long and forgiving, and when the swell is big the coach moves the group to the most sheltered corner rather than the most famous one. The spot is chosen each day by size and tide, not by reputation. Two hours of coached surf and two hours of supervised free surf a day is the rhythm in every month, January included.
The crowd
The Christmas and New Year fortnight is the busiest of the winter, in the villages and in the water. That crowd leaves after the first week of January, and the rest of the month is what the regulars come for: the points working, room in the line-up, a coast back at its normal pace. About 70% of our guests arrive alone, so a group has formed by the first dinner.
If the holiday week itself is what you are after, the Christmas and New Year guide covers those two weeks on their own.
The escape from a northern winter
In January it is dark in Hamburg, London and Amsterdam before the working day ends; here the light lasts until around six and midday is warm enough for a T-shirt. It is not a beach holiday, you surf in a wetsuit and eat dinner in a fleece. It is a surf week with sun on it, in a month when the alternative at home is a wet car park.
What a week costs in January
There is no winter surcharge and no low-season discount. January costs what October costs.
| Week | Dorm | Twin | Double | Private |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Surf Reset, surf only, 7 days | €420 | €450 | €510 | €550 |
| The Full Reset, surf + daily sunset yoga, 7 days | €510 | €550 | €610 | €630 |
Included: your room, three meals a day, two hours of coaching and two hours of supervised surf daily, boards and wetsuits, and airport pickup from Agadir. Not included: flights, insurance and personal spending. A €100 deposit per guest holds your spot, with a full refund up to 30 days before arrival, and free date changes 30 or more days out.
Short on days? The Quick Escape is 3 to 5 nights, from €225 (dorm); the airport transfer is not in that price, it is a €30 add-on one way.
Which winter month?
November is the warm-up, with the points starting to work and the water still about 18°C. January is the peak of the swell and the coolest nights of the year. February is the same swell and the same temperatures, with the half-term crowd for part of the month. March is a little warmer by day, about 22°C, with regular swell still and the first small, glassy spring days in between. For the points at their most consistent, January is the pick; October is the gentler choice for a nervous first week.
What to pack for January
The 4/3 is on the house. Pack for two climates: the beach at midday and the roof after dark. A warm jacket or thick hoodie, long trousers, socks and closed shoes for the evenings, a beanie if you feel the cold, and sunscreen, because a 20°C January sun still burns. The full list is in the packing guide.
Getting here
The house is about 40 minutes from Agadir Al Massira airport, and on the week packages the pickup is part of the price. A week is 7 days, 6 nights. Details in the airport guide.
Quick answers
- Is January a good month to surf in Morocco?
- Yes, for anyone who wants swell. December to February brings the biggest and most consistent Atlantic swells and the points around Taghazout work most often then. Beginners are coached on the beach breaks throughout.
- How cold is the water in Morocco in January?
- About 17°C. A 4/3 wetsuit is the right suit and it is included with the week, along with the board.
- Is January crowded?
- The first week is, because of New Year. From the second week the holiday crowd has left and the line-ups are quieter than at any point over Christmas.
- Can a complete beginner come in January?
- Yes. The coach picks a sheltered beach break sized for the group each morning. Most of our guests are beginners or first-week improvers.
- Do January weeks cost more?
- No. The price is the same in every month: from €420 (dorm) for The Surf Reset, from €510 (dorm) for The Full Reset. €100 holds a spot on the booking page; the cancellation terms are in the FAQ.