Short answer: less than you think. At a camp like ours the boards, wetsuits, leashes, towels and bedding are all provided — so your bag is really sunscreen, swimwear, a few warm layers for desert-cool evenings, and cash for the extras. From October to March you'll surf in a 3/2mm wetsuit (ours); from June to September it's boardshorts water. Here's the full list we send guests before every week.
The 60-second answer
- Passport valid 6+ months, plus a photo of it on your phone.
- Cash — euros to change, or dirhams; the villages run on cash.
- Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50 and a zinc stick — bring your own; imported sunscreen at Moroccan pharmacy prices will surprise you.
- Swimwear ×2–3 — one drying, one wearing.
- Light layers plus one proper warm hoodie or fleece — evenings drop hard year-round.
- Flip-flops and one pair of trainers for evening walks.
- Type C/E plug adapter if you're coming from the UK.
- No board, no wetsuit, no beach towel — we've got those covered (details below).
What wetsuit do I need in Morocco?
The one everybody asks. Morocco sits on the Atlantic, not the Med — the water is cooler than the sunshine suggests, and it barely changes between a sunny day and a cloudy one. This is what we actually wear, month by month:
| Months | What you'll wear | Water temp |
|---|---|---|
| October – March | 3/2mm full wetsuit | 17–19°C |
| April – May, September | Springsuit (3/2 if you run cold) | 19–21°C |
| June – September | Boardshorts or a springsuit | 21–23°C |
Two notes from the water. First, a 3/2 genuinely handles a Moroccan winter — you don't need a 4/3 or boots here; the water never goes properly cold, and between sessions the sun does the warming. Second, in high summer plenty of guests still grab a springsuit for the first morning session before the sun is on the water, then switch to boardshorts by lunch.
If you're choosing when to come rather than what to wear, that's a different question — our month-by-month guide to the Taghazout surf season covers which months suit beginners and which bring the famous point-break swells.
What The Pearl provides (so you can pack less)
Every package — The Surf Reset included — comes with the equipment line covered:
- Boards — a quiver from foamies to step-ups, matched to your level by the coaches and swapped as you progress through the week.
- Wetsuits — 3/2s for winter, springsuits for summer, rinsed daily.
- Leashes and wax — on the van, always.
- Beach towels — provided and swapped through the week.
- Bedding — obviously, but people ask.
That's most of the weight and all of the airline drama removed from your bag. A cabin bag plus a small backpack genuinely covers a week here.
The packing list, category by category
Surf
Sunscreen SPF 50 (reef-safe), a zinc stick for your face — hours in the water beat any cream — swimwear ×2–3, and a dry bag for beach days. If you dorm at Blue Pearl, ear plugs. In winter, add swim leggings or a thermal rash vest to wear under the 3/2 if you run cold: the water is fine, but between sessions the wind is honest.
Clothes
Days are warm year-round; evenings drop hard — the Atlantic plus pre-Sahara air means rooftop dinners in a hoodie even in May. Pack light layers, one warm fleece or hoodie, long trousers for evenings, and — for winter weeks — a proper jacket. For village walks, having something that covers shoulders and knees is a small courtesy locals quietly appreciate; nobody will say a word either way, but it's a nice habit in Tamraght's lanes, and you'll want the layers for the evening anyway.
Meds and the pharmacy reality
Good news: Moroccan pharmacies are everywhere, well stocked and cheap, and the pharmacist in Aourir — ten minutes from the houses — speaks French and enough English. Painkillers, rehydration salts, stomach settlers: all easy to buy here. What you should still bring from home: any prescription medication in its original packaging, motion-sickness tabs if coast-road bends bother you (the drive to Imsouane earns them), and that sunscreen — the imported brands carry a painful markup.
Tech and plugs
Morocco uses the European two-pin (Type C/E, 220V) — UK guests need an adapter, EU guests don't. Bring a power bank for travel day, and a phone case or dry pouch if you want beach photos. Both houses have Wi-Fi, so a laptop is optional, not essential.
Cash and cards
The dirham is a closed currency — you change money when you arrive, and Agadir airport or the banks in Aourir handle it easily. ATMs exist in Aourir and Taghazout, but day-to-day village life runs on cash: mint tea, taxis, the fruit stall, the laundry. Note that our balance is settled in cash on arrival too (the €100 deposit reserves your spot online) — the FAQ has the full breakdown of what to budget beyond the package.
What NOT to bring (camp guests)
- Your surfboard — our quivers cover foamies to step-ups, and airlines charge more for a board bag than the board is worth carrying.
- Your wetsuit — 3/2s and springsuits are included and rinsed daily.
- Beach towels — provided and swapped through the week.
- A ding repair kit — no. If a board comes back wounded, that's ours to worry about; it goes to the racks, you get a fresh one, and your holiday continues.
- A hairdryer arsenal — the houses have them, and salt hair is the look anyway.
Quick answers
- Do I need a travel adapter for Morocco?
- Morocco uses the European two-pin (Type C/E, 220V) — UK and Irish guests need an adapter, EU guests don't.
- Do I need to bring my own surfboard or wetsuit?
- Not to a camp — boards, wetsuits and leashes are included in every Pearl package, matched to your level and swapped as you improve.
- Can I buy anything I forget?
- Almost certainly. Aourir covers pharmacy and basics ten minutes away, and Agadir has surf shops, supermarkets and everything else within forty.
- Is there laundry?
- Yes — village laundries return your bag washed and folded next day for a few euros, which is why two or three outfits genuinely last a week.
- What bag should I bring?
- A soft duffel or backpack beats a hard case — easier in the van, easier up the stairs, and without a board to carry you won't fill it anyway.