Christmas in Taghazout is a warm-weather, wave-and-tagine kind of holiday, not a tinsel one. We get 14-19°C days, 9-12°C nights and 18°C water, with the Atlantic swell at its strongest of the year. Nothing shuts for 25 December because it is an ordinary working day in Morocco, so the surf schools, cafes, fish grills and taxis keep running. What changes is the crowd: from roughly 20 December to 3 January the village fills with UK, French, German and Scandinavian surfers escaping winter, and prices follow.
Our broader December in Taghazout guide covers swell and conditions; this page is the festive-week plan. If you are choosing between a Christmas trip and a quieter December, our winter sun guide for 2026-27 compares every month from November to February.
Where the Festive Atmosphere Actually Is
There are no Christmas markets and no carols in the street. The festive feeling is created by travellers, and it clusters in three places.
Taghazout village. The surf camps and rooftop cafes along the main road hold shared Christmas dinners for guests, often a long communal table with tagine, grilled fish and a gift swap. Hash Point and the beach in front of the village fill with spectators on 25 December, because most people surf in the morning and eat late.
Taghazout Bay resorts. The international hotels on the headland towards Aourir, including the Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay and the Hilton Taghazout Bay Beach Resort, decorate lobbies and serve festive buffets or set dinners. This is where families who want a conventional Christmas will find it. The new Marriott Resort Taghazout Bay opened on 1 July 2026 (see our news report); we could not confirm its Christmas programme, so ask before booking.
Agadir. Boulevard Mohammed V and the seafront restaurants have the most visible decorations, and the large beach hotels run gala menus. It is a 25-35 minute taxi from Taghazout, and a sensible evening out if you want a bigger town.
What Is Open on 24, 25 and 26 December
- Surf schools and board rental: open daily, though lessons book out 3-4 days ahead in the holiday window. See our surf schools guide.
- Cafes and restaurants: open. Fish grills such as Chez Brahim serve lunch as normal, and most places stay open into the evening.
- ATMs: working, but queues build on 23-24 December, so withdraw early. Our ATM guide lists the machines.
- Supermarkets and pharmacies in Aourir and Agadir: open on 25 December.
- Hammams and spas: open and heavily booked, so reserve a slot for the day after a hard surf week.
- Alcohol: only licensed hotels and some restaurants in Agadir serve it. The surf-village cafes are mostly dry.
Hotels and Camps: Approximate Festive-Week Rates
All prices are approximate and as of 2026. We could not confirm 2026 Christmas-week tariffs, so treat these as planning ranges built from the early-December rates we found and the 30-50% holiday uplift we see every year.
| Option | Typical early-December rate | Christmas week estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Dorm bed, Taghazout village | MAD 150-250 per night | MAD 250-350 per night |
| Guesthouse, Auberge Taghazout | from approximately MAD 600-900 | approximately MAD 900-1,300 |
| Tamraght riad, Le Riad Tamraght | from approximately MAD 500-800 | approximately MAD 700-1,100 |
| Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay | from approximately MAD 1,200 (about 110 euros) | approximately MAD 1,700-2,200 |
| Hilton Taghazout Bay | from approximately MAD 1,450 (about 130 euros) | approximately MAD 2,000-2,600 |
| Surf camp week, shared room | from approximately 520 euros per person | approximately 650-900 euros per person |
Camps fill first. Our surf camps guide and camp price breakdown show what each tier includes. If Taghazout village is full, Tamraght is three kilometres south with the same access to the breaks. You can also search Taghazout hotels on Booking.com and filter by free cancellation.
Where to Eat Christmas Dinner
We found no verified 2026 Christmas menus at independent restaurants, so the honest advice is to ask by early December. These are the places we would ask first:
- Dar Taghazout (riad restaurant): its normal set dinner costs approximately MAD 130-170, and a festive version is the likeliest in the village.
- Restaurant Taghazout and L’Auberge du Soleil: reliable tagine and seafood platters, from approximately MAD 80-150 for a main. No alcohol.
- Hotel dinners at the Taghazout Bay resorts: expect approximately 40-70 euros per adult for a festive buffet or set menu, and book before 10 December.
- Your surf camp: most run a communal dinner on 24 or 25 December, often included in a week package. Confirm it when booking.
See our full list of Taghazout restaurants for everyday options.
Flights: Price Windows for Christmas 2026
Agadir Al Massira has more winter capacity than ever. Ryanair adds Milan Bergamo, Nuremberg, Bratislava and Gdańsk (see the route news), and easyJet starts Gatwick, East Midlands, Birmingham and Bordeaux services (see easyJet’s new routes).
- Cheapest: departures from 1 to 14 December and returns after 6 January.
- Dearest: out on 19-23 December, back on 2-4 January. Fares in this window are commonly double the shoulder price.
- Booking window: 10-14 weeks ahead, which means now for most dates.
- Cheaper trick: fly out on 24 December or 25 December itself when the schedule allows. These are often 20-30% below the 21-22 December peak.
Compare flights to Agadir and read our flights to Taghazout guide for airline and airport detail. Pre-book your airport transfer, because taxi queues are long at Christmas.
Weather Numbers for Christmas Week
| Measure | Approximate value |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | 14-19°C |
| Evening low | 9-12°C |
| Sea temperature | 18°C |
| Sunset | around 5:45pm |
| Rain | December is the wettest month, with brief showers between long clear spells |
| Swell | 2-4m from the NW |
Pack a 3/2mm or 4/3mm wetsuit, a fleece and a windproof layer. Our packing list and what to wear pages go through the details.
What to Do Besides Surfing
Book a Paradise Valley day trip for gorge walking, take a yoga class in the morning, or head to Essaouira for a walled-medina day. Browse guided tours from Taghazout and keep one day free: the lineup at Anchor Point can pass 40 surfers on a good 26 December swell, and a rest day at a hammam is a smart answer.
Is Christmas Here Worth It?
It is if you want swell, sun and company, and have booked early. If you would rather skip the crowds and the premium, arrive on 1 December and leave before the 20th, or come after 10 January. We cover the New Year side in our New Year’s Eve in Taghazout guide.
For official visitor information, see the Morocco National Tourist Office.
Booking Checklist for Christmas Week
- Secure a bed first: camps and guesthouses sell out by October.
- Book flights 10-14 weeks ahead and avoid 19-23 December departures if you can.
- Reserve the transfer and one or two lessons before you land.
- Ask your camp or hotel in writing whether Christmas dinner is included and what it costs.
- Buy travel insurance that covers surfing, and keep emergency numbers saved.
- Pack a small gift or two if you are joining a camp gift swap, because shops in the village are limited.