Villas in Souss-Massa-Draâ

Agadir suits beach holidays with winter sun, while Tamri and Taghazout to the north suit surfers; choice outside Agadir is very limited. Almost all our villas here are in and around Agadir, around half an hour from the airport. Flights from London take around three and a half to four hours, and inland gets very hot in summer.

Where

Villas: 22
From, per week: £227
Cheapest month: November
Nearest airports: Agadir Al Massira airport is south-east of the city, around 30 minutes by road from the centre. Direct flights from London take around three and a half to four hours, with several airlines and departure airports to choose from.

Where to stay in Souss-Massa-Draâ

Agadir seafront and marina

Most of our villas in this region are in Agadir. The beach curves for several kilometres around a sheltered bay, with a promenade of cafés and restaurants behind it and the marina at the northern end. Above town, a cable car climbs to the ruined kasbah of Agadir Oufella for views over the bay. Souk El Had, a huge walled market, is a short taxi ride inland. The airport is around 30 minutes away.

Best for: Families who want a long sandy beach and a promenade within walking distance

Not for you if: You want old Morocco: Agadir was rebuilt after the 1960 earthquake and is a modern resort city.

Founty and Agadir's southern beach

South of the centre, Agadir's beach carries on past the Founty and Sonaba districts towards the mouth of the Oued Souss, with fewer people and more space. Several golf courses lie just inland. The Souss-Massa National Park, known for its birdlife, is around an hour south. This side of Agadir is the closest to the airport, at roughly 20 to 25 minutes.

Best for: A quieter stretch of sand, with golf courses close by

Not for you if: You want to walk into the centre in the evening: it is a long stroll or a taxi ride away.

Tamri and the coast north of Agadir

North of Agadir the road follows a rocky coast through the surf villages of Tamraght and Taghazout, round the lighthouse at Cap Ghir, to Tamri. The village is known for its banana groves, and the river mouth at Tamri beach draws birdwatchers. Surf breaks line the whole coast, at their best from autumn to spring. We have just one house here. Agadir airport is about an hour and a quarter away.

Best for: Surfers and anyone who wants a wilder Atlantic coast

Not for you if: You want shops and restaurants nearby: Tamri is a small farming village, so plan on a car.

Agadir as a base for the Souss valley

Inland from Agadir, the Souss plain is argan country, and women's cooperatives along the roads sell the oil. Taroudant, a walled market town with lively souks, is around an hour and a half east. The palm-filled gorge on the road to Imouzzer, with rock pools for swimming, is about an hour from Agadir in the foothills of the High Atlas. There are very few villas outside Agadir itself, so most people stay in town and drive out.

Best for: Day trips to walled towns, argan country and mountain gorges

Not for you if: You don't want long drives: Taroudant is around three hours there and back.

When to go to Souss-Massa-Draâ

Agadir is warm all year, which is why it sells so well as a winter-sun destination. October to May is the best time: warm days, cool evenings and mostly settled weather, though the Atlantic stays fresh and is never very warm. July and August are hot inland and the busiest months, with Moroccan families on holiday, and a sea mist sometimes sits over the bay on summer mornings. During Ramadan, which moves earlier each year, many cafés close in daylight and evenings get livelier.