Morocco

Ever since its discovery back in the day, Anchor Point has been Morocco's most legendary wave. It's a long, long right point that runs along a rock shelf, with hollow sections and lots of room for high-performance surfing. It's easy location in the town of Taghazoute and its consistency in the winter months make it the center of surfing in the region. Much of the town has built up around it and caters to the traveling surfer. Rooms are for rent from cheap to decent, for long and short term stays; internet cafes are popping up, along with eating establishments that cater to Westerners; and surf schools are attracting ever more beginners - often from Europe's inland countries such as Germany and Switzerland. Unfortunately for this world-class break, it's also crowded and the changes from sleepy Moroccan village to surf travel crossroads of the world have taken the adventure and experience of exotic Morocco out of the place. It might be the Moroccan version of Rosarito, B.C., Mexico, without the booze and strip clubs. On the other hand, there are at least four world-class breaks within driving distance, so the crowd spreads out and epic sessions abound. And Anchor Point can hold any size swell up to triple overhead and beyond, making it the go to spot when the swell is macking. The wave itself peaks on the outside in front of a rock-shelf point with a small takeoff zone for the experienced surfer. As it rolls down the line it offers several sections that pitch and barrel at different tides, where the crowd strings out and shoulder hops. The paddle out can be daunting, necessitating a timed jump off slippery rocks, and the inexperienced hesitate and can be doomed. But the paddle in is worse when a big swell is running, as the whitewash batters the same rocks and makes luck and timing essential. As with most spots in Morocco, low tide is a must. Even a solid swell can go inconsistent and mushy at high tide, so you'll see the area littered with sunburned Euros hanging out with an eye on it through the afternoon, waiting for the tide to drop. Dawn can be good, and evening glass offs. The lower tide the better and more hollow. As for equipment, take your fast shortboard for the head high days, and a bigger, narrower board for when it gets big. If you're there in prime season, you'll use it.

Halfway between Casablanca and Agadir, the dingy port town of Safi can be depressing. It is a major port and industrial town set into a bend in the coast, strikingly ugly especially if you've come from the charming town of Essaouria to the south. It is a major sardine processing port, and south of town there is an enormous - enormous - phosphate factory that is nearly a town-sized factory like something out of a science fiction movie. It is also historically one of the main ceramic centers, and an afternoon wander through the small ceramic shops to see pots and bowls being made is interesting. The surf is great in Safi, however, and - as with much of the country - overlooked by travelers. If you want to surf epic reefs with no one out, it's a good bet that you'll score in Safi, as there are few to no traveling surfers, and plenty surf if you look a little. This stretch of coast is holding some true gems for the searcher. Joust south of town and easily found by driving along the coast is the right point/reef of Sidi Ghouzia. Located in front of some open lots in a residential area, the set up looks perfect when you pull up: a small cove with rights swinging around and no one out. Park in the dirt lot within sight of your car and paddle out from the inside. The wave itself is crumbly and forgiving, with playful sections and room for lots of turns, reminiscent of Lower Trestles. Lower tides are better, making the faces steeper, and in the mornings when it is glassy, it can be great fun. The well-defined reef can hold shape up to solid overhead but too big and it can break wide and fat. A few locals might come out to share the waves - hit them up for info on other spots in the area.

The powerful, consistent right-hander previously well-known as the Money Wave - an image of the huge phosphate factory on the beach once adorned the back of 1,000 dirham note - has all but disappeared off the traveling surfers' list of Moroccan surf spots in the past decade. While its appalling location in front of a huge, noisy factory is largely to blame, the waves are as good as ever. Follow the coast south from Safi until you come to the huge factory. Pull up in the dirt lot in front and just in front is a long reef of right-handers that picks up a lot of swell. The paddle out from the rocky beach can be a bit of work when the swell is big, but the big, shifty, hollow peaks are what you're dreaming of right now. There are barrels and big faces for lots of turns, challenging enough for the best surfers, and - as usual in northern Morocco - no one out. Staying in Safi is the best option, which allows you to check the coast and other spots on the drive down. The factory is depressing and noisy and makes the water quality dubious, although it looks clean and green enough, so it's not an ideal place for your girl to sunbathe. But if you're looking to get some solid peaks and pull into a few, here's the place. The locals surf it and are happy to share when they're around, and if you make friends with them they might lead you to some of their more secret reefs down the coast south of the factory, where the landscape is beautiful and the road winds along the hillside. While the swarms of travelers are back-paddling each other at the points around Taghazoute near Agadir, the forgotten Money Wave is still doing its thing near Safi, uncrowded and dependable.

The first spot heading south as you round the headland of Cap Ghair is a zippy right-hander visible in the distance from the road. From here south the prevailing winter winds blow offshore making the area the capital of Moroccan surfing with several world-class waves within an hour's drive of each other, all centered around the dull town of Taghazoute and its yearly influx of traveling surfers. The right pointbreak called The Boiler is named for the rusty hull of a ship that sits just underwater at the top of the point, its boiler visible and gurgling at low tide. The wave is a quick runner that breaks along the urchin-covered rocks with a lot of speed and punch. Lower tides are best as they give it more zip, but be careful at the paddle-out as the rocks are covered with sea urchins. The place works from waist high to double-overhead and bigger, and when the swell is solid and the crowds spread out over the region's various waves, The Boiler can offer a dream session of offshore winds and overhead sets that will have you hooting your friends as you paddle back up the point. Located on the far west end of the cape, it picks up more swell than the famed Anchor Point and is a good option if the swell is small. Camping in the dirt on the cliff will have you out at dawn, but there's nothing out there at night but stars.

Visible from the lineup at Anchor Point or from the dirt lot above Mysteries, Killers is the distant break at the top of the headland. It's said that it is named for the occasional sightings of Killer Whales in the area, but the wave itself is worthy of the name. It is a long, powerful right point that can handle the biggest swells, and can be more challenging than Anchor Points more groomed lines. You can check it from the road up on the hill, or watch it in the distance from the Mysteries lot. A long paddle from the sharp, rocky beach to the lineup keeps the crowds down, and on big swells it can be a chore to get out there. Better surfers and more serious ones will make the paddle to avoid the crowds at Anchor's and to challenge themselves in the bomb sets. On a good day barrels can be had in the big, shifty line up, with long walls and rippable sections. If it's pumping, drink a lot of water before you paddle out, as you'll be out there all day and won't want to come in. It's a great wave that'll challenge the best of surfers.