Perfect Day in Casablanca – Beach Day
Morocco has 500 kilometers of Mediterranean beaches and 3,000 kilometers of Atlantic coastline. Living in Casablanca is all about that beach life. Beach culture includes surfing, fishing, soccer in the sand, cooking out on the beach; and during Ramadan, thousands of people and families go out to the beach to break their fast at sunset. In this Perfect Day Casablanca series, I break down a perfect beach day in Casablanca that is achievable even if you have brought no beach gear other than the essentials: sunscreen, a towel, your swimsuit, a cover-up, and some sandals. You don’t need to be overly prepared to have a great experience and live like a local for a day. I promise, you will be right next to the water the whole day and each stop on this itinerary is within walking distance.
Cafe N’Zaha is a great cafe to start a beach day. You will see very quickly that N’Zaha is a local favorite for its incredible view and non-touristy prices. They have all of the Moroccan breakfast and light lunch classics, mainly salads and sandwiches and skewers. From your vantage point, you are overlooking the Ain Diab beach, a very long stretch of uninterrupted coast right in the middle of the city.
You will notice that going to the beach in Morocco is not like going to the beach in America or other parts of the world. Beach life in Morocco is about fun, not relaxing and sunbathing. Yes, families will be parked in the sand, but they are constructing their own little tent city and have brought half of their kitchen. Moroccans love nothing more than cooking outdoors. You’ll see families making tea and tagine over coals in a traditional fire pot called mj-mhr. And while the mommies and daddies are cooking, the kids are building sand castles and bodyboarding and the teens are playing football on the beach. And of course, everyone takes breaks to swim.
Another point to note is that being modest at the beach; especially in Casablanca, is very typical. It would be a-typical to see women in bikinis.
Another point to note is that it is typical to have vendors walk up and down the beach with coolers full of popsicles, nuts, and other treats. Men selling camel rides, and horse and pony rides is also typical. Even to take a picture with the animals, their handlers will expect a hefty tip. If you want to take a ride, negotiate by writing the amount you want to pay in the sand and pay in cash before you ride. Don’t wait to pay after the ride – you might be surprised at how the handler suddenly demands a larger amount than you originally agreed.
Would you like to take a surf class and then chill on the beach? There are so many surf clubs along the many different beach options in Casablanca. Try the Ain Diab Surf School or Casa Surf House, both located side-by-side on the Ain Diab beach. After your surf class, these surf schools will provide you with a place to hang out, changing facilities, even a toilet! These are amenities you won’t find otherwise on the beach, which can make life a little more challenging. But if you aren’t into surfing, just pop back up to Cafe N’Zaha to have a tea and use their facilities.
As the sun sets, even in the summer, things start to get a little chilly, and it’s time to pack up and get ready for a fun evening on the coast. Ain Diab beach is next to The Corniche, the party strip of town. It’s an easy walk over to La Table du Miami, where there is a hidden Korean restaurant called Mik’s Made In Korea attached to the Miami restaurant. Mik’s is boasting a great view from the roof terrace and is surprising locals and tourists with K-pop vibes and Korean street food classics on the beach in Morocco!
No beach day is complete without ice cream. If you haven’t had ice cream already from the beach vendors, walk a few more minutes down The Corniche to Venezia Ice Ain Diab to enjoy everyone’s favorite ice cream chain. The view is still incredible as this ice cream shop is over-looking the Atlantic. And if you still aren’t ready for your perfect beach day to end, go to the club right next door. La Paillote is a popular spot for drinks, bar food, and dancing late into the night.
