Crescent cove
Framed by cliffs.
Med-Did — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Reda benkhadra — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Abdel Jalil Bouhaj — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jamal252 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Zfoustv — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Achraf errifi — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Tontonfranky — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Soufiane Achloiou — CC BY-SA 3.0
A small crescent cove at the heart of Al Hoceima on the Mediterranean coast of the Rif, with golden sand and clear turquoise water, ringed by tall rocky cliffs topped by the town's white houses. It is Al Hoceima's best-known beach and its most photographed view. The beach keeps its Spanish name from the protectorate years, when the modern town grew after 1925 as Villa Sanjurjo; after independence in 1956 it took back the name Al Hoceima, from al-khuzama, the lavender that gave the nearby islands their name. Lookouts above the beach give a panorama of the bay, the port and the mountains, with steps leading down to the sand, and the water is usually calm because the cliffs shelter it. Restaurants near the port serve fresh fish, and other lovely beaches lie around the town, such as Sfiha, Matadero and Cala Bonita. The beach is free. It fills in July and August with holidaymakers from Morocco and abroad, so come early to find a spot; June and September are calmer, with warm water.
Framed by cliffs.
Panoramas of the bay.
Fresh fish.
Central Al Hoceima, below the town near the port
In June and September, when the water is still warm and there are fewer holidaymakers; July and August are very busy.