Beaches near Tangier
Beaches on the bay and the Atlantic coast
Tangier lies on a bay between Cape Spartel and Cape Malabata, at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. Along this coast are sandy beaches, among them Cape Spartel Beach, the coast at Cape Malabata and Dalia Beach.
On this page
On the Bay of Tangier
Tangier lies at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, on a bay between Cape Spartel and Cape Malabata where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean. The beaches around the bay are sandy, and the waters of the Strait are used for water sports.
The city port, Tanger Ville, sits on this bay. Since 15 December 2010 it has received only cruise ships and fast ferries, and a conversion project begun in 2010 turned it towards cruises and pleasure boating. Most other traffic moved to Tanger Med, about 40 km east of Tangier. The ferries page explains which port serves which crossing, and the where to stay page covers staying near the sea.
Cape Spartel and the Atlantic
Cape Spartel bounds the bay on the Atlantic side. On its massif, 14 km from Tangier, the Caves of Hercules are carved into the limestone of the Atlantic coast, with a passage that opens onto the ocean. Cape Spartel Beach is named after the cape. The lighthouse on Cape Spartel was listed as a heritage building in 2016, and at the foot of Ras Achakar the remains of the Roman site of Cotta are still visible. The Cape Spartel page covers the caves, the cape and their opening times.
Cape Malabata and Dalia Beach
On the other side of the bay is Cape Malabata. Boulevard Mohammed VI links the city with Malabata, and on the Malabata road, about 2.5 km from the old medina, lie the remains of the medieval arsenal known as the Kasba de Ghaylan, listed in 2017.
Also on Boulevard Mohammed VI, Villa Harris faces the Mediterranean. The British journalist Walter Burton Harris had it built at the end of the 19th century, and today it is a museum of two centuries of art in Morocco. It opens from 10:00 to 18:00 and is closed on Tuesdays.
Dalia Beach is another of the beaches near Tangier.
Season and sea
The warmest months are July and August, with mean temperatures over day and night of 24.1°C and 24.8°C. June averages 21.9°C and September 22.8°C. July and August are also almost dry, with 1.1 mm and 1.2 mm of rain. From October the rain returns: 83.8 mm fall in October, 111.2 mm in November and 116.8 mm in December, the wettest month. The weather in Tangier page has the figures for the whole year.
Swimming and safety
Strong currents and unexpected waves can occur on Morocco's beaches. Take care when entering the water and avoid swimming in isolated areas.
Petty crime such as pickpocketing and bag-snatching is common on beaches as well as in the medinas. Avoid quiet areas, particularly after dark, and do not carry large amounts of money or valuables. The safety page has more on this.