Imsouane in December: Surf, Weather & What a Week Looks Like

Imsouane in December is the busiest month of our year at the camp, and the single month most UK and Northern-European surf buyers have circled on their calendars. Honest disclosure first: we run a surf camp here, so take the opinions below with that in mind. What you’re getting is what the village actually looks like through the peak of the surf season — water temperatures, wave size, crowd truth, Christmas booking reality, and whether the place still works after the 2024 demolitions. Soft on marketing, specific on numbers.

If your research is pointing you toward a December surf trip to Morocco, you’ve already guessed the headline: this is the right month, and Imsouane is the right village. The rest of the piece is the detail.

Why December is peak surf season in Imsouane

Morocco’s Atlantic coast picks up North Atlantic swell through the winter — the same storm systems that hammer Ireland, Cornwall and Portugal send clean, organised lines down the coast by the time they arrive here. For Imsouane Bay, which needs size and a clean west-to-northwest angle to run as the long-ride wave it’s famous for, December is when those ingredients stack most often. Independent guides describe “peak conditions November to March when North Atlantic swells pump consistently” — that’s the window Imsouane lives for.

Inside that window, December is the month that combines power with workable conditions. January and February can get bigger and rawer. October and November are still building. December is where the Bay is reliably doing its long-wall thing — head-high sets that peel down the point, offshore mornings, glassy in-between sessions when the wind switches.

The other break in the village, the Cathedral, also wakes up in December. It’s a shorter, punchier reef break that sits on the other side of the harbour; it needs the same swell direction but holds more size and asks more of you. More on both below.

Weather in Imsouane in December: the real numbers

Here’s the honest picture for December, drawn from Wanderlog’s climatology for the village:

• Air temperature: average high 20°C (67°F), average low 13°C (56°F).
• Feel: mildly cool and breezy. Sunny days feel warm in the water and chilly in shade.
• Water temperature: around 16–18°C through the month.
• Wetsuit: a 3/2mm full suit is the workhorse. Some surfers run a 4/3 on cold mornings; a spring suit is not enough.
• Evenings: sweater weather. Bring something warm and wind-resistant for the terrace.
• Rain: occasional. A light waterproof is worth packing.
• Daylight: sunset pushes back to around 6pm mid-December, so afternoon sessions end earlier than in spring.

For wider context, December in Morocco more generally gives “a great chance to soak up some winter sun” — Marrakech sees highs of 20°C with seven hours of sunshine a day, and the Atlantic coast holds water temperatures around 19°C overall, which is “likely too cold for a dip” if you’re not wearing rubber. Surfers in a 3/2 don’t notice.

This is the big thing UK and Northern European readers should internalise: you are leaving a four-layer winter for a beach where you surf in neoprene and eat dinner in a light jacket. It is not a tropical December. It’s a Mediterranean-ish December with proper surf.

For a month-by-month look beyond December, see our best time to surf in Morocco guide.

The Bay in Imsouane in December: what the wave does at size

Imsouane Bay is the reason most people come here. It’s one of the longest right-hand point breaks in Africa — rides can run 300–500m on a clean swell, which means a single wave gives you more time on your feet than a dozen beach-break rides. Our Imsouane Bay surf guide covers the full mechanics; the December version of the same wave is what this section is about.

In December, the Bay receives the heaviest, most consistent swell of its year. Wave size on a properly groomed winter day runs around chest- to head-high on the inside, with head-and-a-half-plus sets breaking further out on the point. On an absolutely pumping winter morning — the ones that generate the videos you’ve probably seen — sets can be overhead for the main take-off, with long, organised walls running all the way to the inside.

The Bay’s saving grace even at size is its shape. It’s a point, not a slab; the wave peels rather than closes out. That means a competent intermediate can still ride it on a head-high day as long as they pick smaller waves on the shoulder and respect the crowd. It also means the longboard line-up stays alive at size — our Imsouane longboard piece goes into why this bay is arguably Africa’s best longboard wave precisely because it doesn’t turn mean when it gets bigger.

Crowds, honestly: the Bay is famous enough that December mornings on a perfect swell can see thirty-plus people in the water — travelling surfers, European winter-escape groups, camp students, local longboarders. It’s civilised. It’s not Hossegor in October. But if you were expecting an empty point all to yourself, the myth’s time has passed. Come with a smile and patience.

The Cathedral in December

When the Bay gets too crowded or you want something punchier, the Cathedral is the village’s answer. It’s a reef break on the opposite side of the harbour that picks up similar swell directions but delivers a more intense experience — faster, heavier, sometimes hollow. It’s less forgiving than the Bay, needs a specific tide window to work, and the line-up skews more experienced.

In December it reaches the size it’s built for. A good winter swell with the right wind gives you a fast, clean right with more energy than the Bay and less length. It’s not a learner’s wave. If you’re improving beyond the beginner phase, it’s an excellent place to push your confidence, with a reassuring “home” wave a five-minute walk back around the bay if you want to reset.

Is December good for beginners?

Short answer: yes, with the right instructor. Long answer: it depends what kind of beginner.

The Bay’s forgiving slope means learners can get proper waves even on a winter day — the inside section stays soft, sets are spaced, and a small group under a good coach can have a genuinely productive session. But sets are bigger than summer, and the paddle-out is more work. If you’re a first-time-ever surfer who has literally never stood on a board, you’ll get more out of a summer session when the Bay is knee-high and the learner experience is purely about balance and the fundamentals.

If you’re someone who has had a few lessons, can pop up on a whitewater wave, and wants to take the next step to catching a proper unbroken face — December is an excellent moment. The Bay is one of the most generous “first green wave” environments on the planet, and its peak season just means there are more chances at the right one each session.

The practical rule: December rewards beginners who are coached, patient, and slightly stubborn. It punishes those who try to wing it. Good camps match the group to the day — if the Bay is too big on Tuesday, you’re surfing a different spot on Tuesday. Ask the question before you book.

Is December good for advanced surfers?

Yes. This is the month you came for. Morocco’s December gets you the clean Atlantic power without the cold of a Portuguese or Irish winter, and Imsouane specifically gives you a long-riding point break alongside a punchy reef break within walking distance of the same breakfast table. It’s an unusual combination; most winter-destination surf towns have one or the other.

The crowd factor is real. If you want glassy empty conditions, you’re hiring a board and driving to lesser-known spots up and down the coast on the side-days. But for the headline sessions on the headline breaks, December will give you the sessions you remember for a decade.

For a wider case for Imsouane as a destination, our Imsouane surf guide compares it against Taghazout, Tamraght and the rest.

Christmas and New Year in Imsouane: the practical reality

This is the section camps rarely write because they’d rather you just click “book”. The honest version:

• Availability is tight. Christmas week and New Year week both sell out at small camps by mid-October. If you’re reading this in November for a December trip, check flexible dates and dorm options before private rooms.
• Prices are higher. Expect a 15–30% seasonal premium across the village compared to shoulder months. That’s consistent across operators, not just us.
• The village is full but not frantic. You’ll see more European families, couples, and solo travellers than you do in September. The café scene is open, fishing boats still unload in the morning, and the Bay is busy but not chaotic.
• Christmas Day at a surf camp is genuinely lovely. We run a communal meal, the water’s usually quiet that morning (everyone else is eating), and the evening is a rooftop-and-fire affair. It’s the opposite of Christmas at home in a good way.
• New Year’s Eve is a longer night. Expect camp dinners that spill into the roof terrace, small fireworks over the bay, and a subdued Jan 1st morning with waves to yourselves for a change.

If you want to book, the booking page shows live availability — Christmas weeks are always the first to lock. For the pre-Christmas quieter window (early December), there’s far more availability and still excellent surf.

A typical Imsouane in December day at Olas

If it helps to picture it:

You wake up around 7.30. There are roosters somewhere in the village — not right outside, but audible. The terrace is cool but sunny. Coffee first, then fruit and bread. By 8.30 the van is loading boards. You drive five minutes round to the Bay and walk down. First session is 9–11, when the wind is cleanest.

Lunch at 12.30 — a Moroccan tagine, a salad, a piece of fresh bread. You eat outside. There’s usually a cat near the table. Nap or forecast-check until 2.30. Afternoon session 3–5 — often a different crew, often a different spot if the Bay is maxed out. Sunset around 5.45 from the terrace with a mint tea. Dinner at 7. In bed by 10.30 because tomorrow starts again.

That’s December. The rhythm is the product. Our camp page has more on the rooms and the food if you want the specifics.

Is Imsouane still worth visiting in December after the 2024 demolitions?

Yes. The short version: Moroccan authorities removed unpermitted coastal structures in parts of the village in early 2024. It made international news because the Bay is famous, and some travellers have asked since whether the village is “still there”. It is.

The best independent update comes from a Reddit r/Morocco thread where a visitor in late 2025 wrote that the demolition “took only 30% to 40% of businesses in Imsouane. There’s still a lot of hostels, shops, and restaurants. You can still enjoy the town.” That matches what we see day to day: the harbour, the Bay, the main surf community, and most accommodation operators are all still operating. The rebuild continues. Some rebuilt cafés and guesthouses are nicer than what was there before.

The wave itself is obviously unchanged — no permitting decision affects swell direction. The village is quieter along some edges that used to have shacks and busier in others where permanent operators have expanded. For the fuller answer, our Imsouane Bay surf guide has more on how the village looks post-demolition.

What to pack for Imsouane in December

• 3/2mm full wetsuit (most people wear one all week; some cold-sensitive surfers run a 4/3).
• Travel board or plan to hire — a fun-shape 7’0–7’6 or a longboard is the Bay’s ideal. Shortboards for confident surfers only on the right day.
• Leash + spare. Reef breaks eat leashes.
• Board bag if flying your own stick — protect for baggage handling and the transfer drive.
• Warm evening layer: a fleece and a light wind shell. Evenings on the terrace get chilly.
• Light waterproof — December rain is occasional but real.
• UK-to-Morocco plug adapter (Type C/E).
• Sunscreen. Winter Moroccan sun is still strong on the water.
• Small first aid / reef-cut kit. Cathedral gets you eventually.
• Cash in dirhams for cafés, tips, small shops — cards work in the bigger towns, less reliably in the village.

Booking practicalities for December and New Year

If you’re researching this post in October, you’re at the right time for Christmas week — availability is tight but not gone. If you’re researching in November, you’re late for the 24th–26th but early for 27th–3rd at most camps. If you’re researching in September, you’re dead-on for any week.

Transfers from Agadir airport (AGA) in winter typically run €60–€100 one way for a private car, the same as shoulder months. Group shuttles can be cheaper when camps coordinate arrivals. Winter flight patterns from European hubs are denser than summer — most UK regional airports (Bristol, Gatwick, Manchester) have direct AGA flights through the season.

For a quieter village week at a lower price, late November or the first ten days of December give you most of the peak swell with less demand. If you specifically want Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve in Imsouane, book it like you’d book a flight: early. The surf camp overview shows what’s in each week’s package.

Taghazout-based alternatives for comparison are covered in our Imsouane vs Taghazout comparison — in winter specifically, both towns are busy, and Imsouane’s smaller-footprint advantage gets sharper.

FAQ

What is the weather like in Imsouane in December?

Average daytime high around 20°C, average night-time low around 13°C. Sunny days feel warm in the water and cool in the shade. Water sits at 16–18°C, which is a 3/2mm full wetsuit temperature. Evenings on the terrace are sweater weather; a fleece plus a wind shell is the right layer. Rain is occasional — a light waterproof is worth packing.

Is December a good month to surf Imsouane?

It is arguably the best month. North Atlantic swell is at its most consistent, the Bay is regularly doing its long-ride point-break thing, and the Cathedral wakes up for intermediate-to-advanced surfers. Crowds are real on marquee days but the Bay’s shape handles them better than most famous points. Summer is more beginner-friendly; December is peak-experience.

How big do the waves get at Imsouane Bay in December?

On a typical clean winter swell: chest- to head-high on the inside, head-and-a-half-plus sets further out on the point. On a properly pumping December morning, sets can push overhead for the main take-off, with long organised walls running to the inside. Because the Bay peels rather than closes out, it stays rideable at size for competent intermediates — size does not turn it into a slab.

Can beginners surf Imsouane in December?

Yes, with good coaching and realistic expectations. The Bay’s inside section stays forgiving even on big days, and a learner group under a proper instructor gets real waves. First-ever beginners will have a gentler experience in summer; anyone who has had a few lessons and wants to catch their first unbroken green face is in exactly the right month. If the Bay is too big on a given day, a good camp moves the group to a smaller beach break up the coast.

Is Imsouane still worth visiting in December after the 2024 demolitions?

Yes. The 2024 operation removed roughly 30–40% of coastal businesses — mostly informal structures — and the village’s main surf ecosystem, harbour, accommodation and café scene is still operating. The wave is obviously unchanged. Rebuilding continues, some replacements are nicer than the originals, and visitor experience at the Bay is essentially intact. Pre-book for Christmas and New Year because those weeks always sell early.

Can I book Imsouane for Christmas and New Year?

Yes, but early. Christmas week and New Year’s Eve both fill at small camps by mid-October. Expect a 15–30% seasonal premium and dorm or private room availability tightening fastest around the 24th–26th and 30th–2nd. If you can travel early December (1st–15th), you get the same peak-swell window with more availability and lower prices.

Ready to plan it?

If December’s the month and Imsouane’s the village, availability and room options are on the booking page. If you’re still weighing whether to come in December or a different month, the best time to surf in Morocco guide breaks down the whole calendar.