Al Hoceima
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Al Hoceima

Al Hoceima

Mediterranean beach town on Morocco's Rif coast, with Spanish-era roots and cliff-backed Plage Quemado.

Al Hoceima is a small Mediterranean beach town on the Rif coast of northern Morocco, a pleasant place to rest between the mountain roads of the Rif. The town was built by the Spanish in 1926, after they suppressed the Rif rebellion led by Abd el-Krim, and Spanish influences are still visible in the architecture and the town's relaxed character.

The Plage Quemado sits right in the centre of town, wedged between two massive sea cliffs. Quieter beaches lie a few kilometres out on the road to Nador. From certain points along this road you can catch a glimpse of the Peñón de Alhucemas, a tiny Spanish-held island with a white church and tower sitting in the Mediterranean blue — still technically sovereign Spanish territory, garrisoned by a small military force. The Al Hoceima National Park, protecting coastline and forested mountains to the west, is worth exploring for its sea caves, cliff-nesting falcons, and isolated beaches accessible only by boat.

Guide

Getting There

Al Hoceima has a small airport, Cherif Al Idrissi Airport, with seasonal connections to European cities (Amsterdam, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, and others) catering to the large Moroccan diaspora from the Rif region. Domestic flights from Casablanca run year-round but infrequently. In peak summer, it is worth checking Royal Air Maroc and charter operators.

By road, Al Hoceima is roughly 4.5 hours from Fes by CTM or regional bus via Taounate and Taza. The road through the Rif is winding and scenic. Shared taxis (grands taxis) also run between towns along this route and are faster and more flexible than buses, though they require patience at the departure point while they fill up.

Coming from Nador (2 hours to the east), the coastal road is straightforward and passes through Melilla territory if you take the direct route — bring your passport if so. An inland alternative avoids the border formality.

Guide

Things to Do

Al Hoceima's attractions are mostly natural — beaches, cliffs, and the national park — with some history woven in from the Spanish colonial period and the 1920s Rif rebellion.

The Plage Quemado is the town beach, dramatically situated between sea cliffs in the bay. For more space and quieter water, head out to Plage Sfiha or the coves within Al Hoceima National Park to the west. The park protects a stretch of rugged coastline with sea caves, griffon vultures, and one of the few remaining populations of Barbary macaque in northern Morocco.

The Peñón de Alhucemas — a tiny Spanish-controlled island visible from the town beach — is technically still sovereign Spanish territory, a curiosity that makes Al Hoceima the only place in Morocco where you can watch a foreign flag fly from a medieval fortification a few hundred metres offshore.