Mirleft (Arabic: ميراللفت and Berber: ⵎⵉⵔⵍⴼⵜ) is in Anti Atlas, about 30 minutes south of Tiznit.
Understand
Mirleft is a very small village that has been visited by hippies since the 1970s. Nowadays, most income is generated by tourism. In peak season, the city is run over by tourists, and finding affordable accommodation can be challenging. Peak seasons are from Christmas until mid-January for European tourists and July/August for Moroccans.
Two positive side effects for tourists:
- in almost every hotel, restaurant and cafes, at least basic English is spoken
- prices in low season (around November and May) are very low
Get in
By bus
Two local lines connect Tiznit and Sidi Ifni once every hour, with several stops in Mirleft: One on the coastal route through Aglou, the other on the mountain route.
National lines: Mirleft is on the bus route from Agadir south to Western Sahara for buses that have a stop in Sidi Ifni - but buses don't stop in Mirleft unless you ask the driver to be let off there. One usually has to pay for a ticket to Sidi Ifni. (Make sure you ask before your luggage is stowed away so they can place it in a way that retrieving it does not require unloading more luggage. Also be present when stowing, so you know where it is exactly and point the driver to it.)
By car
- From the north, follow the road to Sidi Ifni, Mirleft is about half an hour north of Sidi Ifni.
- From the south, follow the road to Sidi Ifni and from there to Tiznit. Mirleft is just in between those two towns.
By taxi
Grand taxis go from:
- Agadir Airport for 700 dirham for the whole taxi
- Agadir Taxi Station to Tiznit for 35 dirham per seat, then on for 15 dirham from the same taxi station in Tiznit.
- Sidi Ifni for 13 dirham per seat
- Tiznit for 15 dirham per seat
Get around
It takes about 30 min to walk from one end to the other along the main road and about 20 minutes from beach to kasbah. You can also rent a scooter (single gear, kickstarters) for 60 to 100 dirham per day.
See
- 1 the old Kasbah.
- any of the beaches
- 2 Imi Ntarga Beach.
- 3 Tabograichte Beach.
- 4 Aftas Beach. A small beach with guest houses and little restaurants, popular with locals and European expats.
- 5 Talmrsat.
- 6 Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah Beach ( Marabout - chikh ).
- 7 Tamhrouchte Beach.
- 8 Sidi Lwafi Beach.
- 9 Ftaissa Beach.
- 10 Lagzira Beach.
Do
- Surf or fish at the beaches (surf lessons offered by various schools)
- Paragliding, three spots, one with hotel and Restaurant about 15km north (Nid d'Aigle); ask at Hotel Abertih for contacts
- Visit the souk on Monday
- Stroll from one beach to the next on the cliff-top path
- Ride a horse through the mountains or along the beach at sunset (Ranch "Les Deux Gazelles", about 15 km north, on the road to Aglou; they will arrange transportation. 300 dirham for 2 hr.)
- Rent a Quad for a guided tour
Buy
- fresh and cheap fish at the fish market, every day after 5pm (though more expensive than in Sidi Ifni)
- vegetables
- souvenirs - there are several shops, but prices are higher than in Sidi Ifni or Taroudant, though lower than in Agadir
Eat
The market street and the small stretch between market street and main road are lined with restaurants, as is Aftas Beach.
After 19:00, a few stalls near the fish market offer grilled sardines for 10-20 dirham per portion.
Drink
The only place in town with a license for selling alcohol is Hotel Abertih, though other places serve wine or beer, but which is changing all the time.
Sleep
Mirleft has much more beds for tourists than inhabitants, so finding something is really easy. If you arrive by bus, just look lost for a minute and someone will approach you with offers (they expect a small fee of 20-30 dirham - just agree on a price upfront).
In summer peak season, since most Moroccans arrive with their own car, at the entrance of the village lots of guys wait, waving with keys. The keys say "we have rooms/apartments" for rent.
As of 2019, modern, furnished apartments with 2 bedrooms are available for about 200 dirham.
- Mirleft Soul Hostel (Mirleft Centre), ☏ 212528719149, ✉[email protected]. Mirleft's first hostel, with a homely atmosphere, a Berber tent to relax in and great views overlooking the valley. Breakfast, WiFi, sheets and towels included with free mint tea all day. Dorms for 10, 8, or 6 people. 60 dirham per night.
- Hotel Abertih (northern end of the market road), ☏ 212 5 28 71 93 04. clean, with restaurant and bar. from 240 dirham for 2 in a double.
- Hotel Atlas, middle of the market street, ☏ 212 528719309. nice roof terrace with view on the market street; good restaurant.
Connect
There are at least 2 internet cafes and most hotels, cafes and restaurants offer free WiFi. Maroc Telecom has a store that sells prepaid SIM cards on the market road, 50 m north of the fish market.