Agadir is the ultimate destination for a healthy getaway – here’s why

I’ve visited Morocco to check into wellness retreats before, so this trip out to the northernmost tip of Africa isn’t my first visit. However, I’ve never set foot in Agadir – a location renowned for its surfing, pristine beaches and tranquil hotels replete with golf courses and yoga studios.

Agadir, one of Jet2holidays’ newest destinations in its wide range, is a short-haul flight from the UK and only one hour ahead, so if you’re embracing the slow travel trend, your sleep pattern won’t take too much of a hit. Plus you’ll step off the plane in four hours or less. Thanks to the attentive crew and VIP service on the plane, I arrive feeling rested and ready to enjoy what the Moroccan coastline has to offer.

Agadir typically enjoys temperatures between 21 and 28 degrees during the day and with more than 300 days of sunshine per year, it’s fast becoming a destination for those seeking a top up of vitamin D during the winter months. A stay in January takes me from the UK’s chilly climes to bright sunshine and cloudless skies in a matter of hours.The sight of palm trees, cacti and huge bursts of pink, red and lilac bougainvillea are enough to lift anyone’s mood. And on the ride to my hotel I’m able to enjoy the view from the window – an electric blue sky that stretches for miles out over the ocean like an optical illusion.

A place to retreat 

We pull up to the four-star Paradis Plage Resort after our return transfer (included with my Jet2holiday) to be greeted by terracotta walls with pretty tile details and a courtyard of lush fig and orange trees. My balcony provides a gorgeous view of the sea and a soothing soundscape of waves gently meeting the shore. The suite smells of orange blossom and there’s an array of fresh fruit, almonds and sultanas on the table in hand-painted bowls.

Paradis Plage Resort is a surfing and yoga resort – one of many venues in Agadir that prides itself on catering to the wellness crowd. The hotel spa occupies the entire basement floor, and within hours of arriving, I’m lathered in argan oil having the knots in my shoulders thoroughly worked out by a talented therapist.

I’m told by hotel staff that during the high season, the beach is much busier. But at hotels like this, the guests aren’t usually sunning themselves with a cocktail…