Beauty: Underwater filming in Morocco

Clear waters & beautiful marine life… Morocco has a number of diving sites that are well worth a visit. During more than 25 years of travelling in Morocco, I have often accompanied oceanographers, divers, fishermen and archaeologists to film at sea and also on the coast. In this article, I tell you about three beautiful places in the north of Morocco that left their mark on me.

Belyounech
16km from Fnideq, on the border with Ceuta (Spain), the small fishing village of Belyounech is nestled between Jbel Moussa and the sea. A hidden treasure of the region, this small beach, long unknown to Moroccans, is one of the most beautiful on the Mediterranean coast. A diving spot par excellence, we come for its crystal-clear waters and the richness of its flora and fauna.

A complicated and lengthy administrative procedure is required to dive and film in Belyounech (the border military zones are not far away). There are several diving schools in the area and they offer sea trips, but filming is another matter. My last filming in this region was in 2022 with ARTE TV, the Franco-German channel.

Jebha Beach
At the foot of the Western Rif mountains, this small beach stretches for a hundred metres surrounded by rocks and vegetation. To get here, the road is difficult, but what a prize to win. Diving enthusiasts will appreciate this small accessible place where you can also indulge in the joys of windsurfing.

This area has several beaches in the shape of craters carved into the rock, with a wide strip of fine sand. The sea and the rock meet there in a very rare rocky outcrop in the world and merge to form a wild coastline. I visited this place for the first time in 2005 to organise the filming of the famous French Program “Talassa” (France 3 TV).

Cape Three Forks
Cliffs, rugged landscapes and wild beaches… the Cape of the Three Forks in the Nador region offers a breathtaking panorama. Three beaches are a must when passing through the region: Tibouda beach, which belongs to the village of the same name; Charrana beach and finally the wild beach of Cara Blanca, which is the most beautiful diving spot. My first experience of this region of Morocco was in 2005 with “Talassa”, the sea program of a great man called Georges Pernoud, French journalist, presenter and television producer.

Underwater filming in Morocco is always special and many permits are required to organise a shoot without any surprises. It’s not just an official paper from the capital, but also a close organisation with the local authorities. A fixer or local producer who is used to dealing with the Moroccan administration is a big deal for such a project. What is certain is that Morocco will become an obligatory destination for underwater archaeologists, especially on the Atlantic coast, given the discoveries made by the Moroccan Institute of Archaeology.

Dec 2023 – Red Beach (Berkane – Morocco)
By: Khalid Leo FAKHAR
Contact “Moroccan Fixers Team” in Rabat.