AGADIR
MOROCCO
I had a really good fortnight's holiday in Agadir, a city on the Atlantic in the South West of Morocco.
I have heard a lot of bad reviews about Agadir, but I really believe that it all depends on the individual's impression and what they make of their time there. ... Read review
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Advantages: A different type of holiday destintation Disadvantages: None for me
== AGADIR ==
=== MOROCCO ===
I had a really good fortnight's holiday in Agadir, a city on the Atlantic in the South West of Morocco.
I have heard a lot of bad reviews about Agadir, but I really believe that it all depends on the individual's impression and what they make of their time there.
Let me try and give you a bit of information about it and my review of our two weeks there. ...The city of Agadir itself is primarily a tourist resort that is popular with European travellers. But do not dismiss it merely as a beach holiday; the atmosphere of the city is completely different from any other holiday resort that I have ever visited.
Agadir is very different from any other city in Morocco. It has been completely rebuilt after a tragedy - the earthquake of 1961 that killed 15,000 people - consequently there is a ... more
AGADIR
MOROCCO
I had a really good fortnight's holiday in Agadir, a city on the Atlantic in the South West of Morocco.
I have heard a lot of bad reviews about Agadir, but I really believe that it all depends on the individual's impression and what they make of their time there.
Let me try and give you a bit of information about it and my review of our two weeks there.
AGADIR ITSELF
The city of Agadir itself is primarily a tourist resort that is popular with European travellers. But do not dismiss it merely as a beach holiday; the atmosphere of the city is completely different from any other holiday resort that I have ever visited.
Agadir is very different from any other city in Morocco. It has been completely rebuilt after a tragedy - the earthquake of 1961 that killed 15,000 people - consequently there is a totally different city culture and architecture in the city than there is in the rest of the country.
With the earthquake Agadir saw one of the most complete wipeouts of any earthquake in this century: only a small quarter north along the beach survived. and Agadir moved its centre a couple of kilometre south and away from the dangerous epicentre. The Moroccan authorities decided that a new version of the Arab world should be built in an area away from the old town. European architects introduced wide boulevards, and the simple lines of the Arab house was mixed with modern Western architecture of the same period
There is a memorial park is placed where the old town centre once was, and except a small mosque and some structures that can serve for ceremonies, there is nothing but trees and flowers here. The area is not really a place for excursions -- there are too many of Agadir's inhabitants who have many memories buried in the soil.
The town of Agadir is very modern and clean. The stretch along the sea is filled with high-rise resorts and restaurants. The town has all the banks, travel agents, shops and more restaurants.
This makes the town seem sterile and unpleasant, and while it is completely different from Casablanca or Marrakech, you still get the feel that you are somewhere completely different. Many of the modern buildings and hotels are built in Moroccan fashion, and the flowers and trees that surround the city are all very exotic.
The beach is simply spectacular, and reached by a short walk through sand dunes. The beach is clean, long, wide and there is a continuous breeze coming in from the Atlantic, which makes it a pleasant place all through the day. The only drawbacks are the undercurrents, which can be strong and dangerous, and the temperatures, which can be unpleasantly low in wintertime. We were there in July and yet the beach was not like many continental beaches at peak times, it was beautiful to walk along, our hotel offered guided walks along the beach early each morning, it was not crowded or filled with sun worshippers. There was a private part of the beach to our hotel were all the beach facilities were included in the price of the holiday.
One thing you did have to look out for on the beach were local selling various goods, they are very hard to get rid of until you learn the technique - look straight ahead and give them a resounding 'No'
AIRPORT AND TRANSPORT
Agadir Al Massira airport and has good connections with all possible destination. The airport is located approximately 13 miles from the centre of Agadir.
TAXIS
Taxis can be found directly outside the arrivals hall. Fares to the city centre are fixed at 150 dirham (around £12), during the day and 200 dirham (around £16) after 7pm. The journey time is about 20 minutes.
BUSES
Bus number 22 departs from the main road, a short walk outside the airport terminal. It does not go to Agadir itself, but to Inezgane. This town, is more of a suburb of Agadir, and provides transport into Agadir. The journey from the airport to Inezgane costs 4 (around 30p) dirham. The last bus leaves the airport at 8:30pm. At Inezgane, you can catch a bus on lines 20, 24 or 28 to the centre of Agadir. The fare is 3 (around 30p)dirham. Buses are preferred by most Moroccan travellers, but has a tendency of becoming full quickly, much because Agadir is only a stop on the way south or north.
CAR RENTAL
Renting a car in Agadir is easy, and a little bit less expensive than in other parts of Morocco. At around 2500- 3000 Dh a week (around £200 - £250 all included, except petrol) a small car is at your disposal, and small villages can be reached easily.
CURRENCY
Moroccan Dirham (Dh) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of Dh200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of Dh10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.
Currency Exchange Moroccan Dirhams can only be obtained in Morocco. The most convenient way to obtain Dirhams is through an ATM, where official rates automatically apply, but daily withdrawal limits can seem low .
National currencies should be exchanged at official bureaux de change only (identified by a golden sign); changing money in the street is illegal. There is no commission charge and visitors will be issued with a receipt which they must keep in order to exchange Moroccan currency back into the original national currency upon departure.
Most hotels have their own bureaux de change
The Euro and US Dollar are widely accepted, even preferred. Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs
Some credit cards are accepted in larger restaurants, hotels, guest houses and the occasional shop in the souks. Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs .
Traveller's Cheques To avoid additional exchange rate surcharges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Pounds Sterling, the Euro or US Dollars.
Banking Hours Mon-Thurs 0830-1230 and 1500-1830, Fri 0830-1200 and 1500-1830. Exchange Rate £1.00 = Dh 12.52
ACTIVITIES IN AGADIR
Agadir does have a wide range of activities. Along the beach, camel rides, water scooters and parachute pulling of speedboats are on offer Apart from that; there are many tennis courts and an 18-hole golf course. You can sail, go horseback riding, try your hand at water-skiing, diving or deep-sea fishing. Most of the hotels offer a wide range of activities too. Our hotel - the Caribbean Village Agadir - certainly did, if you wanted you could have stayed in the complex and been entertained all day and night.
There is also The Birds Valley or Vallée des Oiseaux is not only an aviary, but also a small zoo. This zoo with mouflons (a type of sheep), lama's and monkeys is as zoo itself is only very small, but it is a very green and lush place to visit complete with waterfall in the centre of town. For families it's a popular place to go, not only because of the birds and animals, but also because of the playground. Opening hours of the Valley of the Birds: daily from 09:30-12:30 and 14:30-18:00. Entrance fee: 5 Dh for adults and 3 Dh for kids (around 40p and 30p)
THE FISH MARKET AND PORT
The fish market of Agadir has been turned into the surprise tourist attraction. Agadir an important fish city, serving both African and European markets. The fisheries outside West Africa are rich, but there is a danger of the extinction of certain types of fish, especially the Sardines, which are threatened by high tech fishing vessels from the European Union. The port of Agadir has started to become somewhat of a tourist trap. The real reason is the startling change it represents from the rest of the tourist's Agadir that starts just 200 metres from the port gates. It is the first sardine port in the world. The port is a bustling affair, and thrives from the rich fisheries off the Moroccan Atlantic coast. It certainly is a very interesting (if smelly experience) and I would really recommend that you go to see it.
THE KASBAH
The Kasbah is the ancient ruined walls of the old city. It sits is at the top of a hill which dominates the whole city. Of nighttime the Kasbah is lit up looks quite pretty. Except from parts of the walls and the gate, there is nothing much up there and yet there are numerous busloads that make the journey. But there is a really good reason to go and that is to see the incredible view over Agadir. And this is definitely worth the 20 minutes ascent by foot, or 3 minutes in a car. You can get a taxi up the hill it's about £1 and you can arrange for a bit extra for the driver to wait for you or you can walk back down. Warning though, there are guides who attach themselves to you and walk you round explaining the ruins to you and then demand money from you afterwards. There are also locals who will thrust a goat in your arms and demand money, or put you on a camel - again demanding money.
THE SUUQ
The Thursday suuq -- or market -- of Agadir is wonderful and is totally dominated by Moroccans, it has high quality products for sale such as leather, handbags, incense sticks, oils, spices, make up, hats, rugs as well as some wonderful foods There is however one thing to look out for if you are fresh to Moroccan business culture: any guide you take with you will receive healthy commission on every product you buy. And it is from the money you pay too much, that he makes his best profit. Always haggle the prices though, the locals recommend that you haggle to around 50-75% of the original asking price.
SHOPPING
The Municipal Market (Marché) is a two-story complex of shops selling all types of Moroccan-made souvenirs such as leatherwork from Marrakech, ceramics from Fes, and fossils from Erfoud at fixed, prices. The concrete building is between avenue des F.A.R. and avenue Prince Sidi Mohammed and is open daily 9am to 7pm. Close by is the Uniprix supermarket, which sells a large range of fixed-price souvenirs including T-shirts, beachwear and accessories, toiletries, general grocery items, and alcohol. It's on the corner of boulevard Hassan II and avenue Prince Sidi Mohammed and is open daily 9am to 1:30pm and 2:30 to 9pm. Similar supermarkets to Uniprix, only smaller, include Anaprix, on boulevard Hassan II at the junction with rue de la Jeunesse, open 9am to 1:30pm and 2:30 to 9pm daily; Quick Service, in the Tafoukt Complex between boulevard du 20 Août and place al Wahda, open 8am to 8pm daily; and SM Supermarket, Complexe Touristique de Tamlalt, corner of rue des Dunes and Chemin de Oued Souss, open Monday to Thursday and Saturday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 9pm and Friday 9am to noon and 4 to 9pm. There are also lots of small shops where the shop keepers will try to lure you in, in these shops you do need to haggle as their original prices are very over inflated. If you are not wanting to buy anything from these shops, walk quickly past without looking at them and ignore their remarks like 'cheap as fish and chips' and Asda price!
EATING OUT
Agadir has plenty of restaurants, and is one of the few places in Morocco where Western style restaurants manage to serve good foreign food. But still, there are more mediocre than good places around If you really want some great genuine Moroccan food, step out from the tourist streets and look for the first place where normal Agadirians stay and eat: this is the place where the people who know go. We were very lucky to have incredible Moroccan food served to us in our hotel.
FOOD
Moroccan cuisine offers a lovely mixture of fruit and vegetables, rare and aromatic spices, delicate fish and t meats. The most popular dishes are: Tagine, Couscous, Pastilla. Food is usually well balanced, moderately and carefully spiced.
Harira Is the famous Moroccan soup well spiced and rich in starchy foods, herbs and aromats also meat. Flavour is also added to make it creamy.
Mechoui Roasted lamb in a special natural oven served in one piece. It is eaten with salt and cumin.
Couscous It is also the Moroccan national dish cooked mainly on Fridays. A veritable mountain of white granular semolina hides within carrots, turnips, courgettes and various vegetables with pieces of mutton or chicken.
Pastilla Is a sweet dish, the most caloric part of the Moroccan menu consisting of wafer-thin layers of flaky feather-light pastry filled with cream
Tagine Is specially cooked meat with vegetables in a spiced sauce
Kebabs You will see delicious kebabs being cooked in front of you at the entrance to the souk, in squares or at the roadside. A convenient and cheap delight.
Mint Tea Refreshing, warming and stimulating, drunk in the morning, after meals or at any time. A pleasure you should never refuse.
Pastries Honey cakes, cornes de gazelles, almond feqqas, raisins, and ghoriba with almonds or sesame... DELICIOUS.
ACCOMODATION
Agadir has a lot of hotels that range from lousy places that double as brothels to five star hotels with more than one swimming pool. Agadir is steadily getting more and more popular as a tourist destination, and anyone coming here during European or Muslim holidays as well as weekends should try to make reservations ahead. I would certainly recommend our hotel, the Caribbean Village Agadir.
CLIMATE
Morocco is a country where you easily could start the day with a walk around a true oasis, then go skiing in the mountains and end the day with a swim in the ocean. Being a country right on the border to Sahara, on the ocean and with some of the highest mountains of Africa, Morocco has several climatic zones. As for Agadir the best season is from April to October, the temperatures range from 24 to 30, annual sunshine levels are more than 8 hours a day. It can seem very cloudy, but in fact this is generally sand in the air from the Sahara.
OUT AND ABOUT
You don't have to stay in Agadir, there are plenty of reasonably priced excursions available, do try and get out and about a bit, you really MUST try and visit Marrakech.
40km south from Agadir, there is the Souss-Massa river national park. This was only opened in 1991 and is a famous spot for bird watching. You can also take an exciting excursion by 4x4 open vehicles through the park, which was created to protect the endangered Bald Ibis. As well as the hundreds of different birds there, the park is also home to numerous mammals, including jackal, red fox, Egyptian mongoose and African wildcat.
About 80km east from Agadir, there is the city of Taroudannt, which is worth the visit if you don't plan to visit Marrakech. This is just over an hour from Agadir and is a lovely old Moroccan market town; look out for the colony of white storks that live in a group of trees near the eastern gate of the town
Marrakech is about 250km from Agadir and takes 3 - 4 hours.
Casablanca is around 400km away, so if you want to visit here you would need to book accommodation.
IN CONCLUSION
We certainly had a wonderful holiday in Agadir, it certainly wasn't a 'Blackpool with sun' type of resort, we saw lots of very interesting sites, met some wonderful people and came back a lot more educated about Morocco than when we went.
Advantages: Good centre for other outings Disadvantages: Totally lacking in character
...I had to look up Agadir on the map* – I knew where Morocco was, but it has an Atlantic AND a Mediterranean coast, depending on where you are in relation to the Straits of Gibraltar.
*I have a little woman who books all this stuff!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Our primary destination, Agadir, is firmly on the Atlantic side, being only a hundred miles or so from the Canary Islands. Anyone familiar with the Easter weather in Gran Canaria will realise that this ... ...nothing left of the old Agadir medina (the old town), courtesy of a horrifying earthquake in 1960, which I kind of remember in a ‘405-line monochrome’ sort of way. 15,000 people died in 15 seconds, and the old hillside remains were bulldozed, the rubble no doubt being used to form the foundations of a new town set on flatter ground. The upshot is that Agadir itself is a rather dreadfully soulless seaside resort well ‘up’ to Costa Brava standards. ...
BNibbles 22.04.2003 (26.04.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Agadir (Morocco)
Advantages: It was warmer than England Disadvantages: I prefer to be cold
...returned for a week in Agadir and I am compelled to share by experience, where shall I start? I booked it last minute and new hotels where being built, I can deal with the noise. I dont moan about accomdation because if its clean and has a shower Im happy. (it was clean and had sort of a shower)
Well, in no particular order here are the good points:
The operation of the airport is very efficient Now to the bad points, in no particular order:
The ... ...give you some examples:
1) The number of beach salesmen selling tat, approaching you when you are asleep on the beach with your ipod on. The poke they give you scares the life out of you and leaves you unable to relax. This happened day after day after day. They dont leave until you say no at least five times.They also use very underhand tactics, if you accept anything from them to "look" they say you have bought it and demand money. They also use ...
kimera999 25.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Agadir (Morocco)
Advantages: Cheap and Sunny Disadvantages: Harasment and over charging so very comming.
My friend and I chose to go to Morocco as it was cheap and we were poor students in need of some sun! I have to admit that we did not really do our research about where we were going, if we had I think that I would have thought twice, although this story does have a happy ending!
We started in Agadir, the hotel was okay, we had a clean and fair sized rooms overlooking the pool. I had been to Tunisia about 3 years before I had expected Morocco to ... ...which was disappointingly in more than one way. There was no real town centre that we could find and we were looking at eating at a "Spanish" style restaurants until some locals gave us the address of the place far out of the touristy area where the food was good and it was full of locals. Really cheap, although I'm sure that we paid more that the locals. This was a theme that was to repeat its self over and over again. For example the best taxies ...
jema_00 22.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Agadir (Morocco)
Advantages: Great markets and food Disadvantages: Harrassment from locals depending on time of year you go
...acquired taste. I went to Agadir with my mum for a 2 week break (leaving from Glasgow) during the month of December. I chose to go then because I knew it would be a bit quieter. It was my second visit to Morocco, the first having been to the north in the early 80s with my identical twin sister. As my twin and I are both red heads that caused quite a stir among the locals who would constantly ask us if we'd dyed our hair with Henna (and why we were ... ...down at the beach in Agadir with my mum when a really rude carpet seller just wouldn't take no for an answer. Luckilly for us a friendly local intervened. He was very decent and actually gave us lots of good advice about how to get to more remote, less touristy places. The town of Agadir is split into 2 areas: the new area reconstructed after the earthquake, and the old town which is higher up. The old town is ideal for small, cheap restaurants whereas ...
rustifer 16.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Agadir (Morocco)
Advantages: beautiful,different,friendly,easy to get around.cheap. Disadvantages: the water,always buy bottled and use it even for cleaning your teeth
...different culture like myself then Agadir should be on your must visit list.
I visited in October half-term week {yes more expensive because the flight operator added a £100 supplement to the flight cost,disgraceful,but as i work in a school my holidays have to be outside term time}.
I was to stay in the all inclusive hotel Agador,part of the Caribbean Village which also shares it's grounds with two other hotels.
The complex boasted three swimming ... ...can eat!
I loved agadir and the surrounding area but i will warn anyone that is thinking of going not to venture out along if they do not like to be pestered.As the people tend to come up to you alot some just to talk others to try and sell you something,but if you are firm and polite i found it not to be a problem as they all seemed to take no for answer. ...
lizbizi 13.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Agadir (Morocco)
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