Agadir, Morocco

[paul_oshea]

Whats it like?!

what are the hotels like etc?!

[Ash]

Whats it like?!
what are the hotels like etc?!

Depends what your in to. If your into sun holidays, sitting by the pool and
getting roasted etc., then I'd highly recommend it. I was there for a week
last year and stayed in the Kenzi Europa Hotel. Nice spot and close to the
beach, restaraunts and pubs. Our breakfast and dinner was covered in the
hotel deal but you'd get fed up of that easily enough. Eating and drinking
out was cheap enough.

I was there the 1st week in July and found the heat almost upbarable at
times. But then again, I get sunburnt in 10 degrees, sitting inside, wearing
a jumper, when its raining!!!!!

Not one for the sun myself (we only went cos we got a 2-4-1 deal) but I
went on a 4x4 trip to the pre-Sahara which was good. Unfortunately my
memory card corrupted so I lost all my pics :mad:

The Kasbah was cool to see too and we also went on a Berber evening to
see the traditional Berber nomads and their food/dance etc.
Although some of the Nomads were also working in the local shops during
the day. Enjoyable to see though.

Shopkeepers were very annoying though, Mrs Ash, having light brown/fair hair
got hassled a lot. Very touchy feely and kept calling her beauiful Fatima.
I was offered 14 camels and 2 leather jackets for her at one stage!!!
(an offer I seriously considered when the heat brought out the worst in both
of us!!! :p)

Currency exchange rate given in the hotel dropped dramaticially the early
morning we were leaving and the foreign exchange in the airport does not
accept/change their own currency.

Taxi drivers are mad and in general there are little or no rules of the road.
Came very close to collisions on a few trips.

Overall it's not a place I'd go back to, but glad I went to see it anyway :)

[paul_oshea]

i think ash thats the way id be too, kinda described the kinda holiday i wouldn't be too into...

[Ash]

i think ash thats the way id be too, kinda described the kinda holiday i wouldn't be too into...

Yep, neither of us are fond of the sun/heat but as herself organises he school
tours for where she teaches we got a special offer on an inspection trip so we
gave it a go.

[HarpoJoyce]

Because its a popular destination there the isn't alot of value once you arrive. For beaches head north or south a few hours. If you havn't picked your destination hotel yet, maybe Essaouira is a better choice than Agadir. Previously Portuguese and relaxed nature that comes with that. It was an independent chill-out place up to recently. Packages are now sold for there.
The independent travel guide books always try and give destinations ahead of the posse. They may have a some newer recommendations.

I've being to Morocco a few times, including charters and packages to Agadir.

Tarroudant is a large town up in the mountains with two squares.

Marrakech is an easy 4 hour bus ride away from Agadir and the Atlas mountains another couple south again. Marrakech is grand for two or three nights. Bigger souks (markets), Moorish Amohad stuff.

Marrakech hotels including the small ones around the Jmaa el Fna sell short trips into the desert via different sites. A three night trip is possible, its a tight squeeze on a seven night package, but chock-a-block full of what you need to see and do in Southern Morocco.
A three day tour south out of Marrakech should include going over the Atlas mountains, Ait Benahaddou (near Ouarzarzate centre of Morocco film industry), Todra gorge, tour of an oasis town, south into the desert and camel ride, over night in desert. The travelling is long but not ardous, families twelve and up should be able for it even if it includes a few snoozes.

High summer is very oppressive in the desert and Marrakech, but from now up to the beginning of May and middle of september and later should be okay.

Daylight is shorter than in Europe during Spring-Autumn.

[Lionel Ritchie]

It's 11 years since myself and Mrs. Ritchie went but I quite enjoyed it.

Spent a fortnight there and went inland to Marakesh for a few days. I STRONGLY recommend getting whatever bustour/company the hotel recommends -we thought we'd be the free spirited, windswept types and get a regular inter-city coach to save a few bucks. The Bus ride was a nightmare. Hot, smelly, no toilet, and a poorly copied cassette tape of some local music blaring on repeat for the entire spin (4 hours sounds about right).

Also despite the fact we were there in January, Marakesh was blistering hot so just factor that into your plans if you go. We had to sit in an ice cream parlour from around 11-4 ...you just couldn't move in it.

Food was great, lots of lamb and chicken dishes, shouldn't have any problems getting booze in the hotels and restaurants.

[paul_oshea]

booked the oasis, anyhow know what thats like. I'm getting a bit worried cos the bowels aren't the best at the best of times, and every hotel i read about mentions getting a dose of the gallops!!! :D every hotel we looked up had as many bad as good reviews, but we got flights and 7 nights for £350 each in may so we thought its not too bad.

How much spending money for 2 people would you recommend? I assume they take Euro/sterling or something?!

[Ash]

How much spending money for 2 people would you recommend? I assume they take Euro/sterling or something?!

Hotels will exchange Euro/Stg for Dirhams and Meastro/Cirrus bank cards
will work over there too.

Stock up on the immodium before you go and make sure the caps on bottled
water are sealed. Dont get ice in your drinks either. Standard advise for
places with high trotts rates ;)

Cant remember how much cash we went through, not a hugh amount, but Id
advise only withdrawing/exchanging money as you need it cos you'll get
screwed if you have a large amount to change back into Euro/Stg on the way
home. Also I dont know if banks here will even change it for you seeing as the
Foreign Exchange in the airport over there wouldnt!!

[HarpoJoyce]

booked the oasis, ....!

Those hotel review sites tend to have more negative reviews anyway as dissatisfied customers make more of an effort to make a point.

I would budget for Euro 100 per day per person ( that's ample), not including very large souvenir purchases. Maybe negotiate in Euros for the large finds too.

I think Morocco still requests no currency to be taken outside the country. At the airport on your return, you should change your money before you go through the control after checkin, or re-convert before you reach the airport.

[paul_oshea]

ok thanks lads for all the info. Ya immodium is a great idea Ash :D

100 euro a day seems quite a bit for a place thats meant to be cheap....do you mean just general expenditure i.e. food drink etc or do you mean for excursions?

[HarpoJoyce]

ok thanks lads for all the info. Ya immodium is a great idea Ash :D

100 euro a day seems quite a bit for a place thats meant to be cheap....do you mean just general expenditure i.e. food drink etc or do you mean for excursions?

Including excursions. It is cheap. I was also following the rule of bringing half the clothes and twice the money. But there may be souvenir purchases that exceed that amount.

Good luck with the trip.

[paul_oshea]

right, just back and seriouslly pink on the chest but thought id give my tuppance on al maghrib al axa. couldn't work out the sun over there was out two days in just shorts, swimming, walking and lying down and didnt get burnt at all just stayed white, but on monday i was lying on a sunlounger or whatever they were called for about an hour and i was seriouslly pink and sore that night. Couldn't figure out the bloody sun at all.....

I spent a week there in the end, went for a day to marrakech. didnt think too much of marrakech to be honest, thought it was over-rated to be honest, some very aggressive people in the market-square as well. The souk was ok, but I think I was expecting something more. We noticed a dead cat in one of the streets, wondered how long it had been there and how long it would remain there before being moved. The moroccans work very long hours, but by and large are decent and friendly people, a few will try and rip you off or that but generally i found them much like the irish, they were also friendlier when they realised we were irish and not English which I liked too :). The only thing that sorta ****ed me off, was they all wanted something off me, some shirt or top or whatever, the worst thing I did was wear my Ireland jersey, they love the jerseys as they can only get fakes and would find it almost impossible to get an Ireland jersey. Me being too nice and polite didnt say "no" when asked for the jersey and sorta led them on and on my last day 5 of them wouldn't leave me alone in the hotel all for the ireland jersey. I found they were a little less friendly when they realised they weren't getting my Ireland jersey. So overall no real bad experiences on the people side of things to be honest, bar some Irish fella from dublin who wouldn't leave me alone and kept chatting sh1te telling me he knew the chief of customs and the chief of police and all this crap ( why do people do this, at what stage in their lives do they lose "cop on" ) as if i were interested, i was later told on leaving that everyone else had been told to stay clear of him as he was a con-artist ( yet no hotel staff told me this and being Irish i would have thought we should have definitely been told! ). I wouldn't have called him a con-artist, I would have called him a lonely old man-turned fantasist to while away the day, who would not pay for anything if he could. He told me one story about having to pay a bill for drinks and he shouldn't have as he was asked as a guest ( which was a blatant lie i reckon but he had the cheek to suggest he shouldn't have to pay ) there, how can someone think they have a right not to pay for drinks consumed? it took him about 2 hours to tell this story and he kept telling me again and again later on that day, i was too polite to tell him to fcuk off, but i should have. He was blackguarding the moroccans at every opportunity too, yet he was taking advantage of them ( wouldn't mind if it were a rich country but a poor one makes it even worse ) and their politeness whenever he could, and at the end he told me he loved the place and had been there the last 10 - 12 years twice a year :rolleyes: I hate to think of a fellow Irish man giving Irish people a bad name. ANyhow if anyone does venture there keep an eye out for him and avoid him at all costs, he will try and befriend you, go out with you and then leave you to pay the bill....


On the trip and agadir side of things, we did a camel ride, went for a traditional berber massage ( twice cos it was so good ) and a trip to agadir, the rest of the time we relaxed on the beach or by the pool. I reckon that a week is plenty long enough here, unless you went into the atlas mountains for a 3 day trip as there is very little to do in agadir and it is rather boring. The camel ride was worth it just for the sake of it, only 1 hump camels in morocco though. The massage was brilliant to be honest 2 hours for £20 not including tip, but it was class would really recommend it, really relaxing.

The hotel ( hotel oasis ) was half board and the staff were very helpful and friendly, would do anything to accomodate you. The breakfast was poor but continental and to be expected. The restaurants were nice and no bad belly stories, we were eating out some evenings for around £20 in total including tip for a 2 course meal and a drink. We were wrecked every evening so didnt go out really and drank very little ( which i have to say was great ), in bed by 10.30 most nights. All in all I'd recommend the place for a couple who want to spend quality time together, but no one else really, its a very limited place and if you dont like the sun then definitely stay away. I dont think I will be returning to be honest, it was a good experience though.