Morocco Sahara Desert Camps, Standard or Luxury Bivouac

When visiting the  Morocco Sahara desert or Merzouga, M'hamid or Zagora you will be offered the option of a standard or luxury tent. When you go on a camel trek or by a 4X4 in the Moroccan Sahara there are many options of places to stay. There is a wide range of Standard bivouac camps, several top end Luxury Bivouac Camps and also Luxury Guest Houses all worth while of consideration.

Depending on the amount of time you want to stay in the desert and your desire for privacy it may be worth your while considering a luxury tent or bivouac. There are a number of standing camps and the luxury ones are private, usually for two  or more people with superior furnishing and bedding , showers and a toilet and a tent or area  for relaxing. Meals are provided. If you plan a romantic night under the stars (there are special honeymoon tents) or you want to enjoy the desert in comfort, this is for you, but the experience comes at a price. The campsites which offer luxury tents include  Le Belle Etoille, Travel Exploration Morocco, Assou, Les Nomade and Le Red Sand Luxury Desert Camp. At these Morocco Sahara DesertLuxury camps the tents have been designed by top French interior designers. They have 6 tents of around 30 square meters. Each tent has its own bathroom (hot/cold running water) and toilets. This is a permanent camp offering tailor made excursions for relaxing, or more adventurous desert tourism with various sporting activities.

 The  Erg Chigaga Luxury Camp, can accommodate 16 people in 8 tents. The tents are spacious (25 sq m) with the highest quality mattresses, linen and pillows, whilst each tent is equipped with ‘wall-to-wall rugs’, solar-powered lighting and handcrafted furniture. Each tent has en suite facilities. For those seeking privacy, the Erg Chigaga Luxury Camp has two private camps each situated within a 15-minute walk from the main camp. Each camp consists of two luxury en suite tents and a separate relaxing tent, nestled in the dunes.

 For those that want a trip deep into the Sahara desert and to sleep in a different locations each night, they have a nomadic camp for camel treks of 3 and 4 days’ duration. These are also privately run trips, with each camp accommodating between 2 and 4 guests. The nomadic camps are 'semi-luxury', with a comfortable bed and fresh linen, private bathroom, Moroccan lounge and cold drinks.

  

The standard  berber tent  is simply a tent  to sleep in for the night without any other facilities. These may be out in the desert but most are in regular camping sites which have shared facilities showers and toilets.

The standard camps are large and shared with other tourists who often stay in local hotels and visit the campsite for a night out in the desert with a meal and entertainment with traditional music and dancing  which can go on late into the night.

You need to make quite certain about  what services  and excursions are offered  including a luxury or standard tent, meals, availability of bottled water  excursions  by camel or 4X 4 and pick up and drop for your onward journey.  All this should be agreed beforehand so ask your travel agent to agree the details. If you are agreeing a deal either with a tour company in Marrakech or actually at Merzouga you need to confirm all the details very carefully before you pay for the trip. You can also stay in a desert camp near Marrakech in the Agafay area an hour’s drive from Marrakech if you do not have time to visit  the desert locations in Merzouga, Zagora or M’hamid.

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Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Casablanca's Changing Face, Your Casablanca Tour Guide

Casablanca is changing. It has always been the business capital  and is Morocco’s largest city providing 48 per cent of the urban jobs  in Morocco. It had the reputation of being run down and polluted but things are changing. The newest addition is Casablanca’s new tramway system a radical change in urban transport policy which links the centre with some of the suburbs . It was inaugurated by King Mohammed VI with French Prime Minister Jean- Marc Ayrault.

There is now an alternative to Casablanca’s  red petit taxis and the traffic jams  in the city centre. The city  was always the driving commercial force during the French Protectorate from 1912-1956 with its port which is still one of the largest in Africa. It has   superb architectural heritage of Art Deco and Mauresque  (Moorish  architecture) developed in the 1920’s and 1930’s which has been sadly neglected but now restoration efforts are gathering  force and there is an annual conference dedicated to  preserving  Casablanca’s heritage. 

Like Tunis and Cairo, Casablanca reflects the energy and aspirations of the early 20th century colonial period and many architectural gems survive in the city, though not always in good condition. Place Mohammed V was  the centre of the French colonial era period development. Impressive facades and colonial buildings line Rue Indriss Lahrizi, Rue Tahar Sebti and the south side of Boulevard  Mohammed V.

Place 16 Novembre is home to an array of Art Deco buildings. There are also many interesting façades with decorative doorways and ironwork on the pedestrian walk way  Rue Prince Moulay Abdellah (there are good quality shirts and shoes on offer here.) Hotel Guynemer, (named after the  First World War French air ace) with its Art Deco panelling, is worth checking out, as is the beautifully-restored Hotel Transatlantique.

The writer and novelist Tahir Shah who moved to Casablanca and wrote “The Caliph’s House” about restoring a former palace which is now his home, is an expert and enthusiast of the historic architectural  street remains  and daily life of Casablanca which he has chronicled on  a number of You tube  films and in many travel  articles. A particular favourite is the Petit Poucet Restaurant on Boulevard Mohammed V  where Saint-Exupéry, the French author and aviator, used to spend time between mail flights across the Sahara. His doodles and letters are hung on the walls. There are the magnificent  administrative buildings of the current Place Mohammed V such as the Post Office built in 1918 by Adrien Laforgue, the consulate of France built in 1922 by Albert Laprade, the Palace of Justice completed in 1923 by Joseph Marrast and the Wilaya (Governate) constructed between 1928 and 1936 by Marius Boyer.

The imposing and vast  Hassan II Mosque  stretches over the sea and took 6,000 traditional Moroccan artisans, five years to build . It is one of the wonders of the Islamic world and non muslims can visit on conducted tours to some parts of the building. It has intricate mosaics, stone and marble floors and columns, sculpted plaster moldings, carved and painted wood ceilings. It's the largest mosque in the world, with room for more than 100,000 worshipers. A new shopping attraction is the huge Morocco Mall which opened last year and is the biggest shopping Mall on the African continent with the full range of designer brands, cinemas ,restaurants and an aquarium. A day out for the family.

Casablanca’s medina is also undergoing renovation and it is a place where shoppers can pick up bargains and move on to the  more modern Habous market. The Marche Central for fruit and vegetables is also an enchanting period piece worth visiting. The beaches and clubs along the Corniche Ain Dab are great for relaxing by the sea and there are many swimming pools. Although Casablanca is a bustling metropolis with industrial areas it also has the Corniche  for  rest and relaxation.

Casablanca has a vibrant night life, unlike Morocco’s other main cities and  the night clubs abound and restaurants such as A Ma Bretagne on the Corniche with superb  fish  dishes are matched in town with excellent restaurants  including Rick's cafe  modeled on Rick’s Café in the 1942 film “Casablanca.”  Le Rouget de l’Isle also comes highly recommended. Infact, as  with any international city the full range of cuisines is available and the city revels in its role as an international airport hub. The city has a thriving cultural life and it is well worth visiting the  some of the 20 or so art galleries to experience modern  contemporary Moroccan painting and sculpture which is thriving and internationally famous. The galleries  include Villa des Arts de Casablanca , Galerie Venise Cardre and Galerie l’Atelier 21 amongst  others. As with any international city Casablanca has its run down areas but it also has chic modern areas like Anfa and towering new office blocks and skyscrapers like the Twin Centre Towers .

It is an exciting vibrant city shaking off its old tired image with new developments and offering  the tourist a new range of stimulating activities. The days when Casablanca was just a stop off point in Morocco to go elsewhere  are over.

For More Information on Casablanca Tours 

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Traveling with Children in Morocco, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Tourists who bring their families on vacation will find a special entry into  Moroccan society. Moroccans love children and much of Moroccan society is focused on the family and their offspring. Children are warmly welcomed and treated with every consideration in Morocco. Teaching children a few words of Arabic before they come to Morocco can be very rewarding. Children are a tremendous icebreaker and waiters, maids and shopkeepers will be far more attentive when there are children around.   

Bringing your children to Morocco will introduce them to a magical world of  vibrant and colorful souks, Ksours and Kasbahs, mountains and countryside. When traveling with children in Morocco there's more to explore such as long unspoiled beaches, various regions of the Sahara desert and camel treks. The sights and sounds of Morocco offers a completely different society to children and one that is accessible and fun. Morocco offers the opportunity for family adventure holidays and flights from Europe which are only three and a half hours with airports in many cities and excellent rail and road links. Morocco is the ideal family vacation destination. A few precautions are necessary, Morocco’s sun is deep and penetrating and the light is very bright. Wearing a hat, sunglasses and sun block cream are important and in the evening when temperatures can drop a sweater is also a good idea. Some medicines for tummy trouble are also a good idea although if you eat fruits that you peel and wash and drink bottled mineral water this greatly lessens the risk. It is important for children to drink lots of water and carrying a small bottle with them helps to remind them of this. Many hotels and Riads in Morocco are children friendly and you can check this out with your travel agent before booking. Extra beds and babysitters are available in a number of establishments. Some riads are more adult orientated but those who welcome children advertise the fact on their websites.

Club Med in the Palmeraie in Marrakech has excellent children’s facilities and is very family orientated and you can also use the facilities at Club Med next to the Djemma El Fna square, it helps if you can speak a little French. Other child friendly establishments include; Les Deux Tours in the Palmeraie which has extensive gardens and the Gulf Palace Hotel which has a special children’s park. It’s also possible to book the whole of a smaller riad for your stay or self catering apartments.  It’s a good idea to book accommodation with a swimming pool .

There are also numerous establishments outside Marrakech like the Oasiria waterpark and the very splendid Beldi Country Club amongst a number of others. Visits to the souks in Marrakech, Essaouira and Fes are a must as children will be fascinated by the rich and abundant displays of artifacts and the medinas area magical world of ancient buildings. It is perhaps best to avoid the very crowded times and small children should be carried or at least have a lead. Baby carriers and buggies are not a good idea in a crowded and narrow souk and if you use them make sure they have good sturdy wheels and can fold up easily. Visiting on Saturdays or off peak times is possible. For your first visit to Morocco consider booking through a private travel agency and let the agency handle choosing a guide that will be family oriented and also allow them to arrange for activities which can make the vacation planning less taxing. Other options are to take a guide recommended by your hotel or riad, or the Office of Tourism can also provide English speaking guides.

The Djemma El Fna square has snake charmers, monkies and story tellers. In the medina you need to be prepared for motorbikes and mopeds coming round the corner, sometimes at speed so it’s best to walk close to the walls rather than the centre of the narrow street. An effort is being made by the authorities to ban motorbikes and mopeds  being ridden in the souks and signs are in place, but old habits die hard. The message that a pedestrian area is for pedestrians is slowly getting through. Great care needs to be taken crossing roads in the medina and the modern part of town, the Géuliz. Crossing at traffic lights when cars are stopped in one direction, pedestrians need to be aware that traffic on the other side still flows despite the red light. Pedestrian’s rights and safety still have a way to go. Morocco is not a society ruled by health and safety and you will see motorbikes with four family members mounted on them without a helmet in sight but life seems to carry on perfectly happily.

When planning a car trip to Ourika , Imilil or Ouarzazate via the Tizi N’Test pass it is advisable to hire a car with driver recommended by your hotel. English speaking drivers are available. You can of course hire a car and drive yourself, but on your first visit it’s best to play safe and enjoy the scenery. Morocco does not have a particularly good road safety record and the roads particularly in the mountain areas can be quite challenging. Moroccan and international food is available in restaurants the cities. Marrakech has Macdonalds and pizza restaurants are now quite common. For snacks and other child accessories the Marjane supermarkets in Marrakech and Casablanca have a wide selection of products available and pharmacies have a wide range of medicines available. It’s a good idea to check out lists of doctors in each city provided by your embassy on line before you arrive, as a precaution. Outside Marrakech rafting along the rivers and trekking in the Atlas Mountains and visiting old Kasbahs like Telouet and Ait Ben Haddou are highly recommended.

Children can  explore the winding streets which are still inhabited and enjoy the excitement of discovering a film location which was used for Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator amongst others. A trip to Merzouga and a trek with camels is also very popular. It’s important on a first trip not to try to do too much travelling. Another option from Marrakech is to visit Essaouira which has been made much easier  by the newly finished motorway . You can even take the Supratours bus which operates several services to Essaouira and back to Marrakech daily. Children will love the long beach which offers surfing,  swimmers should be aware that there are strong under currents and care should be taken on Morocco’s many fine Atlantic beaches. Essaouira has fine battlements and ramparts with ancient cannons, excellent souks and a variety of restaurants . The busy fishing port is a great draw and fishing trips and boat trips to the Isle of Mogador are also possible. Riding in the surrounding countryside around Essaouira and trekking trips are also available. Morocco is a year round destination but July and August are exceptionally hot and this needs to be borne in mind if you are planning on bringing children. It’s best to avoid the desert at this time and a hotel with a swimming pool is a must.

For More Information on Morocco Family Vacations 

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Chefchaouen, Blue & White City of Morocco, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Chefchaouen is a small charming relaxed  city of about 40,000 inhabitants located in northeastern Morocco  close to Tangiers and Tetouan and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. It can also be reached from Fes.Chefchaouen is unlike any other town in Morocco and has a laid back charm with buildings painted in many shades of blue in the 1930’s by Jewish refugees. Surrounded by mountains and towered over by twin peaks which give it is name, it is also called  Chaouen by locals. The city of Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 by Sultan Moulay Ismail.It dominated the mercantile route between Tetouan and Fez and served as a base to counter the Portuguese in Ceuta. During the 15th and 17th century the city prospered and grew in considerable form with the arrival of the Moriscos and Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1494 during the Reconquista. The architecture of Chefchaouen  bears many echos of the Andalusian influence of the period. In 1920, the Spanish seized Chefchaouen to form part of Spanish Morocco.  They were surprised to find the inhabitants speaking a medieval form of Catalan. It was a closed city to Europeans until 1920 and was only visited  in disguise at the risk of one’s life. Charles de Foucauld and Walter Harris were amongst only 3 visitors. Spain returned the city after the independence of Morocco in 1956

It is a delightfully peaceful city and laid back place with the small medina little more than a village. The buildings are painted blue (this was begun by Jewish refugees in 1930)which adds to the peaceful reflective nature of the environment. Visitors can while  away  the day visiting its souks  where local products especially woven wool and carpets, djellabahs and blankets , wooden furniture and artifacts special to the region  exploring the medina and the 15^th Century Mosque, though non believers cannot enter and there is also a mosque dedicated to the patron saint of Northern Morocco's Jebalah region, Moulay Abdeslam Ben Mchich Alami.   There is also a ruined Spanish replica of a mosque. The main square in the medina is lined with cafes and filled with locals and tourists  mingling easily. Tourists can also visit the Kasbah near Place Outa el Hammam and the museum in the medina.

The Kasbah of Chefchaouen belongs to the early 18th century, and was built by the legendary ruler Moulay Ismail It is surrounded by gardens on the interior and exterior. Inside the Kasbah, there is  also the ethnographic museum containing antique weapons, musical instruments, berber artifacts and photographs of the old town. Tourists can eat outside in one of the local restaurants . There are now a number of excellent restaurants as well as some two hundred hotels of different categories including some boutique riads offering high quality accommodation. After lunch one can go for a guided hike in the close-by green hillsides or for the more energetic climb the hills above Chefchaouen for a wonderful view of the city and surrounding area which is perfect for eco tourism. In the evening it is possible to relax in a hammam, a Moroccan spa experience.  For dinner,  the Restaurant Tissemlal, a beautifully decorated old house with a French-Moroccan set menu is amongst those highly recommended. Chefchaouen  is a magical place for the traveler  to rest and reflect away from the frenetic activity found in Morocco’s main tourist centers of Marrakech and Fez.  Travellers continue their voyages refereshed and many stay longer than expected.

For More Information on Chefchaouen Tour 

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Moroccan Wine Bars, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Wine bars are the new trend in Morocco. These new and upcoming Wine Bars offer a nice reprise for expats, travelers and those interested in a more local scene when traveling or living in Morocco. Wine bars in Morocco also offer a nice balance of wines ranging from imports to local Moroccan specialities along with light fare. With all the new craze in the USA and Europe - and some with a long trend of unique wine bars, Moroccan cities are at the forefront offering up some truly charming wine bars for those who want to expand their pallet and enjoy the new cities after sunset.

The Wine bar at the  El Minzah hotel  on the edge of the medina in Tangiers is decorated with the photos of stars who stayed at the historic El Minzah founded by the Marquis of Bute in the 1930’s and ate in the wine bar. Tangiers enjoyed an international reputation with the rich and famous and writers and artists during this period and  with the photos of past movie stars and personalities such as Sir Rex Harrison, Rita Hayworth, Rock Hudson, Jean Claude Van Damme, Jacques Cousteau and many others, you can relive the city’s  glittering past glories as you wine and dine.  An impressive wine list is accompanied by excellent cuisine . Start with a drink in the Caid’s bar which has an imposing picture of Caid Sir Harry Maclean who commanded the Sultan’s army.

In Casablanca Bistrot Chic Casablancais is a brasserie serving modern French cuisine with tapas and home   made desserts. The restaurant has a floor where a wine bar is located on 8 rue Taha Houcine and French cheeses are served, diners can choose their own wine from the cellar.

The Riad Fes , 5 Derb Ben Slimane Zerbtana,Fes is renowned for its luxury, impeccable service and fine restaurant. Its Andalous pavilion and lounge. Its wine bar offers great wines from Morocco to satisfy the most discerning wine lovers. It overlooks the swimming-pool and its green walls. The black glass tables and  the gray Tadelakt walls provide a clear modern architectural back drop to the discovery of Morocco’s best wines.

Meknes is Morocco’s wine capital and the surrounding countryside has many fine vineyards. The largest of these is Les Celliers de Meknes which has achieved international recognition. Morocco has excellent reds, rosés and some fine white wines and sampling them is an important part of experiencing Moroccan cuisine. Meknes has the Bistrot Art et le wine bar located at the Hotel Transatlantic which is well known for its excellent cuisine.

Marrakech has a new wine bar at 68 rue de la Liberte  called Cheese Me. It can be quite difficult to find good cheese in Moroccan restaurants so this is a really welcome addition to the Marrakech  restaurant scene. A stylish modern décor is matched by a friendly welcome and an excellent menu of cheeses and wines. You can select various options such as tapas and different selections of cheese with a  very generous cheese platter. Wines are available by the glass or the bottle.

Loft, also located in rue de la Liberté in Gueliz in Marrakech, is a relaxed and stylish venue influenced by New York and Paris where one can sample the wine on the terrace or at the bar,  or enjoy the excellent and reasonably priced international  and French cuisine.

For More Information on a Morocco Tours and Wine Bars 

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Essaouira has it all, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Essaouira has it all! Ramparts and cannons looking out to sea, a maze of alley ways and souks selling artifacts, carpets and jewellry , the best handicrafts that  Morocco has to offer, art galleries and museums ,excellent restaurants, riads and hotels to suit every budget a mysterious island with a deserted mosque and abandoned settlement, a thriving fishing port, a long beach with a collapsed fort. Essaouira is the perfect seaside destination for single travelers or family holidays. 

In the 18th century Sultan Mohammed III directed a French engineer, Théodore Cornut, and several other European architects and technicians to build the fortress and city blending Moorish and European designs of the period. There is a martello tower which was a revolutionay design at the time. Originally called "Souira" ("the small fortress"), the name became "Es-Saouira" ("the beautifully designed") which is especially apt. The  imposing gate to the harbour was built by an English renegade "Ahmed the English." Thus the town has its own special magic and attracted the famous film director and actor Orson Welles who filmed his renowned version of  Shakespeare’s Othello here in the early 1950’s using the ramparts and medina streets to great effect. Essaouira also had a hippy period when Jimi Hendrix and many others gathered  here.   

The development of Essaouira into Morocco’s premier seaside destination owes a great deal to André Azoulay a native of the town and the Adviser to King Mohammed VI .Essaouira is now a cultural centre for the arts with  a number of galleries featuring contemporary Moroccan  artists and it is a great opportunity to view and buy  their work which is becoming internationally famous. The  Frederic Damgaard gallery is the best and oldest in town and features the work of local artists. Essaouira’s beautifully refurbished  Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah Museum is in an old riad and has a small but interesting collection of jewellry, costumes, weapons, musical instruments and carpets fom the region.

 There’s a section explaining the signs and symbols used by local craftsmen and photographs of Essaouira at the turn of the century. Essaouira is famous for its wooden artifacts,bowls,intricately designed boxes and cabinets in workshops in the Skalla de Ville just under the ramparts. Other finds  in the souks are carpets and kelims and jewellry  shops near Avenue Istiqlal  where you can find berber jewellry and items in gold. Down by the harbour, the Skala du Port has cannons and picturesque views over the fishing port and the Île de Mogador. The small fishing boats are painted a deep blue and the larger fishing vessels are sometimes raised on to the harbour for repairs. Fish are landed and it is possible to buy them fresh from the sea or eat  them  grilled  at tables on the dockside. Sam’s the wooden  restaurant in the  harbour is famous for its fish dishes as is the Restaurant de la Plage with views out to sea and Essaouira’s  long beach.The terrace of Restaurant de la Plage is still one of the the best places for lunch in Essaouira. Other highly recommended restaurants include ; Les Alizés ,Ferdaous, El Minzah, Riad Al-Baraka and Les Chandeliers The magnificent square at the entrance to the souks has numerous cafés for breakfast and coffee during the day and patisseries bake excellent cakes and pastries which can be consumed in the cafés. Fishing with a fishing boat from the harbour can be arranged  as can trips to the Ile de Mogador ( with a permit from the Port office) except during the mating season of the famous colony of the rare Eleanora's falcons, between April and October.

Essaouira is a windy town and thus a paradise for surfers, wind surfing is particularly popular and the bay is often filled with the colourful sails of windsurfers gliding back and forth with speed. Care should be taken by swimmers as there are strong undercurrents. If riding camels along the beach is not enough for you, you can ride horses and trek in the surrounding countryside and discover the ancient viaduct brought down by an earth quake. Outside the town you can witness the amusing sight of goat’s climbing argan trees to eat the berries and you can visit argan oil presses and women’s cooperatives producing argan oil which is now a highly sought after product for culinary and cosmetic purposes. Essaouira now has extremely good connections,with its own airport and a motorway linking it to Marrakech.The Supra tours bus company provides s regular service between Marrakech and Essaouira. There are three world class festivals held in Essaouira each year ; the Gnaoua Festival of World Music is held in Essaouira, normally in the last week of June. It is a great event and it is important to book hotel accommodation well in advance if you decide to visit at this time. The spring musical festival of Alizés   in May features classical music and opera and the festival of Atlantic Andalusian music,art and dance in late September.

For More Information on a Essaouira Tour 

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.