Marrakesh Travel Forum

Hi,

I am going with my parents for the first time to Morocco and were planning to stay for 5 days in Marrakesh. We have another 5 days and did not know if going to Essaouria or Agadir. Any suggestion?

Thanks

i have been to both places and prefer essaouira.
it has a lot more charm than agadir.
essaouira is really a wonderful place with a nice median and a lively harbour aswell as some good beaches.

Agadir is where tons of Europeans go, which makes the place probably the most expensive in Morocco. Essaouira is more interesting and fun.

hi
yes essaouira is nice then agadir ..yes it is .
but i would sugest an other distination down to the south where you can see more places and beautiful things like dades todra and ziz valley .
even it's just five days it would be enugh to descover an other world of tribs and desert + the difernt geolgQ so as far you go you enjoy the trip .
may be that's not in your inters but in case you don't have this part in your mind here is it .
dades and todra are like mouts wall the river runing down ....
you may stay one there then you move to the duns but befor you arrive have a while to visit the souck and the fc of fossils ...
then to the last stations erg chebbi duns .
at erg chebbi they'll sugest for camel trekking or an overnight duns wich is fab and amazing experience .
for any recommendation i would recommend places but in case that you change your distination .

enjoy it.

Will nobody put in a good word for Agadir? I'm not about to. Essaouara, it's only drawback is how to spell it.

i personally like agadir.
i just think that essaouira is nicer.

Hi, you could make yourself a nice tour and do a combination of both - a very nice way to get to Agadir is along the very scenic road to TiznTest, stop at the historic mosque of TinMal, one of only two mosques in Morocco that van be visited by non-muslims, and down to Tarouddant - you can then go down the back road - a good tar sealed road - via Igherm to Tafroute and then on up to Agadir and then up the coast to Essaouira. (you could go from Tafroute to Tiznit and Aglou plage and then on up to Agadir or just Tafroute up to Agadir).

This could be done as a day to Tafroute with a day in and around Tafroute, and then a day to Agadir and then a day up to Essaouira and a day in it and around it, and then back to Marrakech if thats where youre leaving Morocco from.

Make it just 4 days in Marrakech if you wish and that would be a good amount of time to enjoy the sights and experiences at a leisurely pace.

There are good places to stay along the way - a nice hotel at Tafroute or on the Kerdous range on the way to Tiznit. or on the beach at Aglou plage near Tiznit.

Renting a car and driving around is quite a pleasurable way to see Morocco with all its diversity and photogenic opportunities and if these three or four of you of course it will be even more a good economic move!

all the best for a great time in Morocco!

Thanks a lot to all of you. It was very usuful. Now I need some help with accomodation. I saw Hotel des Iles and Hotel Ryad Mogador in Essaouira. Which is closer to the sea? Is it possible to go to the beach? Which is better? I saw some critics in different webpages and some of the opinions are really extreme from..." it is very dirty not recommended" to "very nice, very clean"

Thanks for this

i don't know the places you mention.
i was backpacking myself and stayed at a couple of budget places that i liked.
i have a few photos and impressions on my essaouira page that you might want to take a look at:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/36ade/20417c/

Myself and a few other VTers have been happy with Cap Sim in Essaouira - i have a tip recommending them in my pages.