Agadir Tourist Traps

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Now, this may not be solely the restaurant's or solely the tour guide's fault... it takes two to Tango!

We were charged 150dh for a meal which was advertised, on a board outside, as 34dh or 37dh. I started to question the amount but the 150dh was taken quickly, under the pressure of leaving quickly to get to Essaouia in time!

I am still disputing this, so I cannot give you the name of my travel company.

The food? Fine! The hygene? Well, the public toilets almost opposite this group of cafes are the second worst I have in my travels to over 50 countries. And you have to pay!

There was a group of entertainers but their music and dance routine was not good so that many of us refused to pay them.

Unique Suggestions: Ask how much first!

Fun Alternatives: Well, it's the ambience, said our guide!

Do not Go!!! Rude people, very aggressive . Good for a look only. don't stay to shop. Go instead to Municipal Market in town. Very nice shop keepers, better prices and better crafts. It is near Uniprix area.
If you are looking to have a leather jacket made or to buy one, go to Gala shop up the street from Club Marmara Ramada Resort in center of town of Agadir. Ask for Salam or Sadeek. Beautiful soft leather jackets for 1000 dirhams. Tell him Cheryl sent you and I still want that camel ride on the beach!!

Unique Suggestions: Go to Essaouria. It is a quaintharbor town and the shops are so much nice. Better bargains and nicer, more polite shopkeepers. Buy Argan oil and sample some Amlou at the Argan Co-ops along the way to Essaoruria.

The brochures will have you believe Agadir has 365 days of sun what we will tell you is thats nowhere near the beach lolol

According to the locals and we discovered it ourselves Agadir can be swamped with low cloud for many days at a time. When the cloud does roll in you could be stuck with it for several days - it was a common event but one that strangely is missed by travel agents lol

we had 7 days in Agadir - 5 of them where under cloud and our last two days where sunny(ish) lol we did still come back with a tan though as the sun does tend to appear about 5pm (im not joking) lol

Unique Suggestions: Our advice when this happens! take the trips out of Agadir as there is flip all else to do here apart from sunbathe, (well when the sun appears)

Fun Alternatives: Eat! there are some fabulous restaurants here make use of them, just strolling along the boulevard and stopping for a coffee is great if you love people watching

Every where you turn you will see shopps or persons who´s selling watches, copys of Rolex, Armani, Brietling and so on.

My tip dont buy this watches they are crap, they work for a month or so and then you can throw it away. I bougt 6 wathes they are all in the trash can long time ago.

Unique Suggestions: Just walk by

Fun Alternatives: Buy something else then a watch.

Beware of inflated prices on everything!!!

Unique Suggestions: Haggle on everything and i mean everything. Every shop i went to started off at sky high prices, and you have to knock them down as much as you can on evrything, otherwise they will try and rip you off!

If you want to by gifts go to the souk first before trying the shops by the hotels and restuarants.
In the souk when an item that is worth 40dh you can start at 20dh and they may start at 80dh or 100dh.
In the shops they'll ask a rediculous price like 300dh! thats ?20 for something worth ?3 at most!.

They are trying to rip you of and do not care to let you have it for a fair price. the item costing 40dh in the souk will cost you more in the shops. Be ruthless and do walk away if they are being unreasonable. There price will soon fall.

If some one is reasonable and fair then I am more likely to by from them,
And if the shop says fixed price rest aured it is also inflated prices and you can still haggle.

Unique Suggestions: Be ruthless and do walk away if they are being unreasonable. There price will soon fall.

Fun Alternatives: The Souk is on Avenue Abderrahim 30 minute walk from the beach or a 20dh taxi ride.
Well worth a visit but be prepared to be hasseled as you go round. It is not as bad as some places and if you are polite and firm your "no" will be respected.

I went in expecting to spend around ?20 but spent over ?100.
Some of the people in there are good at selling!
But I know I got thinks for a lot better price than in the shops.

I lived at a El Bahia hotel far from a beach. Almost everyday I drove to El Tikida Beach Hotel parking lot and went to the beach. The hotel had his own isolated part of a beach for hotel guests with beach chairs and umbrellas. First day I asked the hotel staff to use it. They checked at the schedule and said OK, no problem. I expected to pay a few $. So, I was very dissapointed when they asked me to pay the same money as I paid for one night at my hotel = ca $15!

Unique Suggestions: No way, I had to pay. Try to ask the price in advance, maybe they ripped me off.

Fun Alternatives: Take a beach towel to the beach, like almost all do.

It's said (in commercials) that there are more than 300 days of sunshine in Agadir. That's true, but... not at all. I spent 12 days in Agadir at the beginning of October and only 5 days were sunny all the time.

Five days the sunshine lasted from 7am to 10am, later the atlantic coastline was covered by thick fog, while 1-2 km from the coastline there was sunshine.

Twice there were sandy storms on the beach started around midday. Desert storm might be great thing to see! I like storms! But if you want to come back home with bronze skin from Agadir you may be dissatisfied.

Unique Suggestions: It was a great fun for me to experience sandy storm on the beach and watch other people that time lol. And I (add two German policemen) was among the last who left a beach during desert storms.

Fun Alternatives: Follow me. Take a tour or rent a car and drive to great tourist attractions located nearby:
1. Tafraoute in Antiatlas,
2. Agard-Oudad near Tafraoute with amazing painted rocks (land-art),
3. Immouzzer des ida Outanane (the water fall is a tourist trap but the road itself is spectacular).

Or stay at a hotel. If it's located at least 2km from a beach there shouldn't be any fog there.