You are here: Home / Archives for GrahamChapple

A New Marina for Aourir

March 18, 2012 By GrahamChapple Leave a Comment

As I have said lots of times before, things happen very quickly in Morocco!

When we were over last October, there was lots of new building projects going on; basically the King had decreed that any land could be built upon as long as local labour was used, the land was then given for free. So as you can imagine, builders were in high demand and buildings were going up everywhere.

Then a few things changed. Not really sure what but the next thing we know is that most of the buildings that were built were being demolished. Not really sure why, but it was a bit of a surprise. In away it is good that all the work stopped as it was all just getting too much. One story I heard was that over 6000 new constructions were happening in Aourir alone, and this is a small fishing village.

Anyway, the next update was that a Marina was planned right on the beachfront between the surf schools and the hillside – just at the end of the market square. This is a great spot for a development as it is in clear view of the main N1 road, thus drawing people into the village.

We are out in Aourir in a few weeks so will be able to give some updates, however here are a few pictures of the planned development and the site with construction underway.

We think this will be really good for the local economy of Aourir, bringing much needed work and tourists to the village. It is also just far enough away from Agadir to have its own personality for want of a better description. I am really looking forward to seeing it and hearing what the plans are for the rest of the village.


 

Filed Under: Beach Front Villas Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Recent Refurbishments now completed

February 15, 2012 By GrahamChapple Leave a Comment

When you own a property by the sea, one thing you have to do is constantly refurbish and paint everything! On our last trip over to Villa Ramallah, we noticed the paint was starting to peal off the front walls and roof terrace, so we contacted our builders to ask advise on the best way to stop this happening. After a meeting and a bit of arm waving, it was decided to stipple the wall with new render and a different grade of paint, more suitable to the harsh conditions of sea, wind and sun.

We also wanted to do some more decoration inside the villa – we want to create an authentic Moroccan experience for our guests, specifically based on the region. Decorative tiling is very common in all homes in Aourir, so we decided to increase the tiling, and give the rest of the house a lick of paint at the same time. We also upgraded the water pump in the well – it had a few problems over the last year, so we wanted to fix it once and for all.

So after the obligatory haggling over the prices, the tea of course and a firm handshake, the plans were launched.

The only stipulation was that the work must start almost straight away, which we decided was not a problem. Little did we know that the remaining week of our holiday would be living in a building site!

The next morning, we were woken at 6:30am to the sound of lots of shouting and hammering – I jumped out of bed and ran outside – only to be greeted by the builder and his merry band!

Then the hammering started….3 days solid of chipping off the old render, making good the wals ready for tiling and then the dust…my god the dust!

So for the remaining week of our holiday, we went out from 7am until 6pm everyday, visited loads of places and ate everywhere – as it happens we did more than normal and met lots of new people so in fact it literally got us out of the house!

Anyway, we are delighted with the results – the villa looks amazing and hopefully we will not have to do any further maintenance like this for many years to come.

Why not go over and see yourself – contact us at Holidays Morocco now for your beach front villa in Agadir.

Enjoy the pictures:

Filed Under: Beach Front Villas Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Visit the Souk in Agadir

November 26, 2011 By GrahamChapple Leave a Comment

No trip to Agadir can be complete without a trip into the ancient Grand Souk El Had in Agadir.

The Grand Souk El Had is pretty easy to find, but rather than stress about it, just hail a Petite Taxi (the small orange ones), say a prayer and climb in. Don’t forget to haggle about the price before you get in though – from the beach front is should only be a few Dirhams for 2 of you.

The first view you will get is the pink colored walls of the old fort which houses the Souk – you will almost certainly be dropped off at gate 8 or 10, this is where there is a small car park. One thing to be aware of is the number of “guides” who will all tell you they are government approved etc – choose one if you want to as they will be very entertaining and informative, but beware, they will take you to several friends shops to show you some bargains, have tea etc – but it will cost you.

On our first visit to the Souk, we took a guide and paid the price at the spice seller friend….but lessons learnt!

The Souk has everything you can imagine. From ceramics, fruit and veg, livestock, fish, shoes , gold, leather….you name it or want it and you can find it. There are literally thousands of shops. If you have done your homework and want something specific, do work out a price before you go, as unfortunately they will try and increase the prices for tourists. Just be prepared to walk away and not show you want the goods you are after – they will sell it if they want to and make a profit.

Our big tip is to be friendly and speak to the shop keepers, whilst it takes longer to do a tour around, you will be less stressed and not look like a tourist!

On our last visit, we went with Layla, a friend from the village. Going with a local Berber speaking person changed everything and the prices seemed to tumble to unbelievable levels, so go with Hassan or ask him to sort out going with Layla for a girlie trip to the Souk.

Set aside a good few hours just to mill around – it does get quite crowded despite the size of it, but its all under cover and reasonably cool inside. You will really feel the culture and experience Moroccan life in here – so enjoy it.

For a holiday with a difference, go to Morocco and stay at Villa Ramalah, our beach front villa in Aourir near Agadir – contact us now for availability and prices.

 

Filed Under: Agadir, Beach Front Villas, Explore Morocco, Holidays in Morocco, Morocco, Shopping in Morocco, Souks, Villas in Morocco Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Wonderful weather in Agadir

October 7, 2011 By GrahamChapple Leave a Comment

After a short flight from England to Agadir, you will see why so many people are choosing to come to Morocco now rather than other destinations like Spain or France.

We arrived about 6:30pm and as you walked off the plane, the heat just hits you. This time of the year, there is a lovely breeze blowing which take the edge off the heat, but it’s still 28 degrees at this time of night.

Some would say it’s too hot, but the nights are cooler making sleep easy, but the sun during the day if fantastic, ensuring the cold weather of England is left far behind.

You do, of course, need to take sun precautions, a good factor 30 cream and a hat are essential – getting sun burnt is just not a good idea. The African sun is hot and very direct so will burn you unless you take care.

Yesterday, we spent the day in Essaourira, a small but beautiful city on the coast, famed for its fishing and blue decor, and enjoyed a relaxed lunch in the sun, topping up the tan.

So get rid of the winter blues, jump on a plane and go to Morocco for a guaranteed sun tan

20111007-084504.jpg

Filed Under: Beach Front Villas, Explore Morocco, Holidays in Morocco, Morocco Tagged With: , ,

Agadir Beachfront renovations completed

June 19, 2011 By GrahamChapple Leave a Comment

When I was last in Agadir, they were doing an amazing amount of work on the sea front, most had been complete especially the restaurant areas, but the shop fronts were still needing some work.

On arrival this week, they certainly have been very busy and all the roads were. Now completed, the pavement were finished and most of the shops had been renovated. Some have closed, but are being replaced with a large sea view gym, new shops, a couple of restaurants and a new nightclub.

The beach is still just beautiful, with plenty of space and activities always going on, and it is very clean and safe for the kids etc. I personally do not like this sort of beach, and in Aourir we do have some very quite and secluded beaches – away from crowds and people where we can swim and body board in peace – hence our decision not to buy in Agadir but in a smaller village 10 km up the road. Close enough to be in the thick of it, but far enough away as not to have the crowds – the best of both worlds for guests at Villa Ramalah.

 

I am always shocked at just how quickly things happen, the amount of new buildings going up around the town is incredible, most are offices and shops, but as you move more away from the city, lots of flats and houses are springing up everywhere.

Also, they have completely re-laid a 10km stretch of the N1 from Agadir to Aourir, put in central reservations, planted 100′s of palm trees and bushes and put in two new roundabouts… All in under 6 months! Now here is crazy tip for UK road constructors – why not work with all the service providers to get ducts and pipes in BEFORE you lay a new service – this is exactly what has been done on this stretch of road so it will not have to be dug up again..simples!

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Agadir, Beach Front Villas, Holidays in Morocco, Morocco Holiday, travel in Morocco, Villas in Morocco Tagged With: , , , ,

Argan Oil – Where does it come from?

June 19, 2011 By GrahamChapple 1 Comment

Argan Fruit on the tree

You may have heard of Argan Oil but do you know anything about it, where it comes from and what it even looks like? I guess, probably not, unless you are into beauty therapies or have been to Agadir in Morocco.

The Argan tree is very specific to the south of Morocco, and abounds in Agadir and the surrounding local area. It is very selective in its choice of soil and many projects have been undertaken to introduce these trees elsewhere and failed due to this very fussy tree.

It is totally wild and cannot be cultivated, some things in this world should just remain wild really, and this is one of them. The bushes are very unassuming, and unless you knew what it was, you would think it was probably another olive tree or similar type bush.

What makes this tree so special is the fruit it produces, or rather the seeds and oil that is produced from them. Getting the oil out is no easy matter and it has to be ground out using a series of grinding stones, oh and by hand as well just to make it harder.

As you drive through the region, you will see these bushes; most are loaded with bright yellow fruit pods. These are totally inedible to humans; however goat seems to love them. You will often see goats in the trees, perching on the thinnest branches to get at the small leaves and the fruit.

Argan Trees along the coast road near Agadir

Harvesting takes place when the fruits change colour from yellow to brown, where various methods are used from picking up the fallen to actually knocking the seeds down and gathering the seeds from the goat faeces, which apparently make the best oil!

Goat in an Argan tree

The husks are cracked and the small seeds inside are extracted. These seeds are then ground by small hand powered specially shaped grinding stones to produce the oil. This process takes ages and is done in phases until the finest pulp is ground, producing the oil.

The oil can be used in cooking, added to salads or mixed with ground almonds and honey for a delicious Moroccan breakfast or snack. It is also heated up and cooked then used in the finest skin care treatments and cosmetics. The oil is said to possess good medical properties and the cosmetics are very good for the skin.

All the work is done by women and as you drive towards Marrakesh on the old road you will see the woman’s cooperative which sells authentically produced Argan oil and Argan products, so this is the place to buy from if you want Argan products.

Whilst very expensive, the products are wonderful and last a very long time, so well worth buying. The edible oils are perfect on salads and added to cous cous for that authentic taste of Morocco. So why not buy some and help support the local economy of the Agadir region.

For you Moroccan beach front holiday, contact Holidays Morocco now for prices and availablilty.

 

Filed Under: Argan Oil, Beach Front Villas, Explore Morocco, Holidays in Morocco, Moroccan Adventure, Morocco Holiday, Villas in Morocco Tagged With: , , , ,

Places to visit in Morocco – Imsouane

June 19, 2011 By GrahamChapple Leave a Comment

Deserted beach at Tamri

The north road, the N1 from Agadir towards Essaouira, offers some of the most stunning scenery in Morocco. The road closely follows the Atlantic coast for approximately 60km before going up a spectacular mountain pass, offering unsurpassed views from a few vantage points along the way. You are now in true Morocco, away from everything.

This Coastal road snakes it’s way along the coastline, going though villages like Taghazout, famous for it’s surfing community, Paradise Beach with the Altantique Restaurant, always serving the best and freshest seafood and fish available and some great little spots to stop off and watch the sea, fish or swim.

As you pass the lighthouse, the road and terrain changes to more desert like, then you go slightly inland to the small village of Tamri, a fertile valley which grows massive amounts of fruit and vegetables to supply the local population. This also has a fabulous hidden beach entrance which takes you down to a cove where the surf is excellent and you will be pretty much on your own. Just be careful to stick to the hard roads because you will get stuck in the sand and it’s a long walk back to get help.

I have also been told about a bird sanctuary near the village but could not find it, so another reason to come back again!

One place to visit along this road is Imsouane, a small self contained fishing village perched right on the edge of the Atlantic. Literally, this village is the first turning on the left from Agadir but it’s about 90km until you get to it!

The road to the village is basically a single track road, so you must be especially careful along here. As you drive along it, there is one spot you must stop and take in the view. It offers a panoramic view both up and down the coast from a height of about 400mt so don’t go too close to the edge!

As you approach the village, you will see this has been built up towards the rear of he village as this is a popular place for holiday homes, however the closer you get to the village centre, you will see the true village. On the day I visited, one of the famous winds was playing havoc with everything, so unfortunately most of the restaurants were closed, but I am told the seafood is excellent and the locals are very friendly.

Right on the harbor entrance, some houses have been built into the sea wall … This all looks a little too scary to me and I would not want to stay in one of these houses!

It’s well worth the drive to see this place, despite extremely strong winds which often happen in this village, there are some great looking places to eat and spend some time in.

Why not book your beach front villa holiday now – contact Holidays Morocco to check availability of our spacious and comfortable villa which sleeps up to 8 people.

 

Filed Under: Agadir, Beach Front Villas, Explore Morocco, Holidays in Morocco, Moroccan Adventure, travel in Morocco, Villas in Morocco Tagged With: , , ,

Houses on the beach, well actually in a cave!

June 18, 2011 By GrahamChapple Leave a Comment

Morocco never fails to surprise. When we were in Tifnit, Marek of Hollycow Surf Camps said that he wanted to show me something I would be amazed at, so we left the road and followed dirt track along the coast, about 10km south of Tifnit. I really had no idea where we were going; all I could see was a beautiful sea view from the cliff top road.

We pulled up and stopped at the edge of a pathway leading down to the beach. I thought I was going to be shown a secret fishing place, but as I followed him down the stairs (which had been cut into the rocks), a small village appeared – but one with a major difference!

This village had been built out of the cliff face! Apparently years ago, fishermen used to live in these caves, pretty much all their lives, being passed from father to son.  The King had declared that the caves were the property of the fishermen and not the state, so could be sold. There are some rules which do apply to what can be built, but everybody who has bought a cave wants to keep the natural beauty of the area untouched.

We were invited in to see the bedrooms, living area and kitchen of one of the houses and I have today whilst basic, it was very adequate and comfortable. There is a spring so fresh water is available in or near each cave and the view is spectacular. If you want a new room, you just have to dig it out…how cool is that!

Here are a few pictures of this amazing place, which incidentally does not have a name..so  you can just vanish if you want to! I just have to go back and spend some time here – its amazing.

 

Filed Under: Agadir, Beach Front Villas, Holidays in Morocco, Moroccan Adventure, Morocco Holiday, Surfer holidays

You must explore when in Morocco

June 17, 2011 By GrahamChapple 1 Comment

One thing you must do when you come to morocco, that’s explore.

It’s all too easy to stay in the villa, hotel, on the beach or just go to the same places all the time, but you are missing out on a whole load of experiences and sights of true morocco.

On my trip this time, I met up with Marek and Michal of Hollycow surf camps. I have been emailing Marek for about a year now and he rents the villa as a base for his tours and surfing safaris as he prefers Aourir as a base rather than Taghazout which has become too much for the surf tourist.

Marek was due to arrive from Marrakech in the early evening, but some mechanical problems meant he did not arrive until about 3am, hence we did not chat much! However the next day we caught up on loads of things, but one thing we had chatted about before was favorite places to suggest to our clients staying at the villa. Without hesitation, Marek said that we must go to Tifnit, a small un-spoilt fishing village only 50km south of Agadir.

So after a hearty breakfast, off we went. Now it turns out I have driven past this turning many times, but always on the way to somewhere else. Anyway, on this occasion, we drove the 10km from the main N1 to Tan Tan down to Tifnit. As we drove over the crest of the mountain, I was met with an amazing view of this small fishing village. Whilst there was some tourist activity (more like locals really), the rest of the village was very un-spoilt, particularly on the other side of the village away from any car park.

Marek seemed to know everybody as we made our way through the village to a small restaurant right on the beach. It was truly un-spoilt and the welcome was very warm indeed. The owner known as Bob spoke good English which surprised me for such a small village, normally it is just French or Arabic.

We soon attracted quite a crowd, the village Mayor arrived, then a really nice guy, who turned out to be a language lecturer and had spent many years in New York University teaching Arabic and English. Nothing can happen in the village without the Major’s consent so he is a really good guy to keep on your side.

A party soon broke out, as did a bottle of whiskey, and lunch was prepared for us to enjoy, octopus tagine, followed by  spider crab … We never managed the small shark which wagoing to be prepared for us – a local delicacy – as lunch was massive.

All too soon it was time for us to go, but we spent quite a few hours in pleasant conversation, in the midst of some amazing scenery and met some new people and contacts which we would never have discovered.

Incidentally, Ridley Scott is a regular visitor to this area and has made several films in this part of morocco. He always stays in the village when he comes.

Enjoy a few photos and go and visit. They are very welcoming and need the trade so go. Go with Marek at Hollycom or go on your own with Holidays Morocco – either way just go!

 

Filed Under: Agadir, Beach Front Villas, Holidays in Morocco, Morocco Holiday Tagged With: , , ,

Fruit trees flourish at Villa Ramalah

June 17, 2011 By GrahamChapple Leave a Comment

When we renovated villa Ramalah, one of the most important things we wanted to achieve is to preserve the existing trees and bushes in the garden. During the building work some of the plants were damaged, but luckily after a few years they are now back to full health. One sign of this is that for the first time, we have bananas on the banana trees. Whilst they are fairly hardy, all conditions must be just right for them to produce fruit, so I was delighted when I saw a huge bunch of immature bananas hanging off the tree.

This region is famous for it’s banana production and they are the lovely small, sweet bananas that everybody loves. Behind the villa, the fields are full of banana trees. The beach out the front of the villa is called banana beach as well, apparently named by Jimmie Hendrix. This was one of his favorite areas and he had a house at the top of the village at some point.

Also, our pomegranate or grenadine tree is in full fruit too. This gorgeous fruit is very popular in morocco. It is full of succulent gel covered seeds which taste amazing. This hushed produced a few fruits last year but has really flourished this year producing many flowers and fruits, which hopefully will be fully formed on our return in October, providing Hassan has not eaten all of them!

One thing there is no shortage of in Aourir is the fantastically fresh fish from this rugged coastline. If, like me, you prefer to catch your own, then fishing is a very popular way of life in Aourir and there is plenty of local advice on how to catch them. I have enjoyed many a great meal after an evenings fishing, all thanks to Hassan and his uncle’s help and encouragement! We had these two for lunch – amazing flavour and a fresh as you can get – perfect!

If fishing is not for you, walk up the village to the daily fish Market and buy whatever you like…don’t forget to haggle though or you will pay over the odds!

For a beach front holiday with a difference, contact us now for a holiday of a lifetime in morocco.

 

Filed Under: Agadir, Beach Front Villas, Fishing, Holidays in Morocco, Morocco Holiday Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts

Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Copyright Notice Disclaimer