NORTH AFRICA TAMOUDA BAY DESTINATIONS Out of @laurafrench121 W


aves crash onto an empty, sandy shore as the wind


whistles in my ears. I feel like I’m at the end of the world, stumbling upon a semi-secret gem in the middle of beautiful nowhere. I’m staying at Tamouda Bay,


the site of a new development on Morocco’s northeast coast. If you haven’t yet heard of this place, it’s time to get Googling. Set on the Cap Nord on a


long stretch of Mediterranean coastline, this quiet, sandy bay has been a popular spot for Moroccans for several years – the king holidays here every year, I’m told – but until recently it’s remained something of a secret to the UK market. Now a wave of new hotels along the beachfront is set to change that. Last September, Banyan Tree moved in with a sprawling, elegant 92-villa resort, following hot on the heels of the Sofitel, while a Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott are set to join the fray soon too. It’s easy to see why; a long beach makes Tamouda a fresh alternative to the likes of Essaouira and Agadir, while a


smattering of historic cities in the area means it’s an appealing option for those wanting a cultural trip without the tourist crowds of Marrakech. Around the resort area itself


are water sports, kids’ play areas and restaurants – some a little dilapidated, but likely to be freshened up as tourism here grows. And it’s all easily accessible, thanks to direct, twice-weekly Air Arabia flights from Gatwick to Tangier which whizz Brits over in around three hours with zero time difference.


w THE WHITE DOVE Home to an ancient city founded by the Berbers in the third century BC, the Tamouda region has a rich history that fuses Roman, Spanish and Moorish influences. At the centre of that lies


Tétouan, once the capital of Spanish Morocco and a major trading base between the two countries. Exiled Muslims and Jews came to the city from Andalusia in the 16th century, and today a string of colonial buildings wrap themselves around a historic walled medina, a Unesco World Heritage Site


the blue


Morocco’s Tamouda Bay is a world away from Marrakech, discovers Laura French


23 November 2017 travelweekly.co.uk 51


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