NORTH AFRICA TAMOUDA BAY DESTINATIONS
known as the ‘White Dove’ thanks to its iconic white-washed houses. Wandering through its narrow, stone-
ASK THE EXPERT
Angelika Marsh, key accounts manager, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts “Visitors to Banyan Tree Tamouda Bay will discover a destination where tourists are few and the culture is authentic – perfect for those who have already been to Morocco and want to be surprised. Guests can go horse riding at Cabo Negro, enjoy water sports at Laguna Smir, visit the otherworldy ‘blue pearl’ Chefchaouen or wander round medieval Tétouan. There are plenty of other resorts tipped to open, including the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton – there is even talk that Tamouda Bay could be the future Riviera of Morocco.”
paved backstreets during the weekly Sunday market gave me a glimpse into Morocco at its most authentic and traditional. Think overpowering smells of freshly-tanned leather (produced using pigeon droppings, apparently); plucked chickens hanging upside down; and local women selling fragrant herbs and Moroccan sweets from the side of the road. One turn takes us to a chicken slaughterhouse, another down an alley of gold, where extravagant, bejewelled belts and necklaces fill tiny, packed-in shops. It’s certainly in your face, but for clients after a taste of local life, this is the real deal. Architecturally the area is intriguing.
A long beach makes Tamouda Bay a fresh alternative to the likes of Essaouira and Agadir
Slightly dishevelled buildings in shades of purple, green, white and blue make it look like someone got trigger-happy with the paintbrush, while 400-year-old buildings such as the restored Khalifa Palace and the intriguing Archaeological Museum welcome visitors wanting to get cultural. Despite all this, tourists
remain few and far between, giving it appeal for those wanting to get a little off the usual track. The food here also happens to be
exceptional. Recommend restaurant El Reducto for delicious, cinnamon- infused pastries, piles of couscous doused in sweet, caramelised sultanas, and tagine filled with beef so tender it falls apart at the touch of a fork.
w THE BLUE CITY Queen of the region, though, is the city of Chefchaouen, which glows from the Rif Mountains in a striking vision of blue. Here houses, walls, streets, steps and doorways are all painted in various shades of the colour, so that it feels a bit like Disneyland and you can’t help but stroll around with a smile on your face. Formerly a Moorish fortress for exiles, today Chefchaouen is a blend of Islamic and Jewish influences, where Berbers in colourful cloaks stroll the streets. There are various tales behind the
city’s vivid blue hue. Jewish beliefs held that tinting thread with tekhelel dye would remind visitors of God’s power; our guide told us it was chosen to ward off mosquitoes. Whatever the reason, it’s pleasingly refreshing. The city has its own historic medina
ABOVE LEFT: Tétouan market
ABOVE RIGHT: Tamouda Bay
LEFT: Bliss Pool Villa, Banyan Tree Tamouda Bay
as well as an ancient kasbah (restored fortress), where you’ll find a tiny art gallery and ethnographic museum. Although the city attracts more tourists than Tétouan, the winding, hilly streets are calmer, quieter and cleaner, with Moroccan rugs, leather goods and loaves of freshly baked khobz bread (the local staple food) spilling out from hole-in-the-wall shops. And getting there was just as
memorable, with scenes of picturesque 23 November 2017
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