Day trip to Tangiers from Algerciras.

groyne

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Fancy doing it as foot passengers, is it doable, worth it, anyone done it recently?
Any tips?
 
I did it 12 years back when i got happy harried,went with a tour guide from hotel,£20 all in ,bus small lunch and dinner later with a guided tour round old town,dont go by yourself because you will be lucky to came back with any cloths,its like going back to the bible times with tealeaves and robbers at every corner,some of our guides were armed with pistols i kid you not.
 
trevskoda said:
I did it 12 years back when i got happy harried,went with a tour guide from hotel,£20 all in ,bus small lunch and dinner later with a guided tour round old town,dont go by yourself because you will be lucky to came back with any cloths,its like going back to the bible times with tealeaves and robbers at every corner,some of our guides were armed with pistols i kid you not.
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Ah yes, I remember doing the same 30 years ago... Good advice by trevskoda, you MUST go on a guided tour with minders, NEVER on your own unless you are as slippery as James Bond on acid. Our coach had two minders, once on foot one was swatting off the conmen at the front and one at the rear of our group making sure no-one got dragged off. That sounds dire but don't let it put you off, it's an experience for sure. If you show a hint of interest in anything at a stall or shop you'll be relentlessly pursued back to your coach, then [I kid you not] if for example you looked at a leather bag a scooter will appear alongside your coach with a vendor holding it up to the window! By this time you will buy whatever for 10 - 20% of the original asking price. Never pay the asking price or be bullied into making a purchase. Do the trip, just be very aware of what's going on around you!
 
That is not my experience of Morocco. We felt very safe when we were there for 3 months we wandered the Souks just the 2 of us did get hassled to buy crap of course, and pestered by the kids etc but that is the way of life there, left our van all over the place with no problems, sometimes Guardians some times not. Yes you must barter prices but do not think you have won the locals are better at it than we will ever be, the tanneries stink and Elf and safety rights did not seem to exist, we saw kids in the drains up to there necks cleaning the efulant from the tanning process mixed with stinky chemicals out to get the putrid water moving again and smiling all the time.
 
Think things must have changed, at least a little since those days. Was about 4 years since last there, sure you will be haggled, they may even follow for a wee bit, but rarely felt unsafe. What I will say, is don't ask for direction, even in a shop, they'll get a mate to take you wherever you asked for, they'll take you to all the shops they get a few % from, then will ask for money, and they don't want a few quid these days, 60€ I was asked for, no chance mate. That was the only time with any stress.
 
Two years ago, I took the bus from Malaga to Algeciras, then the ferry to Tangier. Stayed in the Atlantic hotel. Single female. No bother. Nice trip. Not much to Tangier, the old medina is much like any other. Morocco is changing fast.
It's a nice thing to do, why don't you stay overnight ?
I then continued right down the coast to Agadire by bus and train. Love Morocco.
 
We are currently in Algerciras parked in a huge Motorhome parking free opposite Juan Carlos the ticket agent for the Ferry to Morocco, I have just been in the office to enquire about the cost of the crossing to Cueta, it is 180 euros return any size vehicle 2 persons and up to 6 months stay open ended ticket Wow. Lovely day here but very Windy as usual. Should I go or should I stay here la la la he he.

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It must have changed a lot since i was there,maybe outside the normal town traps better but it sure was a shock for me wife and friends,it was like going back to the bible times with lepars at every corner,beggers & t leaves with hands all over you,country side & flowers was nice mind you.
 
We've just watched the Tarifa Jet coming into port.

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Its only a 35 minute crossing, so we might try a day trip next week, if the wind dies down.
 
Take the van over there. You’ll recoup the ferry costs in a couple of weeks, everything is so cheap.
 
We went as foot passengers some years ago and picked up a guide when we got there only cost ten Euro, and he kept the beggers away, distributed alms to old ladies and showed us everything, including a decent restaurant that did not cost the earth and decent places to shop well worth it, make sure you go to get the right boat coming back it is easy to get confused. I came home with a throat infection that lasted a long time, the ~Medina is amazing.
 
A lot of the posts about beggars and hassle were written a long time ago, 12 years the above post. The King has put out an edict not to harass tourists so it is much better. Remember they are very poor and only trying to make a living.
In some of the places I have been there are no tourists and I get no hassle at all only some surprised stares.
 
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