Alternatives to Morocco for summer holiday?

Dear welltravelledworld.com;

Looking for destinations for a 2-3 week holiday this August, for myself and the gf (both early twenties).

– Not in Europe, SE Asia, or N. America
– Reasonably priced flights (S America, Southern Africa, Asia all seem to be around £800ish which is too much)
– Lots to see/do – backpacking/student style – ideally quite cheap to move around/stay/eat
– Decent weather, maybe beaches.

We were quite keen on Peru or Nepal, but flights are too pricey.

Have pretty much settled on Morocco, as it meets all the above requirements (flights are cheap as Easyjet/Ryanair fly there, around £200). Everyone and their dog seems to have been there though..

Just wanted to check we’re not missing out on any other possible alternatives which we could look into?

Ta, Duane.

Turkey, outside the main cities?
Romania? Mountains, beautiful countryside, beaches, not too expensive

my recommendation would be Morocco.
Or Sicily, but that’s Europe (although geographically, i believe it’s on the African continental shelf)

EDIT and I’d get there by flying to Naples and taking the ferry past some of the most active volcanoes in the world.

Morocco is nice, it´s a real culture shock compared to the UK.
Who cares where anyone else has been?
If you´re both into bikes the head to the Atlas mts, you won´t meet too many tourists up there.

What the others said… Sicily is awesome but Morocco you won’t regret anyway. If you’re going to Marrakech, get the bus (or a taxi) to Essaouira, I’ve been there a few times over the last 15 years and it’s fantastic.

Morocco has some great sights and plenty outside the tourist resorts, well worth a tour round. Egypt would be another option. Pretty cheap and some amazing sights. It has the usual stuff going on at the holiday resorts but there is plenty to see outside this. Pretty empty at the moment, too.

Thanks all. Before we “settled” on Morocco, we had “settled” on Egypt, but from a bit of research is seems like in August it will be unpleasantly hot..

With regards to biking in the Atlas mountains, if we were in the area does anyone know how easy it would be to hire some bikes (and maybe a guide), and go for a bit of a pedal (just for a day I’d imagine)?

Egypt, but from a bit of research is seems like in August it will be unpleasantly hot..

My opinion is that Egypt is just unpleasant. One of the few places I’ve been and never want to go back.

Morocco is lovely and when you get hassled in the souk just bear in mind that the hassle is much, much worse in Egypt.

Alternative suggestion mught be Jordan? Friendly people, plenty to see, etc.

I know you’ve said not Europe but seriously, look at Eastern Europe, Croatia and Slovakia are worth a visit.

Is your gf blonde by the way? North African men are obsessed with blonde Caucasian women…

Or just come to Burnley for a few weeks, it’s like living on the North West Frontier… 😯

just bear in mind that the hassle is much, much worse in Egypt.

Sounds like you’ve only been to the tourist resorts. In those places the business is 99% tourism so pretty much everyone’s job is to extract money from tourists. It’s pretty unsettling if you aren’t used to it but once you get the hang of saying no they don’t seem to bother you at all. It’s just business. The other towns and cities of Egypt are so different. Interesting culturally no hassle at all.

I went to Egypt in February and wouldn’t have liked it much hotter. Generally, it was a blast. Some parts of Cairo were a bit of a hassle, especially around Midan Tahrir and the horse and cart drivers in Luxor didn’t take no for an answer. Everyone else was great. I even got to drive the ferry across the Nile at Luxor.

My (blonde) GF had no hassle in Morrocco, we managed to get to the edge of the desert, blokes sitting under trees with loads of camels. Dont go into any carpet shops unless youre really into weaving techniques.

Southern Turkey – outside the main holiday destinations youll find all you were asking for ..
Fly to Istanbul and work your way down the coast :-
Ferry/train to selcuk, see Ephasus (early!), taking in Gallipoli and a shedload of minor off the beaten track Roman sites.
Head inland to cappadocia – astounding landscape!
Down to the coast etc etc ….
Loads to see and do – youll not be bored + if you stay out of the resorts pansions-a-plenty for a few quid a night.

nickjb – Member

just bear in mind that the hassle is much, much worse in Egypt.
Sounds like you’ve only been to the tourist resorts.

No, I was on a tour of photogenic bus stops!

Unfortunately we can’t all be ‘travellers’. Some of us don’t pretend to be anything other than tourists.

Some of us don’t pretend to be anything other than tourists.

It wasn’t a dis at tourist vs travellers. Just that if you go to a holiday resort you will get hassle. You can still be a tourist in Port Saeed or Alexandria or Siwa but you won’t get hassled.

I went to Egypt in February and wouldn’t have liked it much hotter

That’s a good point. It’ll be bloomin’ hot in August in Egypt and Morocco. Probably OK by the sea but not much fun in a cheap hotel or the desert.

I was going to say Macedonia but I am a real Morocco fan… done a few Atlas mountains trips and they were brilliant.

A friend I know is out there and has just done a trip with Marco from Ciclo Montana,

Have a look here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amigo-Adventures/138669016199920

Jose is the man, he is a great guide and more importantly really understands the off beat places and culture to make the trip really special.

Kasbah du Toubkal at Imlil is special if its what your looking for too.

Kasbah du Toubkal at Imlil is special

oh yes.

Most of Morocco will be as hot as Egypt.
I’d suggest Eastern Europe, where there will be some trains as well as buses, fewer hassles and not so much bloody desert between places of interest.