Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tan Tan
30
Tiznit
30
TAXI
You can catch grands taxis from behind the bus station to Inezgane (Dh70), Laâyoune
(Dh200), Sidi Ifni (Dh25), Tan Tan (Dh50) and Tiznit (Dh35).
TOP OF CHAPTER
Tan Tan & Tan Tan Plage
POP 50,000
South of Goulimime, across the dry Oued Drâa, you enter the cauldron of the Sahara
proper. The 130km of desert highway to Tan Tan is impressive for its bleak emptiness and
harsh
hammada
(flat, stony desert).
If you weren't stopped by security on the way in, you could probably drive along the
N1 (known as Ave Hassan II within Tan Tan's boundaries) without realising you were in
the town, which spreads mostly south of the highway. The majority of the inhabitants are
nomads who settled here, and blue robes are a big feature. The army and police presence
is also noticeable, due to the proximity of the disputed Western Sahara. Look out for the
middle-of-the-roundabout stop sign west of town; the police at the post beyond are not
shy of issuing a ticket or pocketing a
petit cadeau
(little present) to overlook the infrac-
tion.
Tan Tan was founded in the 1940s during the Spanish Protectorate, but had its moment
in 1975, when the area was the departure point for the Green March (
Click here
)
. It's a
run-down place with tough but not unfriendly inhabitants. The Sunday souq is held 1.5km
September, featuring camel racing and music.
Tan Tan Plage, also known as Al-Ouatia, 25km west of Tan Tan, is a dilapidated seaside
resort overlooking a long, windswept beach. The town only briefly comes to life during
the Moroccan summer holiday, but staying here is nonetheless preferable to Tan Tan.
Sleeping & Eating
