Asilah: Morocco's Artsy Seaside Resort Town

How many days are you staying here in Morocco? 

Around thirty days. 

What? Why? 

I remember how surprised a certain backpacker was upon knowing that we're going around Morocco for a month. He then told us that a friend and him will try to cover as much for seven days. Upon knowing this, me and my buddy were stunned on that tight schedule. Well, as they say, some people do have lotsa money but no time and some do have the luxury of time but do not have loads of moolah—that was us on the latter. 

Morocco is that one country that I always dreamt of going to. It was a far-fetched idea as I know that traveling from the Philippines to this North African country would require a number of flights which means more money to spare. Nonetheless, my ultimate dream destination was fulfilled last year when me and my buddy spent a month going around the country during our annual two-month summer backpacking trip. 

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Hola, Asilah! Found this charming coastal town as we modified, yet again, our Moroccan plans. I was surprised to find locals speaking Spanish! I will finally get to use my Spanish language courses during college. Haha ❤ Photo by @lakadpilipinas #SEA2africa2018

A post shared by blissfulguro (@blissfulguro) on May 12, 2018 at 4:08am PDT

SEA 2 Africa 2018 was our fifth consecutive backpacking trip which became our annual thing during my two-month school break (April to May). We went to Bali, East Timor and Singapore during the first part while the second leg was more focused around certain key destinations in Morocco. 

▶️ Where to stay in Morocco - Click below to see room rates and discounts.

As usual, we had no concrete plans on going around Morocco and just relied heavily on the very reliable and efficient local public transport system of buses and trains (ONCF) that are interconnected. We got the chance to explore Casablanca, Rabat (with a side trip to Sale), Asilah, Tetouan, Chefchaouene, Fes, Merzouga (Sahara Desert), Tinghir, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Agadir and Essaouira. 

Comfy four-hour train ride from Rabat to Asilah

Asilah was an impulse trip. We noticed that there was a train route from Rabat to this not-so-frequently-visited city so we did a quick research on things to do there and decided to push through with it. That decision was one of the best we had during the trip. 

As compared to Casablanca and Rabat which are French-speaking cities, Asilah, on the other hand, is a Spanish-speaking city mainly because the city was conquered by the Portuguese in 1471.

Away from the tourist crowd

Located on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast, Asilah is a popular seaside resort town and is home for numerous music and arts festival in the country. 

The four-hour train ride (MAD88/USD8.80 per person) from Gare Rabat Ville was comfy and scenic as we got the first chance to see Morocco’s countryside with its verdant trees and hillsides—as our constant attraction from the window. Arriving at late in the afternoon, we hopped off on what seemed like a train station in the middle of nowhere (Gare Assilah). 

Pension Sahara - Hotel Sahara

We could’ve taken a cab going to our hostel but we chose to walk around two kilometers with our backpacks in tow—the things you do to save a few moolah. 

Pension Sahara - Hotel Sahara was our accommodation of choice in Asilah. We had a number of options but good online reviews made us choose it right away. At MAD148/night (USD15.20) it was definitely a steal (check here for discounted room rates in Asilah). 

Moroccan tiles!

Checking in was a breeze and we were given keys to our room as well as the password for the complimentary wifi. 

Our room was located on the second level of the hostel. The rooms surround an open area which seemed to be a patio of some sort. The shared toilet and bathroom were on separate stalls although the only available hot shower was at the ground level for a fee (MAD10/use). 

Just the basics

During our stay, we had all our showers on the second level on which we endured the cold water. We usually did it in the afternoon when the sun was at its brightest so as to mask the cool spring weather—again, the things you do to save cash. 

What I love the most about our room was the functionality of the amenities even though how simple they were. We had a bed, coat hanger, side table, and a washbasin. The small windows provided an ample amount of air to get through and the thick blankets provided warmth at night. It’s a basic type of accommodation but these were all we needed at that time. 

San Bartholome Catholic Church

First order of business that late afternoon was dinner so we went around Ville Nouvelle (new medina) and checked our options after settling in. 

Asilah's Ville Nouvelle

Asilah is a relatively quiet town as compared to Casablanca and Rabat. It was a Sunday and the streets leading to a park were filled with families who were having their chill out time. We noticed a number of tourists on cafés and restaurants but it wasn’t as overwhelming as in other Moroccan cities. 

After a few days in the country, I never expected anything special for dinner. It was always bread and tagine (traditional Moroccan dish which is named after the pot in which it is cooked) for lunch or dinner. 

After strolling for some time, we found a restaurant that serves grilled chicken and rice, I couldn’t contain my happiness when I saw it. 

We hit the sack right after dinner. 

We started the day early with a quick tour around the medina (a walled city within a city that was considered as an old district for Arab/non-Europeans in Northern Africa and Maltese cities). 

One of the babs (gates) in Asilah's medina

The medina of Asilah was rather small as compared to those of Casablanca and Rabat. The first thing I noticed was how clean and orderly the whole place was. It was too early to tell the difference though between shops and houses at that time. We then decided to go back there in the afternoon.

Well, hello there!

We scouted the area for a cheap breakfast place, to no avail. We ended up on an overpriced café where we both shared a traditional Moroccan breakfast meal which had a number of breads and jams. We stayed there longer than usual as we enjoyed people-watching from that spot. 

Our overpriced brekkie

The medina was totally different when we went back later that day. Shops and cafés were found between houses. Trivial stuff inside some local artisan shops were frequented by tourists. There were rugs, leather stuff, ceramics, and so much more Moroccan thingamajigs. 

Asilah's medina sans the crowd

Going around this quiet medina, we chanced upon some kids who were playing soccer on a narrow alley as well as some school kids who were running around as they go back home for lunch. We also noticed a donkey with an old school wagon used by a local.

Kids and soccer

We spent the rest of the afternoon outside the medina. We started our stroll at Plage de Asilah (Asilah Beach) and went straight on its boardwalk where we were almost swept away by the cool strong winds. We ended up on a fisherman’s wharf where an assortment of fresh seafood was being sold. 

We then went on a seaside park where locals, usually mothers and kids, were chilling out. We then saw some street food and decided to try the famous Moroccan escargot which we already saw in Rabat. 

Moroccan escargot

We ended the day with a nice dinner meal on a roadside restaurant. We were so absorbed with watching the goings-on of the locals that we didn’t realize that it was getting dark. We passed by a local grocery and were mistaken for Spanish tourists as we spoke of familiar words for them. We then told them that we were Filipinos and that we use words that are similar to Spanish language. 

Asilah is Morocco's Artsy Town

The next morning, we looked for a cheap place to have breakfast, to no avail. Our only consolation was a bread shop that had fresh local breads that morning. We then prepped our stuff and went on to our next adventure. 

People are nicer here compared to other main cities

As we were on our way to the train station to catch the bus going to Tetouan, a friendly gesture was made by a local. Knowing that we’re on the move because of our huge backpacks, a guy was offering for us to hitch in his car wherever our destination was. Unfortunately, he was going on the opposite direction which saddened us all. 

What I love most about Asilah is its chill vibe and the friendliness of the people—a far cry from the hungry eyes of scammers around famous touristy cities in Morocco. We would’ve wanted to stay longer but we only had little time (thirty days is quite short for us). Nonetheless, we had a nice time on a not-so-popular tourist route.