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Voykit pocket guide · Morocco
Oued Laou
Half-day stop between Tétouan and Chefchaouen for a quiet beach and fish tajine; not a base. One night only if you want a calm seaside evening.
Oued Laou is a small fishing town on the Mediterranean coast, 1 hour from Tétouan and 1 hour from Chefchaouen. It has a wide sand beach, a daily souk and a few fish tajine spots. Outside July–August it feels calm. Most travellers use it as a lunch-and-swim break on the route between the two cities.
- Country
- Morocco
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded with summer tourists)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MAD
- Money
- Currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). Hotels, larger restaurants and chain shops take cards; souks, taxis, small cafés, guides and tips are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget MAD 150–300 excl. bed · Mid MAD 300–500 excl. bed · High MAD 500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi sell tourist SIMs at airports and shops with a passport; 20–50 GB costs about MAD 100–200.
- Emergency
- Police 19 · Gendarmerie 177 · Fire and ambulance 15 · From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin plugs; bring an adapter for UK or US devices.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up or leave MAD 2–5.; Restaurant: 5–10%.; Porter or bag carrier: MAD 10–20.; Guide, full day: MAD 100–200.; Desert camp staff and driver: MAD 100–200 per day shared.
- Water
- Tap water is treated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; carry water in the south.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; squat toilets in older cafés and on the road. Carry tissue and MAD 2–5 for attendants.
Get in
By air
- TTU · Saniat R'mel Airport (Tétouan)
- About 1 hour by grand taxi; few flights, mostly domestic and seasonal European charters.
- TNG · Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport
- About 1.5–2 hours by grand taxi or bus via Tétouan.
Typical fares
- Grand taxi Tétouan → Oued Laou
- about 25 MAD per seat, 1 hour (check)
- Grand taxi Chefchaouen → Oued Laou
- about 35 MAD per seat, 1 hour (check)
- Fish tajine in the centre
- 30–50 MAD
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town centre and beach are walkable. Petite taxis are occasionally seen for longer trips within town.
See and do
Known for
- Wide sand beach
- Fishing boats and Picasso Beach
- Fish tajine (30–50 MAD)
- Quiet off-season atmosphere
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tétouan | Grand taxi from the stand near the bus stop, about 1 hour | 1 h |
| Chefchaouen | Grand taxi, about 1 hour; less frequent than to Tétouan | 1 h |
| Tangier | Grand taxi to Tétouan, then bus or grand taxi to Tangier | 2–2.5 h |
Sleep
- Town centre near the corniche
- Basic hotels and flats arranged by touts; check for clean bathroom and blankets. About 150 MAD/night off-season, double in summer.
- Picasso Beach area
- A few relaxed spots, including a hotel with a good restaurant run by friendly staff. Quieter than the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | بشحال؟bshhal? |
| Where is the beach? | فين الشاطئ؟fin esh-shati? |
| I don't want a guide | ما بغيتش مرشدma bghitch mourshid |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum' and a handshake; hand on heart after; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first unless she does
- Eating: Right hand, bread as your spoon; avoid: Refusing all food at a home
- Bargaining: Smile, take your time, walk away kindly; avoid: Naming a price you will not pay
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in medinas and villages; avoid: Beachwear away from the beach
- Photos: Ask and accept no; avoid: Photographing women or children without consent
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly indoors in daytime; avoid: Snacking on the street
Scams and watch-outs
- Touts at the grand taxi stand may offer flats at inflated prices; negotiate and inspect the room first.
- Hotels in the centre can be seedy; check reviews or ask locals.
- ATMs are limited: one Al Barid bank ATM near the taxi stand. Bring enough cash.
- Summer (Jul–Aug) is busy with Moroccan tourists; prices double and the beach gets crowded.
Oued Laou is safe for tourists. Usual precautions: watch your belongings on the beach, agree taxi fares before boarding, and avoid walking alone on unlit streets at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Oued Laou yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Wide sand beach
- Fishing boats and Picasso Beach
- Fish tajine (30–50 MAD)
- Quiet off-season atmosphere
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Oued Laou official website: ouedlaou.org/
- Wikivoyage: Oued Laou, revision 5229688 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5229688
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/oued-laou). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.