Any views on North Africa

savageseadog

savageseadog

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What's the situation in North Africa like ? Morroco, Algeria, Tunisia Egypt. Wht's the situation with legals ie taxes on boats restrictions length of stay etc. Costs as well.
 
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What's the situation in North Africa like ? Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia Egypt. Wht's the situation with legals ie taxes on boats restrictions length of stay etc. Costs as well.

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Morocco is wonderful - Tangier's is first rate, Ceuta is strictly Spanish but still N.Africa. Into the Med there are some very posh and expensive marina's lots of nice little fishing villages and Mellia which is another Spanish Enclave but well worth a visit...

I avoided Algeria because I think it is dodgy.

Tunisia is superb.. I have visited virtually every port on the coastline a couple of times and had a wonderful time. The historical remains in Carthage know anything in Greece into a cocked hat. Trimene harbours, amphitheatres - a couple of days needed for that site alone!!! Really nice people. Been welcoming tourists since the end of WW2 and has some excellent marinas and nice fishing ports.

Egypt is really only accessible from the Suez Canal - I think???
Although the paperwork here is a bit daunting I am convinced that the North End of the Red Sea will become increasingly popular with cruising boats as the Med becomes more and more over crowded.. A couple of excellent marinas and superb anchorages the Northern Part of the Red sea is a joy to visit.. Egypt is of course deeply into tourists with the pyramids etc and a safe place to be.. Officialdom makes Morocco and Tunisia look like a breeze and in the end you need to 'make gifts' small ones but it really does ease the way...

In most of these places the visa is for a month but extendable. The Egypt one is $40 US plus some bribes. Parking in Tangier used to be free but I gather is now £1 a night under the Police and Customs house.. The Posh marinas are expensive. The marinas in Tunisia are inexpensive compared to Turkey, or Greece etc. Ports a few pennies a night. Cost of living very low unless you go to Tourist bars/restaurants.

Michael
 
Have had very good reports of Tunisia - clean, cheap and orderly with lots of yachting facilities. Heavy Maltese involvement.

Morocco slightly less so.

Algiers can be dodgy, mainly political problems.

Egypt worth giving a miss, bureaucratic nightmare, semi-official extortion a major headache, crowded and dirty but unlikely to be targetted by Islamic extremists.
 
Hi - very interesting as we are thinking of maybe visitng Morrocco and Tunisia next year, and have just acquire dthe pilot book. Does anyone who's sailed there (MichaelE ...) have views on what it woud be like for a yacht crewed only by women? Do you have any views on whether it would be harder or in fact (as some friends found sailing up teh Red Sea) easier because the officials were extra polite?

Thanks for any info
 
Tunisia depends on where you go. Busier, established places much as anywhere in the Med. Others, more interested in baksheesh of one sort or another. If that is no problem to you, no problem. If it is, don't go. BTW. baksheesh, these days, is not cheap fags and booze. They rather like quality branded goods (Johnny Walker Red Label, B&H. Marlboro etc) - not to consume, but to sell on. Our offer of Ducatos Spanish fags and Mahon Gin was rejected out of hand (by the Police and Customs) in Bizerte.
 
Have some experience with Atlantic Coast of Morocco - I would go back as soon as I could! Pretty much what was said here before - a bit of burecracy and some baksheesh here and there, but most officials where very correct.
Great place and great experience, esp. the friendliness of the local people including the officials.
For a girls-only crew I dare say that could make for some interesting customs procedures - when we were borded (very friendly to avoid standing in the rain) by the officials, they could hardly concentrate on their papers because our ladies were around.... :-) (and properly dressed!)

For questions about Morocco, do not hesitate to PM me. The guide by Imray is THE authority on it, though some conditions change quickly and the web is the best source, look at noonsite.com
 
It's a slightly odd situation for women in all the Arab ports. Nothing to worry about in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt the others don't know.

You will find that the officials are happy to deal with women and there are some 'powerful' Arab women about' but if there is a teenage man/boy in your company they will tend to refer to him...

Most officials understand that European women are equal to men... I would not worry about it. The tourist industry has changed many of their views about European women (not always for the better!!) Go for it - no real problem.

Michael
 
I tried extended stays - no real problem visa wise but I found culturally it was difficult. Stayed several weeks in Tangiers once but there was a constant flow of European boats in and out so an excellent social life with other yachties.. More difficult with the locals because of the huge difference in out life styles but as far as the authorities go no problem.
Michael
 
Ive been asking about Algeria while cruusing France,where i heard quite some French were goint there for their holidays and there were some talking of going to live there!

Today i looed at the lonly planet site and found this!!

Despite positive signs that Algeria's security situation is stabilising, travel in the country still poses significant risks. The southeast should be avoided altogether, as should the northwest.

Most acts of political violence occur in the north and are targeted against the government. There are occasional, indiscriminate attacks on civilians, mostly bomb raids on villages or vehicle-jackings. In the southeast, the risk of abduction is compounded by the presence of smugglers and bandits.


It also said that there is very little tourisum beyond those foolhatdy enough to go there!!!
 
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