Nador stands on the shore of Mar Chica, a 115 square kilometre lagoon that is the largest in North Africa, with the Rif mountains behind it. It sees a tiny fraction of the foreign visitors who reach Marrakech or Fes, and most of its traffic is Moroccan families returning from Europe, ferry passengers off the Almeria and Motril routes, and people crossing to and from Melilla.
For travellers from Asia this is a specialist stop rather than a mainstream one. It appears on itineraries that enter Morocco overland from Spain, or that work along the Mediterranean coast rather than heading straight for the south. On a standard trip it will not feature, and there is no reason it should.
Where it does appear, the logistics are exactly why a driver helps. The airport is 15 km out, the ferry terminal at Beni Ansar is somewhere else again, the Melilla border queue is unpredictable, and Saidia and Al Hoceima are serious drives along the coast. Every booking is private and the rate is agreed in advance.
Why hire a driver here
- Arrivals split three ways - airport, ferry berth, frontier - all far apart
- Any Melilla crossing has to be planned against the queue on that day
- Ferry passengers from Europe never travel light
- Saidia sits east and Al Hoceima west, and both are long runs
- Fes is a five-hour drive inland via the Rif and the Taza gap
Included in every booking
- Fuel, tolls and the driver's fee for the agreed route
- Airport, ferry port, border or hotel pickup
- English-speaking drivers as standard on the Asia site
- Extra luggage capacity at no charge
- Prayer and halal meal stops arranged along the coast
