NATIONAL PARKMoulay Bousselham
The idyllic fishing village of Moulay Bousselham is a tranquil place, protected by the shrines of
two local saints. The village is slowly expanding, as retired Europeans are starting to buy
homes here. There is a sweeping beach (empty for most of the year), friendly people, good
fish restaurants and an impressive, internationally important wildfowl reserve. Except for the
summer months, this is a great place to spend a few days, with little more to do than
birdwatching, fishing or strolling along the beach. Surfers come here for the crashing waves,
but the strong currents are dangerous for swimmers. In summer the pace changes dramatically
as the village becomes a low-key resort for Moroccans, and the inhabitants swell from around
1000 to 65,000.
Moulay Bousselham is named after a 10th-century Egyptian saint who is commemorated in
one of the koubbas (shrines) that line the slope down to the sea, and guards the mouth of the
river. Moroccans seeking a cure for psychological problems are locked into the tomb for 24
hours. Across the river is another shrine of Sidi Abd el-Galil, believed to cure sterile women.
You’ll find everything you need along the one main street, including a bank, post office,
pharmacy and a couple of internet cafes (Dh8 per hour), but there is no alcohol in town.
Sights & Activities
Merja Zerga National Park
One of the great pleasures in Moulay Bousselham, even for the most unconvinced of twitchers,
is to take a boat out on Merja Zerga (the Blue Lagoon), preferably with a bird guide who will
bring the place to life. The 73-sq-km Merja Zerga National Park (4 sq km of water and the rest
marshland) is protected by the Ramsar Convention and attracts thousands of migrant birds,
including wildfowl, waders and flamingos in huge numbers, making it one of Morocco’s prime
birdwatching habitats. The lagoon is between 50cm and 4m deep depending on the tide. Ninety
percent of the water comes from the sea, 10% is sweet water from the Oued Dredr, south of
the lagoon. At the time of research, the new tourist office was not yet open.
Although the largest flocks are present in December and January, you’ll find herons,
flamingos, ibises, spoonbills, plovers and egrets here as late as March or April, and there are
about 100 species all year round. The calm lagoon is also a good place to see slender-billed
and Audouin’s gulls, and the African marsh owl. Shelducks, teals, and numerous terns are
frequently seen, as are marsh harriers and peregrine falcons.
There are six villages around the lake, four of which depend on agriculture, two on fishing –
the men fish the lagoon and the ocean while the women gather shellfish.
Most of the fishermen take tourists around the lake as a sideline. Boat trips with the local
boatmen, who have had some guide training, are easily arranged if you wander down to the
small beach where the boats are moored. Expect to pay about Dh100 per hour for the boat.
The only officially recognised (and by far the best) guide is Hassan Dalil ( 0668 43 41 10;
guide half-day Dh200, plus motorboat per hr Dh100) , who can also be contacted at the Café
Milano (on the main road into town), where the bird log is kept. Call him rather than ask for him
as several people have been known to pretend to be him in order to take his business.
Otherwise ask the waiters at the Café Milano to call him. Trips can also be arranged through
Villanora. The boatmen can also arrange fishing trips (Dh100 per hour, including equipment).