Oujda has a fine French neo-Moorish train station, at the west end of Blvd Zerktouni. Two daily
direct trains leave for Casablanca (Dh205, 10 hours) and one for Tangier (via Sidi Kacem,
Dh210, 11 hours). All stop at Taza (Dh74, three hours), Fez (Dh108, six hours) and Meknès
(Dh130, 6½ hours).
MOVING ON?
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chapter from Lonely Planet’s Africa guide.Around Oujda
SIDI YAHIA OASIS
The oasis of Sidi Yahia, 6km south of Oujda, is venerated by Moroccan Muslims, Jews and
Christians alike as being the last resting place of Sidi Yahia Ben Younes who, according to local
tradition, is John the Baptist.
For most of the year it’s a disappointingly scruffy place that’s little more than a satellite town
for Oujda. But every September (dates vary according to the lunar calendar), thousands of
pilgrims flock here for a weeklong moussem . It is one of the bigger celebrations of this type in
the country, complete with a fantasia, and is worth making a detour for. The trees around the
shrine (closed to non-Muslims) are festooned with rags, tied to receive blessings – a throwback
to pre-Islamic fertility beliefs.
To get to Sidi Yahia, take bus 1 (Dh4) from outside Bab el-Ouahab in Oujda. A petit taxi
should cost around Dh20.
Bouarfa
Taking the long drive south to Bouarfa and on to Figuig can feel like a journey into limbo. The
views of scrubby desert quickly fade to monotony, enlivened only by the occasional camel, and
checkpoint staffed by bored gendarmes (the closer you get to Figuig, the closer you are to the
sensitive Algerian border).
Bouarfa is an administrative and garrison town, a minor transport hub for this corner of
Morocco, at the junction of the roads to Figuig and Er-Rachidia.
The Hôtel Climat du Maroc ( 0536 79 63 82; Blvd Hassan II; d/ste Dh380/500; ) is
the best sleeping option, easily spotted with its domed entrance near the Figuig junction.
Rooms are decent for this remote location, but order food far in advance of wanting dinner. The
Hôtel Tamlalt ( 0536 79 87 99; Blvd Massira; d Dh60) south of the bus stand is spartan, but
bearable for the price.
The area around the bus station has the usual assortment of places offering brochettes,
rotisserie chicken and the like. Restaurant Elwafa (Blvd Hassan II; meals Dh30) , near the