Paradise Valley

“We hired a driver for the day and one of our destinations was Paradise Valley. Paradise? Questionably! From the car park there is a steep uphill walk for about 10 minutes, so appropriate footwear is recommended. From there it is another 20 minutes until you reach the first pools suitable enough for swimming. Along the way there are small little shacks, selling nick naks, drinks and some have food for lunch. Unfortunately, paradise is spoilt by lots of discarded litter and even the first pools are dirty with debris. We still had a swim in a cleaner one and the vista is very picturesque. There are multiple routes and plenty of places to explore, but we limited ourselves and spent a total of 4 hours there. That was enough for us. It’s worth a trip, but don’t rely on the photos in the brochures. It’s pretty, but not that different to any other valley!”

“The valley is a riverbank meaning less water and more heat in the summer and possibly more enjoyable in winter times. There is a relatively steep hike to the small lake, so make sure you have good shoes (tevas, birkies work, but sneakers are more fit if you plan a hike too). Bring a swimsuit, towel and cash. Orange juice is MAD 30 for comparison in Agadir Suk it’s MAD 15. There are loads of places to drink, eat, relax and if you forgot your bathing suit, shorts, you can buy them too. Bring loads of water and some food for the cats and dogs there is you care.”

“I went to this place with my family in April.Weather was fantastic My teenage son was really excited to swim there and jump off the rocks, but when we arrived, there were a huge number of locals there for picnics and swimming. Even our tour driver couldn’t find a place to park the mini bus. We walked for a while and crossed small streams where people had placed stones and sandbags as stepping points. When we finally reached the upper part of the river where everyone was swimming, the water was so dirty that I didn’t even allow my children to touch it, let alone swim. The water was full of rubbish and no one seemed to care about cleanliness.On our tour, there was also a mother and her daughter who, although they were wearing swimsuits under their clothes, only lay on the rocks and didn’t go into the water. It was extremely crowded. We even saw a mother take off her baby’s diaper (around one year old), wash the child in the water, and then let the baby continue playing there.There was another young boy whose body was covered in spots like chickenpox, and his legs were scratched and bleeding from slipping on the rocks, yet he kept playing without paying any attention Along the walking path, there was litter everywhere. The water was brown, probably because of the brown rocks and spring flow, and it looked nothing like the beautiful blue water shown in the tour photos. We paid about €20 per person for the tour. The area is truly beautiful, with layered rocky cliffs, tall and stunning palm trees, and water flowing down from the top of the mountain, running through different paths all the way down. It could definitely be a paradise if people took better care of their environment so everyone could enjoy it.if people respected cleanliness, it could have been a very beautiful place, but unfortunately, that was not the case.It’s worth visiting this place once, but on Sundays and during local summer holidays, you will most likely experience the same things that we did.”

“We had a nice trip to Paradise Valley. The experience started with a good walk; after parking the car, we enjoyed a decent hike to reach the pools, which was a great way to connect with the landscape and get some fresh air. The surrounding nature and rock formations are truly beautiful. However, it’s important to manage your expectations: • The Water: Unfortunately, during our visit, the water was brown rather than the usual turquoise, which was a bit of a shame for the scenery. • The Vibe: The place was very crowded and lively. If you are looking for a quiet spot for meditation or some "Zen" time, this isn't the best choice as it’s quite noisy and full of people. Overall: It’s a lovely place for a hike and to enjoy the Moroccan mountains, but don't expect a peaceful, solitary retreat!”

“Worth to visit. Very crowded at some points. The parking bay isn't big and cost 10 dirhams. It's 1 km to walk to the pools. You walk through several points where they sell souvenirs and there are small local restaurants that sell not only food but also fruits and drinks. There are no places you can really hide to change to swimwear so be prepared. If you like diving you can really have fun!”