"Nouadhibou" Nouadhibou by johnsakura

Nouadhibou Travel Guide: 96 reviews and 150 photos

Nouadhibou its the first city after the border with Moroccan occupied Western Sahara. From here arrive by land hundreds of stolen vehicles, man slavering and all kind of goods, even vegetables can be passed illegally at the border.

Nouadhibou is a place never constructed to fit the needs of tourists.

What to say a bout this city...what to say about Mauritania in general... its indeed a different country from whatever you’ve been used to. Its full of poverty, racial conflicts, garbage and worldwide mafia.

There's this huge worldwide terrorist organization that is very active in this city, more than in the capital which the presidential control is bigger. This organization which i don’t have the need to write the name is very powerful here in Nouadhibou and takes control of almost every single facility related to Islam. Huge and good quality mosques (Mauritanian speaking of course) are visible and you even notice the leaders mansions near by with grand cars BMW and big expensive SUVs 4 wheel drive cars at their door, in a country that the normal salary is not more than 15000 UM, about 40- 45 euros, which usually 6000 go to pay the monthly rent of a single room no electricity and proper toilet facilities.
Specially here in Nouadhibou, various organized mafia groups and underground organizations find refuge to make business. Korean, Russian, Chinese, Nigerian, Senegalese and also White Moors underground organizations are settled here with their business of drugs, prostitution, car export, fish export, guns and even man slavery working at day light.

Big Mosque Nouadhibou Mauritania

There is very little to see inside the city of more around 60,000 people, but the nature here is of splendid beauty.
Nouadhibou like many desert cities, is immodestly large, and comes in three parts. The first is the new quarter of Numerowat in the north, with mess of construction sites, fading into shantytown on the north side. This is where the majority of people live. The various quarters of "Numerowat" are identified by robinets (premiere robinet or deuxieme robinet etc) according to the nearest public water standpipe, which come at 500 metre intervals along the tarmac road to downtown Nouadhibou.

Downtown is "Ville", with all the usual services and shops and the city main market. On the south side of town, a full 10km from the city centre, is the iron ore company's dormitory town of Cansado.

Nouadhibou Mauritania

Nouadhibou is stretching along a thin peninsula running out from and parallel to the mainland in southern direction. Everything is more or less sand, shaped by the wind, meeting the sea in several bays without any vegetation destroying your impression of really being in Sahara.

My Photography website:
www.joaoleitaofoto.com

BLOGS I have:
Photographic Ride around 37 Countries:
http://photosaroundtheworld.wordpress.com
My Travel Blog:
http://joaoleitao.wordpress.com
Photos of Morocco:
http://photosdumaroc.wordpress.com
Morocco Travel Diaries:
http://moroccotraveldiaries.wordpress.com
Mauritania Travel Diaries:
http://mauritaniatraveldiaries.wordpress.com
Marrakech Travel Guide:
http://marrakesh.travellerspoint.com

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN MOROCCO:
Riad Aguerzame:
www.merzougahotels.com/marrakech-riad-maroc.html
Riad des Droles:
www.merzougahotels.com/riad-marrakech-maroc.html
www.riad-des-droles-marrakech.com
Riad Dar Dmana:
www.merzougahotels.com/riad-fes-maroc.html
Riad Dar Bounouar:
www.darbounouar.com
More Riads in Marrakech:
www.merzougahotels.com/hebergement-hotel-maroc.html
Hotel in Fint Oasis Ouarzazate:
www.terrassedesdeliceshotelouarzazate.com

Some interesting links around Morocco and Africa:
www.viajes-marruecos-sahara.com
www.merzougahotels.com
www.merzouga-merzouga.com
www.healinghands-gambia.org
www.ideal-tours-marrakech
www.31best-riad-marrakesh.com
www.arrahlaexpeditions4x4.com

Pros and Cons

Pros:People are great to talk with.
Cons:lots of garbage everywhere.

Last visit to Nouadhibou: Jan 2004
Intro Updated Oct 7, 2006
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Reviews (81)

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Prices: my price info is from 2000. now the prices have gone a bit up. just to have in mind. the fare in the passanger... more travel advice

Longest train in the world 5 Things to Do (22)

Motorists who are heading to Atar can load their car onto opene platforms, althogh this can take days: start waiting at... more travel advice

Longest train in the world 4 Things to Do (22)

There are 3 trains a day, but only the one at 14.30 takes passengers. It is 460km/12hrs from Nouadhibou to Choum and... more travel advice

Shopping (3)
See All Grand Marché
Favorites (15)
See All View of the harbor
Local Customs (12)
See All Grand Marché
Tourist Traps (6)
See All Car ensurance
Sports & Outdoors (1)
Local Football
Transportation (4)
See All Donkey

Warnings Or Dangers (2)
See All Water
Hotels (3)
See All Asimex Camping
What to Pack (1)
My bag
Restaurants (1)
Chinese restaurant
Nightlife (2)
See All City view by night 1
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Comments (12)

roger.bruton Aug 25, 2008 at 8:15 AM Report Abuse

Interesting place -- have stayed there twice -- both times in a "room". They don't improve. Nice enough people. Chance to meet other travellers and desert guides and change money.
luckyzen Jun 5, 2006 at 11:26 AM Report Abuse

Excellent Page and travelogues, Joao. The phographs and little stories are great! Thank you so much!
euzkadi Feb 22, 2006 at 10:03 PM Report Abuse

Excellent page. Pensare un poco mas en visitar Nouadhibou.
Bwana_Brown Feb 2, 2006 at 6:51 PM Report Abuse

A very captivating tale of your experiences in this OTBP location! The local customs and derelict ships along Cansado Bay were especially interesting. I can see why a spot this isolated might be of interest to certain 'organizations'!
canuckmike Jan 24, 2006 at 11:45 PM Report Abuse

Excellent page. Brings back memories of Nouadhibou. Apparantly the ship cementary is an insurance scam where people come to sink their ships on pupose to collect insurance money. Saw a drunk muslim get kicked out of that chinese restaurant.
kultura Feb 10, 2005 at 8:47 PM Report Abuse

this is kind of mafia city?! cool! thanks for sharing KuLtUrA
deranziege Jan 12, 2005 at 2:31 AM Report Abuse

have apparently had all my 4x4s and trailers Hi Jacked at a camp site in Nuoadhibou (but i am suspect as to the story my drivers have told me) need help to find numbers and contacts in the area to start tracing events
mabrain Feb 27, 2004 at 7:10 AM Report Abuse

cool soccer game...
SirRichard Jan 16, 2004 at 2:03 AM Report Abuse

U made a great page out of this deserted place! Thanx for the train tips! :-))
herzog63 Jan 16, 2004 at 1:38 AM Report Abuse

What an amazing way to travel!! That train sure sounds fun! Cough, cough! haha Your travelouges show the local life wonderfully! Fantastic page!!