Top 5 Therapy Destinations and Thermal Spots in Morocco:

By Mohamed Hikal

Lots of Moroccan and foreign visitors have opted for therapy and thermal natural destinations in Morocco. These are the destinations where most wellness seekers have had a good experience whether bathing in warm mineral water or in hot desert sand.

1. Moulay Ali Cherif thermal station:

The Moulay Ali Cherif thermal station is located approximately 40 kilometers from Errachidia city, in central Morocco.

Set to be a major thermal therapy station in the south, Moulay Ali Cherif Hammat has become a popular therapeutic destination. The Moroccan Health Department recommends the hammat for its ability to cure a number of health conditions ranging from obesity and rheumatism pain to arthritis.

2. Hammat Moulay Hachem:

This hammat is situated approximately four kilometers from Hammat Moulay Ali Cherif and 12 kilometers away from Er-Rich in Errachidia province. Its water is mainly recommended for digestion, the digestive system, and the gastrointestinal tract.

3. Abaynou:

This thermal station is located in the rural region of Guelmim, the Gateway to the Sahara, southern Morocco. The Abaynou water reaches a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius. Scientific tests conducted by the Moroccan Health Department have proven that the physicochemical properties of the Abaynou water, namely the calcium, sodium, magnesium, chloride, potassium, nitrates, sulfate ,and CO2 are capable of healing several dermatological and rheumatism conditions.

4. Merzouga sand bath therapy:

This sand bath can be found in a small village in southeastern Morocco approximately 35 kilometers southeast of Rissani, the dust city, in Errachidia province. Due to its location in the heart of the Sahara desert, the temperature goes up to 48 degrees Celsius during July and August. In spring it falls around 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. Geographically, Merzouga is characterized by its sand dunes 50 kilometers from the Algerian border.

In its August/September 2016 edition, the National Geographic Traveler magazine ranked Merzouga village as the fourth best destination for health tourism. The magazine described the health benefits of the Merzouga sand baths as the "sweaty sauna-like treatment which soothes the muscles."

5. Hammat Moulay Yacoub:

Discovered in 1900 and opened to the general public in 1965, Hammat Moulay Yacoub is located at approximately 20 kilometers outside Fez city, northern Morocco. The Moulay thermal hot springs are recommended for the treatment of various health conditions.

"The waters of Moulay Yacoub really do have healing properties for some conditions, especially skin conditions and urinary tract infections as the waters help dissolve stones that form in the kidneys," said Dr. Mamoun Shaker, a dermatologist.

The springs contributed to a tourism boom in the area after tourists from all around the world heard about the healing powers of the water containing high levels of calcium, sodium, sulfate, and magnesium.