What is there to see in eastern Morocco (Oujda / Figuig)?

Eastern Morocco — the Oriental region — is where I send the rare client who genuinely wants to escape the tourist trail entirely. Oujda is the regional capital, a lively, friendly city right against the (closed) Algerian border, with a relaxed medina, good street food, and almost no foreign visitors. It feels different from the imperial cities: more cross-cultural, with strong Algerian and even Saharan influences in the food and music.

Just north, the Beni-Snassen massif and the Zegzel gorge make a beautiful half-day drive — winding through orange groves and cliffs with caves you can visit. On the coast, Saidia is Morocco's eastern Mediterranean beach resort, with a long sandy strip and marina; it's domestic-holiday territory, busy in summer and quiet otherwise, more functional than charming.

Figuig is the headline for adventurous travellers — a remote, ancient palm oasis in the far southeast, ringed by ksour (fortified villages) and date gardens, almost entirely surrounded by Algeria. It is genuinely off the map: a long drive from anywhere, very few tourists, and a slow, timeless atmosphere. I only recommend it to people who actively want isolation and have time to spare.

My honest framing: eastern Morocco is not a "must" for a first or even second trip. There are no headline sights to rival Marrakech or the Sahara. But for return visitors, Arabic or French speakers, or anyone allergic to crowds, it offers a warm, unguarded version of Morocco you simply can't find on the main circuit. Come for the people and the emptiness, not for monuments.