September 26, 2008 -- The seaside resort of Sidi Fredj on the western coastline of Algiers draws crowds even during the month of Ramadan. The kilometres of fine sand on the adjoining Moretti beach and Club des Pins were closed for security reasons during the 1990s. Today, as the only resort on this side of Algiers that remains accessible, Sidi Fredj is a hot spot for holidaymakers.

Sidi Fredj boasts a small marina with a pier, restaurant, beach and hotels that never fall completely quiet. So long as the weather is warm, even during the month of Ramadan families flock here to spend much of the night, taking in the fresh air and enjoying the scent of the sea mist. People come in groups – friends, couples and families – to relish the summertime. They go for walks along the shore, their feet lapped by waves, or they stretch out on the sand with a picnic to enjoy the company and surroundings until late at the night.

Karim Bougchiche, a 20-year-old who came with his mother and two aunts, explained why he was there.

"You've got to go out somewhere," he said. "We go out to break the monotony of constant family gatherings that drag on and on. Instead of being jostled by the crowds in the city, what better way to unwind than coming to the beach for some fresh sea air?"

His aunt Samia, taking her two children by the hand, added: "Each evening we decide where we want to go out. We often choose to come to the coast because it’s so much fresher here, and there’s everything you can find in the city – ice cream parlours and restaurants with musical soirées and special Ramadan dishes."

Well aware of the business opportunities the beach provides, people hiring out deck chairs and plastic tables have dug themselves in along the beach, calling out to passers-by.

Kamel, who has not had a steady job over the summer, is attracted by the steady streams of people.

"It's a chance for me to work again and continue enjoying the holiday season," he said. "It is large families we get the most demand from. During the summer we hire out a lot of parasols."

He adds that at the beginning of September people were still bathing in the sea, while children paddled at the water’s edge.

"Sometimes we stay until 1am, often on Thursday evenings when we don't have to go to work the next day," said Nasser, who came to the beach with his parents and loves the sound of the waves crashing upon the beach.

"We do out of doors what we can't do at home – run around and play with the kids in the sand. We get soaked," he said over the roar of the sea.


People start flocking to the beach after the ceremony marking the end of the daily fast and the Tarawih prayers that follow. Queues of cars begin to stretch towards the coast, with police roadblocks filtering the traffic. As the car park gradually fills up, men and women get out of their cars head off to various parts of the resort. The beach is not the only attraction on offer – a harbour, blocks of flats, hotels and businesses surround the resort and the Mediterranean waters hug its built-up shores.

At night, strains of music can be heard coming from hotels and restaurants – that is, when the open-air Casif theatre is not stealing the show. During the summer it is a hive of cultural activity, frequented by famous Algerian and international singers such as Warda, who performed here in early August, and Egyptian singer Ihab Tewfik who also delighted holidaymakers.

Sidi Fredj’s reputation as a tourist attraction goes back to the 1970s, when French architect Fernand Pouillon designed the resort. It soon became a favourite, particularly among Italians, before the security crisis spoiled it and drove foreign tourists to Tunisia and Morocco.

In terms of accommodation, the resort boasts hundreds of flats and studios, most of which are rented on an annual basis. The hotels, however, which also make up part of the Sidi Fredj skyline, are often deluged with holidaymakers during the summer but empty at other times. The El Manar, El Marsa and Er Riadh hotels are an imposing sight, nestled among lush, verdant vegetation.

Malek, a receptionist at the El Manar hotel, said that during the high season the establishment becomes fully booked weeks before the summer begins.

"It's mainly big companies booking rooms for their employees. Sonatrach is one of our most loyal customers." Throughout the rest of the year, however, "things get a lot quieter," he said regretfully.


The four restaurants along the harbour offer a variety of options, ranging from Algiers specialities at Le Corso, fast food at Le Snack, Italian dishes at La Pizzeria and seafood at Le Vivier. During heat waves, ice cream parlours really pull in the crowds and there are also a number of café terraces where customers can while away the hours watching the world go by.

For entertainment, the resort offers a capacity festival hall as well as an esplanade with fairs and other amusements for children. Dancing reaches its peak during the summer, with the highly popular Club 71 packed all season long.

While restaurants and cafés put together special programmes for Ramadan with entertainment provided by artists, the arcades by the harbour offer strollers an almost permanent display of traditional arts.

Samir, who works for a company that makes Kabyle pottery and jewellery, says he is particularly happy during the summer "not because I sell a lot of goods, but because the atmosphere is irresistible with all these pretty women walking by."

"You can’t say away from Sidi Fredj, in the summer or in the winter," says Rachid, a company manager. "It’s a place where you can come into direct contact with the sea and it is free from pollution. Walking along the pier as the waves roll in is a real treat which I indulge in whenever I need a long and hard think."