August 21, 2009 -- Terrorist groups may operate nearby, but at the romantic grottoes and sparkling beaches of Bejaia's coast they seem worlds away. Just over the Beni Ksila Mountains, on the eastern edge of al-Qaeda's alleged hideout area in Tizi-Ouzou, picturesque villages dot the coast. The east coast of Bejaia attracts thousands of visitors every year. The villages of Tichy, Aokas, Souk Ethnine and Melbou are considered to be lands of legend, rivalling one another with their rich history. Setif residents Lila and Mehdi chose to spend their honeymoon in Bejaia. "We'd love to know our country a bit better," Mehdi said. "Algeria is a huge country; there are so many things we don't know," he added.

Surrounded by the sea and the mountains, rivers and the waterfalls, Melbou takes its name from a Spanish woman who arrived as a shipwreck survivor. Her knowledge of medicine earned her great respect among the locals and immortalised her as the town's protectress. At the entrance to the Yemma Melbou grotto, incense, ashes and offerings of salt reveal that villagers still pray to her for a miracle. "This is one of the legends: that Melbou was a saint, capable of doing incredible things. Because she was from Andalusia, she had knowledge that villagers did not recognise. They began to believe in her supernatural powers," Association for Tourism and the Environment member Nabil told Magharebia. Today, older villagers still recount the tales of Melbou, even though the younger generation is more sceptical. "Young people don't believe in these stories, but they're wrong," Zahra, 61, griped, adding that when she had to undergo surgery to treat a stomach tumour, she organised a "waada" in Yemma Melbou's honour to get through the ordeal.

Another local legend claims that in May 1945, when villagers gathered on the Melbou beach to flee French troops, they were saved by the apparition of an old woman on the rocks. From that day forward, women have come to this place, called Takhalouit-El-Marsa ("the old lady of the port") to light candles to guarantee their fertility. "The most likely – though much less romantic – story is that the French soldiers received calls over the radio to release the people they were holding," tourism expert Nabil said with a smile. Some fear that this colourful Bejaia heritage will be lost over time. "The young do not believe in these legends," said Mahmoud, who is in his fifties. "These stories are part of us, of our identity, they must not disappear from our memories," he added.


The APTE association, set up in 2004, is working to make both villagers and visitors aware of the region's assets and the need to preserve them. The group rallies volunteers to pick up litter on the cliffs and beach of Melbou. The association also organises mountain treks to introduce tourists to the incredible beauty of the region. To get to Guer Snate n'Dourar, the river between two mountains, ramblers must navigate vertiginous paths and cross wadis. The wild beauty of the site is worth the effort. The mountain paths above Melbou offer ramblers an unparalleled view. "Heaven must certainly look like that. Nature is still unbroken. You'd think it was a postcard," new bride Lila tells Magharebia. Along with scenic waterfalls, beaches and rocky mountains, the Bejaia coastal region is also home to Algeria's oldest homo sapien: the 16,000 year-old Afalou Man. His bones are now in an Algiers museum. "My dream is to one day see the grotto classified as a world heritage site. Then we could make a great museum, local resident Mourad, 35, tells Magharebia. Opposite the Afalou Man's cave is the old cliff port. "This is one of the most beautiful spots I've ever visited," Lila says.


Five kilometres from Melbou is Souk El Tenine, known for its beautiful beaches and legendary market. By the 16th century, the village had become the region's top destination for travelling merchants to promote their wares. "People came from all over, even if they had nothing to sell, because the market was used a place to exchange information, thanks to the berrahs (criers). This is where many marriages were agreed and invitations were given out. It was here too that problems between warring tribes were settled," Mohammed explained. The nearby Aokas caves, with their dramatic stalactites and stalagmites, are another popular tourist attraction. "Here you can let your imagination run riot. It's absolutely fantastic," Mehdi said. Close to Aokas is the seaside resort town of Tichy. In the mid-1970s, then-President Houari Boumediene inaugurated one of the largest vacation complexes in the whole of post-independence Algeria: the Hôtel des Hammadite. Today, the town has ten hotels, restaurants, and multiple entertainment venues. "Despite the terrorist threat, the beach is always full," regional tourism promoter Nabil told Magharebia. "Even if there are, in fact, terrorist groups operating in the region, people continue to live and have a good time. It's their only way to resist."