10+ things you should know before traveling to Morocco 🛫 🇲🇦
by Joe · 61 things on Twos
- Haggling is a big part of the culture
- Morocco (and Marrakech specifically) is RAN by street vendors
- The rule we were given is to cut their initial price by 50% and then let the negotiation carry on from there
- The exceptions to haggling are at pharmacies, restaurants, and spas
- Everything is very affordable
- You will be shocked at how affordable everything is
- A private riad, with 3 bedrooms, a pool, and daily breakfast - $150 per night
- Lunch costed no more than $4 per person
- Dinner (with drinks) will be no more than $30 per person
- It is a safe place to travel
- As two men (contextually speaking), we felt safe the entire time
- While there are a lot of people and shady people can certainly lurk, at no point did we feel unsafe to be there
- Drinking is considered very taboo
- A majority of Morocco is Muslim
- Muslims are not allowed to drink according to their religion
- Therefore you will not find any beer, wine, or liquor for sale at any shops
- The only place you can drink is at hotels and bars (made specifically for tourists)
- And even when you do drink, it should be done in moderation and somewhat discreetly
- If you're looking for a party of a vacation, Morocco may not be the place
- French and Arabic are the dominant languages (but most people speak English)
- Do not be concerned if you do not speak a foreign language
- You can communicate with most locals (cab drivers, shop owners, etc) in English.
- Riads are large, private homes that largely replace hotels
- When looking for accomodations in Morocco, do your best to stay in a private Riad
- Riad means "large family" in Arabic
- They are as affordable as they are comfortable and was one of my favorite places i've ever stayed
- Do not take pictures with the snake charmers or other animal handlers
- Very similar to Time Square in NYC, the locals will attempt to lure you into their booths (or photo opportunities), and then guilt you into buying something or giving them a tip
- If it is something you are actually interested in, just ask for a price upfront and feel free to haggle
- The food is immaculate
- The moroccan diet (inland) revolves heavily around bread and meat
- Tajine is a meat and vegetable dish that is slow cooked for 5+ hours
- Tangia is an exclusively meat and spice dish
- Since the spices are sourced from the Atlas mountains and the recipes have been adjusted over hundreds of years, everything is very tasty
- There are no traffic laws
- Driving fast, unexpected lane changes, and many other risky maneuvers will be taken by every vehicle on the road
- But since locals are experienced driving this way, there is no immediate impact on your safety - just go with the flow
- Plan tours in order to hit the ground running (specifically a food tour)
- Booking tours prior to your trip will allow you to see all the hot spots, learn more about the culture, and how to navigate.
- The best tour we went on throughout the trip was the food tour which allowed us to try all of the delicious food and understand the history behind it
- It will be one of the most unique places you've been
- The architecture, history, and culture were completely foreign to me - which was very exciting.
- Cash is king (and you need MOROCCAN Dirham)
- Outside of established businesses (pharmacies, restaurants, spas) a lot of places only take cash (or at least prefer it)
- Make sure to get out *Moroccan* dirham because there is also UAE Dirham
- Ideally, place an order for Moroccan dirham out from your local bank prior to your trip
- Be prepared for big crowds and a lot of activity
- Since cities in Morocco are relatively small with a lot of people, things will feel very busy at times
- Tourists from all over europe will only add to the density and they all typically want to visit the same places
- The streets, the palaces, and shops will all tend to be pretty crowded
- The city is built high with large walls that feels like a maze at times
- Large clay walls line the streets from city limit to city limit
- It is very rare that you will see the roof of any buildings, unless you are on the roof
- Because of this, Google Maps will be less helpful, but it is still manageable
- Men are typically treated favorably to women
- In the Muslim religion, while the Quran says to treat all people equally, it appeared as if men are treated favorably to women
- This means at restaurants and in shops, do not be surprised if the waiter speaks to the men before women
- Tips are greatly appreciated
- Since everything is very affordable, tipping felt natural and highly appreciated
- A typical tip will be anywhere between 10 dirham - 100 dirham (for very special occasions) (which is about $1-$10 USD)