Morocco is a unique and captivating country that offers a rich cultural experience, stunning landscapes, and historic cities. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or planning your first trip, it's important to be prepared and know what to expect. In this blog, we'll provide 8 top tips to help you have a safe and enjoyable trip to Morocco. From understanding the local customs and culture, to navigating the roads and avoiding scams, these tips will help you to make the most of your time in this beautiful country. So pack your bags, brush up on your French or Arabic, and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime!
1 - Don’t let people help with bags at the airport unless you want to pay
When we arrived in Morocco, the the first thing we had to do was to find our hire car. When leaving the airport, a bit tired after the flight, we were approached by a friendly Moroccan trying to help by carrying our bags and pointing us in the right direction. If we had been a bit more alert, we would not have let this happen as he then wanted a tip for 'helping' us. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any cash yet as we had been in the country for only a few minutes but we learnt our lesson straight away!
2 - Enjoy the delicious food but don't drink the water
Moroccan food Is some of the tastiest around and you should definitely try some famous tajines! Eating in restaurants is generally safe and our favourite place for a meal in Marrakech was L'mida, a lovely rooftop restaurant hidden in the Medina with stunning views out over the city. We didn't try any of the street food as we were overly cautious but apparently this is great too, although a little more risky.
While in Morocco tap water is not safe for drinking, bottled water is available in shops, restaurants and most hotels. You're also safest to avoid eating fresh fruit and vegetables, especially from street vendors as normally their produce has been washed using tap water. Nevertheless, with a bit of caution Moroccan food is delicious so don't miss out on trying a few new dishes!
3 - Be careful when accepting directions
This tip is similar to the first one. If you're traveling in Morocco, it's recommended to rely on technology for getting around rather than asking directions from locals. This is because they will expect a tip for their assistance. They might also say the place you are looking for is closed and suggest leading you to a place where they receive commission for bringing in customers.
To avoid these situations, it's best to use Google Maps to get around and to download an offline map before you travel.
4 - Watch out for driving scams and make sure you always carry your driving license and some cash
In Morocco it is illegal to drive without your licence so always make sure you have it on you. It is quite common to get pulled over a couple of times a day when driving in Morocco.
There are many police checkpoints along all the roads. Be careful to always go slow and stop at them. On one occasion, we came to a check point after doing many previously on our road trip. We slowed down as we got closer to the signs and were certain the officer had signalled to us that we could continue, but another officer immediately pulled us over. We were told that it was an offence to not fully stop at a check point and to just slow down. After some time, we ended up paying a reduced fine and leaving with no receipt. It is important to make sure you have cash with you while driving just in case, as this experience is very common!
5 - People tend to charge for photographs
Photography is a wonderful way to capture memories and moments of a trip, but it's important to be mindful of the local customs and etiquette when taking photos in Morocco. Moroccans are proud of their culture and most of the time will be happy to have their photo taken. However, there may be instances where they will ask for a fee in exchange for having their photo taken. This is particularly common in tourist areas or when taking photos of local street vendors or craftsmen.
6 - Non-Muslims aren’t allowed in most mosques in Morocco
Mosques are an important part of Moroccan culture and religion, and are found throughout the country. They are often impressive and beautiful buildings, like the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech. However, non-Muslims are not allowed inside most of the mosques in Morocco. This is because mosques are considered sacred spaces for Muslims to perform their daily prayers and worship. While tourists are welcome to admire the beautiful architecture and exterior of these buildings, they are not allowed to enter the prayer halls. There are, however, a few notable exceptions, such as the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, which offers guided tours for non-Muslims. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get there on our trip.
In Marrakesh, there are also areas of the old city that non-Muslims are not allowed in. We almost walked in accidentally but got stopped by some locals just in time. We would suggest looking out for the signs that we must have missed!
7 - English is not a very common language
You may be surprised to find that English is not commonly spoken throughout the country of Morocco. While many Moroccans in the hospitality and tourism industries have a good understanding of English, it is not widely spoken among the general population and further out of the main cities.
While on a hike up to the Ouzoud Falls we had an informal tour guide who was a local living in the village trying to make some extra money. He took us on a trail around the falls, showing us places off the beaten track and giving us information about the area. We were very glad to have met him but the only thing is that he didn’t speak much English. Luckily, Amy is fairly good at French so she was able to be the translator for the day!
If you don't already speak some French, we would recommend bring a phrase book with you just in case so you have a way of communicating if needed.
8 - Leave your drone at home
If you're planning a trip to Morocco, you'll have to leave your drone at home. Due to security and privacy concerns, the Moroccan government has strict restrictions on the use of drones within the country. It's illegal for anyone without written permission (which is very hard to get) to fly a drone in Morocco and if you enter the county with a drone, it may be taken off you at the airport. Although you can collect it again when you leave, it's probably not worth the risk.
We hope that these eight tips help you if you are planning a trip to Morocco, to know what to expect and be able to have a relaxed time. It's an incredible country that we definitely hope to go back to one day! You can read our blog post about how we spent our week in Morocco here.
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