Essential tips for Morocco

May 26, 2011 5:31:50 AM

Stefanie Di Trocchio
Lonely Planet Author

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Moroccans are famously hospitable and love showing visitors their country. You’ll meet plenty of friendly folk who’ll ease your path, but these tips will make your trip even easier.

Go in spring when lots of Morocco is lush and green. Don’t underestimate the extremes of summer and winter – they can be brutal. Ramadan is an interesting time to travel, but be aware that many restaurants and cafes will be shut during the day. In 2011, Ramadan begins on 1 August and finishes on 30 August. The dates change from year to year, so check it out online (www.when-is.com/ramadan.asp) before you go.
A few words of basic Arabic will take you a long way. Try es salaam alaykum (hello, literally ‘peace be upon you’), ‘afak (please – it has a glottal stop before it, like the sound between the vowels in ‘uh-oh’. If you’re talking to a woman it’s ‘afik; to a group, say ‘afakum) and shukran bezzef (thank you very much) for starters.
Stay in a riad – a traditional Moroccan house built around an internal garden. Marrakesh, Fes and Essaouria are classic riad destinations. Check out Lonely Planet Hotels & Hostels for recommendations.
Load up your pockets with small change. Tipping is an integral part of Moroccan life, and a few dirham for a service willingly rendered can make life a lot easier. Tipping between 5% and 10% of a restaurant bill is appropriate. Also tip taxis, guides and small boys who help you find your way out of the complex maze of streets in the old parts of town.
Don’t engage a faux guide (false guide) for the day. They’re illegal. Engage an official tourist guide through a tourist office instead.
Petit and grand taxis are a great way to get around, but be prepared to wait – grand taxis won’t leave until all six cramped places are full. If you’re a woman travelling alone in a grand taxi, it’s a good idea to buy the two places in front for yourself.
Treat bargaining in souks as a friendly game. It’s an intrinsic part of the culture and is always expected of you, so just ignore the first price a merchant puts forward.
If you’re offered a mint tea by a local, sit down to enjoy. Mint tea is the hallmark of Moroccan hospitality, and it’s impolite to refuse it. A sit-down tea session takes about half an hour.
If you’re a woman travelling alone, try to ignore unwanted attention. You’ll hear cries of gazelle! and perhaps even get the odd marriage proposal, but the best thing to do is to avoid eye contact. If it persists, threaten police involvement. It’s surprisingly effective.

Don’t head to Morocco without a copy of Lonely Planet’s Morocco travel guide, full of tips, travel secrets and guides to local foods and customs that every traveller needs.

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Comments

26 July 2011 2:57PM belidofan Report this comment
i did accept an invitation to come in and enjoy tea once while strolling the souk of marakech ; after the session the owner insisted that i bought some merchandise, when i politely refused he started to curse me and followed me for a while,still cursing, while i panicly sought my way out of the souk.
27 July 2011 8:15AM justwingit Report this comment
Belidofan, I wonder if that is a typical reaction when you don't buy something after the mint tea. I have had similar negative experiences in Egypt. Hassles from hawkers in Egypt were relentless. Hope Morroco's people are not the same.
29 October 2011 2:47AM kevin_h Report this comment
I have just returned from a trip to Marrakech, and not knowing too much about what to expect, I bought a guidebook. Within the pages, the people were described as charming, friendly, kind... Do not be fooled, as that description could not be further away from the truth. The people I encountered were concerned with only one thing - to take your money as quickly as possible. They were pushy, intimidating and thoroughly unconcerned with my enjoyment in their city, and will use your sense of propriety and civility and twist it into an 'offer you can't refuse', demanding money even if you did not require or ask for their assistance. Do not leave yourself vulnerable, they will take advantage of you, and safety is hard to find in the twisting streets of Marrakech.
22 February 2012 9:13AM tompot Report this comment
Today was my first full day in Marrakesh. I too only read the LP on the plane - some people are beautiful, and the hassle is less than in India, but here some hawkers do not know when to stop, hence the "pushy" factor. It only takes one or 2 people to put a downer on the day, but luckily I have met a lot more nice people than the number who were pushy/rip off merchants. Confidence and humour go along way.
27 March 2012 7:18PM lyssav Report this comment
I'm heading off to Morocco in October. I've travelled Egypt extensivly (with locals) and from what I've heard from other people about Morocco and the experiance I had in Egypt, it's quite simular.
If you're timid and not sure of yourself, they'll push you harder, no need to be rude, but a nice strong NO in arabic and to keep walking past, works well, and usually they won't keep hasselling you. Essentially I recieved the same advice as Tompot gave from North African locals, be confident and have a sence of humour! You'll meet bad apples anywhere you go. And it can be stressful trying to deal with them. But the lovely people you do meet, for me, are the ones that I remember with a smile.