Located in Northwest Africa yet only 8 miles from Spain, Morocco is a melting pot of cultural influences. From European rule dating back to the ancient Roman era to recent French occupation ending in 1956, this Islamic kingdom made up of Arabs and Berbers is full of surprises. When traveling to another country, it’s best to have some knowledge of their culture to remain respectful and prepare for your visit. Here’s everything you need to know before you go to Morocco.
The official language is Arabic, with French being very commonly spoken and used on signs and menus. There are many dialects of Berber language spoken as well. English is often spoken in tourist related areas but it’s not always easy to communicate. Let’s start with some basic words you should know:
Medina-the old walled part of a North African town
Kasbah-similar to medina, but usually refers to a military fortress or citadel
Souks-market, marketplace, or bazaar
Saha-cheers when you make a toast or for any well wishes regarding good health
Yala-if you’re with a tour, your guide will regularly use this to tell you “let’s go”
Salam alaikum-a greeting translating to “peace be with you” where you reply “alaikum salam”
Landscape & Weather: Morocco has both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, is bisected by the Rif and Atlas Mountains (containing the 2nd highest peak in Africa after Kilimanjaro), and borders the Sahara Desert. The scenery is more brown than green, and they were experiencing a 6 month drought at the time I was there. They do put much effort into maintaining gardens but most of the fountains were not operating. Beautiful palm trees line the roads and add a nice esthetic to the Moroccan architecture with arches aplenty, still lying far below the towering turrets of the mosques. Along the roadways, there were mostly pastures and farmlands, complete with shepherds and their flock while mountains could be seen in the distance. Smoke can be spotted in the mountains where the Berber people are making pottery and phosphate mining locations can be seen from the road. I found the climate very dry and dusty, triggering allergies and a visit to the “pharmacie” for medications containing no English instructions. The weather was perfect in late November with highs in the mid 70s to low 80s and lows in the mid 50s (Fahrenheit), but the summers get very hot. Due to this, the peak tourist season is September to May. Walking in the medinas with walls designed to remain cool in the heat and the sun not able to penetrate the close buildings can be chilly even in nice weather. At the hotels, they either have their air conditioning or their heat operating via master control, so we found our rooms to be warm in November when only heat was available. You will have control over the temperature and whether it is on or off, but not the function of heat or air. Many of the swimming pools were drained so be prepared if that was something you were looking forward to. In Marrakesh which is much more opulent than other cities, pools and fountains were in regular operation.
Getting around: I was with a tour group which is a very common way to see Morocco, so we used a bus along the major tollways (lots of stops for tolls). Public transportation is getting better, and a train will soon go out to the desert. Some tourists have rented a car and gotten around just fine that way, but I would be quite nervous in the cities as the traffic laws did not coincide with what I am familiar with if they existed at all. They do drive on the right side of the road and use roundabouts often though it seemed the traffic in the loop yielded to the traffic entering it. The driving is crazy and the traffic can be thick with honking filling the air. I would say it’s even worse than Southeast Asia where there was some apparent order to the chaos. Taxis don’t seem to have meters, and will make up the rate at their discretion. Ask at your hotel what the rate should be to your desired location and agree upon it with the driver before getting into the taxi. Taxis cannot take more than 3 people, but one did allow our group of 4 with the instruction that one of us should be “sleeping” or lying down as not to be seen. Guess who got that job (it was me). Sometimes taxi drivers will tell you your destination is closed but they will take you somewhere better because they get a kickback from shops; don’t fall for it. Know your destination’s location and hours, and tell them to take you there regardless of the story they tell you. Also carry your hotel’s name, address, and phone number to provide the driver. Locals will use donkeys and mules for transportation and hauling but unlike Greece, there is no tourist option to ride. In Marrakesh, you can ride a camel or in a horse-drawn carriage. Walking is a great way to get around if you like to live on the edge, literally. The walk symbol, if it there happens to be one, only indicates the traffic entering the roundabout is stopped whereas the traffic exiting it never has a stop and will continue flying at you. Locals cross the streets like the game of Frogger, dodging through speeding cars. Sidewalks can be small and crowded, forcing you into the streets where cars and scooters are zooming closely by. Even in the carless medinas, scooters, carts, and donkeys (not to mention their poop) make walking treacherous. Check the bottom of your shoes before packing.
Money: Morocco uses the Dirham which exchanges around 9.2 for $1 USD. The quickest estimation is using a factor of 10, so a 200 dirham item would be about $20. Getting local currency from the atm when you arrive is ideal to save on fees and exchange rates, but can be obtained before leaving from your home airport. The bills are 20, 50, 100, and 200 dirhams (if it goes higher, I wasn’t baller enough to see it), and the coins are 1, 2, 5, and 10 dirhams. It is customary to tip in Morocco, around 10% at meals, and a couple dollars per day for a tour guide. Organized tours will offer you guidelines, but breaking the larger bills is best to have something small on hand.
People: The people in the service, hospitality, and tourism industry were extremely friendly. Moroccans love to joke, but sometimes that’s lost in translation leaving you confused so don’t hesitate to confirm. The local men tend to catcall the young tourist women as you walk by but are easy to ignore and otherwise harmless. They are fast paced and will not hesitate to cut you off on the crowded paths or streets. Many locals do not like their picture taken and will let you know it. It is best to ask first and offer a tip; some even dress up for this purpose and get upset if you take a photo without tipping. Like all countries, Morocco has its share of poor people despite offering free education through university. Many sit silently on the street corner with an outstretched palm while others aggressively try to sell you cheap trinkets. If you engage them at all, they will follow you. Sadly children are also involved in this, sometimes as a decoy for pickpockets to identify where your money is located. I use a crossbody bag carried in front to protect from theft. Stay very alert in the busy streets of Morocco.
Clothing: The dress in Morocco is fairly conservative compared to Western standards including the covering of legs, arms, and sometimes head even in the hot summer months. As a tourist, you are not expected to adhere to the strictest of guidelines, but it is best to respect the culture by avoiding tank tops, low cut shirts, and shorts. It is up to you how you choose to dress, but the more you stray from the norm, the more unwanted negative attention you may receive.
Food and Drink: Let me start by saying do NOT drink the water, the locals don’t even drink it! The hotels provided one small bottle of water (surprisingly not replenished each day) and our tour group gave us two more which I used to brush my teeth as well. Restaurants serve bottled water as still or sparkling, and we did indulge in some iced beverages at nice restaurants we were assured had been made with filtered water (they contained alcohol so there was that extra protection too). I had some amazing food in Morocco for relatively inexpensive prices. The menus are usually in French but surprisingly easy to translate as we borrow so many culinary techniques and phrases from them. Typical Moroccan food did not turn out to be my favorite but includes “tajine” which describes the ceramic dish with hat-like lid the meat, vegetables, and spices are cooked and served in to minimize the water needed. The food is likewise not spicy as water was traditionally hard to come by. Couscous is customarily served as a side and can vary greatly depending on how it is cooked. Most restaurant meals included bread and a marinated olive appetizer. I greatly enjoyed the international fare such as pizza (does not usually contain tomato sauce), pasta, risotto, and seafood with heavy French and Italian influences. Not all restaurants offer alcohol, so if that’s what you are looking for be sure to ask. Try the local Moroccan wines from such regions as Meknes. Morocco is known for its mint tea served from a silver pot into a small glass. One huge drawback to the dining experience if you are not used to it is smoking in the restaurants. Also, men gather at the local coffee shops (and oddly all sit facing the street), but they are considered too ‘dirty’ for women to patronize, and I did not see any tourists in them at all. Credit cards are not always accepted (and Amex almost never is) or require a minimum and tipping 10% is customary (not usually included). One eating note is not to overindulge in the local prickly pear fruit as more than 5 can lead to constipation, and one of our tour group members ended up requiring a doctor and ruining her trip (not to mention the whole group knowing about it). I’ll detail the restaurants where we ate and we what liked in my next blog.
Shopping: Morocco is known for its “souk” shopping. Bargaining is expected, and they will likely go to around half of the stated price. The shops all have the same stuff, so walk around and compare before buying, but bring cash only into the marketplace. There is high end shopping particularly in the pricey area of Marrakesh. Assume all jewelry is fake no matter what they tell you. Morocco is known for its argan oil, but the cheaper bottles found along the street vendors are often diluted with other oils and will appear cloudy. Our tour guide brought us to the higher quality shops, but I was never sure if that was legit or if they had an agreement with him or the tour company.
Bathrooms: Most public restrooms will have an attendant expecting a tip. The bathrooms vary widely in their cleanliness and access to toilet paper, so bring your own. It was not stated whether flushing the paper or throwing it in the basket is preferred, so I used the guide of if there’s a trashcan next to the toilet then throw it in there and if not flush it.
Hammam: Saving the best experience for last where best refers to most surprising! Hammam is the public bathhouse which is an important part of Muslim culture as cleanliness is required for prayer. They are also considered a social gathering spot where men and women are separated, share a steam, scrub, and optional massage. Many hotels offer this spa service in luxury style, but we opted for the traditional service in the medina for a lower cost genuine experience. For 270 dirhams, or around $27 USD, we had a 90 minute treatment and enough awkwardness, shock, and laughter to last a lifetime. Payment was requested upfront and tipping was not allowed (perhaps you’ll understand why as the story unfolds). We were given a bag which contained a small wrap, robe, disposable underwear, and scrubbing mitten and locked our belongings in a locker. After donning the disposable underwear, ill-fitting sandals, and fiddling with the wraps, we were lead into the next room where the wraps were immediately removed (it took longer to put them on than we actually wore them). We were ushered into a domed steam room where we sat uncomfortably trying to balance between not touching too much surface and keeping ourselves covered. We were then selected one by one as if going to the principal’s office (naked) into the next room’s surprises which my friends were kind enough not to ruin for each other. In here you stand up while a woman who does not speak any English bathes you completely with a jelly like soap then douses you with water (so keep your mouth closed and hold your breath). The rooms are not private but luckily we were the only ones in there at the time (still super awkward). Then back to the steam room to await selection for the scrubbing portion where you lay down on an elevated table and have a layer of your skin completely removed before being doused unexpectedly with water again. Next was our massage in a room together where we lied down on beds wet with oil and who knows what else from the previous customers still without any covering. The massage is a full body experience with the exception of the small area covered by the disposable underwear and still quiet close to it just the same. I hope the women are educated on breast cancer exams as they are a perfect first line defense. There were times when I was facing upwards and completely smothered by my attendant’s breasts as she leaned over me (they are clothed as if it matters at this point) but maybe that was preferable to the water condensation dripping onto my face from the ceiling. Argan oil was rubbed not only on my body but also on my face and into my hair which was a tangled up mess when she was finished. But not to worry, as the massage was followed by yet another group bathing session including shampoo and loofa (which did not seem to be single use only). We finally got our robe from the bag at the conclusion to dry off. It was definitely an authentic experience, and we were all glad we tried it despite the awkwardness and questionable sterility. We all immediately went back to the hotel and showered again. I would still recommend trying this but opt for a more expensive hotel experience which may be more catered to tourists. Or not, you’ll have to let me know. Unlike in Thailand where the conservatism of the culture was in drastic contrast to what occurred behind spa doors, the Moroccan hammam is not sexual in nature at all, just completely awkward AF for a Westerner, or at least this one. (Note this picture is not actually from the hammam as cameras are not allowed for obvious reasons, but rather the washing area of a former residence.)
Next up, I’ll let you in on the cities and sites we visited and what it’s like to be part of a tour group. Until then, salam alaikum.