Last Updated: 12/15/2018 | December 15th, 2018
Wandering around the Fez medina, I could feel the stares. “Where are you going? Want to go to the tanneries? I’ll take you. No money. Don’t worry!” the medina’s faux guides said as they chased me down the street.
“No, I’m fine,” I’d reply, trying to dodge them at every turn. Turning down side streets, stopping to look at a map, or admiring a view caused them and any nearby vendor to pounce and badger me, inviting me into stores, restaurants, and attractions.
There were moments when I would turn down streets only to have my spidey sense tell me to turn back. A few guys tried to corner me before I managed to slip into a store. Heck, even a little kid tried to pick my pocket. While other cities were not as intense as Fez, my visit to Morocco required a thick skin and a watchful eye.
Before my trip to Morocco, I queried a number of friends about their experiences. I’d heard horror stories of touts, harassment, pickpockets, and scams. While that is common everywhere, Morocco travel seemed to take it to another level. “Keep an eye out,” everyone warned.
After two weeks visiting Morocco (which is amazing — see this post, where I fawn all over it!) with Intrepid Travel on their Best of Morocco tour, I could see why people say Morocco demands extra diligence when it comes to staying safe in Morocco. Touts, scammers, and harassers abound and, while it wasn’t bad when I was with my group, when I was alone, it was intense. As I settled into the famous and secluded Café Clock in Fez to relax, I messaged fellow writers online to ask if I was overreacting or if they felt the same way.
“No, it’s not just you,” was the universal reply.
How to Stay Safe in Morocco
In truth, Morocco is a safe place to visit. There’s only really small crime there (scams and pickpockets) and you’re unlikely to be assaulted or seriously hurt as a tourist in the country. Morocco is super safe for tourists now. As a solo female traveler, you need to watch out a little more carefully but, overall, you are still unlikely to encounter serious problems.
Morocco travel requires extra vigilance because it’s easy to have something happen to you. You’re unlikely to ever be in any real physical danger in Morocco, but the petty crime and harassment require you to stay on guard — more so than other countries. However, if you follow a few rules, you can leave Morocco unscathed and without incidence.
Here are my 9 tips on how to stay safe when you visit Morocco:
- Don’t walk alone at night — While walking in well-lit and busy areas can be fine, be careful walking at night. You never know what lurks around the corner in the medinas. Petty crime is rampant here, especially against tourists.
- Don’t walk alone if you’re a woman — A woman alone will attract a lot of unwarranted attention from men, an increased chance of being followed, and the likelihood of groping. Even when I was with the girls on my trip, they got a lot of attention. I could only imagine how much worse it was when they were alone. And, as a female, especially do not walk alone at night!
- Dress conservatively — Morocco is a conservative Muslim country, and it’s not appropriate to wear skimpy clothing. Keep your arms, shoulders, and legs covered (especially if you are a woman) to avoid any unwanted attention and conform to local norms.
- Avoid flashy jewelry — A good universal rule, this takes on more urgency in a country where theft is common and people will see the jewelry as a sign of wealth and therefore try harder to scam you in stores or rob you on the streets.
- Don’t carry valuables — Since muggings and pickpockets are common, take the minimum you need when you leave your hotel or hostel. Don’t take your passport with you – leave it in the hotel! A few people on my tour carried it around with them and when my guide found out, he looked like he was about to have a heart attack!
- Avoid back alleys — The tiny alleys of the medina are beautiful to explore but sometimes they make you easy prey for scammers and thieves. Don’t venture too far away from the crowds.
- Watch for scams — If someone asks you into their shop for tea, they are going to use that as a pretext to get you to buy something and, thanks to the ingrained psychological idea of reciprocity, you’ll probably give in. Don’t let anyone ask you to write a letter or read a postcard that their “cousin” sent to them in English/French/whatever your native language is. It’s a ruse to get you into their store and wear you down. Same with letting someone put henna on your hand. Once these vendors have you, they will be relentless about you trying on clothes, buying something, or giving them money. Say “no thank-you” and walk away.
- Say no to tour guides — The people saying “no money” definitely want your money. They will try to get you into their shops or take you places and ask for money for the service. Be firm and tell them no. It doesn’t matter their age or how helpful they are, if they start walking with you, they will ask for money!
- Always negotiate taxi prices up front — Always negotiate the price for taxis before you get in, as prices are going to be substantially inflated when you arrive at your destination.
While this is good advice for any country, Morocco is more intense than your average destination due to the sheer number of people who will give you unwanted attention. It takes a lot of energy to always be on your guard in a place where the simple act of asking for directions often leads people asking for money.
Is Morocco safe? Yes, for the most part. But visiting Morocco requires you to be a little tougher and keep an eagle out for problems. It requires you to be a little bit more skeptical.
I was insulated because I was on a tour, but when I was alone or with just a few people, people came out of the woodwork, catcalled my friends, grabbed at the girls, and blocked entrances to restaurants in order to accost us. Even after a decade of travel, I found myself wishing I had a companion to share the mental burden and wanting to scream, “Leave me alone so I can just enjoy your country!”
Many people have asked me if they should go visit Morocco alone.
My honest answer? If you’re a first-time traveler, it might be hard.
This was my first time in North Africa and it was an adjustment for me (and I’ve a very experienced traveler). I was glad to be on a tour and have a guide. If you don’t have a lot of travel experience or are a woman traveling alone, it might just be too much. I might suggest going on a tour first instead of exploring the country solo. Moreover, it is hard to get into the remote desert and mountains on the public transportation systems. I wouldn’t drive here either as everyone races around mountain curves.
That said thousands of people come here alone and they are fine. If you’re OK in uncomfortable situations and a frenetic environment, you’ll be able to visit Morocco just fine!
Morocco was a battery on my senses — the food, the colors, the spices, the smells, and the scenery were unforgettable. (Also the doors — they have such ornate and colorful doorways in Morocco. I have dozens of pictures of doors).
I would 100% recommend to anyone that they visit the country, but make sure you keep an extra eye out (especially in Fez) and have a thick skin for all the people asking you to buy things!
Morocco won’t be easy but it’s worth the visit – and it’s a lot safer than you think!
Editor’s Note: I went to Morocco with Intrepid Travel on their Best of Morocco tour. It was part of my ongoing partnership with Intrepid Travel. They covered the cost of the tour, flight, and meals.
Book Your Trip to Morocco: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!
Want More Information on Morocco?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Morocco for even more tips on how to plan your visit!
Veronika
Interesting to read your experience, Matt. I went to Morocco just with my boyfriend and we were quite fine. He actually had quite a hard time to withstand the continuous demands from everybody, be it for money or to sell stuff..
It was the worst in Marrakech for us. We didn’t go to Fez, rather chose Meknes. Except the Jemma el Fna Square in Marrakech, it was all fine. I even went to wander the medina streets in the evening by myself, even though just the main alleys.
Morocco is great, but the petty crime has developed to another level. Kids and locals you’d think would be genuine and honest, might be petty criminals too.. The problem is, you never know who to trust there.
Otherwise a beautiful country and I believe the majority of people are really nice, it’s just hard to meet them when travelling to the main cities frequented by tourists. Perhaps one way to tell who’s genuine and not – rarely a local would strike up a conversation with you on the street unless they want to sell you something or mock you. That is, if you come up to somebody and start talking to them, that might be the only way to meet real nice locals.
NomadicMatt
That’s what bothered me – I never knew who to trust.
Michelle
My friend and I went to fez and Marrakech 5 years ago. We experienced the same. I was groped in fez. We were harassed, bullied for bigger tips, taxi driver tried to rip us off after agreeing on a price. We found Fez the worst for this. In Marrakech, after telling a guy NO five times, he followed us to our guesthouse and insisted I tip him. I was so irritated by then, I gave him a piece of my mind. My friend wanted to leave after Fez. We did find a great host as well and he turned our experience into a positive one. However, I would definitely not feel comfortable going solo.
Herb
Thanks for the heads up! I just did a thirty day tour of Europe and loved it. One had to be vigilant, but nowhere to the degree you describe for Morocco. With all the places left to visit yet, I don’t think I will make Morocco an immediate priority. I think southeast Asia is next on the list.
Michele
Wow, I am a female single traveler and did not have that experience.
I came to Morocco and started doing a workaway and I have never left!
I have been in Morocco for almost a year now and I love it.
Granted, I live in Chefchaouen, an amazing calm, kind city/village, but I never have been in danger.
People are kind and helpful.
Ismail
You are welcome , and we are so sorry if anyone got unhappy experience visiting this country , but acttully i live in meknes and every time i was visiting FEZ MEDINA i was feeling not comftable an unsafe me too , i wish that you are meeting great and nice people in your visite to my countrny who could left a unforgatable happy images .
amon chung
I met nice locals in an excursion to the Sahara. We both ordered the local excursion group in a local travel agency. He was a university student. BTW, as a Chinese, I found it really dangerous in Morocco. I went there with my friend in July last year. We are two girls who did know that it could be sooo dangerous.
I took pics of cabs whenever I needed to take one and sent the pics to families, being afraid that we would be kidnapped…Asian faces were seldom seen at that country so we were easily targeted. We told some friends from Australia having met on the way that we felt like a family in Morocco and we supported each other. We accompanied an Australian couple along the street side in Chefchaouen waiting the staff from hostel to pick them up. We felt like helpless babies there.
Aoife
Did you find it was the same in Chefchaouen Amon Chung? I’m going there next month (travelling from Malaga to Tangier to Chefchaouen) with my boyfriend and am pretty nervous about going to Morocco (his choice of destination, not mine!!)
Martin Rollinson
My wife and I just today, 12 Sep, left Chefchouen after a day and a half there. While we were part of a 15 person group, we ventured out on our own. We didn’t exolore too extensively, but felt really safe – even in alleys during the day. We didn’t experience any problems.
Pkane
I am in Morrocco now and I do not feel unsafe at all and I am a woman traveling alone. I almost did not come because this article scared the heck out of me but I’m glad I just did it because my experience could not be more different. I love it. I am by myself. I walked 10 miles today all over Marrakech and was completely ok. Yes, the shopkeepers will try to sell you things ignore them or a polite thank you in Arabic and that’s it. I’ve had no hassles. Way, way easier than many places I’ve been. So if you are a woman alone you can ignore you can easily go to Morrocco and you may well love it. I couldn’t be happier!!!
Idriss
I’m a moroccan, and i can say that those problems are common in marrakech and fez, some ppl want to sell u their stuff and u feel like being harassed, if u feel in danger call the touristic police, usually ppl in marrakech thought that is a normal way to sell stuff or offering guidence but even as a moroccan i don’t trust them, in fez do not discover the streets alone, the level of crime went too far, i recommand to you to visit cities like chefchaoun, ouarzazate , agadir and some traditional calm cities as sidi ifni, tafraout ,essaouira, ifrane people out their are calm and you’ll feel protected marrakech and fez are beautiful cities u just need to be aware and say no in those two cities even as a local i don’t feel safe out there specially fez because in marrakech all what ppl can do is talking they won’t harm you
Elizabeth
It’s funny because when my boyfriend and I visited Marrakech we were actually very impressed with the lack of harassment compared to Egypt or Turkey; it was one of our favourite things about the place! Sure, people would say things to you but I found if we said “No, thank you”, they would leave you alone for the most part.
Whereas in Egypt the vendors would not stop! My boyfriend and I went to Egypt at different times and both had experiences of people following us nearly everywhere we went, trying to sell things to us. I had women approach me in a market and put their hands inside the outer pockets of my bag (I only had a reusable shopping bag in there) while they were waving scarves in front of my face so I couldn’t see anything. And I was travelling with a group.
The Moroccan people seemed to be much friendlier, and less pushy in general, and we both felt more at ease there. Obviously everyone has different experiences but we found the vendors in Marrakech to be nice and easy to deal with. I mean, we visited 4 years ago but I can’t imagine it has changed that drastically since then.
Elizabeth
Actually, it was only 3 years ago…
NomadicMatt
In comparison to Egypt, I bet Morocco is pretty calm! I’ve heard Egypt is just insane when it comes to touts!
Milou
I had the exact same experience. No problems at all in Morocco, but… Egypt. I felt like Britney Spears. We had to walk in formations to keep the vendors from groping you and trying to sell you things…
Pauline
I’m really surprised by the heading of this post because I found Morocco to be very safe.
“Touts, scammers, and harassers abounded”
Based on my experience, I don’t find this to be true at all. I went on the same Intrepid trip and felt quite at ease in all the various towns and cities we went to when I walked around by myself or with my female friend. We were never harassed and the only time people approached us were to ask if we were from Japan. (We’re Asian-American so perhaps they think all Asian tourist are from Japan??? We thought it was weird/funny when they would say “konichiwa” to us)
It’s unfortunate that you and the girls in your group had the experiences you did – I can see why you would advise people to be more vigilant. However, I feel the title is misleading as everyone has different experiences.
NomadicMatt
When I was with my group, it was fine but wander around alone and you’ll get a very different experience. It’s very different when you are doing things by yourself without the safety of a Moroccan guide!
Pkane
I am traveling alone and female. I actually found that without the guide was much better. A polite no thank you took care of any and all inquiries however a guide parades you through endless shops…now that was a hassle!!!! And a colossal waste of time. Ditch the guide, get a little lost, if you get really lost, ring the bell of a riad and someone will walk you where you want to be. People could not be more helpful. I also just found a new tech person for my company this way. It’s his dream job and I get a super enthusiastic employee. So get get lost. I forgot how awesome it was in the age of the iPhone. Another good travel trick that my mother taught me was that when your tired go to a nice hotel lounge and have a beverage. This is a great tip for Marrakech once you figure out what they look like, deceptively hidden behind some beauyiful door.
Yasmin
I wouldn’t say the title is misleading, but that your experience may be one of the exceptions. From what I’ve observed, touts don’t typically hound Asian tourists they way they do other tourists. Not sure why that is.
NomadicMatt
Judging by the comments here and on FB, I don’t think my experience was unique at all.
Mike
I don’t plan to visit Morocco ever again. The amount of drain saying no to people and never feeling at peace just made this a trip better spent elsewhere. You’ll also find plenty of stray dogs and cats to make you even more depressed.
Fred
I was there in May and felt completely safe. I was on a photo tour and often would be walking around with thousands of dollars of camera equipment but never had any problem. Sure, I didn’t set it down and walk away but I never felt anyone was stalking me, waiting to steal it. You learn very quickly not to look or smile at vendors or peddlers and “no” was a constant word out of my mouth but the charm, friendliness of the people, and food of Morocco was so much greater than the minor irritations. I would go back there in a second!
Nan
Hey Matt, interesting experience.
I was with my husband a few years ago in the most touristy beach area in Morocco and never for a moment felt harassed. A simple “no, thank you” usually did the trick.
Compared to Turkey and especially Egypt it was actually lacking any pushing from any vendor, salesman on the street or any local. We did talk to a lot of locals who after the “no, thank you” simply wanted to talk to us and exchange information about the world.
Honestly, we found the people more than nice, really surprised to read about your experience.
Nevertheless, your tips are universally true, so thanks for sharing them.
Cheers, N.
Amanda
I’m not sure what the girls were doing/wearing but I have been visiting Morocco for 12 years and have now lived there for 3 and never once has a man even attempted to touch me. I have been in every corner of the country! I understand that people do get bothered with the more or less constant encouragement to look and buy but just ignore and keep walking or say no thank you. As for your comment about the tea, sorry but that’s completely wrong. Being invited to share a cup of tea is actually a really nice gesture. Sharing tea with someone is a sign of friendship and respect not a ploy to get you to buy something. It may feel like that, but be polite, look at a few things and say no thank you. Honestly, actually having the interaction instead of getting upset and fearful that they’re trying to rip you off will lead to a much different experience.
Grant
Everything wrong with this comment is in the first line. While respecting cultural norms regarding dress is important, what in the world would the girls be “wearing or doing” that would invite men to grope them or harass them in public? We heard similar blame-the-victim excuses from the women in Egypt and it’s so very disheartening.
(sorry Matt if this isn’t in the friendly discourse nature of the blog, but having just witnessed this garbage first hand in Egypt, it kind of gets my blood up)
Amanda
I have seen girls wearing things that are ridiculous. Completely see through, short short skirts with nothing underneath, tops cut all the way down the chest and more. You can call it “victim blaming” but if you choose to dress in a way that is totally against cultural norms you’re going to face problems. Period. If I travel, and I do very frequently I make sure I am not only wearing what’s appropriate but acting such too. I learn what to say and how I should act not to offend people nor create a faux pas. If you want to go clubbing and to the beach go. But don’t waltz in however and not expect a reaction.
NomadicMatt
I agree!
Brandon
There is a difference between not respecting the cultural norms in a country and therefore warranting perhaps strange looks or some sort of disrespect but absolutely nothing warrants unwanted physical touching/sexual harassment. As a woman you should understand the harm in victim blaming and the contributions to rape culture. No matter the country you are in, the clothes you are wearing or the things you are doing, sexual harassment is never warranted. Period.
Mandy
Thank you Brandon! I agree with this whole-heartedly and I appreciate you taking the time to express your opinion.
Sadly, more people need to be educated about this degree of respect. Most perpetrators of sexual harassment in places like Morocco do what they do simply because they see their friends, fathers and uncles doing it. It is social standard that I hope will evolve and mature with time!
Jason
Brandon, you’re viewpoint on this, while noble, is extremely Western, and quite naive. The world is not a playground.
Wynne
I’ve never understood how people can be taken in by a scam whereby someone will give you something and then demand money. Simply give it back/put it on the ground and walk away. I am a salesperson’s worst nightmare – I’ve no trouble whatsoever simply saying no.
Morocco sounds exhausting; I would likely use Intrepid Travel, for sure.
Helena
Hi Matt,
Thought this article was great and a very honest look at what it feels like to travel in Morocco. I traveled to Marrakech, Essouira and the Atlas Mountains with my boyfriend last fall and it was by far an amazing, but EXHAUSTING trip. We’d been warned that Marrakech was an intense place to visit, but the degree to which we were constantly harassed for money – and were physically accosted by people asking for it – really wore us down. There was never a moment of peace. While we found that we were able to actually have some lovely interactions with the people in the mountains and on the coast, who were more relaxed, I can’t honestly say that we had a single interaction with a native person in Marrakech that didn’t leave us with a head ache. From crowds congregating around us the moment we opened a map, store owners jacking up the prices on items the moment we came by (or agreeing to a price at the start and then trying to bully us into paying more after we’d eaten), to the women in the square physically grabbing my arm to drag me to get Henna, and a man throwing a monkey on me and trying to charge me $25, it was an intense experience. Despite our lovely French rihad owner telling us to say a firm “no thank you”, we found that that rarely worked.
Additionally, I would have to say that I agree wholeheartedly regarding your comments about walking alone as a woman. Since I was with my boyfriend almost everywhere we went, I didn’t experience the harassment that came with walking alone until the final day of our trip when I walked to the square alone. I had on loose pants, sneakers, and a rain jacket (that I tucked my curly blond hair into) and yet was whistled at and yelled at non-stop, and had two different men come up and put their arms around me trying to lead me places. Even worse was when I said “no thank you” to a man selling stuff in the medina. He followed me yelling at me, asking me if I was a rude American (this visit was at the height of the ISIS fear mongering so we were trying to stay away from mentioning nationality), and kept yelling at me to leave his country until I got back to the main square and out of the winding alleys. It was a terrifying experience – even more so because no one helped me despite seeing that I didn’t know what to do.
I only share this experience because I saw a few comments that implied that your post was a little exaggerated and I can’t say I agree. Despite all of this, I found Morocco to be a fascinating, beautiful country and am planning another trip back to visit Fez, and the southern desert (this time on a tour!) However, I think it is only fair to make sure readers have an idea of what to expect before visiting, which I think your article did wonderfully. As always, thanks for sharing your experiences!
NomadicMatt
Yes, Morocco was exhausting but it was also beautiful and fun and I would recommend anyone go.
Eli
Three years late but Thank you! I very much appreciate your honesty and straightforwardness. The information that you are providing will surely spare many of us trauma and possibly save us from inconceivable heinous crimes… Years ago, I went not knowing anything about shariah law. I was barely able to escape the worse by what could only be described as a miracle. Should I had read your post first, I would not have found myself in such vulnerable position. Looking back, I still feel the terror of that moment yet like you, I am able to acknowledge the beauty and growth that I also experienced.
Idriss
Sharia law are not executed in morocco or any arab country just in ksa and daech, there is no executions in morocco since 1990 where the kingdom executed a high corrupted policeman and 1971 when soldiers went to take down the king , unless you are thinking of taking down the king i think you are safe
Fran
OMG I read so much about these things and was all worried and then nothing really happened to me on my trip..and it ALL happened to you ! I had to laugh at the monkey story ! ! i wold watch the monkey guys at the square and saw how they dropped a huge monkey (they aren’t the cute little ones) on some dude’s back and he FREAKED OUT ,not knowing what it was ! LMAO ! But I was wondering HOW this is a business…I mean how can you charge for scaring a person ! LOL…and the henna ladies i didnt find annoying at all. i watched them too and they did some tatoos but even when people walked away they all stayed calm and never hassled anyone that much. and even though the very first restaurant charged us 10 dirham (a dollar) for service fee (which was a scam for sure but not enough to make a big deal out of it and ruin the nice dinner), after that we were wondering at every restaurant if they would hike up the price somehow…cause i know they would give you bread,olives or salad and charge you for it…but then they never did….we even found a restaurant that constantly gave us free tea and we were like “yea right…who knows what they will really do when the bill comes” and then..shockingly it was always less than expected and the tea free…nice owner too. STill it was exhausting in general and i would never go again. and i got food poisoning !
Jose
We spent 45 days in Morocoo driving our RV. Other than nothing is free in Morocco, (asking for directions was always worth a few Dirhams) we felt very safe. My wife, myself and our 9 year daughter had some awesome times and experiences during our visit (raggae festival in Fez, awesome guides in Volubilis, the night life during Ramadan is out of this world, etc) that we have decided to retire in Asilah in the near future. I did hear of some petty theft happens but all you gotta do is be aware of your surroundings and use common sense. Learn to say No Thank You and mean it. 8o)
Rebecca
I visited Morocco solo about 2 years ago, and though it was extremely overwhelming at times, especially in Marrakech, I definitely never had any problems with men trying to touch me or anything near that – they just seem to always either want to yell at you or try to sell you something, I really enjoyed my time in Fez, but I stayed in a hostel and met lots of people, so we went out and did things together which took a lot of the pressure off. In Marrakech I stayed in a guesthouse, so I did not meet anyone else and spent all of my time alone, which I would not recommend, though I never felt unsafe, just extremely annoyed.
By the end of my week there I was definitely ready to go home, though I did meet some very kind people there, including a taxi driver who did not charge me for my ride from the bus station to the medina in Marrakech! I would not discourage travelers from visiting this beautiful country alone, just be on your guard and try to make as many friends as possible!
Also – if you hate haggling and the pressure in the souks, I would highly recommend going to a fixed price store! I went to one in Marrakech and it was wonderful, though you are paying slightly higher prices than you would if you were haggling for them I think it is worth it! Really nice to have anything you would want to buy all in one place where the sales people do not bug you at all!
NomadicMatt
Thanks for the comment and sharing your experience. Ironically, I love haggling. The art of the deal is a lot of fun….when I want to buy something. 🙂
Harry Lew
I thought traveling was supposed to be fun and relaxing. After reading your account and those of the commenters, you couldn’t pay me enough to endure this type of treatment. Plus, how do you square the phrase “conservative Muslim country” with the appalling behavior of men toward women tourists? Apparently, their conduct is not as religious as their outward piety would lead you to believe. No offense to Islam, but their behavior is beyond the pale.
NomadicMatt
I enjoy being uncomfortable when I travel but you just have to learn to deflect the touts.
Elliott
I’m glad that some of my experiences are somewhat vindicated by the commends on this post. My friends and I were in Marrakech for a week, one year ago, and I left completely unimpressed with the city. We felt as though we were constantly on guard from people who were constantly trying to screw us out of money, lead us in the wrong direction to their store (or one they got commission from), or were otherwise harassed. Don’t even get me started on the cabs – those thieving bastards are the absolute worst. Even with an inflated price negotiated, one cabbie refused to give me change (which he had), until I said that I was going to call over a cop, who was standing on the corner.
The time we spent in Fes and Essaouira was much more chilled and the people seemed much nicer there. It’s a shame really – Marrakech would be a pretty cool city
Larry
I went to Morocco in May of this year and had very similar experiences to yours. It’s funny – when you wrote your “Best of Morocco” experiences, I laughed as I thought, “you know, he’s 100% right about everything on here, but he HAS to talk about the downside, too!”
You are absolutely right on going to Morocco with an organized tour! My girlfriend and I did not, as we were on a 90-day RTW trip and had a relatively limited budget. I really wish you had gone to Morocco earlier to share your experiences before my trip – it would’ve helped plenty and set the right expectations on the good and the not-so-good aspects of Morocco. I can also vouch for everything you’ve said here – thanks for being so honest (especially your opinion on solo traveling).
During our trip to Morocco, we went to Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Merzouga (luxury camp in the Sahara), and Fes. We absolutely loved the Sahara Desert experience, and overall, smaller-town people seemed very nice, pleasant, and welcoming. Marrakech was a little tough because it was our first city, and while I’ve been to West Africa and solo-tripped to Turkey, Morocco was nothing similar to where I’ve been. It didn’t help that my girlfriend (with Cuban/Spanish heritage) looked Berber, either.
As was mentioned in an earlier comment, the only thing to really watch out for in Marrakech is the Jemma al Fna Square – what a nightmare! Henna tattoo artists straight up came to us with needles and ink and grabbed my girlfriend’s arm. We had to push and run to avoid more attacks. Also don’t think about taking photos of snake charmers and monkey handlers without agreeing on a price first. Finally, taxis are cheap ($4-6 can take you around town if you bargain), so I recommend avoiding the long (and sometimes dirty) walks under the scorching sun! I want to add (after reading comments) that you’re note on the tea is true based on our experience, too. While it’s a sign of hospitality at riads and homes, I don’t think it’s smart to take up tea at a shop in the medina – we did this and were essentially forced to buy extremely overpriced tea b/c the owner followed us after we left.
While Marrakech was decent, Fes was a completely different story. I found it absolutely dirty, nauseating, and draining. People were very aggressive (as you said, especially with the tanneries – not worth the visit in my opinion, but then again, what is there to see in Fes?). Several kids came up to me, and it was pretty obvious that they tried to pickpocket me. The “biggest walking city of the world” title that Fes has sounds great until you’re lost inside the medina. We had a very hard time finding our riad, and as we arrived via overnight bus , we walked in the city at around 7am. it was completely deserted and smelled awful (a lot of manure on the streets). I also had a very hard time finding an operational ATMs and had to walk over a mile to finally found one that was working.
A summary of my two cents: Don’t do a DIY trip to Morocco – go with a tour company or hire a reputable driver before you arrive, or at least find tour companies once you land in Marrakech/Fes/Casablanca. Avoid long bus rides through Supratour, especially if you’re traveling solo as a women (my girlfriend felt VERY uncomfortable even with me next to her, and she was treated very poorly by the locals on the bus). Honestly, while I don’t regret going, it’s not on the top of my list by any means. I think Turkey is a great alternative (I’m overgeneralizing here but I feel like I got a similar taste but much safer – and I went during the protest in 2014 – and better infrastructure), and while the Sahara Desert was beautiful, I had an equally awesome experience sandboarding/dunebuggying in Peru as the camel/overnight camping in Morocco.
Johanna
I spent 5 weeks as a solo female traveller in Morocco in March/April 2015 and I felt perfectly safe walking alone in the medinas, even at night (not 2 am, but 10 pm).
I found touts in Fez easier than in Marrakech, and easier still in Rabat and Moulay Idriss (the latter town is not to be missed!)
I was no more careful in Morocco than travelling solo in Peru, Ecuador, SE Asia etc. in fact I was more careful in cities like Quito.
One tip for touts – I often walk with earphones, usually without music playing so I can stay alert. But the earphones let me smile and wave politely at touts but I feel no pressure to stop. In the medina I’d also tell people I was trying to learn the streets / explore and I had Google Maps — that would usually be enough for them to leave me alone and not insist on “helping” me.
Katrina
Great advice! I went to Morocco a couple years ago with a female friend and all of the above applied to our trip and happened to us. From touts to scammers, aggressive shop keepers, henna ladies who ripped us off after giving us henna, and a guy following us while…pleasuring himself. It was overwhelming. It’s an interesting country but I don’t really have any desire to go back.
Anna
Your observations of Fez are pretty accurate, though I have to say my experience was probably more intense as a solo female there, and yet I absolutely loved the city overall and am very happy I went.
While the constant attention and offers of guides was annoying in the medina, it was definitely far worse as a woman walking alone (during the day, I didn’t risk it at night) in a normal neighborhood outside of the center, where I was staying with my Couchsurfing host and her family. I only went out a few times on my own to the store down the street, but each time I literally stopped traffic, and while all of the men would stare, a good number would mumble what I assumed were rude come-ons in French as they passed me, making me very uncomfortable.
Luckily this was all overshadowed by the wonderful hospitality of my host, and when I went out with her I always felt safe. Ironically, I was covering up with a headscarf and she always went out without one.
Patrick Smith
Morocco – my least favorite country in the world. Everything you state is true- the people make it claustrophobic with their closeness and constant attempt to sell services or goods. Tangiers was bad, Fez the worst. Marrakech was ok. Such an interesting and exotic country, I had wanted to visit it for many years. The best part was leaving, actually. I have been to many parts of Africa, none even compared; they were all AWESOME! I have not been to Egypt- looking forward to it, though.
Isham
Hi Matt!
I am moroccan and it’s true it’s sometimes hard to feel safe in some places. But as I travel around my country I find out that the best spots are those who arent designed for tourists. Go to the jbels or deep inside the country try to avoid the common destinations and there you will meet the one true moroccan spirit. But be careful, like you said, you got to be tough and most of all both curious and respectful.
I hope you will come back some day and good luck with your aventures.
Isham
Jim
I (male, 50) traveled alone for 3 weeks in Morocco five years ago, traveling through Casablanca, Fez, Rabat, Meknes, Marakesh, Chefchaoen and Tangiers during that time. I mostly traveled between towns by “grand taxi,” which was basically shared rides with 3-6 locals in an old 4 door Mercedes sedan. It was awesome. I didn’t find Fez that bad at all– indeed, I kind of liked Fez. I would agree the touts in Marakesh got a bit old, but I never felt overwhelmed (and it certainly was not as bad as Istanbul, and maybe parts of Egypt). And maybe because I’m a 6 ft., 185 pound, male, I found “no, thank you” with a smile worked fine 90% of the time.
I really enjoyed Morocco and hope to return some day, but it’s a big world and there are a lot of places I’ve yet to see.
Kevin Kato
My wife and I traveled around Morocco independently for a month, our one-year-old in tow, and never felt in danger of anything more than getting taken for a couple of bucks – not because we couldn’t say no to someone trying to sell us something but because the people can be pretty creative in their dollar-snatching ways. Guys follow you onto your bus and try to charge you having backpacks. Guys come running out from the crowd of people dancing in the square in Marrakech screaming that you have to pay them for the photo you just took of everyone. Guys tell you something only costs “5”, but when you try to pay they say no, not 5 dollars, 5 euros. Women charge ridiculous prices for the bread they are selling from their carts if you don’t ask first how much it is and you can’t say you don’t want it because they’ve already put honey on it. Hotel attendants in Tetouan tell you stories about mysterious men who have followed you from Chefchaouen and are intending to “get you back” for something you did to them or their women while you were there, then tell you that for a small price they will make sure they leave you alone.
As has been suggested already, most of this takes place in the bigger cities and the touristed places (surprise surprise). Essaouira had none of it though, my only moment of unease there was my inexplicable desire to actually have a cow brain sandwich. Besides having our little kid with us (we can only assume that made us less not more attractive to the touts) we did a bit of couchsurfing in Morocco and were fortunate to be able to spend some time exploring with our hosts. One young man in Zagora reached out to us through couchsurfing and invited us to come to his home for tea – and never asked for a dime.
I can understand how some (many?) can come away from Morocco with a bad aftertaste. If my wife had been alone she might have a couple more stories to tell. (I humbly defer on the subject of being a solo female traveler.) But Morocco certainly does not have a monopoly on money grubbing – or butt-grabbing. Just keep your wits about you and keep your guard up, same as you would in many other places around the world. The country has too much of interest to offer to skip.
Victoria
Thanks for the write-up Matt. I haven’t yet been to Morocco but I will do! I have on the other hand been to both Egypt and Tunisia. I’ve been to Egypt 3 times!The first time was on a guided tour so no hassling there and the other two times was when we went to Egypt independently. I was with my husband and baby so they treated us all kindly and were extremely helpful and friendly, mainly I think ‘cos of our child LOL!
On the other hand, although I liked Tunisia it was more difficult. My German husband was hassled and at one point was driven away by a bunch of stange men. I almost went mad with panic!
Even though we were married, wandering eyes followed us everywhere we went and we feared even to hold hands. So we didn’t and kept a distance between us which was exhausting. We ended up pretending that we didn’t understand what people said and spoke only in German. It helped a bit as the sellers were only interested in talking to my husband and completely ignored my presence which he found intimidating so I would whisper instructions to him in German!
I was also mugged in the market by a bunch of children and had my purse and keys stolen and that helped to seal the unpleasant experience of being in Tunisa!
Adam
Definitely agree, Matt!
Most of Morocco can be a bit exhausting and overwhelming – but Fez is by far the worst in this regard!
Still worth it though as Fez (and Morocco in general) is an amazing and beautiful place. People just have to be prepared to be constantly harassed.
I didnt often feel like I was in actual danger, but I just wanted to stop and enjoy the view or look at a shop without being harassed.
Kate
My husband and I felt the exact same way about Egypt and just wrote about our experience. So many beautiful things going for the country but at times you just want to hide in your room (which is sad, because Egypt is so beautiful!).
Glad you still had an amazing time!
Fernando
Yes, what you describe is exactly what has been holding me back from visiting Morocco for years.
I think the constant tension would never let me enjoy the trip as it deserves.
So yes, the only way I’ll be visiting Morocco is in a tour. And I’m not in a hurry to go, which is a shame beacuse it looks interesting and beautiful. Too much hassle, though!
Jane M
My husband and I travelled Morrocco (we drove around the country and visited both Marrakech and Fez as well as lots of other small places) in 2006. It sounds like a lot has changed since then.
Yes, people in the medinas would constantly offer us items and try to take us into their shops, but I never felt physically harassed.
Dealing with touts can be exhausting, but what makes it even more exhausting is getting annoyed by the touts. Instead of treating them like nasty little insects you want to slap away, try engaging them in conversation. Turn the tables. Ask them questions about their families and their lives and see what happens. When you treat them like humans, it’s amazing how many will in turn treat you like a human instead of a walking wallet.
Also, instead of becoming irritated, try to go with the flow, smile and laugh at the craziness of it all. Even if you get pulled into a few carpet shops and told the entire history of every single carpet inside, you have an experience to always remember.
J
Raphael Alexander Zoren
In Morocco, professional scam artists will often try to do a long-con, that is, gain your trust by being honest during the first interaction and only try to scam and extort you on the second or third interaction (at which point, they will most likely add a fake sob story about how they really *need* the money).
PS. Marrakesh is probably the worst city in the world when it comes to harassment towards tourists, not even El Cairo was that intense.
ruby
Really loved the article. Very helpful! Generated quite a discussion, as well! As usual, everybody has different experiences, but for the most part people agree with you.
As a woman who travels solo, I would like to know if it’s worse than India. Maybe you can set up a poll, where people can vote on the country with the most touts, scams and misogynistic attitudes.
Jeff
I will be doing this exact same tour through Morocco next spring as a single male through Intrepid Travel. Great insight on what to watch out for and makes me feel better about having booked a tour in Morocco after reading this as opposed to DIY. Thanks Matt!
Liz
Thanks for this! Very helpful post. I’ve been thinking of going to Morocco, and while I’ve never been part of a tour group (I prefer always to DIY), I am seriously considering that now.
Gina
My sister and I went to Morocco several years ago. As independent as we are, we both felt we would have had a better experience if we were traveling with a man. We felt we were targets most of the time there and were both groped in Marrakesh. We were dressed conservatively and she was 40 and I was 50. Once we were in Fez we ended up hiring a taxi driver and had him take us to places outside of Fez and in the Middle Atlas mountains. Ultimately we had him drive us to Chefchaouen. We were not bothered when he was with us. We probably paid him too much but in the end it was worth it. I enjoyed my time outside of the large cities and would like to return to the mountains there and see the desert.
Angela
Morocco is one of the single most popular overland travel destinations for independent travellers from Europe. Driving your own vehicle in Morocco is easy, certainly compared to large cities like London and Paris. It’s an hour crossing by ferry from Tarifa in Spain to Tangiers, Driving allows you to easily see the all the major sites and more. At your own speed and your itinerary is as flexible as you want it to be. See the High Atlas, Asilah, Toubkal National park, Todra Gorge, the Road of 1000 kasbahs or one of the 2 major Ergs (sand dunes). The roads are black top throughout the country and it’s easy to drive from Marrakech to Erg Chebbi where you can play in the dunes. If you have a 4×4, why not wild camp in the dunes, if you have a 2×4, wild camp on the edge of the dunes (practice your desert driving techniques before venturing into sand alone). We are overland travellers and we’d travel no other way to fully experience the culture of a country and form your own opinions. You need to be sensible of course, but then you do everywhere. You will get less hassle in the whole of Morocco, than you will in Barcelona. Or you could always just stay on the tour bus 😉
Rachel
I will take your words on it. I’m not that confident about traveling solo on kind of aggressive countries such as Morocco, or on Muslim countries.. that’s a shame, I know. But you said it yourself, exploring alone in Muslim countries, especially for a woman, is quite a challenge, and requires a great deal of safety. But I still do want to see this beautiful country in the flesh.. so a group tour it is!
Silvana
I absolutely adore Moroccan Culture but I have to agree with a few people here that it is just not worth the hassle and discomfort as a woman to travel alone here. I would definitely recommend a tour for single female travelers
Britt
Thanks for this Matt.
I find us women we would hesitate to say ‘maybe don’t go alone’ to any country because we all buy into the solo female travel is super safe mantra. But that doesn’t mean there are countries that you should be more wary about.
I’m in Spain next January and had originally planned to go to Morocco but after hearing about all the harassment from bloggers and friends I decided against it. I know that I’m probably savvy enough to avoid anything happening to me, but I knew I probably wouldn’t be having an amazing time trying to fend off the harassment. Given my time overseas is limited, I’ve decided to leave it to another trip when hopefully I can rope some friends into joining me.
Rashedun Nabi
One hour enjoy can’t be a long time cry. Since that this post makes a traveler be aware of safety and this post insert rules regarding to travel in Morocco, not only Morocco but also all over the planet. Whenever tourist wants to travel around the world, this post must be recalled. I really happy to read this article that enhances my travel knowledge and guide.
Bob Merrick
These are good suggestions for solo travelers. I have had similar experiences in Mexico. They too have all kinds of scams to relieve you of your money. But, I believe that it was not as bad as you described in Morocco. However, Mexico has gotten worse now and there is a lot of crimes and organized crimes and killings there now. I live close to the Mexican border but no longer go there. I guess in that way, Mexico is worse than Morocco. At least, according to your guidelines, you indicated that it should be alright as long as you stay in groups while visiting Morocco.
Adrienne Schlatter
I am living in Kenya for the next year, I hope to travel to Morocco but I am a little nervous being a solo female traveler. I had a friend who was hit in a rock with a stone when she did not respond to a guy who was cat calling her. I dont have much to be spending on organized tours and I love just exploring cities on my own time. I also love to use public transport. Any experiences or stories from women who used public transport in Morocco?
It sucks being a solo woman traveler, I have been in many tricky situations before, especially in the middle east and here in Kenya. I wish it was easier. Is it easy to tag along with groups in Morocco? Is it safe to travel as a pair of women or is this just as unsafe?
Fran
The girls we just met in Morocco were also hit by stones…and we constantly saw kids throwing rocks at each other..it’s a moroccan thing i guess..haha..I did real about stone throwing many times !
and yea i did see mainly organized tours…not as many individual travelers as in other countries..so maybe a quick tour is good? I am sure they are easier on the nerves. i saw many many older travelers in tours and wondered how they can handle this place..but i bet they never see the bad parts…plus a tour can save money too or add up to about the same as when you travel by bus . in general i dont think yu will have problems on public transport though
NomadicMatt
Thanks everyone for sharing their experiences. It’s great to hear everyone’s different viewpoints and your comments will definitely give future readers of this article a fuller picture of traveling in Morocco!
Sydney Vogl
This was a super interesting article! I recently went to Marrakech with my friend. Being two small girls, I was quite nervous. I felt paranoid from all the warnings I had heard in the weeks coming up to our trip.
However, I quickly relaxed as soon as I got to my Riad (bed and breakfast). The owner sat us down, told us where to go and where not to go and assured us that as long as we stayed on those paths, we would be fine. During our first day out I was convinced that we were fine. I was still cautious, but not paranoid and I definitely didn’t let it ruin my trip.
We actually had a problem with a tourist trying to steal my friends purse. It was the Moroccans that brought us to the police station, acted as our translator, and got our money back.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that yes, you should definitely be cautious, but you shouldn’t let it get in the way of relaxing and enjoying the beauty of Morocco.
Richard Matisak
I traveled with two men and one woman this past April to Marrakech. While there were plenty of people who tried to engage us in various instances, shops and directions mostly, we found it quite easy to get around at all times of day and night. We learned very quickly how to say “no” and keep moving. Yes, I did hand a few Dirham now and then, mostly to just get them off our back, but it was pretty minor.
We wandered into some rather dark and sketchy back alleys and the locals kindly pointed the way out.
We found the Morrocan people to be most friendly and welcoming. We stayed ay an AirBNB Riad in the Medina and couldn’t have been better. It was truly an amazing place, fully 4 floors, each of had our own bedroom and bath, the roof deck was amazing and a very nice gentleman came and made breakfast every morning. All this for $100/night. Not $100 each per night, $100 per night for 4 people.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/742663?euid=6f517750-384a-d6a5-ea0e-273f92d7627f
As to haggling, I know that it is the culture to haggle but, for the most part, the prices that we paid for beautiful, hand made items, was ridiculously cheap (we didn’t buy any junk souvenirs) . After a while my haggling was cursory and I felt that we got great values for what we bought. There’s a weaving shop just outside the Souk, where you can watch the proprietor and his partner weave beautiful linen scarves, towels and blankets. I think I paid the equivalent of $15US for a beautiful hand made scarf.
The owner couldn’t have been nicer. When my travel partner was buying gifts for family at home, she had to put a scarf back for herself that she just couldn’t afford. When we got back to the Riad, she opened her bag and he had put that scarf in the bag when she wasn’t looking, no charge.
Another time, as we were waiting in a rather long line to get into the Jardin Majorelle (gardens), security guards came and pulled us out of line. We thought we had committed some cultural Faux Pas but they just took us to the front of the line, took our entrance fee and away we went. No idea why that happened.
Yes Marrakech in general, and the Souk in particular was a bit of shock to the senses for Westerners. But we adapted pretty quickly and enjoyed the interactions and kindness of the people. I will definitely go back, with a better understanding of what to expect and how to act. Good luck to all and travel well!
Richard
I went to Tanjier alone when I was 25 in the late 70’s. I was totally unprepared for what I encountered and quickly fell victim to every scam imaginable. I felt very lucky to escape the place in one piece. It sounds like things haven’t changed since then.
Fatima zahra
Well the 70’s was not a good time here in morocco xd
Sandee
I’m a pro photographer living in Morocco for over a year. All of this is correct, only for one thing : you do not negociate rates with taxis. If you do, then obviously you will get ripped off as they either Have fix rates (65 dh to go anywhere in Essaouira and 300 to go from Casablanca to the airport) or depending on the distance. Therefore they use a meter. And it Will never be cheaper than What the meter says. So negociating is worthless.
So say no to whatever rate They give you, and Ask for the meter. If any extra cash is asked by the end of the way, refuse to pay and Ask for a police officer to come and make things right. Taxi Will freak out and let you go. End of the story.
fran
I just got back from Morocco and have to say it was my least favorite country by far ! I traveled with my husband and he is Bangladeshi. I read a lot about Morocco and was quite nervous about all the scams and the touts….so much that I was scared to go to the main square in Marrakech. ANd when I finally arrived there it was not nearly as bad as I expected…probably I was mentally so prepared.LOL I have to say we met really nice/normal people on the buses and yes, there are good Moroccans of course (usually the ones who have nothing to do with tourism)..The scenery I mostly liked during our bus rides (in between our main destinations) and I found it so cool how everybody was riding around on donkeys and so on..it was a shame we did not stop there.LOL Fes was ok when we arrived but once we came back to have an afternoon there before a bus ride -it was hell ! LOL and yea you kind of need someone to show you to the tannery cause you probably won’t find them by yourself..but THE AWKWARD WAY they do it !!! I mean instead of simply saying “I show you for a dollar”…hell no-they act all nice and say that they are going to their house anyway and that it’s on the way…THEN wait in the tannery to (hopefully) get a commission if you buy something. and then some idiot from the leather shop shows you the balcony where you can take pictures from, waits for you and doesnt BOTHER to explain anything to you, but then asks you for a tip. A TIP? for what? it is like going to a Shop and not buying anything and the sales person asking you for a tip ! haha ! when i said that i dont have money but “thank you” he said “I HATE THANK YOU” hahaha
anyway…i also found that the WAY the people bargain is weird. they will either give you a rediculous price (55 euro for a tin tea pot) or they won’t go down in price or act insulted or they wont leave you alone and insist you buy something….but all in all-since I was mentally over prepared-I found it not so bad. However what got to me was the attitude people had about picture taking. they would be super annoyed. even though i certainly do not go into people’s faces and take a direct picture. IN Nepal for example i would take some pictures of women washing their clothes in a stream, of boys fishing and so on…daily life. IN Morocco I had trouble with that and people see you from a mile away ! so I tried to take pictures from a mile away and one time a young buy HIT ME on the arm. Many people said “no no no !!!” all angry (people that were not even in my pics) and salesmen in general would not like it if you didnt buy anything (they somehow KNOW exactly what kind of tourist you are) and one time a woman at a market wanted to throw something at me for taking a pic from far away (not really of her in particular but of the whole area)…at the main plaza in marrakech the snake charmers almost ran after me as i snapped a pic from afar..i was sooo scared cause they all had a bunch of snakes in their hand ! haha so yea..Hoewever apart from that I also found Morocco to be by far the most disgusting and dirty country EVER and I have been to at least 20 third world countries. I really wanted to buy dates as gifts to bring home but ANYWHERE there would be dates out in the open covered with flies and in every town i went to people would pee in public and it stank of urine. In one place in Marrakech i had to vomit cause of the smell of poop/urine once !! so yea it is definitely my least favorite country out of 50 plus countries i visited. BUt i was shocked to hear what 2 girls in my hotel had to put up with ! they said they constantly had to hear stuff like “you want to buy something or you want some cock” (like all the time-non stop)..and the kids outside our hotel who always beg for money would throw rocks at them (they never did at us cause I had my husband with me I guess)…many horror stories ! I would say you could travel as a woman alone. and arriving alone does not mean being alone the whole time. you will meet other people on the way. but why bother. go to thailand and have a relaxing time or to nepal…don’t go to the stinky Hell hole or Morocco ! LOL
Izzy
Wow, you’re experience was SO DIFFERENT to mine. I too have been to many countries, including many in the developing world. Morocco, for me, is like a wonderland. The architecture and design is magnificent. The traditional aesthetic that is so alive rather than just a kitsch throwback for tourists the way aesthetics of many Asian countries are. I love waking up to the call to prayer. When you come back to your riad after a day exploring and have a fresh orange juice by the pool or on the roof. When you go out again when the sun goes down and the whole place is full of the most amazing scents and sounds. It’s a magical place if you’re into that kind of thing.
I barely notice touts. Just stare straight ahead, don’t engage, and what is the problem? They can’t bargain with a brick wall. As for photos, many people don’t want to be fodder for tourists’ look-at-this-native photos. I get it; I live in a country where I my appearance stands out and I get photographed constantly and it is infuriating.
I never got sexually harassed in Morocco (I am a young woman, a really pretty one too ;-P). I did have trouble in a taxi once, but I have also had trouble in taxis in Sydney, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Shanghai, Bali and Rome.
If you live in a Western country and you want to experience something else entirely, then go to Morocco. It is magical.
BUT, if you want to get a similar sort of vibe but with less worry and more familiarity, go to Andalucia. Andalucia is where Europe and Africa bled into each other to make the best damn place in the entire world. Well, according to me.
Fran
After reading some more comments and AGREEING 100% that Morocco is totally draining and a hassle, I must say I can count myself lucky for having some good experiences, which you sometimes forget. I definitely didn’t have as many bad experiences as some of you !
So to the good parts:
-Owners or riads were really cool and even offered that we could leave our luggage free of charge when we came back for a half day in Fez. So they let us use the luggage room and toilet also.
-On one bus journey we met some nice locals. We stopped and everybody was eating and we could not communicate and find out about prices and food. SO the local guys helped us order.
-On the morning of our departure from Marrakech I was extremely sick and we were planning on taking the bus to the airport. We had very little cash on us and were going to exchange money first. But since I was sick as a dog I just wanted to go and we begged a taxi driver to take us. He showed us his “official rate” of 100 dirham but then I showed him the money I had (nowhere near that much) and he saw how sick I am and took us. It was a fraction of what taxis charge to and from the airport but he was a Mullah guy and I knew he would be a good Muslim and take me. I was so happy. I was also happy I didn’t have to barf in the poor Man’s cab, since I had food poisoning !
-one restaurant in marrakech gave us free tea and we were sceptical. but we ate there 3 times and the owner always came to talk to us and he made us a dish which was not on the menu (kind of a meat ball but made with sardines…try it in Essauria) and he always gave us 2 pots of free tea-for real ! LOL
-we never paid for directions and one time a boy from an internet cafe walked a LONG way with us to show us where our riad is. he never demanded anything and just walked off…we ran after him and gave him a little tip.
-we had to print our boarding passes and somehow could not find an internet place with printers….when we arrived at one internet cafe and it was closed, the ladies in the office next door invited us in and let us use their computer and printer for free. They were from a travel agency and they didnt even TRY to sell us anything but if i ever go back i will book with them ! LOL
Anne
My husband and I visited Morocco a long time ago. We were harassed in Fez where someone in a car next to us, asked where we were going. He told us he would show us the way. We arrived at our hotel after a long stop-and-go detour instead of the more direct route we were on. In the medinas of Fez and Marrakech, when we declined to buy, they ran after us and called us “jews”, which to them was the utmost insult. A young man insisted on being our guide and kept on following us. Very unpleasant. It left us feeling we never wanted to go back there.
In Egypt, we were not harassed at all; it was at the time they had the Tourist Police.
Countries were tourism is an important source of revenue should invest in educating and monitoring its population.
sa3sa3
I enjoyed comments about my country and that make me lauph(indeed about monkey story)and this our tempre we turn our misery into mockery and laugh but your comment grieved me in last quote”Countries were tourism is an important source of revenue should invest in educating and monitoring its population.” thank u for ur honest words that affect me and i know some causes of this hell . I hope u enjoyed travel.
Asystole
how to ward of aggressive beggars or street thugs in public locations;
– i carry a simple plastic drinking straw in my pocket.
any street person that gets too close to me, i wave the end of the straw in front of their face. if they are getting really close, close enough to touch me, i wave the straw REALLY CLOSE DIRECTLY in front of their nose. this works great. obviously, a plastic straw is not a weapon, but it really backs them off. it works great with a swarm of street kids.
also, anyone who gets aggressive, demanding money for some specious reason, i just take their picture with my camera and then tell them to go away. this is great if there are local police in the area. they know that i have their picture, so they do not want to make trouble.
both of these techniques really work well, particularly when i need to protect an elderly parent who is traveling with me in public locations.
basically, just make yourself a less than ideal passive target.
Fatima zahra
I would not recommend to take the picture of them because in Morocco you might end up with no money and no phone trust me …
Jhayzel SP
Hi Mat,
I just recently finished my trip in Morocco and wrote a blog about it. I had a great time and felt much safer in Marrakesh, however, all your advice totally applies to my time in Fez. Great Blog love it!
Izzy
I’ve been to Morocco and loved its hustle and bustle – however didn’t love the hassle quite so much! I think you just have to take it with a pinch of salt, try and not let it bother you and ignore the endless ‘guides’ who will take you for a ride. I got massively ripped off by a young ‘guide’ when I was there!
Emily
Interesting to read about your experience, Matt – thanks so much for sharing! And interesting to read all the comments. I did NOT travel to Fez, and now am thinking that was a good call based on comments especially.
Just to add my two cents re Morocco — I felt very safe there. I agree that a tour for at least part of your time in Morocco is a great idea. In my opinion, it is a great place to join a group tour for the majority of the time but then do a little solo time too. I traveled with a small (5 person) tour group – we did Marrakech and then through the Atlas & Anti-Atlas mountains, Draa valley, into the Sahara and back. There was one full day (my first day there) that I explored Marrakech, including the medina, solo (as a young woman traveler), and felt completely fine! In fact, it was actually my first trip ever that wasn’t with family or during semester abroad during college, so Morocco holds a very, very special place in my heart! I was never grabbed, groped, or pickpocketed. I actually found touters/scammers less common and less persistent than places I’ve been in SE Asia – like Bangkok.
The tips I have would be that it is important to keep a cautious eye/hand on all your belongings, and yes, you may have some unwanted attention, but in Marrakech, I felt like a simple “No” or just turning away got them off pretty quickly. There was one case where I made a poor decision and went with a guy to “see where the scarves were dyed” – but I could tell I was in a sketchy situation after just a few minutes, and when I made it clear I wanted to leave, I wasn’t stopped at all – and had nothing stolen, wasn’t violated at all, and didn’t have to buy a thing. Overall, I found that just being firm worked well, and meant I was left alone when I wanted to be. And great point about the henna – do not have that done in the medina. I got beautiful henna done and it was an amazing experience in a tiny village in the mountains – something to have a local guide arrange for you, for sure!
Overall, since I didn’t feel unsafe, I didn’t feel the need to reject all attention, and briefly met lots of friendly people just on the streets! I was in Marrakech during FIFA world cup and bought a Marrakech soccer flag, and that meant tons of Marrakech supporters wanting to take a picture with the one western looking girl who had the flag – that was a ton of fun! And once we got up into the mountains or in the more remote villages, everyone was absolutely lovely. Zero touts.
Sorry for the very long post – just wouldn’t want anyone to be at all scared away from traveling there, even if you’re solo and/or relatively unexperienced!
Tam
I’ve had Morocco on my travel wishlist for such a long time! It’s so hard to know what to trust – people either say wonderful things or have terrible experiences. It’s such a different culture and I love how you said it was an adjustment…I think the people I know who didn’t enjoy their visit were slightly naive in their expectations and thought it would be like busy European cities. I recently started a blog that gives travellers advice on how to handle different cultures and what behaviour is expected. Maybe my next post will be for Morocco!!
Arianna
Hi! I am in Morocco now and I will stay here for other 5 months for an internship. I totally agree with you: this place is absolutely stunning and you just fall in love with every landscape and corner, but it can be very hard.
I am a solo-female traveler here and I am finding it extremely hard. It´s so incredibly unpleasant, that sometimes I just want to stay inside to avoid local men. The problem is that, if in Europe I would tell the guy that he is a loser and to go away, here I am afraid that it might get worse…
Overall, as you wrote, it´s so exhausting, but a the same time a beautiful place to visit!
Fatima zahra
I’m sorry to hear that … i wish i could change the behavior of the guys in my country . It also happens to local girls (if that can make u feel any better xd) …. an advice : just try to ignore them and never turn around 🙂
Brian
I’m going to Morocco next February; I won’t be going to Fez but I will be making most of the trip solo. Anyway, thanks for the tips. I deal with anxiety (and ‘pretrip anxiety’) and I’m almost certain it’s gone dormant but it’s always like to rear its head unexpectedly. Just knowing that freaking out for solo travellers in Morocco is like to happen to anyone kinda makes me feel better so thanks again.
Ojo
I’m a solo black female traveler from Canada currently in Morocco. Today is my last day after two weeks and I’m having such mixed feelings about the country. Undoubtedly beautiful and charming but also intensely aggressive for tourists. I’ve experienced a ton of catcalling and some pushy salesmen but luckily nothing violent or dangerous. In Marrakech, one guy did follow me down the street for a few hundred meters hitting on me before giving up. It’s been hard to find genuine and sincere people here, as people work diligently to prove their kindness only to cheat you later or demand absurd amounts of money. This trip–food, taxis, souvenirs, etc–has been more costly than what I would pay in Canada but I guess that’s the price of being a tourist. Though I’ve made some friends here, I can’t wait to return to Canada tomorrow!
Also, I think the better a salesperson’s English, the more you should be aware. The more genuine salespeople I met did not speak any English and were not so charismatic. They didnt push their product on me unlike the fluent English speakers who offer you tea and a seat and know how to work you.
Peter
Thanks for sharing your views, it will help many travellers while visiting Morocco.
Michael Andrade
I traveled to Morocco on my own. I found Fez to be both fascinating and exhausting. The constant harassment almost made me want to turn around and go home, and at one point I started hating the country. As a single man I had a difficult time exploring the city by myself without constant interruptions and faux guides following me for a few steps and then demanding money for “guiding” me. Based on my experience in Fez I decided to skip Marrakesh. I had no problems or stress in Tangier, Meknes, Rabat and Essouraria. I ended up having a love/hate relationship with Morocco.
Fatima zahra
Hello , I’m a moroccan and i’m sorry to hear that , Fez has that particular problem .
You can also visit Chefchaouen , it’s a fascinating city 🙂
Tim
Hmm, forgive my cynicism but I am a bit dubious about the neutrality of a blog post that’s essentially sponsored by a tour company… If your mantra is travelling “cheaper” then doing it alone is the way to go!
I’ve just had two days alone in Fez and loved it. I have felt more unsafe walking through council estates in London than I did here! People do want to get you into their shops or show you the tanneries but all you have to say is no and they will leave you alone – unlike the touts I encountered in India who follow you relentlessly! The worst I had was a guy in Chefchaouen who followed me all the way to my riad (guest house) despite me telling him I was fine and knew my way, but they told him to go away. I saw him again later and he wasn’t happy, but he didn’t follow me again.
On the whole though people here have been super friendly and helpful – even most taxi drivers will use the meter if you pick one up from the street rather than at a stand!
Fatima zahra
I’m a moroccan girl , and Fez is known by the harrasements , not only the tourists face this problem but also the persons living there , a lot of crimes happen there as well …… So if you’re visiting fez , be reaally careful . But in other cities there’s usually less scams , you should just have a good company 🙂 Otherwise Morocco is a beautiful country , and there’s a lot of wonderful and incredibly amazing places to visit ?
Grifel
Hi Matt,
I would really appreciate your answer to my question: I’m signed up for a tour of Morocco but the tour company made a significant change in the itinerary after I paid my deposit (adding two High Atlas mountain hikes of two hours each) but didn’t inform me of the change. I am a 69 year old woman, traveling alone, arthritic and unable to do that hike. I have planned to depart from the group in Fez and to take a train alone to Marrakech, and from there take a bus to Essaouira where I will meet up with my tour group again two days later. I am nervous about this and would really like your opinion about whether I should go or not.
Suzy
I might visit morocco in october on a fully escorted tour with a couple friends. Im a fenale traveller from the usa. given all the terroist threats would you say its safe for anericans to visit morocco at the moment? Also did you find the most trouble or annoyance just in marrakech? Or was it generally everywhere? Im a big worry wart so im trying to decide whether i should go to morocco or not and im feeling a bit worried
HT
Hi Matt,
Great piece. I’m just finishing three weeks in Morocco and feel the same. I know others see it as part of the experience and concentrate on the good things, but for me personally the ceaseless touting tarnishes everything else – the not knowing who to trust, the hassling for money – and I can’t wait to leave tomorrow.
My question is: Where would you suggest visiting as a cheap place where your simple presence doesn’t scream ‘moneybags’? My best guess would be the lesser-travelled parts of Eastern Europe – Ukraine, maybe.
Megan
I would like to provide another perspective to your suggestion that Morocco may be “too much” for women traveling solo. I studied abroad in Rabat last semester and while the country is most definitely overwhelming at times, I don’t think that it is not do-able for a solo female traveler. I would definitely recommend starting in less touristy cities (like Rabat, Meknes, or Casablanca-more developed/”western”) to acclimate to the culture before moving into more of the tourist traps (Marrakech, Fez. etc.). Even after living in Morocco for four months, Marrakech was incredibly overwhelming for me. There were very few times in Morocco that I felt unsafe as a woman by myself unless it was later at night (not a great idea in any country). I would absolutely recommend Morocco as a unique, culturally rich destination for women. Just come prepared to deal with a lot of attention and develop some ways to negotiate that attention and you will have an amazing time!
Saeed
What a wonderful article on morocco
your highlights are perfect, i really like the tips on warming up your prospects!
Fantastic write up man!
Claire
As a young woman I lived in Morocco for several years and there is definitely a learning curve. I even have dark skin and dark curly hair so I look Moroccan and I do not stand out like fairer-skinned women or blondes would, but it is an entirely different experience as a female than a man, for sure.
One tip I think is important to mention is that women in Morocco do not look men in the eye, as a general rule. To do so means that you are you interested in them sexually. That is the way it is interpreted. Women in Morocco do look at men’s faces, but around the mouth or nose area. Do not make direct eye contact unless you are friends already, that would be my advice!
Jane Johnson
I am a woman in my 70’s and have been to Morocco probably 10 times starting in the 70’s. The first time I went with a friend, we were somewhat harassed and were nervous, but ended up hiring a young man to show us around – he was wonderful and we ended up driving with him and going to his home. After that I went on a tour a few years later, and after that I returned several times each year in the 90’s. I held my head up and didn’t listen to the people wanting to show me things – I learned a phrase or two that helped and speak a bit of French. I had a taxi driver return my wallet and passport I dropped when my money belt fell off in his cab – he wouldn’t accept a reward, I have been to people’s homes for dinner, have walked alone in the j’ma el fna at night, and have not had a bad experience with the exception of being surrounded by children in a small town where I was told not to touch them or let them touch me for health reasons on both sides – that was difficult but it was ok. I’m sure there is crime as in any country, I just have never experienced it. I love Morocco and wish people wonderful adventures there.
Boulmers
Excellent article and precise details. While I am really sorry for these inconveniences, I would like to notice that Moroccan people are part of human condition and because of law of attraction, tourists notice people that are interested in their pocket or their bodies (sex) and they are right to notice it. Money, Islam and sex are somewhat complex subjects here. It’s like a larger river driving unconscious people to the waterfall. This is mostly an egoic driven society and nothing very bad here, its just the ego ( survival machine)
Here is some additional tips for comfortable trips
-Try to avoid looking directly unknowns in eyes. While not perceived as “threatening”, it may be interpreted as “interesting”
-Wearing style may perception depends on location time and ethnicity . Tolerated in touristic cities like Agadir, Marrakech, Tangier, Rabat and less in urban centers like Casablanca. Ramadan is less tolerant religious month. Summer is more tolerant season. Berber ethnics are generally more tolerant and safer ( No to racism)
-When not interested in buying something or a taxi offer, it’s a good idea to say “thank you” with no smile that’s sometimes interpreted here as an okay sign.
-Learning a dozen Arabic or Berber(in south) words is a very effective firewall against scammers and it’s a “resident tourist knowing the country” camouflage.
-Walk and talk with confidence, be alert and present. people don’t ever think to hurt you physically, they just want your money, your gifts, a marriage opportunity or just your body. A very rare young males can however, under higher testosterone and drug concentration, be sometimes dangerous sexy woman’s hunters
Happy tripping
John
I have booked a Best of Morocco two weeks trip and Walking with Berber Normad one week trip, back to back, with Intrepid Travel next year in March., so I probably going to be spending three full weeks in Morocco. This thread has been tremendously helpful to memtally prepare myself lol. Thanks!
By the way, does anyone have experience speaking Arabic, more specifically Levantine Arabic, in Morocco? I have been learning Levantine Arabic for about a year, how much use would this dialect be in Morocco? Thanks!
Lisa
I kind of wish I hadn’t read your article. haha. I’m a solo female traveller, headed to morocco next week. I’ll be fine though, I’m pretty much wonder woman. However, out of curiosity, what kind of bags or purses would you recommend carrying? I have a little backpack i usually wear while wandering around. Is this a bad idea?
Iva
I did not feel secure in Morocco even being there with my boyfriend, especially in Marrakech and Tangier. Everybody tries to confuse you and misguide you. In souks everybody is pretending to be your friend and tries to overcharge you giving you special student price and knowing the crisis in Europe. I could not find a list of expected prices on the internet and I did not know around which price I should bargain. We took a guide at the riad, that had good comments, thinking it would be safer like this and ended up with the tour of shops and overpaying stuff. Next day we complained got a free tour but money we overpayed we never saw again….In medina it is really confusing to orient first few days so it’s difficult to find recommended places.
Frederick
Day 8 of 10 into a solo trip (white male, mid 30’s) – Tangier, Fez & now Rabat. Have read article & EVERY comment to try and make me feel better about my current experience. Sadly can’t wait to leave, but am still trying to get out but it is so mentally & emotionally draining I question it’s value.
I traveled through all the main (tourist) cities a few years ago as part of a tour group and understand why they tried to insulate us from the locals & authentic Moroccan places/people – i really enjoyed it & hated the fact we were staying in 4/5 Star hotels, so i came back alone and initially stayed in Riad’s. Now in hotel in Rabat & actually feels worse.
I’ve dressed covered neck to wrist to ankles, and on/off a keffiyah around my neck, have been ignoring people or paying them money when I thought it smart to do so (most are poor is how i justify it), taking basically NO photos, trying to get out of the more tourist areas of the cities, etc etc, ie being respectful to their culture…..but i can’t wait to leave sadly. I think tomorrow will be spent all day in my hotel – but this has been entered twice today when out even with Do Not Disturb sign up. Ok, first to ‘clean’ (bed made?), 2nd time i don’t know??? And just heard the handle start to turn just then?!
Sadly i agree with all what has been stated (re males), so won’t repeat and have been trying to work out what I’m doing wrong. I won’t be recommending it to anyone. Before reading this I’d already come to the conclusion i was doing nothing wrong other than being in Morocco, and these comments has comfirmed my belief. I’m from a country where people are friendly to everyone…if someone smiles at you, you smile back etc. So far in Morocco 99% of interactions have been negative, with only odd smile from servants. Everyone looks at me like i am scum. I will say, other than cabs, I have been charged fairly, but generally served rudely or after all the locals have been served first (I’ve tried to shop local but aren’t eating enough as it’s too much hassle).
I don’t feel like I’ll be robbed, but am on edge at all time. Mind you i was pick pocketed off the ferry in Tangier – wallet then returned by the thief – € gone, but cards still there, which was pointed out straight away by the thief. Was pleased i had no cash left as could honestly say so and he’d already got his €15 anyway.
I feel that as Westerners or tourists We Are The Problem. I’d love to know why, but can’t help think due to colonial history (French, Spanish and to lesser extent British, American & German) of Morocco. Am rethinking any future trips to lesser developed countries in the future as I think we are the problem. Agree on bias of blog sponsored by tour company but has made me feel less like I’m going crazy, thank you. Make your own travel decisions but research first (something i didn’t do enough of) & learn the language more than half a dozen words. If i fully understood Arabic, i wouldn’t let on as maybe I’d learn more why the locals don’t seem to want us there (but want our $/€/Dh).
Frederick
Oh, i forgot the near constant offers of drugs or girls, especially bad in Tangier, mildly bad in Fes, so so in Rabat. Hi Secret Police too 😉
Brian Hecklemeyer
Really appreciate the time you took to write this post. I love traveling and I\’m the exact demographic as you, and it sounds like it\’s best to go somewhere more developed. Chalk that one up to a learning experience, huh?
The one thing I would add is that none of this is the fault of colonizing powers. The reality is that not all cultures are equal, and cultures that are nice and honest and hard-working are better. Not politically correct, but there\’s a ton of facts out there that people ignore that aren\’t politically correct, but facts don\’t care about how people feel.
Diana Lesko
I think this is the last comment I’m reading here. 🙂 I would like to tell that I don`t get what has happened to you. I can only tell you that I have more experience with Morocco than you as I lived there 9 months. In my opinion, in general, Moroccan people are the nicest people ever. Based on your very very limited experience in Morocco, you should not judge a whole nation.
Franz
Wow, this is an eye opening blog and follow-up comments. I have been looking at places to go in Morocco on our brief American vacations. I was thinking Fez and Marrakech. I\’m more interested in culture and history as opposed to landscape and seaside. I was even leaning towards just Fez with some day trips as there seems to be quite a bit of cultural overlap with Marrakesh. When you do a search Fez vs. Marrakesh, it seems postings in recent years have leaned towards Fez. It seemed as Fez is more authentic, less touristy with the tourist infrastructure having improved over the last fifteen years. Many people like Marrakesh, but many were disenchanted with it Disney-esque hyper tourism. Most of the comments were very positive about both imperial Moroccan cities.
Now I read this blog and the comments and it would appear both cities involves a lot of hassles with Fez leading the charge. I fear that after reading that Fez is more authentic, but conservative that authorities there have not realized that allowing constant hassles will hurt the tourist trade. Of course, there might be conservative authorities in Fez who could care less about increasing tourism. I am a large male, but conservative Fez could also be more of a hassle for Western women as opposed to the more liberal Marrakesh.
Sarah
I’ve been to Morocco with a friend, for about 10 days, and have several other friends who’ve gone since. It was a horrible experience and none of us would ever go back ever again. For all the reasons stated in this post and more.
Anna
Just came back from 4-day trip to Marrakesh, travelling with one female friend (both blonde females in our 20’s). It’s hard to express my feelings about this trip. My only previous experience with a Muslim country was a trip to Egypt with my parents when I was a kid. Remembering some unpleasant situations with pushy people on the streets and in the markets, I thought I was slightly prepared for what we will experience in Marrakesh. However, reality went beyond all my expectations. First day was a nightmare, especially when we were trying to find a way to our Air Bnb place located in the middle of Medina (bad idea). The place itself was fine, the owner was a nice person and we felt safe there. We where being cat called, begged for money, offered “guiding” and “special prices” all the time while passing through Medina and Jemaa el Fna. But after the first day, which felt like hell, we either got more fearless or we learned how to deal with it and it got a bit better day by day. Worst situation was when two women with henna came up to us and one literally grabbed my hand and started drawing the tattoo. When I gave her 20dh just to get her off my back, they started screaming at us and we simply run away. On the other hand, I really enjoyed the views and historical places so it was a compensation for dealing with most of the people. Not everyone we met was like that, we were also glad to meet some nice and normal people, e.g. in some bars and restaurants, even in some local shops. And luckily nothing really bad have happened to us, we didin’t get robbed or extremly insulted. I think I will come back to Morocco, mostly to explore the seaside, but next time definitely with some male companion…
Marc
In Egypt and Turkey, you ARE badgered, but I was only in Egypt in 2002. Perhaps today’s Egypt sees sparse tourism which results in a more rabid feeding frenzy on the few visitors. Those two countries were fine though as far as the lack of petty crime. Visits to Turkey in 2001 and 2014 were basically the same.
Megz
I’m a 27 yr old female, visiting Marrakech in August. I’m really worried now after reading this! I think I need a travel companion… anybody interested in joining me?! I’m a very easy going Aussie! you can get in touch with me on Instagram @foreign_aussie. I really don’t want to get groped by a Moroccan – or anyone else, just to be clear lol.
Ps- Matt you’re an inspiration! I’d LOVE to go on a trip with you 🙂
Ted
A long time back (1972-73) I lived in Morocco. Tangiers to be precise, and it was the same then as your description of Fez now.
Like all places, though, once you get to know a few people, things change. You become a local and prices go way down, the street kids and hustlers stop hassling you and you can relax a little.
Solo females (especially under 40’s) were in just as much danger back then as now and we had to walk them about with a male on each side for protection. Sad, but there we are.
We still had to be careful though. It was usually tourists that got scammed, robbed or given a hard time.
Alana
Thank you for this post, Matt. The content and comments are very helpful and made me feel a bit better about my general feelings.
Today has been my first full day in Marrakesh and I can definitely say I feel very overwhelmed. I am a female solo traveller and although I have only had a daytime experience thus far (And I plan to only be out during day times due to staying in a hidden, poorly-lit but beautiful riad and my daytime encounters were not so pleasant so far), I have felt the need to constantly energetically prepare for the onslaught of pulls which await outside.
It would be naive to not be a little clued up on general prices for goods, food, taxis, etc and at least appearing to look like you know where you are headed once out, but the buzzing environment and people competing for your attention requires exactly this – Pretty much all of the time. Unless, you want to get ripped off or led astray quickly. It can be done but it has to be with certain balancing acts in unison. For me at the moment, it feels more burdensome than a delight.
I have decided to buy at fixed-price stores as I prefer the overall experience of shopping that way. I also made a good decision to book a transfer in advance from the airport which was very reasonable cost wise and saved the hassle of taxi negotiations and gave accountability… If the service would have been terrible or if something had happened, the actual driver and his booking website are trackable and contactable. I recommend comparing prices for transfers and booking these in advance.
I had also read a recommendation or two that solo female travellers should wear a fake wedding band to give the impression that they are married and thus, help fend off unwanted attention from males. Honestly, I think the physical presence of a trusted male would only be effective. I’ve only experienced gawking, overt staring, remarks and one hiss/spit so far, but it has been enough to know that I would return to Morocco again, but in the company of a male, preferably. Marrakesh is gorgeous and has a lot to offer, but it is very overwhelming. Not for the faint hearted solo female traveller! I have been to a few third world Asian countries and must say, that I feel they pale in comparison with regard to the intensity of hard-selling/hassling – Perhaps it is the general underlying aspect of male to female superiority or subtle distaste amongst some for Western culture. Not sure. But I did not feel like this in Asian countries. It felt much less personal there – About making money only really. I feel somewhat restricted with not going out at night (Which is my own choice, but the only reason for this being, safety first).
Diana Lesko
Alana, I lived in Morocco for 9 months. I can tell you, you can hang out on your own as much as you want and you don’t need a fake wedding ring.
Fadoia
It is funny how you describe Morocco… It seems like you went to Afghanistan instead. I am from Morocco.. A 26 years old woman (last time I checked) . I go out by myself..traveled many times in a camper rented from zigzag camper here in Marrakech and never had a problem before.
Apart from negociating the taxi rates.. try to avoid the touristics shops in big cities as they get really pushy. I find this article very abusing, based on a bad experience I guess.
I am from Marrakech (as many of you might know, It is a very touristic city. People here are used to tourists. So when it comes to business- talking about shops owner- it doesn’t matter if you are from Morocco or even Mars. All they want is to get MONEY. So fellows, please don’t take it personal. We are all walking wallets for them.
You suggest for women to dress conseratively!! I put on my very short shorts and still welcomed in all parts of Morocco-not because I am a woman but because they don’t give a thing-
Last thing I want to say. We all have bad experiences visiting a place.. Maybe it’s lack of experience..or just bad lack..But it doesn’t mean this place is really bad. Being a victim of rubery might happen anywhere..going somehere and feel that you don’t belong OR you just don’t like it for the sake of it. But coming to give a huge slap on the face for a whole community?? I am sorry but it is not RIGHT!!!
Diana Lesko
Fadoia, I agree with you. I’m a pretty young lady from Hungary who lived 9 months in Casablanca. I find most of the points in this blog ridiculous. Travel bloggers go to Morocco for two weeks and write such ridiculous articles. Sadly, most of the blogs are worse than this.
Fadoia
Just before I forget – as I am still mad- kids that big for money got this bad habit from tourists. As a Moroccan, having small poeple in my family, giving money is not a part of our customs.
I work in touristic company and whenever I have clients. I tell them not to give money to kids and instead try sweets, candys and pens in small villages.
Also for unexperienced people. You do not walk in a crowded place putting on your back back!! Daaa!!
Diana Lesko
I don’t quite understand such things: “Don’t walk alone if you’re a woman”, “Don’t walk alone at night” I find this nonsense and utterly ridiculous. – I lived 9 months in Morocco. I lived in Casablanca which is the “toughest” place in Morocco. I traveled totally alone everywhere in Morocco, I spent a lot of time hanging around on my own, also at night. Nobody needed to protect me. And I’m a very attractive young lady. Travel bloggers go to Morocco for two weeks and then they publish such articles like they know so much.
Christine
My friends who live in Morocco (who have lived there their whole lives, not just 9 months) have said you need to be careful alone as a woman, and at night. Just because you didn’t have ay issues, doesn’t mean most people don’t have any issues. You may look down on people who visit less than 9 months, but the people who live there are looking at you and thinking the same thing…
Mike Randolph
I heard an interesting tip regarding the guides, and I think it was in Morocco where the person tried it out. He actually found the guide he liked (and it was one of those child guides that come for you) and instead of shooing them away he actually hired that guide. The unexpected result was that this guide ended up as a deterrent to all the other guides/people who would hound the traveler. Either the locals didn’t bother to approach because the traveler was accompanied, or the guide did the “dirty work” for them, usually in local language which was firmly understood.
Thought it was a nice way to both deal with the hassles and get a guide at the same time. This assumes you picked out the good one, though!
sarah meeker
are you serious… you call yourself “nomadic matt”, a travel expert, and you go on tours!! no wonder people bother you.. they can smell the discomfort and fear.
my husband and i have taken 2 trips to morocco and had no problem with people honoring our boundaries. you have to be friendly but firm. i sat and watched the tout action in tangier and noticed that certain body language says “victim”. i watched some people walk through un pestered and other more timid looking people get swarmed. i liked what another traveler said.. rather than wait for people to approach you, approach someone and talk to them. they are less likely to be a hustler.
the best way to enjoy morocco is to go with out a guide, get lost in medina and find your way out. the guide is a buffer that keeps you from experiencing a place. the joy of travel is developing self reliance and the satisfaction that comes from taking care of yourself, not just checking things off of a list so you can say you went there (because you weren’t really there. if you were with a guide you were in a bubble that was there).
the tourists sights like fez, create a hustlers. it’s a poor country where people are trying to survive, tourists are their meal ticket.. i don’t blame them. in authentic functioning moroccan cities like Oujda, where there are no tourists, no one pays any attention to you.
we had a great experience walking across the border into morocco from melilla, spain. hundreds of people carrying giant bundles of goods on their backs, no westerners and not a single person even looked twice at us or talk to us despite the fact that we were so obviously out of place. we found that in third world countries where we have traveled, people are too busy and tired from scratching out a living to pay any attention to us. bothersome locals only inhabit the tourist traps.
take the leap and break out of the herd.. you will have a much more rewarding experience and will come home a braver person.
Jennie
The truth about travelling in Morocco
My husband and I just returned from a week vacation in Morocco. Before going, we read the reviews and therefore we planned not to drink the tap water and also knew haggling was part of the Moroccan culture, so we knew we’d have to negotiate prices for everything… There are two points the reviews don’t include:
1. I had always wanted to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, so we travelled from Algeciras to Tangier by ferry. Immediately, the country has a huge problem with garbage collection and cleanliness – the situation is worse in Tangier (The medina is unbearable) and Casablanca – garbage all over the sidewalks. There are also stray cats everywhere.
2. The reviews didn’t tell us that WE COULDN’T TRUST ANYONE in the streets, not even the man in the Marrakesh medina who offered to help us out and suggested we visit the ‘festival of colors’ because he’s going in the same direction as we are to buy bread for his family… He assured us he wasn’t a guide, but when we got to ‘the festival of color’ he quickly knocked on a gated entrance and greeted a man who proceeded to give us a tour without asking us first… Several people had approached us during the day to tell us about the tanneries and the special day that it was and that all the tourists were going… We had resisted following anyone or even listening, but this man hadn’t really approached us and he seemed honest… Of course the forced tour of the tannery and carpet dying facilities ended with the final product at the ‘store’ of the cooperative. Our ‘tour guide’ knocked at the door, someone unlocked it and we were escorted in and the door closed behind us. We were the only customers in the store with two vendors. The door was locked behind us and there were no windows. Although the vendor turned the AC on and told us there was no obligation to buy, he insisted we stay until we saw the entire variety of products. This was a very intimidating experience and we just wanted to leave as soon as possible, so we ended up purchasing an item and when we were escorted out, our ‘tour guide’ was waiting for us to show us the way back and for us to pay him for the tour! We told him to go speak with the people at the cooperative where we had spent our money. Very disgruntled, he left us alone. We liked to think that we are fairly street smart people, but the pace was so fast and planned out that we felt like we had no opportunity to stop it… So the following day, when I heard another con artist approaching a group of tourists and telling them that ‘It was a special day’ that ‘that they were lucky to be in Marrakesh on that day, because the Berbers were in town from mountains and it was the festival of colors…’, I quickly intervened and without a word he disappeared.
It’s absolutely impossible to stop in the street to discuss anything with your travelling partners or to look at a map… You will be hassled by several people! We quickly determined that if and when we were lost we would only ask for directions from the vendors, who could not leave their merchandise / produce to guide us for a price, and we’d always need to confirm the information received ahead. We also decided we needed to walk with confidence so as not to be bothered.
Another example: While we were waiting for our train from Casablanca to Marrakesh, a man who claimed to work for the government tourism office at the airport approached us to chat about Morocco and Canada… After leaving us with many tips, he offered to have a friend taxi driver who also works for the government(!) pick us up and drive us to our hotel for the right, honest price – to avoid that we get ripped off by the taxi drivers at the station. After we agreed to meet his friend – just so he’d leave us alone, I approached a ONCF train station employee, told her what had happened and asked her if he is a legitimate worker of the tourism office and she said ‘I have no idea’. Needless to say, we picked our own taxi driver… Before getting into a taxi, always research how much you should pay for that distance and agree on a price beforehand. Also, if you do not like the prices presented to you, walk away. This will make them lower their number. The taxi drivers will show you a price table, but it is the table they use for tourists only… We stood our ground and although taxi drivers were disgruntled, they still drove us to our destinations… However in one case we had to insist on receiving the correct change, another taxi refused to help us with our bags and the other told us “Other time, stay your country.” Happily!
In conclusion – The low level of cleanliness and being constantly approached to spend money really affected my ability to enjoy Morocco and being on vacation. I would’ve wanted to have bought local products like the spices and leather goods, but walking the streets and making a purchase becomes stressful… This is not what you want to experience when on vacation…
On a very positive note, I must say that we loved the riad we stayed at in Marrakesh – Riad Ines. The space was peaceful and beautifully decorated and the staff was very pleasant and helpful.
Loryn Simonsen
My second stop on my first ever solo travel was Morocco. As a woman alone it’s exhausting — thankfully it’s inexpensive so I was able to book a private room for around $25 per night which served as my constant respite from the harassment. It’s a beautiful country and I’ve meet many lovely, friendly people, and I would encourage people to make the trip understanding it will be culturally challenging and emotionally draining.
It’s somewhat comforting to hear as a man you experienced similar things, albeit less about your gender and more about your perceived status.
Robb
I’m an american Who lives in morocco .
When I tell moroccan People that I would like to visit fes they always advice me not to . Apparently even moroccan People from other cities can’t go there .
They keep on saying too dangerous .I even had 2 moroccan women say to me that ” fes ” and ” sale ” are called the capitals of crime in morocco . So never enter those cities unless you want to be robbed.
But other cities are safe.
I live in rabat and never had a problem.
Go to chefchaoun , agadir, assilah, tangier, martil, ifran, rabat, and into the atlas moutans you’ll be safe
Antony
I am a currently traveling in Morocco. I have to say that the trip in general is not enjoyable. Someone just said that you cannot trust anyone on the street and it is so true. I have so many horrible examples in my 10 day vacation here and it really wears me out after a few days.
I see some Moroccans got irritated by the comments. I think that is because you are not the targeted victim. You might receive harassments once or twice a day and you can easily brush them off by speaking Moroccan Arabic. However, for an average tourist, we are bombarded by harassments and they even insult you just because you didn’t buy something or didn’t give them money. I see Moroccans give a few dirhams as a tip, but I was demanded 50 dirhams as a tip just because I’m a foreigner. When I refused, I was insulted in Arabic. I also have traveled to many countries in the world, but have never experienced this level of intensity and aggressiveness towards tourists.
There are of course nice Moroccan people, i met many of them during my trip. But the people who are on the front line facing tourists, most of the time just want to suck my blood dry. No matter how small the amount is, it is a horrible feeling to be taken advantage of, all day long.
Abdeloihid Aouragh
Hi Matt,
To be Honest, I have traveled Morocco quite a lot of times. My wife had accompanied me on a lot of trips. According to my opinion don’t walk alone if you’re a woman and don’t think of walking alone at night. Be on the safer side while traveling to smaller Moroccan cities and the countryside, eve-teasing seems to be common in those parts of the country. Sadly I agree with all what you have stated on this blog. If you’re visiting just Marrakech, be on your guard and wear clothes that don’t flash too much skin – you will be fine. Thanks
Happy Tripping.
thomas g
Reading more..I also had people wanting to give me tours and stuff. NOPE! See you later. I had one taxi driver in about 17 days in country be an ass to me. It wasn’t worth dollar extra he wanted to argue about it. Same in Spain, it was about 3 euros too much but I was in a hurry from a plane from Malaga to Mallorca. If I would have started something over it , then my vacation screwed over 3-4 bux. in Tangier I had the guy bet slick and start the conversation at the market but I told him it was obvious and I didn’t have any plans to buy anything. he was good too! I know he gets a lot of folks he is so kind and cool. But that is obvious come on! We ain’t in Kansas? BuT I guess from the east coast urban areas people just don’t come up to you to be your friend. they run that scam in Bangkok on people all the time. I stopped them once. the guy in tangier I told him he could show me around but I ain’t buying anything. he was good too. helped me out a lot actually so i took him out to eat. Cost me a whoppin $7 dollars for us both. with a beer. I see the same stuff happen like I said in Bangkok all the time and sometimes in Manhattan. And in Rome and Naples and other cities in Italy the street kids will always try to “help” you! have you been to Phnom Penh? I had an Australian girl stay by my side for 2 whole day..day and night and same room..just because the touts would not leave her alone. But she was not aggressive to shoo them off. i met her on the bus for 30 seconds removing someones hand from her bag.
Patrícia
I am in Fez right now by myself. I am a brazilian pretty woman travelling alone, taking taxis, alone all day in Medina and had no kind of problem. No harrsment. Like in Casablanca, it was everything ok. I’ve read a lot about this and I vê almost given up to come to Morocco. So far, so good. Go to Jerusalem and you will see what harrsment is.
Chuck McMurtrey
My wife and I just left Tangier and would never go back or recommend going to Tangier. Our receptionist came across as our best friend. We used our credit card to purchase our room. She told us we should have a PIN for our credit card, which we did not arrange before visiting. She told us her brother was a local hacker and she impressed about his skills in hacking credit cards. Sure enough, a week later in Spain, our credit card was hacked and we had to block further purchases. In addition, the Islamic prayer Fajrto at 4:53 over loud speakers is a terrible way to wake up in the morning. Finally looking for a beer to take back to your room is done very covertly and difficult to find. There are plenty of people to help you, for a price. In August it’s hot and most of the town is dirty and smelly. Sorry for the rant, but it was the worst two nights of our Europe tour.
Stevo
Interesting comments re: Turkey and Morocco. We found Turkey to be easy compared to Morocco. Tangier was unpleasant and we had an aggressive tout intimidate us by surrounding with his “gang” of fellow touts attempting to threaten us into paying for a guided tour, complete with threats to our physical safety. Apart from certain hotspots like Tangier (point of entry) and Fez medina or other tourist hotspots which was accompanied by pretty relentless badgering, and theatrical mock rage reactions for refusals, mostly we were left alone, even in the tourist cities outside the train station and the hotspots, no one cared too much. I recall sitting down in Fez each morning at a café outside the hotspot zone and all that happened was…..absolutely nothing. Go somewhere like Rabat and indeed you are pretty invisible. Apart from the Tangier incident we found our perception of physical safety to be better than mainland Europe. Tiresome though it is being sworn at for refusing a “guide” it is safer than our experience of most big Spanish or Italian cities. We spent 12 months on the road (1 x male and 1 x female) and I’d equate Morocco more with occasional high octane hassle, than menacing safety issues – assuming all things being equal with being very careful with personal items, and personal safety.
Keyran
I went to Marrakech in 2016 and absolutely loved the experience. I talked the trip on to the end of a Biz trip to England and found reasonable airfare from LHR on TAP. I only had time for 2 nights. I stayed in the Medina. I absolutely agree with you on the doorways and spices. The spice market was a sensory experience. I remember the fresh OJ I had on Jemaa el-fnaa square. I used my water bottle from my riad rather than risk using the stalls glassware.
Relative to the touts…I did have some fairly aggressive ones while walking bthe Medina alone… my tactic was to completely ignore them and keep walking. They seem to try to get my attention in multiple different language because I didn’t give a hint of my nationality. One person became agitated when I didn’t acknowledge them, however, they gave up and went on their way.
I did end up giving in to one gentleman just outside the Bahia Palace. He brought me to a small shop that sold all kinds of dietary supplements and things. I looked around for a few minutes and said thank you and left without buying. He did not follow me or bother me anymore after that.
All in all I enjoyed Morocco and woul definitely go back ….maybe to experience the High Atlas.
April Wootten
My husband and I (in our late 50s and 60s respectively) were walking back to our hotel at night from the old Medina in Marrakesh using my phone GPS. We finally decided to flag down a taxi because it was so pedestrian-unfriendly with all the speeding vehicles and lack of respect for crosswalk signs. Someone (actually two men) on a motorcycle suddenly tried to snatch my phone from me using great force. I was lucky but the experience left a very bad taste in my mouth.
We had no issues in Chefchaouen walking at night. In Fes boys tried to hassle us for money after seeing us looking a bit lost
and offering to “help” us find our riad, but we didn’t feel particularly unsafe like in Marrakesh.
Patrycja
I traveled through Morocco three years ago with 3 friends, we rented a car and it was unforgettable experience. No harm or danger occurred.
I remember thought, in Marrakech, we were visiting the famous souk market where it’s very easy to get lost. Bunch of kids chased us because we accidentally took photo of them (photographing something else) demanding money and everyone was trying to get us to buy something. It was four of us and it was still very stressful. All over we loved our trip but yeah, it was a bit extreme at some point.
Hamid
Hello! My name’s Hamid, and I live in Marrakech. Having read this article and the comments, I found it necessary to clarify some points to the people traveling to Morocco.
1) Moroccan cities and their people vary a lot, there are small cities like Chefchaouen, Essaouira; and big cities like Casablanca, Marrakech or Fes. It is indeed more possible to encounter problems in bigger cities if you are not accompanied by a local guide or a moroccan friend. Knowing local people beforehand is a guarantee for you safety when you come to Morocco. This is my first advice
2) Not all people are scammers/thieves/bad people: never let some of your bad encounters become generalities. Wear as the local people wear, behave like the locals do, and blend it smoothly. If you do that, will get no negative attention at all
3) Don’t be over-sensitive: this advice is especially directed to females. You don’t have to hurry without thinking when you see a kid crying in an alley for example. Keep a watchful eye and always think before acting. This is something to be done everywhere, not just in Morocco.
4) You should know that we moroccans love tourists. Tourists bring their own culture and different thinking to our doorsteps, which stimulates us to like them quickly and try to blend with them. Which brings me to say this: if a local comes to talk to you, it isn’t always to rob you or anything bad. Maybe the local found you cute and wants to invite you for a café. Maybe he/she wants to improve his/her language by talking to a native, just like you!
To sum it up, you have nothing to be worried about in Morocco if you think well before acting, and if you follow your instincts.
Welcome to Morocco!
Nani
In my experience, everything you said is true. Overall, the people in Morocco are extremely kind and welcoming. Much more than in other travel destinations. Europe has more pickpockets.
It is true that the male attention is too much if you are alone as a woman, but at least it is only attention and every woman in the world, sadly, is used to sexual harrassment.
Neena Elizabeth Paul
Hi Matt – it is wonderful to have stumbled across your article. Myself and a friend of mine are travelling on the same tour next week – I plan to carry some photographic equipment. How safe do you think it is over there?
Valeria
I have travelled Morocco several times as a single female and overall I have had excellent experiences travelling the country (I love dance so study local dances and Morocco is great for traditions such as Shikat dance).
Overall I think that the classic things such as be very respectful to the location culture, sensible i.e. join up with other travellers on the same journey etc and all is usually fine.
It’s a great country!
Nani
I have been a woman traveling alone in Morocco for two months now. It is very safe. I mostly walk alone, at night, in alleys. It is much safer than the US and even some places in Europe. The amount of catcalls are ridiculous and vendors will try, but come on, just keep walking.
Moha
Yes, it is very safe, Morocco is the embodiment of one of the safest countries in the world, thanks to the combination of the country where the crime rate is very low and its government that is always proactive in protecting their guests and locals.