If you are planning a trip to Morocco but don’t know the basics yet, here are the top things you need to know before travelling to Morocco.
I don’t know about you, but the first thing I do every time I’m planning a new trip is to search for ‘things to know’ – I find these a good starting point, also helping you understand if that trip is right for you! So here goes my list of the 10 things to know before travelling to Morocco.
Brush up your French
If you expected to be fine just speaking English, well, you’re in for a disappointment. While in the bigger cities you might find some people who do speak English, the vast majority will rely on French to speak to tourists. This is your occasion to put to good value all the French words you remember from high school!
Cash is king
I can’t stress this enough: do not rely on card payments, not even for accommodation. 99% of the time you will probably pay in cash. Unfortunately, this was a big mistake for me: I expected to be able to pay for at least the hotels using my credit card, but I ended up having to withdraw money and spend a fortune on transaction fees.
Also, be aware that Morocco has a closed currency, meaning that the Moroccan Dirham isn’t available outside of Morocco so you will be able to get any only when you get there.
Always have some change ready
Always make sure you have small change available at all times. You will need this mainly for tipping, but also for payments. How many times I didn’t have smaller change and the seller simply kept all the money using the excuse they didn’t have any change either!
Fridays are holy days
This means that many shops, banks, offices etc will be closed on Fridays. Sometimes even some touristic sites are closed, or work reduces hours. So always remember to double check before planning anything on a Friday!
Most mosques are inaccessible unless you’re a Muslim
This was a big disappointment for me personally. But yeah, if you’re not Muslim, you’re not allowed in any mosque. One exception though: The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca does allow non-Muslims to enter for a tour.
Haggling
This shouldn’t come as a surprise! You are expected to haggle when buying pretty much everything. And when I say everything, I mean it. Expect to do it when buying from a street vendor, taxis, shops, tourist experiences, car rentals and so on. Remember: the first price you’re quoted is usually double of what they would quote a non-tourist. So don’t be shy and haggle!
Don’t book tours in advance
This is one of the best tips I could give you. I know how much you are tempted to book tours online through sites like Groupon or Getyourguide. Trust me, wait to be in the country and buy the *exact same* tours from a local agent at a fraction of the price. Also, I’d like to see this as a more sustainable way of booking experiences. I prefer to give my money to locals rather than to international companies that might be keeping most of the profits for themselves.
Get a sim card at the airport
If you come from Europe or America, chances are your mobile plan won’t be working in Morocco. Do not worry: the first thing you’ll notice at the airport after you’ve collected your luggage is sim card shops. They usually come with a certain amount of gigabytes of internet and some also minutes and messages to local numbers – perfect if you need to call your hotel or taxi driver!
Pay attention to the speed limit
If you plan to rent a car let me tell you… you WILL be fined. I know, you could say that you’re the best driver in the world and always respect the rules, but trust me when I say that there will always be a rule you’re not aware of that you are breaking! That being said, the only way to limit this from happening multiple times is to really be aware of the road rules and follow them, as police presence on the roads is huge.
You’ll be sober
Last but not least, which should also not come as a surprise, you’ll probably be sober most of your holiday. Sure, big international hotels and resorts may serve alcohol to non-Muslims. However, if you prefer to have your meals at local restaurants, don’t expect them to serve any alcohol at all. Don’t worry, you can always try the ‘Moroccan Whisky’ – i.e. the deliciously famous Moroccan mint tea.
This was my list of 10 things to know before travelling to Morocco, hope you’ll find this useful and let me know if you have any other tips to share!
