Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about what NOT to do when you visit Morocco. We had a great time visiting Morocco with our kids! While many travel blogs will tell you the best things to do in Morocco, we want to be sure you know about the things you should NOT do when you visit Morocco.
Don’t Expect to Enter Any Mosques (Unless You’re Muslim)
Oftentimes, travel involves visiting historic churches and cathedrals around the world. And there are some beautiful mosques in Morocco, however, unless you are Muslim, you cannot enter the mosques. There is one exception: the Hassan II in Casablanca is open for tours and is one of the top Morocco attractions that we recommend.
Don’t Expect Everything to Be Open on Fridays
Fridays are the holy day in Morocco, so many places are closed on Friday. In larger cities, this won’t be as much of an issue, but in smaller towns, you’ll find things closed or shops may have shorter business hours.
Don’t Ignore the Call to Prayer
When you hear the call to prayer, be respectful of the locals. If you are bargaining for something, hold off until the prayer is over. The prayer time only lasts three to five minutes, so it’s a good time for you to take a quiet minute as well.
Don’t Expect to Get Through Customs Quickly
When you land in Morocco, customs can take a long time to clear. It’s a long process, but if you have kids, you may be able to get to the front of the line. Just plan for some extra time. If you get through quickly, you may end up waiting for your ride at the other end anyway, as they usually account for long customs delays.
How to Breeze Through International Arrivals
Don’t Plan to Check-In Online
When it’s time to fly home, don’t assume you can check-in online. You will probably have to check-in at the airport counter before your flight.
Don’t Bring Drones
You are not allowed to fly drones in Morocco, so don’t bother bringing them on your Morocco vacation. If you do have a drone, it’s possible that it will get confiscated at the border when you arrive, so it’s best to just leave it at home.
Don’t Ever Stop Haggling
Haggling is a huge part of the shopping experience in Morocco. It’s not a scam, it’s just how things work here. Yes, it gets a bit old after a while to continue haggling, but it’s just the culture. A general rule of thumb is to pay between 25-50% less than the original price you are quoted. Don’t forget to bargain with your taxi driver, too! Make sure you do this and agree on a price before you get in the car.
Don’t Try to Bargain Everywhere
Bargaining happens mostly in the souks, so it’s not universal that you will be haggling over prices everywhere in Morocco. When you are shopping at retailers like Zara or major grocery stores, you do not bargain on the prices. If you aren’t sure whether to bargain or not, just listen to those around you. You’ll quickly get the hang of it!
Don’t Rely Solely On Credit Cards
You will need some cash when you visit Morocco. Not every place takes credit cards, and even those that do may not have a working machine when you are there. It’s always good to have some cash as a backup. When you do get cash, make sure you have small bills that you can use for small purchases and tips. Very few vendors (and taxi drivers) will have change, so large bills are not very useful unless you are making large purchases.
Don’t Drink the Tap Water in Morocco
The tap water in Morocco is not safe to drink, so bring along a filtered water bottle, or plan to drink bottled water. You can brush your teeth with tap water, but it’s not recommended that you drink it.
Don’t Forget to Carry Some Toilet Paper
Not all public restrooms will have toilet paper readily available, so it’s always good to carry a little bit of your own. And don’t be surprised if you encounter a squat toilet or two in Morocco!
Don’t Let Your Guard Down Around Traffic
Traffic in Morocco is crazy, and you have to be really careful, whether you’re riding around in a taxi or just walking the streets as a pedestrian. Even in the medinas where there aren’t as many vehicles, you have to watch out for random donkeys and carts. It’s just a very busy place and you need to adhere to basic travel safety measures.
Don’t Get Pickpocketed!
When you visit the medina, be prepared for pickpockets and use your travel smarts to stay aware of your surroundings. It’s easy to get swept up in your surroundings, but we have lots of tips on keeping your valuables safe!
The Most Common Techniques Used by Pickpockets
Don’t Freak Out When You Get Lost
Notice we don’t say “if” you get lost, but “when.” You will get lost wandering the alleys of the medinas. Always have a map and GPS with you, and you’ll eventually find your way out. The shopkeepers are usually pretty helpful. Even if you aren’t buying anything, they will likely give you directions to find your way back.
Don’t Pet the Stray Cats
You’ll see TONS of stray cats in Morocco. Yes, they’re cute, but don’t pet them. I know it is super tempting… and they will come right up to you, but best to leave the cats alone.
Don’t Trust Everyone
For the most part, we meet friendly locals when traveling, but that’s not always the case. Someone may appear to be super helpful, but they may really be looking out for themselves. Don’t let your guard down if your spidey senses are telling you something might be off. That said, don’t assume everyone is out to rip you off.
Don’t Just Hop in a Taxi
Don’t think all taxis in Morocco are the same. For example, in Casablanca, there are little red taxis that are shared taxis, so someone else might hop in with you. When you hear about a “grand” taxi, it just means larger, it’s nothing fancy.
Don’t Plan on Buying Train Tickets Online
Unless you have a Moroccan credit card, you won’t be able to buy your train tickets online. You’ll need to go to the train station a few days before your departure and buy your tickets then.
Don’t Forget to Tip!
Yes, tipping is customary in Morocco. Tipping is part of the culture, so this is why we recommend having small bills and coins readily available. If someone helps you with your bags, you should tip them. If you have a local guide or a tour guide, plan to tip them as well. This also applies if you plan to have your picture taken with someone or someone’s animal. The snake charmers and monkey handlers will expect a tip in exchange for your photo opportunity.
Don’t Take Photos of People Without Asking
If you’re going to take photos of locals, make sure you ask ahead of time. If they say no, respect that and move on. This also applies to photographing children. If the parents are ok with it, they may ask for a tip, or you can offer one.
Don’t Use Your Left Hand
Most important occasions call for the use of your right hand, not your left hand. This goes for hand-shaking and eating. The left hand is reserved for the toilet and other cleaning duties and should not be used for hand-shaking or communal dining.
Don’t Wear Your Shoes in Someone’s Home
If you are invited into someone’s home, make sure you remove your shoes before entering. This also applies to the mosque. Some homes may have slippers you can wear, but all outdoor shoes should remain outdoors.
Don’t Miss Out on Tajine
You’ll see tajine used a lot with respect to food, but it’s not a single dish. It’s actually the vessel that the food is cooked in, so you can have many different varieties of “tajine” in Morocco. We had excellent tajine with beef, rabbit, chicken, and more. Think of “tajine” like the word casserole; it’s cooked in that type of dish but has no bearing on what is actually in the dish.
Don’t Worry About Finding Good Vegetarian Food in Morocco
Although we enjoyed some great meat dishes in Morocco, there is also a lot of great vegetarian cuisine in Morocco. You can even get a vegetarian tagine, and they are excellent.
Don’t Try to Rush Dinner
When you go out to eat in Morocco, don’t be in a hurry. Service in Morocco is on the slower side, so dinner can be a long, drawn-out affair. If you visit Morocco with kids, plan to go to a restaurant a bit early, before they start to get hungry, or you might have some hangry kids on your hands before the food eventually arrives.
Don’t Worry About Your Budget
Morocco is a very affordable travel destination, so you don’t have to worry about going over your travel budget. You may have to spend a bit to get to Morocco, but once you arrive, hotels, food, and tours are very reasonably priced.
Don’t Expect Easy Access to the Sahara Desert
You probably expect to see the Sahara Desert when you visit Northern Africa. But it’s actually 8-10 hours drive from Marrakech. So, make sure you do your research if the Sahara Desert is on your travel wish-list. Don’t plan on seeing the Sahara on a day trip; you’ll probably need to sign up for one of the overnight Morocco tours. If you sign up for a “Morocco desert tour,” there’s a good chance it’s not going all the way to the Sahara Desert.
Don’t Try to See All of Morocco in One Visit
Morocco is a huge, diverse country and it would be a great disservice to try and see it all in one visit. There are four distinct regions of Morocco: mountains, plains, desert, and the coast. I recommend choosing one, or two at the most, of these regions and explore them in more depth. If you try to see more during your Morocco trip, you’ll feel rushed and you won’t come away with a good sense of the local culture.
Don’t Expect Solo Female Travelers to Be Treated Equally
There are some parts of Morocco where solo female travelers are not treated as well as families or couples who are traveling. The social norms here are different, and most women we’ve spoken with recommend dressing a bit more conservatively to avoid drawing unwanted attention. Jocelyn even noticed a difference when bargaining; she felt like she had less bargaining influence than Mark did when shopping.
Morocco is an amazing country, and we really enjoyed our time there as a family. Don’t let any of these don’ts keep you from visiting Morocco because it’s truly a wonderful, enchanting place. Just remember what NOT to do on a visit to Morocco! Looking for more tips on family travel around the world? Check out these blog posts!