Have you been to Morocco?

sturisoma

sturisoma

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Have you been to Morocco, specifically Marrakesh?

I quite like the idea of Morocco - going to the souk, bartering, visiting the desert etc.

However the more I read about the scams and cheats and hordes of locals trying everything to take your money, I'm not so sure.

Has anyone been? Is it that bad? Would you recommend a different part of Morocco?


thanks in advance :)
 
If you read back through TP's various Morocco threads over the past couple of years you might get a better picture of how good the country is, not bad!

Or Yv posted travel blogs of our two trips to Morocco last year on her yvonnewhitephotography.com site if you want to read our experiences.

Morocco is wonderful! The scenery is beautiful and the people are lovely! We'll be straight back there next holiday!

Go!

Enjoy it!

But change your attitude before you go, missy, because your information is wrong!! ;)
 
Our teenage son is going there tomorrow with his mate and his parents,glad to hear its a nice place to go! He's going to Marakesh for two days then staying in Mirleft
 
It is a very nice place!

First of all, it's pretty safe. He won't [shouldn't] get mugged in spite of all the bustle. Apart from all else, there are plain clothes "tourist police" everywhere - who are there to protect Morocco's desperately needed tourist industry. Pickpocketing is different but, as everywhere, you have to protect yourself from that! However there is a lot of "not a lot of money" and people will know that tourists are much richer than them. Some will try to spiv you but it's usually for a Dirham or two - 10p odd or 20p - and you can "buy" a lot of smiles and friendship and information very cheaply while being an appreciative, interested visitor rather than a patronising ponce!

Haggling is a giggle and great fun if you make it fun. If you can do it properly you'll even earn some grudging respect; as the rug vendor's assistant said to Yv "votre mari fait affaires vraiment comme un Berbère!". Of course we still paid tourist rates and local people dared to make a profit out of us but our tourist rates tended to be among the lower tourist rates in town.
 
Yves Geza said:
If you read back through TP's various Morocco threads over the past couple of years you might get a better picture of how good the country is, not bad!

Or Yv posted travel blogs of our two trips to Morocco last year on her yvonnewhitephotography.com site if you want to read our experiences.

Morocco is wonderful! The scenery is beautiful and the people are lovely! We'll be straight back there next holiday!

Go!

Enjoy it!

But change your attitude before you go, missy, because your information is wrong!! ;)
Click to expand...

I got my info from many travel blogs and reviews on different sites, and from travel videos on you tube. However, as there were so many differing experiences on t' interweb I thought I'd ask on here cos I trust your opinions :)

I will now check out Yv's blog thingy :clap:
 
My daughter was there a few years ago to attend a science conference, and stayed on for a few days afterwards. She enjoyed it and didn't have any problems beyond the usual minor staff Jonathan mentioned, which you can run into in most places. FWIW, she was about 26 then, a petite blonde, and travelled alone. She's South African (Joburg) and risk/security conscious, and she felt quite safe.
 
I've been a couple of times and loved it. The first time I just went to Marrakesh and Essaouira, the second time we travelled around a lot more (Tangiers, Casablanca, Fez, Atlas mountains etc. Fez and the Atlas mountains are definitely worth a visit if you have time). Djem El Fn'aar, the main square in Marrakesh, is incredible, make sure you go during the day and night time as it is very different at different times of day. The souk is great too and you can pick up some great bargains....haggle hard, it's expected.

The locals can be a bit enthusiastic trying to sell you things and inevitably you WILL get hassled. My advice is to just grin and bear it...it's a poor country and they are just trying to make a living! Just use your common sense as usual when travelling...don't flash around valuable stuff, don't put your wallet or passport in your back pockets etc and you'll be fine. Try to get accommodation in a riad rather than a western style hotel, I'd recommend it.

The only downside is you must be very careful with food and water. ONLY drink bottled water and don't have ice cubes in drinks. On my second trip some of the party I was with got food poisoning, we reckon it was down to eating a washed salad served with a meal as this was the only time we ate as a party. One of the party (my ex wife as it happens) also picked up shigella while she was there and was very ill for several weeks afterwards, but apparently she was very unlucky to get this.
 
no
 
We've been several times and never had a problem.... Yes you will get hassled a bit.... Yes you do have to be careful with water, salads and the usual stuff you have to watch in most holiday areas but it is a great experience. The first times is usually the best as it is quite an eye opener. Our first time we arrived at 6 in the morning by train from tangiers and crossed the square as the sun was coming up and they were doing the call to prayers. The bonus from that trip was a pic that won a great trip in a competition. Make the most of that first visit...... It will be memorable.
 
thanks guys :) I am still looking at travelogues heh
 
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