Know Before You go: Morocco Travel Guide

Traveling to Morocco but not sure what all you need to know? Look no further! This travel guide to Morocco includes tips about transportation, such as cars, buses, and trains, as well as safety tips, food to try, and tourism and shopping! Written largely by a Moroccan local, it contains the best information there is!

This guide is brought to you by a dear friend of mine, English teacher Joy Wilder, who gave me this incredible guide when I went to Morocco in the summer of 2023. I edited a few bits and added some of my ideas, but big shoutout to Joy who made it all happen!

For a crazy (and slightly dangerous) tale of my friends and I in Chefchaouen, Morocco…

For a story of how I saw Jesus and his power in Morocco…

Transportation

Trains

Trains are your best friend when it comes to getting in between major cities in Morocco. They run from Tangier to Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes, and places in between. There are first and second class tickets, but it doesn’t change your experience very much. Most of the times there are no assigned seats, but check your ticket just in case.

How to buy a ticket: go to a train station 30 minutes before departure and buy your ticket at the station.

Taxis

There are two types of taxis:

• A petite taxi (which is a small car)
• A grand taxi (which is a mini van)

Petite taxis will take you anywhere within the city limits and can only take three people at a time. These will often have a meter. If they don’t however, then MAKE SURE to ask the price for the distance beforehand. It’s very easy to take advantage of tourists who look clueless. Before getting in the taxi, agree on a price.

One person should only pay around 10 DH unless it’s a really far distance. Two people usually will cost in-between 10 and 15 DH.

Grand taxis will take you outside the cities and to other cities. These taxis will be more expensive; you can either book up a whole taxi (which will be pretty expensive), or you can wait for other people to join them in the taxi. Oftentimes, other people will be heading to the same cities, so you can just hold out for other random people to come in order to reduce the price!

Again! Be sure to set a price before getting in the taxi.

Charter Buses (aka “cars”)

These “cars” go in between cities also. The plus is that they are cheaper than trains! Check your ticket to see if there are assigned seats.

How to buy a ticket: go to the bus station the day before departure to buy a ticket.

Renting a Car

You can rent a car and drive with an American driver’s license. They drive on the right side of the road in Morocco, which is helpful, however the driving rules are a little crazy. It will take some getting used to if you’ve never driven in Morocco before!

CTM Buses

This was my favorite way (and easiest for me) to buy a ticket for transportation. The CTM Bus website has buses that go all over Morocco; they are generally very cheap and easy to use! Click here to head over to their website!

Food

Menus will be in Arabic and/or French and/or English depending on where you are. If you’re in a larger city or a touristy area, you will most likely get a menu in English. Food is very rice and couscous based along with falafel or a meat of some kind. A general warning for your food and water: some of the food can make you very sick due to it not being fresh or having bacteria on them. I generally recommend NOT eating any kind of fruit, lettuce, or fresh produce at all, especially if it has been washed off by water. DON’T DRINK THE WATER! It will 100% make you sick. Even though its a bother, you need to buy giant water

Staple Foods / Drinks

• Tajine
  • This is a savory stew with meat, fish, or poultry with veggies or fruit; there are various spices and nuts in there as well.
    • Beef and prune tajine is a typical favorite in Morocco.
• Couscous
  • Couscous was my favorite dish when I visited Morocco! You can often get a plate of couscous with falafel or meat. However, at some restaurants, you will be served a giant plate of couscous for the table that you eat with a spoon. Sometimes you will also be given a traditional buttermilk drink.
    • In some cities, it’s only served on Friday.
• Rafissa
  • This is a Moroccan plate of chicken and dumplings with onion. This has a turmeric base.
    • This meal is typically served on Wednesdays.
• Salads
  • Heads up for your salads! They are rice or tomato based rather than lettuce. Even if you do get lettuce in a salad, it was most likely washed with water (which is contaminated)!
• Bread
  • Round “knobs” used for eating tajines and meats,
  • “Msemen” is a flakey flatbread usually eaten with honey or cheese as a snack.
• Juice is a super common drink, but may have milk or a type or orange juice base like a smoothie; just be aware!
• Moroccan “whiskey”
  • This was one of my favorite things I had the entire time! Since many in Morocco are Muslim and don’t drink alcohol, it’s often not served in restarts. Instead, they have a green tea drink with honey that they nicknamed “whiskey” as a joke. It’s SO GOOD! Be sure that they don’t use sink water but tap water to avoid bacteria.

ALLERGY ALERT! Dairy is “halid”. Most places won’t have dairy in the food. Gluten (“knobs”, “dgik”) is in most breads, soups, couscous, rafissa, and soy sauce.

Shopping

Necessities

There are traditional supermarkets like Marjane and Carrefour for essentials as well as smaller shops (“hanouts”). There are also butcher shops, fruit and veggie shops, and other random bread stands on the streets. Prices are typically fixed, but be aware of scams and overpricing if you’re a tourist.

Souvenirs

There are souvenir shops everyone in towns! Shop owners will often hound you, calling at you to come in their store. Just ignore them. If you see something you really like, set a price in your head about how much you want to spend. Offer 1/3 of the asking price; don’t gp above 2/3. If you act like you don’t want something and even begin to walk away, you’ll get a cheaper price.

A few Morocco specialties include:

• Rugs
• Argon oil
• Honey
• Amlou
• Leather
• Pottery

Safety

While Morocco is a fairly safe country, you need to be aware of your surroundings.

• Catcalling is very common. Try to completely ignore it.
• If someone starts following you, stop in a store and tell the shop owner. Moroccans love their country and want tourists to have a good time, so they’ll almost always help!
• For any recommendations, ask your riad or hotel host.
• Keep one hand on your bag at all times. Theft is common.
• Don’t get into an unmarked taxi.
• Dress modestly to avoid unwanted attention and be respectful. Wear loose fitting clothes that cover your chest, knees, and shoulders.
• If you’re lost, ask a shop owner or lady to help you or use your phone. Don’t follow “nice” men around, as they’ll often get you lost and then unlost and ask for money.
• It’s fun to get lost in the Medinas of Morocco. Just don’t look lost. If you need to consult a map or your phone, step inside a store and look.

Other

Here are some final tips before you depart off on your great Moroccan adventure!

• Moroccans tend to eat later, so lunch may be around 1 and dinner around 6.
• Morocco is a Muslim country, so you’ll hear the call to prayer (like a church bell) five times a day.
• Download Arabic and French on Google translate.
• Bring sunscreen and a hat! The sun is HOT!
• Be prepared for no air conditioning or heat.
• Don’t touch or pet the cats or dogs. Most of them have skin diseases or rabies! Shoo them off.
• You don’t usually pay at the table; go to the register and pay. While tips aren’t expected, you can tip (but don’t give over 5%).

My best tip: get to know the people there. While Morocco may have a very different culture than where you’re from, it was my favorite travel experience of any country I’ve ever been to. That is because of one thing: the PEOPLE! Everyone was so kind and hospitable, inviting us into their homes to drink tea or watch the sunset from their rooftop. Talk to street vendors and store owners and waiters, because they have the most incredible stories just waiting for you!