Visiting Morocco: Expectations vs. Reality

Going to Morocco for the first time, I knew that it was going to be different from other places I’d visited before. Other than figuring out the dress code and using it as an excuse for a new wardrobe, I didn’t do much research. I relied on what I’ve head from friends and other travelers when setting my expectations. Although of course I keep an open mind, as a usually-solo female traveler, I’m generally extra cautious and I have to somewhat prepare for the worst.

However, the Morocco I experienced was different from the one I expected. If you’re thinking about a visit to Morocco or just want to learn more, here are some of the expectations vs. realities from my trip!

Expectation: The currency exchange counter workers at the airport wouldn’t lie to us

Reality: I never exchange money when I land somewhere new; I just use my debit card to withdraw the local currency from the ATMs in the airport. After trying one ATM that didn’t work, we walked towards another. “It doesn’t work,” the currency exchange counter staff told us. Seemed plausible since the other one had been broken, and who can you trust in this world if not airport staff? I bit the bullet and exchanged money. Just as we finished our transaction, we saw another couple of tourists successfully withdraw money from the “broken” ATM. And we got charged a €20 commission fee. Cool.

Expectation: Taxi drivers would try to scam us

Reality: Almost none of the taxis are metered in Morocco. Apparently you’re supposed to set the price with them before you get in the car. We did that once or twice, but eventually we just got in the car and would negotiate at the end when we could see for ourselves how long of a trip it’d been. As a general rule, I’ve learned from traveling elsewhere it’s important to have smaller bills/coins or else the driver might say they don’t have change at the end, thus tricking you into paying more. On our second taxi ride, we weren’t sure how much to pay so we just handed the driver all the change we had — 13 dirhams, or about $1.30. He actually gave us 3 dirhams back instead of taking it all.

Expectation: Men would harass me/us

Reality: One of the teachers at school jokingly warned me that Moroccan men might harass or make crude jokes to Matt and me, like offering to trade a certain number of camels for me. (Go to that website to find out how many camels you’re worth; I’m worth 66.) But no one said or did anything to make me feel uncomfortable. Having Matt with me definitely helped and made me feel less vulnerable. But I also dressed appropriately, in a way that also helped me avoid unwanted attention.

Expectation: No one would help us without expecting payment in return

Reality: I know you have to be careful in some places about who you ask for help. People who seem trustworthy might not always be. But we had to ask for a lot of help in Morocco. Navigating the streets of the medinas — the old towns — it was impossible not to get lost. We had to ask for directions to bus stops, restaurants, and Airbnbs — sometimes asking multiple different people if the first/second/third person’s instructions were too confusing. Not a single person expected anything out of us. One teenage boy even gave us a free, though unsolicited, tour around the old part of Tangier. He wouldn’t even accept it when we tried to pay him. This might not be the norm, but don’t expect that everyone is out to take advantage of you.

Expectation: Morocco is a desert country

Reality: I’d seen pictures of friends and other travelers riding camels or motorcycles in the desert during their Moroccan travels. Yes, part of the Sahara Desert is in Morocco, but it’s a very, very small part. In fact, the country has incredibly diverse geography. Near the Atlas mountains, central and northern Morocco are temperate, while the southeast — near the desert — is dry and arid. I loved that we got to experience three different versions of Morocco, visiting Fez, Chefchaouen, and Tangier. Each place had its own character that was unique from the others.

 

Did anything about this surprise you, or what were your expectations about visiting Morocco? Have you had similar experiences in North Africa? Let me know in the comments!

-Cathy

Originally Published on June 3, 2019.