Looking for some tips about the amazing country of Morocco before you head out? Follow along as I cover the top 9 mistakes to avoid in Marrakech, Morocco. These travel tips will help tremendously in planning your trip to Morocco.
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Morocco is a beautiful country with incredible people, mountainous and desert landscapes, scrumptious food, and deep-rooted culture. I’m sure you’ve seen people dipping their toes in pools at the gorgeous colorful Riads and travelers trekking the Sahara Desert.
But everything isn’t all glamorous in Morocco.
Morocco is chaotic, with scooters zooming by, people yelling at you to come into their shop to buy, and people trying to scam you if you aren’t careful.
That’s why you’ll want to do thorough research to ensure you know what you are getting into before traveling to a new country.
You’ll want to learn some things about Morocco, such as what to expect, customs, traditions, language, and religion. Knowing these things is paramount, especially if it’s your first time traveling to Marrakech, Morocco.
And ultimately, you’ll want to know what mistakes to avoid before traveling to Morocco.
Morocco is such a vast country
There are several popular cities in Morocco that tourists love to travel to, such as Casablanca, Chefchaouen (the Blue City), and Fez. These mistakes to avoid are great tips for all these Moroccan cities.
However, I will cover 9 mistakes to avoid in the most popular city that everyone should visit on their first trip to Morocco – Marrakech.
As someone who’s traveled to Africa a few times, including Egypt, I wanted to share my experience of mistakes I’ve avoided, plus mistakes I, unfortunately, made too.
These travel tips will save you tons of frustration and prepare you for what lies ahead in this wonderful country of Morocco. Now let’s get into the top mistakes to avoid in Morocco.
1. Not Haggling at ALL
If you’ve never been to a country in the Middle East or Africa, then you are in for a rude awakening when it comes to shopping. It’s nothing like shopping in the US. You’re not going to be all cozied up in a strip mall. Shopping in Morocco is intense. Specifically, in Marrakech, they have these shopping areas called Souks or Markets.
Souks are colorful shops and stalls where you can find anything from fresh fish, produce, spices, clothes, crafts, souvenirs, and more. These shops are mostly family-owned businesses run by mostly men.
Anywho, shopping in any of these African countries will take some skill and practice to avoid getting ripped off. But don’t let this stop you from buying incredible souvenirs in Marrakech.
Therefore, when shopping in the souks in Morocco, avoid the mistake of accepting the first price they give you. Instead, you should haggle with them for a better price. Why? Most of the time, they will jack up the price because you are a foreigner, and they know you don’t know what the actual cost should be. If they offer you one price, then it’s likely worth 20-30 even 40% less than that.
Every day I’m Hustlin’
However, the Moroccans want you to buy from them because this is how they make a living. So, don’t be afraid to negotiate on the price. If they aren’t trying to work with you or the price is too steep, then just walk away. Once you start to walk away, they will likely come down on the price.
Either way, you can take your time and see if that is an item you want. Additionally, you should shop around in other stores because that same item may be in another shop, and you could potentially get it for less.
If this is your first time in Marrakech and you are not quite comfortable with shopping in the Souks alone, then take a guided tour. With a local guide, they will take you to the most sought-out places to shop and explain the best products and what it’s worth.
2. Not staying in a Riad
There are many places to stay in Morocco, from Airbnbs’ to cheap hotels and hostels, as well as five-star luxury resorts. However, if this is your first time in Morocco, you should avoid the mistake of staying in a traditional hotel. You should stay in a Riad instead
A Riad is a Moroccan home turned into a boutique hotel. It’s tradition for Moroccan homes to have an open courtyard surrounded by luscious gardens with a fountain in the middle.
However, these days instead of just having fountains, most Riads installed pools as an added bonus for visitors.
Riads are a great place to stay to fully immerse in Moroccan culture. They are smaller than the hotel giants and are cozier. Our stay in a Riad in Marrakech was on point, and the employees were attentive and nice to us.
I loved waking up and hearing the birds chirping in the courtyard and walking out of our room to the gorgeous gardens. If you want to experience authentic Moroccan culture, stay in a Riad.
3. Not dressing modestly
Morocco is predominantly an Islamic country, with 99% of the people being of the Muslim faith. Therefore, they abide by specific rules, including what they wear. That’s why NOT packing the appropriate clothing is one of the top mistakes to avoid in Morocco.
I’m not saying you have to be covered from head to toe, but you should dress modestly out of respect for their country, culture, and religion.
Not wearing the proper clothing could lead to getting harassed and unwanted stares. Some men will go as far as cat-calling.
Therefore when thinking about what to pack for Morocco, you should bring loose-fitting pants, maxi dresses, and long skirts. Bring shirts that cover your shoulders and chest, but if you have sleeveless shirts or dresses, bring a scarf or sweater to cover your shoulders.
Covering your head is unnecessary unless you go inside a mosque. BTW, you can only go inside if you are Muslim.
In Marrakech, you may see some women tourists walking around in short shorts, bare shoulders, and showing a lot of skin, but that’s the risk they were willing to take. The locals won’t ban you from wearing it, but they will look at you crazy.
I mostly wore pants, long sleeve shirts, and long skirts. However, when we took a day trip to the Atlas Mountains, I wore a loose-fitting jumpsuit with a kimono since it was spaghetti straps.
But the front of my outfit was cut low, my chest showed some, and the buttons kept popping open as we were hiking. I started to get strange stares from the Berber women in the mountains, and at first, I didn’t understand until I looked down.
So don’t be like me. Avoid this uncomfortable mistake in Morocco by wearing the appropriate clothing.
4. Not hiring a tour guide
Another big mistakes to avoid while visiting Morocco is NOT hiring a tour guide, especially if it’s your first time traveling here. At least a tour guide can show you around your first day of the trip so you can get your grips on the city, then you’ll be more comfortable exploring without one.
A local tour guide will show you around and share their knowledge about Morocco with you. Plus, they’ll give you the low down on where you should and shouldn’t go.
We hired a tour guide a few times in Marrakech. The first guide we had was for a Historical and Culture Tour to see the highlights around the city.
He gave us such good tidbits about their culture and traditions. He also warned us and pointed out certain areas to avoid at night. We walked around the city as he explained their culture and history, as we passed by beautiful historical monuments and the medinas.
He also kept people from hounding us to come into their store. Most times, when you are with a local tour guide, the people won’t harass you as much because they know you are with them. And the guide will let you know how to respond to those people to keep the harassment at bay.
There’s more to love about Morocco
The next guide we hired was for an incredible Authentic Moroccan Food Tour & Dinner. We love taking food tours on our trips because it gives us insights into what the locals love to cook and eat. Plus, they will take you off the beaten path to shops the locals frequent.
Our guide was incredible, and he was very eager and knowledgeable about their food’s history and culture. Besides learning about their famous dishes, the best part is tasting all the delicious food. And let me tell you, the food in Marrakech is scrumptious, especially their staple cuisine, Tagine.
Read Next: Best Foods to try in Morocco
5. Getting sick in Morocco
Speaking of food, the hygiene and how they prepare their food are different than in America. Yes, it’s possible to get sick traveling to and through Morocco, but try to avoid this mistake at all costs.
It’s nothing worse than being sick on vacation. Am I right?!
However, one way to avoid getting sick is to be selective about where you get your food.
For instance, in Morocco, some markets and stalls sell food. Some of these markets have food in the open, where shoppers can touch, pick, and hover over the food.
I’d advise avoiding eating food from those areas because of people sneezing and coughing on food. Or perhaps ask if they have that same product in the back.
Then, you’ll see people in the street or the side of the road with food carts, selling Berber Bread or juice, and everything is out in the open. Although the bread is oh-so-delicious, you may want to avoid eating from carts like that because you don’t know how the person that’s selling it handles the food.
There are no sinks where they are, so they can constantly wash their hands, plus you’ll see flies swarming all around it. No, you don’t want that.
Additionally, in some countries, including Morocco, drinking tap water is unsafe, and you can get sick from its bacteria.
Watch out for the BG’s
Regardless, anytime you travel to a new country, there’s a good chance you’ll get the BG’s (bubble guts). That’s because other countries don’t have the same hygiene practices as we do in America and prepare the food differently.
And they may not wash their hands as frequently. Plus, they may use some ingredients you’ve never tried before.
I’ve been traveling to 3rd world countries for a long time (courtesy of the military), and I’ve experienced getting food poisoning in those countries. Rather it was from eating at a small restaurant or on base at the chow hall. Either way, the locals were preparing the food, and it sometimes made us sick.
Although I didn’t necessarily get sick from the food in Morocco, I did catch COVID in Oct 2021. Which is worse, I’d say.
There are many different ways I could’ve caught COVID. It could have been from sharing food with others, riding in the car with other travelers (without a mask), or talking to the locals (without a mask). I can’t pinpoint where I got it from, just be careful and don’t let your guard down.
6. Getting lost in the alleys at night
One of the top things to do in Marrakech is to explore Jemaa el-Fnaa square at night. At night the square comes alive and is stirring with crowds of people. You’ll see street entertainers, snake charmers, and women trying to tat you up with henna.
Plus, people are enjoying a good meal, at restaurants, and food stalls, while vibing to good music. Needless to say, this is the place to be at night.
However, mistakes to avoid in Morocco is getting lost in the alleys. Particularly, the alleys in Marrakech are like a maze; if you are not careful, it’s easy to get lost, especially at night.
We were leaving the square and trying to get back to our Riad, but somehow we lost our bearings and got lost in the alleys. Some of these alleys are eerily dark. Plus, no one is around in the alleys unless it’s someone lurking in the shadows.
Luckily my husband was there with us. I couldn’t imagine being lost in the alleys by myself or with my daughter. Women visitors sometimes are harassed in Marrakech, and I wouldn’t want to chance getting harassed or mugged at night, especially.
I wouldn’t have felt safe walking in the streets alone in the dark.
For this reason, before you go out to have a great night out, make sure you know the exact direction of where you need to go to get back to your room.
However, if where you venture to isn’t that close to your accommodation, then you should get a taxi back to your room. Make sure the taxi driver is legit and not trying to scam you.
I would advise you to get a taxi recommendation from your hotel staff and look up reputable companies online before you go anywhere.
7. Not visiting another city while in Morocco
Now, don’t get me wrong, Marrakech is incredible and one of the most popular cities to visit in Morocco. But, one of the top mistakes to avoid in Morocco is NOT visiting another city outside of Marrakech.
If you have more than a few days, I recommend you visit other areas in Morocco. One of the most famous things to do is trek the Sahara Desert. You could take a tour where you can camp in the desert and sleep under the stars.
Other places travelers frequent are Casablanca (a seaside city) or Chefchaouen (the Blue City). I didn’t get a chance to visit these two cities, but it’s on my bucket list.
However, if you stay for less than 3-5 days, you can take a day trip instead.
By taking a day trip, you won’t have to spend the night in another city or hours on the road.
For instance, my family thoroughly enjoyed taking a day trip into the Atlas Mountains. We loved the change of scenery from the bustling city streets to the peaceful countryside.
On our tour, we took a hike in the Atlas mountains, passing by Berber villages while getting a glimpse of how they live in the mountains.
We took this guided tour of the Atlas Mountains, and our guide was a local who grew up in the mountains. He was a fantastic tour guide, and I highly recommend this tour.
Check out my post here for more detailed info on our Atlas Mountain trip.
Click here to see rates and availability for the Atlas Mountains
8. Not Carrying Cash
One of the top mistakes to avoid in Morocco is NOT carrying cash. Morocco is mostly a cash country. Many shops and street vendors do not accept credit cards. You may find a few here and there, but you don’t want to take that chance.
Carrying the local currency, Moroccan Dirham is essential, plus it’ll help you not pay unwanted fees by using a debit or credit card at a shop.
While we were exploring Marrakech on our first day, we didn’t have enough cash to go inside an attraction. Luckily for us, our guide let us borrow money from him to enter.
Whew! I was stunned that this popular tourist attraction ONLY accepted cash money.
Not only that but make sure you understand the conversion rates of the US dollar to their currency.
Because if you are trying to haggle with a shop to purchase merchandise, you don’t want to be scammed because you don’t understand their currency. When they give you a price in MAD, you’ll want to know how much that is in US dollars.
That’s why I use a conversion app called Units on my phone to automatically convert my US dollar to their MAD. You can download this app or others similar to it for free before you travel.
To Convert or not to convert
However, if you don’t have an app, you can easily use google money converter. Still, remember that if you do not have cell service, you can’t look it up online.
Another money mistake to avoid is carrying all large bills. Try to break up the large bills into smaller ones asap because if you want to tip someone for helping you, you won’t give up too much money doing so.
The next mistake to avoid in Morocco is pulling out all of your money in front of people. We were at a restaurant drinking Mint Tea and asked for the bill. Then the waiter said one price, then my husband pulled out his wallet and all his money to sort out what to give him.
Then, ALL OF A SUDDEN, the waiter quickly increased the amount owed.
Crazy right?! If you pull out your money and show them how much you have, they will likely charge you more!
For this reason, pull out your money discreetly. Or have your cash in different slots in your wallet or purse so you won’t pull it all out at once.
9. Not solidifying your plans before traveling to Morocco
Sometimes it can be fun to take an unexpected trip to a new city. Right?! However, avoid the mistake of taking a spontaneous trip when traveling to Morocco.
Because traveling to Morocco isn’t like going to Vegas or Jamaica; you need to plan it out. It’s imperative to do your proper research in preparing for your trip to the Motherland.
As a travel blogger, I do as much research as possible to learn about the best things to do and what to expect. Yes, there are times when some mistakes will happen, regardless of how much research you do.
Still, being knowledgeable of where you are traveling is a game-changer.
First off, the locals will appreciate you doing your homework. Then, you won’t waste countless hours figuring out what to do when you get there.
Plus, you will likely get scammed if you know nothing about the country and what to look for.
Here are a few things to do while planning your trip to Morocco.
Book your transportation to and from the airport ahead of time. You can do this by going to this website here. If you wait until you show up at the airport, you could be setting yourself up for being overcharged for a ride to your accommodation.
Additionally, know what kind of activities you want to do in Morocco. When booking tours, ensure you book a reputable company and read the reviews. I like to do this by going to travel websites like this one. I booked all three tours through this company, and they didn’t disappoint me.
Knowing where you want to go is half the battle. Ultimately, mistakes to avoid in Morocco are not doing the proper research or preparing yourself for things to expect.
All in all, Morocco is a captivating country, and we loved traveling to Marrakech. If you do your homework and plan it out, you will have a fabulous time in their beautiful country.
I hope you learned some travel tips for mistakes to avoid in Morocco. Let me know in the comments below if you have anything to add.
Check out my post here to learn more about things to do in Marrakech, Morocco
Thank you so much. This was very helpful!
Your very welcome. I’m happy that my post on Morocco helped you. You should check out my other posts on Morocco.