1. It’s expensive
Without sugar coating it, Morocco has a very high cost of living. Perhaps not for travelers coming from first world countries with strong currencies, but for South Africans Morocco is not cheap. Even the souks and street food felt expensive. You obviously bargain and haggle literally everything, but still the prices are seldom good. Typical shops like Zara and McDonalds left us wondering how the people have clothes never mind smashing a Big Mac.
Having said that, at least we bought an amazing carpet for a good price (a fifth of the original price) and we’re chuffed.
2. Camels are NOT comfortable
When imagining a caravan of camels on the horizon, you never really pay attention to the person walking just in front of the camels. There is a reason for this, you see locals know camels are a bumpy ride and it’s much better for carrying goods. To say it’s uncomfortable is an understatement. It is, however, an experience you should probably have when visiting, especially if you are taking a desert tour. We recommend taking the camel only one-way and opting for a jeep the next day. Side note: brace yourself for their stomach growls!
3. Everyone drinks a lot of tea, from China.
That’s right, the famous Moroccan mint tea that partners almost all social interactions is imported from China. Due to the arid climate they do not grow their own tea, they have however figured out how to brew it to perfection.
4. Morocco is a skiing and surfing destination
Yes Morocco has beaches, it’s not all desert. If you are not an avid skier of surfer, you probably wouldn’t associate Morocco as a destination for either of these activities. To our surprise some travelers come here specifically for this.
The most popular surfing areas are located between Essaouira and Agadir, if you are looking for less crowds head even further south. In terms of skiing, the most famous destination is Oukaimeden about 75km outside of Marrakech. If you are an adventurous and experienced skier, you can also head to Tazaghart.
5. The locals don’t like their photo to be taken.
Unlike India, the Moroccans are not keen on having their photos taken. Perhaps due to religious reasons or just being a little bit less of a friendly nation. We recommend you always ask first and accept that mostly the answer will be no, if you just take a picture without asking expect some very upset faces. We still took some really great street scene photos, from a bit further away.
