Things to Know Before Travelling to Morocco

Be it the hustle of the Marrakesh Medina, the glory of the Hassan II Mosque, the colors of the Chefchaouen, the splendor of Essaouira or the beauty of the Erg Chebbi, Morocco is filled with the best experiences and attractions for tourists. That is why more than 11 million tourists visited Morocco last year! Morocco is Special That already establishes how special Morocco is. But Morocco is special in more than just one sense. Everything about Morocco from its climate, that can range from very hot summers to fairly cold winters, to its people and religion are special. So, when you do decide to do a Moroccan vacationmake sure you know some essentials about Morocco. We are here to help with this list: 1. Your Dresses While you can explore every corner of Morocco as a tourist, you must keep in mind that dressing could be an issue here. While men find that they have flexibility to show skin, women do not. Therefore, it is important that you dress conservatively as a woman. Furthermore, always keep a shawl or scarf to cover your head, especially when you hear the call to prayer. 2. Currency When it comes to currency and money, be sure to have paper money on you all the time. This is because the essence of Moroccan shopping is in the bazars. These bazars comprise of small stalls that do not have card machines to charge your card for you and demand payment in money. More importantly, always plan ahead and exchange your currency in advance. Why? Because the ATMs in Morocco can be a hassle and run out of cash pretty often. While you are at it, do not forget to always keep change with you when you go out in Morocco. The cab drivers really do not keep change and you do not want to be overpaying everywhere you go. 3. Not Every Guide is Friend As a tourist, you are gullible and everyone wants to take advantage of that. Therefore, you might find local guides that would rush out to help you not only explore but also buy and haggle with prices. Do not trust them. Get a guide from a reliable place and have them teach you the local customs rather than take care of them for you. 4. Fridays Fridays are a holy day in every Muslim country and Morocco is no different. You will observe a flock of men rushing to the mosques in shalwar kameez on the day. But what you should really be careful of is the fact that the markets and exchange centers will be closed on Fridays. So, plan ahead for Fridays. However, if you do want to explore mosques, remember that you will only be allowed inside the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. Just remember to not rush there during the time of the Friday prayers when the biggest of mosques will have around 105,000 people inside to pray. 5. Pictures! Yes, you are a tourist and taking pictures is what you do, be a little considerate. Not everyone you find will be willing to pose for pictures for you and hence will not appreciate when you take their pictures without their permissions. In fact, you might even have to pay to take some pictures. 6. Everyone Loves Cats At least 5 out of 10 times when you are standing in a bazar, you will find a cat snuggling up to your leg and trying to have you pat their back. Morocco is filled with stray cats and they do not seem to mind. Everyone feeds them and pets them. While most people love these cats, you must carry anti-allergic medicines if you are allergic to felines. Plus, remember to wash your hands before having food; you cannot afford to fall sick in a foreign country. Final Word Although this is an awful lot to remember, make sure that you keep all these in mind before you actually decide to visit Morocco. Rest assured, you will love Morocco no matter how many times you visit the country. Do not let all this discourage you from visiting the mrn