{"id":28057,"date":"2023-02-06T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-05T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures?p=28057&preview=true&preview_id=28057"},"modified":"2025-03-18T01:36:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T14:36:08","slug":"morocco-travel-tips-and-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/morocco-travel-tips-and-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips and advice for first-time travellers to Morocco"},"content":{"rendered":"

Morocco, located at the tip of North Africa and just a breezy one-hour ferry ride from Spain, is home to over 35 million people and many, many camels. Once you arrive, it\u2019s a sensory smorgasbord, with the colours and aromas pulling you in all sorts of directions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Things are done a bit differently in Morocco<\/a>, and \u2018different\u2019 is an apt way to describe this increasingly popular destination, which is a hotbed of history, utterly delicious food, and its mixture of Amazigh (Berber), Arabian and European influences. First-time visitors may experience a bit of culture shock, but by doing some research and observing a few guidelines, you\u2019re bound to have a wonderful time.<\/p>\n

\"Travellers

Image by Annapurna Mellor<\/p><\/div>\n

Water<\/h2>\n

Something that all travellers will have to do in Morocco? Avoid the tap water. Tap water in Morocco contains a type of bacteria that can cause the Moroccan version of \u2018Bali belly\u2019. Moroccans themselves are tolerant to the bacteria and can drink the water without getting sick, but visitors\u2019 systems don\u2019t respond very well. Buying water is essential (even for brushing your teeth) if you want to avoid spending your trip admiring the tiles in your hotel\u2019s bathroom. Many hotels and restaurants provide filtered water stations, so bring a reusable bottle with you and fill up when you can, rather than buying water in plastic bottles.<\/p>\n

SEE THE BEST OF MOROCCO ON A 15-DAY SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Food<\/h2>\n
\"Two

Image by Annapurna Mellor<\/p><\/div>\n

Food in Morocco<\/a>\u00a0is incredible; we\u2019re talking fragrant tagines, hearty soups and stews, spiced couscous, delicate pastries, buttery bread and mint tea aplenty. Adventurous eaters should definitely try a camel burger from the medina in Fes, or a bowl of steaming hot snail in hot broth in Marrakech, and no trip to Morocco is complete without trying a fresh tangerine.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s best to avoid salads that have fresh, unpeeled fruit and vegetables; fruit and veggies that have been peeled and\/or cooked are generally fine and are recommended.<\/p>\n

Bargaining<\/h2>\n
\"Fes

Image by Mark Borton<\/p><\/div>\n

If you have the art of the haggle, Morocco is a buyer\u2019s paradise. Price tags are simply an option, which makes shopping in Morocco an extreme sport, where those with patience and the best debating skills will be well rewarded!<\/p>\n

As a general bargaining rule, whatever the opening offer is, propose half; from that point, the real games begin. Here are some top tips to scoring a bargain:<\/p>\n