Morocco Local Customs

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Most Viewed Local Customs in Morocco

101.

Djellabas and kaftans   Marrakesh

Djellabas and kaftans, Marrakesh

 6 Reviews   The traditional Moroccan dress for both men and women is this long hooded garment known as a djellaba. It seems very practical – the body is protected from weather and from the dirt of the street,... 

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102.

Bargain!   Marrakesh

Bargain!, Marrakesh

 9 Reviews  When in Marrakesh expect to have to haggle for everything! Some general tips: - Have a maximum price in mind for the item and offer slightly below it. - If they offer you a ridiculously high price... 

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103.

Henna Ladies   Marrakesh

Henna Ladies, Marrakesh

 3 Reviews  Moroccan ladies desperate to paint henna designs on foreigners' hands and feet seem to be everywhere in the Medina, with the biggest concentration in el Djemaa el Fna. There are two types: natural... 

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104.

Moroccan Wine   Marrakesh

Moroccan Wine, Marrakesh

 2 Reviews  Despite the huge growth in tourism in Marrakech, it's still surprisingly difficult to find places selling alcohol, especially in the medina. On our last night in the city, we wanted to get some wine... 

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105.

Moroccan music   Marrakesh

Moroccan music, Marrakesh

 3 Reviews  The Jmaa El Fna square is a UNESCO heritage site, largely due to the story tellers that pass on stories in Arabic, but also note the musicians and various other stalls. However, be prepared to pay a... 

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106.

Water man   Marrakesh

Water man, Marrakesh

 2 Reviews  Around the Medina and some of the historical sites you will see men in funny looking attire with brass cups hanging off them. These are water men who supply the locals with water usually from local... 

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107.

Public Baths   Marrakesh

Public Baths, Marrakesh

 2 Reviews  Hamman Ziani is just down the road from Palais Bahia. It is a traditional style Hamman catering for tourists. 80Dh for Hammam, Steam, Gommage and Soaping - compared to 150 Dh at our hotel spa. I took... 

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108.

Taking Photos   Marrakesh

Taking Photos, Marrakesh

 1 Review  This advice isn't unique to Morocco, but it's the first time I've been brave enough to try it and it worked a treat: I always look in travel magazines and books and am amazed at the magnificent... 

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109.

The Pink City   Marrakesh

The Pink City, Marrakesh

 1 Review  Well all the houses inside and, nearly all outside are pink ... why??? well the material with wich the outside wall makes the wall be pink, ... nowadays people MUST by law paint their houses that way... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Sitting on the side of the street....

by blint

Watching the cars roll by...Maybe there were more because it was Ramadam and all the cafe's were closed, but I think it is a general habit for the people to go and sit outside their houses or along the streets or near by fields in the afternoon and do nothing but chat and be with their friends and family. You can still see this to some extent in small towns in the South of Spain, but nothing like this!!! EVERYONE was out and about, sitting anywhere they could! Men and women, though they tended to sit separately. Maybe someone can tell me if I'm right to say that it wasn't just because it was Ramadam. Though I'm sure there were far more people because of this Festival where no one can eat or drink during the day therefore all restaurants and Cafes are closed. Men would normally spend their afternoons relaxing in a cafe drinking mint tea. In some places during Ramadam you even saw men...

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Language

by JLBG

The two languages spoken in Morocco are arab and berber (several dialects). Most travelers don't speak any of them. Anyhow, learning some arab might help in some ''out of the beaten path'' places.All educated Moroccan speak French (and/or Spanish in the north and around Sidi Ifni). In touristy areas, they will also practice English, sometimes German. But in remote places, small villages, you can find people that do not speak any foreign language. However, there will usually be in the vicinity someone speaking some French and that will help. If you don't speak French and that you want to go "out of the beaten path" it will be difficult to communicate unless you are clever in gesture language !

Bargaining in Morocco, pt 1 - Big Ticket Items

by JamalMorelli

You MUST bargain. Do it, baby. Make me proud.>So, here's Jamjam's strategy. (Warning: It's just mine...)1) I put on a "I smell donkey" face before I enter, possibly looking a little tired.2) When I pick something up (spec. what I want) I ask "What is this?" (my tone says "Who would want this?") I listen while turning my attention to something else.3) Turn back to the desired object - how much is it? >Now, one way to find out what the real price might be is this - ask how much it would be to buy about ten of them. Now watch what happens to the price. Pull your packed wallet and ask for a business card. Did he see your money? Put the card away. Let him know you will be in touch. And how much is it for twenty? The same as for ten? It doesn't change? It does. By now, you will be asked a price. Don't answer. Say something like "I don't even know what it is. Just wanted to get something...

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Clothes - pt 1 What shall you wear?

by JamalMorelli

What shall you wear? What shall you wear? I will build here - LOOK THROUGH THE FOUR photos below to get an idea of how people dress.That's as good as the advice will get here. Stop reading. Dress tips are all with the idea of being non-offensive. If you don't care about the over a thousand years of culture which asks modesty of those who live within it - you da one wit' all the BIG money, you colonial mac, you. Show 'im where to stuff their ways with a hitched up mini and then call them animals when they respond with wolf whistles.Now - Wait. That was really bad advice that I don't subscribe to. Actually, if the cootch revealing miniskirt IS you... well...um...if you could... maybe stay in anyone of the biggies: such as (but not only) Marrakesh, Casa, Agadir and Essaouria.BUT THERE IS HOPE for the Tourist for whom there's no place like home:If the current waves of global change and a...

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Taking photos

by jlynyc

Before taking any photographs of local Moroccans, ask their permission, as many do not wish to have their photos taken. Indeed, if you do snap a photo, they may come after you, either demanding that you destroy the photo (not so difficult as long as you've got a digital camera) or requesting money in return. A few dirham (10) should be sufficient. The water sellers, snake charmers and monkey men in Jemma el F'na in Marrakech will likely demand more. A snake charmer draped a snake around my boyfriend's neck and took a photo, without us even asking for one, and then demanded 200 dirham. We offered 10 dirham or would erase the photo - he accepted the 10 dirham.To avoid this hassle altogether, you can also grab a drink or a bite to eat at one of the restaurants that border the Jemma el F'na - from the 2nd floor terraces you can take photos of the people in the square.

Argan trees and oil

by sachara

When you travel in Morocco in the area around Agadir look out for the goats climbing in the trees. In the this area grows the tree named argan (Argania spinosa). This tree is unique to Morocco and produces a fruit like an olive, which is pressed for oil. The oil can be used for cooking and the body.The goats like the argan too and it is not unusual to see the goats climbing in the branches to eat the leaves (picture 1). During all our trips in the area we saw goats acting this way, so you can't miss it. Also there are several places along the road where you can see the production of argan oil (picture 2, 3 & 4) and buy the products (picture 5).

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Breakfast Moroccan style

by sachara

When I was in Agadir I made a trip with Moroccan friends to the Paradise Valley, having breakfast en route. We had a stop at a restaurant in Tamraght 15 KM north of Agadir along the coastal road. Though it was not on the menu, my friends ordered breakfast Moroccan style for the four of us.We had delicious round local bread. It looks and tasted like my favourite bread baked in the saharan sands during my deserttrips. We dipped the bread in the plates with honey, olive oil, argan oil and very fresh goat cheese and of course we drunk fresh mint tea (picture 1). It was my best breakfast those days.Med and Hassan ordered harissa for themselves. I know harissa (soup) as we know soup.... salty. Their pale morning harissa did not look like soup at all (picture 2). I tried it, it tasted like porridge, meaning it was porridge made of flour.

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Eating Out in Morocco

by Bernhadette

While visiting the café is a common pastime of Moroccan men, going out to dinner to a restaurant (especially as a "tête-à-tête" of a couple) is not very common. In Morocco, the prefered place for enjoying a dinner is the home, in the circle of the family. Often friends or relatives are invited. So in smaller towns you will find mostly tourists and transient travellers at the restaurants, not the local families. But in the last few years dining out has become more fashionable, especially for the youth and the well off Moroccans in the larger cities. In Rabat, Casablanca and Fès, for example, you can find a whole range of restaurants with dishes from countries from all over the world.

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The Salon Marocain

by Bernhadette

A very important part of the Moroccan house or apartment is the salon. Here, in the best room, visitors are received and large festivities and family reunions are held. Every Moroccan regards it as the center of hospitality and social life. Its decoration is every "marocaine's" pride and joy. In some houses, especially the large ones, the salon is a room or even a hall of its own. In others it's part of the living room. Whether small or large, they all have a certain structure in common. Along the walls there are sofas or comfortably cushioned and padded (sheep wool) benches with a backrest, coated with expensive fabrics. The little tables in front of the benches or sofas, are often beautifully ornated and serve for setting down the tea and sweets. The walls are decorated, usually with the traditional "zellije" (hand cut tile) ornaments. But there are also more European-style wall...

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The Disco: In General, A Whorehouse

by JamalMorelli

Well, that's not polite. But generally, it is true. Unlike the States, where a gal usually goes out dancing and can often go home alone, here in Morocco the bar has a more streamlined utility - get tanked, pay for your date, have sex with her. The live music is rarely more than a keyboard player with a drum machine, the disco itself would be an embarassment to Tony Manero.So as not to appear to be catering to mongers, it works like this1) Go to Disco2) Pick a girl (who is available)3) Have an expensive drink with her (one "bar" in Casa has any bottle for you...at 800 dirhams)4) Set a price on your date - agree - you're offNo more details than that, I'm not sorry to say. This isn't an ad. It's more like a "here's what to expect - and here's what is expected of you" kinda tip.

Top 3 Hotels in Morocco

Riad Kniza  Marrakesh

 2 Reviews and 563 Opinions  Beautifully decorated room, cozy aura, clean bathroom, delicious food and warmhearted staff. I got... 

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Hyatt Regency  Casablanca

 5 Reviews and 137 Opinions  I worked very hard during the day in a office witout air conditioned. You can understand how I was... 

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Villa Maroc  Essaouira

 4 Reviews and 152 Opinions  Suites #27, #29,#30 are built around an open central light well. There is no way to insulate any of... 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hi all, I am a woman traveling solo and would like to take a tour (for safety reasons) to Morocco. I would prefer a small,... 

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