Tangier Warnings Or Dangers

At the beginning I was annoyed with all the people talking to us and I confused with hassling, later on I realise most of them want conversation, specially after telling them that I had lived there and I had been with the Zoco nun´s (the Calcuta sisters) and stayed in Casa Ria nuns. It is true I only stayed for one week, but it was my best friend who lived there for two years while helping the nuns. But the only way to avoid them asking you to be your guides is to tell them you know where you are going. I did not wanted to spend my day looking the shops they wanted to show me LOL and after so long time I still remembered the area

With the shop attendants that stop you to enter, nothing works LOL they always have an answer (it reminds me my mother!!), if you say “I have no money” they will say “just look”, it does nto matter what you say … they will find an answer ;-) so if you really do not want anything, just do not ask for prices or look as you will finish buying something !

If you are looking for the typical Mediterranean resort, you better check other possibilities, in Morocco not all restaurants offer alcohol and being drunk is not well seen, for that kind of vacations you better choose another country.

Be careful when travelling on your own or in a couple in the Medina. I was led up a blind alley by a guide who then pulled out a knife and demanded cash. Although I was petrified I stood my ground and said no. He then scarpered when someone else came up the alleyway.

I noticed many bars and night clubs, not so many as in European Mediterranean resorts but many more than in any other destination in Morocco. In most of them, however, the majority of Moroccan women were prostitutes or... they at least looked as prostitutes. Maybe in few high class discos/bars things go different way.

I was told that Tangier is the place in Morocco with highest rates of HIV - positives. Paid sex (I mean prostitutes) is easy available in many nightclubs but it is NOT my recommendation - isn't it unsexy by the way? Maybe there are any better sex destinations closer to your place? Maybe your own bed...

Just in case... do not make a mistake and don't believe that normal use of contraceptives is unnecessary, simply because you're in a Muslim country.

Well, I was not going to stay at night in Tangier. But, being highly flexible, when I noticed proud commercial Hotel somewhere off the beaten path in the medina I entered poor and simply room (a lobby?) with large writing on a wall: "no strangers allowed into the rooms" and I asked a guy about room for two. He was talking a lot in strange language (mix of Arabic, French and English) and showed us the best room with no bathroom at the best price ($7 or so). The room was very basic with... dirty bedding and window glass. Better don't ask me about the shared restroom/toilet... I saw something like this only in the former Soviet Union many years before...

Conclusion: skip the cheapest hotels or pensions in the Tangier's medina or take more time to look for a clean one and do not except to find any.

Stay in more expensive hotels (numerous but in high season reservation in advance recommended) or drive to Asilah like I did. I paid approx. $12 - $20 for simple room for two at clean local hotels, whereas touristy, at least 3-star, hotels cost over $50 in Morocco.

Ok, I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt going into Tangier after all the horror stories I heard. It wasn't nearly as bad as I prepared for but it definitely has its share of hassles. My biggest conscern were the taxi drivers that didn't have your interest as their upmost priority.

I picked up a taxi driver from the train station and gave the name of a pension that was recommended to me. The first taxi driver admitted he didn't know where it was so I told him i'd find another. The second one claimed he knew where it was and then took me on a joyride through Tangier eventually stopping at some other pension offering to drop me off here. I told him absolutely not. Tangier is wild and exciting but at this point I just wanted a place to drop my bags. He pulled off and started driving around again, the meter was rising and I was getting anxious. The driver pulled a small vile out of his pocket with powder on it and proceded to snort it off his hand. This was the final straw. I asked him to let me out and didn't even worry about the amount of money I really owed him. I just tossed him a 5EUR bill which was the smallest I had on me and didn't care about change. I just wanted out of that taxi.

We were on a group tour of Tangier, and halfway through walking down in the medina, one old lady decided she did not want to continue, and she turned round to go back to the bus. Lesson number one - always tell the guide if you are leaving the group.

The bus was no longer at the drop-off point - it had driven around the medina and was meeting us at the bottom. Lesson number two - always make sure you know where the bus will be.

Fortunately, the old lady had her wits about her, and had taken a taxi from the medina back to the hotel, and she was there waiting for us when we returned with the bus, much to her friend's relief. Lesson number three - always make sure you have the name and address of the hotel written on a pice of paper with you - preferably also in Arabic. Also make sure you have enough money on you for a taxi!

Please be aware of false guides in Tangier.
I have been warned by VT-members before
shipping in to Tangier, and what happened?
Still an old man snatched me, carried my
luggage, helped me store it - I had 6 hours
left until the train left to Rabat - and I was
already following him to the Medina of
Tangier. Suddenly he said he was finished,
I should visit the new part of the city myself,
and he demanded about 30 Euros. My
first time in an African country, I was scared
and hesitantly gave him the money. I did
not want to be impolite or make him mad
or shout words at me. Yet I regret it nowadays. On my way back, I acted wiser though!
As far as I know Tangier - even among
Moroccans - has a bad reputation. Many
dubious people, false guides, drug-dealers,
etc. The city itself does not offer a very picturesque view, despite the warm
Mediterranean sea.
On my way back, I saw many people at
the port offering me tickets back to Spain.
I knew immediately that those were forgers.
Be aware of that, too! Go straight to the
office responsible.