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Morocco Tourist Traps


Tips and photos of Morocco tourist attractions and tourist traps, posted by real travelers and Morocco locals.
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Photo of individuals
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  • JLBG
  • By JLBG on May 12, 2004
  • Morocco Page by JLBG
  • Morocco Tourist Traps
    by JLBG
    Do not try to take photos of people by surprise (when YOU are the local, do you appreciate if tourists take a photo of you without asking ?). If you take a general photo, take care that nobody is in the foreground. If you take a closer view (shop), always ask. In touristy areas, the answer will often be negative, unless you have bought something in the shop. Sometimes, the individual will ask for a tip. In that case, you have better not take the picture. In non touristy places (look at my Rabat page), you will be surprised that most accept. Some prefer to hide while you take the photo, others will be glad to appear on your photo and will be even happier if you write down their name and address to send them the photo (don't forget to do it !)

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    Clothing ?
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  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 7, 2004
  • Morocco Page by JLBG
  • Any tourist here ? - Morocco
    Any tourist here ?
    by JLBG
    First timer often ask ''how should I clothe in Morocco ?" (especially females). As I wrote in my introduction, Morocco is a land of contrasts and even contradictions. So is the answer to that question : it depends where and it depends how you want to be considered. First of all, as everywhere else in the world, wearing a bathing suit will of course be strictly restricted to bathing areas. If you visit the main touristy places and stay in hotels for tourist only (Moroccan and foreign), you might consider that there is not really any dress code. It is true that nobody will react to your outfit, which ever it is and will say anything about it. However, the more you will show your skin (legs, arms, shoulders), the more you will be considered as a tourist. If you want to be considered as a foreign visitor who knows and respect the use of the country, you will avoid shorts, extensive cleavage, nude shoulders and even bare arms. If you wander around the country and visit ''out of the beaten path" places, this advice is a must, though, even in those places, nobody will say anything wrong to you if you are clothed in a ''touristy" fashion, but you will be looked at as an alien from another planet !

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    Taxis
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  • blint
  • Updated By blint on September 21, 2007
  • Morocco Page by blint
  • Roman Ruins near Meknes - Morocco
    Roman Ruins near Meknes
    by blint
    There are two types of taxi: petit city taxi's or taxi's that take you to other towns.

    As a foreigner you will be over charged. Don't always take the first one that comes, ask a couple to compare prices first and always ask the estimated price or settle on a price before getting in. To go from the bus station to the port in Tanger is should cost around 8-10 drm. One guy tried to charge us 20 which as you can see is well above the average.

    The main problem with the inter town taxi's is that you will probably end up sharing your taxi with 5 others plus the driver. This is the norm, with 4 in the back and two on the front seat plus the driver and I'm not talking about a van but a very old Mercedes. As they are sold as seats, if you don't fancy this you could always buy up all the seats for you, though this is the expensive option especially as taxis aren't much safer, newer or more comfortable than the buses (though many buses are horrific). I was worried that the taxi drivers were going to speed along dangerous mountain paths which is another reason I didn't consider this option.

    My advice is if you have the money to spend on a private taxi hire a car instead.

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    Clothing again !
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  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 7, 2004
  • Morocco Page by JLBG
  • or may be here ? - Morocco
    or may be here ?
    by JLBG
    Always look at how locals are clothed (in European style of course) and clothe at the same time to be yourself and to adjust to the local practice. Don't try to dress in local clothes or for women, to wear a local scarf. You would draw much more attention that if your were clothed in a regular but decent style.

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    Extreme poverty !
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  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 7, 2004
  • Morocco Page by JLBG
  • Morocco Tourist Traps
    by JLBG
    Don't forget that extreme poverty is often closer to places you visit than you might think (look at my Rabat page). After a travel in Morocco, you may have the feeling that the country is modern, relatively wealthy and not very different from home. This is right. But as Morocco is a land of contrast extreme poverty do exist too. Do not photography extreme poverty but don't forget it exists !!
    Look at my page on %L[http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/6ce90/202ffe/6/
    ] Rabat

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    Carpet shops - visit our 'exposition'!!
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  • angiebabe
  • Updated By angiebabe on February 23, 2009
  • Morocco Page by angiebabe
  • So many carpets are made in Morocco - they are mass produced in places such as Tazenakht and distributed to carpet shops all over the country - many are made though by women with their own hands and in cooperatives and can be very beautiful, colourful, cultural stimulating and rewarding, and a good quality product to have at home to add to your taste or warm your feet!

    It would seem that 3/4 of the population are looking for ways to make some money any way they know how - and involving tourists or visitors to Morocco - so guess what if youre doing a tour or gaining any friendship with hotel staff - you will be taken to an 'exposition'! - you might think this sounds an interesting introduction to local arts and crafts or tribal peculiarities of the area - but though a first-time intro visit is worth doing to learn the symbols and traditons of carpets amongst the various tribes and living environments - it really just means a carpet shop - and mercilessly they will try their cheaper commercial carpets on the non-knowing first - at as big a price as possible.

    Do sit in and experience the rigmarole even just once and in most cases learn a thing or two about carpets - just Dont be too kind or naiive - they are mercilessly after your money at any cost - imagine that carpet that they tell is worth 5000 dirham - its probably only worth 500 dirham or if worth more than that its been bought from a hard working woman for a meagre 700 dirham!!

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    Telephone
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  • JLBG
  • By JLBG on February 6, 2005
  • Morocco Page by JLBG
  • Morocco Tourist Traps
    by JLBG
    In Morocco, it is easy to find a place from where to telephone. In the cities, public telephones are everywhere. There are also telephone shops with several booth.

    Beware : when you buy a telephone card it will work either into the public telephones or in the telephones of a shop but they are different. Moreover, it will work in a given shop but not in the one next street.

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    Alone ?
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  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 7, 2004
  • Morocco Page by JLBG
  • Morocco Tourist Traps
    by JLBG
    Don't forget that even in the most remote places, where you feel you are completely alone, you will most of the time soon have visitors, friendly but curious. It may take a few minutes, ten minutes or sometimes more but there is very little chance that you will not have a visit.

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    Everyone wants to be your personal tour guide
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  • jillzi
  • By jillzi on November 26, 2003
  • Morocco Page by jillzi
  • Never buy when the store name ends in O-Rama - Morocco
    Never buy when the store name
    ends in O-Rama
    by jillzi
    When exiting the train you will have at least five people approach you to be your personal tour guide. They say it's not safe for a woman to walk around by herself(True and False). They will take you to all of the shops and the sites. Just be warned that they will get a cut on purchase that you make. Oh, and they are very friendly with their clients(Good and Bad). It's nice to have a friendly tour guide, but it's a bit much when the store owner leans over to give you a kiss, Between my friend and I, we received at least five marriage proposals.

    I was there in 1992. Maybe things have changed. The tour guide was not a bad idea as long as you know what to expect.

    When our tour guide took us to this carpet store I was able to have a carpet custom made in any color I chose. I think I was duped because I paid $1200 for a carpet in a third world country(da!!). I was told that I could make monthly payments on my credit card and I signed 12 Visa slips for $100 each. When I left the store they processed all of the Visa slips at once. It maxed out my credit card and I had a hard time booking transportation and hotels during the rest of my stay. The charges were disputed and dropped. Just know that you are not in Kansas anymore and everyone is not as innocent as your Aunti Em.

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    Too much.....so much......
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  • angiebabe
  • Updated By angiebabe on May 29, 2009
  • Morocco Page by angiebabe
  • ....sleeping around of tourists with the locals - especially out in the desert area and auberges of the Merzouga sahara area.

    Theres a mixture of women particularly who go there because they know the young local guys who work out in the desert area are always on the look out for 'opportunities' and younger or older women who are naiive enough to believe their stories that they are special and that they are or will be the only one.

    The ones who are just travelling through and dont mind one night stands are bad enough because they dont think about the ongoing effects of these young guys forming attitudes and ideas that this is normal western behaviour - their own women have to stay chaste until marriage and once married, particularly in this area, are bound within society to conform to expectations of their roles to stay at home with the family until their husband comes home - nor do they think about the fact that these men may have wives and children at home.

    Yet these guys are off out enjoying the freedom of being out away from the eyes of the townsfolk - doing whatever they can with the independence that women or men travellers have.

    The naiive women travellers will be preyed upon for potential ongoing relationships - because these are rather lucrative - talking them into taking them with them on their travels around Morocco for a further free supply of what they might pay for in town - free holidays away from town - and of which their egos are kept pumped up especially when meeting fellow friends on their travels with their foreigners - and even better being able to ply them with the poor desert/poor Rissani story and getting whatver they need supplied - such as some money to take home to their family to show theyve been away working, clothes, cameras, phones, even cars and auberges - whatever the relationship will behold. Many actually end up with marriages and visas out the country and eventually passports to freedom. Many of these guys Ive known to be engaged with fiances from other countries while being seen out travelling around Morocco with their other girlfriends or short term 'travelling companions'.

    The Lonely Planet talks about the juggling that goes on - I couldnt believe it really but Ive seen it with my own eyes and on a very grande scale - it defiinitely goes on - and I mean Ive seen many guys who are friends of my friends and acquaintances who I know have longterm girlfriends or fiances or even since got married and waiting for their visas - but have say 3 of them and then when I stay at their auberges they have had a night stand with a different person each night and then a girlfriend arrives to stay for a week or so....

    But its not only women tourists - its also men who go looking for young guys who will do anything for money that is offered.

    And once you get into the click of these people you get to hear what are their drives in life - they are sweet and charming and enjoy good companionship and meeting people and learning languages and being involved, are entertaining and vibrant but with that comes an attitude that sex is just as food and money is - from whoever it is obtained from does not matter as long as it is obtained and the more the better. and with that the meaning of honesty has a whole totally different concept.

    Be aware you are not the only one. A spanish guy up in Chefchouen said it so well - Moroccan guys are so different to European men - dont ever expect them to be faithful if you are not right there beside them all the time because they think that because they are men they are entitled to be with any woman they want.

    Go and enjoy the beauty that is there so profoundly and so abundant around Morocco - but respect the locals - think of the local women - listen to your instincts - if you want a relationship with integrity then think twice about one here - as you will very rarely ever be the only one.

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