Morocco

[Osiris]

Hey, I have the potential opportunity to head over to Morocco for a couple weeks here in the near future. I haven't made up my mind as to whether or not I'll actually go, so I'm looking for opinions. Anyone been there recently? Not a DP, but I'm curious to hear what people have to say.

[rickshaw92]

I went in 94. It was the first 3rd world country I had been to and the hassle I had to put up with from the moment I stepped off the ferry in Tangiers till I finally got outta there a week later was over the top. The locals are a bunch of lying, thieving assholes. Marakesh was nice enough and the food was decent though.

[vagabond]

I was there for a month back in summer 2002 so nothing recent sorry. At the time, it was cheap as hell. It was also my first '3rd world' place as I was mainly touring around Spain/Portugal that summer. For the most part, the harassment wasn't too hard to put up with but was constant in some of the larger cities. I even picked up one technique for gaining someone's attention that they use which is hissing at you. It's actually rather effective. Anyway...

My route (with notes):

Ferried from Tarifa to Ceuta - I wanted to avoid the mess in Tangier that I had heard about. Ceuta didn't seem much better. From the port you walk out a gate into a massive area that is a parking lot/taxi rank. This is your first raping until you understand the prices of things (which you should research before going so you can bargain better). This was also the first place I learned about the whole "fill the taxi" concept of third world transportation. There was probably also a bus or something somewhere I could take but I was 18 and pretty dumb.

Ceuta - Tetouan - Chefchaoun - I took the cab south and stopped in Tetouan to go to the ATM. The cab driver got freaked by some sketchy people hanging out near the ATM and hurried me back into the cab. Tetouan seemed kinda crap and dodgy in general. We made our way through the mountains out to Chefchaoun. It was nice other than the plastic bags decorating the hillsides.

Chefchaoun - Really nice small town. Lots of hiking around. Also lots of kif and hash. I slept on the roof of the hotel for about $2-3 night. Was a very low key place at the time.

Fes - Decent enough place. The old city was pretty crazy, functioning medieval style place. You're due for pretty constant harassment but if you can put up with it lots to see. Some decent hikes to ruins outside of town. The new city is modern and relatively hassle-free. I had wanted to go to Meknes and see the Roman ruins from here but didn't get a chance.

Erfoud/Merzouga - This is where most people head out to the Sahara. I stayed in a little fort out here with some other folks. We did a day and night camel ride out to an oasis (around $35-40). Was very bare basic but cool place and the scenery was great. Sandstorms are fun (if you're not caught out in it). There was one dodgy operation that, when we got to Erfoud initially, tried to kidnap us and make us stay at their fort vs the one we actually wanted to try. We got them to take us where we wanted to go and even had to help dig the car out of the sand on the way.

Tinerhir - Stayed here after leaving Merzouga. Went hiking through the Todra gorges which were pretty cool and remote. Very pretty area/drive in this region too as desert meets water and so there's stunning greenery amongst the hard parched rock.

Boumaine de Dades - Also a nice oasis/river town. Not much to see but tranquil.

Marrakesh - Big town. Djama al'Fna is rather crazy. If you go in a little distance you can find nice, cheap hotels to stay (I think I paid maybe $7-8). Definitely felt like Casablanca at times with the French colonial architecture outside the medina. The drive here from Boumaine de Dades/Oauzazarte was cool as you go over the High Atlas and can even see Mt Toubkal. Marrakesh was a decent place to relax if a tad boring and overtouristy.

Essaouira - This was a cool small town. Big wide beach to the south of the main old town. I took kite surfing lessons here, about $100 for 4 days of instruction (about 2 hrs ea.). Obviously, a lot windy and chillier than other parts of the country so you'll want to over a jumper at night. You can take buses to beaches further south that have no one other than locals running around on horses. Even further south you hit the more touristed surf/windsurf spots of Agadir and the like.

Casablanca - Was there for 5 minutes but was a bit too big and hustle and bustle for me at the time. Left immediately to Rabat.

Rabat - Pleasant place, clean, orderly. Boring. There were a few things I wanted to see but I left after two nights and went up to Asilah.

Asilah - Tiny coastal town not far from Tangier on the Atlantic side. Very nice place but w/ pricey accommodation. A city south of it called Larache is also supposed to be a similarly nice beach town.

Getting out - from Asilah, I took the early morning bus to Tangier then a cab to the port. I guess on the way out there's not much harassment (or maybe they cleaned it up) but there were no touts to be spotted and the facilities were very nice and organized. Took the ferry across to Algeciras from which I immediately got the gut-feeling of "dodgy shithole" and went to the train station and caught a train to Granada.

Hope that helps.

[Osiris]

Thanks guys! Every little bit helps. I haven't really traveled since 2008 other than to Wisconsin to buy fireworks and to Canada for the sake of crossing the border in the boundary waters.

[vagabond]

Thanks guys! Every little bit helps. I haven't really traveled since 2008 other than to Wisconsin to buy fireworks and to Canada for the sake of crossing the border in the boundary waters.

No worries. I'm in the same boat (last major trip was 6 months in 08) and chafing at the bit to get out and back on the road asap.

I'm sure Morocco has changed a bit in the decade since I've been there but it was overall a beautiful, pleasant place and fairly cheap ($10-15/day) at the time. Enjoyed spending star-filled nights on rooftops chatting w/ people and listening to the muezzin calls echoing around the city in the early morning as well as the quiet of the desert.

[Athena]

I was there about three years ago, and found it pretty easy. The infrastructure is very well developed, so getting around overland is no problem. We had two teenaged girls along, one of whom is an exceptional beauty, and didn't even have cultural problems.

The ferry into Tangiers wasn't bad. Consider the security trade-off of a night arrival, when the terminal is less crowded. (You have to seriously think through what you're doing if you do go that route.) Marrakesh is crowded and a lot of fun. That's a place to spend some extra money on your quarters, as you may want a reprieve from time to time. It would be hard to make a bad choice. My favorite roof top bar got blown up last year, so I don't have any particular tourist hangouts to suggest. The train into Cassablanca is cheap, even for a sleeper. Although when we went someone in-country had to make our advance reservation; I don't know if that is still the case. The food in Cassablana is exceptional, and there's something at every price point. I didn't have good luck with hotels there though. For security, a local place makes sense. But even as a flexible and seasoned travel nut, I have to say the low-key places I saw were dumpy and dingy.

[gnaruki]

I bumbled around Tangiers for a few days five years ago. Good food, no problems except for the occasional beggar annoyance.

A friend of mine spent three weeks there last summer and had a blast. He rented a car and cruised around I could get some recommendations off him.

[Osiris]

That would be awesome if you could. A week in Florida followed by a couple weeks in Morocco. 2012 is looking badass!

[vagabond]

That would be awesome if you could. A week in Florida followed by a couple weeks in Morocco. 2012 is looking badass!

Here's some Essaouira: http://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/cities/coastal-town-of-essaouira

[castros_bro]

Was there last year in Marrakesh (before the bomb went off ) good place to start, hotels, hot water, food, beer. Lock your bag up in the hotel store, don yer skeggie gear and go to Sahara desert, Atlas mountains, Timbucktu etc. Get you bag on the way back and give your skeggie stuff to a local.

[SandyG]

I go there often last there 2 months ago.

If you go to Marakech the stay in a Riad dont worry about getting lost in the maze that is the old town just bimble about and you will eventually come out on the Square. just ignore the constant hassle from the locals and you will be fine.

I done a great trip in a hot air baloon with a Company called "Marakech by air" pilot was mental but great fun.

[HockeyGuy]

"I even picked up one technique for gaining someone's attention that they use which is hissing at you. It's actually rather effective. Anyway..."

What's your technique?

[rickshaw92]

"I even picked up one technique for gaining someone's attention that they use which is hissing at you. It's actually rather effective. Anyway..."

What's your technique?

That hissing thing is done all over Africa. It's not just something they do to tourists but a proper way of getting someones attention.

[vagabond]

"I even picked up one technique for gaining someone's attention that they use which is hissing at you. It's actually rather effective. Anyway..."

What's your technique?

That hissing thing is done all over Africa. It's not just something they do to tourists but a proper way of getting someones attention.

Ah cool. I get a funny look when using it in the States of course but it really is effective.

[deselby]

Here is my trip report from a couple of years ago:

http://cafe.comebackalive.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=48847