Morocco: The Don'ts of Visiting Morocco

Peter fellow-travellers mark here with Walters ruins day were in Casablanca Morocco for the don'ts of visiting Morocco we've had a great time visiting here feeling super nice even this place I really like to enjoy to go to there's always some don't you should know about before you go so here are don'ts of Morocco and the first don't I have for you is there's a lot of beautiful mosques around the country but as a tourist don't think you can go into the moss access to the moss is strictly for Muslims however there is one very big exception the hassan ii mosque here in casablanca which is really worth visiting because it is gorgeous actually does tours you can go and check out it is just beautiful to see but that's one thing you should know another thing i think it would kind of do with the religion is also on fridays don't expect everything to be going all day long on fridays because Friday is the holy day here so some places maybe shops might be closed or shorter hours and stuff like that you know place like Marrakesh in Casablanca you won't notice so much but it is one of those things you might want to consider also if you do hear the call for prayer take a pause okay don't try to bargain they'll try to it like by self and things like that just take a moment of respect when you hear that and it's really kind of a nice thanks you hearing like wow when you hear the call to prayer is really a really cool experience you have when you are here now some tourists don'ts I have for you that you might want to know when you come here is one when you fly in don't expect to get through customs quickly look customs takes a long time when you get here to Morocco because they're gonna actually write a tourist number into your passport that you're gonna use you go to hotels and register and stuff like that so it does take some time okay so don't be surprised if you do get through quickly if your ride isn't there because they're expected to take you a couple hours maybe to get through if it goes fast for that so just a heads up also with that Airport don't think you can check-in online when you are traveling here you will probably have to check in at the airport so just a heads up for that one also I flying don't I have viewers don't bring your drones you're not allowed to bring drones in Morocco and fly them around so if you have them you might get them confiscated at the border or at the checkpoints and stuff like that so just have a heads up for that all right now let's move into the city so what are some don't you want to have here well one thing you need to realize is when you're here Morocco don't expect not to haggle and when you're in the Suk's and the Medina's and stuff like that it is all about bargaining bargain and bargaining some more that's how it works here people aren't really trying to scam you that's just how it works and so I'd say is if you're gonna be bargaining realizes the first price that give you pay between twenty-five to fifty percent less than what they start with okay so you do have that though I will say one of the pig is probably bargaining scams kind of things you might hear about is actually taxis that are here and so I would say is don't forget to bargain with your taxi driver because you want to negotiate the price before you get in so when you're going someplace it's kind of already set that's why if you're gonna go to your hotel your riad or some place asked him what the price should be so you have kind of like the upper limit that you need to negotiate and make sure you get under they give you some ideas and with that is I guess with that twenty five thirty percent you know kind of discount kind of thing next one is don't ever take the first price as the last price in bargaining situations because another don't I have for you is don't think that you can bargain everything here if you go into a normal store like you here in Casablanca this is a financial economic capitalist Esther relatively new city so you're not negotiating when you're going to Zara and stuff like that to buy clothes and things that's more of a straightforward purchase so you don't always bargain but when you do know the places do bargain when you can now another thing I have for you with money is one don't think you can use your credit cards everywhere even if they have the signs sometimes they might not like taking that kind of credit card so do have a heads up for that because you do need to have cash when you're here cash is king and definitely keen when it comes to negotiations here in Morocco okay so have cash but also don't forget to get small bills because you're going to be tipping people all the time and you need to have small bills to tip or coins and things like that and when you go to the ATM it gives you like two hundred and one hundred so like 20s and ten dollars or Euros so and you don't need that much so make sure you can break some of that or don't forget to break some so you can actually have some to tip people because the reason why you need those smaller bills is don't expect people to have change whether it's taxis or negotiating or shopping and stuff like that you'll be surprised how many times you hear oh no change sorry can't help and sometimes it's true sometimes who knows but that's why you want to have the smaller bills just so you can kind of negotiate to those points because if you don't well then you might be paying an extra fifty you know dear I'm higher than you should okay so we're gonna go see some more of Casablanca to finish this but I had to show this because this hassan ii mosque is just gorgeous and the tour you have to do it okay you have to it is amazing so here you're on the corniche now and and smother don't want to talk about actually you see the water behind me one thing is this you don't drink the water when you are here in morocco and you can brush your teeth and stuff but drink bottled water that's a better idea for you when you are here another bathroom thing I'd say is don't forget to bring some toilet paper with you look not all public toilets will have toilet paper there you might see a lady outside when you go in that'll be like saying then they go with right tipper when I go in or out she's the one that might have the toilet paper so I recommend is bring yourself some Kleenex packets with you so you always have some with you okay also sometimes the public toilets it is the kind of squat toilets so just be ready for that okay so some other safety things I'd warn you about for dolls is one don't forget you take your life in your own hands when you cross the street and going on rides and stuff like that because the traffic here is a bit crazy so make sure you're taking extra special precautions and paying attention when you are crossing the street a nutri to driving around and things like that but it's also not just like in the cities and stuff but also the Medina's you need to pay attention to because there's donkeys going by with construction equipment and there's mopeds going by and bikes and motorcycles and stuff so make sure you stay to the side of the Medina don't just wander and be all willy-nilly when you go through because you need to pay attention also don't think that everybody the Medina is gonna be your friend there are some pickpockets out there they're really busy Medina it's like Marrakech and Fez so do have a heads up for that one okay and we're in the medina my next one for you is don't freak out when you get lost I'm not saying don't forget if you get lost I'm telling you don't freak out when you get lost because it does happen that's why I always take your map with you always have your GPS with you so you'll be okay if you're not sure as for the shopkeepers where to go they will help you even if you're not buying something so do have a heads up for that one and a few other don'ts when you are the Medina one don't think that the argan oil or the saffron they're selling you in the medina is actually the real deal if you do buy argan oil put it in the freezer for about four hours you'll see it if it starts to separate that means they mix different oils together okay also with a saffron when you put it in water it should turn kind of gold-colored not red the red is the dye they put on there for that so do have a head some also a little safety thing a tiny one before we leave corniche here is also don't pet the stray cats look you will see tons and tons and tons of stray cats here Morocco don't pet them alright you just want to stay away from I know they're cute I know they're adorable but just don't alright so well I do another part of Casablanca to do some more don'ts so now we're here on the balcony of our town to give you some of the Jones in terms of scams and stuff like that you should look out for here in Morocco one thing I'd say is don't trust that everybody that's trying to help you is really trying to help you to just your benefit okay just always have your eyes open and your mind open when people are offering your help or inviting you to do things now I'm not saying this like everyone's trying to rip you off that's next artist don't think people are always trying to rip you off but just know is when I talk to travelers that have come here a lot of them have mentioned you know I felt like there's everyone's kind of playing an angle or something and we're looking at the taxis one thing I would say is don't think that all taxis are the same one thing is like for example here in Casablanca you're gonna see red tags these little red taxis and don't be surprised here in Casablanca if someone else hops your taxi as you go because that's kinda the thing here in Casablanca other parts of Morocco might not happen you won't have that okay now another don't I ask you is don't think that the brand the green taxi means great and fancy all it means is big okay so if you've got a family of four you need to take that grand taxi okay that tab the space for it and if you're gonna be taking a grand taxi to go to another town it just means they're gonna get a lot more people in that taxi they're gonna be a little little tight for your space just just say have a heads up for that one well add on with the trains here in Morocco don't think that you can buy your tickets online unless you have a ver can credit card other if you do have one fine you're fine otherwise just go to the train station a couple days before you I go and you should be fine be able to get a ticket that way but don't think you can do it just with your American Express you might need to have a Moroccan bank card okay and with all the things out there I think there's one thing you need to know is don't forget to tip when you are here at Morocco because tipping is part of the culture here so if you are getting your bags taken somewhere now guys push them in the big cart yes you're gonna tip that person over there bring your bags up where someone's helping you as a guide or showing you where to go people do kind of expect a tip here so have the small coins like I talked about before have the small bills so you can tip people because you do need to do that when you're here that's how people how something somebody will make a living here another thing that can I go off of that actually with the tipping and the coins is don't forget that you need to tip if you're gonna be having your picture taken with the snake charmers or the monkey your handlers are those kind of things in the market because again that's how they make a living so don't just try to take the pictures and run off oh no no they'll come after you and they'll want their chip okay so don't forget that another thing is a tourist don't just take pictures of people you need to make sure that you actually ask people if it's okay and they might say no I say yes or they might say oh for a tip there could be that so just how that heads up for it few cultural thought pause I want you to watch out for one thing it is is you don't use your left hand a lot of times for important situations here Morocco do all your stuff your handshake and things like that with your right hand another thing is if you're invited to someone's house don't wear your shoes in people's homes you always take them off when you go in there so you do have a heads up for that also if you do go come here to Casablanca and you go to the hassan ii mosque don't wear your shoes in there either don't worry they won't let you they'll give you a bag to put them in but just have a heads up for that now when you're going out to eat here you're gonna see the word tagine a lot of times you go man they just eat touching all the time my dope for the tagine is don't think that tagine is one dish tagine is actually the the pot that they cook it you only bring your food it's got that like pile with a triangle on for the pyramid on top they take off that pot that's okay the thing is the Taj means here can be very varied there fantastic we've had great rapidly that great leave multipack great beef great chicken and lemon oh my god it's so good you have all kind of different ties genes that actually come so don't think that touching just one thing that is one thing I have noticed a lot of people think that it's all just one there's a lot of different things inside the touching and what's great about those two jeans and a great about Morocco in general if you're a vegetarian Morocco is a great place for you so if you're vegetarian don't worry about going to Hungary when you're in Morocco there's all kinds of great vegetables has genes you can have I know we've actually ordered some to ourselves as a main meal and it's been wonderful okay so you're cool there another don't I'll say what you're going out to eat is don't get in a hurry all right service take some time for them to come give me the menus to come take your order to bring your food and stuff like that does take some time so just have some patience with her there so if you're traveling with your kids here and they're starting to get hungry I would go to eat earlier versus later because it's not like you're going to sit down and the food set right it right now the bread will be the bread will be there pretty quickly because they love it right here but the normal meal might take a little bit of time okay now what's cool though is one of the things I really like about Morocco is don't worry about busting your budget now I'm not saying Morocco's cheap what I am saying is Morocco is a very affordable country hotels restaurants tours things like that are fairly priced and you can ago she ate a lot of things down too so that's really cool but I know that like my buddy my wallet he's very happy on a barack the trip and is very sad that we're heading out tomorrow going to western europe cuz like know you're saving so much money so there is that another thing i've seen what some tourists getting upset about was about the Sahara Desert tours or the desert tours you want to be careful but I want to tell you is don't think that the Sahara Desert is everywhere in Morocco I mean it's kind of far away from here in Casablanca if you're a Marrakech you're looking at eight to ten hour car ride down suhara and then throw in the four-hour train ride or three and a half hour four-hour train ride from Casablanca down to Marrakesh on to that it's going to take you a while to get there and a lot of Tours don't realize that and some people say I will give you the desert tour well it might not be the Sahara Desert it might just be the desert that's why were there at okay or they might just have you go or the mountains or go ride a camel somewhere and I have heard a lot of tourists getting upset with that so just have a heads up don't think this the hair is close it's far away but also don't think Morocco is something you could do in one visit Morocco is a huge country there's four different regions here you've got the mountains you've got the plains you've got the coast and you've got the desert let's say arid desert and when I recommend is just choose one or two of the regions and focus on those on your vacation otherwise you'll be spending a ton of time the trains or a grant taxi and stuff like that instead of spending time enjoying Medina's enjoy the people and the food and things like that okay the thing we wrap up with is if you are a female traveling here coming to Morocco I will say is don't expect that female travelers our treatment same as male travelers when they are here so do have a heads up for that I would recommend dressing a little more conservative when you're here also you know with bargaining and stuff like that I know Joseph's been upset that she had less bargaining like sway than I did and stuff like that so do not have a heads up for it don't let that keep you from coming to Morocco but I do want to give you the heads up for him anyway I hope this helped you know a little bit more about Morocco before you come so you know the things you shouldn't do before you do come here because you should definitely come to Morocco whether you're hitting the medina in Fez you're seeing a blue city or you're going down to Marrakesh you're in the Sahara or you're flying in the otic here in Casablanca we really hope you have a great time here Morocco if you want to learn more ten thanks it shot tourist account of Morocco maybe the five love and I hate to go to Marrakech or just maybe want some general advice what to know before you go to Morocco check us on our website at Welch's world.com we're also on Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube and we really appreciate your likes subscriptions about you have a great time here in Morocco but I'm pretty sure you will because I know we have so bye from Casablanca

Channel: Wolters World

Views: 977,524

Keywords: travel, europe, mark wolters, wolters world, travel advice, tourist attractions, travel vlogger, honest travel, fat travel guy

Id: DI35FJApFgw

Length: 15min 3sec (903 seconds)

Published: Wed Sep 18 2019