This blog somehow took the longest to write but is also the shortest read. We came to Morocco is 2018, so some of the details were harder to remember and track down. We also only stayed here for a quick weekend so we didn’t get to fully experience all that Morocco has to offer. When touring through Morocco, you’ll typically find yourself choosing between Marrakesh and Casablanca. Since our stay would be only be a short weekend, we decided on Marrakesh. Casablanca is more city-like with plenty of businesses. It is often referred to as the business-capital of Morocco. Marrakesh seemed to be more tourist-friendly, which we actually preferred for our very first time at a new country. Marrakech is colorful and attractive, has numerous historical and cultural sights with a ton of local dining and entertainment. We flew into Marrakesh and stayed here for a weekend and then took a flight to Amsterdam.
TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION
Flights were pretty inexpensive around November and we decided to do a late night flight so that we can just sleep through it. We used Iberia airline and it took us 7 hours total to travel from New York to Marrakech, which also includes the 1.5 hour layover in Madrid, Spain. The one way flight cost us about $280 USD and included one checked bag and one carry-on. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a ton of taxi drivers inside and outside of the airport. Uber did not exist in Marrakech at the time of our travels. At first I pretended to not understand or speak Arabic- just to see which cab drivers would overprice us. Turned out a bunch of them did and tried to charge us double of what we were supposed to pay. I finally decided to show off my (very broken) Arabic skills and we came across a friendly man that offered us a decent price and made us feel welcomed. The cab ride to our resort was about 20 minutes away and we spent around $40 USD to get to our resort. He talked to us about his family the entire time and told us about some sites to visit. At first we were nervous about waiting to find transportation upon our arrival rather than booking it ahead online but it ended up being a smoother experience than we anticipated. If you don’t speak Arabic it might actually benefit you more to try and pre-book your transportation ahead of time.
HOTEL
Okay so I don’t even want to lie to you all. We truly did this entire weekend in typical tourist fashion. Rather than staying at their beautiful and colorful local hotels that I’m always seeing on social media, we ended up finding an all-inclusive resort that was extremely cheap for their 5 star accommodations. The resort is called Be Live Collection Marrakech Adults Only All Inclusive and we booked using booking.com. We booked all-inclusive for several reasons. First, our trip was going to be really short so we wanted to take advantage of the included booze and food that they offered. Secondly, it was November and we were really craving some summertime vibes. This resort had a large pool and we had a lovely balcony facing the garden. Lastly, it was extremely cheap and the wifi was free! It cost us about $150 USD per person for the three days we stayed. We spend more than that on food and drinks alone in one sitting, so I believe it was totally worth it. I would even come back again and stay for a longer duration.
The resort had a buffet restaurant, a Moroccan gourmet restaurant, a snack bar and grill by the pool, a pool bar, and a sports bar. We had no complaints about the food, the cleanliness, or the staff. Everyone was really friendly to us and the food and drinks were delicious! Our room was also decently sized with a really large bathroom. The resort also gave us the 411 on how to spend our only full day in Marrakech and they helped us get around too.
THE CITY
The resort offered a bus that took the guests into the city and markets at every hour. Full disclaimer- I don’t actually think our experience was the best depiction of what the city is truly like. We only had time to visit the medina at night, which was a little bit sketchy for us given it was our first time in Morocco. We didn’t exactly know what to expect, and I think it was a bit of a culture shock for my fiance. Of course we did our research beforehand and made sure we were dressed appropriately, however, some things were still a shock to us. BTW- Wearing appropriate clothing is especially important for women to note, but also keep in mind that this did not apply for our resort.
"A woman traveling to Morocco should wear long skirts and dresses, jeans or pants that cover the knees, draping tunics, polo shirts, and camisoles that can be worn under sweaters and cardigans. Women generally wear sandals or loafers; rarely do they wear heels"
When we were dropped off into the markets, the store owners all came running out of their shops and began their hustle. Lol. We were constantly being pulled left and right by people trying to sell us their goods. We didn’t necessarily have the opportunity to just roam around and enjoy looking at their items. I certainly don’t blame them either though. After all we easily stood out as tourists and they needed to make their money one way or another. Anyways, we eventually made some purchases from a local hand-made soap and hair shop that included natural argan oils. We didn’t last long in the market though because we had felt overwhelmed at some point and eventually took the bus back after one hour.
One thing that I did love about the city was the love that I saw flaunted freely for an Arabic-speaking country. As we strolled through the markets, and at some point a local park, we saw couples of all ages showing public affection for one another. They were holding hands, kissing, and hugging as they do in many other countries. I guess I never would have expected it following my own travels and experiences in Egypt. I would have thought that they had similar attitudes towards public affection but to my pleasant surprise, Morocco was more open and accepting to this.
If we were to change anything about this trip, it would have been to have at least one extra day in Marrakesh because we didn’t get to fully experience their culture and local destinations during the day. We had one full day there and we used that time for excursions. I wouldn’t take back the excursions at all, but we definitely would have enjoyed another day of exploration as well.
TIME IN THE DESERT
We booked our Dunes & Desert excursions through viator.com (which I highly recommend using for booking any excursions or attractions in most countries). Round trip transportation to and from our resort was also included in this booking. This was an 8-hour excursion and we were picked up from our resort by 8:45 AM. Our driver was sweet and he kept referring to me as “masraya,” which translates to “Egyptian (female).” The driver and tour guides were able to quickly guess that I was Egyptian from the moment they laid eyes on me, which was kind of nice not having to sit and listen to people guess my background until I finally have to tell them myself. They treated my fiancé and I with much respect and kindness. We made jokes the entire time and they were always quick to offer us water and help whenever it was needed. The tour guides also spoke English and were able to communicate well with the entire group.
The excursion cost about $120 USD per person and it included camel and quad bike rides in the desert, homemade lunch with the locals, beverages (soft drinks), wifi, a locker for our belongings, and a personal photoshoot (YES). The camel rides were the funniest to me because I’ve done this many times and knew that getting onto the camel is never a pleasant experience. However, this was a first for my fiancé so to watch his reaction was probably one of the most memorable moments to me. We continued the excursion with a small group of 6 other tourists. They were also friendly and respectful. The quad bike riding was is always an amazing experience for us and we try to do this excursion at almost every country that we travel to. I enjoy it because you get to drive through different parts of the area that you wouldn’t necessarily see from your resort. We felt so small in comparison to the rest of the desert and the view was extremely peaceful to take in. During the quad-ride, a photographer rides around and takes photos of you. He even directs you and is very patient throughout the entire time. Although they try to sell you the photos as souvenirs, the photographer was kind enough to snap photos of us using our iPhone as well.
We had a homemade lunch in the middle of the desert with a local family. It included a spicy chicken stew with vegetables and potatoes. We had rice and pita bread to eat on the side. The dish was very flavorful and authentic. All of the seating was pretty traditional and on the floor as you’ll see in the photos. At some point we stopped to have a “snack” with another local family as well. This included Beghrir, Moroccan pancakes, with some syrup and honey. We were surprisingly full off of it but that is probably because we kept asking for more lol. The pancakes had a unique texture to it. It ultimately tasted somewhat similar to crepes to me, but with a thicker batter. We had some tea and fruits on the side as well. The family was also really sweet and friendly. They showed us the process to making the Beghrir using their desert clay oven. This is also often used to make bread as well. Overall, we would highly recommend this excursion for those that have the time to do so.
List of other Attractions:
Jemaa el- Fnaa – Main square and most important part of the medina (consider coming here during the day as well as at night)
The Souks- The markets within the medina that offer vibrant colors and smell of spices.
Koutoubia Mosque- one of the largest house of worships for Islamic followers when it was completed. Most important mosque in Morocco.
Bahia Palace- a popular must-see attraction. Also very nice for taking photos.
Saadian Tombs
The Marrakech Museum
Ben Youssef Madrasa- one of the largest Islamic schools.
El Badi Palace- A palace built at the end of the sixteenth century to commemorate the victory of the Battle of the Three Kings against the Portuguese.
Overall, we had a great experience in Marrakesh but would like to come back and stay longer next time. A new post will be written at that time with more details on restaurants, cultural experiences, and hotels. Until that day comes, however, we hope you were able to pick up on a few details that will help you along the way!
Comments