Need advice about Morocco

All I can tell you is this; get out of Tangier as quickly as you can. I have heard loads of other places in Morocco are nice. Speaking from experience, a self guided tour of the Medina is not a fun way to do it.

Thank you for your suggestions. I have read his book, but he doesn't mention any hotels in Morocco, however I am planning to hire a guide so I don't have a bad experience touring the medinas.

With only 3 days I'd take the train to Fez and Meknes and also see the ancient Roman ruins outside of Meknes. We stayed at a nice riad in Fez but the name escapes me right now.

Pilar,

I went to Morocco about 10 years ago (I'm going back this fall) so take what I say with a grain of salt, but...

In general, the worst part of Morocco is the part where you step off the ferry from Spain. My advice (which seems to be everyone's advice) is to get off the ferry and move as quickly as you can away from the touts and the would-be "guides" who will be swarming on you as you step off the boat.

With 3 full days, I'd go straight to Fes and/or Marrakech. You can take the train to either (or both), although it wil take several hours (unfortunately, Fes and Marrakech are roughly at the opposite ends of the national rail system, and it takes about 8 hours to get from one to the other).

Meknes is interesting, too - but Fes and Marrakech are better. I don't thikn that Rabat would realy be worth your time.

If you time is limited, you might consider doing things differently: you can fly from Spain to Morocco for incredibly cheap tickets (Google Atlas-Blue airlines) - and that would save you the hassle of getting past the gauntlet of touts at the ferry docks, and save all the travel time.

One other suggestion: in my experience, you don't need any "guide" -- the only real benefit that a guide provides is he will (to some extent) ward off the OTHER touts who want to be your guide. Get used to saying "no" firmly and repeatedly (or get used to just ignoring them), and you don't really need a guide. Don't worry about getting "lost" in the medinas. Yes, the streets are narrow and confusing, but you can't really get completely lost, and if you do, it's no big deal, you will find your way out.

Hope that helps.

Thank you David. I appreciate your advice. I'll look into the flight suggestion.

Morocco used to be home; I lived there for two years.

I'm not sure from your post if you want to stay in (1) place for 3 nights, or (1) night in 3 places?

I agree with the first posting; when you arrive in Tangier head immediately for the train station. Go directly to Casablanca or Rabat. My first choice would be Casablanca. Yes, there IS a Rick's Cafe Americain, but it's not like the one in Bogie's movie!

It's easy to find a good hotel in either city, in the European sector, without an advance reservation. If you are staying in 3 different places, by all means go for one night to Marrakech! (Ride the Marrakech express to get there).

Safety is a real concern in the current socio-political climate in Morocco. (NEVER) go anywhere alone, and stay out of the medinas. Stick to the souks for the Arab market atmosphere, and otherwise stay with the major tourist attractions, (like La Tour Hassan) and Tombeau de Mohammed V in Rabat and the Roman ruins of Volubilis.) See a Fantasia if you get the chance!

Never pay full price for a souvenir, or anything else! Arabs love to bargain, it's what they live for. You should pay about 50-60% of their original quote.

Be prepared to be pestered by street urchins and hawkers of various kinds. To make them go away, just say "ZID" in a stern voice, or maybe even KaZID to be even more forceful.

Good luck, and if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a note.

With all due respect (and not looking for an argument), I have to offer a very different opinion than Bill's when it comes to safety in Morocco and warnings to "never go anyplace alone".

I think most observers would agree that Morocco is generally safe to travel in. Yes, there have been a handful of violent incidents in recent years, but when you consider how many western tourists visit Morocco every year, the risk of being involved in any dangerous incident is really very low. After all, Rick Steves' teenage daughter went there (and from readinig her journals, she was quite off the main tourist circuit) -- so if Rick thinks it's safe enough for his kid, that should tell you something.

I would suggest you read some of the things that Rick has written (repeatedly) about the risk of being involved in extremist violence overseas, and weigh that against the benefits of going and seeing the world for yourself.

FWIW, thousands of westerners travel throughout Morocco constantly, many of whom definitely go to a lot of places by themselves. Anyone traveling overseas should always use common sense (just as you should when at home) but don't be spooked by fears of extremist violence.

I'm not looking to start an argument here, just urging folks not to be unncessarily fearful to go places.

I'll be headed to Morocco this fall, and I'm a lot more worried about getting (the Moroccan version of) "Montezuma's Revenge" and being able to fight off all the "guides" than I am about becoming the victim of any violence there. I think that's a more reasonable perspective. Just my opinion.

Good luck and have a fun, safe, enriching trip.

Thank you Bill and David for your advice and recommendations. Bill, since you mentioned that you lived there for 2 years and David you said that you are more concerned with a case of "Moctezuma Revenge" What are your suggestions about getting shots for Yellow Fever and Thyphoid ? Should I be concerned with Malaria? My doctor suggested the shots and mentioned the Malaria. What is your advice?

Pilar: Follow doctor's advice about shots to get and other Rx, this is not like going to western Europe--if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time it can affect your health for a long time. I've made these mistakes and suffered the consequences, but only once.

For innoculations, be sure to follow your Doc's advice; but also, be sure to get one for yellow fever and one for cholera. Morocco has frequent cholera outbreaks, and the shot only lasts about 6 weeks before you need a booster.

Also, just a note about the montezuma's revenge. The digestive flora which are found in all foods in Morocco are totally different from those we have here in the US. That's why it's so easy to get sick there while you are adjusting. There are a couple of things you can do as a precaution: 1) Don't eat any raw fruits or vegetables from the open air markets and 2) Never, EVER, drink a drop of water from the tap, stick to bottled water. Also, it's best not to have any ice added to your drinks, because the ice comes from tap water. (They won't give you any ice anyway, unless you ask). It's okay to drink lots of mint tea, the national drink of Morocco. It's made scalding hot, so any bacteria don't have a chance! I still miss that tea, I wish I had some right now.

Thank you to all of you for your advice. I think I'm more prepared to go on with my adventure now.

Pilar

Bill,
Your health advise is solid, but you forgot to mention an important one -- keep your fingernails trimmed. Long nails catch all sorts of junk, and while this might not be problematic in your habitual ecosystem, when you change to another, the bugs can really bite! The are a number of good antiseptic hand lotions that will dramatically reduce risk of contagion, but cutting your fingernails is an important first step.

I flew in and out of Marrakech and also went on a camel trek around Zagora last fall for a total of 3 days. While I do agree with the previous posters about being aware of your surroundings and such I think all the disease talk may be a bit overboard - or maybe I'm just too laid back??? I talked with my doctor and checked the federal website and neither one said that shots are needed prior to travel. It is a totally different culture than here, but I wouldn't call the place dirty or disease-ridden. Definately don't drink the water; coke and bottled water is fairly cheap. Just eat chicken tangine and you will be in love with their food (that is all I would eat if I went back!). Only one place I went had the hole in the ground toilet. And that was at the camel keeping location. Take hand sanitizer and a travel roll of toilet paper around with you and you will be fine. I also agree you don't need a guide. However if you get lost then consider it (my brother had me walking for miles!! I gladly paid a
"guide" shortly after that). Have fun!

Advice for avoiding Montezuma's Revenge (or worse health problems) when in ANY developing country:

Get adequate rest.

Drink plenty of bottled water (make sure the bottle is sealed).

Wash your hands with soap.

Bring your own TP (never be far from your day's stash).

Assume that ice = cramps and uncomfortable hours spent in the bathroom. No ice, EVER. Even if it's incredibly hot out.

Choose your dining venue very carefully. How clean does the place look? Choose your dishes equally carefully -- cooked food is generally safe. Uncooked veggies and salad is very tempting, but is also very dangerous.

I do not eat ANY street food -- this is the hardest rule to follow, since there are so many temptations.

There's an old adage to remember: "Boil it, peel it, or forget it." Follow this strictly. This also applies to food ordered in restaurants.

Use bottled water to brush your teeth.

Keep your mouth closed in the shower (don't let any water in your mouth or nose, either!). Assume all water that doesn't come from a sealed bottle is teaming with bacteria hungry for your waiting GI tract. It only takes one drop to put you out of commission for several days.

Paranoid? Sure. But I've found that if I follow these guidelines strictly, I won't get sick, even if traveling extensively in sketchy places. But in my experience, as soon as I lose my willpower, break down and order the tossed salad or some guacamole, 6 hours later it comes back to bite me. I'm sure everyone's biology is slightly different so what works for me may not be what works for you.

This is, of course, for places outside Western Europe (North Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia). In Europe, I'll eat just about anything.

Thanks Kelly, I like your enthusiasm.

I violated David's rules (post immediately above) and the health advice given by the others--it was the first time I went to a "developing" country, and I lived to regret it, but just barely (lived). My greatest fear was that I wouldn't die and would have to go on suffering. (I'm exaggerating slightly here). I assumed the country I was in was "pretty much like Western Europe" or the US health-wise. I was way more careful the next time I went to a developing country.