The Do's and Don'ts of Marrakech

Marrakech is colorful, complicated, and chaotic. It has a very special draw if you are from the classic western society. It is full of history and offers a very different story. I have summarized some do's and don'ts for your upcoming Marrakech trip below.

Do's - 1. Do see the old town Medina and Souk.

Not just walk in the bustle and hustle streets of Medina and the Souk, go inside a restaurant, an old-town attraction or a Riad, it is very different once you enter the entrance of a Medina property. It tends to be very spacious, elegant, and quiet, a complete contrast to what you are seeing and walking pass outside these doors.

Do's - 2. Do negotiate the taxi fare.

All taxis are equipped with meters but if they can tell you are not a local, they will not use the meter with you. We have insisted but with no luck, but you can always try asking if they will use meter for the fare. I do recommend not only asking about the taxi price but also negotiate. One taxi driver offered for us to name our own price. The other agreed on 50% of what his initial asking price was.

Do's - 3. Do venture out of Marrakech.

If you have time, do take a one day excursion to see Atlas Mountain and Berber Villages. Further, if you have more than a day to spare, do check out the Sahara Desert. Morocco has so much to offer, which include all blue village Chefaouen, the famous Casablanca, Fes and the white, blue seaside village of Tangier.

Don'ts - 1. Don't buy any pastries off the local shops in the Medina, Djemaa el Fna, anything that appeals as a small bakery off the road. Stay Away! There are countless bees that are very ignorant to human existence, and I walked pass some stands with a scary amount of bees clustered around pastries. Not just around it, ON IT. They are having intimate physical contacts with these pastries, and I don't advice anyone to put these in their month after.

Don'ts - 2. Don't wear heels/sandals to walk in the Medina.

Lots of places in the Medina is under serious muddy/dusty constructions, there are also construction donkey carts, motorcycles, and trucks in the already narrow and crowded Medina Alley. Also, please count enough time that you are going to be rerouting - because Medina is designed to get you lost. I highly suggest you think about your footwear before you head out.

Don't - 3. Don't go to the airport 2 hours before departure.

Instead, leave at least 3 hours prior to your departure! The beautiful airport of Marrakech is visually appeasing, but it is NOT efficient! People queue up huge lines outside the departure hall to enter the check-in lobby. Then count for about another 4 times you need to wait in line after you enter the lobby. Please leave extra room for check-in at Marrakech's airport! You won't regret it!