Daughter in Marrakech

[nowtherearethree]

My daughter is traveling around Marrakech by herself for a week seeing sights etc. she has booked into a backpackers hostel. I am very worried about her safety. Can anyone reassure me please

Have you checked that the hostel has the required fire safety requirements? I don't think there's much else you can do to be honest.

I've been a few times - always felt perfectly safe, (to be fair though people are ususally more afraid of me than I am of them 😀)

I did similar (and traveled 80+ countries in the world solo) and had absolutely zero issues in Marrakech and felt very safe. I was 26/27 at the time.

What are your particular concerns?

She'll be fine, Marrakech is pretty safe and i went there with a friend in 2014 twice but we split up and i went off on my own for a week. I would suggest she sticks to excursions booked through a reputable company and dresses modestly.

Is she generally sensible, capable and safety-conscious? If so, and she takes advice from guidebooks and hostel staff and other guests about places best to avoid, then she’ll almost certainly be just fine. I’ve been to Marrakech, the street harassment was tiresome, but I never felt threatened or unsafe. In terms of more serious crime, levels are low. As she’s backpacking and hosteling then I’d imagine she’ll pick up a few travel buddies for excursions too and have a blast.

Travelling around Marrakesh? Around Morocco? Or just in Marrakesh. Like anywhere, Marrakesh is pretty safe if you stay in sensible areas.

She is fairy sensible but I would be much happier if she meets like minded backpackers there. She is staying in Marrakech

My concerns are how she will get from the airport to the hostel. Also pickpockets. She is only 18

I'd be worried. There's sod all there. She'll be bored after a day, never mind a week!

@PhantomOfTheAquarium I will take that her being board is the least of my worries!

Taxis are fairly cheap from the airport. A lot of the economy relies on tourists so it is safe and often you get a little history of the area you are passing through. Tell her to avoid the mopeds as they are madness- very few helmets, 4 people on at once.....
Other than that, it's all good. Dress modestly, don't wander off into strange areas, keep your valuables safe: same as most other cities really.

I've gone to Marrakech as a solo traveller several times in my 20s and 30s, staying in hostels,and was fine. I always felt safe there, apart from a few annoying men here and there. There was always quite a visible police presence around the main tourist areas of Marrakech when I used to go, and locals told me there are quite a lot of undercover police too, especially around Jemaa al Fna, the main square. Apparently the government are hot on cracking down on petty crime to make sure the tourists don't get put off Morocco as a destination (boosting tourism arrivals has been a mega priority of the government over the past decade I believe).
I'm sure your daughter will have made friends with other travelers and I hope she is having a lovely time. I guess all you can do is be aware of which hostel she is staying in and to check in with her every now and then.
I'm sure it's nerve wracking as a parent when your kids grow up and go backpacking! I probably gave my own mum many sleepless nights with my own travels/antics.

yeah you're always gonna get pick-pockets in any major city really.

the trick is to divide your money/cards/passport in different places. so some in your pocket, some in your jacket, some in your handbag, some in your sock, some in your suitcase, some in your bumbag.

In fact, being targetted by a pick-pocket is probably the absolute worst thing that could happen to her, which isn't so terrible really.

It’s only a 20 min taxi, and there’s a bus right outside the airport. Really nothing to stress about.

Thank you lovely ladies for your replies.
I feel better now knowing a little more. I
I want her to make memories for herself but cannot help worrying. I don't want to project my fears into her x

Marrakesh isn’t that far away from the airport and there are tons of “petit taxi” drivers who will be willing to take her. They’re the small beige taxi cars and they are everywhere. Just negotiate the price first but if she’s a regular traveller she’ll know this anyway

The city itself I’ve always felt really safe in. Most people are friendly, the police look after tourists, it’s actually a massive fine for anyone caught trying to scam a tourist. It’s more liberal than other Muslim counties. It’s also full of tourists so it won’t be hard for her to find a British person or English speaker if she needs help. I used to date a Moroccan so know the place pretty well and done the trip from the airport to the city center many times

She'll take a taxi. As long as she's canny she'll be fine. Not many 18 year olds head off to Morocco alone unless they've got something about them! I'm sure she'll be fine. Marrakesh is full on but safer than most major European cities I've been to!

I'Ve been to Morocco several times and have always felt far safer walking round at night than I would anywhere in my part of London. My daughter travelled round North Africa alone and lived in Egypt for some time and never felt threatened at any time.

I went to Marrakesh with adult daughter last year, and wish I hadn’t read up on the place before I went, because I was pretty anxious at some of the stuff I read. But it was actually great, and I felt pretty safe. Obviously you just have to be careful where you go, and be aware of your surroundings, but that’s the same anywhere, even in the U.K.

I've been to marrakech several times, absolutely loved it. Never had any problems.
She just needs to remember to dress respectfully, so shoulders covered, no belly tops, no short shorts. I always carried a very light scarf too incase I wanted to go in certain places.
It's a fabulous place, she'll love it

That noise you can hear is the sound of apron strings being cut.

@nowtherearethree

I'm not surprised you are worried. 18 year olds seem so young these days! More so after the whole pandemic changing their early teen years.

17yo & her friend went away in January to Spain and I was worried until they got back!

They don't stop being your baby! I now have much more sympathy for MY parents!! I travelled around Europe pre mobile phones (and there were very few phone boxes!! - ahem!)

I'm sure she'll be absolutely fine & have a real blast.

there will be hassle from the lads but no serious crime, never had any issues or pick pockets, tell her to be firm, just say no thanks to the touts and hustlers and walk away...a wedding ring is useful !

That is simply not true. I have been to Marrakesh several times and always found plenty to see and do.

I agree. You need two days at the very most, there's not much to do, it's really one of the more boring cities I've visited.

What 🤣. Gardens, souks, mosques, excursions to the atlas mountains, there's loads to do!

Anyway OP it's do touristy there that I wouldn't go back, she'll be fine 😄