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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Marrakech/Morroco -me and another female friend-is it safe any tips?

17 replies

chocolatemummy · 29/12/2007 19:18

I am going to Marrakech in March with my friend, people keep telling me how dodgy it is for two women on their own?
has anyone any experience?

OP posts:

poppy34 · 29/12/2007 19:30

what were you planning on doing? just holidaying in marrakesh or travelling around?

I've been (admittedly with dh) and there were certainly women travelling together and they didnt seem to be unduly hassled. I would say that I would moderate what I wore (ie I didnt go for shorts/littler tops outside the hotel/pool area).

donnie · 29/12/2007 19:32

I went with a girlfriend pre-kids ( a few years back now but not that long!).

Dress down and cover up outside your hotel. Do not flash cash around either - have fun, I loved it there!

Shout · 29/12/2007 20:49

You'll love it. I went with a friend in November for 4 nights we didn't get any real hassle but then we are nearly 40 and not blonde.

Its very cosmopolitan in parts with some very upmarket restaurants and hotels etc, some of the locals are very poor and so will try to make money any way they can trying to get you to buy things, asking for money in return for directions etc. We found a firm No without any eyecontact worked. We did loads of walking both day and night and we felt as in any other city.

Most people are very friendly and the main square is a must at night, the stall holders are so funny with their sales patter.

The spas are good and you must try a Hammam. I used the concerige desk at the Le meridien as their english was better than in our hotel.We paid 200dh for a guide around the medina and were ever we wanted to go, you have him for 4 hours and he is english speaking. We also took a day trip to the Atlas Mountains which was wonderful.
Dinner in a nice Riad was also a very
special experience.

I would take Euro's with you as you can't get get dirhams until you arrive and the locals take both( you are also more likely to use Euro in the future and you can get a coffee etc at the airport on the way home(credit cards weren't accepted in the cafes).

Original poster

chocolatemummy · 29/12/2007 20:55

we are staying at a 4/5* Royal Mirage Hotel. but it has both fantstic reviews and awful! I guess it depends on what you are used to.
We are both early thirties and married, just wanted a week away somewhere different and not cold (in march). Was tld the square and markets are great and hotel has hamman, jacuzzi, beauty rooms etc so thought it was just what we needed. Just don't want to be chained to hotel all week, be nice to feel safe enough to walk around

OP posts:

sherbert · 29/12/2007 21:02

I went with a female freind three months ago. It was fantastic, it felt very safe to me, people are very friendly. It is a bit manic though, and you have drive a hard bargain in the souks, really is fantastic though. Crossing the road is an adventure in itself. Top tio, is to stay in Riad, a traditional guest house. Also brush up on your french, not a lot of English spoken, and when it comes to taxis, agree on a price first, which should be about half of the first price quoted.

Anna8888 · 29/12/2007 21:03

I went on my own in February 2001 when I was 34 and it was no problem at all.

Stay in a lovely Riad and you'll have a great time.

morocco · 29/12/2007 21:04

definitely safe enough to walk around, but like any place, don't walk round the poor areas and stick to the touristy places and you should be fine. marrakesh is pretty good for cracking down on hassle/touts so you shouldn't get more than the usual carpet selling type hassle. moroccans are generally really gentle friendly people. cover up (ie t shirt with short sleeves at least, knee length or longer skirt or trousers, no need to cover hair etc) and you will feel more at ease and stand out less. enjoy

Original poster

chocolatemummy · 29/12/2007 21:26

great, I feel much better aleady, have tried to get some more covering clothes, Not really a hotpants and shrt skit person anyway, havent got the legs for it!

OP posts:

sherbert · 29/12/2007 21:37

I took a couple of Pashmina's with me. I really enjoyed wearing long floaty things whilst I was there. I also finally understood what Muslim women mean when they say 'covering up' actually liberates rather than inhibits them

Original poster

chocolatemummy · 30/12/2007 16:12

feel more excited about it now, only a few weeks. I have bought some lovely things in the sales inclusing a couple of maxi dresses - thought they were ideal, little shoulder straps and floor lengths skirts. I have read up about the taxi's and not eating at our hotel as its about 5 times as expensive a the local restaurants.
What are the Souks like?

OP posts:

mm22bys · 31/12/2007 22:00

Hi, you will love Marrakesh. I have been back from 5 nights there over Christmas, with my DH and our two 2DSs (3 and 1) and honestly, you will be fine there.

The Royal Mirage will be a great place to stay, out of the Medina, so away from the "poor" bits, but you will still be able to go the square (as a pp said, a must at night), and the markets. We stayed in the old town, and there were times when it honestly wasn't enjoyable with the two DSs - think dusty, narrow streets, with motorbikes whizzy by!

It is safe though. While I felt a bit stressed with the motorbikes going by, especially in the markets, I never felt threatened ( I am blond, and so is DS1). My biggest worry was one of us getting run over by a moped!

I didn't go to any special effort to "cover up" - just wore jeans and a shirt. Unless you are a Muslim, you will not be allowed to enter the main mosque (Koutoubia), don't know about any others (didn't try). Some women did cover up, but it is very touristy so you will really not stick out too much.

Your trip sounds like a lot of fun, I would honestly say while you need to keeps your wits about you (as you would anywhere) it really is not unsafe.

mm22bys · 31/12/2007 22:07

Hi to answer about the souks, they are mad, crazy, fun, and enormous. We went two or three days, and I never really got the hand of where we were! They are very big, and have different sections for different goods, so a shoes area, leather coats area, metal goods area etc. We found the market sellers hard going - it seems not a lot of people were buying - maybe they go for the low volume, high margin option!

We got semi-lost a couple of times (near impossible given the streets are not named), but asked some locals each time the way back to where we were staying (in the Medina) and we were fine.

We did have a guide on our first day, and as a a pp said, he charged about 200 dirhams, which is about 18 to 20 odd pounds for 4 of us.

Have fun,

kd73 · 31/12/2007 22:11

Just arrived back from Marrakech and wanted to let you know there is a cash machine in the airport.

I would also recommend taking a pashmina to cover shoulders. I felt very uncomfortable even in a short sleeved t-shirt when outside tourist areas.

PeachyHasAFiggyPudInTheOven · 31/12/2007 22:13

We were hassled a bit in Agadir but i think that was because we were in a large group and themore troublesome elements knew to expect us iyswim (we were on a cruise and everyone wherever we went was shouting 'from the ship?'). There was some truble when we docked as well which the police sorted but by and alrge it was OK- the local taxi driver we hired in casablance to drive usa round was great and bought us a drink in his local which added a great dimension LOL

We were able to enter the Hassan II Mosque in Casablance (amazing place) but you will need to keep yur shoulders covered- a cotton cardi would be ideal over a maxi dress or trousers.

have fun (and keep some dollars or pounds for bartering- the locals much preferred that to local currency)

mm22bys · 31/12/2007 22:15

There's also cash machines in the main street off the main square, and in the "new town", there will be some too.

If you're staying at the Royal Mirage, they may be able to arrange transport there for you (we stayed at a Ryad in the old town, and they got us from and to the airport (at a price, but it meant no hassle)).

misteasa · 07/01/2008 14:39

My friend and I went to Marrakech for 3 days in December and absolutely loved it. We are both in our mid 20s and my friend is a blonde, blue eyed tennis instructor so a prime target for hassle but we were pleasantly surprised. Everyone was really friendly and as long as you're polite and firm they leave you alone. We had a wonderful time and would definitely go back. We made sure that we dressed appropriately and didn't have any complaints on out return. Have a great time!

newgirl · 08/01/2008 19:19

i was going to add that marrakesh is a very cosmopolitan sophisticated place well used to tourists - act like you would in any major city

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