Traveling solo in Morocco as a female; the truth

Traveling solo has never been a problem for me. But when thinking of Morocco I kept being hesitant. I thought it would be better to wait until I had found the perfect travel partner, since organized tours aren’t my style. I heard so many horror stories about this country and so many people advised me not to go there by myself. So I kept postponing my decision to travel solo as a female to Morocco. If only I had known what I know today…

Negative stories & press

I heard so many negative stories about people throwing rocks at you, aggressive salesmen, an overdose of catcalling or harassment, robbery, assault, men not showing any respect to women… Or the typical myth that I am worth a lot of camels being a blue-eyed blonde and would definitely be sold.
But if traveling alone, who would they sell camels to? Seriously…
OK, men would abduct me then for sure!
And more and more of these horror stories…

The negative press about muslim people in my own country doesn’t really help creating a positive image about Morocco to the public in general either. Especially not in Antwerp and Brussels… And then the newspapers published the horrific news about the murder of those two Scandinavian girls in the Atlas mountains on top!

But still my longing to visit Morocco only grew everytime I saw gorgeous pictures on Instagram and in magazines. So I decided to just book the trip and go experience it for myself with an open mind. People love to share negativity so much. I was sure it wouldn’t be as bad as a lot of people were saying, just like my previous trips to Istanbul and Jordan (people thought those places would be dangerous too, but they are definitely not).

After I announced the news about me going to Morocco to my family, they became so worried! My mom even cried sometimes, because everyone was telling her I was crazy to travel solo as a female to Morocco. That it was unsafe for me to travel there on my own. I certainly shouldn’t go out alone after dark (and this came from someone who actually traveled there).

Good research

Still I refused to let this have an impact on me (except feeling sorry for my dear mom, I hate to see her cry). I can consider myself a very experienced female solo traveler now, so I also know not to be naive. Good research can prevent a lot of trouble! I started reading about all the scams that occur in Morocco. Because of course these exist (like in many other countries)! I learned a lot from all this research. But honestly, if you have some common sense, you already know a lot of these things.

What shocked me most was reading I shouldn’t smile at anyone, because they would see it as an invitation and it would be difficult to get rid of them. I would have to wear sunglasses, so I could hide my eyes to be able to check out stuff at the shops and to avoid being hassled. The tanneries are a dangerous area with people in stores holding you hostage until you pay them to get out… Of course we all know the story about people claiming the street to the tanneries is closed. That way they can show you “the right way” and then lure you into a store and ask for a lot of money, because they helped you out. In short; everyone asks for money for the smallest things… And so on and so on…

Now it is time for the truth about female solo travel in Morocco. Or at least my personal truth based on my own experiences during my two week trip traveling solo around Morocco…

Traveling solo in Morocco as a female: my personal truth

My personal situation

Let me tell you a little about me first. I am a blue-eyed blonde thirty something Belgian female, always dressed in bright colored clothes. Since I take all my own photos, I carry a big leather bag, packed with cameras, tripods and other gear. I always smile at everyone, I am an extravert and I love meeting new people. You could think that screams “easy target”,
but think again…

Solo Female Travel in Morocco: Safety Precautions

First of all; it is important to take some safety measures:

• I always take a bag with proper closure.
• I put my wallet in one of the inner zip pockets, which makes it harder for pickpockets to grab it.
• My passport stays at the hotel and I only take a photocopy with me.
• After arrival I buy a local SIM card at the airport, so I am able to communicate at any time.
• I already pinned all the places I wanted to visit and my riads into my map app (read more about my favorite travel map app in my free e-book “How to plan your trip” that you can receive by subscribing to my blog!). That way I could easily navigate the cities (Except for Fes, it is everyone’s destiny to get lost in Fes!)
• For this trip I booked local transfers from one city to another online in advance. That way I didn’t have to carry my suitcase on my own to a taxi, walk around with it at the train or bus stations or drag it around while looking for my riads (I had to do this one time in Fes after taking a regular small taxi from one riad to another. I was lucky I got some (free!) help, because I wouldn’t have been able to find the riad and drag the suitcase through the narrow streets with their steps.). The driver simply drove me from door to door and carried my suitcase when the car couldn’t reach the riad in the medina.
• I never set my tripod in a crowded street. I only used it inside tourist attractions (if it was allowed), when it was more quiet or when security guards were nearby, such as at the doors of the Royal Palace of Fes. The guards found it very amusing to watch me pose in front of my tripod!
• I always kept my phone and camera close to my body after a local elderly man in Marrakech told me to be careful. He warned me for guys on motorbikes who try to steal your stuff. This man worrying for me really touched me. I thanked him, shook his hand and he even showed me the way to my next stop.
• Another tip; I always walked close to the wall, when I heard a motorcycle approaching. So they couldn’t pass me at the side I wore my bag and they would be unable to grab it.

Catcalling and harassment

Appropriate clothing

Since I already stand out in the Moroccan crowd and because I always want to show respect for a country’s culture, I decided to wear appropriate clothing. Meaning not showing too much skin, because after all it would only encourage the catcalling. So I took a lot of long sleeved but colorful maxi dresses. No need to wear a headscarf in Morocco.

Guess what? Of course men were staring at me and making comments. But the catcalling wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. Certainly not worse than any other country I already visited. I got called “beautiful” and “gorgeous” lots of times, but it never really bothered me. I just smiled, said thank you and kept walking. No one ever started following me or touching me. I also received several marriage proposals, but I just laughed hard in response and this made them laugh too.

When that one guy doesn’t understand “No”

The only “bad experience” I had was while I was sitting in front of the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca. The guy next to me started asking for my number, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram,… the whole deal. I politely told him I wasn’t interested and that he needed to leave me alone. But he kept bothering me with all these questions. Ignoring him didn’t work, so I stood up and chose another place to sit.

A few moments later he decided to come and sit next to me again. I had to tell him to back off repeatedly, but he just didn’t stop. I started to feel really angry, because this guy really thought it was OK to keep bothering me. So I did what one of the local drivers had advised me to do, if I would ever end up in a bad situation; I put my angry bitch face on and shouted “Leave me alone or I shall call the police!”. I must have looked very convincing. You should’ve seen his terrified face! Never did I see a guy running that fast before! I’m sure Usain Bolt couldn’t keep this one up!

When I looked around I understood why; police were standing only 20 meters away from where I was sitting. This is very common in Morocco. They really want to make sure tourists are safe. You can find tourist police everywhere and the locals know this very well. So another reason why it is OK to travel solo as a female in Morocco.

Treated like a princess

All the other encounters I had with men were all very respectful. The salesmen, the guys working at the riads, hotels and restaurants, the men in the streets, the taxi drivers always singing along with Quran verses, the transfer drivers who were always in for a nice conversation, the security people at the touristic places and at the airport (one adored my bright pink unicorn phone charger so much, while checking my bag, he just let me pass security), the guides, … Everyone was super nice and they never looked at me strangely when I told them I was traveling solo. They only were curious and got more interested, which resulted in some nice conversations.

Honestly they treated me like a princess most of the time… Everyone always offered help, carried my stuff, gave me free advice, cared about my safety, shared their contact details in case I would get into trouble or get lost, offered me free dessert or tea… Some even negotiated taxis for me! Even now, I still get teary eyed because of all the kindness most of them showed me. I actually think that sometimes I was treated better just because I was traveling solo as a female in Morocco…

Getting lost in the medinas

Need a guide?

I have to say I only got lost in Fes. Simply because its medina consists of over 9000 narrow streets. Even locals get lost in Fes. No app can help you navigating this bustling maze of a medina.

On my last day in Fes I decided to explore the old city on my own. I immediately regretted it. While looking for the tanneries, desperately waving my phone in the air, I bumped into a guy I met before in the streets. He had helped me earlier at my arrival, dragging my heavy suitcase to my hidden riad deep in the medina (for free!). He recognized me and asked what I was looking for this time. So I told him I wanted to go to the tanneries again. I visited this place the day before, but I wanted to see it from a different side. He offered to guide me for as long as I wanted for a good price. I agreed because I didn’t want to loose time all day by getting lost. This turned out to be the best decision!

Unique experience

Not only did Mohammed (that was his name) take me to the tanneries, he also put me in contact with someone from inside the tanneries, named Halil. So there I was in my long dress and pretty boots, walking between the pits filled with pigeon shit and natural coloring products such as cedar wood (brown), poppy flower (red), indigo (blue), henna (orange), mint (green) and saffron (yellow). So many men surrounding me, working hard to wash and dye all these skins. It had rained the night before, so it was very slippery. But Halil helped me carefully by holding my hand and showing me where I should step, so I wouldn’t ruin my boots and dress.

He showed me several working places and took me to some fantastic photo spots. Halil even helped me with taking pictures and was very patient with me (when it comes to taking photos, I am a perfectionist). Even though these men were working hard in difficult circumstances, they all pauzed when I arrived. I always said “Salam Alaykum” and then they smiled widely and started to greet me enthusiasticly. Some were so kind and enthusiastic, it really touched me. They were so proud to show what they were doing and it seemed they appreciated the attention. Probably also because I asked a lot of questions, showed interest and I always smiled and shouted back, just having fun with them. By saying yes to Mohammed I got very lucky being able to experience this.

Paying for help

The rest of the day Mohammed showed me some local stores and traditional things. When the tour was over, I was alone again in the middle of the medina and I had no idea where I was. I tried to find my location with my phone. Some store owners kindly helped me in the right direction back to my riad. But I was so lost! It also started to rain. Fatigue from traveling and walking around all day the passed few days made me feel uncomfortable faster. I just had enough of getting lost. So I went straight to a guy to ask if he could take me to my riad. Of course I had to pay him, but it was so worth it! I would’ve never found my riad back on my own!

No danger

So is getting lost in the medina dangerous? No! Do you have to accept everyone’s help? No! There are a lot of guys offering to help you, but you will (almost) always need to pay them. It is certainly not dangerous. Just know in advance, everyone will ask for money. I got lucky to have met Mohammed, helping me out for free with my suitcase. But he was also smart, because he probably knew the chance I would meet him again was slightly big and I would say yes to him guiding me, because he was so nice before. There were a few people who helped me out for free though, most of them being people sitting in front of a store.

Honestly the Fes medina is the only one you can really get lost in. I found the souk in Marrakech very easy to navigate and GPS really worked perfectly over there. So don’t worry too much about it. The best thing you can do, if you don’t feel comfortable, is hire a guide. They are never expensive (you have to negotiate) and they can be your personal guide, GPS, bodyguard and assistant photographer! Nothing to hold you back from traveling solo in Morocco as a female!

Don’t mistrust everyone

Even though you will say no to a lot of people, now and then it is OK to just say yes and see where it takes you (even if you are a female solo traveler). I have a pretty good gut feeling when it comes to people and I never let down my guard. By saying yes a few times during this trip, I really got to experience some great things.

A free ride

I already wrote about my behind the scenes experience at the tanneries, but there were some other fantastic encounters as well! After arriving at my first riad in Fes, the chef, named Assou, offered me a free ride to the first thing I wanted to visit in Fes; the doors of the Royal Palace. In the beginning I was a bit hesitant, but he was just being nice, so I accepted. While driving he also offered to cook for me at his apartment. But I declined that offer politely. I just couldn’t take that risk. He completely understood and when he dropped me off at the palace, he gave me his card and told me that if anything happened or if I needed help, I should call him immediately and that he would come to pick me up. That was very kind! I guess that is the benefit of solo female travel in Morocco! Everyone really cares about you!

A new friend

On my second day in Fes, I met a guy guiding a Korean on the rooftop of the Nejjarine Museum, named Kamal. We just started talking while taking in the fantastic view surrounding us. When I told him I was planning to go to the tanneries next, he said I could join them and that I didn’t need to pay him. He considered me being a new friend. I was already mentally preparing myself that of course in the end I would have to pay him. But I didn’t mind, I would just join them to the tanneries and then explore on my own again. It wouldn’t be too expensive.

Kamal took me to the tanneries, the Cherratin madrasa, the Al-Attarine madrasa and some other places. After I explained I was a travel blogger and that I hated taking photos in crowded places, he told me that we could return to the madrasas at a more quiet time after the Korean left. He would make sure that I wouldn’t need to pay an entry fee again. I thought this was so nice, so I decided to keep spending the day with him!

Then I became hungry and Kamal took me to a small local restaurant. I had lunch, while he went praying. When he returned, he told me he had prayed for my good fortune, which again, was so sweet. Then it was time to go back to the madrasas. Since it was still around lunch time, they were completely empty and like he promissed, I didn’t need to pay an entry fee again. After that he showed me some more of Fes and took me to his father’s lamp store. There I bought a gorgeous lamp and then he took me to the most amazing rooftop terrace to have dinner together. I had a fantastic view on Fes while the sun was setting and the call of prayer echoed over the biggest medina of Morocco.

After dinner Kamal took me all the way back to my riad. He didn’t ask for any money. He just gave me a hug and said that he really enjoyed our day together. I couldn’t agree more! I had spent the whole day admiring beautiful places, exchanging thoughts about life and religion, making jokes and just had a great time, making a new friend.

Going out after dark…

In Chefchaouen it was completely OK to go out after dark. It’s a very small cozy town and people here never asked for money. I never felt unsafe. Fes was different. My driver had told me to be more careful in Fes. He strongly advised me not to go out after dark, because people here are more aggressive. So the only times I was out after dark in Fes was when I was accompanied by men (one time with two Germans and the other time with Kamal). The chance of losing your way in Fes is bigger at night and it just creates more opportunity for something bad to happen. Meknes and Marrakech were completely safe. I didn’t catch bad vibes over there. Especially because there were always plenty of people in the streets and I never got lost there.

Solo Female Travel in Morocco: It’s all in the attitude

In the end I always come to the same conclusion. Even in Morocco, as a solo female traveler, I got the same remark during my trip over and over again. I consider this as one of the biggest compliments someone can give me; “I can see you are a positive minded and nice person”. It is all in the attitude! What you give is what you get. Positivity attracts more positivity. If you are going to be the arrogant unfriendly narrow minded tourist, you will never have the same experience.

I actually forgot about the warning not to smile at anyone as soon as I had arrived at Tangier airport. My usual self smiled at everyone and guess what? Everyone smiled back!

When I was buying a SIM card, the guy even offered to activate it. I just gave him my phone and he did the rest. I didn’t need to do anything “because I was so nice”.

Everyone I met in the street I greeted with a smile and “Salam Alaykum”. Even the grumpy looking ones returned a smile then and greeted me back. Those two simple words combined with a friendly smile are magical!

Do salesmen ask if you want to visit their shop every time you pass by? Of course they do, but I just greeted them with a smile, said “La shokran” (No, thank you) and walked away. They never got angry or pushy.

If you show kindness, respect and a smile you get the same in return. No one treated me badly. People told me repeatedly they appreciated that I was so open minded and nice. My transfer drivers often send me a message afterwards that I could always call them if I needed help.

Morocco is beautiful and safe

So if you go to Morocco, free your mind first. Don’t just expect things to go wrong. Do put a smile on your face, greet the people, say yes now and then, take the time to have a chat with the locals… nothing bad will happen! Don’t be naive of course, but be honest, what is the worst thing that can happen? Probably being ripped off in the medina. Whether it is for paying too much for a guide, a taxi or a guy who offered you free help, but in the end asked for 30 dirham,… It is not the worst situation is it?

It breaks my heart thinking that a lot of people still consider Morocco and its people to be dangerous and bad. So I truly hope that this post will change those people’s minds. I can only recommend to visit this beautiful country and meet its fantastic people. I loved every second of it.

This post is dedicated to all the people from Morocco and the rest of the world that I met during this trip. You will always have a place in my memory and heart. I learned from all of you and I am grateful for your words, kindness, time and smiles.
Love,
Joëlle

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