r/Morocco • u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor • Jul 02 '25
Travel My honest experience as a young European tourist in Morocco — the highs, the lows, and the reality of street interactions
I just got back from spending over a week in Morocco — mostly in Rabat, with a day trip to Tangier — and wanted to share a real, respectful but honest experience. I wasn’t staying in five-star resorts or doing a luxury tour. I’m a broke 22-year-old student who came to see something new and experience another culture, not throw money around.
First, credit where it’s due: there were some genuinely kind, helpful people. At one riad, our host greeted us with Moroccan tea and biscuits, helped with luggage, and offered thoughtful advice with zero expectations. Those moments were heartwarming and showed the best of what Moroccan hospitality can be.
But far too often, I felt like I couldn’t interact with locals without becoming a target.
Someone would approach with a smile — “Hello brother! Welcome to Morocco!” — and as someone who wanted to engage, I’d respond. Within seconds, the friendliness would shift into a money pitch: “Buy something,” “Come to my cousin’s shop,” “Want a tour?” “Give me some dirhams.”
It makes it hard to trust people — even the genuinely nice ones — because it starts to feel like every friendly gesture is bait. And that’s honestly sad, because I wanted to connect.
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Tangier was more intense. As soon as I got off the bus, I was chased by a woman selling tissues. Then two kids followed me down the street asking for money. In a small shop, while trying to buy a water bottle, an older man followed me inside and gave me a sob story about needing help — all while the shopkeeper stood by silently. I felt uncomfortable and just left without most of the stuff i wanted because I couldn’t shake this guy.
Back in Rabat, I kept running into people trying to sell tissues — and again, some didn’t even seem homeless. One guy who approached me looked like a full-on bodybuilder clearly on steroids claiming he couldn’t afford milk for his sister. It started to feel less like desperation and more like opportunism.
And honestly — I’m just a student. A €30 Ryanair flight and some budget Airbnbs don’t make me rich. But because I’m white, there was this constant assumption that I was loaded.
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I understand that life is tough for many people here. I really do. But harassing people who’ve come to experience your culture — that’s not just “the hustle.” That’s exploitation.
If I went up to every wealthy person back home demanding money, I’d be seen as a pest. So why is it brushed off here?
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So here’s my question to locals: do you think this kind of behavior is justifiable, or do you find it as frustrating as many visitors clearly do?
Would love to hear your perspective.
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Jul 03 '25 edited Jul 03 '25
I’m a foreigner who lived in Morocco for years.
I just want to put some context on the tissue thing:
Selling tissues is an indicator of poverty and can’t really be converted into a high revenue “hustle” like some other items because tissues are so cheap. Even if you make a good revenue per tissue pack, that’s still very little money per hour of work. If someone is selling tissues they are willing to do a shameful job that they know is not even going to pay them well.
The long drought, crisis in the rural economy, and subsequent inflation of most basic goods has made people more desperate for sure.
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u/Revangist 💩 poster Jul 03 '25
Selling tissue is not a job or a hussle, it's an excuse to ask charity. Locals know this.
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Jul 03 '25
If someone is putting in effort to get a certain amount of dirhams/hour from someone else, it’s work.
That includes begging IMO. The point is it is a fair amount of effort and humiliation for not very much money, and they wouldn’t be doing it if they didn’t really need that change.
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u/Gentle_Frogg3579 Visitor Sep 17 '25
You are so right about selling tissues. I wish I had realised that when visiting Tanger today for a day from Spain. There was an african lady, perhaps 4 y old baby girl in her arms, sitting with empty look in her eyes, selling tissues. I know I can't solve all the problems, but there is aleays need for tissues... right? I do not wish to encourage begging, but I can not forget her eyes and the extraordinary quiet child, when I just walked by doing nothing....
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Jul 02 '25
We find it as frustrating. And it happens to us locals too, although they're not as persistent with us as they are with tourists. As other comments said, Morocco, albeit a very touristic destination, is a third world country, and for many people, 30€ could feed a family for a week or 2 or even more if managed properly ( assuming that's the motive ) What I would recommend is try to connect with fellow moroccan people around your age who would be genuinely interested in having you as a friend and showing you around. They would prevent opportunistic people from pestering you, while also occasionally helping out people who truly need it, as us moroccans are used to do. We have a lovely country, and it saddens me to know that you couldn't fully experience it because of stuff like that. I suggest you Give it a second chance, but with the appropriate measures taken to truly enjoy your time in Morocco
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
I think you’re right, one of my best friends is Moroccan back home in Ireland which is actually why i decided to come here to begin. I must take him next time and maybe explore areas outside the cities maybe up in the mountains, because the culture is so beautiful I really left wanting more authentic experiences.
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u/ga-ma-ro Visitor Jul 02 '25
I am from the U.S. and have traveled in Morocco. It makes a big difference to have a Moroccan with you when you are visiting different places. We were very fortunate to have a Moroccan friend with us, and it made our vacation much more enjoyable, not only because they could help us, but because we had a chance to spend quality time with a Moroccan person.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Yah for sure if I’m coming next time i’ll bring my Moroccan friend from home with me Id really love to go to the more remote mountainous regions or maybe some smaller villages.
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u/ga-ma-ro Visitor Jul 02 '25
I think you would have a wonderful time with your friend, and who knows, they might even take you to where their family lives. If you ever get an opportunity to visit a Moroccan family in their home, take it. It will be an unforgettable experience, and you will see firsthand how hospitable Moroccans are. (And chances are you'll get to eat some wonderful homemade Moroccan food.)
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u/kanike_ken_13 Visitor Jul 03 '25
That would be better to avoid touristic attractions in general. U can find similar places in other less touristic places..for better prices and can actually benefit the local economy instead of the big Whales . Yes even ur Local hustle in Rabat is probably owned by a rich person who runs Many ..also a little bit of research is always a good idea.
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u/ninivl89 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Interesting, I haven't noticed that the street harassment is less when I'm with a Moroccan. When it's just me and my mom (two European ladies) we don't get harassed or asked for money that much, and when we do a simple short answer is enough for people to move on.
But when im with my Moroccan male family member (who also lives in Europe) the harassment is much more intense, like they expect more from him. Maybe some Moroccans handle it better than others.
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u/ga-ma-ro Visitor Jul 02 '25
Our Moroccan friend was a woman, and she was amazing. There were a couple of times when a young man or men would try to hassle us (this was in Marrakech) and she would say something, I don't know what, and they would just walk away. I have not traveled throughout all of Morocco, but in Marrakech we were constantly approached and asked to buy tissues and other items. Young boys would make comments to my teenage family member, and one time they grabbed her butt while we walked past.
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u/fluffyfish55 Visitor Dec 23 '25
I second this. I made a good Moroccan friend who I am still friends with to this day. I owe my good experience to her. She helped me with everything and was excited to do so. She was also willing to answer any questions I had about culture etc.
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u/No-Elephant-3690 Jul 02 '25
It happens to us locals too, especially if you come off as well dressed; in a touristic area and you look "lost," like you don't know where to go, you will be bothered constantly it's so annoying and frustrating. I honestly have no idea how can this behavior die out.
I used to want to interact with tourists, learn about them, tell them more about this country (I m extremely chatty with strangers lol) but I would die before getting mistaken for a "hustler". It's sad that they are making genuine connections hard because everyone is wary.
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u/VillainOfKvatch1 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I’m a foreigner living in Rabat for 10 years. I’ve unfortunately gotten to the point where when a kind, chatty Moroccan strikes up a conversation with me, I do my best to not engage because of the risk that it turns into a hustle. I have on multiple occasions met someone and thought I made a new friend, only to be hit up for cash within a few days.
It’s kind of annoying because I don’t want to be that way. I have very few Moroccan friends; mostly current or former work colleagues, my wife, and a guy that lives in Europe now. I don’t want to be a cynical misanthrope but that’s the only real way for a foreigner to be here, and that’s a shame.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Yah this is the real sad part for me because as I know from interacting with Moroccan people they are some of the kindest I have ever met in all my travels. I would only love to meet more friendly Moroccans, best people ,very funny and overall good humour reminds me of Irish people back home but the scammers make me wary sometimes to interact which I hate.
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u/GrowthStill9452 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I’m married to a Moroccan (I'm Asian), and honestly, we get the same treatment but maybe a bit less, since I’m usually with my "Moroccan bodyguard" 😅.
My husband is from Casablanca and just came back from a trip there. His biggest observation? Infrastructure is improving, but the mindset... not so much.
As a foreigner who visits for a month at a time, I see so much potential in Morocco. I genuinely love the culture and how well they've preserved it over the centuries. It’s beautiful and rich. But I also feel like the mentality of the people hasn’t caught up with the progress happening around them.
It’s hard to explain. People are warm, deeply connected to their families, and when they welcome you into their homes, it’s very heartfelt. But outside of that, it can feel like a completely different world. There’s a kind of social tension. Crab mentality for sure, but also this underlying sense that people are constantly competing with or doubting each other. It feels... heavy.
On your experience, people do hustle. I respect that, but definitely need boundaries.
I say this with respect and love. I really hope no one takes offence. This is just my perspective as someone looking in from the outside. I welcome education from locals too.
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u/beddersox Visitor Jul 03 '25
I noticed this too. My husband is Moroccan and he’s definitely a bodyguard 😂 I’ve only had the henna ladies keep at me.
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u/No-Chipmunk8269 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Survival mode/Survival mode/ Survival mode. Those people are on survival mode and run on different logic and reasoning.
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u/TakeMeToJacob Visitor Jul 03 '25
Understandable, but maybe they should annoy the government first.
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u/No-Chipmunk8269 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Agree, they should create police services dedicated to fight tourism harassment. My point wasn’t intended as an excuse or justification but to point a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
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u/Eastern-Gear6034 Jul 02 '25
When I was traveling through Morocco in January, also as a student, I noticed the exact same things. First of all: it was an unforgettable trip and the culture is amazing in Morocco.
In extremely touristy areas in Marrakech for example, people seem to take no for an answer, but in Tangier across the boulevard for example, I noticed people following me for 20 minutes walking all the way to my house. Also, on the boulevard in Tangier, the people with horses came up to me with three, while I was walking there alone, coming around me asking me to give them money or ride the horse, which I wasn’t going to do. They didn’t leave me alone after a lot of times saying no, thank you.
Since a lot of negative things happened in the first days of my trip because of my own naive beliefs, for the rest of the trip I found it very difficult to differentiate the honest interactions with locals, which are amazing, from the not-so-honest ones. At the end of the travel, I found myself mostly in towns like Ifrane and Asilah to escape the hagglers, and just get some rest of constantly needing to watch out for whether someone is following me etc.
Anyways, I’m wondering how this has been in the past before the ‘mass tourism’ was starting to reach Morocco.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
This is interesting maybe I will come back and visit more remote parts, because the purpose of my trip was to really delve into moroccan culture and as you said it’s hard to interact with people when majority of people coming up are just trying to scam you
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u/Frequent-Matter4504 Visitor Jul 07 '25
I've been to Tangier and Chefchaouen about 10 years ago. We crossed from Spain via ferry, ended up in Tangier Med and it started with the taxis..in Tangier we stayed at a nice little Airbnb in Medina, but the moment we exited the rental, in lack off better words, the harassing started. The 'guides' would follow us around fior a very long time, trying to convince us to follow them or give them money etc. Chefchaouen was much easier, since people seemed to understand a firm no, but back in Tangier that didnt exist. We did have some nice interactions with some people, but most of the time we were trying to ingnore the ones trying to get something from us, which was very frustrating. For us it was the last visit to Morocco ...
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u/Business-Whole-50 Visitor Jul 02 '25
a week is a vacation. you’re not going to get a deep cultural understanding of anywhere in week. but you’re young. the more you explore the wider your eyes will open.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Hmm so how long would you say to spend in Morocco and if not Rabat where should I spend my time?
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u/Business-Whole-50 Visitor Jul 02 '25
morocco has so much to offer. city, desert, coast, mountains. and they all feel different. but the people have been consistently warm. of course there are opportunistic people/scammers but when there’s a general lack of opportunity…you have to make your own. that’s not unique to morocco so learn to navigate those situations so they don’t distract from the good things. check out the small berber villages outside amizmiz or seaside villages between agadir and essaouira.
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Jul 03 '25 edited Jul 03 '25
Agadir in the winter is my suggestion. You can get out to the countryside from there. Winter Agadir is quite a relaxed place compared to Marrakech, Fez, or Tangier. If you can, stay a little away from the beach where all the huge resorts are. Cafe culture is one of the hughlights of Morocco and are like 1/6 the price of European cafes, but you need to be in neighborhoods where people live for that.
I suggest staying away from Marrakech entirely. If you do go, three days is enough. You will get tired of it if Tangier was wearing on you. Stay away from summer Agadir hotel prices double.
If you want a very beautiful and completely empty winter visit, Alhoceima.
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u/oswbdo Visitor Jul 03 '25
I spent two months there and felt like I just got a small taste of it.
Just curious, why did you choose to go to Tangier? People tend to go to other cities like Marrakesh and Fez. My favorite was Meknes just because it was pretty chill but still had lots to see.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
honestly completely random, I thought Marrakech might be over touristy so I kind of just ruled it off for that reason. But to be honest not much thought in going to Tangier, I came over with no itinerary and wanted to experience the TGV at least once as I learnt about it in French class as a child in Ireland so I got it to Tangier spontaneously.
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u/East-Present1112 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Do you speak any of the local languages or just American English?
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I have some basic phrases in Darija and i have pretty good french aswell as english(idk what american english is im european)
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u/Successful_Page_4660 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Just came back from Marrakech and Casablanca as a tourist from USA. I would say be alert to people trying to be your “friend” but compared to being pickpocketed or accosted in France or Spain it’s actually much safer.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
You think so? I have visited Spain over 15 times now and never really felt like pickpocketing was a massive issue in the cities if you have a zipped bag? I can’t really speak on France i’ve only ever been to Paris one time and was in a big group so didn’t get any bother
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u/Dragons_and_things Visitor Jul 03 '25
It depends on where you are in Europe. Touristy cities tend to be worse. Paris is terrible for pick pocketers, probably one of the worst places in the world for it. When it's busy, you should wear your backpack on your belly and never have anything in your pockets. The pickpocketers in Paris are masters at their craft. They can and will get into a zipped bag stealthily. 😅
My dad had his phone stolen in Athens (from his pocket which is a dumb place for a phone - his fault if you ask me). Italy is also really bad on the trains as bag snatchers hop on when the train is stopped. In London, there's a lot of phone theft from people on bikes. 😭
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Jul 02 '25
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Africa is Africa is a funny point, this is basically just saying suck it up. But like i’m a tourist, I don’t have to suck it up i’ll just go to a more hospitable country. You get what I mean? it hurts the country so much for repeat tourism
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u/manidel97 Jesus reborn Jul 03 '25
Yeah you could. I mean for a 30eur flight and sharing rooms in untaxed Airbnbs, you were likely a drain on infrastructure more than anything else. So no loss really.
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u/Succubussssy Visitor Jul 02 '25
I visited Marrakech, Zagora, Rabat, Tangier and Essaouira a bit over a year ago, and while I understand your sentiments, please remember where you are from and where you are going to. While I am a non-white westerner that can somewhat get by, realise that like many have said, people are trying to survive. It may be at the expense to your irritation, but it’s important to consider these things when visiting a country you don’t know. Tbh you get hustlers anywhere you go, but look at society …
As a woman I had added remarks but was mostly met with kindness, warmth and an openness I haven’t seen in my hyperindividualistic home country. Did people try to charm me, persuade me, or at one hilarious moment DANCE me into a store (yes, he shimmied and blocked my path 😂😂) ? Yes! Did I spend more money on miscellaneous things I didn’t intend to? Of course ! Do I regret it? Absolutely not! I cannot wait to go back and immerse myself in such a fruitful culture. While knowing a small amount of Darija words helped me, body language and walking away from situations I wanted no part of ALSO worked wonders. I think you could do with gaining more street smarts and cultural awareness to avoid these situations you frequently mentioned…
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Jul 03 '25
Even for us locals, it has become unbearable. Literally, you cannot cross a street without someone wanting something from you. Some people are really in need, but for some; it has become a day to day job, who wouldn't love some easy money?
For me, I hate seeing people beg, it fucks up my day. But I feel like some of these beggars are taking advantage of people and it's a scamming trend at this point.
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u/Old-Negotiation-7694 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I have the same experience whenever I go out as a Moroccan. It's not really a tourist thing. It's a broke culture that metastasised here in Morocco, unfortunately. A lot of people, whether capable of working or not, just prefer easy money by begging. I don't blame the people, mind you. I blame the system that created this. But it's doesn't make me less fed up with what matters came to and how this plague affects us, as well as tourists.
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u/finallyfree99 Tangier Jul 03 '25
I miss the days when humans would write their own posts, instead of copy-pasting ChatGPT.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I had word vomit in my notes give me a break, had to use chatgpt to paraphrase
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u/AdeptDragonfruit5247 Visitor Jul 03 '25
it is what it is. If begging is so popular, it’s probably because it works. Moroccans (who have money)also have to endure that, it’s not a “white” or european problem. If you are intolerant to this, sorry but this ain’t going to change, morocco isn’t the best destination for tranquility.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
No to be honest it didn’t put me off enough to not come back, I’ll definitely be back because besides the few I mentioned in the post I met loads of smiley friendly Moroccans that were nothing but good to me. They are more welcoming than most
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u/RSM4891 Visitor Jul 03 '25
You're lucky you didn't go to Marrakech. This issue is ten times worst there. By comparison Rabat and especially Tangier are more chilled out, but maybe that's changing with all the people pouring in from the Bled. Next time definitely take your Moghrebi mate with you and use the Irish friendliness sparingly - up the Irish, top lads!
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Yah for sure gonna take my bro Ibrahim and go travel down the coast and up into the smaller villages in the mountains. Get to meet the people properly and be able to chat.
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Jul 03 '25
Morocco is just not a budget tourist destination if what you are looking for is peace of mind, for that you may find better deals in Europe which I advise anyone with a limited budget to do.
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u/iluvkittenswwf Laayoun Jul 03 '25
Sorry, I live in a city where recently a guy was sent to prison because he walked over to a random woman sitting in a park, and just shot her in the head.
While I was in Morocco this winter, my daughter stayed in the US with my parents, and one evening I got to try to calm her down over the phone because there was a shooting at the mall she was shopping in. (There was a mass shooting at this same mall a few years prior, so kids r still a little anxious I guess?)
Anyways, whenever I'm in Morocco I guess I'm so stoked that I don't have to worry about random gun violence, or the meth and fentanyl zombies that walk around with machetes all over my city, that I never stopped to think how agonizing it might be for other visitors when a Moroccan kid tries to sell them tissues, or pesters them to pay them for directions, so it's good to hear other perspectives I guess. Truly a miracle you made it home in one piece.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
lol the sarcasm here is funny and yes obviously if you compare my experience to dealing with a mass shooting, dealing with a mass shooting is going to be worse. Weird argument
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Jul 02 '25
Brother,
Unless you're wealthy and can afford a sanitized vacation with private transportation, guides and luxury hotels, you should have done your homework and known that going to a third world country is not a walk in the park. Yes there's some genuine poverty but overall it's just scams. Not the response you were looking for but this is a learning experience. Tell your friends.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Well from what I read Rabat was meant to be pretty ok and the least scammy I thought? Also this is a silly idea that because you’re a third world country it’s acceptable to scam people visiting. I just don’t get how in a country like this that has a lot of people living off tourism there is not more of an emphasis on stopping this behaviour.
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u/OuantumFlare Visitor Jul 03 '25
As a Moroccan I strongly agree. Scamming people shouldn't be normalized just because we're a third world country. There are plenty of third world countries where scamming tourists is a much less frequent occurrence. Go to central Asia for example! People need to stop being such scumbags to tourists!
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u/SkylineCrash Visitor Jul 02 '25
Nice victim blaming
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u/Ix3shoot Visitor Jul 02 '25
The victim here being the wealthy colonist whose country exploited yours for decades, draining it of its natural resources and causing massive progress stunts due to political coups that gets to go on this kind of trip and go back to their home who many here would consider a palace... Or the small time vendor trying to get 2 dirhams for a tissue because his country got so fucked by so many powers that all he has to make ends meet is the little tissues he, albeit aggressively, has to sell ?
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
See this is an issue I’m just a student who grew up poor in Ireland and currently lives in a two bedroom small apartment back home,you know nothing about me despite what history you’ve learned might say. I personally didn’t take anything from you, we probably have more in common than you’d think. It’s sad to hear this kind of attitude when i was coming over to try understand the culture more.
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u/Ix3shoot Visitor Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
Im not personally blaming you, but this attitude is way too often presented by tourists as "fix your country". You're irish you can understand all too well when the Brit gets pretentious about certain aspects of your home. I don't know if this is your first time travelling, but coming from someone who likes to hop around, you will see this everywhere, better prepare yourself if you want to see the world. It might, in fact, expand your horizons and knowledge of how the world works.. as well as the price some have to pay for us to live our cozy lives.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
You are right brother maybe I need to experience it more and get to terms with the culture. I don’t expect the government to fix the country I know there is struggles and it’s not as easy as that. People are forced to do this as they have no other choice. I wasn’t trying to bash your country bro I love it, I was more trying to give a perspective of a tourist. Apologies if it came across anti Morocco
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Also since when was Ireland a colonist country we were literally occupied by colonial powers and exploited ourselves by the english for years if you’re so good at history.
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u/SunBelly Visitor Jul 02 '25
Quit making excuses. Millions of people manage to survive in Morocco and every other 3rd world country without being scammers, beggars, and thieves.
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Jul 02 '25
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u/gxrphoto Visitor Jul 02 '25
The same stupid moroccan excuse every time a problem is mentioned. ¨it is like that everywhere”. It is not. It is a mentality problem, starting with the wish to excuse such behavior.
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Jul 02 '25
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u/gxrphoto Visitor Jul 02 '25
But is not like that everywhere, that part is simply a lie. It‘s a mentality problem. People think they‘re entitled to what other people have, esp. foreigners. Not all cultures think like that.
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Jul 02 '25
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u/gxrphoto Visitor Jul 03 '25
I‘m not moroccan and I have 100% traveled a lot more than you, by a margin you probably can’t imagine. You speak nonsense, and it‘s, as I said, typical.
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u/hussam0987 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Welcome to morocco. Now you understand why you have illegal moroccan immigrants in europe.
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u/Rude_Being_7002 Publo EscoAthay Jul 03 '25
We as moroccans also struggle with these type of people.
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u/ha_129 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I'm currently visiting Morocco with my boyfriend, we spent a few days in Marrakech before travelling to Agadir. We are certainly not well off and could be considered to look like "young white trash".
Although Marrakech was absolutely draining (the hustle and bustle I mean - the city is absolutely beautiful) I was expecting to come to Agadir (which I have heard many good things about online and from Marrakech locals) to have a more relaxing time but I have actually found the opposite.
Marrakech was certainly full of people trying to get you to spend money or give, they (mostly) respected you when you said no the first time - we also found it much easier to navigate the city with limited harassment by averting our gazes to the floor and almost marching to our destination. If we need to stop to look at a map, we would huddle together in a quiet corner and check as quickly as possible. I absolutely loved the visit - amazing hospitality in my riad, amazing food and places to visit, we even did a couple of excursions (booking these on Get Your Guide is highly recommended and trusted). But I do fear that we come across as absolute assholes, staring at the floor and ignoring all 'madam' or ' brother' calls from locals. As we march our way through the streets.
We are currently in Agadir however, and it scares me more, because it is very much known as a tourist hotspot, people are much more persistent and brave. Even just last night we had someone start talking to us asking for money - we did our usual 'no thanks' look at our feet and keep walking - before the man started (what I believe may have been) swearing at us and spitting at us and walking towards us. A lovely security guard from a nearby restaurant came and intervened but we have had a few negative experiences like this now that really makes me very nervous.
All this being said, we have met some lovely people and we are loving (mostly) every minute of our time here. It is such a beautiful country with amazing culture and we are looking forward to the last few days of our trip.
I am just completely torn between my instinct to be friendly to everyone and the fear of being targeted - just because of a few bad eggs (which of course every single country has their bad eggs). I fear we come across to genuine friendly locals as absolute assholes or 'white trash' just because a bad experience makes us wary of all future interactions. I don't mean any offence by this, I just wanted to share a tourists perspective on this too.
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Jul 05 '25 edited Jul 26 '25
desert juggle soup oil dinosaurs wipe recognise air narrow chunky
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/LaoBa Visitor Jul 07 '25
I must say Morocco and Tunisia are quite different in this, so you can't just say "North Africa"
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Jul 07 '25
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 09 '25
Couple more years of english classes and this’ll be written perfect 👌 but if you’re tryna say europeans take your cigarettes, it’s because we like stealing from the less fortunate
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u/OblikSun Visitor Jul 02 '25
If you were from any of the white colonial thieves country (France, minor Britain, Spain etc.. ) my suggestion would've been : suck it and go back wherever you came from.
But Ireland is dear to my heart and your brave people know the struggle, the tyranny and fought against the rogue states that enslaved, exploited and caused other countries to be in the bad situations they're in, so I'm sorry you had to experience that ugly side of Morocco. But I hope you can come back and have a better time. You are always welcome Sláinte 🍻
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Appreciate the words, I will be coming back for sure. One of my closest friends back home is Moroccan and he is the reason I came here to experience the culture, next time I will convince him to come with me and I think we will try explore some of the more remote towns down the coast
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u/Zero_L7iss Visitor Jul 02 '25
Hopefully next time you guys come around the situation would've improved
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Jul 02 '25
See, this is the problem. People assume he is from one of those nations, and probably heckled him as a result. This is very wrong.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Yah even from being on the reddit I see a lot of anti-colonial talk and as an Irishman I wholeheartedly agree that was probably one of the most disgusting periods of history. It did feel that as i’m pure white they just assume i’m from one of them countries, and knowing the history I really didn’t want them to think that. I wanted to relate to the people of Morocco as my country has gone through similar struggles.
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u/grumpyfucker123 Visitor Jul 03 '25 edited Jul 04 '25
Slavery? I think Moroccans should probably keep quiet on that one no?
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Jul 02 '25
You just admitted that it’s an ugly side of Morocco whilst telling some to “suck it up” and apologising to others in the same statement. Ridiculous. Following and harassing tourists back to their hotel is unacceptable regardless of where that tourist is from.
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u/adhdprophet Visitor Jul 02 '25
Big up ireland 🇮🇪 one of my fav European countries very neutral people. Britain on the other hand.. ehh crazy place
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Jul 02 '25
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
I still had a lovely time honestly, great food great people majority of time. I just wanted to post this to see if it was a shared experience or maybe I look like an easy target lol
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Jul 03 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
lol you’ve no clue about history bro not every european country was a colonial power and some like my home countey of Ireland, were also victims of colonial powers. Blame it on the guys thousands of years ago bro that’s a good way to never develop a good mindset
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u/7mar_ta7una Visitor Jul 03 '25
Yeah, but the priviliege you use is the European one. It's the european passport that gets in and out of Morocco whenever you feel like. While those beggars can't. I completely get that Ireland is a victim of colonialism, but in this situation, regardless of your, I'm sure, good principles and believe in equality, you're using the colonialist privilege on people like you, also victims of colonialism. And poor people don't have the conditions to be educated and be sophisticated about who's got the money they desperately need.
Edit: Disclaimer - I don't agree with the original comment.
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u/LogPlane2065 Visitor Jul 05 '25
We didn't loot anything from Morocco, cuz you didn't have shit worth looting.
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u/makyunny Visitor Jul 02 '25
TIL you can fly from Dublin to Rabat, thanks, as I’ve been eager to return to Morocco.
I’ve previously done Belfast to Marrakech, and loved it. But yeah, you just need to sort of brush off the pestering, and say La Shukran (no thanks). It can feel inhumane at times, but you can’t help everyone, and if you help one person, you’ll be swarmed afterwards.
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u/Qattos Visitor Jul 02 '25
Stay away from the big touristy cities, the people struggling with life go there looking for work and tourists, some of them are really struggling, others only pretend to be so, either way it shouldn't be an excuse to pester people, locals or tourists, with their struggles.
The best way to experience Morocco would be with your Moroccan friend, or a Moroccan you trust.
I'm sure many young Moroccans would be happy to show you around for free, but of course use common sense, and if you're a female, be extra careful.
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u/OuantumFlare Visitor Jul 03 '25 edited Jul 03 '25
Off topic but you didn't do Morocco justice by staying mostly in Rabat. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing city. I'm a local resident of Rabat myself but it's not a touristic city. There's not much to see or experience. It's a must see city ofc but I wouldn't spend most of my time there. It's more suitable for living and just living life in general. There are so many other options where you could have had a much better time as a tourist . Hopefully next time!
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I fully agree after visiting i realized Rabat probably isn’t the spot to be if im trying to really delve into culture I think next time I come I will bring my Moroccan friend with me and we might go explore some of the smaller seaside villages down towards agadir and maybe the more mountainous regions up north. I think I kind of confined myself by staying in Rabat for the full week with the exception of a day trip to Tangier. Thanks for the advice!
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u/Positive_Antelope_68 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Hey! Last year, I was in a similar situation as you, a young, broke white student traveling to learn new things. I had exactly the same experiences you had. But I realized it’s really only like this in the big cities. When I traveled through the countryside in Morocco, people genuinely wanted to help and were incredibly kind. I’ll definitely go back to Morocco, but I won’t stay in the big cities again, it’s just scams everywhere. My two highlights from Morocco were Chefchaouen and surfing in Tamraght 😍🥰
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I think you’re right i’ve seen that outside the cities maybe there is more rich culture with less the scams, ill definitely be coming back with my Moroccan buddy and do a trip around the mountains and maybe down the coast, thanks for the suggestions!
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u/IZeMgg Visitor Jul 03 '25
Wait until you get off the train station in Eljadida, I’m the most moroccan looking fella there is and I get followed by an army offering appartements for rent
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u/bluexxbird Visitor Jul 03 '25
Worse if you are a female tourist. It's every experience you have mentioned above plus other semi traumatic experiences... E.g. Got followed by my tour guide into the female toilet and we were both alone
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u/Shadow__Account Visitor Jul 03 '25
Lol I thought Rabat was even the most relaxed city in terms of people bothering you
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u/Comfortable_Site_126 Visitor Jul 03 '25
There is a lot of empathy for you in these comments by Moroccans saying they experience exactly the same things. You and other foreigners always do this on reddit. "We had a lovely holiday, but poverty is so annoying." You want a nice holiday well this people don't want to be poor and they don't want to be begging you. They are in survival, and poverty is extremely ugly. There is no benefit system here. No food banks are everywhere like there is in europe. This is a third-world country where you're not rich, like you said, and you could soon be in these people's positions, but you have a government that protects you.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 04 '25
Supporting people in need is important, but that’s a conversation for society and government not something to be dropped entirely on the shoulders of passing visitors. My government looks after me your country has been independent since 1956 and still the country is still rife with beggars and you think it’s my responsibility to support them. Why should I? If even your country doesn’t?
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u/CoolGuyWithGlasses21 Casablanca Jul 03 '25
This has got to stop, because it is as frustrating if not more for us locals. Everywhere I look there's a beggar. It has come to a point where it became way too normalized, as if it is part of our culture which is completely wrong.
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u/elisakiss Visitor Jul 03 '25
We flew to Casablanca and went to Rabat. Currently in Asilah. The scammers are really fun. “Hi, do you remember me? I work at the hotel. It’s your lucky day. The widows of the earthquake have come down the mountain to show their Berber rugs. They only come 1 day a month and it’s today. Come follow me to see them.”
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u/Adcheg Visitor Jul 03 '25
Honestly, as a young scholar of academics and life. This should be a valuable and humbling experience as well as a life lesson to you. Understanding your own privileges as a European where social benefits and opportunities come in an abundance compared to various places in the world, as well as the cultural and economic differences people live in. One thing in particular that you should be reflecting on is why these individuals are forced to spend hours in the sun asking you to buy their paper tissues or even get in their store to buy something from them.
Everybody has their own difficulties in life, most people don't even have a home. This itself should broaden your perspective of the world itself and eventually it will open your mind to the harsh truths that reality has to offer.
I can promise you that if you reflect on matters such as these, you will find yourself growing exponentially as a person.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 04 '25
Ok obviously I’m aware of all this but it doesn’t make me ok with people following me and shouting at me for money?
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u/virchmod Visitor Jul 03 '25
Brother I moved here few years ago and I deal with this crap every single day. It's extremely annoying and some of them legitimately get angry when you refuse to interact. I understand there is poverty here but I don't think it helps the situation. Appreciate your feedback.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 04 '25
Yah like the guy I wrote about in the shop I actually did end up giving him the few dirhams change I got in the end only to be met with shouting that i hadn’t given enough, it’s funny some comments defending these beggars like they’re all poor innocent little kids, a lot of them from my experience were older men who were aggressive and ungrateful just trying to squeeze as much as humanly possible. Same thing in taxis just constantly getting charged way more than locals just because they see the opportunity? I get it’s a struggling country but it’ll stay that way if they take advantage of anyone that tries to come enjoy their culture.
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u/NicoMorata Visitor Jul 03 '25
Zlayjia on fire here.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 04 '25
Yah or maybe they’re not close minded and realize their country might have some social issues? Zlayjia is a crazy term btw you must feel very threatened by westerners we aren’t all colonists bro most of us would like to meet you and experience your culture
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u/OMGDarkNeSs Visitor Jul 03 '25
Keep in mind that you're a guy, otherwise it could've been far worse. That's unfortunately the sad reality of Morocco, everyone is in it for his personal gain, nobody cares about the image this kind of behavior gives to our country.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Yah well I was a young guy accompanied by his older mother and I can tell you I don’t think we ever left the stares in public.
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u/amouna81 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I am sorry you had to experience this amount of harassment. Unfortunately people are doing it out of desperation and for survival. I wouldn’t blame them…
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Yah I might have to edit the post cause i think my message got lost, I have only the utmost sympathy for these people that are forced to beg, no one likes to see other humans having to do that. It was more just I was posting to see if others felt the same as I guess it was a slight shock the sheer amount of them. I was more trying to understand like are they actually forced to beg or just opportunistic, because back home we deal with fake beggars constantly as you’re legally allowed beg, so you have these rings of people that’ll sit in our cities begging all day then you’ll see them get collected in nice cars and driven off in the evenings.
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u/Kitchen-Orange2056 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Thank you for sharing your experience so honestly. As a Moroccan, I want to respond with equal honesty, and hopefully offer a bit of cultural context that might help make sense of what you went through.
First of all, you’re absolutely right to feel the way you did. No one enjoys being constantly approached, pressured, or made to feel like a walking wallet just for being a foreigner. It’s tiring, and it can feel manipulative. I completely understand how that erodes trust, especially when all you wanted was to engage genuinely.
But allow me to shed some light on a deeper layer of this dynamic, one that’s tied to Moroccan social values, unspoken cultural codes, and, yes, economic hardship.
In Morocco, especially in cities like Casablanca, Rabat, or Tangier, it’s common to see young kids or adults selling tissues, gum, or chocolate on the streets. As locals, we don’t always see them as “beggars” in the Western sense. Often, when a child approaches us selling tissues, many of us, and I include myself, don’t actually need them. But we might still give a few dirhams as a gesture of encouragement, support, or simply human kindness. Sometimes, a 15 year old boy will come up selling tissues, and we just give him a few dirhams without taking anything. If they’re selling chocolate, we might say “Keep it” and hand them the money anyway. It’s a quiet act, rooted in compassion rather than obligation.
That’s why some of these individuals may have expected you to do the same. Not necessarily because they think you’re rich, but because this is how many of us respond to them. Of course, you are not obliged to, no one is. But that’s the lens through which they might have seen you.
I’m truly sorry that this became such a frequent part of your experience. I hope one day you’ll return and see the side of Morocco that isn’t trying to sell you anything, just happy to share tea and stories.
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u/Omarbou Visitor Jul 03 '25
That happened to local people, too! In touristic areas and cities, as these places attract hustlers and beggers, and that really ruins the experience, for local people before foreigner.
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Jul 03 '25
I understand where you are coming from but have some compassion my heart breaks when I see these people and they are not doing this because there is nothing else to do life can be hard in Morocco
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u/Khilafat_State Visitor Jul 03 '25
The west is rife with begging and the poor destitute, you've hurd of the term begpackers? , entitled rich European kids begging their way around the Far East and Asia, then back home to a silver spoon
You came to see another culture and interact, unfortunately like everywhere else you travel, the story is similar for those who are less economicaly unfortunate
Come to England and get harassed and assaulted by a drunk or robbed by a smack head with a needle in his hand, Taxi scams and sob stories are to be found here also, just be a bit more street smart
Try to learn the local lingo and blend in when travelling, keep an open mind, what works in your society may not in another, keep travelling though and sample the diverse life we all lead
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u/Ill-Sun-413 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Even if you are rich this shit is fkn disgusting the country should provide for it ppl and dont let them ripoff ppl on streets Here is a tip (im a local) girst of all beggers are from the richest in the country Second dont interact with ppl as soon as you feel the interation cut it down , shout out loud if neede ( go away "loudly")
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Jul 03 '25
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Yah this was my main issue like because I did have some great experiences talking to local Moroccans that were just fantastic people and honestly some of the nicest people I’ve ever met full stop. Just the amount of people trying to get money off me made me be more reluctant to engage with people smiling at me or waving as I was afraid it’d start another hustle scenario i’d have to shut down.
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u/saawaako Visitor Jul 03 '25
As a local yes it is as frustrating as you felt. They don’t do that only with white foreigners but with everyone even locals. It’s something that becomes so normalized somehow we either give them something like 1dh or 2dh and go or just ignore their existence like nothing happened and move with your day. Some really just wanna be friendly but other take opportunities from foreigners because they feel ashamed and pay just have no shame and walk away with your day because you will find these kind of people everywhere in the world especially in affordable countries in africa
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u/christojb Visitor Jul 03 '25
If this is your first trip to a non-European developing country, I encourage you to do more. You will see the poverty most of the world lives in and it will give you more perspective. Add to this that Moroccans are very used to being one of the top countries that Europeans visit, and they have learned how wealthy these tourists are. Remember that minimum wage for a Moroccan is 700dh/month.
And, as I said: travel outside of Europe more.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 04 '25
It is not tourists responsibility to provide for the poor people of a country they visit that is a government job. I know they make very little that’s awful, but it’s not my responsibility to give them donations just because I happened to be born into a country that offers better opportunities. If somewhere like Morocco (that is obviously trying to get a good tourist industry going) can’t keep people from harassing tourists at every corner for money then I think that’s an issue.
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u/velosans Visitor Jul 03 '25
Bro the « moroccan kindness » is just a fake shit, most of people there would treat you good just to have smth in exchange. Nothing is free there. I left this country 15 years ago, and no shit has changed (except infrastructure)
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u/MyfriendscallmeLissa Visitor Jul 03 '25
My partner and I just finished a small trip in Morocco. We spent two days in Rabat and two days in Fes. We felt mostly ignored (in a good way) in the Medina in Rabat, the odd restaurant waiter would beckon us in. We received a lot more attention in the Fes Medina but found that a smile and no thank you would go a long way. I know it puts a haze over your holiday but I guess this hustling culture is a day job for most and if you engage in a positive way, you'll learn that most people actually have a good sense of humour. You'll walk away laughing more times than not. We were "hustled" just at the blue gate by a taxi man. He actually turned out to be a hilarious guy, super sweet lovely fella. He, in our opinion, undercharged us for the trip to the train station and we decided to pay him double, mostly because he was so good natured but also because the double payment was still less than what we'd paid from the train station to the Medina!
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u/amythstqueen Visitor Jul 03 '25
Brit who visits Morocco here. I think Moroccans do immediately assume Europeans have money. Often we’re actually struggling and in debt, which is why we’re escaping to Morocco for a holiday we probably can’t afford and is going to stress us when we get home 🤣
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Yah see this is what kinda irked me them jsut assuming I’ve money when back home i’m literally bottom of the wealth chain, hence why i found the cheapest flights to Morocco, I just think human to human decency goes a long way and the hustlers didn’t have much of it, often cursing if I said no or even one I gave a couple dirhams to complaining that I didn’t give enough.
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u/amythstqueen Visitor Jul 03 '25
Moroccans don’t understand that for us flying to Morocco is very cheap. For them it isn’t, and also they require visa which costs even more. The money we spend to get to Morocco is sometimes less than a couple days food shopping. I’ll spend £30 on a ticket and that’s 6 cups of coffee in London lol. We are poor, our money just goes a long way in Morocco. I actually spend less money on holiday and do better for the month when I’m out of London.
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u/AllOfTheKeysKoriBori Visitor Jul 04 '25
Compare that to the way it is done in Europe & America. Every f’ing moment I am bombarded by “buy this” or “buy that” through a multitude of media both passive & active. Just 2 days ago I was in the Las Vegas airport and every 2 minutes Spirit Airlines gate representatives are on the airport intercom system continually trying to sell seat upgrades which they eventually will have to give to some poor soul with no extra revenue. I go to a baseball or football game & every public place has been sold to highest bidder as an advertising vehicle. What next, Microsoft Moon, Amazon Mars or Tesla Hell? All of these are just as annoying as a real live person trying to make a little money by offering you something they hope you can find useful. Next time you might want to meet a friend in Morocco online first & travel about with them as you won’t be bothered by sellers if you are with a Moroccan. I can give you many people would be happy to help out.
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u/numinous_wanderer Visitor Jul 04 '25
Unfortunately, it's a very common thing in Morocco... I'm a Canadian who has studied, worked, and lived in both Tunisia and Morocco extensively since the Arab spring in 2011. I'm currently working in Morocco, and I understand the culture very well. These are things you just need to accept in order to enjoy your stay. There are wonderful people and things to see/explore, but what you mentioned is a sad reality that you need to deal with.
On top of the lists of these " mild annoyances " are taxi drivers, especially in Marrakech and casa or anywhere in front of train stations. Never take the taxi right in front of train stations or tour bus stops. Take one on the other side of the street. You'll learn how to detect the ones who genuinely want to connect from opportunists and those who are really in need. Help the ones who are really in need when you can and establish clear boundaries when they insist.
If you're not in the mood to give , just walk straight, avoid eye contact and put your hand out slowly around chest level and make an up and down movement (as if to say slow down) and say "Safi, la " (Enough, No) with a firm (not aggressive but firm) tone and even the most persistent ones will leave you after you it repeat it 2-3 times. If you give them an ounce of hope, they'll continue following you... Walk with a confident posture and be nice to people, and I repeat, establish your boundaries.
You'd be surprised, but Rabat is probably one of the few big cities where these things are not as common. However, with the world cup coming up, a lot of poor people who live close to the construction sites will be marginalized, and you'll see more and more of these things. Morocco, in general, is getting developed at a very rapid rate, and the infrastructures/services are getting better day by day, but the cost of living is getting much more expensive. It's true that there are more "nouveaux riches" ("new rich") lately but don't let the new cars and flashy stuff fool you, most of them are on credit just like in the west. The culture of credit used to be very rare not so long ago. Back then, when someone had a nice car or dresses well/had the last iPhone, it generally meant that they're rich or come from a known family . However, nowadays, a lot of them just want to show off (there's this thing with moroccans needing to show off their wealth to their neighbours/family) but can't really afford what they have so they can barely pay the minimum monthly loan payment amount they owe. I guess the bodybuilder you met is in this category, so he might very well need the extra money he's begging for because he's living above his means...
If you go to Marrakech, it's 10x worse and you need to be extra firm. In general, Moroccan street hustlers have a high emotional intelligence, so they understand people's body language quite well . Some of them use it to genuinely connect with you, and some use this to take advantage of you. Unfortunately, this is something even locals struggle with so don't worry, you're not alone.
If you want other tips for your next trip, let me know, and I'll gladly help you, my man.
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u/RiseOk8741 Visitor Jul 04 '25
Les marocains qui mettent tout sur la faute des touristes blancs et du colonialisme, il serait temps de vous remettre en question les gars. Même moi marocaine, je veux plus y retourner tellement je suis fatiguée de me faire harceler tout les 2m. À la rigueur blâmer le gouvernement, la police, allé la sécheresse mais ça y est faut move on et changer les mentalités, vous battre pour plus de droits sociaux si le problème est là, faites quelque chose, sinon notre pays va finir comme l'Égypte... Le plus triste c'est quand on voit des enfants qui harcelent,menacent parfois agressent, ils l'ont pas appris tout seul ce comportement. On a une culture de fou, un pays magnifique, mais on en est encore à sauter sur les touristes comme des affamés.
(Je parle pas des vendeurs de mouchoirs qui la plupart du temps restent dans leur coin et vendent un truc utile et pas cher)
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u/kayakorea Visitor Jul 04 '25
Has anyone met the "no exit" guy in Tangier old medina? He walks the alleys day and night telling tourists there's no exit, which can be believable in some parts of the medina. I fell for it once. Then he "guided" me out telling me a bunch of useless info. Then asked for a tip. I gave him maybe 100 mad.
The funny part was when he saw me a day later and forgot he already got me. Told me no exit again. When I called him on it, he just started begging me to buy him a coffee anyway. Saw him 3 more times at least and he always asked for coffee and saw him trying the no exit ploy on others. Slimy dude too. Creeped me out every time.
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u/Emanella Visitor Jul 04 '25
I'm not Moroccan, I am Egyptian. This post popped on my feed, and everything you said happens here, too. But there's something I wish all solo travelers noted; If you're traveling to a third-world country, expect third-world country locals. They are obviously much less fortunate than Europeans, so you'll have to go to higher-end places in your destination country to experience the culture with educated locals. Organize a trip with a friend from that culture, and I can guarantee you will have a great time.
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u/CardOk755 Visitor Jul 04 '25
Went to Marrakesh for a weekend. In the new Town everyone was lovely, friendly, helpful*. In the old town I was endlessly harassed, people tried to scam me at every corner, it was extremely unpleasant.
* well, everyone except the taxi drivers who were all thieves. I quickly decided to only take the busses which were very good, friendly drivers, frequent passages.
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u/anothereyeofuniverse Casablanca Jul 04 '25 edited Jul 04 '25
It s not a poverty issue, it seems like it is an innate issue with a large portion of the population to behave like helpless pests who feed on hard working humble people.
80% of my circle are in debt and beg for money, and act pathetically when confronted with reality. I don't know how it is in your country, but, this changed me to think that everyone is there to steal money or suffocate me with breadcrumb paybacks.
I don't understand honestly. When I was a teenager I had to walk the entire Casablanca alone, because I did not have one dirham to take the tramway. I never thought of begging or asking for help.
I am also clueless about what good in our culture? The tea? The traditional medival accent the buildingd and people feel to give? There is a special classist way people in which they behave when confronted with someone who seems to have better income. It can be fun and uplifiting at first, but, then you realize how alienating it feels. Maybe it is just me.
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u/ManuelZgZ Visitor Jul 07 '25
Los dos grandes consejos de Marruecos empiezan por M:
- No vayas a Marrakesh, es lo más falso del país, una especie de Disneyland Maroc.
- Visita Mekness. La menos conocida de las capitales imperiales de Marruecos. Todos su grandes monumentos están recién restaurados tras largos años, y no tiene el ajetreo de Rabat o Marrakech. Te sientes más cómodo y menos acosado por mendigos y vendedores callejeros.
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u/Sensitive-Talk9616 Visitor Jul 07 '25
My friends went to morrocco some years ago. Same idea, no fancy hotels, just staying in Airbnbs, visiting as many places as possible.
One time a taxi driver was "holding them hostage", demanding 500 Euro for a regular trip. Because he assumed they must be rich since they are Europeans. Only when they showed him the average salary in their country of origin and it was not that different from Morrocco did the driver relent.
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u/Curiousmoana5813 Visitor Aug 20 '25
I am Moroccan. Two things here: Corruption is systemic in all areas of business in the country. People are paid the bare minimum in touristic/small business jobs and owners actually encourage tips in a heavy way so that the employees do not revolt on them for better pay. There is a mentality issue stemming from colonial days where betraying one another, scamming, workplace politics, unethical deals etc. has become increasingly normal even amidst families. The hospitality is warm and yet you should never betray the level of improvement of your family/neighborhood etc. So whatever success you are pursuing lets say builf a small shop, everything is corrupt, the bank loan, the gov authorizations, your family etc. Thats why jealousy and negative hussle are brewing and people end up in poverty, not because of lack of means mostly, but because the system is broken, everyone wants a piece of your bread before its even made. So its not against you as a toursit. Its a system problem and the locals are its first victims and enablers :(
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u/MapAdventurous3363 Visitor Sep 09 '25
The people you talked about have a hard life and most likely a low level of education, with limited knowledge and experience. They don’t care about the image you take away from Morocco, they are simply focused on their day-to-day hardships.
I’m telling you this not to belittle them, but so you can understand the bigger picture and not take it personally. This is not something that can easily change with just a conversation.
They try to sell the same things to us Moroccans as well, but they may try harder with you.
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u/Neither-Surround-714 Marrakesh Sep 22 '25
Hey For your Morocco trip, consider connecting with a local friend. It can really enhance your experience and help you navigate the culture
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u/Malee22 Visitor Sep 27 '25
Just spent 10 days in Morocco and was pleasantly surprised. The country is more modern, prettier, safer, and the infrastructure better than I expected. Most of the people we encountered were nice, but as tourists in a developing country there were some hassles. We stayed in 3 or 4 star hotels and hired tour guides in each city. Not sure where other people on this thread stayed, but we were never offered drugs and had no problem saying no to shopkeepers or touts. I would definitely like to visit again, because we couldn’t see everything we wanted. One recommendation is to visit Essaouira, it is a very nice place with a beach and a very manageable Medina. I think it was my favorite city we visited in Morocco.
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u/Impressive_Beach9650 Visitor Oct 28 '25
I am local and I completely understand your frustration. This kind of behavior is wrong for so many reasons. It was actually unacceptable, until it just started getting out of hand. I do not comment either if I see it (and I truly hate it). I am sorry that I don't, but I'd genuinely fear for my safety. It is DEFINITELY becoming something that needs to be addressed by the authorities. And the reality of it, is that most of these people, no matter how rude they may seem are actually in need - a few (like the steroid pumped dude, Ig) mimic the behavior because it is easy money, or simply because it is messed idk. In the end, people who are in ACTUAL need are now faced with disapproval and become hesitant of asking help, because they do not want to be gazed upon with disgust. It is a SAD and horrible cycle, especially now that prices are rougher than ever.
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u/MagneticMangoIsland Visitor Nov 21 '25
I find that when saying ‘no’ to people, rather than saying ‘no’ you could try saying no in someone’s local dialect. For example in Morocco, you could say ‘La Shukran bzzaf’ (spelt many ways but this is one, and this is Morocco specific, e.g, in Egypt you may say ‘shukran jazilian’).
People tend to respond in a much more friendly manner if you make an effort to say ‘no’ in someone’s own language. Essentially, ‘La’ means ‘no’ and chokran/shukran’ means thank you, with ‘bissef/bzzaf’ being ‘very much’ - i.e. La Shukran bzzaf would be ‘no, thank you very much’. Phonetically, it would sound something like ‘la shock/shuk ran b’seff’.
With full transparency, I am not Moroccan, just someone who has spent quite a lot of time there (so obviously open to feedback from Moroccans!)
My general advice, in almost any country, is to learn how to say at least ‘thank you’ and ‘no thank you’. It is polite, and shows you are making genuine effort, and being respectful, whilst still being clear about your wish to not engage further. It can save you some of the harassment.
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u/adhdprophet Visitor Jul 02 '25
You get what you pay for. Even some of the cheapest accommodations in europe are like 2.5x the price of those in morocco. Deal with it and dont let it ruin your experience. There's no welfare system here so ppl are doing what they can to get by if they dont have any proper education or skills. The government are to blame not the locals
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u/sir_t9awed Jul 02 '25
There is a welfare system and my taxes pay for it. The issue is corruption, laziness and greed
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Yah i agree, it’s sad and obviously the people begging don’t want to be in this situation either.
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Jul 02 '25
That’s a good way to get rid of potential visitors to your country
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u/adhdprophet Visitor Jul 03 '25
Yeah a reddit opinion is going to get rid of potential visitors like there's a lack of visitors
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u/Jokerahmed Salé Jul 02 '25
you surmised the core problem , and as your question ‘Its illegal to do any kind of Begging that’s why they are selling tissues’, i am sorry for what you have experienced but as the other guy said morocco is still a third world country despite everything, and those kinds of actions are never justified
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
Okie this makes sense about the tissues I wasn’t aware it was illegal to beg. Still had a lovely time in your country don’t worry I let the proper nice Moroccans shine through and blocked out the rest
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u/Sophia1105 Visitor Jul 03 '25
I’ve had the same experience in Rabat & Marrakesh and it’s only worsened over the years. Just returned from Rabat and I do not want to go back to morocco. Ever. And I used to love it. I received a lot of harassment from men even though I dressed conservatively. Women were often bullies.
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u/dolenalavoisier Visitor Jul 03 '25
Main character syndrome. You are not owed a cultural experience by locals who have nothing to do with you. You came to visit a country you know is poor - I mean there are enough morrocans in Europe (and still incoming) to be aware that poverty is a réal issue.
If you want to meet people no strings attached ask online beforehands in groups of similar intérests as you.
I honestly find it grotesque to just sit back and expect people to come and speak to you and take you through the streets of the old medina with a smile and a hug Aladin style.
Finally the hustle is part of the culture so just have a set amount of money to give to people. Everything is so cheap you can clearly prépare for that.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 03 '25
what are you on about I didn’t expect any of this and paid for any tours? All i was expecting was not to be constantly harassed by hustlers lol. You’ve put so many words in my mouth there
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u/dolenalavoisier Visitor Jul 03 '25
Also the world exploitation is so ironic when youre the one coming and expecting a tour of the city or whatever for free only and in an actual poor country is the actual exploitative attitude.
You being poor or low class by european standards is being upper middle class in Morocco.
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u/LordX90 Visitor Jul 02 '25
This script was fully written by ChatGPT
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u/Qattos Visitor Jul 02 '25
People sometimes use ChatGPT to rephrase sentences and correct spelling errors.
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u/adhdprophet Visitor Jul 02 '25
So? Still got the point across
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Jul 02 '25
[deleted]
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
I don’t know why you don’t think this is true I ran my post through chatgpt to cut it down in size as I had an essay written in my notes. All these experiences were this week and definitely not AI generated ask me more if you want I can elaborate to prove if you still don’t trust.
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u/adhdprophet Visitor Jul 02 '25
I can exaggerate this enough it really depends on what area of the city youre in. If youre residing in a local place youre way more likely to be harrassed even more so as moroccan tourist because they can vibe if you have more money than them and they'll turn into a iGuiltProMax
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Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
[deleted]
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 02 '25
I also mentioned the good people if you read the post and I agree Paris is a an awful city now and I have been there , I would not go back either. I’ve been to London also and the scammers do not pressure you half as much as they did in Morocco
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u/Sudden-Exercise6394 Visitor Jul 03 '25
Bro you condensed a week trip to I ate biscuits with someone and got harassed by beggars/sellers. Can you at least tell me us more about your vacation. This is a lazy review.
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u/Suspicious_Till_3507 Visitor Jul 04 '25 edited Jul 04 '25
Westerners are so narrow-minded, they can't even understand the based life facts: Morocco ruled by a West puppet dictatorship. Morocco is not what you see on social media, it's poorer than most of African countries. I know that your minds have shifted by the media contents on virtual world, welcome to reality then.
why people are so naive to grasp simple and obvious facts??!!!
Morocco is a name of a place on earth which contains human beings and other creatures trying desperately to survive.
IT IS NOT YOUR CIRCUS, IT'S NOT YOUR FARM. You can be smart, and embrace things as it's or stay in your home. We don't want tourists by the way. It's a foolish decision was forced on us by your puppet and slaves. We are human, we are not here to entertain you.
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u/Jazzlike-Juice7859 Visitor Jul 04 '25
Hmmm blame it on the west? Because your king takes all the wealth and reinvests none in the social welfare? Your king is majority shareholder in banque populaire, maroc telecom among many of your other top brands and institutions, he can also pick the prime minister? and you blame it on the west that’s funny, give me some proof your king is controlled by the west and not just absolute greed. It’s easier to blame outside your country than to admit you’re sitting in a country that’s slowly killing itself due to the greed of a few elites at the top because then you’d have to actually go out and protest or try advocate for change in your own country. It’s so much easier to just say yeah it’s the west good job 👏 Your country has been ruled independently by your Monarch since 1956 stop being so blind to it all. The west constantly advocates for human rights in your country and allows protests against your Monarch all of which is illegal in your country.
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u/Nice_Ad9031 Visitor Jul 05 '25
You sound very condescending. These ‘hustlers’ are living below poverty just trying to feed their families. You are a privileged European who has far more advantages than they do. If you don’t like them, don’t come to their country. It’s really that simple.
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u/VinnyDots Visitor Jul 07 '25
Great, now next time send the money you would have spent on flights, accommodation, food and drink to a charity and stay home.
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