Marrakesh insider info

tarrrrra

Hey all, I'm going to Morocco (via London) for a week in September, quite excited and but would appreciate any tips or advice on what to do/see/avoid in Marrakesh from anyone who's experienced it. Also, currency- how do Irish travellers access their cash? Do we exchange here or there? And are there ATMs in the city? I heard only Rabat and Casablanca have bank machines.

Thanks,
Happy travels!

chucken1

Have a look on here:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Africa/Morocco/Wilaya_de_Marrakech/Marrakesh-2111278/Local_Customs-Marrakesh-MISC-BR-1.html#tip=1843349

Theres so much to say about Marrakesh but I think its best found out first hand

Just remember Morroco is a mostly Muslim country so please respect the customs. The people are very friendly and appreciate it very much if you take the time to learn a few phrases before you go.

The square in Marrakesh gets crazy after dark. Ive never seen so many people milling around at once :eek:
In the souk WALK ON THE RIGHT,otherwise you could find yourself on the front wheel of a moped!!
Haggle in the souk..they start ridiculously high so you go ridiculously low..eventually you meet in the middle.

Do NOT take photos of people during prayers,its rude!

If you are an animal lover as I am,you might get a fright to see the snake 'charmers' and monkeys on chains. Ask the guide to tell you in advance where they are if you dont want to see them.They usually take the same area each day so you'll be forewarned.

I think there are ATMs around the city,but a bit of googling will tell you that.

Read up on Muslim customs before you go and try adhere to them and you'll have a wonderful experience,Enshallah

tarrrrra

Thanks so much for your response. I just realised I never replied! I did read your post before I left and I must thank you for equally exciting me and putting my mind at ease. I had a GREAT time, loved every second- apart from the ones during which people were trying (and often succeeding) to scam me. What a city! Walking through the square for the first time, at night and straight off the bus from the airport, was by far my most intense experience of 2011.

I would love to go back- my boyfriend wouldn't. He spent the week freaking out. He was in protective "bloke" mode and was on high alert, whereas I was totally relaxed. When I ask him why he didn't like Morocco, he looks disbelievingly at me and says: "MONKEYS ON CHAINS. PEOPLE THROWING SNAKES AT YOU." Like you said, it's hard to avoid but we just tried to give them a wide berth and nothing came of it.

You're precisely right about people warming to you if you make the effort and show that you know a little about the culture. We met some unexpectedly lovely characters, taxi drivers who went out of their way for us. We stayed at Riad Marrakesh Rouge which I highly recommend -a cool and colourful oasis in a whirlwind of hot, dusty lunacy- and went into the Sahara for a day, spending the night in a Berber camp. Plenty of tour groups organise a similar service- we paid 65euro per person with Sahara Rouge Tours. It takes eleven hours each way driving through the Atlas mountains (with plenty of stops). The scenery is stunning. The minibus drops you off at a town on the edge of the desert called Zagora and the remaining hour of the journey is by camel. I couldn't stop smiling, despite the lurching and discomfort. It was just too cool to be part of a camel train going off into the dunes at sunset.

It took a little getting used to the fact that it's a dry country. It's just hard to dispel the association of socialising in a hostel with beer at the end of the day. But after a while we got accustomed to going out for a cheeky ice-cream at night instead, or having a shisha on the roof. Anyway, if you're determined to suss out a drink it can be found in the new town, just not in the medina.

Oh and bank machines do exist! We most often used the little exchange kiosks, though. The point you made about photos- people really do object, you could get in trouble for it. It's best to ask first at the very least, if you want to take someone's picture. The Berber guys in the square just want money for the photo op.

Marrakesh is definitely not everyone's cup of tea, it's chaotic and noisy and so, so hot- but I LOVED it! :D:D

wagtail99

I know this thread is old but I thought that I add a couple of things just in case someone else comes across it looking for advice.

There are plenty of Cash Machines in the cities, some, especially near main tourist sites even dispense Euros.
Alcohol is available, Morocco is not a 'dry' country. If you stay in a Riad/Guesthouse in one of the old medinas, just check in advance if they sell alcohol. Sometimes the Moroccan run ones won't, but if it is run by a foreigner it probably will. Morocco has a few of it own brands of beer (Espciale, Stork, Casablanca) and Heineken is also brewed there. It also produces some very good wines, particularly the reds.

LiamMc

If visitor make it to Marrakech they should seriously consider a trip south over the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert dunes (Erg). A two-night, three-day trip is well worth it and can be fitted in to a seven night holiday in Morocco.

There are a number of travel agents and hotels around the Jemaa El Fna (central square).

Also, visitors interested in medium walking and trekking there are Bus and Shared Taxi services leaving from Bab Robb [at least the latest information] to the High Atlas towns of Asni and maybe higher Imlil.
Imlil is a head-end for the walk-up Mount Toubkal (4000+m), it has some scree (loose gravel) close to the top, otherwise it's a very pleasant ascent.
Overnight in Imlil (1700m) for altitude acclimatisation, Depart in morning after half-a-days walk, camp with tents or stay at the Nelner Refuge run by the Clube Alpin Francais (CAF).
Mt. Toubkal is the highest peak in North Africa. It is a medium to hard walk-up. Only gets hard after the Nelner refuge on the scree. But it is important to break the journey with rests at Imlil at least to reduce the symtoms of altitude sickness.

There are many other short and long walks and treks around Imlil. It is well catered for the novice to experienced outdoor visitor. It's possible to between one- and six-day treks along earth roads through red-brown villages with patches of green all around. Around trek along ridges in the High Atlas at various times of the year.

Imlil has an organised queuing system for the local Berber guides
http://http://www.bureaudesguidesimlil.com/index.htm

And I have used this family from a village 500 metres from Imlil that I recommend
http://http://www.tizitrekking.com/index.htm

Morocco has a huge amount to offer, it's very cheap, it's on the Mediterranean and very accessible.