Photo Credits: All photos and videos were taken with the mobile phone, Huawei P30 Pro unless labeled otherwise. All photos and videos are raw and unedited to show the authentic and real features of Morocco.I debated for a while if it was still relevant to create this blog post. In the advent of VLOGS/Youtube, I find it hard to believe that people still take the time to read blogs for travel tips. But I figured, I have so much info to share on this subject that it would be such a waste not to write it up.
Morocco was the only country I had ever included in my vision board even before vision boards were a thing. I started visualizing Morocco in 2005 as my desktop wallpaper at work. When I became a fan of the book The Secret, this desktop wallpaper was replaced with my virtual vision board, which included Morocco, my dream wedding, dream home, etc.
Fast forward to 2019, and I’ve finally attracted Morocco to me. The long wait was primarily due to the lack of information and flight options in the past. Morocco was one of the most challenging places I have ever planned a trip to—and the only one so far that had costed us money in terms of wrong planning. So to those of you who are dreaming of a Moroccan honeymoon, anniversary, or engagement shoot, I hope that my itinerary, which has already been “corrected” based on our own mistakes, but also “perfected’ based on our successful adventures, can be of great use to you.
But first things first. Why travel to Morocco for your honeymoon, anniversary, or engagement shoot?
If you can answer YES to most of this, than I say Morocco is for you:
Do you love a little adventure?
Have you long fantasized going to the Sahara desert or starring in your own Aladdin moment for that matter? ;)
Do you love learning new cultures and traditions?
Does the “old world”/ancient civilization appeal to you?
Do you love bargain hunting?
Are you a foodie and open to eating everything and anything?
Do you love patterns, textures, and an explosion of colors?
Do you love exotic places and open to new things?
However if you answer YES to most of this instead, then Morocco is NOT for you:
Do you prefer modern countries with skyscrapers and malls with branded shops?
Do you prefer traveling w/o walking, climbing steps, etc?
Do you prefer sticking to your preferred cuisine?
Do you prefer subtle architecture, and the idea of endless pinks and patterns is already making you feel dizzy?
Do you prefer places where you can show a little bit of skin?
Are you easily bored or easily dizzy with long road trips?
Do you prefer budget travel?
If based on the questions above, it looks like Morocco could be your dream destination, then keep on reading. Morocco is a “wondrous place.” I’ve been traveling for more than 25+ years, and it has definitely jumped into my top 8 countries to visit. As for my husband, he even says that Morocco is in his TOP THREE! Wow, right? What do we love about Morocco? We loved that our trip defied a lot of misconceptions on what people think of what Morocco is. The Morocco we experienced for 10 days was colorful, the people were kind and generous, we discovered a wealthy country brimming with great food and rich traditions. It is so different from everywhere else that we have ever been to.
I’ve come up with a 10-Day itinerary for your dream Morocco adventure. And at the end of this post, I’ll be sharing some useful DOs and DON’Ts, budgets, and airline options as well.
Day 1 - Fly to Morocco via the city of Tangier. There is only one reason why this itinerary starts at Tangier and that is because this is the city with an airport that is closest to Chefchaouen. And Chefchaouen is a MUST visit because just look at this:
You can either get a connecting flight from Casablanca, or fly directly to Tangier via Spain. We made the mistake of booking a flight from Amsterdam which got cancelled and moved to a later date—this pretty much ruined our itinerary and we therefore lost the opportunity to go to Chefchaouen and this is probably because there were not enough people that fly from Amsterdam to Tangier. Again at the ending part of this blog I will go through flight options.
Day 1 is basically just resting in Tangier as traveling from Manila is going to be long and brutal.
Day 2 - You are going to check out of your Tangier hotel and be picked-up by your private tour, Tarla Tours. I highly recommend them and you can check my TripAdvisor Review for more details (CLICK HERE). All you have to know for now is that your tour guide can “make or break” your entire Morocco experience. Partnering with the right driver and guide is CRUCIAL. So believe me when I say, that Tarla Tours is HIGHLY recommended.
Chefchaouen is a MUST visit because the entire city is BLUE. it has a very unique look, perfect for photo shoot sessions and just taking in the beauty of Morocco. Just stay for lunch and a few hours, then you are off to FES. Stay the night in FES. In our original itinerary, we stayed in FES for 3 days, but for this itinerary, I don’t recommend staying in FES for that long. Stay at RIAD FES. Because just look at this:
Day 3 to 5 - Leave FES and make your way to the Merzouga Desert for your Sahara Desert experience. Stay for 2 nights in the Desert in a Luxury Camp. I will let the photos speak for themselves:
Play the IG story video above to feel the overall vibe of this surreal moment!
Day 5 to 6 - You are going to be making your way to Marrakech, but with a lot of stops in-between. Here are some of the highlights from this long but very beautiful road trip:
At this point, Tarla Tours will leave you in Marrakech.
Day 7 to 10 - Stay in Marrakech to just relax and explore. Some people will not recommend staying long in Marrakech. But I disagree. Marrakech is a fun place where you can just linger, especially if you are on a honeymoon and want to enjoy a slow paced itinerary just taking-in the beauty of the Riads, the chaos of the Souks, the richness of the Food, and the interesting Culture.
First, I highly recommend that you stay at a fabulous, chic, Riad like Dar Darma or Ksar Kasbah which looks something like this:
Photos above are from Ksar Kasbah - I recommend splitting your nights and stay here for 1 night!
MUST-TRY in Marrakech:
A. You have to stay at a Riad
B. Have a home-cooked meal in your Riad
C. Learn to cook Tajine
Tajine prepared from Riad Dar Darma - the best meal we've ever had in Morocco. Riads pride themselves with preparing authentic home-cooked meals. They are more authentic than dining at restaurants.
D. Go on a walking tour
E. Find this spot as featured on the Netflix show "Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner" - Marrakech episode with Chrissy Teigen.
Note: It's absolutely challenging to find this spot on your own. The best way is to show a clip to your guide and let him figure it out haha.
F. Splurge on a Sunday Brunch at the Royal Mansour.
This is highly recommended because the head chef at the Royal Mansour has a total of 6 Michelin Stars under his belt. It is the best buffet we have ever had...EVER. And this is probably the most "honeymoon-ish/anniversary-ish" activity you could do during the entire trip.
E. Shop for Saffron, Honey, Dates, Leather Goods, Carpet, and Home Decor
DOs and DONT’s
1. Get a private, reliable tour and don’t ever skimp on this. I’ve done many, many research on road trips and tours around Morocco and one common mishap that I kept seeing in comments and reviews is that they did not enjoy Morocco because their driver was rude, or their driver couldn’t speak English, etc. This is a common issue if you are going to skimp on your tour. So as mentioned, get Tarla Tours and you won’t regret it. Tarla Tours is considered a “luxury private tour” but actually their prices are not bad because it is all-inclusive. Their rates include a driver, a guide, gas fuel, food for breakfast and dinner, customized tour, and accommodations. So you really can’t go wrong with that.
2. Do not also skimp on your Riad. Get a high-end Riad with great reviews because it is chaotic in the streets of Marrakech and Fes. You need a sanctuary that is stress-free, and you need a place that provides great customer service and safety. You know how some people say, “I don’t want to spend on the hotel because we are just going to be out all the time anyways?” Well, in Morocco, particularly in Marrakech, that is not the case. You WILL end up spending a lot of time in the Riad because that’s just part of the lifestyle there. In fact, I’ve seen so many reviews from travelers that said, that the Riad they stayed at in Marrakech is the highlight of their entire trip. Another compelling reason to get a luxury Riad is that they usually have top notch customer service, helping you to navigate the labyrinth that is Marrakech. You can easily get lost in Marrakech. It’s a MAZE. A great Riad will usually assist you in every way that they can so you don’t get lost. If you stay at a cheap hotel or Riad, I guarantee you, you are on your own and you can get lost. Taxis are also not allowed to go inside the medina. Your taxi will likely drop you off in a street you are not familiar with and you’ll have to walk to your Riad. If your Riad is any good, you can contact them to come get you at wherever your taxi driver left you.
3. There’s no need to get a city tour from a website like Viator, Klook, or AirBnB. The best way to find a reliable guide in Marrakech is to ask your Riad to arrange this for you. The Riads usually already work with trusted guides and the cost is even cheaper than getting one online. Best part is that if your Riad arranges your walking tour for you, the guide will pick you up from your Riad. Whereas if you get a tour online, they will instruct you to meet at a meeting point somewhere in the city and that means you could get lost, and you have to pay extra just to commute to that meeting point.
4. If you are not keen on doing a road trip to the Desert and all the way to Marrakech, there are domestic flights that you can take BUT, and this is a big BUT. The domestic flight is prone to getting canceled and re-scheduled. So if you decide to take a domestic flight, make sure your dates are flexible enough to potentially get re-arranged. Our original flight to Errachidia got canceled, ruining our itinerary once again, just like it did at Chefchaouen and that’s how we ended up doing the road trip instead. The domestic flight is from FES to Errachidia via Air Arabia. Errachidia is the closest city to the Merzouga Desert. And then, when you are back from the Desert to FES, you can take another domestic flight from FES to Marrakech.
5. DO NOT wear revealing clothes when you are out and about. Morocco is conservative and women are covered-up. When you are inside your Riad, you can wear whatever you want. But when you are outside, it is highly advised not to show skin.
6. DO NOT take photos of locals, especially the women, without their permission. They find this very rude and disrespectful. Women are very private and also believe that by taking their photo, you are taking a piece of them without their consent. In connection to this, DO NOT take photos of storefronts, carpets, displays, artworks, and even snakes without the permission of the owner. If they say yes, go ahead and take photos but also be prepared to be charged with a tip. This never happened to us, but some travelers have had the experience of being asked for a tip. Which is fair if you think about it because you did not buy anything from their shop and yet you’ve “gained” something from it since you are likely to post that in your social media and they worked hard on their business.
7. DO NOT haggle if you have no intentions of buying. This really upsets them because you have wasted their time and energy. If you decide not to buy something just say, no thank you, you are not buying. And stop haggling already. It would be preferable if you actually have a local guide with you as you navigate the souks.
8. DO NOT plan a trip during their summer season because it is brutal. The temperature can go as high as 50C, and even 70C in the Sahara Desert. The best time to go is during Fall or if you can even tolerate the cold, you can go during Winter. So that would be anywhere between end of September to March.
9. DO be open-minded when you are staying at a Riad. A Riad is an ancient home, converted into a boutique hotel. Most of them won’t have the usual hotel amenities like elevators, the hallways are narrow, and bathrooms, although clean and luxurious, will have historical features like small, stone carved sinks, small, stone carved showers, etc. Just be open-minded about it but I assure you, you are going to have a wonderful time.
10. DO get a prepaid sim at the airport, or bring a pocket wifi. This is super important because as mentioned, you can get easily get lost in Marrakech and Fes. Coordination with your Riad or your guide is going to be a lifeline.
Flight Options:
For your international flights, you have the option of going through Doha, so that means flying via Qatar and the like. Or, if you prefer stopping over in Europe, then the best would be from Spain since this is the closest country to Morocco. You can either fly from Singapore Airlines, Qatar, Emirates, or Turkish Airlines. It’s entirely up to your preference. Also if you fly from Spain, there is a direct flight to Tangier whereas if you go through Doha, you will go through Casablanca and then have to take another domestic flight to Tangier.
As for domestic flights, you can go for Air Arabia. It is actually a pretty good low cost airline. Much better than Cebu Pacific and Air Asia in terms of plane quality. But as mentioned, be prepared for canceled flights.
Budget:
Without including the International flight cost because airline preference is very subjective, be ready to spend roughly around $5,000-$6,000 for two pax for everything for 10 days. This includes domestic flights, food, shopping allowance, accommodations, tours, and basically everything except for the international flights. Note that Morocco is not a place I would recommend for cheap travel. In Morocco you really get what you pay for. If you go the budget route, it can get ugly very quickly. Morocco’s prices are very European. And the assumption here is that you are on your honeymoon/anniversary/engagement. So don’t skimp on that!
As long as you follow the tips above, I don’t see any reason for you not to enjoy your Moroccan vacation. Trust me when I say, that this place is life-changing and you will immediately fall in love with it. Moroccans are some of the kindest people we have ever met whilst traveling. And we love their culture so much. And as I write this, I am transported to the Sahara Desert, African beats in the background, and eating Tajine with my husband and Moroccan friends.
For more inspiration, click the videos below.
Special thanks to: Jamie Mapagu and Amanda Tirol for helping me during my travel planning :)
Loved any of these ideas? Pin it and follow our new Pinterest account:HERE
A. You have to stay at a Riad
B. Have a home-cooked meal in your Riad
C. Learn to cook Tajine
D. Go on a walking tour
E. Find this spot as featured on the Netflix show "Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner" - Marrakech episode with Chrissy Teigen.
Note: It's absolutely challenging to find this spot on your own. The best way is to show a clip to your guide and let him figure it out haha.
F. Splurge on a Sunday Brunch at the Royal Mansour.
This is highly recommended because the head chef at the Royal Mansour has a total of 6 Michelin Stars under his belt. It is the best buffet we have ever had...EVER. And this is probably the most "honeymoon-ish/anniversary-ish" activity you could do during the entire trip.
E. Shop for Saffron, Honey, Dates, Leather Goods, Carpet, and Home Decor
DOs and DONT’s
1. Get a private, reliable tour and don’t ever skimp on this. I’ve done many, many research on road trips and tours around Morocco and one common mishap that I kept seeing in comments and reviews is that they did not enjoy Morocco because their driver was rude, or their driver couldn’t speak English, etc. This is a common issue if you are going to skimp on your tour. So as mentioned, get Tarla Tours and you won’t regret it. Tarla Tours is considered a “luxury private tour” but actually their prices are not bad because it is all-inclusive. Their rates include a driver, a guide, gas fuel, food for breakfast and dinner, customized tour, and accommodations. So you really can’t go wrong with that.
2. Do not also skimp on your Riad. Get a high-end Riad with great reviews because it is chaotic in the streets of Marrakech and Fes. You need a sanctuary that is stress-free, and you need a place that provides great customer service and safety. You know how some people say, “I don’t want to spend on the hotel because we are just going to be out all the time anyways?” Well, in Morocco, particularly in Marrakech, that is not the case. You WILL end up spending a lot of time in the Riad because that’s just part of the lifestyle there. In fact, I’ve seen so many reviews from travelers that said, that the Riad they stayed at in Marrakech is the highlight of their entire trip. Another compelling reason to get a luxury Riad is that they usually have top notch customer service, helping you to navigate the labyrinth that is Marrakech. You can easily get lost in Marrakech. It’s a MAZE. A great Riad will usually assist you in every way that they can so you don’t get lost. If you stay at a cheap hotel or Riad, I guarantee you, you are on your own and you can get lost. Taxis are also not allowed to go inside the medina. Your taxi will likely drop you off in a street you are not familiar with and you’ll have to walk to your Riad. If your Riad is any good, you can contact them to come get you at wherever your taxi driver left you.
3. There’s no need to get a city tour from a website like Viator, Klook, or AirBnB. The best way to find a reliable guide in Marrakech is to ask your Riad to arrange this for you. The Riads usually already work with trusted guides and the cost is even cheaper than getting one online. Best part is that if your Riad arranges your walking tour for you, the guide will pick you up from your Riad. Whereas if you get a tour online, they will instruct you to meet at a meeting point somewhere in the city and that means you could get lost, and you have to pay extra just to commute to that meeting point.
4. If you are not keen on doing a road trip to the Desert and all the way to Marrakech, there are domestic flights that you can take BUT, and this is a big BUT. The domestic flight is prone to getting canceled and re-scheduled. So if you decide to take a domestic flight, make sure your dates are flexible enough to potentially get re-arranged. Our original flight to Errachidia got canceled, ruining our itinerary once again, just like it did at Chefchaouen and that’s how we ended up doing the road trip instead. The domestic flight is from FES to Errachidia via Air Arabia. Errachidia is the closest city to the Merzouga Desert. And then, when you are back from the Desert to FES, you can take another domestic flight from FES to Marrakech.
5. DO NOT wear revealing clothes when you are out and about. Morocco is conservative and women are covered-up. When you are inside your Riad, you can wear whatever you want. But when you are outside, it is highly advised not to show skin.
6. DO NOT take photos of locals, especially the women, without their permission. They find this very rude and disrespectful. Women are very private and also believe that by taking their photo, you are taking a piece of them without their consent. In connection to this, DO NOT take photos of storefronts, carpets, displays, artworks, and even snakes without the permission of the owner. If they say yes, go ahead and take photos but also be prepared to be charged with a tip. This never happened to us, but some travelers have had the experience of being asked for a tip. Which is fair if you think about it because you did not buy anything from their shop and yet you’ve “gained” something from it since you are likely to post that in your social media and they worked hard on their business.
7. DO NOT haggle if you have no intentions of buying. This really upsets them because you have wasted their time and energy. If you decide not to buy something just say, no thank you, you are not buying. And stop haggling already. It would be preferable if you actually have a local guide with you as you navigate the souks.
8. DO NOT plan a trip during their summer season because it is brutal. The temperature can go as high as 50C, and even 70C in the Sahara Desert. The best time to go is during Fall or if you can even tolerate the cold, you can go during Winter. So that would be anywhere between end of September to March.
9. DO be open-minded when you are staying at a Riad. A Riad is an ancient home, converted into a boutique hotel. Most of them won’t have the usual hotel amenities like elevators, the hallways are narrow, and bathrooms, although clean and luxurious, will have historical features like small, stone carved sinks, small, stone carved showers, etc. Just be open-minded about it but I assure you, you are going to have a wonderful time.
10. DO get a prepaid sim at the airport, or bring a pocket wifi. This is super important because as mentioned, you can get easily get lost in Marrakech and Fes. Coordination with your Riad or your guide is going to be a lifeline.
Flight Options:
For your international flights, you have the option of going through Doha, so that means flying via Qatar and the like. Or, if you prefer stopping over in Europe, then the best would be from Spain since this is the closest country to Morocco. You can either fly from Singapore Airlines, Qatar, Emirates, or Turkish Airlines. It’s entirely up to your preference. Also if you fly from Spain, there is a direct flight to Tangier whereas if you go through Doha, you will go through Casablanca and then have to take another domestic flight to Tangier.
As for domestic flights, you can go for Air Arabia. It is actually a pretty good low cost airline. Much better than Cebu Pacific and Air Asia in terms of plane quality. But as mentioned, be prepared for canceled flights.
Budget:
Without including the International flight cost because airline preference is very subjective, be ready to spend roughly around $5,000-$6,000 for two pax for everything for 10 days. This includes domestic flights, food, shopping allowance, accommodations, tours, and basically everything except for the international flights. Note that Morocco is not a place I would recommend for cheap travel. In Morocco you really get what you pay for. If you go the budget route, it can get ugly very quickly. Morocco’s prices are very European. And the assumption here is that you are on your honeymoon/anniversary/engagement. So don’t skimp on that!
As long as you follow the tips above, I don’t see any reason for you not to enjoy your Moroccan vacation. Trust me when I say, that this place is life-changing and you will immediately fall in love with it. Moroccans are some of the kindest people we have ever met whilst traveling. And we love their culture so much. And as I write this, I am transported to the Sahara Desert, African beats in the background, and eating Tajine with my husband and Moroccan friends.
For more inspiration, click the videos below.
Special thanks to: Jamie Mapagu and Amanda Tirol for helping me during my travel planning :)
Loved any of these ideas? Pin it and follow our new Pinterest account:HERE
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