Thinking of traveling to Morocco but don’t know how to start planning everything? We’ve got you covered. From full-fledged travel guides to insightful documentaries, covering language books and helpful tips for you trip, we’ve compiled a list of the top 15 travel resources for your 2015 Moroccan adventure.
Websites
Journey Beyond Travel: We cover all of your travel needs! As one of Morocco’s most renowned in-country tour operators, we offer a variety of itineraries and treks. Our Morocco blog also covers a host of information on various sites of interest, as well as other relevant issues for those thinking of traveling to Morocco such as gay travel in Morocco, tips for senior travelers, cultural norms in rural Morocco, and more. Our team of experts are always available to provide you with additional information and handle any special request.
Visit Morocco: Whether you are traveling to Morocco to relax in the sun, to enjoy a luxurious getaway, to have an authentic cultural experience, or even organize an event, Visit Morocco has the travel plan for you. They also offer detailed practical information and a host of different activities for you to enjoy based on your preferences.
Morocco.com: If you’re a history junkie and want to have all of the details on the cities, monuments, and cultural sites you will visit during your stay in Morocco, this website is for you. With pages dedicated to various Moroccan cities, beaches and historical sites, there is plenty of information here so you can get to know Morocco inside and out.
Morocco Accessible Travel: Traveling to Morocco is already an adventure in itself, but it can be an even bigger one if you are traveling with a disability. Morocco Accessible Travel not only organizes accessible tours but also provides extensive information on accessible accommodation, activities and attractions in a host of different cities such as Fez, Marrakesh, Essaouira and Casablanca.
Gay Travel: As a country with a conservative culture, homosexuality for Moroccans (but not for tourists) is illegal and carries serious consequences for those who are caught breaking the law. However, this law is not necessarily enforced to the same degree throughout the country and many gay travelers have been visiting the exotic country year after year. GayTravel.com gives you all the tips you need to discover Morocco’s gay scene and enjoy the best the country has to offer.
Books
Rough Guide to Morocco: On any trip, a travel guide is always a handy companion to have nearby. And, this one is co-authored by Journey Beyond Travel’s own Thomas Hollowell! Whether you want to discover more about the sites you’re visiting, have useful tips at hand to help you save and avoid crowds, or find out where you can get the tastiest tagine in town, the Rough Guide to Morocco is your best bet. Recently updated, this guide is sure to cover all your travel necessities and more.
Lonely Planet Moroccan Arabic Phrasebook: Don’t worry, although the official languages in Morocco are Modern Standard Arabic and Berber, everything related to tourism is almost always translated to English. Hotel staff, tour guides, and restaurant waiters will always make the effort to speak English (or any language for that matter) in order to properly accommodate international guests. However, if you are looking for a more authentic experience in Morocco that involves contact with the locals and immersing yourself in the culture, learning a few Arabic phrases can go a long way. This 180 page Moroccan Arabic phrasebook by Lonely Planet covers all the basics and then some to make sure you’re ready to chat with the locals and discover the amazing Moroccan culture.
Michelin Africa Morocco Map: Planning a guided tour is a great way to ensure you cover all the major cultural and historic sites you want to visit. But sometimes you may feel like going off the beaten path to get lost in the colorful streets of Morocco. Of course, you never want to get completely lost and this Michelin Morocco map is there to make sure you can always find your way back to your riad at the end of the day.
Morocco Plane Reader: So you have your whole trip planned and you’re jetting off to exotic Morocco. You have a long flight ahead and not much to keep yourself busy. This is precisely where the Morocco Plane Reader comes in. You can spend the few hours of your journey reading through the roughly 100 pages of authentic stories on the people, places, and food of Morocco.
Blogs
Maroc Mama: Amanda Ponzio-Mouttaki, our very own editor and social media manager at Journey Beyond Travel, is also a fearless blogger at MarocMama where she talks about her life as an American expat living in Morocco with her husband and sons. Her mouthwatering recipes of traditional Moroccan food and fun travel articles filled with adventures throughout Morocco make this blog a must for any traveler looking to visit the country soon.
Traveling Morocco as a Solo Female: Not everyone likes to travel alone, but if you do, it is always great to hear other people’s experiences to know what to expect. Every traveler’s journey is different and Lauren talks about hers on this post from her blog Never Ending Footsteps. After detailing her personal experience, she offers extremely useful and objective advice to other women who may be thinking about embarking on a similar journey.
What You Need to Know Before Traveling to Morocco: Don’t have a lot of time to browse through endless travel resources but still need to get all the essential information? This Huffington Post article is for you! Covering all the basics from visa information to medication requirements, local currency and even the spelling of the country’s name: it’s all here and in the most compact format possible.
Documentaries
The Berber Kingdom of Morocco: North Africa is commonly associated with Islam, but the land that is now Morocco was once at the center of a vast African Kingdom created by the African Berbers. They ruled for two centuries, producing immense wealth, outstanding architectural styles and great knowledge. This hour-long documentary by the BBC gives a comprehensive overview of the rich history of this Berber kingdom in Morocco.
Tinghir-Jerusalem: Echos from the Mellah: Audio and visual tools are sometimes more useful for us to better understand a culture and its history. In this award-winning documentary, French-Moroccan director Kamal Hachkar talks about the Jewish heritage in Morocco by telling the story of how the Jewish and Muslim communities lived peacefully together in Tinghir, Morocco. The original documentary is in French but you can catch a five-minute excerpt with English subtitles here.
A Marrakesh Tale: The ancient art form of oral storytelling is in danger of disappearing from Moroccan culture. But Hajj Ahmed Ezzarghani, a master storyteller for decades, is trying to salvage this tradition by teaching young apprentices the skills of this precious art form. The documentary by Al Jazeera follows Ezzarghani and one of his students, Sara Mouhyeddine, as she tries to become a storyteller in Jemaa el-Fna.
If you have a favorite Morocco resource page let us know on Facebook or Twitter! Don’t forget to check back often as we’re constantly adding new articles and resources to make your experience in Morocco unforgettable.
