So you're heading to Morocco? Let's get it right — 90 days visa-free.
We've put together the ultimate guide to visiting Morocco — everything you need to know. The medinas of Marrakech and Fez. The Merzouga Sahara dunes, the blue streets of Chefchaouen, the Atlas peaks. Where to stay, our favourite riads and hostels, the surf coast (Essaouira to Imsouane to Taghazout), the food worth flying for, the haggling brief, how to get around — and so much more. Over 1,000 hours of research, time on the ground and community submissions. This is the guide you need.
Every review is from a paying Aussies In member — unfiltered, unedited.
"The 'Marrakech survival kit' section is what convinced me. Specific addresses, specific phrases, specific advice. Not generic 'go to the souk' filler. The inDrive trick from the airport saved me hundreds of dirham on day one."
Did three weeks solo. The safety tips, the inDrive playbook, the 'getting out of the medina' advice. None of it is guidebook fluff, it's the stuff you actually need when you're stood there confused and a bit overwhelmed.
Bought the Italy guide. Then the Vault. Then Pro. That's how good these are. I'm pre-ordering every guide before they exist. The community alone is worth it.
$15 is nothing, I spend more than that on a single brunch. It saved me hours of planning and made the actual trip better. Honestly I'd have paid $50 for any of these guides.
I've paid for most of the travel content out there at some point. Aussies In is the only one that reads like it was written by someone who actually travels, not a marketer. That's why I keep buying them.
Reviews are from verified Aussies In buyers. Names abbreviated for privacy. No reviews have been removed or edited beyond grammar.
4 preview chapters are free below. 9 chapters — the bulk of the guide — unlock with purchase.
Most travellers spend 20–40 hours researching a trip like this — scrolling Reddit threads, saving Instagram videos, watching YouTubers in monetised content loops, comparing 12 blog posts that all say the same thing. This guide is what those hours should have given you.
"Knowing what to skip is worth as much as knowing what to do."
Marrakech, Fez + Imperial Cities, Atlantic Surf Coast, Atlas + Sahara, Chefchaouen + the North, hidden gems
Essaouira surf schools, Taghazout, Imsouane (longest right in Africa), Sidi Ifni, Mirleft — when each fires
Mt Toubkal trek from Imlil, Aït Ben Haddou, Merzouga vs Erg Chigaga (which dunes to pick), camel + 4x4 logistics
Stay inside the walls, inDrive over airport taxis (3-4x markup), Café des Épices + Chez Omar + Dar L'hssira, Al Barid Bank ATMs only
1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 1 month, 2 months. Pick yours, copy the route
Friendly, respectful, walk-away gives you power. Plus tour-guide bait, tannery upsell, henna grab, taxi meter dodges — every defence
Morocco's prep is specific — Ramadan changes the country's rhythm for a month, Sahara overnights need the right operator, and dirham is a closed currency you can only get inside the country. A bit of upfront work and the chaos of Marrakech becomes magic instead of overwhelming.
During Ramadan (the dates shift each year — check the Islamic calendar) restaurants are closed daytime + the country shifts to a nocturnal rhythm. Magical if you embrace it, frustrating if you don't know. The day after Eid is a national party.
The good operators (Sahara Bedouin, Morocco Todra, Berber Caravan) book 2-3 months ahead in October-April. Budget A$120-250 per person for 2-3 day Merzouga trips from Marrakech or Fes. Cheaper companies = older 4x4s + scammy camps.
Authentic riads (traditional courtyard houses) book 2-3 months ahead in peak (Oct-Apr) and Easter. Riad Le Mazagan, Riad Tarabel, Riad El Fenn — these need lead time. Off-peak (Jul-Aug heat) you can walk up.
Fes Medina has 9,000+ alleys + no signage. A licensed guide (book via your riad, ~A$25-40 for 4 hours) is the difference between magical exploration + getting hopelessly lost. After Day 1 you can navigate yourself.
Trains run on the Casablanca-Rabat-Fes-Marrakech corridor (ONCF, oncf.ma). Outside that, CTM + Supratours are the safe, reliable bus companies — book online or at the station 2-3 days ahead.
Moroccan Arabic (Darija) is spoken everywhere — French is the bridge language in cities + with hotels. English is patchy. Save both offline packs + a few key phrases in Darija (shukran = thanks, la shukran = no thanks).
Moroccan SIMs (Maroc Telecom, INWI, Orange) are cheap (~A$10 for 30 days) but require passport scan + queue. eSIMs (Airalo, Holafly) work instantly across the country.
Morocco is more conservative than European Med countries. Shorts + tank tops draw attention (and harassment) in medinas. Light long sleeves + loose trousers/skirts = comfortable + culturally respectful.
Moroccan dirham (MAD) can only be obtained INSIDE Morocco — no airport pre-conversion. Bring €100-200 as a cash backup; converters at the airport accept EUR/USD/AUD. Withdraw MAD from a bank ATM (Attijariwafa Bank, BMCE) once you're in.
Marrakech + Casablanca + Rabat airports all have official metered taxi ranks (look for signs). The touts inside arrivals charge 3-4x. Costs ~A$15-25 from Marrakech airport to the medina.
'La shukran' (no thanks) said firmly + with a smile gets you out of 90% of unwanted attention from touts. Smile + keep walking. Engaging in argument or rude gestures escalates. The phrase is your bedrock.
Morocco has a world-class train network (ONCF), a reliable long-distance bus network (CTM + Supratours), shared grand taxis for short hops, and one ride-share app that beats every airport taxi mafia by 3-4x. Install inDrive on your phone BEFORE you arrive — the first taxi from Marrakech airport at 3am for 300 MAD instead of 80 MAD is the single most preventable mistake every Aussie makes.
Indonesian-style ride-hail app that's huge in Morocco. Marrakech airport to medina costs 60-90 MAD on inDrive vs 250-400 MAD from the airport taxi rank. Install before you land — local SIMs work fine; the eSIM is faster. Pay in cash to driver after each ride.
TIP — Drivers cancel last-minute occasionally — have a 2nd ride queued mentally. Cash only, have small notes. Doesn't work everywhere — Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier yes; small towns no.
The Al Boraq high-speed line (Tangier → Casablanca, 2hr 10min at 320 km/h) is genuinely world-class. Standard trains link to Marrakech (3hr from Casa), Fez (4hr 30 from Casa), Meknes, Rabat. Book direct on oncf.ma — second class is comfortable, first class is +30% for slightly nicer seats.
TIP — Buy tickets the same day for short hops, 1-2 weeks ahead for Tangier-Marrakech or holiday weekends. ONCF app is functional but English-light — desktop site is easier.
Two reliable, modern bus operators for places trains skip — Chefchaouen, Essaouira, Merzouga, Taghazout, Imlil. CTM (ctm.ma) is the gold standard, Supratours (linked to ONCF) is the close second. Both are A$15-A$30 long-distance, air-con, on-time.
TIP — Google Maps doesn't always pin bus stops accurately — many are unmarked. Walk a block before/after the pin to find the actual stop. Book the day before for popular routes (Chefchaouen, Merzouga).
Old Mercedes wagons that leave when 6 passengers fill the back. Cheap (3-4x cheaper than booking the whole car), fast, local. Best for short hops the buses skip — e.g. Marrakech to Imlil, Fez to Volubilis.
TIP — Negotiate the per-seat price before you get in (locals pay 1/6 of the route price). Or pay for all 6 seats and have the car to yourself — still cheaper than a private taxi.
Every mistake below is one this guide prevents. The numbers aren't theoretical — they're sourced from our community's actual reported losses on previous trips. Add them up and the math becomes hard to ignore.
You'll get every avoidance technique, every booking lead time, every scam-dodge, every Aussie-tested workaround. Lifetime updates. Money-back if it doesn't earn its keep.
Where to go. Where to stay. What to eat. How to get around. What to skip. Every answer in one place — researched by Aussies who've actually been.