During my Morocco travel series, I received a lot of questions asking if it is safe to travel in Morocco as a woman. While my friend and I felt safe in Morocco, I recognized that the time we spent exploring by ourselves was limited. We spent most of our vacation exploring with a private guide who was protective of us. To provide a balanced view of visiting Morocco, I asked my friend Rino to write about her solo travel trip to Morocco. Here’s a recap of her experience, highlighting the good and the bad:

The Good

Essaouira

I spent the first few days of my trip to Morocco in Essaouira. It is known for its beaches and seafood. It has a different atmosphere from the rest of Morocco because it mixes locals and foreigners.

Attending the Gnaoua Festival

I chose to visit Essaouira for those features and the Gnaoua Festival, a jazz, pop, rock, soul, and contemporary music festival in Morocco that happens once a year in June. It’s one of the largest music festivals in the world. It features local music, such as “Gnawa,” and famous bands from all over Africa. I had planned my itinerary to Morocco before finding out about this festival. After learning about it and realizing it would happen during my stay in the country, I completely changed my itinerary. I decided to go to Essaouira during the festival period. It was the best decision I made! This small city was filled with people from everywhere. So many hippies! I love music in general, and I love to explore this new genre of music. If the timing allows, I highly recommend anyone goes to the festival.

Pro-tip:

Be sure to pack a jacket with you; unlike the rest of Morocco, it gets cold even during summer due to the ocean breeze.

Camel Back Riding by the Beach & Mountains

Camelback riding by the beach and inside the mountains was a unique experience because most of the camel rides in Morocco are in the desert. I loved it because I got to see various landscapes of Morocco all at once. I arranged the tour through a freelance guide affiliated with the riad I stayed at. The guide happened to be the one who took Angelina Jolie and her kids around Essaouira when she visited there for the film shooting for “Alexander.” I am usually not a “tour guide” kind of traveler, but it was worth the try as I would not have seen many parts of Morocco without the guide.

Visiting a Local Hammam

Another incredible experience in Essaouira was visiting a local hammam (bathhouse). Hammams are an important part of Moroccan culture and life. Moroccans typically visit at least once a week to cleanse themselves. So many hammams are inside the medina but are usually touristy and overpriced. I  received a hammam recommendation from a local lady at my riad. It was just what I was looking for; I was the only tourist. I had to communicate with my limited French skills to buy soap and towels there. It was such a perfect way to get insight into authentic Moroccan life.

Overall, it has a very chill and hippie atmosphere and great seafood. I believe Essaouira was a fun contrast from the rest of Morocco. Although I arrived alone, I met cool people daily and hung out with them at the festival, so I didn’t feel lonely. That’s the magic of solo travel! You end up making new friends!

Marrakech

Shopping

I visited Marrakech mainly because of its hand-crafted souvenirs and beautiful architecture. I waited for this moment for almost 7 years since I got into the Marrakesh-inspired decoration/furniture. I had a long list of what I wanted to get over there: Moroccan rugs, leather pouf, ceramics, and jewelry.

Pro-tip:

Make sure you leave room in your luggage! I went crazy with shopping there and had to hand carry a lot of my souvenirs because my suitcase was overweight.

Sight-seeing

Other than the hand-crafted souvenirs, the architectural designs of some of the historical buildings in Marrakech were amazing. Wherever you go, it’s so photogenic that you will take pictures of every corner. I recommend Bahia Palace, which was built in the late 19th century and has impressive tilework inside. Another must-visit is Jardin Majorelle. It used to belong to the designer Yves Saint Laurent. The colors and plants in the garden were so exotic and pretty. I walked around and imagined what inspired his works in the garden back in the day.

The Bad

Solo Female Travel Tips for Safety

Besides my amazing experiences, I also experienced some unpleasant moments in Morocco. Being a female solo traveler is not easy, especially in Marrakesh. I walked around the souk alone, and the salesmen shouted at me. While I recognize that this could also happen in other countries, I could not stand that some would try to trick me and shout unpleasant words. I wasn’t the only one to receive this treatment. I saw a group of girls getting cursed out by a guy who was trying to get money for giving them directions. I am not saying that everyone in Marrakech is like this, but if you are not with a man, you will most likely experience a similar situation. Be strong and ignore those unpleasant people if you have to deal with them there. Looking back, I believe I would not have to deal with this if I joined a tour, and it might be a solution for you to avoid such a situation. Also, ignore people who come up to you trying to “help” you with directions. If you find yourself lost, go into a shop and ask someone.

Overall Experience

Even though I had an unpleasant experience in Marrakech, the local people, and great hospitality, I encountered during my trip, and the beautiful places I visited still warm my heart. I’m eager to go back and explore other parts of Morocco. I hope sharing my solo female travel experience to Morocco will help and inspire you in any way!

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