Where is the best place to relax in Morocco and how much does it cost? Prices in 2021 for tours, hotels, food, entertainment. Beach vacation. Reviews and advice from experienced tourists.
Morocco is an amazing country. There is something to see here: sandy beaches, cedar and citrus thickets at the foot of the mountains, waterfalls, gorges, desert. This natural splendor, together with the buildings of oriental and colonial architecture, is quite impressive. Important factors that attract tourists to rest are its exoticism and at the same time affordability, because prices in Morocco are not too high.
Reviews of tourists about the rest in Morocco
According to tourists' reviews, vacation in Morocco is interesting, although not always safe, especially for women traveling without men. The most popular resorts in the country are Agadir, Essueira and Casablanca. Vacationers go on excursions, go surfing, play golf and tennis, sunbathe and swim on the beach.
Morocco's best beach holiday in 2021 is in the "white" city of Agadir and bohemian Essueira. There is everything for a serene beach holiday: hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. Essaouira is an ancient city and cultural center of the country with narrow streets, a colorful oriental market and many shops. Festivals and international exhibitions are often held here, all the creative elite of Morocco and some European countries flock to rest.
Casablanca has well-maintained white sand beaches and ancient architectural structures, the most famous of which is the Hassan II Mosque. There is very little greenery in the city, which is not surprising given the geographic location of the country.
Marrakech is a major city and the former capital of Morocco. Vacationers go here on excursions, there is no sea or beaches here. The main attractions are the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque with a lush garden and the famous Djemaa el-Fna square. Every evening in the square, performances begin with magicians, snake charmers and agile traders. The square is always crowded, and it is easy for a tourist to become a victim of pickpockets.
According to the reviews of tourists, the disadvantages of vacationing in Morocco are the cool water in the ocean and hotels that do not meet the star criteria. Even in July and August, with a temperature of + 40 ° C, the water can invigorate, and the coast of the warmer Mediterranean Sea in Morocco is often steep.
Another disadvantage is communication problems. The local population practically does not know English, you need to speak French or Arabic. Even small children speak good French here. Before the trip, we advise you to learn elementary words in Arabic and French (at least numerals - this helped us a lot), especially in Arabic - the locals are very happy when you say hello, say goodbye or say "thank you" in their language ("shukran" - "thank you" -Arabic). It also doesn't hurt to have a phrasebook.
Women often complain that locals harass them and do not recommend going on vacation in Morocco unaccompanied.
In our opinion, the population of northern Morocco differs from the southern one: the north is more developed, tourists are accustomed there and are not treated as warmly as in small towns and villages in the south of the country.
Beach holidays in Morocco
The beaches in Morocco are sandy and wide, cleaned daily. The main resorts are located on the Atlantic coast, the Mediterranean coast is less popular due to its high shores, although the water is warmer there. Most of the beaches are municipal.
It is believed that the best beach holiday in Morocco is in Agadir - there are excellent white sand beaches. They are very clean and are regularly patrolled by the police. There is shallow water in Agadir - up to 30 meters from the coast, which is convenient when resting with kids. There is another beach not far from the resort in a suburban village Tagazud - there are no hotels there, but there are umbrellas and sun loungers.
In the southwest of Morocco stretches the country's most famous beach, Legzira, surrounded by brick-colored rocks. You can get there both independently and as part of excursion groups. The place is very picturesque, the beach is almost deserted. The best time to visit is at sunset and in cloudy weather, when fog falls and waves rise. It is interesting there and at low tide - coral reefs are exposed. Legzira is popular with surfers because of the strong waves, but swimming here is not always comfortable. We recommend visiting this place until the hotels on the coast are completed and there are few tourists.
Surfers also love Essueiro - the wind often blows here, and a high wave rises. The bottom is gently sloping, shallow water, strong tides. In Casablanca, the beaches are mostly artificial, the ocean is often rough, so most hotels have swimming pools.
A good beach holiday in Morocco in 2021 can be found in Asile - another cultural center of Morocco. Various music festivals are held here. The beach is long and wide, with golden sand. The bottom is also flat, but the ocean is cool.
Cultural and sightseeing holidays in Morocco
Excursion holidays in Morocco are well developed - almost every hotel has a stand with offers. There are few boat trips, and tourists are most often taken by buses. The most popular are trips to the waterfalls, a two-day tour to the Sahara desert and sightseeing tours of the cities of Marrakech, Casablanca, Essueira. Interesting sightseeing tours cost about 2 thousand rubles and last several hours, one-day excursions cost 3-4 thousand rubles.
Reviews about excursions in Morocco are different. Some tourists were disappointed by a trip to the Sahara: the desert is just beginning here, and there are no high dunes with sticky sand. However, the lack of thrills is compensated by camel rides and a hot dinner with an overnight stay in real Berber dwellings.
Holidays with children in Morocco: is it worth going
The hotel issue in Morocco stands apart - the all-inclusive system, beloved by our compatriots, is not widespread in the country, and it is difficult to find a hotel here with children's animation and special meals. Instead of animation - beaches and water parks, a fabulous town in Casablanca and the Agadir Zoo. It is advisable to find a hotel with a children's pool, because the water in the ocean is often cold, and besides, a wave often rises.
Nutrition is generally a sore subject for parents. Holidays with children in Morocco are complicated by the fact that local chefs put spices in dishes, and children refuse food, feeling an unusual taste. In Marrakech, Casablanca, Agadir there are special cafes for children, but there are not so many of them, so it is better for parents to rely on the conscientiousness of the cooks and ask them not to use seasonings or order stewed vegetables, chicken and other harmless dishes for the child without claims to be exotic.
As for excursions, the mountainous landscape will make them very tiring. Serpentine rides, hills and hills, steps - all this is not for small children. Parents will have to carry them in their arms (in a kangaroo) or even refuse to travel around the country.
Price reviews in Morocco in 2021
In general, prices for hotels in Morocco in the summer of 2021 are reasonable. Consider hotels in Agadir - this is where the bulk of tourists stay. The cost of living in a 5 * hotel by the beach in Agadir will cost from $ 66 per night for two, in a 4 * hotel - from $ 62, in a three-star hotel - from $ 20. Hotels some distance from the beach are cheaper. We recommend searching and booking hotels on Roomguru - there you can find the most offers, besides, the search engine finds the best prices.
Do you prefer to live in private apartments and houses while traveling? It's better to look for them on the popular rental service from Airbnb hosts - there you can find very cozy accommodation at any price (for example, even rent a whole riad)!
If you do not order full board at the hotel, you can have lunch or dinner at the cafe.Prices - from 9 to 15 $ for lunch (in eateries for locals - prices are much lower). A visit to a nightclub is expensive: entry is at least $ 45 plus payment for drinks. Fresh fruits, vegetables and fish can be bought cheaply at the market.
The most budgetary entertainment available is camel riding, quad biking and trips to the desert - about $ 8-10, playing golf or tennis - about $ 18 per hour. Inexpensive, you can take a course of wellness in the spa: a two-hour session will cost $ 15.
Prices for tours to Morocco in 2021
All tours are usually offered to Agadir - it is there that most of the resort hotels are concentrated and the tourist infrastructure is developed. An all-inclusive vacation in Morocco in the summer of 2021 costs from 170 thousand rubles for two (departure from Moscow, hotel 5 *, 7 nights). Accommodation in a 4 * all-inclusive hotel costs from 100 thousand for two. There is no three-ruble bill with all inclusive, but you can buy tours with full board from 90 thousand rubles.
Prices for tours to Morocco without meals are much lower - a vacation costs from 80 thousand rubles. We recommend looking for cheap tours on the Travelata and Level.Travel services - they compare the offers of 120 tour operators and are able to find the best option. You can buy a ticket online, which is very convenient.
When is the best time to go to rest in Morocco
The holiday season in Morocco lasts from late May to October... In June, there are a lot of locals on the beaches, and the warmest for swimming is in July-September. Daytime + 32 ° С and above, water + 24 ° С. Rest on the sea in Morocco in August and September is comfortable - it was during these months that we traveled around the country.
It is better to postpone excursions to October-November or March-April, when the air temperature is + 23 ° С and the ocean is cool for swimming.
Winter in Morocco is wet and windy, often rainy and foggy. Ski resorts are open in January and February. Ukaimeden and Ifran are the most beautiful skiing spots, but the infrastructure is not yet too developed to be recommended.
Travel Tips
Morocco is a Muslim country, so clothes should be as decent and closed as possible. By the way, shorts can also cause disapproval of others, so the rule is common for men and women.
On the market, you should not buy the thing you like right away. It is customary to bargain here, and the named price can be safely divided by 3. If there are no purchases in the plans, then you should not enter into polemics with the merchants, they can become seriously angry and even offend.
Before buying food in the market or ordering food in a cafe, as well as before getting in a taxi, always check (or better write) the price so that later you will not be asked for a different amount.
You should not ask to show a passer-by the way, it is better to contact the policeman or the store owner with this request. The people here are enterprising, they can volunteer to conduct, and then they will persistently demand rewards for this.
Special care is required on the road. Traffic rules in Morocco are poorly followed, and in Ramadan, carriers are on the verge of a nervous breakdown - they are mostly hard smokers, and smoking is prohibited on holiday.
Absolutely all tourists in their reviews note that being in Morocco on vacation, you definitely need to buy local oranges or freshly squeezed juice. Such delicious and aromatic citrus fruits as in Morocco cannot be tasted anywhere else!
Read our review of how we traveled to Morocco on our own - this post contains information on how to get to Casablanca, how much hotels and food cost, a suggested route around the country, and much more.
It is highly recommended to collect the traveler's first aid kit before traveling.
For the sake of an exclusively beach holiday, it is not worth going to Morocco in 2021, for this there are places that are more comfortable in all respects (for example, Tunisia). But to try the local cuisine, watch amazing sunsets and historical sights - definitely. For all its shortcomings, Morocco is an interesting and noteworthy country.
