Global travel has become increasingly expensive in the last decade, making it hard for business travellers, digital nomads, and tourists to stick to a budget. But all’s not lost, as it’s still possible to travel to exciting locations, such as Morocco, on a budget.
Morocco is a beautiful country found in North Africa and renowned for desert safaris and extreme water sports activities. Its affordable riads, local cheap eats, and walkable cities mean you can easily explore its cities without surpassing your budget.
And with direct flights now available from major cities around the world to Morocco, getting there has never been easier. Read on to learn five tips that can help you save money while travelling to Morocco.
Photo by Gül Işık|Pexels
Stay connected economically
Imagine this scenario: you’ve just landed in Rabat, Morocco, and are ready to check out its bustling streets and soak up its culture. But before you can do anything else, you first need to get around the maze of airport shops to buy a local SIM to enable you to stay in touch with the people back home.
And remember, you must do this while hoping that you won’t get ripped off with exorbitant rates. Has this happened to you or someone you know? While this was unavoidable in the past, technological advancements have led to the introduction of eSIMs, helping simplify global travel.
With an eSIM, you can check out the available Holafly’s plans for Morocco, granting you instant connectivity no matter where your plans take you. Its affordable internet plans will come in handy when navigating new places, downloading local maps, and uploading content to social media.
Affordable accommodations
There’s no better way to save money while travelling than to stay in budget-friendly hostels, guesthouses, and riads. If you’re keen not to overspend, you can almost always find something affordable, although some places may have questionable cleanliness.
Make sure to read the reviews beforehand to get a good idea of what to expect. If travelling to Marrakech and Fes, consider spending your nights in a traditional riad. For the uninitiated, riads are small boutique hotels with four to ten rooms.
These riads are elaborately decorated with wood carvings and mosaics, as they used to be homes for the wealthy families. You can, therefore, expect to find an open courtyard, a dining room, and a lounge area.
If riads aren’t your cup of tea, try to look for a hostel. You’re bound to find at least one in each Moroccan city, though they all feature varied levels of comfort. Some come with private rooms, which are ideal for those who aren’t comfortable spending the night in a dormitory-type hostel.
Local cuisine delights
Photo by Zak Chapman|Pexels
Couscous and tajines are some of the best-known Moroccan foods. But unbeknownst to many, there are many other local cuisines worth trying, which can enable you to save on your food budget. For this to happen, you’ll need to stay away from the foreign restaurants and other touristy places.
One rule you need to remember is that anything imported will cost you more. Additionally, local food products are not only affordable but also fresher and, thus, more sustainable. For example:
● Local seafood, such as sardines, are more affordable than the imported salmon.
● Moroccan dairy products cost a fraction of what foreign products, such as La Vache Qui Rit, cost.
● Local bananas retail for 9 dirhams per kilogram, while imported ones cost 18 dirhams.
When visiting places like Essaouira, make it a point to sample dishes from street food vendors and local eateries. Here, you can find a hearty breakfast for two for less than €5, with the same meal going for €10 or more at fancier places.
If travelling to the coast, make sure to always buy your fish at the local market. You can then have it grilled in a small restaurant as you wait. This is an inexpensive way to sample local fish delicacies without having to break your bank.
Transportation tips
Travelling around Moroccan cities using its cost-effective public transport buses and shared taxis is another great way to save money. You’ll find that its buses and trains are not only clean, punctual, and comfortable, but also cheaper than booking a private driver.
Relying on taxis to move around will consume your budget fast, forcing you to dig deeper into your finances. If you’re in major cities like Marrakech, Casablanca, and Rabat that have trains, trams, and extensive bus networks:
1. Consider monthly passes: If your trip will last more than a few weeks, getting a monthly pass can lead to significant savings. These are cheaper than the daily passes.
2. Get rechargeable cards: While you may need to make a small initial investment, rechargeable cards are more pocket-friendly as they’re known to provide discounts on daily fares.
3. Try night travel between major cities: When travelling between the big cities by bus, opt for evening departures, as these tend to cost less than daytime travel.
4. Look into combined tickets: For journeys that require you to use multiple forms of transportation, e.g., bus and tram, make inquiries about combined tickets.
Bus transportation is cheap and convenient, and allows you to get a glimpse of everyday Moroccan life.
Bargain shopping
If there’s one skill you need to learn to save money in Morocco, it’s learning to haggle with confidence. For visitors who may have grown up never learning to question the price tags, this may prove to be a challenging adjustment.
But the one thing you need to understand is that haggling in Moroccan souks to get the best deals is not only accepted; it’s expected. It’s a fact that applies to almost all aspects of life: souvenirs, accommodation, transportation, and even in service delivery.
The trick is learning to negotiate respectfully and with a smile. As most expats will tell you, haggling for better prices in Moroccan souks isn’t about aggressiveness, but rather a cultural exchange. Try to start by offering to pay 40% of the asking price before working your way up.
