Is Morocco safe for women? An HONEST answer

Last Updated on July 3, 2024 by Lauren Allen

Morocco is my favourite country in the world. There, I said it! I love everything about it. From the many local crafts to the diverse landscapes and friendly locals. Morocco just feels so… me! But, is Morocco safe for women?

That’s a question that pops up in many people’s minds when they hear of solo female travellers (or women in general) heading to this North African country. In fact, it’s a question that many people asked me before I visited for the first time back in 2018. In this post, I spoke about how I was warned against visiting Morocco alone. 

Many people told me I was making a mistake. However, I beg to differ. In this post, I’ll share the low-down on whether Morocco is safe for women, how you can avoid bad experiences and tips for travelling solo as a strong independent woman! 

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Is Morocco safe for women?

There are several reasons that people declare Morocco an “unsafe” country for women. It’s received bad press in the past and several of my family, friends and colleagues shared their previous experiences with me before my first visit. 

However, it’s worth noting that Morocco has gone through a lot of change in the last decade or so. As a country, it’s one of the most visited by tourists on the African continent.

This is great for the economy as tourists spend money. Money that brings the locals income. As such, the vast majority of locals want to ensure travellers have a good experience. 

So, why is Morocco often deemed unsafe for women? There are a few reasons:

Street harassment and unwanted attention 

Unfortunately, female tourists get a lot of unwanted attention in Morocco. This is true whether or not you’re travelling solo. However, women travelling alone definitely get more attention as they can be seen as easy targets. 

If you head to Morocco alone, be aware that you will likely receive marriage proposals, dinner invites and potentially get followed. All three of these things have happened to me while in the country. However, the majority of the time, these actions are harmless. 

One of my top Morocco travel tips for women is to stick up for yourself. You’re a strong woman exploring a foreign country alone, don’t let a few bad eggs bring you down!

If someone makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to get stern and show them you mean business (without getting aggressive). Often, these guys are just trying their luck. 

Petty crimes such as pickpocketing 

Across the country, some cities and neighbourhoods are known for petty crimes. Fez and Meknes are high on the list. However, perhaps the worst of them all is Casablanca. Despite being home to the most impressive building in the country (The Hassan II Mosque), the city has a bad reputation.

While in Rabat, I met a Moroccan man who was staying at the same riad. He explained that Casablanca has some pretty dodgy neighbourhoods. In these neighbourhoods, even Moroccans from other cities are likely to be robbed. 

Bag snatching is a common occurrence and many thieves do this from the back of motorbikes, making it impossible to chase after them to get your belongings back.

In my experience, Fez and Meknes seemed okay. However, I got a vibe from Casablanca that it wasn’t a particularly safe city for a solo female (despite how much I wanted to believe that it was).

Scams are a common occurrence 

While it’s not just women who get scammed in Morocco, solo female travellers are often targets.

One of the common things to look out for is people offering directions. The medinas of Morocco are extremely maze-like. Obviously, this makes it ten times easier to get lost. If you look confused, some people will offer to show you the way. However, following them is not a good idea. 

While there are some genuine people who just want to help, the majority will either lead you in the wrong direction or expect money. Do yourself a favour and avoid this happening to you by downloading the local maps to use offline. 

Note: I will be writing a post about the common scams to look out for in Morocco. Keep your eyes peeled!

My personal experience of travelling alone in Morocco as a woman 

If you’ve read my post about what it’s like to travel solo in Morocco, then you will already know that my first trip was not without its uncomfortable experiences. Neither was my second. However, I didn’t expect it to be. 

Yes, I received unwanted attention, harassment and dinner invites. But the amount of positive experiences I’ve had in Morocco over the years far outweigh the bad.

On my most recent trip, one of my favourite memories is hiking to the top of the Spanish Mosque in Chefchaouen. In the space of an hour, I had three separate conversations with locals and lo and behold, they were all with men. 

During these (very lovely) conversations, I felt safe and respected. We spoke of photography, travel, languages, Morocco and much more. In fact, one of the conversations between me and two guys went on for at least half an hour due to so many common interests. 

What’s more, is that this wasn’t a rare occurrence. I’ve experienced it many times while travelling around Morocco. 

As a solo female traveller, it can be easy to fear the worst. However, that will only bring you down. Focus on the GOOD and expect it. I promise this change in mindset will bring you so much happiness and joy as you explore the globe solo like the badass woman you are! 

When you shouldn’t travel to Morocco alone as a woman

While I am an advocate for solo female travel in Morocco, there are times when I’d advise against it. In the nicest possible way, there are some people in my life that I would advise against going to the country alone.

This is either because they’re too naive or too nice. Seeing the good in people is a lovely trait to have, but it can see you get scammed (or worse) in Morocco. 

Another time I’d advise against going to Morocco alone as a woman is if you haven’t travelled solo extensively. Personally, I had travelled to the USA and all over Europe alone by the time I landed in Marrakech for my first visit. Being experienced in solo travel makes you a lot more confident than any amount of research ever could. 

How to stay safe as a woman in Morocco

Get travel insurance

Travel is all fun and games until something goes wrong. No matter how much you prepare, some things are unexpected. Good travel insurance can give you peace of mind to enjoy your trip without a care in the world.

SafetyWing’s medical travel insurance plan covers a wide range of things from hospital stays to emergency flights home and medication.

And, as I mentioned before, there are many thefts in Casablanca. If someone steals your most prized possessions, SafetyWing will cover you for an extra fee. How good is that?

I don’t know about you, but I rest easy knowing that I’m covered on any overseas adventure. With travel insurance, you’re investing in a worry-free travel experience.

Use your common sense

As a woman travelling alone, you can’t be naive. Use your common sense and don’t put yourself in dodgy situations. For example, don’t:

• Walk down dark alleyways at night 
• Tell everyone that you are travelling solo (you’re travelling with your husband remember, wink wink)
• Keep your valuables out on display without keeping an eye on them 
• Drink too much alcohol 
• Smile at everyone or be too friendly
• Trust people too easily (this is a big one)

Dress conservatively

Morocco is a Muslim country. This means that local women are expected to dress conservatively and cover up. However, the locals are more lenient towards tourists and don’t expect them to be covered from head to toe. 

Despite this, the best way to minimize unwanted attention from males is to dress respectfully. Avoid things like tight clothing, vest tops and short skirts. 

At a minimum, I always keep my knees and shoulders covered when I’m travelling in Morocco. Out of respect, I advise you to do the same. 

Pretend you’re married

No, I’m not joking. Now, I don’t condone lying. However, this is a great way to get the men of Morocco off your back in a nice way.

Tell them that your husband is tired and back at the hotel, but that he will be meeting you again shortly. Trust me, this worked very well whenever I used it (which was unsurprisingly, several times a day).

Do your research 

Before you head to a new country as a solo female traveller, you should know what you’re getting yourself into. Before I travelled to Morocco for the first time, I did a lot of research online.

I read about women travelling alone in Morocco. I read about common scams, unwanted attention, marriage proposals and much more. 

Doing so much research meant that when the time came, I was aware of what to expect. This meant that I travelled around the country with confidence and knew how to react to different scenarios.

While I do my best to share everything you need to know about visiting Morocco on this blog, things can change. As such, doing more research won’t hurt!

Know what to do in an emergency 

As a woman travelling alone, it’s important to know what to do in case of an emergency. In fact, this is true for any country you are exploring, not just in Morocco. Always ensure you do the following:

• Save the number of the local police to your phone (or memorise the number)
• Send a photocopy of your passport to yourself via email and to a trusted friend or family member 
• Keep your loved ones updated on where you are and what your plans are 

Be your best confident self!

Lastly, enjoy yourself! Morocco may be a little challenging when it comes to travelling alone as a woman, but navigating a more challenging country is so incredibly liberating.

Be confident. Not many people will do what you’re doing (or considering) so pat yourself on the back and give yourself some credit! You’ve got this girl! 

Read more: How to stay safe in Morocco

The safest destinations in Morocco for solo female travellers 

If you’re planning a trip to Morocco, but want to steer clear of the more challenging cities, here are four places I recommend:

Rabat

After spending almost a month travelling around Morocco alone, the few days I spent in Rabat were one of my favourite parts of the trip.

As the capital of Morocco, I felt a strong presence of police, army officials and guards. Due to this, I felt the safest I felt on the whole trip. 

Aside from a bit of starting while I read my book (sigh, I just wanted to read in peace dude), I didn’t experience any unwanted attention in Rabat. Nobody hassled me to visit their shop, nobody followed me and nobody cat-called me or shouted unnecessary statements. 

If you’re looking for a relaxed introduction to visiting Morocco alone as a woman, I highly recommend Rabat as your first stop! 

Chefchaouen 

If you’ve been planning a trip to Morocco, there’s a high chance you’ve come across photos of Chefchaouen on Instagram and Pinterest. The Blue City (or the Blue Pearl) is a popular destination amongst travellers. In fact, it’s a hot spot with locals too!

It’s also one of the more chilled-out destinations to visit in Morocco. While you will likely experience a bit of hassle from shop owners, it’s nowhere near as intense as other cities in the country. Plus, the residents of Chefchaouen are for the most part, extremely friendly and welcoming. 

Tamraght

Situated on the coast of Morocco 15.7km from Agadir, Tamraght is a small village with a super relaxed atmosphere. If you want to explore the seaside of Morocco without a ton of other tourists, this is the place to go! 

In terms of things to do, there isn’t all that much. Essentially, you can either surf, chill out on the beach or go to a hammam (or all three if you fancy it). That makes it the perfect destination to take things easy. 

Personally, Tamraght was the last place I visited on my most recent trip to Morocco. It was the most ideal way to end a month of almost constant travelling and sightseeing across the country. I’d love to go back in the future! 

Marrakech

Some people might be a little surprised to see Marrakech on this list. However, I stand by my opinion. While you will most definitely experience unwanted attention or shop owners trying to lure you into their shop, this won’t be an issue if you take my tips on board.

From personal experience, Marrakech also felt a lot safer than cities such as Casablanca or Fez (however, I’d say Fez is also fine for women going it alone).

It’s one of the most visited cities in the country and while it isn’t as relaxed as Chefchaouen or Tamraght, they are used to tourists. This makes it one of the easiest cities to visit as a traveller in Morocco.

So, to conclude… Is Morocco safe for women?

Absolutely! Morocco is a safe country for women, even women who choose to travel alone. However, there are things (outlined in this post) to look out for and do in order to avoid any potentially uncomfortable situations. 

If you take my advice on board, there is no doubt in my mind that you will have a fantastic time travelling solo in Morocco. Have fun! 

Have you travelled to Morocco as a solo female traveller? I’d love to hear all about it!

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