Before I ever traveled to Europe, eating pasta by the Trevi Fountain and baguettes under the Eiffel Tower were considered exotic to me. But after living and traveling all over Europe for 2 years, I inevitably became a travel snob and was seeking different experiences in more "exotic" destinations.

Thanks to budget-friendly Ryan Air flights I booked a $200 flight only 3 hours from Rome to my first African country, Morocco.

This trip was an unforgettable adventure: from surfing on the coast, to wandering around city markets, and to camping overnight in the desert. Morocco’s diverse landscapes, multitude of languages, charming architecture, and colorful food, will feed every type of traveler’s wanderlust!

Tagazhout -> Marrakech -> Sahara Desert

OVERVIEW

Day 1-Tagazhout:
Bus to Tagazhout -> Check in @ The Surf Hostel
Day 2-Tagazhout:
Surf @ Panoramas Beach -> Explore Tagazhout
Day 3-Tagazhout/ Marrakech:
Surf @ Anchor Point -> Bus to Marrakech -> Check in @ Riad Dar Othmane-> Explore Medina
Day 4- Sahara Desert:
Pick up @ Riad by Morocco Expert Tours -> Atlas Mountains -> Aït Benhaddou Kasbah -> Ouarzazate -> Camel Ride in Sahara Desert -> Check in at Camp Site
Day 5- Sahara Desert/ Marrakech:
Sahara Desert -> Drive back to Marrakech -> Check in @ Riad Dar Othmane->
Last dinner & hookah

Tagazhout

Surf town on the coast of Morocco. Who knew that such a conservative country like Morocco had a buzzing surf town. You’ll be awakened by the bells of the local mosque in the morning. Just in time to catch some waves, but before anything, the sunrise and mint tea. Beaches are filled with surfers, sun chasers, and the most popular of them all, camels. You’ll find Moroccans covered from head to toe and surfer bros with tanks and colorful trunks. It’s the ultimate clash of culture, but that’s the charm of Tagazhout.

HOW TO GET TO TAGAZHOUT

Once our flight landed in Marrakech, Mikey and I separated from our group and headed to Morroco’s hip surf town of Tagazhout. As most surf towns around the world, it's wasn't conveniently located from the international airport. So our only option was to take a 4 hour bus ride to Agadir then take a 20 minute taxi to Tagazhout.

We were informed to take any bus from the terminal heading to Agadir. But our hostel accommodations recommended that we book the CTM bus online (www.ctm.ma). Unfortunately we didn't have time to book in advance so we bought our tickets at the terminal. It was a bit chaotic, but after a few conversations in broken english we were on the way to Agadir.

*Beautifully designed Marrakech airport*

The drive was long but we made a pit stop at a small restaurant. Mikey and I were the only non-Moroccans on the bus so it was quite the experience. Once we arrived in Agadir, we were dropped off at a shady corner in the middle of the night, but thankfully our taxi driver from the hostel was patiently waiting for us there (phew).

STAY: The Surf Hostel

We stayed at The Surf Hostel in the center of town which was close to beginner and advanced surf breaks such as Panoramas, Killer Point, and Anchor Point. The hostel had a cool, laid-back atmosphere and a great rooftop view overlooking Tagazhout.

Our private room was comfortable for 2 nights. No frills and budget friendly, it was the ideal spot in Tagazhout to meet like-minded surfers and save money. The hostel housed mostly surfer bros, but there were a few girls there who were even long term, hostel volunteers. Surf rentals are available directly at the hostel: surfboards for about $6 per day and wetsuits for about $3 per day.

Breakfast was great and it was served by a sweet, Moroccan lady. Of course Mikey found some cats to pet while we ate.

$35/ per night with free breakfast for a private double room

EXPLORE: Surf & Beach

Life is pretty slow in Tagazhout, there's not much to do but surf or chill at the beach. Similar to most surf towns around the world there are a handful of healthy bites, surf shops, and yoga centers around town. But unlike other surf towns, there's no partying at night...although there is shisha (hookah) everywhere so that's always fun. If you want to party, a lot of the surfers went to Agadir for an all-night bender.

If you’re an avid or novice surfer, Tagazhout is worth the trip. It will be your most unique surf trip to date. The beaches are great to learn and practice since the water is always warm, waves are consistent, and there are no distractions in town since there are limited activities. So soak in all the sun and culture on the Moroccan coast, and don't be surprised to see a camel when you float ashore.

Marrakech

One word to describe the city—chaotic. Chaotic in the sense you’re getting haggled, hit on, and judged all at the same time (for women at least). It was a completely different experience walking around the city with my girlfriends vs. walking with Mikey. When walking with men we were actually respected and acknowledged. Although it felt uncomfortable at times, Marrakech is still safe and the people are very hospitable. Be sure to explore the energetic souks and stay at one of the city’s beautiful riads!

*Our friends Seema & Liz! Photo courtesy of Liz*

STAY: Riad Dar Othmane

Moroccans really excel at boutique hotel design. Riads are traditional Moroccan houses with an interior garden or courtyard. Moroccans follow Islamic privacy customs so the only windows in the rooms are facing the courtyard and entrance doors are very simple (some without signs). Rooms are tastefully decorated typically with Moroccan tiles, colorful patterned bed garment, hanging lanterns, and hand-woven carpets.

Getting to the riad was a journey. Cars are too small for the narrow-stone pathways in the Old Medina so we were dropped off on the main road and had to walk with our bags to the riad. We were overwhelmingly approached by a group of kids who fortunately guided us to our riad. We found out later that they weren't intentionally being nice but instead were waiting for our tip money (whomp). But it was worth the cash because we would've been unecessarily lost.

We were greeted by our friends Liz and Seema who were already at the riad. Our host prepared delicious mint tea for us upon arrival. Judging from the welcome tea, I knew breakfast would be superb; and indeed it was and with beautiful presentation served in the courtyard. Our host was wonderful and very sweet, he even gifted us a Moroccan keychain and postcard when we checked out.

$50/ per night with free breakfast via booking.com

EXPLORE: Medina, Jemaa el-Fnna Square, & Souk Shopping

Medina simply means town or city in modern Arabic and is the old part of town found in many countries in Northern Africa . It's typically walled, and contains narrow streets, palaces, and mosques. Many medinas are car-free since there's not enough space in the alleyways for cars to pass (we learned that the hard way on the way to our riad). So it's an adventure walking around.

Only a 15 minute walk from our riad was one of the largest squares in Morocco, Jemaa el-Fnna. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site and there's a lot going on in the square. There are hundreds of stalls selling everything from Aladdin-style garments to bootleg CDs, and delicious open air restaurants grilling flavorful kebabs. You'll meet anyone and everyone from snake charmers, berber storytellers, musicians, herb sellers, and the occasional pick-pocketters. The square is not for the faint of heart but it's extremely vibrant nonetheless. If you have one sight to visit in Marrakech, go here. It embodies everything that Marrakech represents in one enormous square.

I love shopping at a good market and Morocco is one of those countries that satisfies my market obsession. Souks are traditional Arab markets or bazaars, and are the heart of any large Moroccan city. It's a marketplace containing stalls with various specialized sections selling items such as carpets, clothing, pottery, jewelry, teapots, metal, and food products. There are no set prices for any item (if there are they're lying) so get ready to haggle! Mikey is the best at bargaining so I had him negotiate my teapot and garments.

We had less than 2 days to explore Marrakech since we wanted to spend more time on the coast and the desert (which I was glad we did). Below are other sights that our friends enjoyed during their additional days in Marrakech.

Other Optional Sights:
+Bahia Palace
+Ben Youssef Madrasa
+Jardin Majorelle

Sahara Desert

Whenever I fantasized about traveling to Morocco, I always pictured myself with a colorful turban riding a camel in the desert. By making that fantasy into a reality, we booked a private 2-day excursion with an overnight stay in the Sahara Desert via Morocco Expert Tours. It was a lot of commuting by car and camel, but it was an adventure of a life time. Morocco's diverse landscapes will make you feel like you're on another planet.

DAY 1

EXPLORE: Atlas Mountains, Aït Benhaddou Kasbah, Ouarzazate, & Camel Ride in Sahara Desert

Atlas Mountains
We were picked up bright and early from our Marrakech riad in a comfortable 4x4 by our guide Hamid. Hamid was friendly and was a good sport whenever we asked him to take photos or stop for a break. The views through the Atlas Mountains were stunning and we stopped a few times to take photos of Berber villages.

Aït Benhaddou Kasbah & Ouarzazate
On the edge of the High Atlas Mountains is the traditional mud-wall city of Aït Benhaddou Kasbah. Kasbahs are medinas or fortresses where kings or sheiks once lived. Kasbahs typically are built at high elevation to provide a good vantage point to watch for approaching invaders. Many kasbahs today serve as tourist attractions since most Moroccans have moved away in search of more modern housing.

Aït Benhaddou Kasbah is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular Hollywood filming location. You may recognize the site from popular movies and shows such as Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia, & The Mummy. Below you may also recognize these good-looking folks (I know, I thought they were actors...).

After exploring Aït Benhaddou Kasbah, we headed to the town of Ouarzazate for lunch. Ouarzazate is considered the "gateway to the Sahara" and was our last stop till our desert camel ride. The people in town are mostly Berber speakers who constructed most of the prominent kasbahs nearby. Morocco's largest movie studios are located here and it's possible to take a tour if you're interested.

Camel Ride in Sahara Desert
Just when I thought driving through the Sahara Desert was surreal, I had to pinch myself when I was on my camel heading to our overnight campsite in the Sahara Desert. The camels were gorgeous and well behaved, but siting on their lovely lady lumps gave me camel toes and cramps. In other words it wasn't a comfortable ride but I was too excited to even care. Riding our camels during sunset made me feel like one of the 3 kings bearing gifts for baby Jesus (I felt that special).

STAY: Overnight in Sahara Desert

Once we arrived via our camels, we checked into our comfy tents. Our tents resembled more of a yurt rather than a typical camping tent in the Poconos. It was more glamorous than we expected and apparently we were staying in the "VIP tents" (not complaining). Mikey and I shared a bed which meant we had to pretend we were married due to Moroccan customs (we were only dating for about a year at that time..). There were showers and bathrooms located not too far from our tent. It was safe to walk there in the middle of the night since there was 24 hour security.

Camping activities were fun, and it included unlimited shisha, drums around the bonfire, and a delicious Moroccan feast. We all stayed up chatting and gazing at the sky, but unfortunately the sky wasn't clear so we didn't see much stars.

Day 2

We woke up early to catch the sunrise, but it was overcast again so we didn't witness the best sunrise. But it was still amazing to see the desert transition from night to day in my pajamas.

Once we had breakfast and packed our bags we took another camel ride back to the meeting point to regroup with Hamid. We were half asleep on our camels, but we rode toward some awesome rainbows that kept us awake.

There were a bunch of kids at the meeting point selling arts and crafts. We were instructed not to buy any items, but we caved in and bought a few (sorry not sorry). This little craft became one of my favorite souvenirs and is still on my dresser till this day so I don't regret it (yolo).

Once we regrouped with Hamid we were back on the road to Marrakech. It felt like a never ending drive, but a few pit stops and scenic viewpoints kept it interesting.

Those past two days felt like a whirlwind but it was 100% worth it even for our student budgets. If you travel to Morocco and don't stay overnight in the desert, you're doing it wrong. If funds and time are low, fine, but make it a priority to at least take a camel ride in the desert. When in Morocco, right...

Price for 2-day excursion:
200 euros/ per person via Morocco Expert Tours

We were exhausted once we arrived back at our riad in Marrakech. After we freshened up we met the other half of our group at their fancy hotel and we had a low-key last dinner and shisha. This trip was an unforgettable adventure and it was an awesome group to spend it with.

Our 5-day Morocco itinerary served us very well. We experienced a little bit of everything in Morocco and even made time to relax on the beach. If you happen to follow our itinerary, be ready to be quick on your feet cause you'll be moving a lot. 5 days in Morocco were just enough, but we would've loved to stay a bit longer in Tagazhout to catch more waves.

What were other sights, activities, and cities not mentioned that "Moroccked' your world"? What else would you add to our itinerary?

Nov 14 How to Spend 5 Days in Morocco

Tagazhout -> Marrakech -> Sahara Desert