🇲🇦 Morocco vs 🇪🇬 Egypt

Tipping (baksheesh) is deeply embedded in Egyptian culture and expected for almost every small service.

⛔Some 'guides' at sites will perform a service without asking and then demand an unexpectedly large tip — agree on the amount beforehand.

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ONCF trains connect major cities reliably, while petit taxis serve city travel and CTM buses cover intercity routes not on the rail network.

⛔Unofficial 'faux guides' at train stations and bus stops will offer to help you find accommodation or transport for a fee — politely decline and use pre-arranged transport from your riad.

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Use the Cairo Metro for cheap city travel, and Uber or Careem for safe, fairly-priced taxis.

⛔Local Cairo taxis without meters will often quote wildly inflated fares to tourists — always use a ride-hailing app or agree on the price firmly before getting in.

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Travel insurance is essential in Morocco as public hospitals are overcrowded and private clinic fees must be paid upfront.

⛔Do not rely on public hospitals for routine tourist medical needs — travel insurance covering private clinic access and medical evacuation is essential before visiting Morocco.

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Private hospitals in Cairo are good, but healthcare in rural and desert areas is very limited — travel insurance with evacuation cover is essential.

⛔Do not rely on public hospitals as a tourist — standards and English-language capability are inconsistent outside top private Cairo facilities.

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Several activities legal elsewhere are criminal offences in Morocco, including same-sex relations, sex outside marriage, and public displays of affection between unmarried couples.

⛔Same-sex relations are illegal in Morocco and prosecutions of tourists have occurred — LGBTQ+ travellers should exercise significant caution and discretion throughout the country.

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Drug possession, LGBTQ+ activity, photographing government or military sites, and criticising the president are all serious criminal offences in Egypt.

⛔LGBTQ+ travellers face genuine legal risk in Egypt. Avoid public displays of affection and be extremely cautious with dating apps, which are monitored by police.

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Dress modestly throughout Morocco — cover shoulders and knees especially in medinas, souks, and rural areas.

⛔Women travelling alone in conservative areas and medinas face persistent verbal harassment regardless of dress, but revealing clothing significantly increases its frequency and intensity.

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Cover shoulders and knees in most public areas; swimwear is fine at Red Sea and Mediterranean resorts.

⛔Ignoring the dress code at mosques will result in refusal of entry. In more conservative areas, inappropriately dressed women may face significant harassment.

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Alcohol is available at licensed hotels, tourist restaurants, and specialist off-licences but is not sold in general supermarkets and is restricted during Ramadan.

⛔Drinking alcohol in public spaces or in conservative towns away from tourist areas is illegal and can attract police attention — consume only in licensed venues.

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Alcohol is available at licensed hotels, tourist restaurants, and specialist shops — but not at most local eateries.

⛔Drinking alcohol in public (streets, beaches outside resorts, public transport) is illegal and can result in arrest.

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Bargaining is absolutely expected and essential at souks, bazaars, souvenir shops, and for services like felucca rides and camel rides.

⛔Once a price is verbally agreed upon, it is a binding social contract. Backing out after agreeing causes serious offence.

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Always ask before photographing people in Morocco as many demand payment or flat out refuse, and never photograph military or police.

⛔Photographing police, military personnel, checkpoints, or government buildings is strictly prohibited and can result in immediate detention and deletion of your images.

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Never photograph military sites, police, bridges, airports, or government buildings — tourists have been arrested for this.

⛔Photographing military or police infrastructure — even accidentally from a bus or plane — can result in detention, confiscation of your device, and criminal charges.

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Friday is the holy day in Egypt — many businesses close Friday morning, and the work week officially runs Sunday to Thursday.

⛔During Ramadan, eating, drinking, or smoking in public during daylight hours is illegal and deeply disrespectful — violations can lead to fines or detention.

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Use petit taxis for city travel (always insist on the meter) and grand taxis for intercity routes; there is no Uber, and Careem operates only in Casablanca.

⛔Airport taxis in Marrakech and Casablanca are notorious for demanding grossly inflated fares from arriving tourists — always confirm the price before getting in and use the official rank only.

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Use Uber or Careem — they are safer, fairly priced, and remove the need to negotiate every fare.

⛔Taxis hailed on the street in Cairo are notorious for fare disputes at the destination — always use a ride-hailing app when possible.

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Do not drink tap water in Morocco — drink only sealed bottled water and be cautious with ice and raw salads at local establishments.

⛔Tap water is unsafe to drink throughout Morocco — always drink sealed bottled water and treat ice and raw vegetables at local stalls with caution.

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Never drink tap water in Egypt — bottled water is cheap, widely available, and essential everywhere.

⛔Traveller's diarrhoea is extremely common in first-time visitors to Egypt. Bring oral rehydration sachets and a basic course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor before departure.

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Cash is king in Morocco — withdraw dirhams from bank ATMs in cities and note that taking dirhams out of Morocco is illegal in significant quantities.

⛔Exporting Moroccan dirhams above the permitted limit is illegal — convert leftover MAD back to hard currency at the airport before flying out.

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Egypt is a largely cash economy — use CIB or Banque Misr ATMs for foreign cards and carry small EGP notes for everyday use.

⛔ATM skimming does occur in Egypt. Use machines inside banks or shopping malls rather than standalone street ATMs, and cover the keypad when entering your PIN.

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Buy a local SIM from Vodafone Egypt, Orange, or Etisalat at the airport for cheap data — bring your passport.

⛔Unofficial SIM resellers at the airport often overcharge. Only buy from branded Vodafone, Orange, or e& kiosks and get a receipt.

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Morocco has a well-documented range of tourist scams — the faux guide, carpet shop pressure sales, henna traps, and free spice samples are the most common.

⛔The faux guide and carpet shop commission scam is the most financially significant tourist scam in Morocco — never follow strangers who approach you in medina streets offering unsolicited help or directions.

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Egypt has several well-known tourist scams — learn to recognise the 'closed today' redirect and the horse/camel price switch.

⛔Never follow a stranger who approaches you on the street near a tourist site with 'helpful' information about closures, special access, or a shortcut — it is almost always the opening move of a scam.

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Morocco is generally safe for tourists with violent crime being rare, but solo women face significant street harassment in medinas and pickpocketing is a concern.

⛔Solo women travellers face persistent and unavoidable verbal harassment in Moroccan medinas — this is not dangerous but is exhausting and should be mentally prepared for before visiting.

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Major tourist areas are generally safe, but harassment — especially of women — is a genuine and frequent concern.

⛔Parts of North Sinai are subject to active government travel restrictions and ongoing security operations. Several Western governments advise against all travel to specific Sinai zones — check current advisories before any Sinai itinerary.

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Hospitality is sacred in Egypt — always accept offered tea, use your right hand for eating and giving, and be respectful during prayer times.

⛔Public displays of affection between any couple are frowned upon in conservative areas and can attract hostile attention — keep affection private.

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Agadir has safe, lifeguarded swimming, but Essaouira is extremely windy and the Atlantic coast can have powerful currents requiring caution.

⛔Atlantic currents along Morocco's west coast are powerful and underestimated — several tourist drownings occur each year on unpatrolled beaches north of Agadir.

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The Red Sea (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh) offers world-class diving and snorkelling with exceptional visibility year-round.

⛔Several shark attacks have occurred in Sharm el-Sheikh waters over the years, mostly near feeding zones. Follow local dive-operator guidance strictly and do not swim near fishing boats or areas where feeding has occurred.

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Drive on the right; an international driving permit is recommended, and be prepared for chaotic city driving and variable road conditions outside major routes.

⛔Night driving on rural roads and mountain passes in Morocco is genuinely dangerous due to unlit roads, livestock on carriageways, and minimal road markings — avoid it where possible.

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Driving in Cairo is extremely chaotic and not recommended for tourists — use Uber or Careem instead.

⛔Driving in Cairo without local experience is genuinely hazardous. The combination of extreme traffic density, informal driving norms, and limited road markings has resulted in serious accidents for inexperienced visitors.

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Egyptian food is delicious and very affordable — koshari (the national dish) and ful medames are must-tries available everywhere.

⛔Traveller's stomach from food or water is very common in first-time visitors. Ease into street food gradually and carry oral rehydration salts.

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Non-Muslims cannot enter most Moroccan mosques; the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is the main exception open to guided tours.

⛔Attempting to enter a mosque that is not open to non-Muslims is a serious breach of Moroccan law and religious respect — always check status before approaching and respect any barrier or sign.

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Remove shoes at mosques, women must cover hair and body fully, and all visitors should dress modestly at any religious site.

⛔Entering a mosque during prayer time without permission is not appropriate. Wait outside until the prayer ends — entry for tourists is typically permitted before and after the five daily prayers.

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October to April is the best time for most of Morocco; summer inland (Marrakech, Sahara) reaches 40°C+ and is brutally hot for most visitors.

⛔Summer heat in Marrakech and the Sahara (June-September) regularly exceeds 40°C — heat exhaustion and heatstroke are genuine risks, particularly for visitors unaccustomed to dry extreme heat.

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October to April is the best time to visit — summers are brutally hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan where temperatures exceed 45°C.

⛔Summer heat stroke is a real risk at open-air ancient sites in Upper Egypt. Carry at least 2L of water per person, wear a hat, and do not underestimate the sun.

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