When I left to visit Morocco for 1 month, I forgot to check this little detail ^^The result: apart from one week when I arrived, I fell… right into it! So I got a lot of remarks like “You’re going to travel to Morocco during Ramadan? But you’re going to starve”, “it’s going to be so hard to eat”, “don’t you want to cancel”? In short, it almost made me doubt myself. In the end, I left as planned and spent 4 weeks in Morocco, more than 3 in the middle of Ramadan. Is it possible to visit Morocco during Ramadan? Here’s my feedback on the subject, and my advice on how best to manage it
TRAVELLING IN MOROCCO DURING RAMADAN: Ramadane Vibe
Ramadan takes place once a year, lasting almost a month. The dates change from year to year, with Ramadan occurring 10 to 15 days earlier than the previous year. During this sacred period, Muslims move towards more spiritual activities, which go hand in hand with fasting and the prohibition of drinking, smoking and sexual relations. In fact, daily life is totally organized around this rhythm. But what then? Are we really going to starve during Ramadan? Not at all! I’ve noticed the following. As a tourist, contrary to popular belief, it won’t have a huge impact on you.
Ramadan takes place once a year, lasting almost a month. The dates change from year to year, with Ramadan occurring 10 to 15 days earlier than the previous year. During this sacred period, Muslims move towards more spiritual activities, which go hand in hand with fasting and the prohibition of drinking, smoking and sexual relations. In fact, daily life is totally organized around this rhythm. But what then? Are we really going to starve during Ramadan? Not at all! I’ve noticed the following. As a tourist, contrary to popular belief, it won’t have a huge impact on you.
Ramadan in the morning
First thing in the morning, if you’re staying in a hotel or guest house, you’ll always be served a super hearty traditional breakfast. Just to get the day off to a good start. So don’t worry about this stage, it’s in the bag!
Lunchtime In Ramadan
It all depends on where you are. In the big tourist cities (Marrakech, Fez, Essaouira…), there will always be a few tourist restaurants open. Probably not always the best, nor the cheapest. But hey, there will be options to eat! That’s been my experience when I’ve visited downtown Meknes, Aït Ben Haddou or even Ouarzazate, where there’s always at least ONE restaurant open.
If you’re in a more rural part of the country, as I was during my road trip in the Moroccan Atlas, you won’t always be guaranteed to find a restaurant at the right time on the road. So I REALLY advise you to pack a picnic. Just pop into a market or mini-market in the morning, buy some bread, Vache qui rit (THE cheese found in Morocco, hehe), fruit, seeds and cakes, and you’ll be the king of oil. That’s what I did, and it worked like a charm!
Ramadan In the evening
Take into account the time you finish fasting. For me, it was around 7:30 pm. Depending on where you are, you’ll have access to little cafés where some locals go to break the fast with friends. But most of the time, everything will be closed, as everyone is quite happy to go home and eat with their family, FINALLY! This is what I’ve noticed on the outskirts of Marrakech and in the heart of Meknes, for example. As a result, you can wait 1 or 2 hours, and some small restaurants will reopen afterwards.
Otherwise, opt for the guest house option. This is what I did almost systematically. Hotels continue to serve as if they were restaurants. But the best thing is to stay in a guest house, as the owners will be delighted to invite you over for ftour, the traditional meal that breaks the fast! If you show them that you don’t want to bother them by cooking crazy things for you, and that respecting the ftour will make you happy, you’re invited! And you’re going to eat so well!
Conclusion: no, you’re not going to starve, as long as you’re a bit organized if you’re in a rural area, and if you’re willing to adapt to local habits in terms of rhythm.
THE ADVANTAGES OF TRAVELING TO MOROCCO DURING RAMADAN
Traveling to Morocco in Ramadan have a lot of adavntages that we will discover in this article, including time advantages, prices, and exploring a new unique vibes and traditions, let’s get into it:
The time of meal in Ramadan
God knows I’m not a foodie. I eat because it’s important to eat, especially when traveling. But I have to say that I really enjoyed the tradition of the ftour, the meal that breaks the fast. It consists mainly of bread cakes, harira (a pea-based soup), dried figs and hard-boiled eggs. After all, I imagine that many families make it much richer – it’s a bit of a feast too! But for me, I loved eating it every night! And it’s so cool to feel like a local among locals!
The atmosphere
I think it brings a unique atmosphere to the country. Yes, the places are perhaps less festive in the evening. But you’re really immersed in the heart of a religious tradition, and that’s why we travel! Personally, I found it fascinating to discover entire souks empty in Fez, Meknes or Chefchaouen, when they should be teeming with people. I loved seeing the women bustling around the markets in the late afternoon, people living in slow motion. With the heat, I had so much empathy for them, my god, I was dehydrated after 2 hours, hum… In short, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I think, to see what it’s all about (and hats off to you).
Conviviality
Well, it’s an observation I’ve already made in most of the Muslim countries I’ve visited: conviviality and sharing are core values. But during Ramadan, I think it’s to the power of 10,000! I’ve never been so invited to share ftour, couscous, tea and I don’t know what else during this period, it’s just totally crazy! It’s like you’re walking down the street in France, talking to someone for two seconds and they say, “bah t’as qu’à venir manger raclette chez moi ce soir”. We agree, that never happens! In Morocco, it does, and all the time during Ramadan, too!
There are far fewer tourists
Everyone thinks it’s going to be unmanageable. So nobody comes! Which is why I really felt the absence of people in certain sites that should have been much more crowded. Not to mention that foreign tourists are coming less, but so are local tourists! Inevitably, since they’re celebrating Ramadan, they don’t have the energy to travel. So… it’s not crowded at all! When you’re a slacker like me, who likes not to have too many people in your photos, it’s perfect!
The trip will cost you less!
And yes, of course, there are a lot fewer people, so prices go down. Well, not all of them. Food prices are actually going up (if you buy in the markets, you’ll notice). But for the rest, accommodations offer promotions of -10 to 20%. I think flights are cheaper, too. In short, it’s not really negligible and should be taken into account…!
WHAT TO KNOW IF YOU TRAVEL TO MOROCCO DURING RAMADAN
There are a few basic rules to follow, especially during Ramadan:
Dress modestly
This is true all year round in Morocco. But during Ramadan, make sure you have a small shawl to cover your shoulders wherever you go. And wear loose-fitting clothes if possible.
Don’t smoke or drink openly in public
It’s not advisable to smoke in public, nor to drink too excessively. Let’s just say that Moroccans are super open about the fact that, as a tourist, you get on with your life. Of course you can drink. On the other hand, I find it a bit disrespectful to drink out loud in front of someone who hasn’t had a drink for 10 hours… So I used to drink discreetly from a bottle in my backpack, for example. It was never a problem.
Think carefully about the end of fasting time
As I said earlier, everyone tends to disappear at this time of day. So don’t be the basic tourist who comes out right at that time and is surprised that everything is closed. Well, yes! Plan to go out a little later, or eat at your hotel.