Honeymoon in Morocco

Morocco is the answer for couples who want their honeymoon to feel genuinely foreign without a long-haul flight or a large budget. It is three and a half hours from London, requires no visa for most nationalities, has no malaria, and delivers medieval walled cities, Saharan dunes, snow-capped mountains and an Atlantic coast within a fortnight.

Budget US$4,000 to US$11,000 per couple for twelve nights including flights — among the least expensive destinations on this site. What you give up is wildlife: Morocco has essentially none of the big game that defines African honeymoons elsewhere. What you get instead is culture, architecture and food at a level nowhere else on the continent matches.

Where to go

Marrakech

The obvious start. Stay in a riad in the medina — a traditional house built around a courtyard, often with a plunge pool and roof terrace. Many have only five or six rooms, which makes them ideal for a honeymoon and far more atmospheric than a modern hotel.

Jemaa el-Fnaa square is genuinely chaotic and worth an evening. The Jardin Majorelle, the Bahia Palace and the tanneries are the daytime fixtures. Be prepared for persistent selling in the souks — it is part of the experience but it wears on some people. Three nights.

Fes

Older, larger and less touristed than Marrakech. Fes el-Bali is the world’s largest car-free urban area and is genuinely disorienting in the best way — nine thousand alleys, and you will get lost. Hire a guide for the first day. Two nights.

The Sahara — Merzouga or M’Hamid

The honeymoon centrepiece. A luxury desert camp under the Erg Chebbi dunes: a proper bed and rugs in a canvas tent, dinner around a fire, Berber drumming, and a sky with more stars than you will have seen. Arrive by camel at sunset.

Be realistic about the drive — Merzouga is roughly nine hours from Marrakech, usually broken with a night in the Dades or Todra gorges. That drive over the Tizi n’Tichka pass is spectacular in its own right. One or two nights in the desert.

The Atlas Mountains

An hour from Marrakech and a different world. The Ourika and Imlil valleys have excellent small lodges with mountain views, walking, and cool air when Marrakech is baking. A good first or last stop to decompress.

Essaouira and the coast

A whitewashed, blue-shuttered Atlantic port with ramparts, seafood grills and a windswept beach. Notably more relaxed than the imperial cities — less hassle, more space. Two or three nights. Note the Atlantic here is cold and windy: this is not a swimming beach in the Indian Ocean sense.

For actual beach time, Taghazout further south or the Mediterranean coast near Tangier are better bets.

Best time to go

April, May, October and November are the windows. Midsummer inland is not honeymoon weather — a desert camp at 45°C is an endurance exercise.

Check whether your dates fall during Ramadan. Tourist facilities operate normally, but many local restaurants close during daylight and the atmosphere is different. Some couples find it fascinating; others find it limiting.

What it costs

Riads run US$80–300 per night for very good ones. A private driver with car is roughly US$100–150 per day — strongly recommended over self-drive for the mountain and desert legs, and inexpensive shared between two.

Sample itineraries

Ten nights — the classic loop (from about US$4,500 per couple)

• Nights 1–3: Marrakech riad.
• Night 4: Dades or Todra Gorge, breaking the drive.
• Nights 5–6: Sahara desert camp at Merzouga.
• Night 7: Skoura or Ait Benhaddou on the return.
• Nights 8–10: Atlas Mountains or back to Marrakech.

Twelve nights — adding the coast (from about US$5,500)

• Nights 1–3: Marrakech.
• Nights 4–7: Desert via the gorges.
• Nights 8–9: Atlas Mountains.
• Nights 10–12: Essaouira.

Fourteen nights — two cities and the desert (from about US$7,000)

• Nights 1–3: Fes.
• Nights 4–6: Desert, entering from the north.
• Nights 7–9: Gorges and Ait Benhaddou.
• Nights 10–12: Marrakech.
• Nights 13–14: Atlas Mountains.

Practical details

Getting there

Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca and Tangier all have extensive direct flights from Europe, many on low-cost carriers. From North America, connect via Europe or Casablanca. Internal distances are best covered by private car; the Casablanca–Tangier high-speed train is excellent if your route includes the north.

Visas and entry

No visa required for UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passport holders for stays up to 90 days. Passport validity of six months is expected.

Health

No malaria, no yellow fever risk, no required vaccinations for most travellers. Drink bottled water. Morocco is one of the easiest destinations on this site from a health perspective.

Etiquette, and what to expect as a couple

Morocco is a Muslim country and moderately conservative outside resorts. Dress modestly in medinas and villages — shoulders and knees covered for both of you — and expect that public displays of affection beyond hand-holding will attract attention.

Riads and hotels used to international guests will not question an unmarried couple sharing a room; if it matters to you, book somewhere accustomed to foreign visitors.

Persistent selling and unofficial “guides” in Marrakech and Fes are common. Firm politeness works. Agree taxi fares before getting in, and use official guides arranged through your riad.

Worth asking for

• A riad with a private plunge pool — the single best upgrade in Marrakech, and often only US$50 more a night.
• A hammam and massage for both of you. Traditional and excellent.
• A dedicated desert camp with a private tent rather than a group camp — the difference is substantial and the cost is not.
• A cooking class in Marrakech or Fes, usually starting with a market trip.
• A hot air balloon over the Palmeraie at dawn, around US$200 per person.
• A private driver for the desert and mountain legs. Do not self-drive the Tizi n’Tichka.