Social & Cultural
The unwritten rules
Tea, bargaining, dress codes, photography, time, cash, staring, and the social codes visitors encounter.
- Is it rude to refuse tea?Tea is a social contract.Offering it means you're being received as a guest. Accepting means you recognise the relationship. It creates a shared pause — business may follow, or it may not.
- What should I wear?Shoulders and knees covered.
- Can I photograph people?Ask first.
- Can you show affection in public?Kissing or heavy physical contact is culturally out of place and legally punishable.
- Is Morocco safe for LGBTQ+ visitors?Same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Article 489 — 6 months to 3 years.
- Should you remove shoes?In homes, riad living areas, and mosques — yes.
- Why does time work differently here?Two systems running at once.
- Why does everyone want cash?Card acceptance is patchy.
- How does bargaining work?Expected in souks, not everywhere.
- Why does everyone ask where I'm from?Conversational opener, not interrogation.
- Why do people stare?Curiosity, not hostility.