Months of cold, bleak weather will get you wishing to be in a place where the blue skies and warm sun greets you every morning. For most of us, it can be half a world away. Luckily though, for those fed up with Europe’s snow covered streets, summer is just a 4-hour flight to bear. This advantage got me and my friends into a break from winter by flying to Africa last December. True enough, after 4 hours, the grey London sky turned to a sunny Moroccan dream.

We landed in Marrakech Menara airport nearly before midday, welcomed by a warm 22-degrees Celsius weather and its jaw-dropping elegance of an airport with Palm trees lining up the pathway from the tarmac. A few minutes later, we were on the desert highway, amazed by the dry, barren stretch of sand dunes with the snow sprinkled Atlas Mountains at the backdrop. It took less than an hour towards this great change of scenery we happily watched from the car window. At the end, after we had our first camel sightings, our excitement grew further as the road started to get bumpy while we ride on the dunes towards the desert camp.

I can say that I never experienced glamping as luxurious as I have found it in Morocco, which I have realised at the first sip of the mint-infused tea they served as a welcome drink, the amenities we were offered, while also taking-in the scene with the colourful rugs, textiles and hints of well curated Arabic design in the middle of the desert. I could have sworn to take a dip as soon as I saw the pool at the midst of the camp but I was so happy to finally be able to just lie on the bed in view of the desert for siesta.

Before sunset, we met our camels and took a few photos with them munching around the jump-off point for the camel ride activities. I haven’t realised just how tall they are until I was sitting between their humps, holding on tightly for my life, and to the Go Pro I imagined would be of much use while me and my camel got the action going especially when she descends and the bumpy gets bumpier. At least we got to see the picturesque African sunset in deep oranges and yellows and the lights and shadows of the Agafay desert before everything went cold and dark at nighttime. For dinner, we tasted our first traditional Moroccan specialties, tagine and cous cous before heading out to bed under the stars, in the middle of nowhere, in total peace and in what seems like a place so isolated from the rest of the world.

I woke up honestly not wanting to leave. If not for that beautiful breakfast after beautiful breakfast set for us and the plans we have already mapped out, I would want to stay in that peace. Even more so when we trod up the sand hills toward the rainbow stairs and getting the perspective from a wider angle. Every frame of the horizon seems to be the perfect landscape until you see the next. By midday, I sadly hopped on to the Jeep, on another bumpy ride towards the old city.

From the peace of the desert, we got off to the chaos of the Medina. Sea of people, merchants, the noise of a busy street and lost tourists like us. This is the only place I got to visit that even google maps seems unreliable. It looks like an endless maze with every alley looking completely the same as the one before, and much worse, there weren’t street signs, or street names either. We got to our Riad in panic stricken faces, accompanied by a stranger on this irony of a situation we would surely never forget. What settled me though is that brew of the Moroccan tea, much better than any cup of tea I enjoyed, and the vibrant villa we called home for the rest of this journey.

The next day, we walked the streets with an ounce of courage in our pockets, hoping we won’t get lost again. Lightened up by the inside jokes we shared from the stress of the previous day, and our thirst for beautiful places, we found our way to the unique Le Jardin Majorelle, home to the many species of cacti, other plants and birds. It has once belonged to a French painter who made Marrakech his home, designed in a combination of cubist and Arabic elements and painted in a shade of deep cobalt patented after the painter himself. Now a part of the museum complex acquired by the affluent designer, Yves Saint Laurent, it had been a centre of Berber culture, art and design, distinguished throughout the world.

After a morning of art appreciation at Museé Berberé and the galleries of the Museé YSL, we took a stroll at the old souks of Medina, finding even more art in the craftsmanship of their produce such as the colourful rugs, the intricacy of the lamps, and the patterns on their babouche. Unlike our first time being in the alleys, we seem to have found our way around easier this time, and also haggling to the cheapest price for good finds.

Geometric and highly sophisticated tile mosaics, the arched doors and the magnificent courtyards are the main characteristics of Moorish architecture definitely reflected at the Bahia Palace. I have seen these influences in the southern cities of Spain, but the tile work seems to be even more complicated where it has originated. The palace itself is said to be the grandest of its time, built for a ruler and his wives in Moorish fashion. Similar architectural dynamics can be seen in Le Jardin du Secret, with a massive gazebo in the middle of the main courtyard where you can rest after a day of getting in and around the Medina.

We got to our Riad early for the most awaited part of the trip although it had been booked for the night. The Moroccan hammam is a traditional steam bath and spa originally performed as a ritual purification before prayer and once have been only offered for the men and female royals in Islamic culture. Being a patron of spas, I could not miss this relaxing opportunity and had been excited for this particular moment. While waiting, we stayed by the pool sipping their signature brew of tea, only dressed by robes. The bathing is performed in a dark and warm steam room, naked apart from bikini bottoms if you are a little privy, anyway its just you and your host. You wouldn’t have to do anything really but sit and relax while a female host is bathing you. She started off with a usual warm bath then lathered the gel-like Moroccan black soap all over my body and applied Argan oil on my hair then left me for a few minutes at the sauna while I feel all the stresses drip off my skin. After a while, she started to gently exfoliate using the kissa, then finally shampoo and rinse. It was the best bathing experience I had! After drying up, I waited again for a few minutes then headed to a relaxing full body massage. I almost fell asleep but I can’t miss the experience of feeling like a princess even just for a night. We all swear that our skin felt softer and our hair shinier than it ever was.

On our final day, we went to Le Salama, a rooftop restaurant in view of the city to celebrate our friend’s birthday. After a sumptuous traditional Moroccan lunch, we headed out to the souks for souvenirs, and found ourselves buying black soap, argan oil, other essential oils and scents inspired by last night’s session. We are also on the lookout for the Moroccan tea which we have learned how to brew but sadly it required some fresh herbs we couldn’t bring.

Morocco is such an experience I couldn’t completely describe. Probably because it was a different kind of adventure than what I was used to seeing in Europe. But more because their culture is rich, and their traditions are still alive. In the era of online shopping, their souks are still packed, the desert is still as empty and remote and the donkeys still work in a city as vibrant as Marrakech, it is a place from an earlier time.

Tips:

You won’t need to secure a prior visa before travelling to Morocco if you are holding a Philippine passport. That statement is so good I won’t have to explain anything. However if you are not a Philippine passport holder, you can check on this link whether you can visit visa free: http://www.consulat.ma/fr/liste-des-pays-dont-les-ressortissants-sont-dispenses-du-visa-dentree-au-maroc

The best season to visit Morocco would be between the months of October to December since the weather is neither too hot or too cold. You would still need to bring a light jacket as it tends to be really cold at night especially when you would be staying in the desert but at midday, it feels almost tropical. In the summer, it tends to be scorching hot as it is located near the equator.

We stayed at Agafay Desert Luxury Camp https://agafaydesertluxurycamp.com/ for the ultimate desert glamping experience as they have heated tents complete with a bath and toilet (you’d be surprised how did it all fit inside) aside from the luxurious pool in the middle of the desert and the rainbow stairs. You can also book activities such as the camel and buggy rides with them. However there are a few camps around Agafay and even further away in Sahara which you can book online. As to this trip, we opted to save travel time and be nearer the city as the experience is somehow similar to that if you opted to stay in the Sahara Desert which would take you a few more hours, the only difference according to friends who have been is that the sand is finer in Sahara.

At the middle of the Medina, we stayed at Riad BE Marrakech https://www.be-marrakech.com/. We opted to stay in a Riad rather than a hotel to appreciate the traditional Moroccan vibe better with the things they have to offer and the design of the courtyards we instantly fell for. Their brew of the tea is just a bonus, but their healthy breakfast we look forward to every morning, the friendly staff, the quiet atmosphere, the relaxing hammam and massage experiences are what we actually got on top of the excellent accommodation we paid for, it was worth it, every single penny.

Life in Morocco could be easier if you speak French, which is their second language. But surely there are people around who can understand English especially in hotel receptions and restaurants. Just make sure to ask the right people and be safe always.

The Moroccan Dirham (MAD) is a currency only used in Morocco so make sure to exchange just the right amount when you are travelling. Some restaurants and hotels accept Euros as payment and most of them also accept cards. But when you fancy shopping in the souks, it is best to use Dirhams. At the time of writing, 1€ is equivalent to 10.66 MAD. Be always mindful of the price range of the things you are going to buy, and know how to haggle. One tip shared to us by a local, offer a starting price half of what is initially tagged. For example, a babouche is offered to you for 200MAD, haggle for a hundred and try to pay as close to that as possible. Make excuses.

Speaking of the souks, it can be very stressful on your first time at the Medina. There would be catcalling men, some would even follow you around the maze just to offer you their products, there could be pickpockets, and those who won’t stop haggling even if you have decided not to buy. Just always be on the safe side and be mindful of your belongings. Make sure you know the deal, and try not to fall into scams like what seems rather normal street eats that would charge you more than what is written or those who would trick you to buy something you won’t need. And one thing we found effective, just do not show interest on something you haven’t decided to buy.

There is no Uber in Marrakech. There is no app you can use to get a taxi. But there is an old way of getting one from a taxi stand. Some of them don’t have a taxi metre either, but just make sure not to spend more than 50MAD on a short single trip, and make that price clear to the driver before you even try to open the door.

The food is as vibrant as the place. Theirs are probably the healthiest cuisine I have observed but it is far from boring. Most of the things you’d come across at the menu are halal certified and well balanced. They like their food properly spiced and cooked with olive oil. Like the traditional Tagine cooked in a clay hotplate and covered until served. They also make veggies much more interesting at the side of every meal, partnered with the fluffy cous-cous. The breakfast staples muesli, yoghurt, jam and cheese are organic and locally sourced, which you can also get from the old market.