The Rough Guide to Morocco [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

I'm three weeks into a month-long trip through Morocco, and I brought along the Rough Guide, the Lonely Planet Guide, the Blue Guide, and the Cadogan Guide to Marrakesh, Fez, and Rabat. The Rough Guide has become my go-to volume and I've actually thought about jettisoning the others because the RG really has everything I need.

The RG stands out above the others for providing helpful and informative context for sites of interest and for cities in general. The background information is usually just right--not too skimpy, not too verbose--and it helps me feel like I'm fully appreciating what I see. I never use the accommodation or dining information because Trip Advisor and Booking .com both provide more up to date and thorough reviews, but a guide like RG is still absolutely essential, particularly in a place where the language barrier can be a considerable hurdle and you're not likely to get information from people or signs at sites of interest.

The one criticism I would offer of the book is that I'm a single woman traveling alone in Morocco, and I find that the guide is almost always wrong in characterizing behavior towards women in various cities. It looks like the editors were all male, and I understand that it'd be hard for them to get a sense of this kind of thing, but they were super enthused about a couple of small towns which I visited on their recommendation and they were places where people acted like I was a zoo animal for being a woman traveling alone. That's certainly not the case in all of Morocco, and it's a problem when the guidebook tries to offer advice on this kind of thing and gets it wrong. I spent three days basically cooling my heels in my guesthouse in a southern city called Taroudannt because of the RG. The guide spoke so highly of it ("Taroudant is a friendly, laid-back sort of place," "one of the most elegant towns in Morocco"...) that I made a reservation for two nights. When I arrived, I was dressed respectfully and modestly (long sleeves and pants, plus a scarf, despite the fact that it was over 100 degrees out), I behaved just as I have in all the other cities I've traveled through in country, and people still literally stopped in their tracks to stare at me. It was so noticeable I was wondering whether there was something on my face or whether my shoe was dragging toilet paper or something. Nothing--it really just was the fact that I was female, visibly not Moroccan, and walking down the street alone. I really would have appreciated a heads up about that! As it was, I was basically stuck in my hotel room for three days--I ate one restaurant meal there and it was exquisitely uncomfortable. Me and 15 sullen men watching AlJazeera together on the big screen, with an unsmiling waiter. Not friendly or laid-back. Definitely not elegant, either, by the way.

The RG's assessment of Rabat was similarly out of touch--to a guy it would probably look a lot friendlier to women because more women don't cover their hair. But every third guy I passed there was making kissing sounds, suggestive comments, or trying to follow me. Maybe it's a reaction to women behaving more freely? Whatever the case, again, the guide assured me that it would be one of the more comfortable cities. Could not have been more to the contrary. Likewise, some of the cities that they suggested would be provincial and hard traveling for women turned out to be completely fine.

I really hope that they try to get a woman's perspective on future volumes of this guide. For my travels, knowing from a trustworthy source what to expect in various cities would be hugely helpful in clothing selection, decisions about whether to share taxis, ride the buses, etc. Substantial room for improvement in that area, but otherwise an excellent guide.

'The Rough Guide' brand has build an excellent reputation for itself as a reliable, up-to-date information & tips over the years. It's no different here, a great updated version of the best guide to Morocco. The African continent is in the spotlight for leisure tourists this summer & beyond, while for business travellers its northern states represent a taste of the exotic that is within easy reach of Europe. It has been three years since its last iteration, and the updated "Rough Guide To Morocco" is an excellent & substantial travel guide to this awe-inspiring Morocco, with comprehensive detail on all the best Moroccan attractions. From the labyrinthine streets of Fes to troupes of barbary apes, striking mosques & vibrant arts and crafts, the confident editorial is complemented by dozens of colour photos. It offers detailed coverage of the must-see sights and practical advice on getting around the country while relying on up-to-date descriptions of the best bars, clubs, shops and restaurants for all budgets, as well as the best accomodation from cheap hostels, deluxe hotels, riads, quite hideaways & mountain lodges. The book includes three full-colour sections on Morrocan architecture, crafts, souvenirs, festivals, music, crucial language section with basic words, phrases & handy tips for pronunciation. Up to date information on excursions around the country, from the Sahara oases to the High Atlas mountains, and detailed maps & expert background information, make this a must-pack item in your next journey to Morocco!

This book is thorough, straightforward, and well organized. I have switched from buying Lonely Planet books to Rough Guides for just those reasons. Plus, the Rough Guides aren't so environmentally conscious, as are the LP books. Not that that's bad, but it doesn't belong in a guide book.