Morocco was by far one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken, probably because I only spent $200 the whole time I was there! I know you’re probably thinking, “How is that even possible?” I mean, of course the flight was expensive, but that was the most expensive part of my trip!

Here’s how I made $200 last me two weeks in Morocco.

THE FLIGHTS

I always make sure to watch flights before booking, that way I make sure I get the best deal. My friend and I watched flights for weeks before booking. The prices kept going up so we finally booked our flight at $891 roundtrip. Since the flight was 22 hours we decided we didn’t want to fly alone, so we booked her a flight from New York to Dallas and split the cost half way. We ended up spending a little over $1,000 on both the flights. We also made sure to make our layovers destinations we actually wanted to visit to make sure we got the best bang for our buck. We decided to go to Spain on the way there and London on the way back. Picking layovers you actually want to visit makes it worth it because you get to get a taste for a place before booking a full trip there!

THE HOTELS

Since my friend’s family lived in Morocco we were fortunate enough to not have to pay for our stay. I love taking trips to places where I know people because it gives me to opportunity to see how “locals” live and of course it’s much cheaper. We booked our hotels for Spain and London prior to going. When we arrived to Spain the hotel provided free shuttle services to and from the hotel. When you’re traveling out of the country be sure to check if that’s a service your hotel provides before calling a cab or an Uber. It will cut some of your costs. That wasn’t a service that was provided by the hotel in London but there was a local shuttle that we were able to pay for to bring us to our hotel.

THE EXPERIENCE

We had no plans for Spain before we got there. We basically just winged it and went to the nearest attraction we could find. When we got there, there was a guy selling tickets to go to three clubs with a group of people. The ticket included three club admissions plus one shot per club we went to, which was around $25 dollars. This is something I definitely recommend because we got to party all night and didn’t have to pay an arm and a leg to do so!

The next day we flew to Morocco and that’s when the trip really began. I’d like to say MAKE SURE your ride is there and ready to pick you up before exiting the airport. Once you leave the wifi is limited and you can’t get back into the airport with out a boarding pass! We were stranded at the airport for a few hours, so don’t make the same mistake we did.

The first stop we made in Morocco was McDonald’s. We ate there so much we were actually sick of it by the time we left. But, it’s much better in Morocco than in America so I’d give it a try at least once. I will say their menu was limited but the food actually tasted fresh. Our first destination in Morocco was Casablanca. Casablanca showed us the best representation of how locals lived. We went during Ramadan so a lot of places were closed during the day and couldn’t serve alcohol, so if you’re looking to party I’d go during a different time of the year. The first place we went in Casablanca was a pool which was filled with ocean water ( I almost drowned a few times because there was no telling how high the water was at any given part of the pool, not to mention the fact that I can barely swim anyways.) We also went to a Hamam, which is a public bath house where you’re in a sauna and they scrub you until all the dirt is off of you then they give you a shower. This was by far one of the best experiences, so definitely make sure if you’re in Morocco you check that out. They were a tip based service.

After our stay in Casablanca we took a road trip to Agadir where we stayed for the rest of our trip. On our road trip that’s when I finally converted my money at a local gas station’s ATM. I was advised to only take out a little at a time since it couldn’t be exchanged back in the U.S. I took out $200 and to my surprise that was all I needed. $200 American dollars converted to $2,000 in Moroccan Dirham.

On our way to Agadir we stopped in Marakesh at a market. The bathrooms there were literally holes in the ground and you had to pay for toilet paper, so if you don’t travel much outside of the country be prepared for a culture shock. Also, make sure to hold your belongings close to you it’s very busy there and it’s easy for people to steal your things. Make sure to hold purses and backpacks to the front of you.

When we got to Agadir it was definitely more Americanized. The people there weren’t as covered up and we stayed close to a strip of restaurants, lounges, and stores like Mac and Zara. We stayed in a luxury gated community that was guarded by security and had a beautiful pool. While we were in Agadir we had someone who cooked, cleaned, and translated for us. She took us to the market with her, cooked us three meals a day, and took us to do excursions to make sure she got us the best deal. Definitely make sure to bargain out there you can get low prices for the cab rides and all excursions, don’t take the first price they give you. We were able to ride camels on the highest point of the city in Agadir, which was scary but definitely worth the experience. We also rode four wheelers on the beach for hours through the old city. After our stay in Agadir we took the bus back to Casablanca to save time. On the way there it took us almost two days to get there because our drivers apparently didn’t believe in GPS. We stopped often to ask for directions, get gas, and to eat. The people in Morocco were very nice if you pulled over on the side of the road a few people would pull over too to make sure you were okay. Before we left Morocco we went to the market to get souvenirs since we had money left over that could not be exchanged. You can bargain there as well and yes, my $200 had lasted this long! By this point of the trip my $200 had afforded me entry into the pool, my drinks there, the camel ride, the four wheelers, drinks and hookah at the local hookah lounges we went to, all the McDonalds and restaurants we had eaten, souvenirs and cab rides to all our destinations.

After Morocco, my friends and I went our separate ways. Two of them stayed in Morocco for a few more days while my friend and I took our flight to London. They were able to get a wash and set for $3 during their last days there, would you believe it? So, if you’re looking for a poppin’ wash and set while you’re in Morocco, Casablanca is your place. In London we didn’t really get to experience much since our luggage never made it to our destination. But, we did find out that it was cold in July, so if you’re traveling there bring a jacket. We also found out that London was more expensive than Spain and Morocco and the night life closed pretty early in London.

If you’ve never thought about going to Morocco, you should definitely add it to your bucket list. I promise you won’t regret it. Make sure to choose great layovers if possible and only exchange a little money at a time. A little bit of money will go a long way out there!