Morocco, seen from East Asia
The tea in your glass started its journey in China. Morocco's mint tea is made with Chinese gunpowder green tea, brought by traders in the nineteenth century, and it may be the first familiar thing you meet.
What will feel familiar
Tea as welcome, respect for elders, family at the centre, food shared from one dish: much of Moroccan hospitality will feel close to home.
And other travellers like you. Since Morocco dropped visas for Chinese citizens in 2016, visitors from China have grown from about ten thousand in 2015 to well over a hundred thousand a year, travelling more and more in small groups and families. Chefchaouen in particular has become a favourite of Chinese and Korean visitors.
What may surprise you
The noise and the closeness of the medina, where people speak to you directly and often. Haggling, which is expected in the souk. Cash in small shops. Time, which is looser: plans bend around people.
What many visitors love
The blue of Chefchaouen, the silence of the Sahara at night, the colours of the souks, and the generosity of people who will pour you a third glass of tea.
Small differences worth knowing
A handshake and salam, then the right hand on the heart. Bowing isn't used, but the hand on the heart carries the same respect.
Ask before photographing people; some will say no, and some may ask for a coin.
Expected in the souk; smile, take your time, and agree the price before you buy.
Darija, Amazigh, French. English is spreading among the young; a translation app helps.
How people here tend to see you
Visitors from East Asia are now a familiar part of tourism in places like Chefchaouen and Marrakech. Beyond that, we found no reliable source on how Moroccans see them, and we won't generalise.
A way in
Casablanca → Fes → Chefchaouen → Merzouga → Marrakech · 10–12 days
Arrive in Casablanca, take the train to Fes, spend two quiet nights in Chefchaouen, then cross to the desert at Merzouga and end in Marrakech.
Practical, in two lines
- Flight: Royal Air Maroc flies direct between Beijing and Casablanca (relaunched in January 2025, three times a week); from Japan and Korea, one connection.
- Visa: Chinese, Japanese and South Korean passports are visa-free for up to 90 days. Check on the visa checker.
Written from travellers' own accounts, forums and travel writing: tendencies, not rules. Everyone's trip is their own.
Sources, checked 2026-11-14
- Wikipedia: Maghrebi mint tea (history, hospitality, the high pour)
- North Africa Post: Morocco reaps the benefits of visa exemption for Chinese tourists
- China Daily: Chinese arrivals in Morocco (2025)
- Korea Herald (via Daum): Chefchaouen, a favourite of Korean and Chinese visitors
- Matador Network: the rules of haggling in Moroccan markets
- Morocco World News: Royal Air Maroc's Casablanca – Beijing flights return (January 2025)
- Wikipedia: Visa policy of Morocco
Other angles
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