262 complaints from two years of forum threads, counted. Most of them take one sentence of warning to avoid.
Harassment and unwanted attention, especially for women27 threads
Avoid it: Cover shoulders and knees, keep walking with a firm "la, shukran", and have your riad meet you after dark.
The full answer →Fake guides, 'road closed', then a shop or a fee25 threads
Avoid it: Nothing is closed. Say "la, shukran", keep going and use an offline map.
The full answer →Airport taxi overcharge20 threads
Avoid it: Walk past the drivers inside to the official rank and agree the fare first: about 80 MAD by day.
The full answer →Desert tour: mostly driving, shop stops20 threads
Avoid it: Give the dunes 4 days, or end the trip in Fes instead of driving back.
The full answer →Hassle fatigue in Marrakech and Fes15 threads
Avoid it: Short medina outings, a break at midday, and a day in Gueliz or the gardens.
The full answer →Petit taxi won't use the meter15 threads
Avoid it: Ask for the meter as you get in; if the driver says no, take the next taxi.
The full answer →Drone seized at the airport15 threads
Avoid it: Leave it at home unless you have a permit.
The full answer →Stomach bug14 threads
Avoid it: Bottled water, food cooked hot in front of you, and go slowly on salads.
The full answer →Car rental: broker booking refused, big deposit, extra fees14 threads
Avoid it: Check who the real supplier is and the insurance excess, and photograph the car.
The full answer →Tipping guilt and wildly different amounts13 threads
Avoid it: Small and often: round up, 10–20 MAD for help, 5–10% in restaurants.
The full answer →ATM fees and the 'pay in your currency' trap12 threads
Avoid it: Always pay and withdraw in dirhams, never in your own currency.
The full answer →Souk prices with no anchor12 threads
Avoid it: Know the price before you ask it, and be ready to walk away.
The full answer →Train site refuses a foreign card or shows no train12 threads
Avoid it: Buy at the station if the site refuses your card, and book weekends ahead.
The full answer →Summer queues at the ferry ports12 threads
Avoid it: Avoid July and August weekends, and check the ferry operator's own site.
The full answer →Airport SIM that won't activate11 threads
Avoid it: Have the seller activate and test it before you walk away.
The full answer →Cheap 'promo' stays and dodgy agencies9 threads
Avoid it: Never pay for a stay sold by a cold call; book directly with the riad.
Dropped at a medina gate, lost with luggage9 threads
Avoid it: Ask your riad which gate to use and to meet you there.
The full answer →Henna or a monkey on your shoulder, then a bill7 threads
Avoid it: Keep your hands to yourself and agree any price before.
The full answer →Counted from threads on Reddit, TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, Quora and Spanish and French forums, 2026-11-14. A thread counts once per complaint. People post when things go wrong, so this is what to watch for, not how most trips go.