Morocco is magical.

Souks. Spices. Sahara. Sunsets, and sunrises. Shy smiles reflected in the warmth of a freshly brewed cup of mint tea. Morocco is one of those places that leave an indelible mark on your memory. Led by our wonderful guides from Siroco Tours, we spent 10 magical days travelling from Chefchaouen to Marrakech, and experienced so much warmth and hospitality throughout our trip. If you're planning a trip to Morocco, these tips might just make your trip a little more magical!

1. Take the time to get lost in Chefchaouen

If you search for things to do in Chefchaouen, you might be fooled into thinking that there really isn't much. But therein lies the beauty of this town. It's meant to be surprising. Chefchaouen deserves a full day of exploration. Unfortunately, due to our tight schedule, we only had about 2.5 hours. The one advantage that we had - thanks to jetlag - was starting our day at 7 in the morning, where we had the luxury of watching the morning light peek through eaves and canopied corridors, and see the blue walls of the city awash in the glow of the morning sun. An added bonus: uninterrupted photographs! If we had more time, it would have been so nice to enjoy a cuppa by the river and explore the many adorable shops and alleys in the city.

Tip: To avoid backtracking, you can do like we did and fly into Tangier, which is a 2 hour drive away from Chefchaouen. From there, we travelled to Fes, the Sahara desert, and subsequently Marrakech.

2. Experience incredible hospitality in a Moroccan riad or homestay

Morocco's greatest charm is literally hidden behind closed doors. Its riads, replete with gorgeous inner courtyards, stunning water features, and intricate tiles, serve as a sanctum from the hustle and bustle of the cities. That the riads are generally small and cozy also means there are more opportunities to interact with the hosts. There are many wonderful recommendations online for riads in Marrakech and also in Fes, but our personal recommendation would be for Riad Azahar in Marrakech. It had ginormous rooms, super comfortable beds, and a host who fed us with the best homecooked Italian meal I've ever had outside of Italy.

3. Venture beyond the cities

Morocco's must-see sights would easily fill a 2 week itinerary. A quick search on Google will show that you can "experience the Sahara desert" in 2D1N or even a *gasp* day trip from Marrakesh. But the drive is at least 8 hours long, which would mean very little time at the desert. I would suggest that there is value in slowing down, and spending a night in the villages enroute the big cities. On the way to Merzouga, we stayed a night at Maison d'hotes Sahara in the Ziz Valley, a spectacular oasis that was filled with palm trees. Our host, Said, and his family filled our hearts - and stomachs - with the warmth of their hospitality. In the morning, we took the time to walk deep into the palm grove, learning about the different herbs and plants that are native to the region. At night, our hosts laid out a blanket on their roof where we feasted our eyes on a blanket of stars.

3. Spend a night in the Sahara

Even though the Sahara desert is a significant distance away from any of the major cities, I cannot recommend this enough. Truth be told, while I was very excited about this, I was also slightly apprehensive because I had my parents, in-laws and aunt on this trip - most of whom are in their 60s. I was worried that someone would fall off a camel, that the tents wouldn't be comfortable, or that the desert would be too hot.

But my fears were unfounded. Our guides brought us close to the edge of the desert on 4x4s, after which we mounted our camels and began our 45-minute journey to Desert Camp Amanar. The entire experience was just surreal. It felt like we were the only beings in this infinite expanse, with only our elongated shadows as evidence that this moment was actually happening.  The camels were so gentle, docile, and comfortable to ride on. The tents were heated with ridiculously comfortable beds, and even an ensuite toilet! The experience more than exceeded our expectations.

But the true value of a night in the Sahara is the access it gives you to nature. The sight of the infinite sand in the day was mirrored by the stars at night. It was a spectacular experience lying on the dunes, with our backs on the cool sand and eyes to the skies. And the next morning, when we watched the sun light up the entire Sahara? That was golden.

This was the highlight of our trip.

4. Invest in a guided tour in Fez and Marakkech

These two cities are very popular on the tourist route, and for good reason. Both are distinct and have much to offer in terms of history, crafts and culture. But with 9,600 alleyways in the Fez medina and an equally labryinth-like layout in the Marrakech one, having someone who knows where they are going definitely helps. We had the privilege of delving into the underbelly of these two cities with the help of our excellent guides who were knowledgeable, clear and friendly! To us, these walking tours make the world of a difference in allowing us to look beyond the pretty facades and understand the historical and cultural influences on architecture and lifestyle. I also appreciated how the guides were very candid in sharing their personal stories.

With our guide, Hassan, in Fez!

Tip: To be absolutely honest, while Moroccans are generally very friendly, the touting in the bigger cities can be pretty intense. We found that having a guide/local with us significantly reduces the amount of touting we experience. This would be something to consider, especially if you're female.

5. Get scrubbed silly at a hammam

This could be a bit of a hit and miss, but it's still an experience I would strongly recommend. The hammams are basically public baths where you will be guaranteed a deep, thorough exfoliation, similar to that of molting. Kidding. It feels like that, but it's really just them removing all the dead skin cells that you never knew you accumulated. I would especially recommend doing this after your visit to the Sahara because there's a high chance you'll have little bits of sand in all sorts of crevices. There's nothing quite as authentic - or intimate - as having a Moroccan lady become very familiar with your body in the matter of minutes. Warning: you might also find yourself getting to see more of your travel companions than you'd normally expect.

Img Credit: Palais Faraj

Tip: If you are more of the shy sort, you might want to consider visiting a hammam in a hotel, as compared to the public ones.

6. Choose your guides carefully (We recommend Siroco Tours!)

Choosing the right tour company and guides can make or break your experience and impression of a country. Our time in Morocco was filled with light, laughter and lovely encounters with the locals, and I strongly believe that this is because Siroco Tours did an amazing job in planning the trip. I love that they customised our itinerary according to what we wanted to see, and were able to lead us on experiences off the tourist route. They were also very responsive throughout our trip and provided us with excellent quality in accommodation. The only regret is that we could have done with more time everywhere because there was just so much to see. Speaking with other travellers who had gone on tours that included 6 hour camel rides (!!) and impatient guides also made me realise how we really lucked out in choosing the right tour with the best value! It's amazing how they are #1 on Tripadvisor and yet gave us the most competitive quote. I would highly, highly recommend them.

P.S. This was not a sponsored tour or a partnership. I'd emailed 5 companies to ask for quotes and Siroco Tours came back with the most interesting itinerary at a very reasonable cost. The deal was almost unbelievable. Grateful that everything worked out wonderfully!

Do you have tips for Morocco to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Lots of people say they’ll travel one day, but not all of them take the leap and actually set off.

If you want to get going but don’t know where to start, a bucket list can help you focus and make plans. Follow these five tips and you’ll be travelling in no time!

Think about where you actually want to go

Lots of travel bucket lists are the same, or very similar. There’s a reason for this — destinations become popular because they’re fun and interesting to visit — but you don’t have to stick to tried-and-tested tourist spots if you’d rather go elsewhere.

You might want a classic, romantic getaway in Paris; you might prefer a mid-week break in a little-known European city. There are no wrong answers, although the places on your list should excite you, even after you’ve worked out the practicalities of getting there and back.

Rank the places on your bucket list

Ranking your list will make you realise where your priorities really are and start making plans around them. You’re then less likely to put off visiting your dream destination.

Putting your travel bucket list in order also helps with the practical side of things, both in the short-term and the long-term. Some destinations will only require a day trip or weekend away, while others will be farther and you’ll need more time to get organised.

Travel to more than one place per trip

Once your bucket list is sorted, go through it and see if any of your chosen destinations are close together. Could you see them during the same holiday? Maybe interrailing or a road trip is the way to go?

There’s no reason to rush ticking off your bucket list, but a longer trip with several stops will be an experience you’ll never forget. (It’s often more affordable, too, since you can travel via the most direct routes.)

Make an itinerary — but don’t feel like you have to stick to it

It’s good to have a rough idea of what you want to do and what you want to see. However, nothing ever goes to plan, so be ready to rearrange your schedule if necessary. This leaves room for more spontaneity, especially if you meet fellow travellers or discover hidden gems along the way.

Take time to prepare properly

That means working out your budget, taking out a good travel insurance policy, and packing the essentials.

Budget

Take the cost of flights, accommodation, transport and transfers, food, drink and activities into consideration, and don’t forget to research the cost of any attractions you’re interested in seeing.

Always save more than you think you need — this will give you more flexibility and allow you to be more spontaneous.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is an absolute must-have! Medical expenses can reach extortionate levels when you’re abroad, even for relatively minor injuries, so it’s not worth taking the risk.

Make sure your policy covers any medical conditions you have, otherwise your insurance could be invalidated in the unlikely event you have an accident.

Packing

Think about the climate of your destination(s) and start there, ensuring you have appropriate clothing for the weather and at least one pair of comfortable shoes.

Keep your passport, tickets, insurance policy details, phone, wallet and camera in a secure but easy-to-reach section of your hand luggage.

Finally, don’t forget to take pictures! Ticking a place off your bucket list is a milestone and you’ll want to remember it for years to come.

Contributor

"What is the Entertainer? We get a free clown?"

True story. This conversation actually happened when I tried to offer a friend our Entertainer vouchers for his date. Unlike what its name might suggest, the Entertainer is not a one-stop service for clowns or magicians, although methinks it is pretty magical that one app can contain so much goodness.

If you haven't heard of the Entertainer yet, we regret to inform you that you've missed out on at least five years worth of good deals. We first found out about the Entertainer book at the Savour gourmet food festival in 2013, and were initially skeptical about paying $90 for a book of vouchers. The ones given to us by credit cards never seemed to be usable because they always included some irritating catch or hidden clause! For example, get a main course free ... when you spend a minimum of $200. Or, enjoy a free massage! ... when you sign up for a $600 package. So admittedly we found it too good to be true, but we decided to get it anyway because the book included discounts for restaurants we really liked. We used two of their vouchers on a family dinner at Alkaff Mansion, saved more than what we paid for the book, and became fans forever.

The premise of the Entertainer is simple: buy one get one free. There are three vouchers each for more than 800 merchants that essentially cover all your entertainment needs (hence the name!). These include fine dining establishments, casual restaurants, upmarket bars, spas, fitness studios and so many more. The only "catch"? You can't use the vouchers on the eve of public holidays or public holidays themselves. But hey, that's 24 out of 365 days! Pretty insignificant, really.

So, here are 7 reasons why we absolutely love the Entertainer and have been recommending it to everyone.

Dear Airbnb,

I love you. I truly do. You have changed the way I travel and experience every country, and for that, I'm truly grateful.

I will never forget my first encounter with you. Sweeping views of Table Mountain, an infinity pool that blended almost perfectly with the Atlantic Ocean, an apartment built around a natural geological formation - you were perfect for our honeymoon, and we enjoyed a million dollar view for the fraction of a price we would pay in a hotel. We felt safe there, despite the many warnings we'd heard about South Africa. From then on, we were sold.

By now, you should have seen  that viral article on how the chances of seeing the Northern Lights are going to dim drastically after next year. I have to admit - my first reaction was THANK GOD we saw them last year! Indeed, the quest to "hunt" down the Aurora has been one that has intrigued, and frustrated, mankind through the ages. While the truth is that the success of viewing the Aurora depends on luck more than anything else, I hope this article can help to shed some light on how to see the Aurora and optimise your chances of catching the amazing Northern or Southern Lights in action!