What's the best Moroccan gift for him?

For men, leather is where I start almost every time, because Morocco does it exceptionally well and it ages beautifully. The Fes tanneries supply workshops all over the medina, and a genuinely good leather weekender or duffel bag runs 600–1,500 MAD ($60–150) — far less than a comparable bag at home, and full of character. A hand-stitched belt or a slim card wallet (100–300 MAD) is the lighter, cheaper version of the same idea. Smell the leather before you buy: a sharp chemical reek can mean a hurried tanning job, while good pieces smell rich and earthy.

The second category men consistently love is the games. A hand-inlaid backgammon or chess board in thuya wood and bone, or a brass-and-cedar set, is a handsome object that lives on a shelf and gets used. Expect 250–800 MAD depending on size and the quality of the inlay. The thuya woodwork from Essaouira is the connoisseur's pick here — the burl grain is gorgeous, and the workshops let you watch the turning and inlaying, which makes the gift a story as well as an object.

For grooming and the practical-minded, build a little kit: a bar of black soap (savon beldi), a lump of ghassoul (rhassoul clay) for the hammam, a sandalwood or oud soap, and a small bottle of argan oil, which doubles as a beard oil. The whole bundle costs under 200 MAD and feels considered rather than touristy. I also rate a traditional wool djellaba or a felt fez for the man who would actually wear it — but be honest with yourself about whether he will, because a costume that never leaves the wardrobe is a wasted souvenir.

My honest steer: for most men, the leather bag or wallet is the gift that lands every time, and you can find excellent ones in both the Marrakech and Fes medinas. Buy from a workshop where you can see the makers if you can, haggle politely down to roughly a third to a half of the first price, and check stitching and zips properly before you hand over a dirham.