Do you have to cover up completely in Morocco?

Let me bust this one gently, because the fear of having to swathe yourself head to toe puts people off needlessly. Morocco is a Muslim country and dress is more conservative than at home, but the expectation for visitors is modesty, not full coverage. You do not need a headscarf, you do not cover your face, and you certainly don't need to dress as local women in rural areas might. What's asked is simple respect: keep shoulders and knees covered when you're out in towns and medinas. That's the whole rule, really.

In practice that's easy and comfortable, and it actually serves you in the heat. Loose linen trousers or a long skirt, t-shirts or tops that cover the shoulders, and a light scarf you can throw over your shoulders or head if you visit a mosque courtyard or want to dial down attention in a busy souk. Men have it even simpler — long shorts or trousers and a t-shirt are fine, though full-on tiny shorts and going shirtless will read as disrespectful away from the beach. I tell clients to pack for modest-but-cool, not modest-but-suffocating.

Context matters enormously, and this is where the myth overcorrects. In beach resorts like Agadir, at hotel and riad pools, and in the surf towns, swimwear and bikinis are completely normal — nobody blinks. The conservative end is the rural villages, religious sites, and the working medinas, where covering up more is courteous. Marrakech's Gueliz district, the coast, and the riads are far more relaxed than a small Atlas village. You're calibrating to the room, not living under a single strict code.

The honest reason I encourage modest dress isn't fear of offending — Moroccans are forgiving of tourists finding their feet — it's that it makes your trip smoother. Covered shoulders and knees draw noticeably less unwanted attention and hassle, especially for women, and you'll feel more at ease blending in than standing out. Think of it as the same instinct you'd apply visiting a cathedral or a temple anywhere: a small, easy courtesy that opens doors and earns warmth. Full cover is a myth; thoughtful modesty is just good travel.