Live Your Best Lives
Hello everyone, I’m Xiao Biezhi, the product manager for China-TravelNote’s Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia department.
I just came back from Kenya in East Africa. Even though Kenya is about 8,000 kilometers away from my country, it cannot stop the Chinese people from occupying the Masai Mara grasslands. The local accents that can be heard everywhere made me sigh, it seems that the whole world is full of Chinese people!
China-TravelNote in Nakuru, Kenya
I will talk about the wonderful things about Kenya later. Today I want to recommend to you a visa-free country that has recently become popular again - Morocco, which is in Africa but looks the least like Africa.
“The wind that misses you still blows to Marrakech”
Although it is located in the northwest corner of the African continent, more than 10,000 kilometers away from China, it is a bold prediction that it will soon be occupied by the Chinese!
With the popularity of "Chinese Restaurant Africa Entrepreneurship Season" in Tangier, Morocco, this country has once again become the global focus.
You know, the last time Morocco received such a high level of attention was when it was hit by a once-in-a-century earthquake. Now, who would have thought that a Chinese variety show would become the best endorsement of Moroccan tourism?
A clip from "Chinese Restaurant Africa Entrepreneurship Season"
Moroccans might complain, "We have been secretly colluding with China for over 700 years!"
In the 14th century, the great Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta spent 30 years traveling through China, praising Hangzhou in his travelogue as "like a garden growing out of the earth." Meanwhile, the contemporary Chinese navigator Wang Dayuan, in his "A Brief Account of the Island Barbarians," described Morocco as a place where "the market is rich in gold and silver, and the people are long-lived." This bidirectional travel literature can be described as a medieval version of "like each other on WeChat Moments."
In addition to commercial praise, Morocco also has delicious food suitable for Chinese people! It turns out that foodies all over the world are in tune with each other:
The mint green tea that Moroccans drink every day is in line with Chinese green tea culture; saffron and cinnamon, commonly used in traditional Tajik stews, coincide with the Chinese medicinal cuisine concept of "medicine and food have the same origin."
green tea
Perhaps this is why this episode of "Chinese Restaurant" was filmed in Morocco.
Through the lens of "Chinese Restaurant," Chinese chefs combine the spicy flavors of Sichuan cuisine and the fresh aroma of Cantonese cuisine with traditional Moroccan tagine and couscous, creating creative dishes like spicy tagine and mint tea with Cantonese-style dim sum. Just watching "Chinese Restaurant" makes my mouth water. It's so delicious! I want to eat it!
A clip from "Chinese Restaurant Africa Entrepreneurship Season"
A little-known fact is that Morocco was once one of the countries with the most troublesome visa requirements in the world.
But in 2016, Morocco finally announced visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, significantly lowering the travel threshold and allowing people to go whenever they want!
Xiaoxia in the Hassan II Mosque
In fact, long before "Chinese Restaurant Africa Entrepreneurship Season" made Morocco popular again, this country had already quietly gained popularity.
Sanmao's line "Every time I think of you, a grain of sand falls from the sky" has become an emotional bond for many people who yearn for Morocco. The desert life, exotic love and spiritual freedom she described have perfectly given Morocco a romantic filter.
Sahara Desert@Mengmeng
With its strong exotic customs, unique ancient buildings and rich landforms, Morocco has always been a frequent visitor in world film history and a harvester of Hollywood blockbusters.
The above picture is a still from "Game of Thrones"
"Game of Thrones", "Operation Red Sea" and "Mission Impossible 5" were all filmed in Morocco.
The above picture is a still from "Operation Red Sea"
Just last year, Morocco received a record 17.4 million tourists, surpassing Egypt for the first time to become the most popular tourist destination in Africa. Although Morocco's land area is only four times that of Zhejiang Province, it is indeed blessed by God!
The leather dyeing workshops in the old town of Fez are filled with the fragrance of a thousand-year-old heritage, and the stories behind the Roman columns of Volubilis make people want to explore them.
The sand dunes of the Sahara perform golden tricks with the light, and the sunset over the harbor of Essaouira enchants every visitor.
During the cultural exchange, the street performers with various skills in Marrakech's Sleepless Square are like a never-ending drama, and the footprints of the Berbers in the Sahara Desert are like an ancient ballad written in wind and sand.
Berbers of the Sahara Desert
Here, you can't tell whether you've traveled through time, experienced magic, or simply been intoxicated by mint tea...
Once, we took stock of "how much monthly income is needed to go to the Middle East and North African countries", and Morocco was ranked in the third tier. A monthly income of only 8k-15k is enough to bravely venture into Morocco!
The scenery is really not inferior to Europe, but the cost is much lower than a trip to Europe.
China-TravelNote Homemade
While Morocco has a visa-free policy and domestic direct flights have resumed, making independent travel seem convenient, it actually hides hidden pitfalls: navigation systems in Fez's old town go on strike, market vendors offer "friendly prices" that make you question your math skills, and restaurants never display prices.
Therefore, if you want to have a good time in Morocco, you can either learn to overcome the routine or choose a reliable travel agency to travel with a group.
Xiaoxia has been working in Morocco for many years. He refuses to be deceived or just visit things superficially, and will take you to unlock a different Morocco!
Nestled in the White City on the North African Atlantic Ocean, in the heart of the Arab world, the magnificent coastline of the Hassan II Mosque is a perfect combination of Islamic architecture and waves.
Beneath the solemn atmosphere, it is a good place for many locals to relax and capture the grand scenes of diving, swimming, fishing, etc. Our photography team will specially arrange close-up + long-range + humanistic creations here.
In addition, our route includes an inside visit, taking you to explore the artistic treasures here in depth.
Here, you can feel the mixed atmosphere of France, Portugal and Spain, and the romance of the movie "Casablanca" continues here.
Check out the famous Rick's Café, dance with the pigeons in Place Mohammed V, and experience a unique and representative microcosm of life in Casablanca.
Rick's Cafe
Tourists, please close your eyes and imagine this: as you stroll along the red ancient city walls, you will see the rich exotic history, smell the strong aroma of Middle Eastern spices, hear the prayers in the mosque, and pass by people in robes... The scenes in "One Thousand and One Nights" are perfectly reproduced in Marrakech.
Marrakech
No visit to Marrakech is complete without a visit to the Plaza del Buenos Aires, the only square in the world still in use and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a history dating back a thousand years.
During the day, the square is bustling with people, musicians, vendors, etc.; when night falls and the lights come on, cheers for performances and conversations can be heard one after another.
Why not follow Xiaoxia to find a hidden terrace restaurant in the square, enjoy delicious food while feeling the infinite vitality of the sleepless square.
In addition to red, Marrakech also hides a touch of exquisite blue.
The Yves Saint Laurent Garden is filled with an overwhelming, pure and deep blue, called Majorelle Blue, which is extracted from Saharan plants and is priceless.
This mysterious garden has had two famous owners, Maillol and Yves Saint Laurent, and there are more than 200 rare plants from all over the world in the garden.
In the world's largest desert, Sanmao once wrote "Stories from the Sahara." Facing the boundless sea of sand, feeling the flow of the dunes, it's like a spreading golden flame.
In order not to miss every golden light of the Sahara, our photography team will arrange camel riding to shoot the desert sunset. When the weather is good, you can also freeze the beautiful interstellar world.
The next morning, we were specially arranged to take an off-road vehicle into the desert to photograph the sunrise and experience a unique Sahara creative journey.
The in-depth tour will also include a camel caravan trip in the early morning to capture the most beautiful moment of the Sahara Desert. The reddish Sahara Desert is matched with the soft morning light, and a team of camels slowly approaches, as if telling a long story.
Located in a vast valley in the northwest of Morocco, far away from the hustle and bustle, the fresh air of the mountain stream cleanses the soul. Wherever you look, the walls, steps...all kinds of blue complement each other.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most film-making holy place in Morocco.
We've not only checked out the internet-famous stairs, but we've also prepared the local specialty, the Djerba robe, for everyone to try on, feel like a Moroccan, and take some portraits!
At sunset, we head to the highest point we have discovered. This is a great spot to capture the entire Blue City and the night view as the sun sets.
Dyeing workshops filled with huge dye vats, colorful silk fabrics fluttering in the wind, and colorful mosaics on the ancient city gates make up this colorful old city.
There are more than 9,000 intricate alleys in the city, and even Google Maps will get lost here.
We have specially designed a highly informative Citywalk, where you can follow a professional Chinese-speaking guide to visit a thousand-year-old leather dyeing factory, the world's oldest university, a Quranic school, post stations... and gain an in-depth understanding of this ancient imperial city with a history of more than 1,400 years.
Don’t panic if you’re tired of shopping, we’ve arranged a unique home visit for you to take a break, chat with the locals, try authentic Moroccan afternoon tea, and enjoy the same afternoon time as the locals.
Ait Ben Haddou is an ancient village built by the Berbers, the original inhabitants of Morocco. It is also known as "the most beautiful village in Morocco". Even after years of wind and rain, it still retains a relatively complete earthen castle.
Aibenhadou@Fly
Built with Moroccan terracotta mud bricks and interwoven with traditional square towers, the ancient city has served as a key backdrop for over 20 international films. We skipped the usual check-in and arranged a special lunch with a view of the ancient city, a truly captivating experience.
The photography group also has an exclusively designed photography scene. We have generously booked the entire band. At sunset, in front of the ancient city of Ait Ben Haddou, tourists can participate in the photography of the Awakh dance.
In addition, Morocco has many treasure towns.
Photographing the bustling scene at the port of Essaouira: the castle turrets, the fish market at the dock, countless seagulls...
In Tangier, the North African fortress, you can visit the African Cave and the Strait of Gibraltar, the dividing line between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and experience the rich Mediterranean style.
In Asilah, you will encounter murals of various styles by artists from all over the world. This place has a touch more waves than the blue Chefchaouen, and more importantly, has fewer tourists than the thousand-year-old city of Fez!
📅9.5-9.20 Only 2 seats left
11.16-12.1 Off-season travel, confirmed
🔹One trip to satisfy the creative journey of two visa-free countries
🔹Photography of Awah dance in Ait Benhaddou, and experience the cultural festival
🔹Sahara sunrise, sunset, and starry sky: Capture the golden moments
📅9.25-10.7 Only 1 seat left, for one male only (almost full, same-sex room sharing required)
🔹5-star hotels in Casablanca/Marrakech/Fez/Tangier + featured hotels at close-up photography spots
🔹Designed specifically for photography, sunrise, sunset, and starry sky, accurately control the golden hour
🔹Arrange Chefchaouen portrait + Sahara camel caravan sunset + off-road vehicle sand dune sunrise
🔹Natural scenery + cultural architecture, Morocco's best photography spots are all available for you to capture
📅9.25-10.7 Only 1 seat left, for one woman only (almost full, same-sex room sharing required)
🔹Sahara Desert Sunrise Camel Tour, Capture the Most Beautiful Moments of the Sahara
🔹Chefchaouen specially arranges two traditional Moroccan costumes, so you can feel like a real Moroccan
🔹Visit the Hassan II Mosque, Fez, Marrakech and other classic buildings
🔹Specially arrange a meal with a view of Ait Ben Haddou, the most beautiful ancient village in the world is right before your eyes
🔹Upgrade to local five-star hotels + specialty hotels in Tangier/Marrakech/Fez
Come and explore Morocco with Xiaoxia and discover the many surprises of this African country that seems least like Africa~
