Planning the Ultimate Moroccan Honeymoon: Culture, Desert Luxury, and Insider Travel Tips. With Kyleigh Grace and Weddings 101 podcast

Kyleigh Grace (00:13)
So today I'm here with Azdean He is the founder of Destinations Morocco. We connected over social media and he was telling me all about the honeymoons that he helps curate and plan for couples across the globe, specifically in Europe, US, and anywhere else for those couples that are interested in visiting Morocco for their honeymoon. So today I have Azdean with me.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (00:40)
Thank you so much for having me, Kyleigh. I really, really appreciate it. Thank you for the opportunity. And I'm very grateful and super happy to share Morocco with your audience.

Kyleigh Grace (00:49)
Yeah, great to have you on. So let's just dive straight into it. Morocco's been super popular recently and very talked about for both weddings and honeymoons. Why do you think it's gained so much attention recently?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (01:04)
Well, it gained so much attention, I would say specifically in North America and Canada. It has always been popular, especially in Europe and other countries, Middle East and Africa. But it's gaining more popularity here because of the soccer events. And it really started back in 2022 with the World Cup being hosted in Qatar and Morocco went all the way to the semifinals, which surprised a lot of people.

people start to ask questions, where is Morocco? Where is it located? They want to go and see it and visit. So that's really what started the trend about Morocco and traveling to Morocco. then soon after that, there was a study and it showed that Morocco is actually the number one destination for weddings and honeymoons, be it in Paris and Greece, which was a surprise.

Kyleigh Grace (01:59)
Yeah, once I saw all the pictures of Morocco, it made so much sense. It's such a gorgeous place to visit. And now from your perspective, what do you think makes Morocco stand out compared to other popular international destinations like Italy, Greece, or Brazil?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (02:16)
You know, those countries, you can visit them and revisit them again and again. Morocco is, I call it a bucket list country. You do it once and you do it the right time and you're good. And that's what makes it really stand out. the hospitality, the number one reason why people should go and visit Morocco because it's the people, it's the Moroccan people, the hospitality, their generosity. It's amazing.

And then you have everything that you need in terms of diversity, in terms of art, architecture, culture. It's so vast and beautiful and you know, get to it as soon as you can. So you're going to love it.

Kyleigh Grace (03:01)
⁓ And now kind of pivoting to just overall destination overview about Morocco. What do you think makes Morocco such a special choice for couples to go do their honeymoon there?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (03:16)
One of the reasons Morocco is a very romantic destination on itself. It's very exotic. It's very beautiful. The colors, the sunsets, the beaches, the mountains, the desert, the landscape is so diverse and beautiful. And it's a perfect honeymoon destination for a lot of couples. So I highly recommend it. And there many things that we can plan for couples, but it's really, really romantic.

you know, dinner in the desert, in desert dunes, you know, just a couple. The chef will make everything for you. You can have your own chef making a meal for you at a private restaurant. You can have, you know, dinner in a show with music. You can have anything that you can really think of, a hot air balloon with breakfast. So there's so many things we can do for you once you're in Morocco. So just to have an amazing honeymoon.

Kyleigh Grace (04:15)
That's awesome. And I think I was also seeing somewhere that Morocco kind of has a bit of everything from mountains to beach to the sand dunes, like you're mentioning to the traditional city. Can you kind of speak more to that?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (04:31)
sure, sure, absolutely. In terms of beaches, there's so many spots that are beautiful, beautiful beaches, whether it's in the north side of Morocco or whether it's in the south side of Morocco. And they are very diverse. Surfing is very popular. One of the best places to is Sauras, a very popular city, a coastal city for surfing. The other one is Imsewan.

On the way to Agadir, it's on coastal line, Taghazout, Mirleft, Dahla. I know these names sounds kind of foreign to a of people, but there's so much stuff to do. The coastline of Morocco is 35,000 kilometers of just beautiful beaches. Then on the north side, we have the Mediterranean Ocean, which is just, it's just incredible. And Tangier is the city where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean. And it's just, it's a beautiful, beautiful view.

And you can actually see Spain from Tangier, through the ocean, obviously. It's about 11 miles distance. So, and then when we talk about the mountains, you have on the north side of Morocco, you have the Reef Mountains, which is just very rugged, beautiful, very rocky. And then you have the big Atlas Mountains, the anti-Atlas Mountains, and the small Atlas Mountains. So there's mountains throughout the country. And then when you get to the south, you have

dunes, the deserts, have Urgh Shibi, you have Merzouga. It's really, really, really diverse. So when you have a couple driving or us driving them throughout Morocco, the landscape really changes every 45 minutes and it's beautiful. Then the stops that we make along the way from city to city, they're just beautiful.

Kyleigh Grace (06:22)
That's awesome. And so for couples that are looking to do their honeymoon in Morocco, would you say they could potentially get a little taste of everything with like a short few hour or like maybe 30 to 45 minute drive to these different destinations?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (06:37)
⁓ 100%. For example, let's say if you're in Marrakesh, yeah, the scenery will change every 30 minutes. you know, one hour, one hour and half from the city, it's going to be completely different.

Kyleigh Grace (06:51)
Very cool. Yeah, I think that that's one thing I'm based in the States. And so that's one thing in the States that you don't always get of having kind of all those different elements so close together to experience a little taste each.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (07:05)
Absolutely, I totally agree.

Kyleigh Grace (07:07)
And now, how does the honeymoon experience in Morocco differ from the traditional beach or resort honey?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (07:15)
It's different because we really pamper you. The attention to detail is second to none. Then the things that we do, they are culturally accurate and that's what a lot of people go because our culture is very rich when it comes to hospitality. things that you will experience in Morocco, you will not experience somewhere else because of the culture, whether you're going to have

an event or have lunch maybe with the local Berber family or whether it's a nomad family or in the desert. the local tradition, that's what makes it really, really unique experience for honeymooners in Morocco.

Kyleigh Grace (07:59)
That's beautiful. think that that's one of the very cool things about kind of the experiences that you were describing that you create for couples is it's more immersive and intimate with the culture than you might get if say you do like your typical tourist things but you don't get those cultural elements added into the honeymoon.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (08:20)
I totally agree, 100%.

Kyleigh Grace (08:22)
Now on that, what types of couples do you think tend to love Morocco the most? Is it the adventure seekers, the food lovers, the luxury travelers, those looking for the cultural experience? How would you describe

Azdean Elmoustaquim (08:37)
I would say definitely the cultural experience has emerged as the biggest winner because even for the itineraries that we create that are not really for honeymooners, they really want to immerse themselves with the locals. So that culture is definitely the number one driving machine if you would for honeymooners. They want to experience everything, a little bit of adventure. The food is definitely, it's amazing. Whether it's street food, whether it's a cooking class or whether we're doing for them

You know, a tasting tour, a food tasting tour. So everything that you said, it's part of the experience. And again, when we create an itinerary for couples, it's everything's on their terms. We present them with ideas and then they choose, then we make it happen for them.

Kyleigh Grace (09:24)
And what would you say are the must-see regions for honeymooners and how would you describe the vibe of each?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (09:31)
Definitely the desert really stands out because of the things that you can do in the desert. You cannot really do somewhere else and You know, it is super romantic just by itself that watching the sunset, you know You can have a photo shoot in the desert, know when sunset or the sunrise as well It's really really beautiful very romantic and then you can have your own dinner and you know in desert dunes Just you the couple, you know a bottle of wine a private dinner

multiple courses. So it's very beautiful, very romantic. then when you look at the sand, it's different in the summertime versus the wintertime. The sand really changes colors. You see sometimes it looks kind of yellowish, sometimes it looks kind of orange, sometimes it looks kind of purple under the stars and the moonlight. the desert definitely stands out for honeymooners.

Kyleigh Grace (10:25)
That sounds so gorgeous, especially with the sand being purple. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that in real life. And now for couples who want a mix of relaxation and adventure, what kind of itinerary would you recommend across five to eight days?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (10:44)
5 to 8, it's going to be challenging but if they have 5 days I would say come into Marrakech and then in Marrakech you can do a 2 day city tour with a lot of romantic options and then the other 3 days we can do day trips to the outskirts of Marrakech we can do a berber experience with the locals in one day in another day we can do a Sawara day trip where we go to a Sawara

explore its aura and come back. And another day we can do a cooking class in a farm, very private. And then we can do a dinner and a show at the desert, Agafai Desert, which is about an hour and 20 minutes from Marrakesh. That's what I would recommend for a five-day itinerary, especially if you're staying in Marrakesh. So you're not driving too much, you're still spending the night at your beautiful, luxurious Yerouyad every night. Then if you have eight days,

I would recommend splitting the country into two, either do the north side of Morocco or the south side of Morocco. So that way you're really giving every stop a really good time, spending a really good time in each city to really immerse yourself in its culture, its habits and enjoying the city. Or if you want to do the south part of Morocco, you can do eight days as well. So now if you want to combine the two, I highly recommend doing a 10 day itinerary.

Kyleigh Grace (12:13)
Gotcha, and like five days in one and then five days in the other.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (12:18)
I would say yes, play it in two.

Kyleigh Grace (12:20)
With couples who may have differing kind of timeframes, those who have like less time so they can only explore one side, do you see couples looking to honeymoon in Morocco choosing the north side or the south side?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (12:33)
I would say definitely the South side because it's a little bit different. It's not as touristic, it's not as busy, and it's an immersive experience, especially with the locals. And again, we're going back to those popular experiences that a lot of people ask about. They can have those and experience them in the southern part of Morocco. They can experience other things in the northern side of Morocco as well, but the South

That's what it's concentrated.

Kyleigh Grace (13:05)
Gotcha, that makes sense. And I wanted to also ask you a little bit more about, you you mentioned dinner and a show. What type of shows does Morocco offer?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (13:16)
There's a place in Marrakesh, they can have all type of, they have actually maybe 10 different shows, you know, from, know, the Gnawa music, if you would. They have Ahwash, which is, you know, a Berber dance, if you would. They have different type of music that it's ⁓ related to different parts of Morocco. So it's, culturally, it's really, really good.

for lot of people who want to experience so many things in one place. There's one place that has all those experiences. Now you can do dinner and a show anywhere, especially with the music, and then you will experience that local music of that city as well. So if you go to Fes, for example, you can do a dinner and a show and you'll experience the music that is specific to Fes, which is completely different than the rest of the music in Morocco. Or...

dinner and a show in Sheffshauin and again it's going to be very different music. So and it's more connected and geared towards the series culture and vibe versus where in Marrakesh there's a place where you can have everything all in one place.

Kyleigh Grace (14:27)
Very cool. Yeah, that's that seems very true of like having one spot to experience it all is very unique because you don't always get that in every area.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (14:38)
Absolutely.

Kyleigh Grace (14:39)
And now kind of going over things people may be wondering if they've never been to Morocco. I want to cover the things to know like the dress code that's expected, the level of safety and ways to navigate that if they've never been to Morocco, as well as the type of currency they should be thinking about having on hand while they're in Morocco.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (15:03)
You know, the dress code always comes up as one of the top questions that we get asked. And I always tell people, dress the way that makes you feel comfortable. The way that you dress if you're in a state, that's, know, dress the same because in Morocco, you know, tourism, it's the number one income for, I would say, a lot of the families. So they expect tourists to dress up as themselves. You know, the only place that somebody will ask you to cover your hair,

your head is when you go into the Casablanca house and the second mosque. Other than that, you're free to dress up the way that you normally would. And a lot of people, when they go to Morocco, they're like, oh, I didn't know that I can dress up this way or I didn't think people dress up this way in Morocco. So there's a little bit of difference between perspective and reality. So yeah, always say just dress the way that makes you feel comfortable.

So, and in regards to safety, Morocco is really, really a safe country. Safety, it's we all have to take care of ourselves, watch out for ourselves anywhere we go. But specifically in Morocco, it's really safe. And what makes it safe is this police checkpoints, I would say, less than a mile away from each other. the police, they're everywhere. And then we have tourist police, which they dress up just in casual. They look like civilians.

And then there's a different type of police as well. just dress up casual. So you don't really see them, but they are really everywhere. They see you and you don't see them. So, that's what really makes Morocco a very safe place to travel, whether for families, whether for couples, for honeymooners, or for solo travelers as well. And in terms of currency, a while back, especially in the US, you were able to go to your bank and just

ask for an exchange but now they don't do that. Actually you can do it at the airport which I don't really recommend. When you book with us we take care of that for you because we take you to places where they'll get you more exchange for your dollar. So if you do it at the bank the exchange rate is not really that you know to your favor but the other thing that I always recommend talk to your bank and use your debit card.

that in some banks, they waive those international fees. And that's the way that I really travel with my debit card and I just get it from the ATM machine.

Kyleigh Grace (17:35)
Gotcha. And are there ATM machines throughout Morocco or more so at the checkpoints where you may be traveling in from?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (17:42)
They're actually more, I would say, in the north side of Morocco versus the south side of Morocco because the southern part is still not as developed as the north side of Morocco. So when you're in a big city like Casablanca, fast or about Shefchaouen, Meknes, they're everywhere. then when you, where's the Zet? You're still good. But once you pass where's the Zet? Go into the southern part of Morocco and those villages in the desert, then they don't come by as many. So maybe you'll find one.

maybe every 50 miles or so.

Kyleigh Grace (18:15)
Gotcha, that makes sense. And now, kind of diving into planning and timing, especially for couples who have never been to Morocco, never planned a honeymoon, most likely. How long do you recommend couples plan to spend in Morocco for a honeymoon for it to feel worthwhile?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (18:33)
I would always recommend the 10 days, an itinerary for 10 days because it's going to make them see all the most important places that they need to see without rushing and immersing themselves in the culture and experiences.

Kyleigh Grace (18:50)
Gotcha. And I know we kind of touched on it earlier, but for those 10 days, for an ideal itinerary, at a high level, what would that look like?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (19:03)
In the past, I said if they're going to be in Morocco for five days, I recommend that they land in Marrakesh. But for this itinerary, I highly recommend them arrive in Casablanca. And the first day is going to be Casablanca. Then the second day, you know, first day, basically they'll get some rest and then we'll take them to dinner, you know, on the coastal side of Casablanca have some dinner. Then the next day we'll do a Casablanca sightseeing. Then we'll go to Roabat.

which is about an hour and 20 minutes away. And then we do the site visits in Rabat, which should take about an hour and 30 minutes. And then from there, we drive all the way to Shefchaouen. Some people call it the blue city or the blue pearl. And then we explore, we spend the night in Shefchaouen. Then the next day we drive towards Fez, which is one of the imperial cities. And then we make a stop at Volibulus. Also some people call it the Roman city or the Roman ruins.

And then after that, we stop at a Mcness, which is about 45 minutes from Fes as well. So, and we spent two days in Fes. You know, the second day in Fes, we just do a city tour. So it's going to be very immersive with Fes. Just to give you an idea, Fes, downtown Fes has about 10,000 different streets. So it's really easy for you to get lost. So that's why we really pair you with local guides anywhere you go. You'll have one in Casablanca, you'll have one in Rabat, Shefshawan.

obviously Volibiris, Meknes, Fes as well. And then from there, we start heading south towards the desert. And then we make a stop at a small town called Ifren. It's really, really nice. And then we spend the night a few hours away in a village called Midlt, which is really known for its canyons, beautiful, beautiful canyons. Then the next day, we drive towards Merzouga, which is the desert, and we stop along the way with the

Ziz Valley. Then in Merzouga we spent two nights and then after that we go to Tours de Zette where they have filmed Gladiator 1, Gladiator 2 and other movies and series and they have a Game of Thrones museum as well and a Gladiator museum as well. So we make those stops and then from there we go to Marrakesh where we spend two days with city tour in Marrakesh and then after that we depart.

from our cache. So this is just an outline of what to do and what to see for those 10-day itinerary. And I can be a little bit more specific, but we're going to need a little bit more.

Kyleigh Grace (21:39)
Yeah, definitely. We can totally link a sample itinerary of exactly what you kind of just explained because I think for someone to truly capture all of that, they can, you know, review it one at a time because it's definitely a perfectly packed itinerary of everything you could think of like wanting to see when you're in Morocco for a 10-day span.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (22:00)
Absolutely. And the itinerary, when they click on it, you'll see it has a lot of videos. It has a lot of ⁓ images. It just really prepares you for what you're going to see and experience in each city. So visually, it's very stunning itinerary.

Kyleigh Grace (22:17)
Yeah, yeah, it's absolutely gorgeous. And it's very interesting to see kind of different aesthetics that you get as you go through each part of that itinerary. And now, what time of year would you say offers the best combination of weather and fewer crowds in Morocco?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (22:35)
After the pandemic, Morocco has been really busy, but I still would say March, April, May, even June are still the best time to go to Morocco with the combination of weather, not too crowded, and it's less expensive at that time versus summertime when it's hot and everybody's going to Morocco. yeah, definitely that's the best time to go.

Kyleigh Grace (23:01)
And when would you say is the busier time or has the most crowds?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (23:07)
I would say the busiest time because of ⁓ the Moroccans living abroad, they come back to Morocco, especially Europe because they have July and August, they get two months vacation and the kids are out of school. the Moroccans, they're living in Europe, that's the time that they go to Morocco, which is very, very crowded. Then from the US and Canada, that's some time too, but US and Canada, come back because school starts a little different than Europe.

I always say stay away from the summertime if you can. If you cannot, then it's still going to be fun. It's just going to be hot. Then go, I would say probably later September or October because that's when the weather changes a little bit. It's not as hot in the morning. a little bit cool. Midday, it gets a little hot, but then when the sun goes down, it cools off again. So October is good. November is good.

And also the first two weeks of December are good. If you're going in December, the last two weeks you really need to plan ahead of time.

Kyleigh Grace (24:16)
Gotcha, and is that because of weather or?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (24:20)
It's not so much the weather but it's because it's Christmas season, because of the New Year's and a lot of the accommodations whether they are riyads or hotels, they put a little bit of restrictions on how many days you need to stay at their place. You can book a one-night riyad or a hotel anywhere throughout the year but then when it comes to New Year's Eve or the end of the year, some of them they want you to stay or book for at least three nights, some for at least four nights.

Kyleigh Grace (24:50)
Gotcha, that makes sense. For those listeners who don't know what a riad is, can you explain that?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (24:58)
Of course, the Riyadhs, I would say that's where the Moroccans used to live. They're Moroccan houses back in the 1900s. And there's so many different, every Riyadh is unique. There's no two that are the same. It's just like your house versus somebody else's house. They're built very different. Some Riyadhs may have five suites or five rooms. Some may have 10, seven, 20. And that's why when you go to Morocco, we always recommend staying at a Riyadh versus a hotel.

The hotels are literally the same, you where you go, but the Riyadhs, they only exist in Morocco. So in terms of culture, immersing yourself with the local culture, we highly recommend you stay in a Riyadh versus a hotel. It's beautiful from the inside. has some have water fountains, some have small swimming pools, some have banana trees, some have palm trees. So it's very unique. And some are small, some are big, and they all have different designs. So I highly recommend them.

Kyleigh Grace (25:58)
Yeah, I think I've seen pictures of them on your resources where there was one with, I think it was like a couch type setting in the middle like courtyard area of the Riyadh. They're absolutely stunning.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (26:11)
Absolutely.

Kyleigh Grace (26:19)
How far in advance should couples start booking flights, accommodations, and tours for their honeymoon?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (26:26)
I would say, I mean, we take care of the tour for them when they book with us. The flights, we can make recommendations, but I would say the average, again, depending on the events that are happening in Morocco, 2025, it's almost over, but it's been the busiest to date in terms of tourism in Morocco. So I would say the minimum is four to five months.

If you're planning, we have bookings already in March. We have them in April. We have them in May. We have them in June, 2026. So people, is one of the trends that we have noticed this year. A lot of people are booking really, really early, which is incredible. And I highly recommend it. So if you're trying to go to Morocco, last two weeks of December, I would absolutely recommend a minimum of nine months because you're to have, you know,

the topics to choose from and the flexibility and also in price.

Kyleigh Grace (27:30)
That's a great recommendation. And I'm curious for those couples, because I know there's some couples out there that will maybe give themselves six months to plan a wedding and they're probably planning their honeymoon during then. What's the absolute minimum time between when they're going to go on their honeymoon and when they reach out to you that they should do that?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (27:49)
would say, you when you're planning a wedding, there's so many moving parts and, you know, the honeymoon shouldn't be that way. I mean, we take care of everything for you from A to Z. We take that chaos and make it calm. So that's what we do. We handle everything for you from the moment you arrive to Morocco until the moment you depart. And that's the difference between planning a honeymoon versus a wedding. A wedding, it is very stressful and...

It takes so many people to put together. For honeymoon, for us it's really simple. It's very easy.

Kyleigh Grace (28:23)
Gotcha. And so if someone reached out to you with six months, I'd assume that might be enough. What if they had maybe say three months and they totally put it off?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (28:33)
Three months is still good and the reason because we are in November. January, normally January is going to be a slow month. However, this year is not going to be slow month because Morocco is hosting the African Cup and it's going to be running December, I believe, 21st all the way to January 18th. So it's going to be busy in certain cities for the cities that are going to be hosting those soccer events at that time.

And it's Fes, Marques, Rabat, believe, Tangier and Agadir. So, however, the rest of Morocco is going to be just business as usual. So even in January, I would still say it's three months. would say, yeah, make your booking or start doing your homework, but don't wait too long. So six months is perfect because when you do your homework, you get crossed, you know, so many information and sometimes it's confusing and so forth and so forth.

And there's a little bit back and forth in terms of building an itinerary, approving an itinerary and all that type of stuff. So I would say start early. Six months is amazing. Three months is definitely the minimum that I would say three to four months.

Kyleigh Grace (29:50)
Gotcha, that makes sense. I know you kind of touched on this with the Cup that's happening in January or I want to say December to January. Are there any other areas of the country you'd suggest avoiding during certain seasons because of events or other elements?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (30:06)
No, I think 2025 has definitely been the most challenging year for us. The reason is because so many requests we could not accommodate because the availability, especially with the African Cup. All the series, the hosting series, if you find something, it's not going to be what you really would hope for, what you would like. And then if you find something, it's not going to be...

in the city. It's going to be in the outskirts of the city, maybe 45-minute drive, maybe 30-minute drive. So that's just going to add a little bit to the experience. Maybe in a good way, maybe not in a good way. But for the people who booked early, they did an amazing job. But this issue, I think it's just going to be done with 2025. 2026 is not going to be that issue. So it's just going to be back to normal again.

The numbers in terms of travelers will be higher a little bit but not quite as 2025.

Kyleigh Grace (31:05)
That makes sense. And kind of on the topic of transportation, what transportation options are best for getting around between cities and regions?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (31:15)
When you book with us, basically everything is private. You have your own private car, you have your own private driver, and those are the constant. They really stay with you from the moment they pick you up at the airport until they drop you off at the last day at the airport. So those are the constant. And that's how we do it. And again, going back to that, you know, everything is done for you, taking, you know, all that planning stress away from you and handling everything for you. That's basically what we do.

If you're traveling on your own, transportation ⁓ can be very stressful because there's a trust issue, there's scams that you might fall into, and a lot of it is not reliable if you would. I know there's train that people can take. Now there's so many flights with Ryanair, with the easy jet that can ⁓ transport you from city to city and save some time versus driving or...

taking a train but for us we always do private even when we have a small group they don't share their vehicle with anybody else it's just it's it's their own vehicle if it's six people eight ten twelve or twenty it's their private driver their private minibus or sprinter or Mercedes minivan

Kyleigh Grace (32:33)
That sounds, I would say, probably the most ideal because I think anyone who's used public transportation or any ad hoc transportation for trips, it does add an element to it where you're a little bit stressed, you're a little bit unsure if your ride's going to be there, when it's going to be there, and you spend a lot more time on thinking on that rather than just kind of enjoying the experience and again, kind of going back to that immersive experience rather than, you know.

micromanaging, what am I going to get from point A to point B?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (33:04)
Absolutely.

Kyleigh Grace (33:05)
And now, kind of pivoting to budget. What type of budget range do most couples need for comfortable honeymoon?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (33:15)
It really depends on how long they're to stay. We do get this question quite a bit. So I always ask them about their budget. Some they know exactly what the budget is. Some they don't know what their budget is. So we have to work with all of them. What makes a difference in the budget really is the accommodation because everything else literally is constant, is the same, it doesn't change. You get a local guide.

In fast, it's going to be about the same price whether it's, you know, he's in or she's in Casablanca or about or my cash. But the accommodation really varies. The accommodation can be, you know, you can stay at a riad, a decent riad from, you know, a hundred dollars to, you know, $30,000 a night. So it just, it really depends on the couple on their budget. So normally what we do when we create an itinerary is

We pick a four-star accommodation and you know, the item that I have shared with you, it's going to have a link to what the Riyadh is going to be looking like, whether it be at Infest, Marrakesh, Shivshau and so forth. And then they take a look and say, hey, Aizadine, you know what, we really, really like the Riyadh Infest, but the one in Shivshau, not so much. Can you switch? Can we upgrade? Can we downgrade? So that's the benefit of building an itinerary from scratch because

I mentioned earlier there's a little bit of going back and forth because everything has to be approved by the couple. So we may not have the right accommodation at the first time, but then we make it right and say, hey, you know what? I really like the Riyadh invest, but in Chefchaouen, can you upgrade that Riyadh? We want to go five-star versus four-star. And that's basically how we do it. And if they know their budget, it really, really helps us quite a bit.

Kyleigh Grace (35:08)
Gotcha, that makes sense. And now, are there affordable luxury options like boutique riads or desert camps that still feel high end but maybe are on the more affordable side?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (35:20)
Oh, 100 % yes. This is one of the differences in Morocco. You don't have to stay at a five-star hotel or a riyadh all the time. In Morocco, we go by order riyadhs or the accommodations. They go by the relationship they have with us. So they say, hey, know, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, are coming here with destination Morocco. So they know they need to take care of them because we do quite a bit of business with them.

versus a booking that comes through Expedia or booking.com that it's just a confirmation number. So there's no relationship. So that's what really makes us different. And yes, they can stay at camps that are luxurious, but they don't have that price of luxury or that expensive price. So yeah, that's what makes us different. We do all the legwork for you. So we pick the best accommodations for you.

And again, when we present it to you, you can say, I like it, or you know what, let's see what else you can show us. And we do that.

Kyleigh Grace (36:25)
awesome. I feel like that personal connection does help add to that because you're right it is kind of like a number ⁓ rather than they know exactly who's coming and they know that they're coming through you so there's kind of that more familiar feeling for everyone involved. And now what would you say a typical daily budget looks like once the couple arrives like for meals, activities or transportation?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (36:40)
Absolutely.

Normally, when you book with us, your breakfasts are already included. Your local guides are included. The entrance fee to any attractions are included because we don't want you to wait in line to get to somewhere, whether it's Marzor el Garden, whether you're in Voribiris and you need to get your ticket to go to watch the site or explore the site. So all that stuff is done for you. And then if we're doing...

The southern part of Morocco like we talked earlier in the itinerary from Middleth, then Merzouka, then Wersazette because they're located in southern part of Morocco your dinner will be included as well because there's nowhere else that you can go and have dinner except if you're in the desert it's going to be in your camp or if you're in Middleth it's going to be again at the Riyadh so yes a budget again it really really depends

And again, it depends on the accommodation. can be maybe 250 and up 350 probably between 250 and 350 per person. It just, depends on the accommodation really. So because I, I don't want to give a price because it really depends on the accommodation. If it was just one thing, it's going to be set. This is what the price is, but you have so many things that are involved and included. Some may say, Hey, you know, we don't need the

local guide here and it's going to change the price. Some would say hey you know we're staying at a five-star hotel for the city but in the other ones you know we can stay anywhere else so it's just it really really varies but I would say just have it between 250 to 350 per day and that includes the car the driver the local guides everything that you would do

Kyleigh Grace (38:38)
Gotcha and that is like meals, activities, local guides, transportation. Is that also hotel or?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (38:45)
Yeah, it's the accommodation. It's most likely going to be a Riyadh. And in terms of food, basically you have breakfast is taken care of. Lunch, a typical lunch in Morocco with really costs, I would say between $10 to $20 per person. So it's not really that expensive. Then dinner, you know, if you're in the southern part of Morocco, it's taken care of. If you want us to make reservations for you, which we do, and we can make recommendations.

And it costs, you know, without alcohol, probably within 20 to $30 per person.

Kyleigh Grace (39:19)
Gotcha, yeah, which that seems pretty affordable, especially for lunch and definitely for dinner, because I know in the States, 20 to 30 is pretty average as well.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (39:27)
Absolutely.

Kyleigh Grace (39:29)
And now, how does the value compare to other international honeymoon destinations like Europe or other areas?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (39:37)
It's, I would say they all have their own culture, their own vibe, their own beautiful things. And Morocco is just exotic. It's just very different. And what makes it really different? Again, it's the people, it's the Moroccan people, the locals, the hospitality. know, we've helped so many people, you know, with their travel to Morocco. And one of the

They said that the worst part about Morocco is leaving and saying goodbye to all those people that we have met along the way, whether it's their driver, their local guide or the families that they had lunch with and changed their perspective of so many things. So I would say that's what makes Morocco different than any other beautiful destination.

Kyleigh Grace (40:25)
I love that. And now you kind of mentioned this, but just to kind of give couples more of an idea of how they can adjust things. Are there ways couples can customize or adjust the itinerary like downgrading or upgrading hotels or other accommodations to match their budget?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (40:44)
100%. That's exactly how we do it. We have built so many different itineraries and we have never created two that are the same. Every itinerary is specific to the travelers, to the honeymooners, to the couple, to the family, to the group. And that's what makes it, again, that go back and forth because it has to be right. And everything we do is on the honeymooner's terms. We do exactly what they want us to do. just...

ask questions, we answer their questions until we get it right. So we are fitting it into their budget, giving them options, maybe itinerary option number one, maybe option number two, and then narrow it down and then pick an itinerary and work with it. And that's again, this is the best part because it's very unique to the travelers.

Kyleigh Grace (41:33)
Yeah, I think that that's the best way to do it, especially because I I bet that streamlines the experience so much more for the couples because when you're trying to plan your own trip, you can try to adjust those certain things, but it's not as easy and on the fly as it would be with, you know, working with a specialist who already knows kind of like, here are my, you know, budget friendly options, here are my more luxury options. I mean, kind of just toggling that quickly rather than someone having to spend all this time investigating the different options to

Save here or splurge here.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (42:06)
Absolutely.

Kyleigh Grace (42:07)
And now kind of pivoting to the culture and experiences, I know we kind of touched on it, but I want to dive deeper into it. What would you say are some unique cultural experiences Honeymooners shouldn't miss?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (42:21)
We talked earlier definitely about the desert experience. So when you go to the desert, we always recommend staying for a minimum of two days because of the things that you're going to see, the people that you're going to meet. You'll get a chance to meet with the locals. You'll get a chance to meet with the nomad families. You'll get a chance to meet with, you know, in a village. There's a Ganawa music. It's just, it's just.

It's a very, very immersive experience. So a lot of people, think it's just the do and I'm just going to go spend the night at the camp and come back. Many people do that, but that's not really immersing yourself as a couple in having your honeymoon in Morocco. What makes it beautiful is those unique cultural experiences for those two days. This is just in desert and we can do the same thing in many different stops along the way, depending on what your itinerary looks like.

So, I highly recommend it. Fass is unique as well, it's very beautiful. And again, it comes with its own packages of romance. know, Marrakesh is the same thing. So, so many things we can do for the couples. We just have, you know, we present them with ideas and then they narrow it down to what they really wanted to experience.

Kyleigh Grace (43:42)
Very cool. And now, kind of on the theme of immersing themselves into the culture and interacting with people, perhaps in the village or other areas, what are ways couples can make sure they're respecting local customs while traveling together?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (44:00)
We've seen a lot of travelers, they all respect the local culture. They all respect the villages that they visit, the families they come in contact with. And also this is the benefit of having a local guide with you because they will teach you, they will show you these are the do's and don'ts or hey, this is recommended or this is not recommended and so forth. So they give you a little bit of insight, if you would.

of what to do and stuff like that. And again, we take care of all that stuff for you. So if something you don't know, we'll let you know about it. Something you're missing, we'll bring out to you.

Kyleigh Grace (44:41)
Actually, yeah, I bet that's super helpful for couples because I think that is definitely something that only a local would truly know. And it probably is very case dependent. Like, you know, when you're visiting the sand dunes versus like a different area and like one city or area versus another, there's probably different things that are kind of expected from like a decorum or like etiquette perspective.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (45:08)
Yes, absolutely.

Kyleigh Grace (45:17)
What would you say are different romantic activities or excursions that newlyweds can experience in Morocco?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (45:25)
I would say, for example, you can do a hammam experience and a spa. A hammam experience, a lot of people they compare it to Turkish bath, but it's very different. The hammam, I mean, we grew up going to hammam, which is a traditional hammam. These experiences are little different. They're very modern experiences, which they exfoliate your body, your skin, and...

It's a treatment. The experience lasts about 45 minutes and it's usually done in a combination of a massage afterwards. So you can either do the hammam by itself or a couple of hammam, you and your spouse. And you can do the same thing, massage. And again, they have different packages to choose from. We make the booking for you and when you get to the sopa, you just pick the package that you would like. both of them,

should be about 45 minutes experience time and then you know again they immerse you with the local hospitality the Moroccan mint tea they pamper you a little bit and with the rest area and all that stuff so it's it's I highly recommend it for couples and honeymooners

Kyleigh Grace (46:38)
That sounds awesome. And now outside of spa experience, you know, maybe on sightseeing or different experiences, are there additional things that couples can do if they're looking for romantic activities?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (46:53)
sure, like I mentioned earlier, we can do a cooking class, just a very private cooking class. We can do, you know, like a chef will come and cook just for you, like a chef's table. So there's many things we can do. And again, it really depends on what the honeymooners want to experience. You know, whatever they want, we can absolutely accommodate them.

Kyleigh Grace (47:16)
That's awesome. And now, what safety tips or travel etiquette advice should couples keep in mind when visiting Morocco?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (47:26)
Safety, I would say it is pretty safe. It just depends on the time of the year that you're going. I would say plan to pack accordingly to the season because the change in weather, whether it's October, November, December, just have something a little bit light to mid-heavy because when it gets cold, it gets really, really cold, whether it's the mountains or the desert. And just pack accordingly. That's what I would say.

Kyleigh Grace (47:56)
think that's good advice to think for the weather because I think that is one thing that you don't want to have catchy by surprise if it's absolutely freezing or way too hot. And now kind of pivoting to your services and about Destinations Morocco. So you've helped countless travelers plan meaningful authentic trips through your company. Can you tell us more about what Destinations Morocco does?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (48:06)
Absolutely.

What we do is we help travelers that are struggling with planning a complex itinerary to Morocco. So we plan everything for them from A to Z so they can experience Morocco like a local. That's basically what we do. But the details, it's a little bit more than that. But that's basically what we do. We help travelers plan their trip to Morocco.

Kyleigh Grace (48:52)
Gotcha. And now I remember when we were speaking a little earlier, you were mentioning that you guys also provide the tour guides. Would you say that's another thing that makes Destinations Morocco unique in the fact that you have a whole network of individuals within Morocco that can assist couples during their honeymoon?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (49:11)
Oh, a hundred percent. You know, it's funny because we always do guided tours because one thing that we have realized is the local guides are really what make the tour or break the tour. If we pair you with the wrong local guide, it's just going to be a disaster. But when we pair you with a really good local guide, someone that we've known for a long time, we worked with for a long time, it really, really adds to the experience. When you're visiting Volubilis,

The rocks are not just rocks. The tracks that you see on the ground, they are not just tracks. They have history with the Romans and everything becomes in a way alive. And this is why I go back to the importance of booking early because when you book early, you have the first pick of everything. So when you book late and it's too late, then all the really good local guides that we work with, they are already booked.

It puts us in a of a tough spot to be in. I will still accommodate you. It's just, we're not going to have the first choices that we normally would. So local guides are super important to the experience when you go to Morocco. And we do local guides versus a national guide that stays with you in the car throughout Morocco. Or what also we call a tour leader, which stays with you in the car, but then you still need

local guides when we get to different cities. So we only do local guides because that's the best way to really go. Immersing yourself in the culture with.

Kyleigh Grace (50:45)
it that makes sense. Yeah, I feel like a local guide can definitely add to the experience because they just know so much about that culture that they're leading you through that it really makes the experience unique.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (50:57)
Absolutely.

Kyleigh Grace (50:58)
And now, what does the process look like when a couple reaches out to plan their honeymoon with you guys?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (51:04)
I always recommend a discovery call. So the discovery call, they can have as many as they like. And it's a call where we answer all the questions for them. There's no cost of it. It's free. There's no, it can be for 30 minutes. It can be for an hour. And that we help them make a decision. Are we a good fit for them? So if they decide to hire us, basically we, we, we charge them for a planning fee and whatever they pay for that planning fee, if they decide to go to book with us.

then that goes towards their tour's price. So it'll be deducted from the tour price. Now, during those discovery calls, that's when we really get as much information as we need about the couple, what they like, what they don't like, what they want to feel, what they want to experience, the time they have to spend in Morocco, the arrival city, departure city, all the details regarding their trip. Do they have any dietary restrictions?

allergies, all that type of stuff. And we document everything. And then if they decide to go with us, then we'll go to the next step, which is building an itinerary. And some, they'll say, hey, Azadin, you know, we're going to go for 10 days, but these are the series we want to experience, we want to visit and so forth. Then we take a look at it and we say, you know, give me a few days. Let me take a look and see if it makes sense. I'll make some adjustment. And then we'll come back and say, hey, you know, this is the itinerary.

Everything that you have mentioned you wanted to stay and see and experience, we have it for you. We got it. It is doable. It is possible. And some say, hey, you I don't know what I'm doing. I have no idea. I have 10 days. Create something for me. Then we create something for them. And again, we come back and say, hey, this is what we have for you. First day, arrival day, the parts of the day and in between. And then we'll go back and forth again, just making those little adjustments to the itinerary until it's finalized. Now when the

itinerary is finalized, it becomes a proposal. Then they take a look at it and say, hey, you know what? We need to make a deposit or, you know, we're just going to go ahead and make a full payment or a partial payment, which we can do. We can do two payments, we can do three payments. Or a lot of people, they just want to pay everything at once. And we're very flexible when it comes to payment. We pay so much attention to the itinerary. The payment is the easiest part, but building the itinerary is the main focus because that's it's

it has to be exactly what they want it to be. So, and then from there, we take care of everything for them, the logistics. Then we make the accommodation booking, we do the transportation, we do the local guides experiences. If they want to have hot air balloon, if they want to have a spa and hammam experience, if they want to have, for example, a restaurant, know, reservation for dinner in Casablanca, Marques, Fast, Chefchaouen, we make all the bookings for them. So, and then we document everything in the itinerary. So when we send them the link for the itinerary, it's going to say,

Everything that we talked about, the exact same way that everything is going to be done. Day one, everything included, what they're going to do in day one, day two, day three, and so forth and so forth. And also, which is really, really important, a lot of couples, they want to do stuff, but they don't want to do too much in one day. So there's that flexibility that they can have the afternoon off or the evening off or not to plan too much for them.

Kyleigh Grace (54:24)
Yeah, no, totally. I was thinking that because I definitely heard from some honeymooners that, you know, they love experiencing all these different things, but then they find themselves getting tired because they're doing so much more than they usually do in a given day. They're just going all over the place and taking in all these different sites and all these different experiences that it makes sense that you'd also plan in a little rest and relaxation and maybe like off times throughout the itinerary for couples who don't want to be go-go.

time.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (54:55)
Absolutely, absolutely.

Kyleigh Grace (54:57)
And now I know you mentioned you work closely with travel agents. Can you explain how that partnership works and how it benefits?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (55:06)
We're actually going to a convention tomorrow in Vegas, which is B2B in terms of wedding planners. The way that we work, a travel agent or I would say a wedding planner, in this case, they already have those bookings. They're planning a wedding for 2027, 2028. It's much easier for them to connect with us to plan their honeymoon. So if we go into a travel agent that are planning the honeymoon,

for their couple, the process is literally the same. We take off all those logistics, all that headache, and we take care of it for them. So they don't have to lift anything. We do the legwork, we do everything for them. And we are an extension of wedding planner or travel agent, if you would. And then they present everything to their guests. So basically, the travel agent is going to be the main communication between us and their honeymooners.

The same process instead of doing it directly B2C, is business to consumer, business to honeymooners, now it's the travel agent. Then we get everything approved by the travel agent, who gets everything approved by the couples. That's what the process is. And now when we go or when a travel agent comes to us, then they need to get their commission. That's the biggest difference in the commission. So we still do everything the way that we normally do it. Make sure that the itinerary is perfectly exactly the way that

Their travelers want it, their honeymooners want it.

Kyleigh Grace (56:33)
Gotcha. And so would you say that if someone has a travel agent but they want to visit Morocco, travel agents come to you guys because you understand Morocco a lot more as a specific destination in comparison to maybe their knowledge of other areas?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (56:53)
absolutely. Yes. It's better for the travel agent to come to us versus trying to do it on their own because they need some time to build the network and it just adds a little bit more work and hassle to them. They're dealing with the wedding, all the logistics of the wedding. Now they're going to have to deal with the honeymoons and everything. ⁓ When they come to us, we do everything for them. And that's what makes us really different and unique. So we can work with...

B2C directly with consumers or can do B2B with travel agents, wedding planners or travel agencies.

Kyleigh Grace (57:27)
Very cool. And now in Morocco and potentially in other areas supporting the Morocco honeymoon space for you all, how many people across different networks like local guides or travel agents or transportation do you work with in Morocco?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (57:47)
We have a really, really large network and we can accommodate anywhere from a couple to a couple of hundred travelers. We've been doing this for almost a decade. So we have that really established and I'm based in New West and then we have an office in Marrakesh, Morocco. And we have local guides throughout Morocco. the network really, it's just not in Marrakesh, but everywhere in Morocco.

Kyleigh Grace (58:13)
Very nice. And now, kind of on that, what kind of support do your travelers get once they're in Morocco?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (58:20)
Well, I'll go back to the constant. They'd have the current driver 24-7. And when we pair them with a driver, the driver speaks different languages. English is one of them. So I always say he's going to be your concierge, he's going to be your assistant, he's going to be helping you with everything you need. For example, you need currency exchange, he's going to take care of it for you. You need those outlet converters, he'll take care of it for you. You need your clothes to be laundered. For example, when you're

You're in Fasso, you're in Marrakesh and you have two days and you have some clothes that need to go to the dry cleaner, he'll take care of it for you. So, and then you have a manager on duty that it's in Morocco and then you have access to us. So there's a 24-7 support, whether in the US or whether in destination, whether you're in Morocco.

Kyleigh Grace (59:10)
That's amazing. feel like that's the best thing for someone on their honeymoon to, you you get there and you're like, I need a converter for my outlet and I don't even have one. It's just fantastic that they cover that because I think that really relieves the stress for couples as they're traveling.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (59:26)
of definitely.

Kyleigh Grace (59:28)
And now, how would you say your company helps couples balance adventure, culture, and relaxation in their trip?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (59:36)
You know, it's very funny because sometimes we'll have a couple and one couple is adventurous, the other couple, they don't, it's not their cup of tea. So one of them is more interested in certain things versus the other is interested in other things. So what do we do? Basically, it's a combination of, of everything that they want to experience. And that's what makes it really, really fun. So, and again, Morocco is different because they think of adventure because of

how they experience adventure. But then when you go to Morocco, a walk in the market can be an adventure on its own. and you know, I always ask, you know, just be open-minded, just trust what we do and you'll have a lot of fun and enjoy it.

Kyleigh Grace (1:00:19)
I love that. And now you mentioned your itineraries include everything upfront. Can you walk us through what's typically included and how you help travelers avoid surprises or hidden costs?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (1:00:30)
lot of tour operators or people, they may say, know, have, you have, for example, let's say we'll take this itinerary, for example, this is a private, let me look at the price. says, I think it says 3000 something per person. Yeah. Well, almost let's say 3,500 just to make it easy to calculate per person. So for a couple that's seven, that's 7,000 and 10 days. Let me see.

So that's 350, which is about the same range that I gave the example earlier per person. What makes a difference is somebody same item who can tell you it's 1500. But then let's say you're in Marrakesh and you want to go see, know, Marjorel Garden, they'll say, hey, that's 170 per person. You know, but we know that's not what the cost is. So everything that you want, they're going to charge you 200, 250, 300 per person.

By the time your tour finishes, you're going to realize that you just spent $4,500 or $5,000 for an itinerary that will charge you a little bit less, but the price is upfront. And then they'll say, hey, the transportation is included from Casablanca, but then we drop you off somewhere else. And then you have to find your own way to the airport and stuff like that. So everything we do, we do it with care and we do it with your peace of mind.

at hand because when making a decision or traveling or planning to travel to a new country, a new destination, it's a lot of homework. And sometimes the couple, they miss few details. And this is one of the biggest misses is they only see the price, which is the tip of the iceberg. But what they don't see is the bottom of the ocean, which is the experience, the immersions, the local guides, everything they're getting in so many different details. So.

And that's why when you look at the itinerary, it's going to say information and documents. And within that, it's going to say what's included. And it's going to say, for example, nine breakfasts, three dinners or four dinners, local guides in Casablanca. Everything is detailed. this is very transparent. So the only thing that you need to pay extra is for your lunch and dinner, because everything else literally is included. So this is not all inclusive, but it's probably half inclusive if you would.

Kyleigh Grace (1:02:56)
Gotcha and I remember when we were discussing this I think you mentioned that you will also set up where they can get their lunch and their dinner and explain kind of the average cost if that's what they're also looking for in level of detail.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (1:03:12)
absolutely, 100%.

Kyleigh Grace (1:03:14)
Very cool. Yeah. think when like, you know, hearing about your services versus, someone looking through someone else that says, yeah, it's only 1500 is kind of that, like you said, that transparency about the upfront cost, as well as kind of that white glove approach or that concierge approach where they kind of have an expert at their fingertips and someone guiding them throughout what they're working through versus another thing might be more piecemeal a little bit.

you know, kind of broken up bit by bit and a little bit hard to feel cohesive.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (1:03:46)
Absolutely, I totally agree.

Kyleigh Grace (1:03:49)
And now for everyone who's listening and is interested in exploring more about Morocco for their honeymoon, what would you say is the best way to get started or reach out to you?

Azdean Elmoustaquim (1:03:58)
I would say the best way is our podcast and they can listen to it anywhere they listen to their podcast. Our podcast is called Destination Morocco podcast because it has a lot of content, really, really valuable content. And we have done over a hundred episodes. So I would say that's a really good place to start. The reason is because it's going to save you a lot of Googling time. It's going to help you tremendously and you're getting the right information from the right source.

Now if you hear things that you really like and you want us to book it for you, you can book a discovery call through the website. Or if you feel confident enough, there's plenty of information for you to plan everything on your own. You got it. You can do this. So, but if you need us to help you, we can absolutely do that for you as well.

Kyleigh Grace (1:04:47)
Awesome. And we'll link everything in the show description so everyone can access the website as well as your podcast. So was super lovely having you on. Thank you so much for being here.

Azdean Elmoustaquim (1:04:59)
Thank you. I'm very grateful. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I'm super grateful.