Sunday, January 10, 2010

Gay Holidays To Morocco

By Howie Holben

Morocco is a popular tourist destination in northwestern Africa and provides wonderful gay holidays. This is a land of rich history, deeply entrenched culture, legend and myth. Well-known as a setting for books, play and movies, this desert nation offers visitors the opportunity to explore ancient ruins, traipse across the desert on a camel, stay in a hotel made of sand and bargain with insistent rug and spice traders in old-world open air marketplaces. In many cities and towns traditional homes have been converted into guest lodgings, called riads, which often provide for a more welcoming environment for folks on a gay vacation and allow visitors to experience Moroccan life and culture up close. Morocco is a conservative Muslim country and has no scene to speak of; however other reasons to include this exotic land in your gay travel ideas are abundant, including beautiful beaches, exceptional architecture, expansive desert landscapes and the chance to meander through souks (markets) that twist and turn through narrow village streets.

With splendid Muslim mosques, Roman ruins, street performers and snake charmers, a vacation to Morocco is a once in a lifetime experience full of sights, smells, colors and sounds. Travel to Morocco would simply not be complete without standing in awe of the distinct art deco architecture in Casablanca, climbing atop an ancient white wall in Tangier to take in the expansive ocean views and breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, visiting the Dar Si Said Museum in Marrakech and exploring the diverse corridors of the Fes medina.

Jet set European and American composers, writers and socialites once flocked to Morocco in droves, making it a well-known, popular gay vacation destination; however, while Morocco was once a welcoming playground for gay vacations, a push by Muslim leaders to return to the stricter moral code of Islam has negatively influenced this once liberal vacation spot. While rarely enforced, same-sex conduct was criminalized in 1962 and travelers on a vacation to Morocco should keep in mind that it is a criminal offence punishable by up to three years in prison and fines.

The government recently released a statement noting that increased efforts to repress homosexuality would be put in place and that homosexuality will not be tolerated; which may lead to stricter enforcement of this law. This type of intolerance and laws against same-sex conduct are not uncommon in African nations or conservative Muslim countries and does not mean that Morocco must be avoided during your gay travel.

However it does mean that caution and discretion are advised while visiting this conservative country and that travelers may want to consider visiting Morocco as part of organized gay travel groups or working with a gay holidays agency that is knowledgeable about the safest locations and lodgings for Morocco vacations.

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