Okay, so you’re headed to Morocco. Here are a few handy travel tips to keep in mind:

Don’t forget to pack a few extra: pairs of thick socks, long underwear, and warm woollens if you are travelling in winter. In summer, you will need far less clothing. Any time of year, pack a couple of small gifts from your home country to offer to the locals who help you along the way. Moroccan hospitality is legendary, and you will want to return the favour.

If you only have 24-48 hours in Morocco, you must visit: the Fez medina instead of Marrakech for an instant hit of a culture unspoiled by tourism.

If you’re going to haggle, keep this in mind: smiles go a long way in Morocco. Even if you initially get into an argument over the price, expect to shake hands by the end and plan sit down for mint tea and warm wishes before you leave the shop.

The one food I totally loved was: freshly grilled sheep's liver. Before it was grilled, it had been wrapped in crépine (the fat lining from a goat's stomach) – a delicacy used by the world's great chefs. I had never tasted such succulent – or fresh – livers in my entire life.

And the one food I will pass on in the future is: nothing. Moroccan food is one of the world's great culinary traditions, and damn! do they know how to cook. But I'd probably skip stewed goat's head the second time around.

I know it may sound weird, but you absolutely have to try: spending a night in a Berber family home. There is no faster way to grasp the local culture in the Atlas Mountains.

OR

visiting the local hammam (Moroccan bathhouse) – and I stress local – where residents who have no indoor plumbing go to bathe. You will feel out of place at first and won't know what to do, but if you bring your own savon noir (black soap), bathing trunks, towel and hammam glove (a coarse scrubbing mitt), the hammam attendant will show you what to do. And definitely get the gommage (scrub down) and massage by the onsite attendant.

But as an independent traveller in Morocco, the one thing I would avoid is: too many days in Marrakech. While the city is a must-see for first-timers, expect to get hassled by taxi drivers and salespeople.

I was really surprised by: the depth of colour everywhere you look in Morocco. Even in the desert, where the land is a thousand shades of grey and beige, the nomads wrap themselves in richly colour garments and lay their tents with gorgeous rugs.

The best way to fit in and not draw too much attention to yourself is to: dress like the locals. Pick up a jelaba, and learn how to fold back the pointy hood.

When it comes to getting around, I recommend: taking your time above all else. When taking a grand taxi, buy the two front seats, which in the Western world are actually one bucket seat. Think vintage-1980s, chug-chug diesel Mercedes cars. Normally they put two bodies into a seat designed for one, and it gets cramped as hell. Plus you have better views sitting alone in front.

A good place to get basics (bottled water, toothpaste, a snack, stamps, phone cards) is: any épicerie (grocery store). They sell everything from savon noir and hammam gloves to basic supplies you may have forgotten. Don't be shy: Moroccans are a friendly bunch. If you speak no French or Arabic, plan to point at things you want.

And it’s always nice to say ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘how much?’ in the native tongue. And that is:

Please = 'Afak
Thank you = Shukran!
How much? = Combien? (in French, which is always acceptable.)
Hello = As-salam ?leykum, or more casually Salam!

*But most important is Insha'Allah! which means God willing. It gets you in with the locals like nothing else.