6 Tourist Scams in Agadir

You enter the sprawling Souk El Had in Agadir and within seconds a young man appears, offering to ...

You enter the sprawling Souk El Had in Agadir and within seconds a young man appears, offering to 'show you around' the maze of stalls. He seems helpful at first, pointing out spice vendors and leather shops. But every stop is a commission shop, and your purchases cost 20-40% more because the vendor factors in the guide's cut. When the tour ends, your 'free' guide demands 100-500 MAD. As r/morocco regulars explain, these self-appointed guides are not licensed and are illegal under Moroccan law. If you refuse to pay, they may follow you or become verbally aggressive.

You hail a petit taxi in Agadir and the driver either refuses to start the meter or has one that ticks at double speed.

He quotes 100 MAD for a ride from the beach to your hotel that should cost 15-20 MAD. As r/morocco users and international studies confirm, Morocco ranks among the top ten countries for taxi fraud. In Agadir specifically, a driver was filmed by a tourist overcharging for a short trip, leading to his arrest by the Tourist Police. The scam targets arrivals at the airport especially, where drivers quote 300+ MAD for rides into town that should be 150 MAD or less.

You're strolling the Agadir beachfront when a woman grabs your hand and starts drawing henna ...

You're strolling the Agadir beachfront when a woman grabs your hand and starts drawing henna designs before you can object. Within minutes, your hand is covered and she demands 200-500 MAD for the work. If you arranged it willingly, a proper henna artist charges 50-150 MAD. But street henna scammers often use 'black henna' — not traditional henna but a mix containing paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a hair dye chemical. As r/morocco users report, this causes severe allergic reactions, chemical burns, and permanent scarring that can take months to heal. The aesthetic damage aside, the health risk is the real danger.

Agadir is in the heart of argan country, so buying argan oil here makes sense — except that many sellers exploit this.

A tuk-tuk or taxi driver takes you to a 'women's cooperative' where you watch a demonstration of argan production and get free tea. Then the hard sell begins: small bottles at 500-800 MAD when the fair price is 200-350 MAD per liter. Worse, as r/morocco users caution, cosmetic argan sold at street stands is likely vegetable oil with a drop of argan added for scent. Real culinary argan oil is darker and has a nutty aroma, while the street-stand version is clear and odorless.

You rent a jet ski on Agadir Beach — the vendor seems friendly and the price is reasonable.

No written contract, just a handshake. When you return the jet ski, the vendor 'discovers' a scratch or dent that was already there and demands 2,000-5,000 MAD for repairs. If you refuse, his friends gather around and things get tense. As r/travel users report, this same scam plays out with quad bikes and scooters along the coast. Without a written contract documenting the vehicle's pre-existing condition, you have no proof the damage isn't yours. Some vendors have been known to call police sympathetic to their side.

A shopkeeper in Souk El Had invites you in for 'just a look' at his Berber carpets and pours you a glass of mint tea.

He demonstrates how the carpets are handwoven and tells stories about the artisan families. The tea keeps flowing, and the hospitality makes it feel rude to leave without buying. He quotes 3,000-4,000 MAD for a carpet worth 400-1,200 MAD. As r/morocco users explain, accepting tea creates no obligation to buy, but the psychological pressure is intense. If you show any interest, the price drops — but it never drops to the actual value. The tea and the stories are part of a calculated sales technique.