· My partner and I went to Casablanca and Marrakech in July 03. As an unmarried feminist, I was a bit concerned about dress and behaviour etc. too.

However, Casablanca reminded me somewhat of England in the late 60s and early 70s, young women wearing mini skirts and makeup alongside the more traditional attire - quite bizarre. If you want to go to the beach however, you have to join a beach club so that women can wear bathing costumes without causing offence (or be offended against). For a basic but clean hotel in Casablanca we can recommend Hotel de Noailles on Boulevard du 11 Janvier - get a taxi from the station v. cheap. (Go to Ricks Bar in the Hyatt for a Humphrey Bogart moment - excellent decor from the movie including a piano player - rather spoilt by the MTV screens on either side!).

In Marrakesh, more demur clothing is required but no need to cover up completely. Sun bathing in the hotels around the pool is ok. It is polite to cover arms and legs of course and it will keep the worst of the sun off you but as long as you do not wear shorts and short sleeved t-shirts this is ok.

There are no 'pubs' but there are cafe and hotels, some do not have single women but most are ok. We found the Moroccans polite and very helpful. The food is excellent and the non alcoholic cocktails great. Prices are very reasonable - the beautiful Kaftans will easily fit a size 22. It's a great country to visit and we will certainly go back again.
Maria Gough & Alan Humphreys

· If you stay in hotels aimed at foreign tourists you will probably be able to wear whatever you want around the hotel but if you are travelling around and visiting the medinas etc you would be well advised to cover up your arms and legs and have some sort of head covering to hand. It certainly made me feel more comfortable when travelling in North Africa, and I didn't get the hassle that I observed other more skimpily dressed women tourists being subjected to. But avoid wearing specialist 'travel' clothes as these mark you out as a rich foreign tourist.

I find that H&M's BiB range is a good source for linen drawstring trousers, longsleeved tunics and shirts etc at very reasonable prices. They're light and cool to wear and will dry very quickly in the heat. I also take a couple of large lightweight shawls for covering my head and shoulders when appropriate - it's unlikely that you'll ever need to wear a veil that will cover your face. Monsoon/Accessorise sell sarongs in both silk and cotton, which make very suitable shawls, and you'll probably find that large square headscarves (hijab) are easily bought once you get there.

Ankle-length crinkle-cotton drawstring-waist skirts can be useful when you want to wear a skirt (easier than trousers when using a squat-style toilet). They pack easily and go well with linen or cotton tunics. It's also a good idea to wear sunglasses when out walking, especially if on your own. It will make it easier to have a good look around while ensuring that you don't make eye contact.
Sue Mansfield