Essential Things to Know Before Traveling to Morocco

Passport & Visa
UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and many EC passport holders do not require a visa to enter the country, and will be granted a 3 month stay from the date of entry. This information was correct at the time of writing. However it is advisable to re-check the latest information regarding your specific visa requirements with your local Moroccan Embassy or Consulate, a few weeks before your planned date of travel.

Local time
Standard time zone: GMT

Electricity
220 volts. Sockets are of the European, two-pronged variety.

Language
Official language: Arabic, Berber and French
Many people working in the tourism field can speak a variety of languages such as English and European languages.

Local Currency
Moroccan Dirham (MAD; symbol DH) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of Dh200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of Dh10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.

Note: Moroccan Dirhams are not usually available outside the country and should not be taken out of the country.
XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion.

Changing Money, Credit Cards & ATM's
Banks and Bureau de Change facilities can be found everywhere in Morocco. It is advisable to exchange money at banks, in large hotels, and authorized Bureaux de Change where an official receipt will be issued (which you may have to present on departure when changing any remaining Dirhams back into the original currency). It is usually possible to exchange money at the airport on arrival, although the Bureau de Change does not normally accept travelers’ cheques. There are ATMs in the Arrivals Hall and in most major towns and cities.
It can be very difficult to change travelers’ cheques outside the major cities of Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech and is not particularly easy even here. For this reason we advise that you bring an alternative source of funds (cash and credit/debit cards) in US$ to ensure you have access to enough funds during your stay.
Note: Australian Dollar and Canadian Dollar traveler’s cheques and cash may not be accepted at all. It can be difficult to change money on Saturdays and Sundays, except at large hotels.

Clothing
As a general guideline, clothing should be lightweight, loose fitting, hard-wearing and easily washed. In Morocco's hot summer months, cotton clothing is much more comfortable than man-made materials like nylon.
You should bear in mind that Morocco has conservative attitudes towards dress, particularly in remote areas. Women, and also to a certain extent men, will find that the way they dress will often determine the degree of respect they receive from both men and women. The issue is not nearly of such importance in ‘touristy’ areas, such as Marrakech and the coast, where you can be just about as casual as you like.

Communications & Email

Telephone:
Privately run téléboutiques can be found throughout the country, with an attendant to provide advice, change and phonecards.

Mobile phone:
Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good in towns and cities, and across the west of Morocco, but a little more erratic east and further south.

Internet:
Access is unrestricted and is widely available in business centres, hotels and in internet cafés. A one month prepaid unlimited internet access card for laptops, iPhones and smartphones is available from Maroc Telecom (who also have the best national coverage).

Food
Fusion isn't a new trend in Morocco, where the cuisine is a blend of Mediterranean, and Arabic, Jewish, Persian, West African and Berber influences. Meals range from the diffa, an elaborate multicourse feast featuring couscous and grilled meats, to quick brochettes (kebab) from a roadside stall. Produce is seasonal, grown locally and typically without chemical pesticides or fertilisers.
Tagines, the fragrant stews of meat, vegetables or fish, named after the distinctive conical earthenware vessel they’re cooked in are the Moroccans main staple. Flavours revolve around a subtle array of spices, and traditionally every spice shop would have its own secret ras el hanout spice blend recipe.

Specialities:

• Harira (a spicy tomato-and-lentil-based soup).
• Pastilla (a pigeon-meat pie layered with flaky dough and dusted with cinnamon and sugar).
• Couscous (a savoury semolina dish cooked with local vegetables and/or meat).
• Tajine (a rich, fragrant stew, with some combination of lamb, chicken or fish with onions, olives, almonds, tomato, herbs or dried fruit).
• Mechoui (slow-roasted stuffed lamb or beef).

Regional drinks:

• Mint tea (aka 'Berber whiskey', a strong green 'gunpowder' tea mixed with fresh mint and heavily laced with sugar).
• Coffee (French press, espresso or Turkish style).

Meals
Breakfast is provided each day on most tours, and many tours also include a number of dinners. Lunches are rarely included to give you more freedom. Approximate costs for meals and snacks not included are shown below:

• Simple snack: US$3
• Light meal: US$6-12
• Fancy restaurant: US$25-35

Drinks
Approximate costs for drinks bought in a shop in the street are shown below. Note: Prices in restaurants and hotels can be as much as double those specified.

• 1l of water: US$1
• 30cl bottle of soft drink: US$1
• 50cl bottle of beer: US$3-5

It is not recommended that you drink the local tap water in Morocco. Bottled water, carbonated soft drinks and fruit juices are widely available throughout the country.

Things to know:
Laws on alcohol are fairly liberal (for non-Muslim visitors) and bars in most tourist areas stay open late. Wines, beers and spirits are available to tourists. Muslims are forbidden to drink alcohol. By law, no-one is allowed to drink alcohol in view of a mosque or during Ramadan, although tourist establishments sometimes flout this rule. Locally produced wines, beers and mineral waters are reasonably priced, but imported drinks tend to be expensive.

SUGGESTED TIPPING SCALE:
Tipping is a way of showing your appreciation and will be welcomed by the recipient, although if you decide not to tip in a particular circumstance, this doesn’t mean you’ll receive a lower level of service. Ultimately, tipping is discretionary and should be done at a level that feels comfortable.

Here are some guidelines that you may find helpful:

Tipping waiting staff is expected (if service is satisfactory), usually up to 5 dirams on small bills, and around 10% for larger bills.

Weather & Climate
Due to its size and varied topography, Morocco experiences great extremes of climate. Weather common to Mediterranean countries (hot, humid summers and mild rainy winters) can be found along the north coast, while the west coast sees the cooling effects of the Atlantic, making summer more temperate and winter very wet. In the mountainous regions, high altitudes make for the coolest temperatures in the country, making summer time very pleasant, but this invariably means that winters are bitterly cold. Moving over to the south-east, you'll find a real desert climate - scorching hot, dry summers with little rainfall and dramatic drops in temperature at night. These areas are frequently punctuated with stunning fertile oases.

WEATHER CHART FOR MOROCCO BY REGION

Average temperatures in °Fahrenheit

HEALTH & MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS & GUIDELINES
As a general recommendation, it is advisable to check with your family doctor or travel clinic for latest health information.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance from your travel agent. Health plans only provide limited coverage while traveling outside of the country. Indus Travels can offer you a complete travel insurance package. Some credit cards do offer travel insurance, however they do not always provide adequate coverage. Review and understand the terms of your credit card insurance policy. Extra travel insurance can be purchased.
Most insurance companies do have exclusions in their coverage. Pre-existing medical conditions are not insurable. High risk activities such as skydiving, parachuting, and bungee jumping are also not covered by insurance. Understand the complete insurance coverage you have before travelling out of the country.