Before travel…

Location

Morocco is situated in north-west of Africa, and its name in Arabic (“al-Maghreb”) literally means “the West”. The country is just 13km from Spain separated by the Street of Gibraltar. Its neighbor on the east is Algeria, in the south its disputed region of Western Sahara borders on Mauritania.

Currency

Dirham(MAD) is Moroccan currency and most people do not accept other currencies. The dirham is a closed currency, which means it can only be bought once you arrive in Morocco. You’re allowed to bring in or take out 1000Dh (around $102) but you’ll need to exchange the rest on arrival. You can exchange your dollars to dirhams at a Bureau de Change in the airport or port, at a bank and in most hotels.

 

You must exchange currencies only in official exchange houses, identified by a golden badge. No commissions are charged and you must kept the receipt until the return if you want to change the remaining dirham to the currency of your country of origin.

 

Payment in cash with dollars and euros is accepted in most hotels and restaurants in big cities, you just have to be careful with the exchange rate at which they buy it since it is usually lower.

 

ATMs are easily found in airports, cities and big towns but are less common in rural and remote areas.

 

Credit Cards Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

Weather

Morocco’s climate is very diverse, varying with the season and region. In general the country has a tropical climate, with the temperatures reaching as high as 35ºC (95ºF) and as low as 5ºC (41ºF) in the Sahara. The coast has a warm, Mediterranean climate tempered on the eastern coast by southwest trade wins whilst inland areas have a hotter, drier, continental climate. In the south of the country, the weather is very hot and dry throughout most of the year, though temperatures can drop dramatically at night, especially in the months of December and January.

Photos

General photos including landscapes, building, sea, nature are allowed, however, taking photos to other people you will always need to ask permission in advance however, some people might ask for money in exchange for the photo (10 MAD is appropriate). Never take photos of people praying.
 
Nobody is allowed to take the police, army, navy or soldiers pictures.

Languagges

The official languages in Morocco are Classic Arabic and Tamazight (Berber), though almost 70% of the population is Amazigh, mostly in rural areas, Sahara and the mountains.

 

However French is taught in the schools and is often used in commerce and business. Around Tangier, there will be many people who can speak Spanish, due to the proximity of Spain and Spain’s past colonization in the north.

Dress Code

There’s no official dress code in Morocco, however wearing clothes that cover the shoulders, upper arms and knees will be highly appreciated by the local population, particularly in rural areas.

Telephone and Internet

Check with your telephone company whether or not you have any voice and data roaming rates activated in Morocco, to avoid surprises on your bill when you return from your vacation. Remember to disconnect data roaming so that your mobile does not automatically connect to the Internet.

 

The companies Maroc Télécom, Orange and Inwi operate in Morocco. Coverage is quite good, except in remote rural or desert areas.

 

Free Wi-Fi network is available in hotels and some restaurants. For foreigners, “PocketWiFi” is available from approximately 10 euros per day, it captures all 3G / 4G signals in wifi signal and allows you to connect several devices simultaneously.

Souvenirs & Handicrafts 

Each city is specialized in typical crafts:

• Rabat: embroidery
• Casablanca: leather goods
• Meknes: Metal work
• Fes: blue pottery and leather.
• Marrakech: leather and spices
• Essaouira: Argan oil and wooden work