TRAVEL TIPS

Marrakech	Casablanca
Fes	Er Rachidia

Entry Requirements

All visitors to Morocco require a valid passport but visitors from the following countries do not need to obtain visas before arrival: Schengen member states, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Republic of Congo, Guinea, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Mali, Mexico, New Zealand, Niger, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela. Tourists from countries that need a visa to enter Morocco should contact their nearest Moroccan Embassy. Passports must be presented to by airlines and airport security for check-in. On entering/leaving Morocco, you will need to complete entry/exit forms.

Climate and Temperature

The climate in Morocco is mostly dry, although the rainy seasons are from October to November and from April to May. Maximum annual rainfall occurs in the northwest. Temperatures vary significantly by region and by season. The southern and southeastern desert regions can reach extremely high temperatures during the hot summer months. The higher altitudes of the mountain ranges moderate the heat, they are cooler in summer and very cold in winter. The early summer months are quite pleasant; with not much rain, warm days and cool nights. The eastern slopes of the Atlas Mountains, which divert the moisture-laden Atlantic winds, have a pre-Saharan climate, while their western slopes are relatively cool and have some precipitation. Temperature variations are small along the Atlantic coast, while the interior is characterized by extreme variations.

What to Pack/Wear

Climate varies by region and season, so dressing in layers, casual and comfortable is the best option. Morocco is a Muslim country and modest type clothing is appropriate, so you should avoid provocative clothing. Respect of local customs is a courtesy that is appreciated. Access to Mosques and holy places is forbidden to non-Muslims. Bring short/long sleeve tee-shirts, shirts and blouses, trousers, long skirts. Depending on your tour, you may want to consider the advantages of soft suitcases for storage on roof rack or small backpacks which are appropriate for overnight trekking into the desert. Sand gets everywhere in the deserts, so bringing sealable plastic bags can help. Pockets with buttons, zippers or Velcro help avoid losing stuff and keep sand out. For trekking in valleys, low trekking shoes will be likely enough, unless you go in coldest time of the year when you will prefer hiking boots. In the cities and medinas, streets are paved or asphalted: any closed-toe footwear is fine to be comfortable and keep dirt out. Sun can be very strong and in the desert the wind can be a bother, so you should bring a hat or scarf, sunglasses, and sunscreen for protection from the sun.

Health concerns

Besides your personal medications, it can be good to bring: toilet paper for desert excursions, aspirin, band-aids, a topical digestive tract antibiotic (such as containing Bacitracin and Neomycin Sulfate), an anti-diarrheal, antacid, etc. No vaccination certificate is required for visitors coming from Europe or America. Anti Malarial treatment is not required. Bottled water is recommended.

Languages

Arabic is the official language. Moroccan Arabic is a dialect of Maghreb Arabic and is quite different from the Arabic language spoken in the Middle East since it has some French or Spanish influences, depending on the region. The Moroccan Berber population speaks Berber, or the Amazigh language. Tarifit is the dialect spoken in the mountainous regions of the north, while in the central region the dialect is Tamazight, and in the south the dialect is Tachelheet. French is widely spoken and understood in Morocco (basically the language of business, government and diplomacy), particularly wherever tourist would expect to go. English and Spanish are also usually spoken to some extent in tourist centers.

Currency/Money

The Moroccan currency is the Dirham (written as DH or MAD). ATM cash machines are available in some parts of Morocco but you should have available cash. Credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard are accepted in some hotels and restaurants, but don’t count on it, particularly out of the cities and in the south. Traveler checks are not widely accepted.

Electricity and voltage

The voltage in Morocco is nominally 220 V at 50 Hz, and outlets accept the two-pin Europlug standard as is common throughout continental Europe and parts of the Middle East, with two 4 mm diameter pins.

Food

Moroccan food is mostly healthy and delicious, and the ingredients are usually of good quality. You may want to play it safe and avoid fresh vegetables. Some of the most common and typical dishes are:

- Tagine: a tasty stew, cooked in cone shaped earth ware pots, with chicken or beef or lamb and vegetables.
- Couscous: a steamed wheat grain, served with meats or vegetables.
- Brochettes: skewers of beef, lamb, or chicken cooked on open flame.
- Harira: a thick, bean-based soup.
- Berber omelet: a mixture of tomatoes, onions, eggs and herbs, sometimes spicy, cooked in oil.
- Mint tea: sometimes called Berber whisky, it is a green tea brewed with fresh mint with sugar added in the pot.
- Coffee: usually served strong and short, with or without milk, with sugar on the side.
- Alcohol: limited availability due to religious prohibition, but can be found in larger city supermarkets and more touristy restaurants.

Other information

Capital: Rabat
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Total area: 446,550 km2
land: 446,300 km2
water: 250 km2
Population: 32,725,847 (July 2006)
Religion: Muslim 98.5%, Christian 1.3%, Jewish 0.2%
International calling Code: +212
Internet TLD: .ma
Time Zone: UTC (same as London)