Things to know before visiting Morocco :

Posted by Youssef Achabou on November 24th, 2020

What to know about the currency :

In the state of Morocco, part of North Africa, the national currency is Dirham. 1 euro is equivalent to about 10.75 Dirhams and you will see that this value may vary several times during your stay. For those who leave with euros in hand, it will be easy to change them into local currency by going to one of the exchange offices available in the various cities.

Our advice:

-          Do not exchange large amounts of money at the airport because the exchange is never convenient and commissions are very high. Furthermore, the most convenient exchange offices are in Fes and Marrakech.

-          Leave with some liquid money from your country and exchange it little by little, so you will avoid having to exchange it back again into your currency or find yourself in your country with unused Dirhams in your pocket.

-          Watch out for credit cards, not all the types are accepted by ATMs and it often happens that the cards are even blocked by the counter, forcing you to go to the bank the next day. Moreover, withdrawal is never convenient because you will be charged a withdrawal fee at the exchange rate.

The documents :

In the list of what to know before leaving for Morocco there is undoubtedly the type of documents to take with you during the trip or enter the country, in fact, it is mandatory to be in possession of a valid passport that expire after the date of your return flight. Credit cards, driver's licenses or health cards will not be valid in Morocco, the passport is the only document that will allow you to pass through customs.

Expert advice:

-           Make a photocopy of your passport and keep it with you at all the time in a separate luggage or pocket from the original, in case of loss.

-          Send yourself a digital copy of the document (photograph or scan by email): this option could also help you in case of difficulties.

-          Always leave your passport in a safe place such as the Riyads or in the purse under your clothes, so you will avoid being without your ID for any reason.

-          Do not give your passport to anyone unless extremely necessary, especially men in uniform if they do not have a badge.

Phone needs

Once you've purchased your flight and organized your itinerary, it's time to think about the simplest things of everyday life. By now the internet connection is part of our days and it is really difficult to

travel without it even just to orient ourselves, understand where to go, look for information, etc.. So here, we give you some useful information about what you need to access the net, make calls… one of the things you must know before leaving to Morocco.

Probably, you will land in Fes or Marrakech, if not Casablanca, all cities quite in expansion, and where you can find various stores to buy a Moroccan sim to insert in your phone.

The companies available are various: Orange, Inwi, Maroc Telecom, Meditel. You will have at your disposal the top-ups valid from 1 day to 1 month according to the credit. You only need to buy a sim and choose the data traffic you will need for internet or calls.

Useful tips:

If you meet the popular Orange operators at the airport who offer you the free sim, APPROVE!In the city, the sim will have a cost while if you take advantage of the promotion at the airport, you will only pay the recharge.

-          Choose the sim ORANGE and avoide all the problems of coverage if not in the desert (understandable).

-          Choose the recharge according to the internet Gigabits you have available but also according to the duration of your trip. These recharges in fact have both a limit of Gigabits and time, so if you choose the one with a duration of 7 days the traffic will expire even without having consumed it.

The costs are very small, you may get the offer  to have 2 Gigabits for 7 days at a cost of 2 euros. Remember that in most restaurants, bars, and in all riads thereis internet connection, so in those cases you will not use your data credit.

Transportation :

Here, we give you important tips about how to move easily and safe in Morocco. There are various types of public and private transport that will allow you to move between cities and urban centers:

-          Trains: They are really clean, technological, efficient and safe. It will be possible to make long routes like from Fes to Marrakech with air conditioning and comfortable seats, simply enjoying the view.

-          Grand Taxis: These are private vehicles with drivers that allow you to travel comfortably in minivans or large cars without spending considerable amounts of money. These vehicles do not have a time table and leave when the vehicle fills up. Therefore,  it will be possible to share the ride among all the passengers.

-          Petit Taxis: They are small cabs that travel only within the city and have very low prices. In fact, 2/3 euro will be enough to move easily from one part of the city to another.

Our advice:

To organize a trip with several stops, reach the desert and visit places far away from the cities. Many tour operators can be found for Touring In Morocco, they can offer you luxurious cars with local multilingual guides/drivers.

Also, by experience , we recommend the 3 days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert for everyone who is willing to visit the Sahara desert, experience camel rides, and spend the night at the camp.

Food and drinks :

You should know that during a trip to Morocco, cooking will be a fundamental part. Just like in most European countries, in Morocco the meal is a moment of conviviality and sharing, so you will find yourself listening to new stories and discovering new flavors. The food is very tasty and the spices in the dishes abound. Everything revolves around couscous and tajine: there are thousand versions and most of them include vegetables and meat. Not to mention, you will not find pork because in Muslim countries it is forbidden by religion, but you will find in its place chicken, lamb, veal and kid. Another European element that you will find in Moroccan restaurants and clubs is alcohol, wine, beer, and liquor are available and only non-muslims can drink.

What we recommend:

-          Try as much local food as possible because the dishes are really delicious.

-          Pay attention to the various tourist traps and cleanliness, just take a look at the menu to see which ones to avoid (pizza and chips are not even included in the real Arabic cuisine).

-          If you want to try a good Moroccan craft beer or wine, you'll have to go to the supermarkets like Carrefour…