Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)
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Most tourists from western countries do not require a VISA in advance to visit Morocco. You will be given a 90 day Tourist Visa on entry, indicated by a number that is stampeder handwritten into your passport on your first entry. If you are returning to Morocco, you will not get another number.
You are required to have a passport that is valid for 3 months after trip to Morocco.
TIP:
You could be asked a series of question when you meet with the Immigration agent. Two questions to note are these:
- What is the address where you will be staying: Please provide the name of the hotel for your first night in Morocco.
- They may ask you to present the boarding pass for the flight you just arrived on.
The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan dirham. (Pronounced DEAR-um) MAD or DHS are the associated symbols. Morocco currently has a closed economy which means you can only use dirham inside Morocco. We encourage you to manage your cash carefully towards the end of your trip so you don’t have any dirhams to take out of the country.
In Morocco there are two ways to get local currency:
- Use your bank card or a multi-currency debit card. Be advised that while this is an easy way to get fast cash it is not without cost. There is a withdrawal limit of 2,000 Dhs ($200 USD) per transaction and you may see a ~$3 foreign transaction fee per transaction from your bank. You can make 3 transaction consecutively at a single bank machine for a withdraw of 6,000 Dhs.
- Bring US dollars or Euros and visit a currency exchange. There are numerous outlets in the large cities and several in the smaller centers.
If you are traveling with us on a tour, there is no need to get cash right away. Please don’t use the machines or exchange bureau at the airport as it is very costly. Your driver will help you find an exchange bureau or ATM in the city where the rates are more favourable.
Cash is always preferred for smaller items and in local shops and restaurants.
Visa, Mastercard, and to a lesser extent American Express, will be accepted in established, larger stores and restaurants. In the cities, you will find it easy to use credit cards, but as you travel to the more remote areas, please have a cash backup.
Tips are never prompted on credit card terminals as you find in the States so please be prepared with small bills for that. It is always preferable to tip someone hand to hand for their service rather than tipping “the house”. However, in the case of riads, it is customary to tip the whole house on departure (usually there is a box at the desk) rather than tipping each person during your stay.
Your phone carrier at home may offer global roaming. It has been our experience that this can be an expensive option and can be limited in effectiveness.
Free wifi is widely available in most businesses, restaurants and hotels. We recommend if you plan to use wifi to access WhatsApp, or messenger services, that you turn your phone to airplane mode or turn off data roaming to avoid surprise charges.
You can purchase a SIM card from Orange, INWI or Maroc Telecom when you arrive and top it up and any local shop. They will help you install it and get things working at time of purchase. Data is very inexpensive and you should be fine with only 100 or 200 Dhs ($10-$20) expense during your trip. Most carriers offer very good coverage with the exception of some areas in the mountains or in the desert.
Morocco is a Muslim country with liberal views and is generally tolerant for all. We do recommend that women dress more conservatively to avoid unwanted attention. Looser fitting clothing, longer skirts and dresses and tops with sleeves are recommended.
There is no place where anyone needs to cover their hair in any circumstance in Morocco.
You are welcome to dress as you choose and you will see all styles in the major cities, but to avoid attention and show respect toward the devout, we recommend a scarf over shoulders and a little discretion in showing “skin”.
If you are vegetarian you will find that there are good options for you to enjoy and most restaurants now easily accommodate a vegetarian or pescatarian lifestyle.
Gluten free options are not easily found outside large centre grocery stores, and bread is a staple in the Moroccan diet so you may find that you need to make special requests, especially at breakfast when bread in various forms is the staple.
Vegans will find options in most places but outside city centres it is difficult and will be repetitive.
Please let us know if you have serious medical allergies to any foods so that we can help you with the French and Arabic translations for your safety and for clarity.
There are 2 official languages in Morocco; those languages are Arabic and Amazigh (Berber).
However, most Moroccans speak 4 to 5 languages before leaving middle school.
French is pervasive in the cities and among some of the educated villages.
Darija is the Moroccan dialect of Arabic that is spoken among Moroccans. It is not a written language so you will not find many translator services. Many Moroccans who interface with tourists also speak English.
It is best to rely on French and English and to lean on your guide for assistance in other communications.
While the tap water in urban centres is well treated and very clean, we recommend that you use bottled water if you are sensitive to changes while travelling. In rural areas we recommend that you rely 100% on bottled water.
Bottles of water are widely available in restaurants and shops. We recommend you purchase large 5L jugs and dispense into reusable bottles if you are able. This will help reduce plastic waste.
You can purchase 1L bottles for around 10 dhs in the shops and 20 dhs in the restaurants. Most restaurants do not mind if you bring your own water with you.
In the south, close to the desert, you will find the water is very salty and you should be prepared with bottled water for tooth brushing and all drinking.
Pharmacies are plentiful in all locations but you should be prepared for holidays and Sundays when they typically close. There are emergency locations available but often times they are not easily accessed on holidays.
You can find paracetamol (acetaminophen) is easily available as is Imodium by brand name. You will find that pharmacies offer many familiar over the counter medications under different names. Most pharmacists speak a good level of English and your guide can always help you.
You will NOT easily find antacid tablets, Gravol or Benedryl. If you need an EPI pen, please bring it from home. If you need Insulin, please bring a freezer pack and we will help you in keeping it cool during the day, and in a fridge overnight.
We recommend that if you have OTC medications that you rely on or prefer at home, you should bring a supply with you to have for quick access.
Pharmacies also have antibiotic brands available without a prescription.
Sunscreen is widely available in Pharamacies, Parapharmacies and grocery stores.
The most common plug type is C. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins, and it is commonly used throughout most European destinations. Morocco operates on a 220V supply voltage and 50Hz.
The plugs in Morocco are “single gang” vs the North American “double gang” which means you can only plug in one item to most plugs vs two items.
We recommend that you bring a USB hub to allow for more cords to be plugged in to the single outlets.