A melting pot of Arabic, Jewish, Berber African and European cultures, Morocco has many layers to explore. Its long history has seen Roman invasions, Islamic conquests and European colonisation, all of which have left their mark on its food, architecture and traditions.
Best Time to Visit
Spring and autumn are generally the best times to visit Morocco, as the weather is warm. The winters can be cold with snow and the summer’s extremely hot. The coastal regions can be visited year-round.
Things to do and see
- Medina of Marrakesh: The Medina in Marrakech is iconic for its ancient walls and huge gates. There is nothing quite like it, the sounds foods and crowds selling everything you could imagine. Do watch out for the motor bikes, which are constantly zooming up and down the Medina.
- The Blue Village of Chefchaouen: To the south of Tangier is the village Chefchaouen, the town is painted blue, making it a unique place to visit.
- Sahara Desert (Merzouga): In the village of Merzouga close to the Algerian border is the sand dunes that make up the Merzouga Desert. This is a great opportunity to explore the Sahara Desert.
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Food and drink
There are two dishes which are very popular in Morocco; the tajine and couscous. Tajine is a meat stew cooked in an earthenware pot. Couscous is steamed semolina grains, it is a staple food in Morocco, served with chicken, lamb and steamed vegetables. Laws on alcohol are liberal, making it easy for tourist to buy alcohol.
Transportation
Air: Airports in Lilongwe and Blantyre deal with international flights from Ethiopia, Nairobi, Kenya and South Africa. There are no directs flights from London to Malawi, you must connect to one of these countries. There are also flights to Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe from Malawi.
Roads: Morocco has a good extensive network of roads.
Ferry: There are limited ferry service on Lake Malawi which include stops in Tanzania and Mozambique. There are also water taxi’s on Lake Malawi.
Taxi: Licensed meter taxis and unlicensed taxis operate in the major cities in Morocco. Some of the taxis are shared. Always be prepared to negotiate the price before starting your ride. Uber does not work in Morocco.
Rail: The Moroccan rail system provides services to Oujda, Casablanca, Tangier, Fes and Marrakech.
Bus: There are extensive bus services in Casablanca and other major towns.
Visa
Visas are not required by all EU, U.S, Canadian and Australian nationals.
Language
Arabic is the official language of Morocco. French is also widely spoken. The indigenous tribes of Morocco speak Berber.
money and expense
The local currency in Morocco is the Moroccan Dirham(MAD). Credit cards can be used in hotels, major restaurants and shops, but not in many rural areas. There are ATMs now in most of the major towns.
Tipping
Tipping is part of the culture and is expected for every service. Tipping is discretionary: it is an accepted part of culture and you should tip the smaller services no matter how perfunctory they seem. With the drivers and guides please do not feel obliged to tip to this level if you felt the service was substandard.
Racism/Sexism/Discrimination
Social etiquette
Morocco is mainly a Muslim country. So, it is important you respect Muslim customs. This involves dressing in a way that is not offensive. Men should always wear a shirt in public. Women must cover their heads in mosques and religious sites. Do not photograph anything to do with the military or government buildings. During Ramadan, you cannot eat, drink or smoke in public.
Adaptor
In Morocco there are two types of plugs used, the two round pins and the two round pins and a hole for the socket.
WIFI
Good internet Access is widely available in Morocco. Hotels and restaurants have free wifi and there are many internet cafes in all major cities.
Ruth’s Lonely Planet 