Tips and useful information for your travel in Morocco

Morocco is a land of contrasts. Bathed to the north by the waters of the Mediterranean, to the west by those of the Atlantic Ocean, it is also criss-crossed by the Rif and Atlas mountains and is subject to all sorts of climatic influences. 

The coastal regions are popular with the sun. Throughout the year, it pours its rays and you can enjoy its benefits whatever the season. Thus, Agadir, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and main seaside resort of the country, offers to the amateurs of idleness 300 days of annual sunshine, mild temperatures and light trade winds. Further north, Taghazout, Mogador and Magazan are also worth the detour.

A little further inland, the climate abandons the Mediterranean mildness and becomes continental. The reliefs are more drawn and present sumptuous panoramas. It is the land of wide open spaces, the land of adventurers who can go trekking and hiking in all seasons.

In the south, the country opens onto the immensity of the Sahara. It is in spring and autumn that one must venture there. In the middle of the sands, the sun shines and reflects on the dunes. These desert expanses exude a sense of unreality. Ride a camel and engage yourself in one of the most beautiful paintings ever composed by nature.

Do I need a visa to enter Morocco? What are the passport requirements? Get some essential information to make traveling easier.

Visa and Passport

The need for a visa depends on your nationality. For all nationalities, the maximum duration of the tourist trip is 90 days. A request for an extension can be made at the nearest police station to stay an additional 90 days.

For foreign nationals arriving in Morocco as part of an organized trip, a valid passport must cover at least the duration of the stay in Morocco.

To avoid any inconvenience upon arrival in Morocco, make sure you have a valid passport.

Means of payment

The exchange rate

Upon your arrival to Morocco, don’t hesitate to head to or contact the head office of the Moroccan National Tourist Office which is based in Rabat. Both the Regional Delegations and the Regional and Provincial Councils of Tourism, widely present in the main cities of the country, will also be of great help to you.

The Moroccan National Tourist Office, is an institute which goal is ensuring promotion and marketing of Morocco as a destination. Being also present worldwide : Europe, Asia, Africa and America, the MNTO's representatives will give you all the information you need for your trip on the spot.

Here is the list of the MNTO's delegations present worldwide :

Africa

Headquarters of the Moroccan National Tourist Office Maroc

Address :  Corner of Rue Oued Al Makhazine and Rue Zalaga-BP 19. Agdal-Rabat-Maroc
Email : bo@onmt.org.ma​
Phone number :+212 537 27 83 00
Fax : +212 537 67 40 15

Moroccan National Tourist Office SENEGAL

Address : 3rd floor, Résidence Rokaya sie in Dakar, Senegal 08, Road of the Meridian President
Email: a.oumaarir@onmt.org.ma
Phone number: +221 84 78 871

Europe

Moroccan National Tourist Office Spain

Address : Ventura Rodriguez N° 24 1° Izq – 28008 Madrid – Spain
Email : khalid.mimi@onmt.org.ma
Phone number : +34 91 541 29 95
Fax : +34 91 559 45 94

Moroccan National Tourist Office Italy

Address : 5 Via Durini -20122 Milano, Italy
Phone number : +39 02 58 30 36 33 / 02 58 30 37 56

Moroccan National Tourist Office France

Address : 161, Saint Honoré Street Place du Théâtre Français 75001 Paris, France
Email : jihad.chakib@onmt.org.ma
Phone number : +33 1 42 60 63 50 / 42 60 47 24 
Fax : +33 1 40 15 97 34 /42 97 48 31

Moroccan National Tourist Office Belgium

Address : Avenue Louise 402,1050 Brussels– Belgium
Email : rabia.talhimet@onmt.org.ma
Phone number : +32 2 646 63 20 /00 32 2 646 85 40
Fax : +32 2 646 73 76

Moroccan National Tourist Office Germany

Address : Graf Adolf Strasse 59 – 40 210 Düsseldorf, Germany
Email : mehdi.benrhanem@onmt.org.ma
Phone number : 00 49 211 37 05 51 / 52
Fax : 00 49 211 3740 48

Moroccan National Tourist Office UK

Address : 205 Regent Street, London W1B 4HB, England
Email : jkilito@onmt.org.ma
Phone number : +44 207 437 00 73 
Fax : +44 207 734 81 72

Moroccan National Tourist Office Poland

Address : KOZIA 5A m. 1 warszawa 00-070 – Poland
Email : rachid.ennaciri@onmt.org.ma
Phone number : +48 780 187 890

ASIA

Moroccan National Tourist Office UAE

Address : Building n 27 floor n° 13 office number 1302 tower three sails PB 130004 Abu Dhabi UAE.
Email : rachid.hamzaoui@onmt.org.ma
Phone number : +971 2 666 0710
Fax : +971 2 666 0719

Moroccan National Tourist Office CHINA

Phone number : +86 1 3 911 803 091
E-mail  : khalid.fathi@onmt.org.ma

America

Moroccan National Tourist Office USA

Address : 104 West 40^th street Suite 1820- New-York 10018 – USA
Email : ghadouani@onmt.org.ma
Phone number: +1 212  221 1583
Fax : +1 212  221 1887

For any further information, hoteliers and travel agents will be pleased to provide you with necessary documentation. Moroccan tourism professionals will do their utmost to offer you an enjoyable trip and assist you throughout your stay.

Visiting a country, is also learning a new language.

Morocco has two official languages, Arabic and Amazigh. French is also spoken and understood by almost all Moroccans.

Spanish is widely spoken in the northern and southern regions of Morocco.

The Amazigh language, whose alphabet is Tifinagh, is the common heritage of all Moroccans.

Classical or literary Arabic is only used in administrative contexts. Darija (Moroccan dialect) is the oral language used in Morocco, which is a mixture of Arabic, Amazigh, French and Spanish.

There are certain words in Darija that you need to know in order to communicate with local inhabitants easily. With this vocabulary you’ll no longer be a novice visitor, as you’ll prove that you are making an effort to make the most of your stay.

Here are some expressions and words that will help you throughout your stay in Morocco :

Most common words

Commerce

Directions

Schedules / Dates and hours

Apart from universal vaccinations (tetanus, polio, whooping cough, diphtheria, hepatitis B), no additional vaccination is required to visit Morocco.

Some vaccines are nevertheless useful for individual protection of the tourist. In case of extended rural stays, it is strongly recommended to be vaccinated against rabies.

In order to avoid any intoxication or illness, it is recommended to :

• Wash hands before eating
• Wash and peel fruits and vegetables
• Make sure that meat is well-cooked
• Avoid too long exposure to the sun

In case of diarrhea containing mucus, pus, blood or accompanied by a fever, it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor. For simple loose stools, you can use an antibiotic that slows down the intestinal transit. Moroccan pharmacies are often well stocked and doctors are well trained.

In case of a medical emergency, please call the single national toll-free number "141".

Morocco has all the assets to become a privileged destination for medical tourism. Having a considerable worldclass know-how, the medical staff apply very competitive rates of care which can reach up to 50% compared to other countries.

Morocco's first "medical city", called Marrakech Healthcare City, was inaugurated in December 2016.

This medical-hotel complex includes, in addition to a clinic, a 5-star hotel with 40 rooms and a village with 56 apartments with swimming pools and private gardens.

Marrakech Healthcare City covers several specialities such as ophthalmology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, genetics and maxillofacial surgery, and also has a beauty centre, spa, balneotherapy and hammam to complete the offer.

The official currency unit of Morocco is the Moroccan dirham (DH) which is abbreviate (MAD).

Tickets : you will find tickets from 20-50-100-200 DH

The coins : The coins in use are 0.50-1-2-5 and 10 DH and 1-5-10-20 centimes.

How to pay?

In Morocco, like most countries in the world, you can pay by cash or credit card. When paying by credit card, the exchange rate applied is the current rate. The maximum commission depends on each issuing institution, it is generally 1%.

Where to change currencies?

In establishments that don’t give the possibility to pay by credit card, it is preferable to pay in dirhams. The best places to change your currency are the exchange offices that are located in the tourist squares of each city in Morocco. You can change your currency at the airport or in hotels as well.

Exchange rates

You can find out the value of the exchange rate in real time by clicking here.

During the sacred month of Ramadan, Morocco apply GMT and GMT+1 the rest of the year. It is very easy to adapt to this new schedule and you’ll enjoy every moment of your wonderful stay!

The public holidays for the year 2018 are listed below :

Phone calls :

To make calls from your mobile phone number, don't forget to contract the "International" option with your telephone operator.

The network is generally well covered in Morocco.

It is also possible to buy a Moroccan SIM smart card provided that you have unblocked your mobile phone beforehand. You can also find refills in all kiosks.

Internet :

Generally, all hotels in Morocco have a high-speed connection, and many establishments offer free WI-FI connection: restaurants, cafeterias, airports, etc.

You’ll find below a non-exhaustive list of mobile applications that suit most travelers, which can be useful during your stay in Morocco.

Méteo Maroc

The application Weather Morocco provides weather forecasts (weather, wind, humidity, tides, soil activity, ephemeris, alerts) of cities in Morocco for five days. It also allows real-time access to the weather at any time of day. Download the Android application

Darija Dialect

ONCF Trafic

CTM

Pharmacie de garde Morocco

Autoroutes du Maroc