APayphones have easy-to-follow instructions.
ACalling from a hotel normally doubles the cost of your call.
AMoroccan landline numbers start with 05, mobile numbers with 06.
Mobile Phones
GSM phones work on roaming. For unlocked phones, local mobile SIM cards are a cheaper option.
AMorocco has three GSM mobile-phone networks: Méditel (www.meditelecom.ma), Maroc Telecom (www.iam.ma) and Inwi (www.inwi.ma).
ACoverage is generally excellent, apart from in the mountains and deserts. 4G is available in most cities and many towns.
AIf your mobile phone is unlocked, buying a prepaid mobile SIM card will likely be cheaper than using your phone on roaming. Offers change frequently, but at the time of research, Dh100 got you around 200 minutes of calls plus up to 10Gb of data. Not all packages offer international SMS services.
ADomestic calls cost from Dh1 per minute, international calls from Dh2.50 per minute.
ACalls are cheaper between 8am and 8pm.
AYou need to show a passport or other form of identification when buying a SIM card.
ATéléboutiques, newsstands and grocery stores sell scratch cards for topping up your credit. Look out for special deals offering double recharge credit.
USEFUL NUMBERS
Morocco country code 212
International access code from Morocco 00
Directory enquiries 160
Spain country code (including Melilla and Ceuta) 34
Internet Phone Apps
AMoroccan telecommunications companies tend to block internet phone call applications (VOIP) like Skype and Whatsapp, for fear of lost revenues.
AMessaging services on these services are not blocked. If you want to make calls, however, install a VPN (Virtual Private Network) app on your laptop or smartphone before arriving in Morocco.
Time
Standard Moroccan time is on GMT/UTC.
Daylight saving Daylight saving runs from the end of March to the end of October. The exception is during Ramadan, when Morocco reverts to GMT, but it goes back again to daylight saving afterwards.
Daylight saving almost always causes confusion in Morocco; watch out for 'city time' and 'medina time' – many people in medinas never bother to change their clocks either way.
Spain If you’re travelling to/from Spain (including Ceuta and Melilla), note that Spanish clocks run on GMT+1 (+2 in summer), so double-check your times if catching a ferry.
Local attitudes Time is something that most Moroccans seem to have plenty of; they’re not in nearly as much of a hurry to get things done as most Westerners. Rather than getting frustrated by this, learn to go with the flow a little.
DIFFERENCES FROM STANDARD MOROCCAN TIME
Country Capital city Difference from Morocco
Australia Canberra +11hr
Canada Ottawa -5hr
France Paris +1hr
Germany Berlin +1hr
Japan Tokyo +9hr
Netherlands Amsterdam +1hr
New Zealand Wellington +13hr
Spain Madrid +1hr
UK London 0hr
USA Washington DC -5hr
Toilets
AFlush toilets are a luxury in a country struggling with water shortages. Outside midrange and top-end hotels and restaurants, toilets are mostly of the squat variety.
ASquat toilets feature a tap, hose or container of water for sluicing – the idea being to wash yourself (with your left hand) after performing.
AThere’s often no toilet paper (papier hygiénique) so keep a supply with you.
ADon’t throw the paper into the toilet as the plumbing is often dodgy; instead discard it in the bin provided.
AWomen will need to take along a plastic bag for disposing of tampons and pads.
APublic toilets are rare outside the major cities.
AIf you find a public toilet, you’ll need to bring a tip for the attendant, stout-soled shoes, and very often a nose clip.
ANNOYANCES: MOROCCAN PLUMBING
APatience is required when it comes to Moroccan plumbing.
AIn cheap, unclassified hotels without star ratings, trickling cold water and squat toilets are common.
ASometimes hot water is enthusiastically promised, but it may be tepid at best and only available at certain times of the day.
AIn rural areas, water is sometimes heated by a wood fire, but this comes at an environmental cost. Wood is expensive, water is often in short supply and deforestation is a major problem in Morocco.
AIn small towns and rural areas the hammam may be a better bet.
ATake tissues with you when using toilets at roadside restaurants on bus trips, plus a dirham or two to tip the attendant.
Tourist Information
Some cities and larger towns have tourist offices, which are normally repositories of brochures run by uninformed staff and, as such, usually best avoided. Often the receptionist in your hotel or another local will be more helpful than such bureaus. The best tourist offices are found in smaller destinations that are trying to promote themselves.
The Moroccan National Tourist Office (www.visitmorocco.com) runs most tourist offices.
THANKS BUT NO THANKS
Faux guides abound in tourist hot-spots, hustling to 'help' you and earn some commission from souvenir shops. The following are useful tactics for dealing with unwanted attention:
APolitely decline all offers of help you don't want, and exchange a few good-humoured remarks (preferably in Arabic), but don’t shake hands or get involved in any lengthy conversation.
AGive the impression that you know exactly where you’re going, or explain that you employed a guide on your first day and now you’d like to explore on your own.
AWear dark sunglasses and retreat to a cafe, restaurant or taxi if you’re beginning to lose your cool.
AIn extreme situations, use the word ‘police’ (shurta or ibulees) and look like you mean it.
Travellers with Disabilities
Morocco has few facilities for the disabled, but the country is not necessarily out of bounds for travellers with a physical disability and a sense of adventure. Some factors to be aware of:
AThe awkward nature of narrow medina streets and rutted pavements can make mobility challenging at times even for the able-bodied.
ANot all hotels (almost none of the cheaper ones) have lifts, so booking ground-floor hotel rooms ahead of time is essential. Riads invariably have steep, narrow and twisting stairs.
AOnly a handful of the very top-end hotels have rooms designed for the disabled.
ATravelling by car is probably the best transport, though you’ll be able to get assistance in bus and train stations (a tip will be required).
AMany tour operators can tailor trips to suit your requirements.
AVision- or hearing-impaired travellers are poorly catered for. Hearing loops, Braille signs and talking pedestrian crossings are nonexistent.
Download Lonely Planet's free Accessible Travel guide from http://lptravel.to/AccessibleTravel.
Resources
Organisations that disseminate information, advice and assistance on world travel for the mobility impaired include the following:
Access-able Travel Source (www.access-able.com) An information provider for travellers with mobility problems.
Apparleyzed (www.apparleyzed.com) For paraplegic and quadriplegic people and others with spinal-cord injuries, featuring travel information.
Disabled Travelers Guide (www.disabledtravelersguide.com) A general guide for travellers with disabilities.
Mobility International USA (www.miusa.org) Promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in international programs, with a page of air-travel tips.
Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (www.sath.org) Has news, tips and members’ articles and blogs.
Visas
AHolders of UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports may remain in the country for 90 days on entry.
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AIn all cases, your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry.
ANationals of Israel and many Sub-Saharan African countries (including South Africa) must apply in advance for a three-month visa (single/double entry about US$30/50).
AApplications are normally processed in 48 hours.
AYou need three passport photos.
AIn Morocco’s neighbouring countries, there is a Moroccan embassy in Madrid (Spain) and consulates-general in locations including Algeciras; an embassy in Nouakchott (Mauritania) and a consulate-general in Nouâdhibou; and diplomatic missions in Algeria including an embassy in Algiers.
AFurther information, including a list of Morocco’s diplomatic missions, is available from the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (www.diplomatie.ma/en).
AAs visa requirements change, it’s a good idea to check with the Moroccan mission in your country or a reputable travel agency before travelling.
Visa Extensions
ATravellers requiring a visa extension find it easiest to head to mainland Spain, or one of the Spanish enclaves in Morocco, and re-enter after a few days.
AAlthough doing a visa run generally presents few problems other than travel costs, it leaves you at the mercy of individual immigration officers on re-entry. Travellers have occasionally come unstuck this way.
AAn alternative is to apply for a visa extension, issued by the Directorate General of National Security. In practice, these are unobtainable.
AResidence (Carte de Sejour) is also available, but it is difficult to get and requires proof of employment.
AGo to the nearest police headquarters (Préfecture de Police) to check what documents they require. If possible, take a Moroccan friend to help you deal with the bureaucracy.
VISAS FOR NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES
Embassies for the following countries are in Rabat.
Algeria
ADiplomatic disputes have kept the Morocco–Algeria border closed since 1994. The main border crossing was between Oujda and Tlemcen in Algeria. Don't hold your breath for positive developments on this front.
AVisas are required by everyone except nationals of Arab League countries.
AAlgeria prefers applicants to apply in their country of residence.
Mauritania
AEveryone, except nationals of Arab League countries, needs a visa to enter Mauritania.
AAt the time of writing, Mauritanian visas were being issued at the border for €120, but this frequently changes so check before travelling.
AThe Mauritanian embassy in Rabat issues 30-day visas (€120). Multiple-entry visas are sometimes available, but purely at the discretion of the consular officer on the day.
AVisa applications are received Monday to Thursday 9am to 11am. Arrive well before the embassy opens and be prepared for queues. In the crowd of applicants, there's often someone organised enough to operate a list of those queuing – if so make sure your name is added, to keep your place in the queue.
AYou need two passport photos and a photocopy of your passport. Local fixers may approach you offering forms and help filling them in (and pointers to the nearest copy shop), for a small fee.
AVisa costs and requirements can change regularly – for updates see Sahara Overland (https://sahara-overland.com/) or the North Africa forum at Horizons Unlimited (www.horizonsunlimited.com).
Spain
ASpain is in the European Union and the Schengen Area.
AThe Schengen Area covers 30 European countries, including Spain and all other EU-member countries apart from the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
ACeuta and Melilla, the two Spanish enclaves in Morocco, have the same visa requirements as mainland Spain.
ANationals of EU-member countries do not need a visa to enter Spain.
ANationals of countries including Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA do not need a Schengen visa to cross a Schengen border.
AYour passport will be stamped upon arrival in the zone, and you can then stay for up to 90 days (straight or cumulative) within 180 days. This means, for example, that when you leave the zone at the end of a three-month stay, you are not permitted to re-enter for three months.
AFor more information, see Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (www.exteriores.gob.es).
International Health Certificate
An international certificate of vaccination (or yellow-fever certificate) is no longer required for entry into Morocco, even if coming from a country where yellow fever is endemic.
We recommend, however, that travellers carry a certificate if they have been in an infected country during the previous month to avoid any possible difficulties with immigration.
There is always the possibility that a traveller without an up-to-date certificate will be vaccinated and detained in isolation at the port of arrival for up to 10 days, or possibly repatriated.
Volunteering
There are many international and local organisations that arrange voluntary work on regional development projects in Morocco.
They generally pay nothing, sometimes not even providing lodging, and are aimed at young people looking for something different to do for a few weeks over the summer.
Some of these organisations are really just summer camps and international exchange programs. Always ask of the organisation 'who benefits?' Good volunteering projects should be aimed at providing outcomes for beneficiaries not the volunteer.
A good starting point is Lonely Planet's The Big Trip, a guide to gap years and overseas adventures that includes a chapter on volunteering and working overseas, as well as a directory of resources.
Organisations
International or local organisations that sometimes have Morocco placements or camps:
Chantiers Sociaux Marocains (CSM; %0537 26 24 00; www.csmorocco.org) Rabat-based NGO engaged in nationwide health, education and development projects, with international volunteers aged 18 to 35.
Morocco Exchange (www.moroccoexchange.org) Offers short-term student exchange and travel programs with a focus on cross-cultural education through visiting cities and rural villages. Previous custom-made programs have explored Morocco's medical system, the use of the French language, and women's rights.
Peace Corps (www.peacecorps.gov) Long-established US volunteer scheme with deep roots in Morocco; volunteer programs lasting two years.
Idealist.org Has volunteering and job opportunities in Morocco.
Go Abroad (www.goabroad.com) A good place to start looking for volunteer places, as it provides links to organisations with Moroccan programs.
International Cultural Youth Exchange (www.icye.org) Allows you to search for upcoming Moroccan volunteer opportunities.
Women Travellers
APrior to marriage, many Moroccan men have little opportunity to meet and get to know women outside their family – a major reason why Western women receive so much attention.
AFrequent unwanted looks and comments can come as something of shock to first-time visitors and the constant attention can be extremely wearing.
ASome women choose to develop a thick skin and ignore the hassle and it's worth keeping in mind that low-level harassment rarely goes any further.
AA benefit is that unlike male travellers, you’ll have opportunities to meet local women.
ATampons can be hard to buy in Morocco. Carrefour is the only dependable supermarket to stock them, and even then offers limited choice.
Dress
ADress modestly. It's expected you will cover your shoulders and knees, and avoid low-cut tops altogether.
ABikinis are OK on private beaches. Play things by ear in hotel pools – some are fine, at others it will attract unwanted attention.
ASunbathing topless on the beach is never appropriate in Morocco.
Havens & Pitfalls
AIf the hassle gets too much, look for the ever-increasing number of places accustomed to having the business of single M
oroccan women.
AThe upper floor of a salon de thé (teahouse), a restaurant or a hotel terrace are also good bets.
AHammams are good male-free zones for a relaxing reprieve.
AHotel and public swimming pools usually attract groups of men, whether they be swimming or drinking at a poolside bar.
ABe aware that some budget hotels double as brothels; any cheap hotel above a popular locals’ bar is a likely contender.
AIf you want an alcoholic drink, head to a large hotel rather than braving a bar, as these are generally male-dominated establishments. Local women who frequent watering holes (even the posher ones) are generally prostitutes.
Male Travelling Companions
AWomen travelling with male companions are less likely to experience much of the hassle that solo women inevitably encounter.
AIt may be better to claim to be a married couple rather than just friends (the latter concept is usually greeted with disbelief).
AIf you are a Moroccan woman (or Moroccan in appearance) travelling with your non-Moroccan spouse, it is advisable to carry a copy of your marriage certificate. Premarital sex for Muslims is forbidden and Morocco has a stern attitude to prostitution.
AFor the same reason, if your partner is thought to be Muslim, you may meet with some uncomfortable situations at hotel reception desks. This is less of an issue in larger cities.
Transport
ATry to sit next to a woman on public transport, especially in grands taxis where you’re squeezed in closely, and on trains, where you could potentially be trapped inside a compartment.
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 94