AMany women travel in grands taxis without problems, regardless of where they sit, but you could pay for two seats to get a ride by yourself in the front. It would be considerably more comfortable.
AHitchhiking isn't recommended – female travellers looking for free rides may be assumed by male drivers as being prepared to offer sexual favours in return.
Safety Precautions
Women travellers should take a few sensible precautions:
AAvoid wandering about alone at night, as there’s an attitude that all ‘good women’ should be at home after dark; take a taxi.
AAvoid walking alone in remote areas such as isolated beaches, forests and sand dunes.
AWearing dark glasses is good for avoiding eye contact, but don’t spend your entire Moroccan journey hiding behind them.
AA simple non merci or la shukran (‘no thank you’) is much more effective than reacting with aggression (which could be returned in kind).
AThe key concept is ‘respect’, something that most Moroccans hold dear. Hashouma! ('shame!') can also be used to embarass would-be harassers.
AA wedding ring may help you avoid unwanted attention – along with a photo of your ‘husband’ and ‘child’. The fact that you’re travelling without them will arouse suspicion, but you could counter this by saying you’ll be meeting them at your next destination.
ATake extra care at music festivals (and other large gatherings) as complaints have been made of physical harassment
Work
AWith huge unemployment and a largely out-of-work youthful population, Morocco isn’t fertile ground for job opportunities.
AA good command of French is a prerequisite and some Arabic would help.
AIf you secure a position, your employer will have to help you get a work permit and arrange residency, which can be a long process.
AThere are more volunteering opportunities.
Teaching English
There are a few possibilities for teaching English as a foreign language in Morocco, although they are not terribly well paid. Rabat is one of the best places to start looking.
The best times to try are around September and October (the beginning of the academic year) and, to a lesser extent, early January. Having a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualification will be useful.
American Language Centers (www.aca.org.ma) Ten schools around the country.
TEFL.com Has a database of vacancies.
Transport
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Transport
Getting There & Away
Entering Morocco
Transport reform has encouraged the explosion of visitor numbers to Morocco. The government’s ‘open skies’ policy has allowed the European budget airlines into the country.
Alternatively, there are numerous ferry services from Europe, a more romantic and lower carbon option than flying, crossing to Africa and connecting Morocco to the European rail network.
Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online at www.lonelyplanet.com/bookings.
Climate Change and Travel
Every form of transport that relies on carbon-based fuel generates CO2, the main cause of human-induced climate change. Modern travel is dependent on aeroplanes, which might use less fuel per per person than most cars but travel much greater distances. The altitude at which aircraft emit gases (including CO2) and particles also contributes to their climate change impact. Many websites offer ‘carbon calculators’ that allow people to estimate the carbon emissions generated by their journey and, for those who wish to do so, to offset the impact of the greenhouse gases emitted with contributions to portfolios of climate-friendly initiatives throughout the world. Lonely Planet offsets the carbon footprint of all staff and author travel.
Air
Direct flights are available from cities across Europe, the Middle East, West Africa and North America.
Airports & Airlines
Royal Air Maroc (RAM; %0890 00 08 00; www.royalairmaroc.com) is Morocco’s national carrier. For information about Moroccan airports, visit the website of Office National des Aéroports (www.onda.ma). Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport is the country's main gateway, followed by Menara airport (Marrakesh). Other important airports include Fes–Saïss (Fez), Ibn Batouta International (Tangier), as well as Ouazazarte, Agadir, Essaouira, Oujda and Nador.
DEPARTURE TAX
Departure tax is included in the price of a ticket.
Land
Border Crossings
AAlgeria This border remains closed. Algeria is reluctant to reopen it until the status of the Western Sahara is resolved – don't hold your breath.
AMauritania The only crossing is in the Western Sahara between Dakhla (Morocco) and Nouâdhibou (Mauritania).
ASpain You can cross to mainland Spain via the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.
Continental Europe
Bus
Buses mostly enter Morocco on the ferries from Spain, with connections from across Europe. Routes are busiest during major Spanish or French holidays, as buses fill up with Moroccans working abroad.
Bus companies:
CTM (%in Casablanca 0800 0900 30; www.ctm.ma) Compagnie de Transports au Maroc, Morocco’s national line, operates buses from Casablanca and other Moroccan cities to Spain, France, Belgium, Germany and Italy.
Eurolines (www.eurolines.com) A consortium of European coach companies operating across Europe and into Morocco (partnering with CTM).
Supratours (www.oncf.ma) Run by train company ONCF, has weekly departures from the major northern Moroccan cities to destinations across Spain, France and Italy.
Car & Motorcycle
European hire companies do not usually permit their vehicles to be driven to Morocco.
If you intend to take a Moroccan hire car to the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta or Melilla, you must have a letter from the hire company authorising you to take the car out of Morocco.
Some hire companies will not allow you to take their car out of the country.
Train
You can travel from London to Tangier via Paris and Madrid in less than 48 hours, with a night in Algeciras (Spain).
Morocco is no longer part of the InterRail/Eurail systems, so you will have to buy tickets locally to add the country onto a European trip.
In Algeciras, the train station is about 10 minutes’ walk from the ferry terminals for Morocco. If you arrive during the day you should be able to quickly transfer to the ferries.
A useful resource is the website Man in Seat 61 (www.seat61.com), which has comprehensive, regularly updated information on getting to Morocco by train.
Mauritania
The trans-Saharan route via Mauritania is the main route from North Africa into Sub-Saharan Africa.
From Dakhla follow the N1 south along the coast for 328km to the border, past Nouâdhibou and south to the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott.
While this route is generally regarded as safe, check both Western Sahara and Mauritania safety advice before travelling. Take plenty of water and food, and set off early in the morning.
This route is entirely paved (apart from a 5km stretch in the no-man’s land between the two border posts). Moroccan border formalities are processed at Guergarat. The border is mined, so stay on the road. From the border, it’s a 41km drive along the peninsula to Nouâdhibou.
Mauritanian currency (ouguiya, UM) is available at the border, and on the black market in no-man’s land.
Vehicle searches and requests for a petit cadeau (little present) are not unknown in Mauritania, particularly if officials find alcohol on you (illegal in Mauritania).
Prepare a fiche (form) or ordre de mission (itinerary) for Mauritanian checkpoints. List all your passport and visa details, occupation, destination and your vehicle’s make, colour and registration number. Make plenty of photocopies.
Useful resources include the Moroccan/North Afr
ican forums at overland motorbiking website Horizons Unlimited (www.horizonsunlimited.com) and Sahara Overland (https://sahara-overland.com).
Car & Motorcycle
Some stations south of Dakhla may be out of fuel, in particular the last station 50km before the border.
As well as getting stamped in by the police, you need to buy a 30-day temporary-vehicle-import form (€10).
Minibus & Jeep
There are ad hoc transport links from Dakhla to the Mauritanian border and beyond. Minibuses and 4WDs leave from the military checkpoint on the road out of Dakhla. Grands taxis occasionally run to the border from the main station (Dh220). You’ll then need to hitch to get to the Mauritanian checkpoint, as walking across the border is forbidden. A lift all the way to Nouâdhibou is preferable, or you will likely have to pay extortionate fees to travel on from the border.
In Dakhla, hotels Erraha and Sahara and the Sahara Regency are good places to pick up information and arrange transport, with locals or overlanders.
From Nouâdhibou, bush taxis to the border/Dakhla cost around UM2000/11,500, leaving in the early morning.
Sea
There are extensive ferry links between northern Morocco and southern Europe, the most popular of which is Algeciras (Spain) to Tangier. Ferries to Tangier now dock at Tanger Med terminal, except for those from Tarifa, 40km from Tangier.
AFrom southern Spain and northern Morocco, you can just turn up at the dock and buy a ticket for the next ferry, but book in advance online during high season (mid-June to mid-September, Christmas, New Year and Easter).
AIn Tangier and Algeciras, avoid touts who try to guide you towards travel agencies for commission.
ADiscounts for students and young people with an ISIC card or similar, and InterRail or Eurail passholders are common. Children aged between two and 12 years often travel for half the fare, those aged under two travel free, and over-60s can often get reductions.
AVehicles can be taken on most ferries for an extra fee; bicycles are normally free.
ACabins are available on longer crossings.
FERRY COMPANIES & ROUTES
Direct Ferries (www.directferries.com) sells tickets for most of the following. The Europe-wide service has sites in most European languages.
Trasmediterranea (www.trasmediterranea.es) Almería–Melilla, Almería–Nador, Algeciras–Ceuta, Algeciras–Tangier Med, Málaga–Melilla.
Baleària (www.balearia.com) Algeciras–Ceuta, Algeciras–Tangier Med, Algeciras-Melilla, Motril-Melilla.
FRS (www.frs.es) Algeciras–Ceuta, Algeciras–Tangier Med, Gibraltar–Tangier Med, Tarifa–Tangier.
Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV; www.gnv.it) Barcelona–Tangier Med, Genoa–Tangier Med, Sète–Tangier Med, Sète–Nador.
Grimaldi Lines (www.grimaldi-lines.com) Savona–Tangier Med, Barcelona–Tangier Med.
France
AThe journey from Sète (two hours by train from Marseilles) to Tangier takes 36 hours, to Nador takes 28 hours.
AThere are three sailings weekly to Tangier, and one to Nador.
Gibraltar
AThere’s one ferry a week from Tangier Med.
AThe trip takes a similar length of time to sailings to/from Algeciras (90 minutes), and tickets cost the same.
AAlgeciras is a better option as it’s a busier port with more choice.
Spain
AFerries from Spain to Morocco are plentiful. Tickets start at about €30, depending on season.
AHydrofoils and catamarans (also referred to as fast ferries) are used extensively.
ASpanish passport control is uncomplicated, but non-EU citizens and Schengen visa-holders should make sure they get an exit stamp before boarding the ferry.
AYou need to fill in an embarkation form on board, and get your passport stamped before disembarking.
Algeciras to Tangier Med
AThe busiest crossing between Europe and Morocco. Ferries run at least every 90 minutes, and hourly in the summer. The crossing usually takes an hour.
AServices typically run from 7am (or 6am in summer) until 10pm, but during peak demand in August 24-hour services aren’t unknown.
Algeciras to Ceuta
ASeveral daily high-speed ferries (30 minutes to one hour) leave in both directions.
Almería to Melilla
ATwo sailings most days of the week. Crossings take up to eight hours.
Almería to Nador
ADaily departures in either direction, taking six/eight hours to Almería/Nador.
Barcelona to Tangier
ATwo companies offer this route to Tangier, one stopping in Barcelona en route from Genoa (Italy).
AThe three weekly sailings; takes about 36 hours.
Málaga to Melilla
AThe daily (apart from Sunday) service is normally an afternoon/night ferry between Motil (Málaga) and Melilla.
AIt takes up to eight hours.
Tarifa to Tangier
ACatamarans leave every hour or so and cross the strait in 40 minutes, making this the fastest and most practical route.
AThe fare includes a free bus transfer to Algeciras on presentation of your ferry ticket.
AThe transfer takes 50 minutes, making the trip via Tarifa a faster way to get to Algeciras than the slower direct ferries.
Motil to Al-Hoceima
ANaviera Armas has summer services between Motil and Al-Hoceima.
ASailings are every Saturday.
Italy
ATwo companies sail the Mediterranean from Italy to Tangier, from Genoa (via Barcelona) and Savona.
AThe twice-weekly Genoa service takes 48 hours.
AThe weekly Savona service takes 48 hours.
Getting Around
Getting around Morocco is pretty straightforward – transport networks between towns are good, and even off the beaten track there’s often something going your way. Royal Air Maroc offers internal flights, the rail network is excellent in linking the major cities (with a high-speedTGV line between Tangier and Casablanca currently under construction), and large bus companies such as CTM are comfortable and efficient. Local networks are cheaper and more cheerful and do the job.
Car hire is relatively expensive but gives you the most freedom, although navigating the big cities can be stressful. Good sealed roads are generally the order of the day, with much investment being poured into areas like the Rif to improve their connectivity. Roads in remote mountain and desert areas are often just a piste (unsealed track or road).
Air
ANational carrier Royal Air Maroc is the main domestic airline. All flights are via its hub at Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca.
ARAM serves Tangier, Nador, Oujda, Fez, Er-Rachidia, Marrakesh, Essaouira, Agadir, Laâyoune and Dakhla.
AFlying is relatively expensive but may be worth it if you are pushed for time. The 2¼-hour flight from Casablanca to Dakhla costs from Dh980, compared with Dh600 for a 1st-class seat on the 32-hour CTM bus journey.
AYou can buy tickets online and at RAM offices and travel agencies.
AEnglish is spoken at RAM’s call centre.
Bicycle
Mountain biking can be a great way of travelling in Morocco. There are plenty of opportunities for getting off the beaten track, with thousands of kilometres of remote pistes to be explored.
Hazards Surfaced roads are generally well-maintained once completed, but they tend to be narrow and in less-frequented areas may have jagged edges, which can be hairy given the kamikaze drivers. Beware of stone-throwing children in remote areas.
Hire You'll find bicycles for hire in places such as Essaouira and Taroudannt, but don’t expect to find the latest models of mountain bike.
Transport Bus companies will generally carry bicycles as luggage for an extra fee. Likewise on trains, although it’s generally only possible to transport bikes in the goods wagon.
Bus
The cheapest and most efficient way to travel around the country, buses are generally safe, although dri
vers sometimes leave a little to be desired.
Bus stations Some Moroccan bus stations are like madhouses, with touts running around calling any number of destinations of buses about to depart. Most cities and towns have a single central bus station (gare routière), but Supratours and CTM often maintain separate terminals, and often have offices outside the station. Occasionally, there are secondary stations for a limited number of local destinations.
Touts Touts will happily guide you to a ticket booth (and take a small commission from the company). Always double-check that their recommended service really is the most comfortable, direct and convenient option.
Luggage Bus stations in the main cities have left-luggage depots (consigne), sometimes open 24 hours. Padlock your bags. More often than not you’ll be charged for baggage handling – Dh5 is common.
Costs Bus travel is cheap considering the distances covered. CTM fares from Casablanca to Marrakesh, Fez and Tangier are Dh90, Dh100 and Dh145 respectively.
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 95