Morocco

Getting Around By Air

Royal Air Maroc (AT)(www.royalairmaroc.com)operates regular services from Casablanca airport to Agadir, Dakhla, Fes, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Oujda and Tangier. The Marrakech-based national low-cost carrier Atlas Blue (8A) (www.atlas-blue.com)also runs a comprehensive domestic air service.

Getting Around by Rail

The Moroccan rail system, run by Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF) (www.oncf.ma) provides regular services. Rail fares are very reasonable, although a supplement must be paid for air-conditioned trains. Sleeping cars and restaurant cars are available.

The network runs from Oujda in the northeast to Casablanca on the west coast, Tangier on the north coast and Fes and Marrakech in the interior. However, only a small part of the country is served, and even large centres such as Agadir and Essouira are not covered. The most useful route is from Fes to Rabat and Casablanca, with five daily and two overnight trains. There are also two daily trains and one overnight train (without sleepers) that run from Casablanca to Marrakech, and Monday to Friday, a train runs every 30 minutes from Kenitra to Rabat.

Getting Around by Road

The major Moroccan roads are all-weather highways, particularly those covering the north and northwest of the country. In the interior, south of the High Atlas Mountains, road travel becomes much more difficult, especially across the Atlas Mountains in winter.

Coach: The main centres are connected by a wide variety of coach services, many of which are privately run. The two main firms are: CTM (tel: (22) 753 677; www.ctm.co.ma), covering the whole country and Supratours (tel: (37) 686 297;www.supratourstravel.com), which complements the train network. Morocco has a poor road safety record; the roads from Agadir to Marrakech via Imi'n Tanoute and Chichaoua are particularly hazardous.

Bus: Connections between most major towns and villages are regular and frequent, although buses can be crowded and it may be wise to buy tickets in advance and arrive well before departure to secure a seat. The price of tickets is very low, especially with some of the smaller local bus companies. It is customary to tip the guard for loading luggage.

Taxi: Metered petit taxis are available in major towns. Larger, grand taxis are usually Mercedes cars, used for travel outside medinas and to areas outside towns. These can be shared, but fares should be agreed before departure as they don't have meters.

Car hire: International and local car hire companies have offices in major towns and cities. Car hire is generally expensive. The minimum age for driving a hired car is 21.

Regulations: Traffic drives on the right in Morocco.The wearing of seat belts is compulsory. The speed limit is 40kph (25mph) in cities and built up areas, rising to 80km (50mph) on more major roads, up to 120km (75mph) on motorways. No alcohol at all is allowed in the bloodstream when driving.

Emergency Breakdown Service: There is no national breakdown service. Hire cars will contain contact details in case of emergency.

Documentation: Foreign driving licences are accepted, as well as International Driving Permits. Third Party insurance is required. Insurance documentation and a licence must be carried with you at all times. A Green Card is also necessary. Insurance can be arranged locally.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

There are extensive bus services in Casablanca and other main towns. Pre-purchase tickets are sold. Urban area petits taxis are plentiful and have metered fares. Taxi drivers are not usually tipped, although it is common to round fares up at least to the next Dirham on short trips.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Casablanca to other major cities/towns in Morocco.

Main Airports

Casablanca (CMN) (Mohammed V) is 30km (19 miles) south of the city (journey time - 35 minutes). To/from the airport: There are taxi services into Casablanca and train services available to Rabat. Facilities: Outgoing duty-free shop, banking and bureau de change, restaurant, tourist help desk and car hire.

Tangier (TNG) (Boukhalef Souahel) is 11km (7 miles) from the city (journey time - 20 minutes). To/from the airport:Bus and taxi services are available into Tangier. Facilities: Outgoing duty-free shop, banking and bureau de change, restaurant, bar, tourist help desk and car hire.

Other international airports include Fes (FEZ), Marrakech (RAK) and Rabat-Salé (RBA).

Getting There by Water

Main ports: Tangier and Nador in Morocco proper, and the Spanish-held ports of Ceuta and Melilla. Several lines from Europe serve these ports.

Ferry operators include FerriMaroc (tel:(950) 274 800; www.ferrimaroc.com) and Trasmediterranea (tel: (902) 454 645;www.trasmediterranea.com). There are reasonably priced and regular car- and passenger-ferry links between southern Spain and Tangier and the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the north Moroccan coast. Most links are roll-on, roll-off car ferries except where shown. The routes are from Algeciras to Ceuta (Sebta) (car ferry); Algeciras to Tangier (hydrofoil and car ferry); Tarifa to Tangier (hydrofoil); Gibraltar to Tangier (hydrofoil and car ferry); Almería to Melilla or Nador (car ferry); Málaga to Melilla (car ferry); Almería to Nador (car ferry); Gênes (Italy) to Tangier; Alicante to Orán; and Almería to Al Hoceima.

There are also car ferries between Sète on the French coast (between Béziers and Montpellier on the Golfe du Lyon) and Tangier run by Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation.

Getting There by Rail

Rail links between Morocco and Algeria are suspended. Trains can be caught from London St Pancras to Gare du Nord in Paris, and then Gare d'Austerlitz to Algerciras in Spain. From here ferries can be caught to Morocco.

Getting There by Road

The best road link is from southern Spain or France via passenger/car ferries. The road link on the north Algerian border is closed. Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080, in the UK; www.eurolines.com) runs services between Europe and Morocco.

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The Moroccan climate varies according to season and region. The coast has a warm, Mediterranean climate tempered on the eastern coast by southwest trade winds. Inland areas have a hotter, drier, continental climate. In the south of the country, the weather is very hot and dry throughout most of the year, though temperatures can drop dramatically at night, especially in the months of December and January. Rain falls from November to March in coastal areas, and the country is mostly dry with high temperatures in summer and a cooler climate in the mountains. Marrakech and Agadir enjoy an average temperature of 21°C (70ºF) in the winter.

Required Clothing

Lightweight cottons and linens are worn during summer, with warm medium weight wear for the evenings, during the winter, and in the mountains. Waterproofing is advisable in the wet season, particularly on the coast and in the mountains.

Hotels

Morocco has an ambitious plan to accommodate 10 million tourists annually by 2010, which means a lot of new, large hotels are being constructed. There is already quite a wide choice of accommodation in all sizeable centres, but be aware that standards of service may be very different from home.

Trips that include flights and accommodation available online or from travel agents are a popular option for visitors to Morocco, and are often good value. For those who want to stick to a budget, all-inclusive deals can work well.

Grading: Hotels are rated from 1 to 5 stars, with grade inflation of about one star over similar European properties. Many hotels are not graded; these budget hotels will only suit the needs of those with very limited funds and expectations.

Self Catering

Self-catering apartments are available in Agadir, Essaouira, Fes, Marrakech and Tangier. Full details are available from the Moroccan National Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses).

Camping/Caravanning

There are established, very reasonably priced campsites with varying standards of facilities in many parts of Morocco. Full details are available in a brochure from the National Tourist Office.

Youth Hostels

There are international youth hostels in Asni, Azrou, Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, Rabat and Tangier. Although particularly popular with the young and student groups, these hostels cater to all and are a good way to meet other Moroccans. The Royal Federation of Moroccan Youth Hostels is affiliated to the International Federation of Youth Hostels, and aims to meet the same standards. Membership is required; you are advised to join in your country of residence. One particularly popular Moroccan youth hostel is at 6 Place Abmed Al Bidaoui, Ville Ancienne, Casablanca (tel: (22) 220 551).

Resorts

An increasing number of fully serviced beach resorts have sprung up along the coast. Often offering several restaurants, full recreational activities and kids' club, they tend to attract families and those who really just want to relax.

Unique Accommodation

In the mountain regions, trekkers and climbers may find themselves staying in basic refuges. Usually nothing more than huts, and often with dorm style accommodation, they are reasonably priced and some offer cooking facilities.

Accommodation Information

Fédération Royale Marocaine des Auberges de Jeunesse

BP 15998, Casa Principale, Parc de la Ligue Arabe, Casablanca 21000, Morocco

Tel: (22) 470 952.

Passport Note

Visitors should ensure that their passports are stamped when they enter the country.

Passports

Passport valid for intended period of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to three months.

Visa Note

(a) Visa extensions are possible upon request at the nearest police station. (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Health Care

There are good medical facilities in all main cities, including emergency pharmacies (see postings in pharmacy windows listing the nearest pharmacie du garde, or after-hours pharmacy) and clinics in major hotels outside normal opening hours. Government hospitals provide free or minimal charge emergency treatment.

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Food and Drink

Fusion isn't a new trend in Morocco, where the cuisine is a blend of Mediterranean, Arabic, Jewish, Persian, West African and Berber influences. Meals range from the diffa, an elaborate multicourse feast featuring elegantly presented couscous and grilled meats, to quick bites of Merguez sausages and shwarma (spit-roasted lamb sandwich) at a curbside snak, or casual restaurant. Produce is seasonal, grown locally and typically without chemical pesticides or fertilisers. Local specialities are often grown in small quantities, so the fresh cherries you may enjoy in Sefrou might be impossible to find in Agadir. Although some sit-down Moroccan restaurants now offer à la carte menus, a three-course fixed-price menu is still common at dinner. Restaurants in cities and large resorts offer a good selection of food, including typical Moroccan fare, plus French, Italian, Spanish and fusion dishes. Many souk stalls sell kebabs (brochettes), often served with harissa (hot pepper sauce).

Things to know: Laws on alcohol are fairly liberal (for non-Muslim visitors) and bars in most tourist areas stay open late. Wines, beers and spirits are available to tourists. Muslims are forbidden to drink alcohol. By law, no-one is allowed to drink alcohol in view of a mosque or during Ramadan, although tourist establishments sometimes flout this rule. Locally produced wines, beers and mineral waters are reasonably priced, but imported drinks tend to be expensive.

National specialities:

•Harira (a spicy tomato-based soup).

•Pastilla (a pigeon-meat pie layered with flaky dough and dusted with cinnamon and sugar).

•Couscous (a savoury semolina dish cooked with local vegetables and/or meat).

•Tajine (a rich, fragrant stew, with some combination of lamb, chicken or fish with onions, olives, almonds, tomato, herbs or dried fruit).

• Mechoui (slow-roasted stuffed lamb or beef).

National drinks:

• Mint tea (aka ‘Berber whiskey') is strong green ‘gunpowder'  tea mixed with fresh mint and heavily laced with sugar.

• Coffee is French press, espresso or Turkish style.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: Tips range from a few Dirhams for cleaning service to 5-10% of total meal cost. Tipping of taxi drivers is not expected, but local guides rely on this source of income.

Nightlife

Morocco offers a variety of diversions nightly, including bars, discos and restaurants, often with live music or belly dancing as part of the evening's entertainment. The party usually gets started around midnight, when dining tables are shoved out of the way to accommodate serious hip-shaking, and the fashionable make their entrance in nightclubs. There are also casinos in Marrakech, Mohammedia, Tangier and Agadir. Be prepared for only low-key, or no, entertainment in smaller centres. High-stakes entertainment can't compare to the cheap, fantastic thrills of halqa, the street theatre performances by acrobats, musicians and cross-dressing belly dancers who perform for spare change in city squares across Morocco, especially Tangier and the Djemaa el-Fna in Marrakech (UNESCO's World Heritage site for oral history).

Shopping

About as far as you can imagine from the typical department store, the souks are a maze of stores and artisans' workshops loosely organised by trade: leatherwork, basketry, carpets, jewellery, herbal remedies, metalworking or ceramics. These local handicrafts are produced by artisans and maalems (master craftsmen) whose techniques and tools have been handed down through generations, and the handiwork can range from charmingly rustic to flat-out astounding. To gauge what prices are considered fair, visit a state-run cooperative. Bargaining is essential in souks, and good buys generally work out at around a third of the asking price, or whatever you're happy paying. In the south, there are Berber carpet auctions, especially in Marrakech, Taroudannt and Tiznit. For fixed prices shops, head outside the souks to the nouvelle villes, or new town areas.

Shopping hours: Mon-Thurs 0900-1230 and 1530-1900, Fri 0900-1100 and 1530-1900; large stores are open Mon-Sat 0900-1300 and 1530-1900; souks (traditional markets) are open Mon-Sun 0900-1300 and 1530-1900. Shops in new towns are often open Friday afternoons and Sundays.

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Shopping

Bargain your best for handicrafts at the souk (market) in the historic medina of Fes, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Don't expect a brisk business transaction: in Morocco, successful negotiations unfold in a leisurely, sociable way, accompanied by bottomless glasses of mint tea.

Trekking

Experience a climatic moment atop Morocco's picturesque High Atlas Mountains. One of the most popular treks is the ascent of Jebel Toubkal (4,167m/13,671ft), North Africa's highest peak, starting from the idyllic Berber village of Imlil, built right into the base of the mountain.

Moroccan spas

Let off some steam in a traditional hammam (steam bath), where the tabaya (assistant) will slough away your cares and a layer of skin using traditional savon noir (black soap) and a rough glove, followed by a massage with rejuvenating essential oils.

Camel riding

Head boldly into the Sahara Desert as part of a camel caravan. Camel treks (méharrées) can be arranged throughout the Sahara region in southwestern Morocco. Camp under the stars and enjoy a traditional Moroccan way of life.

Music festivals

Get into the summer groove at May's TANJazz in Tangier, or June's Gnaoua and World Music Festival in Essaouira. July sees the Marrakech Festival of Popular Arts and the Festival of World Sacred Music in Fes.

Desert kasbahs

Storm the battlements of the spectacular desert kasbahs built right into cliff walls lining the Drâa Valley. You won't get much resistance these days. Some fortifications like Aït Benhaddou have been used as Hollywood film sets.

Watersports

Swim, surf, windsurf and splash around in the Atlantic. Choose from the sheltered, sandy coves of Agadir and Oualidia and the one-time Portuguese pirate ports of El Jadida and Essaouira.

Mountaineering

Spot millennia-old Berber petroglyphs as you rock-climb and spelunk your way across the Middle and High Atlas Mountains and get a foothold on the rock faces of the Dades and Todra Gorges.

White-water rafting

Hit the rapids on an adrenaline-fuelled rafting trip. Pass through spectacular mountain scenery and enormous gorges while travelling on the scenic rivers of the High and Middle Atlas ranges.

Mountain biking

Follow desert oases and rugged terrain trails in the Anti-Atlas and Drâa Valley. Enjoy nature without the environmental damage to the fragile local ecosystem caused by dune buggies and 4-wheel drives.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Saharan sand dunes

Witness the dazzling, shape-shifting dunes of the Sahara at Merzouga, where the next stop across the sands is the legendary Timbuktu.

Djemaa el-Fna

Marvel at the non-stop drama in the Djemaa el-Fna, the UNESCO-listed public square in the medina of Marrakech. See henna-painters, potion-sellers, snake-charmers and acrobats by day. At night, witness storytellers, Gnaoua musicians, cross-dressing belly dancers and the world's biggest alfresco restaurant.

Scenic landscapes

Boggle your mind with the spectacular outer-space landscapes of the Todra Gorge, reached through the dramatic Dades Valley carpeted with wild roses in spring.

Fes

Unravel the mystery of Fes, the refined ancient centre of sacred learning and imperial power. Labyrinthine streets are anchored by the soaring minarets of the Al-Qarawiyin and Al-Andalus mosques (not open to visitors) and centuries of history captured at the Dar Batha Museum.

Art at Asilah

Take in the art colony charms of seaside Asilah on the Atlantic coast where whitewashed walls are a ready canvas for colourful murals. Visit its delightful beaches, museums and quiet streets.

Essaouira

This charming seaside town is laced with history. Explore the historic medina, dotted with art galleries and enjoy fresh fish in the local restaurants. Strong winds make it a having for windsurfers.

Roman remains

Explore the third-century Roman ruins at Volubilis, which are on UNESCO's World Heritage list. A nearby archaeological museum preserves the area's Jewish, Berber and Roman past.

Chefchaouen

Mellow out in the blue-tinged medina of Chefchaouen, where Moroccan archways harmonise with Andalusian architecture.

Casablanca

Wander the streets of Casablanca's whitewashed old-town and admire its faded Moroccan art deco glories, from wrought-iron geometric arabesque gates to faded movie palaces.

Tangier

Flashback to the decadent Bohemian days of Tangier in the Grand Socco and Petit Socco, where writers like Paul Bowles, Beat poets and rock stars like the Rolling Stones found inspiration.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

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