Essential information about Morocco
Geography
Morocco is located in northwest Africa and is separated from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar. The land surface area is without Western sahara 459 000 square kilometers.
The landscape is dominated by the coastal regions to the north and west, the mountain regions (Middle and High Atlas in the center, Rif Mountains in the northeast and southwest in the Anti Atlas), the plateau in the northeast and the desert areas in the south. The Mediterranean coast is mainly rocky with bays, whereas the Atlantic coast is characterized by flat, wide sandy beaches.
Population
Morocco has about 32 million inhabitants, of which approximately 700,000 in the capital Rabat. The official language is Arabic, but as a former colony of France, French is the commercial and educational language. In hotels and tourist areas English is widely spoken.
Currency
is the Moroccan Dirham in Morocco (DMG). Most restaurants and shops accept major credit cards. ATMs are widespread.
Passport Requirements
Canadian and American citizens just need a valid passport (at least six months) to travel to Morocco. They will be allowed to stay 3 months in the country.
Travel
From Canada, there are regular flights from several major airports to Morocco. The flight takes about 14 hours from Montreal.
Between the cities of Casablanca, Rabat and Kenitra air-conditioned express trains run every hour (TNR). You will find as well buses in cities, but they are rather inconvenient and slow. An exception is the private provider CTM which offers good quality coaches.
A minimum age of 21 years and a national driving license is enough to rent a car. Reliable vehicles are offered by international agencies. In villages the speed limit is 40-60 mph and 60-100 km / h. In cities such as Marrakech or Casablanca, it is not recommended to drive.
Time Difference
GMT = + 5 hours in the winter and +4 in the summer.
Electricity
The line voltage is 220 volts. It uses French and European outlets, so an adapter will be required.
Phone
In the "Téléboutiques" it is possible to carry long distance calls. Payment is by coins or phone cards, available in post offices, shops and tobacco shops. If you have roaming facilities you will be ablet to find the partner of your north American provider.
You should however inform you before your departure as the fees can be quite heavy.. The area code for Morocco is +212.
Climate
In Morocco, there is a subtropical climate. In the maritime influenced coastal regions the temperatures over the course of the year range from mild in winter to hot and dry in the summer. The average temperature is 15-30 ° C can, but especially in midsummer can rise higher. The best time to visit the coast is from April to November.
In the interior during summertime peak temperatures of over 40 ° C, whereas it is cool in the winter. The best time to visit are the months from October to May
Health
There are no compulsory vaccinations for Morocco.
The tap water should not be drunk; so make sure to buy bottled water.
A medical insurance is however like for any travel advised.