Loday car Rent car Morocco

ENTERING MOROCCO

By Plane

Morocco has 14 international airports: Agadir, AI Hoceima, Casablanca, Dakhla, Essaouira, Fez, Laâyoune, Marrakech, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Salé, Tangier and Tetouan. Royal Air Maroc and other leading international and charter airlines provide fast and regular services from major cities in Europe, North America and the Middle East. For example: Casablanca is around 1 heur by air from Madrid, 3 heurs from Paris and 61/2 heurs from New York.

By car, train and boat

To drive to Morocco, you head for Algeciras in Spain. You can travel by car, motorbike, coach or car sleeper. You can cross the Straits of Gibraltar by car ferry to Tangier (2h30) or Ceuta ( lh30). Ferries aise operate from Sete (France) to Tangier (the crossing takes 36 heurs) and from Almeria to Nador or Melilla. There is no particular formality required of motorists. However, selling a vehicle or leaving it as surety are prohibited. lnsurance is compulsory. Obtain a green card before your departure or at the frontier. For caravans, trailers and motor boats, a customs certificate or triptych is required. You are advised to obtain an international camping and caravanning passbook. Cars, caravans and mobile homes are not allowed to stay in Morocco more than 6 months.

FORMALITIES

Do not forget your passport and check its validity. If your trip is organised by a travel agent, groups of more than three people from some countries require no more than an identity card. Some nationalities need to have a visa. Ask the Moroccan Consulate for information. A "tourist" visit is limited to three months. If you take your pet with you, obtain a health certificate no more than 10 days old, as well as an anti rabies certificate less than 6 months old.

CURRENCY

The Moroccan currency is the Dirham (DH) divided into 100 centimes. There are 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 DH notes, 1, 5 and 10 DH coins and 5, 10, 20 and 50 centime coins. You can only obtain Dirhams in Morocco. Do not change money in the streets, it is illegal. The best place to change it is at a bank or approved change office (indicated by a golden sign). No commission is charged and you will be given a slip which will be required at the end of your stay to change any remaining Dirhams back into the original currency. You can withdraw money in banks with a credit card and a cheque book, or directly from a cash dispenser in some large towns. Credit cards are generally accepted in major hotels, shops and restaurants, and sometimes even in the souks!

INNOCULATIONS

No vaccination certificate is required for visitors coming from Europe or America. An anti- cholera vaccination certificate may be required of visitors coming from areas where this disease is prevalent. Anti-malarial treatment is not necessary.

HEALTH

Morocco is a healthy country, however a certain number of minimal precautions should be taken, particularly in the south: avoid water from oueds (rivers) and itinerant water sellers. Refresh yourself with the excellent bottled spring water: Sidi Harazem, Imouzzer and Sidi Ali are still waters, while Oulmès is sparkling. If you are prone to intestinal problems, take an appropriate medicine with you. Make enquiries before swimming in a oued (river) or a lake. Take precautions against insect bites and sunburn. If necessary, tourist offices and major hotels can put you in touch with doctors who speak English, French or other languages.

ELECTRICITY

220 volts in new buildings, 110 in older ones, sometimes both - make enquiries. Power points are of the French type. The frequency used is 50 Hz

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

220 Public telephones are available in major cities. Telexes,telegrams can be send from your hotel or through the main post office.

SHOPPING

A whole range of moroccan handicrafts are available at reasonable prices: pottery,leather, woods, brass, silver, gold, jewelry, embroderies, to name a few.