Know Before You Go: Morocco

Gorgeous entrance to the train station in Marrakech, Morocco (Sept. 2016)

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Morocco is a fascinating country with amazing history, culture, architecture, food, landscapes, and lifestyles to explore. It's the first country that I traveled to that's located in North Africa or with a Muslim-majority population, which was even more intriguing for me as I went during one of the most religious times of the year. While I did some research prior to my trip, these are some of the things I found to be most useful.

​1. Currency
​The Moroccan Dirham (Dhs or MAD) is a closed currency, meaning that by law, you cannot import or export more than 1000Dhs (about 100 USD). This makes it extremely difficult to get Dirhams outside of Morocco. Plan for all of your currency exchange to be done while in the country.
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Upon arrival, look for the Bureau de Change located at the airports and sea ports, though you can also exchange at banks, ATMs, and most hotels should you need to during your travels. It is recommended that you keep the receipts of currency exchange to facilitate the conversion of Dirham back to your foreign currency prior to departure.

​The closed currency also means that the exchange rate is virtually the same everywhere you go in the country and places should not charge a commission. VISA, MasterCard, and debit cards are becoming more widely accepted, but it's good to carry cash, especially for smaller businesses, rural areas, and having better haggling power in the markets. While U.S. dollars, British pounds, Euros, etc. are widely recognizable, the following are almost impossible to cash: traveler's checks; Scottish, Gibraltar, or Northern Irish Sterling notes; Australian and New Zealand notes; and Singapore dollars.

​ATMs generally only dispense larger (100 or 200) notes, which are hard to use for everyday transactions, so try to break them at your hotel or a bigger business establishment. Small or independent businesses may have difficulties making change.

2. Public Transportation
(Disclaimer: I'm only going to talk about travel methods that I personally used.)

By Train - The train system in Morocco is expanding and offers convenient, comfortable, reasonably priced options between most main cities. They are preferable to buses when available and usually run according to their timetables. Trains are run by the Office National des Chemins de Fer, or ONCF (http://www.oncf.ma), and offer daytime and nighttime travel options.

There are two types of trains, the Rapide which is standard for intercity travel, and the Ordinaire which is mostly late-night and local services that are often less comfortable and without air conditioning for about 30% cheaper than Rapide trains.

There are first and second class fares. First class has compartments with 6 seats, which are typically reserved. Second class has 8 seats per compartment, and you sit wherever there's an empty seat (fine for shorter journeys). If you're traveling around Moroccan holidays, want a sleeper car, or are doing first class, be sure to book your ticket earlier to ensure a seat. You can buy tickets up to a month in advance.

I took booked a last minute overnight train from Tangier to Marrakech in first class (not the sleeper car but with reserved seating since I traveled during a major holiday). It was pretty comfortable, though if I did it again, I would have paid the extra for the sleeper car. There were lights and shades in each compartment to make it dark, which was nice. There was also security that went around and checked tickets, so make sure yours is readily accessible. Also, make sure to keep an eye out for your stop as signage isn't always well visible and announcements were sometimes hard to hear.

By Taxi - I used taxis the most during my time there, and it's important to know that there are two different types of taxis:

The grand taxi is used between towns or cities and usually an old Mercedes sedan. They can usually be found near bus stations, seaports, airports, or gathered near the side of the road. These taxis will take up to 6 passengers and typically will not leave until it's full. If you're traveling solo or in a smaller group and want to have the entire car without picking up strangers, you can hire it as a private taxi by paying the entire cost for the six passenger spots. Grands taxis should abide by fixed-rates -- ask your hotel/hostel what you should expect to pay to make sure you're not being ripped off, though some drivers will take you for less if business is slow. This came in handy when 4 other backpackers and I wanted to take a grand taxi from Tangier to Chefchaouen; the total was about $10 USD per person for about a 2.5 hour drive (we were cramped, but less so than everyone who was taking the buses on the same route).

The second type of taxi is the petit taxi, which is used to travel around a particular city or town. The taxis are different colors depending on what city you're in and are metered. Make sure the driver turns on the meter before beginning your trip. If there is no meter or it's broken, make sure to negotiate on a set price beforehand. These taxis usually seat up to 3 passengers, though some may take more for a surcharge. It's common that petits taxis will practice multiple hire, so don't be surprised if your taxi picks up another passenger or if the one you wave down has other passengers in the car already. While these taxis are still very cheap, there may be a surcharge for nighttime drives after 8 or 9 PM.

By Bus - I didn't travel by bus while in Morocco, but it is an extremely inexpensive option if you're on a budget or a little more adventurous.

A restaurant with several translations on the sign, Chefchaouen, Morocco (Sept. 2016)

3. Language

}t's impressive that most Moroccans speak more than one of the country's 9 native languages or dialects, and many in the tourism industry will speak English and other non-native languages as well. Even one of my tour guides who grew up in a small Berber village without running water or electricity spoke Arabic, two different Berber dialects, French, Spanish, and English and was learning Japanese and German. However, as I've experienced in most non-native English speaking countries, the more you attempt to communicate in the local language(s), the more helpful and friendlier people are.

Modern Standard Arabic is the official language, though there is a difference between Moroccan Arabic (Darija, the most prevalent dialect which combines Arabic, Berber, French, and Spanish) which is used in the daily, informal setting and Modern Standard Arabic that is used for government, business, education, and throughout much of the Middle East and North Africa.

French, while not an indigenous language, is widely considered the unofficial second language and spoken by much of the population due to French control in the first half of the 20th century. It’s also the primary language of government, diplomacy, business, science, medicine, culture and education.

Berber refers to a group of indigenous or vernacular languages and dialects native to North Africa and is spoken mostly in the home and on the street. There are three main regional Berber dialects in Morocco, one in the Rif Mountains in the north, one in the south, and one in central Morocco covering the Atlas Mountains. It is almost always spoken and rarely used for writing.

Spanish is spoken or understood primarily in the northern part of Morocco due to proximity to Spain, business, tourism, and Spain acting as a protectorate of Morocco in the early 1900s. 

That said, I ended up speaking a lot of Spanish in Tangier and Chefchaouen (and sometimes even in Marrakech when I didn't want to use English), or reverted to my one semester's worth of knowledge of French at other times. I even picked up some very basic Arabic, with the most helpful for me being:
"Shukran" - Thank you
"La shukran" - No, thank you
"Salam" - Hello
"Wakha" - Okay

Koutoubia Mosque, the largest mosque in Marrakech, Morocco (Sept. 2016)

4. Religion

Islam is the predominant religion in Morocco, with 99% of its religious population identifying as Muslim, particularly of the Sunni variant. 1% identifies as Christian, and although Morocco was a former haven for Jewish refugees from southern Europe, less than 1% of the population identifies as Jewish. That said, much of Moroccan culture also stems from Islamic traditions mixed in with indigenous and foreign influences, which makes it an exciting and fascinating place to learn about and experience. 

As a Muslim country, Fridays are holy days so many businesses will be closed, especially after noon, though some in the more touristy areas may stay open or reopen after sundown. Most mosques do not allow non-Muslims to enter, but you will hear the call to prayer five times per day, often coming from speakers on the minarets of mosques. Alcohol is available throughout the country; however, during Ramadan and other holy festivals, it may be more difficult to come by. 

The two major festivals are for Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, which change each year based on the lunar calendar. Be sure to check if there are any Islamic holidays or festivals occurring during your travels so you can plan better. The night before I was to sail from Spain to Morocco, I met two Moroccan guys who vaguely suggested that I was going to be there during "a festive but interesting time," and despite my prying, didn't give me much additional information, saying I just had to experience it. Needless to say, the next day I landed in Tangier and quickly learned what the two guys referred to the night before.

My Berber guide explaining Moroccan geography and history en route to the Sahara Desert, Ouarzazate, Morocco (Sept. 2016)

5. Local "Guides"

A few times during my time in Morocco, strangers -- most often men and kids -- would come up to me (and at times their persistence could be called harassment) in or around the medina to offer their "help" as local guides for tours or directions. Don't fall for their traps, which are almost always a ploy for money while disorienting you, taking you to their friends' businesses or some other scheme. The best way to get rid of them is with a polite but firm "La shukran" ("No, thank you") while shaking your head or wave of the hand.

If you do have to ask for directions, try asking a receptionist at a hotel or riad. The one time I had to do this, the woman was extremely nice and even printed out a screenshot from Google Maps, drew and explained the path that I needed to take, making note of certain landmarks I could identify to get where I needed to go.

6. Dress (for Women)

While Morocco is used to tourism, especially from the West, I would recommend women dress more conservatively to respect local culture. I rarely saw local women in the medina walking around by themselves, especially at night, so I knew that as a solo female traveler, I would attract attention -- and during one of the holiest times of the year on top of that. Maxi skirts and dresses, or loose, flowy pants (though you could also wear more fitted pants with a loose tunic on top) were wardrobe staples. I also always had a shawl or scarf to cover my shoulders, arms, hair and/or face, taking cues from local women as to how much I should cover up.

In doing so, my experiences there were tainted less by attracting unwanted attention and enhanced more by interactions with locals who appreciated the fact that I appreciated their culture enough to dress respectfully. In some cases, I also got a better price haggling in the souks. At one shop, there was a female in short shorts and a tank top who inquired about the price of a dress with the shop owner. He immediately gave her a price that was obviously ridiculously inflated. She attempted to haggle with him, but was unable to get much lower and left the shop. A few minutes later, I walked closer (wearing a long skirt and shawl covering my head and shoulders) and inquired about the same dress. His starting price was half of what he had asked of the other girl, and I was able to get it to a quarter of his initial offer with me, admitting that I was neither Moroccan nor Muslim, but simply a traveler trying to respect local customs. Hey, it doesn't hurt to try!
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These are just some of the things I found to be most helpful while exploring Morocco. Have you gone before? If so, what travel tips would you recommend?

Happy travels!