Fast Facts

American Express -- American Express is represented in Morocco by the travel agency Voyages Schwarz, with branches in Casablanca, 2 av. Hassan Souktani, 4th Floor, Apt 10 (tel. 022/203552), and 2 av. Prince Moulay Abdellah (tel. 022/278054); Marrakech, Residence Nadia, 22 rue Moulay Ali Cherif (tel. 024/437469); and Tangier, 54 bd. Pasteur (tel. 039/936028). These are only agents, however, and the services offered may be limited. They can usually issue traveler's checks -- but often won't cash them -- and hold mail for clients, but they don't cash personal checks or accept wired money.

Area Codes -- Much of Morocco changed fixed-line area codes in 2006. South of (but not including) Casablanca, all numbers changed their prefix from 04 to 02. For example, Marrakech changed from 044 to 024. Many published telephone numbers still contain the old area codes.

Business Hours -- The Moroccan working day is a combination of both Western and Eastern cultures. For example, most Moroccans eat three meals a day at the usual meal times of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, most will also work from 9am to 7pm, with short breaks during the day to pray and an extended lunch break. Shops in the medina will usually open at 8 or 9am and stay open until 8 or 9pm. Business hours for the country's banks are Monday to Friday 8:15am to 3:45pm, though during Ramadan these are shortened from 9am to 2:30pm, depending on the bank. Government departments work from Monday to Thursday 8:30am to noon and 2 to 6:30pm, and Fridays 8:30 to 11:30am and 3 to 6:30pm.

Customs -- What You Can Bring Into Morocco: Tobacco (200 cigarettes/100 cigarillos/25 cigars), alcohol (1 liter), perfume (150ml), eau de toilette (250ml), electrical and photographic goods, and a bicycle.

What You Can Take Home from Morocco: All locally made crafts and souvenirs, including a reasonable amount (not in the dozens) of fossilized, ornamental, and semi-precious stones. Objets d'art and antiques theoretically require signed authorization from the Ministry of Culture, though this is only required for expensive or large items, and will be taken care of if purchased from any reputable shop owner. Note: It is forbidden to import/export the national currency, the Moroccan dirham.

U.S. Citizens: For specifics on what you can bring back and the corresponding fees, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.cbp.gov. (Click on "Travel," and then click on "Know Before You Go! Online Brochure.") Or, contact the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8667), and request the pamphlet.

Canadian Citizens: For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).

U.K. Citizens: For information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.

Australian Citizens: A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

New Zealand Citizens: Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).

Drugstores -- Drugstores, or chemists, are called pharmacie in Morocco. Pharmacies are found everywhere in Morocco, from the smallest hamlet to the largest city. Most pharmacists obtain their qualifications in France, and the standard of health care -- including in some emergency situations -- is exceptional. Operating hours differ from place to place, but pharmacies generally open around 9am and close late at night, having closed for one or two breaks during the day. After hours, pharmacies open on a roster basis, each week's late-night facilities being displayed on the front door. Most larger towns and cities will also have a pharmacie du nuit, which is open all night.

Electricity -- Electricity is generally reliable and available throughout Morocco, barring obvious places such as the top of Jebel Toubkal or in the dunes of central Morocco. Moroccan power points accept the European two-pin plug only, and run on a 220V/55Hz current. International adaptors are very hard to find within the country, so bring your own.

Embassies & Consulates -- The following embassies are in Rabat: Canada, 13 bis rue Jaâfar as Sadiq, Agdal (tel. 037/687400; www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/morocco); South Africa, 34 rue des Saadiens, Hassan (tel. 037/706760; www.dfa.gov.za); U.K., 28 av. SAR Sidi Mohammed, Souissi (tel. 037/633333; www.britishembassy.gov.uk/morocco); and U.S., 2 av. Marrakech (aka av. Mohammed el Fassi), Ministères (tel. 037/762265; www.usembassy.ma).

The U.S. also maintains a consulate in Casablanca, 8 bd. Moulay Youssef (tel. 022/264550; http://casablanca.usconsulate.gov), as does the U.K., 36 rue de la Loire, Polo (tel. 022/857400). The U.K. operates another consulate in Tangier at 9 rue Amerique du Sud (tel. 039/936939). Australians are provided consular assistance by the Canadian embassy, or must otherwise contact the Australian embassy in France, 4 rue Jean Rey, Paris (tel. 1405/93300; www.dfat.gov.au). Irish citizens are represented by their embassy in Portugal at Rua da Imprensa a Estrela 1-4, Lisbon (tel. 121/3929440; www.dfa.ie). There are also two Honorary Consuls of Ireland in the COPRAGRI Building, Boulevard Moulay Ismail, Km 6.3 Route de Rabat, Aïn Sebaa, Casablanca (tel. 022/660306), and in the Hotel Kenzi Europa, Boulevard du 20 Août, Agadir (tel. 028/821212). New Zealanders are represented by their embassy in Spain at Calle del Pinar 7, Madrid (tel. 915/230226; www.nzembassy.com), but in an emergency can call on the U.K. Moroccan embassy or consulates.

Emergencies -- In any emergency, dial tel. 19 from anywhere in Morocco, which will connect you with the local police. For a public ambulance, dial tel. 15. On the other end of the line, however, may be someone who speaks only Moroccan Arabic or French at best. In the medinas of the major cities, ask a local shopkeeper to find you the Brigade Touristique.

Etiquette & Customs -- Appropriate Attire: Although wholeheartedly Muslim and conservative by nature, Moroccans are also understanding of, and have been exposed to, Western culture. Unfortunately, many Westerners take this tolerance to the extreme, and dress as if they were back home. Travelers will be treated with undoubtedly higher respect by all Moroccans if dressed conservatively. For men it's worth looking around and seeing the type of dress generally worn by all Moroccan men: collared shirt or T-shirt covering the shoulders, long pants or jeans, and sandals or shoes. Running shorts, sleeveless shirts, and beachwear are only worn when playing sports or at the beach, and if worn at other times are almost tantamount to wearing only your underwear. For women, dressing conservatively can range from loose, long pants, shoulder-covering short-sleeve shirts, and shoes or sandals to a full-length Moroccan robe, called a jellabah.

Greetings: Moroccans are more formal in social situations than most Westerners. Queries about one's marital status and children are considered polite, and greetings should always include queries as to the health and well-being of one's family. Always greet with your right hand, as your left is traditionally considered unclean. Kissing cheeks is practiced between members of the same sex -- especially if they are friends -- but should not be performed between opposite sexes unless each is well known to the other. When entering someone's home, it's considered polite to remove your shoes, especially before entering the living/dining area. If your host doesn't require such politeness, they will quickly inform you.

Gestures: Using your index finger to motion a person to approach you is considered impolite. Moroccans -- as with most non-Western cultures -- beckon someone by placing the palm downward and sweeping the hand towards themselves.

Avoiding Offense: In Morocco, taboo conversation subjects include the royal family, the political situation in the Western Sahara and Algeria, and drugs. It's also wise to be prudent when talking about Islam and Al'lah (God). Although non-Muslims are not expected to fast during Ramadan, it's considered polite to eat, drink, and smoke indoors, or at least away from the public eye. At any time of the year, but especially during Ramadan, show respect in both dress and demeanor if you are near a mosque. Photographing a mosque is usually acceptable, so long as you're not too close or appear to be photographing the interior. You may be invited to come closer, but it's best to wait for this. Photographing border checkpoints, military, police, or airport installations is strictly forbidden.

Eating & Drinking: In Islamic (and Arabic) cultures, the left hand is considered unclean, as this is the hand with which a person performs sanitary tasks. Moroccans, therefore, rarely eat with their left hand, perhaps only using it to drink from or maybe to pass bread. If you are eating from a communal tagine, eat with your right hand only. The respectful procedure when offered food is to politely decline and, if offered again, to accept a small portion. Reciprocating the offer is also considered polite, and will afford respect. To decline an offer of food, simply pat your stomach and shake your head, followed by "La, shukrran" (No, thank you).

Punctuality: Punctuality is not one of the trademarks of Moroccans. Tasks are often achieved in "Moroccan time," which can be anything from a half-hour late for personal appointments to even arriving the next day. The exception to this rule is the country's guides -- especially the faux guides and hustlers -- who will be waiting long before any agreed time.

Hammams: Traditionally, Moroccan women used to bathe nude, but nowadays this isn't always the case, with many younger women (and most travelers) electing to go topless but wear underwear or bikini bottoms. This will not cause offense; those who choose to also wear a bra or bikini top may do so, but local women will wonder why the visitor doesn't, like them, bare all. Men, both Moroccan and Western, bathe in shorts. It's not necessary to shower beforehand.

The Global Etiquette Guide To Africa and the Middle East (Wiley Publishing, Inc.; 2002), written by cross-cultural expert Dean Foster, has some handy information for both business and leisure travelers on general cultural issues between Arabs and Westerners, and includes some specific advice regarding Morocco.

Language -- Moroccan Arabic (sometimes called Darija) is the country's official language. A distinctive dialect of the worldwide Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), it is largely a spoken, rather than written, language. Newspapers and official documentation will therefore usually be written in MSA. Moroccan Arabic is constantly evolving, and includes words adapted from Spanish, English, and French. French is widely spoken throughout the country, and is the language of business, commerce, and, to a large degree, tourism. English is becoming a popular language to learn in universities, and is spoken frequently in heavily touristed areas. The regional languages of the country's Berbers are widely spoken in the Atlas mountains and central Morocco, although French and some English will be spoken in the more touristed areas.

Laundromats -- Very few laundromats are found within Morocco, and even fewer are self-service. Most Moroccans wash their everyday clothes at home, and use dry cleaners (m'sbana in Arabic, pressing in French) for their suits, jellabahs, and other fine dresswear.

Legal Aid -- If you need legal assistance, your first (and only) option is to contact your embassy or consulate. Remember that it is illegal to bribe a police officer or public official in Morocco -- even though the practice is commonplace. If you have been dealing with a local guide, sometimes they can help with translation, though they will be very wary of treading on the police's toes.

Liquor Laws -- Contrary to preconceived notions, liquor is available throughout much of Morocco. Many Moroccans -- mainly men -- drink, but do so privately. The legal drinking age for Moroccans is 18, but for visitors this is a gray area, as most establishments will serve you no matter what the age (within reason, of course). Moroccan bars, called brasseries, are usually smoky, dingy drinking dens frequented by Moroccan men and prostitutes. Most top-end restaurants and many maisons d'hôte will also offer alcohol, as will nightclubs in the resorts of Agadir and Marrakech. The business hours of these establishments vary from town to town, but you'll find most restaurants are closed by 11pm and local brasseries by midnight, while nightclubs and hotel bars may stay open until 4 or 5am, especially in tourist areas. To find a shop selling alcohol, it's best to ask at your hotel reception, or locate a branch of the national supermarket chains Acima and Marjane, mentioned where applicable in the "Shopping" sections throughout this book. Drinking alcohol in public is frowned upon and downright ignorant if practiced near a mosque.

Lost & Found -- Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen, and file a report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit card company or insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss. Most credit card companies have an emergency toll-free number to call if your card is lost or stolen; they may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency credit card in a day or two.

There's no Moroccan emergency number for American Express, Visa, or MasterCard cardholders, so all companies offer a reverse-charge phone number to the U.S.: American Express tel. 336/393-1111; Visa tel. 410/581-9994 or 410/581-3836; and MasterCard 636/722-7111. If you need emergency cash over the weekend when all banks and American Express offices are closed, you can have money wired to you via Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com).

Mail -- The Moroccan postal service (Maroc Post) is fairly reliable, with postcards and letters taking between 1 to 3 weeks to international destinations, depending on where you post from. A postcard or small letter costs 7dh to 8dh (90¢-$1/45p-50p) to Europe, 9dh to 12dh ($1.15-$1.50/55p-75p) to the U.S., and 10dh to 15dh ($1.25-$1.90/p65p-95p) to Australia. A package weighing 1kg (2.2 lbs.) costs around 110dh ($14/£6.90) to Europe, 150dh ($19/£9.40) to the U.S., and 195dh ($24/£12) to Australia and New Zealand. Post offices are open Monday to Friday 8am to 4:15pm, and Saturday 8 to 11:45am. Stamps (timbres) can be purchased from post offices and sometimes from souvenir shops and tabacs, which also sell cigarettes and sometimes newspapers. Separate parcel counters are found in all post offices, and all packages need to be inspected beforehand. DHL and FedEx offices are located at various cities within the country.

Newspapers & Magazines -- All major newspapers and magazines in Morocco are in either Arabic (MSA) or French. Weekly international editions of The Guardian, Herald Tribune, and Time magazine can sometimes be found at newspaper vendors in the major cities.

Passports -- Allow plenty of time before your trip to apply for a passport. Processing normally takes 3 weeks, but can take much longer during busy periods (especially spring). If you need a passport in a hurry, you'll pay a higher processing fee.

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under 18 and over 65 must apply for a 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525), or at most main post offices.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency. Or, contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410, or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website, or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Photographic Needs -- Photo stores can be found all over Morocco. Although the number of these shops offering digital services -- such as copying images to CD and selling digital accessories -- are increasing, for the moment most shops' services usually revolve around film-processing services and the supply of film (usually only Fuji and/or Kodak, and only 100 ASA) and sometimes camera batteries.

Police -- For police assistance, dial tel. 19 anywhere in the country.

Restrooms -- There are very few public restrooms in Morocco, and those that are anywhere near hygienic I have mentioned within the coverage for each destination. Most restaurants will allow you to use their toilette if you ask politely. Sometimes there might be a small fee, or if there is an attendant keeping them clean, 2 to 3 dirham (25¢-40¢/15p-20p) is expected.

Smoking -- Smoking is common and an accepted part of the Moroccan lifestyle, thus there aren't many designated nonsmoking areas to be found. This isn't so much of an inconvenience at the outdoor cafes and restaurants, but if you are sensitive to smoke, then it's worth checking out the haze in an indoor cafe or restaurant before you sit down. Thankfully, it's considered impolite to smoke inside public transport.

Taxes -- The main indirect tax in Morocco is a value-added tax (VAT), with rates of between 7% and 14% included in the cost of basic goods and services, including those offered in all restaurants and hotels. A recently introduced Tourist Promotion Tax (TPT) is supposed to be added onto the cost of your accommodation. During the research of this book, I found some accommodations already doing this, some are adding it on to your bill at the end of your stay, and some are not even aware of it. The amount is between 5dh and 15dh (65¢-$1.90/30p-95p) per person per night, depending on the grade of accommodation.

Time Zone -- Morocco is on Greenwich Mean Time year-round. The Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla keep Spanish time, which is GMT plus 1 hour in winter, and GMT plus 2 hours in summer. Remember to keep this in mind when traveling by ferry from/to the Spanish mainland.

Tipping -- Tipping is expected by Moroccans for every service provided to you, whether you requested the service or not. Sometimes those asking for a tip are bordering on begging considering the assistance or service -- if any -- that was given. However, it's best not to fight this national habit and rather enjoy your time with no hassle. The expected minimum tip for any meal or drink is 10%. For informal services such as parking attendants and luggage porters, I usually give 5dh to 10dh (65¢-$1.25/30p-65p). If asked to tip when taking a photo, I usually pay 10dh to 20dh ($1.25-$2.50/65p-£1.25). For guiding services it depends on how much guidance was given and whether it was any good or not. For official guides, budget on a 10% tip per person. For faux guides who have perhaps assisted with a small navigational problem, 5dh to 10dh (65¢-$1.25/30p-65p) is enough. For other services such as petrol attendants and taxi drivers, I usually round up to the nearest 5 dirham. These are relatively small amounts and are worth shelling out to both create harmony between Moroccans and tourists and save you from continuous hassle and agitation.

Useful Phone Numbers

• U.S. Dept. of State Travel Advisory: tel. 202/647-5225 (manned 24 hr.)

• U.S. Passport Agency: tel. 202/647-0518

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control International Traveler's Hot Line: tel. 404/332-4559

• U.S. Embassy in Rabat: tel. 037/762265

• U.K. Embassy in Rabat: tel. 037/633333

• Canadian Embassy in Rabat: tel. 037/687400

Water -- Much of Morocco's water is potable but may upset Westerners' stomachs. Bottled drinking water is available everywhere and is inexpensive, although some restaurants charge an exorbitant markup. From any street-side shop, a 1 1/2 liter bottle of water will cost no more than 8dh ($1/50p).