Morocco

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco, Africa

Morocco is the most strict and disciplinarian country of North Africa. Hounded by foreign invasion, Morocco has incurred the taste of multi-faceted community. Though primarily consists of Jews, Morocco has also sheltered many other ethnic groups like Christians, Islams, Pagans, etc. Maintaining the Constitutional Monarchy, this country is the 5th largest economic power of Africa. With a population of more than 40 million, this country is full of wildlife activities. The tourists can go for trailing, mountain biking, skiing, windsurfing, bird watching, etc. The people of Morocco are lovers of nature, so the spirit of adventure is inherent over there. Having its capital in Rabat, the country recognizes Arabic as its official language.

Morocco is blessed with a Mediterranean climate with mild winters, but relatively hotter summers. This country is rich in terms of bird reserves, with around 487 species of birds found all around the country. Besides its excellence in handicraft products like carpets, it has also achieved much of its fame by producing some exquisite products of ceramics. The visitors can buy them from the shops located in the sophisticated markets. The country has one of the largest phosphate mining industry of the world. The tourism industry is counted as a large source of revenue for the Government. The visitors’ search for quality and authentic dishes ends here. The spicy foods and marvelous sights account for the large number tourists every year.

While planning to visit Morocco, make yourself prepared for some terrific adventures along with some tempting and intoxicating places to relax. The best time to visit Morocco is the early summer months, when the days are warm and nights are mild, with a rare chance of rainfall. There are a large number of hotels, self-catering Guest Houses, and camping sites available in Morocco, which assure you of a cozy time. All the major hotels are located near the airport, for the convenience of the tourists. Almost around 70 international airports are scattered in the different cities of Morocco with Al Massira and Sale Airport being the important ones. They welcome flights from all over the world with a strict vigilance kept on Visas and other individual details.

Within the country, the railways are extensively used, which also connect Algeria and Tunisia. Some good highways are there, which can be accessed by sports car and other local transport.

Morocco Location Map

Getting In

Morocco is a magnificent country in North Africa, which takes immense pride in its long stretch of beautiful coastline along the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It also shares border with Western Sahara in the south, Algeria in the east, and the Spanish North African territories of Ceuta and Melilla on the Mediterranean coast in the north. The growing popularity of Morocco to the international travelers as a premier holiday destination has led to the development of numerous transportation options for reaching Morocco and presently there are few international airlines which operate regular and scheduled flights to and from Morocco. The most popular as well as the most convenient way of reaching Morocco is definitely by opting for air travel. It is not only the fastest mode of transportation, but also makes it extremely comfortable for those travelers who are planning to pay a visit to Morocco as it saves a considerable amount of their time and they can easily spend this time in exploring the numerous attractions of the country.

The travelers usually get flights from New York, Montreal, and various other European cities to Casablanca and along with regular flights, the visitors can also avail seasonal charter flights to Agadir. Easyjet is an airline, which provides flights at budget cost from London to Marrakech and Fes and reputed international airlines like British Airways also provides regular flights to Morocco. Because of the agreement signed between the Moroccan government and Ryanair, this airline also offers scheduled flights from Barcelona and London. Atlas Blue, another budget airline which forms a vital part of the Royal Air Maroc, also provides flights to Morocco. Jet 4 You, another new low cost carrier, offers extremely cheap tickets from both France and Belgium.

Another popular option for reaching Morocco is by traveling in car and the best road link is from southern Spain or France. It is chosen by the travelers who have a preference for the car. If someone is interested in traveling to Morocco by rail, then he or she can catch trains from London Victoria to Gare du Nord in Paris, and then Gare d’Austerlitz to Algerciras, and then avail ferries to reach Morocco. Tangier, Casablanca, and Ceuta are the premier ports of Morocco and many ferries connect to Morocco, mainly from Spain. Ferries from France also go to Tangier predominantly from the port of Sète near Montpellier and Port Vendres near Perpignan.

Transport

For getting around Morocco, the most preferred choice of transportation is the train, and if you travel by trains you will get familiar with the sociable and friendly aspect of the Moroccan people. When you meet the native Moroccans in train, they will be pleased to offer you with loads of advices that will be of immense help to you on your tour in Morocco. The Moroccans are very hospitable by nature, so don’t get surprised if you get invited to some of your co-passenger’s home.
The major cities of Morocco like Marrakech, Meknes, Fez, Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, and such others are all connected by reliable rail links and normally there are numerous trains every day to and from every major town and if you want to travel at night, then there is also a night train between Marrakech and Tangier.

Like other countries of the world, domestic flights are not a very popular here. However, Royal Air Maroc, which is the national airline of Morocco, provides superb, but a bit expensive network to most of the major cities in Morocco. Buses are another popular option of traveling in Morocco. Almost every major city in Morocco has a central bus-station where the tourists can purchase tickets to travel from region to region. The travelers also have the option to choose the luxury buses, which are equipped with air-conditioners and televisions. The tourists can also avail local buses for getting around in Morocco and by traveling in these buses the visitors get loads of scope to catch a glance of the beautiful countryside and rustic villages of Morocco. The route from Rissani, Erfoud, and Er Rachidia to Meknes and Fez are a somewhat long and run through the Middle and High Atlas, but is particularly charming. Luxury buses which are operated by CTM are not only inexpensive, but also offer a far better traveling experience than local buses.

The travelers can also opt for traveling by taxi as taxis are pretty popular in Morocco and there are two sorts of taxis in Morocco: petite taxi – which are used only within the town and the grande taxi are exclusively used only for trips between towns. The cost of traveling in petite taxis is moderately reasonable and these taxis are metered ones. The grande taxi is basically shared long-distance taxi, which has got a fixed rate for definite route and the driver usually stops and picks up passengers like a bus. The grande taxis are usually available near the main bus stops and the charges can be negotiated before the journey starts. While sharing a grand taxi with others, always keep it in mind that the drivers can cheat you by charging you higher than other local passengers, so definitely be cautious before paying your share. As the main road network in Morocco is in a perfectly sound condition and the main cities are connected by toll expressways, you may also choose to travel via car. If you want your own conveyance, then you can simply hire a car in Morocco and most worldwide rental networks have their offices in Morocco and there are also numerous local rental companies.

Entertainment

The Agadir, Casablanca, Fès, Marrakech, and Rabat are the premier clubs in Morocco, which arrange pony treks in the Middle Atlas every year. The exotic beaches of Morocco not only offer safe swimming, but are also renowned for providing scope to enjoy a dazzling array of water sports and diving, whitewater rafting, and deep sea fishing are some of the popular water sports that are tried out by the thousands of visitors every year. If the visitors are keen on enjoying various natural and cultural sights of Morocco, then they can simply opt for are 4-wheel-drive trips, but the best way to gaze at the beautiful natural wonders of Morocco is by walking.

The visitors will come across several beautiful local handicrafts items at fixed prices in the co-operative shops of Moroccan craftspeople, which are operated by the state. Other shopping items include leather, tanned and dyed in Fès; Copperware; silver; silk or cotton garments; and wool rugs, carpets and blankets; but it is important to bargain. In the south, the travelers will find Berber carpet auctions and particularly in the Marrakech, Taroudannt, and Tiznit; but it is best for the visitors to be assisted by guides if they are keen on making good buys.

Related : Morocco Location Map | Morocco Facts | Morocco Cities