Morocco
Visa: Visa-free for EU, US, Canada, Chinese, and many others for up to 90 days. Free Visa Check
Language: Arabic and Tamazight (Berber) are official languages. French is also popular. English is common in tourist areas. Learning a few French phrases goes a long way.
Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD). Cash is king. Credit cards work in hotels and larger shops, but medina stalls, taxis, and small restaurants need cash. ATMs are plentiful in cities.
Note: Dirham is a closed currency -- you cannot buy or sell it outside Morocco. Exchange at the airport or banks upon arrival.
Transportation:
Train: ONCF connects Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, Marrakech, and Tangier.
Bus: CTM is the most reliable intercity bus with an easy online booking system. Supratours (ONCF's bus division) complements the train network. Both cover major tourist routes.
What To Expect
Morocco is a sensory overload in the best possible way. The moment you step into the labyrinthine medina of Fes or the kaleidoscopic souks of Marrakech, you're hit with a wall of spice-scented air, the call to prayer echoing over rooftops, and a thousand years of living history pressed against your skin.
This is a country of dramatic contrasts. One day you're sipping mint tea on a rooftop overlooking the Atlas Mountains; the next, you're riding a camel into the Sahara as the dunes turn gold at sunset. In between, there's the blue-washed dreaminess of Chefchaouen, the crashing Atlantic waves of Essaouira, and the sheer architectural audacity of Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque -- all woven together by a cuisine that ranks among the world's finest: slow-cooked tagine, fluffy couscous, and steaming glasses of sweet mint tea.