First Two Hours

Morocco has 12 international airports, the most important of which are Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir and, to a lesser extent, Tangier. The Straits of Gibraltar (14km wide) separate Morocco from Europe. Regular ferries operate from Algeciras and Tarifa (Spain) to Tangier or Ceuta, from Sete (France) to Tangier, Almeria and Málaga (Spain) to Melilla.

Aéroport Mohammed V, Casablanca

• Morocco's largest airport for domestic and international flights is 30km from town.
• Trains to the Gare des Voyageurs and Gare du Port in the centre run
  every hour between 6 am and 10:45 pm and cost 25dh, and there's
  also a shuttle bus (about 30dh) to the main bus station (gare routiére).
• A grand taxi to the centre costs about 200dh.

Marrakech Airport

• The airport is only 5km from town. Bus 11 runs to Djemaa el-Fna, but services can be erratic.
• Grands taxis are about 50–60dh to Guéliz (the new town).
• There's a bureau de change and several car-hire desks.

Agadir al-Massira Airport

• Agadir's airport is 25km east of the city.
• There is no public transport, but grands taxis charge a fixed rate (150dh) into town, taking six people.
• The airport's bank is usually open 24 hours, and there are several car-hire agencies.

Fes Airport

• The small airport at Sais, 15km south of the city, only handles international flights from Paris.
• Bus 16 goes to the railway station or a grand taxi should cost about 100dh.

Tangier Airport

• The airport is 15km from the centre.
• Local buses 17 and 70 to Grand Socco in the centre leave from the main road, 2km away from the airport. Otherwise try to negotiate a price for a grand taxi; the official charge is 100dh per car for up to six people, but drivers often try to charge per person, and will ask for extra money if you're carrying luggage.
• The car-hire desks in the arrivals hall don't offer the best deal in town.

Tangier Port

• Passport control in Tangier Port is notoriously slow, so expect a long
  queue. Make sure you get a departure card on the boat and have your
  passport stamped before getting off, or the wait will be even longer.
• There are bureaux de change inside and outside the port.
• Tangier centre is within walking distance, but if you have a lot of
  luggage take a petit taxi (10dh per person).
• The port area is notorious for its hustlers, who may tell you that you need a guide because the city is dangerous, or that your hotel is full. It's best to ignore them.

Tourist Information Offices

( (05)5524426

Rabat
Ý 183 D3
* 22 avenue d'Alger
( (03) 7139562
(ONMT) * corner of avenue al Ahtal and rue Clued Fes
( 03 168 1531

Safi
Ý 182 B2
* rue Imam Malek
( (04) 4622496

Tangier
Ý 183 E5
* 29 boulevard Pasteur
( (03) 9948050

Tetouan
Ý 183 E5
* 30 avenue Mohammed V M
( (03) 9961915

Faux Guides

• Hustlers and faux guides can be a problem for the first time visitor, mainly in the medinas of tourist cities, but also at airports and, particularly, in Tangier port. The authorities have dealt with most of them, but some remain and should be avoided.
• They may tell you that there is no public transport into town in the hope that you take their car, or that your hotel has recently closed so you can go and stay at their "cousin's" hotel, where they get a percentage of the cost. They may also tell you (wrongly) that medinas are dangerous places where you will get lost. They will then offer to guide you around and lead you to shops where they will receive a commission on whatever you buy. If you try to shake them off they will often accuse you of being racist or a paranoid tourist, but just ignore all that.
• If you do want assistance, look for the officially accredited guides recommended by your hotel or by the tourist office.
• One drawback of the clampdown is that it has now become more difficult to walk around town with a Moroccan friend, as this may attract police attention.

Drugs

• The Rif Mountains are a pretty lawless region, as their main crop is kif (cannabis). Although its cultivation is legal, it's strictly illegal to buy, sell or be in possession of cannabis or hashish.
• Many foreigners are in Moroccan jails for getting involved in the business, so beware. Local gangsters, particularly around Ketama, often target vehicles passing through, especially foreign or rented cars.
• Visitors are likely to come across marijuana in various forms and in related traditional by-products such as majoun and honey. Beware, however, that you are more likely to find yourself in trouble for buying some than the locals.

Admission Charges