Morocco
Salaam-Alaikum! From Morocco — or “Maghrib”, the land where the sun sets — comes the rise of a confluence of Berber, Arab, West African and European influences. An eclectic destination as colourful as the patterned rugs sold in the souqs, this Western Kingdom was made for bold travellers who want to camel-trek into the Sahara, revel in the chaos of Casablanca and get lost in the labyrinth medina in Fez. Or you can slow down the tempo in a palatial riad, people-watch over a cup of mint tea, or sweat it out in an ancient hammam.
The Moroccan dirham is the official monetary currency of Morocco. It is issued by the Bank Al-Maghrib, the central bank of Morocco. One Moroccan dirham is subdivided into 100 centimes. You will find notes in denominations of Dh20, Dh50, Dh100 and Dh200. Coins come in denominations of Dh1, Dh2, Dh5 and Dh10.
Morocco has several international airports, including gateways in Agadir, Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Tangier. Of these, the busiest airports are the Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) in Casablanca, which handles most of the country’s long-distance flights; and the Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK), a popular choice for airlines arriving from Europe. Morocco’s flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc, is currently the only airline offering direct flights from the United States.
Most major European airlines offer connections to Morocco, including British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, and Air France.
For our Singapore visitors, Emirates flies from Singapore to Casablanca thrice daily (with a stopover in Dubai). The flight is about 15 hours in total (excl. stopovers).
Most travellers who want to visit Morocco can do so without applying for a visa if your trip will not exceed three months. However, is it essential that all travellers arrive with a passport that is valid for at least six months from the time you enter Morocco.
Singaporeans can visit Morocco for up to 30 days without a visa. As immigration requirements can change at short notice, travellers are advised to check with their travel agent or the Honorary Consulate of Morocco in Singapore for the latest information.
All visitors to Morocco may bring in, free of duty, the following: (1) tobacco (200 cigarettes/100 cigarillos/25 cigars), (2) 1 liter of alcohol, (3) 150ml of perfume/250ml of eau de toilette, (4) 2,000dh worth of gifts, (5) personal electrical and photographic goods, musical instruments, and nonmotorized sports equipment.
Visitors are allowed to travel out of Morocco with locally made crafts and souvenirs, including a reasonable number (not in the dozens) of fossilized, ornamental, and semiprecious 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.
Winter (December to February) has plenty of blue skies but can be extremely chilly at night. Riad rates go up between 20 December and 6 January.
Spring (March to May) is a great time for medina escapades with temperatures hovering around 30°C. Try to avoid Easter holidays when prices jump.
Summer (June to August) brings scorching heat along with the Festival of Popular Arts.
Autumn (September to November) is ideal for non-sweaty souq exploring and sightseeing. Remember your umbrella in November, Marrakesh’s wettest month.
The Moroccan dirham is the official monetary currency of Morocco. It is issued by the Bank Al-Maghrib, the central bank of Morocco. One Moroccan dirham is subdivided into 100 centimes. You will find notes in denominations of Dh20, Dh50, Dh100 and Dh200. Coins come in denominations of Dh1, Dh2, Dh5 and Dh10.
Morocco has several international airports, including gateways in Agadir, Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Tangier. Of these, the busiest airports are the Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) in Casablanca, which handles most of the country’s long-distance flights; and the Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK), a popular choice for airlines arriving from Europe. Morocco’s flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc, is currently the only airline offering direct flights from the United States.
Most major European airlines offer connections to Morocco, including British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, and Air France.
For our Singapore visitors, Emirates flies from Singapore to Casablanca thrice daily (with a stopover in Dubai). The flight is about 15 hours in total (excl. stopovers).
Most travellers who want to visit Morocco can do so without applying for a visa if your trip will not exceed three months. However, is it essential that all travellers arrive with a passport that is valid for at least six months from the time you enter Morocco.
Singaporeans can visit Morocco for up to 30 days without a visa. As immigration requirements can change at short notice, travellers are advised to check with their travel agent or the Honorary Consulate of Morocco in Singapore for the latest information.
All visitors to Morocco may bring in, free of duty, the following: (1) tobacco (200 cigarettes/100 cigarillos/25 cigars), (2) 1 liter of alcohol, (3) 150ml of perfume/250ml of eau de toilette, (4) 2,000dh worth of gifts, (5) personal electrical and photographic goods, musical instruments, and nonmotorized sports equipment.
Visitors are allowed to travel out of Morocco with locally made crafts and souvenirs, including a reasonable number (not in the dozens) of fossilized, ornamental, and semiprecious 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.
Winter (December to February) has plenty of blue skies but can be extremely chilly at night. Riad rates go up between 20 December and 6 January.
Spring (March to May) is a great time for medina escapades with temperatures hovering around 30°C. Try to avoid Easter holidays when prices jump.
Summer (June to August) brings scorching heat along with the Festival of Popular Arts.
Autumn (September to November) is ideal for non-sweaty souq exploring and sightseeing. Remember your umbrella in November, Marrakesh’s wettest month.