Page 350 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Morocco

348  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Morocco, a country with a wide range The major museums and historic
of attractions, receives a large number of monuments have been reorganized
visitors. Much of its economic success is so as to be seen to their best advantage
due to tourism. The country has a good by the maximum number of visitors.
tourism infrastructure and tourist offices, Customs formalities are minimal and
both at home and abroad. Moroccan hotels while French is the most widely spoken
have undergone major restructuring and foreign language, at least the bigger
many regions have significantly increased hotels and restaurants and all tourist
their capacity to accommodate visitors. offices have English-speaking staff.

are open continuously from
9am to 5pm. Before leaving
home, you may also wish to
contact the Moroccan tourist
office in your own country.

Entry Charges and
Opening Hours
An entry charge (usually about
10 to 20 dirhams) is made for
museums and historic sites and
buildings. When entry is free,
The Casablanca coast it is customary to give the
care taker a tip equal to the
When to Go advance, so as to be able to use average value of an entry ticket.
Morocco is a relatively large the most direct flights and the Opening hours can be
country with a varied climate, most convenient schedules, irregular. Tourist sites are
ranging from the arid, desert and particularly if you want to generally open from 9am to
conditions of the south to the reserve a room in smaller hotels 6pm, with some closing for up
Mediterran ean climate of and guest houses, to three hours
the north (see pp46–7). which have more midday. However,
The peak of the tourist season character and these times may
in the South, is in spring, from which get booked change during
March to mid-May, and, to a up quickly. Ramadan and at
lesser extent, in the early times of the year
autumn, in September and when the heat is
October. At those times, visitors Tourist Tourist brochure very intense. The
can enjoy many hours of Information opening of smaller
sunshine and almost no rain. All the major tourist centres sites sometimes depends on
Summer is the best time to in Morocco have a branch of the goodwill of the caretaker.
visit the Mediterranean and the Office National Marocain
Atlantic coasts. The South and du Tourisme (ONMT), which
the Centre, where the heat is often goes under the name Passports and Visas
then intense, are best avoided. “Délégation Générale du Citizens of the European Union,
Even when the winters are Tourisme”. Smaller towns have Swiss nationals and citizens of
mild they are still very cold, a Syndicat d’Initiative (tourist some other countries, including
and snowfall at high altitude, bureau). These bureaux provide the United States, Canada,
which can close passes, may information on the town’s Australia and New Zealand
interfere with your itinerary. principal features of interest, need a valid passport to visit
and the addresses of hotels Morocco. A passport, which
and restaurants. Official guides should be valid for at least six
Reservations are also usually available. The months after the date of your
Morocco attracts around 10 Délégations Générales and arrival, allows you to stay in
million visitors each year. Most Syndicats d’Initiative are open Morocco for three months. If
months are busy, and hotel from 8:30am to noon and this period is exceeded, the
reservations have become from 2:30 to 6:30pm. During authorities react strictly and
essential. It is best to arrange Ramadan and in summer, in the at the very least will escort
your visit several months in busiest towns and cities they you back to the frontier.
Aerial view of cameleers on the dunes of Erg Chebbi, Erfoud

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