Page 357 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Morocco

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  355

poor and, unlike dollars and rates are high. An alternative areas and in souks it is very
euros, pounds sterling are safe way of carrying money is difficult to obtain change for
not always available. a prepaid currency card that large-denomination notes.
can be loaded with money Always carry small change to
before you travel and used cover ordinary purchases.
Credit Cards at ATMs to withdraw cash. Both banknotes and coins
Most reasonably comfortable bear the likeness of King
hotels (usually those with Mohammed VI or of his father
a rating of three stars and Currency Hassan II. It is considered
above), as well as mainstream The Moroccan unit of sacrilegious to tear or damage
restaurants in large towns, and currency is the dirham (Dh them. Any coin or banknote
certain stores (usually those in in its abbreviated form), which where the sovereign’s portrait
the most upmarket bracket) is divided into 100 centimes. is defaced in any way may even
accept credit cards for payments. Banknotes are issued in the be refused.
following denominations: 20, In some areas, especially
50, 100 and 200 dirhams. Coins in the countryside, prices are
Prepaid Currency Cards are issued in denominations of given in riales (or reales) instead
Traveller’s cheques are not 5, 10, 20 and 50 centimes, of in centimes. One rial equals
widely accepted in banks, and and of 1, 2, 5 and 10 dirhams. 5 centimes, but it is a purely
although some hotels may still Notes and coins are inscribed conceptual unit: there are
cash them, the commission in French and Arabic. In rural no rial coins.
Coins
Coins come in denominations of 5,
10, 20 and 50 centimes and of 1, 2,
5 and 10 dirhams. While centime
coins are not widely used, 1-dirham
coins are handy, espec ially for
paying someone to guard your
car and for occasional tips.
10 dirhams 5 dirhams 2 dirhams

1 dirham 50 centimes 20 centimes 10 centimes 5 centimes
Banknotes
Banknotes are issued in denominations
of 20 dirhams, 50 dirhams, 100 dirhams
and 200 dirhams.

20-dirham note

50-dirham note

100-dirham note

200-dirham note

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