Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»
BMCE (Banque Marocaine du Commerce Extérieur), Crédit du Maroc, Banque Populaire, BMCI (Banque
Marocaine pour le Commerce et l'Industrie), Société Générale and Attijariwafa Bank all offer reliable ser-
vice.
»
ATMs sometimes run dry on weekends.
»
The amount of money you can withdraw from an ATM generally depends on the conditions attached to
your card; many machines will dispense no more than Dh2000 at a time.
Black Market
The easy convertibility of the dirham leaves little room for a black market, but you'll find people in the
streets asking if you want to exchange money, especially in Tangier, Casablanca and on the borders of (and
just inside) the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Avoid these characters; there's no monetary benefit to be had
from such transactions and scams are common.
Cash
You'll need to carry some cash with you. Some riads accept payment in euros, but often at less preferential
rates than you can get at the bank.
»
Keep a handful of small denomination notes in your wallet, or just in a pocket (but never a back pocket),
for day-to-day transactions.
»
Put the rest in a money belt or another safe place.
»
If you're travelling in out-of-the-way places, make sure you have enough cash to last until you get to a
decent-sized town.
»
Keep an emergency stash of euros in small denominations.
»
The endless supply of small coins may be annoying, but they're handy for taxis, tips, guides and beggars.
Credit Cards
»
Major credit cards are widely accepted in the main tourist centres.
»
They often attract a surcharge of around 5% from Moroccan businesses.
»
The main credit cards are MasterCard and Visa; if you plan to rely on plastic cards, the best bet is to take
one of each.
»
Most large bank branches will give you cash advances on Visa and MasterCard. Take your passport with
you.
TIPPING IN MOROCCO
