As with
most destinations in Africa you have
to careful about what you drink and
eat in order to avoid upset
stomachs. Buying food from street
vendors carries some degree of risk
and tap water should not be drunk.
There is plenty of bottled water
available throughout the country.
Luckily Morocco is basically
malaria-free. There are a few areas
near the border with Mauritania that
can harbour malaria but it's an
unlikely destination even for the
toughest of travellers.
Immunizations
No vaccinations are required by law
to enter Morocco but Typhoid and
Hepatitis A are two vaccinations
that are strongly recommended. It is
also a good idea to be up to date
with your polio and tetanus
vaccines.
Terrorism
A series of terrorist attacks took
place in Casablanca in May 2003,
killing 45 people. The targets
included hotels, cafes and other
areas which tourists frequent. The
Moroccan authorities claim to have
caught the perpetrators, but there
is still some risk of further
attacks. Despite the unpopularity of
the American presence in Iraq and
its support for Israel, attacks
against US citizens have not been
reported. Most Moroccans, to their
credit, do make a distinction
between US Government policies and
US citizens.
Crime
Violent crime is still quite rare in
Morocco but getting harassed by
"guides" and petty theft is fairly
common. Avoid walking alone at night
especially in unlit areas and on the
beach. Take care of your valuables
and don't flaunt your jewellery.
Drugs
Morocco has strict penalties for
those caught purchasing or using
drugs including "kif" as the local
marijuana or hashish is called. That
said, "kif" is smoked by a sizeable
percentage of the Moroccan male
population and many, young
travellers in particular, visit
Morocco with this in mind. Just be
careful. The Rif mountains, where
most of the marijuana is grown, is
notorious for forcing their wares on
unsuspecting tourists and the police
are in on the scam. Do not buy "kif"
from anyone who approaches you (and
you will be approached) it is
usually of inferior quality and you
don't want to spend a lot of time
with these people.
Women
Travellers
Female travellers in Morocco will
get their fair share of comments and
whistles but it's not an unsafe
country to travel in. Ignore the
comments and you'll be left alone
within minutes, as long as you're
not wearing a tank top and/or mini
skirt. Ask a local woman to take you
to a Hammam, it's a wonderful place
to meet women and chat (although
less women speak French than men).
Don't wander around cities alone
after 10pm or so, unless it's still
crowded with regular families.
Basic rules:
-
Ignore cat calls,
tsskkss's,
whistles and
anything else
thrown at you
verbally by
bored men.
-
Wear sunglasses
to avoid direct
eye contact with
men.
-
Respect the
culture you are
in.
-
Dress
conservatively.
This is very
important in
Muslim countries
if you want to
avoid extra
hassle. No mini
skirts, shorts,
tank tops or
tight shirts.
-
Don't go out on
your own at
night.
-
Say you are
married and
carry a photo of
your 'husband'
with you.
-
If you feel you
are being
harrassed or
followed, walk
into a shop or
hotel and ask
for help.
-
If you are lost
ask directions
from a woman or
family.
-
Make a scene if
you are groped
or pinched and
shame the person
publicly. A
shout will
usually do the
trick.
-
Stay in a hotel
where you can
lock your door
at night. Family
hotels are often
the most
comfortable for
women traveling
on their own.
Gay
Travellers
Homosexuality is considered a
criminal offence in Morocco (so are
sexual relations outside of marriage
for that matter). So just be careful
of overt displays of public
affection, although handholding
between men is very common. |
