Here, There, and Yonder
Destination: Casablanca, Morocco
Destination: Casablanca, Morocco
Well... not exactly a destination, but a definite long lay-over! You have two choices when you get there. You can stay in the airport. It is not bad and there is food available. Or, Air Maroc will put you up in a hotel in town and provide meals, if you choose.
If you choose to go into town, you must:
- Go though the immigration line (passport check) with everyone else that is leaving the airport. You enter the country as a tourist. Americans do not currently need a visa for lay-overs or immunizations. You do not need to claim your baggage if you have checked it all the way through to Niamey.
- As you exit this area, you enter into the main lobby. There is a staircase up to the second floor.
- Go upstairs to the Air Maroc office that will help transiting passengers. They will give you vouchers for your hotel room and food. They will tell you where the bus is parked.
- Go out in the parking lot and get on the bus. You probably will need to wait a little while for everyone else that will go to the hotel with you.
- The bus will take you to your hotel, and that is also where you will be given your free meals. There are several different hotels, so there are several stops. Double check your voucher for the name of your hotel. It's about a 30 minute bus ride into town. Our hotels have always been nice and the meals were good.
- The bus will give you the time that they will come back and get you to take you back to the airport.
What to do in town besides nap
- Ask at your hotel lobby desk and they can get you a taxi for the day or several hours at an agreed upon price.
- Carry your passport with you.
- Their Grand Mosque is built on the beach. You may not want to tour it but is a nice drive-by site.
- Habbous shopping area (one of the traditional markets near the royal palace)
A recommended shop is Mohammed Karnaoui’s place at
7-9 Avenue du Palais Royal
A recommended bakery is just around the corner from this shop, a little hole in the wall that is very deceiving… this is a taste sensation you do not want to miss! - Gauthier Bain, a place where you can do a public bath, steam, massage, etc... has been recommended to us by an American who has lived there. It is very clean. The entry is 60 dirham. She highly recommended the “gommage” where they scrub you with this amazing black paste and get all the dead skin off. You can also have mint tea afterwards. Men and women bathe separately. It is located near the American Consulate.
- Of course, there is always Rick’s Café for the tourist (minus Rick), open for lunch and supper (closed in the afternoon).
- If you want something other than your hotel for a meal, ask the Wombles and they can give you a list of recommended places. Perhaps your local travel agent could also give you some suggestions.
The American Consulate
The Consulate is located in a neighborhood called Gauthier at
8 Blvd. Moulay Youssef. The phone number is 022-26-45-50,
American Citizen Services extension is 4122 or 4149.