Changing Money For Moroccan Holiday

[Maggoty]

Rightio. I am going to Morocco (Marrakesh) on Wednesday and I have been given conflicting advice. I live in the UK by the way so have sterling.

I know its a closed currency so I can only get their currency in Morocco (Dirham, or known as MAD) but here's where the advice differs. I have been told

* Take Euro's - most places in Morocco accept Euro's. You can then change it up anywhere if nec.
* Don't take Euro's as you will have to pay commission to change from sterling to Euros then from Euros to MAD
* Don't take cards as few places allow you to draw cash on a foreign card (MasterCard debit etc )
* Take a small amount of sterling, change up at airport. (apparently the exchange rate is fixed by the govt so its only the commission rate that changes) Then use your mastercard debit/visa cards for as and when you need to buy something or draw out money.

Any ideas on which of the above are True/Partly True/Complete broccoli?

Cheers guys

x

[jno]

I don't know but this may help

http://www.naturallymorocco.co.uk/about-morocco/questions/what-currency-should-i-take.html

and this

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/morocco/practical-information/money-costs

Those ought to be reliable, though they don't suggest a direct answer to your question. I think I'd change some sterling on arrival, use credit cards for big purchases (but cash for smaller ones, including giving tips), and use either sterling or debit card to top up my dirhams as needed.

[Maggoty]

Thank You!!! xx

[dzug2]

You can actually get dirhams in this country - though at a poor rate and in a limited number of places

I wouldn't have thought it worthwhile paying commission/other markup to get euros - take sterling and/or cards

[Yorky Lass]

I went at the beginning of the year. I took sterling and changed it at the hotel or an exchange shop. Both had very similar rates. Don't change too much at once because you have to change it back at the airport and the rate isn't as good and they only change in units of 10 dirham.
Didn't notice many places accepting Euro but there again I wasn't looking, but all prices I saw were in dirham.
The money is very dirty so take some hand cleanser with you, they advised us to do this in the hotel.
Hope this helps.

[Maggoty]

Thank you..

Yorky Lass - were there enough 'holes in the wall' there or is cash a better option?

x

[Yorky Lass]

I can't say I noticed because once again I wasn't looking for them. I took cash and kept it in the safe.
I bet if you Google banks in Marrakesh you'll get good idea. I would imagine a place as big as Marrakesh there will be plenty.

[atalanta]

I found cash machines in various places in morocco more or less wherever I needed. Including one tiny village up in the mountains.