Can I use credit cards and ATMs in Morocco?

Morocco is increasingly card-friendly in the modern parts of the economy, but it remains very much a cash society for everyday spending. Credit and debit cards (Visa and Mastercard most reliably) are accepted in hotels and riads, larger restaurants, supermarkets, petrol stations and tourist-oriented shops. American Express is far less widely accepted, so do not rely on it as your only card.

ATMs are the simplest way to get local currency. They are plentiful in cities and most towns, attached to major banks, and dispense dirhams directly. Withdraw from machines at or inside a bank where possible, tell your own bank you are travelling so the card is not blocked, and be aware of two fees: your home bank's foreign-withdrawal charge and, often, a local ATM fee. Decline the machine's "convert to your home currency" offer (dynamic currency conversion) — it gives a poor rate.

The big thing to plan for is that huge swathes of daily life are cash-only. The souks, market stalls, petits taxis, small cafes, tips, hammams, riads in rural areas and most of the countryside simply do not take cards. You will need physical dirhams in hand for all of it, so always start the day with enough cash for meals, taxis and small purchases.

One more point worth knowing: the dirham is a closed currency, which means you generally cannot buy it abroad and should not try to. The practical routine is to arrive with a little foreign cash (euros or dollars) as a backup, then withdraw dirhams from an ATM on arrival — there are machines at the airports — and top up from ATMs as you travel. Convert any leftover dirhams back before you fly home.