What do Colombian travellers need to know about Morocco?

Colombian travellers usually find Morocco's entry rules straightforward: holders of a Colombian passport generally enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, as long as your passport is valid for at least six months beyond arrival and has blank pages for the stamp. You fill in an arrival card on the plane and get stamped through at immigration. That said, I always tell my Colombian guests to verify the current requirement with the Moroccan consulate or an official government source before booking — entry policy can shift, and you want certainty rather than a surprise at the Casablanca desk.

From Bogotá there are no direct flights, so plan to connect across the Atlantic. The cleanest routings go via Madrid — Iberia and Avianca feed Spain easily, and Royal Air Maroc carries you on into Casablanca — or via Paris, Lisbon or Istanbul. You can also route up through São Paulo and pick up Royal Air Maroc's nonstop to Casablanca. Expect somewhere around 16 to 19 hours door to door depending on connections, so I'd build in a comfortable layover. Casablanca is the main gateway, but flying onward into Marrakech or Fes from your European hub can save you a domestic leg.

Money is simple once you've landed. The dirham is a closed currency, so you can't buy it in Colombia — arrive with a little US dollar or euro cash as backup and draw dirhams from a bank ATM at the airport or in town, where the rate is far better than the booths. Colombian Visa and Mastercard cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and bigger shops across Marrakech, Fes and the cities; pick one with low foreign-transaction fees and let your bank know you're travelling. Beyond the cities — the desert, the mountains, the souk stalls — it's a cash world, so always carry small dirham notes.

Culturally, Colombians tend to feel at home quickly, and your Spanish genuinely helps, especially across the north around Tangier, Tetouan and Chefchaouen where Spanish lingers from the protectorate era; French does the rest. A few pointers: tipping is normal but small, a handful of dirhams; bargaining in the souks is friendly theatre, not conflict, so enjoy the back-and-forth you already know from home; and dress a little more modestly away from resorts, with shoulders and knees covered. The warmth is real — an invitation to mint tea is genuine kindness, and the family-centred hospitality will feel familiar.