What do Dutch travellers need to know about Morocco?

For Dutch travellers, Morocco is one of the best-connected destinations going, thanks to long-standing ties between the two countries. Dutch passport holders enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, needing a passport valid the standard period beyond arrival with blank pages for the stamp; entry is a quick arrival card and stamp. As always, I'd point Dutch travellers to the official Rijksoverheid / Nederland Wereldwijd 'reisadvies' for Morocco before booking — it's the authoritative, current source, and the one to trust over anything else, including this.

Flights are a real strength. There are very frequent direct services from Amsterdam Schiphol — and seasonally Rotterdam and Eindhoven — into Marrakech, Casablanca, Tangier, Nador, Agadir and Fes, operated by Royal Air Maroc, KLM, Transavia and Ryanair. The flight is around three and a half hours from Amsterdam with a one-hour time difference, so Morocco works easily for a week or even a long weekend. The strong links to Nador and Tangier in particular reflect the large Moroccan-Dutch community, which also means warm, well-trodden connections on the ground.

On money, the dirham is a closed currency, so don't try to buy it in the Netherlands — withdraw it from ATMs once you arrive. Land with a small float of euros as a backup, then draw dirhams from a bank machine at the airport or in town for the best rate. A note specific to Dutch travellers: Maestro and the old Dutch bank cards often won't work, so make sure you carry a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card, which is accepted in city hotels, restaurants and larger shops. The desert, the mountains and the souks run on cash, so keep small dirham notes for taxis, tips and stalls.

Culturally, the Dutch generally find Morocco friendly and easy-going, and a few notes help. Tipping is customary but modest. The souk hustle is more direct than you're used to — a calm, good-humoured decline handles the touts, and the bargaining itself is meant to be enjoyable. Communication leans on French and Arabic, with English widely understood in hotels and tourist areas (the Dutch usually have no language trouble at all). Dress a touch more modestly away from the resorts than on a Dutch summer's day, accept the mint tea that hospitality always offers, and approach the markets as the friendly ritual they are. Morocco's warmth tends to win Dutch travellers over quickly.