Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

07 December 2024

3-minute read

Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Islam is both the official and predominant religion, while Arabic and Berber are the official languages.

Hasan, a software engineer who has been living in South Africa for the past 30 years, says that although he loves to travel, his favourite place to visit is still his home country of Morrocco.

Historically, Moroccan people are known for creating the map of the world. The majority of Salahuddin Ayubi’s army were Moroccans and helped to liberate Palestine and Masjid Al-Aqsa. Andalusia in Spain had people from Morrocco living there for many years and is still under the Moroccan rule.

A visa for Morocco can be obtained through any tour agent via the embassy. For those wanting to experience snow, the best time of the year to visit would be in December. Between March and May, Morrocco experiences Spring, making the country ideal for sightseeing.

There are a number of cities to tour in Morocco. Casablanca, Agadir and Essaouira, with its charming medina and breezy setting, are coastal cities along the Atlantic Ocean, while Tangier is a seaside town perched on the Mediterranean coast. Casablanca is the most populated city and the beating heart of Morocco, where modern skyscrapers meet traditional souks. Marrakesh, with its terracotta-colour palette, is known as the ‘Red City’.  Built on a mountainside, Chefchaouen, known as the ‘Blue Pearl’, is a city bathed in azure where every turn reveals a new shade of blue. A visit to the city of Fez feels like stepping back in time and boasts Al-Karawan, the oldest university in the world.

Spain is just a hop away from Morrocco and is approximately 15km’s by boat or ferry. Train lines run between all the major cities in the country and bullet trains like the Buraq, similar to the European Metro, make it quick and easy to travel from one city to the other. Modes of transport available within cities are tour buses and Ubers.

As a majority Muslim country, finding halal food is not a problem. Couscous, tagine and a variety of speciality breads are on offer at almost every café and restaurant. It is very cheap to live in Morrocco or tour the country. Moroccans are very friendly, humble and helpful people, and many of them speak English and other languages, and are happy to have tourists from all over the world visit their beautiful country.

Listen to the full interview on the Early Breakfast Show with Ml Ibrahim Daya and Ml Muhammad Kara.