You are at - Jotaro's Blog /AhPek Biker-Footsteps /Morocco 2025/ D13: Casablanca to Dubai | Go to D1/D2/D3/D4/D5/D6/D7/D8/D9/D10/D11/D12/D14
AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures
Morocco 2025 Day 13 : Casablanca to Dubai
Morocco 2024 Day 13: 27th April (Sunday)
Small Group (Non-cycling) Tour of Morocco.
Day 13: Casablanca (Morocco) to Dubai (transit):
This is page 13 of a 14-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.
Route recommendations, here are some tips on travelling to and around Morocco:
1. Traffic Directions!
Driving in Morocco is left-hand drive, and driving is on the right-hand side of the road. Do look to the correct side when crossing roads.
Speed limits are between 60 km/h within urban areas, 100 km/h outside urban areas, including expressways, and 120 km/h on highways. Do adhere to these limits, as often police are monitoring with radars; our driver-guide was careful about this.
Speed limits are between 60 km/h within urban areas, 100 km/h outside urban areas, including expressways, and 120 km/h on highways. Do adhere to these limits, as often police are monitoring with radars; our driver-guide was careful about this.
2. Immigration & Customs Requirements
For Morocco, citizens of Malaysia do not need a visa to enter for travel purposes and can stay in the country for 90 days without a visa. Click here for visa requirements for other countries.
3. Getting to and around Morocco.
Morocco is easily accessible by air as most major airlines serve Morocco and have flights to major cities such as Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech. We flew return via Emirates to Casablanca with transit in Dubai at a fare of MYR4,430 per pax. Do note that Emirates now charges for seat selection.
For ground arrangements, we booked a 13-day guided tour through Tenere Tours at €1,350 per pax. This included stays at comfortable hotels and riads, and a night at a caravanserai luxury camp in the desert. Breakfast was included, and also dinners at the Dades Valley Hotel, Merzoga Riad and Desert Caravanserai Luxury Camp.
The guided tour included a 9-seater van with a driver-guide to take the six of us to/from the airports, and from city to city. And also the camel ride to the desert camp. We paid extra for walking tours at the Fez Medina and Marrakech Medina at €85/group/city.
For ground arrangements, we booked a 13-day guided tour through Tenere Tours at €1,350 per pax. This included stays at comfortable hotels and riads, and a night at a caravanserai luxury camp in the desert. Breakfast was included, and also dinners at the Dades Valley Hotel, Merzoga Riad and Desert Caravanserai Luxury Camp.
The guided tour included a 9-seater van with a driver-guide to take the six of us to/from the airports, and from city to city. And also the camel ride to the desert camp. We paid extra for walking tours at the Fez Medina and Marrakech Medina at €85/group/city.
For out-of-pocket spending, we exchanged Euros to Moroccan dirhams (MAD) at local money-changers in Rabat and Rissani. As a contingency, we brought along our Wise debit cards, do note that this may not be acceptable at many places.
4. Places & Things of Interest
En route were several places of interest, some of which we visited and others we did not for lack of time (Note: click on GPS coordinates for a directional map to respective places):
b. Hassan II Mosque Museum (GPS: 33.60541, -7.63067).
c. El Hank Lighthouse (GPS: 33.60996, -7.65476), the tallest lighthouse in Morocco.
d. Old City of Casablanca (GPS: 33.59760, -7.61353).
e. Marjane Market Casablanca (GPS: 33.59432, -7.60850) to purchase cheaper/better commercially produced Argan Oil.
f. Sidi Maarouf Cable-Stayed Bridge (GPS: 33.53871, -7.64021) at Casablanca.
d. Old City of Casablanca (GPS: 33.59760, -7.61353).
e. Marjane Market Casablanca (GPS: 33.59432, -7.60850) to purchase cheaper/better commercially produced Argan Oil.
f. Sidi Maarouf Cable-Stayed Bridge (GPS: 33.53871, -7.64021) at Casablanca.
5. Food
a. Day 13 - Breakfast
Inclusive hotel Western & Moroccan breakfast at Odysee Boutique Hotel (GPS: 31.62383, -7.98749) in Casablanca.
b. Day 13 - Afternoon Tea
On Board Emirates Flight EK752, Casablanca to Dubai:
1. Toasted Smoke Turkey and Egg Sandwich 2. Tomato Juice 3. Coffee.
c. Day 13 - Dinner
On Board Emirates Flight EK752, Casablanca to Dubai:
1. Appetiser of Zaalouk (Moroccan Eggplant and Tomato Salad). 2. Mains of BBQ Chicken with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, sauteed carrots & corn. OR 2a. Mains Fish Chermoula with cumin rice, 3. Desserts of Triple Chocolate cake with whipped cream & strawberry coulis, 4. Tomato Juice & Coffee.
d. Day 14 - Breakfast
On Board Emirates Flight EK346, Dubai to Kuala Lumpur:
1. Pizza Margherita or Toasted Chicken Shawarma with garlic sauce, 2. Chocolate-Coconut Cake, 3. Tomato Juice & Coffee.
e. Day 14 - Lunch
On Board Emirates Flight EK346, Dubai to Kuala Lumpur:
1. Appetiser of Fresh Seasonal Fruits, 2. Mains of Scrambled Eggs with Creamed Spinach, Turkey Rashers & Rösti, OR 2a. Mains of Dory Yakisoba in Soy Sauce, 3. Desserts of Croissant served with Butter & Preserve, 4. Tomato Juice & Coffee.
f. Day 15 - Brunch
Take-away food from coffee shops in KL/PJ: 1. Pork Koay Teow Noodles (Chee Yoke Fun) from Kedai Kopi Wah Cheong (華昌茶餐室), Section 17, Petaling Jaya.
On Board Emirates Flight EK346, Dubai to Kuala Lumpur:
1. Appetiser of Fresh Seasonal Fruits, 2. Mains of Scrambled Eggs with Creamed Spinach, Turkey Rashers & Rösti, OR 2a. Mains of Dory Yakisoba in Soy Sauce, 3. Desserts of Croissant served with Butter & Preserve, 4. Tomato Juice & Coffee.
f. Day 15 - Brunch
Take-away food from coffee shops in KL/PJ: 1. Pork Koay Teow Noodles (Chee Yoke Fun) from Kedai Kopi Wah Cheong (華昌茶餐室), Section 17, Petaling Jaya.
6. Dressing
I brought two long pants along and four shorts. In the end, I didn't wear the shorts as the weather can get quite cold in the morning and evenings, especially with stronger winds at the seaside.
When entering mosques, men can wear shorts, but ladies have to cover up their legs and heads. Scarves and long pants are recommended; if wearing shorts, bring a sarong or something to cover one's legs.
7. Communicating with Each Other
When travelling in a group, it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest.
Upon arrival at Casablanca Airport, booths selling pre-paid sim cards can be found just before exiting the luggage reclaim area. There were booths selling Maroc, Orange, and Inwi pre-paid tourist phone sim cards. We opted for the Maroc sim card as it provides better coverage even in remote areas, which I found to be true, and it only had poor or no signal at remote stretches far in the hills or desert. We got the 15 Gb card, which is valid for one month for 100 MAD. Should this be inadequate, memory can be topped up at any phone shop.
8. Communicating with Locals
At favourite tourist destinations, markets and medinas, many locals speak fairly good English, some French and Spanish. At the smaller towns, locals speak some rudimentary English, and our local guide was most helpful in translating for us.
9. Weather
The average day temperature in Casablanca was 23°C, while the average day and night temperatures in Kuala Lumpur were 34°C and 25°C, respectively.
Useful weather forecast sites for Casablanca and Kuala Lumpur are AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.
10. Navigation
I used MapMyRide to track our routes and stops. Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook or Google Maps.
___________________________________________________________________________
PRELUDE
A day earlier, we had looped back to Casablanca, the city where we landed to start our tour of Morocco. Enroute, we stopped at an Argan Oil cooperative centre and later saw goats climbing Argan trees!
Today, we will be ending our holiday and fly back home to Malaysia via Dubai; but not before visiting one of the most beautiful and largest mosque in the world.
__________________________________________________________________________
DAY 13: CASABLANCA TO DUBAI
Small Group (Non-cycling) Tour of Morocco.
Day 13- Casablanca (Morocco) to Dubai (transit):
Most of the posts below are linked to my Facebook postings during the trip and are embedded here with some comments. (NOTE: Click on respective posts to link to the FB post for more details. If you can't see the posts, please log out of your Facebook first.)
Our last meal in Morocco, a Western & Moroccan breakfast at Odysee Boutique Hotel. We will be flying in the afternoon and with some schedule visits, may not have time for lunch. So it was a good thing that this breakfast spread was quite good for us to down a more than hearty meal!
Checked out from the hotel and trooped onto our van.
The Old City of Casablanca, where the medina is, is just across the road, but we are short of time and will heading for the Hassan II Mosque, it's quite a large place a make take a while to walk around.
Oualid dropped us off at the entrance courtyard, it is a huge courtyard that is shared with the adjacent Hassan II Mosque Museum.
Google Satellite Street View shows the design of the compound tiling and how intricate it looks even from high above!
While Oualid got our entry tickets, we waited at the entrance foyer/corridor. There's a nice adjacent palm-fringed garden.
Entrance ticket for foreign adults is 130MAD, for children 4-12 years old it is's 3MAD. Click here for more details on entry tickets and opening hours.
Entrance ticket for foreign adults is 130MAD, for children 4-12 years old it is's 3MAD. Click here for more details on entry tickets and opening hours.
The Hassan II Mosque stands on a
promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean. (about one third of it actually sits over the sea). It's one of the largest mosque in the world.
And one with the second-tallest minaret at 210 metres (689 ft). With its tall minaret and many intricate arches, it's a beautiful and easily recognisable building.
Even before going in, one should walk around and appreciate the intricate architectural features of the building, i.e. impressive arches, layered archways.
At the entrance, tall multifoil archways welcome one in.
The grand main prayer hall.
It's as beautiful inside as it is outside, the walls are of hand-crafted marble, and
the roof is retractable. A maximum of 105,000 worshippers can gather together
for prayer.
"Completed in 1993, it was designed by Michel Pinseau under the guidance of King Hassan II and built by Moroccan artisans from all over the kingdom."
The building blends Islamic architecture and Moroccan elements.
Column and wall panelling with intricate patterns and also topped off with Muqarnas.
Large rear lattice doorway leads outside to a small esplanade overlooking the ocean.
..... and say goodbye!
___________________________________________________________________________
Priority boarding with special assistance.
Wheelchair assistance can be requested upon checking in at the first airport and for all subsequent airports. We did this, and a wheelchair was waiting for me upon arrival at all the connecting and destination airports.
But my poor handler had to push all the way, and did not use the travellators as wheelchairs are not allowed on. I took this opportunity to talk to him and admire the airport's boarding lounges.
Boarded Emirates Flight EK752 from Casablanca to Dubai.
Goodbye Morocco, we had a good & enjoyable time here.
Looks like it's going to be a cheery flight. 😊😉 The stewardess is a Scottish lass; Emirates employs cabin crew from all the countries it flies to.
Looks like it's going to be a cheery flight. 😊😉 The stewardess is a Scottish lass; Emirates employs cabin crew from all the countries it flies to.
6:00 Morocco Time, dinner on board Emirates Flight EK752 from Casablanca to Dubai:
1.
Appetiser of Zaalouk (Moroccan Eggplant and Tomato Salad), 2. Mains of BBQ
Chicken with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, sauteed carrots & corn OR 2a.
Mains Fish Chermoula with cumin rice, 3. Desserts of Triple Chocolate cake with
whipped cream & strawberry coulis, and 4. Tomato Juice & Coffee
8:15pm Morocco Time, 11:15pm Dubai Time.
Light Bites Emirates Flight EK752 Casablanca to Dubai: 1. Toasted Smoke Turkey and Egg Sandwich, 2. Tomato Juice, 3. Coffee.
Light Bites Emirates Flight EK752 Casablanca to Dubai: 1. Toasted Smoke Turkey and Egg Sandwich, 2. Tomato Juice, 3. Coffee.
وداعا المغرب!
(That's "Wadaean Almaghrib" in "Goodbye Morocco in Arabian)
(For more photos of Day 13-14, Click Here)
This is page 13 of a 14-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.
___________________________________________________________________________________
RELATED BLOGS:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
___________________________________________________________________________________
You may also like :
 |
 |
 |
| Cycling Japan Day 8 - Shopping Ameyoko & Then Home! 14th November 2013 A free day where most of us did some shopping for things to bring back to friends & loved ones back home. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Gallery - KevinTheBigCity Tattoos, Kuala Lumpur: July 2014 A look at a young man's simple but meaningful tattoos. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
If you like this, view my other blogs at Jotaro's Blog
(comments most welcomed below. If you like this pls share via Facebook or twitter)
No comments:
Post a Comment