Arriving in Morocco - Buying insurance and stocking up

[itchyfeet38]

Hello from a very wet and windy Southern Spain. We are hoping to get the ferry tomorrow.

As I understand it we can buy insurance at the port at Tangier Med but not at Ceuta. Where do we head for if we go to Ceuta and are we likely to have a problem if stopped by the police en route.

As it's Sunday my options for stocking up before the ferry are limited. What will I be able to pick up in a Marjane? I'm hoping to get some meat (for the braai) dairy (milk/cheese), cereal, maybe some dried goods.

Thanks a lot.

[Tim Cullis]

Ceuta is still Spain, the first insurance in Morocco is in Fnediq which is the border town. Sorry, not sure where as this keeps changing. Police don't seem to bothered about checking insurance so long as you've not hit someone.

Marjane is like Carrefour, you can get most things, even bacon in some!

[twenty4seven]

IMO

Unless you want to give yourself a hard time, use Tanger Med, insurance and bureau de change within the port area, easy to travel through, no touts.

Only down side is slower ferries, but I think you will make up for this in ease of everything else.

If you like a etc. Morocco is relatively expensive, so stock up before leaving Spain.

Have fun tomorrow

[uknomad]

Hi,

If you're getting a ticket from carlos, there's a carrefour/lidls very near by.

I believe there is an insurance booth now just after the the border crossing from Ceuta, otherwise like Tim said you have to go the Fnideq about 5/10mins drive down the coast. There's also a currency exchange along the coast road as well.

Safe travels.

[itchyfeet38]

Brilliant. Thanks all.

[Peter Girling]

From another post:- "There's a Marjane just off the motorway north of the Tetouan. 35° 36.168', -5° 20.095'

Marjane sell wine//spirits; you may need to use a separate checkout. Moroccan wine is generally good. look out for Celliers de Meknes. Flag is light lager and best very cold.

I've heard that there's now a bank and insurance office at the Ceuta frontier. Will be heading that way next month and will report back. Anyone been through recently who can confirm?

The supermarkets near Carlos' office are closed on Sunday.

Happy trails,

Peter

[itchyfeet38]

Thanks Peter. I had clocked your other thread and am planning a stop at the Marjane. Hopefully will sort out SIMs/dongles there too.

We will probably go to Tangier Med but if we end up at Ceuta will report back on insurance/money situation.

Thanks again.

[itchyfeet38]

We had to wait a day to cross in the end as the winds were too high and Algeciras port was closed. As a result the ferry experience was quite chaotic. The next day we got to the port at 1pm. The 2pm sailing didn't happen and we eventually got onto the 5pm sailing which left at 7pm. Lots of pushing, shoving and fisticuffs going on and a few fender benders. Arrived at Tangier Med around 10pm. Couldn't get insurance at this time so drove to the Ibis at Fnideq (25 euro if you book online which they let us do in the hotel lobby). Next day we planned to drive to the Ceuta border for insurance but the road to the border was gridlocked (presumably as a result of there having been no sailings) so we left the car and walked. Found the insurance place (first of three white cabins on the right as you exit the border) and all was good.

Now in Chefchaouen and loving it! Wasn't overly impressed with Camping Azilane so have decamped into town. Staying in a lovely old Dar in the medina and car is in the Parador Hotel car park for 20 Dh a day.

[uknomad]

Great news! Thx for confirming insurance booth near Ceuta's border and the info on hotels.

Cheers Mark

[itchyfeet38]

If you get your ferry ticket from Carlos you can also get some dirhams at the same time. 10.5 to the euro. There is an ATM 50m away.

At the Ceuta/Fnideq border at least one of the other white cabins alongside the insurance place was a bank/bureau de changes and it had what looked like a sign for an ATM too.

[Peter Girling]

Thanks for the update on bank and insurance at Ceuta!

Happy trails,

Peter

[John A]

What sort of timescale is usual for clearing customs / immigration / buying insurance for the motorbike at Tangier Med for someone who hasn't been to Morocco before, so doesn't have the passport stamp? Looking at the 08:00 sailing from Algeciras if that makes any difference.

[uknomad]

Hi John A,

" What sort of timescale is usual for clearing customs / immigration / buying insurance for the motorbike at Tangier Med for someone who hasn't been to Morocco before,"

*** It can happen in less than an hour, but could be three hrs, DON'T get impatient and you'll be fine.

"doesn't have the passport stamp?"

*** This is sometimes done on the ferry crossing or when you've arrive. If you're in the main seating area on the ferry you'll see people putting passports on a table and a some sort of queue forming, join it, hopefully the police will turn up and start stamping. Don't forget to fill out an "entry form" beforehand, should of got one and an exit form when you get your ticket.

"Looking at the 08:00 sailing from Algeciras if that makes any difference."

*** Pot luck. And sailing times are'nt departures times, they're a guide.

Cheers Mark

[Toyark]

Originally Posted by itchyfeet38

Carlos you can also get some dirhams at the same time. 10.5 to the euro. There is an AT.

Ouch! That's over 10% commission. Check what your atm charges would be.

[John A]

Thanks for that info Mark / Uknomad

The sailing times being a guide, I guess they're never early from the sound of things. And, with route planning in mind, use the three hours as the basis to escape onto the open road so there's less reason to get stressed out if there's a delay and accept it as part of the adventure. If it takes an hour then we'll get a earlier.