Morocco from Vietnam: eVisa, Flights, Best Time and Trip Guide

A trip to Morocco from Vietnam takes you from rice terraces and the Mekong to the Sahara, the Atlas Mountains and the old medinas of Fes and Marrakech. Vietnamese travelers can apply for a Moroccan eVisa online. There is no direct flight, but one stop in the Gulf or Istanbul gets you to Casablanca. This guide covers the visa, flights, the best season, money and practical tips, and the long friendship between the two countries.

Morocco visa for Vietnamese citizens: the eVisa

Vietnamese citizens need a visa for Morocco, but they do not have to visit an embassy. Holders of ordinary Vietnamese passports can apply for an electronic visa online, without any other visa or residence permit (Wikipedia, Evisa Rocket). Apply only on the official Moroccan portal, Acces Maroc, because look alike websites charge extra fees.

Apply a few weeks before you fly. Before you start, have your passport, a recent photo, your flight bookings and your hotel or tour booking ready. To be safe, travel with a passport that is valid for at least six more months. Morocco also has an embassy in Hanoi, if you need help with documents (Wikipedia).

Flights from Vietnam to Morocco

There is no direct flight from Vietnam to Morocco. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Etihad fly from Vietnam to Casablanca with one stop in Dubai, Doha, Istanbul or Abu Dhabi (FlightConnections). From Hanoi to Casablanca, the time in the air is about 13 and a half hours, plus the layover. Emirates lists journeys from Ho Chi Minh City to Casablanca of about 19 hours in total (Emirates).

Casablanca has the best connections inside Morocco. From there, continue to Marrakech or Fes by train, a short domestic flight or a private driver. Read our guide to airport transfers in Morocco to plan your first day.

Morocco and Vietnam: an old friendship

Few travelers know how close the two countries are. Morocco and Vietnam opened diplomatic relations on 27 March 1961, and each country has an embassy in the other (Wikipedia). During the First Indochina War, some Moroccan soldiers left the French army and joined the Viet Minh. After the war, many of them settled in Ba Vi, near Hanoi, and married Vietnamese women.

Between 1956 and 1960 these soldiers built the Morocco Gate in Ba Vi. Today it is a symbol of the friendship between the two countries, and Hanoi renovated it in 2018 (VOV). In 1972, King Hassan II allowed the soldiers and their families to come home. Many Vietnamese Moroccans still live around Kenitra today (Wikipedia).

Best time to visit Morocco from Vietnam

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are the most comfortable seasons. At that time, days are warm and dry, and desert nights are fresh. Summer is very hot inland, so plan early starts if you travel in July or August.

Tet, the Lunar New Year, falls in Moroccan winter. Marrakech is often sunny then, but nights are cold everywhere and there is snow in the High Atlas, so bring a warm jacket. Read Morocco in winter and the best time to visit Morocco month by month, and check the dates of Ramadan in Morocco before you book.

Morocco travel tips for Vietnamese visitors

• Money: the currency is the Moroccan dirham. Vietnamese dong is hard to exchange in Morocco, so bring US dollars or euros, or use ATMs inside banks. Read cash in Morocco and tipping in Morocco.
• Time: Morocco is 6 hours behind Vietnam. During Ramadan, Morocco moves its clocks back one more hour.
• Plugs: Morocco uses European round two pin sockets, types C and E, at 220 volts. Bring an adapter for any other plug.
• Food: Moroccan food is halal and full of spices such as cumin and saffron, but it is not very hot. Ask for harissa if you love chili. Read about meals at a Sahara desert camp.
• Phone: buy a local SIM or eSIM on arrival. See the best SIM card in Morocco.

Moroccans speak Darija and Amazigh at home, and French is common in cities. However, English is spoken in hotels, riads and by people working in tourism. Morocco is a Muslim country, so dress modestly in villages and around mosques. Read what language is spoken in Morocco and our guide to Moroccan etiquette.

Where to go on a trip to Morocco from Vietnam

After a long flight, plan ten days to two weeks. Land in Casablanca and see the Hassan II Mosque. After that, travel to Rabat, the blue town of Chefchaouen and Fes. From Fes, the road crosses the Middle Atlas to the Sahara at Merzouga. It then continues through the Dades Valley and Ait Ben Haddou to Marrakech.

Ben Youssef Madrasa, Marrakech

The tanneries of Fes

Chefchaouen, the blue town

Not sure how long to stay? Read how many days you need in Morocco, and see the imperial cities of Morocco.

The Sahara: the highlight of a trip to Morocco from Vietnam

For travelers from Vietnam, the desert is the biggest surprise. Instead of green rice fields, you see an ocean of orange sand at Erg Chebbi near Merzouga. Ride a camel at sunset, eat dinner at camp and sleep under the stars. In the daytime, try quad biking in Merzouga or sandboarding. Read what a night in a Sahara desert camp is like, then choose a 3 or 4 day desert tour from Marrakech.

Sunset on Erg Chebbi

Around the campfire

Quads in Merzouga

Morocco tours from Vietnam: why go private?

A private driver meets you at the airport and takes care of the roads, so you can rest after the long flight. You travel at your own pace, stop for photos whenever you like and sleep in hand picked riads and in our own desert camp. Our 7 day Casablanca grand tour starts at the airport where most flights from Vietnam land. The 7 day imperial cities and Sahara tour is another good choice. See how booking works.

Travelers from nearby countries can read our guides to Morocco from Thailand, Morocco from Malaysia, Morocco from Singapore and Morocco from China.

FAQ: Morocco from Vietnam

Do Vietnamese citizens need a visa for Morocco?

Yes. Vietnamese citizens with ordinary passports can apply for an eVisa online on the official Acces Maroc portal before they travel.

Is there a direct flight from Vietnam to Morocco?

No. Most travelers fly from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Casablanca with one stop in Dubai, Doha, Istanbul or Abu Dhabi.

How long is the flight from Vietnam to Morocco?

From Hanoi, the time in the air is about 13 and a half hours plus the layover. Emirates lists about 19 hours in total from Ho Chi Minh City.

What is the time difference between Vietnam and Morocco?

Morocco is 6 hours behind Vietnam, and one more hour behind during Ramadan.

What is the Morocco Gate in Hanoi?

It is a gate in Ba Vi, near Hanoi, built between 1956 and 1960 by Moroccan soldiers who joined the Viet Minh. It is a symbol of Vietnam Morocco friendship.

When is the best time to visit Morocco from Vietnam?

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable. If you travel during Tet, pack warm clothes for cold nights.