Country Information

Capital: Philipsburg

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 599 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 599/5/222222, Ambulance – 599/5/22111

Tourist information: Caribbean Tourism Organisation, 42 Westminster Gardens, Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RR Tel: (020) 7222 4335 Fax: (020) 7222 4325.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of: Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands holding an Identity card. The USA holding voter’s registration cards or birth certificate, and alien residents of the USA with an Alien Registration card. Canada with proof of citizenship. San Marino holding a national ID card or a passport not expired by more than 5 years. Brazil, Mexico, Trinidad, and Tobago and Venezuela with a national ID card. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Up to date visa requirements can be obtained from the Office of the Minister Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands Antilles (See above).

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas.

Food & drink: Water is considered drinkable, normal precautions should be observed with food

Currency: Netherlands Antilles Guilder of Florin (NAG) = 100 cents NOTE: Import and export of local currency is restricted to NAG 200.
MasterCard and Visa are accepted in large establishments. Travellers cheques are accepted, US dollars and French francs are the most welcome.
ATM availability: 10 locations.

Cost of living: Good variety of duty free shops especially in Philipsburg offering cheap spirits and imported luxury goods.

Languages: English. Dutch is the official language for legal documents. French is also spoken.

Weather: Hot tropical climate with cool sea breezes.

Electricity: 110/220 volts AC 60 Hz.

Post: 4 – 6 days.

Transport: SEA: Small boats may be chartered for fishing trips and scuba diving. ROAD: Most roads are good. CAR HIRE: Plenty of agencies at the airport and in the city. DOCUMENTATION: A national licence is acceptable.

Special information: St. Maarten is the most popular of the Netherlands Antilles with an estimated 900,000 tourists visiting each year. Usual social courtesies should be applied.

Capital: Papeete

Time zone: Ranges from -9 to -10 depending on the particular island

Telephone services: Country Code: 689 Outgoing Code: 00 (Operator’s assistance may be required.)

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial Operator

Tourist information: Tahiti Tourism Promotion Board, c/o maison de France, 178 Piccadilly, London W1V 0AL Tel: (020) 7629 2869 or (0891) 244 123 (information line).

Passport information: Valid passport required See France for details. See France

Visa information: See France

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for those over 1 year of age arriving from infected areas.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: French Pacific Franc (CFP Fr) = 100 centimes

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Languages:

Weather:

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Special information:

Capital: Sana’a

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 967
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Yemen Tourist Company, PO Box 1526, Sana’a, Republic of Yemen Tel: (1) 330 039

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE and other holders of re-entry permits.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in the falciparum form throughout the year. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Bilharzia, Rabies

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: Yemeni Riyal is preferred (YR) = 100 fils Yemeni Dinar is also in circulation. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to YAR 5000 or equivalent Diners Club and Amex are widely accepted. Travellers cheques can be exchanged in most banks and hotels. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: If you conform to traditional Yemeni lifestyle you can live relatively cheaply but if you want to purchase western food and enjoy en-suite facilities this will be expensive. All accommodation has to be booked in advance.

Languages: Arabic and English.

Weather: Climate varies according to altitude. Highland are warmer in the summer. During the winter (Oct to Mar) the nights can be very cold in the mountains. Temperatures in the summer can be very high. The best time to visit is Oct to Apr.

Electricity: 220/230 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Airmail to Western Europe from Sana’a takes about 4 days, mail to and from other towns may take longer.

Transport: SEA: Local ferries connect ports. ROAD: The road network is mainly limited to desert track. Use of 4-wheel drive vehicles with a guide is recommended. BUS: There are regular intercity bus services. TAXI: Sharing taxis is the cheapest form of transport between cities. Fares should be negotiated before hand. CAR HIRE: Available in main towns. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is required.

Special information: NOTE: EXTREME RISK: – FCO advise against any travel to the Yemen at present. The rest of this advice applies when the situation improves – the potential for instability is likely to remain. The risk of random kidnapping remains. Travellers to Yemen should register with their local Embassy. Beachwear and shorts should be confined to the beach / pool. Smoking is forbidden in public during Ramadan. Where possible travel in organised groups with well-established tour agents. Armed theft of vehicles is common. There remains some danger from mines laid during the civil war in the Southern and Eastern Governances. Off-road travel is not recommended. Respect local sensitivities regarding religious sites.

Capital: Belgrade

Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 381
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 92. Fire – 93. Ambulance – 94.

Tourist information: Ministry of Commerce and Tourism. Nemanjina 22. 11000 Belgrade. Yugoslavia Tel: (11) 658 755 Fax (11) 642 148.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return ticket required. NOTE: Due to the current political situation in Yugoslavia requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority such as the Embassy or Foreign and Commonwealth Office for up to date information.

Visa information: Most foreign nationals require visas except for citizens from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy. Hungary and San Marino.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination Required.
Other Health Risks: Rabies.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink.

Currency: New Yugoslav Dinar (Yu D) = 100 paras
Exchange: German DM and US Dollars are the only currencies of value in the ex-Yugoslav Republics.

Travellers cheques and credit cards are not accepted.

ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Relatively cheap when compared with Western Europe. Limited commodities available outside Belgrade. Accommodation is sparse as a consequence of the civil war.

Languages: Serb-Croat. Albanian and Hungarian are also spoken in the autonomous regions of Kosovo and Vojvodina respectively.

Weather: Serbia has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Montenegro is mainly the same but with Alpine conditions in the mountains.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Postal services between the former Yugoslav republics have been suspended. Postal services within Serbia are reasonable.

Transport: RAIL: Internal rail services are generally poor often overbooked, and unreliable. ROAD: NOTE: Petrol stations may suffer shortages of fuel although the offer of hard CURRENCY may make otherwise rationed fuel available. Spare parts are difficult to obtain. COACH: Good, efficient services are used to connect towns. DOCUMENTATION: Full national driving licence is accepted. Insurance and ‘green card’ are also necessary.

Special information: HIGH RISK: The situation in Yugoslavia is calm at present but the FCO advise caution. Foreign nationals should still not visit Kosovo. For further information see the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Those who intend to travel should ensure they have Deutschmark currency to pay for fuel and tolls.

Capital: Pretoria

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 27 Outgoing Code: 09

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 1011, Ambulance – 10222, Fire – 1022

Tourist information: In the Arrivals Halls of most of the International Airports in South Africa AND South African Tourism Board (SATOUR), Private Bag, X164, 442 Rigel Avenue South, Frasmusrand, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Tel (12) 347 0600 Fax (12) 454 889 or 454 768.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all and must be valid for 6 months after proposed departure. years. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the High Commission before departure.

Visa information: Requirements may be subject to change at short notice, please check before travelling. Currently visas are issued on arrival for business or tourist purposes for nationals of EU member countries, or nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, USA, and New Zealand. Similarly visa for visits of up to 90 days by nationals of Argentia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Israel, Malta, Paraguay, St. Helena, Urugay and Venezula. It may be possible for Nationals of other states to obtain a visa on arrival but you are advised to check with the High Commission well before travel (Allow at least ten weeks to process a visa if required in advance.)

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exist throughout the year. Precautions recommended, falciparum form is prevalent. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required on arrival by all travellers over one year of age travelling from infected areas. Passengers arriving by unscheduled flights at airports other than those used by scheduled airlines must possess a certificate
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera and Rabies are also present. There is a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

Food & drink: Water outside of municipal areas is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products except those bought sealed from supermarkets as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: South African Rand (r) = 100 cents NOTE: Import and export of Local Reserve Bank notes is limited to R500. Foreign currency must be declared on arrival.
All major credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques in all currencies are accepted, including SA Rand.
ATM availability: Widely available in all cities.

Cost of living: Accommodation and other tourist facilities in the cities can be expensive. Avoid short trips in city taxis which are sometimes more expensive than long distance journeys.

Languages: English and Afrikaans with 9 other African languages, Ndebele, Pedi, Soto, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu

Weather: Generally warm and sunny. Winds are usually mild

Electricity: 250 Volts AC in Pretoria, 220/230 Volts AC elsewhere

Post: Airmail takes 1 week although it is often much longer. Poste Restante is available throughout the country

Transport: FLIGHTS: Regular domestic flights operate between the main cities. SEA: Various cruises are operated between the major ports. ROAD: Good roads connect the main towns. NOTE: Fines are imposed for speeding. It is illegal to carry petrol unless in ‘built up’ petrol tanks. DOCUMENTATION: (IDP) International Driving Permit is required

Special information: The level of violence remains high throughout South Africa ans care should be taken when travelling to safeguard yourself against the risks of random mugging and theft – day and night. Casual remarks should not be made about the political situation; which is complex. There is a risk of car-jacking and armed robbery. It is unwise for outsiders from any race to enter into a black township without a guide. Daylight muggings are not uncommon especially in parts of Johannesburg. Unauthorised overstaying can result in arrest at departure and imprisonment until trial when a high fine is likely to be imposed. PHOTOGRAPHY: Be cautious in rural areas and ask permission before taking photographs.

Capital: Lusaka

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 260
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 1 2 25067 / 254798

Tourist information: Zambia National Tourist Board, 2 Palace Gate, London W8 5NF (0171) 589 6343

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of: Ireland and the UK. Nationals of Commonwealth, dependant and associated states (with the exception of Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka who do need visas). Nationals of Fiji, Norway, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in the Falciparum variety throughout the whole country all year. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. Malaria is endemic and worsens during the rainy season
Yellow Fever: Vaccination is strongly recommended to all travellers. Those arriving from infected areas will require a vaccination certificate
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, and Rabies Outbreaks of cholera and dysentery occur regularly during the rainy season. There is a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Drinking water should be filtered and boiled and visitors should avoid eating food purchased from local street vendors. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: Kwacha (K) = 100 ngwee
Exchange: only at authorised banks and bureaux de changes
NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to K100. Currency exchange forms must be shown if purchasing airline tickets in Zambia.
American Express is widely accepted, with other credit cards less so. Travellers cheques are widely accepted. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: High inflation means that prices for tourists tend to be expensive.

Languages: English and over 73 local dialects.

Weather: High altitudes prevents the temperatures becoming too hot. The winter is cool and dry from May – Sept. The weather is hot and dry from Oct – Nov. the hot raining season is Dec – Apr.

Electricity: 220 Volts, AC, 50 Hz.

Post: 7 – 14 days to Europe.

Transport: FLIGHTS: There are over 127 airstrips in the country and several charter companies operate domestic flights. ROADS: A good network exists but they ban be dangerous in the raining season. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended. BUS: Services are often unreliable and can be very overcrowded. RAIL: Trains serve Lusaka; Ndola, Kitwe and Mulobezi. Local services are limited.

Special information: Care and sensible precautions should be taken when travelling in Zambia to minimise the risk of muggings and armed robberies. Non-essential travel to the North-Western areas of Zambia bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola should be avoided due to the increasing violence in these countries. Travellers to rural areas have very limited health facilities. In general travellers to remote areas will be met with curiosity. Particular care should be taken in these areas. African culture and traditions dominate. Traditional dancing is popular throughout the country and many colourful annual ceremonies take place.