Country Information

Capital: Malé

Time zone: GMT + 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 960
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 119, Fire – 118 , Ambulance – 102.

Tourist information: Ministry of Tourism, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Malé 20 – 05, Maldives Republic Tel: 323 224 Fax: 322 512.

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: Tourist visas for 30 days will be issued to all visitors in possession of valid travel documents. NOTE: Visitors must be in possession of US$ 10 per day of stay.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Malaria is disappearing. The last two incidents reported were in 1983.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers coming from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Rabies, Hepatitis A, B and E can occur.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink although the water in resort areas is generally safe.

Currency: Maldivian Rufiya (Rf) = 100 laari. Most major island resorts will accept Amex, Visa, MasterCard, and Diners Club. Travellers cheques are generally accepted in US Dollars.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: As a luxury holiday destination the Maldives can be very expensive in the tourist centres.

Languages: Dhivehi. English spoken in Malé and resorts.

Weather: The climate is hot and tropical. There are two monsoons, the Southwest monsoon from May to Oct and the Northeast monsoon from Nov to Apr. The temperature rarely falls below 25ºC, even during the night. The best time to visit is November to Easter.

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz. Round 2 pin plugs are used, although square pin plugs are becoming more common.

Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes about 1 week.

Transport: SEA: Island hopping ferry services are available. ROAD: Travel on individual islands creates few problems since few of them take longer than half an hour to cross foot.

Special information: Tourist resorts are self-contained, catering for the visitors’ needs. Backpacking is prohibited. The government enforces standards restricting beach-wear outside the resorts. There are severe penalties for drug offences.

Capital: Maseru

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 266
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 123 / 124, Ambulance – 121, Fire – 122

Tourist information: Lesotho Tourist Board, PO Box 1378 Masseru 100, Lesotho, Tel: 313 760 or 312 896 (information). Fax 310 108.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Consult embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all non-Commonwealth members

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination required.
Malaria: No special precautions considered necessary
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by travellers arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Rabies is a threat. Lesotho is Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) free and people may swim in fresh water without this danger. There is a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

Food & drink: Water outside of the main urban areas is untreated and not safe to drink. Dairy products are pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: Loti (M) = 100 Lisente.
Limited acceptance of Visa, MasterCard. Travellers cheques are widely accepted. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: A developing small African nation with a growing economy.

Languages: Sesotho and English.

Weather: The climate is temperate. Rain falls mostly between Oct – Apr. The hottest period is between Jan and Feb.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC.

Post: 7 days.

Transport: ROADS: Few roads are tarred and are impassable during the raining season. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended.

Special information: Visitors should take care particularly at night as as incidents of mugging are on the increase. Religion plays an important part in traditional life. PHOTOGRAPHY: Do not take photos of the palace; police establishments; government offices or anything connected with the military.

Capital: Lilongwe

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 265
Outgoing Code: 101

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Department of Tourism, PO Box 402, Blantyre, Malawi Tel: 620 300 Fax: 620 947

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Consult embassy before departure.

Visa information: Not required. On arrival a 3 month Visa will be issued . Extensions will not normally be granted in Malawi.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in the Falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by visitors travelling from infected areas within the last 6 days.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia and Rabies, high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

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: Kwacha (Mk) = 100 Tambala Exchange: Less well known currencies are difficult to exchange
Limited acceptance mainly in the capital and main hotels. Travellers Cheques: Sterling and US$ can be exchanged in banks and hotels. There is limited acceptance of credit cards. American Express MasterCard and Diners Club are accepted in the capital city and main hotels. US dollars and Pound sterling are the preferred currency in travellers cheques. ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Malawi’s economy fluctuates with developments in the climate. Currently the cost of living is reasonable due to the country’s heavy borrowing.

Languages: English, Chichewa and various other African languages

Weather: Winter: May – July and gets cold at night. Nov – Mar is the raining season

Electricity: 220/240 Volts AC, 50 Hz Plugs = Various types used. Most modern buildings use square 3 pin

Post: 10 Days to Europe

Transport: RAIL: Regular but slow and expensive services. ROAD: All major and most secondary are all weather roads. DOCUMENTATION: UK licence is sufficient

Special information: Dress laws should be observed and respected. Long hair for men is disliked. Bag snatching is a problem in the main towns and cities. Be cautious of people who offer to act as guides.

Capital: Vilnius

Time zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 370 (2 for Vilnius, 5 for Kaunas, 6 for Klaipeda)
Outgoing Code: 810

Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance – 03, Fire – 01, Police – 02

Tourist information: Lithuanian Tourist Board, Ukmeriges 20, 2600 Vilnius, Lithuania Tel (2) 622 610 Fax (2) 226 819

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

Visa information: Regulations are in a state of change. Contact the Embassy for an up to date list

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies, Tick Bourne Encephalitis, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Diphtheria are present.

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

Currency: The Litas = 100 centas. Exchange: Currency can be exchanged at banks and exchange bureaux
NOTE: The import of local and foreign currency is unlimited but must be declared on arrival
All major credit cards are accepted in large hotels, shops and restaurants. Most banks will cash travellers cheques, but commission rates are high. US dollars are the preferred currency. ATM availability: Over 10 locations.

Cost of living: Tourists can expect to pay higher prices than the locals

Languages: Lithuanian and a large number of dialects.

Weather: Temperate climate but with considerable temperature variations. Summers are warm and spring and autumn are usually mild. Winters can be very cold.

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz. European 2 pin plugs are used

Post: To Western Europe takes up to 6 days

Transport: RAIL: There are good connections from Vilnius to the other main cities. ROAD: There is a good network of roads. BUS: Generally more frequent and quicker than domestic trains and serve almost every town and village. CAR HIRE: Several local firms provide car hire services. DOCUMENTATION: European nationals should be in possession of the new European driving licence. Otherwise, a national driving licence is sufficient

Special information: Robbery and Car theft are rife. Avoid poorly lit areas after dark. Petty crime is rife on public transport. Do not accept food or drink from strangers, as these are sometimes ‘spiked’. Lithuanians appreciate a show of respect for their culture and national heritage.

Capital: Riga

Time zone: GMT + 2 ( GMT + 3 in summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 371
Outgoing Code: 810

Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance – 03, Police – 02, Fire – 01

Tourist information: National Tourism Board of Latvia, Pils laukums 4, Riga LV 1050, Latvia Tel: 722 9945 Fax: 722 9945.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Must be valid for 2 months after period of stay. NOTE: Palestinian passports are not recognised. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Holders of British passports. Nationals of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Republic of Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, the Slovak Republic, the USA and the Vatican city for a maximum stay of 90 days, and nationals of Hungary for a maximum stay of 30 days. Nationals of those countries may also travel to Lithuania and Estonia. Other nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada and nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Belize, Chile, Cyprus, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Uruguay, Venezuela are entitled to apply for visas on arrival.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies, Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, and Hepatitis.

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

Currency: 1 Latvian Lat (Ls) = 100 santims
Exchange: the banking system is still being developed but there are bureaux de change in most post offices, hotels and railway stations.
Credit cards and travellers cheques are only accepted on a limited basis. The preferred foreign currencies are US dollars and the German Deutschemark.
ATM availability: Over 10 locations

Cost of living: Generally less expensive than Western Europe

Languages: Latvian. Russian is increasing. English, German and Swedish may also be spoken

Weather: Temperate climate but with considerable temperature fluctuations. The Summer is warm with relatively mild weather in spring and autumn. Winters can be very cold

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. European style 2 pin plugs are used.

Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes 3 – 4 days.

Transport: RAIL: Reasonably developed network connects Riga with the other main towns. ROAD: There are good connections from Riga to all other parts of the country. BUS: A better form of transport than trains in Latvia. CAR HIRE: Available through hotels. Reservations are recommended.

Special information: Latvians can appear rather reserved and formal, but very welcoming to foreign visitors. Tourists should exercise caution as petty crime is a problem. Carry a copy of your passport as ID.

Capital: Tripoli

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 218
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Department of Tourism and Fairs, PO Box 891, Sharia Omar Mukhtar, Tripoli, Libya Tel: (21) 333 2255 Telex: 20179

Passport information: Valid passport required by all, except holders of Palestinian identity documents or ID issued to nationals of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Consult embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa Required by all except nationals of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen who must hold a ‘No Objection’ certificate or return tickets. NOTE: Very difficult to obtain tourist visas.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: A small risk exists in certain areas.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for visitors arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera and Rabies are present.

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

Currency: Libyan Dinar (LD) = 100 Dirhams NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited.
Visa and Diners Club have a limited acceptance. Travellers cheques in US dollars are widely accepted
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Libya has great internal wealth, but due to it’s foreign policy can not form constructive trade links with U.N. states.

Languages: Arabic, some English and Italian.

Weather: The climate is warm all year round. It can be cool in the evenings. Some rainfall Nov – Feb

Electricity: 150/220 Volts AC, 50 Hz. There are many power cuts.

Post: Takes approximately 2 weeks to Europe, can be erratic and unreliable.

Transport: ROAD: Petrol is available but spare parts are difficult to obtain. Driving standards are poor. TAXI: Fares should be agreed in advance. CAR HIRE: Available in Tripoli and Benghazi.

Special information: Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travellers should exercise extreme
caution and make only necessary journeys to this country. If you intend to travel depite this advice you should be aware that diplomatic relations are slowly being restored with Libya and the international community. Travellers can expect travel arrangements to be a little slow. Great care should be exercised in using cameras.