Country Information

Capital: Jerusalem

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 972 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Fire / Police – 100, Ambulance – 101

Tourist information: Ministry of Tourism, PO Box 1018, 24 King George Street, Jerusalem 91009, Israel Tel: (2) 675 4811 Fax: (2) 56 25 34 07 or 56 25 08 90.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. They must be valid for 6 months after the intended date of arrival. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: All nationals require a stamp on arrival. Visas are required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Canada, USA, and EU countries (except Germany if born before 1928 and nationals of Spain who have to pay a stamp fee). Nationals of Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Gibraltar, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Jamaica, South Korea, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, St Kitts & Nevis, San Marino, Slovenia, South Africa, Suriname, Swaziland, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, and Uruguay. All other nationals must obtain visas prior to arrival.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Other Health Risks: Rabies

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

Currency: New Israeli Shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot.
Exchange: Foreign currency can only be exchanged at authorised banks and hotels. Payment in foreign currency exempts tourists from VAT on certain purchases.
All major credit cards and travellers cheques are accepted.
ATM availability: Over 1000 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively expensive when compared with other middle Eastern countries, excluding Kibbutz.

Languages: Hebrew and Arabic. English is spoken in most major centres. French, Spanish, German, Yiddish, Russian, Polish and Hungarian may also be spoken.

Weather: Summers are hot with winds from the Mediterranean. Winters can be cool in the North. Spring and autumn are usually pleasant.

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz. 3 pin plugs are standard.

Post: Airmail to Europe takes up to a week.

Transport: RAIL: Regular services provided between Tel Aviv and other major centres. All services are closed between sunset on Fridays and sunset on Saturday and during religious holidays. ROAD: There is a good road network. BUS: Services are cheap, quick and efficient. DOCUMENTATION: Full national driving licence and insurance is required. IDP is recommended.

Special information: HIGH RISK: THE FCO ADVISE AGAINST TRAVEL TO THE WEST BANK AND GAZA WE ALSO ADVISE AGAINST ALL HOLIDAY AND OTHER NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL TO JURUSALEM. Visitors to Israel whould be extremely vigilant. The northern border with Lebanon (Western and Upper Galilee) should be avoided. In general because the regional security situation can change rapidly, you should keep aware of events and check the FCO travel website. Visitors should always be vigilant with personal possessions, travel documents and valuables especially on the beaches. There are restrictions on movement in and out of the Gaza strip. Dress is casual except in Holy places. In many restaurants and hotels it is considered an insult to smoke. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS: Do not drive through the occupied territories. Do not hitch-hike. Avoid the centre of Hebron.

Capital: Conakry

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 224
Outgoing Code: Must be made through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: 442 959 (Embassy)

Tourist information: Refer to the Embassy in Paris.

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 for Tourist, Transit and Business are granted. Required by all except nationals of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Tunisia.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Present in the Falciparum variety and resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: Vaccination is strongly recommended to all visitors. Those arriving from infected areas over one year of age are required to have a vaccination certificate.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, River Blindness, Hepatitis, Meningitis and rabies are present.

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: Guinea Franc (FG) = 100 centimes. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited. Foreign currency must be declared on arrival.
MasterCard has limited acceptance in the capital city. Travellers cheques can be changed at banks. French francs are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Tourist areas tend to be more expensive.

Languages: French and several local languages.

Weather: Hot and Humid climate. Wet season = May – Oct. Dry season = Nov – Apr.

Electricity: 220 Volts, 50 Hz

Post: Post will take over a week to reach Europe.

Transport: ROADS: Only 2/5 are suitable for all weather conditions. RAIL: A limited service exists which is generally not recommended. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: Do not travel to the borders with Liberia or Sierra Leone. Tourists should not venture out into Conakry at night due to a high level of street violence. Muslim traditions should be respected. Casual dress is acceptable. PHOTOGRAPHY: Permits are no longer required but taking photos of public buildings, bridges, ports or anything connected to the military is prohibited.

Capital: Basse-Terre

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 590
Outgoing Code: 19

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 112, Ambulance – 434. All services – 911.

Tourist information: Police – 17, Fire and Ambulance – 18

Passport information: All travellers must have a valid passport except: EU Nationals and nationals of Andorra Liechtenstein, Monaco and Switzerland, who may travel holding an expired passport provided it expired within the last 5 years, or a valid national ID card. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact the Embassy before departure.

Visa information: See France, but specify Guadeloupe when making application.

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

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

Currency: French Franc (Ffr) = 100 centimes.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in French francs are welcomed.

ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Expensive due to a 15-30% tax levied on services depending on the time of year

Languages: French. Patois and English are widely spoken.

Weather: Warm weather all year round. Main raining season June – Oct. High humidity at times.

Electricity: 110/220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Post will take Approx. 1 week to Western Europe.

Transport: SEA: Regular ferry services move around the island. BUS: There is a good bus service. CAR HIRE: Many companies are present. DOCUMENTATION: National driving licence is sufficient. One years driving experience is required. IDP is advised.

Special information: Guadeloupe is a French overseas department and the French culture is clearly evident.

Capital: Malabo

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 240
Outgoing Code: Operator assistance may be required.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: The Centro Cultural Hispano-Guineano gives out good maps of the Island and mainland.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant consular authority before finalising travel arrangements.

Visa information: Required by all Business and Tourist.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination Required.

Malaria: Precautions required. Falciparum exists throughout the country and resistance to chloroquine has been reported.

Yellow Fever: Vaccination certificate will be required by all travellers.

Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, River blindness in unchlorinated water, oriental lung fluke (recently reported) and Cholera are present.

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: CFA Franc (CFA Fr) = 100 centimes.
NOTE: Export of local currency is limited to CFA Fr3000. CFA Franc can not be easily exchanged outside of the CFA Fr area

Diners Club is accepted on a limited basis in large towns only. Travellers cheques are not accepted.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Tourists can expect to pay high prices for services.

Languages: Spanish, African dialects including Fang and Bubi are spoken.

Weather: Tropical climate throughout the year. Rainfall throughout the year although less falls between Dec and Feb.

Electricity: 220/240 Volts. AC

Post: Approximately 2 weeks

Transport: FLIGHTS: Advisable to book in advance. ROADS: There are few tarred roads and car hire companies are unavailable but taxis can be hired. SEA: there is a ferry between Malabo, Bata and Doula, allow 12 hours for the trip.

Special information: Although the current situation is calm caution should be exercised. Travelling after dark should be avoided. Visitors have recently experienced problems with corruption and petty theft. Europeans are likely to be met with curiosity and even suspicion. Foreign cigarettes are often accepted as gifts. PHOTOGRAPHY: A photo permit, available from the embassy is essential.

Capital: Athens

Time zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September)

Telephone services: Country Code: 30 + 1 for Athens, 31 Thessaloniki, 81 Heraklion, 661 Corfu.
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:-Police – 100, Ambulance – 166, Fire – 199.

Tourist information: National Tourist Organisation of Greece (GNTO), 4 Conduit Street, London W1R 0DJ Tel: (020) 7724 5997 Fax: (020) 7287 1369.

Passport information: Passports are required to be valid for at least 6 months required by all except: EU Nationals with a valid ID card who have sufficient funds for the length of their stay. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before travelling.

Visa information: Visas Required by all except: Nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU, Japan for a period of 3 months. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, St Christophe, Taiwan (China) for a period up to 3 months. Nationals of Brazil, El Salvador, and Uruguay for a period of up to 2 months. Nationals of Peru for a period up to 1 month. Nationals of Singapore for a period of up to 2 weeks. NOTE: Visitors using chartered tickets, leaving Greece on an overnight trip to another country, may risk having their return ticket invalidated by the authorities.

Health information: Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from visitors over 6 months of age coming from infected areas.

Food & drink: Water is of variable quality. Bottled water is widely available.

Currency: Drachmar (Dr)
Currency can be changed at banks and money exchangers. NOTE: Import of local currency is limited to Dr100000 and export to Dr20000 for non-residents and Dr40000 for residents.

All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted in all major currencies, and can be easily changed at banks.

ATM availability: Over 1500 locations.

Cost of living: Tourist centres can be very cheap when compared to other European countries.

Languages: Greek. Most people connected with tourism will speak some English, German, Italian or French.

Weather: Warm Mediterranean climate. Nov – Mar is when most rain falls. Winters are mild in the South but much cooler in the North.

Electricity: 220 volts AC 50 Hz.

Post: All postcards and letters for overseas will be sent by airmail. Poste Restante is available at the post office.

Transport: RAIL: Regular trains operate between Athens and the main cities. There is a 20% discount on return fares and other offers available. ROAD: Good road network. BUS: Link Athens and all the main towns in Attica, Northern Greece and Peloponnese. TAXI: Run on a shared basis. Rates are reasonable an based on a Km basis. There is an extra charge on journeys from / to airports, ports, stations. CAR HIRE: Most firms operate throughout Greece, DOCUMENTATION: A national driving licence is acceptable for EU nationals.

Special information: Diverse traditions and customs prevail throughout Greece but a sense of unity prevails. The Greek Orthodox church has an important place in the community. Throwing back the head is a negative gesture. It is offensive to sell your belongings doing so can lead to arrest.

Capital: Guatemala City

Time zone: GMT – 6

Telephone services: Country Code: 502
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 120 / 137 / 138, Fire – 122 / 123, Ambulance – 125 / 128.

Tourist information: Guatemala Tourist Commission, 7a Avenida 1 – 17, Centro Civico, Zona 4 Guatemala City, Guatemala Tel: (502) 311 333 Fax: (502) 331 4416 or 331 3004.

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 EU countries for a stay of 1 month with a possible extension to 3 months (except Greece and Portugal, and those on business from the UK or Republic of Ireland who do require visas, and tourists from the UK and Republic of Ireland who may stay for a maximum stay of 90 days without a visa to whom a tourist card will be issued by the authorities at the airport.). Nationals of Argentina, Andorra, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, Uruguay and Vatican City for stays of I month with possible extensions to 3 months. Nationals of Australia, Canada, Mexico and the USA entering Guatemala by air do not need a visa providing they are entering for tourist purposes, for a maximum stay of 90 days.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in areas below 1500m.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by travellers arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Hepatitis, Rabies, Onchocerciasis, American trypanosomiasis and Altitude sickness can occur in higher 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: Quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos
Visa and Amex are widely accepted other cards have only a limited acceptance. Travellers cheques in US dollars are recommended.
ATM availability: Over 120 locations.

Cost of living: For the budget traveller prices can be very reasonable. Accommodation is diverse and priced accordingly. Food and local merchandise are relatively inexpensive especially in markets.

Languages: Spanish. English and over 20 indigenous languages are also spoken.

Weather: Climate varies according to altitude. Lower altitudes being far hotter than highlands. The rainy season occurs between June and Oct.

Electricity: 110 Volts AC 60 Hz. There are some regional variations.

Post: 7 – 21 days

Transport: FLIGHTS: Air transport is by far the most efficient means of internal travel since there are over 380 airstrips. RAIL: There is a daily service between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. ROAD: There is an extensive road network but only a small amount are all weather. BUS: The bus services are cheap but crowded. TAXI: A flat rate is often charged within the city but prices are often expensive. CAR HIRE: International companies operate in Guatemala City and rates are low. DOCUMENTATION: A local licence will be issued on presentation of a national driving licence.

Special information: Travel arrangements are slowly returning to normal after Hurricane Mitch. Some regions may still be politically volatile. Visitors should register with the Embassy upon arrival. Violent crime is rife throughout the country.