Country Information

Capital: Amsterdam

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 31 (followed by 20 for Amsterdam, 10 for Rotterdam, and 70 for the Hague)
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services.

Tourist information: Netherlands Board of Tourism, PO Box 523, London SW1E 6NT Tel: (0891) 717 777- 50p/min

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of EU countries (except Finland and Sweden) who hold a valid national ID card. When required they must be valid for at least 3 months after the last day of the intended visit.

Visa information: Visa required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Brunei, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Malawi, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore, and Venezuela for up to 3 months. Nationals who do not require a visa to visit a country which is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement. The following do not require visas for any of the Schengen member states. a) EU nationals, b) Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, San Marino, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City.

Health information: No innoculations are compulsary, but please seek medical advice prior to travel.

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

Currency: In common with12 Member States of the European Union (EU), here the Euro is the currency. There are seven different banknotes and eight coins of the Euro. Each participating EU country has coins with one common side and a reverse side specific to each country, while the banknotes look the same throughout the euro area. Exchange: Offices are indicated with the letters GWK. All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in any major international currency; are easily exchanged. ATM availability: Over 6000 locations

Cost of living: Similar to other Western European countries.

Languages: Dutch, English, French and German are also spoken.

Weather: Mild, maritime climate. Summers are generally warm with changeable periods but excessively hot weather is rare. Winters can be fairly cold with the possibility of some snow. Rainfall is prevalent all year.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Approx. 5 days within Europe.

Transport: RAIL: The highly developed rail network is efficient and cheap. ROAD: Excellent road system. BUS: Extensive regional bus services exist. Long distance coach services operate between cities. TAXI: It is less usual to hail a taxi in the street in Holland. They are usually metered. CAR HIRE: Available from airports and main hotels. DOCUMENTATION: An international driving licence is not required as long as the licence from the country of origin is held. A ‘green card’ is advisable but not compulsory.

Special information: English is widely spoken and many locals will willingly use it. Casual clothes are acceptable everywhere. Possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana could lead to a hefty fine or even a jail sentence. Possession of hard drugs will result in immediate imprisonment.

Capital: Oslo

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 47
Outgoing Code: 095

Emergency telephone numbers: Police 112, Ambulance 113, Fire Department 110,

Tourist information: Norwegian Tourist Board, Charles House, 5 Lower Regent Street, London SW1Y 4LR Tel: (020) 7839 6255 Fax: (020) 7839 6014.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of the EU holding a valid national ID card. Nationals of Austria, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Switzerland, if holding a national ID card. NOTE: Expired passports can not be considered as valid travel documents. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before travelling.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Canada, USA, the EU and Japan. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland; Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Lesotho, Lithuania (for tourism only), Macau, Malawi, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Island, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies is present on the island of Savlbard.

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

Currency: Norwegian Krone (Nkr) = 100 øre NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to Nkr 25000.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars, can be exchanged in banks, hotels and shops.
ATM availability: Over 2000 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively expensive as in the other Scandinavian countries

Languages: Norwegian. Lappish is spoken by Sami people in the North. The majority of people also speak English.

Weather: Coastal areas have a moderate climate. Inland areas are more extreme with hot summers and cold winters.

Electricity: 220 volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs are the continental 2 pin type.

Post: 2 -4 days within Europe.

Transport: RAIL: Connects main cities and Sweden. Substantial reductions can be gained through a ‘Scanrail’ pass. ROAD: The road system is of variable quality especially in the North during freezing conditions. BUS: Efficient service. DOCUMENTATION: IDP or national driving licence is required along with the vehicles log book. A ‘green card’ is strongly recommended.

Special information: Punctuality is very important especially if invited to someone’s home. Lunch is the main meal of the day, but it is often eaten as late as 17.00. Casual dress is acceptable everywhere during the day.

Capital: Kathmandu

Time zone: GMT + 5.45

Telephone services: Country Code: 977
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Ministry of Tourism, Tripureshnawar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: (1) 211 286 Fax: (1) 227 758

Passport information: Valid passports are required by all except nationals of India holding proof of identity. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of India.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended Malaria: Exists in the vivax variety in many rural areas. The falciparum variety has also been reported and is highly resistant to chloroquine.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers coming from infected areas Other Health Risks: Cholera. High Altitude sickness. Japanese encephalitis. Hepatitis A and B. Meningitis.

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: Nepalese Rupee (Rs) = 100 paisa Exchange: Obtain ‘Foreign Exchange Encashment’ receipts when changing currency and retain them as they may be needed when making transactions. NOTE: Import of local and Indian currency is prohibited. Export of local currency is prohibited. Import of foreign currency must be declared.
Amex is widely accepted while MasterCard has a more limited acceptance. Travellers cheques are accepted at banks and major hotels. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Caters for all travellers and budgets

Languages: Nepali, with Maithir and Bhojpuri.

Weather: June – Oct: Summer and monsoon. The remainder of the year is dry. Spring and Autumn is the most pleasant time. Temperatures drop dramatically in the winter

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz

Post: Services are available at most centres. Post boxes should not be used for important communications

Transport: FLIGHTS: A network of domestic flights links major towns. ROAD: The road system is of unpredictable quality. BUS Services operate, but poor state of roads and high incidence of accidents make long-distance bus travel inadvisable. CAR HIRE: Hertz and Avis are present. NOTE: Driving and vehicle maintenance is poor and the cause of frequent accidents. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is valid in Nepal for 15 days. A temporary licence can be obtained on presentation of a national licence.

Special information: FCO ADVISE AGAINST ALL TRAVEL TO NEPAL. Please check their site for latest information. In general travellers should seek local travel advise from the British Consul in Kathmandu. There have been recent outbreaks of political violence in the mid-west region. Do not travel in these areas at present and even on guided parties check that the agency have checked about where disturbances have occurred. The locals are superstitious and religious. Visitors are considered to be ‘polluted’ and are likely to be treated by the locals accordingly. Shoes should be removed before entering a local’s home. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS: Do not trek on your own without a professional guide. Always check locally about disturbances. Even where you are in a party it is advisable to take a guide off regular routes regardless of the current security situation. Consider taking comprehensive insurance to cover all physical activities and include helicopter rescue and medical evacuation if you are trekking climbing or white water rafting. Beware of the dangers of high altitude sickness. Travellers should register their presence with their local embassy in Kathmandu. The Indian Airlines 814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hi-jacked on 24 December 1999. Although airport security is improving Nepal is not immune from global terrorism. As of 5th June the airport is closed to all traffic.

Capital: Yaren

Time zone: GMT + 12

Telephone services: Country Code: 674
Outgoing Code: Calls must be made through the international operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Contact local operator.

Tourist information: Refer to government office.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Regulations may be subject to short-term change. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: apart from those in transit providing they hold tickets for immediate travel to a third country

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

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

Currency: Australian Dollar (A$) = 100 cents Credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in Australian dollars, can be exchanged.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: The absence of taxes means some goods are cheaper e.g. electrical goods, cigarettes and alcohol. Visitors should buy essential goods in advance as shops are rather limited.

Languages: Nauruan and English.

Weather: A maritime, equatorial climate tempered by Northeast trade winds from Mar to Oct. The wettest period is from Mar to Oct. Hot all year round, wettest period – Dec to Mar.

Electricity: 110/240 Volts Ac 50 Hz.

Post: Up to 1 week

Transport: ROAD: A sealed road 19 km long circles the island and there are several miles of road running inland to Buada and the phosphate areas. Buses provide public transport. CAR HIRE: Available. DOCUMENTATION: A national driving licence is sufficient.

Special information: The island has a casual atmosphere in which diplomacy and tact are preferable to confrontation. Tourism is non-existent due to the environmental condition of the island following extensive phosphate mining throughout the 1990s.

Capital: Wellington

Time zone: GMT + 12 ( GMT + 13 from the last week in March to the first week in Oct.)

Telephone services: Country Code: 64
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 111

Tourist information: New Zealand High Commission, New Zealand House, 80 Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4TQ Tel: (0839) 200 288 (recorded information).

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required (except for nationals of Australia). Regulations may be subject to short term change. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of EU countries for visits of up to 3 months (Portuguese nationals must have the right of residence in Portugal and French nationals must be residing in France. Nationals of Brunei, Canada, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Nauru, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland Thailand Tuvalu and the USA (except for US Samoans who do need a visa) for visits of up to 3 months. French citizens residing in Tahiti or New Caledonia for visits of up to 30 days. Nationals of the UK and other British Passport holders for visits of up to 6 months providing they have proof of the right of abode.

Health information: No innoculations are compulsary, but please seek medical advice prior to travel.

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

Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents. All major credit cards accepted. Travellers cheques in any international currencies, are widely accepted.
ATM availability: Over 1500 locations.

Cost of living: It is possible to travel relatively cheaply in New Zealand.

Languages: English and Maori.

Weather: Subtropical in the North island, temperate in the South Island. The North has no extremes of heat or cold, but winter can be quite cool in the South with snow in the mountains. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year.

Electricity: 230 Volts AC 50 Hz. Most hotels provide 110 volt sockets AC for electric razors.

Post: 4 – 5 days to Western Europe, slightly less to the USA.

Transport: FLIGHTS: The national airline operates flights between the main airports. RAIL: Reliable but limited. TRAVEL PASSES: allow unlimited travel on New Zealand Railways’ train, coach and ferry services. ROAD: COACH: Modern coaches operate scheduled services throughout the country. It is advisable to make reservations for seats. – Contact the tourism board for details. BUS: Regional bus services serve most parts of the country. TAXI: Metered taxis operate throughout the country. CAR HIRE: Major international and local firms have agencies at airports and most major cities. Minimum age for driving a rental car is 21 years.

Special information: Should a visitor be invited to a Maori occasion the pressing of noses is common.

Capital: Muscat

Time zone: GMT + 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 968
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999

Tourist information: Directorate General of Tourism, PO Box 550, 113 Muscat, Oman Tel: 774 253 Fax: 794 238

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 and Business visas are required by all except: Nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Cases have been reported – take advice from your medical advisors
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from infected areas Other Health Risks: Cholera, Rabies.

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

Currency: Omani Rail (OR) = 100 baiza. All major credit cards are accepted although a commission charge may be made for their use. TC: Easily exchanged.
All major cards are accepted, although a commission may be added to charges when using a card. Travellers cheques in US dollars or pound Sterling are easily exchanged.
ATM availability: 50 locations.

Cost of living: It is impossible to travel on a tight budget. There are few middle range hotels and restaurants. There is a large contrast between budget and the remaining hotels.

Languages: Arabic and English.

Weather: June – July are very hot. Rainfall varies according to the region.

Electricity: 220/240 volts Ac, 50 Hz.

Post: Up to 2 weeks to Western Europe.

Transport: BUS: Services exist in Muscat and North Oman. TAXI: Prices are high and should be agreed in advance. DOCUMENTATION: Those who have a tourist visa can use their driving licence for up to 7 days. After 7 days a local licence is required and is available from the police station. Off-road driving conditions can be hazardous and road rescue very expensive.

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 Oman has only been open to the outside world for a short period therefore visitors should be sensitive to this. PHOTOGRAPHY: Signs will indicate areas where photography is prohibited. Collecting seashells; abalones corals, crayfish and turtle eggs is also forbidden. Avoid wearing shorts and tight fitting clothes.