Country Information

Capital: Kuwait City

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 965
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Kuwait Information Centre, 48 Queens Gate, London SW75HR.Tel: (020) 7589 2929 Fax: (020) 7225 0879.

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

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates for a stay up to 3 months. Nationals of Saudi Arabia for an unlimited period.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Other Health Risks: Cholera

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

Currency: Kuwait Dinar (KWD) = 1000 fils.
All credit cards and travellers cards are accepted. US dollars are the preferred cheque currency
ATM availability: 180 locations.

Cost of living: Expensive and may be difficult for the budget traveller.

Languages: Arabic. English is generally widely understood.

Weather: Similar to Europe but hotter and dryer. Summer: (Apr – Oct) is hot and humid with little rain. Winter: (Nov – Mar) is cool with limited rainfall.

Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50 Hz single phase. UK-type flat 3 pin plugs are used

Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes about 5 days.

Transport: ROAD: A good network exists between cities. BUS: Reliable and inexpensive service operates between main cities. TAXI: Popular and reliable service, but fares should always be agreed in advance. CAR HIRE: Available. DOCUMENTATION: IDP required. Temporary licence available on presentation of a valid British licence.

Special information: NOTE: 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 British nationals should not attempt to travel anywhere near the border with Iraq. British nationals should register with their Embassy on arrival. All Islamic laws should be respected. Women should dress modestly. Men should not wear shorts or go topless in public. It is greatly appreciated if visitors learn a few words of Arabic. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS: There is a danger of unexploded land mines throughout the country. Seek advice before using beaches and venturing out of the city. PHOTOGRAPHY: In theory a photography permit is required.

Capital: New Delhi

Time zone: GMT + 5.30

Telephone services: Country Code: 91
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Contact the hotel reception.

Tourist information: Government of India Tourist Office, 7 Cork Street, London W1X 2LN Tel: (020) 7437 3677 or (01233) 211 999 (brochure request line). Fax: (020) 7494 1048.

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

Visa information: Visa required.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in the vivax variety throughout the year in the whole country excluding parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Sikkim. High resistance to chloroquine has been reported in the falciparum variety.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from everyone coming or who have transited through infected areas
Other Health Risks: Bubonic plague, meningitis, tick-borne relapsing fever, dengue fever, visceral leishmaniasis, filariasis and Hepatitis B.

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: Rupee = 100 paise
Exchange: At banks or authorised exchangers.. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques can be widely exchanged. Pound sterling and US dollars are the preferred currencies.
ATM availability: Over 150 locations.

Cost of living: Caters for all visitors and budgets. Accommodation ranges from international standard to youth hostels. All commodities are inexpensive, in comparison with other countries.

Languages: The universal national language is English. There are 14 official languages in India. About 50% of the population are Hindi speakers. The Muslim population generally speak Urdu.

Weather: Hot tropical weather with variations from region to region. Coolest weather lasts from November to mid March, with cool fresh mornings and evenings and dry sunny days. Really hot weather occurs between April and June. Monsoon rains occur in most regions during the summer

Electricity: Usually 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are of the round 2 and 3 pin type.

Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes up to 1 week. Stamps are sold in hotels.

Transport: AIR: The domestic airline connects over 70 cities. Special fares are available throughout the year. SEA/RIVER: Services are often seasonal and suspended during the monsoon period. One particularly attractive route is the ‘backwaters’ excursion in the vicinity of Cochin. RAIL: The network covers much of the country and is relatively inexpensive.

Special information: NOTE: The Travel Advice Unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against travelling to the Kashmir Valley and Jammu because of civil unrest. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS: Following the Earth Quake in January visitors should stay away from the GUJARAT STATE and other affected areas until normal services are restored. Major tourist destinations are quiet. However there is a serious risk of kidnapping in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Foreigners have been held at gun-point and therefore visitors are advised against travelling to this area. Possesion of even the smallest quantity of drugs of any kind results in very long jail sentences with long detention before trial. Footwear should be removed when entering houses or places of worship. Many Hindus are vegetarian. Religion plays a large role in everyday life and visitors are expected to respect the customs followed by the Indian people. Beware of confidence tricksters; particularly in Jaipur and Agra. Special care is required on beaches as no local warnings are given of trecherous undercurrents.

Capital: George Town

Time zone: GMT – 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 345
Outgoing Code: 0

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 911, Ambulance 555. All services – 911

Tourist information: Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, The Cricket Square, Elgin Avenue, PO Box 67, Grand Cayman Tel: (94) 90623 Fax: (94) 94053.

Passport information: A valid passport is required by all except nationals of Canada the UK and the USA, if proof of nationality is provided and return or onward tickets shows that the visitor will leave the Cayman islands within 6 months. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: A visa is required by all except: Nationals of the countries referred to above. Nationals of Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Iceland, India, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho. Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad, & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended

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

Currency: Cayman Islands Dollar (CI$) = 100 cents.
Exchange: Us currency circulates freely.
Major credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are widely welcomed
Credit cards are not accepted.
ATM availability: 4 locations.

Cost of living: Extremely expensive.

Languages: English. Local dialects are also spoken.

Weather: Warm tropical climate throughout the year. Wet season – May to Oct with generally brief showers

Electricity: 110 volts 60 Hz. American style (flat) 2 pin plugs are used.

Post: 5 – 7 days

Transport: ROAD: A good road network connects the coastal towns of all three main islands. BUS: A cheap but infrequent bus service operates between George Town and the West Bay. CAR HIRE: By far the best way to get around. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is required in addition to insurance. Drivers must be over 21 years of age.

Special information: Beach-wear should be kept to the beach / pool.

Capital: Baghdad

Time zone: GMT + 3 (GMT + 4 during the summer).

Telephone services: Country Code: 964
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Iraqi Interests Section, 21 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5JG Tel: (020) 7584 7141/6 Fax: (020) 7584 7716.

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: Holders of Israeli passports or other passports containing Israeli visas. US passports are not currently valid for travel to or in Iraq without special validation being required.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists entirely in the vivax variety between May and November.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from infected areas.

Other Health Risks: Visceral leishmaniasis, Bilharzia, Crimean-Congo fever, 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: Iraqi Dinar (ID) = 20 dirhams = 1000 fils
NOTE: Import of local currency is allowed up to ID 25. Export of local currency is limited to ID 5.
Credit cards and travellers cheques are not accepted.

ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Since the Gulf War and the imposition of United Nations sanctions, Iraq’s economy has become hyper-inflated.

Languages: Mostly Arabic. Some Kurdish, Turkish and Aramaic.

Weather: Summers are hot and dry, winters are warm with some rain.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Usually takes 5 – 10 days between Europe and Iraq but can take much longer

Transport: BUS: Services run between Baghdad and other main cities. TAXI: Available in the cities. Fares should be agreed in advance. Metered taxies charge twice the amount shown on the meter. CAR HIRE: Available at the airport and in Baghdad. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required and third party insurance is necessary.

Special information: EXTREME RISK. Travelling to Iraq is strongly discouraged by virtually all governments. Visitors should respect the Islamic religion and act accordingly. Avoid taking photographs.

Capital: Almaty

Time zone: GMT + 6 – East (Main Zone), + 5 – Central, + 4 – Western, (GMT + 7, + 6, + 5 respectively during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (3272 for Almaty).

Outgoing Code: International calls are made at reduced rate between 2000 – 0800 local time.

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 03

Tourist information: Proftour’ Association (former Kazakh Council for Tourism) 5 Mitina Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan Tel: (3272) 640 567 Fax: (3272) 531 928.

Passport information: As regulations are expected to change at short notice visitors are advised to contact the consulate for an up to date list of passport/visa requirements. Carry your passport, or an Embassy certified copy, at all times. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before travelling.

Visa information: Visas are required by all. Travellers are advised to contact the consulate for current visa requirements. Visitors should obtain a visa before travelling to Kazakhstan. Applications MUST be made in advance of travel. A letter of invitation must be included with all visa applications. Local hotels can provide such letters. The local authorities have recently restricted the issue of visas at ports of entry and will only do so in extreme circumstances. The agreement allowing visas issued for one Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS) country to be used to transit another CIS country is no longer valid. Visitors planning to visit two or more CIS countries should contact the relevant embassies for advice before travelling.Visitors staying longer than three days need to register with the local authorities. The police can arrest visitors who do not carry identification.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Anthrax, Diptheria, Hepatitis A., Rabies, and Tuberculosis, Tick-borne encephalitis and Crimean haemorrhagic fever in the mountains, Bubonic plague in southern and western regions.

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: 1 Tenge = 100 tigin
Exchange: must be made at authorised bureaux and receipts should be retained for all transactions. US Dollars are preferred
Major credit cards are accepted in large hotels. US Dollar travellers cheques are preferred
ATM availability: 3 locations.

Cost of living: Generally inexpensive

Languages: Kazakh, Russian.

Weather: Continental climate: Summers are hot and winters are cold. The hottest period is between July and August.

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz. Plugs are the round 2 pin continental type.

Post: 2 – 3 weeks. Addresses should be laid out from top to bottom: country, postcode, city, street, house number/name, and finally the name of the person.

Transport: RAIL: Cost is minimal to Western fares and there are regular connections between all major centres. NOTE: There has been an increase in robberies on rail and road. Passengers should travel in groups and compartments should be locked on overnight trains. Muggers often target Western looking people as it is assumed that they will be carrying valuables. ROAD: A reasonable network connects all towns. BUS: There are reliable connections between all main towns. CAR HIRE: Hertz has agencies at the airport and the large hotels in the city centre. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

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 robberies and personal attacks have increased especially in the larger cities. Do not walk alone on the streets at night or travel in unmarked taxis. Keep expensive items out of sight. Kazakh’s are very hospitable. Shorts should not be worn except for sports. Formal dress is often required for evening engagements.

Capital: Tehran

Time zone: GMT + 3.5 (GMT + 4.5 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 98
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Refer to Consulate.

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: Required by all except: Nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Saudi Arabia and Turkey for stays not exceeding 3 months.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in the vivax variety in certain provinces. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported in the falciparum variety.
Other Health Risks: Cutaneous leishmaniasis, Tick-borne relapsing fever and Bilharzia.

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

Currency: Iranian Rial (RL) = 100 Dinars.
Foreign visitors must convert the equivalent of US$ 300 into Iranian Rials. Declare all currency on arrival.
Credit cards and travellers cheques are not accepted.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Commodities are quite limited outside the main city of Tehran. The economy is in a state of transition following the war with Iraq and the US embargo on Iranian oil.

Languages: Persian (Farsi). Arabic in Khuzestan and Turkish in the Northwest. English, French and German are often spoken by businessmen and officials.

Weather: Summers are hot and dry and winters are harsh.

Electricity: 1220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: At least 2 weeks to Western Europe.

Transport: ROAD: There is an extensive road network but the quality is unreliable. BUS: Cheap and comfortable although may be erratic. TAXIS: Available in all cities. CAR HIRE: Available in all cities and airports. DOCUMENTATION: IDP and personal insurance is required. All motorists must possess a carnet de passage or pay a large deposit.

Special information: Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travellers should exercise extreme caution and make only necessary journeys to Iran. If you intend to travel depite this advice you should be aware that travellers should always be vigilant and ensure that their papers are in order. After recent disturbances in Tehran particular care may be needed and crowds should be avoided. Western influences are discouraged. There has been an increase in the numbers of robberies by men posing as taxi drivers. Vistors should order taxis from reputable firms. There has also been a spate of bag snatching by young men on motorcycles. Particular care should be taken not to offend against the Islamic religion. Women should behave modestly and dress conservatively. PHOTOGRAPHY: Restrict photography to tourist areas as military installations are sometimes difficult to identify and photgraphing them is strictly prohibited.