Country Information

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

Cost of living:

Languages:

Weather:

Electricity:

Post:

Transport:

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: Mbabane

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 268 Outgoing Code: International calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Ministry of Broadcasting, Information and Tourism, PO Box 338, Mbabane, Swaziland Tel: 42761 Fax: 42774 or 46 953

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Recommended though not essential. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of: Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Cyprus, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Ghana, Guyana, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, Uruguay, W. Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in certain areas in the Falciparum variety. resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for travellers arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Meningitis (recommended), 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: Lilangeni (E) = 100 cents South African Rand is also accepted as legal tender Amex and MasterCard are widely accepted. Visa is accepted on a more limited basis. Travellers cheques are accepted in Pound sterling preferably
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Hotels and recreational facilities in the Holiday Valley complex in Ezulwini are expensive

Languages: English and Siswati

Weather: Weather can be changeable due to the high altitude. Lowlands are the hottest and the higher lands have the most rain between Oct – march

Electricity: 20 Volts AC 50 Hz Plugs = 15amp round pin

Post: Up to 2 weeks

Transport: ROADS: Generally in good condition. BUS: Numerous buses connect various parts of the country some of which are non – stop. CAR HIRE: A number of companies operate. DOCUMENTATION: National driving licences are valid for up to 6 months provided they are printed in English. IDP is recognised

Special information: Those wanting to camp in villages should see the village chief. PHOTOGRAPHY: Permission should be asked. Photos of national buildings and the royal family are prohibited. Do not camp near houses or graveyards without being granted permission. Avoid downtown areas of Mbabane and Manzini after dark

Capital: London

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 44
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:-999 for Police, Ambulance, Fire

Tourist information: British Tourist Authority and British Tourist Board, Thames Tower, Black’s Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9EL Tel (020) 8846 9000 Fax: (020) 8563 0302

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of EU countries with a valid ID card for tourist visits not exceeding 3 months. Nationals of Iceland Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and Switzerland with valid ID cards for tourist/social visits of not less than 6 months and in possession of a British Visitor’s guide available from travel agencies. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before travelling.

Visa information: Visa Not required by EU nationals and citizens of Australia, Canada, USA and Japan.

Health information: There are periodic outbreaks of meningitis.

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

Currency: Pound (£) = 100 pence
Exchange: banks, exchange bureaux and many hotels All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques are widely accepted, preferably in Pound sterling
ATM availability: Over 22 000 locations

Cost of living: London and major tourist centres can be especially expensive.

Languages: English. Welsh is spoken in areas of Wales. Gaelic is spoken in parts of Scotland and N. Ireland. French and Norman French are spoken in the Channel Islands. There are a variety of ethnic minorities (Hindi, Urdu, Turkish, Greek, Cantonese and Mandarin).

Weather: The climate is temperate with warm, wet summers and mild, wet winters. It is variable throughout the year and the country as a whole.

Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50 Hz. Square 3 pin plugs are used

Post: Post destined for outside Europe should be sent airmail.

Transport: There is a comprehensive nation-wide rail and bus network

Special information: Although a cease-fire is currently in place in Northern Ireland, sectarian violence still persists. If visiting avoid discussions on religion and politics. Normal social courtesies apply.

Capital: Cockburn Town

Time zone: GMT – 5 (GMT -4 from first Sunday in April to Saturday before the last Sunday in October)

Telephone services: Country Code: 1649
Outgoing Code: 01

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 911

Tourist information: Turks and Caicos Tourist Information Office, International House, 47 Chase Side, Enfield, EN2 6NB Tel: (020) 8364 45188 Fax: (020) 8367 9949.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of Canada and the USA if holding proof of identity. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except: Nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU countries, Japan. Nationals of commonwealth countries. Nationals of Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Quatar, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Yemen and Zaire. Transit visas are not required except for nationals of communist countries.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.

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: US Dollar (US$) = 100 cents.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques are widely accepted, preferably in US dollars.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Extremely expensive. Hotels range from standard to 2 luxury and 2 deluxe, with private beaches and moorings.

Languages: English

Weather: Tropical climate with cool winds. Nights are cool with rain in the winter.

Electricity: 110 volts AC

Post: 5 days

Transport: ROAD: Less than a quarter of the roads are tarred. TAXI: Available at the airport but may be scarce meaning they may have to be shared. CAR HIRE: Limited selection available from local firms. DOCUMENTATION: A local licence is obtainable on presentation of a national or IDP licence.

Special information: The islands consist of 30 in total, forming the southern eastern Bahamas chain. Access is primarily by boat, although the larger islands have airports. Turks and Caicos are a British Dependant Territory.