Country Information

Capital: Bridgetown

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 246
Outgoing Code: 011

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 112, Ambulance – 115, Fire – 113. All services – 119.

Tourist information: Barbados Tourism Authority, 263 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1P OLA Tel: (020) 7636 9448 Fax: (020) 7637 1496.

Passport information: Passport must be valid for 6 months after date of entry by all except: Nationals of the USA and Canada, who hold a valid return ticket, who have embarked from their home country for stays not exceeding 3 months and who have a naturalisation certificate or original birth certificate accompanied by a driving licence with photograph or employment identification with photograph. Nationals of Commonwealth countries for stays up to 6 months (except nationals of India, Pakistan and South Africa where special conditions apply) for stays of up to 6 months Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa not required by nationals of EU countries for stays up to 6 months.

Health information: Seek Advice from GP before travel.
Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate if required from passengers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas.

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

Currency: Barbados Dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars and Pound sterling, are accepted.
ATM availability: 45 locations.

Cost of living: Generally expensive. Avoid the tourist centres if travelling on a budget, although prices throughout the island are quite expensive.

Languages: English. Local Bajan dialect is also spoken.

Weather: Subtropical climate cooled by sea breezes. Wet season – July till Nov when brief showers occur. Dry season – Dec till June.

Electricity: 110 volts AC 50 Hz American style 2-pin plug are used.

Post: Up to 1 week.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Several operators run flights between neighbouring islands. ROAD: A good network of roads run throughout the island. BUS: Frequent comprehensive coverage of the island. Although cheap buses are crowded during the rush hour. CAR HIRE: Various vehicles can be hired at the airport or large hotels. DOCUMENTATION: A Barbados driving licence is required, a valid national or IDP should be held.

Special information: Attacks and thefts are rare although persistent salesmen are likely to continually approach you. Visitors should exercise common sense precautions such as not exhibiting conspicuous signs of wealth and not to visit deserted beaches at night.

Capital: Dhaka

Time zone: GMT + 6

Telephone services: Country Code: 880
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police central control point Dhaka 866 551-3, Ambulance and Fire Service Head Office Dhaka 9 555 555.

Tourist information: Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (National Tourism Organisation) 233 Old Airport Road, Tejgaon, Dhaka 1215, Bangladesh Tel: (2) 817 855 Fax: (2) 817 235.

Passport information: Valid passport required. 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 re-entry permit issued by Bangladesh. Those continuing their journey on the same day by the same or first connecting aircraft without leaving the airport do not require a visa.

Health information: Seek Advice from GP before travel.
Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in the whole country with the exception of Dhaka City. The falciparum variety is reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required if arriving from an infected area.
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Rabies, Filariasis, Visceral leishmaniasis, Dengue Fever, Dysentery and Hepatitis A, B and E 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: Bangladeshi Taka (Tk) = 100 poisha. Exchange: Many shops in the cities will offer better exchange rates than the banks. NOTE: All currency exchange must be entered on a currency declaration form.
Diners Club and Amex are accepted. Visa and Mastercard accepted to a lesser extent Travellers cheques can be exchanged at Dhaka Airport major hotels and banks. Passport required for card transactions.
ATM availability: Limited availability.

Cost of living: You are expected to bargain for everything. Cost of Living can be cheap if willing to sacrifice luxuries.

Languages: Bengali (Banga). English is spoken in Government and commercial circles.

Weather: Generally a hot humid climate with a monsoon season from June to October. Temperatures are highest in April and May when it is generally dry. The cool season is November to March.

Electricity: 220/240 volts AC, 60 Hz. Plugs are of the British 5 an 15 amp, 2 or 3 pin 9 (round) type. Supply is erratic and subject to load shedding.

Post: Airmail takes 5 days to Europe. Surface mail can take several months and is not secure.

Transport: Many roads and railways are still damaged from the floods, but there are many ferry crossings. NOTE: Poor driving and vehicle maintenance as well as unlit buses and lorries are the cause of frequent accidents. You are recommended to hire a driver when travelling outside of Dhaka BUS: Services serve between all major towns, fares are generally low. TAXI: Available at airports and major hotels. Agree fares in advance. CAR HIRE: Available at airports and major hotels. There is little mass transport available within towns RICKSHAWS and AUTO RICKSHAWS are available for transport in Dhaka but caution is advised when travelling by Rickshaw and is not recommended after dark. DOCUMENTATION: IDP or national licence is accepted.

Special information: NOTE: New arrivals should register with the High Commission in Dhaka. Money must not be given as gifts as it causes offence. Religious customs should be respected by all visitors. Because of the recent flood disaster safety and health precautions are necessary when travelling. PHOTOGRAPHY: In rural areas people are unused to tourists and therefore respect should be shown. Do not take photographs of military installations. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS: Visitors should avoid demonstrations and crowded places where outbreaks of violence have occurred. Major roads between towns are subject to night time armed banditry. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise that sporadic demonstrations are a problem at present. Avoid political gatherings. Avoid travel after dark.

Capital: Brussels

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 32
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:- Police – 101, Fire, Ambulance – 100, or from a mobile phone – 112.

Tourist information: Belgian Tourist Office, 5th Floor, 29 Princes Street, London W1R 7RG Tel: (0891) 600 255 or (0891) 887 799 (recorded message 50p/min.) Fax: (020) 7458 0045.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all: except nationals of EU countries and nationals of Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland providing they carry a national ID card. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU, Japan, Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey (if resident in an EU country and have a residence permit valid for a further 4 months), Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela

Health information: Other Health Risks: None at present.

Food & drink: Water is considered drinkable, normal precautions should be observed with food. In January 1999 Dioxins entered the food chain in Belgium – visitors are advised to take advice on eating pork, chicken or dairy products

Currency: Belgian Franc (Bfr) = 100 centimes
Credit cards and Travellers cheques are widely accepted. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 2000 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively expensive, similarly to other Western European countries.

Languages: Dutch and French.

Weather: Warm May – Sept, and snow likely during the winter months.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs are 2 pin.

Post: 2- 3 days to other European destinations. Poste Restante is available in the main cities.

Transport: RAIL: A dense, regular service operates. A reduced rate card can be purchased for unlimited discounts for 1 month period.

Special information: “Flemings” often prefer to speak English; rather than French, to Foreign visitors.