Country Information

Capital: Nuku’alofa

Time zone: GMT + 13

Telephone services: Country Code: 676 Outgoing Code: 0

Emergency telephone numbers: All emergency services – 911.

Tourist information: Tonga Visitor’s Bureau, PO Box 37, Vuna Road, Nuku’alofa, Tonga, Tel: 21733 Fax: 22507.

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

Visa information: Visa are issued on arrival to nationals of all countries.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from passengers over 1 year of age arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Competent medical and dental facilities are available. Hepatitis A and B occur. Health insurance is recommended.

Food & drink: Water outside of Nuku’alofa is untreated and not safe to drink. Dairy products are pasteurised.

Currency: Pa’anga (T$) = 100 seniti
Credit cards have limited use. Travellers cheques are accepted at some hotels and tourist shops. Australian dollar cheques are preferred.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Relatively cheap

Languages: Tongan and English

Weather: Marginally cooler than most tropical areas. The best time is May to November. Heavy rains occur between Dec and Mar.

Electricity: 240 Volts Ac 50 Hz.

Post: 10 days

Transport: FLIGHTS: Royal Tongan Airlines operate regular flights between the main cities. SEA: Ferries sail between all the island groups. Schedules are subject to change according to demand and the weather. ROAD: A good network of metalled roads exists. Horses are often used. CAR HIRE: May be arranged through a number of agencies. DOCUMENTATION: A local licence is required from the police traffic department on production of a valid international or national driving licence, the fee and a passport. Min driving age = 18.

Special information: Shorts are not acceptable in towns. Visitors are not expected to tip.

Capital: Ankara

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 90 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance – 112, Fire – 111, Police – 155

Tourist information: Turkish Tourist Office, First Floor, 170 – 173 Piccadilly, London W1V 9DD Tel: (020) 7629 771 Fax: (020) 7491 0773.

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

Visa information: Visa required by al except: Nationals of Barbados, Belize, Chile, Ecuador, Fiji, Grenada, Iceland, Iran; Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Morocco, New Zealand, Northern Cyprus, Norway, Oman, Qatar, St Lucia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and Vatican City for stay of up to 3 months. Nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia for stays of up to 2 months. Nationals of Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and South Africa for stays up to 1 month. Tourists from the following countries can obtain their visas on arrival for a fee, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and the USA for visits not exceeding 3 months. CIS, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovak Republic and Taiwan (China) for visits not exceeding 1 month. Albania, Guatemala, and Georgia, for visits not exceeding 15 days.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Potential risk in the vivax form exists during period throughout the year in various areas.
Other Health Risks: Cholera incidents have not been evident over recent years but simple precautions when eating and drinking are advised. Rabies is present.

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

Currency: Turkish Lira (TL)
Exchange: Certificates of exchange must be retained to prove that legally exchanged currency was used. Money can be exchanged at all PTT branches.
Major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars can be easily exchanged.
ATM availability: Over 5 000 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive. The Ministry of Tourists advised tourists to stay in approved guest houses (Cost US$20+).

Languages: Turkish, Kurdish. French, German and English are also spoken.

Weather: The coasts have a hot Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Airmail to Europe takes 3 days.

Transport: ROAD: There is an extensive road development and maintenance programme. Care must be taken if driving as accidents can lead to serious complications and delay your travel. RAIL: Fares are comparatively cheap. COACH: Many companies provide services between major cities. CAR HIRE: Available in all main towns. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required for visits over 3 months.

Special information: Do not deface or tear up currency it is an offence. There are risks of terrorism. The PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) has warned tourists against visiting Turkey but have kept a low profile recently – this may alter at any time. Avoid all travel to Eastern Turkey and do not attempt to climb Mount Ararat in Eastern Turkey. Respect the Islamic traditions. Particular care should be taken while the tensions in the Middle East are heightened. Women should dress modestly and cover shoulders and arms. Informal wear is accepted but beach wear should be confined to the beach or pool. Drunkenness is not really tolerated. PHOTOGRAPHY: Do not take photographs of anything connected with the military.

Capital: Port of Spain

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 868 Outgoing Code: 01

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 999, Ambulance/Fire – 990

Tourist information: Trinidad and Tobago Tourist Office, TIDCO’s UK representatives, Morris-Kevan International, International House, 47 Chase Side, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 6NB Tel: (020) 8342 0225 or (0800) 960 057 Fax: (020) 8367 9949 or 623 3848.

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

Visa information: Visa required by all except: Nationals of EU countries for stays not exceeding 3 months. Nationals of Canada and the USA for stays not exceeding 3 months. Nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Cyprus, Dominica, French Guiana, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Malawi; Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mauritius, Nauru, Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Pakistan, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe for stays not exceeding 3 months. Nationals of Venezuela arriving from Venezuela for stays not exceeding 14 days.

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

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

Currency: Trinidad & Tobago Dollar (TT$) = 100 cents Exchange: Foreign currency can only be exchanged at authorised banks and some hotels. NOTE: The export of local currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival.
Both credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted. Any international currency is acceptable.
ATM availability: Over 100 locations.

Cost of living: Caters for all types of traveller whatever their budget.

Languages: English. French, Spanish, Hindi and Chinese are also spoken.

Weather: Tropical climate with cooling trade winds. Hottest June – Oct.

Electricity: 115-220 volts Ac 60 Hz. Continental two pin plugs are standard although variations may occur.

Post: Up to 2 weeks

Transport: SEA: A regular passenger service operates between Port of Spain and Tobago. ROAD: The network of roads between major towns is good but traffic around Port of Spain can be difficult. BUS: Services operate in most town, although they are cheap they can become crowded. TAXI: Official Taxis can be identified by ‘H’ symbol. Some taxi fares are fixed rate but others aren’t so it is advisable to find out the price before undertaking the journey. CAR HIRE: Available from the city or hotels. DOCUMENTATION: National driving licences are valid for 3 months. NOTE: Travel documents stating date of entrance to Tobago should be carried when driving.

Special information: Attacks on travellers, especially in Trinidad around the Port of Spain have risen over recent years. Tobago the smaller of the two islands enjoys a relatively crime-free existence.

Capital: Funafuti

Time zone: GMT + 12

Telephone services: Country Code: 688.
Outgoing Code: Calls must be made through the international operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Ministry of Commerce and Natural Resources, Vaiaku, Funafuti, Tuvalu Tel/Fax: 20182.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Regulations may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the Embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa not required by nationals of: Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK provided they have sufficient proof of onward travel and funds to finance stays of up to 1 month. Nationals of: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Iceland, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago; Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.

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

Currency: Australian Dollar is used for transactions over one dollar but Tuvaluan (Dollar) Currency may also be used
Credit cards are not accepted although MasterCard is accepted by the national bank. Travellers cheques in Australian dollars can be cashed at the national bank only.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: There is only one main hotel which offers moderate facilities, whilst other guest houses offer basic accommodation. All are inexpensive. Commodities are scarce due an undeveloped tourist industry.

Languages: Tuvaluan and English are the main languages.

Weather: Hot and Humid with little variation throughout the year. Mar to Oct tends to be slightly cooler and therefore more pleasant. Nov – Feb is the wet season when the climate may be uncomfortable.

Electricity: 110 volts AC.

Post: Up to 10 days, but the service can be erratic.

Transport: SEA: The islands are served by passenger and cargo-vessels. ROAD: Mainly dirt tracks TAXIS: Limited. BIKES: Push and motor bikes can be hired hotels.

Special information: Men must wear shirts in public places. Sunday is regarded as a sacred day and should be respected along with local customs.

Capital: Taipei

Time zone: GMT + 8

Telephone services: Country Code: 886 Outgoing Code: 002

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 110 (Chinese only)

Tourist information: Taiwan Visitors Association, 5th Floor, 9 Minchuan East Road, Section 2, Taipei, Taiwan Tel: (2) 594 3261. Fax: (2) 594 3265.

Passport information: All travellers must have passports which must be valid for 6 months. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK provided their stay does not excee d 14 days, they are holding a passport valid for at least 6 months and are of previous good character. If staying for more than 14 days and nationals of other EU countries do require a visa. Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the USA provided their stay does not exceed 14 days and they are holding a passport valid for at least 6 months and are of previous good character.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Not a problem.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from anyone arriving from an infected area.
Other Health Risks: Cholera, 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: New Taiwan Dollar (NT$) = 100 cents NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to NT$ 40000. All exchange receipts must be retained. Export of foreig n currency is limited to the equivalent of US$ 5000 for passengers leaving within 6 months of arrival.
Credit cards and travellers cheques are accepted in most hotels, shops and restaurants. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 1400 locations.

Cost of living: It is possible to live relatively cheaply by shopping at markets. Good quality, cheap, accommodation may be more difficult to find.

Languages: Mandarin (Chinese), English and Japanese

Weather: Subtropical climate with moderate temperatures in the North where there is a winter season. June – Oct is the typhoon season.

Electricity: 110 Volts Ac 60 Hz

Post: Up to 10 days.

Transport: ROAD: There is an adequate road system joining all major cities. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required. BUS: Local and long distance bus services operate. TAXI: There a re numerous taxis which are inexpensive – but beware of drivers. RAIL: Air-conditioned, electric trains run hourly.

Special information: Taiwan is sensitive to political discussions regarding neighbouring China, but is still heavily influenced by Chinese culture. However as a major economic force in the Pacific it has adopted western free-market practices.

Capital: Dodoma

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 255 Outgoing Code: International Calls must go through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Tanzania Tourist Board, PO Box 2485, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Tel: (51) 113 145 Fax: (51) 116 420

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: Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Brunei, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Grenada, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, São Tomé, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tonga, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and holders of Tanzania re-entry pass.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists all year round throughout the country in the Falciparum variety. High resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for all travellers over 1 year of age travelling from infected countries.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia; Rabies. There is a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

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: Tanzanian Shilling (Tsc) = 100 cents Exchange: Authorised dealers or bureaux de change NOTE: The import and export of local currency is prohibited.
MasterCard and Visa have only limited acceptance. Travellers cheques can be cashed at authorised exchange bureaux, such as Forex. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Hotels and accommodation generally are expensive.

Languages: Swahili and English. Other languages are also spoken.

Weather: Tropical climate. The raining season is Mar – May along the coast. Highlands raining season is from Nov – Dec and Feb – May. Cooler season: June – May.

Electricity: 240 Volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs may be round or square 3 pin, fused or unfused.

Post: 5 days by airmail to Europe.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Air Tanzania runs regular flights between the main towns. RAIL: Regular trains run between the main cities. ROADS: The roads network is good, although the rainy season makes minor roads impassable. It is inadvisable to drive at night because of the wild animals. There are often petrol shortages and a lack of spare parts. BUS TRAVEL: Is often hazardous. CAR HIRE: Companies operate but are extremely expensive. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended.

Special information: HIGH RISK: in Zanzibar. Travel is usually problem free but the incidence of robberies and muggings is rising and travellers should exercise caution on beaches; public transport and in stationary vehicles in Dar es Salaam; especially after dark. Beware of bogus policemen. Bus travel can be hazardous because of frequent fatal accidents. Travellers should avoid border areas. Visitors should register with the High Commission.