Country Information

Capital: Montevideo

Time zone: GMT – 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 598
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999 (Police – 109, Ambulance – 105, Fire – 104, in Montevideo only)

Tourist information: Ministerio de Turismo, Avenida Libetador 1409, Montevideo, Uruguay Tel: (2) 904 148

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of Uruguay who arrive from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay with a valid ID card, and foreign residents of Uruguay arriving from Argentina with an ID card or residence permit valid for 3 years. Nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay with appropriate identification for stays of up to 90 days. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except the following for stays not exceeding 3 months: Nationals of Great Britain, EU countries, USA, Japan, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Seychelles and Switzerland, and holders of re-entry permits.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Recommended for Typhoid, incidents of Polio have not been reported
Other Health Risks: Rabies

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

Currency: Uruguayan Peso = 100 centesimos
Exchange: Hotels not recommended as they tend to give unfavourable rates – use gambios and banks. NOTE: Inflation tends to lead to wide fluctuations in exchange rates All credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are acceptablec
ATM availability: Over 60 locations

Cost of living: The coastal resorts tend to be more expensive than the capital. Travellers are advised to book well in advance if visiting Uruguay. More people visit Uruguay than any other South American country.

Languages: Spanish. English may also be spoken.

Weather: Mild summers and winters. Summer is Dec – Mar and the most pleasant time. Nights are often cool.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs are continental flat 3 pin or round 2 pin.

Post: Airmail to Europe takes 3 – 5 days. Postal rates are reasonable but the service can be unreliable. It is recommended that important items are sent by registered mail.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Domestic flights are operated between major centres but can be very expensive compared to other modes of transport. RAIL: Services operate between the capital and the major towns. Buffet service is available, air conditioning isn’t. ROAD: 80% of roads are suitable for all weather. BUS: Services connect all the main towns and border points. CAR HIRE: Available in Montevideo. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended but not required. A temporary driving licence must be obtained from the town hall.

Special information: Although Uruguay is relatively peaceful, visitors should be wary of street crime, especially in Montevideo. Shaking hands is the usual social greeting. Normal social courtesies should be applied.

Capital: Lomé

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 228 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: TDirection des Professions Touristiques, BP 1289; Lomé, Togo Tel 215 662 Fax: 218 927

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada; USA. Nationals of: Ghana, Mauritania, and Nigeria bearing a Carnet de Voyage. Nationals of: Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Republic, Mali, Niger, and Senegal bearing a Carnet de Voyage or a valid national ID card. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure

Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of those countries marked (*) above. Nationals of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden. Nationals of Andorra, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Republic, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Monaco, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Senegal, Sierra Leone. Nationals of Cameroon for a period of 10 days

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in the Falciparum variety reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for all passengers arriving over one year of age
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, Meningitis, 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: CFA Franc (CFA Fr) = 100 Centimes Amex is widely accepted, but all other credit cards are unacceptable. Travellers cheques are only accepted in the capital city, The preferred currency is French francs
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Hotels are of international standard, but accommodation in general is in short supply. Consequently prices are high

Languages: French and local African languages. English is spoken very little

Weather: Raining season: Apr – June. Hottest months: Feb – Mar. Short rains: Oct – Nov

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50Hz single phase. Plugs are square or round 2 pin

Post: Up to 2 weeks by airmail to Europe. Postal facilities are limited to the main towns. Post Restante is available and very reliable

Transport: FLIGHTS: Air Togo runs flights to the main cities. ROAD: Are generally impassable during the raining season. RAIL: Services operate between Lomé an main cities. BUS/TAXI: Most are efficient and cheap. CAR HIRE: Available in Lomé. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required

Special information: Visitors should be vigilant at all times. Beachwear to be worn at the pool/beach side. Voodoo is still practised in some areas, which also serve the tourist industry. Visitors should stop at all check points on request

Capital: Tashkent

Time zone: GMT + 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (3712 for Tashkent).
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 03

Tourist information: Uzbektourism, 13 Marylebone Lane, London W1 Tel: (020) 7935 1899 Fax: (020) 7935 9554

Passport information: Passports required by all and must be valid for 6 months prior to departure date. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure

Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of CIS countries and some of the former Eastern block countries. All visitors are advised to contact the relevant authority for a full list of regulations

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Risk exists near the Afghan border
Other Health Risks: Diphtheria is endemic. Rabies and Cholera are also health risks. Vaccinations for Hepatitis are also recommended

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: The Som is now the official currency, which was introduced in 1994
Cash is the only real form of currency, US Dollars are the preferred foreign currency. Exchan ge: use banks and official bureau de change. NOTE: The import and export of local currency is prohibited
Credit cards and travellers cheques are not accepted
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: The limited variety of goods that are available are extremely inexpensive

Languages: Uzbek. Russian, Tajik, Kazakh and English are also spoken

Weather: Continental Climate. South is the warmest. Summer temperatures can be very hot. The most comfortable time to visit is during the spring or Autumn

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Round 2 pin continental plugs are standard

Post: Letters to Western Europe and the USA take between two weeks and two months

Transport: ROAD: A reasonable road network exists. BUS: Services connect the major towns and cities. TAXIS: Can be found in all major centres. Many licences are unlicensed which should be avoided. Travellers are advised to agree the fare in advance and not share with strangers. Use the old and new (since independence) street names when asking for directions. DOCUMENTATION: IDP will be required when car hire is introduced

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 due to recent bombings in Tashkent tourists are advised to exercise caution. Although the situation is returning to normal; there is still a possibility of further bombing. Keep valuables out of sight. There is terrorist activity and kidnappings in some areas of the country. Long distance travel by train should be avoided. Do not leave the compartment unattended and lock the door. It is not recommended to use local airlines as they are not always regularly maintained. Shorts are rarely worn and women should be prepared for unwelcome attention from the local male population if they wear them.

Capital: Bangkok

Time zone: GMT + 7

Telephone services: Country Code: 66 Outgoing Code: 001

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Tourism Authority of Thailand, 49 Albermarle Street, London W1X 3FE Tel: (020) 7499 7679. fax: (020) 7629 5519.

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

Visa information: Overstaying visas can result in detention. Due to the complexity, and frequent changes to passport/visa requirements travellers are advised to check current regulations with their consulate prior to travel.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists in the Falciparum variety in rural areas throughout the year. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required to those over 1 year of age arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies Dengue Fever, Dysentery and Hepatitis A and E.

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: Baht (Bt) = 100 satang. NOTE: Export of local currency is limited to Bt 50000.
All credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars or Pound sterling, are accepted in large hotels and shops.
ATM availability: Over 2300 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive. especially outside of Bangkok.

Languages: Thai. English, Malay and Chinese are also spoken.

Weather: Generally hot particularly between mid Feb and June. The monsoon season = mid May to Oct when the climate is hot with torrential rain. The most comfortable time for travelling is Nov to Feb.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC, 50 Hz. A variety of plugs are used.

Post: Up to 1 week.

Transport: FLIGHTS: The national airline runs services between the main towns. ROAD: There is a reasonable network of which all the major roads are paved. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required. BUS: Very cheap but very crowded. Privately owned buses are more comfortable and are moderately priced. When taking the bus in the city leave the back seat free for the Saffron robed monks. BOAT: Services are good. NOTE: Obtain a good map as finding your way around can be confusing to the newcomer.

Special information: NOTE: Always keep hold of your passport. Do not give it to hotel owners, hire shops etc. There have been recent incidents of assaults on foreign tourists using unlicensed taxis. Be wary of accepting food or drinks from strangers as it may be drugged. Thai laws on the use and transportation of narcotics are stringent. Tourists should be vigilant of any packages or gifts given. Also note that there are no government ‘gem shops’ only gem scams! The Thai/Myanmar[Burmese] border is dangerous – check with local authorities before travelling to remote or border areas. The monarchy and religion are very sacred in Thailand. Insults to either, such as climbing on statues of Buddha will not be tolerated. Beach-wear should be confined to the beach / pool side. Take care when swimming off the coast of Phuket as strong riptides make swimming dangerous. Shoes should be removed before entering houses. PHOTOGRAPHY: Discretion should be used and permission obtained before taking photos.

Capital: Dushanbe

Time zone: GMT + 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (followed by 3772 for Dushanbe) Outgoing Code: International calls have to go through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Intourist, Intourist House, 219 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9PD Tel: (020) 7538 8600 Fax: (020) 7538 5967

Passport information: 10-year passport valid for at least 6 months prior to departure 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

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Reports have indicated there may be a risk of malaria near the Southern border in the vivax variety
Other Health Risks: There is a Diphtheria epidemic. Cholera and Rabies also exist. NOTE: Medical advice should be sought before travelling bearing in mind the potential medical risk when travelling in Tajikistan.

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: Rouble Exchange: The preferred hard currency is the US Dollar although others are acceptable. All bills are usually settled in cash. NOTE: The import of local currency is prohibited.
Visa card has limited acceptance in some hotels in the capital. Travellers cheques are not accepted.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: High inflation has resulted in lower prices.

Languages: Tajik. Russian and English (by those involved in tourism) are also spoken.

Weather: Temperatures vary between 12ºC min in the winter to 45ºC max in the summer.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Mail can take anything between two weeks and two months to reach Western Europe or the USA.

Transport: ROAD: During poor weather conditions the roads are mainly impassable. During the winter the roads from the capital are often closed because of the snow. TAXI: Agree the fare in advance and use the old and new street names, which have been created since independence. Officially marked taxis are safe but sharing with strangers should be avoided. BUS: There are services between the major towns when the roads are open. DOCUMENTATION: IDP and insurance are required.

Special information: EXTREME RISK NOTE: The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to Tajikistan. Outbursts of fighting continue and the potential for terrorist incidents targeted against the Russian military continue to exist. There is no British mission in Tajikistan. British travellers are advised to check local conditions with the German or US Embassies. Do not travel alone or on foot after dark. Be vigilant and dress down. Shorts are rarely seen and if worn by females they are likely to create unwanted attention from the local men. Do not travel out of Dushanbe or Khojand unless with persons from an international organisation.

Capital: Ashgabat

Time zone: GMT + 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (3632 for Ashgabat).
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 03

Tourist information: Intourist, 219 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9PD Tel: (0171) 538 8600 Fax: (0171) 538 5967.

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

Visa information: Required by all except holders of valid passports of CIS countries. Visas should be obtained well in advance of intended travel and be specifially valid for ‘travel throughout Turkmenistan if you intend to leave Ashgabat. Visitors are usually asked to produce hotel bookings or a letter of invitation if on business.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Has been reported
Other Health Risks: Cholera is a particular risk in Turkmenistan, medical advice is recommended. Diphtheria and Rabies are also potential dangers.

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 Manat = 100 tenge
Exchange: The preferred hard currency is US Dollars. Visitors may find it hard to change other currencies. A cash only economy exists.
NOTE: Import of local currency is prohibited.
Credit cards are not accepted. Only travellers cheques drawn on banks with special arrangements with the Turkmen National Bank are accepted. ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Exploitative for the traveller.

Languages: Turkmen. Russian is also spoken.

Weather: Extreme Continental climate. Summers are very hot and dry and winters are very cold.

Electricity: 20 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are usually the round 2 pin type.

Post: Mail to the USA and Western Europe can take anything from two weeks to two months.

Transport: ROAD: Roads outside of the cities are in poor condition. BUS: Services are available to all major towns. TAXI: They can be found in all major towns. Many are unlicensed and fares should be agreed in advance. As many of the street names have changed since independence it is advisable to use both old and new names. DOCUMENTATION: When car hire is available an IDP will be required.

Special information: Carry your passport at all times. Bread should never be placed upside down. Shoes must be removed on entering someone’s home. Shorts are rarely seen. If worn by women they may attract unwelcome attention. In common with other Moslem countries drunkeness is not approved of and could be punished.