Country Information

Capital: Tunis

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 216 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Tunisian National Tourist Office, 77a Wigmore Street, London, W1H 9LJ Tel: (020) 7224 5561 Fax: (020) 7224 4053

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 Australia, Algeria, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Gilbert Islands, Guernsey, Guinea Republic, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Former Yugoslavia, Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Monaco, Montserrat, Morocco, Niger, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Romania, St Helena, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vatican City.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Not present.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for visitors over one year of age travelling from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: 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: Tunisian Dinar (TD) = 1000 millimes
Exchange: All banks and most 3 star and above hotels. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited.
All major credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted in major international currencies.
ATM availability: Over 35 locations.

Cost of living: Tourists can expect to pay more then locals but bargains can be found at the Souks. Traditionally Tunisia has been considered inexpensive, but large hotels are now comparable with Southern Mediterranean prices.

Languages: Arabic, English and French are widely spoken.

Weather: Warm climate throughout the year with higher temperatures inland which can be very hot. Winter has the highest rainfall.

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

Post: 3-5 days airmail to Europe. Poste Restante operates in the main cities.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Regular daily domestic flights operate. ROAD: Extensive road network. The Garde Nationale will assist breakdowns free of charge. It is forbidden to drive in the Sahara without first contacting the Garde Nationale. DOCUMENTATION: log books, valid national driving licence and green cards are required. RAIL: Regular trains operate between Tunis and the major cities. Tickets must be purchased before the journey or double far will be charged.

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 dress can be informal but Islam conventions must be respected when visiting religious monuments. PHOTOGRAPHY: Do not take photos of military installations.

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: Lisbon

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 351
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:-All services – 115.

Tourist information: ICEP/Turismo Palácio Foz, Praça dos Restauradores, 1200 Lisbon, Portugal Tel (1) 346 3643 or 793 4660 or 793 4627 Fax (1) 346 8772 or 793 4627.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland holding national ID cards. NOTE: The Portuguese authorities do not recognise passports issued by the Palestinian Government. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of EU countries for stays up to 3 months. Nationals of Australia and Japan for stays up to 3 months. Nationals of Canada and the USA for stays of up to 2 months. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bermuda, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland and Uruguay for stays up to 3 months. Nationals f Ecuador, South Korea and Malawi for stays up to 2 months. Nationals of Brazil for stays up to 6 months. Nationals of other countries should consult the Portuguese consulate for further information.

Health information: Yellow Fever: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving in or destined for the Azores or Madeira if coming from infected areas.

Food & drink: Drinking water is generally safe. Travellers may sometimes experience mild food poisoning to which local people are immune, this may require antibiotic treatment.

Currency: In common with 12 Member States of the European Union (EU), here the Euro is the currency. There are seven different banknotes and eight coins of the Euro. Each participating EU country has coins with one common side and a reverse side specific to each country, while the banknotes look the same throughout the euro area. The export of gold and other valuable is subject to special conditions. All credit cards are accepted and travellers cheques are easily exchanged. ATM availability: Over 5 000 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive and offers excellent value in transport, accommodation and food.

Languages: Portuguese.

Weather: Northwest: mild winters with a high rainfall and fairly short summers. Northeast: longer winters and hot summers. South: Summers are hot with little rain, high temperatures are moderated by a permanent breeze.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz, may vary in other areas. Continental 2 pin plugs are used

Post: 3 – 5 days to the rest of Europe.

Transport: RAIL: Services are provided in every town. Cheap fares are available on “blue” days – usually Monday afternoon to Thursday. Tourist tickets providing a period of unlimited travel are also available. ROAD: Every town can be reached by an adequate system of roads. TAXI: Charged according to distance and are metered. CAR HIRE: Available from main towns and airports. DOCUMENTATION: IDP or Foreign licence are accepted. It is compulsory to have Third party insurance, full owner registration documentation for the car and drivers licence on you when driving. Failure to present these documents on demand can carry a spot fine or even car seizure. Whilst a Green card is not essential in EU countries it is still generally advisable to have one

Special information: Politeness is essential. Beach wear should not be worn in towns. Normally smokers refrain from smoking during the course of the meal while others are still eating. Serious risk of robbery at main train stations and on international trains.