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Capital: San Salvador

Time zone: GMT – 6

Telephone services: Country Code: 503
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 123 / 121

Tourist information: Instituto Salvadoreño de Turismo (ISTU), Calle Rubén Dario 619, San Salvador, El Salvador Tel: 222 0960 or 222 8000 Fax: 222 1208.

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

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Panama, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK for stays of up to 90 days. Nationals of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, for stays of up to 30 days. Nationals of the USA, Mexico and Israel require a tourist card allowing them stays not exceeding 90 days.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination Required.
Malaria: Exists all year throughout the country in the Vivax variety. Risk is greater in low-lying areas
Yellow Fever: Vaccination certificates are required by travellers over 6 months of age coming from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Rabies, Cholera – (treatment resistant strain), Dengue Fever, Visceral leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous leishmanisis.

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: Colón Esc (colloquially Peso) = 100 centavos.
MasterCard, Visa and Amex are widely accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted in banks and hotels on production of a passport. US dollar cheques are preferred. Pounds stirling cannot be changed into local currency.
ATM availability: Over 20 locations.

Cost of living: The main hotels are in the capital. Prices fluctuate, depending on festivals and national events.

Languages: Spanish. English is also widely spoken.

Weather: Hot subtropical climate. Rainy season is May – Oct. The upland areas are cooler.

Electricity: 110 Volts AC, 60 Hz

Post: 7 days.

Transport: ROADS: Approx. 1/3 of roads are suitable for all weather conditions. DOCUMENTATION: AN IDP or national driving licence is required. RAIL: Links main cities. BUS: A good service exists between major towns. TAXI: Are plentiful but are not metered so agree fare in advance.

Special information: El Salvador portrays a more stable political climate than for many years, however the infrastructure remains fragile with rival factions contesting territorial supremacy. Travellers should still contact their embassies for current developments. Tourists should exercise great caution. Travel to El Salvador is not recommended unless it is essential. Youths with guns are a growing problem on the streets of towns and cities. Seek advice as to which areas are safe. There is extreme political unrest and a rising crime rate. PHOTOGRAPHY: Avoid using cameras around military areas.

Capital: Damascus

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 963 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Contact hotel operator

Tourist information: Ministry of Tourism, rue Victoria, Damascus, Syria Tel: (11) 223 7940 Fax: (11) 224 2636

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of Lebanon holding valid ID cards. 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, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania,Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia; Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Health information: Malaria: Exists in the vivax variety in tiny pockets of the Northern border areas between May and October.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from passengers arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Visceral leishmaniasis and Hepatitis A and B occur.

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: Syrian Pound (S£) = 100 piastres NOTE: The export of local currency is prohibited
Amex and Diners Club are the most commonly accepted. Some hotels accept MasterCard and Visa. Travellers cheques are accepted but can not always be exchangeable at Damascus airport.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Can be expensive in the high season, especially in Damascus. Savings can be made by purchasing local food from the markets.

Languages: Arabic. French and English may also be spoken.

Weather: Summers are hot and dry whilst nights are often cool. Winter is cold.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz

Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes up to 1 week. Parcels sent from Syria should be packed at the post office.

Transport: ROAD: Well over half the roads are tarred. Those that aren’t are unsuitable for the wet season. BUS: There are orange and white air-conditioned buses which serve terminals in city centres. Seats must be booked in advance. TAXIS: Shared taxis operate and are available to all parts of the country. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required. Insurance is required by law and a customs certificate is needed.

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 Syria has been one of the safest places to travel in, but visitors should keep in touch with developments in the Middle East. Most people are friendly and hospitable. It is illegal to change money on the streets. Beach-wear should not be worn away from the pool or beach. Conservative casual clothes are suitable. PHOTOGRAPHY: Ensure you do not photograph anything connected with the military.

Capital: Khartoum

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 249 Outgoing Code: International calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Public Corporation of Tourism and Hotels P.O.Box 7104, Khartoum, Sudan Tel: (11) 781 764. AND Ministry of Environment and Tourism P.O.Box 13226, Khatoum, Sudan Tel: (11) 471 329 Fax: 471 437

Passport information: Passport must have been 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 Central African republic, Libya, Syria and Tanzania. Required by transit passengers

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in the Falciparum variety throughout the year, throughout the country. High resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for passengers over 1 year of age arriving from infected areas and may be required from travellers leaving Sudan. Vaccination is strongly recommended to everyone arriving in Sudan planning to travel outside the urban areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, Rabies and Visceral leishmaniasis

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: Sudanese Pound (Sud £) = 100 piastres and Sudanese Dinar NOTE: Exchange rates are subject to great change and import and export of local currency is prohibited Amex is widely accepted but all other major credit cards are not accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted in sterling only.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Inexpensive, apart from the larger hotels in Khartoum

Languages: Arabic, English, Local dialects are widely spoken

Weather: Extremely hot with sandstorms from Apr – Sept in the Sahara region. Wet season in the south from May – Oct

Electricity: 240 Volts AC, 50 Hz

Post: Up to 1 week to Europe

Transport: Travelling outside the capital requires permission from the Sudanese government. FLIGHTS: Sudan Airways runs services to 20 national airports. ROADS: Outside the main towns roads are usually in very poor condition and unsuitable for travelling during the raining season. Vehicles must be in good condition, with a supply of spare parts, water, food, fuel on board. RAIL: There is an extensive rail network but services are very slow and uncomfortable. NOTE: Travellers must register with the Police headquarters within 3 days of arrival, and Police permission must be obtained before moving to another location within Sudan. DOCUMENTATION: Carnet de Passage, adequate finance and a road worthiness certificate (from embassy) are required. IDP is recommended. Trailers and cars less then 1500cc are refused entry

Special information: EXTREME RISK. British Government can only provide limited Embassy support. However we advise against all but essential travel to Sudan It is inadvisable to travel to any of Sudan’s Southern provinces due to civil war. Contact the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice Unit for up to date information. The Arab culture predominates in the North and in the South the people belong to a number of tribes

Capital: Mogadishu

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 252 Outgoing Code: International calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Emergency Telephone Numbers: – All travellers are advised to consult the foreign office in their country of residence before departure regarding emergency assistance

Tourist information: Not present.

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

Visa information: Visa required by all. Transit visas are not required by visitors with reserved onward travel

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in the Falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: Vaccination is strongly recommended to all travellers. A vaccination certificate is required by those arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera ( VACCINATION REQUIRED) and 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: Somali Shilling (SoSh) = 100 cents NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to SoSh 200.
Diners Club has limited acceptance. US dollars cash is preferred to traveller’s cheques
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Economy decimated by political strife and drought, resulting in high inflation and a scarcity of products.

Languages: Somali and Arabic

Weather: Jan – Feb Hot and Dry, Mar – June is the 1st raining season, monsoon winds occur between Jul and Aug . The 2nd raining season occurs between Sept and Dec

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50 Hz

Post: Up to 2 weeks

Transport: ROAD: It is difficult to travel outside of Mogadishu by car because of poor road conditions. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required

Special information: EXTREME RISK: We advise against all but essential travel. Many parts remain insecure especially in the south and the situation could suddenly change in the rest of the country Informal wear is acceptable. PHOTOGRAPHY: People with cameras must have permit.

Capital: Victoria

Time zone: GMT + 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 248
Outgoing Code: Calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: As for the High Commission Tel: (020) 7224 1670 Fax: (020) 7486 1352.

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: Please contact:High Commission for Seychelles
Head of Mission: HE Mr Bertrand Rassool
Website:
Address: Box 4PE
2nd Floor
Eros House
111 Baker Street
London W1M 1FE
Telephone: (020) 7224 1660

Facsimile: (020) 7487 5756

Office Hours (GMT): Mon-Thurs: 0900-1600; Fri: 0900-1200

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Yellow Fever: A visitors permit is required from visitors arriving within 6 days of leaving or transiting affected areas.
Other Health Risks: Rabies

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

Currency: Seychelles Rupee (Srs) = 100 cents Exchange: Airport and Banks. Amex and Visa are widely accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars, are accepted in hotels, guest houses and most shops.
ATM availability: 3 locations.

Cost of living: The island is a luxurious getaway for affluent holiday makers. Prices are often very expensive

Languages: Creole. English and French.

Weather: Monsoon: Nov – Feb, which brings hot and humid weather. The temperatures rarely fall below 24 ºC.

Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50 Hz. British 3-pin plugs are in use.

Post: Airmail to western Europe takes up to 1 week

Transport: FLIGHTS: An efficient network of scheduled and chartered services operate. SEA: Privately owned schooners provide regular inter island connections. ROAD: There are paved roads only on the two largest islands. BUS: A regular service is operated on Mahè. Prices for buses and coaches are very reasonable. TAXIS: Government controlled. Rates on Praslin are 25% higher. CAR HIRE: Should be booked in advance. Minimum age is 21. DOCUMENTATION: A national licence is sufficient

Special information: Whilst the Seychelles is safe for travellers there has been some increase in theft especially on beaches. Do not walk off main streets after dark, especially if you are a woman. Avoid remote roads after dark as they are often without barriers and may have steep drops. Casual wear is acceptable. Tourism in the Seychelles is regulated to ensure that the character and natural beauty of the islands remain unspoilt.

Capital: Muscat

Time zone: GMT + 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 968
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999

Tourist information: Directorate General of Tourism, PO Box 550, 113 Muscat, Oman Tel: 774 253 Fax: 794 238

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: Tourist and Business visas are required by all except: Nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Cases have been reported – take advice from your medical advisors
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from infected areas Other Health Risks: Cholera, Rabies.

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

Currency: Omani Rail (OR) = 100 baiza. All major credit cards are accepted although a commission charge may be made for their use. TC: Easily exchanged.
All major cards are accepted, although a commission may be added to charges when using a card. Travellers cheques in US dollars or pound Sterling are easily exchanged.
ATM availability: 50 locations.

Cost of living: It is impossible to travel on a tight budget. There are few middle range hotels and restaurants. There is a large contrast between budget and the remaining hotels.

Languages: Arabic and English.

Weather: June – July are very hot. Rainfall varies according to the region.

Electricity: 220/240 volts Ac, 50 Hz.

Post: Up to 2 weeks to Western Europe.

Transport: BUS: Services exist in Muscat and North Oman. TAXI: Prices are high and should be agreed in advance. DOCUMENTATION: Those who have a tourist visa can use their driving licence for up to 7 days. After 7 days a local licence is required and is available from the police station. Off-road driving conditions can be hazardous and road rescue very expensive.

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 Oman has only been open to the outside world for a short period therefore visitors should be sensitive to this. PHOTOGRAPHY: Signs will indicate areas where photography is prohibited. Collecting seashells; abalones corals, crayfish and turtle eggs is also forbidden. Avoid wearing shorts and tight fitting clothes.