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Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Time zone: GMT + 8

Telephone services: Country Code: 60
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999

Tourist information: Tourism Malaysia, 57 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DU Tel (020) 7930 7932 Fax: (020) 7930 9015.

Passport information: Passport valid for further 6 months beyond the intended stay in Malaysia is required. All visitors must have proof of adequate funds for stay. Return Ticket required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Most nationals do not require a visa to enter Malaysia providing the stay is less than a month and for social, business purposes. A visit pass is required which will be issued at the point of entry.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in certain inland regions e.g. Sabah where there is a risk in the Falciparum variety which has been reported as being highly resistant to chloroquine.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by those arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Rabies, febrile encephalitis, and Dengue fever – prevalent in urban as well as rural areas. Japanese encephalitis has been reported in the rural areas of Ipoh, Seremban and Port Dickson, travellers should seek medical advise if they intend to travel to these areas.

Food & drink: Water is considered drinkable, normal precautions should be observed with food. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption. When drinking from cans, always use a straw, which is generally provided.

Currency: Ringgit (r) = 100 sen NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to RM 1,000 without prior approval. Declare all foreign currency notes on the travellers declaration form so that they may exported.There are severe penalties for exchange control offences.
All credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted by all banks, hotels and department stores. US dollar cheques are the preferable currency.
ATM availability: Over 2000 locations

Cost of living: Can be reasonably inexpensive. Wide range of accommodation available, varying from luxury hotels to campsites in the national park and Taman Negara area. Goods and luxury items vary in price depending on location.

Languages: Bahasa Malaysian. English is also widely spoken

Weather: Tropical without extremely high temperatures. Days are very warm whilst nights are fairly cool. August is the wettest time of the West coast. East Malaysia has heavy rains Nov – Feb. Rainfall differs in the East and West coast according to the Monsoon wind.

Electricity: 220 Volts Ac 50 Hz. Square 3 pin plugs are used.

Post: There are post offices in the commercial centres of all towns.

Transport: ROAD: Most roads are paved. BUS: Services are extensive. TAXI: There is a surcharge after 2400 – 0600 of 50%.

Special information: Avoid travelling to the islands east of Sabah. Avoid large gatherings and demonstrations as they could result in violence. Respect religious beliefs – take off your shoes at the door and wear appropriately modest clothing. Smoking is prohibited in a number of public places. Malaysia prides itself on an expansive range of cuisine. There are very severe penalties for drug offences including the death penalty. There have been incidences of piracy in Malasian waters.

Capital: Lima

Time zone: GMT – 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 51
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 011 / 5114.

Tourist information: Fondo de Promoción Turística (PROMPERU) Calle Uno Oeste, s/n Urb, Edificio Mitinci, 14th Floor, Corpac, Lima 27, Peru Tel: (1) 224 3142 or 224 3133 Fax: (1) 224 3408 or 224 3396. e-mail postmaster@promperu.gob.peru

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

Visa information: Refer to the embassy for the latest list of exceptions to those nationalities, which require visas.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in rural areas below 1500m in the Vivax variety. The Falciparum variety exists sporadically near national borders and where petroleum is being exploited. Resistance to chloroquine for the Falciparum variety has been reported.

Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by visitors over 6 months of age travelling from infected areas. Vaccination is strongly recommended to all travellers who plan to journey out of the urban areas.
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Rabies

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. – NOTE: Street vendor food is not recommended

Currency: Nuevo Sol = 100 centimos Exchange: Changing currency other than US$ can be difficult Credit cards have limited acceptance outside Lima. Exchanging travellers cheques can prove a complex process outside of Lima. US dollar cheques are recommended
ATM availability: Over 430 locations

Cost of living: Costs have increased dramatically in the last few years. Budget travellers can still find cheap accommodation, although the cities are much more expensive than rural areas.

Languages: Spanish and Quechua. English may also be spoken

Weather: Coastal areas: Summer is Oct – Apr which is the rainy season in the mountainous regions. May Sept is regarded as the best time to visit the mountains.

Electricity: 200 Volts AC 60 Hz

Post: Up to 2 weeks. Postal facilities are limited outside Lima.

Transport: RAIL: Can provide a scenic view of the landscape and sections are of the highest railway in the world. Connections however are limited. ROAD: A recently built highway connects Lima with other cities. NOTE: Landslides are common in the rainy season making for slow travel. A ‘Customs Duty Payment’ badge must be displayed at all times. BUS: ‘Greyhound’ type buses operate along the Pan-American highway TAXIS: Do not use meters so agree fare in advance. CAR HIRE: International companies have outlets in the major cities and Airport. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required

Special information: Register with your Embassy when you arrive in Lima. Terrorist action may occur. Travel in groups is recommended. Street crime is common.

Capital: Port Moresby

Time zone: GMT + 10

Telephone services: Country Code: 675
Outgoing Code: 05

Emergency telephone numbers: Police, Fire and Ambulance = 000. (NOTE: this is not accessible in some areas)

Tourist information: Tourism Promotion Authority, P.O.Box 1291, 2nd floor, Niugini Insurance Haus, Boroko, Papua New Guinea Tel: 320 0211 or 327 2521 Fax: 320 0223 or 325 9119.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Passports should be valid for one year after entry. Return Ticket Required. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required. May change at short notice contact the High Commission. NOTE: On receipt of a stamped addressed envelope the high commission can supply information sheets on how to apply for visas for Papua New Guinea.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists all year throughout the country below 1800m. Falciparum is the dominant variety and reported to b highly resistant to chloroquine
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Cholera – serious risk. Hepatitis A and B are endemic.

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: Kina (PGK). NOTE: Export of local currency is prohibited.
Amex is widely accepted. Travellers cheques are widely accepted in shops and hotels. Australian dollar cheques are preferred.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Although accommodation varies from international hotels to basic huts, everything is very expensive

Languages: English. 700 local dialects are also spoken

Weather: Tropical climate which cools with increases in altitude. Most rain falls between Dec and Mar.

Electricity: 240 Volts AC 50 Hz. Australian style 3 pin plugs are in use

Post: 7 – 10 days.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Services which operate are expensive. Internal services should be booked between November and February. ROAD: Limited. Public motor vehicles (PMV) are very efficient and provide a good way of meeting the locals. DOCUMENTATION: A national driving licence is sufficient. RIVERS: Commonly used as a thoroughfare.

Special information: Law and order remains poor. Incidents of rioting, looting and shooting occur without warning in major towns. Increase in violent crime requires extra care to be taken. There is continuing volcanic activity near Rabual in East New Britain Province and on Manam Island in Madang Province. Do not use public transport. Travellers should be met at Port Moresby upon arrival.

Capital: Manila

Time zone: GMT + 8

Telephone services: Country Code: 63
Outgoing Code: International calls to smaller towns must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Philippine Department of Tourism, 17 Albermarle Street, London W1X 7HA Tel: (020) 7499 5443 (general enquiries) or (020) 7499 5652 (incentive travel) Fax: (020) 7499 5772.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Passport MUST be valid for more than six months. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except transit passengers. Tourists and business travellers will not require visas providing they have a valid passport for at least one year and onward tickets, providing their stay does not exceed 21 days. NOTE: Certain nationalities will require pre arrival approval by the authorities in Manila before visas can be issued. Check with the embassy before making travel arrangements. Overstaying can lead to detention and heavy fines.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in certain areas below 600m in the Falciparum variety, which has been reported as being highly resistant to chloroquine.
Other Health Risks: Dengue Fever, Bilharzia, Cholera 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: Philippine Peso (PP) = 100 centavos Exchange: Large commercial and central bank dealers in Manila. Always use authorised money changers or banks in Manila Metro area.
Credit cards are accepted in larger cities. Travellers cheques may be difficult to exchange and commissions may be high. US dollar cheques are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 800 locations.

Cost of living: Can be relatively inexpensive in comparison with Northern and Western Europe. Philippines is a haven for shoppers with bargains available at all shops, but especially markets. Hotels range from the deluxe to small guest houses and prices vary accordingly.

Languages: Filipino. English is widely spoken and Spanish may also be spoken.

Weather: Tropical climate with constant sea breezes. Rainy season = June – Sept. Oct – Feb is the cool dry season. Mar – May is usually hot and dry. There are occasional typhoons between June and Sept.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 60 Hz. 110 Volts is available in most hotels. Plugs = flat and round 2 and 3 pin

Post: At least 5 days.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Internal services are operated by several companies. Reservations should be confirmed prior to departure date due to high demand. BUS: Widely available and cheap. ROAD: Travel off national highways and paved roads, especially at night, is particularly dangerous. Inter island travel by small boats can be hazardous as storms whip up very quickly.

Special information: EXTREME RISK: in Mindinao – Southern Zamboanga Peninsula and islands south west of Mindinao. Typhoons earth quakes and volcanoes are known hazards in the Philippines. Seek advice on recent activity before travelling. Tourists from the West are considered wealthy by the host population. Stick to the main tourist areas. Visitors are required to carry dentification at all times. Visitors are advised to be vigilant and avoid travel off the beaten track especially on Mindinao where bandits and Islamic militants are active. There are also many cases of kidnapping and piracy. Casual dress is acceptable in most areas excluding Muslim areas where visitors will be required to cover up. Armed Islamic groups are active in some areas and great care is needed [Consult the FCO website] Medical care is VERY expensive. Passports must be valid for more than 6 months. Overstaying the length of the visa is a serious offence which can lead to detention and heavy fines. The Philippines consist of over 7 000 islands . Charter planes may be hired to visit the most remote. Possession or trafficking in even the smallest amount of drugs can lead to the death penalty. Take care of accepting food and drinks from strangers as there are reports of these being laced with substances that cause drowsiness or unconsciousness. There are also reports of single male travellers being set up for extortion over charges of paedophile activity for which there are severe penalties including the death sentence.

Capital: Warsaw

Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 48
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 997, Fire – 998, Ambulance – 999

Tourist information: Polish National Tourist Office, First Floor, Remo House, 310 – 312 Regent Street, London W1R 5AJ Tel: (020) 7580 8811 Fax: (020) 7580 8866.

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: Nationals of the UK for tourists or business visits not exceeding 6 months. Nationals of all other EU countries for periods not exceeding 90 days. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Honduras, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, South Korea, Malta, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay, and the USA for visits not exceeding 90 days. Nationals of Bulgaria, Cuba, Estonia Hungary, Macedonia, (FYROM), Mongolia, Romania, for visits not exceeding 30 days Nationals of CIS countries providing they hold an official invitation or vouchers from travel agencies (except nationals of Uzbekistan) who do require a visa.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies, Tick-borne encephalitis.

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

Currency: Zloty (Zl) = 100 grozy Exchange: border crossing points, hotels. NOTE: Import and export of local currency by non-residents is prohibited.
All major credit cards and travellers cheques are accepted. Travellers cheques in German Deutschmarks are preferred.
ATM availability: Over 500 locations.

Cost of living: Prices are no longer as cheap as they once were.

Languages: Polish. There is a German-speaking minority. English and French may also be spoken.

Weather: Temperate climate with warm summers and cold winters. Rain falls throughout the year

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Continental sockets are used

Post: 4 days. Poste Restante facilities are available throughout the country

Transport: ROAD: BUS: There are good regional bus and coach services. CAR HIRE: Various car rental agencies operate and rental also available at the airport. DOCUMENTATION: Travellers using their own cars should have car registration cards, a ‘green card’ for insurance purposes an valid insurance. An IDP is recommended although not compulsory.

Special information: Visitors are made welcome by the Poles, who are a very hospitable. Roman Catholicism plays an important role in daily rural life. Conservative casual wear is acceptable for the day. More formal attire is suitable for social evenings out. Visitors are advised to register with a hotel or local authorities within 48 hours of arrival. There is a serious risk of personal robbery on trains and at main rail stations. Passengers are at most risk when boarding trains. Never leave property unattended.

Capital: San Juan

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 787
Outgoing Code: 011

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 787 343 2020; Fire – 787 343 2330; All services – 911

Tourist information: Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association; Suit 702; Plaza Centre; 954 Ponce de León Avenue; Miramar; Sancturce 00907; San Juan; Puerto Rico Tel: 725 2901 Fax 725 2913.

Passport information: Same as the USA

Visa information: Same as the USA

Health information: Polio; Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia and Rabies

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

Currency: US Dollar (US$) = 100 cents. All major credit cards accepted. US dollars are preferred for travellers cheques
All credit cards are accepted and travellers cheques are easily exchanged
ATM availability: Over 630 locations

Cost of living: Accommodates all types of travellers.

Languages: Spanish. English is widely spoken.

Weather: Hot tropical climate. The temperature varies little throughout the year. Cooler in upland areas

Electricity: 120 volts AC; 60 Hz.

Post: Up to 1 week

Transport: ROAD: TAXI: A special service called a ‘Linea’ will pick up and drop off passengers where they wish. They operate between San Juan and most towns at a fixed rate. CAR HIRE: Available at the airport and city agencies. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is required. BUS: Services operate in the cities although usually stop at 2100.

Special information: As well as offering lavish entertainment, notably casinos and a variety of nightlife, in the interior there are anthropological sights of interest, such as a replica of a Taino Indian village, near Guayama.