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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: 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: 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.

Capital: Amsterdam

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 31 (followed by 20 for Amsterdam, 10 for Rotterdam, and 70 for the Hague)
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services.

Tourist information: Netherlands Board of Tourism, PO Box 523, London SW1E 6NT Tel: (0891) 717 777- 50p/min

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of EU countries (except Finland and Sweden) who hold a valid national ID card. When required they must be valid for at least 3 months after the last day of the intended visit.

Visa information: Visa required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Brunei, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Malawi, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore, and Venezuela for up to 3 months. Nationals who do not require a visa to visit a country which is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement. The following do not require visas for any of the Schengen member states. a) EU nationals, b) Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, San Marino, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City.

Health information: No innoculations are compulsary, but please seek medical advice prior to travel.

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

Currency: In common with12 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. Exchange: Offices are indicated with the letters GWK. All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in any major international currency; are easily exchanged. ATM availability: Over 6000 locations

Cost of living: Similar to other Western European countries.

Languages: Dutch, English, French and German are also spoken.

Weather: Mild, maritime climate. Summers are generally warm with changeable periods but excessively hot weather is rare. Winters can be fairly cold with the possibility of some snow. Rainfall is prevalent all year.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Approx. 5 days within Europe.

Transport: RAIL: The highly developed rail network is efficient and cheap. ROAD: Excellent road system. BUS: Extensive regional bus services exist. Long distance coach services operate between cities. TAXI: It is less usual to hail a taxi in the street in Holland. They are usually metered. CAR HIRE: Available from airports and main hotels. DOCUMENTATION: An international driving licence is not required as long as the licence from the country of origin is held. A ‘green card’ is advisable but not compulsory.

Special information: English is widely spoken and many locals will willingly use it. Casual clothes are acceptable everywhere. Possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana could lead to a hefty fine or even a jail sentence. Possession of hard drugs will result in immediate imprisonment.

Capital: Wellington

Time zone: GMT + 12 ( GMT + 13 from the last week in March to the first week in Oct.)

Telephone services: Country Code: 64
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 111

Tourist information: New Zealand High Commission, New Zealand House, 80 Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4TQ Tel: (0839) 200 288 (recorded information).

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required (except for nationals of Australia). Regulations may be subject to short term change. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of EU countries for visits of up to 3 months (Portuguese nationals must have the right of residence in Portugal and French nationals must be residing in France. Nationals of Brunei, Canada, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Nauru, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland Thailand Tuvalu and the USA (except for US Samoans who do need a visa) for visits of up to 3 months. French citizens residing in Tahiti or New Caledonia for visits of up to 30 days. Nationals of the UK and other British Passport holders for visits of up to 6 months providing they have proof of the right of abode.

Health information: No innoculations are compulsary, but please seek medical advice prior to travel.

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

Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents. All major credit cards accepted. Travellers cheques in any international currencies, are widely accepted.
ATM availability: Over 1500 locations.

Cost of living: It is possible to travel relatively cheaply in New Zealand.

Languages: English and Maori.

Weather: Subtropical in the North island, temperate in the South Island. The North has no extremes of heat or cold, but winter can be quite cool in the South with snow in the mountains. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year.

Electricity: 230 Volts AC 50 Hz. Most hotels provide 110 volt sockets AC for electric razors.

Post: 4 – 5 days to Western Europe, slightly less to the USA.

Transport: FLIGHTS: The national airline operates flights between the main airports. RAIL: Reliable but limited. TRAVEL PASSES: allow unlimited travel on New Zealand Railways’ train, coach and ferry services. ROAD: COACH: Modern coaches operate scheduled services throughout the country. It is advisable to make reservations for seats. – Contact the tourism board for details. BUS: Regional bus services serve most parts of the country. TAXI: Metered taxis operate throughout the country. CAR HIRE: Major international and local firms have agencies at airports and most major cities. Minimum age for driving a rental car is 21 years.

Special information: Should a visitor be invited to a Maori occasion the pressing of noses is common.

Capital: Islamabad

Time zone: GMT + 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 92
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, Block D, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan Tel: (51) 214 697 Fax: (51) 815 767.

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: Visa Required by all except nationals of: Iceland, Maldives Republic, Singapore, South Korea, Trinidad & Tobago, Western Samoa and Zambia for a stay of 90 days or less. Nationals of Nepal for a stay of 30 days or less.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in the falciparum variety in all areas below 2000m. The falciparum variety has been reported as being highly resistant to chloroquine
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from all travellers coming from any part of a country where Yellow Fever is endemic. Children under 6 months of age are exempt providing the mother has proof of her own vaccination before the child was born.
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: Pakistani Rupee (Re singular, Rs plural) = 100 paisa Amex and Diners Club are widely accepted. Travellers cheques are generally accepted at most banks, 4 and 5 star hotels and major shops. US dollars are the preferred currency. ATM availability: 3 locations

Cost of living: Staying in Pakistan can be relatively cheap if you are willing to shop at the markets and sacrifice luxuries.

Languages: Urdu and English. There are regional languages of Sindhi, Baluchi, Punjabi and Pashtu. There are numerous local dialects

Weather: There are three seasons: Winter: (Nov to Mar) where the weather is warm but cooled by sea breezes. Summer: (Apr – July) with extreme temperatures. Monsoon (July to Sept) which has the highest rainfall on the hills.

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz. Round 2 or 3 pin plugs are in use.

Post: Airmail takes 4 to 5 days to reach Western Europe

Transport: FLIGHTS: There are many daily flights from Karachi to the commercial centres. Air transport is the quickest and most efficient means of travel. RAIL: A legacy of British Rule is an extensive rail network based on the main line from Karachi to Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar which has several daytime and overnight trains. Travel in air-conditioned coaches is advised along with reservations for longer journeys. ROAD: The highway network between cities is well made and maintained. BUS: Regular services run between most towns and villages. Air-conditioned coaches are recommended for longer journeys. Advance booking is advised. TAXI: By far the most efficient mean of urban travel, being reasonably priced and widely available. CAR HIRE: Available in major cities. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP will be issued on presentation of a national driving licence.

Special information: Travel to Pakistan should only be undertaken if absolutely essential. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office are advising British citizens already there to consider leaving. Please note there is EXTREME RISK: In federally administered tribal areas and all areas bordering Afghanistan.