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Capital: Basseterre

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 869 Outgoing Code: 1 (Caribbean, Canada and USA) 011 elsewhere

Emergency telephone numbers: 911

Tourist information: St Kitts & Nevis Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Environment, Box 132, Bay Rd. Basseterre, St.Kitts. Tel: 465 2602 or 465 4040 Fax: 465 8794.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of Canada and the USA with valid ID (for up to 6 months). Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of: Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU Countries (except Portugal who do require a visa) and Japan. Commonwealth countries (except Namibia and South Africa who require visas) Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, The Netherland Antilles, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands and Venezuela. Visitors continuing their journey to a third country within 14 days (Not available to certain nationals – see High Commission).

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas.

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

Currency: Easter Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents. Amex and Visa are the only credit cards accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are preferred.
ATM availability: 2 locations.

Cost of living: Very expensive, especially accommodation although this is reduced in the low season.

Languages: English

Weather: Hot tropical climate with cooling sea breezes. Possibility of hurricanes Aug – Oct. Most rainfall during the summer May – Oct. Showers may occur throughout the year.

Electricity: 230 volts Ac, 60 Hz.

Post: 5 – 7 days

Transport: SEA: There is a regular ferry service between St Kitts and Nevis. ROAD: A good road network on both island makes anywhere accessible within minutes. BUS: There are private; regular but unscheduled buses, which provide a comfortable service. TAXIS: Services on both islands have set fares. CAR & MOPED HIRE: Several agencies provide hire services. It is best to book cars through the airline well in advance. DOCUMENTATION: A local temporary licence must be obtained from the Police Traffic Department before driving any vehicle. This is readily issued on presentation of a valid national licence and a fee of EC$ 30.

Special information: The islands are now commercialised and all visitors are readily welcomed. Suitable clothes should be worn for towns and hotel/restaurants Tourism is on the increase, especially on Nevis.

Capital: Moroni

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 269
Outgoing Code: Calls must go through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: No information at present.

Tourist information: Direction General de Tourisme, BP 97, Moroni, Comoros. Tel: 744 242 Fax: 744 241., Société Comorienne de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie (COMOTEL) Itsandra Hotel, Njazidja, Comoros. Tel: 732 365

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Consult embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all. Transit, and Tourist. Visas are issued by the Immigration officer on arrival. Exit permits are required by all.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Falciparum variety present – strongly urged to take precautions
Yellow Fever: If travelling from an infected area a vaccination certificate may be required.

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. Observe strict food hygiene.

Currency: CFA Franc (CFA Fr) = 100 centimes.
There is a very limited acceptance of credit cards, restricted to mainly hotels. French Franc traveller’s cheques are recommended. The Banque Internationale des Comoros is the only bank that will exchange travellers cheques.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Tourists can expect to pay higher prices than on the mainland.

Languages: French and Arabic. The majority speak Comoran and there is a blend of Arabic and Swahili

Weather: Climate is tropical and very warm. Coastal areas are very hot and humid (Dec – March) with some rain and cyclones. Upland areas = cooler and have more rain.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC, 50 Hz

Post: At least 1 week.

Transport: Private vehicles are the only form of transport on the Islands. 4 wheel drives are needed for the interior and outlying islands, especially in the raining season. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: HIGH RISK: in travel to Anjouan and Moheli islands. Due to the coup, it is inadvisable to travel to the Comoros Islands. If you intend to travel despite these warnings you should be aware that religious customs should be respected especially during Ramadan. French residents and tourists tend to be quite relaxed about what they wear; although dress should be conservative. The islands of Anjouan and Moheli should be especially avoided due to on-going civil unrest.

Capital: Dublin

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 353
Outgoing Code: 16

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:-All services – 999

Tourist information: Irish Tourist Board, 150 – 151 New Bond Street, London W1Y 0AQ Tel: (020) 7493 3201 Fax: (020) 7493 9065.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of EU countries providing they carry a national ID card, persons born in the United Kingdom travelling directly from the United Kingdom. Nationals of Liechtenstein, Monaco and Switzerland providing they carry a national ID card. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Canada, USA, EU, Japan. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, South Korea, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Western Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Health information: No information available at present.

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. All major credit cards and travellers cheques are accepted throughout Ireland.
ATM availability: Approximately 1 000 locations.

Cost of living: Food and drink can be quite expensive. However ‘Bed and Breakfast’, or camp sites offer cheaper accommodation.

Languages: Irish (Gaelic) is the official language and is mainly spoken in the west. English is more widely spoken.

Weather: Rain falls all year. Spring and autumn are very mild. Summers are warm, winters are much cooler.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Irish postage stamps must be used on all mail. Poste Restante correspondence is available.

Transport: RAIL: Extensive network between the main cities. ROAD: The network links all parts of Ireland. TAXI: Services available in the main cities. BUS: A nation-wide network of buses serves all the main cities but services to remote areas will be infrequent. CAR HIRE: Available from the major air and sea ports and large hotels. DOCUMENTATION: Owners taking their own cars into Ireland require the vehicles registration book, nationality plates, insurance for the Republic and a full EU licence or IDP. A ‘green card’ is strongly recommended.

Special information: The Irish are a very gregarious people and usually have very close community bonds. Visitors will find people very friendly. Casual wear is acceptable.

Capital: Accra

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 233

Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: 221 665 (Embassy)

Tourist information: Ghana High Commission (tourist information), 104 Highgate Hill, London N65 HE Tel: (020) 8342 8686 or 342 7588 Fax: (020) 8342 8566 or 342 8570.

Passport information: Valid Passport required. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Consult embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Zimbabwe.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Precautions advised. Falciparum form exists and resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by all.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Rabies, a vaccination against cholera is strongly recommended, a vaccination certificate is required if arriving from an infected area.

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: Cedi (c) = 100 pesewas.
Exchange: Only authorised foreign exchange dealers must be used. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to c3000 and should be recorded in passport.

Credit cards and travellers cheques have very limited use.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Relatively more expensive the surrounding areas.

Languages: English and local African languages are spoken.

Weather: The climate is hot and humid throughout the year. Apr – July = the raining season.

Electricity: 220 Volts Ac 50 Hz Plugs = 3 pin in larger buildings, older buildings have 2 use plugs

Post: 2 weeks or more to Europe.

Transport: RAIL: Limited CAR HIRE: Available but very expensive, DOCUMENTATION: British driving licence valid for 90 days. IDP is recommended. BUSES: Extensive bus services operate in Accra

Special information: Take local advice about security matters. Exercise care with possessions at the main airport. Ghanaians should always be addressed formally. PHOTOGRAPHY: Be discreet with cameras especially around the Castle in Accra or at the Akosombo Dam. Do not take photos of anything connected with the military.

Capital: St George’s

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 473
Outgoing Code: International operator must be used.

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 112, Ambulance – 434. All services – 911.

Tourist information: Board of Tourism, PO Box 293, Burns Point, St George’s, Grenada Tel: 440 2001 or 440 2279 or 440 3377 Fax 440 6637.

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 Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU countries, Japan. Those who continue their journey to a third destination, providing they hold onward tickets and are travelling within 14 days of arriving. Nationals of commonwealth countries (except nationals of Cyprus and Pakistan who do need a visa). Nationals of Bulgaria, Chile Czech Republic, Iceland, Israel, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Norway, Poland, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Taiwan, (China) and Venezuela. Visitors holding a re-entry permit.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from those over one year of age coming from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Rabies.

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

Currency: DEastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents.
All travellers cheques and major credit cards are widely accepted. US dollars are the preferred currency.

ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Moderate to expensive. Hotels need to be booked well in advance. Prices may vary with seasonal changes and specific events. Duty free shops exist with an international market.

Languages: English

Weather: Tropical climate. Rainy season June – Dec. Dry season Feb – May.

Electricity: 220/240 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Post will take approximately 14 days to reach Europe.

Transport: SEA: Round island trips are very popular, small to large boats can be hired. ROAD: They are narrow and winding. CAR HIRE: A large variety if vehicles can be hired. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended. BUS: Cheap but slow service operates.

Special information: Beach-wear is not acceptable in town.

Capital: Libreville

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 241
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Office National Gabonaise du Tourisme, PO Box 161, Liberville, Gabon Tel: 722 182

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, and Equatorial Guinea who must have an ID card or passport expired for less than 5 years. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact the relevant consular authority before finalising travel arrangements.

Visa information: Visa Required by all except nationals of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Togo. Nationals of France can obtain a visa on arrival. Tourist and business visas are granted.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid, Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Precautions required. Falciparum variety prevalent. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by all travellers over one year of age.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, rabies, River blindness also present. Although incidence of Ebola is unlikely, sensible precautions should be taken.

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.
NOTE: Import of local currency is limited to CFA Fr 250000.
There is very limited acceptance of any credit cards or travellers cheques.

ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Prices and services are generally expensive for the tourist.

Languages: French and the African language – Fang

Weather: May – Sept = Dry Season. Feb – Apr = Raining Season. Trade winds prevail during the dry season

Electricity: 220 Volts Ac 50 Hz

Post: Airmail at least 1 week to Western Europe.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Regular domestic flights operate. SEA: River barges and Ferries operate along the waterways. RAIL: Currently being expanded connects main cities. ROAD Mostly not tarred of poor standard, inadvisable during the raining season. CAR HIRE: Possible from main hotels and airports. DOCUMENTATION: IDP required.

Special information: A yellow fever certificate will be required to enter the country.