admin

Capital: Tegucigalpa

Time zone: GMT – 6

Telephone services: Country Code: 504

Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 119, Fire – 198, Ambulance – 37 8654.

Tourist information: Instituto Hondureño De Turismo, Apartado Postal 3261, Centro Guanacaste, Barrio Guanacaste, Tegucigalpa, Honduras Tel: 383 975 Fax: 382 102

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 Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Curacao, El Salvador, Guatemala, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, San Marino, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Vatican City. Those in transit continuing their journeys within 48 hours. Nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU Countries and Japan.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended

Malaria: Exists throughout the year in the Vivax variety within certain regions.

Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from all travellers arriving from infected areas.

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: Lempira (L) = 100 centavos.
All credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are recommended.

ATM availability: Over 20 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive. Accommodation is graded. Food and transport are also inexpensive

Languages: Spanish. English is also spoken.

Weather: Tropical climate which is cooler in the mountains. Raining season = May – to Oct. The North coast is usually very hot with rain all year round.

Electricity: 110/220 Volts AC, 60Hz

Post: 7 days.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Local airlines operate services between principle towns and is much more convenient for business visitors. ROAD: Over half the roads are suitable for all weather conditions. BUS: Services operate to most large towns but the services are well used and booking in advance is essential. TAXI: Usually are not metered so agree the fare in advance. CAR HIRE: Available at the airport. DOCUMENTATION: Foreign and international licences are accepted.

Special information: The impact of Hurricane Mitch is severely affecting travel, personal safety and other factors such as water purity. However some main tourist areas are open. Exercise caution – beware of bag slashing, and muggings. Beware of poisonous snakes, alligators, scorpions, wasps and other stinging insects. Beachwear should not be worn in towns. Visitors should register with the Embassy or consulate on arrival.

Capital:

Time zone: GMT + 8

Telephone services: Country Code: 852
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999 (subject to change)

Tourist information: Hong Kong Tourist Association, 125 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5EA Tel: (020) 7930 4775 Fax: (020) 7930 4777.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all.

Visa information: Visa requirements for all nationals are issued subject to duration of stay. Visitors are advised to check for current information.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: There may occasionally be a risk in rural areas.

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

Currency: Hong Kong Dollar (HK$) = 100 cents All credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted. Pound sterling and US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 1000 locations.

Cost of living: Although Hong Kong is a tax haven, commodities and accommodation can be expensive. However, transport is cheap and some luxury items are often cheaper than in Europe.

Languages: Chinese and English, Cantonese is most widely spoken.

Weather: Winter: influenced by the North – Northeast monsoon. Summer: is influenced by the Southwest monsoon. Summers are very hot with the rainy season June – Aug. Spring and autumn are warm with occasional rain and cooler evenings. Winters can be cold.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50.

Post: Airmail to Europe takes 3- 5 days.

Transport: RAIL: More expensive than the ferry, but quicker. BUS: Services are often very crowded. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended but not legally required.

Special information: Hong Kong has reverted to Chinese rule as a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic. Contact the Embassy or tourist office prior to travelling for up-to-date information on passport and visa requirements. Usual social courtesies should be applied. When addressing a national of Hong Kong the family name comes first, for example, Wong Man Ying is Mr Wong. Casual dress is acceptable.

Capital: Georgetown

Time zone: GMT – 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 592
Outgoing Code: 001

Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance – 56900 (Georgetown only).

Tourist information: Caribbean Tourism Organisation, 42 Westminster Gardens, Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RR Tel: (0171) 222 4335 Fax: (0171) 222 4325.

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

Visa information: Visas not required for full nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU countries (except Austria who do require a visa). and Japan for stays up to 30 days. NOTE: Contact the High Commission for a up-to-date list of nationals requiring visas as requirements often change

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in certain areas in the Falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. NOTE: Sleeping under a mosquito net and using insect repellents is recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for travellers arriving from infected countries (contact High Commission for list of infected countries according to Guyana).Vaccination is strongly recommended to any traveller planning to travel outside the urban areas.

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

Currency: Guyana Dollar (Guy$) = 100 cents. Limited acceptance of credit cards. Travellers cheques (in US$) are accepted, but can take a long time to exchange.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive. Most accommodation is located in populated areas.

Languages: English. Hindi, Urdu, Creole and Amerindian are also spoken.

Weather: Hot tropical climate with the most rain between Nov – Jan and Apr – July.

Electricity: 110 Volts AC, 60Hz

Post: 7 – 10 days. Post services can be unreliable so recorded delivery is recommended.

Transport: FLIGHTS: The only reliable means of travelling into the interior is by air. ROAD: All weather roads are concentrated in the Eastern coastal strip. Most journeys will involve crossing waterways with ferries, which may create delays. BUS: Regular but crowded services operate in Georgetown. TAXI: Recommended as a method of transport at night. A supplement is added to evening fares and for long journeys it is recommended that fares are agreed in advance.

Special information: Guyana, Georgetown in particular, are notorious for street crime. Do not expose valuable possessions at any time and avoid showing signs of wealth. Travel with caution after dark. Men should not wear shorts.

Capital: Budapest

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 36
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 107, Ambulance – 104, Fire – 105

Tourist information: Tourinform (Hungarian Tourist Board), H 1052 Budapest, Süt? u. 2, Hungary Tel: (1) 117 9800 Fax: (1) 117 9578.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of France and Germany holding a national identity card . All passports must be valid for at least 6 months. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Canada, USA, Japan for a stay of up to 90 days. Nationals of the UK for a stay of up to 6 months. Nationals of Austria, Finland and Spain for a stay up to 30 days. Nationals of Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, South Korea Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Seychelles, South Africa, Switzerland and Uruguay for a stay up to 90 days. Nationals of CIS (with the exception of citizens of Uzbekistan who do need a visa), Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Nicaragua, Romania, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) for at stay up to 30 days. Nationals of Singapore for a stay up to 14 days

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies

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

Currency: Hungarian Forint (HUF) = 100 fillér
Exchange: banks, hotels, airports, railway stations, some restaurants. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to HUF 10000. Retain all exchange receipts.
All major credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted. German DM is the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 1000 locations.

Cost of living: Westerners will not experience great disparity in local and Western prices

Languages: Hungarian (Magyar). German is widely spoken. Some English and French may also be spoken, mainly in the West.

Weather: June – Aug. is usually very warm. Spring and autumn are mild and winters are very cold. There is rainfall throughout the year and snow in winter.

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz.

Post: 3 – 7 days to other European destinations.

Transport: RAIL: All main cities are connected by regular services but facilities are often inadequate. Concessions are available to groups of six or more and the young and elderly. ROAD: Generally the road system is good. Zero alcohol is permitted when driving. BUS: Services link Budapest with the major provincial towns. CAR HIRE: Available at large hotels and the main airports. DOCUMENTATION: Pink national UK licence is accepted but IDP is required if a green licence is held.

Special information: Petty crime is rife in Budapest especially in tourist areas. Only carry a photocopy of your passport. Do not carry large amounts of money. Very few people speak English outside of large hotels and restaurants. A knowledge of German is very useful. Usual social courtesies apply. Both Christian and surname should be used in introductions. PHOTOGRAPHY: Do not take photographs of anything connected with the military. Other restrictions will be sign posted.

Capital: Paris

Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from the last Sunday in March to the Saturday before the last Sunday in September)

Telephone services: Country Code: 33
Outgoing Code: 19

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:-Police – 17, Fire – 18, Ambulance – 15.

Tourist information: French Government Tourism Office, 178 Piccadilly, London W1V 0AL Tel: (0891 244 123 (France Information Line) Fax: (020) 7493 6594.

Passport information: All travellers must have a valid passport except: EU Nationals and nationals of Andorra Liechtenstein, Monaco and Switzerland, who may travel holding an expired passport provide it expired within the last 5 years, or a valid national ID card. Advisable to have a return ticket as proof of sufficient funds to finance stay, although this is not an absolute requirement. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Great Britain, Canada, the EU, the USA, Japan. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Bermuda, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Israel (not including French Overseas Territories), South Korea, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay and Vatican City providing there stay does not exceed 3 months in metropolitan France or 30 days in French overseas territories. NOTE: British citizens who have retained their Commonwealth passports may require a visa. Check with the visa section of the consulate.

Health information: No information available at present

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

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. All major credit cards are accepted.
ATM availability: Over 25,000 locations.

Cost of living: Similar to other Western European countries. Cities and tourism centres are more expensive than less commercial areas.

Languages: French. Basque is spoken in the Southwest by some and Breton in Brittany. Some English is spoken by much of the population.

Weather: Temperate climate in the North. Rainfall throughout the year. Some snow may fall in the winter. Mediterranean climate in the South. Relatively mild temperatures in the West. Summers can be very hot and sunny, inland areas can be mild.

Electricity: 220 volts AC 50Hz. Plugs are the 2 pin type.

Post: 2 – 3 days within the rest of Europe.

Transport: RAIL: Excellent service. ROAD: BUS: Very few long distance bus services exist. CAR HIRE: A list of agencies can be obtained from the tourist information office. The Mont Blanc tunnel between France and Italy is likely to be closed for some time, full details are available in English on the at French Ministry of Transport site DOCUMENTATION: A national driving licence is sufficient. Nationals from the EU are strongly advised to take a ‘Green’ card. The car registration documents must also be carried.

Special information: There have been sporadic bomb attacks on the island of Corsica. Visitors have been advised to exercise caution, particularly in town centres. Casual wear is common but the French are renown for their stylish dress sense. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on most beaches but naturism is restricted to certain beaches. Be aware of pick pockets and bag snatchers at railway stations and tourist areas. Do not expect to find work to finance your stay as France currently has a relatively high rate of unemployment.

Capital: Port Stanley

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 500
Outgoing Code: 0

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999

Tourist information: Falkland Islands Tourist Board, Old Transmitting Station, Stanley, East Falkland Tel: 22215 or 22281 Fax: 22619.

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 EU and commonwealth countries, Chile, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey and Uruguay. NOTE: Completion of visitor forms from the government office is required before, or on, arrival.

Health information: No information available at present

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

Currency: Falkland Islands Pound (FI£) = 100 pence. FE facilities available in Stanley and the Standard Chartered Bank.

Cheques issued by the main UK bank (up to £50) can be cashed with a valid cheque card. Credit cards have only a limited acceptance.

ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Comparable with United Kingdom but tends to be more expensive, due to the importation of most requirements.

Languages: English.

Weather: Temperate climate conditioned by the surrounding sea.

Electricity: 240 Volts AC, 50 HZ

Post: 4 -7 days.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Light aircraft services can be used to travel between most of the Islands. ROAD: A 4 -wheel drive is recommended if travelling outside the capital where vehicles may become bogged down.

Special information: To visit the Falkland Islands an application has to be made to the Falklands Islands Government as they provide the transportation. The islands are made up of a small population, living in and around the capital.