Country Information

Capital: Bishkek

Time zone: GMT + 5 (GMT + 6 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 7 ( 3312 for Bishkek).
Outgoing Code: International calls can be made from telephone offices, via an operator service

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 03

Tourist information: State Committee for Tourism and Sport, Togolok Moldo 17, 720033 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Tel: (3312) 220 657 Fax: (3312) 212 845.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all and must be valid for 1 year after period of stay. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: As requirements are liable to change visitors are advised to contact the Kyrgyz embassy in Brussels

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Other Health Risks: Rabies, Diphtheria. Hepatitis A and Tick-borne encephalitis. Consult your doctor before travelling.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. It may be difficult to obtain a balanced diet and it may therefore be wise to take vitamin supplements.

Currency: 1 Som = 100 Tyn.
Exchange: All bills are normally settled in tax. Due to the shortage of change travellers advised to take small notes. NOTE: The import and export of foreign currency is prohibited.
Credit cards are accepted in some of the large hotels in the capital. Take US Dollars in cash in preference to traveller’s cheques.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Very inexpensive.

Languages: Kyrghz and Russian. English may be spoken by those involved with tourism

Weather: Continental climate with little rain. Heavy snowfalls can be expected in the winter

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Round 2 pin continental plugs are standard.

Post: Anything from 2 weeks to 2 months.

Transport: ROAD: Travel by road is difficult because of the terrain. BUS: There are regular services to many parts of the country but they often crowded. TAXI: Can be found in all major towns. Many are unlicensed and fares should be agreed in advance. Many street names have changed so it is wise to ask for directions with the old and new street names. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required and 2 photos.

Special information: Mugging and theft is increasing in cities as well as rural areas some thought to be committed by uniformed police. Exercise caution at all times and keep valuable items out of sight. Do not walk at night. Carry your passport or a photocopy of it with you at all times. Failure to do so may result in arrest. Do not travel in unofficial taxis. Visitors to Southern Kyrgyzstan, including Osh, should take particular care and register with the British Honorary Consul (Tel: 3312 660869) before travelling to this area.

Capital: Phnom Penh

Time zone: GMT + 7

Telephone services: Country Code: 855
Outgoing Code: Calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Ministry of Tourism, Boulevard Preah Monivong, Corner Rue 232, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel: (23) 26107 Fax: (23) 24607.

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

Visa information: Required by all. Tourist and Business types granted

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists all year throughout the country in the Falciparum variety, which has been reported as being highly resistant to chloroquine
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required if arriving from an infected area.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Plague, Poliomyelitis, 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: Riel (CRI) = 100 sen
Exchange: US$ are widely accepted and exchanged. Other currencies are not readily recognised. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited.
Travellers cheques and credit cards are not accepted currently
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Due to civil war, prices fluctuate, although restaurants are in abundance in Phnom Penh

Languages: Khmer. Chinese and Vietnamese are also spoken. French is spoken by older generations and English taught to younger generations

Weather: Tropical Monsoon Climate. May – Oct is the Monsoon. Winters in the North can be cold. Temperatures throughout the country are fairly constant.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50 Hz. Power cuts are frequent an power is only available in the evenings outside Phnom Penh.

Post: 4 – 5 days.

Transport: Independent travel is restricted. ROAD: Travel permits are required to cross provincial borders. Most roads are in poor condition. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: HIGH RISK. The security situation is improving but is still dangerous. Foreigners have been kidnapped and others may be targeted. NOTE: the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against travel outside major urban areas and tourist sites. Venturing outside areas under government control will carry a higher degree of risk. Banditry is rife. Slow down when approaching check points. Cambodia remains one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. PHOTOGRAPHY: Ask permission before taking photos and extra courtesy should be shown towards monks.

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: 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: Pyongyang

Time zone: GMT + 9

Telephone services: Country Code: 850 Outgoing Code: Calls go through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: National Directorate of Tourism, Central District, Pyongyang DPR Korea Tel: (2) 381 7201. Fax: (2) 381 7607.

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. NOTE: Tourism in North Korea is currently permitted only in officially organised groups of 10 persons only.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: No reports of malaria
Yellow Fever: No reports of yellow fever
Other Health Risks: 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: Won (NKW) = 100 jon.
NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited
Credit cards and Travellers cheques are not accepted.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Mismanagement of the economy and the loss of several valuable trading partners has resulted in a shortage of commodities and an increase in prices.

Languages: Korean.

Weather: Hottest: July – Aug which is also the raining season. Dec – Jan is the coldest time. Spring and Autumn are usually dry and mild

Electricity: 110/220 Volts AC 60 Hz.

Post: Approximately 10 days. Outside the capital services are slow and unlimited.

Transport: ROAD: Quality is good. RAIL: Extensive rail network

Special information: Independent travel is prohibited, however there are official tours available, via Regent Holidays, UK. Concessions are made for specific business trips. There is no UK representation, in extreme emergencies British citizens may be able to approach the Swedish Embassy or German presence in Pyongyang.

Capital: Pyongyang

Time zone: GMT + 9

Telephone services: Country Code: 82
Outgoing Code: 001

Emergency telephone numbers: Police: 112; Fire & Emergency: 119

Tourist information: Korean National Tourism Corporation; 20 St George Street; London W1R 9RD Tel: (020) 7409 2100 Fax: (020) 7491 2302.

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. For full details contact the embassy for an up to date list of requirements for different nationalities.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Other Health Risks: Cholera; Japanese Encephalitis.

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: Won (SKW. NOTE: if the amount of foreign currency is greater than US$ 10 000 in value it must be registered on arrival. Export of local currency is limited to SKW 500 000.
All credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted; but may be difficult to cash in smaller towns. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 1 000 locations.

Cost of living: Caters for all types of budget. Hotels are government registered. Travellers usually opt to stay in Yogwans; the traditional Korean inn; which are reasonably priced; self-catering is available. Internal travel is inexpensive and reliable.

Languages: Korean.

Weather: Hottest during the raining season = July – Aug. Coldest = Dec – Jan. Spring and Autumn are mild and mainly dry.

Electricity: 110/220 Volts AC 60 Hz

Post: Approximately 10 days. Outside the capital services are slow and unlimited.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Frequent domestic services operate between main centres. ROAD: Excellent motorways link all major cities but minor roads may be poorer quality. BUS: Inexpensive and frequent services operate but are often overcrowded and make no allowances for English speakers. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: Korean culture is unique; incorporating a vivid portrayal of self-identity. Traditional agrarian culture persists in rural areas whilst the cities are a blend of history and technology. Shoes must be removed when entering someone’s house. Use the right hand for passing and receiving.