Country Information

Capital: Beirut

Time zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 961
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 386 440 425 (Emergency police – 16), Fire – 310 105, Ambulance – 386 675

Tourist information: Lebanon Tourist and Information Office, 90 Piccadilly, London W1V 9HB Tel: (020) 7409 2031 Fax: (020) 7493 4929.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of Syria arriving from their country with valid national ID. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the estimated duration of stay. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Syrians, Nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can obtain their visas on arrival at Beirut airport. Do not enter with Israel stamps on your passport. Obtain a visa in advance – three month visa costs 100,000 Lebanese Lira. If you have an Israeli stamp in your passport you will be refused entry to Lebanon even if you have a valid visa.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers coming from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Rabies.

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

Currency: Lebanese Pound (L£) = 100 piastres.
Credit cards and travellers cheques have limited acceptance
ATM availability: Over 30 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively expensive. Accommodation can be especially expensive for the traveller looking for a cheap place to stay. Food, however can be cheap if purchased from sandwich and snack bars.

Languages: Arabic. French and English are spoken. Kurdish and Armenian are spoken by a small minority.

Weather: Summer (June – Sept) is hot along the coast and cooler in the mountains. Winter (Dec to mid Mar) is mostly rainy with snow in the mountains. Spring and Autumn are cool and pleasant.

Electricity: 110/220 volts, AC 50 Hz.

Post: Usually 5- 6 days to Europe, up to 8 days to the USA.

Transport: BUS: Intercity buses are cheap and efficient but may be uncomfortable. TAXI: Fares should be agreed in advance. They are usually shared and a 50% surcharge will be added after 2200 hours. CAR HIRE: chauffeur-driven cars are recommended although self drive cars are available. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended although not legally required.

Special information: Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travllers should exercise extreme caution and make only necessary journeys to this country. If you intend to travel despite this advice you should be aware that you should always carry ID. Muslim traditions and practices should be respected. Casual must modest dress is suitable for day-time clothing. The main danger spots are in the south which can be subject to Israeli shelling or air raids. Do not travel in the Israeli Occupied Zone. PHOTOGRAPHY: Only take photographs at obvious tourist sites.

Capital: Guatemala City

Time zone: GMT – 6

Telephone services: Country Code: 502
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 120 / 137 / 138, Fire – 122 / 123, Ambulance – 125 / 128.

Tourist information: Guatemala Tourist Commission, 7a Avenida 1 – 17, Centro Civico, Zona 4 Guatemala City, Guatemala Tel: (502) 311 333 Fax: (502) 331 4416 or 331 3004.

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 countries for a stay of 1 month with a possible extension to 3 months (except Greece and Portugal, and those on business from the UK or Republic of Ireland who do require visas, and tourists from the UK and Republic of Ireland who may stay for a maximum stay of 90 days without a visa to whom a tourist card will be issued by the authorities at the airport.). Nationals of Argentina, Andorra, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, Uruguay and Vatican City for stays of I month with possible extensions to 3 months. Nationals of Australia, Canada, Mexico and the USA entering Guatemala by air do not need a visa providing they are entering for tourist purposes, for a maximum stay of 90 days.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in areas below 1500m.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by travellers arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Hepatitis, Rabies, Onchocerciasis, American trypanosomiasis and Altitude sickness can occur in higher areas.

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: Quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos
Visa and Amex are widely accepted other cards have only a limited acceptance. Travellers cheques in US dollars are recommended.
ATM availability: Over 120 locations.

Cost of living: For the budget traveller prices can be very reasonable. Accommodation is diverse and priced accordingly. Food and local merchandise are relatively inexpensive especially in markets.

Languages: Spanish. English and over 20 indigenous languages are also spoken.

Weather: Climate varies according to altitude. Lower altitudes being far hotter than highlands. The rainy season occurs between June and Oct.

Electricity: 110 Volts AC 60 Hz. There are some regional variations.

Post: 7 – 21 days

Transport: FLIGHTS: Air transport is by far the most efficient means of internal travel since there are over 380 airstrips. RAIL: There is a daily service between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. ROAD: There is an extensive road network but only a small amount are all weather. BUS: The bus services are cheap but crowded. TAXI: A flat rate is often charged within the city but prices are often expensive. CAR HIRE: International companies operate in Guatemala City and rates are low. DOCUMENTATION: A local licence will be issued on presentation of a national driving licence.

Special information: Travel arrangements are slowly returning to normal after Hurricane Mitch. Some regions may still be politically volatile. Visitors should register with the Embassy upon arrival. Violent crime is rife throughout the country.

Capital: Agana

Time zone: GMT + 10

Telephone services: Country Code: 671
Outgoing Code: International calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 911.

Tourist information: Guam Visitors Bureau, PO Box 3520, 401 Paci San Vitores Rd, Tumon, Agaña, Guam 96911 Tel: 646 5278/9 Fax: 646 8861.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except those entering directly from the USA. As for the USA

Visa information: See USA Entry.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended

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

Currency: US Dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars can be exchanged.

ATM availability: Over 30 locations.

Cost of living: Appropriate to all tastes and budget.

Languages: English and Chamorro. Japanese and Tagalog also spoken.

Weather: Tropical climate with rains July – Nov.

Electricity: 120 Volts AC 60 Hz.

Post: Up to 2 weeks.

Transport: BUS: A reasonable bus service is available on a limited number of routes. TAXI: Fare are metered. CAR HIRE: Available from most major companies. DOCUMENTATION: AN IDP is required.

Special information: Guam’s tourist industry is geared towards the Japanese market, which make up 80% of visitors. As a result other travellers will observe an abundance of Japanese customs in the tourist areas. Usual social courtesies should be applied.

Capital: Bissau

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 245
Outgoing Code: All outgoing calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Centro de Informação e Turismo, CP 294, Bissau, Guinea Bissau. Tel: 213 905 or 212 844

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

Visa information: Required by all (can be extended in central police station), except nationals of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Falciparum the most serious variety exists throughout the year. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. Protection from mosquito bites is the best defence, use a 33% deet based repellent.
Yellow Fever: Strongly recommended to all visitors. A vaccination certificate must be provided by visitors arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia 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: Guinea Bissau Peso (GBP) = 100 centavos.
Travellers cheques can be cashed at major banks only. US dollars is the preferred currency. Credit cards are not accepted.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Guinea Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world. Some hotels are very expensive.

Languages: Portuguese. The majority of the population speak Guinea Creole.

Weather: Tropical climate. May – Nov = Wet season. Dec- Apr = Dry season. Temperatures vary with altitude.

Electricity: Limited electricity supply on 200 volts AC 50 Hz.

Post: Post to Europe will take over a week.

Transport: FLIGHTS: The national airline provides regular internal flights. SEA / RIVER: most towns are accessible by ship. Coast hopping ferries operate from the North coast to Bissau. ROADS: Only 1/5 are tarred and suitable for all weather conditions. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended though not legally required. A temporary driving licence can be obtained on presentation of a valid British Driving licence.

Special information: EXTREME RISK: The Foreign & Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to Guinea Bissau

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:

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.