Sierra Leone Travel Guide

Full Name

Republic of Sierra Leone

Former Name

NA

Capital City

Freetown

Government Type

constitutional democracy

Area Size

With a land area of 71,740 square kilometers (27,699 square miles).

Time Zone

No UTC/GMT offset

Climate

Tropical and humid all year. Between November and April, it is very hot and dry, although the coastal areas are cooled by sea breezes. In December and January, the dry, dusty Harmattan wind blows from the Sahara. During the rainy season between May and November, rainfall can be torrential.

Geography

Sierra Leone is located on the west coast of Africa, north of the equator. Sierra Leone is bordered by Guinea to the north and northeast, Liberia to the south and southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. There are a wide variety of ecological and agricultural zones to which people have adapted. Starting in the west, Sierra Leone has some 400 kilometers (250 miles) of coastline, giving it both bountiful marine resources and attractive tourist potential. This is followed by low-lying mangrove swamps, rain-forested plains and farmland, and finally a mountainous plateau in the east, where Mount Bintumani rises to 1,948 meters (6,390 ft). The climate is tropical, with two seasons determining the agricultural cycle: the rainy season from May to November, followed by the dry season from December to May, which includes harmattan, when cool, dry winds blow in off the Sahara Desert. The national capital Freetown sits on a coastal peninsula, situated next to the Sierra Leone Harbor, the world's third largest natural harbor. This prime location historically made Sierra Leone the center of trade and colonial administration in the region

Languages

English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Free

Culture

The most outstanding feature of the country's cultural life is its dancing. The Sierra Leone Dance Troupe is internationally known. The different communities of the nation have their own styles of costume and dance. Drums, wooden xylophones (called balaphones), and various stringed instruments provide the musical background. The carving of various wooden masks in human and animal figures for the dances is especially advanced in the southern region. The Sande mask worn on the head of the chief dancer during the ceremony attending the reappearance of the female initiates from their period of seclusion is perhaps the most well-known carved figure in Sierra Leonean art. It is a symmetrically stylized black head of an African woman with an elaborate plaited pyramidal coiffure adorned with various figures and with a facial expression of grave dignity and beauty. Ivory figures are characteristic of the Sherbro, Bullom, and Temne peoples of the coastal and northern regions. Fine examples of these figures, which were bought or commissioned by Portuguese traders during the 16th century, are still extant. There are also steatite human figures, sometimes distorted, called nomoli, or, in wooden form, pomtan (singular, pombo), which certainly date earlier than the 16th century and were used probably for ancestor worship or fertility rites. At present, they are used for ceremonies to ensure abundance of crops.

History

The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the 1991 to 2002 civil war that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population).. The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December 2005, leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces, but a new civilian UN office remains to support the government. Mounting tensions related to planned 2007 elections, deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to continuing progress in Sierra Leone's stability.

Travel Information

Astraeus Airlines operates to Freetown (Lungi) Airport. BMed also operates flights. Freetown (FNA)Airport (Lungi) is 13km north of the city (journey time – 45 minutes). There is a catamaran/ferry link as well as taxi and bus services to the city. A helicopter service is also available (journey time – 6 minutes). Airport facilities consists of Post office, bar, shops and currency exchange. Departure Tax US$40. Non-African air carriers include the tax in the ticket fare. Transit passengers proceeding within 24 hours and children under two years of age are exempt. Main ports: Freetown. There are services to Guinea Republic and Liberia. There are routes from Guinea Republic and Liberia, but access depends on the prevailing political situation.

Accommodation

There are several hotels in Freetown of international standard with air conditioning and swimming pools. It is always advisable to make reservations in advance. Additionally, there are three luxury hotels located on the peninsula at Lakka and Tokay. The YMCA in Freetown offers clean, cheap accommodation with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities at a reasonable rate. Hotels in the interior are rare, although in Bo there is now a hotel which is of international standard. There are also government rest houses, for which application must be made to the Ministry of the Interior; guests must bring their own linen. Atlas

Visa Requirements

Visa is required by citizens of The EU, Australia, Canada and USA. Passport valid for a minimum of six months required by all nationals of countries referred to above. Visa is not required when transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft within 24 hours provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport transit area. Nationals of countries not referred to above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Entry Permits and visas generally are valid for three months and allow a stay of one month in Sierra Leone for single-entry only. An extension is possible by application to the Department of Immigration in Freetown. Multiple-entry tourist and visitor visas are valid for six months; a business multiple-entry visa is valid for up to one year. Apply to Consulate, consular section at embassy or high commission.

Getting Around

Ferries connect all coastal ports. For details, contact local authorities or the National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone. Traffic drives on the right. Sierra Leone has over 10,000km of roads. Although the principal highways have a tarred surface, the secondary roads are poorly maintained and often impassable during the rainy season. There are some roadblocks at night on major roads near centres of population. Local and long-distance bus services are operated by the Sierra Leone Road Transport Corporation. Buses are fast and cheap and connect all the major centres. Limited bus services in Freetown are operated by the Road Transport Corporation, although a substantial part of the city's public transport is provided by minibuses and share-taxis.

Health & Safety

All travellers arriving from a yellow fever area are required to hold a vaccination certificate, but yellow fever is a risk throughout the country and immunisation is recommended for all visitors. Other recommended vaccinations include Hepatitis A, typhoid and polio. Malaria and dengue fever are high risks and precautions against mosquito bites are advised, as well as prophylaxis for malaria. Outbreaks of Lassa fever also occur. HIV/AIDS is prevalent. Diarrhoea and dysentery are common complaints and water should be treated before drinking. Cholera is also a concern. Travellers should bring adequate supplies of personal medication to the country, as supplies are often not available in pharmacies. Medical care is limited in Freetown and almost non-existent elsewhere. An emergency hospital is located near Freetown, but the bad road makes it difficult to get there; there is no ambulance service in the country. Comprehensive travel insurance is advised, which includes emergency evacuation. Since the end of the 10-year civil war, the security situation has improved although it is still fragile. Political demonstrations and large gatherings should be avoided as these have the potential to turn violent, particularly in the run-up to the elections in August 2007. Travellers are advised to avoid the areas bordering Liberia and Guinea. There are incidences of violent crime in Freetown, including armed theft and assault, but petty crime is more common with pick-pocketing and other opportunistic crimes prevalent throughout the country. Travel outside of the Western Area that includes Freetown can be difficult as roads are poor and transport unreliable.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 31 Mar - Maulid-un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet). 6 Apr - Good Friday. 9 Apr - Easter Monday. 27 Apr - Independence Day. 13 Oct - Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). 20 Dec - Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). 25 Dec - Christmas Day. 26 Dec - Boxing Day.

Currency

Sierra Leone Leone (SLL)

Electricity

220/240 volts AC

Working Hours

Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1400-1700.

Emergency Numbers

999(ambulance) 019(Fire) 999(Police)