Guinea-Bissau

===Visa=== No Guinea-Bissau embassies have websites to obtain entry info. To complicate matters more, there are no Guinea-Bissau embassies in the US or UK. Visa-seekers are advised to visit the GB Embassies in either Dakar, Senegal; Lisbon, Portugal; or Paris, France (tel: +33 1 48 74 36 39) for visa information.

The West African CFA franc (XOF) is used by Guinea-Bissau. It is also used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. While it is a separate currency from the Central African CFA franc (XAF), the two currencies are used interchangeably at par throughout all countries that use the CFA franc (XAF & XOF).

In Bissau minibuses called toca-toca work for transports within the city. There are also regular taxis. For inter-city travel there are sept-places, (seven-seat Peugeot) and candongas, big commercial vehicles carrying ten to twenty passengers. Prefer sept-place or at least try to get the front seats. It is also possible to rent taxis to other towns and cities.

Portuguese is the official language and the language used for writing; however, a Portuguese creole is the language spoken among the locals as the lingua franca. There are several local languages such as Fula, Balanta, Mandinka, Pepel, Bijago, etc., but you will always find people from other African countries (Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Mauritania, Nigeria) who speak English and French. You can buy a Creole/English dictionary at the WEC Mission which is in Caracol, and in the Mavegro super…

Guinea-Bissau has one of the highest rates of petty and violent crime on the continent, which should not be underestimated, a lack of much law enforcement, and a very dysfunctional government. The country is home to several drug kingpins and a large volume of narcotics passes through remote islands and airstrips en route from South America to Europe. Until 2019, the country had the onerous distinction of never having an elected president complete a full 5-year term in office and there have been dozens of coups and attempted coups as well as numerous assassinations of officials and military lea…

Before visiting, make sure you have the yellow fever, hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid vaccinations up to date. Malaria prophylaxis is highly recommended: consult a doctor for advice on which type to choose. Depending on the length and purpose of your stay, also consider vaccinations for hepatitis B, rabies, meningitis and tuberculosis.

There are numerous internet cafés in the center of Bissau, but ask around, more of them are hard to spot from outside. Other options are Lenox or go wireless in Restaurant Phoenicia or hotel Bissau Palace.

Muslims are mostly tolerant of others in this country, if your presence is considered to be temporary. There are a few radicalized mosques in the country, so it is advised that you do not venture into these areas. The Christian minority is tolerated, but under constant surveillance by Guinea-Bissau activists and Government officials.