Travel Information From Cyprus to Sierra Leone

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Routine Vaccines

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (Influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• Polio
• Shingles

COVID-19

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Sierra Leone. Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series. Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given. Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages to Sierra Leone.

Measles

Infants 6 to 11 months old traveling internationally should get 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before travel. This dose does not count as part of the routine childhood vaccination series.

Malaria

CDC recommends that travelers going to Sierra Leone take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

A single lifetime booster dose of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) is recommended for adults who received the routine polio vaccination series as children; the routine series is recommended for unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated children and adults and those with unknown vaccination status.

Rabies

Rabid dogs are commonly found in Sierra Leone. If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other mammal while in Sierra Leone, there may be limited or no rabies treatment available.
Consider rabies vaccination before your trip if your activities mean you will be around dogs or wildlife.
Travelers more likely to encounter rabid animals include
• Campers, adventure travelers, or cave explorers (spelunkers)
• Veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers handling animal specimens
• Visitors to rural areas
Since children are more likely to be bitten or scratched by a dog or other animals, consider rabies vaccination for children traveling to Sierra Leone.

Typhoid

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Yellow Fever

Required for arriving travelers from all countries. Recommended for all travelers ≥9 months of age.

You will need 6 months validity remaining on your passport from the date you apply for visa.

Local Phrases Language : Krio and English

Local Phrases :

Greetings

Hello = Adu
Good morning = Aw di mohnin
Good afternoon =
Goodbye = A de go
Nice to meet you = Ah gladi fɔ mit yu

Conversational

How are you? = Aw Di bodi?
I am good thank you = Di Bɔdi fayn
What’s your name? = Wetin yu nem?
My name is … = Mi nem __
Do you speak English? = U sabi tɔk inglish?
I don’t speak … = Ah nɔ sabi tɔk Krio
I don’t understand = A no undestan

Basics

Yes = Yes
No = Nor
Please = (Bo) Duya
Thank you = tehn-kee
You’re welcome = No Wahala
Excuse me please (as a question) = Bo duya
Excuse me (as sorry) = a bayg padin
Hurry up = Go away =
Let’s go to =
I want to go to … =
A little bit =
A lot =

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Sierra Leone has a tolerant multi-religious culture. You should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend other cultures or religious beliefs. Don't become involved with drugs of any kind. All precious stones require an export licence. Check the quality of any gems and/or minerals you buy. Any deals that appear too good to be true probably are. If you commit any criminal offences, including drug trafficking and diamond smuggling you can expect to be subjected to local law. There are heavy penalties and local prison conditions are harsh. Homosexual acts are illegal in Sierra Leone. You should carry ID (passport or residence permit) at all times. Adoption orders from Sierra Leone are not recognised in the UK. The Government of Sierra Leone, together with UNICEF, are tackling issues related to the trafficking of children. If you are planning to adopt a child make sure you comply with Sierra Leone’s adoption laws. The government office responsible for adoptions in Sierra Leone is the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs (Telephone: +232 76 624 597).

7,813,215

Freetown

Freetown is a port city and the capital of Sierra Leone, in West Africa. It’s known for its beaches and historical role in the transatlantic slave trade. The old town’s centuries-old Cotton Tree is a symbol of emancipation. On the waterfront is the King’s Yard Gate, through which former slaves walked to freedom. The Sierra Leone National Museum includes exhibits relating to the 19th-century military leader Bai Bureh.

Customs Allowances : Click Here

Theft and Mugging

The official warnings say Sierra Leone is a high crime nation, with a significant risk of pickpocketing and theft. This is not the place to flash lots of cash or expensive phones.

Certain places are to be avoided or treated with caution. The nightclubs and bars of Lumley Beach and Aberdeen areas of Freetown are favorite haunts of criminals, muggers, pickpockets, and prostitutes.

Avoid the Lumley end of beach road, by the golf club, at night, as it is unlit and notorious for muggings. The area in and around the national stadium is also well-known for theft, especially during big events like music concerts or football games.

It is advised not to take large amounts of cash to such events and, if possible it is a good idea to get a cheap ($20) feature phone with a local SIM so that you can leave your expensive smartphone behind.

Exercise caution walking around central Freetown and the “PZ” area at night, as well as any roads that are not paved.

There are occasional fights between rival groups of youths in the central and eastern areas of Freetown around Siaka Stevens Street, Lightfoot Boston Street and Sir Samuel Lewis Road. These disturbances normally disperse quickly, but if you encounter an incident, you should leave the area immediately. Recent high inflation and rising fuel prices have occasionally seen small and peaceful protests.

International Driving Permit 1949 is required

• The most common religion in Sierra Leone is Islam.
• Don't eat, drink, smoke or chew chewing gum in public during the holy month of Ramadan.
• Don't export gems and precious minerals without official permission and license.
• Don't photograph government buildings, airports, bridges or official facilities without having official permission.
• Don't forget to be extremely polite and manner-conscious - same as locals.
• Don't forget the rainy season takes place between May and November.

Do I need travel insurance to travel to Sierra Leone?

Travel insurance is very important when traveling overseas. We strongly recommend that you take out cover to travel to Sierra Leone. You can usually take out single trip or annual multi-trip cover to give you peace of mind should anything happen.

It can be a better and cheaper option to take annual multi-trip cover as it usually covers any number of trips taken in one year with a maximum of up to around 60 days away per trip.

We work with the top names in the industry and have already pre-selected the easiest, cheapest and best quality travel insurance on the market to save you time and money trying to find the best cover.

Travel insurance typically covers the following; however, you can tailor a policy to suit your needs depending on where you are traveling to, your activities and how long you are away.

• Medical Expenses
  Medical treatment can be extremely costly and add up very quickly, and include Overnight stays in hospital, minor or major surgery, accident and emergency treatment, drugs, COVID-19 treatment, journey home if you cannot use the original ticket, dental treatment, and many more unexpected expenses.
• Baggage and personal belongings
  If your baggage is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed it is extremely frustrating. If you must buy new clothes, toiletry products or personal belongings it can be very expensive and time consuming.
• Cancellation
  Sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances you may need to cancel your trip. This could be due to several reasons such as illness, injury, a bereavement or many other scenarios. Usually airlines, tour operators and hotels have large cancellation fees, so buying travel insurance that covers this is recommended.

Health Care

Healthcare System in Sierra Leone

Healthcare of Sierra Leone is ranked 145th in the world. The health statistics for Sierra Leone are within the bottom quartile for least developed countries (LDCs). In its Health Sector Report.

Health Risk

Leptospirosis

Caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira.

Schistosomiasis

Caused by wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated water body.

Dengue

Occurs from insect bites, including mosquitoes.

Chikungunya

Caused by Mosquito bite.

African Tick-Bite Fever

Caused by Tick bite.

Ebola

The infection is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids, and tissues of infected animals or people.

Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever

Caused by touching infected animals (including bats and primates) or their body fluids.

Monkeypox

Occurs from scratched or bitten by an infected animal such as a rodent or primate

Lassa Fever

Caused through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.

Hantavirus

Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus.

Tuberculosis (TB)

Caused from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.