Sierra Leone - Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is on the coast of West africa. Borders in the north Guinea and in the south Liberia at. The length of the Atlantic coast is 402 km. Behind a 100 km long strip of flat land on the coast, the land rises to the east to form a 1,200 to 2,000 m high mountain plateau.

Administrative structure

Three provinces and one area:

• Southern Province; Districts: Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba, Pujehun
• Northern Province; Districts: Bombali, Kambia, Koinadugu, Port Loko, Tonkolili
• Eastern Province; Districts: Kailahun, Kenema, Kono
• Western Area with the capital Freetown; Districts: Western Area Rural, Western Area Urban

Each district is also divided into several chiefdoms.

Cities

Freetown Kenema Makeni Bo Kabala Port Loko Koidu Town Mattru Jong

Map of Sierra Leone

• Freetown - State capital, capital of the Western Area
• Kenema - Capital of the Eastern Province
• Makeni - Capital of the Northern Province
• Bo - Capital of the Southern Province

Other goals

• River No 2 - probably the most beautiful beach in Africa: fine sand, turquoise blue sea, green hilly landscape; doesn't have to hide from the Caribbean
• Lakka Beach, Toke, Beach
• National Museum in Freetown (next to the Cotton Tree)
• Cotton Tree - a huge, century-old "cotton tree" in the center of Freetown
• Railway Museum (in Cline Town, Western Area)
• the islands of Bunce and Banana
• Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary [1]
• Outamba-Kilimi National Park, home to some of the last pygmy hippos on earth
• Moa Island
• Tiwai Island

background

getting there

Entry requirements

All those entering the country must have a valid passport, which must be valid for 6 months beyond the duration of the stay. With the exception of citizens of the West African Union, all others must apply for a visa in the country’s foreign representations.

• Is responsible for all of Germany
  Consular section of the embassy, Herwarthstrasse 4, Berlin. Tel.: 49 30 772 058 50. Is required for Request In addition, proof of sufficient funds, an invitation letter / hotel booking and 2 color passport photos. Processing time 14 working days (faster with an express surcharge of € 50).Open: Mon.-Thurs. 10.00-14.00.Price: Tourist visa: 1 entry € 100, multiple € 150-200.last change: Nov. 2016 (information may be out of date)
  .
• The
  Munich Honorary Consulate, Schlossstrasse 14 b, 82031 Grünwald. Tel.: 49 89 64256123. also accepts visa applications, only from Bavaria, at the same prices and conditions.Open: Tue, Thu 10.00-12.00.last change: not specified
• Austrian can rely on that
  Honorary Consulate General, Talgasse 11/7, 1150 Vienna. Tel.: 43 (1) 894 058 220. Open: Tues., Thurs. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. by appointment.last change: not specified

See also: List of Sierra Leone's diplomatic missions abroad

By plane

There are regular direct flights to Sierra Leone, Freetown / Lungi International Airport from Paris, London and Brussels. From Frankfurt / Main you fly with Royal Air Maroc with change in Casablanca above Monrovia (Liberia) to Freetown. Lungi International Airport is located on a peninsula. To get to Freetown you have to take a ferry. It takes 4-5 hours to drive by land.

Upon arrival and departure, it is necessary to provide information about the person in writing. Corresponding slips of paper are distributed in each case. A visa and an internationally valid vaccination card are required for entry.

No tourist fee will be charged on arrival and / or departure.

airport transfer

Passengers have several options for getting from the airport to Freetown using an airport transfer:

• Hovercraft (duration approx. 20 minutes)
• Helicopter (Intercity Air; duration approx. 15 minutes)
• Boat shuttle service (duration approx. 30 minutes)
• Car ferry (duration approx. 45 minutes, cheapest solution) - 15 minutes by car from the airport to the Kissy Ferry Terminal in Freetown
• Bus, taxi, rental car (duration approx. 4-6 hours by land).

By train

Rail traffic was completely stopped after the end of the war in 2002.

By bus

In the street

By boat

For several years now, cruise ships have been calling at Sierra Leone again, visiting the beautiful beaches of Tokeh, the capital Freetown and the chimpanzee sanctuary of Tacaguma.

mobility

The main modes of transport in the capital are taxis and small vans (PodaPoda). The taxis always run in certain areas of the city (comparable to the German zone system). Entry is possible almost anywhere in a matter of seconds with a hand signal. Basically, the taxi invites all those willing to travel along the way and then gradually drives to the destinations within the zone. In 2006 the price for such a trip was a fixed 800 Leone. The small vans drive longer distances, but relatively fixed routes and at each end to collection points. It is possible to switch to other routes on these. However, boarding is possible anytime and anywhere (hand out). In 2006, the goals of the PodaPodas were recognized by the fact that they were constantly being called from the vehicles. To get to the beach, for example, you had to find a PodaPoda that kept emitting Lumli.

In principle, all means of transport are operated as fully as possible. Taxis already have eight passengers, the small vans also have 20 people on board. Otherwise the number of taxis and will decrease PodaPodas suddenly after 7 p.m., nothing went at night. Local colleagues also advised against using this mode of transport at night for safety reasons.

In addition to this system, there are departure points for buses that go to destinations outside the capital or other cities. As far as I can remember, there were no information points, you had to ask questions or travel with colleagues.

language

The official language is English. Most of the locals speak at least Krio as a second language. It is a mixture of Creole, brought by freed slaves from the Caribbean, and English.

to buy

For one euro there were around 11,000 in July 2020Leone (SLL). The current dollar rate can be seen on the website of Bank of Sierra Leone. The highest banknote value issued in the 2010 series is 10,000Le.

kitchen

Typical West African cuisine with staple rice.

public holidays

There is the “Cleaning Day” every last Saturday of the month. This means that from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. every resident is called upon to ensure order and cleanliness outside of their home. During this time there are no taxis or buses. The traffic for private vehicles is also prohibited. Furthermore, all shops and markets are closed.

security

No reliable information on this topic could be found on site. In principle, it was recommended not to use public transport in the dark (since these do not run at night, their appearance alone would be dubious). Otherwise, locals emphasized that the country is very safe and that there is no danger to life or limb - robberies, on the other hand, are possible, so you shouldn't have too many valuables with you. Personally, I can only confirm that. There were never any problems in either the capital or the provinces.

health

You already need the for the issuance of the visa Compulsory vaccination against yellow fever. Most health insurances will reimburse the costs of around EUR 35.00. Sierra Leone has been Ebola free again since March 2016. Otherwise, however, you can enjoy the full program Tropical diseases expect. In addition, it is urgently necessary to have a corresponding Malaria prophylaxis mainly because almost all cases are the most dangerous variant Malaria tropica are. Aspririn is not suitable for malaria infestation as it additionally thins the blood. Alternatives such as paracetamol should definitely be used. Dengue fever can occur during and immediately after the rainy season, around April to November. Just over 2% of the population are HIV positive. For some risk groups, such as prostitutes, the number is estimated at a third. Lassa fever occurs mainly in the south, in the Kenema region, the death rate is around a third.

The water from the pipes is not suitable for drinking. Drinking water can be bought in bottles. In the second half of 2012 came 2000 in the capital Cholera cases in front.

climate

Tropical and hot, there are no seasons, only the distinction between rainy and dry seasons (November to March).

Practical advice

Sockets follow the British three-pin pattern.

There are small internet cafes everywhere. Most hotels in Freetown also offer Internet access.

Prepaid cards for mobile phone calls (national, international) can be bought anywhere.

literature

• Butcher, Tim; On the trail of the devil: on foot through Sierra Leone and Liberia; Munich 2014 (Malik); ISBN 9783492405157 [Orig. 2011; engl. Chasing the devil]
• Junkert, Mathias G .; In the footsteps of the warlords: the United Nations and the privatization of violence. Using the example of UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone; MARburg 2003 (Tectum); ISBN 3828885853
• Manson, K .; Sierra Leone; ²2012; ISBN 978-1841624129
• Rohlooff, A .; With the eyes of Africa: Images from Sierra Leone; Norderstedt 2014; ISBN 978-3735741493

Web links

2 travel reports from 2012