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Cameroon Basic Travel Information
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Cameroon Basic Travel Information: |
Time: Local time is GMT +1.
Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin attachment plugs are in use.
Language: French and English are the official languages, although French is more commonly spoken and is the language of business. There are also numerous other African dialects.
Health: Traveller's diarrhoea is the most common complaint and precautions should be taken with regard to food and drink. Tap water should be avoided. There is a risk of malaria throughout the country and prophylaxis is recommended for all travellers. Recommended vaccinations include Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever, polio, meningococcal diseases and rabies. There are regular outbreaks of cholera, particularly between December and June. Bird flu has been detected in the Cameroon, but no human infections have been reported. The risk to travellers is low, but as a precaution close contact with live birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked. Visitors should avoid bathing in stagnant, fresh water due to the risk of bilharzia. HIV/AIDS is prevalent. Medical facilities are very limited with frequent shortages of medication and outdated equipment; visitors should ensure they have comprehensive medical insurance, which includes emergency air evacuation. Doctors and hospitals generally expect immediate cash payment.
Tipping: If service charges are not included then 10% is customary.
Safety: Occurrences of banditry and mugging are serious problems throughout the country, and car hijacking and robbery along roads has resulted in several deaths. Travellers are advised to avoid the Meiganga-Ngaoundere road and the Belel area. Incidents, often armed, are common in towns and cities and visitors should be vigilant in public places. Visitors should be cautious in the area surrounding the Mount Febe Hotel in Yaoundé due to an increased risk of muggings and robberies. Armed highwaymen operate in the provinces of Adamaoua, the North, and the Far North and it is advisable to travel in convoy and during daylight hours only. In Douala, incidents of rape and robbery have occurred against the European community and travellers are advised to keep all windows and doors locked, particularly at night. Valuables should be kept out of sight when in public. Petty theft is common on public transport and travellers should try and avoid travelling alone in taxis, especially at night. In the towns and cities, all large public gatherings, rallies and demonstrations should be avoided. The area bordering Nigeria near the Bakassi Peninsula should be avoided due to high tensions between the two countries, and travel to the area bordering the Central African Republic is dangerous. Travel in the Garoua Boulai-Meiganga-Yarimbang/Yatiua triangle is also dangerous and should be avoided. Visitors to Lake Chad are advised to hire a guide. The Nyos and Monoum volcanic lakes in the west of Cameroon have unexpectedly released poisonous fumes in the past, which killed many people in the 1980s, and could do so again without warning. The safety and reliability of internal flights in Cameroon cannot be vouched for.
Customs: Law requires that everyone carries identification at all times. It is forbidden to take photographs of ports, airports, government buildings and military sites.
Communications: The international dialling code for Cameroon is +237. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0027 for South Africa). City codes are not required. International phone calls can be made from CAMTEL offices. A GSM 900 network provides cellphone coverage mainly in Yaoundé, Malabo and the southwest of the country. Internet cafes are available in the main towns.
Duty Free: Travellers to Cameroon do not have to pay duty on 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 5 packs tobacco; 1 bottle of alcohol; and 5 bottles perfume. Entry to the country with sporting guns has to be accompanied by a license.
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