Sierra Leone is a country in western Africa. The country, unfortunately, is mostly known for its resource curse. Sierra Leone endured a decade of devastating and cruel civil war where RUF forces mutilated people and led slave diamond mines.

Traveling info

All visitors traveling to Sierra Leone are required to have a valid passport. Entry requirements vary depending on visitors nationality. Citizens of some African nations enjoy visa-free travel. Citizens of Kenya may obtain a visa upon arrival. Citizens of all other countries must obtain a visa prior to their departure. Visitors who wish to drive in Sierra Leone must have both their national driving permit and an international driving permit. IDP cannot be used alone. Both documents must be with the driver at all times. IDP is only a translation of the original document.

Traveling hazards

Most main roads in Freetown are narrow and paved but have potholes. Extremely narrow unpaved side streets are generally navigable. Most roads outside Freetown are unpaved and are generally passable with a four-wheel drive vehicle. However, certain stretches of mapped road are often impassable during the rainy season, which usually lasts from May to September. During the rainy season, add several hours to travel time between Freetown and outlying areas. There is a major road repair and resurfacing program going on throughout the country that is slowly improving the quality of roads. Public transport i.e. bus or group taxi is erratic, unsafe, and not recommended. Many vehicles on the road in Sierra Leone are unsafe. Accidents resulting from the poor condition of these vehicles, including multi-vehicle accidents, are common. Many drivers on the road in Sierra Leone are inexperienced and often drive without proper license or training. Serious accidents are common, especially outside of Freetown, where the relative lack of traffic allows for greater speeds. The chance of being involved in an accident increases greatly when traveling at night.

Environmental hazards

Sierra Leone is a relatively small country and one of the westernmost in Africa. The country, however, has its fair share of dangerous animals. The African bush elephant is the largest land animal. Despite being rather docile, they can be dangerous due to their sheer size. If angered or startled, they can trample people to death, flip over cars or even break trees. Hippopotamuses inhabit the rivers and other freshwaters of Sierra Leone. Despite their docile look, these animals are fiercely territorial and will attack even crocodiles which approach the herd. Crocodiles are present in Sierra Leone. These large reptiles are not afraid to attack even humans if they get the opportunity. There are numerous lethally venomous snakes in Sierra Leone. There are several species of vipers, most notable are the gaboon viper and the puff adder which alone is responsible for over 30 thousand deaths yearly across Africa, sea kraits and several species of mamba. Survival often depends on the proximity of the nearest hospital or the response of the emergency services. There are several reports of shark attacks in Sierra Leone however many of them date back over 100 years. Such incidents cannot be ruled out, however.
Sierra Leone suffers from many natural hazards ranging from storms to floods. There are many different natural hazards which are responsible for claiming life such as, electric storms, wildfires, floods, and landslides claiming the first place. All of these are also responsible for gigantic economical losses. Due to the impoverished state of the country, citizens or the government cannot properly prepare for such instances.

Health hazards

There is an outbreak of yellow fever in Sierra Leone. All visitors must be vaccinated against yellow fever and have proof of such vaccinations. There are numerous other vaccines however none of these are required and are only recommended. These are the routine vaccines aka MMR vaccines, hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies vaccines. Malaria and Zika are present in Sierra Leone and there is, unfortunately, no approved vaccines against either of these. There are however alternative ways to protect against these diseases. Since both of these are transmitted through mosquito bites, the use of mosquito repellents and mosquito nets is advised. There is also medicine on prescription against malaria. In order to get medicine against malaria contact your local general practitioner. Healthcare in Sierra Leone remains inaccessible to many in the rural areas and clinics that do exist can provide only the most basic health services. Hospitals and private facilities are exclusive to Freetown.
In case of an emergency dial 999.

Crime

Crimes occur in Freetown daily, but victims rarely report them to the police for fear of reprisal and lack of arrest and prosecution. Robberies, home invasions, assaults, and petty street crimes continue to rise throughout Sierra Leone. However, the overall number of violent crimes in Sierra Leone remains consistent with those reported in other West African countries. Violent crime remains a concern. In the event that an armed criminal confronts you, immediately hand over the desired property to avoid escalation or injury. Pickpocketing and petty theft are the most common types of non-violent crime affecting Westerners. Petty crime and pickpocketing of wallets, cell phones, and passports are very common, especially on the ferry to/from Lungi International Airport, as well as in the bars, restaurants, and nightclubs in the Lumley Beach and Aberdeen areas of Freetown. Thieves often attempt to distract a victim by asking questions, begging for money, bumping or jostling the individual, or offering to sell items. Due to the thefts of personal belongings from hotel rooms, even locked ones, valuables should be stored securely. There is no risk of terrorism in Sierra Leone. Narcotics are strictly illegal however due to the inefficiency of the local police, are widely available.

Summary

Sierra Leone offers great leisure opportunities. Pristine beaches of western Africa offer various water activities ranging from surviving to diving. The difficult situation of the country deters many tourists however the internal situation is improving since the end of the civil war. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/sierra-leone/passport-visa/
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/sierra-leone