Guinea-Bissau

Portuguese is the official language. It is used by the government, in schools, on signs and in the media.

In daily life, most people speak Kriol, a Portuguese-based creole that links the country's many ethnic groups. Many people also speak their own group's language, such as Balanta, Fula, Mandinka, Manjaco or Bijagó. English is rarely spoken outside a few hotels and lodges. A few words of Portuguese go a long way, and greetings are important.

• Yellow fever: you need a yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter the country. See a travel clinic at least 8 weeks before your trip.
• Malaria: malaria is a serious risk everywhere. Ask a travel clinic about antimalarial tablets, and use insect repellent and a mosquito net.
• Other risks: dengue, Zika and schistosomiasis are also present. Use repellent during the day too, and do not swim or wade in rivers, lakes or other fresh water.
• Water: do not drink tap water. Drink bottled or filtered water.
• Medical care: medical facilities are extremely limited, and hospitals are not fully operational. Serious cases need evacuation to another country. Get travel insurance that covers medical evacuation.
• Medicines: pharmacies are limited and often lack supplies. Bring enough of your own medicines, in the original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.

Most visitors need a visa to enter Guinea-Bissau. Citizens of ECOWAS countries in West Africa do not.

• Visa before travel: you can apply at a Guinea-Bissau embassy, for example in Lisbon, Paris or Dakar.
• Visa on arrival: some visitors can get a visa on arrival at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport in Bissau. The rules change often, so the safest option is to get your visa from an embassy before you travel.
• Passport: it must be valid for at least 6 months after you arrive.
• Yellow fever: a vaccination certificate is required for entry.
• Currency: declare cash above the legal limit when you arrive. The limit depends on where you arrive from.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Guinea-Bissau is a mix of Muslims, Christians and followers of traditional religions. People are generally relaxed and tolerant.

• Greetings: always greet people before you ask a question or start to bargain. A handshake and "bom dia" are a good start. Use your right hand to give and take things.
• Dress: dress modestly in towns, villages and religious places. Cover shoulders and knees. Beachwear is fine at beaches and lodges.
• Sacred places: on the Bijagós Archipelago, some islands, forests and shrines are sacred to the Bijagó people. Outsiders may not enter them. Visit villages only with a local guide, and follow their instructions.
• Photos: ask before you photograph people. Never photograph military sites, soldiers, police or government buildings.
• Ramadan: during the fasting month, avoid eating, drinking and smoking in public in Muslim areas in the daytime.

Banks, government offices and many shops close on public holidays. The dates of the Muslim holidays follow the moon and move each year. The government usually announces them only a few days before. Independence Day and Carnival bring parades and busy streets to Bissau.

Shops and offices usually open from about 8:00 until the early afternoon, and many close for a long break in the heat of the day. Markets are busiest in the morning. Many businesses close on Sunday.

Distances are short, but roads are slow, and there are no trains or domestic flights. Many places on the coast and islands are reached only by boat.

• Getting there: most visitors fly into Osvaldo Vieira International Airport, near Bissau. There are direct flights from Lisbon and from other West African cities, such as Dakar. Roads also connect the country with Senegal and Guinea.
• In Bissau: shared taxis are cheap and follow set routes. You can also hire a whole taxi. Agree the fare before you get in. Avoid the crowded minibuses.
• Between towns: shared bush taxis and minibuses link the main towns. They leave when full, and they are slow and crowded. Hiring a car with a driver is more comfortable.
• To the Bijagós: a public ferry runs from Bissau to Bubaque Island, usually about once a week. The trip takes several hours, and the times depend on the tide. Private speedboats are faster but cost more. Most island lodges arrange boat transfers for their guests. Book in advance.
• Between the islands: remote islands such as Orango and João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Park are reached by chartered boat, usually from Bubaque. Trips depend on tides and weather, so plan extra time.
• Rainy season: from June to October, heavy rain can make rural roads impassable.

Rice is the base of most meals, served with a rich sauce or stew. Lunch is the main meal of the day. Popular dishes include caldo de mancarra, a peanut stew, and caldo de chabéu, a stew made with palm nut sauce. Cafriela is chicken or fish marinated with lime, onion and chilli, then grilled. On the coast and islands, fresh fish, prawns and grilled oysters are cheap and very good.

Cashew nuts are the country's main crop. In the cashew season, from about April to June, people make juice and a sweet, strong cashew wine from the fruit. Cana, a rum made from sugar cane or cashew, is sold everywhere. Local cafés and street stalls serve grilled meat and fish, and bread is sold in the morning. In Bissau, a few restaurants serve Portuguese and Senegalese food.

Bissau and the north

• Bissau is the small capital, on the Geba River estuary. Walk around Bissau Velho, the old Portuguese quarter, with faded colonial houses near the port. The Pidjiguiti memorial remembers the dock workers killed during a strike in 1959. The Fortaleza de São José da Amura holds the tomb of the independence leader Amílcar Cabral. It is still a military base, so ask before you visit, and do not take photos.
• Cacheu is the north-western region along the Cacheu River. The old town of Cacheu was an early Portuguese trading post. Visit the old Portuguese fort, which now holds colonial-era statues, and the Memorial of Slavery and the Slave Trade, a museum about the Atlantic slave trade. Mangrove boat trips start from the town.
• Varela, in the far north-west near the Senegal border, has long, quiet Atlantic beaches. The road there is rough, especially in the rainy season.

The Bijagós Islands

• The Bijagós Archipelago is the country's main attraction. Plan at least a few days there.
• Bubaque Island is the main island for visitors, with the ferry port, lodges, beaches and boats to the other islands.
• Orango is the heart of Orango National Park, known for its hippos that live in lagoons and swim in the sea. It is also a sacred island for the Bijagó people.
• João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Park protects small, uninhabited islands. Poilão is one of the most important nesting sites for green turtles in the Atlantic. Access is limited, and visits need a licensed guide.
• Ilha Rubane is a small island close to Bubaque with a few beach lodges and sport fishing.
• The old colonial town of Bolama, on Bolama Island, was the country's first capital. Today its grand buildings are mostly in ruins.

The east and south

• Bafatá and Gabu are inland regions on the main road east, with busy market towns and a strong Fula and Mandinka culture. Landmine risk is high in the Bafatá region. Stay on roads and well-used paths.
• Tombali is the southern region. Its Cantanhez National Park has forests with wild chimpanzees, which you can see with local guides. Tombali is one of the regions with the highest landmine risk, so stay on roads and marked paths and always go with a guide.