Sub Saharan Africa

Malawi
Still current at: 24 November 2009 Updated: 29 September 2009

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Summary (consular assistance figures). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

(see travel advice legal disclaimer)

Travel advice for this country

Travel Summary

There are confirmed human cases of the A (H1N1) virus (Swine Flu) in Malawi. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. You should also monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. See our swine flu page for further information. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can also be obtained on the UK Department of Health website.
Driving can be hazardous. Drive carefully, avoid travel after dark and in public minibuses. Always wear seat belts. Lock your doors and keep windows closed.
It is recommended that you a carry a photocopy of your passport and visa with you at all times.
Most visits to Malawi are trouble-free. 14 British nationals required consular assistance in Malawi in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (4 cases); hospitalisations (5 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (1 case). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (30 cases).
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Most visits to Malawi are trouble-free, but you should be alert to muggers and bag-snatchers. Avoid walking around quiet areas, especially after dark. If you are mugged, offer no resistance and hand over your possessions without question.

You should lock car doors and keep windows closed, especially when stopping your vehicle. Armed car jacking is a risk, especially for drivers of four-by-four vehicles. Do not offer lifts to strangers and be alert to obstructions in the road. If your car is targeted do not resist or act impulsively. Drivers have been wounded by assailants.

Exercise caution with over-friendly people who approach you offering to act as guides or selling goods. Do not accept food or drink from strangers as people have been robbed after eating drugged food.

The majority of thefts from visitors take place around the main bus stations in Lilongwe and Blantyre. Thefts are also common at the main ports for the Ilala ferry.

House burglaries, including by armed gangs, are common. Be alert to anything unusual and keep on good terms with any staff who have access to the premises. Security precautions at home are as important as on the streets. We advise you to seek security advice from the Mulanje Mountain Club if you intend to climb Mulanje Mountain.

Take sensible precautions. Safeguard valuables and cash. Deposit them in hotel safes, where practical. Keep copies of important documents, including passports, in a separate place to the documents themselves.

Lost or stolen passports are sometimes handed to the police within a few days. You should report the loss to the nearest police station as soon as possible, and remain in touch with that station in case of recovery. The High Commission is not always informed when a passport is found.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Malawi Country Profile

The recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections were conducted in a peaceful environment despite high political tension beforehand. You should avoid demonstrations, rallies and large public gatherings as a precaution.

Local Travel

Road Travel

Driving in Malawi can be hazardous. Drive carefully, always wear a seatbelt and avoid travel after dark. Potholes, animals, abandoned vehicles and cyclists can often cause serious accidents, as do vehicles travelling at night without lights.

You should be aware that Malawi has a very high rate of fatalities on the road in proportion to the number of vehicles. Travel between towns by public minibus or pick-up truck is not recommended; vehicles are often in poor condition and overloaded. Fatal accidents are frequent and emergency services are basic. Larger coach services do run between the major towns and are more reliable.

The Malawi Police Service has introduced breathalyser tests, and regularly stop vehicles for speeding. Drivers caught drink driving or speeding can have their licences and/or vehicles confiscated on the spot, for return only after appearance before a magistrate. Convicted drivers face a fine and/or imprisonment. The blood alcohol limit is 0.08g per 100ml of blood, the same as in the UK.

UK driving licences are acceptable in Malawi for up to 90 days; international driving licences for up to a year.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Air Travel

As Air Malawi planes do not fly into the UK the UK Civil Aviation Authority has not assessed Malawi’s Department for Civil Aviation for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) or European Union aviation safety standards. British Government employees are advised, where possible, to avoid Air Malawi and use other airlines/modes of transport. You should bear this in mind when making travel plans.

Air Malawi operates direct flights between Lilongwe, Malawi and Gatwick, UK. However, this is part of a franchise with Air Zimbabwe. Only Air Zimbabwe planes fly between Malawi and the UK. The UK has assessed Air Zimbabwe planes but not Air Malawi ones.

For more general information see Airline Security.

Local laws and customs

Drug taking and smuggling are offences. This includes the purchase and use of cannabis. Punishment can be severe.

Buying uncut precious stones is illegal.

Outside the main tourist areas, women should cover legs and shoulders so as not to offend local sensitivities.

Homosexuality acts are illegal in Malawi.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Your trip.

Entry requirements

Visas

British nationals do not require visas for tourist visits. Visitors are usually granted 30-day tourist visas on arrival; these can be renewed up to a maximum of 90 days at the cost of 5,000 Malawi Kwacha. It is recommended that you carry a photocopy of your passport and visa with you at all times.

The Malawian High Commission can also advise on other types of entry requirement, and the procedure for longer stays.

You are not allowed to work as a volunteer, even unpaid, on a tourist visa. For details on entry requirements as a volunteer, contact the Malawian High Commission in London for advice.

Passport validity

Passports should be valid for at least 6 months from the proposed date of entry.

Departure tax

Since July 2008 Malawi airport departure tax has been collected in the price of the air ticket and you are not required to pay it on departure.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country and/or before permitting the children to leave the country.

For further information on Malawi's immigration requirements please contact the Malawian High Commission in London.

Health

Healthcare standards, particularly in the rural areas of Malawi, are generally poor.

Malaria and rabies are common to Malawi. Bilharzia can be contracted in many lake shore areas and rivers. Kasungu National Park is home to tsetse flies carrying sleeping sickness. Outbreaks of gastric intestinal infections and cholera are also common, especially during the rainy season (December to March).

Tap water may not be safe to drink, especially in rural areas. You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Malawi you should seek immediate medical attention.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 840,000 adults aged 15 or over in Malawi were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 11.9% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Malawi and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

General

Insurance

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling, covering medical evacuation. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas, this is how we can help.

Registration

You should register with the British High Commission Consular Section in Lilongwe on line at UK in Malawi if you intend to stay in Malawi for more than a few days. If you have any queries you can email LilongweConsular/Passport@fco.gov.uk.

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

More information about registering with LOCATE.

Money

Credit cards are not widely accepted in Malawi. Travellers cheques' or cash are advised as means of exchange. Money can be changed at the airport, banks or commercial bureaux de change. Holders of UK visa cards are able to withdraw funds from ATMs but there are very few machines, even in tourist locations.

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Contacts

Malawi, Lilongwe, British High Commission

Address:

British High Commission
PO Box 30042
Lilongwe 3

Telephone:

(265) (1) 772 400
(265) (1) 772 683
(265) (1) 772 701
(265) (1) 772 182
(265) (1) 772 027
(265) (1) 772 123

Fax:

(265) (1) 772 657

Email: bhclilongwe@fco.gov.uk

Office hours:

GMT:
Mon-Thurs: 0530-1000 / 1130-1430
Fri: 0530-1030

Local Time:
Mon-Thurs: 0730-1200 / 1330-1630
Fri: 0730-1230

Out of hours, High Commission answer machine gives a contact number

Website: http://ukinmalawi.fco.gov.uk/en/

LOCATE: Register with us

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