Malawi Travel Guide

Malawi is one of Africa's hidden secrets, offering a true African experience at a relatively affordable cost. Culturally, its people are also amongst the friendliest on the continent, earning the country the appellation of the 'Warm Heart of Africa'.

Highlights
- The country is dominated by one of the Great Lakes of Africa, namely Lake Malawi. It is a haven for boat activities and water sports, as well as having some of the best freshwater diving sites in the world.

- Likoma Island, along with its sister Chisumulu Island, is in the Mozambican territorial waters of Lake Malawi/Nyasa. Both Likoma Island and Chisumulu belong to Malawi and offer great sea life and a backdoor to Mozambique.

- Liwonde National Park - 550 km² of unspoiled jungle on the east bank of the Shire River at the southern end of the Lake. It is is in one of the hottest, most humid areas of Malawi.

- Mua Village, Mua Mission and the KuNgoni Centre of Culture and Art are a nineteenth-century Roman Catholic mission station that has spawned a museum of cultural history unsurpassed in the region.

- Nkhotakota is located on the shore of Lake Malawi and the town has several lake-side resorts catering to the foreign tourist market.
- Nyika National Park - Malawis biggest national park is located on the 1800m high Nyika Plateau.

- Monkey Bay is at the southern end of Lake Malawi and gateway to Cape Maclear - a laid back fishing village on the southern end of the lake with good sandy beaches, a favorite among backpackers, boaters, and sun seekers.

Climate
Sub-tropical with rainy season November to May and dry season May to November. The hottest region is on the shores of Lake Malawi, but there is mostly a cooling breeze. It is cooler in the highlands.

The best time to visit Malawi is during the dry season from May to mid-November. From May to July the landscape is attractive and vegetation green and lush, and temperatures cooler. The months of October and November, at the end of the dry season, are the best time for wildlife viewing; however, the temperatures can be hot.

Population
13,900 000

Languages
English is one of the official languages of Malawi and is widely spoken in urban areas. The other official language is Chichewa (Nyanja), which is understood by almost all Malawians. Tumbuka is the first language for many people in the north of the country.

Capital
Lilongwe

Time
UTC+2

Electricity
230V/50Hz (UK plug)

Water
Tap water in major towns like Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Mzuzu is generally potable, although it's advisable to boil it first. Bottled water is widely available in the cities.

Communications
Cellular network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas.

Visas
Visas are not needed by citizens of Commonwealth countries, the USA and most European nations (except Switzerland). Visas are limited to 30 days, although extensions are easy to get. areas.

Money
The local currency is the Malawi kwacha (abbreviated K or MK) which is made up of 100 tambala. The currency is freely convertible, but difficult to get rid of outside the country. The best foreign currencies to carry with you are US dollars, British pounds and South African rands.

Visa and MasterCard are accepted by larger hotels, including some ATMs, but not AmEx or anything else. You’ll find a few ATMs at banks in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Karonga, Liwonde, Mzuzu, Salima and Zomba. Very few places outside main cities will accept credit cards.

Travellers cheques can be changed in banks, forex bureaus and in some high-end hotels.

Transport
Taxis are available in any city but be prepared to negotiate as quoted prices to tourists are generally two to three times the actual going rate.

Rental cars are available in cities. The main roads in Malawi are in fairly good condition and travel times between major destinations are reasonable.

Internal flights by small propeller planes are done between the three big cities of Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre. Malawi's largest international airport is in Lilongwe, although there are also some flights from Blantyre to regional destinations. Most travelers connect via Johannesburg (South Africa) or Nairobi (Kenya).

Traveling by boat is the most enjoyable mode of getting around in Malawi. The Ilala ferry runs north from Monkey Bay to Chilumba and back southbound on the same route. The Ilala connects Likoma Island twice a week with the mainland as well as the much closer Cobuè in Mozambique.