Bermuda Resort

Only a few of the islands are big enough to support automobiles. Most transportation in the Maldives is by boat or seaplane (air taxi). The Maldives has good safety standards for land, sea, and air travel. Roads in Male and on the airport island are brick and generally well maintained. Dirt roads on resort islands are well kept by the resorts. Transportation on the small island on which the capital, Male, is situated is either by foot or by readily-available taxis. Transportation between the airport and Male, as well as to nearby resort islands, is by motorized water taxi and speedboat. Several local companies provide seaplane and helicopter service to outlying islands. Air taxis stop flying one hour before sunset, and several resorts do not transport passengers by boat between the airport and the resort island lat ... [Read More]

Tips for Travelers to the Caribbean

May 1997 Foreword Since colonial times, the Caribbean has been a favorite place for American visitors. In the past 50 years, tourism to the area has increased greatly, and today millions of U.S. citizens visit the islands every year. The majority of these visitors have a safe trip. To help you have a similar experience, the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs has prepared these tips for you. Consular Affairs provides services to Americans ... [Read More]

Malawi

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:  Malawi is a developing African nation.  Tourist facilities in major cities and in resort areas are steadily improving, but remain limited.  Aging infrastructure and lack of investment have rendered electricity, water supply, and telecommunications unreliable in rural areas.  Credit cards are not commonly accepted outside of major cities, and ATMs in Malawi do not accept international ATM cards.  Dress codes against short skirts on women and long hair on men no longer exist, but travelers may wish to dress modestly, especially when visiting remote areas.  Read the Department of State Background Notes on Malawi for additional information. ... [Read More]

Tunisia

The workweek is Monday to Friday, with government offices open on Saturday mornings.  Most stores are closed on Sunday, except in resort areas where many remain open. ...

Driving in Tunisia can be dangerous.  It is recommended that visitors avoid driving after dark outside of Tunis or the major resort areas.  Driving practices are poor.  Drivers fail to obey the rules of the road even with the presence of the police.  Traffic signs and signals are often ignored, and sometimes vehicles drive on the wrong side of the road.  Faster drivers tend to drive on the left while slower drivers stay to the right.  Traffic lanes are widely ignored.  Bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles are operated without sufficient lights or reflectors, making them difficult to see darting in and out of traffic. Pedestrians cause additional problems, by dodging traffic and not paying attention to vehicles.  Defensive driving is a must when driving in Tunisia.  Drivers m ... [Read More]

St. Kitts & Nevis

CRIME: There has been an increasing number of crimes against U.S. citizens in St. Kitts, including armed robbery, break-ins, sexual assault and burglary. In late 2004, nine Americans were robbed at gunpoint in four separate incidents a few days apart. While less crime is reported in Nevis, break-ins and burglary have affected American citizens there as well. Although many of the major resort hotels provide additional security, U.S. citizens should exercise caution outside these areas. Valuables left unattended in public places are vulnerable to theft. ... [Read More]

Swaziland

CRIME:  Violent crime is a concern and is the most significant threat to American citizens visiting or working in Swaziland.  Incidents of petty crime and occasionally violent crime are most prevalent in Mbabane, the capital city, and Manzini, Swaziland’s urban industrial center.  Crime also affects most other urban and rural areas.  Criminals will resort to force if necessary, including deadly force, in order to accomplish their goal.  Gangs are not deterred by confrontations with their intended victims.  As with other crimes, car-jackings are not uncommon and can be violent if victims do not immediately cooperate. ... [Read More]

Costa Rica

Americans should avoid areas with high concentrations of bars and nightclubs, especially at night, and should also steer clear of deserted properties or undeveloped land.  For safety reasons, the Embassy does not place its official visitors in hotels in the city center, but instead puts them at the larger hotels in the outlying suburbs.  Americans should walk or exercise with a companion, and should bear in mind that crowded tourist attractions and resort areas popular with foreign tourists are also common venues for criminal activities. Travelers should avoid responding in kind to verbal harassment, and should avoid carrying large amounts of cash, jewelry or expensive photographic equipment. ... [Read More]

Somalia

Cross-border violence occurs periodically.  The area near Somalia’s border with Kenya has been the site of a number of incidents of violent criminal activity, including kidnappings.  Armed bandits targeting U.S. citizens once attacked a resort in Kenya’s Lamu district near the Somali border.  U.S. citizens who decide to visit the area should be aware that they could encounter such criminal activity. ... [Read More]

The Caribbean

The BahamasI. SummaryThe Bahamas is a major transit country for U.S.-bound cocaine and marijuana from South America and the Caribbean. The Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas (GCOB) cooperates with the United States Government (USG) to interdict drugs in Bahamian territory, reduce drug demand, combat exploitation of the offshore financial sector by money launderers and other financial criminals, and enhance the ability of the Bahamian judicial system to prosecute and convict drug traffickers and money launderers.During 2000, The Bahamas continued its active participation in Operation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (OPBAT), a three-nation interdiction effort against air and maritime drug smuggling. Total GCOB cocaine seizures were 47 percen ... [Read More]

Uruguay

CRIME: In the capital city of Montevideo, petty street crimes, such as pick pocketing, purse snatching, confrontational robberies, and thefts from unsecured automobiles, occur daily. Such crimes are usually non-violent, but the potential for violence exists if perpetrators are armed and victims resist. Potential thieves roam at all hours seeking “targets of opportunity” in the downtown areas of Montevideo such as Ciudad Vieja, Avenida 18 de Julio, Plaza Independencia, and the vicinity around the port. Visitors should avoid walking in those areas and use taxis when possible, especially at night. Victims are usually foreign tourists, individuals openly carrying valuable items, and motorists in unlocked vehicles stopped at busy intersections, particularly on Montevideo's riverfront road kn ... [Read More]