Safety Tips in Sierra Leone

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Lumley Beach in Freetown is very beautiful. It has many good beach bars along its 5km length. During the day it is a great place to be. At night I would suggest you don't venture outside of the beach bars. During my time in Sierra Leone there were many tourists accosted and robbed on the beach. Sometimes they had been lured by local females to isolated spots on the promise of something else.

Trust your instincts and err on the side of caution.

Cecil J. WILLIAMS (Mr)
General Manager
National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone
Room 100, Cape Sierra Hotel, Aberdeen
P.O.Box 1435
FREETOWN/Sierra Leone
Tel: (232-22) 275 520
Fax: (232-22) 272 197-272 977
E-mail: ntbinfo@sierratel.sl
Language of communication:English

2. NATIONAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER(S)

Police (general): 999, 22 30 00/1/2
Health emergency: (Ambulance) 232-22- 22 20 01
Fire emergency: 019/222 000/9

4. TOURIST POLICE
Tourist Information Office
Police Post
Lumley Beach
c/o National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone
Room 100 Cape Sierra Hotel
Aberdeen
P.O.Box 1435
FREETOWN/Sierra Leone
Tel: (232-22) 272 520
Fax: (232-22) 272 197-272 977
E-mail: ntbinfo@sierratel.sl

Once upon a time there was a diamond shaped country called Sierra Leone in West Africa. It was a very beautiful country. The people were very friendly. It was a very pleasant place to visit, with a lot to see and do.
Not anymore. Like everything else Sierra Leone's nascent tourist industry collapsed following the start of the civil war. Several of her cities and towns have been all but destroyed. Many tourist facilities have been forced to close, and others have been damaged by fighting. Almost all tourist operators have pulled out. However with the recent signing of the peace accord, conditions can only get better. Travelers should still make sure they check with their embassies and recent news reports before making the trip to avoid getting caught up in any adverses social disturbances.

Sometimes bottled water is not from the factory. Check the top and the seal. If anything is missing or damaged who knows what you are drinking. If the phone in the Airport was not working then think to yourself where else would it be working. Don't expect just because it's an International airport that the toliets will work. Take luggage that closes tightly because you just never know what may be lurking in the bottom. When we moved one guys bed there was a scorpion under it.

Black fever. call Internation sos and get out if you get sick in Freetown.

Petty crime and theft of wallets and passports are common. Requests for payments at military roadblocks are common. Robberies and burglaries of residences are frequent.

Guard against Malaria/Mosquito Bites.
Pickpockets
Keep together in small groups.
Avoid Nice ladies of the night-even though most look like Whitney Houston or better!

Very dangerous political situation now. Check the daily news information