Malawi

Malawihttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/travel-safety/africa/malawiMalawihttps://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/travel-safety/africa/malawi/entry-and-internal-travel-in-malawiEverything you need to know about staying safe while traveling in Malawi, from visas to transport, this is what you need to know.2019-11-07T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/travel-safety/africa/malawi/entry-and-internal-travel-in-malawihttps://www.worldnomads.com<h2>Visas for Malawi</h2> <p>Before you go to Malawi, make sure you have a valid passport with atleast six months left before expiry from your intended exit date.</p> <p>All travelers entering Malawi must show proof of a return ticket or onward ticket with documentation for your next travel destination. You must also have sufficient funds to cover your expenses while in the country.</p> <p><a href="https://www.immigration.gov.mw/visa/countries-whose-nationals-need-visa-when-coming-to-malawi/" target="_blank" title="Immigration Malawi">Click here to find out if you are eligible for a visa on arrival, or if you need to organize your visa prior to arriving in the country</a>. If you <a href="https://evisa.gov.mw/" target="_blank" title="evisa portal">do require a visa</a>, you need to obtain one from The Embassy of the Republic of Malawi. Visa applications are usually processed within three days, but organize this early to avoid any unexpected delays.</p> <p>Travelers cannot stay in the country for longer than 30 days without prior permission. You can extend your initial 30-day permit for an additional 60 days, but you must be proactive and organize this to avoid troubles with ovestaying your visa.</p> <h2>How to get to Malawi</h2> <p>Malawi has two international airports; Kamuzu International Airport (also known as Lilongwe International Airport) serves the capital Lilongwe, and Chileka International Airport serves the former capital Blantyre.</p> <p><a href="https://www.malawian-airlines.com/" target="_blank" title="Malawi Airlines website">Malawi Airlines</a> operates regular flights between major cities like Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu, and to Club Makokola near Lake Malawi. Charter flights are available to many smaller destinations and tourist centres including Liwonde National Park and Likoma Island.</p> <p>Once in Africa, the main border crossings are to and from South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania. Convenient road access to all these countries is by car or by bus. Bus fares are incredibly cheap, but public transport is unreliable in the country.</p> <h2>How to get around Malawi safely</h2> <p>Malawi has a dense and comparatively well maintained road network. Many main roads and frequently used minor roads have been tarred, and bridges have been renewed and upgraded. Tar roads are generally in good shape and potholes are rarely found.</p> <p>Rural roads are not tarred, and are subject to poor weather conditions. In the dry season they may be corrugated and pot holed. In the wet season, they are impassable or simply washed away from heavy rain.</p> <p>Be wary of navigating using online maps while driving around Malawi – secondary or tertiary roads are often arbitrarily sketched in, and unclassified roads are generally missing. Check with locals if you're not confident the maps are correct.</p> <p>Apart from a few main road turnoffs, road signs are virtually non-existent. Those that exist are very old and often hard to spot, painted black with faded, white lettering.</p> <p>Understandably, the rural population prefer to travel by bike or walking beside livestock along the roads. This impels any thoughtful driver to slow down.</p> <p>In major cities, street lighting is common. In rural areas, it is non existent.</p> <p>The condition of rural roads, their use by pedestrian and livestock, presence of abandoned vehicles on the roadside, the non-existence of street lighting and the tendency of some drivers to travel at night without their lights on are all strong arguments to deter visitors from driving at night.</p> <p>Speed cameras have been introduced on many main roads, and drivers may be breath-tested. The blood alcohol limit is 0.08. Anyone caught speeding or exceeding the legal alcohol limit may have their license, their vehicle, or both confiscated on the spot. Penalties include fines, or imprisonment or both.</p> <p>When driving, you must carry personal identity, vehicle registration and ownership papers.</p> <p>Fuel shortages are still common throughout Malawi. Please be aware of this if you are traveling long distances between fuel stops.</p> <h3>Train travel in Malawi</h3> <p>Until privatisation in 1999, the national rail network in Malawi was run by Malawi Railways, a government corporation. Although mainly used for freight traffic, a government subsidized passenger rail service operates thrice weekly in both directions from Blantyre to Makhanga and to the border with Mozambique at Nayuchi.</p> <p>Train services are slow, overcrowded and erratic – they offer no advantages over road travel and are not commonly used by travelers.</p> <h3>Traveling by ferry on Lake Malawi</h3> <p>A number of ferries operate on Lake Malawi. MV Ilala traverses Lake Malawi from north to south and back again once a week. It provides a unique way of getting around the country, and is a cheap option for traveling to offshore islands and across to Mozambique.</p> <p>The Ilala, was built in Scotland in 1949 for Nyasaland Railways, dismantled, transported in pieces to Malawi (then Nyassaland) and rebuilt there. It started operating in 1951. It replaced the original Ilala, built in 1875 and named after the Ilala region of Zambia where David Livingstone was first buried. The ship does not meet current international requirements for passenger ships, but there are plans to build a replacement.</p> <p>Mtendere used to cruise the southern part of the lake. MV Songea sails between Mbamba Bay (Tanzania) to Nkhata Bay on Malawi's northern lakeshore.<br />While these ferries are not quite up to scratch with safety standards, they represent the cheapest mode of travel to and from the African countries that surround Lake Malawi.</p>Getty Images/Jason Grunstra / EyeEm 1735999721 Getty Images Mulanje Mountains in Malawi

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/travel-safety/africa/malawi/laws-and-local-etiquette-in-malawiFind out about Malawi's laws and customs around homosexuality, personal space, gender equality and drugs before you go.2019-10-23T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/travel-safety/africa/malawi/laws-and-local-etiquette-in-malawihttps://www.worldnomads.com<h2>Politics in Malawi</h2> <p>Since 1969, Malawi has operated under two parallel court systems; the first based on the legal system prevalent in the United Kingdom, the second based on traditional African courts. The latter were authourized by the president to try all types of criminal cases and to impose the death penalty. The president was also permitted to deny the right of appeal to the High Court against sentences passed by the traditional courts, a right formerly guaranteed by the constitution.</p> <p>The constitution provides for an independent judiciary. This important provision is respected in practice. Defendants have the right to public trial, to an attorney, to challenge evidence and witnesses, and to appeal.</p> <h2>Forget about personal space</h2> <p>In Malawi, although the sense of personal space differs from place to place based on tribal and religious influences, people tend to speak to each other at close range; an arm's length is considered appropriate.</p> <p>Personal space tends to be smaller for people of the same gender, and greater for opposite genders. It is common for men to touch each other when speaking, and also common to see two men walking hand-in-hand in public. Women do the same, too.</p> <p>This close contact is a sign of friendship or closeness, and is not an implication of their sexual preferences.</p> <h2>Homosexuality is taboo</h2> <p>Despite these open attitudes to physical closeness, homosexuality is a taboo subject in Malawi. Homosexuality is still illegal here, and in 2018 a report by Human Rights Watch discovered that members of the LGBTQ+ community could be arrested and experience discrimination. For the safety of the LGBTQ+ community in Malawi, their report recommends same-sex consensual activity should be decriminalised by the government to protect these communities.</p> <p>If you are traveling here with your partner, it's best to be discreet with public displays of affection.</p> <h2>Gender inequality in Malawi</h2> <p>Despite the pursuit of gender equality, gender inequality is a fact of life in Malawi. Women are not considered equal to men – whether in villages where they do the bulk of work in the home and fields, or in cities where they are employed or work in the home.</p> <p>In Malawi, it is considered inappropriate for women to show their knees in public. It is not acceptable for women to drink or smoke. Generally, men don't wear shorts and women don't wear trousers. Although dress is more casual in urban environments, travelers are advised to dress more formally than you might have imagined. </p> <p>A tourism brochure notes: "<em>Under the rule of Dr Banda there were numerous restrictions in place, however these days these have been relaxed. Ladies may wear trousers and men may have long hair. At the lakeshore resorts beach wear is allowed, however when visiting rural areas it is advisable to cover up so as not to cause offense. The country is fairly conservative.</em>"</p> <h2>What does this mean for travelers?</h2> <p>Here are a few etiquette tips – and important rules – for travelers to follow while visiting Malawi.</p> <ul> <li>Women traveling to Malawi should be careful how they present themselves. In the villages, women who drink and smoke and reveal their knees in public are considered prostitutes. Although most local men will make allowances based on the fact that foreign women come from a different culture, such behavior may draw unwanted attention</li> <li>Importing recreational drugs is illegal. Recreational drug use, including cannabis, is also illegal. Anyone convicted will face stiff penalties including lengthy imprisonment in local gaols. Medication may only be imported in its original packaging, accompanied by a prescription or medical certificate from your doctor</li> <li>It is illegal to import pornographic material, counterfeit items, explosives, endangered species or any product made from an endagered species – including ivory</li> <li>In many parts of the world, there are bans on photographing any building or site with security overtones. In Malawi, it's best to ask for permission before photographing public buildings or anyone in uniform</li> <li>Contrary to the advice you may find on many travel blogs, it is not illegal to photograph places of worship in Malawi</li> <li>A lot of misunderstandings date from the period of one-party rule under Malawi's first president Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda. One of Banda's official residences was State House, a historic building dating from the period of British colonial rule. During his presidency, it was closed to the public and for obvious security reasons, any form of photography in the immediate vicinity was not permitted</li> <li>It's common courtesy to <a href="/create/learn/photography/portrait-photography-etiquette" target="_blank" title="Portrait Travel Photography">ask for permission before you photograph any local people</a>. How would you feel if someone stuck a camera in your face?</li> </ul> <h3>Have you been to Malawi? Share your tips below!</h3>Getty Images/Verónica Paradinas Duro 11135115897 Getty Images Nkata Bay, Lake Malawi