Travel in Cameroon

Time:Local time is GMT +1.
Electricity:Electrical current is 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Language:French and English are the official languages, although French is more commonly spoken and numerous other African dialects exist.
Health:Recommended vaccinations include Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever, polio, meningococcal diseases and rabies. There are regular outbreaks of cholera, particularly between December and June. HIV/AIDS is prevalent.
Customs:Law requires that everyone carries identification at all times. It is forbidden to take photographs of ports, airports, government buildings and military sites.
Safety:Occurrences of banditry and mugging are serious problems throughout the country, and car hijacking and robbery along roads has resulted in several deaths. Incidents, often armed, are common in towns and cities and visitors should be vigilant in public places. Visitors should be cautious in the area surrounding the Mount Febe Hotel in Yaoundé due to an increased risk of muggings and robberies. The Christmas holiday period always sees a significant increase in crime as the poor seek alternative methods to fund their festivities. Armed highwaymen operate in the provinces of Adamaoua, the North, and the Far North and it is advisable to travel in convoy and during daylight hours only. In Douala, incidents of rape and robbery have occurred against the European community and travellers are advised to keep all windows and doors locked, particularly at night. Valuables should be kept out of sight when in public. Petty theft is common on public transport and travellers should try and avoid travelling alone in taxis, especially at night. In the towns and cities, all large public gatherings, rallies and demonstrations should be avoided. The area bordering Nigeria near the Bakassi Peninsula should be avoided due to high tensions between the two countries, and travel to the area bordering the Central African Republic is dangerous. Travel in the Garoua Boulai-Meiganga-Yarimbang/Yatiua triangle is also dangerous and should be avoided. Visitors to Lake Chad are advised to hire a guide. The Nyos and Monoum volcanic lakes in the west of Cameroon have unexpectedly released poisonous fumes in the past, which killed many people in the 1980s, and could do so again without warning. The safety and reliability of internal flights in Cameroon cannot be vouched for.
Tipping:If service charges are not included then 10% is customary.
Communications:The international dialing code for Cameroon is +237. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0027 for South Africa). City codes are not required. International phone calls can be made from CAMTEL offices. A GSM 900 network provides cell phone coverage mainly in Yaoundé, Malabo and the southwest of the country. Internet cafes are available in the main towns.
Duty Free:Travelers to Cameroon do not have to pay duty on 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 5 packs tobacco; 1 bottle of alcohol; and 5 bottles perfume. Entry to the country with sporting guns has to be accompanied by a license.
Share