© Richard Randall

Caribbean

Sundries

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

Malawi

Malawi is a country in Africa, bordered by Mozambique to the south and east, Tanzania to the north, Zambia to the west. It is marked by Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi), the third largest lake in Africa.

Known as "The Warm Heart of Africa", Malawi is home to some of the friendliest people in the world.

Cities

• Lilongwe - the political capital of country.

• Blantyre - the economic capital of the country.

• Mzuzu - the largest town in northern, and a staging-post for transport to Tanzania.

Other destinations

• Cape Maclear

• Nkhata Bay

• Likoma Island

• Mua

• Zomba Plateau

• Kasungu National Park

• Lake Malawi National Park

• Lengwe National Park

• Liwonde National Park

• Nyika National Park

• Livingstonia

• Mount Mulanje

• Majete Wildlife Park

• Shire Valley

• Lake Chilwa

Understand

Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi on 6th July, 1964. After three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution, which took full effect the following year. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999 and 2004 electing present president Bingu wa Mutharika.

Get in

Most visitors from industrialized countries, including the United States and most European Union countries, do not require a visa for Malawi.

By plane

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). State carrier Air Malawi claims to be "Africa's Friendliest Airline", but its limited network covers only nearby countries plus Middle Eastern hub Dubai.

There is a $30 departure tax payable when you leave the country by plane. This must be paid in cash in US dollars. While it is usually possible to convert your remaining kwacha to dollars at the airport the exchange rate is poor. It is much better to put aside the money at the beginning of you trip.

By train

There are trains twice a week from Blantyre to Cuamba and Nampula in northern Mozambique, although a 77-kilometer stretch of track between the Mozambique border and Cuamba is out of commission and must be covered by truck.

By boat

A ferry runs twice a week from Likoma Island to CobuË in Mozambique.

By car

There is an excellent road from Lilongwe to Mchinji on the Zambian border (120 km).

By bus

To get into Malawi from Mozambique, in the south, one can take the bus from Tete (north-west Mozambique) to Zobwe. After crossing, take another bus from the border to Blantyre. This crossing is quite hectic, and it is closed at night, so one should plan on getting there early, and trying to keep it cool with all the border-hawkers. Direct buses run from Lusaka, Zambia to Lilongwe, but are best avoided (or done in stretches) if 18-20 hours on a bus doesn't sound like your idea of a good time.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oceania