Liberia
The information below is provided by Lonely Planet readers and is not verified by Lonely Planet. For the official lowdown, contact your nearest embassy or check out our Travel Links.
Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
A visa is necessary for all and must be obtained prior the arrival. A yellow fever vaccination must also be shown. Currency declaration is necessary if you carry in more than US$10,000 in cash. Upon arrival you are given 48 hours to register with the immigration central office at Broad Street in Monrovia. Even if you intend to stay less than that, the procedure is obligatory. You pay US$20. No photos are asked for. Departure airport tax is US$40 (in 2 amounts of US$15 and US$25).
Haralampos Bizas, Greece (Jul 03)
Travel Tips
Monrovia has no sights and even the market is not an exotic place since mainly Chinese goods are sold there. Other than walk in the streets and mingle with the people not much is offered. One interesting walk is along the bridge connecting the peninsula with the northern suburbs. Equally interesting is a walk along the Atlantic coast in the southern part of the city. The surrounding areas and the beaches look quite attractive but you really need a 4x4 and someone who knows the way to reach the shores of the lagoon and the beaches. At night there is very little light in the streets and although the Monrovians are extremely friendly and helpful people, it is unpleasant to walk in the dark streets.
Haralampos Bizas, Greece (Jul 03)
Moving About
The only functioning airport now is at the small village of Robertsfield. Upon arrival, if you travel light and you want to avoid the taxi drivers, walk left as you exit from the building for about 350m until you reach the junction of the main road. The buses and the shared taxis going left head to Monrovia. To the right they go to the villages. From here to Elwa junction where most of the traffic ends is about 50 km and you pay L$80. You then need to travel the extra 10 km to Town. There are a lot of shared taxis going to Town straight to Broad Street and you pay L$20-25. You must follow the opposite when departing. Allow at least 90 minutes if you go in 2 steps with the shared taxis.
Haralampos Bizas, Greece (Jul 03)
Yarns, Fables & Anecdotes
The Liberian capital is built on a long peninsula having the Atlantic Coast in the south and the lagoon in the north. It consists of the 'Town' (downtown) and the Sinkor district. Everything you want is in the Town. Sinkor is mainly an area of embassies, schools and colleges. Sinkor starts 3 km east of the Town and streches almost 10 km east to a place called Elwa Junction (from where the bush taxis leave to the airport). The Town has a very provincial atmosphere and cannot be compared with the charming Freetown in Sierra Leone, let alone the glamorous Abidjan. It lacks historical buildings and consists mainly of abandoned and semi-deserted multi-storey buildings (occupied by refugees) and simple one floor houses of no special architectural style. The posh place is the Pempa Point where the US embassy and the European Union diplomatic representation are located.
Haralampos Bizas, Greece (Jul 03)
^ back to top
|
