Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A single room is usually more than half the price of a double or twin room, and many
of the more upmarket, full-board lodges and safari companies apply a single person sup-
plement.
Telephone & Mobile Phones
The international code for Malawi if you're dialling from abroad is 265. Telephone calls
within Malawi are inexpensive, around MK50 per minute depending on the distance, and
the network between main cities is reliable, although the lines to outlying areas are often
not working. Calls to mobiles within Malawi cost around MK70 per minute.
Mobile-phone coverage is extensive in Malawi. Mobile-phone prefixes are 0888 or
0999 and the major network is Airtel. Sim cards are readily available from street vendors
for around MK1500 and include a small amount of airtime. You can buy top-up cards
from supermarkets, internet cafes and petrol stations.
PHONE CODES
Malawi does not have area codes, but all landline numbers begin with 01, so whatever
number you dial within the country will have eight digits. Numbers starting with 7 are on
the Lilongwe exchange; those starting with 8 are in Blantyre; 5 is around Zomba; 4 is the
south; 3 is the north; and 2 is the Salima area.
Time
Malawi is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT/UTC). The country does not
have daylight saving time. When it's noon in Malawi, it's 2am in Los Angeles, 5am in
New York, 10am in London, 8pm in Sydney and 10pm in Auckland.
Toilets
There are two main types of toilet in Malawi: the Western style, with a toilet bowl and
seat; and the African style, which is a hole in the floor, over which you squat. In towns
and cities, especially in cafes, restaurants and hotels frequented by foreigners, toilets are
generally of the Western variety. Bus stations are another story!
Tourist Information
There are tourist information offices in Blantyre and Lilongwe but you're much better off
asking for advice from your hostel or hotel, or from a travel agency. Outside Malawi,
