How to Find Cheap Hotels in Sierra Leone

After a decade of civil war, Sierra Leone is struggling to recreate itself. Adventurous adult visitors will be rewarded with uncrowded surroundings as well as cheap accommodations, food and drink.

Things You'll Need

• Passport
• Computer with Internet access to make reservations

Instructions

Getting to Sierra Leone

1. Fly into Freetown International Airport in Lungi from London, Brussels or Nairobi.

2. Secure transportation across the Sierra Leone River into Freetown. Helicopters, ferries and hovercraft cross the river, but you'll have to make a choice between reliability and affordability. Helicopters are the most expensive mode but also far more reliable than rental cars and the unsafe, ill-maintained roads into Freetown.

Find Cheap Accommodations in Sierra Leone

1. Stick to the Freetown area, where cheap accommodations are abundant. Many guest rooms are available starting at $40.

2. Check out the casino hotels in the Aberdeen section of Freetown. The casino accommodations are in somewhat better condition and remain affordable, with rooms starting in the mid-$70s.

3. Be sure to ask for the amenities you require, even if they seem common-sense. This includes air conditioning and running water.

Discover the Freetown Area of Sierra Leone

1. Visit the native marketplaces in the center of Freetown to buy jewelry, baskets and carpets.

2. Learn about the history of Sierra Leone and its strong ties to the United States by visiting Bunce Island.

3. Support Sierra Leone's preservation attempts with a trip to the Tacugama Chimp Sanctuary.

4. Take a day trip to the country's white-sand beaches, only 20 miles or so from Freetown.

5. To book accommodations in Sierra Leone, call Visit Sierra Leone at 232-222-36620 or visit the link below.

Tips & Warnings

• Take United States currency in small denominations. Credit card acceptance is unreliable and subject to fraud. ATMs are generally not available and also subject to fraud. Restrictions on travelers checks make their use cumbersome.

• Get your visa early--the cost is about $100.

• Register with your embassy upon arrival and stay in touch with it.

• Ask permission before photographing natives.

• Vaccination cards are required, along with current yellow fever inoculation.

• Trip insurance and medical evacuation insurance are advised.

• Avoid entry overland through Africa, particularly Liberia.

• Shun accommodations in private residences regardless of the cost. You just can't be sure they are safe.

• Although generally safe, casino hotels are hotbeds for fraud and prostitution. Be alert.

• Confine any sightseeing to daylight hours. Choose transportation wisely and negotiate fares in advance. Do not flaunt your money.

• Don't drink the water--stick with bottled water, juice or beer.

• Photography of government buildings is illegal.

• Travel is extremely hazardous once you're outside the capital of Freetown. On the roads, beware of roadblocks; these are sometimes set up by thieves to make robbery easier.

• There is no ambulance service in Sierra Leone.