How to Book Travel on Halcyon Air

Guinea-Bissau is a tiny African nation known for its exuberant Carnival celebrations and warm-hearted people. Halcyon Air offers service connecting Guinea-Bissau with Senegal.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Passport and visa
• Proof of vaccination against yellow fever

Book Travel on Halcyon Air

1. Book your tickets for travel on Halcyon Air early, via a travel agent, since seats in the carrier's tiny fleet sell out fast.

2. Halcyon Air offers flights between Bissau, Guinea-Bissau and Dakar, Senegal.

Prepare for Travel on Halcyon Air

3. Check with the U.S. State Department for the latest warnings regarding travel to Guinea-Bissau. The company's civil war has concluded, but there are still occasional bursts of violence. The State Department will be able to give you the latest news regarding Guinea-Bissau's safety climate, along with tips on how best to steer clear of harm while visiting the country.

4. Get a visa for travel to Guinea-Bissau. You may do so by contacting your home country's Guinea-Bissau embassy prior to your departure.

5. Make sure your yellow fever vaccination is current before traveling to Guinea-Bissau. You'll need to provide proof of vaccination to be allowed into the country.

Get to Know Halcyon Air

6. Halcyon Air is a very new airline; it was launched in early 2006.

7. Halcyon Air has a very small fleet, comprising just one 1 ATR 42-300.

Navigate Guinea-Bissau

8. See the old Portuguese quarter in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau's capital city. It offers lovely Mediterranean architecture and quaint, twisting roads.

9. Enjoy the wildlife at Cantanhez Natural Park. You'll get to observe the country's native birds and monkeys.

10. Get around via minibuses and "bush taxis." Many of the country's roads are quite well-maintained, so this kind of travel is a snap.

Tips & Warnings

• Halcyon Air has no English-language booking Web site or telephone number.
• Avoid venturing beyond well-traveled roads when journeying through Guinea-Bissau. Landmines--unfortunate relics of the country's civil war--have been reported in numerous locations throughout the country, including Bafata, Oio, Biombo, Quinara and Tombali regions. Many have been cleared, but rough estimates point to the existence of about 46,000 others that have yet to be removed.