Liberia

Drink

thumb|Club beer Club beer is the staple drink, served everywhere. Local gin is also available.

Bagged water is sold on most street corners. While it is supposed to be filtered and safe, it is not guaranteed to be. Stick with bottled water to be sure. You can buy bottled water at any supermarket, restaurant, or at the Total gas stations.

Sleep

Usually hotels are considered quite safe as the owners will employ guards. However, don't be complacent and make sure that you are aware of your security also in the hotels. Be prepared to pay your entire bill in cash (US dollars).

Stay safe

Do not walk around at night, and make sure that your car doors are locked when you drive around. Thieves will often reach into a car when stopped and grab whatever they can, so keep the glass up especially in busy areas of Monrovia (redlight). Rape and armed robbery are common and on the rise. Hotels, etc. have private guards and are rather safe.

There are some gangs of former combatants, armed with machetes and sometimes guns, who walk around poorer areas of Monrovia (Redlight). There are also former combatants in the Palm Grove Cemetery on Center Street. Do not walk there alone at all.

The corner of Randall and Carey is also considered dangerous and supposedly a hang-out for drug dealers.

Avoid any desolate places, and stay in groups.

Keep an eye on the locals, if they are carrying on as normal and you see plenty of women and children about, it is unlikely that there will be major sources of concern. If, however, people have disappeared from a usually busy location, or you find yourself surrounded only by youths, you should try to make a hasty retreat.

UNMIL has calmed the country (in general) but it is already now anticipated that when UNMIL leaves the security situation will be worse.

It is advisable to inform your embassy that you are in the country in case of evacuation.

Furthermore, learn as much about the security situation as you can. Locals are a key source of information. Be careful, however, not to believe everything you hear. Rumours spread like wild…

Stay healthy

thumb|The world's most famous soft drink is available here too HIV, while still low, is on the increase. Prostitution is rampant.

Typhoid, malaria, and worms are very common. In general Liberia is a hotbed for infectious diseases so disinfectants and gels are advisable (especially as handshakes are the norm).

There are few doctors usable by international visitors so getting medical help may pose problems. There is apparently a Jordanian wing at the Kennedy hospital for private patients. MSF will also see foreigners, but only in dire cases.

Bagged water is sold on most street corners. While it is supposed to be filtered and safe, it is not guaranteed to be. Stick with bottled water to be sure. You can buy bottled water at any supermarket, restaurant, or at the Total gas stations.

Liberia experienced a terrible Ebola outbreak in 2014 and 2015 but was declared completely Ebola-free. However, there has been a single case of the disease afterwards.

Respect

It is customary to always greet people wherever you go. Liberians don't take kindly to being ignored and will call you "rude". Word tends to get around quite quickly in Liberia, and the locals will often warn you of security threats if they know you and know that you are approachable.

Don't assume the worst in people; just because Liberia has a lot of social and political problems doesn't mean that every Liberian is alike. By being a bit open-minded, you'll find that almost all Liberians are friendly, sociable, and approachable.

Do not be too direct with your words; Liberians are quite sensitive to being beckoned directly. If you absolutely must discuss personal or sensitive matters, temper your words with a degree of diplomacy and respect.

Saying "no" directly to requests is considered rude, which is why Liberians may often pester you until you give in. Instead, say something along the lines of "later", "tomorrow", "I'll try", or "I'll see what I can do".

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Many Liberians live in poverty and are barely able to make ends meet. As a tourist, you may be asked by people to give money or gifts. Giving money to the elderly or the physically challenged will not go amiss, but bear in mind that you could be encouraging people (unintentionally) to be dependent on foreign visitors and this, in turn, could give people more of a reason to harass and pester tourists like you. If you really want to make a difference in the communi…