TRAVEL
TIPS
| Driving |
TBA |
| Currency |
(XOF)
Africaine Franc |
| Electrical |
220 Volts |
| Telephones |
Country
Code 223 |
Climate
and clothing:
Summer
clothing is suitable for Bamako. Wash-and-wear clothing and sturdy
shoes are recommended. Hats and sunglasses should be worn outdoors
to protect against over-exposure to the sun.
Telecommunications:
Long-distance telephone and telegraphic service is limited.
Public-use telephone, telex, and FAX facilities are available.
Mali is on Greenwich Mean Time, 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard
Time.
Money and Banking:
Banks are open from 7:30-11:30 A.M. and from 1:15-3:30 P.M. Monday
through Thursday and from 7:30- 12:00 noon on Fridays. Personal
checks and credit cards cannot be used for banking transactions,
though the major hotels in Bamako do accept credit cards for payment
of hotel bills.
Transportation:
Privately owned automobiles are the principal means of transportation
in Bamako for Americans. Bus service within Bamako and to the
suburbs was started in 1992. Taxis are also readily available,
and vehicles (with drivers) may be chartered for long trips. Roads
between major cities in Mali are paved. Bamako is serviced by
international flights from Paris, Brussels, and from New York
via Dakar. One private airline (Malitas) offers regularly-scheduled
internal flights.
