Liberia

Understand

Liberia is a country with historical ties to the United States since it was founded by freed black slaves before the Underground Railroad, American Civil War era of the nineteenth century. The capital, Monrovia, was named after James Monroe. Liberia's flag closely resembles the American flag, reflecting the historical ties between the two countries.

Get in

thumb|375px|A map showing the visa requirements of Liberia, with countries in dark blue having visa-free access

See

thumb|300px|Downtown Monrovia

'Blo Degbo' Human face rock in Paynesville, near Monrovia (Note: this is not a developed tourist destination, so make sure it is a safe place to visit) Rain forests are usually found in remote areas, most are unique and have many attractive features, but on the other hand some are risky because of their wildlife.

There are plenty of beaches around Monrovia. Out towards the airport after ELWA junction is ELWA beach. Set inside a compound there is a marked safe swimming area, a clean beach and plenty of families at the weekends, though without facilities. Further on is Thinkers (pronounced Tinkers) with a food and drinks service, though the waves are a bit rough here, and it is not safe to walk up or down the beach too far. CE CE beach out the other way, over the bridge out to Hotel Africa is very well set up with palm umbrellas, drinks service and a buffet, and a well protected swimming area.

For an interesting day trip, Robertsport offers a glimpse of Liberia's cultural history as well as clean, beautiful beaches. A group of South Africans has set up a tent camp for those wishing to spend the night on the beach and the UN also offers accommodations on a first-come basis. Beware the strong tides.

The city of Buchanan, a several hour car ride from Monrovia, also offers sublime beaches and a selection of restaurants and guest houses.

Do

Liberia has several nightclubs. While places like Deja Vu cater to a largely expat crowd, explore places more popular with locals. 146 on Carey Street features Liberian music, freestyle sessions, and live performances from Liberia's most popular musicians.

Eat

Eating Liberian food can be enjoyable and inexpensive. Liberian meals like palm butter, cassava leaf, potato greens, chock rice, and jollof's rice will barely leave a dent in your budget (US$2-3 with a non-alcoholic drink). Portions are usually enormous. Another popular local dish is fufu (fermented dough made from the cassava plant) and soup (the most common are goat soup and pepper soup). And for those who like to eat on the go, fruit and snacks can be bought from street vendors throughout Monrovia. Peanuts, fried plantain chips, roasted ears of corn or plantains, bananas, mangos, and other fruits cost L$5-20 (or US$0.10-0.30). Especially delicious are the various breads sold freshly baked in the morning. Some breads resemble banana bread, other breads are more like corn bread. All are delicious although somewhat oily.

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…