Libya Travel Guide

As a Libyan tourism company we must provide enough information about travel in Libya and about Libya's vast resources and endless tourist sites. Therefore we have created this Libya travel guide to clarify some important issues regarding travelling in Libya, which are rarely addressed by tour operators or tourist companies, and which we have found to be a source of confusion and disappointment to tourists when they arrive in Libya. We strongly recommend reading the following points and travel recommendations before making any decisions regarding   your visit to Libya, and if you are still in doubt of anything, please do not hesitate to contact us for further information. We will be more than happy to provide you with all the information we have to the best of our knowledge.

Visa Authorisation Number:

A recent law, which came into effect on June 2009, stated that Libyan travel operators must apply for a Visa Authorisation Number to the immigration department in Libya, which will then be telexed to the specified Libyan embassy. The visitor then needs to visit the embassy to complete the visa process and collect the actual stamp. However, according to another new law, came into effect on the 2nd of August 2009, faxing the visa authorisation number to the embassy has been replaced by the old "visa approval", usually used to obtain a visa on arrival, either at the airport or the land border. Please check our visa and news pages for the latest update.

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How Long It Takes To Get The Libyan Visa?

Usually ten working days from the day we receive your passport's bio page and your details. If you send us your documents in the morning, then ten days later we can meet you at the border or airport with the Libyan visa approval, which we will use to issue you with the visa stamp.

Getting To Libya:

Generally speaking most Libya's visitors arrive via Tripoli International Airport (TIP), located about 16 miles from the city centre; Ras Jdayr (or Ajdir) land border with Tunisia; and Emsaad land border with Egypt. Currently there are no trains in Libya. Libya's land borders with Algeria, Niger, Chad and Sudan are often closed to non-Africans. International ferries from Izmir (Turkey), Tangier (Morocco) and Valetta (Malta) do serve the port of Tripoli, but services are unpredictable and infrequent. Most European travellers however arrive from either Marseille (France) or Genoa (Italy) to the port of Tunis in Tunisia, and then drive to Ras Jdayr overland. This is a very popular route for overlanders who come from Europe in their way to Egypt and the Middle East or all the way down to Cape Town in South Africa - if they can get through difficult Sudan. Independent and private travellers coming by public transport from Tunisia or Egypt need to bear in mind that Libyan tour operators are not allowed by law to use public transport for their foreign clients or visitors, and as a result private transport is always assigned together with the required escort (or guide) for those who arrive without transport.

Date of Arrival: *

It is important that you give us an accurate date of arrival during your initial enquiry or after agreeing a program with us. If you cannot, then you must provide an accurate date of arrival at least eight days before arrival. We understand that this sometimes may not be possible for overlanders as delays and unexpected events do occur. But the problem is this: when you agree an itinerary or tour with us, your name(s) and dates of arrival and departure will be sent to the tourism police who will issue us with a written document approving your tour and your route. Changing the date would thus render this document useless and therefore requires a new document, which may take up to 7 days to process, at an extra cost. This means that changing you date of arrival any time after seven days before arrival is difficult and may not be possible, because we will not have enough time to apply to the tourism police for the new approval. Most, if not all, of our visitors confirm their tours around ten days before arrival.

List of Places to Visit:

If you are designing your own tour, you cannot visit any places in Libya other than those specified during your booking or enquiry. According to Libyan law, the visa is granted to visit the sites specified before arrival. Therefore, in order to avoid disappointment, it is important that tourists specify the exact cities and sites they would like to visit before arrival. Some Libyan Tour Operators were ordered to close down by the Libyan government because they deviated from the planned route.   Please study your destinations carefully and plan your route accordingly before you send us your list of chosen sites and cities, as we cannot, and no one else can, change this. If you specify Tripolitania and Fezzan, but you change your mind after arrival and want to include Cyrenaica as well, then unfortunately you cannot. It is therefore best to include in your enquiry all the sites you would like to see.

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Travelling Alone in Libya:

Another problem we encountered is that some of our visitors wanted to travel alone in Libya. According to Libyan law, a tourist must be accompanied by a Libyan representative of the chosen tour operator, from entry to exit. This does not mean that your freedom is restricted, as you can go anywhere within your specified destinations. For example, if you say you want to visit Zuwarah, then once you are in Zuwarah you can go anywhere you like, and think of your escort (or guide) as a friend whom you can ask for directions while driving. This is one of those things that makes Libya unique, and most Libyan tour operators hope this will not be necessary in the near future when tourism establishes itself in Libya. Moreover, in groups of five or more, the Libyan Tourism Police will also join the convoy, in their own vehicle, of course.

We understand that it is not clear as to where or when you can be alone in Libya without the company of your guide, and as a result we get a number of emails about this issue, all enquiring if they can travel alone in the evening to walk around the local market or in the dark streets of the old city. Some visitors have the idea that the guide will be like their shadow.

 We hope the following points will clarify this matter and provide more light on the issue:

• Hotels: as soon as you enter your hotel you are alone. The guide will go away and leave you alone until the following morning.
  
  
• Restaurants: you are always free to enter any restaurant you choose and dine privately without the company of the guide; unless he is invited by you to join you for a meal and a chat.
  
  
• You are free to travel alone and explore any of the archaeological sites and museums without the company of the guide. The guide can and often will wait outside until you finish your tour. But most of these archaeological sites and museum have compulsory "archaeological guides" whom you need to hire; although some sites or museums may let you go in alone.
  
  
• When you are walking in the streets, exploring the cities and towns of Libya, or when you are strolling along the busy markets and shops of the capital and other towns you will be and you are allowed to walk alone, where your guide will be walking behind you by about 200 yards or so, so that he can see you ahead of him, just in case you need his assistance or you come into trouble. This way you can walk and chat privately with your partner or friend, or walk alone, while the guide's help remains a few hundred yards behind you; without feeling the presence of the guide. We think this is an important point often not mentioned by those who write about the Libyan compulsory guides, because you have a degree of freedom to travel alone and privately and you can chat, argue and discuss matters in private.
  
  
• So contrary to what has been said in various TV programs and written in various forums, the above clarification allows tourists a degree of freedom, and the picture is slightly different from the one widely told. The guide is there to protect you as well as help you find your way around in a country where all signs and street names are in Arabic and where people mostly do not speak any foreign language. But on the other hand he can sometimes function as if he is not visibly there.

Vehicles:

If your are coming by car, motorbike, or lorry, then please read the following. In addition to the new flat payment introduced recently in Libya, motorists have to pay: insurance (between 10 and 20 Libyan Dinars, which covers between two and four weeks); license plate (about 114 Libyan Dinars, of which 100 dinars are refundable when you leave the country); and Carnet de Passage (Passages): (which is free if you have International Carnet de Passages en Douane).

What is International Carnet de Passages en Douane?
It is a document usually issued by a motoring organisation (for example, RAC in the UK) to allow temporary importation of a vehicle into certain countries without having to pay customs duties and taxes. These countries include: Africa, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Far East and (recommended for) South America. If you do not have this carnet, then you need to pay vehicle importation taxes ( click here for our guide to these costs in Libya). The carnet has another function: if the vehicle fails to be re-exported out of the country, then the issuing club will be responsible for paying the required duties; and therefore, as a security the issuing organisation normally require a cash deposit or a bank guarantee based on the value of your vehicle. If you are crossing Libya from Tunisia to Egypt, then we think you must have an International Carnet because in Egypt the duty is a staggering 800%.

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Buying Petrol In Tunisia:

If you are coming into Libya via Tunisia, then please be warned of Petrol mixed with water: do not buy cheap petrol from sellers by the side of the road in Tunisia: this petrol is illegally smuggled from Libya and sold in the Tunisian black market after it has been mixed with water (to make more profit). We know of several cases where some of our visitors had phoned us saying they will not make it to the border as agreed because their vehicles broke down, and we know of so many cases in Libya where cars are damaged because people initially did not know it was not pure petrol that they were buying while they were in Tunisia. Don't even think about it, if you want our advice.

Tourism Police:

Libyan Tourism Police: for groups of five or more visitors, one also needs to add the cost of the Tourism Police, who must, by law, accompany the group. The tourist officer will accompany the group in his own vehicle (with the guide). The cost is included in the price of the tour and therefore you do not have to pay any extra money for this service. However, the included cost of this service varies according to the number of individuals in the group and hence we need to know the number of visitors before we can price our tours. For groups of between 5 and 10, the law requires one tourist officer to accompany the group. Twenty visitors need two officers; thirty need three; and so on. If your group is larger than fifty, then please contact us for further details. This service is not required for groups of four or less.

In groups of five or more people (where tourism police permits are needed), the date of arrival must be determined before we apply for the visa, because the Tourism Police will be appointed by the authorities and not by us from the date of the permit and thus officially he is employed from that date. This means that we have to pay him his wages for those days if you do not arrive by the specified date, and that this amount needs to be paid by you if you do not turn up on the specified date.

Desert Expert:

It is not only not recommended to drive into the heart of the Sahara without a desert expert, but also Libyan law requires all tour operators to appoint a desert expert for every group of tourists entering the regions of al-Hamadah al-Hamrah, the Awbari Lakes, Acacus, Waw an-Namus, Waw al-Kabeer and other similar desert areas. Tourists and travellers need to appreciate that the law also requires two 4WD desert vehicles to be part of the convoy in tours to some of these desert sites.

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Tour Guide Versus Tour Escort

This representative, who must accompany you, is always referred to as "guide" by all tour operators, when the correct word to use is in fact "an escort" or "companion", which is مرافق in Arabic, literally translates as "accompanier" (he who accompanies you). These "companions" are not necessarily experts in tourism and most of them have no professional qualifications as guides. They are employees of the tour operator or the travel agent who must accompany their visitors during their tour or stay in Libya. Some visitors confuse these companions with proper qualified archaeological guides, and express dissatisfaction when they arrive in Libya and realise that their official escort knows nothing about Leptis Magna or Mori's mummy. Therefore if you need a qualified archaeological or museum guide, then you need to specify this clearly in your enquiry form. Most museums and archaeological sites have guides whom tourists can, and most often must, hire. But even then these guides may not impress you as other guides might do in other countries where tourism is an established business. Please bear in mind that Libya was a closed country for a long time and it is only recently that her doors were conditionally opened to the outside world.

Libyan law requires all tour guides to be of Libyan origin and therefore all foreign guides coming with a group or tourists must arrive as tourists with the rest of the group - although there is no law in Libya to stop them from talking to their friends about Zeus' toes or the Gorgon's head in Leptis Magna.

Passport Translation

Latest update: visa translation in no longer needed (2010)

A recent Libyan Law (passed on the 11th of November 2007) requires all visitors to have an Arabic transcript of their passport’s details page printed in their passports. This is the bio data page which contains biographical information about the passport holder. If you live in the UK, the Identity & Passport Service (IPS) can add a stamp providing blank fields in Arabic that will need to be completed in Arabic. Visitors should contact the Libyan Embassy to enquire about acceptable (or approved) translation service providers for the inclusion of the passport holder’s bio details within these blank fields. Please remember that, as far as we know, only embassy approved translators are acceptable. The approved translation in the UK, for instance, costs about £30 via the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, while unapproved translation normally costs about the same. Please bear in mind that hundreds of tourists were refused entry to Libya despite having Libyan visa, because their passports did not carry an Arabic translation:
full article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7092589.stm.)

Passport Validity: the passport must be valid for at least six months when you leave Libya, which means that if you intend to stay two months in Libya, then your passport must be valid for at least eight months when you arrive in Libya.

Please see our passport Arabic translation page for examples and links to approved translators.

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Passport Registration

All tourists and visitors have to register their passports with the Libyan police no later than one week after   arrival. Your Libyan tour operator or travel agency will automatically arrange this for you. The fee for this service is normally about €10 (10 Euro). If your operator or agent fails to do this for you, you might be fined upon departure, an amount which can vary depending on circumstances. If you, some how, succeeded in travelling alone in Libya, then you must remember to register as soon as you enter the country.

Israeli Visa In Your Passport

You must make sure you do not have an Israeli stamp in your passport, including those obtained at the Egyptian-Israeli and Jordanian borders. If you do have one, then you need to obtain a new passport, in order to visit Libya.

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Prohibited Items

The following products and items are only a selection from a long list of items not allowed to be imported into Libya, and therefore visitors are advised to check that they have none of these items in their possession when entering the country. This list does not list all the prohibited items and it changes according to regulations. If you are in doubt regarding other items that are not mentioned here, please contact the Libyan embassy for their latest list of prohibited items. The list includes: products manufactured in Israel, alcohol & alcoholic products, drugs, pork & pork products, preserved meat, food (including tinned food) prepared with preserved meats and animal fats (which may contain pork products), poultry, obscene literature, toy guns and animal furs. The import of dogs and cats requires veterinary health certificate and a rabies inoculation card. 

Respectful Travel

• Use common sense.
• Avoid kissing in public.
• Never talk about politics.
• Always remain calm in difficult situations.
• Always respect other's religious practices.
• Always kindly ask permission before taking photographs.
• Never point the soles of your shoes directly at other people.
• If invited to a house, please do leave your shoes outside (or do what everyone else does)
• Avoid smoking in people's homes, unless they are smoking.
• Always use your right hand when offering or receiving things, eating or shaking hands.
• Always dress modestly: (you can wear swim suit away from traditional families' beaches).
• Avoid refusing offers of food or drink, if you can.
• Do not eat in public in Ramadan (the fasting month).

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American Nationals

Please see our page about Libyan visa for US citizens for more on this issue.

Journalists

We have recently attempted to secure visa for two journalists, but unfortunately we have been informed by the immigration authorities in Libya that Libyan tour operators are not allowed to issue visas for journalists, and that if journalists want to visit Libya, then they need to secure an entry visa directly from the Libyan embassy in their country of residence. It is then up to the embassy to grant or refuse the visa. However, as pointed out by Reporters Without Borders, foreign journalists can now get a visa more easily than before and that the department of relations with the foreign press claimed to have issued between 1000 and 1500 visas in 2005. Visiting journalists need a permit, obtained from the information ministry’s foreign media department. Even with a visa at   hand you must have confirmation from Libya that your visit is expected, and, once inside, do not interview any official unless you have a prior authorisation from the department of relations with the foreign press.

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Money

The Libyan financial infrastructure is still under development and has a lot to learn and do. According to Libyan law you must not leave Libya with more money in your possession than the money you had when you first arrived. Visitors must also be in possession of a minimum amount of foreign currency equivalent to US$1000 (as of the new law of 2/8/2009) when they enter Libya. According to the website of the Libyan embassy in the USA, the following are exempt from providing the above sum:

1. Tourists arriving as part of a group via a tour operator where their living expenses are included in the package.
2. Visitors on official mission (mission visa).
3. Holders of student visa with expenses paid for by the Libyan government.
4. Visitors planning to join a resident of Libya providing that the resident guarantees to cover all the expenses including medical costs if necessary.

Banks, ATMs, Travellers Cheques & Exchange Bureaus:

Not all banks in Libya offer money exchange services. If you want to make sure you always have cash on you, then you need to change enough money while you are still in a large town or city. Exchange bureaus are also available in some areas; your guide should be able to tell you the nearest one to you. Generally speaking, cash is normally used by most tourists.

Not many businesses accept credit cards in Libya, and ATMs are mostly found in the capital Tripoli, Benghazi, the main international airports, as well as in some cities like Zuwarah, Cyrene, Sert and Musratha. Whether they will be always working or not, is a different matter. Please visit our Money & Currencies webpage for a list of ATM machines.

Travellers cheques cannot be widely cashed, and if you do find a bank that accepts them then you need to produce the document given to you by your bank when you purchased the cheques, showing your name and the serial numbers of the cheques.

Western Union shops are located inside the branches of Libya's Bank of Commerce and Development, and therefore will not be available after closing hours (around 3 pm).

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Libyan Fake Money:

If you want to buy Libyan money, why then cannot you wait until you reach Libya? You do not need it in Tunisia, so why buy it in Tunisia? Well, like they say: if it is to good to be true, then . . . Beware of fake money, and take our advice: buy your Libyan money inside Libya from a Libyan bank.

Prices

For a full list and an up to date prices, please see our guide to prices in Libya .

Hidden Charges:

Sometimes some of our clients write back to us, after agreeing an itinerary and a price with us, enquiring if they need to pay for the guide's hotels and food during the tour. We usually reply saying: at Temehu.com we have no hidden charges, and that the price you agree with us is the price to pay after arrival. A quick research revealed the roots of this concern: some operators do actually require their visitors to pay more for the guide despite the fact that they have already agreed a full price with the client. We can assure our visitors that Temehu does not approve of nor has any hidden charges whatsoever. Our agreed prices include a list of the included services.

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Tips:

Like the majority of Libyans, we believe tipping is an insult. Please do not offer any tips to our employees and guides. You have paid for your holiday and we are very grateful for that. The practice is rife in Egypt and Tunisia and in many other countries, but most visitors do not know that Libya is unique in this respect. To make this low practice sound decent, they call it: gratuity - as if getting paid for a job is not good enough for being grateful.

Bargaining:

Unlike Egypt, Tunisia or Morocco, Libya remained free of "bargaining practice", where sellers have two sets of prices: one for local people and another price for foreigners. The reason for this is probably the fact that Libya was also free of tourism. But as tourism began to slowly establish itself in Libya, the practice started to find its way into some of the southern desert sites, like Acacus and the Lakes, where the sellers are mostly non-Libyan dealers coming from Chad, Niger, Mali and other African countries. In other parts of Libya, like Tripoli and all the main towns and cities, most Libyans (if not all) still charge one price for all. Let us hope it stays that way.

Gadgets

GPS systems, gadgets and satellite phones are allowed into Libya, and therefore there will be no problem bringing them into the country. Satellite phones normally work in Libya and there will be no problem bringing one with you. It is possible to hire a satellite mobile phone in Libya; just let us know if you need this arranged before you arrive. In fact GPS systems may become a requirement, by law, for tour operators to have, especially in the desert regions where one might get lost, though unlikely these days.

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Travel Insurance:

Health care in Libya is not as advanced as in western Europe and therefore medical services should not be expected to be of the same standard. It is important to have a comprehensive travel and medical insurance, and you should check your policy for any exclusions and for all the activities you want to undertake. Some activities like rallying, quad biking or diving are not automatically included. Insured travellers need to confirm with their insurers prior to departure whether payment will be made to the foreign clinics by the insurer, or the traveller will be reimbursed after returning to the country of origin.

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Ramadan

The Islamic month of   Ramadan is the month of fasting from sunrise to sunset. Tourists of other faiths are not expected to follow this, of course, but it would be better for all if they do not   eat, drink or smoke in public. Many businesses and many services will be either closed, or will run at a much slower pace, making travel during this period a different kind of experience. Eating in public can lead to problems and unnecessary confrontation and we strongly advice all our visitors to avoid it. Your guide will be with you to remind you, if you visit Libya during this month.

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Terrorism

Libya is the only country in North Africa where terrorists do not, practically, exist. Muslim fundamentals have no voice whatsoever in Libya. Not a single terror-incident has been recorded in Libya. The Libyan government has only one way to deal with these People. In a report published by the insurance broker Aon, Libya and Greenland were the world ’ s safest destinations in 2004.   The Libyan Government’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism was rescinded on the 30th of June 2006.

In your travels across the Sahara desert you will be accompanied by the Libyan Tourism Police, in their own vehicle, of course, to make sure of your safety and well being. However, travellers are advised to avoid areas bordering Chad and Sudan, as these areas are difficult to fully patrol owing to their harsh terrain and size. Your tour operator will make sure this does not happen, and there are no tourist sites along these points. Check this British Foreign & Commonwealth Office web site for regular updates, warnings and news about terrorism abroad.

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Politics

Do not discuss Libyan politics and stay away from any military sites. Do not take photos of border points or any military installations. Do not even use your camera close to any military or official site. Leave politics alone and do not get involved with political gatherings or demonstrators, and always avoid areas where oil extraction is taking place.  If you can, and if you have the time, you should be alert to developments in the Middle East while travelling, as some events can easily trigger public unrest across the Middle East, but rarely in North Africa. Never mention " journalists " ; if you are one, never say so to anyone.

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Crime

Care while travelling must be taken wherever you are. Crime, and poverty-and-drug-related crimes, are a growing problem worldwide and Libya is no exception. But, generally speaking, conditions in Libya are much better than most countries and one should feel and be safe, given basic precautions were taken. Insurance. Do not leave valuable items in your car or van, and if you do , do not leave them easily visible. Do not leave your purse laying around on the beach unattended while swimming. Do not leave important and valuable things in your hotel room, no matter how expensive the hotel is. Secure your wallet and never put it in your back pocket, as pick pocketing in busy markets and crowded public transport is becoming more frequent.

Passport loss should be reported immediately to the Libyan police; do not leave it " for later " no matter what the circumstances are (your tour operator can take care of this once they know). According to the Libyan Tourist Board, most of the 16,000 UK visits in 2006 were trouble-free, and that the main type of incidents encountered by the British in 2007 was replacing lost or stolen passports. You are warned to keep your passport safe with you at all times and never leave it in your hotel room,   in your tour operator's car, or anywhere else.

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Alcohol, Dress & Code of Conduct

It is forbidden to possess, drink or traffic in alcohol in Libya. Please make sure you have no alcoholic drinks in your possession, and preferably do not drink before entering Libya. If alcoholic drinks were found in your possession at the entry point, then they will be taken away, logged in, and returned to you on exit. Dressing modestly will not deprive you of your rights, but will certainly make things easier. :-)   Foreign women in Libya can wear jeans and other ordinary European clothes, and they can keep their heads uncovered, except when in religious places. Narcotics may lead to long sentences and even life imprisonment in some cases. Use your common sense and respect other people's practices whenever you can.

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Women Swimming In Libya

Western women can swim in swim-suits and in bikinis too; just avoid crowded areas and find a good secluded spot and you would be fine. This has been always the case in Libya as long as you avoid public places and family beaches. Libya's coast is vast and your guide will always be able to find a good private place for you. It is also okay in large tourist resources where the whole beach is mainly frequented by tourists and foreign visitors. There are also misconceptions regarding foreign women being hassled and whistled at by members of the public, to which we can say it is generally much safer in Libya than in many other countries for women to walk the streets without being hassled or harassed, as this kind of behaviour carries heavy legal punishment in most tourist countries, and because Libyan people do Actually respect other people. Discus your request with your guide and he will be more than pleased to facilitate your stay.

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Land Mines

Anti-personnel mines are only dangerous if you step on them, and driving over them would only harm your vehicle. Land mines in Libya are mostly found in the eastern parts of the country, like Tobruk, and even as far south as Kufra. These were left over from World War Two. The second danger zone is located by the southern borders with Chad, and between Serir Tibesti and the Rebiana Erg. Tourists are generally advised to avoid the regions bordering Chad and Sudan, not only because of land minds but also the risk of being kidnapped by terrorists coming from Chad and Sudan is always there.

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Road Hazards

In Europe driving is an advanced aspect of European society. In Libya, likewise many similar countries, driving is still way behind. The following are general guidelines a driver needs to bear in mind when driving or riding in Libya:

• Lack of total availability of road signs, and if found, they would be mostly in Arabic and therefore of no use to tourists and foreign visitors. If Libya truly needs to open its doors to international investors, then English needs to be incorporated across Libya.
• The inability of the police to enforce traffic laws across thousands of miles of roads prevents some drivers from observing basic driving regulations.
• The occasional Libyan wind-blown sand can render visibility very poor, and in many respects it is like driving in thick fog.
• Stray animals, like camels, especially at night, can be dangerous.
• The impossibility to anticipate the foolishness of some drivers, regardless of whether you are in Europe or Africa, always calls for vigilance.
• Driving to desert areas like Ghadames, at night, is also risky owing to the sudden build-up of sand mounds in the middle of the road; during the day, these can be easily spotted from a safe distance.
• Tour operators and travel companies are not allowed to drive with their visitors during night time, because rural roads lack markings and therefore it is impossible to anticipate a turn or a bend; and because rural roads are littered with holes and cracks, some of which are really dangerous even during the day, and thus always let your operator drive ahead of you.
• High speed is one of the major causes of car accidents in Libya.

Car accidents in Libya are rapidly changing the lives of many Libyans and also leading to social and psychological consequences among the great majority of the Libyan population.   Disturbing news reported recently by the Libyan Ministry of Public Security states that   "60 People Dead, 123 Seriously Injured in 263 Car Accidents in Libya in One Week " , between the 19th and the 26th of July 2008. The causes of   the accidents were said to include high speed, recluse driving, using cell phones while driving, and breaking traffic laws and regulations. These figures become more disturbing when one considers the small number of the Libyan population. So, take care, watch out, good luck:)

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Marine Hazards

Swimming in Libya is generally safe and everyone does it. But nonetheless one should know that pollution-related hazards do exist, as in most beaches around the world, caused mainly by seaport industrial activity, unauthorised dumping, and chemical plants. Oil tankers roaming the Mediterranean are also a source of black, soft, asphalt-like lumps which collect on some beaches. These are easily spotted, and the locals have accustomed to them. Jelly fish, some of which can be big, are also a source of nuisance and can be very painful.

Farwa: the Farwa peninsula, 20 km east of Tunisian border, has been proposed for cage/pen culture activities in the past, but trial mussel rearing failed in 1988; probable causes include shallow water, poor flushing times by currents, and pollution hazard potential from the nearby chemical plant of Abu-Kammash, which was reported to have developed problems with its cooling system that may have leaked mercury-contaminated water into the sea. Local natives, however, continue to swim and eat fish caught in the region, with no problems reported (or associated with Farwa).

Abu-Kammash Sabkha : extensive salt marsh straddling Libyan-Tunisian border area, rich in natural Artemia population. Artemia is a fairy shrimp of the genus of Phyllopod Crustacea, typically found in salt lakes and brines. Walking across the Sabkha is very risky, and there were several cases of people sinking to their death. So if you happened to be exploring these lakes, bear in mind that what appears to be an ordinary crusty salt on the surface may hide a blackhole beneath :o)

Sabratha - Tripoli - Musrata : stretch of coastline with relatively high rainfall and developed agriculture; alternating between low rocky areas, cliffs, and sandy beaches. Extreme environmental degradation due to quarrying between Sabratha and Janzour, and to pollution and shoreline destruction from Janzour to Tajura.

Mina Qasr Ahmed :   deep water harbour for medium size boats, 210 km east of Tripoli. Localised pollution hazards.

Benghazi: Libya's second largest city, major deep sea harbour and industrial centre. Pollution hazards.

Abu Dzira Lake Complex : a complex of small freshwater lakes located southeast of Benghazi, the largest of which is Abou Dzira, about 10 km along the main highway to al Bayda. Pollution problems and threats from sewage, rubbish, and disease outbreaks in cultured fish.

Marsa Eshoush (Echouch) : 2 km east of Tobruk police gate: excellent sheltered anchorage with several good beaches and wadi mouths; with potential pollution hazards from oil terminal.

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Diseases & Vaccinations

For full details and qualified information please consult your doctor or clinic about the necessary vaccinations needed. Anything else you read in any website must be taken for information only. However, generally speaking vaccinations against tetanus, rabies, polio, typhoid and hepatitis A and B are needed, and if you are coming from a country affected by yellow fever, then a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is required. Yellow fever is considered to be endemic in 32 African and 11 Central and South American countries. The World Health Organisation provides a list of yellow-fever-endemic countries. It is generally recommended to avoid drinking tap water; wash your hands well before eating; and avoid swimming in fresh water. Swimming in salty lakes, as those of the Sahara, is internationally considered safe.

• Hepatitis A & typhoid: from direct contact, water, ice, fruits, vegetables. Use bottled water, cook your food, avoid salads.
• Hepatitis B: from coming in direct contact with body fluids, like surgery, sexual intercourse, etc. 

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Things To Take With You To Libya (Traveller's Check List):

Desert weather is so cold during the winter that temperature drops below zero at night. Therefore we strongly recommend you take with you thermal suits or vests, woolen hat, thin wool jumpers, warm thick socks and a good sleeping bag. Wearing a number of thin layers rather than a few bulky garments can be more effective in keeping cold at bay.   The following items are recommended, but many of them are not essential. Some of the items listed are useful only for desert trips:

Solar camera and phone charger
Thermal suits (or vests)
Woolen jumper & hat
Warm insulated jacket
Gloves
Good boots
Spare boot laces
Warm socks (few pairs)
Warm sleeping bag & sleeping mat
Sunhat
Suncream
Moisturising cream
Insect repellent
Snake bite kit (click for details)
Toilet roll
Antiseptic wipes
Water purifying tablets
Paracetamol (headache tablets)
Medicine (if you taking any)
Torch
Sunglasses
Binoculars
Digital camera
MP3 player
Mobile phone
Batteries
International electrical socket adaptor
Safety pins
Sewing needle & cotton
Small rucksack
Travel guides
Maps
Notebook & pens
Next of kin details
Cash (traveller's cheques and ATMs are rarely available)
International driving licence
Air tickets
Travel insurance policy details
Passport
US$1000 (required by law for some visitors to have when they enter LIbya - see Money , above, for details). If you have booked your holiday with us, or with any other Libyan operator, then you do not need this.