The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Guinea-Bissau
West Africa
Bijagós archipelago, nature reserves and traditions. Bissau and the coastal ecosystems of the Bijagós archipelago.
- On the map
CapitalBissau
When to goNovember to January
Suggested length8 days min.
CurrencyWest African CFA franc
LanguagesPortuguese
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Bissau · Orango · Bubaque · Archipel des Bijagos
- Best season
- November to January, from Bissau’s normals
- Length
- Allow at least 8 days for these 4 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Ideal
November
Bissau: mean maximum 33 °C, 11 mm of rain · dry and mild.
- Mean maximum
- 33 °C
- Rain
- 11 mm
- Station
- Bissau
Source: Wikipedia (climate normals)
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/guinee-bissao/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter Guinea-Bissau, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
- You must have a visa to visit Guinea-Bissau.
- To enter Guinea-Bissau, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination. For more details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Guinea-Bissau guide.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip:
- Medical facilities in Guinea-Bissau are extremely limited and hospitals are not fully operational. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
Vigilance zones published by France Diplomatie (in French) · page updated on 15 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Orange · Zone déconseillée sauf raison impérative
Zone frontalière avec le Sénégal. Elle peut être le lieu de trafics entre les deux pays et donner lieu à des tensions ou incidents sécuritaires.
En cas de déplacement indispensable amenant malgré tout à emprunter un itinéraire qui longe la frontière, il est fortement recommandé de respecter certains conseils de prudence : aucun déplacement de nuit, une…
- Yellow · Zone de vigilance renforcée
Sur l’ensemble du territoire, à l’exception de la zone frontalière avec le Sénégal, les voyageurs peuvent circuler en respectant des mesures de prudence élémentaires, compte tenu notamment de l’état dégradé des routes,…
- Pickpocketing and bag and phone snatching are relatively common in the capital city, Bissau. Where possible, keep valuables such as phones hidden when out in public. Be especially careful in remote areas where security forces have a limited presence.
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- There are severe penalties for all drug offences. Local prison conditions are harsh.
Currency
West African CFA francViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Guinea-Bissau. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 2,249,515
- Time zone
- −1 h from Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C plugs · 220 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the right
- Calling code
- +245
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Area
- 36,125 km²
- Highest point
- Monte Torin, 262 m
- Main religions
- Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- OXBOsvaldo Vieira International AirportBissau83,616 passengers · official site
- BQEBubaque Airport
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- If you are planning to drive in Guinea-Bissau, see information on driving abroad. You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Guinea-Bissau for up to 3 months.
Destinations
The essentials.
Bissau
Bissau (; Portuguese pronunciation: [biˈsaw]) is the capital and largest city of Guinea-Bissau.
Orango
Orango is one of the Bijagós Islands, located 60 kilometres (30 nautical miles) off the coast of mainland Guinea-Bissau.
Bubaque
Bubaque is one of the Bijagós Islands in Guinea-Bissau, and is also the name of its main town.
Archipel des Bijagos
The Bijagós Islands (Portuguese: Arquipélago dos Bijagós), often misspelled Bijagos in English text and formerly known in English as Bissagots (often misspelled Bissagos), are a group of about 88 islands and islets located in the Atlantic Ocean off the…
Bijagós
JoehawkinsMust-try food
Six dishes, and where to taste them.
Caldo de Mancarra
Ragoût de viande ou de poulet à la sauce d'arachide. (summary in French)
Caldo de Chabéu
Sauce à base de noix de palme, servie avec du riz. (summary in French)
Cafriela
Poulet mariné aux agrumes et aux épices, puis grillé ou mijoté. (summary in French)
Jollof Rice
Jollof (), or jollof rice, is a rice dish from Senegal, West Africa. It is typically made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, chilis, onions, spices, and sometimes other vegetables and/or meat in a single pot, although its ingredients and preparation methods vary
Peixe grelhado
Grilling is a form of cooking that involves heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above, below or from the side. Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat and vegetables quickly.
Feijoada
Feijoada is the name for varieties of bean stew with beef or pork prepared in the Portuguese-speaking world.
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Bom diagood morning
- Obrigadothank you
- Por favorplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4%.
- Languages: Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo.
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Independence Day, 24 September (1973) ; independence: 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Monte Torin, reaches 262 m.
2,249,515 inhabitants in 2025 on 36,125 km², about 62 per km².
Independence on 24 September 1973 (declared).
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
GDP per capita (current US$)1.1World Bank · 2025GDP growth5.8 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)0.9 %World Bank · 2025Unemployment (ILO estimate)2.7 %World Bank · 2025International tourist arrivals52.4World Bank · 2019
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
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Sources and verification dates · 19 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Guinea-Bissau (Q1007)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Guinea-Bissau · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Guinea-Bissau · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Guinea-Bissau · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (Portuguese)
- Wikipedia · Caldo de mancarra (pt article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Cuisine bissau-guinéenne (fr article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Jollof rice (en article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Culinária da Guiné-Bissau (pt article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Feijoada
- Wikipedia · Bissau
- Wikipedia · Orango
- Wikipedia · Bubaque
- Wikipedia · Archipel des Bijagos
- CIA World Factbook · Guinea-Bissau (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Guinée-Bissau · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 15 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Bissau · monthly normals (NOAA{{cite web) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.
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