Malawi is 'the warm heart of Africa', or 'Africa for beginners';
and its lake 'the lake of stars'. It all seems too good to be true,
but, with stunning and varied scenery and supremely friendly
locals, along with the relative ease of travel here, Malawi really
does live up to the hype. Malawi's big draw is the lake: a
magnificent shard of crystal water stretching some 500km along
Malawi's eastern border, separating it from the wild and
mountainous coast of Mozambique and Tanzania.
Flying time: Botswana - 14 hours to
Lilongwe.
Time difference: GMT +2 Hours.
Getting there: Via Nairobi with British Airways
or Virgin Atlantic with onward connections to Lilongwe with Kenya
Airways.
Currency: Malawian Kwacha
Visas: British passport holders do not require
a visa. All other nationals please check visa requirements with the
embassy.
Best time to visit: Temperatures vary from cool
in the highlands to warm around Lake Malawi. Winter (May to July)
is dry and nights can be chilly, particularly in the highlands. The
rainy season runs from November to March. Around Lake Malawi in
winter, the climate is particularly dry with pleasant cooling
breezes.
Vaccinations: For all countries, precautions
for tetanus, typhoid, diphtheria, hepatitis A and malaria are
recommended, with some regions under risk from rabies and yellow
fever - please contact your doctor for up-to-date information.