Getting There

Getting to Malawi
KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and South African Airways all fly to Lilongwe from their ‘hubs’ (for example, Amsterdam, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Johannesburg, etc.), often in conjunction with partner airlines to and from other places in Europe and North America and with stops in different African cities (usually Nairobi, Dar-es-Salaam, Lusaka, Harare or Johannesburg). Air Malawi now flies direct to Lilongwe from Gatwick Airport in the UK (using Air Zimbabwe as the carrier), and both Air Malawi and South African Airways also fly to and from Johannesburg (and other African cities) several times a week.

It is difficult to recommend a particular travel agent, although Trailfinders in the UK (visit their website to find the relevant phone number) is consistently very good, although they have no on-line booking facilities. Another travel agent worth contacting is Key Travel, who are based in the UK and specialise in arranging travel for charities. They can organise journeys starting in any country, not just from the UK. It’s important to go with whoever gives the most personal attention and makes the most effort to find the best deal. Most budget/student ticket agencies along with airlines are now accustomed to catering to ‘open-jaw’ tickets — flying into one destination and out of another. Please note that it is very important to take out good travel insurance when purchasing your airline ticket so that, if you are unable to travel to Malawi due to a medical problem, for example, you can get a refund on your ticket.

Getting to Mwaya Beach
Complete instructions, entitled Getting to Mwaya Beach, can be found on the PDFs/Videos page.

What to Bring

Laundry can be done daily at no charge if soap is provided. Therefore, only the basics are needed: a few pairs of shorts, T-shirts, a hat, lightweight long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt for mosquito protection, a fleece or jumper and socks for the evenings, and a good rain jacket and sturdy shoes for the rainy season.

While working at the school or health centre, sarongs or skirts are essential for women and long trousers advised for men. Although poverty is extreme, Malawians pride themselves on dressing nicely and have little respect for ‘slobby’ looking people (although this isn’t the case on the beach at all!). People are incredibly modest and although laws have changed regarding dress codes, traditions definitely haven’t. Apart from the beach and in cities, women are expected to cover their legs with respect for local custom. Banda’s law forbidding long hair for men has long been abandoned but, in general, having tidy and reasonably clean long hair will get you a lot further with Malawian nationals in terms of respect than any length of scraggly or dirty hair.

Toiletries are available in Malawi but should ideally be brought from home as the quality and price is unfavourable in Malawi although most things are available, including tampons. It has become somewhat of a tradition at Mwaya for previous guests, managers and volunteers to leave behind unwanted clothes and belongings for the staff and villagers at the end of their stay. These are immensely appreciated!

We suggest you consider bringing the following items with you:

All items that are not absolutely essential should be left at home. Although petty crime is rare, items such as radios, walkmans, video cameras, cell phones and laptops — even fancy underwear — seem to create unnecessary temptation in such a poor country.

Visas

Most nationalities are issued with a 30-day tourist visa upon arrival which is free. This can easily be extended for a further 60 days at the Immigration Offices in Nkhata Bay or Mzuzu. Before this extension expires, you will need to leave the country for at least 24 hours, and then you can return and start the process again, or you can apply for a temporary residents’ visa which costs about US$50 and is valid for six months.

Insurance

It is essential that you take out good travel insurance which will cover you for medical expenses (including repatriation), personal accident and your personal possessions. We recommend that you take out your insurance cover when purchasing your airline ticket so that, if you are unable to travel to Malawi (due to a medical problem, for example), you can get a refund on your ticket.

Money Exchange and Banking

It is not difficult to convert foreign currency into Malawi kwacha. However, we recommend that you take US dollars and US dollar Travellers’ Cheques. Please note that you will be required to produce the original copy of your receipt when cashing your Travellers’ Cheques at a Bank. It is also worth noting that you should not take US$ notes in $100 denominations as they will not be accepted in Africa. Together with official Forex bureaux and Banks, many tourist establishments and local ex-pats may assist with changing money. There is no ‘black market’ as such and rates are pretty standard and fair, although the exchange rates are generally better at the Forex bureaux than at the Banks.

There are ATMs in Lilongwe and Mzuzu where you can withdraw cash on your credit card. If you are staying for a longish period of time, it might be worth considering opening a bank account in Mzuzu. These are straightforward to open and offer excellent rates of interest provided the currency doesn’t devalue. Cashing cheques within Malawi from branch to branch with the same bank is a bit complicated so definitely check this out before travelling around the country and relying on money in your Mzuzu bank account. Transferring money from abroad is straightforward as long as you get the details from the bank (sort code/account number/head office details, BIC, etc.). However, charges may be deducted at both ends.

Hospitals and Medical Care

There are several different types of medical facilities in Malawi. Rural health clinics, including those at Kachere (7km south of Mwaya) and Kande (7km north of Mwaya), are about every 15-20km throughout the country. These are free of charge and services range from distributing aspirin to delivering babies. However, they are very poorly stocked, and you should not rely upon them for any medication you may need. The Government hospitals in Nkhata Bay and Chintheche are slightly more sophisticated.

For any serious problems, we recommend our volunteers are taken to Matiki hospital which is on the Illovo sugar estate at Dwangwa (about 80km south of Mwaya). This is a well equipped facility with one qualified doctor, five clinical officers, and trained nurses, and it has 40 beds. Although you will have to pay for any tests or treatments, the sums involved are nominal. Medicines are supplied at cost price plus 20%. Also, St. John’s Hospital in Mzuzu is administered by Irish nuns and staffed by resident European/American doctors, a dentist, and a psychiatrist. Some foreigners, however, prefer the expertise in tropical medicine of Dr. Mkandawire at his privately owned clinic in Mzuzu. Private rooms are available at both and costs are very reasonable. Larger hospitals with more advanced testing facilities are also located in Lilongwe and Blantyre.

It is essential that you take out travel medical insurance which will cover you for medical emergencies and repatriation. There are several good websites outlining the health risks in Malawi, two of which are the MASTA site (www.masta.org) in the UK and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) site (www.cdc.gov) in the US. You must seek medical advice from your doctor about vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis. In addition, we recommend that you take a basic First Aid course prior to travelling to Mwaya. Please note that you must have a Yellow Fever international vaccination card if you are travelling to Zambia from Malawi. This may also apply to entry into other countries in Africa.

Malaria is very prevalent along the lakeshore, and it is crucial that you have the correct malaria prophylaxis. We advise that you always sleep under a mosquito net (these are provided at Mwaya Beach), and either dress sensibly at dusk or use a good insect repellent containing at least 50% DEET. A product called "Peaceful Sleep", which is an aerosol, is widely available in Malawi.

Communications

E-mail: There is now an internet cafe at Kande Beach which has a satellite connection. There are about two or three internet cafes in Mzuzu (120km away), and there are also a number of internet cafes in Lilongwe.

Mobile (Cell) Phones: There is now full Celtel reception at Mwaya Beach, and we strongly advise our volunteers to bring a mobile (cell) phone with them. You can buy a Celtel SIMM card in most of the towns in Malawi, and top up vouchers can be purchased nearly everywhere. If you text your family and friends with your Celtel number, they will be able to phone you directly.

Telephone: There are telephones in Mzuzu and Lilongwe, but the closest telephone for you to use is at Kande Beach which is about 10km away. International calls can be made and received at telephone bureaux in Chintheche, but you must negotiate and agree on a price before you make the call. You can send and receive faxes from one of the business bureaux in Mzuzu.

Skype Phone: If you want to keep in contact with people back home, we would suggest that they phone using Skype which is VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). By using Skype Out, calls cost £0.045 per minute from the UK to a Malawi mobile (cell) phone. Alternatively, they can use cheap phone call providers like Planet Talk Instant.

Post: The postal system is erratic — letters can take between two weeks and three months. We have a PO Box at Chintheche Post Office, and volunteers or staff collect the post from here regularly.

It is important not to promise friends and family a specific date you will be in touch after arriving as there are so many factors involved — including lightning striking the phone lines! A week to two week ‘deadline’ after arriving at Mwaya is much more practical.

Travel and Holidays in Malawi and Other Neighbouring Countries

It is a good idea to travel in Africa or around Malawi before or after volunteering at Mwaya, or even during your placement when the schools are on term breaks if you are a teaching assistant volunteer (see Term Dates on the Volunteer Teachers webpage). It is also possible to leave things at Mwaya Beach and use it as a base before beginning to volunteer or at the end of your placement. As village life can become somewhat isolated and volunteering a bit demanding, it is also important to get away occasionally! Healthcare Assistants can set their own holidays, hopefully with consideration for the local staff’s obligations. Teaching Assistants should generally stick to the school holidays, with occasional pre-arranged long-weekend breaks.

Some interesting long weekend or week-long breaks include Likoma and Chizumulu islands, Usisya and Rurawe (villages north of Nkhata Bay accessible only by boat), Livingstonia, etc.

For longer breaks within Malawi or to Zambia, we recommend you contact Kiboko Safaris in Lilongwe who run good, reasonably priced safaris. Other tour operators are Ulendo Safaris, Barefoot Safaris, and Land and Lake Safaris. (Please make sure you have the correct vaccinations; for example, you must have a Yellow Fever international vaccination card to get into Zambia and possibly other African countries as well.)

Life in Malawi Video