Few of the most important frequently asked questions that people enquire about are discussed as follows:

Is renting a timeshare better than buying it?

Buying a timeshare gives you much bigger choices. As an owner of the timeshare you get the amenities are better and cost much less. Owners can get discounts on lodging, entertainment, food, travel and many other resort facilities. The average rental fee is way higher than the average maintenance fee and is also increasing every year. In addition to all the above benefits a timeshare owner has equity in the property which can come to the advantage of the owner when he wants to sell it.

Is buying a timeshare good investment?

Many people get this question in their minds whether to buy timeshares as an investment. The answer can be disappointing to you because it has been seen that the value of the timeshare depreciates with time and they can go do as much as 30%-50% depending on the location and season. A timeshare should be thought as an investment in life, for guaranteed vacations and better facilities. Also if you compare the cost of owning a timeshare with a hotel in long term period, a timeshare would save you a lot of money.

Can you rent your timeshare to somebody else?

Sure you can as long as you are the legal owner of that timeshare meaning you cannot rent out a timeshare that is received in exchange.

What is the procedure of making an exchange?

Most timeshare companies have business network with timeshare companies and you are automatically enrolled into exchange program and also the fee for the first year is paid by the timeshare developer in most cases. You can also go to the timeshare exchange company and put your timeshare for exchange. But keep in mind few things like you will get similar kind of unit meaning you can’t expect to get a two bedroom timeshare in exchange of a one bedroom. Also plan in advance if you plan to exchange timeshare as it may take a while depending on the availability. Also remember there is a fee for exchanging timeshares.

What are fixed week and floating week?

In a fixed week plan you are entitled to use your timeshare only at a specific week each year and specific unit. But in a floating week you have the option of choosing a range of week but only on first come first serve basis as many owners would like to do the same thing. The advantage of a fixed week is that your timeshare week is assured and also the unit you want. While floating week is advantageous to people who have schedule conflicts with fixed unit timeshare.

Are there any other additional fees when you buy a timeshare?

The answer is yes. Typically there is a maintenance fee and other fee like transfer fee if you are transferring a timeshare. There may be property tax also.

Should I have to pay any upfront fee while buying/selling a timeshare through a broker?

The answer is strict no. Experts say never every pay an upfront fee to buy or sell or rent timeshare. Like any other industry timeshare industry is also prone to many scammers and frauds. There have been instances where people paid huge upfront fee and they got nothing in return.

Few of the most important frequently asked questions that people enquire about are discussed as follows:

Is renting a timeshare better than buying it?

Buying a timeshare gives you much bigger choices. As an owner of the timeshare you get the amenities are better and cost much less. Owners can get discounts on lodging, entertainment, food, travel and many other resort facilities. The average rental fee is way higher than the average maintenance fee and is also increasing every year. In addition to all the above benefits a timeshare owner has equity in the property which can come to the advantage of the owner when he wants to sell it.

Is buying a timeshare good investment?

Many people get this question in their minds whether to buy timeshares as an investment. The answer can be disappointing to you because it has been seen that the value of the timeshare depreciates with time and they can go do as much as 30%-50% depending on the location and season. A timeshare should be thought as an investment in life, for guaranteed vacations and better facilities. Also if you compare the cost of owning a timeshare with a hotel in long term period, a timeshare would save you a lot of money.

Can you rent your timeshare to somebody else?

Sure you can as long as you are the legal owner of that timeshare meaning you cannot rent out a timeshare that is received in exchange.

What is the procedure of making an exchange?

Most timeshare companies have business network with timeshare companies and you are automatically enrolled into exchange program and also the fee for the first year is paid by the timeshare developer in most cases. You can also go to the timeshare exchange company and put your timeshare for exchange. But keep in mind few things like you will get similar kind of unit meaning you can’t expect to get a two bedroom timeshare in exchange of a one bedroom. Also plan in advance if you plan to exchange timeshare as it may take a while depending on the availability. Also remember there is a fee for exchanging timeshares.

What are fixed week and floating week?

In a fixed week plan you are entitled to use your timeshare only at a specific week each year and specific unit. But in a floating week you have the option of choosing a range of week but only on first come first serve basis as many owners would like to do the same thing. The advantage of a fixed week is that your timeshare week is assured and also the unit you want. While floating week is advantageous to people who have schedule conflicts with fixed unit timeshare.

Are there any other additional fees when you buy a timeshare?

The answer is yes. Typically there is a maintenance fee and other fee like transfer fee if you are transferring a timeshare. There may be property tax also.

Should I have to pay any upfront fee while buying/selling a timeshare through a broker?

The answer is strict no. Experts say never every pay an upfront fee to buy or sell or rent timeshare. Like any other industry timeshare industry is also prone to many scammers and frauds. There have been instances where people paid huge upfront fee and they got nothing in return.

Buying a beach front property or a vacation villa may be easy for rich and wealthy but not for common middle class people. The introduction of timeshare concept gave hope to those people who could not afford to buy a brand new vacation home. That is one of the reasons why the timeshare industry has grown by leaps and bounds ever since its inception in the United States.

One of the aspects of a timeshare property that attracts most people is that they can have a wonderful vacation home without having to worry about its upkeep and maintenance. But at the same time people have many misconceptions about timeshares. One of the biggest misconceptions is that they compare timeshares to regular real estate property and consider it as an investment option. But in fact it should be thought as an investment in your dreams i.e. vacationing at a place where you want to go every year. Investing in real estate could reap profitable returns but if you invest in a timeshare it may not be guarantee in fact you may end up losing money.

But what if you still want to buy it and you expect no profit from it but neither loss also at the same time. There is always one question in the minds of those people who are planning to buy timeshares. Is it really worth buying a timeshare? To answer this question you have to go through an analysis of various factors. An analysis should consider factors like comparable rent of alternative accommodation, appreciation of the timeshare property and your finance rate. How do you do it? Here is a simple calculation.

Consider the worth of your investment as profitability. The profitability should be a measure of the comparable rental rate, rate of appreciation and your finance rate. If the sum of all these is a negative number then, assume that you are losing money in your investment. The rental rate is the ratio of the rent of that vacation property to the buying price of that timeshare. Suppose if corresponding rent of that vacation timeshare is $1,000 and the buying price is $10,000 then the rental rate is 10%. Now if we include the annual maintenance cost, membership and all other miscellaneous expenses, if it comes around $500. So the actual saving in rent will be $500 now and the rental rate will be the ratio of $500 to $10,000 which gives us 5%.

Now if we assume the annual appreciation of that property is 10% and the rate of our finances is 16%. If we add rental rate and appreciation and subtract the finance rate you will end up with a negative percentage which means you are losing 1% every year compared to rent. But this formula is only a rough calculation of the profitable of your investment and may not be accurate. This is just to give you a start up. The depreciation rate may vary and so as the finance rates.

The maintenance fees and other fees may also vary with different locations. Some resorts have charge reasonable maintenance fee and other fees but some exorbitantly high fees. So, this is also should be a factor in deciding which resort to choose, it is not a smart idea to pay unusually high fees when you don’t know whether you can utilize the property year after year and you may think of renting out the unit which is not a profitable proposition too.

Another good idea is to add up the cost of your timeshare for the entire year i.e. all fifty two weeks and see. For the above investment it may be around 520,000. But, does the timeshare property cost that much if somebody wants to buy it as a real estate property. The extra money goes into the pockets of real estate developers who are selling the timeshare. So carefully weigh in all the factors discussed above before buying a timeshare property.

Everyone would think that top timeshare travel destinations would only be in coastal states like Florida, North Carolina, Cancun (Mexico) and South Carolina. But you would be amazed to find that even places like Nevada, California and Minnesota are vying to occupy the top timeshare destination spot. Also the rocky mountain states of Arizona and Utah are also not far behind. Each of these destinations has some special traits which attract visitors from all over the world. Not to forget the kind of amenities these destinations offer which makes them a crowd puller.

Talking of Florida, one destination that immediately strikes everyone’s mind is Orlando. It is considered to be the most favorite family destination in the world. Home to some of the world’s largest and most popular entertainment companies it has number of wonderful theme parks to surpass the expectations of families across the globe. The unlimited and impressive list includes Disney World Resort, Universal Studio’s Universal Orlando Resort, Sea World Orlando and Islands of Adventure. Millions of tourists around the world are overwhelmed by the joy and excitement offered by these resorts.

Daytona Beach is also one of the world’s most famous beaches with nearly twenty three miles of beach front. It offers visitors a chance to experience sailing, surfing and jet skiing. Many competitions take place round the year here. When thinking of vacationing who can forget Cancun, Mexico which is know for its white sandy beaches, great weather, bright blue sky and outstanding hospitality. One can get attractive timeshare packages and vacation discounts here.

Next on the list is Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. This destination is popular for its mild climate round the year. It offers excellent golf courses and cruises with the experience of watching dolphins. One of the main attractions of Cancun is the swim with dolphins feature and interactive aquariums. It is also home to many world class resorts. It also offers best of night life with many bars serving free drinks also. Nearly four million visitors pay visit to Cancun every year.

One can never ignore California when it comes to tourism industry. While Anaheim is home to Disneyland providing greatest excitement and pleasure and offering great discount on timeshare accommodations one cannot return without visiting San Francisco and experiencing its magic. The list of attractions include Fisherman’s Wharf ,Ghirardelli Square, Coit Tower, the mansions of Pacific Heights, world’s biggest Chinatown outside Asia, Union Square, world renowned landmarks like crooked Lombard Street. Night life is one of the greatest. One can go hiking also in Muir Woods and taste world’s greatest wines. Cable rides, Pedi-cabs, Pier 39 etc. there is fun unlimited in San Francisco offering you the complete experience of your lifetime.

Las Vegas, Nevada is not far behind any other timeshare destination as it offers visitors the 360 degree of entertainment. It is second to none in providing the ultimate in fun and excitement. It is the casino capital of the world and wouldn’t be wrong to call it the night capital of the world. Whatever one can think of, Las Vegas has it and that too the greatest of them all, big hotels, big casinos, big convention halls, big malls and what not. You only some good cash in your wallet if you visit this place and rest assured you will get the fun of your lifetime.

Over the period of decades the popularity of timeshares has grown by many folds so much so that over two million Americans have timeshare properties in country and out of country. But the rise of timeshare industry saw the rise in scams and frauds. More recently the timeshare industry has been plagued by unscrupulous activities of frauds and scammers.

Notwithstanding these serious problems with timeshares a new breed of alternatives are emerging. One of the main reasons why people were attracted towards timeshares was that it will be an expensive affair for a big family to vacation every year at a hotel or a resort. Timeshares proved to be an economical solution to all that.

But on the flip side of it, buying a timeshare requires large upfront fee and the timeshares typically range anywhere from ten thousand dollars to fifty thousand dollars also. On top of that the buyers have to pay the annual maintenance fee, property taxes, management fee etc. which could range from few hundreds to over a thousand also. People have begun realizing that why pay more money and still use the same property every year for only one week.  And people get bored of going to the same place again and again.

Although some timeshares offer exchange program which would allow owners to exchange their timeshare units across different resorts and locations but it is not that easy with exchange costing more bucks. And when the owner wants to sell a timeshare unit it is not that easy task. Timeshares are one of the most difficult properties to sell. Even when they sell they sell at 30%-50% lower than their original price.
Now a new era of concepts is taking vacation industry by storm. And this era is represented by concepts such as resort memberships and condo hotels.

A resort membership is a one time investment i.e. you have to pay the membership fee only once and you can enjoy the benefits of the resort life long.  And what more you are not required to pay any maintenance fee or taxes. Resort memberships can cost anywhere from few grand to few hundred grand. Some resort membership may also have yearly fee. But if you do a good research there are some resorts within the range of affordability.

The best deal that one can get is may be a lifetime member ship for around three grand and a limited five year membership for two grand.  And the members have access to not only the resort they have membership in but they can choose from hundreds of resorts worldwide available in resort company’s network. And there is no limit on number of times you want to go and at what time you want to go, your vacation is always assured.

Another concept that is getting popular is condo hotel which is a relatively new concept and only very few people own condos in hotels. But the concept is receiving good reviews and is gaining popularity with the time. The way it works is it allows people to buy condos in luxurious hotels and utilize the benefits of all the amenities available in the hotel. If the owner is not using the condo he can put his condo for rent and can receive percentage of the revenues it produces. A condo hotel in comparison to a timeshare offers more flexibility, is better furnished, and has better amenities, better services and many locations.

Perfectly situated midway between Los Angeles and San Diego in southern Orange County, Laguna Beach is a popular weekend vacation in Southern California.  Offering seven miles of coastline with sandy beaches and palm trees, Laguna Beach is the perfect beach vacation getaway.

There are 30 beaches and coves that visitors can explore either on foot or by kayak.  The activities here include sailing, bird watching, beach volleyball, surfing, and even scuba diving.

The Laguna Beach also enjoys warm weather year round with an average high of 69 degrees in January and 77 degrees in July.  Popular activities for the outdoors here include romantic picnics, hiking, cycling, tennis, golf, and even botanical garden tours.

Laguna Beach is also home to an active artist community with almost 100 galleries that showcase art pieces by local and international artists.  There are many festivals here in the summer, some of which are known around the world.

For those who enjoy shopping, Laguna Beach offers a wide selection of unique shops that sell hand crafted jewelry, antiques, and other things that you won’t find anywhere else.

With the perfect weather year round, Laguna Beach in California offers you the perfect location for your beach vacation.  Kids enjoy playing in the sand at one of the several beaches, while parents enjoy sun bathing and taking in the views that Laguna Beach is very well known for.

If you’ve thought about taking a beach vacation in the near future, Laguna Beach is perfect.  There are several hotels for you to choose from, many of which offer discounts during the year, depending on when you visit.  There’s something for everyone here, even if your family is hard to please.

No matter what season it may be, taking a beach vacation is both fun and relaxing.  There are many beaches all over the world to pick from.  You can choose from  a white sandy beach, lava rock beach, secluded beach, or a popular beach - as the choice is entirely up to you.

1.  Polo Beach - Hawaii

The Polo Beach of Hawaii is a sandy beach with clear water, making it ideal for swimming and also snorkeling.  It’s located in South Maui and fronted by the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, which is a luxury beach vacation resort.

2.  Seven Mile Beach - Jamaica

The Seven Mile Beach of Negril is the longest stretch of white sand in Jamaica.  Located near Negril on the western tip of Jamaica, this beach is truly an awesome sight to behold.  Here, you can find your favorite stretch of the beach and coconut palm tree and just relax near the ocean.  You can also stay at the Caves, which is located very close to the beach.

3.  Atlantis Paradise - Bahamas

Here, you can experience the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean.  Atlantis Paradise gives you long romantic walks on the beach or the chance to play in the water at the resort.  This paradise offers you tropical climate with your own personal slice of heaven - something every beach lover will truly appreciate.

4.  Heron Island - Australia

Located on the Great Barrier Reef, Heron Island beaches offer excellent swimming and snorkeling with truly amazing marine life.  The tropical island of Heron offers scuba divers over 20 different diving sites.  You can forget the stress of everyday life here and just immerse yourself in wonder.

5.  Madeira - Portugal

The beach here at Reid’s Palace Hotel is quite the rocky beach, with sharp black rocks.  You can spend time lounging by the pool taking in the views, or swimming in the ocean.  The weather here is pleasant most of the time, making your beach vacation something you’ll remember for a long time to come.

6.  Miami Beach

A great spot for movie stars and fashion models, Miami Beach offers plenty of sandy beaches, several restaurants, and night long parties at one of the local nightclubs.  If you are looking for the ideal place to stay, The Tides is a luxurious hotel with many spectacular views.  Miami Beach is also popular in the United States - one of the best beach vacations out there.

While pros may be important to some and to some cons. It depends on how you evaluate the benefits of buying a timeshare with your lifestyle and financial condition. For some it might be a minuscule portion of their wealth but for some it can be hard earned savings of their life. In either case, a smart person will always look into pros and cons before investing his/her money.

To begin with, timeshare properties are more economical compared to buying a piece of real estate property for life and only using it once a year. Compare this you buying a property for lifetime for $200,000 with timeshare which may be only $10,000 plus annual maintenance cost of $500 for the life. If we assume the lifetime period of 30 years the calculation will be as follows:

$10,000+30 years x 500 = $25,000 for the lifetime

Compare it with buying a real estate property for lifetime you will save $175,000. Isn’t that a lot of money? Is it wise to invest that much extra money for once a year use?

Let us compare this with the cost of Hotel. Suppose if you spend $1,200 every year on a hotel, let us consider the cost for 30 years:

$1,200 x 30 years = $36,000 which is still more than $25,000 you pay for timeshare for the lifetime.

Apart from saving money you get the comfort of your home. In a hotel you might get only a suite. But a typical timeshare condo has two or three bedrooms, one or two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room and even a laundry room. Also timeshare units are usually fully furnished. Most of the timeshare properties have an indoor or outdoor pool also these days. In addition to that you also get resort facilities. What more somebody might want when they get all these facilities and comfort of home?

If you have a timeshare you don’t have to worry about the upkeep and maintenance of the condo. It is taken care of by the developer. Now compare this with buying a real estate property for the life, you have to do all the maintenance.

Not to forget, if you or your spouse is a person who takes vacation lightly, this is for you. If you have a timeshare, you definitely make it a point to go for a vacation at least once a year. You are also saved from the hassles of planning a vacation every year.

Most of the timeshare companies are associated with other timeshare companies. This allows the exchange of timeshare. This is one of the many reasons why people prefer timeshare.

Now talking about the Cons of timeshare, timeshares has become an avenue for many scammers and frauds. The timeshare industry has been plagued with variety of scam and fraud related problems. People are invited to attend a ninety minute presentation completely free and then they are subjected to the techniques of pressurized buying which is unethical in any sense. Do not fall prey to these tricks. Always read the documents carefully specially the fine prints before signing any agreements. Research the timeshare company well and know their reputation.

By paying a huge upfront fee your money is tied up for a long time which means you are losing money’s worth in addition to paying interest if you have taken a loan for the rest of the amount. Also you have to pay regular maintenance cost.

One of the major cons is the appreciation. The timeshares don’t appreciate much. They may be stagnant or even depreciate with time. They are also difficult to resale compared to a real estate property.

And last but not the least; timeshares may not be flexible enough for you to use it every year at a specific time. Although some companies offer flexible timeshares but it is only on first come first serve basis many other timeshare owners might also be planning to do that.

About Cyprus

Cyprus is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea. It is inhabited with mountains on the north and south and the south coast is covered with plains. The temperatures are really hot indicating Mediterranean climate. Winters are cooler. Nicosia is the capital city of Cyprus. The currency used here is Cypriot Pound.

Culture

Greek, English and Turkish are the languages spoken here. There is a mixed culture of Greek and Middle East. The locals are very friendly and welcome outsiders with an open heart and make them feel at home by offering them with something to drink. To greet someone a handshake will do. It is customary to offer the guest a small gift when invited for dinner. One can dress casually, but the swimsuits must be confined to the beaches only. Social functions call for formal dressing.

Site Seeing

The country is full of vineyards, 12th century buildings, orchards and monasteries. Be careful when photographing outside. It is forbidden in military areas and special permission must be taken for taking pictures in places like museums and art galleries. Most of them do not allow flash photography. Taxis can be hired to move around the big towns in Cyprus, which charge according the government regulated meters. Tipping the drivers is customary.

Electricity

240 V, 50 Hz

Getting There

Port of Famagusta at  Ammochostos and Port of Kyrenia, and airport of Ercan, have been declared as illegal ‘ports of entry’, so check it out while planning to get there.

The national airline is Cyprus Airways. It connects most of the major cities of Europe. Other forty airlines, too, serve at the airport of Larnaca, which are 5 km away from Larnaka and 50km away from Nicosia. Taxis can be hired to reach any destination from there as there is lack of buses and trains services at the airport. The other services that are offered at this airport is duty-free shops, bank, tourism and hotels information, restaurants, car hire, post office and reservation office. The other airport, Pafos, is 15km away from the city and it takes about 35 minutes to reach the city from the airport. It provides the same facilities like the Larnaca airport.

The major ports of Cyprus are the Limassol port and Larnaca port which connect other ports of Middle East and Greek. Not only ferry services are provided here, even cruise services are provided here.

Cyprus Island is not connected by roads to other countries, but roads run across Cyprus connecting all the cities and villages. Buses run on roads except on Sunday but they run late in the mid-night during summers. Tourists can get on to rural buses to surf through the remote villages, but they are very slow. If planning to hire car, advanced booking is recommended, especially in summer as the booking is full most of the times. Do remember to carry a National driving license or International driving permit.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
2. 1l of spirits (over 22 per cent volume) or 2l of fortified wine or sparkling wine
3. 2l of still wine; 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
4. 800 cigarettes or 200 cigars or 1kg of tobacco
5. 10l of spirits, 20l of fortified wine, 90l wine, 110l beer

Most of the food items and items relating to agriculture are prohibited. Explosives and fire arms are a strict no-no.

Albania is a mountainous country and the one of the smallest countries of Europe. The residents supposedly descended from ancient Illyrians.

Culture

The culture of Albania is majorly influenced by that of the mainland Greeks especially in the urban locality; nodding one’s head means ‘no’ where as shaking the head means ‘yes’. To greet someone, handshaking is preferred, though Shoku (Comrade) was used before, which has been long forgotten now. People dress informally here. Swim suits are meant for the beaches, otherwise women are expected not to dress in a revealing outfit. When addressing someone prefix Zoti(Mr) or Zonja(Mrs) before the name and always remember to carry some gifts when visiting someone, although flowers aren’t much acceptable. The guests are served with coffee, raki or sweets. Smokers don’t have to worry much, but they should avoid it where they see a sign of Ndalohet Duhani or Ndalohet pirja e duhanit.

Traveling within the Albania

Buses with relatively cheap fares operate in the main cities of the country or taxis are another choice which provided service for some main hotels.

Visit Dajti Mountain and experience Dajti Ekspres Cable car for an unforgettable 15 minute ride passing through Dajt Oark to reach Tirana. The route is about 4.2 km long and the ride costs €6.5.Alpha Yachting provides crewed yacht which is a luxury in itself. Tirana Bank is the best place for withdrawing money as it allows access to Visa cards.

Eating Out

Restaurants are not always sufficiently heated, so always wear warm clothes if out in the night during winters. Foreigners are charged more than the locals. Both the entry fees as well as any merchandise will be on a higher scale, so it’s better not to reveal the fact that you are a foreigner when out on the streets.

Accommodation

If you want a 5-Star ambience, try The Sheraton Tirana Hotel and Towers, which is situated in the middle of a shopping and entertainment center. There are about 151 rooms and 56 suites. So, along with the comfort, one can shop at once convenience here. Another hotel which provides all modern facilities is Hotel Mondial. It is located 1000 m away from the city and is also a good example of traditional architecture.

Site Seeing

If you enjoy canoeing, this is the right place to be. There are places right outside Tirana which is an amazing site for not just canoeing, but also rock climbing, hiking, and camping.

How to Get There

One of the best and the easiest means is to go by air. Albanian Airlines is the national airline which works in collaboration with Tyrolean Airways, and provides service to almost all the big European cities. The airport, Mother Teresa, is 16 miles or 26 km away from the capital. A tourist bus is available every 3 hrs to get to the city center and takes about 30 minutes to get there. Taxis are available round the clock. While waiting for any transport service, tourists can check out the duty free shops, bank, eateries and car hire at the airport. A departure tax of $10 USD is imposed on all foreign nationals. Check out www.flyalbanian .com for flight times and offers.

If trying to get there by sea, try the ferry services which are provided by Adriatic Line and Agoudimos. The main ports are Durres (has ferry connection to Italy, Bari, Brindisi, Trieste, and Ancona), Vlora (has ferry connection to Bari, and Brindisi), Saranda (has connection to Corfu), Shen Gjini (has ferry connection to Bari). Check out www.adriatica.it and www.aqoudimos-lines.com for more information.

Bus is another option. Buses start from Istanbul, Athens and Sofia. Internal passengers have lots of options with bus services provided. If traveling by road in a private car, there is road network to the Kosovo region, but they are too dangerous to use because of the political tensions within the region. Crossings at Hani I Hotit, Bllata, Oafa e Thaes, Tushemisht, Gorica, Kapshtica, and kakavija can be taken. If tired one can take halts at hotels or other designated areas. There is a network of 18,000 km, out of which only 7450 km are main roads, for local travelers. About 2138km stretch of these roads is in poor condition and has pot holes, and utmost safety precautions should be taken when driving on such roads. Speed limit should be strictly followed on highways as well as within towns. Driving at night should be better avoided because of the absence of street lights on the road except for urban areas. Traffic should drive on the right-hand. There is a shortage of gas stations in the countryside, so filling the gas tank completely when passing through urban area is recommended and since there is lack of national recovery system; travelers should be prepared for an emergency or breakdown before hand. One should carry necessary documents like International Driving Permit and national driving license.

Duty Free Items

Following are the items that can be carried without customs duty being levied on them:
1. 1liter of spirits or 2liter of wine
2. 250ml of eau de toilette
3. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
4. 50ml of perfume.

Prohibited Items

Things that are prohibited to carry are firearms, narcotics and ammunitions. Special export permission should be taken for precious metals, books, antiques, work of art, or material of national or historic value.