Airport Tax
An Embarkation Tax of GBP22.50 levied per person leaving the Falkland Islands. The equivalent in USD and Euro is accepted. This tax is payable in cash or travellers cheques only at the airport on departure and cannot be included on your airline ticket. Children under 2 years are exempt. Please note that there are no ATMs or money exchange facilities at the airport to please ensure you have sufficient GBP/USD cash in advance of leaving Stanley.

Health Information
No vaccinations are required to enter the Falkland Islands from any country. It is essential that prior to their arrival in the Islands all visitors obtain medical insurance which also provides for aero-medical evacuation. If you are taking a prescription medicine be sure to bring both your prescription and medication with you as a replacement medicine might not be readily available.

Weather
Average daytime temperatures measured at Mount Pleasant are 15°C in January and February, and 4°C in June and July. Average nighttime temperatures are 6°C in January and February and 0°C in June and July. The prevailing winds are from the west, and they are stronger in the summer than the winter. The Islands are relatively sunny, and average hours of sunshine are similar to southern England coastal areas. Average daily sunshine hours range from 7.5 hours in December and January to 2.0 in June and July. Generally it is wetter on the east than the west, and the recorded annual average rainfall at Mount Pleasant is 566mm. The maximum temperature recorded at Mount Pleasant was 29.2°C and the minimum was -9.5°C. All four seasons can be experienced in the same day and so you should pack with a degree of flexibility in mind.

All data supplied by the Meteorological Office at Mount Pleasant.

Clothing and Accessories
Casual clothing is the order in the Falkland Islands. Travellers should bring clothes similar to those worn in Britain in the spring. Particularly important are a windproof jacket or anorak with a hood or hat and a stout pair of walking boots or shoes, as you may have to cross some rough ground to see the best wildlife. Sun/wind screen and lip salve are essential when spending time outdoors in the remarkably clear, unpolluted air. Shoes or slippers for indoor use are also useful.

Essentials to bring:
• Sun/wind screen.
• Sunglasses with protection against ultraviolet rays.
• Amenities/Toiletries. Such items are not usually provided in the hotels, lodges and Bed and Breakfast’s so best to bring your own. These items however, can be purchased at shops in Stanley but are generally more expensive than in the USA and United Kingdom.
• Binoculars always enhance wildlife watching, a lightweight, compact pair would be ideal.
• Camera Film can be purchased at some shops in Stanley but again more expensive than what you can get at home, and as in the rest of the world with the advent of digital photography the range and quantity available are reducing. Remember to bring plenty. Slide film cannot be purchased in the Falkland Islands. Internet facilities for downloading photos from digital cameras are not available at all destinations so we recommend that you bring sufficient memory cards although these can be purchased in the Falkland Islands.

Laundry
Facilities are limited in both Stanley and Camp.

Electricity
The standard UK 240V 50Hz system operates in the Islands.

Luggage information
If you are planning to travel on the Falkland Islands Government Air Services (FIGAS), luggage is restricted to 14 kg (approx. 30 pounds) including hand luggage. Excess can be taken (at a charge of £0.60 per kilo) should weight and space restrictions permit.

Food and Drink
A wide variety of food and drink is offered throughout Stanley and Camp, usually British in character, with much use made of organic meat (mutton, lamb, beef, pork) and vegetables. Fish and squid caught in Falkland waters are also well worth trying. Falklands’ local produce can often be identified on menus by the use of Falklands Finest logo.

Portions tend to be on the generous side, particularly in Camp, and “smoko” (homemade cakes with tea and coffee) taken in mid morning and mid afternoon. The choice of an English cooked breakfast is usually on offer at lodges and hotels.

Tap water is safe to drink. Bottled water can only be purchased in Stanley.

Currency
The Falkland pound (1FKP = 1GBP in commercial/retail outlets but a small fee is charged by the bank to exchange FKP for GBP); English sterling is universally accepted. Currency exchange and cash back on credit cards are available at the Standard Chartered Bank (open 0830 to 1500 Monday to Friday) in Stanley and sterling travellers cheques, Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in Stanley. US Dollars and Euros are accepted widely in Stanley at the prevailing rate of exchange. No South American currencies are accepted or exchanged in the Falkland Islands.

Note : There are no ATM/Automated Cash Facilities in the Falkland Islands, and no foreign cash exchange facilities at the international airport.

Souvenirs
Sheep farming is a common way of life (although slowly diminishing) in the Falkland Islands; and there are a variety of woollen and felted items for sale in Stanley, including sweaters, scarves, jewellery and pictures. Knit-it-yourself kit packs are also available which make great lightweight gifts. Look for items brandishing the Falklands Woolmark to be assured that goods are made from luxurious local wool.

The postal stationary of the Falkland Islands is much sought after and the Philatelic Bureau (located on Ross Road next to the Post Office) issues stamps for the Falkland Islands, Falkland Islands Dependencies and the British Antarctic Survey. Other items to look out for are books on the Islands and prints and watercolour originals depicting local scenery and wildlife. Jewellery made with highly polished Falklands pebbles and jars of diddle-dee jam make great light gifts to send or take away with you.

Gratuities
The first thing to remember is that tipping is not compulsory, nor are there any fixed amounts. The bottom line determining whether and how much to tip is to ask yourself how much the individual did to make your travels more enjoyable.

Communications
The international dialling code for the Falklands is 500. International calls from the Falklands can be made usually either from your lodge or hotel, several phone booths located around Stanley, or at Cable and Wireless, located on Ross Road in Stanley. There is no internet café, however, several of the hotels and guesthouses in Stanley, the Tourist Information Jetty Centre and some shops offer internet facilities. There is only limited mobile phone coverage in the Falklands which presently only covers the top half of East Falkland.

Further Information
Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you require any further information. You can also visit the Official Falkland Islands Website: www.falklandislands.com