Visiting Guinea-Bissau

Entry requirements vary by passport. Check the requirements for your specific passport on the Guinea-Bissau page at Yoogo.

Guinea-Bissau uses the West African CFA franc (XOF), shared with seven other countries in the UEMOA zone. Cash is essential for almost all transactions outside the main hotels in Bissau, as card payment infrastructure is very limited and ATMs are unreliable even in the capital.

Guinea-Bissau has experienced political instability over the years, and the security situation can change. Petty crime is present in Bissau, and infrastructure outside the capital is limited, meaning travellers should carry sufficient supplies and plan routes carefully.

Within Bissau, shared taxis known as candongas and private taxis are the main options for getting around. Intercity travel relies on sept-place shared saloon cars and larger candongas that depart when full, while travel to the Bijagós islands is by pirogue or private boat from the capital's ports.

The dry season from November to April is generally regarded as the best time to visit, offering cooler temperatures, calmer seas for island travel, and more accessible road conditions. The wet season from June to October brings heavy monsoon rains, particularly from July to September, which can make roads impassable and rough sea conditions challenging for island hops.

Portuguese is the official language and is used in government and education, but Guinea-Bissau Creole (Crioulo) is the widely spoken lingua franca understood by the great majority of the population. Indigenous languages including Fula, Balanta, and Mandinka are spoken by their respective communities, and English is not widely spoken outside some hotels and tour operators.

A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry to Guinea-Bissau. Malaria is present throughout the country year-round, so antimalarial medication is strongly recommended, and other vaccinations commonly advised include hepatitis A, typhoid, and meningococcal meningitis for travel during the dry season.

Tipping is not an established custom but is warmly appreciated for good service. Rounding up a taxi fare or leaving a modest tip of around 5–10 per cent in Bissau's more formal restaurants is generally welcomed, and guides for tours in the Bijagós or Cantanhez National Park typically expect a small gratuity.

Guinea-Bissau is served by two main mobile operators, MTN and Orange, with MTN offering the widest footprint and 4G available in Bissau. International roaming can be costly, and several providers including Airalo offer eSIM plans compatible with Guinea-Bissau's networks, though coverage drops significantly once you leave paved roads and the Bijagós islands have patchy connectivity.