Sierra Leone operates on Greenwich Mean Time year-round without daylight saving adjustments. The country uses 230V electricity at 50Hz with British-style Type D and G plugs featuring three rectangular pins. Power cuts occur frequently in Freetown and provincial cities. Most hotels above budget tier provide generator backup between scheduled outages. Visitors should bring surge protectors for electronics.
The leone is the official currency, though United States dollars circulate widely in Freetown's hotels and tour operators. As of standard exchange tracking, one US dollar converts to approximately 20,000 to 22,000 leones, though this rate fluctuates. ATMs exist in Freetown, Bo, Makeni, and Kenema but regularly run empty. Ecobank and Sierra Leone Commercial Bank maintain the most reliable machines. Credit cards see acceptance only at major hotels and a handful of Freetown restaurants. Cash remains necessary for most transactions. Carrying small-denomination leone notes solves the persistent change shortage.
Mobile networks Orange and Africell provide coverage in Freetown, Bo, Kenema, and along major highways. Service drops significantly outside these corridors. Data costs roughly 50,000 leones for one gigabyte on prepaid plans. SIM cards require passport presentation and cost approximately 10,000 leones at branded shops. Internet cafes operate in provincial capitals but connections rarely exceed basic browsing speeds. Most mid-range hotels offer WiFi in common areas though speeds make video streaming impractical.
The tap water throughout Sierra Leone requires treatment before drinking. Bottled water brands including Aqua Sierre and Evian sell widely in shops and street vendors. A 1.5-liter bottle costs 5,000 to 8,000 leones. Visitors should verify bottle seals remain intact as refilling occurs. Food sold by street vendors carries higher risk than hotel or established restaurant meals. Plasas and cassava leaves dishes involve thorough cooking which reduces certain risks. Raw salads and unpeeled fruit present standard precautions. Ice in drinks comes from uncertain water sources outside international hotels.
Pharmacies stock basic medications in Freetown, Bo, and Kenema. Outside these cities, supplies become inconsistent. The Choithram Memorial Hospital in Freetown and the Connaught Hospital serve as the primary referral facilities with the most reliable staffing and equipment. Provincial government hospitals face regular shortages. Private clinics operate in Freetown including the Emergency Hospital run by an Italian NGO. Medical evacuation to Accra, Ghana or Dakar, Senegal represents the standard response for serious conditions. Travel insurance covering evacuation costs between 50,000 and 150,000 US dollars for the flight alone.
The Ministry of Immigration website provides the current visa policy requiring most nationalities to obtain advance approval. Economic Community of West African States nationals enter without visas for up to ninety days. British, American, Canadian, and European Union passport holders must apply through Sierra Leone's embassies or online portal before arrival. Single-entry tourist visas cost approximately 80 to 160 US dollars depending on processing speed and nationality. The application requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate which border officials verify consistently. Lungi International Airport processes international arrivals. The visa on arrival option advertised online functions unreliably and multiple traveler reports confirm advance arrangements prevent complications.
Road travel between cities requires daylight hours only. The Freetown to Bo highway covers approximately 240 kilometers and takes four to six hours depending on season and vehicle. Poda podas serve as shared minibuses running fixed routes when full. These cost 30,000 to 80,000 leones depending on distance but depart on no schedule. Private taxi hire for intercity routes costs 800,000 to 1,500,000 leones for a full vehicle. Okadas are motorcycle taxis operating within cities for 5,000 to 15,000 leones per trip. Helmet use remains inconsistent. The Freetown to Lungi airport crossing requires a combination of road travel to Tagrin ferry terminal then either the government ferry taking forty-five minutes when operational or a speedboat water taxi taking twenty minutes and costing 300,000 to 400,000 leones for non-residents. Helicopter service operates irregularly at approximately 200 US dollars per seat.
Accommodation in Freetown spans from the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel at approximately 180 to 250 US dollars per night to guesthouses at 40 to 80 US dollars. The Bintumani Hotel and the Family Kingdom Resort provide mid-range options between 80 and 140 US dollars. Provincial cities including Bo and Makeni offer fewer international-standard options. Bo has the Paramount Hotel and several Lebanese-run establishments charging 60 to 100 US dollars. Budget guesthouses throughout the country cost 20 to 50 US dollars but vary significantly in maintenance and water availability. Reservations by phone or WhatsApp work more reliably than email. Confirmation requires persistence as responses lag.