Most trips to Sierra Leone centre on Freetown and the beaches of its peninsula, such as River No. 2, Tokeh and Bureh, with boat trips to the Banana Islands and a visit to the Tacugama chimpanzee sanctuary; fewer travellers go inland to Tiwai Island or Outamba-Kilimi National Park. The international airport is at Lungi, across a wide estuary from the city. As Sierra Leone is outside the EU's Roam Like at Home area, a European SIM is billed at its operator's roaming rates there.
Key facts for Sierra Leone
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Airtel (now Orange Sierra Leone) (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 117 for ambulance, fire and police
- Embassies: in Freetown
From Lungi to Freetown
Water taxis run a reliable service between Lungi and Freetown in 30 to 45 minutes; the ferry between Tagrin and Kissy takes about an hour and only sails when there is enough demand, and the road around the estuary takes around three hours. Pickpocketing is very common on the ferry, rough seas can delay or cancel crossings in the rainy season, from May to October, and you should never board wooden pirogues or canoes.
Freetown and the peninsula
Coverage is good in Freetown but patchy on parts of the peninsula and inland, where mains power is also unreliable. Robberies have happened around Congo Cross, Wilkinson Road, Lumley Beach and Aberdeen and at beach resorts on the peninsula, so avoid walking alone after dark, and do not use taxis, poda-podas, kekes or okadas, as drivers and passengers have robbed visitors. Unofficial roadblocks are most common at weekends and on the roads to the beaches, and travel outside the Freetown peninsula should be avoided after nightfall.
There are strong currents and no lifeguards on any beach, so swim at your own risk and only after asking for local advice, and watch out for hospital waste, including needles, on Lumley Beach.
Laws to know
Do not get involved with drugs of any kind: trafficking brings heavy prison sentences. Sex between men is illegal. Do not photograph military installations or official government buildings, diamond smuggling carries heavy penalties, and you should always carry ID, such as your passport. Protests can turn violent, so avoid political gatherings and respect any curfews.
Health and paying
Health facilities are basic, ambulances are not widely available and most hospitals want cash, so check that your insurance covers medical evacuation. The currency is the new leone; only a few places take cards, sometimes with a large fee, and cash machines are often out of order, so carry enough cash.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM installed before you fly connects at Lungi, so you can confirm your water taxi on arrival, and your usual SIM stays on for texts and bank codes. An Africa plan also covers Liberia, Guinea and The Gambia.
Sierra Leonean SIM cards from Orange, Africell or Qcell are sold at the airport and in Freetown, and registration requires your passport.
Consular protection: who to call in Sierra Leone
- 117 connects you to an ambulance, the fire service or the police, although help is limited outside Freetown.
- Embassies are in Freetown. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- EU citizens whose country is not represented in Sierra Leone can turn to the embassy of any other EU country, which must help them as it would its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- English is the official language and Krio is widely spoken, so you can explain a problem in English.
Sierra Leone travel-safety page →
Questions travellers ask about Sierra Leone
Does my EU plan work in Sierra Leone?
No. Sierra Leone is outside Roam Like at Home, so your operator's own roaming rates apply.
How do I get from Lungi airport to Freetown?
Most travellers take a water taxi, which takes 30 to 45 minutes; allow extra time and carry cash.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Sierra Leone?
The former Airtel network, which now operates as Orange Sierra Leone, with 4G where available.
What is the emergency number?
117, for an ambulance, the fire service or the police.
The short version
Get the eSIM ready before you fly, book your water taxi from Lungi, avoid shared transport and night travel, swim only with local advice, and save 117.
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