Nope.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Central African Republic
The advisories disagree by 2 level(s) — read all four before you decide who to trust.
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Nope.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Checkpoint extortion
Police and army members set up makeshift checkpoints to demand bribes. Expect to pay at least US$5 or risk having personal items like passports, cameras, or watches confiscated until you pay.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Mandatory identification
Central African law requires you to carry identification at all times. You must carry a certified copy of your passport or your national identification card.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Polio
- • Global Measles
Tap water safe to drink: Yes
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Cholera, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Meningococcal disease, Monkeypox, Polio, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to the Central African Republic must obtain a visa from one of the Central African Republic diplomatic missions or French diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in the Central African Republic, attacks cannot be ruled out. Attacks could be indiscriminate including in places visited by foreign nationals. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
While homosexuality is not illegal, same-sex relationships are not widely accepted in Central African society. LGBT+ travellers may face arrest for “public expressions of love”. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •The Central African Republic is a volatile country. Since the early 2000s, recurrent civil conflicts and political unrest have adversely affected the country's overall state of security.
- •Hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas. Floods are common.
- •Police manning checkpoints will demand bribes; expect no less than US$5.
- •Political unrest: The Central African Republic has the distinction of being one of the most lawless countries in the world.
- •Demonstrations and protests occur from time to time and they can be violent. Regular monitoring of local media is advisable.
- •Authorities: As one of the most lawless nations in the world, the authorities of the Central African Republic are incredibly corrupt and are only there to do two things: deprive you of your personal property and harass you.
Staying healthy
- •Some areas of Bangui have clean and filtered drinking water, so it is safe to drink water served at some restaurants and bars.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / E · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 117 / ambulance: 1220 / fire: 118
Cash vs. Card
The currency of the country is the Central African CFA franc, denoted FCFA (ISO currency code: XAF). It's also used by five other Central African countries. It is interchangeable at par with the West African CFA franc (XOF), which is used by six countries. Both currencies are fixed at a rate of 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.
Show the receipts (8 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09