Go with a plan.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Sierra Leone
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Drug possession
The use of drugs, specifically marijuana, is prohibited. Police actively enforce these laws.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Monkeypox, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Sierra Leone must obtain an e-Visa unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries or citizens who may obtain a visa on arrival.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Sierra Leone, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex relations between men are illegal in Sierra Leone, even if they are consensual. Penalties can include imprisonment. Same-sex relations are not illegal between women. All travellers should exercise caution given the much more conservative culture than UK. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →Right now
In the news the last few days
- Global tourism remains resilient in Q1 2026 despite conflicts , economic pressures UN tourism2026-08-14
- Ozonnia Ojielo | Surviving war to fight for peace ( S13 - E9 ) 2026-08-13
- DRC Ebola Challenging International Donors - By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh2026-08-13
- Economists Fault Nigeria Fiscal Transparency , Back US Repo2026-08-13
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers report that arriving at the airport in Sierra Leone is an unpleasant experience for tourists. Those of Sierra Leonean descent who appear American face specific challenges regarding how much they are hassled by locals upon arrival. There is a clear lack of accessible information regarding best practices for navigating from the airport into Freetown, tipping etiquette, and managing basic resources like medicine, internet, and cell service. The primary safety concerns revolve around the initial arrival process and the potential for being targeted due to one's appearance, making the transition from the airport to the city the most significant hurdle for first-time visitors.
“A lot of reviews I've found detail an unpleasant experience arriving at the airport as a tourist, yet I've been unable to find clear best practices / tips.
— r/travel
“I am most interested in tipping etiquette, the safest way to travel from the airport to Freetown, and how much I will get hassled as a tourist (I'm of Sierra Leonean descent, but look very American).
— r/travel
“Is there anything else I need to keep in mind as a first-time traveler to avoid getting into an unsafe situation?
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
D / G · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 019 / ambulance: 999 / fire: 999
Cash vs. Card
The unit of currency is the Leone, denoted by the symbol "Le" (ISO currency code: SLE). On 1 July 2022 new bank notes were issued. The new notes are similar in design to the old ones but are physically smaller and revalue the Leone by removing three zeros. The former Le10,000 note is now a Le10 note. The old notes ceased to be legal tender on 1 January 2024. Old Leone notes can only be changed at
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
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09