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SOCIAL SCENE | TRANSPORTATION
IN ALGERIA | ACCOMMODATION | EMERGENCY
CONTACTS
SOCIAL SCENE
Visiting Algeria, Africa's second largest country, tourists are
awed by the magnificence of the Sahara Desert, comprising 85% of the
country. Westerners amazingly observe the goat and camel herds of
the region's nomadic tribes. Tourists are fascinated with a newfound
knowledge and reverence of Islamic tradition and culture, and dabble
in the usage of the Arabic language. For those seeking a European
flavored social scene, Algerian cinemas feature French and English
films, and numerous coastal town restaurants serve mainly French and
Italian-style food. For the sports and leisure enthusiasts, horseracing
and football are popularized in Algeria, while the Northern coastline
offers fishing, swimming, sailing and water-skiing. Algeria offers
tourists the opportunity to immerse themselves in a rich Islamic culture,
and to pleasure in a European sampling of fine dining and entertainment.
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TRANSPORTATION IN ALGERIA
Travelling is easily done while you stay in the
Mediterranean belt. Communications are excellent,
and you can choose between train, bus, shared taxis, and even aircrafts.
It is not expensive, and runs smoothly. The moment you set out into
the desert, distances, and few travellers will destroy the image
created up north. While many roads are good, others are only recommended
for 4WDs and lorries. While you get from Algiers to many minor city
effectively with planes, you can't go on travelling the same way,
as all connections are either from, or to, Algiers. But all in all,
moving around is easily done, considering the mere size of Algeria.
Taxi Services
Taxis are available in larger cities, but they are rare in Algiers
except at the airport and major hotels. At present, it is very dangerous
to flag down taxis on the street -- order a taxi by telephone instead.
Taxi fares are negotiable, but be sure to agree on the price before
getting in. Louages, little six-seater Peugeot 504 station wagons,
run between towns and are a good way to meet Algerians. Altour, the
national tourist organization, has an office in Algiers and most
other major cities. The organization can help with transportation,
and it also offers excellent desert tours, though it's possible that
they'll have only French- or Arabic-speaking staff.
Air
All internal flights have to be paid for in foregin
Currency and you may will need to show your currency exchange form
to purchase a ticket. In most cases you need to book your seat well
in advance of your intended flight.
Train
You can travel by train between Oran, Algiers,
Constantine and Anaba. Trains also run south to Bécher and
from Constantine to Touggourt.
Bus
There are long distance buses which on the whole are comfortable,
fairly reliable and fast but are fairly expensive. You may have to
book a few days in advance if you want to get to Tamanrasset
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ACCOMMODATION
Institution
Accommodation Facilities
Hotels
Camping/Caravanning
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EMERGENCY CONTACTS
The following is a list of emergency telphone numbers from within
Algeria
Police : Tel: (012) 734- 0751, Tel: (012) 734- 4411
Fire : Tel: (012) 734-5841
Ambulance : Tel: (012) 734-5841
Hospital Emergency Numbers
Tel: (012) 305-2385
Emergency Services Tel: (012) 305-2383
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(Source:The
Africa Guide) |
