 KINSHASA |
PAYMENT CONDITIONS
American Express, Visa, Master Card and Diner's Club are accepted for payment of bills at Kinshasa's two major hotels. No other businesses in DRC accept credit cards. Credit cards cannot be used at banks to obtain cash advances. Traveler's checks are accepted only if accompanied with a letter from the bank confirming its issuance to the individual cashing the checks. However, the use of Traveler's checks is generally not advised in DRC because banks charge substantial fees for cashing them. Furthermore they are rarely accepted outside Kinshasa.
CHANGE
Your can change money in the two main hotels of Kinshasa, the Memling and the Grand Hotel, and also in your bank if you have a bank account. You can also change money in the street where you will be very solicitated, you have to bargain but usualy, being foreigner, you get a better rate in hotels and banks.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS
The information below concerning the DRC is provided for general reference only and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Safety of Public Transportation: Poor
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor
Availability of Roadside Assistance: Poor/Non-Existent
Inter-city roads are poor and often impassable in the rainy season. When driving in cities, keep windows up and doors locked. At roadblocks or checkpoints, documents should be shown but never given to anyone. In the event of a traffic incident involving bodily injury to a third party or pedestrian, do not stop to offer assistance under any circumstances; proceed directly to the nearest police station to report the incident and request official intervention. Attempting to provide assistance may further aggravate the incident, resulting in a hostile mob reaction.
Visitors who wish to travel anywhere outside of Kinshasa must obtain, in advance, a written permission from the Ministry of Interior, regardless of the purpose of the trip. Failure to comply may result in arrest.
RESTAURANTS
Le Club Nautique de Kinshasa
There are a number of good restaurants in Kinshasa, but prices are high. Hotels and restaurants which cater for tourists are generally expensive and serve international and national dishes. A typical speciality is moambe chicken, cooked in fresh palm oil with rice and spinach. The capital offers french, belgian, portuguese and local cuisine, but again restaurants are expensive and cater essentially for business people. Small restaurants and snack bars offer chinese, tunisian and greek food.
| RESTAURANTS | COMMENTS | QUALITY | PRICE | | Caf' Conc' | Not to miss!! French restaurant | ***** | ***** | | Chez Gabi | Portuguese restaurant, friendly place | *** | ** | | Le Cercle de Kinshasa | Hight class restaurant, french cuisine | **** | **** | | Chez Patrick | Belgian restaurant, worth a visit | *** | *** | | Le Club Nautique | On the river bank, nice and relax | *** | ** | | New Aladin | Libanese, fast food | ** | ** | | La piscine | Greec, Good quality of food | *** | *** |
| BARS AND CLUBS
Kinshasa is a nice place for nightlife, especially in the sprawling township of the Cité, where most of the population live. In spite of recent political turmoil, the local music scene is thriving. There are heaps of dance clubs in Kinshasa. Congolese music is popular throughout Africa as well as in Europe and the USA.
| BARS & CLUBS | COMMENTS | QUALITY | PRICE | | Le VIP Saloon | Expats disco in Kinshasa | *** | ***** | | Le 3615 | Disco, | *** | **** | | Le Malibu | Local Feeling, mixed music | *** | **** | | Le Savanana | Renown for his shows. | ** | ***** | | Chez Temba | Congolese best of. not to miss | **** | **** | | Le délice | Greec resturant with Pool and Bar | *** | *** | | L'Atmosphere | Disco of the Grand Hotel, international | *** | **** |
SHOPPING
L
ocal craftware includes bracelets, ebony carvings and paintings. The large towns all have markets and shopping centers, selling everything from fresh ginger to baskets and African carvings.
Shopping hours: 08h00-18h00 Monday to Saturday.
Art and Craft Market "le marché des voleurs "
| SHOPPING | COMMENTS | QUALITY | PRICE | | Grand Hotel Shopping | from jewellery to Hair dresser, you can find it all | ***** | ****** | | Memling Galery | inclusive for self made boubou | ***** | ****** | | Marche des voleurs | Local art and craft market | **** | ** |
OTHER
If in the end, you still have some spare time; from horse riding to a sunbath on the riverbanks or a BBQ, the capital still offers you something.
| OTHER | COMMENTS | QUALITY | PRICE | | Club Hippique | 5 min from the center of Kinshasa! | **** | ** | | British Embassy | BBQ every Friday night, to try | *** | ** | Yala Restaurant
| Close to a river you can enjoy a pleasant day, restaurant, and pirogue tour if you feel like it ! Grab the chance to know Lea... | ***
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