Malawi Kwacha
Malawi uses the kwacha as its currency, with each kwacha being further divided into 100 tambala. The currency is issued by the Reserve Bank of Malawi and it is issued as both notes and coins. Coins are in the form of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 tambala and notes are in the form of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 kwacha.
The currency is denoted in international terms with the letters MWK.
The etymology of the currency is interesting, since the name kwacha is actually derived from the Bemba and Nyanja word that translates as 'dawn', whilst the term tambala is derived from the word for 'rooster', so the currency is very much associated with the breaking of a new day.
History of the Kwacha
The kwacha was first introduced in 1971. Until this time, the currency in use had been the Malawian pound, which was the unit of currency brought in, in 1964, as Malawi gained its independence from the United Kingdom. The association with the UK was why a 'pound' was brought in. Similar to the British pound at that time, it was not a decimal system and it had the £, shillings and d, instead of a pound being subdivided into 100 pennies.
However, the pound was seen as to closely associated with the British colonial days and so the country decided that it wanted its own unique currency, which would be used throughout Malawi and would not be a 'hang over' from the days when it was ruled by the United Kingdom. Thus the kwacha came into being.
Getting Hold of Kwacha
There are a reasonable number of ATM facilities in Malawi, but it would be erroneous to claim they were plentiful. They are generally only located in the major cities, so anywhere else in the country you will find that they are simply non-existent.
Credit cards can also be used in cities, mainly in the larger hotels or top end restaurants, but outside the major cities, they will simply be unusable.
So you are better to take a variety of different ways of getting cash. One thing you will find is that US dollars are quite readily accepted, again in the larger towns and cities. If you bring in cash, you will find that you get a better exchange rate than traveller's cheques. However, traveller's cheques can still be accepted even if you do get a lower exchange rate. Banks tend to open to the public at 8 am and then close again at 2 pm, so be careful not to miss their opening times, or you will have to wait until the next day before you can exchange money.
The best way of making sure that you have 'ready access' to cash, is to take some traveller's cheques (preferably in US dollars), some US dollars as cash and a credit card as well, so you won't be dependent on just one form of cash to get by.
One thing that you should be aware of is that there is a tendency for some notes from the Zambian kwacha to also be in circulation, yet these are worth only 5% of the Malawian kwacha. For this reason, it is very important not to use any street money exchangers, since you are probably just leaving yourself open to being ripped off, particularly if you are unfamiliar with the currency.
Safety Issues
Malawi is a safe country to visit. It prides itself as being the 'warm heart of Africa' and to a large extent this really is true. There are no major problems with regard to terrorism and crime rates are actually very low, which may be surprising, given how poor the country really is!
There is, however, some crime, although if you take sensible precautions and stay alert, then you should find that you are perfectly safe. Most crimes tend to be focussed on property, so break ins and burglaries as well as car jacking are the most prevalent crimes. Break ins have taken place in hotels and villa type lodges, so be aware of security when in your hotel or villa and never let your guard down completely. If you are somewhere that is subject to a break in simply give your valuables to the thieves. They will soon resort to violence if they cannot get their way, so it is better to take no chances. After all items can be replaced.
Robberies in the forms of muggings and pick pocketing are also on the increase, but these are by no means as common as some other countries in the world.
The best advice to avoid robberies or pickpocketing is simply to be extra vigilant if you are anywhere crowded, where pick pockets may target you and avoid walking out and about at night. Always try to travel by taxi if a journey out is unavoidable.
However, the risks are not that great and the thought of violence should not deter you from visiting Malawi, it is much safer than in many other countries, so do not let it put you off!
The one thing that you should bear in mind, however, when you plan a trip to Malawi, is that there is only a very basic healthcare system. This means that if anything serious happens to you, you may not be able to get the drugs/medication, that you would receive in a hospital in the developed world. Thus if you are at risk from any serious medical condition, or have a medical condition, you should ensure that you have enough medication to be able to keep you well when in the country and that you are adequately insured, so that if you are taken ill, you will be flown back to your country of residence, or you will be flown to a country that is able to offer better healthcare.
It is easy to assume that nothing will happen, but accidents/illnesses can and do happen on a regular basis, so do not simply hope for the best, ensure that your insurance policy is robust enough to cover these eventualities.
Spending Kwacha
As a country that is a developing country, Malawi is a relatively inexpensive country, once you have borne the cost of travel to the country itself.
Eating out and drinking is relatively cheap, particularly if you use restaurants that are not tourist orientated. Food and drink is also quite varied and plentiful, even though the country has a large Muslim population. You will generally find that restaurants are available that offer a great range of food, such as standard Malawian dishes, but also European, Chinese and there are lots of different standards of cuisine available, from pretty basic, to high end fine dining experiences.
Shopping in Malawi is not a 'shopping mall' type experience, but much more geared towards markets and smaller shops, which offer some stunning handicrafts, including musical instruments, wood carvings and some very intricate beadwork items. The quality of wood carvings in Malawi is considered to be the highest in Africa, so they are well worth the investment.
Out and About in Malawi
One thing that you really should do when in Malawi, is to get out and about and see some of the sights in the National Parks, which are truly awesome. If you go early enough in the morning you can see the elephants in the Kasungu National Park, as they come out to have their morning drink in the river. Of you can venture out into the grasslands to have a look at the buffalo or antelopes.
Safaris are a very popular way to see the country, with organised tours and guides. These can often be the best way to see wildlife, with some stunning scenery thrown in for good measure, but often these safaris can be a little distant in terms of not letting you see the real heart of the country and meeting a variety of people, so perhaps the best way of seeing the 'true' Malawi is to go on a safari and then spend another week or so simply travelling around not as part of an organised tour.
The capital Lilongwe is also worth a visit, with its eclectic range of shops, markets and very interesting and almost unique architecture. Despite Malawi's reputation as quite a poor country, the capital is a vibrant hub of activity that somehow seems quite progressive and yet, at its heart is still very much an African city.
With its claim to be the 'warm heart' of Africa, the people in Malawi will generally offer a warm and friendly welcome and many will go out of their way to speak to you or help you, particularly in the non-city areas, although even there, you will also find a nice friendly welcome.
Lake Malawi is one attraction that you should not miss. It actually covers around 20% of the entire country and is more like a sea than a lake. Fishing villages lie dotted around the shoreline and there are various attractions that offer a glimpse of real Malawian life to travellers.
Overview
Malawi is a country that has not historically received a high volume of travellers from the West and so for this reason it is almost an unknown gem, with only the most intrepid and brave travellers making the journey to find out just all that Malawi has to offer. But that may well be about to change.
Despite the fact that it once had a very poor reputation in terms of being run by a political 'regime', it is now a Presidential style democracy and there is much greater stability in the country than there has been for some years. That makes it a much safer destination than it has been at times.
The best time to visit Malawi is probably sooner, rather than later. It runs the risk of becoming more and more popular and as more and more tourist facilities are installed, more and more traditional ways of life are disrupted, displaced or at worst, eradicated.
The Malawian tourist office offers an interesting (if slightly biased website) giving more detailed information about the joys of Malawi. This can be viewed at http://www.malawitourism.com.