According to travelationary, Libya (Arabic: دولة ليبيا, Lībiyyā) is a country in Africa bordering Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Niger, Chad, and Sudan. The capital of Libya is Tripoli. A number of major cities in Libya are: Benghazi, Homs, Misratah, Barqa and Zawiyah.
Libya is known for its long history and is also called the “pearl of the Mediterranean”. The country has not yet been discovered by the tourists. The country has been in the hands of many different parties over the years. Many ancient Roman structures, Greek structures and wall drawings can still be found in Libya. Most of Libya consists of deserts with rock formations where the villages are far apart. On the coastline you will find beautiful sandy beaches that are still easily accessible due to the little tourism.
Where is Libya?
Travel information of Libya
Official name: Libyan Republic
Continent: Africa
Area: 1,759,540 km²
Capital: Tripoli
Country code: LY, LBY
Population: 6,890,535 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Parliamentary republic
Highest point: 2,267 m (Bikku Bitti)
Distance (Amsterdam – Tripoli): 2,262 km
Flight time: approximately 4 hours
Negative travel advice
Current status: All trips to Libya are discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow and orange. Due to this status, a negative travel advice
is in effect for Libya.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Libya that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Libya, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
At the moment there are no travel organizations that offer travel to Libya. If you want to put together your own trip or are looking for separate travel components such as hotels, airline tickets and a rental car, please visit our travel offer page.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Libya?
Weather and climate
Libya has both a desert climate and a Mediterranean climate. In the summer months the temperatures are around 25 to 40 degrees. In the winter months the temperatures are around 10 to 20 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Libya can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Libya can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, February, March, April, November and December are the best months to travel to Libya. This avoids the hot summer period with the associated sand storms.
Language
Arabic is the official language in Libya. In addition, a lot of English and Italian is spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into Arabic for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months when applying for a visa.
A visa is required. You can apply for this at the Embassy of Libya in The Hague.
Note: Your passport cannot contain an Israeli stamp.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Libya: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Libya in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Vaccination against yellow fever is mandatory for Libya if you have visited a yellow fever country in the seven days before you visit Libya. In addition, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
In Libya, payments are made with the Libyan dinar (LYD).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Libya can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Libya are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -37% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (58% cheaper), food (14% cheaper), imported beer in catering (44% cheaper), cigarettes (35% cheaper) and public transport (77% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Libya it is not customary to tip.
Time difference
During our summer time there is no time difference.
During our winter time it is 1 hour later in Libya.
Libya has no difference between winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Libya can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Libya you must drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Libya.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Libya.
Electricity In Libya you may need an adapter plug and/or converter
in some cases. More information about common plugs and sockets in Libya can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 193
– Fire: 190
– Ambulance: 191
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap because of the chlorine content. This can cause stomach and intestinal complaints.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Libya can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Libya can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Libya end in.ly. Libya
‘s official website: pm.gov.ly.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Libya is 00218 or +218.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Libya? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Libya.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Libya.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Libya can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotel), restaurants and destinations in Libya, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Libya?
At Waarbenjij.nu you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Libya. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Libya can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Libya can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Libya? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Doing business and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Libya, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Libya, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, current sanctions, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Libya.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking prohibited.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Not allowed. Prison sentence more than 10 years.
Did you know that…
…Libya largely belongs to the Sahara?
…Libya has virtually no tourism because of its turbulent past?
…Education and medical aid in Libya is free?
…There are no railways in Libya?
…The Tamoil gas stations in the Netherlands are owned by Libya?
…Libya has one of the largest oil reserves in the world?
