01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Visa · United States passport
No visa needed · up to 30 daysSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 25 Oct 2026 ↗SIM and eSIM
Airtel and TNM are the main networks; TNM has wider data coverage, Airtel mostly the big cities.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 2 of 5: Most things are paid in cash, though cards are accepted in some places.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Malawi
Malawian Kwacha · MWK
Use Ecobank cash machines, which charge foreign cards nothing to withdraw.
Return empty soda bottles, or each new bottle costs about MK50 more.
Bring large foreign banknotes; they get noticeably better exchange rates.
Carry dollars, euros or pounds: visitors must pay lodging and tour bills in foreign currency.
Collect Malawian Kwacha in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day
Mon, 28 Dec 2026 · St. Stephen's Day Boxing Day
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day
Fri, 15 Jan 2027 · John Chilembwe Day
Wed, 3 Mar 2027 · Martyrs' Day
Fri, 26 Mar 2027 · Good Friday
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday
Mon, 3 May 2027 · Labour Day
Fri, 14 May 2027 · President Kamuzu Banda's Birthday
Tue, 6 Jul 2027 · Independence Day
Fri, 15 Oct 2027 · Mother's Day
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Malawi say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise increased caution
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Level 2 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 13 May 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 May 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Over-friendly strangers
Politely refuse unsolicited guides, sellers and supposed acquaintances asking for a ride.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Drugged food
Never accept snacks or drinks from people you have just met.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Routine shots plus hepatitis A, B and typhoid advised; malaria in some regions; altitude sickness possible.
Vaccinations
Be current on routine shots including measles and polio (adults may need a polio booster); hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid are advised, and cholera or rabies vaccines are worth discussing with a doctor.
Malaria
In some regionsAltitude
Parts of the country are high enough to cause altitude sickness.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $14.9 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $672Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | tobacco, tea, dried legumes, soybean meal, raw sugar (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 22.2 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 19.4 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 73 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Protestant 33.5% (includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 14.2%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 9.4%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 2.3%), Roman Catholic 17.2%, other Christian 26.6%, Muslim 13.8%, traditionalist 1.1%, other 5.6%, none 2.1% (2018 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2018 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 118,484 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountainsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +265Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 25 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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