Belarus Country Guide
Travelling to Belarus is not easy, but if you are looking for an adventure that you will never forget, then Belarus is the place for you. With wonderful Soviet era architecture, fortresses, traditional villages and beautiful countryside it is a great country to explore.
Come to Belarus and experience this amazing tourist destination first hand!
Our Belarus country travel guide below will tell you all you need to know about the best of amazing Belarus. You can also check out the local tourist highlights. The best way to learn more about the culture is to take local tour.
Check out the latest Belarus features on YouTube.
Belarus Country Guide
Useful information on this page includes:
History
Under the pressure of dictatorial rule, Belarus maintained close economic and political ties with Russia. On 8 December 1999, the two countries agreed to form a two-state union with a goal to attain greater economic and political unity. Concrete steps are yet to be taken towards implementation of this agreement although Belarus had consented to follow a guided framework to ensure its success. There was rapid progress in 2007 but the future of the merger is still unknown.
Visa/Passport
Citizens of certain nations can enter Belarus without visas. They are citizens of Russia, Poland, Armenia, Georgia, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Kyrgystan, Mongolia, Vietnam, Moldova, Macedonia, and North Korea. All other nationals require a valid visa, which can be obtained at any Belarusian consulate or embassy.
The best way to obtain a visa, however, is to approach a travel agency that handles Belarusian visas. In fact, certain consulates have made this step mandatory. For a single entry visa, travel agents charge US $40 to $80. An official invitation or a hotel voucher is a required document and this can be arranged by the agent. Theoretically, a visa can also be obtained after arriving at the Minsk 2 Airport, provided the visitor has the necessary invitation or hotel voucher, but this is a rather risky and expensive method.
Obtaining the visa before you travel is the best option. Visas must be registered within three working days after arrival. Hotels usually offer this service but visitors can also register at the local OVIR (Office of Visas and Registration). Failure to register can create problems at the time of departure.
Language
Money/Currency
Following strict state controls, the Belarusian rouble (BYR) has reached a certain degree of stability. This is after many years of hyperinflation. The exchange rates in early 2006 were €1 = 2,580BYR and US $1 = 2,150BYR. There are no coins in Belarusian currency and banknotes used are in denominations of 500, 1000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000 and 100000. The 10, 20, 50, and 100 rouble banknotes are almost worthless. Local currency must be used to make all cash payments.
Major currencies can be exchanged in any of the exchange offices located in the downtown area. All exchange offices offer almost the same rate. Exchanging Belarusian roubles into any other currency is not easy outside of Belarus. If all your Belarusian currency is converted before departure, any last-minute payments such as custom duties, fines of any sort, or shopping bills can be made in euros or dollars.
It is important to remember that exchange offices refuse to exchange any banknote that is damaged or has any marks. Almost half the banknotes in a person’s wallet are more than likely to be rejected by the exchange offices. It is best to carry only undamaged and relatively new Belarusian currency.
Almost all the ATMs are located in the downtown area and most of them accept MasterCard. It is quite difficult to find an ATM that will accept Visa. Credit cards are accepted by most hotels and modern restaurants.
Although visitors may hear about plans to bring Belarusian currency into the Russian rouble zone, nobody knows whether that will ever happen. These plans have been postponed time and again.
Belarus is a cheaper than any West European nation.
Average Costs:
Average Room Prices:
Low Mid High Deluxe
US$5-20 US$20-50 US$50-120 US$120+
Average Meal Prices:
Low Mid High Deluxe
US$1-3 US$3-8 US$8-20 US$20+
Health/Safety
The southeast part of the country is best avoided or visited for a short time only since the region is still affected by radiation from the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. Brief visits for a couple of days are harmless, although it is best to avoid fruits, vegetables, and dairy products from the region.
Drinking water is a matter of concern everywhere. Sensitive visitors may fall ill after drinking tap water. Drinking bottled water is the safest option.
Communication
Domestic calls can be made from the grey booths and international calls from the blue booths. Cards can be used to make calls from public telephones. To make an international call, first dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 10 followed by the rest of the number. Calls to certain countries may have to be booked through the international operator.
The international dialling code for Belarus is +375.
Emergency calls
These calls can be made free of cost.
Fire: 01, Police (Militia): 02, Ambulance: 03.
Mobile Telephone
Mobile handsets are available on rent at Minsk and at the airport Belcel office. However, the mobile telephone network is limited to the main towns only.
Internet
The Internet can be accessed through the many Internet cafes located in Minsk and many other cities. Prices are reasonable but the connection is rather slow. Several post offices also offer Internet services.
Post
At least 10 days are required for airmail to reach Western Europe. For quicker deliveries, there is an express mail service. This is available at the Central Post Office near the Minsk railway station and at the Planeta and Yubileynaya hotels in Minsk. Another option is to use Federal Express or DHL Worldwide Express, both of which have offices in Minsk.
Central Post Office, Minsk – Office Hours: 0800 to 2000
Media
Newspapers controlled by the government enjoy several financial privileges and state subsidies. However, print media managed by the opposition is known to have faced many hurdles. Some have had to change their names, start publishing abroad, pay higher charges, and even shut shop. Fortunately, a few leading privately run newspapers have survived because of popular demand.
Media and human rights organisations have severely criticised the Belarusian authorities for refusing the opposition access to government controlled media, for restraining the independent press, and for denying freedom of speech. The appointment of the senior editors of government media, and the content of such media, are controlled by the administration.
Domestic TV channels and radio are both run by the Belarusian National State Teleradio Company. It runs an external radio service too. Certain radio stations also target Belarusian listeners living abroad.
Geography
The country has an average elevation of around 160 metres (525 ft) above sea level. It is completely landlocked with a largely flat terrain. Forests cover 34% of Belarus and it has a lot of marshy land, many streams, around 11,000 lakes, and three major rivers. The rivers Pripyat and Neman flow eastward to meet the Dnepr, which flows south to meet the Black Sea. At 345 metres (1130 ft), Dzyarzhynsk Hill is the highest point on Belarus, while the lowest point is at 90 metres (300 ft), a point on the Neman River.
Summers in Belarus are cool and moist with an average temperature of 18°C while winters are harsh, –6°C being the average temperature in January.
People
Religion
Once a major Jewish centre, 10% of the Belarusian population was Jewish at one time but this number was greatly reduced by the Holocaust, starvation, and war. Today Jews form just about 1% of the population. Emigration from Belarus is the major reason for the dwindling Jewish community.
Climate/Weather
Embassy Locations
Public Holidays
Electricity
General Information
Population: 10,400,000
Time Zones: GMT/UTC + 2
Country Dialing Code: +375
Weights & Measures: Metric
