General Information for Visitors

Dress: When visiting any Palestinian area it is best to dress modestly, which basically means no shorts, short skirts or sleeveless tops. While Ramallah is one of the least conservative Palestinian areas, and you may well see Palestinians showing more flesh than you, adherence to this simple rule is a good idea because it both respects local sensitivities and at the same time staves off unwanted comment or hassle.

The Working Week: Saturday to Thursday and 8am to 4pm are the general working hours (banks 8am-12pm, 3.30pm/4pm-4.30pm/6pm). The mixed Christian and Muslim population in Ramallah means that you can usually find something open though it can be hard to find a money changer on Fridays. Over the last few months Ramallah has become a city of the night, shops and cafes expanding their opening hours as people stroll around enjoying the summer weather. The winter months see earlier closing times and emptier streets at night.

Currency & Money: Ramallah has more than its fair share of money changers, walk down any street to find one. There are also individual money changers in the Manara, out side the Arab Bank and on the street which connects it to the Clock Manara, though you should certainly check their exchange rate before using one. There is an automated cash dispenser in the Old City and money can be withdrawn over the counter with a Master Card at the Jordan National Bank (Ten minutes walk down the road to Jerusalem from the Manara). While the official currency is still the Shekel, the Jordanian Dinar is also widely used, though by no means accepted everywhere. It is also possible to use the American Dollar in some shops and restaurants. Credit cards are only accepted in a limited number of shops and restaurants.

Media: Ramallah is home to several Arabic language newspapers, the Palestinian television channel 'Watan' (homeland), the radio station 'Saut As-Salam wal-Hub' (the Voice of Peace and Love) on FM 95.2 and one of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation centres.

Telephones: These are something of a problem in Ramallah. There are several card telephones in the city, however these often don't work and you can't buy the cards here anyway. Several of the city's shops have coin phones which are fine for local calls, for international calls ask in your hotel if you are staying here or try the international phone office just by the manara on Jaffa Street. Information on the wider picture of Palestine's telephony is available here.

Police: The police station is on A-Nahda St. and you will see plenty of police men and women (see right) around the city. Look out for the traffic police's enthusiastic direction.

Post Office: The post office is off Main St., on the second turning on the left. There are several card-phones here and a somewhat limited postal service.

General Health: There is nothing extraordinary to note here, tap water is fine, mosquitos can be annoying in the summer but the shops sell beast-deterring miracles in a myriad of shapes, sizes and colours. There are scorpions and snakes, however these are rarely encountered. The places you are most likely to see them are under rocks in the countryside and perhaps in flower beds. Should you happen to be stung or bitten, try to note the size and colour of the offending attacker and go directly to hospital. Do not pass go.

Emergencies: Ramallah General Hospital 02 995 6561/2. Ramallah has a number of pharmacies, some of which stay open until about eight o'clock at night.

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