Planning your elective: Malawi

Until the early 1990s, Malawi had been under the dictatorship of Hastings Banda, a general practitioner, who practised in the United Kingdom and then went back to his own country and proclaimed himself president for life. It was a harsh time for the people: imprisonment without trial and other human rights abuses were common. Since 1994, however, democratic elections have been held. The country itself is beautiful. Its most prominent feature, Lake Malawi, supports a sizeable fishing industry.

British passport holders do not need a visa to visit Malawi for stays of up to three months. The rainy season is in the winter (December to March), and this is also when …