GREENLAND. Travel Documents, Health Care, Vaccinations, Electricity, Telephones and Internet, Money and Banks, Shopping, Typical Products

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR A TRAVEL TO GREENLAND

GREENLAND

Travel Documents: In general, passport and visa regulations are the same as those that apply in Denmark. Greenland is, like Norway and Iceland, party to the Schengen Agreement even though it is not a member of the EU. All travellers to Greenland must have in their possession a valid passport which expires no less than three months after their stay in Greenland.

If you come from a country where a visa is required to enter Denmark, then a visa is also required to travel to Greenland. However, a visa that is valid for Denmark is not automatically valid for Greenland, so a separate visa application needs to be made for Greenland.

Health: Greenland is a safe destination to travel. There is a hospital in all towns, and in the settlements there is usually a nursing clinic. It is recommended that visitors bring their own medicine and any other medication that is used regularly, as special products are not always available. In the event of acute illness, treatment is free of charge in Greenland.

Telephones: Country Dialing Code 00299.

Fixed network telephones are found at all post offices, from where you can call anywhere in the world. In many cases post offices also sell mobile phones and Pay As You Go cards.

Mobile Telephones: The mobile phone system in Greenland is GSM 900/1800, and with the exception of one or two settlements the system covers all the inhabited areas of Greenland.

Internet: Hotspots have been established in most major hotels so that you can access the Internet.

Money and Banks: Danish krone is legal tender in Greenland.

There are banks in all major towns, and it is often possible to change money at hotels.

ATMs are found in all towns, you can withdraw Danish kroner (DKK) using the following credit cards: Dankort, Diners, VISA, VISA PLUS-card, VISA Electron, Eurocheque-card, Eurocard/Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus-card. Credit cards can be used at many hotels, restaurants and shops, but it is recommended that you bring a small amount of Danish kroner with you to Greenland, as some ATMs may not be in service at the weekend.

Electricity: In Greenland the mains supply is 220 Volts, and plugs are of the European type, i.e. with two round pins. If you are arriving from a country with another type of plug, it is recommended that you bring an adapter with you, as adapters can only be bought at a very few outlets in Greenland.

Shopping Hours: In the major towns supermarkets are typically open on weekdays from 10.00 – 17.30, on Fridays until 18.00 and Saturdays from 09.00 – 13.00. In many towns, however, there are corner shops and grocer’s shops that have longer opening hours and which are also open on Sundays.

Typical products: Local products such as tupilak (statuettes of evil spirits) carved in wood, bone, teeth of animals and steatite (soapstone). Other crafts such as figurines of people and animals, carved in the Narwhal tooth, in the reindeer horn or soapstone (steatite).

Cuisine: The national Greenlandic dish is the suaasat, seal meat boiled with rice and onions. Another specialty is the mattak, whale skin with a thin layer of fat is eaten raw, cut into squares. For our palates is probably the most savory version of mattak grilled, roasted with onions and brown or boiled potatoes. Among the fishes are the smoked fish, mussels, redfish fillet, marinated trout, and shrimp. GREENLANDIC CUISINE RECIPES.

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