As of September 1998, prices were in the tens of dollars for visas of a few days or weeks. The streets of Baku are quite safe by Western standards, yet the city is not without a criminal element. It is generally recommended that foreigners, particularly women, do not walk the streets alone after dark. It is also not recommended that you display large quantities of money in public. The water in Baku is filled to near capacity with bacteria, and drinking tap water should be avoided at all costs.
Water pressure drops to a drip for several hours a day in most parts of the city.
Americans, make sure your electrical appliances are either dual voltage or you have a transformer. Power in the city can be intermittent, making handy a good supply of candles. The Baku public phone system is an adventure of crackling reception and sudden disconnections. The only advice is to be patient and persistent. This broad and shady pedestrian walkway runs along the edge of the Caspian Sea in the downtown.