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Sringeri

Sringeri is a small Town in Southern India, in Chikmagaluru district of Karnataka. The Town is famous for the Shree Sharada Peetam, a Temple of the Goddess of knowledge, Devi Sharadamba, an incarnation of Devi Adi Parasakthi, which was established by Shri Adi Sankaracharya in 8th Century CE. The Temple is located on the banks of River Tunga, which joins bhadra to become Tungabhadra, a tributary of River Krishna joining in Kurnool District

As per sources, while Shri Adi Shankarar went around, in search for areas for establishing the Peetams, he comes to the town on the bank of river Tunga. It was during Monsoon time and the river was filled with water. Heavy rains lashed across the hilly Western Ghats. At this time, on the banks of the river Tunga, he saw a Frog struggling. The frog had gone into labour, and it was time to lay eggs and it couldn't move around anywhere. At this moment, a Cobra snake, which happens to pass through, spreads his hood around the frog, turning its protector, rather than killing it. This scene surprised Adi shankarar, who decided that there could be no other better place for setting his Peetam, than a place where foes turn protector. Hence, he prayed to the Goddess, and established the Temple on the banks of the river, Tunga

By plane
The nearest airport is Mangalore (110km from Sringeri)

By train
Shimoga or Kadur is the nearest railroad and is linked to Bangalore. Shimoga is about 110 km from Sringeri and connected through Pvt buses

The Shimoga Express (Train Number : 16227) runs from Mysore to Talaguppa. The train departs from Bangalore (Station Code : SBC) at 2310 hrs and arrives at Shimoga, next day at 0450 hrs. The train can also be boarded in Bangalore at Yashwantpur and Malleswaram.

A similar train - Bangalore Express (Train Number : 16228) departs Shimoga (Station Code: SME) at 2220hrs and arrives at Bangalore (Station Code : SBC) at 0420 hrs next day. Both trains run on all days in a week.

Kadur is located on the Mumbai-Bangalore line and has Daily connection to Mumbai through Chalukya/Sharavati Express. apart from that the station is connected with Kohlapur with Ranu Chennamma Express.

Kundapura (KUDA) is nearest major railway station on Konkan Railway route connecting Kerala and Mangalore through Mumbai and is an important stop for all trains passing through this route. It is located about 75 km from Sringeri. Private taxi and Govt.(KSRTC)/Private buses also there from Kundapura city.

By car
From Bangalore catch the NH-4 bound to Mumbai till Nelamangla, and turn left at Nelamangla Bye-pass to catch the NH-48 bound to Mangalore. Carry on for 150 km to Hassan, and exit Hassan on the route to Chikmaglur. Pass through Belur at 40 km and cross chikmaglur. Take a left as you enter Chikmaglur town towards Mudigere Road, and watch out for the sign to Aldur. Take a right towards Alur and another right in the Town of Alur towards Balehonnur. Cross Balehonnur and arrive at Jayapura at 12 km. If you are very comfortable with ghat road and riding a small vehicle, take a U turn to left in Jayapura to carry on towards Sringeri. or else, carry on to Koppa and then take a left towards Sringeri at Koppa

this section for driving is only for experienced drivers. Amateaur drivers are advised against driving on these routes. Avoid self driving in monsoon as visibility will be poor. Avoid driving post 6PM as the roads will be isolated

By bus
The KSRTC (State Owned Transport) operates buses from all major cities to Shringeri and Shimoga. Tickets can be booked from online vendors, KSRTC offices or online. There are also a good number of buses and private transport from Shimoga town to Sringeri.Sringeri is connected through Luxury buses by KSRTC from Bangalore and Mysore

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Do
Shri Sharada Temple is the major place of interest in this Town. Next to this temple, on the exact banks of river Tunga, is the Shri Vidyashankar Temple, built in the old Hoysala style architecture. Fish is very famous in the river Tunga, however fishing is not allowed. Visitors are given packets of puffed rice to feed the fish and its a delightful sight

The Narasimhavana is located on the other side of the river, connected through a Foot over bridge. The Ashrama is a very peaceful place for relaxation and a quick stroll

There is no dress code to enter the temple. However if you are planning to go to Narasimhavana where Swamiji resides, carry a set of dhothi. Men are supposed to take off their shirt before entering "GuruBhavana" (Swamiji's place). Even though women don't have any dress code, they are expected to wear either a saree or salwar kameez.

Buy

 * Sringeri Banana Chips -> Sringeri is famous for Banana chips.
 * Pickles -> Malnad part is famous for pickles. There are many shops which sells pickles, thokku etc out of these stores Vijaya Narasimha store in Bharathi Street is the most famous one
 * Happala (Papads) -> Sringeri is also famous for "Jackfruit Happala"
 * Several Vedic Books and others related to ancient Sanskrit literature are available at Mutt Store

Eat

 * Apart from the accommodation provided by the temple, there aren't too many hotels around.
 * Sringeri Mutt provides hygienic good food during noon and night time.
 * There are many good small budget mess around the temple street.

Sleep
Many decent budget lodges are available in Bharathi street of Sringeri. Sri Mutt has many decent lodges but has to be booked well in advance. Like most of the other lodges on Bharathi Street, it does not permit alcohol or meat. Shankara kripa, Sharada Kripa, Bharathi Vihar and Yatri Nivas are the town's Mutt lodges.

 * Panchavati Cottages Suitable if you're looking for a quiet place. Not a low-end budget option, but a fair value.
 * Advaith Lancer A hotel on the banks of river Tunga, more fancy than most others in town.
 * Vidya Bharathi tourist home, Bharathi street.

Stay safe

 * Do not try swimming in the river as there are many whirlpools.

If you are not used to walking barefoot for two hours, you will miss most of the charms of Shringeri. They ask you to remove your shoes at the temple entrance, but after seeing the temple, you have to cross the river and walk in the beautiful areca nut farm to reach the cute residence of the chief priest. So take some training in walking on the gravel path. The chief priest is an Indian scientist who has renounced the material world and selected the world of spirituality.

Go next

 * Horanadu
 * chikmagalur
 * Shimoga
 * Kudremukh
 * Bangalore
 * Hariharapura
 * Udupi

title: Sringeri


text:
Shrivardhan

Shrivardhan which means "increase of prosperity", is a village in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India.

Understand
Srivardhan (taluka) is an ancient place of historical importance and is mentioned as being visited by Arjuna Pandav on his pilgrimage. It is a well-known place for traders in the past. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries under Ahmadnagar and afterwards under Bijapur shrivardhan was a port of consequence. It appears in the accounts of leading European travellers as Ziffardan. In 1538 Dom Joao de Castro described it as with little water in the pier at low tide but inside large and roomy. [Primeiro Roteiro da Costa da India, 47.] It is notable as the birthplace of Balaji Visvanath, the first Pesva (1713-1720) who was the deshmukh of the town. In 1713 Srivardhan was one of the sixteen fortified places in the Konkan ceded by Balaji Visvanath Pesva to Kanhoji Ahgre of Kolaba. Balaji was the first Peshwa of the Maratha Empire appointed by Chhatrapati Shahu.

By car

 * Mumbai, 185 km via roads; Route: Mumbai-Panvel-Pen-Kolad-Mangaon-Mhasla-Srivardhan
 * Pune, 165 km via roads; Route: Pune-Tamhini-Kolad-Indapur-Mangaon-Mhasla-Srivardhan.
 * Kolhapur, 250 km via roads; Route: Kolhapur-Karar-Satara-Mahabaleshwar-Poladpur-Mahad-Veer-Mangaon-Mhasla-Shrivardhan.

See
If the beaches along Srivardhan are marvellous then the adventure sports available at the Kondivili beach are out of this world. Situated at almost 4-5 km from Srivardhan the Kondivli beach simply refuses to be faithful to the general definition of a beach.

Apart from Kondivili beach, you can also go to Dive Agar or Harihareshwar which are villages near the Taluka place Shrivardhan which is the main town in Shrivardhan Tehsil.

Eat
As you are on the seashores of Konkan, You should enjoy Fish Curry and other local fish dishes. Sol Curry ( Solkadhi), Ukdiche Modak ( Sweet momo- traditional recipes of Konkan), Amboli and Ghavan are typical mouthwatering traditional Konkani food. You can get these items at home stays as well as at local hotels and restaurants.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Shrivardhan


text:
Shropshire

Shropshire is England's largest inland county, covering an area of 1,347 square miles. It is a beautiful pastoral county with a landscape that has inspired visitors for centuries, a number of historic and prosperous market towns, and hundreds of sleepy, traditional villages.

Towns and villages

 * – Shropshire's county town and the birthplace of Charles Darwin. Home to over 660 listed buildings including magnificent black and white examples.
 * – a traditional and very small old English town near the Welsh border
 * – a town divided into low and high towns, described by Charles I as providing 'the finest view'
 * – Shropshire's "Little Switzerland", and gateway to the Shropshire Hills
 * – a small town in south east Shropshire, between the Clee Hills and Wyre Forest, and known for its beer.
 * – a tiny town in the south west corner of the county, described by A.E. Housman as "the quietest place under the sun"
 * – in the heart of Shropshire's "meres and mosses" and home to nine glacial meres (small lakes)
 * – historic market town with an impressive castle and church. Has a number of shops and markets specialising in quality food and drink.
 * – a market town on the Shropshire Union Canal and the home of gingerbread
 * – a birthplace of the modern Olympics, local games are still held every year
 * – a market town with architecture from the 12th to 19th centuries, particular Regency and Georgian buildings
 * – yet another market town, very near the Shropshire/Wales border, and one of the few places in the Marches to stubbornly cling to a Welsh identity and language. Nearby is the pretty little village of, home to an impressive castle
 * – a town to the east of Telford, once an important staging post on the London to Holyhead road
 * – the largest town (population: 130,000) and named after the engineer Thomas Telford. With nearby Ironbridge, this was the first place in the world to industrialise.
 * — home to Sunnycroft, ☏ +44 1952 242884. Victorian villa overseen by the National Trust.
 * – a small market town where the modern sweet pea was developed, now home to a museum of myths and fables
 * – a market town on the Llangollen Canal

Other destinations

 * – home to the world's first Iron Bridge and home to the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums. The world's first iron bridge (oddly beautiful) spanning the River Severn. Birthplace of the industrial revolution, Ironbridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ironbridge Gorge Museums are nine award winning museums and sites that tell this momentous story.
 * The Shropshire Hills with magnificent views of Shropshire and its neighbouring counties

Understand
Shropshire's countryside culminates in the Shropshire Hills, an area of upland moor and heath with a varied geology and such landmarks as the Long Mynd, the Stiperstones and Wenlock Edge. Local history has been shaped by Shropshire's strategic location between England and Wales, and indeed the area changed hands many times over the years. Many towns have castles and other Medieval fortifications. From the 18th century onwards, the county led the way in Britain's industrialisation, and Ironbridge is considered the birthplace of industry. JRR Tolkien based his conception of The Shire region of Middle Earth on 20th century Shropshire and neighbouring counties, while the Wrekin is a peak near Telford that is said to have inspired the Lonely Mountain.

Since 1998, Shropshire has been administratively divided into two areas; Telford and the Wrekin is a borough that covers about a sixth of the county in the east, while the remainder is administered by Shropshire Council. However for most purposes it is still one county with the same media, press, emergency services, records service, etc.

To the west it borders Wales and to the south rural Herefordshire and Worcestershire. In the north is Cheshire and, to the east, Staffordshire and the West Midlands conurbation.

Visitor information

 * Shropshire Tourism

Talk
The Shropshire Dialect of English is still spoken by many residents and dictionaries can be bought from some gift shops in the area.

Some parts of western Shropshire have a Welsh influence in their place names, and there are some Welsh speakers left in the county (particularly around Oswestry), though the vast majority of people living in Shropshire speak only English.

Get in
Shropshire is relatively easy to get to by road and rail.

By car
The A49 (which runs from Lancashire to Herefordshire) runs through Shropshire from north to south, while the M54 and A5 run east to west and link in from the M6 near Birmingham. The A5 and A49 converge at Shrewsbury. London to Shropshire is 3 to 4 hours by car, while the Channel Tunnel is 4½ to 6 hours away.

By train
Railways run into the country from six directions, all converging on Shrewsbury's railway station. The majority of services are provided by Arriva Trains Wales.

 * The main line from the south, with trains running from Cardiff, has stops at Ludlow, Church Stretton and Craven Arms.
 * The main line from the east, with trains running from Birmingham and Wolverhampton, stops at Telford and Wellington.
 * The main line from the north west, with trains running from Holyhead and Chester, calls at Gobowen, the nearest station to Oswestry.
 * The main line from the north, with trains running from Crewe and Manchester, calls at Whitchurch and Wem.
 * The line from the west links the county with mid-Wales and the Cambrian coast; trains run to/from Welshpool and Aberystwyth.
 * The line from the south west is a minor route with infrequent trains to Swansea via a very rural part of Wales.

By plane
Those arriving by plane normally fly into Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport and possibly Liverpool John Lennon Airport. East Midlands Airport is also a possibility. London Heathrow Airport is a 3- to 4-hour drive.

Get around
Shropshire is a predominantly rural area and sparsely populated. Car transport remains essential to take full advantage of the county, despite efforts to increase public transport usage.

It is possible to see most of the major sites by public transport. However, trains and buses can be infrequent. Most towns in Shropshire have their own public transport and taxi service. Seasonal shuttle buses give access to remote beauty spots in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, including the Long Mynd and Stiperstones (see Church Stretton).

See
With over 30 castles, there is plenty of history and heritage in Shropshire. If gardens are more your thing, then you won't be disappointed, as Shropshire has 20 national collections including English roses, clematis and tulips. Gardens include the Dorothy Clive Garden and the award winning Wollerton Old Hall Garden (both near Market Drayton), and Hawkstone Park and Follies near Shrewsbury.

Shropshire has over 90 other attractions to visit, including:
 * Stokesay Castle. A very romantic and one of the oldest and best preserved 13th century fortified manor house in England. North of Ludlow
 * The Severn Valley Railway. One of Britain's most-visited heritage railways; historic steam and diesel trains chug through 16 miles of glorious countryside and restored stations. Shropshire has other steam train attractions.
 * Wroxeter Roman City (Viroconium), near Shrewsbury. The fourth largest Roman city in Britain. Wroxeter was also the city of Camelot from the legend of King Arthur. You can follow the trail of King Arthur.
 * The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford (Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 8UP). Aviation history brought to life, the largest collection of missiles in the country. Exciting displays of civil and military planes. Car parking available (charges apply). Home of the National Cold War Exhibition.
 * Weston Park. Ancestral home of the Earls of Bradford. Lots of events, concerts and the occasional world summit. Near Shifnal
 * Hawkstone Historic Park and Follies, near Market Drayton. Wooded land of grottos, caves, cliffs and follies. Filming location for The Chronicles of Narnia TV series.

Eat
Shropshire is an excellent place to find locally-grown produce at farmers' markets, delicatessens and small local shops. The county is home to a national winner of the retail cheese awards and a national finalist in the Taste of England awards.

Shropshire specialities include Shrewsbury biscuits, gingerbread, wimberry pie and fidget pie. Wimberries are small, hardy berries that grow near the ground on the moors, and their pie is obviously sweet and most commonly eaten after the August and September picking. Fidget pie is a savoury dish made with pork, bacon (or cured gammon), apples, cider, potatoes and onion, and is a deliciously-warming autumn or early winter meal. Local cheeses include Shropshire blue and Wrekin.

Traditional pubs and inns, tearooms and fine dining restaurants can all be found in Shropshire, though Ludlow is quite possibly the 'foodie capital' of the county (if not the whole region), with a fluctuating number of Michelin-starred and -listed restaurants, and many other specialist food shops and dining establishments.

Drink
There are traditional pubs, inns and microbreweries, and dozens of places where real ale can be sampled, including quite a few local tipples. The south Shropshire town of Bishop's Castle is home to two breweries, one of which (Three Tuns) has been continuously brewed since 1642. Other notable breweries are Hobsons of Cleobury Mortimer and Salopian of Shrewsbury. You should see a fair number of hopfields in the lowland and valley bottoms.

You can try Shropshire wine at Wroxeter Roman Vineyard, an historic site near Shrewsbury and one of the world's most northerly vineyards. It produces red, white and sparkling wines, and the named range includes Shropshire Gold, Wrekin Reserve and Wroxeter Medium. The vineyard also offers tours and tastings.

Cider is another popular drink at pubs, as it is throughout western England. There aren't as many cider producers as breweries, though there are a couple mainly concentrated in the south of the county, including Mahorall Farm near Ludlow.

Go next

 * Cheshire
 * Herefordshire
 * Powys
 * Staffordshire
 * Worcestershire

title: Shropshire


text:
Shumen

Shumen (Bulgarian: Шумен) is a city in northeastern part of Bulgaria, notable for the huge Monument looming over the city and its proximity to two medieval capitals of Bulgaria, Pliska and Preslav, and the Madara Rider, a. With a population of slightly more than 70 thousand, it's the tenth largest city in Bulgaria and the centre of Shumen Province, to the north-east of the capital Sofia,  west of the Black Sea coast at Varna, and  south-east of Ruse (and Romania) on the Danube.

Name
In modern Bulgarian, shumen means literally "noisy". Another possible etymology comes from the Slavic root shuma, which in modern Bulgarian refers to the (fallen) foliage of trees, but it still means "wood, forest" in Macedonian and Serbo-Croatian. The preferred transliteration of the name has varied throughout the years (Shoumen, Šumen, etc); 19th century English-language texts usually call it Shumla. Shumen is also one of the Bulgarian cities that used to have a "Communist name" - it was officially renamed to Kolarovgrad between 1950 and 1965, after Vasil Kolarov (1877-1950), a major figure in the Bulgarian Communist Party and the Communist International who was born in the city.

Geography and orientation
Shumen lies at the base of the Shumen Plateau, a wood-covered limestone height that rises over the Bulgarian Danubian Plain without being connected to any mountain range. The Plateau has roughly the shape of a horseshoe or the letter C, and the city "spills out" from the gap into the fields to the east and south-east. A small river, Poroyna ("flood [river]"), drains from the Plateau and runs through the city in an ugly, utilitarian channel before flowing into the larger Kamchia nearby.

History
"[Shumen] has, therefore, been one of the most important military positions in the Balkan Peninsula."

- Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th edition (1911) Shumen originated as a fortified settlement on the top of the Plateau, west of the modern city centre. Its earliest traces date back at least to the 11th century BCE, but the first serious stone fortifications were built by the Romans after they conquered the area in the early decades of the 1st century CE. Afterwards, the fortress was destroyed and rebuilt several times in different eras. The peak of its importance and development as a city was during the Second Bulgarian Empire, and the earliest recorded use of the name "Shumen" is in a stone inscription dating to that era. Together with the rest of the region, Shumen was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1388. In 1444, the fortress was besieged and taken over in a bloody battle during the failed Varna Crusade, an attempt to liberate the Balkans from Ottoman rule by combined Polish, Hungarian and Burgundian forces. Afterwards, the crusaders advanced east towards Varna where they fought and lost a decisive battle.

It is unclear if the city was destroyed during the battle or abandoned afterwards, but by the 16th century it was already in its modern place, at the base of the plateau. In the 18th and 19th centuries, a system of fortifications was built and expanded around the city, as it formed one corner of the "quadrilateral of fortresses" (Ruse, Silistra, Varna, Shumen) that guarded the northern border of the Ottoman Empire. The city played an important part in several of the Russo-Turkish wars, including the Crimean War, but notably not the Liberation War of 1877-1878 - the main thrust of the Russian forces bypassed the "quadrilateral" and Shumen was surrendered only after the end of the war. Despite that, little remains of the Ottoman fortifications today, as they consisted mostly of earthworks, and the remnants haven't been improved to be tourist-friendly.

By train
Shumen is a major station on the main line Sofia-Varna that runs along the length of Northern Bulgaria. This means that there are multiple daily direct trains from Sofia (6 hours), Pleven (3 hours), Targovishte (30-40 min) and Varna (100-140 min). Veliko Tarnovo requires changing trains at Gorna Oryahovitsa (close to Tarnovo; about 2½ hr to Shumen); Vratsa, Montana and Vidin require changing trains at Mezdra; Ruse requires changing at Gorna Oryahovitsa or Kaspichan. Kaspichan, the junction station where the Ruse-Varna line merges into the Sofia-Varna line, is just east of Shumen.

The train station is right opposite the back side of the Bus Station (Avtogara) - 50 m/yd across a large parking lot. The back side of the city park (Gradskata gradina) forms the west side of the square - you can go up a staircase and follow the alleys west to Bulgaria Square roundabout, the east end of the main street.

Get around
One can get around the town well by foot, bike or taxi. Public transport by bus is also possible.

See
Except for the Monument and perhaps the Mosque and the Fortress, most of the sights in Shumen itself are of the "if you are already here" variety. The big tourists draws are outside - the ruins of Pliska and Preslav and the Madara Rider (see the section below).
 * The Bezisten
 * House-museum of Dobri Voynikov
 * House-museum of Layosh Koshut (Hungarian: Lajos Kossuth)
 * Monument to the Soviet Army
 * Monument to Anti-Fascist Resistance (Razperko)
 * Liberation Square (ploshtad Osvobozhdenie) - concrete Communist shopping mall unfinished for 30 years
 * Fountains and SHUMEN sign in front of the Courthouse
 * Kyoshkovete Park - including a small zoo
 * Monument to Anti-Fascist Resistance (Razperko)
 * Liberation Square (ploshtad Osvobozhdenie) - concrete Communist shopping mall unfinished for 30 years
 * Fountains and SHUMEN sign in front of the Courthouse
 * Kyoshkovete Park - including a small zoo

Hiking
Hiking is a popular activity in Shumen due to the proximity of the Plateu. A map of the marked trails and their colours can be found on BGMountains.org (zoomed-in map online; downloadable maps for Garmin with Latin place names). There's also a paper map (1:25,000 scale) in passable English - you can buy it from the small shop at the Monument's parking lot, and perhaps other locations.

Paragliding and hang gliding
The local landscape makes the Shumen Plateau a good spot for paragliding. There are three established take-off spots within walking distance (1 km) of the parking lot of the Monument. While it remains a popular activity, the local paragliding club seems to be defunct and as of 2023, the only available contact info is for a local commercial operation:

Sleep
The largest two hotels in the city date back to the Communist era, but while Hotel Madara still looms over one of Shumen's central squares, it's been closed since the early 2010s. A number of smaller hotels have been established all over the city since the 1990s.

Nearby
Three major historical sites are within of the city - the ruins of Pliska and Preslav, the medieval capitals of the First Bulgarian Empire, and the Madara Horseman, a. If you are travelling by car, it's possible to hit all three in a single day; using public transport is trickier.

Go next

 * Southwest of Shumen, close to Kotel, there is a nice village, Medven, with old wooden houses, a nice little waterfall, and a good restaurant and hotel (30 лв for a double room).

title: Shumen


text:
Shunan

Shunan (周南市 Shūnan-shi) is a city in Yamaguchi prefecture.

Tourist information sites

 * The city government's official site has a good Japanese-only tourism section.

 * The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated Google Translate.

Go next

 * Kudamatsu
 * Hikari
 * Hofu
 * Yamaguchi
 * Tabuse
 * Kaminoseki
 * Hirao
 * Yanai
 * Suouoshima
 * Iwakuni

title: Shunan


text:
Shunan Zhuhai National Park

Shunan Zhuhai National Park (蜀南竹海国家公园) is in Sichuan province. It is also known as The Bamboo Forest, The Bamboo Sea and The Bamboo City.

Understand
The Shunan Bamboo Forest (Shunan Zhuhai) is a huge bamboo forest that covers 120 km². The park is famous for the natural beauty of the bamboo forests, scenes from the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were shot here. It has two cable cars, plenty of waterfalls and lakes.

Climate
High season is from January till November. The best time to see the waterfalls is winter, there is not much water during summer.

Get in
From Chengdu. You can get here from Chengdu by taking a bus to Yibin and then taking a number 4 local bus across town to the Yibin South bus station (Nan An). From there you can catch a bus to the park entrance. The last bus leaves from Yibin to the park at 16:00. It is also possible to hire a taxi from Yibin to the park for around ¥200.

From Chongqing. Bus from Chonqing to Yibin costs ¥90 and takes 4-5 hours.

Fees and permits
Entrance fee to the park is ¥121 (May 2012). There are two cable cars on the territory of the park, first is ¥40, second is ¥30 for two-way journey.

Get around
For ¥200-280 you should be able to hire a car and driver for the day. (For the whole car not per person). Or expect to pay ¥30 for 2 persons for a transfer between any two park points.

Do
Explore picturesque walking routes inside the bamboo forest and around the mountains and waterfalls. Start as early as 06:00 to avoid local tourist groups.

Go next
Direct bus to Yibin leaves at 14:00 from the Western Gates. Buses to Chang Ning bus station leave every 30 min.

title: Shunan Zhuhai National Park


text:
Shunde

Shunde  (顺德 Seuhndāk in Cantonese, Shùndé in Mandarin) is a city, officially a district of Foshan, in Guangdong Province in China. Shunde is well-known in Guangdong province as a place with great Cantonese food, as many of the top Cantonese chefs around the world were trained in Shunde.

Understand
Shunde's population and economy are starting to grow and its rapid economic growth is mainly due to furniture production while increase in population is due to an influx of workers. With this influx of people seeking work, there has been an increase in popular services like body massage, foot massage and spas.

Climate
It is located in South China where the climate is damp and hot.

By plane
The nearest airport is Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. There is an airport express service that leaves the airport hourly 7AM-6:30PM.

By boat
It is possible to take a cruise in from Hong Kong.

Do
Enjoying a great and relaxing body massage is a must during your visit to Shunde.

Shunde is also famous for their foot massages and washing of feet (沐足), being a lifestyle for many of the locals. Many shops are found in the district of Daliang, along Gui Pan (桂畔路). It is approximately ¥40–60 for a session for an hour.

Another common lifestyle for the locals is washing of hair at salons, 洗头. Generally every hair salon offers this service, accompanied with a head and neck massage. Costs range from ¥10–20.

Buy
While not generally considered to be in the same league as its neighbours with regards to shopping, with the increase of middle-class individuals, Shunde is seeing an increase in the number of shopping centres.

Eat
There is a saying in Shunde '食在广东, 厨出凤城' which means when you eat in Guangdong, you are actually eating in Shunde, in reference to the many great chefs in Guangdong Province who originated from this small town. Downtown Shunde is the place to look for great food.

One must-try is the Double-Skin Milk (Shuāngpínǎi 双皮奶). It is a famous Cantonese dessert that originated in this town. It tastes a bit like custard and can be eaten hot or cold, or mixed with other desserts. But there are many local desserts besides double-skin milk. A famous dessert shop is rén xìn (仁信老铺), which offers a large variety of desserts.

Drink
Drinking traditionally begins at dinner and spills over to local bars afterward. KTV (karaoke) is a popular pastime, and is as much about the beer as the singing. If beer is not your taste, try the Chinese rice wine...clear and strong!

Sleep
There are many small and mid-range hotels to choose from in Shunde.

Budget

 * 7 days Inn (7天连锁酒店) No 58, JianHai Bei Lu, Daliang Town, Shunde District - Tel: +86-757-22113288 - Fax +86-757-22113277

Stay safe
Whilst not free from crime, Shunde is generally safer than the bigger cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Dongguan. Nevertheless, it helps to watch out for pickpockets who have been known to work in public buses and other crowded areas. In addition, avoid going out alone at night and wearing flashy clothes and accessories.

title: Shunde


text:
Shurdhah Island

Shurdhah Island  is an island on Lake Vau-Dejes, which is fed and drained by the river Drin, in Northeastern Albania, in Shkodra District. It is the largest island in the reservoir. From the most northern tip of the island to the most southern tip of it, it has an estimated length of 390 m (1,280 ft). It is mainly covered by trees. It is accessible by tourist boat in summer from the Vau i Dejës dam or Rragam.

History
Before 1973, when the dam was completed, the island was a hill on the left bank of the river Drin. It contains the ruins of the medieval town of Sarda. The town was strategically located on the old road from Shkodër to Gjakova. Sarda was founded in the 6th-8th century BC, and foundations of a Roman fort have been discovered here. The earliest remains date from the 6th-8th century AD. It gained its highest importance in the 12th century, when it was the seat of the bishop of Sapa and Sarda. It was ravaged by the Ottomans in 1491. Now you can visit the ruins of the 11th-century medieval castle, which includes two rings of defensive walls and towers (some submerged in the lake), the remains of a Byzantine church and other early medieval walls. The setting on the steep rocks rising from the lake is especially impressive.

Get in
The Island can be reached from the town or Rragam or the Vau Dejes dam. Both starting points can be reached by taking a mini bus from Shkoder. The buses leave about 2½ blocks south from Teatri Migjeni at the intersection of Rruga Skenderbeg and Rruga Marin Barleti. They usually run from dawn to dusk. At either Rragam or Vau Dejes you will need to hire a boat to take you to the island. Shoqata Sarda offers travel from Shkoder to the island and back for 700 leke or €10. There are individual transportation operators with 12 person boats and a 3000 leke minimum. When the number of people passes 6 people, they pay no less than 500 lek per person. This travel is without time limit. There are other boats that offer travel for 1500 leke plus gas without a time or person limit.

Eat
Shurdhah Island is a wonderful place to take a picnic. The island is not developed but there are a few nice restaurants located on the lake near Vau Dejes.

Sleep
It may be possible to camp on the island but there are not any accommodations on the island. Hotels are available in Shkoder and Vau Dejes.

Go next
After you are done visiting the island, it is possible to continue on to Koman to catch a ferry north for Bajram Curri or Kosovo. The other option is to return to Shkoder.

title: Shurdhah Island


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Shushtar

Shushtar is in Khuzestan province and is one of the oldest cities in Iran. It has many historical and architectural wonders.

Get in
An overnight train from Tehran departs every second day. (ایستگاه راه آهن شوشتر) is located west of the city centre.

Shushtar can be combined with Shush and Chogha Zanbil as a daytrip by taxi from Ahvaz.

See

Do
swimming, boating and kayaking

Eat

 * Mostoufi House. Iranian dishes. Located in a Qajar era courtyard house overlooking the historic bridge on the Karoun River. Walking distance from Salasel Castle. Also sells Iranian handicrafts such as pottery and Tarmeh.

title: Shushtar


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Shuswap

The Shuswap region takes its name from the local Indigenous people, the Secwépemc, known in English as the Shuswap people. The region offers unlimited opportunities for cottaging, camping, and boating/watersports.

Cities

 * — a summer tourist town, with many beaches, camping facilities and house boat rentals
 * — on the shore of Little Shuswap Lake, it offers beaches, boat launches and a large pier provide access to the lake and South Thompson River
 * — hosts the Shuswap Lake Festival of the Arts in July, and the Sorrento Bluegrass Festival in late August
 * — the self-proclaimed 'houseboat capital of Canada'.

Understand
The Shuswap Country (called Secwepemcúl̓ecw in Secwepemctsín) refers to the environs of Shuswap Lake. The upper reaches of the Shuswap basin, southeast of Shuswap Lake and northeast of the Okanagan, are generally considered to be part of Okanagan or of the Monashee Country rather than "the Shuswap".

Roughly defined, the Shuswap Country begins on its west at the town of Chase, located on Little Shuswap Lake, west of which is the South Thompson area of the Thompson Country, and includes Adams Lake to the northwest of Shuswap Lake as well as communities in the Eagle River area as far as Craigellachie and/or Three Valley Gap, which is at the summit of Eagle Pass, beyond which eastwards is the Columbia Country.

Scotch Creek, a community across the lake from Sorrento, was heavily damaged by the wildfires in late summer 2023.

By car
Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) is the main route into the region from Vancouver in the west and from Calgary in the east.

From Seattle, in the United States, follow Highway 2 east to Highway 97 to the Canadian border, where it remains Highway 97 and goes north through the region.

By plane
The nearest airports with commercial service are in Kamloops, west on Highway 1, and Kelowna, southeast on Highway 97.

By public transit

 * Bus route 23 Canoe bus will bring users to the main public beach. Route operates Monday to Saturday.
 * Bus route 41 operates on Wednesdays, making two round trips between Salmon Arm and Enderby. Travel time from Enderby to Salmon Arm is 30 minutes. This bus route enables connections with BC Transit (Vernon Regional Transit System) bus route 60, a more frequent route between Enderby and Vernon, that operates from Monday to Saturday. Bus route 90 operates multiple times daily between Vernon and Kelowna. Using those three routes, a traveler can travel between Salmon Arm and Kelowna in about 3 hours.
 * Bus route 43 operates on Thursday, operating one trip each way between Salmon Arm and Eagle Bay via Blind Bay.
 * Bus route 43 operates on Thursdays, operating one trip each way between Salmon Arm and Sorrento via Blind Bay.

By boat

 * Ferry in this region:

See
The North Shuswap is home to many artists, craftspeople and authors. Their work can be found at markets and local festivals year-round, or at their studios, many of which display the artisan identification sign.

Craigellachie (pro. cray-gull-ah-key), 25 km east of Sicamous on Hwy 1, is where the 'last spike' in the Canadian Pacific Railway's transcontinental line was driven. There is an information centre and a gift shop. The Three Valley Lake Chateau and Heritage Ghost Town includes a 200-room hotel, a collection of heritage buildings, an antique car museum, enclosed railway roundhouse with antique rail car exhibit, and attached grounds with helicopter tours offered. It is closed during the winter months. Located west of Revelstoke.

In October, the Adams River in Tsútswecw Provincial Park turns red with migrating Sockeye salmon. Located near Chase.

Do
Shuswap Lake is a popular recreational destination in BC. It offers 400 km (250 mi) of beautiful shoreline, provincial parks and endless water-related recreation opportunities. The surrounding mountains provide miles of trails for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, mountain-biking and hiking. There are more than 100 hiking or mountain biking routes covering over 700 km (435 mi) of trails of all levels.

You can rent a houseboat at the Salmon Arm Wharf, or in Sicamous.

Enjoy the many beaches around Sicamous.

Salmon Arm hosts a roots blues festival every August that attracts 30,000 people.

Drink
The Shuswap grows many varieties of grapes, and its wines reflect the terroir of the region. The wineries, found just north of the 50th parallel, grow cool-hardy and quick-ripening grapes for their varietals. See Salmon Arm

If wine's not your thing, visit Canada’s first certified organic farmhouse microbrewery. See listing under Chase.

Stay safe
90% of the Shuswap is provincial park and undeveloped, so there is almost zero chance of being robbed while camping or house boating. The same goes for the bigger cities like Salmon Arm.

Go next

 * Visit the Okanagan to the south.
 * Visit the Columbia-Rockies to the east.

title: Shuswap


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Shymkent

Shymkent (Kazakh: Шымкент) is a city in the Kazakh Desert, and is the third largest city in Kazakhstan.

By bus
There are overnight buses from Almaty's Sayran bus station that leave at roughly half hour intervals from 18:00-21:00 everyday. The journey takes approximately 12 hr, 2,400 tenge (Aug 2012).

There are 5 buses everyday leaving from Tashkent. Journey takes about 4.30 hr, 1700 tenge (Jul 2019). You will arrive at Samal bus station.

Overnight buses will arrive at the Samal bus station, 5 km out from the city center. From there, you can take buses from 35-40 tenge for a marshrutka to the center. Taxis to the center are also available for 300-400 tenge.

Get around
You can take "gypsy cabs" for 300-400 tenge anywhere in the city. Bargain if they try to overcharge.

Buses run to and from the center and all of the microdistricts. They cost 70 tenge as of 2018 which for short distances is frustrating. Routes are marked at some bus stations and locals know where most of them go.

"Marshrutkas" are mini-buses that run largely the same routes as the buses.

If you plan on walking remember that the districs are broken into "microryons" which look like city blocks on the map but are often four times the size.

Do

 * Mega Planet: most popular youth hangout place in town, a mall with indoor skating rink, movie theater, Western-style chain grocery store and an upstairs food court. On Tauke-Khan avenue.
 * Spartak - awesome outdoor swimming pool, soccer field and basketball court. Across from Mega on Tauke-Khan avenue.
 * Movies: playing (mostly Western movies dubbed in Russian) on the top floor of Mega Center.
 * Babylon: arcade complex also on the top floor of Mega Center, complete with games and laser tag
 * Watch football (soccer) at FC Ordabasy, who play in the Premier League, the top tier of Kazakh football. Their home ground is Kazhymukan Munaitpasov (or Hodzhy Mykana) Stadium, capacity 20,000, one km north of Old Town.

Events
The Nauryz celebrations in Shymkent in late March are the among the largest in Kazakhstan. The events happen at the Ippodrom (Hippodrome) in the northern part of the city.

Buy
There are good souvenir shops in Park Ken Baba, on Tauke-Khan avenue. They sell stuffed camels, magnets, keychains, leather goods, plates and figurines.

Markets

 * Ayna Bazaar: good for buying food and random stuff (some clothes, Chinese electronics, burned CDs with Kazakh music, etc.). In a microregion a bit outside of town, but public transport regularly goes there.
 * Koktem Bazaar: good for fresh produce and fruit.

You can also change your uzbek soms to kazakh tenges and reciprocally near Южная (Yuzhnaya) bus station. Be careful, watch well the rates.

Drink
"Shymkent" beer is sold most places and rather excellent, perhaps the best local beer in the country. Also cheap.

Sleep

 * Rented apartments are available - bargain for your room. Don't pay more than 2,000 tenge for a normal room or 4,000 tenge for "elite" (newly remodeled room) in a rented apartment. No meals included, so-so conditions for the most part, but inexpensive. There are apartments on the main road (Tauke Xana/Respublika) close to the bus stop Ogonyok. The apartment rental is done out of a rainbow-colored cafe right on the street.
 * Other hotel options include Hotel Shymkent, and Clara Sapar (better option for business/diplomat guests). Rooms are over US$100 night.
 * Rented apartments are available - bargain for your room. Don't pay more than 2,000 tenge for a normal room or 4,000 tenge for "elite" (newly remodeled room) in a rented apartment. No meals included, so-so conditions for the most part, but inexpensive. There are apartments on the main road (Tauke Xana/Respublika) close to the bus stop Ogonyok. The apartment rental is done out of a rainbow-colored cafe right on the street.
 * Other hotel options include Hotel Shymkent, and Clara Sapar (better option for business/diplomat guests). Rooms are over US$100 night.

Connect
+7-7252 is the area code for Shymkent.

Go next

 * Turkestan — the most famous Muslim site in Kazakhstan, with a beautiful mausoleum and brand new historical museum. Definitely a must-see if you're in the south for a few days.
 * Sairam mausoleums — you can take a taxi from Ordabasy Square to Sairam for 200-300 tenge. Stop to see the "SHYMKENT" Hollywood sign on your way! Marshrutka number 140 also runs to Sairam from the Aina bus stop (not from the Avtovokzal) and costs 70 tenge.

 * Sauran ancient city ruins — you can book a private taxi from Shymkent, or take a taxi from Turkestan if you're already there.
 * Tashkent - go to the junction of Republic avenue and Gagarin street. There are marshrutkas and taxis waiting for passengers. A shared taxi to the border is about 1,400 tenge. Just south of the junction of Gagarin and Respublika, on the western side opposite the bus stop, there's a shopping gallery and at the back it opens on a . Be warned they drive extremely fast. The marshrutka goes to the main Avtobeketi (АвтоБекеті) in Saryagash. A few hundred meters to the Southwest on Ulitsa Mayly-Kozha is another Avtobeketi where you can find a taxi for the last 5 km to the Saryagash border checkpoint for 100 to 200  tenge. Direct buses leave Shymkent to Tashkent at 08:00, 13:00 and 19:00 (May 2022) from Bekzhan bus station 8km west of the city center. Tickets are about 3000 tenge per person. The ride is comfortable and the border crossing smoother than in shared taxis, and unlike the taxis they also go all the way to Tashkent. The station has a casual local number +7 707 475 8660 you can contact whatsup, asking simple questions.

 * Taraz - Locals pay 1,200 tenge for the Shymkent to Taraz road (Apr 2019). Drivers don't seem to overcharge. 15-man marshrutkas leave from Samal station, 5 km north-west of the city centre. They operate at least until 6pm (and a sunset ride is spectacular). Possibly cheaper from Bekzhan station, slightly further out. They arrive at Zhensaya station, 5 km west of the city centre. Takes about 2.5 hours (the marshrutka detours on a few minor roads and often has to stop for cattle).

title: Shymkent


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Sialkot

Sialkot (Urdu/Punjabi: سیالکوٹ) is a city of 656,000 people (2017) in the northeast of the Pakistani province of Punjab. The city is about 5,000 years old. It is frequently visited by foreign buyers on business assignments.

Understand
It was established by Raja Sul and invaded by Alexander the Great in 327 BCE. It was re-established by Raja Sálbán in 200 CE. He built the famous Sialkot Fort. The city is famous for its small industries, such as surgical goods, sports goods, leather garments, musical instruments, uniform badges, health gloves, stainless steel utensils, and many other exportable items. It fetches more than a billion US dollars of foreign exchange every year. The city has progressed rapidly. In order to boost the exports and facilitate the movement of goods and passengers, a dry port has been establishment at Sambrial, and an international airport has been built with the financial support of the local businessmen. The Sialkot-Lahore M-11 Motorway has reduced the driving distance and travel time between the two cities considerably.

By train
The only direct long-distance train to Sialkot is the Allama Iqbal Express from Karachi. Nearest major junction is in Wazirabad and Narowal.

By road
Sialkot is linked with the National Highway (N-5) via Gujranwala and via Wazirabad. The 103-km-long motorway M11 directly connects Sialkot to Lahore with interchanges near major urban centres of the Sialkot region along the route. The motorway is connected to the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M2) near Lahore via Lahore Bypass. Daewoo bus service is available from Sialkot to different cities of the country including Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad.

Get around
There are some air-conditioned buses that roam around the city. These buses pick passengers wherever they see. They are cheap and comfortable. There are also plans for introduction of metro bus service in near future.

The most common means of public transport is auto rickshaw.

Taxis are also available in plenty. Careem ride hailing service is pretty popular amongst young people and foreigners. Rental car service is available near the bus station and under Jinnah Park Flyover.

See

 * Seerat Study Center is on Ghazi Road in cantonment area.
 * Imam Ali ul Haq shrine is on Imam Sahib Road.
 * Baba Bari Sahib — a centuries-old Sikh shrine (Bari Sahib) is located on Zafarwal Road.
 * Jinnah Stadium (International Cricket Test Centre) is on Circular Road.
 * Murray College — a historical college where Iqbal and Faiz studied. It also has Allama Iqbal Library (much bigger than the Allama Iqbal Library at Paris Road).
 * Clock Tower — a century-old clock tower in Saddar Bazar is the most famous landmark of Sialkot.
 * Puran Bhagat Well — another historical site near cantonment area.
 * Local Industry — visit Sialkot Chamber of Commerce to see local products. You can ask them to arrange visit local manufacturing units (Sports goods, garments, leather, surgical instruments, music instruments).

Parks

 * Gulsan i Iqbal Park
 * Sialkot Park/Garrison Park
 * Sindbad Fun House
 * Khayaban e Iqbal

Buy

 * Leather garments (original leather coats, jackets & accessories)
 * Sports Goods (soccer, volleyballs. rugby balls, basketballs, hockey sticks, tennis rackets, cricket gear, polo sticks, fishing equipments, boxing & other sport equipment).
 * Sportswear (track suits, T-shirts, gloves, sports wear & karate uniforms)
 * Musical instruments (Scotch Pipe, drums, guitars)

Sleep

 * Hotel one, Wazirabad Road.052-3240495, 052–3240494.
 * Galaxy Hotel, Wazirabad Road, 052–3555557.
 * Hotel Taj Palace, Court Road, 052–4270034.
 * Pace Tower , Aziz Shaheed Road, 052–4266144.
 * Spring Heights, Aziz Shaheed Road, 052–4261910, 052–4265685.
 * Canal View Hotel, Airport Road, 052–5520780.
 * Hotel Stay Inn, Aziz Shaheed Road, 052–4272480.

Stay safe
Sialkot is a safe city as compared to the other cities of Pakistan. Crimes such as pocketing and robbery are not very common. Violent crime is very rare. The people of Sialkot are friendly to the visitors.

Connect

 * Public call offices (PCO) line all major streets in Sialkot.
 * Internet cafes can be found in hotels and main streets.
 * WiFi Sialkot International Airport is free WiFi Zone RUN by COMSATS Internet Services, contact 111-700-800 for free access. Subway Restaurant also offers free Wifi Facility to its customers
 * General Post Office Paris Road
 * FedEx Paris Road
 * DHL Paris Road
 * TCS Khadim Ali ROAD.
 * FCA Paris Road.

Go next

 * Daska
 * Pasrur
 * Sambrial
 * Head-Marala - About 20 km from city, it is a head works on River Chenab. Two canals originate from there. A good place for angling and to eat fresh fish around, and having good views of the Shiwalak Mountains in Kashmir.

title: Sialkot


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Siargao

Siargao is an island off the coast of Mindanao, in the Philippines. In reality, Siargao is composed of seven towns, but it is treated here as one destination.

Understand
Siargao is a beautiful paradise island with nice beaches and clear blue waters. It has now become quite a popular tourist spot with multiple flights from Manila and Cebu coming in every day. The island is well known for its surf spots (beginner and advanced), especially the Cloud 9 break where there's a big international surf contest every year.

Siargao is known for its relaxed atmosphere, friendly people and many surfer shops. Prices have increased during the last few years as more and more visitors take the trip to the island.

By plane

The airport is approximately 45 minutes from the main accommodation areas at Cloud 9. Usually there are plenty of vans to transport people to their accommodation. The price is not fixed, whatever you can bargain the driver down to: they have to return to the Cloud 9 area anyway.

Cebgo has non-stop flights from Cebu four times a week, and from Manila. Prices for flights seem to vary, but expect to pay approximately one-way from Cebu ( from Manila). Flight time is approximately a hour from Cebu, and 2½ hours from Manila.

PAL Express has flights from Cebu and Davao. The price is approximately from Cebu and  from Davao. A flight takes about a hour from either point.

SkyJet has no flights as of 2019, after a bird strike involving their aircraft.

By ferry
As always, flight times and ferry schedules may change without notice. The above details are current July 2016.
 * The ferries from Surigao City to Dapa (main port town on Siargao Island) leave at approx. 6AM, 11:30AM and noon. Travel time varies from 2 hours to almost 4 hours, depending on the ferry. Fares for the ferries are / (non-air con/air con) per way.
 * Tricycles, vans and habal-habals (motorbikes used as taxis) wait at the pier to transport people to the main tourist/accommodation areas at Cloud 9.
 * Montenegro shipping lines. +63 86-2316245. has a RoRo ferry from Surigao city to Dapa. The trip takes four hours and the fare is from.

Get around
For the non-surf people, you can explore the island by motorbike or boat. You can go island jumping, scuba diving and snorkeling. And there's also many caves and waterfalls to explore.

Drink
If you want to hang out at night, catch a beer and some food, enjoy good music and meet new people, you're in luck: no shortage here.

 * BARREL: Beachfront Sports Bar, in General Luna next to Siago Beach Resort. A beachside bar. +63 938 233 2292

Sleep
Look for accommodation around General Luna ("GL") or Cloud 9, where there's a number of places by the beach. GL is the main village near some of the main surf spots, a 5-minute drive ( per person) from Cloud 9. Cloud 9 has places to eat (more limited) and is walking distance from the pro and beginner surf spot. Food here is more expensive, but accommodation is still cheap.

In Siargao, accommodations in the "budget" category cost under per room per night.

Budget

 * Paglaom Hostel. +63 9999900308. Dorm bed.
 * Hangout Siargao. +63 9276116117. dorm bed.
 * Ocean 101 Beach Resort. North of Cloud Nine. +63 9108480893. Fan room from +63 500.
 * Vila Solaria. South of Cloud Nine. +63 9204077730. Dorm bed 300.
 * Siargao Surfer's Lodge. +63 9283747447. Dorm bed.
 * Vila Solaria. South of Cloud Nine. +63 9204077730. Dorm bed 300.
 * Siargao Surfer's Lodge. +63 9283747447. Dorm bed.

Stay safe
Violent crime is very rare on the island, but like all poor areas, petty theft is not uncommon. There are no regional issues with insurgents etc and visitors can wander freely anywhere on the island. The primary safety concern is infection from cuts and scrapes on reefs. Thus, it is recommended to wear reef booties (locally available) and disinfect and cover (gauze) any wounds immediately.

Go next
Cebu by air. Surigao city by ferry.
 * Transportation off the island is via Cebu Pacific flights to/from Cebu or by ferry 7 days per week to/from Surigao City. You can fly to Manila, Palawan or Boracay via Cebu.

title: Siargao


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Siaton

Siaton is a municipality at the southern tip of Negros Island, in Negros Oriental Province, Philippines. Population was about 83,000 in the 2020 census.

Tambobo Bay in Bonbonon, a barangay of Siaton, has a fine harbour and is the province's main port of call for cruising yachtsmen; it usually has at least a dozen anchored boats. It is one of the country's main "hurricane holes"; the terrain around it provides considerable protection from storms so vessels anchor there when a typhoon is expected.

Get in
Most people reach Siaton via the coastal highway that runs through the town, often either by bus or jeepney. It is about 55 km from Dumaguete or 250 km from Bacolod. The highway in both directions is good; some roads leading off it, e.g. to Tambobo Bay, are not.

Other people arrive by boat; this is a major harbour for yachts.

There has been some discussion of building a small airport for Siaton, but as of mid-2023 no plan has been announced.

Buy
There are usually some yachts for sale at Tambobo Bay.

Some of these vessels are more-or-less abandoned; their owners have settled in some Philippine city, or flown back to Australia, or whatever. Some of these boats can be had at quite attractive prices if you bargain well, though not all owners will accept a low price. Caution is advised since a boat that has not had regular maintenance for some time may develop all sorts of expensive problems. In the worst case, a boat might not be worth taking on even if the owner were giving it away.

The Western owner, Nigel, at Tonga Sail is a boat builder.

title: Siaton


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Siavonga

Siavonga is a city in Zambia, probably best known for being a place to refuel and getting some connection on your cellphone. This is the closest most Zambians will ever get to a seaside town or resort

Get in
Quite an amazing drive from Lusaka, heading south. Expect to see beautiful scenery, especially when going through the hills, heaps of trucks with breakdowns (often conviently placed in the middle of the road sideways) and risky corners where several trailers have met their destiny (often due to bad brakes or unattentive driving). Expect trip to take 2 hours or so, depending on number of trucks.

It’s a 2½-hour drive from Lusaka through Kafue town. After crossing the Kafue River drive straight without turning right onto Chirundu Road. About 70 km after Kafue River take a right turn. Enjoy your drive and the scenery for another 60 km or so.

Get around
In Siavonga, there are only a handful of minibuses and very few cabs to catch, so don't be in a rush when visiting this city

See
The main attraction of the Siavonga is probably the nearby Kariba Dam made by the British colonial administration that ruled both Southern and Northern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia respectively) in the 1950s, costing about 70 million GBP.

Many places by the sea front offer boat expeditions. There is also a booze cruise offered here, for all those looking for a young and lively sunset voyage. Relax by the sea front at one of the beaches here and soak up some rays. Local bars will let you emerse yourselves into the culture a bit more with the local maize beer only putting you back 3pin (3,500 kwatcha) it won't be an expensive night.

Buy
If there's one thing that is readily available in this city, it's mangos and other fruits and vegetables. Also expect to find the usual African elephants and giraffes in mukwa wood.

Sleep

 * Sandy Beach Lodge: The food is good, and they have a well stocked bar. However, the most amazing aspect of this lodge is the white (and extremely hot) silky smooth sand that runs right down to the water. But don't be too tempted of having a dip in the water, as it's infested with crocodiles. However, the Lodge has a pool. Activities include sailing, house boating and fishing. Wait for the evening meal to be served as you sit by the beach front and listen to the waves moving in and out. This is a very tranquil place for a traveller looking for a relaxing evening.
 * Lake Safari Lodge
 * Eagles Rest
 * Lake Kariba Inns
 * Leisure Bay Lodge

title: Siavonga


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Siberia

Siberia (Russian: Сиби́рь see-BEER ' ) is a region in Russia. Historically, the term Siberia includes all Russian territory in north Asia, with the Urals and the Russian Far East; this article however only covers the Siberian Federal District.

Cities

Other destinations

 * . The pearl of Siberia. It is the deepest and one of the purest lakes in the world.

Understand
The name is of Turkic origin, "su" (water) and "bir" (wild land). With an area of nearly 10 million sq km., Siberia is vast. While the popular view of Siberia is of howling Arctic wastes dotted with penal colonies, the truth is more complex. The west of Siberia is covered by a swampy plain, the central plateau is heavily forested, and the east has mountains soaring to above 3,000 m. Only the extreme north is true tundra, with permafrost and temperature means that don't get over even in July, but all of Siberia has cold winters.

The indigenous Siberians, like most indigenous Asian Russians, are more closely related to Turkic peoples or to the Inuit than to ethnic Russians. However, during Imperial Russian and Soviet times the government spent money to attract Europeans to Siberia's larger cities. Today the population of Siberia is majority ethnic Russian, though rural areas remain largely populated by the indigenous Siberians.

Talk
As with anywhere else in Russia, Russian is the dominant language in Siberia. However, there are also many indigenous languages that are spoken by their respective ethnic groups, particularly in rural areas. Almost everybody speaks Russian regardless of what their native tongue is, but learning some phrases in the indigenous languages can help ingratiate you to the locals.

English is rarely spoken.

By train

The Trans-Siberian Railway, connecting Moscow to Vladivostok, is by far the most famous method of transportation in Siberia. Covering a distance of 9,289 kilometres, making it one of the longest railways in the world, the full trip takes over 6 days and crosses 8 time zones. Its branches the Trans-Manchurian and Trans-Mongolian connect to Beijing in China, the first directly, the second via Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.

Less famed is the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM), a northern line running parallel to the Trans-Siberian for 4,234 km. Completed only in 1991 and built mostly for military reasons, further away from the border of China, the BAM is less popular with tourists.

By car
The Trans-Siberian Highway, an unofficial grouping of seven Russian federal highways, open the path for a 11000km cross-country journey from St. Petersburg and Moscow to Vladivostok. The last section, the Amur Highway, was paved in 2010.

See
Primarily natural attractions.

 * Mountainous Altai (Gorny Altai) — this region of Siberia is very popular among eco tourists. Mountaineering and mountain rivers' rafting are wide spread here. The area is famous for its stunning scenery. The mountains straddle the border between Altai Krai and the Altai Republic.
 * is a large region of volcanic rock, originating in supervolcano activity 250 million years ago, continuing for 1–2 million years and causing extinction of most species of life. With an area of 7 e6km2 it covers much of Siberia.

Do
With its vast areas of wilderness, Siberia is a challenging destination for outdoor life.

 * Mushroom picking
 * Hiking/cycling
 * Downhill snowsports
 * Whitewater sports
 * Cross country skiing
 * Dog sledding
 * Nature observation

Drink

 * Vodka (водка) and tea (чай)

title: Siberia


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Sibiloi National Park

Sibiloi National Park is on the north-eastern shore of Lake Turkana in the Northern Rift Valley of Kenya. It is part of the Lake Turkana National Parks UNESCO World Heritage site, recognised in 1997.

History
The Park was established in 1973. It is internationally known for its many fossils of animals and of early humans.

The Kenya Wildlife Service has a facility here, with camping and short-stay options for visitors.

See
Park info at Safari Yako
 * Koobi Fora Museum

title: Sibiloi National Park


text:
Sibiu

Sibiu is a town in southern Transylvania, Romania, 280 km by road from Bucharest. The old town centre is very attractive. Sibiu is also a good base for exploring elsewhere in Transylvania.

Understand
Known in German as Hermannstadt and in Hungarian as Nagyszeben, Sibiu has been the centre of Transylvania's German minority since medieval times. Even today, it contains Romania's largest German community, and due to initiatives by the local government, the Germanic feel of the area has been maintained. Sibiu also has a Hungarian minority, remnants of Transylvania's past as part of the Hungarian Empire and, later, Austria-Hungary. Despite this, Sibiu is also distinctly Romanian (95% of the population today are ethnic Romanians) and manages to fuse these three cultures, as well as smaller minorities of Roma, Slovaks and Ukrainians into a city that is as wonderful as it is vibrant.

Today, Sibiu is one of Romania's cultural and tourism landmarks, attracting tourists due to its wonderful medieval charm, excellent views of the surrounding landscapes, great food, and stunning parkland. Sibiu today is also doing excellently economically, having an income per capita higher than the Romanian average.

Much of the city was reconstructed in preparation for being the European Capital of Culture in 2007. The people in Sibiu are much more relaxed and friendly than in Bucharest, and much of the city is pedestrian-friendly.

By train

There are three trains a day from Bucharest, taking 5–6 hr. From Budapest there are two direct trains, departing around 09:00 and 22:30 taking 10 hr, plus indirect services taking 16 hr. It is about 5 hr by train from Sighișoara with a change at Mediaș (12.50 lei, Sep 2018).

By bus

Sibiu has buses to Bucharest (hourly, 5 hr, 50 lei) and Cluj-Napoca (hourly, 4 hr, 30 lei). There is also at least one direct bus per day to Budapest (11 hr, 150 lei). The main operators are Dacos, Fany and Transmixt—check times and prices on Autogari.ro. The buses are reliable, comfortable and cheap. As of October 2023, the bus from Bucharest to Sibiu operated by Fany costs 101 lei per person for a single ticket.

By road
Romanian highways are mostly well-signed and in good repair—reckon 7 hours to drive from Budapest. Drive defensively of course, watching especially for horse-drawn carts—but the lunatic driver quotient is probably lower here than elsewhere in South Europe. Your main difficulty will be finding your way through the old town one-way system to your hotel, ask ahead for precise directions.

Get around
You need a bicycle (hire available), (rental) car (compare online!) or bus to reach the ASTRA outdoor folk museum (bus #13), listed below, or the Transylvanian villages. Also, booking a tour is an option.

By bus
Sibiu is one of the few cities in Romania where card payment is accepted for public buses. Just tap your contactless-enabled credit or debit card to the card reader on board, and it will print you a ticket. Visa and MasterCard are accepted.

A route planner for public transport is available online.

Sibiu’s network of trams and trolley-buses was ripped out in the 2010s, just as other cities were expensively re-installing theirs.

On foot
The city is large, but almost all the sights of interest are within the compact old centre, much of it pedestrianised. You can hire a guide via the TIC or main hotels, but wandering at random among the cobbled alleys is half the fun.

By bicycle
The fascinating Transylvanian villages (e.g. Biertan) are within cycling range but the main roads are busy and not much fun by bike, though bike-on-train to Medias is an option.

By train
The only other excursion for which you might take the train is to Sighisoara. Reckon 2½ hours, it’s an infrequent service, but the bus connections are worse.

By taxi
Sibiu taxi drivers are generally decent, and switch on the meter without being nagged. But if you are silly drunk and wearing a “Please rob me” T-shirt, you will have to bear the consequences.

See

The Old Town is beautiful. It was mostly built in the late medieval period by the German merchants who were encouraged to settle in and around Sibiu. It’s in excellent condition, having escaped modern encroachments, and having been thoroughly renovated to be European Capital of Culture in 2007. (Standards were maintained in the following decade, in spite of economic woes.) Within Old Town, the Upper Town, containing most of the historic sights, is ranged around three squares: Piate Mare the Great Square, dominated by the RC Cathedral, Piata Mica the Little Square has most of the bars and cafés, and Piata Huet is an attractive Gothic conglomeration around the Lutheran Cathedral. The Lower Town is home to many charming buildings and cobbled squares.

Piata Mare and Piata Mica are linked by a passageway, above which stands the “Council Tower” or Turnul Sfatului.

Multiple routes connect the Upper and Lower Towns, the two best being Pasajul Scărilor – the stairway from Piata Huet down into Str Turnului, and alternative cobbled ramp – and down Str Ocnei from Piata Mica under the Iron Bridge. This, being the traditional rendezvous of merchants and of lovers, is better known as “The Bridge of Liars”. About 200 m south of Piata Mare, paralleling Str Cetatii, is the surviving section of the Citadel Walls, with a series of towers and bastions. Beyond this hurries the traffic of the sprawling modern town: the spell is broken.

Churches of interest include:
 * the Roman Catholic Cathedral on Piata Mare,

The only museum that ranks as “must-see” is the skansen, the outdoor ASTRA Museum of Traditional Folk Civilization (Muzeul Civilizației Populare Tradiționale) 5 km south of the centre, and listed below. Sibiu’s other museums and galleries are important in a local context, for a nation that is not well endowed – where else could a Romanian go to see a genuine Egyptian mummy, or a Brueghel painting, without leaving the country? But Westerners have huge multicultural riches on their own doorsteps. See the other museums here if time and interest allow, but not through “fear of missing out”.

Do

 * Football: FC Hermannstadt play soccer in Liga 1, the top tier. Their Sibiu Municipal Stadium (capacity 12,300) is 1 km south of old town centre.
 * After visiting ASTRA, continue driving south through the village of Rasinari, to see that charming rural Romania isn’t just in a museum. From there continue up to the road end at the ski resort of Paltinis. Or turn east for more village scenery via Cisnadioara and Cisnadie, till you loop back to Sibiu via the main north-south highway.
 * Ocna Sibiului – A bathing resort some 15 km NE of Sibiu. The lakes are salt, formed by the flooding of ancient salt mines. In some, the waters are utterly black and opaque. Enticing, yes?
 * Hike Fagaras Mountains and Cindrel Mountains.
 * Guided bike tours around Sibiu.
 * Guided enduro trips in the mountains, riding levels from tourist to hard.
 * Go on the Transfăgărășan road, crossing the Fagaras mountains with dramatic views. Or, an even higher road.

Buy

 * Lots of souvenir and craft shops, especially on Piata Mica.
 * German language book, incl. history and calenders, at the market square
 * Local beer in 2½ L bottles.
 * Second hand from rest of Europe

Eat
You won’t go hungry. Food & drink here is to a good standard, and cheap by West European standards – reckon €30 for two people with two courses and drinks. The main concentration of restaurants, cafes and pubs is in and around Piata Mica. Hearty Transylvanian fare includes "ciorbă" (sour soup with various meat or veg), “sarmale” (stuffed cabbage leaves), stews and grills, often with mamaliga (polenta). Vegetarians and vegans shouldn’t starve but will need to enquire carefully. Also lots of fast food from familiar chains, but you can do better.

Drink
A local speciality is a "meter" of beer served in pubs.

Connect
Sibiu and its approach roads have 4G from all Romanian carriers. As of Aug 2022, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Medieval fortified churches – You will need your own transport. The Saxon settlements of Transylvania came under attack in the 15th and 16th centuries, but instead of erecting castles, they fortified the churches with walls and lookout towers. Many are clustered around Medias, the best being the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Biertan and Valea Viilor.
 * Sighisoara – This town has an attractive old citadel. Other notable old towns include Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures, and Brașov.
 * Curtea de Argeș – Further south, into Wallachia, this is an old fortress city in the Muntenia region.
 * Bucharest – Try to visit it before Transylvania. It is interesting but far from pretty, and it is going to look especially drab after seeing Sibiu.

title: Sibiu


text:
Sibiu County

Sibiu County lies to the north of the Carpathian mountains in Transylvania, Romania.

Cities

 * — a compact city with German flair, medieval charm, excellent views of the surrounding landscapes, great food, and stunning parkland
 * — one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * — it has a massive Armenian Catholic Church, built between 1766-1791
 * — one of the best preserved historical centres in Romania and also some well preserved medieval fortifications
 * — popular for the rejuvenating effects of its salt lakes

Understand
Sibiu County used to have a large Saxon (German) population, but they accounted for only 1% of the population in 2011. Over 90% of the country's residents are ethnic Romanians.

By car

 * E81 Satu Mare - Zalău - Cluj - Sebeș -Sibiu- Râmnicu Vâlcea - Pitești
 * E68 Arad - Deva - Sebeș -Sibiu- Făgăraș - Brașov
 * DN1 Bucharest - Ploiești - Brașov -Sibiu- Alba Iulia - Cluj - Oradea
 * DN7 Bucharest - Râmnicu Vâlcea -Sibiu- Deva - Arad
 * DN14 Sibiu- Sighișoara

By train
Trains arrive in Sibiu from Vințu de Jos, Braşov, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Copșa Mică, and Agnita.

See
The main tourist attractions in the county are:
 * The city of Sibiu with its medieval fortifications and its historic centre
 * The medieval city of Mediaș
 * The medieval Saxon fortified churches and villages from Transylvania, some of them being UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Biertan, Valea Viilor, Cisnădie, Cisnădioara, Slimnic, amd Agnita
 * The Făgăraș Mountains
 * The Bâlea Valley and the Transfăgărășan road
 * The Negoiu Peak
 * Păltiniș mountain resort and the Cindrel Mountains
 * Ocna Sibiului, Bazna and Miercurea Sibiului Spa towns
 * The Mărginimea Sibiului rural area

title: Sibiu County


text:
Sibsagar

Sibsagar or Sivasagar (Assamese: শিৱসাগৰ Śivasāgar xih-waw-xah-gawr) is a city in Upper Assam. Sibsagar is famous for its monuments of the Ahom kingdom. Now it is a multi-cultural city.

Get in
The nearest airports are Jorhat (55 km), Dibrugarh (80 km), and Guwahati (369 km). Buses ply regularly from Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Guwahati. Sibsagar Town is the beautiful town & it also have a railway station. The Dibrugarh - Yesvantpur Express connects this station. The nearest railway station on the Tinsukia-Guwahati sector of North East Frontier Railways is Simaluguri, 16 km from Sibsagar town. Buses ply regularly from Simaluguri towards Sibsagar. Taxis are also available for hire from the railway station. It is approximately a half-hour bus ride from Simaluguri town.

Get around
You can get on an autorickshaw as well as a pedal rickshaw. You can also take a tempo. For sightseeing you can hire a car from a local tour operator.

Go next

 * Jorhat
 * Dibrugarh
 * Kaziranga National Park
 * Guwahati

title: Sibsagar


text:
Sibu

Sibu is a town in Sarawak, East Malaysia. It's not much of a tourist destination (though it does have some beautiful Chinese temples), but it's a common transfer point for boats up the Rejang River to the small towns of Borneo's interior.

Understand
Garden City to be, this is a quiet town along Rejang River. Sibu is one of the three towns in Malaysia which consists of a predominantly Foochow-Chinese population (Yong Peng in Johor and Sitiawan in Perak are the others). Sibu is not only famous for food (such as Kompia, Kampua and the like), but also boasts of being the hometown of a national patriot called Rosli Dhoby. The town symbol is the Swan.

Sibu has been called the 'Wild West' of Malaysia because of its 'lawlessness' and the frequent triad activities in Sibu.

Visitor information
There's a visitor information centre at the Sibu Cultural Heritage Museum on Jalan Central.

By plane
From the airport, you may purchase a taxi coupon to downtown Sibu. The fee is approximately MYR 35. There is no bus service connecting Sibu town and the airport.
 * From Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia Airlines flies twice daily between Kuala Lumpur and Sibu. AirAsia also flies direct non-stop three times daily.
 * From Johor Bahru: AirAsia flies on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
 * From Kuching: Malaysia Airlines flies one flight daily and AirAsia has two flights daily. MasWings flies five times daily.
 * From Kota Kinabalu: MASWings flies 5 times daily. 4 direct flights, and one via Bintulu.
 * From Kota Kinabalu: MASWings flies 5 times daily. 4 direct flights, and one via Bintulu.

By bus
From other Sarawak cities: Numerous bus companies such as Biaramas, Suria Bus Express and Borneo Highway Express link Sibu with other Sarawak cities such as Kuching, Miri, Mukah, Sarikei and Bintulu. Most express buses arrive at the long-distance which is located on Jalan Pahlawan. Buses from Sarikei arrive at the short-distance bus terminal downtown (near the express boat terminal).

To get to the long-distance bus terminal from the city centre, take local bus Lanang 21/5A from the short-distance bus terminal for less than RM2 (2019). It only runs every 60–90 minutes from about 6AM to 6PM, so if that's not convenient, you can also take a Grab or a taxi.

Buses to Miri run several times a day, with daytime and overnight buses available. The trip takes about seven hours and costs RM50 (2019).

By sea/river

 * To/from Kapit Sibu is the entry point of the upper Rajang, and there are 4 express boat services daily. Some boats transit at Song, a small town before Kapit. From Kapit leaves around 08:15 and 13:15, RM25-30

By taxi
Tel: 6084-313384 Most taxis here are not metered.

To get to destinations outside the city or on the outskirts, you can find yellow-roofed taxis near the Central Market going to specific places.

The ridesharing app Grab is popular.

By bus
Head over to the short-distance bus terminal, near the Central Market and express boat terminal. There is an inquiry counter there, and you may ask for directions. The buses however are non-air conditioning buses.

By foot
Downtown Sibu is a very compact area, so it is easily walkable.

See

 * Poh Guan Hong.jpg
 * Bukit Lima Nature Reserve 1.jpg
 * Poh Guan Hong.jpg
 * Bukit Lima Nature Reserve 1.jpg
 * Poh Guan Hong.jpg
 * Bukit Lima Nature Reserve 1.jpg
 * Poh Guan Hong.jpg
 * Bukit Lima Nature Reserve 1.jpg
 * Bukit Lima Nature Reserve 1.jpg
 * Bukit Lima Nature Reserve 1.jpg

Do
Visit the local Sibu Central Market. Local products can be found extensively such as local black olives called dabai, other exotic fruits and vegetables as well as some handicraft.

Do not miss out on the action in Sibu Night Market in the evening till midnight every day. You can get anything here. From delicious Chinese food, Malay delicacies and bargain for attire. It is said that the night market in Sibu is the liveliest in Sarawak.

Buy
Wisma Sanyan A fairly comprehensive shopping mall located inside the tallest building in Sibu, Wisma Sanyan. The major shops here are Parkson Department Store, Everwin Supermarket, KFC, and Pizza Hut.

Sarawak House A small mall with a department store on the 1st floor, and various small shops on the ground floor. Located adjacent to Premier Hotel. There is a Watson's outlet, and a handicraft shop here.

Medan Mall A mall with main outlet such as Medan Departmental Store. There are lots of hair saloon here(Ground Floor) and the price for a hair cut is very cheap.

Kin Orient Plaza (old Sing Kwong)

Farley There are many outlets, although all are Farley outlets, but there are bakery, shoes outlet, departmental store, and supermarket. There is also Farley Food Court and Farley Restaurant nearby.

New Sing Kwong (opposite Farley) houses a supermarket, departmental store, and some small outlets. Also here there is KFC, Pizza Hut, and a Watson's store.

Delta Mall A small mall located at Jalan Pahlawan. The mall is NOT in a walking distance from downtown. You may use taxi or local bus to bring you here. Tenants here include: Hush Puppies, SenQ, Giordano, KFC, Popular Bookstores.

Star Mega Mall The largest mall in Central Region of Sarawak. The anchor tenant is Daesco. .

Giant Hypermarket  at Jalan Ling Kai Cheng. It is one of the newest addition of shopping venues in Sibu. Houses Giant, Giordano, SugarBun, LeaCentre, and et cetera.

Local specialties

 * Chai Pau: Vegetable buns, with varieties of vagetables as ingredients was a common dim-sum for hawkers and other blue-collars. Chai Pau is so different with others because of its delicious vegetables contents and less flour on its outer.
 * Diang Biang Hu: As is called by local Foochow, 'Diang' is wok, 'Biang' is side, 'Hu' is porridge prepared with grinded rice. So Diang Biang Hu is a rice-grinded-poridge cooked on the surface of a heated wok. Most Foochow pronounce it as Diang Miang Hu.
 * Kampua Mieng: In Foochow, it means mee or noodles on a dry plate. The Mieng (noodles), usually oily nature, is soaked in boiling water for a while, is then brought on ingredient (usually fried onion and sauce) application prepared on a plate. The plain Kampua Mieng has no red-pork-slice added, is usually cheaper. Kampua Mieng is sold at most coffee shops and restaurants in Sibu District. Price varies from RM2.20 per plate from coffee shop to RM 5.00 per plate at restaurant.
 * Kong Piang: In Foochow dialect, 'Kong' is pottery flask, 'Piang' is biscuit. The traditional way of making Kong Piang is in a charcoal 'oven'. The pre-mixed flour, usually glazed with peanut oil and lightly dusted with sesame seed on the surface with a small hole in the middle, is sticked on the inner surface of the pottery flask.  The pottery flask has a narrow mouth, a big mid-section and bottomless. After 15 minutes of charcoal heating, the delicious Kong Piang is ready for meal. Kong Piang is available at some bakeries and eateries. It's available either hard or soft. May come with meat fillings.
 * Red Wine Chicken: This unique blend of red wine is a tradition among Foochow people. In the olden days, the family of a pregnant woman would start brewing red wine months prior to the birth of her new child. The ingredients consist of rice, yeast and varieties of herbs. The red wine thus brewed is dense, and is kept in bottles stored in a dry and warm place. Red wine is a vital ingredient to longevity noodles/rice vermicelli (chang shou mian)and pre-cooked chicken which is served to friends and relatives who pay congratulatory visit to the family with new born baby. Red wine is also consumed by the woman who give birth to the baby in the believe that it will help her to recover health in shorter period of time. Nowadays red wine is commonly used as an ingredient for longevity noodles/rice vermicelli with pre-cooked chicken in many traditional Foochow restaurants due to high customers' demand. Besides Red wine chicken, Sibu is well known for Red cao chicken. 'Cao' is the residue of wine.

Drink
Do not miss to try the famous Teh C Special. It is available in most kopitiams. It is a three-layered drinks, tea, milk and flavour (available in Pandan and Gula Apong flavors).

Stay safe
Gossip is an endemic problem in Sibu. It can be difficult to escape unwanted and intrusive attention but keeping a low profile can help to reduce the extent of this problem.

There are many shady characters in Sibu, whom one must avoid at all costs. Gangsterism is a problem in Sibu; most of the gangs are probably connected with some of the numerous timber barons in the town. Be on high alert while walking, especially at Sibu Central Market. The risk of being pick-pocketed is high,as there are several cases involving the customers and also shop owners being pick-pocketed. Should you have been pick-pocketed, go to the nearest Tourist Police Station, not far from the Central Market.

Go next
The Sibu River Wharf enables access to towns further up the Rejang River. You can reach the towns of Dalat and Daro by Ferry for around 30 RM, they depart every day at 12:30PM and 1PM. Other towns such as Kapit are only reachable by bus.

title: Sibu


text:
Sibu (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called Sibu:

Malaysia

 * Sibu - a town in Sarawak, East Malaysia
 * Sibu Division - one the one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak
 * Sibu Island (Pulau Sibu) - in Johor, Peninsular Malaysia

title: Sibu (disambiguation)


text:
Sibu Island

 * For the town in Sarawak, see Sibu.

Sibu Island (Pulau Sibu) is an island in Mersing District, Johor, Malaysia.

Get in
Access to Sibu is via the small town of Tanjung Leman, about 130 km north of Johor Bahru and 72 km south of Mersing. There is no public transport to Tanjung Leman, so you need to sort out transfers with your resort (from RM 80/person return, incl. boat) or take a taxi (around RM 180 from JB). If you want to cut back on your taxi fare, take a bus to Kota Tinggi first and continue from there. Busses for Kota Tinggi leave from the Larkin Bus Terminal in Johor Bahru and take 1 hour. Some of the resorts operate shuttle buses directly from Singapore, with a total transfer time of about 3.5 hours. As a price guide, this service costs RM 150 if staying at Sea Gypsy.

There is no Ferry from Tanjung Leman to Sibu. All the resorts on the island arrange transport for visitors. The trip takes 30 mins and costs RM 70 return.

Get around
There are no roads on Sibu. The island does have 1 motorbike in the Kampong. The easiest way is to travel around the island by boat or walking. The lack of roads has resulted in limited commercial growth unlike some other islands in the region.

Do
Scuba Diving and snorkeling from Pulau Sibu are excellent as the whole area was turned into a Marine Park in 1993. It is the closest island to Singapore for Scuba Diving.

Dan's Nasty Frogmen has been operating out of Sea Gypsy Village on Pulau Sibu for 18 years. It is both a PADI registered dive centre and an SSI store.

The Mersing Marine Park is located in the South China Sea and consists of 13 islands including; Pulau Sibu, Pulau Harimau, Palau Mensirip, Pulau Goal, Pulau Besar, Pulau Tengah, Pulau Hujong, Pulau Rawa, Pulau Tinggi, Pulau Mentinggi, Pulau Sibu Hujung, Pulau Pemanggil and Pulau Aur.

You could also go for walks through the forests to explore the island. Though there is nothing much, you could still spot a monitor lizard in the wild!

Eat
There are no independent restaurants on the island. All the resorts on the island have restaurants and most include the food with the price of their accommodation.

The food quality is excellent on the island, resorts offering a mix of Western and Malay choices. Saturday Nights are traditionally BBQ nights.

Drink
You can buy alcoholic drinks in the resorts. A beer costs around MYR 14 in Sea Gypsy's beach lounge bar. A full range of cocktails, liquors and wines is also available.

title: Sibu Island


text:
Siófok

Siófok is a town on the south coast of Lake Balaton. The charming little town is one of the most popular holiday resorts in Hungary. The population is around 35,000 people but in the summer season there is another 200,000 people being on vacation at the same time. The name of the city means Cape Sió (Sió is a river bringing water into river Danube).

Understand
Siófok is mostly famous of its huge nightlife and the never ending parties specially in the weekends. The town is often called "the partying capital of Hungary". But outside of the town centre there are many peaceful beaches and strands. The party season usually begins by the start of the summer break at schools and the end of the spring term at universities which is the end of June, early July. The last party events are on the final weekend before the start of school.

Climate
Siófok is on a fairly flat area at the south-east end of Balaton. As the north shore is quite hilly the wind usually hits the south coast bringing some random heavy storms usually in late June but other than that the climate is very hot all summer specially in August when the temperature can go up to 35 °C. People who don't like too hot weather can travel to the lake in May when it is not that hot but warm enough to jump in the water and to get suntanned.

People
Many tourists come to the city every summer (more and more every year). About 60% of the tourists come from Germany and there is a history of German tourism to Lake Balaton. Many school trips take place in the town with students arriving mostly from Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Poland and Slovakia.

By plane
There is a small international airport in Sármellék about an hour away from Siófok with flights arriving from many European cities especially London, Zürich, Dublin, Stockholm, Berlin and Frankfurt. Budapest's international airports are about 150 km from Siófok.

By car
Siófok can be accessed directly from the M7 motorway (part of European Routes E65 and E71) or using national route 7, which is passing through the city.

Get around
Siófok may not have a huge population, but in the summer it is capable of hosting hundreds of thousands of people. As most of the visitors are interested in the Lake Balaton, the city has a length of almost 15 kilometers. The most practical way of getting around is using a bicycle or a moped, which can be rented in Siófok for €8 or €15 per day, respectively.

Siófok has a local bus system; the local transportation company charges ~€1.5 per trip. As the city has four train stops along the Budapest-Nagykanizsa railroad, it is very common to take the train from one end of the city to the city center or to the other end. It is probably the fastest way, although it takes quite a planning as trains stopping at each of the stations are a bit rare.

Taxis have a flat rate which changes from summer to summer. €10-15 per trip is general.

See

 * Rose garden
 * Rose garden
 * Rose garden
 * Rose garden
 * Rose garden
 * Rose garden
 * Rose garden
 * Rose garden
 * Rose garden

Do

 * Coke Club (the old Coca Cola Beach House) the main beach resort is the #1 attraction in town. The place offers many activities for visitors to do something more than just being on the sun. These activities include beach volleyball (organised amateur championships as well), swimming pool, streetball court, tennis, ping-pong, water polo and volleyball in shallow water, live concerts on the main stage, exercise shows on the main sandy beach, bars, restaurants, dance-floors all around the resort.
 * Free access beaches are usually less crowded. Families tend to like these better. These are usually less noisy.
 * Galerius Thermal Spa and Wellness Centre Siófok-Szabadifürdő, Szent László utca 183. In the summer of 2006 the thermal spa was opened to put Siófok onto the map of wellness centres in Hungary. The spa was named after the Roman Caesar Galerius and is opened all year. The complex is provided with water from Nagyberény which is circa 15 km to the south from Siófok. Guests enjoy bathing and relaxing in the warm (33-37°C) geothermal water that comes up from 1091 m deep, known for its positive effects on the skin and the bones.
 * Have a breakfast watching over the new main square of the city, then take a walk to find the local goods and souvenirs.
 * Get on a boat to see Siófok from another perspective, and visit Balatonfüred or famous Tihany.
 * There are several annual sailing races for those preferring competition. For boat rentals go to Siófok Marina to the west from the main port. An 8-m yacht from about Ft 30 000/day.
 * Wakeboarding
 * Wakeboarding
 * Wakeboarding
 * Wakeboarding
 * Wakeboarding

Events
Traditional Hungarian food made by locals can be tasted if you come in August, when the Bogrács fesztivál (Cauldron festival) takes place. Several different types of goulash, Hungarian fish soup are just a few of the dishes you want to give a chance to.

Drink
Café Móló, Szent István sétány 1. . Café Móló is one of the most popular bars in Siófok. It's not the cheapest place so it is mostly visited by people over the age of 25. There is a sandy beach right in front of the restaurant so you can enjoy the sunset whilst having a colourful cocktail. Bacardi Music Café, Petőfi sétány 5. . During the day this terraced place is a cocktail bar and osteria. When the night begins they open the dancefloor in the back and it often ends up in great parties.

Clubs

 * Flört

Cope
Siófok postal code is H-8600.

Go next

 * Fonyód — another bigger resort town on the southern lakeshore

title: Siófok


text:
Sicamous

Sicamous is a town of 2,400 people (2011) in Shuswap region of British Columbia. It is at the eastern end of Shuswap Lake and is known as the Houseboat Capital of Canada.

Understand
"Sicamous" is an adaptation of a Shuswap language word meaning "river circling mountains".

History
In the 1800s, Sicamous and area was inhabited by a semi-nomadic Indigenous nation called the Secwepemc or Shuswap. They crossed the Rocky Mountains to hunt buffalo on the plains. In this area they were called the "Schickamoos".

In 1864, gold was discovered on the Columbia. Seymour Arm became a supply centre in the Big Bend Gold Rush. In 1885, permanent settlers arrived after the driving of the Last Spike at Craigellachie, which linked Canada sea to sea. Among the first settlers in Sicamous were families from Finland. Old Town, or Eagle Pass Landing as it now known, became an almost instant town in 1871. It was the central supply centre for railway construction. Today it is used primarily for recreational purposes such as sledding, houseboating, hiking, swimming, and biking.

Later, in the early 1900s, CPR hill became a residential development. Finlayson's store and a jail were built in 1892, adding a post office in 1904. The first school opened around 1908.

Get in
The town is at the junction of Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) and BC Highway 97A. Driving from Vancouver, it is a little past the half-way point to Calgary.

Get around
Sicamous is directly around the Trans-Canada Highway, and so travelling by car is the best way to get anywhere. If you want to see the lake, the best way is by boat. It is an excellent idea to hire a houseboat and travel around the lake, or if you are short on time, hiring a speedboat is always a fun and quick way to admire the scenery of the hills and lake. There are even 2 stores in the middle of the lake in the summer for supplies.

Do

 * Explore and hang out on a houseboat (see "Sleep" section), as Sicamous is a major destination for houseboating.

Buy
Shops include Askew's (a general grocery store), Beach Chic (a clothing store), BC Liquor Store, Brothers liquor store, Moose Mulligans liquor store, IDA pharmacy, and a furnishings and souvenir shop.

Houseboats
Sicamous is the houseboating capital of Canada, and is the base for numerous operators. A Pleasure Craft Operator Certification (pleasure boat licence) is not mandatory, but a valid driver's lcence is required, and it's best to inquire with rental company. Renting the houseboats requires advance bookings, but houseboats a good (if expensive) way of exploring the expanse of Shuswap Lake.

Go next

 * Kelowna and the Okanagan, with its skifields, beaches and wineries, is an 1-2 hour drive south of town on Highway 97A.

title: Sicamous