text:
Chandannagar

Chandannagar (Bengali: চন্দননগর Candannagar, French: Chandernagor), formerly Chandernagore, is a small city in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, India. Situated along the banks of the river Hooghly, the city has been able to maintain a separate identity different from all other cities and abide by her own characteristics. The "City of Liberty" has always attracted people from all over the world due to her indescribable beauty. Though the total area is a meagre 19 square kilometers having a population of only over 150 thousand, she has managed to maintain a distinct place not only on the map of India but also on that of the world.

Understand

Chandannagar (Bengali: চন্দননগর CHAWN-dohn-naw-gohr) for over a period of 300 years has a unique blend of culture and heritage which is unparalleled in history. The city is well connected to Kolkata by railways, roadways and river and it takes about an hour to reach the place. The people of Chandannagar have excelled in all the fields varying from literature and education to culture, sports and arts throughout history. The city hosts many tourist places like Museums, the Strand, Churches, Temples, Rabindra Bhaban, birthplaces of many celebrities and many other spots some of which are not so well known but nevertheless a treat for tourists and historians.

By plane
The nearest airport is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Kolkata, which is air linked with all major Indian and international cities. Chandannagar is only 40 km by road from the airport. Please check flight schedules from the airport. If you want to go to the airport from Chandannagar, the best option will be to hire a car. The cab will charge around ₹1000-₹2000 and will take around 1.5 hours- 2 hours depending upon traffic.

By train
Local trains from Howrah or Bardhaman via main line run very frequently (peak frequency one train every 10 or 12 minutes). Many important express and passenger trains halt here. If you are coming from Kolkata you can catch a local train to Bardhaman (main line), Bandel, Katwa, Memari or Pundooah. Ticket prices for local trains are ₹8 one way. Normally, there is very heavy crowding during morning and evening rush hours.

There are two stations in the city, the main station and the smaller  station. Express trains and rush hour services generally skip Mankundu, while passenger and local trains stop there.

By car
Chandannagar is by road from Kolkata via either the Grand Trunk Road or Old Delhi Road. Taxis and private cars in Kolkata are easily available to approach Chandannagar.

By boat
The West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) operates river services across the river Hooghly and also between Chandannagar and Kolkata and Belur.

By rickshaw
In the railway station itself, you will find innumerable rickshaw drivers waiting and calling you. Talk to one of them. It should not take more than ₹150/- to visit the entire city, which is an overestimate. Try to bargain as much as you can. In the evening, leave the rickshaw and take a leisurely stroll in the promenade in Chandannagar strand.

You can book an autorickshaw to get around in Chandannagar. There is excellent service by these autorickshaws. You can connect yourself through autorickshaws to both Chandannagar & Mankundu Station from Strand. They are dirt cheap (around ₹6-₹10) and usually you have to travel with a group of people (say 4 or 5 people). Normally, these autorickshaws ply on designated routes, but you can hire them personally to take you to the desired place.

See

Apart from these, there are a number of amusement parks in Chandannagar, which attract millions of picnic lovers during the winter:
 * Chhuti, operated by Chandannagar Municipal Corporation which is located near Delhi Road.
 * Wonderland Amusement Park, operated by KMDA is the most popular one, which is located near the Chandannagar Rail Station.
 * Sri Aurobindo: Chandannagor, a French colony in India, was the hiding place of Sri Aurobindo from the middle of February to 1st April 1910. He arrived in the strand area from Calcutta (Kolkata - British India) and stayed all the time at Gondalpara at Balaichandra De's house.

Do
There is an artificial rock climbing wall near the strand. You need to contact Chandannagar Mountaineering Association to participate there. Chandernagore Municipal Corporation (CMC) operates motor boat trips on the river.

Take a leisurely stroll on the strand in the evening. It's wonderful. The atmosphere is very attractive. In fact, Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore once wrote "Ananta e akasher kole, tolomolo megher majhar, eikhane bandhiachhi ghor, tor tore kabita amar" (In the vastness of the sky, amidst the trembling clouds, here I have built my adobe, for you, o my verse), while he was in Chandannagar.

Walk in the lanes and by lanes. There are a number of historical architectural wonders from the French colonial period.

Festivals
Chandannagar is famous for its Jagaddhatri Puja. It takes place just one month after the Durga Puja, usually in the month of November. The pandals, street lighting, idols - everything will make you spellbound. Millions of people from different parts of the country come here during that period. If you are crowd averse, then it's better for you to avoid Chandannagar during that time. Though the atmosphere then is electrifying, and the whole city buzzes with exuberance. The immersion of idols gets marked with illuminated processions.

Another big crowd puller in Chandannagar is the Christmas celebration. Chandannagar has a very old church in the middle of Barabazar and it is a point of major attraction during Christmas for people of all faiths.

You can also enjoy Chadak Puja on Hospital ground on Laxmigung street and Jyotimore crossing. during Bengali New Year. In Charak puja, groups of men and women, hang from a bamboo stick of 10 or 15-foot height and they are swung in a circular direction. Good art to see!

Buy
Chandannagar was once called Farashdanga. At that time, the local handloom industry was at its peak. Farashdanga Dhoti saris were famous not only in Bengal, but in other parts of the country also. The industry still exists, though it's getting sicker and sicker every day. You can go to the place called Halderpara, where some of them still exist.

There are innumerable shops where you get whatever you want. From most modern civic amenities to apparels, everything is available. There are a few air conditioned shopping malls also present there. Buy a souvenir from there if you wish.

There is also new air conditioned mall coming up in Laxmigung Bazar. The mall is supposed to house all local and national brands.

The major shopping area in Chandannagar is concentrated in the Bagbazar and Laxmigung Bazar area. During peak seasons, i.e. Durga puja and Jagadhatri puja, streets are jostling with people buying clothes and accessories.

Eat
Chandannagar is famous for its sweets. Suryakumar Modak, a famous confectioner, apparently invented a new sweet named Jolbhora Sandesh once upon a time. Nowadays, his grandsons operate more than one sweet shops in the city. Don't forget to have a taste of jolbhora. Apart from this, the other sweets and desserts are also very tasty and delicious. Names of few famous sweet shops are listed below:

 * Baba Panchanan Mishtanna Bhandar (Panchanantala, Chandannagar) - Famous for its mouth watering lyangcha
 * Harigopal Nandi and Sons (Baghbazar, Chandannagar) - Famous for golapi pyanra, diabetic sandesh etc.
 * Mrityunjoy Sweets (Sridurga Chhobighar More, Chandannagar) - Famous for Lord Chomchom, Pantua, and Mishti Doi.
 * Sumis Enterprise (Boro Champatala, Chandannagar)- An array of ambrosia: Canned Packed Traditional Bengali Sweets: Specially Canned Packed Rosogolla and Gulab Jamun.
 * Surya Kumar Modak & Grandsons, Saibal Kumar Modak (Barasat, Chandannagar) - For Jolbhora and other sweets

Apart from these, a few very good restaurants are also available, where you get a wide range of food from Chinese to Indian:

 * Abhinandan (laxmigunj Bazar, Chandannagar) - Decent food.
 * Restaurant Sundari (Mahuar More, Chandannagar) - One of the oldest restaurants. Though food is not so good.
 * Royal Biryiani (Baghbazar, Chandannagar) - Serves good biryiani, though the standard is deteriorating.
 * Satyam Garden Restaurant - Set amidst a small garden, and a huge historical building called Nrityagopal Smriti Mandir.
 * Shalimar Restaurant & Bar (Burrabazar, Chandannagar) - The architecture is from the colonial period. The food tastes good as well.

Street food in Chandannagar is really awesome. However, it is not always advisable to eat outside food specially from vendors as they maintain poor hygiene standards. Some of the places where you can go to tease your taste buds are:

 * Bajrangi Singh's fuchka - A close competitor of Benarasi. Hawks in Fatakgora More.
 * Benarasi Singh's fuchka - No one on the earth can produce fuchka better than Benarasi. It's in the strand.
 * Bolaida's fish fry - Its near Chandannagar Municipal Corporation in burrabazar. Unparalleled taste, and pocket friendly as well.
 * Ganeshda's chowmien - It's in the newly developed food court in Church Road near Chandannagar Strand. Go for the "Chicken mix".
 * Laxmida's shop - One of the oldest. The standard has deteriorated drastically. Still, one of the most renowned faces in foody world in the city.
 * Rabida's Pakoda - In Burrabazar. Mega sized Chicken Pakoda with spicy chilli sauce. Don't forget to try different chops (all vegetarian) of Raja Phuluri near Hospital ground. Heavenly.

Drink
Liquor shops are available throughout the city, where you get a vast variety of foreign liquors. Few bars are also in operation. Chandannagar was once famous for its home-made country liquor industry. Its still very much alive on the other side of the railway track (though illegally operated). Prudence says: don't venture. You never know what can happen to you after that. Also one should refrain oneself from drinking in open public places as it is deemed to bad in Indian culture.

 * Ganesh Sweets in Laxmigunj Bazar is famous for its lassi. It's a treat to your thirst in the hot and humid days of summer.

Sleep
There is a scarcity of good hotels in Chandannagar. One has to book well in advance if you plan to visit the city. Few options which are available are:

 * Ritzy Manor This is also located in the strand. Its owned by a private house.
 * Ritzy Manor This is also located in the strand. Its owned by a private house.
 * Ritzy Manor This is also located in the strand. Its owned by a private house.

Go next

 * Hugli-Chinsurah — a former Portuguese-Dutch colony, known for the Bandel Church, Imambara and several colonial-era buildings
 * Serampore — a former Danish colony, known for its association with the Serampore Trio (William Carey, Joshua Marshman and William Ward)

title: Chandannagar


text:
Chandigarh

Chandigarh is India's first planned city, quite distinct from the rest of the country and considerably better organised. It is the capital of both Haryana and Punjab states, but the city is not part of either state, being a union territory, i.e. administered directly by the central government.

Understand
The most striking thing about the city is the expanse of resplendent blue sky with the mountains in the backdrop. When you approach the city, you see the jagged skyline of the Shivalik Hills looming large over the city and the faint image of an old temple dedicated to Goddess Chandi (15 km from Chandigarh) from which the city got its name.

Chandigarh may appear oddly familiar to Western visitors and idiosyncratic to the rest of India. Enjoy the planned city, with tree-lined roads, large beautiful roundabouts, several gardens and on top — a great set of people. Chandigarh and Mysore are considered the cleanest two cities of India.

History
When India was partitioned, Punjab was split into two, with the western half going to Pakistan. Lahore, the historical capital of Punjab was also ceded to Pakistan, and Chandigarh was conceived of as a symbol of India's freedom, and a new beginning for Punjab.

The government of the state decided to build the new city at the foot of the Shivalik hills. Architects Albert Mayer and Mathew Novicki drew the initial plans in New York. When the latter died in an air crash in 1950, the work was entrusted to the French architect Edouard 'Le Corbusier' Jeanneret who created Chandigarh as a city of "Sun, Space and Verdure", to fulfill the basic functions of working, living, and care of body and spirit. In 2011, the city was home to more than a million people living in harmonious conditions that are considered to be the best in the country.

One can see architectural genius in the neat geometrical design of residential quarters, reinforced concrete structures and self-contained area layouts. Chandigarh is divided into 47 self-contained sectors. Each sector of the city is designed with its own shops, academic, and health care buildings, and places of worship, open spaces, greenery and residential areas. Roads are wide and spacious. It hasn't grown in a haphazard way as some other Indian cities have.

The city is divided into four major work areas. In the north, the capital complex, consisting of the Secretariat, Legislative Assembly and High Court, with the hills as a background dominating the city. Sector 17, which is the city and district centre, houses the administrative and state government offices, as well as shopping malls, banks and other offices. The west contains the university, and institutions of engineering, architecture, Asian studies and medicine. The east zone is the industrial area of the city.

In 1966, Hindi-speaking areas of Punjab were split from the Punjabi speaking areas of the state to form a new state of Haryana. Chandigarh continued to be the capital of both states. This was supposed to be a temporary measure. The plan was that in 1986, the city would pass to Punjab. But this has been indefinitely delayed because Haryana insists on getting some territory in return, and the two states have not been able to agree on the area that should go to it.

Climate
Chandigarh has a humid subtropical climate (Cwa) with extremely hot summers and warm to mild winters. The rainy season is in the middle of the year, although the rest of the months are not completely dry.

By train

There is a frequent service to and from New Delhi. Trains connecting New Delhi include Kalka (Chandigarh) Shatabdi Express (twice daily) and the economical Chandigarh Jan Shatabdi Express (Una (HP) to Delhi). Shatabdi Express is quite popular and it is better to have an advanced reservation at least 2–3 days prior to the journey.

Popular long-distance trains include the following:
 * Paschim Express (daily) from Mumbai
 * Kalka Mail (daily) from Howrah
 * Dehradun-Chandigarh Madras Express (Monday) from Chennai
 * Kerala Sampark Kranti (Wednesday) from Kochuveli (Kerala)
 * Chandigarh Lucknow Express (daily) from Lucknow.
 * Chandigarh-Jaipur Garib Rath from Jaipur.

By car
Chandigarh has an equally good connectivity via road. It is a 4–5-hr drive from Delhi, the road comprising mainly of NH 1 is quite good. Chandigarh serves as a gateway to the state of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Distances from selected cities:

 * New Delhi – 260 km (160 mi)
 * Shimla – 110 km (68 mi)
 * Manali – 320 km (200 mi)
 * Dehradun – 175 km (110 mi)
 * Amritsar – 250 km (155 mi)

There are many car rental companies available in Chandigarh. If you are travelling from Delhi, you can book a cab from a number of travel agencies present in various nooks and corners of the city or you can book a cab just a call away. Travelling by smaller vehicles like Indica is the most common mode of cab transfers on this route. The highway is pretty scenic.

While it is good to take the cabs for travel on this route in summers, it should be avoided in winters due to heavy fog. Dec-Feb are winter months in India. Chandigarh, being situated in laps of mountains, faces heavy fog at night and in the early morning. At such times, the visibility on roads can be less than six feet.

By bus
Chandigarh is served by two bus terminals.

Note, if you decide to leave Chandigarh again immediately due to the lack of affordable accommodation, there are many night connections to various distant cities, with both AC and regular buses.

Delhi is extensively connected with a bus service every 15 min offered by Chandigarh Transport Undertaking, Haryana Roadways, Punjab Roadways and Himachal Roadways. Volvo A/C buses are also run on the Chandigarh-Delhi section and offer connection to the Airport and towns like Gurgaon. The fares of Volvo buses are usually comparable with the Shatabdi Express. The timetable for Chandigarh Volvo Buses can be found here.

Chandigarh Transport Undertaking offers a comprehensive connectivity between the two bus terminals with air-conditioned and normal buses plying throughout the day between the terminals.

By bus
The Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) provides a local bus service in Chandigarh and the satellite towns of Panchkula and Mohali. The bus service is frequent and efficient 6AM-10PM. Fares starting from ₹20, e.g. railway station to ISBT-43 for ₹25. 45 routes are being plied in Chandigarh. The travel is generally hassle-free, though there might be a rush on some particular routes during morning and evening peak hours.

The buses with corresponding routes can be found here.

The Chandigarh tourism also runs a special Hop On Hop Off double-decker bus which takes you around for a tour of all the main spots in the city including Sukna Lake, Punjab University, and the Secretariat. Having bought one ticket, a person can board or disembark as many times in a day as he wishes. This provides flexibility to see the places of interest and spend as much time as he wishes at a particular spot of choice. It starts its journey from Hotel Shivalikview in Sector 17 near the Bus Terminal.

By taxi
At city beautiful there are various taxi service provider available for in city and outstation travel. Some most used options are:

UT administration has started a fully air-conditioned cab service. The cabs are available at the door step on call. The cabs are stationed at important places including Railway Station and Airport. The cabs are fully air-conditioned and extremely comfortable. They serve Chandigarh and the satellite towns of Panchkula and Mohali. All the taxis are brand new, air conditioned/air heated and driven by the uniformed drivers. Taxis are also have a complaint book and any passenger can lodge a complaint with State Transport Authority if services provided to him are not found up to the mark. The cabs are continuously monitored through GPS technology whereby their locations are monitored by their respective control rooms.

There are no charges for first kilometre except for the meter down charges. Rate ₹15 for the first kilometre and ₹15 for the subsequent kilometers.

Cab services like OlaCabs also operate in Chandigarh and satellite towns of Panchkula and Mohali. Uber is also available on most of the routes of the tricity.

By auto rickshaw

Chandigarh is the first city in the country to have Radio Auto service on the lines of successful working of the Radio Taxi service. The pink autos charge ₹10 for the first kilometre and ₹8 for subsequent kilometres. The service named as "tuk-tuk" is available round the clock. Available on call at +91 172 4242424.

On the whole, auto-rickshaws are quite popular in the city and are easily available at bus terminals, railway stations, and auto stands in the commercial market of every sector. It is very unlikely that they would operate with a meter so negotiate the price before engaging one.

By bicycle
SmartBike (Android, IOS) A bike can be taken for a ride at ₹10 for every half an hour. e-cycles on the same rates will also be available at the stations for people who do not want to pedal.

See

Do

 * Cricket:
 * Motorbike expeditions. Many bikers clubs organise motorbiking and adventure activities.
 * Visit Kalagram on the Manimajra-Chandigarh road. It has an exhibition of various handicrafts and decorations from various parts of the country. It also houses the innovative and famous "Condom Bar", whose theme is centred on condoms.
 * Panchkula is 8 km away and contains the beautiful Cactus Gardens, the largest succulent gardens in Asia.
 * One can also visit Pinjore Gardens that are within a range of 15–20 km (9-12 mi) from Chandigarh on the way to Shimla.

Movies
The city has several single screen cinemas which are now in a dilapidated condition due to the arrival of many high quality multi-screen cinemas but you can still catch a movie at any one of the halls. It is recommended to go to a multi-screen cinema complex where the cinematic experience can be easily compared to any movie hall in the world.

The city has more than a dozen malls with 4- or 5-screen multiplexes. Some of these are Fun Republic (Fun Cinemas) in Manimajra, DLF DT Cinema in IT Park, Green House Entertainment (Big Cinemas) and Centra Mall (PVR Cinema) in Phase 1, Industrial Area. Big Cinemas at Downtown Mall, Zirakpur on Chandigarh-Punjab border and Fame Cinemas at Shalimar Mega mall are new upcoming entertainment malls also easily accessible in the city. Many others malls and multiplexes are coming up in Chandigarh and around soon. The latest entrants are Elante mall and VR Punjab.

Theatre
The city has a rich theatre culture with regular performances by societies and groups from all over India. Tagore Theatre in Sector 18 plays host to most of the performances. One can view these street plays in Plaza Carnival in sector 17 Main Market, which can be viewed by everyone.

Amusement and water parks

 * FunCity – 20 km (12 mi) from Chandigarh on the Panchkula - Barwalla Nadha Sahib Gurudwara Highway near Ramgarh.
 * Thunderzone – A 30-min drive from Chandigarh, located in Landran, Mohali.

Buy
Chandigarh, with the highest income per capita in India, is home to some of India's biggest brands. Hotspots for higher-end shopping include markets in Sector 17, Sector 22, Sector 35, and Manimajra. However, shopping is typically more expensive in Chandigarh than it is in other cities, including big cities such as Delhi.

There are plenty of Shopping Avenues in Chandigarh. Chandigarh is home to all leading brands and retail store chains.

Sector 17 is a fully commercial sector that houses all the major brands and shops that cater to wide array of taste and pocket.

Other popular shopping places are Elante Mall, Sector 22, Sector 35, and Manimajra.

If you want to bargain hard for usual stuff, try the Azad Hind Market in Sector 22 but note that it is closed on Monday.

You can buy souvenirs in the form of coffee mugs, shirts, etc. at Sukhna Lake.

Eat
You can relish all type of cuisines from local Punjabi flavors to continental food. Now there are many food delivering apps and websites like Zomato, Uber Eats, and Swiggy, which deliver meals from the city's restaurants to your doorstep.

Budget
Many Western fast food chains have registered their presence in Chandigarh.

Mid-range

 * Amrtisari Kulcha – The only authentic Kulchas you can find in Chandigarh. Located at Bhainsa Tibba, near Mansa Devi Mandir.
 * Backpackers - Sector 9
 * 5-AAB Superb Punjabi dhaba serving unlimited thalis. Sector 22-B, shop 1085, just down from bus station, beside Hotel Piccadilly.
 * Hotel Sheronz and The Cellar 35, S.C.O. 429-430, Sector 35-C
 * Pizza Hut - Sector 26, Sector 35
 * Hotel Sheronz and The Cellar 35, S.C.O. 429-430, Sector 35-C
 * Pizza Hut - Sector 26, Sector 35
 * Pizza Hut - Sector 26, Sector 35
 * Pizza Hut - Sector 26, Sector 35
 * Pizza Hut - Sector 26, Sector 35
 * Pizza Hut - Sector 26, Sector 35

Apart from these, a variety of restaurants can be found in the Sector 35 market, ranging from traditional Indian sweet shops (Gopal's) to burger joints like McDonald's to formal dine-in joints.

Splurge

 * Victoria's Boutique Cafe in inner market Sector 8, Chandigarh serving freshly grounded speciality coffee and amazing food.
 * Black Lotus at the Taj Chandigarh, for exceptional Chinese fare, cooked by a Beijing-imported chef.
 * Hometel Hotel at Industrial Area Phase 1 is part of Sarovar Chain of Hotels.
 * Hotel Mountview and Shivalikview also offer specialised dining rooms and bars.
 * Nando's Chicken at Sector 35.
 * Nando's Chicken at Sector 35.

Coffee shops
Barista, Cafe Coffee Day and Costa coffee (Panchkula, Sec 35), Starbucks (Elenta mall, Sector 22) are popular Indian chains of coffee shops that can be found in Chandigarh at various places.

For a true Indian coffee experience go to Indian Coffee house in Sector

Bars and pubs
Chandigarh is often accused of a dull nightlife for its status as a metro. Still, one can enjoy good drink at various pubs/bars with combined restaurants at Sector 35, Sector 26, and Sector 17. The bars remain open till midnight or 1AM.

'Condom Bar', a unique bar themed upon the condom, is operated by CITCO at Kalagram, Chandigarh-Manimajra road.

Budget
Central Chandigarh is a budget traveller's nightmare when it comes to lodging—it is notoriously overpriced, and the expense is generally not matched by the quality. Additionally, there seem to be extra restrictions on lodging for foreigners in Chandigarh. So, when you book a cheap place through a common website online, make sure they also cater for foreigners—it will be clear quickly from their reviews. Otherwise, you will turn up and they rightout tell you that you cannot stay or don't have your booking. And indeed most cheap places online and offline are Indian-only (as of 2023). Don't be surprised to be asked ₹1,500/night as a foreigner for a dingy room without windows in sector 22 or sector 45, where many budget housing options (of price and quality comparable to typical Indian cities) are located.

As a last resort, you can try the Gurudwaras in Sector 8, Sector 19, Sector 22, or Sector 34. They have rooms or halls, but are generally hesitant to take foreigners due to the extra bureacratic effort. If they suggest a different Gurudwara, tell them that the other Gurudwara they are recommending already sent you to their place. Or try the Gurudwara in Sector 44 later in the evening but before 10PM—they will just let you into their dorm and take a picture of your passport. Or you just walk in and lie down, the dorm is in the gate building at the right side. Also, seem to be able to host foreigners, but they are constantly full.

Mid-range

 * Yatri Nivas run by the CITCO
 * Yatri Nivas run by the CITCO
 * Yatri Nivas run by the CITCO
 * Yatri Nivas run by the CITCO
 * Yatri Nivas run by the CITCO

Connect
The STD code for Chandigarh is 0172. When calling from overseas, dial +91 172 XXXXXXX. The same STD code is shared by Panchkula and Mohali. If you have a non-working phone number with only 6 digits, try adding a "2" in front of it.

Stay safe
Chandigarh is a safe city. With the lowest crime rates in the country, you can feel safe at any hour. Police assistance can be found at the nearest police station or at the patrolling booths in every sector.

You can call following numbers for respective help : 112 (Police), 101 (Fire), 102 (Ambulance), 1073 (Traffic Police Helpline), 1098 (Child help line). If you are calling from a mobile phone, just add the STD code such as 0172 in front of the emergency numbers. This is true in any other Indian city.

Balance
India is often said to assault the senses, and can be overwhelming to travelers. Chandigarh is a good place to visit if you need a break from the constant flow of India. Even more so during the weekend when the still chaotic and overly much traffic and polution along the main roads is considerably reduced due to the residents fleeing into the nearby mountains.

Hospitals
List of major hospitals and health care centres:

 * Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., Sector 34-A.
 * General Hospital Sector 16, Chandigarh
 * Government Medical College Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh
 * Mukat Hospital, Sector 34.
 * The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGI), Sector 12. By all accounts the best multidisciplinary hospital complex in town (under the management of the central government of India, and conceived as the premier referral centre for all the northern states of India). While it is not always good by Western standards, it has no rival this side of New Delhi.

Pharmacies
Pharmacies are a dime a dozen and you should not have any problem locating one, though Sector 16-C is considered the "pharmacy district" and offers a variety of shops to find your medication. You do not need any prescription for modern medicine over-the-counter drugs and ayurvedic medicine (proprietary and traditional), which are available for most common ailments like fever, headache, travellers' ailments, and general infection, but you will need prescription for other medicines, which are categorized as Schedule H drugs.

You can locate 24-hour pharmacies at PGI and G.M.C.H., Sector 32.

General amenities
General amenities for daily living like grocery shopping, laundry etc. can be availed all in one place in every sector's market complex. Each sector is self-sufficient in that regard and serves almost all the needs of its residents.

Traffic rules
There is a strict enforcement of traffic rules in Chandigarh. Wearing helmets (for male riders ISI Marked), and using seat belts are compulsory. Violators pay heavy penalties. No exceptions to these rules are made to cars from outside the state.

Press
The city has an expansive presence of leading national dailies which roll out their city-based editions. Among these are The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Tribune, The Indian Express, Amar Ujala (Hindi), and Dainik Bhaskar (Hindi). The Tribune, one of the oldest print newspapers in circulation, has its headquarters in Chandigarh and is popular throughout the region.

Go next
Set aside some time to visit the nearby hill stations of Kasauli, Solan or Shimla, or Chail.

 * Amritsar – The city with the holiest Sikh temple is 238 km away and also offers a glimpse into the Indian struggle for Independence.
 * Delhi – 250 km by road with excellent connectivity through the NH-1 Highway.
 * Dharamsala – Home of the Dalai Lama and the highest cricket ground in the world takes another overnight journey to reach.
 * Kasauli – Only 90 min drive from Chandigarh is a hill station not very far from the city. If one is lucky, in clear weather it offers a staggering view of Chandigarh from the Himalayan Foothills. Note that foreign visitors will need to present a valid passport to gain entrance since Kasauli is an Army cantonment.
 * Morni – Morni Hills at a height of around 1,100 m (3,500 ft) in the Shivalik hills. Just 45 km from Chandigarh, the town is a popular day trip & weekend destination with the Tikkar lakes just nearby. There are 3 routes from Chandigarh to Morni. The shortest and most popular turne off from the Shimla highway just past the toll barrier at Chandimandir.
 * Shimla – Just 110 km (70 mi) from Chandigarh by road is called the "Queen of Hills" and is the erstwhile summer capital of the British Raj.

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

title: Chandigarh


text:
Chandipur

Chandipur is a beach resort in Balasore district of Odisha (formerly Orissa).

By plane
The nearest airports are Kolkata and Bhubaneswar.

By train
The nearest railhead is Balasore (17 km), car rental: ₹200-₹300. Balasore is 207 km from Bhubaneswar and 236 km from Howrah.

Some of the trains which stop at Balasore are: 2073/2074 Howrah Bhubaneswar Janashatabdi (no train on Sunday), 2837/2838 Howrah Puri Express, 8409/8410 Howrah Puri Sri Jagannath Express, 2821/2822 Howrah Bhubaneswar Dhauli Express, 6003/6004 Howrah Chennai Mail, 2703/2704 Faluknama Express, 8645/8646 East Coast Express, 6358/6357 Gurudev Express, 2863/2864 Howrah Yeshvantpur Express, 5228/5227 Muzaffarpur Yeshvantpur Express (weekly), 6355/6356 Kanyakumari Express (weekly), Howrah Tiruchirapalli Express (biweekly), 2508/2507 Guwahati Ernakulam Express (weekly), 2530/2509 Guwahati Bangalore Express (triweekly), 5628/5627 Guwahati Trivandrum Express (weekly), 5630/5629 Guwahati Chennai Egmore Express (weekly).

For timings etc. check with Indian Railways. You can also go to http://www.erail.in and http://www.distancesfrom.in/train-between-stations/; however for ticket booking the only railway site that will allow an individual to book tickets is http://www.irctc.co.in.

By road
If you want to drive down to Chandipur from Kolkata (Calcutta) - the directions are as follows:
 * Take the Second Hooghly Bridge
 * Follow Kona Expressway (4-Lane road)
 * At the Bombay Road crossing - take a left.
 * Follow Bombay Road (4-Lane road)
 * You may break at the A1 Plaza inside the Reliance petrol station. It would be to your left - a 30-40 minute ride from the Kona Expressway - Bombay Road junction (Avoid the Azad Hind Dhaba - it is no longer up to the mark)
 * Keep straight until you cross the Rupnarayan river (the bridge is one way and the river is wide)
 * After you cross the river you will see the Kolaghat Thermal Power Station to your left
 * Immediately after the Power Station is a junction (Haldia junction)– go straight. (left goes to Haldia)
 * Kharagpur Junction. Go straight towards NH 60 (4-lane concrete road - careful of the turn you take)
 * NH 60 after Kharagpur is peaceful compared to NH 5. Very few buses and trucks and road is bordered by paddy fields stretching to the horizon. This is an amazing road - but careful they are constructing speedbreakers on the road now.
 * A toll is charged at Jaleswar border (₹40 for cars), but no entry tax (as of 2011)
 * Before reaching Jaleswar town, you'll find that the new 4-lane NH-60 stretch is under construction.
 * Basleshwar (Balasore) town. Traffic congestion. Take a left turn under overhead bridge.
 * Go straight. You'll reach the bus stand. Cross the flyover after it and take a right turn immediately after crossing the flyover.
 * Take a right turn in the next junction
 * Go straight till you reach a Police point. There is a Cinema hall just behind it. Take right turn and go straight till the road meets another road.
 * Take left turn and go straight.
 * Around 10 km off, you'll see some signboards of various hotels in Chandipur-on-sea. Take left turn and go straight. This is easy to miss - try not to go into the Integrated Test Launch Zone. You're there!

From the flyover mentioned above, we do not agree with the route : the flyover lands into a roundabout. Take a left from there and you will be guided to Chandipur. We travelled on 19th Sep 2009 and found the road nearing Balasore is still under construction. Also, roads within Balasore are narrow and has a lot of rush. For more visit road distance related info visit : www.roaddistance.in

By bus
Banadurga Travels runs AC buses from Balasore to Kolkata (6AM) and back (6PM), starting at Dharamtala in Kolkata. A ticket costs ₹230.

Get around
Hire cars are available. Charge: ₹900-₹1,200 for sight seeing. You can also get an OTDC tour bus from Chandipur, that goes to the nearby temples in the area.

See

 * Movement of the sea – it recedes 5 km with low tide and comes back all the way with high tide.

Do
If you are tired of the sea, move around. Go to Balasore and nearby places.

Buy
There is always something to buy. Nothing special here. But you can buy delicious sweets here. Items of clothing are cheap compared to other cities nearby.

Eat
Prawns are very cheap. You can have a delicious prawn item at Anandamayee Hotel or Panthanibas or elsewhere. However, as sea prawns sometimes cause allergic reactions, be careful.

Drink
Green coconuts recommended. However, if one is fussy about hard drinks, it is safer to carry it.

While going from Chandipur towards Balasore, just where the road to ITR splits off, there is a small shack with some of the best sweets in that area. The Road distance between Chandipur to Balasore is 12 kilometres and it will take 23 minutes to reach there.

Sleep

Stay safe

 * Integrated Test Range for test launching missiles is located at Chandipur but all that is out of reach for tourists. Check before going if there is a test firing. It may be matter of inconvenience for some.

Go next

 * Bhitarkanika - The second largest Mangrove Forest Sanctuary in the Country.
 * Nilagiri Nalagiri is mostly identified with the Jagnnath temple and is located near the Kuldiha sanctuary. Kalidiha is also an ideal base for trekking. Nilagiri was the capital of an ex-princely state.
 * Panchalingeswar - 45 km away from Chandipur lies this Shaivite shrine famous for its elevating natural splendour amidst the lush Nilagiri Hills and fine lingams over which runs a continuously flowing stream. But you will have to ask for directions all the time, since there is no signs around.
 * Remuna - 25 km away, Remuna is mainly identified with the shrine of Khirchora Gopinath. It has been a bastion of Vaishnavism for centuries. Sri Chitanya Mahaprabhu - apostle of Vaishnavism, his Guri - Madhavendrapuri and disciple Jeevaswami Goswami are said to have worshipped the Lord at Remuna.
 * Sajanagarh - 5 km away from Nilagiri, a centre whose presiding deity is Chandi. This place is rich in archaeological remains and antiquities.
 * Simlipal - wildlife sanctuary, is 100 km away.
 *  Talasari beach  and Chandaneswar temple – about 90 km away.

title: Chandipur


text:
Chandler

There is more than one place called Chandler

Australia

 * Chandler (Queensland) in Queensland, Australia

Canada

 * Chandler (Quebec) in Quebec, Canada

United States of America

 * Chandler (Arizona) in the state of Arizona
 * Chandler (Oklahoma) in the state of Oklahoma
 * Chandler Township (Michigan) in the state of Michigan

title: Chandler


text:
Chandler (Arizona)

Chandler is a city in Arizona, and a medium-sized suburb of Phoenix with over 240,000 residents. It is a delightful place to visit.

By plane

 * Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the main air gateway to Arizona. It is in East Phoenix 3 miles from downtown. All major U.S. carriers serve Phoenix Sky Harbor with extensive flights to major cities across the country. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines have hubs at Sky Harbor. It is approximately 25 minutes from Chandler.
 * Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is east of Phoenix, in neighboring Mesa. It is served mainly by Allegiant Air, although Vision Airlines also offers service from North Las Vegas.  It is a small airport but is being redeveloped into a major regional airport.

By car
To reach Chandler head on I-10 until it reaches the Santan Freeway. Also, the loop 101 runs down the west side of Chandler near the mall and connects to all other major freeways in the area.

Get around
Car and bus are the easiest ways to get around Chandler. Rideshare services Uber and Lyft also operate in the city as well as Chandler Flex, a joint initiative between Via and City of Chandler. Google's Waymo autonomous car service is also available in parts of the city.

See
The Sonoran desert and a beautiful residential area.

Eat
There are many fine, well-known establishments in the vicinity of Chandler Fashion Center and in downtown Chandler.

Sleep
San Marcos hotel is an old and luxurious hotel in downtown Chandler. Otherwise, many well known hotel chains have hotels in Chandler. There are however, few resorts in this area compared to Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tempe.

Go next

 * Within in the Greater Phoenix area:
 * Head into Scottsdale for the day – take Loop 101 north.
 * Head north on I-10 to downtown Phoenix – catch a show or a ballgame, or see the Phoenix Zoo or the Desert Botanical Garden.

 * North of the Metro Phoenix area — on Interstate 17 North:
 * Visit the Grand Canyon – a four hours drive to the South Rim, north near Flagstaff.
 * Elsewhere north: Prescott, Sedona and Route 66.

 * South — on Interstate 10 East:
 * See South Central Arizona, with an hour-and-a-half drive to Tucson.
 * Elsewhere south: Picacho Peak State Park, Saguaro National Park, Santa Catalina Mountains.

 * West — on Interstate 10 West (via Loop 202 West):
 * Head towards the Palm Springs area in the California Desert, or continue onwards to Southern California for Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood.

title: Chandler (Arizona)


text:
Chandler (Oklahoma)

Chandler is a town of 2,900 people (2020) in the Frontier Country region of Oklahoma.

Understand
Chandler's economy is driven mostly by agriculture and livestock, oil and gas services, and manufacturing.

Get in
Chandler sits northeast of Oklahoma City on SH-66 and I-44, and north of Shawnee on SH-18.

Do

 * Chandler has two lakes, Bell Cow Lake, and Chandler Lake. Bell Cow Lake, which features camping, boating, fishing, and horse trails, is north of town.
 * Chandler Golf Course, north of town.
 * The Lincoln County Raceway, a quarter-mile dirt track, is south of Chandler.

title: Chandler (Oklahoma)


text:
Chandpur

Chandpur is a city in Bangladesh.

Get in
Cars, trains, and boats link Chandpur to the rest of the country. Chandpur can be reached by ferry in 3 to 4 hours from Dhaka and 5 to 6 hours from Barisal (the local English word for ferry is "launch"). Moreover, lots of buses come from Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Laksmipur and Comilla and return after a half-hour stop. From Dhaka and other districts the railway runs via Laksam junction, where you will have to change trains.

By bus
There are several bus services from Dhaka to Chandpur. Buses leave from the Saydabad bus stand (10 km south of Dhaka Airport) in Dhaka to the Chanpur bus terminal in Chandpur. You can get on any of the following buses from the Saydabad bus stand in Dhaka:
 * Padma Express

Buses from Cumilla to Chandpur leave from a place called Jangalia Bus Stand in the southern part of Cumilla city.

By train
Also you can reach by Train and Bus from the different corner of the country. A train "Meghna Express" comes from Chittagong port city every day starts at 17.00 and arrives at 22.00 and returns next day from Chandpur at 6.00 and reaches Chittagong 11.20, A train "Sagorika Express" also travels from Chittagong at 7.50 and reaches 13.55 and moves to Chittagong at 14.40 and reaches Chittagong at 21.20.

By boat
You can easily reach by boat from Dhaka Sadarghat boat terminal. From 06:30 to midnight, boats are available from the terminal. It takes 3-4 hours to reach Chandpur city. This is the best way to visit Chandpur. You can choose single, double cabin, Shoukhin, First class seat with A/C.

Get around
When you come through water ways from Dhaka of Barisal the "thota" a land is seen like an island from the waterways, you can visit that place immediately after getting into Chandpur. Train also stops there. This a place from where you can see the beauty of Dakatia, Fishermans, Hilsha business, lots of country roads are moving in different directions, its a picnic spot also enjoy sunset.

Along the rail line when you enter Chandpur you will see a lake and the "Angikar" liberation monument. Coming via road you will see also Sapla Chattar near Kali bari Rail Station and Hilsa Chattar at stadium road.

See
Chandpur is famous for the seasonal harvesting of the Illisha (HILSA) Fish, a variant of the Western 'Shad' fish with very fine bones. HILSA is the national fish of Bangladesh and is a popular seasonal delicacy on Bengali tables—especially on 'Bengali identity days' like February 21.

Do
You can start cruising from Dhaka through water transport, there are a lot of water transport options with air conditioning facilities, watching TV and movies etc. On the way to Chandpur you will see lots of Char land, created land where cattle are grazing. You can explore different kind of business here related to fishery, agriculture, livestock and trade. One can think about the culture fishery, a fishery department is situated in the town to develop culture fisheries with in the areas. Patato is one of the agricultural product which can be added to the list together with jute. Chandpur has a good cultural background with its culture mixed with Hindu and Muslim culture.

May be a good idea to see the old boro mosque in Hazigonj and others.

title: Chandpur


text:
Chandrapur

Chandrapur (also known as Chanda) is a city in the state of Maharashtra in India. The city gets its name from the Chanda Fort present here. The city is also known as City of Black Gold due to the large number of coal mines present around the city.

History
The district Chandrapur was earlier known as 'Chanda' according to tradition and legend the name of the place was 'Lokapura' which was first changed to ' Indpur' and subsequently to Chandrapur. During the British colonial period it was called Chanda district, which was again changed to its original name 'Chandrapur ' around 1964. Other places of the region in ancient times include Wairangad, Kosala, Bhadravati and Markanda. Hindu and Buddhist kings are said to have ruled the area for a long time, Later on Gonds overtook Dana Chiefs who ruled Chandrapur around 9 th century and Gond Kings ruled the area till 1751 after which Maratha period started. Raghuji Bhosale, the last King of the dynasty, died heirless in 1853 and Nagpur province together with Chandrapur was declared annexed to the British Empire.

In 1854, Chandrapur formed and independent district and in 1874, it comprised of three tehsils Viz Mul, Warora and Bramhpuri. In 1874, however, upper Godavari district of Madras was abolished and four tehsils were added to Chandrapur to form one tehsil with Sironcha as its headquarters. In 1895, the headquarters of one tehsil transferred to MUl to Chandrapur. A new tehsil with headquarter at Gadchoroli was created in 1905 by transfer of zamindari estates from Bramhpuri and Chandrapur tehsil. A small zamindari tract from Chandrapur district as transferred to newly from districts in 1907. In the same year and area of about 1560 km2. comprising of three divisions of the lower Sironcha tehsil namely Cherla, Albak and Nugir were transferred to Madras State.

No major changes occurred in the boundaries of the district or its tehsils between 1911–1955. Consequent upon reorganization of the states in 1956, the district was transferred from Madhya Pradesh to Bombay state. In the same Rajura tehsil, a part of Adilabad district of Hydrabad state, was transferred to Nanded district subsequently it was transferred to Chandrapur district in  1959. the district became part of the Maharashtra since its creation in May 1960. For administrative convenience and industrial and agricultural development, this district was again divided into Chandrapur and Gadchiroli district after 1981 census. Chandrapur district now comprises the tehsil of Chandrapur, Bhadravati, Warora, Chimur, Nagbhir, Bramhpuri, Sindhewahi, Mul, Gondpipri, Pomburna, Saoli, Rajura, Korpana, Jivati and  Balharshah.

Climate
Chandrapur is known for hot and dry climate. Humidity is very low in the region. Temperatures start decreasing in October with December being the coldest month, with a minimum average temperature of 7.6 °C and maximum of 28.2 °C. The Southern region is warmer than the Northern region. The lowest recorded temperature is 3 °C (Northern region) and 8 °C (Southern). Temperatures begin to rise in February. May is the hottest month with a mean maximum temperature of 45 °C and minimum of 28 °C. It is not uncommon for temperatures to reach up to 46 °C, and temperatures in this region are often the highest in Southern Asia. The highest temperature ever recorded in Chandrapur was 48.3 °C on May 16, 1912 and lowest temperature recorded was 2.8 °C on January 10, 1899. Monsoons bring humidity to the region in June, and this lasts until September.

The average annual rainfall is about 1420 mm. The Eastern region receives more rainfall than Westermonsoon season [Jun-Sep], which exceeds 70%, but it falls down rapidly in Summer [Feb-May]. Average number of rainy days is 60 to 65 per year. The humidity is relatively more during the 20%.

The prominent wind direction is from South to North. In Summer the wind direction is from East to south and in Monsoon from South to East. During Winter [October–January], the wind direction changes from North to East.

By plane

The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur, which has regular as well as direct flights to all the metros. Since Nagpur is serviced by both public as well as private carriers, reaching here by plane is no problem.

By train
is on New Delhi–Chennai and New Delhi–Hyderabad–Bangalore railway lines. The railway station is served by express trains from different parts of India.

By road
Chandrapur is also connected to many cities in Maharashtra by MSRTC buses. The buses ply to Nagpur, Gondia, Amravati, Akola, Shirdi, Aurangabad, Nanded and Hyderabad.

Go next

 * Nagpur
 * Raipur

title: Chandrapur


text:
Changa Manga

Changa Manga is in Kasur district of the Punjab province in Pakistan.

History
The park was built to meet the demand for wood for railway construction in the time of the British Raj.

Landscape
The park is in the Indus Plains of Punjab. The park consists of a water body and wooded areas, with animals such as jackals, axis deer and wild cats.

Flora and fauna
There are some big mammals which became rare or endangered in Pakistan surviving in the park, such as wild boar, found in the whole park with high density. Rare mammal species include hog deer, nilgai (blue bull), jackals and jungle cats. Furthermore, there are reports about axis deer (Axis axis) within the borders of the park.

The park is a very good place for bird-watchers.

Climate
Typical climate of Indus Plains.

Get in

About one hour distance to Lahore by car. The Changa Manga forest can be entered from a road off (jumber) the N-5 Highway near Bhai Pheru and Chunian.

Fees and permits
There are no fees nor is any permit needed.

See
There is a visitable breeding centre for vultures, attached to the park. A small steam-operated engine train also serves for transporting visitors to the park. There is also a small zoo.

Stay safe
Beware that there are a lot of mosquitos in the Changa Manga plantation, and some of them may be infected with malaria.

Furthermore, there are big mammals like wild boars, which sometimes can be dangerous. Other possibly dangerous animals within the park include some species of snakes which are deadly-poisonous.

title: Changa Manga


text:
Changbaishan National Nature Reserve

Changbaishan National Nature Reserve (长白山自然保护区) is in Jilin province.

Understand
Covering an area of 2,000 km2, the Changbai Mountains National Reserve is a large natural zoo and botanical garden, part of the UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Program. The Tianchi Lake (Heaven Lake), vertical scenery, aerial park, hot springs, and waterfalls are among the six local natural wonders. The mountains, covered with primitive forests, make an excellent tourist destination.

Tianchi Lake is 13 km in circumference but cannot be walked around owing to the border with North Korea (Mount Paektu).

Changbaishan has two separate areas- the northern slope and the western slope. Heaven Lake is accessible from both sides of the reserve. The north and west entrances are separated by 100 km.

If you want to hike besides the tourist routes you have to have a guide. Just don't hike alone, and bring food and medical supply. It should be strongly noted that the border with North Korea is not clearly marked and there have been arrests by North Korean border guards of foreigners.

History
Changbaishan was long considered by Manchus and Koreans to be the origin of their civilizations. Climbing the mountain was considered taboo for most of China's history, with violators often being beaten to death.

Landscape
Chang Bai Shan (Eternally White Mountain) is the tallest peak in Dongbei (Northeast China). It is a dormant volcano with a lake in the crater named Tianchi Lake and this lake is the source of the Songhua River. Latest eruption was in 1702 AD.

Flora and fauna
Below the lake in the crater, the mountain offers a very large selection of flora, such as the rare Chang Bai larch. There are 80 species of trees and over 300 types of medicinal plants in the reserve.

Climate
From early October to late May, access into the park will be very difficult due to the amount of snow that falls in the winter. Early September seems to be one of the better times to visit and a whole lot of South Koreans agree. Finding availability around this time can be difficult.

Get in
Access into the Nature Reserve for non-Chinese is mainly through Baihe. Baihe can be access by bus through Yanji or train through Tonghua. From Baihe, buses travel frequently to Chang Bai Shan to the vehicle switching station, 27 km past the main gate. From the vehicle switching station, 4WD vehicles take you the rest of the way to the hot springs at the base of the mountain.

Buses stop at the main entrance. Then you pay another fee for the "eco-bus" operated by the park concession. To get to the summit, you must take an 4WD to the upper camp building, and then hike about 150 m to the top. In June 2011, the snow was solid from camp to summit. The summit is quite cold and windy. Surplus Red Army jackets are available to borrow, apparently for free. In summer, the view down onto the lake is often obscured by clouds.

An alternate access is via Songjiang He, a village 40 km west of the Nature Reserve. The western approach offers more beauty with forests of trees gradually changing to meadows and flowers (in spring and early summer).

The easiest way to get to Changbaishan is by booking one of the three-day tours arranged through CITS in Jilin (at the Dongguan Hotel) costing ¥620 (¥420 for Chinese), which include all fees and accommodation, and which stop at all the major sightseeing spots, including Tian Chi.

By car

 * For navigation enter Erdao Baihezhen for destination.
 * Changchun to direction Airport/Jilin G12 to Jilin (1.5 hours)
 * Jilin to G12 to Dunhau (1.5 hours)
 * Dunhua to G201 to (pass by Xiaoshahexiang, Yougqingxian) Erdao Baihezhen/Bai he (3 hours)
 * In July 2011 all the roads where new and easy to drive. Petrol stations and toilets were available.
 * In Erdao Baihezhen to the North Gate (20 km) follow the signs
 * In Erdao Baihezhen to West Gate (80 km) follow the signs Baihe Forestry/Westgate
 * From North Gate to West Gate: coming from North Gate, before you enter Baihe there is a sign, "West Gate", on your left hand. Follow the small road until you come to a bigger, new road. Turn left and follow the road.

Fees and permits

 * Park admission ¥100
 * Transportation fee ¥85 (which pay for the shuttle busses inside the park)
 * 4WD tour to Heaven Lake ¥80 (North Gate - since there is no walking path to Heaven Lake you have to take a 4WD.)
 * Chinese and student-card holders may receive discount.

Park admission and transportation fee have to be paid as soon as you enter the park. If you sleep outside the park you have to pay daily for the park admission and transportation. If you sleep in one of the hotels inside the park (North Gate) you pay only one time the park admission and the transportation fee - irrespective of the duration of your stay.

Get around
Cars are prohibited in the parks. Shuttle buses bring the tourists from the north/west gate to the different sightseeing spots in the park and run frequently. '''Ask for the operating times of the buses and the opening hours of the park. (approx. West Gate 07:00-16:00, North Gate 07:00-18:00)'''

Northern Slope:
 * From Baihe to the parking area of the Northgate entrance (20 km) by car, buses, or taxi
 * From entrance to the waterfall (20 km) by shuttle bus
 * From entrance to the parking area (16 km) where you can board a 4WD for journey up to Heaven Lake
 * From parking area with the 4WDs to Heaven Lake approx. 20 minutes
 * From parking area with the 4WDs to waterfall approx. 4 km
 * From waterfall to the Green Deep Pool or Small Sky Pond/Silver Ring Lake 2 km

Western Slope
 * From Songjianghe to parking area of the entrance (approx. 40 minutes) by taxi or with a tour
 * From entrance to Heaven Lake or to the canyon (approx. 50 minutes/40 km)

From Northern Gate to Western Gate - approx. 100 km, 2 hours. From waterfall to the canyon - approx. 4 hours.

See
Northern Slope:
 * Tian Chi/ Heaven Lake is the Highlight of Changbaishan, this deep-blue volcanic crater lake at the top of the mountain is surrounded by 16 mountain peaks. In some years, it is frozen even in June. The lake marks the boundary of China and North Korea. The mountain belongs to the five holy mountains of Korea. You have to take a 4WD to get to the mountain (16 km). The walking path from the waterfall to the Heaven Lake is closed. It is less crowded in the afternoon hours - ask for the operating hours of the 4WDs. (last one from the mountain in July 2011 was around 18:00)
 * Changbai Waterfall (68 metre) Erdaobai River runs off Heaven Lake and creates the longest volcanic waterfall in the world. Snowmelt from the Heavens Lake cascades down a volcanic landscape.
 * On the way to the waterfall there natural hot springs- you can enjoy a bath in the bathhouse. The springs are hot enough to boil eggs and corn, which can be purchased for local vendors.
 * Green Deep Pool. The Pond is surrounded by trees and cliffs. A 25 m high waterfall flows into the pond with green water.
 * Small Sky Pond/Silver Ring Lake is a small lake where you can start walking tours along the river (e.g. 1.5 hours to the waterfall).
 * Underground forest (12 km from the north gate) is a nice walking area. Discover in a 30 minutes' walk a crater filled with trees.

Western Slope
 * Tian Chi/ Heaven Lake (over 900 stairs to the top)
 * Changbaishan Canyon (Changbaishan Daxiagu) discover in a 40 minutes' walk the main attraction of the western side - the impressive Changbaishan Canyon.
 * The shuttle bus stops at several more attractions

Do
A daytrip at Northern Slope:
 * Get to the park (from Baihe 20 km) and buy tickets
 * Take the shuttle bus and drive from entrance to Green Deep Pool (approx. 35 minutes)
 * Start your day at Green Deep Pool (approx. 20-45 minutes of walking time)
 * Take the Shuttle Bus to the waterfall (approx. 10 minutes of driving time)
 * At the parking area of the waterfall, turn right, go over the bridge, turn left and follow the path on the right side of the river to the waterfall (approx. 30 minutes walking time)
 * From the waterfall follow the main path down to the parking area - enjoy the natural hot spring scenery and stop at a vendor to buy boiled eggs.
 * At the parking area of the waterfall, go over the bridge, turn right and follow the path along the river to Small Sky Pond (approx. 60 minutes walking time). The path was closed in July 2011, but still good to walk.
 * From Small Sky Pond walk through the forest to the snack bar/big parking area to catch the shuttle bus and drive to the parking area for the 4WDs.
 * Buy a ticket and climb up the mountain with a 4WD. Beware of the operating hours of the 4WD. A trip up the mountain and taking pictures takes time (approx. 1.5 hours.) (July 2011, last 4WD from the mountain 19:45)
 * Take the shuttle bus back (beware of the operating hours)
 * Enjoy a soak in one of the hot springs at the base of the mountain - the bathhouse offers hot spring baths for ¥40 per person

A daytrip at Western Slope:
 * Get to the park (Songjianghe to parking area of the entrance approx. 40 minutes) and buy tickets
 * Take the shuttle bus and drive from the entrance up to the mountain where the stairs start (approx. 50 minutes drive)
 * Buy some drinks - climb up the stairs to see the Heavens Lake and the North Korean border (approx. 60 minutes)
 * Take the shuttle bus to the canyon (all the buses stop here and you have to get out of the bus) and enjoy the great scenery (approx. 40 minutes walk)
 * Take the shuttle bus back (beware of the operating hours)
 * There are some more attractions between the mountain and the canyon. The buses stop here also.

Buy
Honey and ginseng.

Eat
The shops inside the park and along the road might be closed during low season (September–June) - you might need to bring your own provisions for the trip e.g. fruit, bread, nuts, cereal bars, chocolate and drinks.

During high season you can buy small snacks (e.g. boiled eggs) and drinks inside the park and at the gates - prices are high. There are no restaurants inside the park. You might want to bring some provisions.

Lodging
Northern Slope: Several hotels operate within the park, e.g. International Tourist Hotel (Guoji Lüyou Binguan) Tel. 0433 5746001 or the Grand Dynasty Hotel/Changbaishan Daewoo Hotel Tel. 0433 5746666. Prices for a double room start at ¥700.

 * Price includes breakfast, dinner and hot spring bath
 * Receptionists speak English
 * You pay the park admission and the transportation fee once only - irrespective of the length of your stay.
 * Some rooms have waterfall view.
 * In the morning and evening you can enjoy the silence of the park without other tourists.
 * Shuttle bus stop right in front of the hotel.
 * Save travel time (from Baihe to waterfall approx. 40 minutes).
 * Behind the hotel you can find in a 5 minutes' walk the river, the Green Deep Pond (with waterfall) and the Small Sky Pond/Silver Ring Lake. From there you can walk to the waterfall (approx. 2 km) or you take the shuttle bus.
 * Take a rest during the day in your hotel room.
 * No shops (drinks can be bought at the hotel) or other restaurants
 * High room rates
 * Since you are not allowed to enter the park with your car, you have to catch the shuttle bus at the Northgate to get to your hotel. Please ask for the operating time of the buses (19:45 in summer) and the opening hours of the park.

In Baihe you can find inexpensive and mid-range lodging (from Baihe to the Northgate 20 km; 40 km to the waterfall and 45 minutes/80 km to the West Gate)

Western Slope: Several hotels are located outside the park gate (e.g. Days Hotel Landscape Resort - 5 minutes' walk to the gate). In Songjianghe you can find inexpensive and midrange lodging (around 40 minutes from Songjianghe to the Westgate).

Camping
Camping is forbidden in the park.

Stay safe
The Tian Chi lake is split between China and North Korea. The border is not clearly marked and foreigners have been arrested and detained in the past by North Korean border guards on 'espionage' charges. Take every precaution not to get too close to North Korea, even if you think you are still in Chinese territory.

title: Changbaishan National Nature Reserve


text:
Changchun

Changchun (长春; Chángchūn; lit. Long Spring) is the capital of Jilin Province. With a population of more than 6 million, it is one of the major cities in Northeast China (东北; Dōngběi), and is the largest center for China's automotive industry.

Despite its relatively high population and economic importance, Changchun has a lot of greenery, especially stands of pine trees, and though it is a draw for university students and some investors, it is not a major tourist destination, which is probably one of the reasons people who do visit this city are likely to meet friendly people who are interested in speaking with them, not necessarily to sell them anything but just out of curiosity.

Understand
Changchun was the capital of the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo from 1932 to 1945. In 2007, the city hosted the Asian Winter Games.

The ancient period
Changchun in its present form is a new city with only about 200 years of history. But there used to be a city thousands of years ago known by different names. The ancient city changed its name several times, 'Xidu', 'Helong', 'Tiangang' (Han Dynasty), 'Shushan' (Tang Dynasty), 'Longzhou' (Liao Dynasty), and 'Kuancheng' (Jin Dynasty). Eventually, Kuancheng was destroyed by the Mongolian army, leaving nothing except mention of its conquest in the annals of history.

In 1800 (Qing Dynasty), Emperor Jiaqing decided to build a town, as one of the junctions on the way from the capital Beijing, to the Changbai Mountains, the holy mountains of Qing royalty. The Emperor gave the reborn town a name with a blessing: 'Changchun'. In some tales, this new name came from a couplet made by the Emperor Qianlong, the father of Jiaqing. This couplet was made when the old emperor was on his way to the Changbai Mountains, to praise the spring-like summer of the Changchun area.

The semicolonial period
After defeating China in the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), Japan had desires to expand, including plans to conquer the eastern lands of Fengtian Province (Liaoning Province today) from China. This expansion clashed with the wishes of Russia, France, and Germany; Japan had to settle for money from China instead (about 30 million liang). For their part, Russia got the rights to build a railway in the sought-after lands.

In 1896, Russia built a railway station and a settlement in Changchun.

In 1906, Japan defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, and gained the rights to the railway in southern Northeast China. Changchun became the junction between the Japanese-owned South Manchurian Railway and the Russian-owned Chinese Eastern Railway, which had different rail gauges and permit licenses. There were railway repair shops, and branch lines originating in Changchun extended into Korea and Inner Mongolia.

An epidemic of pneumonia occurred in many parts of Manchuria from 1910–11.

On 18 September 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria. The leader of the area, Zhang Xueliang, commanded his army to retreat without counterattack, and pinned all his hopes on the intercession of the League of Nations, which was ineffectual.

The city's name was changed on 1 March 1932, to Xinjing (新京), the capital of Manchukuo, and Pu Yi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, was its designated overseer. The new tenants gave it a grand blueprint with broad avenues and modern public works. The city underwent rapid expansion in both economy and infrastructure and provided materials for Japan's wars.

The Chinese people were forbidden to learn their own language and culture, as they were now under the control of the Japanese Empire. Life under Japanese occupation was cruel.

The Civil War
The area changed hands again when on 20 August 1944, the Soviet army took over the city. They stayed until 4 April 1946, and took away all the machines and materials they could move. At that time, the army of the Republic of China took over the city. Two months later, the Chinese Civil War began, and Changchun once again became a battlefield.

From May to October 1948, the Kuomintang army was besieged by the Communist army. The Kuomintang army looted food from citizens and the Communists forbade anybody to leave. At last, the Kuomintang army surrendered and the Communist army captured the city.

Today
A few years after the Civil War, in September 1954, Changchun became the capital of Jilin Province. Nowadays, it is a quiet northern city having short, windy springs and cool summers. It is also an important domestic optical research center, along with automobile and train manufacturing bases.

New train tracks have been laid, decades after world powers fought for its resources. On 27 May 2010, China's fastest high speed train, the 380A which can reach 380 km/hr, began operations as the city continues to make its own history.

Climate
Changchun has a monsoon-influenced climate, with great seasonal temperature extremes. Winters are long, very cold, and windy, with a January average high temperature of −10 °C (14°F). However, there is little snow and the air is dry. Summers are very warm and humid, with extended periods of 30°C (86°F) highs, though the average high in July is 28°C (82°F).

By plane

The Longjia rail station is in the airport. It has high-speed train access to Changchun, taking just 14 minutes. The frequency is every 10-30 minutes during the day, but it does not run at night (about 8pm-7am).

From the airport there are regular coach services (¥20-30 one way) available to the center (e.g. People's Square (人民广场)). Travel time is around 45 minutes. A taxi to/from the city costs around ¥80 including toll, but from the airport to the city most of the taxi drivers reject a drive if you are not willing to pay at least ¥100 (do not discuss it, do it or take the bus).

By train
Changchun has two main passenger railway stations:

There is also Changchun South Railway Station (长春南站), which is very small and only local trains stop there.

Thanks to the railroad-building efforts of Japanese in the early- to mid-1900s, the rail network in Northeast China is extensive and no place is very far by rail. (All times approximate.)

 * Beijing - 8 hours (6.5 hours D Train)
 * Dalian - 7–10 hours (4 hours D Train)
 * Dandong - 10 hours
 * Harbin - 4 hours (1.5 hours D Train)
 * Jilin - 2/3 hours, D Train
 * Shanghai - 32 hours (11.5 hours G train)
 * Shenyang - 2–4 hours (1.5 hours D Train)
 * Tonghua - 9 hours
 * Xi'an - 34 hours

Rail travel is by far the cheapest way to travel in and out of Changchun. If you do not want to go to the train station yourself, you can go to any good travel agent who will do this on your behalf, usually for ¥10-20 extra.

By bus
There are long-distance coaches that regularly go from/to Beijing available from the coach station on Huanghe Road (黄河路), just off Renmin Avenue (人民大街). There is also a long-distance bus station at the south end of Renmin Avenue (take bus Z306 from the train station).

You can also catch coaches and buses from pretty much anywhere in Jilin Province, though they have a reputation for being dangerous and are slightly more expensive, though faster, than the train.

The main Long-Distance Bus Station is at 226 Renmin Avenue.
 * Beijing - takes about 8 hours
 * Dalian - takes about 8 hours
 * Harbin - takes about 4 hours
 * Jilin - takes about 2 hours
 * Shenyang - takes about 4 hours

Get around
Changchun is a very compact city planned by the Japanese with a layout of open avenues and public squares (guǎngchǎng). It is pretty easy to travel from one place to another; however, with the increase in private car ownership, traffic is getting worse by the day.

By metro
The Changchun Subway consists of 5 lines (1,2,3,4,8) which provide easy access to many parts of the city.

Line 2 serves the Changchun West train station. Lines 3 and 4 serve the Changchun train station (line 1 passes nearby but a station is not yet open).

By taxi
Taxis are by far the best way to get around. They are cheap but you should have a piece of paper with the address if you do not speak Mandarin.

Taxi fares start at ¥5 up to 2.5 km (plus a mandatory ¥1 fuel surtax), after that ¥1.30/.5 km. Several taxi companies are serving the city and they will not try to cheat you. It is common for drivers to pick up other passengers who might be going in the same direction if there are unused seats.

However, if the driver is taking you in circles, complain at the hotel drop-off point. The staff there normally will support you in such cases. For other cases simply pay not more than shown on the meter. In general: Make sure you know the name of the places you are going to in Mandarin or have a paper with the Chinese address with you. It would not hurt either to travel during the day and have one of Shangri-La's English maps, or even one in Chinese from Xinhua bookstore.

On foot
From May to October, Changchun is a decent walking city, as the weather is fine and there are no hills. The city does tend to be spread out, so travelers should plan on using other forms of transportation. During the winter months temperatures are too cold to walk longer distances in Changchun, so other forms of transport should be considered.

By light rail
There are two light rail routes (54 and 55) operating in the west part of the city. Route 55 terminates at Changchun West train station.

By bus
An extensive bus network and most of the buses cost ¥1; however, those who can not read Chinese will find it nearly impossible to use the network.

Most buses go to the bus station outside the train station, and other central areas such as Guilin Road (桂林路), Chongqing Road (重庆路) and Hongqi Street (红旗街). The buses are often extremely crowded and especially uncomfortable during the hot summers as there is no air conditioning.

Important bus numbers include:

 * 362 - 06:00-20:30 daily. From the train station to Hongqi Street (红旗街), Chongqing Road (重庆路) and Guilin Road (桂林路).
 * 306 - 5:50AM-23:00 daily. Busy route that goes north–south along Renmin Avenue (人民大街) from the train station to Changchun University (长春大学).
 * 80 - 06:00-20:00 daily. Circular route around Changchun that goes pretty much everywhere including Hongqi Street (红旗街), Chongqing Road (重庆路), Guilin Road (桂林路), the train station and the zoo.
 * 240 - 06:00-19:30. Satellite Square (卫星广场) to Culture Square (文化广场) via Guilin Road (桂林路).

By tram
Although the city once had the most complex tram system in Northern China, there is now only one remaining route still open. The number 54 runs down Hongqi Street (红旗街) to the far west of the city (where there really is not much). Many of the trams still in use today are the original cars from 1940, so it is worth the ¥1 ride just for the experience of yesteryear.

By minibus
If you are in need of an adrenaline rush, look no further than one of the minibuses that tear around the city streets. Some places out in the suburbs are only serviced by such buses, and the fare is usually ¥1-2, but the drivers seem to think that they are on a giant racetrack most of the time and you will get thrown around. Expect the front passenger to sit at the side-door, calling out to potential customers, and to be encouraged to hop on the bus while it is moving ever so slowly. If you were old, they would probably stop, or expect you to take a taxi for a little more. Very crowded at times.

By bicycle
Travelers should be cautious of bicycling in Changchun. For half the year it is generally too cold and during the summer months, too dangerous. Unlike other big cities in China, Changchun does not separate cycle lanes from the main traffic, which leads to buses, taxis, cars, and motorcycles sharing the same space as the cyclists. The whole situation is dangerous and this is perhaps the reason why by Chinese standards there are few people who regularly cycle here. The other problem is that because of the city's layout, there are plenty of large roundabouts where 4 or 5 busy roads converge on one another, making it extremely difficult to cycle without having to continually dismount.

If you want to bike around, it is recommended that you follow closely behind one of the local people on cargo-bike, merchant-bike, or donkey. There are off times during the day when biking would be less challenging. Drivers are not overly aggressive towards bikers.

By three-wheeler
There are brightly-colored three-wheel plastic taxis, available from near Changchun University (长春大学), which only operate for short distances in the south of the city. If you are in the Jingyuetan (净月潭) part of town, this is the easiest mode of transport as there are few taxis operating there. It is fairly easy to find a taxi anywhere in Jingyuetan. They are cheaper and slower than regular taxis. There is no meter, so expect to negotiate with the driver. A typical ride should not exceed ¥3.

By motorcycle
If you need to get somewhere fast then jump on one of these. They generally hang around in the south of the city and out in the suburbs. They are unlicensed to carry fare paying passengers, so bear in mind that if there is an accident, you might find yourself in trouble. However, they tend to drive in the cycle lanes at quite low speeds and so are safer than you might expect. Expect to pay as little as ¥1 for a short trip.

Learn
Changchun is a very good place to study Mandarin. The following places provide various courses for all levels:

 * Jilin University (吉林大学)
 * Changchun University (长春大学)
 * Changchun Teacher's College (长春师范学院)
 * Changchun University of Technology (长春工业大学)
 * North East Normal University (东北师范大学)

There are also private training centers that will provide either small group Mandarin lessons, one-on-one lessons, or even a home tutor. The rates are around ¥40 for a one-hour or longer lesson with a professional teacher.

Buy
Currency exchange is available at the airport, various hotels and banks, including Bank of China on Xi'an Dalu (西安大路).

There are three major shopping areas: Chongqing Road (重庆路; Chóngqìnglù), Guilin Road (桂林路; Guìlinlù), and Hongqi Street (红旗街; Hóngqíjiē).

Local products

 * Ginseng - as the region around Changchun is a top producer of ginseng, it is available at most pharmacies in the city. Other products that may be of interest include wood ear fungus and lingzhi mushroom.
 * Kites - attractive and cheap kites are sold by vendors around Culture Square.

Shops

 * Sanfo is the leading outdoor gear stores in China and local store is at 668 Xikang Hutong, Ziyou Dalu District.
 * People's Square Here is the biggest selection of clothing shops and department stores in the whole city. Shopping runs along both Xi'an Da Lu and Changchun St. A well-visited mall, Charter Mall, (Zhuōzhǎn 卓展), on Xi'an Da Lu across from the Shangri-la Hotel. One can find luxury brands co-existing with the likes of Wal-Mart.
 * Guilin Road (桂林路) area is about 1.5 km (2.5 mi) to the south of Chongqing Rd along Tongzhi Jie (同志街) and is the most cosmopolitan part of town. The area along Guilin Lu, Tongzhi St, and the surrounding side streets offer much to see, buy, and eat. There are many restaurants in this area especially if you are interested in Korean food. Be careful with Korean food in Changchun as many Korean restaurants specialize in "Dog pot." There is less overall choice than Chongqing Lu, but if you are looking for specifics - e.g. Korean fashions then is the best place in town - though the shops in this area are a little more expensive.  This area can be extremely busy, and it is definitely a target area for younger shoppers. Many places will not haggle price.
 * Hongqi Street (红旗街) is to the west of Guilin Lu and is the smallest of the three shopping areas. It is dominated by one of the better department stores in Changchun: Ouya (欧亚).  The 6th-8th floors of Ouya contain the largest electronics market in the city. You can find anything electronic here, from mp3 players to laptops. Prices can be very high.
 * The Underground Markets (Dìxià Shìchǎng 地下市场): These are now extensive underground shopping areas, originally dug out by POWs during the occupation, intended to be used as bomb shelters.  There are three of these places in Changchun: Chongqing Lu (重庆路), the Train Station (长春站), and Hongqi Jie (红旗街). If you want anything cheap (and probably fake) then these are the places to come.  There are hundreds of small shops selling relatively undifferentiated products, and the term buyer beware definitely applies. There are some good deals to be had, but some products are poor quality and have high ticket prices. Therefore, be prepared to haggle as the shopkeepers will try to get you to pay the sticker price, which the local shoppers will never pay. If you don't speak Chinese, bring a pen and paper to help negotiate your price. Start at 50% to 75% off the ticketed price. If the shopkeeper balks at your offer, go to another seller. More often than not, if the shopkeeper wants the sale, they will call after you.  This can be a fun shopping experience, but you may get your best deal at a discount retailer at home.
 * Beifang Market (Beǐfāng Shìchǎng 北方市场)
 * Zhongdong Market (Zhōngdōng Dàshìchǎng 中东大市场)

Eat
Very good flatbread is available in Changchun. Look for it on the streets or in markets.

Drink
Beer (啤酒) is probably the cheapest and safest thing to drink - and being Northeast China - comes in many varieties and is available almost anywhere. A big bottle (630 ml) should cost between ¥3-6. In the summer months good draft beer is available from most small restaurants, the black beer (黑啤) being particularly good.

Huadan (华丹), Jinshibai (金士百) and Yinpu (银浦) beers are all brewed in Jilin Province. There are also various Harbin beers (哈尔滨啤酒) available, as well as Bing Chuan (冰川) from the Korean prefecture of Jilin Province.

Like all cities in China, avoid drinking bottled water from street vendors and try instead at a supermarket or convenience store.

Bars
There are a number of western-style pubs in Changchun. There is a really big bar and club scene on Longli Lu (隆礼路) which are pretty hot during weekends. The beer there is cheap, about ¥6/cup. Occasionally there are some parties which are organized by "Changchun Friends" or foreign teachers. Usually, they play the music themselves. The atmosphere is quite comfortable and people are very nice.

Budget
Not many true budget options exist, and a number of hotels will not accept foreigners, for example Home Inn next to the Train Station. Good areas with lots of hotels are south of the train station (along Renmin Street) and the north part of Hongqi Street.

Go next
Harbin is about 3 hours away by train. Train trips to Shenyang vary in length but can last as little as 2 hours. Trains to Jilin city take 45 minutes.

title: Changchun


text:
Changde

Changde (常德; Chángdé) is a city in Hunan. The Changde Poetry Wall, covered in a variety of poems mostly from ancient China, stretches for 3 km (1.9 mi) along the Yuan River downtown and functions as a flood wall. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest wall with engraved arts in the world.

Understand
Changde City is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province. The Changde city urban area, with a population of 1.4 million (2020), is the largest city in the prefecture of Changde (which has a total population of 5.3 million.

Changde city proper is made up of two districts, Wuling District (武陵区) and Dingcheng District (鼎城区).

By car
National Highways 207 and 319 run through the city.

Passengers from Hunan Province can choose to drive into Changde by themselves.

By train

 * Changde Train Station (常德火车站; Chángdé Huǒchēzhàn). This station lies between Zhangjiajie and Changsha on an eastwest line.  It is possible to travel from nearly anywhere on China's extensive rail network to Changde, but from farther destinations (Beijing, for example) it would take more than 24 hours on the train.

By bus

 * The Central Bus Station (中站; Zhōngzhàn). This station has buses hourly from Changsha, Shimen, and a host of other destinations.
 * The North Bus Station (北站; Běizhàn). This station has buses from Zhangjiajie, Cili, and other destinations.
 * Liuye Lake Bus Station (柳叶湖站; Liǔyèhúzhàn).  This station has buses from Yueyang, Huarong, and other destinations.
 * The South Bus Station (南站; Nánzhàn). This station has buses from the Peach Flower Garden and other destinations.

Get around

 * Bus: As of 2022, there are 57 bus lines in Changde urban area. All bus lines except the H5 line have a uniform fare of ¥2; the H5 line adopts segment pricing, ¥2 within the city and ¥4 through the airport expressway. Preferential policies and other The bus routes are the same.
 * BRT: Changde BRT is the first BRT system in Hunan Province.
 * Taxi: As of 2022, the starting price of a taxi in Changde city is ¥5 for 2 kilometers.

Climate
Changde City has a subtropical humid monsoon climate. The climate is warm, with four distinct seasons, short spring and autumn, long summer and winter; abundant heat, abundant rainfall, changeable spring temperature, scorching heat in summer, cold autumn rain, and severe cold in winter.

See

 * The pedestrian street is a commercial street that integrates shopping, entertainment, and food. There are various brands of clothing stores, shoe stores, supermarkets, etc. where you can buy a variety of goods.
 * The pedestrian street is a commercial street that integrates shopping, entertainment, and food. There are various brands of clothing stores, shoe stores, supermarkets, etc. where you can buy a variety of goods.

Eat

 * Changde Spicy Meat
 * Changde Spicy Meat
 * Changde Spicy Meat
 * Changde Spicy Meat
 * Changde Spicy Meat

Sleep
7天连锁酒店(常德朗州路店)7 Days Inn (Changde Langzhou Road Branch)585 Langzhou South Road, Wuling District, Changde City phone：0736-2917788;0736-2918899

Go next

 * Changsha: It takes only 2 hours to travel via high speed train, where you can experience a lot of historical culture and traditional cuisine.
 * Zhangjiajie: It is home to stunning landscapes which are a popular hiking destination. There are (infrequent) buses and trains from Changde, taking 2-3 hours.
 * Yueyang: There are many buses and high speed trains from Changde to Yueyang, which only takes about 1 hour. There travelers can experience a lot of natural scenery and ancient buildings and architecture.
 * Jingzhou: Jingzhou and Changde are neighbors, although Jingzhou is in Hubei Province and Changde is part of Hunan Province. It takes 2-3 hours to travel by high-speed train from Changde, so travelers can quickly experience the cultural differences between Hunan Province and Hubei Province.

title: Changde


text:
Changhua County

Changhua County (彰化縣), alternatively spelled Zhanghuah, is in the west-central region of Taiwan.

Understand
Changhua is the smallest county on the main island of Taiwan, but has a population of 1.24 million people, making it the most populous. The county contains burial evidence of settlement from over 5,000 years ago.

Regions
In the interests of grouping like regions, Changhua can be roughly divided into North and South with 26 major settlements spread among 8 districts:

North Chunghua
North Chunghua is the more urban and industrialised area of the county.

South Chunghua
Considered to be the more sedate portion of the county, a large amount of the region is agricultural and parkland.

The county consists of a number of settlements including:

By rail
Changhua is connected to Taiwan's High Speed Rail network via:

Changhua County is connected to other parts of Taiwan by the TRA network. This is also a useful way to get between townships. Stations located within the County are:

By bus
Many inter-city bus companies run a route to Changhua county from Taipei and Taichung.
 * Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport
 * Ubus

Get around

 * Lukang - If you get in by bus from Changhua station, there is a tourist information center across the street, in the park. You can rent a bicycle from the center. Historic old market street is also within walking distance from the bus station.

By bus
One way to travel between the different townships in Changhua is by bus. There are a number of bus companies which run routes between townships, and from Changhua County to the major cities in Taiwan. Some of these companies are:

 * Changhua Bus
 * Geya Bus
 * Ho-Hsin
 * Taichung Bus
 * Yuanlin Bus
 * Zhonglu Bus

There is a website (Changhua County Real-time Bus Information System) which provides real-time information on busses in the county, however it is only available in Chinese for the time being.

By bicycle
The more built-up areas of the county have rental stations for Taiwan's Youbike network. You can find real-time information on the availability of bikes and the closes station by visiting the Youbike Station Map.

See
A number of the attractions in this county lie within Changhua City, which has an article to itself. So, this page will feature only the attractions which lie within the wider county.

title: Changhua County


text:
Changle

Changle (长乐; Chánglè) is a small city (about half a million), administratively part of Fuzhou, in Fujian.

Although Changle is connected to the Fuzhou Metro system, most of the city is off the beaten path. Few foreign tourists visit here unless they have family members here.

Much of Changle is effectively an ancestral hometown. Chinese people from around the world, and virtually all Fuzhounese Americans in New York City, have ties or are descended from Changle (and not Fuzhou city proper), and nearly all of its development is funded by remittances from its diaspora. People grow up in Changle being told that their life purpose is to facilitate moving their families to the United States, in particular New York City, in search of prosperity, driven by the envy of watching families with U.S. ties build large homes and send large remittances that allow their Changle-based relatives to live in relative luxury. Changle is sometimes alleged to be a stronghold of Chinese snakehead gangs, who smuggle Chinese nationals into the United States and United Kingdom.

Local tourists visit Changle as a daytrip to visit its handful of commercialized attractions, most of which are the results of investments from remittances. Changle is a common field trip for students of economics who happen to pass by, since it is China's strongest case study for the power of remittances in local development. New Yorkers visit to have bragging rights for visiting "Big Fuzhou" (in contrast to Little Fuzhou). Most visitors have some reason to be there, like meeting family.

Get in
The Fuzhou airport is actually in Changle. It is about an hour from downtown by bus or taxi. There is a freeway, faster but with tolls, and an older road that is slower.

Changle has good highway connections — from Fuzhou via Mawei or south from Ningde.

The city can also be reached by high-speed train, though services are not very frequent. Most trains bypass the more centrally-located Changle Railway Station and stop only at Changle East Railway Station.

As of 2023, Changle Wanshou station is the terminus stop of Line 6 of the Fuzhou Metro. This will get you in from the city centre.

See

 * Beneath River Street
 * Jin Gang Tui Park
 * Beneath River Street
 * Jin Gang Tui Park

Sleep
Budget hotels will typically not accept foreign passport holders but there are now a number of 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotels where foreigners can stay, particularly in the area near the airport. See Fuzhou for more lodging options. As an alternative, look for lodgings that are on Line 6 of the Fuzhou Metro to have easier access to Changle.

title: Changle