text:
Sagay

Sagay is a city of 146,000 people (2015) in Negros Occidental. It is near the Sagay Marine Reserve, the largest marine reserve in the Philippines. It is known for its Sinigayan Festival, held in March.

Understand
Sagay City was called Arguelles when Teniente Francisco Rodriguez and Basilio Cordova founded it in 1860 in the mouth of the Bulanon River. Later, by the order of the Spanish governor the town was transferred to Pueblo de Magallanes (now known as Old Sagay) in honor of Fernando Magallanes.

During the Philippine Revolution, Sagay contributed its share to the successful national struggle for independence. The First Philippine Republic was however short-lived when the country passed to the hands of another colonial power, the United States, in 1898.

The American Period
In 1906, the name of the town was changed to Sagay. The name was taken from the semi-spherical shell called "sigay", which can be found in the area.

The American influence seeped into every aspects of Sagay's life, politically and culturally. At this period of Sagay's history, land transportation began to supplant sea travel but the seaside community continued to flourish. The first public schools conducted in English were established.

Meanwhile, in 1907 the Insular Lumber Company, reputed to be the biggest hardwood mill in the world, was established in what is now called Barangay Fabrica. Though measures to prevent the destruction of Sagay's rich forest were made, reforestation programs failed. Later, the old forest areas were converted mostly into sugarcane fields and some into cornfields. With the exhaustion of the forest resources of Sagay, ILCO was phased out in 1975 and transferred to Hinoba-an.

Another major industrial development was the establishment of Lopez Sugar Corporation in the 1920s. Also during these years, sugar, copra, lumber and fishing became the important source of income for the inhabitants. The economic growth of Sagay brought about influx of migrants from Iloilo, Cebu and Bohol. This trend made Sagay a melting pot of Cebuanos and Ilonggos. With these developments, business and industry flourished.

Japanese occupation
During World War II, the factories were destroyed and the economy was in shambles. A Eusebio Lopez Memorial School Building in Barangay Paraiso, served as the incarceration area for captured Filipino soldiers and American pilots and soldiers. It also served as the headquarters of Fourth Flight Division of the Japanese Imperial Air Force whose airfield was located in Pula-Bunglas area in Barangay Malubon.

During the last days of the war, the Fourth Flight Division of the Japanese Imperial Airforce organized kamikaze or suicide units to be stationed here and in Bacolod. Known later as the Third Regiment Suicide Corps, of its 59 pilots and crews, 30 were killed in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in which they played a major role as kamikaze pilots.

The Pula - Bunglas area of Barangay Malubon served as the Japanese landing field for the Fourth Flight Division. It was also a site where the local soldiers, guerrillas and civilians, after Japanese spies identified them as guerrilla members or collaborators were forced to dig holes consequently executed and buried. Old residents believe that almost 1,542 people were buried here.

Barrio 3 Wharf, Fabrica, served as the transport point of processed lumber destined to Japan from Insular Lumber Company and also a docking area of Japanese supply ship during the war torn years. The Iglanggam Bridge at Barangay Tadlong was the dumping site of executed guerrillas and civilians. This is also known as the site where confiscated money, especially silver peso coins encased in concrete blocks, was dumped by the retreating Japanese soldiers.

Balibag Hill, Lopez Jaena, was where the resistance government of Free Sagay was established. It was also known as tabo-an or market place during the war and in 1944 a group of Japanese soldiers killed about 27 homeguards or "toltog" guerrillas. After the mass killing, the Japanese soldiers set the whole area on fire, burning the shanties and the dead. The Japanese puppet government was established at the Big House, Central Lopez, Paraiso. A Japanese barracks and checkpoint was established. A Japanese anti-aircraft still can be found inside the ground of the house.

At Brgy. Poblacion II, Japanese Zero fighters left bullet holes when they intended to destroy the water supply of the people during the last days of the war. The USAFE Base A training sitewas established at Tangnonon, Barangay Fabrica at the ancestral home of Lopez Kabayao.

On August 23, 1942, the first group of reservist in Negros were called on duty and they were trained here.

Combined Filipino and American forces liberated the province from the Japanese at the early part of 1945.

Post-War Period
The seat of government was transferred to its present site, Dalusan. The transfer signaled the diminishing importance of sea travel and the take over of overland transportation as the conveyor of progress and development.

Schools, markets and commercial establishments were soon established. Provincial and national aid were extended to Sagay. More roads and school buildings were constructed, thousands of hectares of logged off area of the Insular Lumber Company were planted with coconut trees and sugarcane. Sherman Hill near Brgy. Bato was discovered to contain rich deposits of highest silica. The growing markets for sea products brought about unprecedented boom in the fishing industry for which the coastal waters of Sagay proved to equal the demand. The municipal population rose to more than 60,000 and the revenue increased.

In the 1960s, more schools were built and more linking the barangays to the town capital were constructed. The inefficient electrical system was updated. In 1967, Sagay Central Inc. was born, a new sugar mill at Barangay Bato, partly owned by the farmers. New areas were opened and planted with sugarcane. Today the new sugar mill factory is benefiting hundreds of small farmers.

In the 1970s, Sagay acquired a new town hall, a municipal gymnasium, a livestock auction market, public markets for number of barangays and municipal wharves in barangays Vito and Old Sagay.

On August 10, 1996, the town became Sagay City.

By bus
Sagay City is a two-hour travel by bus from Bacolod. Ceres Liner is the island's most used bus liner.

See

Do

 * Sagay Marine Reserve, the largest marine reserve in the Philippines
 * Sinigayan Festival is a festival held every 3rd week of March to honor the city's patron saint, Joseph. "Sinigayan" is derived  from the spherical shell “sigay” which abounds many islets and shores of the city.

Go next

 * Escalante - Discover Baranggay Dian-ay

title: Sagay


text:
Saginaw

Saginaw is a city in Central Michigan; it is the largest of the "Tri-Cities" of the Saginaw Bay area with Bay City and Midland. About 50,000 people (2019) live in this town, which survived an economic downturn when the logging industry ended at the turn of the 20th century. As with many Michigan cities, it is struggling to adapt to the challenges of having an economy based on the automobile industry.

Understand
Saginaw's population has declined from a peak of 91,000 in 1970, to fewer than 50,000 in 2019, as its economy has contracted.

Saginaw has built an impressive network of health care facilities - hospitals, specialists, cancer treatment centers - that serves residents from many of the surrounding counties.

Economic development is focused on comparative advantages in innovation, clean energy, and continued manufacturing exports. The city continues to have a higher proportion of manufacturing jobs than the US average.

History
Saginaw was a thriving lumber town in the 19th century and an important industrial city and manufacturing center throughout much of the 20th century. During the late 20th century, its industry and strong manufacturing presence declined, leading to increased unemployment, crime, and a population decline. The populations of neighboring communities, such as Saginaw Charter Township, have grown, and the metro area had almost 200,000 residents in 2019.

By car
Interstate 75 runs east of the city and links Saginaw to Mackinaw City and the Upper Peninsula to the north, plus Flint, Detroit, and Ann Arbor (the latter via US-23) to the south. Interstate 675 links to I-75 and leads directly to Downtown Saginaw.

By plane
is in nearby Freeland, about midway between Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw. The airport is served by United Express flights from Chicago-O'Hare, plus Delta Connection flights from Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul, plus seasonal flights from Atlanta.

Get around
You'll need a car. Public transportation is limited. The Saginaw Valley has five primary tourist areas: Birch Run, Chesaning, Frankenmuth, Saginaw City and Saginaw Township. These are spread out by as much as 25-30 minutes by car.

Do

 *  Bowling Alleys
 * Golf Courses
 * Friday Night Live Morley Plaza (on N. Washington between Citizens Bank and The Temple Theatre). Summer concert series. Food vendors on site, beer tent, children's games. Free admission.
 * Shiver On The River Annual walleye ice-fishing contest on the Saginaw River. Typically begins in late January and concludes in early February, but depends on ice and weather conditions.
 * WKCQ Country Fest Country music festival typically held on the third Saturday in June on Ojibway Island.
 * Friday Night Live Morley Plaza (on N. Washington between Citizens Bank and The Temple Theatre). Summer concert series. Food vendors on site, beer tent, children's games. Free admission.
 * Shiver On The River Annual walleye ice-fishing contest on the Saginaw River. Typically begins in late January and concludes in early February, but depends on ice and weather conditions.
 * WKCQ Country Fest Country music festival typically held on the third Saturday in June on Ojibway Island.
 * Shiver On The River Annual walleye ice-fishing contest on the Saginaw River. Typically begins in late January and concludes in early February, but depends on ice and weather conditions.
 * WKCQ Country Fest Country music festival typically held on the third Saturday in June on Ojibway Island.

Freeland

 * Many large and small antique shops to explore. The Antique Warehouse has more than a hundred stalls featuring uncommon treasures.

Bay Road Corridor

 * Home to most of Saginaw's national retail outlets and chains.
 * Home to most of Saginaw's national retail outlets and chains.

Eat

 * Pasongs, Great Asian food. All food is made in a single wok, so wait times can be lengthy.  Only open Monday through Friday, 11AM - 7PM.
 * Pasongs, Great Asian food. All food is made in a single wok, so wait times can be lengthy.  Only open Monday through Friday, 11AM - 7PM.
 * Pasongs, Great Asian food. All food is made in a single wok, so wait times can be lengthy.  Only open Monday through Friday, 11AM - 7PM.
 * Pasongs, Great Asian food. All food is made in a single wok, so wait times can be lengthy.  Only open Monday through Friday, 11AM - 7PM.

 * Spatz's Hot Bread The ubiquitous bread of Mid-Michigan.  Available at almost any grocery store, this bakery product is produced locally and is the great secret of the area. It has a distinctive wax wrap in solid white and red. People as far away as Marin County, California have it shipped to them.  The bread is best described as 'Your Grandmother's Bread'.  It is heavy, turns rock hard in about three days (great for toasting then), but it is the closest to fresh baked bread you will find. Many locals don't say they're going to get a loaf of bread, instead they say, 'I need to pick up some Spatz's.'

Drink

Hamilton Street in Old Town Saginaw City has a variety of bars and taverns that attract drinkers of all ages.

Sleep
Check out the Montague Inn, a restored lumber baron's mansion. A very popular place for summer weddings, with beautiful grounds and a lovely honeymoon suite and guest cottage.

Most of the hotels lie outside the city limits. There are many national chains available.

Stay safe
Like many cities in the U.S., Saginaw does have its challenges with crime, most of it related to drug and gang activity. Fortunately for Saginaw, these areas for crime are largely centered in areas not frequented by visitors to the area. Visitors unfamiliar with the area would be wise to avoid residential neighborhoods in the city of Saginaw, especially east of the river and particularly at night. Old Town Saginaw can also get a bit rough, especially late at night when the bars clear out. It is highly advisable to travel in groups and avoid poorly lit or deserted areas as the occasional mugging, while hardly commonplace, is not unheard of. That being said, if you exercise common sense and don't go looking for trouble, you'll be fine.

Media

 * Visitors Bureau
 * Newspapers
 * The Saginaw News / MLive.com
 * Radio stations
 * 790 AM WSGW - News/Talk Newsradio 790
 * 1250 AM WNEM - All News
 * 100.5 FM WSGW - News/Talk (not simulcast with AM 790)
 * 100.5 FM WSGW - News/Talk (not simulcast with AM 790)

Go next

 * Flint -- The home of the modern labor union movement in the US. Flint has a great art scene for a city of its size and is much less pretentious.
 * Bay City -- Less than 20 minutes from downtown Saginaw, downtown Bay City is known for diverse local eateries and shopping. Also visit the scenic Riverwalk and other public parks along the Saginaw River.

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

title: Saginaw


text:
Sagres

Sagres is the southwesternmost point of Portugal and of Europe, in Barlavento, western Algarve, a beach destination with some nice churches, lighthouses and forts.

Understand
Sagres (/ˈsa.gɾɨʃ/, SAH-gr(ih)sh) is a civil parish in the municipality of Vila do Bispo. It is the alleged location of the nautical school first developed by Prince Henry the Navigator in the early 1400s. The school itself is vanished; In May 1587, Sir Francis Drake disembarked 800 men who assaulted the Sagres fortress. After two hours of intense combat, the fortress was destroyed and its artillery was pillaged. Salema is also in Vila do Bispo municipality.

Get in
Faro international airport, the second busiest in Portugal, is the only airport in the Algarve region.

The nearest train service is at Lagos from Faro, which offers connections to Vila Real de Santo António, Lisbon and beyond.

Eva Transportes route 47 provides bus service from Lagos to several localities in Vila do Bispo, including Salema, Sagres, and Cabo São Vicente.

The EN268 road connects many locations in the municipality including Vila do Bispo town, Sagres, and Cabo São Vicente.

Do

 * Beaches nearby.

Drink
Sagres is also the name of a very common beer in Portugal. If you haven't had one yet, try it here.

Go next

 * Costa Vicentina Natural Park
 * Lagos
 * Silves
 * Monchique
 * Salema
 * Alvor

title: Sagres


text:
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park is a national park that is near Tucson, Arizona, with a high density of saguaro cacti and many other desert species from the Tucson valley desert floor up into the forested Tucson and Rincon Mountains above.

Understand

Saguaro National Park protects two areas of the Sonoran Desert near Tucson: Saguaro East lies east of Tucson, and Saguaro West is  west of the city center. While both Saguaro East and Saguaro West contain high densities of the iconic saguaro cacti, the park is also home for many other desert species.

History
Saguaro National Monument was created in 1933 by President Herbert Hoover, and became the 52nd national park in 1994. Then Saguaro National Monument, the park consisted only of what is today Saguaro East (the Rincon Mountain District). The of Saguaro West (the Tucson Mountain District) were added in 1964 by President John F. Kennedy, and a further  were added later.

Landscape
The park is in the Sonoran Desert, a dry and hilly area that includes the Tucson Mountains and the Rincon Mountains.

Flora and fauna
The park's namesake, the massive saguaro can live as long as 200 years, growing over tall and weighing more than 10 tons (9000 kg). The saguaro has become an icon of the desert, with its distinctive tall trunk and numerous curved arms that branch upward. The saguaro survives in the hot, dry desert through a series of adaptations, including a folded skin that can expand or contract depending on the amount of water collected. In addition, the lack of leaves and the plant's waxy skin reduces evaporation losses. Unlike most plants cacti perform photosynthesis in their trunk. The saguaro's root system usually lies within three inches of the ground surface and spreads out in a circle roughly as wide as the plant's height, allowing the cactus to collect any rainwater that may fall nearby.

Other species of cactus in the park include the wide barrel cactus, the spiny fishhook and cholla cacti, and the oddly-constructed prickly pear cactus. Various bushes, including creosote and mesquite, as well as numerous desert wildflowers, fill the desert with flowers after rains.

Most animals in the desert are difficult to spot due to their nocturnal habits or camouflage, but keen-eyed visitors might find quail, roadrunners, woodpeckers, flickers, wrens, owls, hawks, desert tortoise, gila monsters, javelinas (wild pigs), kangaroo rats, coyotes, foxes, and jackrabbits.

Climate
High temperatures during the summer frequently rise above, and an average of less than twelve inches of rain falls in the park each year. Summer low temperatures average. During the winter, the high temperature averages, with nighttime lows around.

Visitor information

 * Park website

By plane
lies between the park's two districts, south of Tucson.

By car
Saguaro East (Rincon Mountain District)

When traveling on I-10 west towards Tucson, take the Houghton Road exit (exit 275) north to Escalante Road, then turn right, heading east to Old Spanish Trail. Follow the signs to the park.

When arriving from the city of Tucson, follow Speedway Boulevard (exit 257 on I-10) east to Freeman Road then take Freeman Road to Old Spanish Trail. Look for signs to the park entrance.

Saguaro West (Tucson Mountain District)

When traveling on I-10 east towards Tucson, take the Avra Valley Road exit (exit 242) to Sandario Road, then turn left and head south, following the signs to the park.

To get to Saguaro West from the city of Tucson, take Speedway Boulevard west. At the junction of Camino de Oeste, Speedway Boulevard becomes Gates Pass Road. Continue west on Gates Pass Road to Kinney Road. Take Kinney Road north, following signs to the park. Due to winding, narrow mountain grades, vehicles with trailers and RVs over 25 feet are not recommended through Gates Pass and should use the Ina Road exit (exit 248) on I-10, traveling west to Sandario Road, then turning left and heading south, following signs to the park.

Fees and permits

Entrances fees are valid for seven days, allowing unlimited re-entry for the week. Fees as of 2020 are:
 * $15 - Individual on foot/bike
 * $20 - Motorcycle
 * $25 - Private vehicle
 * $45 - Saguaro National Park Annual Pass

By car
A private vehicle is by far the easiest way to get around in either district of the park. No public transportation serves the park.

By bike
In the winter months a bike is an option for exploring the roads and some of the trails within the park; however, during the summer the weather can make exploration by bike a rather unpleasant experience.

 * Cactus Forest Loop Drive. An  paved road in East Saguaro that is used by cars, bikes and joggers.  Numerous sharp turns and hills make this a challenging but scenic option.
 * Cactus Forest Trail. A  dirt trail that bisects the Cactus Forest Loop Drive in East Saguaro.  This trail is also used by hikers and equestrians, and bikers must yield to both.

By foot
There are over of hiking trails in the park, ranging in difficulty from paved nature walks to difficult treks through the hills of the Sonoran Desert.

See

Scenic drives
In West Saguaro, the six-mile Bajada Loop Drive (unpaved) leads through a large saguaro forest. In East Saguaro, the eight-mile Cactus Forest Drive (paved) also passes through a dense saguaro forest.

Hiking
There are over 150 miles of trails in the park's two districts.

Photography
The park provides exceptional sunrise and sunset photography. Flowers and cacti bloom throughout the year, with the saguaros sprouting large white flowers during May and June.

Buy
Both visitor centers have bookstores which feature material of local interest.

Eat
There is no place within the park to purchase food, although there are numerous roadside picnic areas. An abundance of restaurants and grocery stores are within a short drive from the park boundaries and in Tucson.

Drink
While not known for its bar scene or wild nightlife, the wily traveler may nevertheless be able to purchase bottled water at a visitor center. Budget travelers may be more interested in the free water dispensed from the fountains at either visitor center. Aside from the visitor centers, water is not generally available in the park. For anything stronger, a visit to the business establishments outside of the park will be required.

Lodging
There are no hotels in the park, but many lodging options are available nearby in Tucson.

Camping
There are no organized campgrounds within either section of the park, although backcountry camping is allowed in Saguaro East.

Backcountry
Backcountry camping is allowed only in the six backcountry campgrounds of Saguaro East. These campgrounds are accessible only by foot or by horse, and are a minimum of from the nearest trailhead. These six campgrounds contain 21 sites, and facilities include pit toilets and fire circles, with water available seasonally at some sites. All backcountry camping requires a wilderness permit, which can be obtained for $8 per night (2020 rates) from the Visitor Center.

Stay safe
The greatest danger in the park is the heat. Plan on drinking at least one gallon (3.8 L) of water per day, and never hike without carrying water. When hiking, drink frequently even if you do not feel thirsty as the onset of thirst in the desert is often the first sign of dehydration. During storms flash floods can pose serious hazards, and it is advisable to stay out of washes and canyons.

Additional dangers exist from the flora and fauna within the park. Stepping on or touching a cactus spine can be a painful experience; staying on the trails minimizes the chances of an unwanted cactus encounter. Rattlesnakes and gila monsters are poisonous, but in general neither will bite unless surprised or threatened. Scorpion stings are painful but not fatal, and can be easily avoided by not reaching under rocks. Javelinas may be dangerous if cornered.

Go next

 * Tucson is the nearest city to the park.

title: Saguaro National Park


text:
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is a vast region of forests and rivers in Quebec. The Saguenay Fjord, the estuary of the Saguenay River, stretches through much of the region.

Regions
The population in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is concentrated into two regions:
 * — a group of communities including Chicoutimi-Jonquière on the Saguenay River between Lac Saint-Jean and the St. Lawrence River
 * Lac-Saint-Jean — the group of communities to the west around the lake of the same name.

Saguenay
The main population centres in the Saguenay region (Chicoutimi-Jonquière, La Baie, Arvida, Bagotville) were merged at various points, with the last merger leaving a single municipality (in 2002) named "Saguenay", the name of the river. Downriver of Chicoutimi-Jonquière, the river shores become a fjord and there are no settlements, services, fuel or cellular/mobile communications for many miles.

Lac-Saint-Jean
Towns (there are no major cities) in the Lac-Saint-Jean region include:
 * — largest town in the region, point of entry from the Saguenay valley
 * — hosts an annual cowboy festival en français
 * — home of the annual Blueberry Festival and a confectionery operated by Trappist monks
 * — the closest modern settlement to Val-Jalbert, a preserved 1920s tourist ghost town
 * — zoo and nature preserve

Other destinations

 * — a small town north of Saguenay, has the largest Niobium (Nb) mine in North America.
 * — a park with bucolic panoramas, endowed with first-rate recreational tourism infrastructures and natural sites for a magnificent stay in the open air, well connected to nature.

Understand
The main economic forces in the region are the forest, paper, aluminium, tourism and hydro-electricity.

The region is also known as Sagamie in French, from the first part of "Saguenay" and the last part of "Piekouagami", the Innu name (meaning "flat lake") for Lac Saint-Jean. With a land area larger than Portugal, it is the third-largest of Quebec regions in the area.

This region is bathed by two major watercourses, Lac Saint-Jean and the Saguenay River, both of which mark its landscape deeply and have been the main drives of its development in history. It is also irrigated by several other large watercourses. Bordered by forests and mountainous massifs, the southern portion of the region constitutes a fertile enclave in the Canadian Shield called the Saguenay Graben. The scenery and the cultural sites and activities of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean attract tourists every year. Lac Saint-Jean is a popular vacation destination in the summer for residents of the more urban regions of Quebec.

The beauty of the region can be seen in the 1991 film Black Robe, directed by Bruce Beresford. The region is considered the heartland of the Quebec sovereignty movement.

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is separated from James Bay and northern Québec by Chibougamau and its twin, Chapais.

Learn
French is the primary language of instruction for university (université) and community college (collège, cégep) programmes in the region. There is an established immersion programme in Jonquière to teach French as a second language.
 * Collège d'Alma
 * Cégep de Chicoutimi
 * Cégep de Jonquière
 * Cégep de St-Félicien
 * Université du Québec à Chicoutimi

Talk
Many people in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean speak only French; it is the region with the smallest proportion English speakers in Quebec. They speak French with an accent that might sound strange, even for other people from Québec. If you speak only English, you might encounter problems as you visit this area. Otherwise, most of this is true: Quebec

Expressions
It's well known around Québec that people from the area use expressions you might not have heard before. Here is a few of them (in French, naturally.)

 * Cotteur - Possibly a simplification of the French word "accotement", equivalent in English to "curb", a concrete demarcation between asphalted and non-asphalted land. May also come from a word that the old aluminum company put on side of streets. Cut here may have been mistaken for the word curb by Sagunéens in the 70s or 80s.
 * Faire simple - Being silly. Arrête de faire simple de-même, Stop being silly.
 * Froque - Jacket.
 * Plaisant - Fun, nice. C'est bien plaisant, It's really nice. (In Metropolitan French, plaisanter means to joke)
 * À cause used instead of pourquoi - Why. À cause tu parles de-même?, Why do you talk like this?
 * Durex- Scotchtape
 * Robeur- From the English "rubber," but meaning tyres. M'a faire poser mes robeurs d'hiver bientot
 * Panel- Designates a mini van, or van in general. Viens-tu dans mon panel?
 * Colon- Having no style
 * Top- Cigarettes. Faut que j'm'achète un paquet de tops

Get in
You're most likely to arrive to Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean by land. If you're coming from Quebec City, you will cross the Parc des Laurentides on provincial road 175. This road is about 200 km long between Québec City and Chicoutimi and there is but one gas station (known as l'Étape) in the middle so plan ahead. It is also a great paronamic view of the deep Quebec Forest.

If you come from Chibougamau-Chapais or Abitibi-Témiscamingue, you will arrive by road.

By plane
The closest international airport is in Quebec City. There are also a few small airports in the area. The main one is There is also a general aviation airport in St-Honoré-de-Chicoutimi.

By bus
Operates the following routes to the area:

 * Between Chicoutimi and Dolbeau with stops in Jonquiere, Alma, and Val-Jalbert. Travel time from Chicoutimi to   Alma is 1.25 hours, to Val-Jalbert is 2.25 hours, and to Dolbeau is 3.75 hours.  Travel time to these destinations are about 40 minutes shorter from Jonquiere than from Chicoutimi.  Operates several days per week.
 * Between Dolbeau and Montreal including stops in Val-Jalbert, Alma, and Quebec City. Travel time from Montreal to Alma is 6.75 hours, to Val-Jalbert is 7.75 hours, and to Dolbeau is 9.25 hours. Travel time from Quebec City to Alma is 2.75 hours, to Val-Jalbert is 3.75 hours, and to Dolbeau is 5.25 hours.  Operates several days per week.

Get around
A car will be required to drive around the area. Some cities in the area have bus systems, but most of them don't.

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean has a big territory so be ready to drive long distances.

See
Les Saguenéens de Chicoutimi is the local hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They play at Centre George-Vézina].

The Jardin Zoologique de Saint-Félicien, northwest of Roberval, is a zoo dedicated to wildlife conservation of the boreal climate with 1000 animals of 80 species.

The Vieille Pulperie in Chicoutimi is a regional and industrial museum built in an old pulp mill.

The Village historique de Val-Jalbert, in Chambord, lets you experience life as it was in the 1920s, in a genuine company town with 40 original period buildings. There is a convent-school, general store and pulp mill. This town was ultra-modern in its day — its residents had electricity in their homes 25 years before many other Quebecois.

Do
The Parc national du Saguenay runs along the banks of the Saguenay River from the St. Lawrence River at Tadoussac as far as the city of Saguenay. It offers fishing, sea kayaking, sailing, cycling, via Ferrara, hiking, backcountry expeditions, cross-country skiing, and wildlife viewing.

http://www.capjaseux.com/ Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux], in St-Fulgence, provides adventure holidays: sea kayaking, via ferrata (secured rock climbing), aerial hebertism, sailing, mushroom picking, massage therapy, fishing, and hiking. There are on-site accommodations in tree houses standing over 8 metres off the ground, a dome cabin with a view of the fjord, two hanging spheres, log cabins, and serviced or unserviced campsites.

Lac-Saint-Jean offers many beautiful beaches, and lots of camping sites.

There are many lakes in the region and fishing is allowed on most of them during the appropriate season. Make sure you get the proper license and equipment.

During winter, you can do ice fishing on the Saguenay river. The main site is at St-Fulgence.

There are many ZEC (Zone d'Exploitation Contrôlée or, in English, Controlled Exploitation Area) on which hunting is allowed if you get the proper licence.

There are many ski hills in the Saguenay region. Look for Le Valinouet, Mont Édouard, Mont Lac-Vert, Mont Fortin, Mont Bélu and many more. There are many kilometres of snowmobiling paths across the region. Most of them will require a special membership card to use.

Events
Fabuleuse Histoire d'un Royaume, La Baie The Festival du bleuet, in Dolbeau-Mistassini, is a music festival that began to celebrate the blueberry harvest, but is now a celebration of the people of the region who call themselves bleuets.

Symposium des couleurs, in L'Anse-St-Jean, is an art festival where artists from all over Quebec present their works in early October. .

Traversée du Lac-Saint-Jean, in late July in Roberval, is an international swimming competition with 1-, 2-, 5-, 10- and 32-km races.

Eat
If you visit the area, try to find a place where you can eat some Tourtière (a sort of meat pie). The tourtière in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is a different meal that in other regions of Québec.

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is known for its blueberries. Make sure you try a blueberry pie or some chocolate covered blueberries (available in August only) from Les pères trappistes.

Drink
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is renowned for its party-loving population. They take great pride in drinking "grosse bière" (literally "big beer", meaning most of them drink bottles of beer of around 700 mL in bars), arrive early and leave late. The title of main street of drinking is usually given to rue Saint-Dominique, in Jonquière, where you will find 6 or 7 bars on a less than a kilometre stretch.

Go next

 * Quebec City or Trois-Rivières
 * Tadoussac and Rivière-du-Loup
 * Chibougamau-Chapais, a northern mining area to the northwest.

title: Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean


text:
Sahara

Other than the vast expanses of ice desert in the Antarctic and Arctic, the Sahara, encompassing most of northern Africa, is the world's largest desert.

North Africa

 * Algeria (Saharan Algeria, Saharan Atlas)
 * Egypt (Western Desert)
 * Libya (Saharan Libya)
 * Morocco (Saharan Morocco)
 * Tunisia (Saharan Tunisia)
 * Western Sahara

Sahel

 * Chad (Saharan Chad)
 * Mali (Timbuktu Region)
 * Mauritania (Saharan Mauritania)
 * Niger (Northern Niger)
 * Sudan (Darfur, Northern Sudan)

Cities

 * — old town in an oasis, with whitewashed buildings and covered streets
 * — fortress town; surrounding desert features some ancient rock paintings depicting animals gone long since extinct in the area
 * — camel trips into the desert can be arranged from this Moroccan village
 * — oasis town in Algerian Sahara; starting point for trips further into the desert
 * — famed city made fully of mud once on the southern end of the trans-Saharan trade routes

Other destinations

 * — almost surrealistic desert fortresses scattered on a plateau
 * — five oases deep in the harsh and unforgiving Egyptian part of the desert

Understand
At 9,400,000 sq km (3,600,000 sq mi), the vastness of the Sahara is comparable to the surface area of the United States of America or China. Its name unsurprisingly derived from the plural form of the Arabic word for "desert", sahara. Despite what you may have heard big parts of the Sahara are actually not covered in sand.

Get in
Tamanrasset, Timbuktu, and Sabha are some of the Saharan towns that have air connections with elsewhere on the planet. The western and eastern edges of the desert are relatively easier to approach over land: the highway following the Atlantic coast from Morocco through Western Sahara to Mauritania was the route of the former Paris–Dakar Rally, while the Nile provides a great and traditional way of getting to the desert on a felucca. Timbuktu is also accessible with a boat ride on the Niger River from Mopti. One of the most adventurous ways of heading into the Sahara, though, is to take the Mauritania Railway from the Atlantic port of Nouadhibou, possibly in one of the iron ore cars of the longest train of the world, running on one of the very few railway lines in the Sahara. If that doesn't sound adventurous enough, try cycling along the western edge of the desert; the cycling the Western Sahara article provides descriptions for the route down to the Senegalese border.

Get around

All routes cross the desert in the north–south direction, and there is no through route following the path of the sun. However, most of the existing trans-Saharan routes are very isolated, unsafe due to the armed groups operating in the area, and are subject to closures due to political instability and the tense relations between the regional governments.

See

 * The vast sand dunes
 * Rock art
 * Oases

Festivals
The Tunisian town of Douz holds the four-day Sahara Festival towards the end of each year, celebrating the desert culture, featuring camel riding displays, poetry readings, and traditional music and dance shows.

If you opt for a more politically loaded gathering, though, you may want to check out the Sahara International Film Festival (or FiSahara), which annually takes place in Sahrawi refugee camps (inhabited by refugees escaping from the conflict between Morocco and Polisario/SADR in Western Sahara), near the Algerian border town of Tindouf during the spring.

Go next
To the north, the Sahara hugs the Mediterranean coast or ends at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, while to the south it gradually morphes into the relatively more vegetated Sahel.

title: Sahara


text:
Saharan Algeria

Saharan Algeria is the vast desert — dotted with oases — in the south of the country.

Cities

 * (Arabic: تمنغاست) — the largest town in Saharan Algeria; the main entry point for those wishing to explore the vast region
 * (Arabic: جانت; Berber: ⵊⴰⵏⴻⵜ) — an oasis city with a huge Tuareg population
 * (Arabic: تيميمون) — one of the smallest towns in all of Algeria, known for its red ochre buildings
 * (Arabic: تندوف) — border town in the southwest, with a large Sahrawi population that escaped the conflict in nearby Western Sahara
 * (Arabic: عين قزام) — Algeria's southernmost city and a border town connecting Algeria and Niger
 * (Arabic: برج باجي مختار) — a border town connecting Algeria and Mali
 * (Arabic: تيميمون) — one of the smallest towns in all of Algeria, known for its red ochre buildings
 * (Arabic: تندوف) — border town in the southwest, with a large Sahrawi population that escaped the conflict in nearby Western Sahara
 * (Arabic: عين قزام) — Algeria's southernmost city and a border town connecting Algeria and Niger
 * (Arabic: برج باجي مختار) — a border town connecting Algeria and Mali

Other destinations

 * - a valley with extraordinary, singular architecture; a UNESCO World Heritage site
 * - a UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * - a UNESCO World Heritage Site

By plane
Air Algérie offers flights to almost all Algerian cities. It's the only carrier that serves the Saharan region.

Some of the biggest airports in the area include the following:

By car
The Trans-Sahara Highway is the main route from Algiers to Tamanrasset. The road is paved and in good condition, however, you need a durable, sturdy vehicle as the climatic conditions of the desert are harsh.

By plane
Due to the immense size of the area, the harshness of the Saharan desert, the lack of adequately developed infrastructure, and the uncertain security situation, the safest way to get around the area quickly is by plane.

The airport in Tamanrasset offers flights to many cities in the region, including cities like In Guezzam.

By car
Unless you have experience driving in harsh conditions, it's not wise to get around the region by car. Due to its remote location, there is little to no access to medical facilities and the risk of becoming stranded is high. It is also important to note that in the Sahara Desert temperatures can reach extreme highs during the day, making it dangerous to travel in the area.

Stay safe
Perhaps the biggest danger is the extreme heat, which should come as no surprise because the entire region is covered in deserts. Be sure to hydrate often, wear appropriate clothing to deal with the heat, and do not be out for long.

Governments advise against travelling to areas near the borders with Libya, Niger, Mali, and Mauritania due to terrorism and banditry concerns. Generally speaking, tourists have little reason to go to those areas as they have very few attractions that interest tourists. If you absolutely must go to the border areas, be aware of your surroundings at all times. The exception to this is the Tadrart Rouge section of the Tassili n'Ajjer National Park, roughly 130 km southeast of Djanet. This is a major tourist attraction near the Libya-Niger-Algeria tripoint, and that area of desert is guarded by the military and safe for guided travel.

Go next
If you plan on staying in the continent for long, you may wish to visit some of Algeria's closest neighbours. Some of them share a culture similar to that of Algeria. As the security situation is rather uncertain, it's often not recommended to travel overland. The best thing to do is to return to Algiers and hop on a flight that will take you to Algeria's closest neighbours since none of the airports in the area offer international flights. However, should the adventurous traveller wish to travel overland, they should consider travelling with an armed escort or someone experienced.

 * Morocco - Travelling overland and by air to Morocco is not possible from Algeria.

 * Mauritania - Travelling overland and by air is possible from Algeria.

title: Saharan Algeria


text:
Saharan Atlas

The Saharan Atlas is the range of the Atlas Mountains inland of the high plateaus in northern Algeria.

Other destinations

 * — located in the M'Sila province, this 11th-century fortress ruin is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

title: Saharan Atlas


text:
Saharan Chad

The Saharan Chad is the vast region in the north of Chad.

Cities

Other destinations

 * — a sandstone plateau in the east of Saharan Chad, impossibly remote, but very beautiful. The natural and cultural landscape of the Ennedi Massif has been inscribed as
 * – suicidally remote, insanely beautiful

Understand
The Saharan region covers roughly the northern third of Chad, including Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Prefecture along with the northern parts of Kanem, Batha, and Biltine prefectures. Much of this area receives only traces of rain during the entire year. Scattered small oases and occasional wells provide water for a few date palms or small plots of millet and garden crops. In much of the north, the average daily maximum temperature is about 32 °C during January, the coolest month of the year, and a vicious 45 °C during May, the hottest month.

Get in
The only airport of significance within the region is Faya-Largeau Airport in Faya. There are regular services from the capital N'Djamena.

title: Saharan Chad


text:
Saharan Mauritania

Saharan Mauritania is a region of Mauritania.

Other destinations

 * — a lush green oasis settlement
 * — a lush green oasis settlement
 * — a lush green oasis settlement

Understand
This region makes up the northern two-thirds of the country. Picture-perfect Saharan dunes are the main attraction.

Climate
Rain usually falls during the hivernage, which lasts from July to September. Often, isolated storms drop large amounts of water in short periods of time. A year, or even several years, may pass without any rain in some locations. Diurnal variations in temperature may be extreme, although annual variations are minimal. During December and January, temperatures range from an early morning low of 0°C to a mid-afternoon high of 38°C. During May, June, and July, temperatures range from 16°C in the morning to more than 49°C by afternoon. Throughout the year, the harmattan often causes blinding sandstorms.

See

 * The ruins of the ancient ksour of Oudane is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A ksour is a medieval Saharan trading post.

title: Saharan Mauritania


text:
Saharan Morocco

Saharan Morocco is a vast desert region dividing Morocco and Algeria. Its a hot, dry and often picturesque area. This area is not to be confused with another region further south often called Moroccan Western Sahara.

Towns and Villages

 * – considered the capital of the south, a great example of preservation and tourism that hasn't destroyed the feel of a fantastic and ancient city.
 * – the Gate of Sahara, this small city is located on the way of Erg Chebbi Dunes.
 * – biggest town north of Erfoud. Military use of this town gives it a clean and organized urban net.
 * - this small village lies on the southwest edge of Erg Chebbi.
 * – small village on the border with Algeria, south of Zagora town.
 * – small village on the edge of Erg Chebbi Dunes.
 * – small Berber town southeast of Agdz on the road Ouarzazate - Agdz - Alnif - Rissani; full of old kasbahs and surrounded by palm groves and the Saghrou Mountains.
 * - this small oasis town lies near the northwest edge of the Sahara.
 * – small desert town south of Ouarzazate.

Other destinations

 * – just a transport hub to pass from or to Rissani and Merzouga.
 * – this small city lies on the southeast edge of the Sahara and is the main cultural hub of the Beni Guil nomadic tribe and terminus of the Oriental Desert Express.
 * – village in the Draa Valley. Historical centre of the Nasiriyya order.

Talk
French is widely spoken by most people connected to some kind of business. Moroccan Sahara divides into Berbers and Arabs from different tribes.

How are you Thank you I want one orange juice My friend 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
 * Berber: meitanit?; Arabic: labass?; French: ça va?;
 * Berber: tanmirt; Arabic: shukran; French: merci;
 * Berber: righ ian assir limoun; Arabic: bghit wahid assir limoun; French: je veux un jus d'orange;
 * Berber: assouninu; Arabic: sahbi; French: mon ami;
 * Tachelhit Berber: yan, sin, krad, kkuz, semmus, sdis, sa, ttam, ttza, mraw; Moroccan Arabic: wahed, juj, tleta, arbaa, remsa, setta, sebaa, tamanya, tsaa, aashra; French: un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix;

Get around
Getting around Moroccan Sahara desert is as easy as it gets. You have plenty of buses and grands taxis connecting the region's cities, towns and villages.

Try to do the circle from Ouarzazate to Nkob, Rissani, Erfoud, Erg Chebbi Dunes with villages such as Merzouga, Hassilabied, Khamlia, back up passing the Rose Valley and Gorges du Todra back to Ouarzazate. Also could be the southern route of Ouarzazate, Agdz, Zagora, Mhamid.

In Ouarzazate, explore Oasis Fint, Oasis Skoura, Unesco Ksar of Ait ben Haddou, Tifoultoute Kasbah, Stork Kasbah, Taourirt Kasbah, Cinema Museum, Open air Cinema Studios, Saturday morning market.

See
The desert itself between Ouarzazate and Merzouga is already impressive enough, even just by grand taxi. If you need to top that up, head for one of the dunes and pretend to be in the proper sandy Sahara.

M'Hamid
Plan an expedition out to M'Hamid. A night in the Sahara is unforgettable and can be the best part of your Moroccan adventure. Ourzazate is the last big town in the south where this is easy and cheap to do. There are lots of agencies around that can arrange a trek like this, though this is the more expensive way to do it. A cheaper way, if you don't mind worrying about a few details, is to rent a car, go out there yourself, and negotiate an overnight in the desert with a Merzougan auberge (most of them offer overnights in the desert). Renting a car and driving the way is relatively easy if you drive a stick. The roads out that way are very good and easy to navigate. The overnight in the dunes should only cost about 300-400 dirham. A grand taxi will also take you out that way and back for 150-200 dirham. Everything out here is negotiable, so shop around for the best price.

Do

 * ATV quad excursion in Ouarzazate
 * Camel trekking in Erg Chebbi Dunes
 * Mountain trekking in Nkob
 * Gnawa music in Khamlia village in Erg Chebbi Dunes
 * Erfoud Saturday morning market

Stay safe
All Moroccan Sahara is safe. Be careful with heat, drink bottled water. Every little town and village has small shops selling bottled water (~6 dirham).

All small towns such Erfoud, Rissani, Zagora, Mhamid have plenty of good quality pharmacies where you can get most necessary items.

Unemployment is high, and this is one of the country's tourist destinations. Expect young boys to proposing to be your guide through the desert. If you don't want their services, just smile and say no.

title: Saharan Morocco


text:
Saharan Tunisia

Saharan Tunisia is the southern and western area of Tunisia which consists mostly of desert.

Cities

 * (دوز, Dūz)
 * – Tunisia's centre of Sufism with many desert villages nearby
 * – largest inland city in this part of the country
 * (تطاوين ; Berber: Tiṭṭawin) – Lent its name to Luke Skywalker's home planet in Star Wars. Several of the locations are popular destinations.
 * (توزر, Tozir; Berber: ⵜⵓⵣⴻⵔ , Tuzer) – gateway to several Saharan oasis villages

Other destinations

 * – a large Saharan National Park with impressive dunes and rock formations
 * (متلوي, Mitlawī) — get aboard the restored Red Lizard vintage train snaking through scenic gorges and hills
 * (سبيطلة, Sbaytlā) — a fairly well preserved Roman town
 * − the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Ammaedara
 * – the largest salt lake of Sahara, varies in size depending on season.
 * – the largest salt lake of Sahara, varies in size depending on season.

Understand
The region consists of the governorates Gafsa, Kairouan, Kasserine, Kebili, Kef, Tataouine and Tozeur.

By plane

 * Tozeur-Nefta, Tozeur–Nefta International Airport Aéroport International de Tozeur–Nefta
 * Tozeur-Nefta, Tozeur–Nefta International Airport Aéroport International de Tozeur–Nefta
 * Tozeur-Nefta, Tozeur–Nefta International Airport Aéroport International de Tozeur–Nefta

Go next

 * Northern Tunisia
 * Central Coastal Tunisia

title: Saharan Tunisia


text:
Sahel

The Sahel is a region of Africa at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert.

Cities
There is a very small population in this region of Africa. Cities are rare and far between but here are the main ones.
 * — historically a very important stage on the trans-Saharan caravan routes in northern Niger
 * — capital of Mali
 * — capital of Sudan and by far the largest city in the region
 * — one of the main ports in Mali and a good gateway for many impressive attractions such as Djenné, Timbuktu, and Dogon Country.
 * — capital of Chad
 * — capital of Niger and perhaps the most accessible Sahelian city for the traveler
 * — capital of Mauritania
 * — large Red Sea port city
 * — a city of great historical importance particularly for education and the spread of Islam.

Other destinations

 * — two hours from Niamey in Niger, one of West Africa's largest animal markets, plus a colorful array of other traditional market and artisanal goods (Sundays)
 * — a trek through this landscape of scattered cliff-side villages in is not to be missed by any Mali visitor
 * — once a religious and commercial center to rival Timbuktu, this small town of multi-storey mud buildings in Mali is quite a sight
 * — a large trans-border national park, most accessible from Niamey in Niger

Understand
The Sahel runs 3,862 km from the Atlantic Ocean coast of Mauritania in the west to the Red Sea coast of Sudan in the east. The ecoregion definition takes in part of other countries but for the purposes of this travel guide, it includes all of Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Sudan. The region consists of semi-arid grasslands, savannas, steppes, and thorn shrublands lying between the Central African wooded savanna to the south, and the Sahara to the north.

The topography of the Sahel is mainly flat, and the region mostly lies between 200 and 400 m elevation.

History
Over the history of Africa the region has been home to some of the most advanced kingdoms benefiting from trade across the desert. Collectively these states are known as the Sahelian kingdoms which were a series of empires, based in the Sahel, which had many similarities. The wealth of the states came from controlling the Trans-Saharan trade routes across the desert. Their power came from having large pack animals like camels and horses that were fast enough to keep a large empire under central control and were also useful in battle. The first large Sahelian kingdoms emerged after 750, and supported several large trading cities in the Niger Bend region, including Timbuktu, Gao, and Djenné.

During the 19th century, the French colonized the Western and Central Sahel while the Muhammed Ali of Egypt invaded the Eastern Sahel (Sudan) in 1820. Eventually the British became the de facto occupiers of Sudan. Every Sahelian country achieved independence from their respective European colonial power over the 1950s and 1960s.

Unfortunately, due to the region's constant instability and coups in the 21st-century, the region has colloquially earned the nickname of "coup belt". Travel to this region is one of the most off-the-beaten-path destinations in the world, as more extremist groups centre themselves in the Sahel.

Climate
Annual rainfall varies from around 100-200 mm in the north of the Sahel to around 700-900 mm in the south.

Read
Overland travel in the region is covered extensively in the book Sahara (ISBN 0297843036) by Michael Palin, detailing a journey they did for a BBC programme back in 2001.

title: Sahel


text:
Sahelian Chad

Sahelian Chad lies between the Sahara Desert to the north and the more fertile savanna territory to the south. It is populated primarily by nomadic people.

Cities

 * — the historical capital of the Kingdom of Baguirmi and is the main residence of the mbang or sultan
 * — the historical capital of the Kingdom of Baguirmi and is the main residence of the mbang or sultan
 * — the historical capital of the Kingdom of Baguirmi and is the main residence of the mbang or sultan
 * — the historical capital of the Kingdom of Baguirmi and is the main residence of the mbang or sultan
 * — the historical capital of the Kingdom of Baguirmi and is the main residence of the mbang or sultan
 * — the historical capital of the Kingdom of Baguirmi and is the main residence of the mbang or sultan

Other destinations

 * — Former capital of the Ouaddai Empire, there are still a ruined palace, mosque and city wall.

Understand
The semiarid Sahelian zone of Chad forms a belt about 500 kilometres wide that runs from Lac and Chari-Baguirmi prefectures eastward through Guéra, Ouaddaï, and northern Salamat prefectures to the Sudanese frontier. The climate in this transition zone between the desert and southern Soudanian Chad is divided into a rainy season (from June to early September) and a dry period (from October to May).

In the north of the region, thorny shrubs and acacia trees grow wild, while date palms, cereals, and garden crops are raised in scattered oases. Outside these settlements, nomads tend their flocks during the rainy season, moving southward as forage and surface water disappear with the onset of the dry part of the year. The centre is characterized by drought-resistant grasses and small woods. During the hot season, in April and May, maximum temperatures frequently rise above 40 °C. In the southern part, rainfall is sufficient to permit crop production on unirrigated land, and millet and sorghum are grown. Agriculture is also common in the marshlands east of Lake Chad and near swamps or wells. Many farmers in the region combine subsistence agriculture with the raising of cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry.

Get in
Abeche Airport

See
Lake Chad is the remains of one of the largest lakes in the world - slowly being depleted by the area's growing need for water. There are substantial surrounding wetlands.

title: Sahelian Chad


text:
Sahelian Mauritania

Sahelian Mauritania is a region of Mauritania.

Cities

 * - village that has a UNESCO world heritage site nearby with some of the oldest stone buildings in Africa south of the Sahara
 * - small oasis town that is part of the UNESCO world heritage site as well.

Other destinations

 * - ruined medieval town that may have been the capital of the Ghana Empire.

Understand
This semi-arid region extends south of Saharan Mauritania to of the Senegal River Valley on the borders with Senegal and Mali. Before the droughts of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, the relatively lush Senegal River valley ranged from sixteen to thirty kilometres north of the river. By the late 1980s, desertification had reached the northern bank of the river in some parts of the valley. Almost all of the valley's economically active population engages in sedentary agriculture or fishing along the Senegal River and its main tributaries—the Karakoro, the Gorgol, and the Garfa. This area supplies most of the country's agricultural production.

Climate
Preparations for winter (L'Hivernage) begin earlier here than in Saharan Mauritania, often lasting from June until October. Because farmers and herders depend on annual rains, a delay of just one month in the start of the rainy season can cause large losses and lead to mass migrations into Mali. Although temperature extremes are narrower than in the Saharan region, daily variations in temperature can still be 21°C or more. The harmattan is the prevailing wind. Rainfall in the Senegal River Valley area is higher than in other regions, ranging from 400-600 mm annually, usually between May and September.

See

 * The ruins of the ancient Ksour of Oulata is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Ksour is a medieval Saharan trading post.

title: Sahelian Mauritania


text:
Sahiwal

Sahiwal (ساہِيوال) is a city in the Punjab region of Pakistan. With almost 390,000 inhabitants (2018), it's a major regional city in the densely populated area between two rivers: The Sutlej and the Ravi. Sahiwal is a large city with a few interesting sights, but it's also an important transport hub for the famous nearby archaeological site of Harappa.

Get in
Located on the main Lahore–Karachi railway, Sahiwal is well connected by rail. There are direct train connections to Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Samasata and Madina-tul-Hajjaj.

Bus connections are also frequent and run to and from most larger towns in Punjab, including Lahore (Rs 120, 3 hours) and Bahawalpur.

There are three best approaches to reach Sahiwal:
 * First approach is from Lahore. Sahiwal is about 170 km from Lahore, it takes you about 2 hr 18 min to reach Sahiwal on car. You can reach Sahiwal by landing at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and then take bus or train to reach Sahiwal. The road from Lahore to Sahiwal is dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction with central barrier so this is safer approach.
 * Second approach is from Multan. Sahiwal is about 177 km from Multan, it takes you about 2 hr 24 min to reach Sahiwal on car. Foreigners can reach Sahiwal by landing at Multan International Airport of Multan and then take bus to reach Sahiwal. The road from Multan to Sahiwal is dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction with central barrier so this is safer approach.
 * Third approach is from Faisalabad. Sahiwal is about 94 km from Faisalabad, it takes you about 1 hr 56 min to reach Sahiwal on bus. Foreigners can reach Sahiwal by landing at Faisalabad International Airport of Faisalabad and then take bus to reach Sahiwal. This road is single carriageway with 2 lanes but without any central barrier, so it is not as safe as the roads from Lahore and Multan.

See
About 24 km (15 mi) west of Sahiwal city are the archeological remains of Harappa, an ancient city dated 3000 to 5000 BC. This was one of the main centres of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation, which is also called the Harappan Civilisation. Sahiwal serves as the main hub for visitors to Harappa, which is about 45 minutes' drive away. Buses (Rs 15) leave every 30 minutes and minibuses are available too for slightly more (Rs 20). Alternatively, you can rent a private autorickshaw for about Rs 350 (one way) or Rs 500 (return, with 2 hours waiting time).

Sleep
All foreigners who stay the night in hotel or guest house in Sahiwal must go register with the friendly men who work at the District Foreigner Security Cell in the DPO Office Sahiwal. Registration takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Your guest house manager should arrange to take you to the DPO Office.

Go next

 * Chichawatni

title: Sahiwal


text:
Sai

Sai Village (佐井村) is in Shimokita, Aomori, Japan.

Understand
Sai Village is on the northwest coast of Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture. It borders the Tsugaru Strait, and is mostly a mountainous region. The areas within Sai include Ushitaki, Fukuura, Chogo and Isoya. It is a quaint, quiet village with breathtaking scenery of both mountains and sea.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Talk
English is not spoken. You will need some Japanese to get around, or at least a dictionary and some gestures. However, the Tourist Information Center in Mutsu can understand English if spoken slowly and simply. They can be helpful for booking things for you.

Shimokita Peninsula speaks Shimokita dialect which is a mixture of Tsugaru dialect, Nambu dialect, and some local words.

Get in
Sai is accessible by car, bus, or ferry.

From Mutsu
From the Shimokita JR station in Mutsu, take the Shimokita bus heading to Sai. The bus ride takes about 2 hours and costs about ¥3,000.

Alternatively, you can rent a car. If you plan on exploring the gorgeous scenery, rent a car. Shimokita is not well connected by public transportation and the distances between towns are far. To get to Sai by car, follow the 279 north all the way to Oma where it intersects with the 338. Turn left (south) and follow the 338 into and through Sai. The drive is about an hour and 15 minutes.

From Hakodate
Take the Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry. The ferry makes two runs a day between Hakodate and Ōma. The ride is about 1 hour and 45 minutes. A return trip ticket costs about ¥4000. From Oma to Sai is a ¥2000 to ¥3000 cab ride or about a ¥500 bus ride.

From Tsugaru
Take the Mutsuwan Ferry. It makes three runs between Kanita and Wakinosawa a day except for winter: late November to mid April. From Wakinosawa, you can catch the Shimokita bus directly to Sai.

Get around
Walking is fine for exploring the town, but to see the breathtaking scenery, renting a car or taking a ferry ride are highly recommended. The ferry ride is chartered at Arusas, the community center. The ferry can take you to Hotokegaura and around the sea shore. A car will allow you to view the mountainous beauty that Sai has to offer. Narrow dirt mountain roads beckon the adventurous 4X4 riding traveller.

Do

 * Nuidoishiyama is a large mountain in Fukuura. Hiking to the top is a popular activity as the whole village and other mountains can be seen. Be sure to bring the bear bells at the bottom of the mountain to ward off any wildlife.

Events
In the middle of September, Sai puts on a festival. Floats are pulled by the locals and the priests from the shrine bless the houses of the village. The Kagura, an ancient theatrical dance with masks, is also performed.

In November, Sai puts on a culture festival. Different variations of festival songs and Kagura are performed at the community center.

In February, Fukuura village puts on a kabuki show. It features northern styles of kabuki and is performed one day a year.

In June, Sai has a sea urchin roe festival. They sell fresh sea urchin roe on rice and people can eat it while shopping.

Eat
As Sai is on the Tsugaru Strait, fishing is the major economic staple. Some of the locally caught seafood include sea urchin roe, sea pineapple, scallops, abalone and squid. Sai also has a shiitake farm that sells to local markets.

There are only a few restaurants in Sai. Most are in Arusasu, the community center. Poppiez, is a lunch restaurant and can be found in Arusasu. They have pizza and pasta Japanese style. Across from that is a restaurant owned by the same person, but offers Japanese fast food like ramen, tonkatsu, and ebi chilli.

There is a ramen and gyoza place open in the evening that can accommodate a couple of people at a time. It's near the bars beside the bridge.

There are several other restaurants that require reservation and are usually for large groups of people. Umaimonya is a restaurant across the street from Arusasu that can provide meals if they have been informed in advance. Isokawa, Miyano, Manjaya and Hotokegaura Drive-in in Fukuura are other Japanese restaurants available for large groups.

If you are staying at a cabin, the only grocery stores are in Oma, so be sure to stock up before coming to Sai.

Drink
Other than restaurants, there are only two bars in Sai. Inaka (seating capacity of up to 5 people at a time) and Sta. Both places have karaoke. They are across the street from Arusasu. Inaka is in the 5 floor building and Sta is across from it.

Sleep
The Gankake cabins is the main place to stay. There are other bed and breakfast type places in Sai and Fukuura.

Connect
Mutsu's tourist office (Masakari Plaza, tel. 0175-22-0909), near the Mutsu bus terminal, is helpful and can provide basic information in English, not just for Mutsu but the entire peninsula. They will also book accommodation for you.

Go next

 * Oma town is a 15-minute (¥2000-3000) cab ride away. Oma is famous for its Maguro Matsuri. In October, they catch a large tuna fish and butcher it for auction. The best slices of sashimi have been known to sell for ¥50,000. Omazaki is the northernmost tip of Honshu and on a clear day, Hokkaido is visible from it. Oma is also the gateway between Hakodate and Shimokita. The ferry takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. It is convenient to come to Shimokita through Hakodate airport.

 * Mutsu - The Ohata area is a 30-minute drive away or an hour bus ride. Ohata is notable for its outdoor public hot springs, Yagen. In the spring, sakura trees line the road through Ohata. Around 5:00 you can catch a squid race in town. Squids are raced and bet on like horses.

 * Higashidori is a farming town about an hour's drive away. Notable for Shiriyazaki, the cape on the west side of Shimokita Peninsula. Wild horses roam free through the fields and you can walk pretty close to them without frightening them.

 * Kazamaura
 * Yokohama
 * Rokkasho
 * Noheji
 * Hiranai

title: Sai


text:
Saijo

Saijō (西条), also known as Iyo-Saijō (伊予西条, capped with old province name), is in Ehime prefecture, Shikoku island, Japan.

Understand
Saijō is a medium-sized city Ehime Prefecture, known throughout Shikoku for its fresh spring water (uchinuki), its massive autumn festivals, and as the gateway to Mt. Ishizuchi, the tallest peak in western Japan. Temples 60-64 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage lie within the extended Saijō municipal area. This area was formed by the merger of the old Saijō City, Toyo City, Komatsu Town, and Tanbara Town in November 2004.

Saijō may be off the beaten path for many. However it is a good place to get a taste of the laid-back and hospitable culture of Ehime. Many of the typically conservative and polite locals burst into a wild celebratory mood during the yearly autumn festivals in the Saijo, Komatsu, Toyo, Himi, and Iwane areas. With good preparation, you can find specialty shops, restaurants, and izakayas featuring local products and foodstuffs. For nature lovers, hiking season can be a great time to visit, with the exception of the sizzling heat of August. There are also many beautiful flowers to view at different times of the year; for example, plum blossoms (ume no hana) and camelias (tsubaki) in winter, and cherry blossoms (sakura) and wisteria (fuji no hana) in spring.

Saijō, Ehime should not be confused with the much smaller Saijō Town in Shōbara City, Hiroshima. Be very clear with JR staff that you are going to Iyo-Saijo (伊予西条) station when buying train tickets from other parts of Japan in order to avoid buying tickets to the wrong place.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Get in
Iyo-Saijō station is on the JR Yosan Line from Uwajima to Takamatsu.

For flyers, it is recommended to fly from Narita or Haneda to Matsuyama Airport. Then you can travel via the JR Yosan Line or Setouchi Bus Matsuyama to Niihama Express Bus Line to Iyo-Saijō station. Jetstar runs three short discounted flights daily to and from Narita. These flights are efficient but services are rather sparse on the short flight. There is also limited service between Matsuyama Airport and Seoul, South Korea.

From Okayama on Honshu, the Shiokaze limited express train makes hourly runs to Iyo-Saijō (1 hr 45 min - 2 hours, ¥4740, no charge with Japan Rail Pass). Express trains only stop at Iyo-Saijo and Nyūgawa stations, while "Wan-Man" (one man) local trains stop at all 7 stations in the city limits on an almost hourly basis.

There is a convenient bus service called the "Ishizuchi Liner" that runs to and from the Herbis Bus Terminal in Osaka, the Sannomiya Station area in Kobe, and Imabari Station with stops at Saijō Station and Nyugawa Station. It is run by Setouchi Bus. Japanese knowledge is recommended in order to purchase tickets for this bus line at red machines in Lawson or Family Mart convenience stores. Tickets can also be purchased at the Herbis Bus Terminal in Osaka or at Imabari Station on the day of travel with no guarantee of availability. At less than ¥5000 one way, this service is much less expensive than travel by train, but takes four to five hours. Setouchi Bus also runs a limited overnight bus service to Tokyo, the "Paireetsu Go" for around ¥1100 one way. If you can make it to Imabari from Saijo, there are also "Shimanami Liner" buses running throughout the day from Imabari to Hiroshima for less than ¥4000 one way. Booking for all of these lines at least a day in advance is recommended; these buses can fill up during the holiday season.

By car, Saijō is accessible by the Matsuyama Expressway (Komatsu IC and Saijō IC exits) and the Imabari Expressway (Komatsu IC exit), as well as locally via National Route 11 (about 90 minutes from Matsuyama Airport).

The Orange Ferry runs between Osaka and Tōyo Port in Saijō.

Get around
Due to the merger in 2004, Saijō encompasses a wide area of about 509 km². Local help or basic Japanese may be useful in getting around anywhere outside the stations on the main JR Yosan line.

Public transportation within Saijō can be somewhat limited as trains and buses come and go infrequently. But it is extensive.

Taxis are available at all seven stations on the JR Yosan Line that lie within the Saijō city limits between about 07:00 and just after midnight. They run later on important nights of the festival. Expect to pay about ¥1200 for 3 km, with the price quickly rising per kilometer after that.

There are two useful regional bus lines run by Setouchi Bus that pass through Saijō hourly from the morning to about 20:00. The express lines run from nearby Niihama to Imabari or Matsuyama and stop at many places throughout Saijo depending on the line. On top of these main regional lines, there are many local lines that branch off into quieter areas, especially in Tanbara and Saijo proper. Japanese knowledge is recommended if you want to use the bus system.

For sightseeing, a dedicated bus runs between Iyo-Saijō station and the Asahi Brewery. There is also a bus that leaves from Saijō station with limited runs in the morning to a lift used to visit Mount Ishizuchi, which is on the southern border of Saijō.

Rental bicycles are available at the Saijō Tourism Center next to Iyo-Saijō station for ¥200/hour. Most of Saijō is relatively flat and easily bikeable.

See

Temples 60 through 64 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage fall within Saijo city limits. Temple 60, Yokomineji (横峰寺) is considered the most difficult temple to reach because of its lack of access by ropeway and the tough climb to get there. The closest rail access is from Iyo-Komatsu (伊予小松) station, where you will also find nearby temples 61 and 62, Ko-onji (香園寺) and Hojuji (宝寿寺, respectively. Temple 63, Kichijoji (吉祥寺) is an easy walk from Iyo-Himi (伊予氷見) station. Walk up the road without crossing the train tracks and make a right at the first small street, at the next corner it will be on your right. Temple 64, Maegameji (前神寺) is at the foot of Mt. Ishizuchi, and like Yokomineji it is particularly hard to access by walking. The closest train stop is, again, Iyo-Himi station. If you are interested in visiting these temples, it might be easiest to arrange to go with a bus tour with Setouchi Travel Company (in Japanese).

The Kamo river runs through Saijo highway between Iyo-Saijo (伊予西条) and Ishizuchi-yama (石鎚山) stations, and at the river there is a particularly pretty spot for cherry blossom viewing where the river comes down from the mountains and meets Route 11. From the station, take a 10 minute walk down Ekinishidori until you reach a fountain and uchinuki (water spring for which Saijo is famous), make a left there and continue until you reach the road on the other side. Make a left at that road until you reach Route 11, right before it becomes the bridge over the Kamo River. Cross the road, then walk right toward the bridge. Make a left atop the levee (hill) next to the river until you reach a street lined with trees. You will reach a park and if you continue up this street there is a pleasant hill you can hike up, the entire hike is about 25 minutes, and affords pleasant city views, particularly in the early morning or late afternoon/evening. Also, if you ride the train to Ishizuchijinja Station (石鎚神社駅), it is about a ten minute walk from there to the entrance road to Ishizuchi Shrine (not to be confused with access to hiking the mountain, which is more easily done by taking a bus from Saijo station to the ropeway.) The shrine is in homage to the spirit of Mt. Ishizuchi, and is a secluded and nice place to visit with commanding views of the surrounding area. Just head toward giant red gate, visible from the station platform.

Do

 * Saijō, Himi, and Tachibana Autumn Festivals - The busiest festivals are in the area of Old Saijō and run from October 14–17 at three shrines in the city. The largest of the three is the Isono Shrine Festival from October 15-16th. This festival starts just after midnight and is recommended for the atmosphere alone. The Saijō festivals feature over 100 hand-carried portable shrines known as danjiri, which are up to 5 meters tall and weigh over 600 kilograms. One part of the Old Saijō festivals is the "kawa-iri" (entering the river), where a dramatic scene takes place on the Kamogawa river near the route 11 bridge involving many of the danjiri trying to block the way of the "mikoshi" - a massive lantern covered portable shrine that is said to carry a venerated Shinto deity. Smaller but still impressive festivals take place in Himi and Tachibana around the same time as in Saijo festival. These festivals take place at shrines in more rural parts of Saijō and have a very intimate atmosphere. They are rarely visited by people from outside the town. The festivals feature temporary markets with Japanese festival food and plenty of displays of pride and strength by the danjiri as they roam the city carried by singing men and women in traditional clothing. Detailed information on the festivals in Saijō, Himi, and Tachibana be found in Japanese here. If you are in town for the festivities, be prepared to be offered lots of food and drinks by fellow festival-goers. Saijō's citizens are known in Ehime as matsuri-baka ("crazy about the festival") because of the size and intensity of their fall festival.
 * Komatsu, Tanbara, and Toyo Autumn Festivals - There are many other autumn festivals that one can catch with proper planning in the areas of Komatsu, Tanbara and Toyo. Komatsu's festival usually starts later than Saijo's. On the first night, the danjiri congregate at Komatsu Elementary School to show off their strength as those carrying them shout, "Sorya!". Then they are carried in a procession for many kilometers along old roads between harvested rice fields. Often a local child is beating a taiko drum inside as the danjiri-bearers sing old songs. It is recommended that you tag along. On the final night the Danjiri move from their home areas and gather at Mishima Shrine, located atop a mysterious kofun.

Some of the younger locals who are not tied to any particular danjiri-carrying group are known to hop from festival to festival to party for as long as possible.

 * Aqua Route - This walking tour starts at the Saijō Tourism Center, which is on the right when exiting Iyo-Saijō station, next to the Shikoku Railway Culture Center. Saijō is as famous for its clear mountain spring water as for its festival, maybe even more so. These water springs naturally bubble up in the town and have been built into springs called uchinuki . The Saijō Tourism Center can give you a map (English available) and short description of a route through town to many of these springs. Bring your own bottle and drink the fresh water, which many citizens pump directly into their homes! The route goes by the grounds of the old Saijō Castle, now Saijō High School, which still has a moat and castle gate. It also goes by some pleasant fountains and tree-lined avenues.

Drink
On the road in front of the station are several Japanese style pubs. Also about a 10-minute walk from the station is a street that has the majority of bars in Saijo. Making a left from the station onto Ekinishidori, cross the street and make a right onto the street directly after Iyokko ramen. About 3 blocks up this street are a string of pubs and bars, including the highly recommended World's End Cafe. The owner speaks a fair bit of English, and can make any drink you can think of if you can describe it to him. It also has a fair amount of imports and microbrewery beers, with Kirin on tap.

Sleep
There are several hotels within a few blocks of the station. All are business hotels catering mostly to Japanese business types. Expect to pay ¥7,500-9,000 for a room.

Go next

 * Mount Ishizuchi, the tallest mountain in Shikoku, is one hour away by bus.
 * Niihama
 * Shikokuchuo
 * Imabari
 * Matsuyama
 * Touon
 * Kumakogen
 * Niyodogawa
 * Kamijima
 * Kanonji

title: Saijo


text:
Saiki

Saiki (佐伯) is the easternmost city in Kyushu, the island's largest by area, and Ōita Prefecture's fourth-largest by population.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

By plane
The nearest airport is Ōita Airport. Buses run six times a day to and from Cosmo Town, Ōtemae and Saiki Station, taking a little over two hours and costing ¥2880 (¥4940 return).

Miyazaki Airport is accessible by train; see below.

By train
Saiki is on the Nippō Main Line.

There are hourly Nichirin Limited Expresses, which will take you to Ōita (1 hour 5 minutes, ¥2630) via Usuki (30 minutes, ¥1700) or Miyazaki Airport (2 hours 20 minutes, ¥4680) via Nobeoka (1 hour, ¥2450) and Miyazaki (2 hours 10 minutes, ¥4560).

There are three direct Sonic, Nichirin and Nichirin Seagaia trains a day to Kokura (2 hours 45 minutes, ¥5570) for the San'yō Shinkansen, of which two come from Hakata (3 hours 30 minutes, ¥7190). Otherwise, take a Sonic from either station to Ōita and change there.

Local trains are less frequent, but will get you in from Ōita in about 1 hour 30 minutes for ¥1290, and from Usuki in 45 minutes and ¥560. Local trains to and from Nobeoka (1 hour 10 minutes, ¥1110) are so infrequent and inconveniently timed as to be practically nonexistent.

There is a nimai-kippu which allows a return trip to Ōita within one month using Limited Expresses for ¥3900 (a saving of ¥1360). Another nimai-kippu allows return travel to any JR station in the Fukuoka City Area for ¥10,080 (saving ¥4300).

All these trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass and JR Kyūshū's All Kyūshū Area Pass, but not the Northern or Southern Kyūshū Area Pass.

By ferry
Saiki Port is a 10-minute walk or 5-minute drive north of Saiki Station.

Sukumo Ferry runs three ferries a day to and from Sukumo, taking 3 hours 10 minutes. Prices start at ¥2710. The ferry terminal at Sukumo is a 30-minute walk or 10-minute drive from Sukumo Station.

This is the easiest way to reach most of Kōchi Prefecture. With the possible exception of Uwajima, a better way across the Bungo Channel to Ehime Prefecture is to take the ferry from Usuki to Yawatahama.

Get around
Most of the fun can be found in an area about 30 minutes walk or 10 minutes drive south of Saiki Station. Most buses from the station will take you towards Ōtemae for ¥140.

See

 * Saiki has a shrine on the top of Shakuma-san. The view is amazing and the history of the shrine is very interesting. 40 minutes drive from central Saiki: head west through Yayoi along Route 10, then turn right and go up the Shakuma Skyline. There are two car parks to choose from, from where it is up to 45 minutes to the top up a flight of hundreds of stone steps. On New Year's Eve, so many people flock to the summit to see the first sunrise of the year that the Skyline is closed to cars.
 * You can also walk up Shiroyama (literally 'Castle Hill'). This is a place that locals always recommend you to go to. It has the ruins of the very old Saiki Castle, plus an excellent view of the Banjo river, harbor, ocean, and city--especially at sunset.
 * Another thing that is done around the beginning of June throughout this month is watching hotaru (fireflies). Its an amazing sight. The best place for hotaru watching is at Honjo town.
 * The Street of History and Literature. Having seen many a year pass, the white walls of this street guard the memories of this old castle town.
 * Walking along the Banjo River. There is a very nice walkway on either side of the Banjo River where you can see many eagles, which will take food from you if you aren't careful.
 * Walking along the Banjo River. There is a very nice walkway on either side of the Banjo River where you can see many eagles, which will take food from you if you aren't careful.

Buy

 * At Cosmo Town, near the expressway exit and to the northwest of the main part of town, you can find several stores. High school students also come here after school to go to McDonalds or the game center.

Eat
In Saiki everyone loves sushi, and you will find sushi almost anywhere. Sashimi is also everywhere.

 * The Umaimon-dori is a street full of quality seafood restaurants serving a variety of fresh seafood caught by the local fisherman of this marine industry town. It is 5 min by bus from Saiki Railway Station. Get off at Chuodori Icchome Bus stop.

Drink

 * Shin-machi and Umaimon-dori are popular streets for drinking and eating. They have many izakayas and bars.
 * Pub Chaya (ぱぶ茶屋, 5-15 Uchimachi, +81 972 24-0100) is an excellent izakaya with good deals for beer pitchers. Most food dishes cost ¥400-800. Nasu (eggplant) gyoza and chicken nanban are a couple of favorites. Located across the street from Saiki Central Hotel, near Umaimon-dori, on the second floor and up outside stairs.
 * Bacchus (3-17 Uchimachi, +81 972 22-5507, 18:00-02:00, closed Mondays) is located between Umaimon-dori and Shin-machi on a second floor. It has a good dart board and reasonably priced mixed drinks.

Go next

 * Usuki
 * Bungoono
 * Tsukumi
 * Taketa
 * Oita
 * Nobeoka
 * Hinokakage
 * Kadogawa
 * Hyuga

title: Saiki


text:
Sail Rock

There's more than one place called Sail Rock:

Australia

 * Sail Rock - one of a group of rocks adjacent to Shag Island, in the sub-Antarctic Heard Island and McDonald Islands region

Russia

 * Sail Rock (Parus Rock) - famous sandstone monolith on the shore of the Black Sea, in Krasnodar Krai

Thailand

 * Sail Rock - popular dive site near Ko Tao

title: Sail Rock


text:
Saimaa

Saimaa (Saimen in Swedish) is a lake in south-eastern Finland. At 1,147 km² (443 square miles), it is the largest lake in Finland, and the fifth largest in Europe. There are 13,710 islands in Saimaa and the connected waterways.

Cities

 * in North Karelia
 * in South Karelia
 * likewise in South Karelia
 * in South Savonia
 * likewise in South Savonia
 * in North Savonia

Other destinations

 * Kolovesi National Park
 * Linnansaari National Park

Understand
The Saimaa Canal from Lappeenranta to Vyborg binds Saimaa to the Gulf of Finland. Other canals bind Saimaa to smaller lakes in the eastern parts of the Finnish lakeland, forming a network of waterways. These waterways are mainly used to transport wood, minerals, metals, pulp and other cargo, but also tourists use the waterways.

The Saimaa Canal was built to connect the Saimaa to the Baltic Sea at the dawn of industrialisation. The canal was modernized in the 1960s. Finland pays rent for the Russian parts of the canal. The canal itself connects to the Gulf of Finland, on Russian territory, close to Vyborg (Finnish: Viipuri). The canal is mostly used by cargo ships, but there were also passenger boats operating from Lappeenranta to Vyborg until 2022. It is also used by private boats from Finland and abroad.

The egress of Saimaa in Imatra is an impressive rapids (when let free), a famous tourist attraction in the 19th century. The river Vuoksi flows from there to Lake Ladoga.

Talk
Finnish is talked by the locals. English skills are good as in the rest of Finland. Swedish is taught in schools, but results are varied. Russian is known in many tourist businesses and shops with tourist shoppers, especially by the Russian border, such as in Lappeenranta.

Get in
See the region and city articles for details.

By boat
Saimaa is accessible from the Gulf of Finland (and thus from the oceans) through the Saimaa Canal locks, by own yacht or by cruise.

By small cruise ship

 * VIP cruises is one of several companies arranging tours with historic steamers or newer vessels.

By canoe
There are endless archipelagos to explore. The Kolovesi National Park and Linnansaari National Park are arguably best experienced from a canoe.

By boat

The fairways for larger freighters, with endpoints in Mikkeli (Ristiina), Kuopio and Joensuu, guarantee enough height and depth for any yacht. Past these cities (and in many minor channels) height is restricted to 12 meters; the waterways available by yacht extend to Iisalmi in the northwest and Nurmes (at Lake Pielinen) in the northeast. The smaller your craft, the more options you have, but even with a big yacht there is enough to explore for weeks or months.

Saimaa is a good sailing destination, but most will choose to use the motor quite a lot, and also some who sail at sea prefer a motorboat here.

The weather forecast for mariners include forecasts for Saimaa. The Saimaa VTS (VHF working channel 9) handles traffic in the main fairways, including distress calls, but 112 is mainly responsible for emergencies in the area. Also channel 16 on marine VHF can be used.

By cycle
Saimaa Archipelago Route (Saimaan saaristoreitti) is a traditional and popular 154 km long cycling route in the southern Saimaa region. The route passes through the centres of Taipalsaari, Ruokolahti, Imatra and Lappeenranta and offers cyclists numerous great views of the Finnish lake district. It is worth reserving several days for the route, as there is a lot to see, such as several Saimaa Geopark destinations. For those who have interest to geology it is interesting to cycle along Salpausselkä, large edge formations of the Ice Age glacier. The route is marked with blue signs and stickers and printed with map signs.

See

 * The landscape (lakescape) is the main sight. If coming by car, take a rest at some of the places with good views (often marked on road maps but not necessarily obvious when driving). Coming by train, having a map handy can help being alert. And if possible, you should of course get on a cruise of some kind.
 * One of the two fresh water seal species, the Ringed Seal, lives in Saimaa. The subspecies in Saimaa (Saimaa Ringed Seal, Phoca hispida saimensis, in Finnish: saimaannorppa) is not found elsewhere and is among the most endangered seals in the world, having a total population of only about 400 individuals.

Do
Cruise around the many islands with a sailing boat, motor boat or canoe (see Boating in Finland).

Rent a cottage at the shore and enjoy! Many cottages have rowing boats or similar for also doing trips.

Take a cruise from Lappeenranta to the Saimaa, Saimaa Canal or Vyborg, Russia, through the canal!

Enjoy a performance at the Savonlinna opera festival in the court of a medieval castle.

National parks

There are two national parks in the archipelagos of Saimaa, and one more at the shores of the connected lake Pielinen:

Eat

 * Kalakukko is vendace and bacon wrapped into rye bread dough and baked for hours on low heat. Delicacy of Savonian origin.
 * When in Lappeenranta it is good time to try vety or atomi or vetyatomi, the local fast food filled pies available from all grillikioski.

Drink
Saimaa region has some nice small breweries such as Saimaan Juomatehdas in Mikkeli

Stay safe

 * Stay afloat. Especially in small boats you should follow safe practices.
 * If swimming at unofficial beaches, watch out for (half) sunken trees and trunks.

Go next

 * Go boating on the Baltic Sea or on Europe's largest lake Ladoga.

title: Saimaa


text:
Sainshand

Sainshand is the capital of Dornogovi province. It is 463 km from Ulaanbaatar city.

Understand
This small city in the Govi is planned to become a major industrial site with mineral processing and a hub between the Tran-Mongolian railway and a new east-west cross-Govi railway connecting major mines with eastern Siberia.

Get in
As it is a station on the main train-line of the Trans-Mongolian line of the Trans-Siberian Railway from Beijing via the Zamiin-Uud/Erlian border crossing to Ulaanbaatar, there is little public transport otherwise. A paved road was completed in 2013 connecting Sainshand and Zamiin-Uud to Ulaanbaatar via Choir. There are buses to and from Ulaanbaatar.

By train
Trains departing from Sainshand go either south to Zamiin-Uud or north to Ulaanbaatar. There are 2 daily trains to and from UB, plus express trains on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with fewer stops. There is a daily train to and from Zamiin-Uud. Local trains stop at every town and city along the way and can have over 20 stops between Zamiin-Uud and Ulaanbaatar.

Do
You can visit the Hamriin Hiid Monastery about 50 km south of the town (about 40,000 ₮ per car). The drive through the desert is less than 1 hour. The monastery itself is not much more than a collection of stupas, but it's in a beautiful desert location and it's an important place for Tibetan Buddhists and locals come here to absorb "Enerji". For those who like Feng Shui or Zen Buddhism, it is the best place for cleansing and performing the appropriate rituals along with the locals.

Sleep
There are hotels near the train station and near the government building.

title: Sainshand


text:
St. Albert

St. Albert, or Saint Albert, is a city of about 66,000 people (2016) in the Edmonton Capital Region. It was settled as a Métis community, and is known for its rich arts scene and Indigenous heritage.

Understand
St. Albert is Alberta’s oldest non-fortified community with roots going back to 1861. At this time, Father Lacombe convinced Bishop Taché that a mission be established on the Sturgeon River to serve the Aboriginals and the Metis of the district. The first building to be erected was a modest log chapel. Two years later, St. Albert became the site of the settlement’s first school with three Grey Nuns as its teachers.

In 1864, the Youville Asylum was opened and served as convent and a school. The asylum later functioned as an orphanage and as the first hospital in Central Alberta.

By 1870, St. Albert had become the largest settlement west of St. Boniface, Manitoba. It boasted a population of 1,000 including Metis and white settlers. Between 1870 and 1900, the area surrounding St. Albert attracted an increasing number of settlers, primarily French-Canadians. As a result, the community prospered and in 1904 was incorporated as a town.

By mid-century, St. Albert had begun to lose much of its rural appearance. Perron Street was home to a butcher shop, restaurants, hardware and general stores. In 1977, St. Albert became Alberta’s eleventh city.

Today, St. Albert continues to grow and prosper, offering its residents a high quality of life with abundant recreational opportunities and cultural and arts programs.

Get in
Edmonton is easily reached by air, train, or bus. St. Albert Transit offers bus service from Edmonton to St. Albert.

Public transit
St. Albert Public Transit (STAT) offers local routes within the neighbourhoods of St. Albert, and regular commutes into the city of Edmonton. To travel within St. Albert will cost you $2.75, while an adult fare into Edmonton will cost $5.50 ($4.50 for youth and seniors). Ticket packs and monthly passes are also available. The main bus hubs are Village Landing and St. Albert Centre.

In the evenings and on Sundays bus service is limited to the Dial-a-Bus. If you are going into Edmonton you must either catch the commuter bus from the bus hub (Village or St. Albert Centre) or call a dial-a-bus to pick you up at your nearest stop in order to connect with the commuter bus. Dial-a-Bus requires you to call about an hour before the departure of the commuter bus, so be sure to plan ahead since the commuter buses in the evenings only leave once an hour. If you are coming back into St. Albert from Edmonton in the evenings then, once your back at Village Station, you hop on to the Dial-a-Bus at and tell the driver where you need to go and they will take you as close as they can to your destination. Further information, including dial-a-bus numbers, can be found online.

Taxi
There are several options for taxi service within St. Albert and into Edmonton:
 * St. Albert Taxi (+1 780-459-5050),
 * Lime Taxi (+1 780-418-1111),
 * Blueflame Cabs (+1 780-459-9393),
 * Brinki's Airport Service (+1 780-918-3798)

It is sometimes difficult to find an Edmonton taxi to go into St. Albert on evenings and weekends, but if you ask enough drivers someone will usually do it for the right price.

Go next

 * Edmonton
 * Calgary
 * Wabamun
 * Sylvan Lake
 * Elk Island
 * Jasper
 * Drumheller

title: St. Albert


text:
Saint Andrews (New Brunswick)

Saint Andrews (St. Andrews by-the-Sea) is a seaside resort town of about 1,500 people (2016) in the Canadian province of New Brunswick on the Bay of Fundy.

Understand
The Town of St. Andrews is in the extreme southwest corner of New Brunswick. Settled by Loyalists fleeing the United States in 1783, the town boasts the original plat and many of the houses date from that time. Some houses were floated across from the New England States by barge.

Get in
St. Andrews is off of Highway 1, about 30 minutes east of the US border at St. Stephen, NB/Calais, Maine and 65 minutes west of Saint John.

Get around
Downtown is walkable and its streets intersect each other at right angles. For places outside of the downtown area, you have to drive.

See

 * St. Andrews Blockhouse
 * Sherrif Andrews House
 * St. Andrews Blockhouse
 * Sherrif Andrews House

Do

 * Whale-watching & wildlife tours
 * Katy's Cove
 * Ministers Island

title: Saint Andrews (New Brunswick)