text:
Oak Park (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Oak Park:

Australia

 * Oak Park (Australia) - A town in Victoria (state).

United States of America

 * Oak Park (Georgia) - A town in Georgia (state).
 * Oak Park (Illinois) - A city in Chicagoland.
 * Oak Park (Michigan) - A city in Oakland County, Michigan.

title: Oak Park (disambiguation)


text:
Oak Ridge

Oak Ridge is a city in Tennessee. Oak Ridge was created as secret city during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project. In Oak Ridge, thousands worked in secrecy to enrich the uranium used in the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The city is no longer secret, but it has a rich history worth exploring, and a strong bent toward science and technology. Oak Ridge is Appalachia and the nuclear age rolled into one, a great city to check out.

By plane
The closest municipal airport is McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), which is served by:
 * American Eagle, +1-800-433-7300.
 * Delta Air Lines, +1-800-221-1212.
 * United Express, +1-800-241-6522.

A taxi from the airport to Oak Ridge might cost $70. Renting a car is a better idea, particularly because Oak Ridge has little public transit.

By car
When Oak Ridge was first built by the U.S. government, there were only two entries and exits from the city due to the desired isolation of the secret Manhattan Project. In later years, several other entrances were built, but Oak Ridge is still fairly disconnected from surrounding towns.

By the Interstate, Southbound I-75 and westbound I-40 converge in the middle of Knoxville. Continuing on I-40, proceed west until the northbound Pellissippi Parkway exit. Pellissippi merges into Illinois Avenue, which leads into downtown Oak Ridge.

By bus

 * Greyhound, 100 East Magnolia Avenue,'+1-800-231-2222. A taxi from downtown Knoxville to Oak Ridge will also be expensive, about $70.

Get around
Oak Ridge was designed by the government, so the layout of the town is fairly simple, almost utilitarian - in some neighbourhoods, the streets are even in alphabetical order. Having a car is almost necessary, as the city is quite sparsely laid-out. There is virtually no public transportation.

Drink
Oak Ridge has been a dry town since consumption of alcoholic beverages was banned in 1946, shortly after becoming chartered. Therefore, one would not find any bars in this town.

Sleep
Most of the hotels in the area cater to scientists visiting Oak Ridge National Laboratory on their expense accounts, so rates are generally higher. There are few "no-frills" motels.

Go next

 * A half-hour drive will take you to downtown Knoxville.
 * An hour-and-a-half drive will take you to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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

title: Oak Ridge


text:
Oak Trail (disambiguation)

There are multiple Oak Trails in different parts of the world:

Canada

 * The Oak Trail in Beaudry Provincial Park, Manitoba

United Kingdom

 * The Oak Trail in Epping Forest, Essex

title: Oak Trail (disambiguation)


text:
Oakville

There is more than one place called Oakville:

Australia

 * Oakville (New South Wales), a suburb of Sydney.

Canada

 * Oakville (Ontario) - A town in Ontario.

United States of America

 * Oakville (Alabama) - A town in Alabama.
 * Oakville (California) - A town in Napa Valley in California.
 * Oakville (Maryland) - A town in Maryland.
 * Oakville (Missouri) - an unincorporated suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.
 * Oakville (Washington) - A town in Grays Harbor County, Washington.

title: Oakville


text:
Oakville (California)

Oakville is a township in Napa Valley in California.

By car
From San Francisco:
 * Highway 101 North over the Golden Gate Bridge, to Highway 37;
 * Highway 37 East towards Vallejo/Napa, to Highway 121;
 * Highway 121 North towards Napa to Highway 29 North to Oakville.

title: Oakville (California)


text:
Oakville (Ontario)

Oakville is a town of 190,000 people (2016) on the north shore of Lake Ontario, about 30 km west of Toronto.

History
In 1805, the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada bought the lands between Etobicoke and Hamilton from the Mississaugas Aboriginal people, except for the land at the mouths of Twelve Mile Creek (Bronte Creek), Sixteen Mile Creek, and along the Credit River. In 1807, British immigrants settled the area surrounding Dundas Street and on the shore of Lake Ontario.

In 1820, the Crown bought the area surrounding the waterways. The area around the creeks, 960 acres (3.9 km²), ceded to the Crown by the Mississaugas, was auctioned off to William Chisholm in 1827. He left the development of the area to his son, Robert Kerr Chisholm, and his brother-in-law, Merrick Thomas. Chisholm also formed shipbuilding business in Oakville Navy Street and Sixteen Mile Creek (Halton Region) and lasted until 1842, but shipbuilding in Oakville lasted into the late 20th century.

The population in 1846 was 1,500. The community shipped large quantities of wheat and lumber via schooners and the railway. There were three churches, a grist mill and saw mill, and various small companies making threshing machines, wagons, watches, saddles, and metal goods. There were also tradesmen of various types.

Oakville's industries included shipbuilding. In the 1850s, there was an economic recession and the foundry, the most important industry in town, was closed. Basket-making became a major industry in the town, and the Grand Trunk Railway was built through it. In 1869, the population was 2,000. The community was served by the Great Western Railway and it was a port on Lake Ontario.

The town eventually became industrialized with the opening of Cities Service Canada (later BP Canada, and now Petro Canada) and Shell Canada oil refineries (both now closed), the Procor factory (no longer manufacturing), and, most importantly, the Ford Motor Company's Canadian headquarters and plant, all close to the Canadian National Railway and the Queen Elizabeth Way highway between Toronto and Fort Erie (Buffalo).

In 1962, the town of Oakville merged with its neighbouring villages (Bronte, Palermo, Sheridan, and the remainder of Trafalgar Township) to become the new Town of Oakville.

By car
The Queen Elizabeth Way runs around the west end of Lake Ontario from Niagara Falls through Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga and becomes the Gardiner Expressway into downtown Toronto. Through Oakville it merges with Highway 403. Exit at Trafalgar Road for a quick route south into the downtown area. Highways 401 and 407 (an expensive toll route) also pass further north of the town.

Oakville and the surrounding area are home to many daily commuters into Toronto, where most highways during peak hours are stop-and-go. As the main road from Toronto to Hamilton, the Queen Elizabeth Way often slows to a standstill. Exiting at Ford Drive and going south to Lakeshore or Cornwall Drive or north to Upper Middle Road (all major, parallel routes) may be a better idea if traffic is unusually bad.

By train
Oakville has two railway sections:

Amtrak, GO Transit, and VIA Rail provide rail services to Oakville:
 * Amtrak operates the Maple Leaf train service daily between Toronto and New York City, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada. Stops between Toronto and New York City include in Oakville, Burlington, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls (Ontario), Niagara Falls (New York), Buffalo, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers.  Border crossing processing takes place in Niagara Falls, where passengers must detrain with their baggage.  Train crew members are staffed by VIA Rail within Canada, and by Amtrak within the United States.
 * Operates the following route to Oakville, stopping at Oakville GO station:
 * Between Windsor and Toronto including stops in Chatham, London, Ingersoll, Woodstock, Brantford, Burlington, and Oakville. Operates multiple times daily.
 * Between Windsor and Toronto including stops in Chatham, London, Ingersoll, Woodstock, Brantford, Burlington, and Oakville. Operates multiple times daily.

Get around
Walking is convenient around the downtown core and Bronte areas, and parking is easily available. Elsewhere driving or public transit is easier.

Public transportation
Oakville Transit operates bus routes around the city. Fares can be paid by exact cash fare or by the Presto card used by GO Transit and other municipal transit systems within the Greater Toronto Area. The single cash fare price for riders ages 13+ is $4.00. Riders may also pay by tapping a credit or debit card on the Presto reader in which case the cash fare will be charged. The Presto adult (ages 20-64) single fare is $3.30. Children ages 0 to 12 years old can ride fare-free when travelling with an accompanying adult. If they're travelling independently they require a valid "child" Presto card even though it does not charge a fare upon tapping the bus reader. Youths ages 13 to 19 and seniors 65+ travelling in possession of a valid Presto card set to youth or senior fare types are entitled to the free Oakville bus rides all day every day.

A fare allows for 2 hours of travel on Oakville Transit (OT) including changing OT buses, or transferring to connecting MiWay (Mississauga) and Burlington Transit buses. If paying by cash, ask for a "transfer" to use as a receipt. For Presto credit and debit card users, transfer info is tracked to your card when you tap on.

If transferring from GO Transit to Oakville Transit (OT) to complete a trip, the OT fare will be free when using a Presto card or a credit card. Just tap your Presto card on both transit systems to get the free OT fare. When using a Presto or credit card to transfer from OT to GO Transit, the OT fare will be refunded to your card at the end of your trip.

See

 * Some of the best ambience is found south of the downtown area between Navy Street and Reynolds Rd. Many century-old homes are also located in this area, and have a plaque by the front door showing year built and the name of the first owner.
 * If you like to dream or enjoy interesting architecture, driving along Lakeshore Road east of the downtown area showcases many grand homes and mansions.
 * If you like to dream or enjoy interesting architecture, driving along Lakeshore Road east of the downtown area showcases many grand homes and mansions.

Parks
There are many parks in Oakville.
 * Try walking along the pedestrian pathways bordering Lake Ontario, along the waterfront.
 * The Trans Canada Trail, winding from coast to coast, runs through the town.
 * Oakville also has many other parks for kids and a great atmosphere all year round.
 * Oakville also has many other parks for kids and a great atmosphere all year round.

Drink
Oakville has little nightlife to speak of for a city of 190,000 people.

Stay safe
Oakville is a very safe town. Unless you get reckless, visiting Oakville shouldn't pose any danger to you.

title: Oakville (Ontario)


text:
Oamaru

Oamaru (local English pronunciation: "oh-mah-ROO") is a town in North Otago, New Zealand, with beautiful Victorian buildings crafted from the fine, white local limestone, and colonies of penguins. Oamaru is also the gateway to the Waitaki Valley, a stunning natural area bisected by the braided Waitaki River, whose hydroelectric dams have created numerous lakes for water sports and recreation. It is home to New Zealand's first UNESCO Global Geopark - the Waitaki Whitestone UNESCO Global Geopark.

Understand
Oamaru does two things better than anywhere else in New Zealand – beautiful Victorian architecture and little blue penguin viewing. A strange mix in a strange, interesting town.

Oamaru started its existence in the mid-1800s as one of a few large sheep farms in North Otago. The natural harbour was recognised and a breakwater built to facilitate trade. Buildings sprung up – banks, grain stores, post offices and a court house – built with a type of limestone called Oamaru stone because it is sourced locally and used all over the country. Oamaru fell on hard times and lacked resources to pull down the older buildings while other towns were replacing older buildings with new ones. As a result Oamaru has a fantastic collection of older buildings in an unspoilt precinct by the harbour. Better times have returned with the district becoming wealthy through the meat, dairy and education industries and this has allowed the locals to restore and strengthen the old buildings.

Today Oamaru is a little known tourism spot where prices tend to be reasonable for accommodation (of which there is a glut) and there are some exceptional restaurants, which you would not generally expect in a town of 13,000 people (2019).

Visitors come to view the nightly return to shore of little blue penguins. The town has several colonies of these birds, the smallest and only blue variety of penguin in the world. The largest colony is now run as a commercial activity by the town council, offering an opportunity to view the penguins in their natural habitat. There is also a small colony of yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho), one of the world's rarest penguins, just outside the town.

The Waitaki Valley is home to New Zealand's newest wine appellation, where a number of vineyards are producing Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling and other varietals that are winning international awards.

Partly because of its impressive architecture, and partly because of its artsy nature, Oamaru has become New Zealand's self-proclaimed capital of Steampunk. A festival of steampunk is held annually in Oamaru, usually during June. The town's Victorian heritage is also celebrated in a festival, held annually in November.

By car
Oamaru is located on State Highway 1, 250 km south of Christchurch (approx 3hr 15min) and 115 km north of Dunedin (approx 1hr 30min). State Highway 83 meets SH 1 at Pukeuri, 9 km north of the town centre, providing access from Omarama and the Mackenzie Country via the Waitaki Valley.

If you want a more leisurely route from Dunedin, follow Oamaru to Dunedin avoiding SH1 in reverse.

By bus
Daily bus services operate between Christchurch and Dunedin and between Christchurch and Te Anau via Oamaru. The main bus stop is in Eden Street, just east of the Thames Street (SH 1) intersection.

Get around
Oamaru town is small enough to cycle around. Taxis are available.

Out of town

 * Waitaki Valley
 * Waitaki vineyards
 * Waitaki Valley
 * Waitaki vineyards
 * Waitaki Valley
 * Waitaki vineyards

Eat

 * Portside.
 * Portside.

Connect

 * Free Wi-Fi is available at the library, next the North Otago museum.

Go next

 * North to Timaru in South Canterbury

title: Oamaru


text:
Oatman

Oatman is a former mining town on Route 66 in Western Arizona. For visitors it offers equal parts touristy kitsch and real, honest-to-goodness Wild West atmosphere, complete with wood slat sidewalks.

Understand
Oatman was named posthumously for Olive Oatman (1837-1903). History tells that she was a young Illinois girl kidnapped by (presumably) Yavapai Indians and forced to work for them as a slave. Later, she was traded to Mohave Indians who adopted her as a daughter, had her face tattooed in the custom of the tribe, and eventually released her in 1855 near the current site of the town.

Gold was discovered in the nearby hills in the early 1900s and the town was home to a boom that lasted until the mines closed in the 1930s. The current population of 150 is down from about 23,000 in its boom years. The main street, lined with gift shops, looks like a set from a Hollywood Western, and with good reason: Hollywood dolled up the facades to film How The West Was Won here in 1962. A staged gunfight takes place every day at high noon. On the other side of the equation, if you show up after the tourists go home, you'll start to get a real feel for the place: a town of grizzled miners and dogged entrepreneurs determined to make a living at the far edge of civilization.

While the main street is known alternatively as "Main Street" and "Oatman Road", it is also the Historic Route 66.

Get in
Follow Route 66 from Kingman or Laughlin. This portion of Route 66 is twisty and narrow and thus not appropriate for larger vehicles.

Another route from Laughlin and Bullhead City is to take Arizona State Route 95 South into Fort Mojave, and turn left onto Boundary Cone Rd. Oatman is about 13 miles (21 km) down the road.

Get around
Those expecting to find transportation available from the Oatman Metropolitan Subway System (OMSS), or even simple bus and monorail transportation, will be disappointed at the lack of options. For those able to put that disappointment aside, the tiny town is completely walkable; however, due to the frequent burro visits be careful where you walk. Parking is available in dirt lots at either end of the main street.

See
Local characters stage a gunfight on Main Street at high noon and donate the proceeds to the Shriners Hospital for Children. They're available afterward for photographs. Road traffic will be held up for the duration of the show.

A group of wild burros visits daily to munch on carrots that local shopkeepers are all too happy to sell. They have become obese from the practice and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has requested shop managers stop selling carrots. Some are selling alfalfa cubes to offer the burros instead. Feeding baby burros is discouraged, and some may sport a "Do Not Feed" sticker on their foreheads, provided by the BLM. Feeding wild burros on the road outside the town of Oatman is not legal and causes a road hazard. Pull well off to the side of the road to watch them.

Although they roam the main street and will walk right up to passers-by, these are wild burros and will kick, bite, and otherwise behave like wild animals if they feel threatened. Keep dogs away from them as the burros won't distinguish a dog from a coyote and will attempt to kick and/or stomp it.

Buy
The downtown contains a large number of souvenir and other stores. Amidst the mix of t-shirts, burro-related novelty items, and Route 66 souvenirs are a handful of unique establishments run by grizzled locals.

Sleep
There is no innkeeper in Oatman. Bullhead City, a little over away, is the closest lodging. On route 66, try Kingman or head west to the California border.

title: Oatman


text:
Oaxaca

There is more than one place in the world called Oaxaca. You may be looking for:

 * 1) Oaxaca (state) a state of Mexico
 * 2) Oaxaca (city) a city in Mexico

title: Oaxaca


text:
Oaxaca (city)

Oaxaca (Oaxaca de Juárez) is a city in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico. It lies at an altitude of, so in winter nights are cold and days are warm to hot. In summer it's always hot and often wet. Oaxaca's colorful, lively, and culturally-rich historical city center, along with the archeological ruins of Monte Alban, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand
People have lived here since earliest times; the first settlements were Zapotec and Mixtec. The nearby sites of Monte Albán and Mitla were built by the Zapotecs and Mixtecs, and the former, a world heritage site, is regarded as a precursor to present-day Oaxaca. The Aztecs arrived around 1440, and the current name derives from Aztec "huax yacac", meaning "in the nose of the squash". In 1521, the Spanish led by Francisco de Orozco, came looking for gold.

The Spanish laid out a colonial town in the present grid pattern in the 16th century, and in the 19th century, it grew rich from the export of cochineal, the red dye. Later development didn't much touch it, so today it makes for a charming old-time city centre.

During the Spanish era, the name of the city was Antequera, but after Mexican independence it was changed to Oaxaca. It was known as "la verde Antequera" (the green Antequera) for the greenish stone that many of its buildings were built from - the city center today still has something of a green cast compared to many other Mexican cities, because of both the stone and the many colorful flowering trees lining the streets. Perhaps the most beloved Mexican president, Benito Juárez (whom the airport in Mexico City is named after) was born in the state and started his political career in the city. After his death in 1872, his family name was added to the city's official name, which since has been Oaxaca de Juárez.

In 2006, violent unrest began as a teacher's strike. At one occasion police opened fire on strikers assembled to a non-violent demonstration. After that the teacher union members and people opposed to the state governor formed the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO), a left-wing movement that took over government buildings and functions, and eventually ran the city as an anarchist community for several months. As of 2024, the city is again a very-much government-run and tourist-safe area - in fact, it comes across as especially gentrified and tourist-oriented compared to many other historic Mexican cities.

Climate
With a tropical location but high above sea level, Oaxaca has a tropical savanna climate. The dry season, from November to April sees very little rain, and during that time night temperatures usually drop down to around +10°C or +50°F but on occasion down to freezing. Nevertheless, daytime highs average +27.1 °C (+80.8 °F) even in the coolest month, December. Because of the altitude and lattitude, it is advisable to wear sunscreen and reapply during the day.

Daytime temperatures increase each month from January to April, which is the hottest month. After that comes the rainy season from May to October with somewhat cooler daytime temperature variation and warmer nighttime temperatures, but there are still 16 to 17 days of rain every month on average.

By plane
From the airport, you will need to find transportation into the city. The ubiquitous yellow taxis in the city do not seem to take arrivals from the airport to the city. There is a booth as you leave the airport where you can purchase a ticket on a colectivo, a small van that will leave when full and which will drop you off right at your desired address. The order is determined based on the other passengers in your van and the price is M$105 (pesos) per person (for Zone 1 - Centro. M$170 for Zone 2). Alternatively, you may purchase a taxi 'especial' which is just for you or your party. The cost is M$410 for Zone 1 and M$550 for Zone 2 (as of Dec 2022). However, taxis especial may not be available at all times.

To get to the airport via colectivo, get your ticket the day before at the office near the Zocalo at the Alameda de Leon. Take your airline ticket and they will book you a seat on the colectivo that will get you to the airport in time for your flight. A taxi from the historical center to the airport should run between M$170-200.

By bus
The more adventurous traveler can fly directly from the United States to Mexico City, Huatulco or Puerto Escondido and then take a bus to Oaxaca (6½ hr from Mexico City or 8 hr from Huatulco or Puerto Escondido). The services are excellent and usually run on time.

From Puerto Escondido
Two shuttle van companies do multiple daily runs between Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca (City) and are a faster alternative to the bus. The very scenic route winds directly through the mountains with hairpin curves and takes about 6-7 hours depending on road conditions. Passengers who are inclined to get car sick should definitely take motion sickness tablets. There is a toilet and food break about midway.

Get around
The central, tourist-oriented part of town is well signposted and easily walkable by foot, although taxis are somewhat plentiful and buses numerous and cheap (M$7). You can pick up a free city map from one of several information booths, including one right outside the cathedral. No one local seems to know the bus routes or where the collectivos (buses to the pueblos) stop but you can get a good bus map for M$40 at the Oaxacan Lending Library.

There are also plenty of taxis found in the Centro Histórico, including a taxi rank near the Zocalo. Make sure to settle on a price before heading off to your destination. You can also use the DiDi app - this will get you a yellow city taxi but it will be charged at a fixed price to prevent you being ripped off. For Android users, DiDi is geo-restricted in Google's Play Store depending on your country of residence, but you can download an APK easily and "sideload" it. It won't let you successfully add a payment card in countries that it doesn't service, but it will let you add any card once you use it in Mexico (as at June 2024). Uber is not actively used in Oaxaca.

Buses stop running around 21:00.

As with other Mexican cities, there may be more than one road with the same name (Mexicans often use the nearest corner to navigate) and a road's name may change from one end to the other. This is particularly true for the city's downtown, which is divided into north and south by Independencia Avenue. All streets crossing it change its name except for two other main streets running along with Independencia: Morelos Avenue and Hidalgo Avenue. From east to west street names change when crossing Macedonio Alcalá (north of Independencia) and Bustamante Street (south).

See
Oaxaca's streets have a very tranquil and organic feel to them. Much of the joy of a Oaxaca trip comes from simply strolling the downtown streets, sitting in a sidewalk cafe on the Zócalo, and soaking up the atmosphere. On your strolls, try to see a few of the outstanding local landmarks. Reforma, a wealthy neighborhood about 20 minutes walk north of the historical center that is speckled with trendy cafes and restaurants, is also worth a visit.

Museums and galleries

 * SantoDomingoCC351.JPG
 * SantoDomingoCC351.JPG
 * SantoDomingoCC351.JPG

Do

Sports

 * Rugby Rugby is played on Saturdays with the Zinacantli and Jabalies Rugby Clubs, which host the annual Torneo de Dia de los Muertos.
 * Rugby Rugby is played on Saturdays with the Zinacantli and Jabalies Rugby Clubs, which host the annual Torneo de Dia de los Muertos.

Out of town trips
Along Macedonio Alcala street are many tour operators with a range of destinations. Prices are from M$150 and offer full day trips to a selection of places such as wool rug makers, mezcal producers, Mitla, Monte Alban and Hierve el Agua. The tour cost doesn't include entrance fees or the often pricey restaurant lunch, so you may want to take your own food.

Just west of town is – 8 km. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, this is one of the most impressive ruins in Latin America. The Zapotec built this site around 500 B.C. Early in its history, it had about 5,000 residents, but by 100 A.D. it had about 17,000 people living there, making it one of the largest cities in Mesoamerica at the time. By the time the Spanish arrived, it had been in decay for a long while. Take a taxi to the site, or take a bus from 501 C d Minas hourly, at half past the hour outbound and at the top of the hour coming back, M$60. Site entrance M$85. Allow two or three hours to walk around. The free museum at the entrance of the site is closed on weekends. The cafe's food is quite tasty and has outdoor seating with a great view.

Buy

 * Chocolate. Mina Street smells of chocolate and the city's most famous warm beverage is hot chocolate.
 * Mezcal. The state of Oaxaca also is well known for its Mezcal and there are several tours that visit the distilleries.
 * Artesanias. Oaxaca is known for several kinds of handcrafts, especially the colorful fantastical animal carvings known as alebrijes

Money
Many businesses, restaurants, and hotels in Oaxaca accept major credit cards as payment, but it is still important to have cash on hand for other times, such as for taxis and smaller restaurants and businesses and street vendors. There are two ATMs at the Oaxaca Airport.

The easiest way to access cash in Mexican pesos is to go to a bank and use an ATM to withdraw cash from your own bank account. Alternatively, the currencies of other countries can be exchanged into pesos at banks or various currency exchange booths, both of which are quite common in the central part of the city. It might pay to look around for the best rates of exchange. You may find that the banks offer a better rate but they might be slightly less convenient to deal with. For example, the banks might require a photocopy of your main passport page, which you will have to get at a copying shop for a peso or so, and they might have longer queues. Their better exchange rate might make that worthwhile, especially if you are exchanging larger sums. Again, ATMs are far simpler than any of this.

People working in these businesses are likely not to speak English. This shouldn't be a problem once you figure out what the process is. So make sure you have your passport with you and realize that you may need a photocopy of your passport that they will keep.

Markets

Eat
Oaxacan food is justifiably famous, and the city's many restaurants offer both traditional and creative dishes to suit many tastes and budgets.

Drink
Oaxaca is famous for at least two drinks: Mezcal and hot chocolate. The state also has a thriving coffee industry. With a few exceptions, most of the cafes are closed on Sunday.

Chocolate
The eastern end of Mina Street (2 blocks south of Zócalo) are several chocolate shops where you can taste samples. Some of these also have cafes in the back where you can drink several types of hot chocolates. Some have free Wifi.

Bars
Oaxaca is not renowned for its nightlife and, with the exception of the Zócalo and its surroundings, the streets can feel quite empty later at night. There are several rooftop bars around the Templo de Santo Domingo offering gorgeous views, particularly at sunset. Other bars and nightclubs are scattered haphazardly around the city center.

Sleep
A lot of accommodation is available through standard hotel booking websites like Booking.com, and the on-line booking agency Airbnb. On booking.com you need to pick Oaxaca de Juárez. Once you get to know the city better you might decide that some areas are more desirable to you than others and you can search in those neighbourhoods for places to stay. Some areas are more busy and have more noise and some involve a bit of a walk to the city center where you might be spending some of your time.

Rates can go up significantly during the high season and rooms are difficult to reserve during that time. National holidays and religious holidays are also very busy. Budget hostels can be found for around M$200 per night (March 2022).

Stay safe
Oaxaca is a safe city by Mexican standards, although robberies are not unheard of, particularly after midnight. Some of the streets leading out of the Centro Histórico become quite dark at night. Consider taking a taxi if your destination is far afield. The area between the Centro Histórico and the Cerro de Fortin (the hill with the amphitheatre) has a bad reputation but isn't outrageously dangerous.

Pickpockets are common in the Mercado de Abastos. Limit the valuables you carry with you when exploring the market, and avoid crowds (if you can).

During the popular uprising in 2006, there was some anti-tourist sentiment, and as of 2024 you can still see some anti-Gringo (and anti-Israel) graffiti, but face-to-face hostility doesn't seem to be a thing. The tourist experience generally feels pretty friendly.

Stay healthy
Street food is plentiful and delicious in Oaxaca, but it is risky. One option is to avoid street meat and stick to restaurants, although this is by no means a fool-proof strategy. Another is to travel with an adequate supply of an anti-diarrheal such as Immodium/loperimide (this can also easily be obtained at a local pharmacy; ask for "loperimida"). Should worse come to worst, ask your accommodation to point you to a local doctor, who can prescribe antibiotics or other medicines for either free or a ridiculously low fee. Bottled water is easy to find and inexpensive.

Connect
Oaxaca has good 4G and LTE connectivity throughout the city. Tourists usually acquire a SIM card from Telcel, the largest Mexican carrier, and there are several Telcel locations within the city center. Many restaurants and hotels have wi-fi.

Heat and noise
Though Oaxaca is warm all year round, the hottest months are March to May, before the start of the rainy season. Temperatures have reportedly been getting hotter and starting earlier over the years - for much of March 2024, daily highs were hanging around 34°C. Despite this, there is very little air conditioning, and it's basically unheard of in low- to mid-range restaurants and budget accommodations, which tend to be uncomfortably hot. A few clothing shops and the like will have AC. Prepare accordingly. Thankfully, the outdoor temperature decreases drastically each night, though some accommodations stay hot through the night because the interiors don't cool down well enough.

Because Oaxaca's city center is very concentrated, with narrow streets mostly open to cars, traffic noise can be quite loud compared to other Mexican cities with wider streets and more spread-out centers. This is a small annoyance - unless you happen to be staying along certain streets at the edges of the historic center, such as Av. Benito Juárez, where traffic moves fast over a grooved, faux-stone surface, which produces absurdly loud street noise as cars zoom by at night (especially if you find yourself leaving the windows open to cool the room down at night).

Consulates

 * 🇨🇦 Canada
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Your next destination for staying can be...

In the north-west

 * Puebla – 340 km
 * Orizaba – 310 km
 * Córdoba – 340 km

In the east

 * Tuxtla Gutiérrez with a stop-over in Salina Cruz (280 km). From Tuxtla to San Cristobal de las Casas
 * Tuxtla Gutiérrez with a stop-over in Salina Cruz (280 km). From Tuxtla to San Cristobal de las Casas

By plane
From Oaxaca there are direct low-cost flights for example to Cancún, Mérida and Mexico City.

title: Oaxaca (city)


text:
Oaxaca (state)

Oaxaca (pronounced Wahahka) is a state on the Pacific Ocean in southwest of Mexico. The state is well known for its cuisine, and its indigenous peoples and cultures. Its Pacific coast has the major resort of Huatulco and sandy beaches of Puerto Escondido, Puerto Ángel, Zipolite, Bahia de Tembo, and Mazunte. Oaxaca is also one of the most biologically diverse states in Mexico, ranking in the top three, along with Chiapas and Veracruz, for numbers of reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants.

Cities

 * – the capital, officially named Oaxaca de Juárez, but always referred to simply as Oaxaca, is an inland capital city of great history, innovative cuisine, and lively markets.
 * - small village with natural areas and holistic Zapotec healing. A Pueblo Magico.
 * — historic town of the Mazatec culture, famous for indigenous shamans willing to share psychedelic mushrooms and interesting smokeables
 * – a small town with a number of pristine beaches nearby. Gorgeous Pacific beach with famous Sea Turtle Museum. Lots of Italians, and Italian restaurants in town. A stop on the Pacific Coast Backpacker Route. Popular with European, North American and Mexican tourists.
 * – a prime surfing destination. Beach catering to middle class Mexican tourists, backpackers, and surfers. One of the best places to surf in Oaxaca.
 * – a small town high in the mountains famous for its psychedelic mushrooms
 * – beautiful long beach, home to many Canadian and American expats, popular since the 1960s. Relaxed atmosphere with a dedicated stream of travelers from Europe and "hippie" Mexican college students following the Pacific Coast Backpacker route. Growing tourist destination for high-end travelers as well. Mexico's only official nude beach.
 * – Commercial port and transportation hub for Mexico's southern Pacific coast
 * — colonial town known for its mixture of indigenous design and textures with European styles of the 16th and 17th centuries
 * — famous for its diminutive statue of the Virgen de Juquila, which has been venerated since 1633

Other destinations

 * — bays, resorts, and ecological preserves
 * — one of two calcified waterfalls in the world, where calcium in the water is deposited on a cliff to create a permanent, white waterfall.
 * — protected natural area with mountainous desert land and traces of ancient civilizations. A.
 * — archaeological site of 2,500 year old Zapotec city. A.
 * — archaeological site of the Zapotec/Mixtec religious center. A . Prehistoric caves at Mitla and Yagul are also a.
 * — Fishermen village, mangroves, surf and lot of birdlife.
 * — Waterfald and beautiful hikes in the Mixtec mountains.

Understand
Oaxaca is one of the poorest states in Mexico. Therefore, there's a great lack of public services in the whole state. While visiting Oaxaca, you will find a lot of roads and places in poor conditions, but people tend to be friendly if you give them nice comments about their place of origin. Regardless of the lack of services, Oaxaca has much to be proud of. Its great biodiversity and cultural heritage is reflected in having almost every type of ecosystem and many monuments from different epochs, including pyramids, churches and some new buildings in the capital city. So for an open-minded visitor, there is much to learn and enjoy in Oaxaca.

The most numerous and best known of the state's indigenous peoples are the Zapotecs and the Mixtecs, but there are 16 that are officially recognized. These cultures have survived better than most others in México due to the state's rugged and isolating terrain. Most live in the Central Valleys region, which is also an economically important area for tourism, with people attracted for its archeological sites such as Monte Albán, and Mitla, and its various native cultures and crafts.

Oaxaca is well-known for its cuisine. American food and travel television host Anthony Bourdain proclaimed that "as Lyon is to French cuisine, Oaxaca is to Mexican cuisine." The markets of Oaxaca are packed with stalls operated by indigenous women selling their amazing culinary creations.

Read

 * D. H. Lawrence, Mornings in Mexico. The first half of this classic collection of traveler's tales recounts the writer's sojourn in Oaxaca, while the second covers his time in New Mexico.
 * Oliver Sacks, Oaxaca Journal. Written by an amateur naturalist, this delightful journal documents not only the author's quest for exotic flora but also his observations of local foods and customs.

Talk
Oaxaca is known for its linguistic diversity. Many indigenous languages are spoken in the state. Fortunately, most speakers of these languages also speak Spanish, even if their knowledge of the language is limited sometimes, and their accent may be difficult for some native Spanish speakers to understand.

The government is now doing a Hispanization work in all the indigenous communities in order to guarantee the knowledge of the Spanish language by every single person in the state. In Oaxaca de Juárez it's still very common to hear indigenous people who are selling some kind of merchandise talking to each other in their native language (Zapotec, Mixtec, Chontal, etc.) However, they'll always address you in Spanish, so the English-speaking tourist should make an effort to learn at least the very basics of Spanish.

By plane
Oaxaca's Xoxocotlán International Airport, has flights from Mexico City, Cancun, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Tijuana. In addition the airport also has nonstop flights from the US (Houston and Dallas).

The airport in Huatulco has flights from Mexico City and charter flights from Canada and the United States.

Puerto Escondido International Airport has daily flights from Mexico City (AICM) on Aeromexico and from Mexico City (AIFA) on Viva Aerobus.

Get around
Aerotucán flies from Oaxaca de Juarez to Puerto Escondido and Huatulco.

The primary highways in the state include Oaxaca (city)-Cuacnopalan toll road and the Pan-American highway, which crosses the state completely from Puebla to Chiapas. Federal highway 200 hugs the coast connecting communities such as Puerto Escondido, Salinas Cruz and Huatulco with Acapulco and Chiapas. Federal highway 185, also called "Transístmica", crosses the state from the Veracruz border to the coast at Salina Cruz. Federal highway 125 runs from the Puebla state line along the western part of the state. Federal highway 135 leads from Puebla to Oaxaca City then down to Pochutla. Federal highway 175 runs from the Veracruz border to the city of Oaxaca. Other highways include Federal highway 147 and Federal highway 182.

Local public transportation is offered various local business using pickup trucks, buses and small cargo trucks. Oaxaca city has separate first class and second class bus stations, offering services to most places within the state of Oaxaca, including the coastal resorts of Huatulco, Puerto Escondido, Puerto Ángel and Pinotepa Nacional, and also long-distance services to Puebla and Mexico City and other Mexican locations such as Veracruz. Intercity bus services is provided by companies such as ADO, Cristòbal Colòn, SUR, Fletes y Pasajes and AU. Smaller providers provide service in vans, especially between the city of Oaxaca and the coast.

See
Most tourist attractions are located in the city of Oaxaca and the Central Valleys region that surrounds it. This area is the cultural, geographical and political center of the state, filled with pre-Hispanic ruins, Baroque churches and monasteries, indigenous markets and villages devoted to various crafts. The capital city and nearby Monte Albán together are listed as a World Heritage Site.

The largest and most important archeological site is Monte Alban, a 2,500-year-old Zapotec city built atop a mountain outside Oaxaca City. It was capital of the Zapotec empire. Also important as an archaeological site is the ancient Zapotec center of Mitla at the eastern end of the Central Valleys which is noted for its unique ancient stone fretwork and abstract mosaics. Between Mitla and Monte Albán there are a number of other important archeological sites such as Yagul, Dainzú and Lambityeco. The most important of these three is Lambityeco, in the middle of the Tlacolula Valley. It was occupied from 600 BCE to 800 CE and coincides with Monte Alban. Yagul is a ceremonial center on the side of a mountain.

Other attractions in the area include colonial constructions such as the monasteries in Cuilapan, Tlaxiaco, Coixthlahuaca, Yanhuitlán and Santo Domingo. Churches include the Cathedral in Oaxaca and the main church of Teposcolula. Hierve el Agua is an area with "petrified" waterfalls, where water with extremely high mineral content falls over the side of cliffs, forming stone waterfall-like structures. Santa María del Tule is home to an enormous Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) tree which is over 2,000 years old. The town of Zaachila is known for its archeological site and weekly market.

The coast, especially from Puerto Escondido to Huatulco, has sandy beaches on the Pacific Ocean, dolphins, sea turtles, and lagoons with water birds. Many beaches are nearly virgin with few visitors but several areas have been developed such as Puerto Escondido, Huatulco, Puerto Ángel, Zipolite, San Agustinillo and Mazunte. Puerto Escondido is an important destination for tourism from within Mexico with beaches such as Playa Carrizalillo, and attracts international surfers to Zicatela Beach, where an annual surfing competition is held. There are also areas of Oaxaca that are promoted for ecotourism such as Lagunas de Chacahua National Park set in 14,000 hectares of lagoons, rivers, beaches, mangroves, rainforest and grasslands with some 136 species of birds, 23 of reptiles, 4 amphibians and 20 types of mammals.

Yagul Natural Monument in the Tlacolula Valley, 35 km to the east of Oaxaca city, was a settlement in the early part of the Monte Alban 1 Period (500 CE). The Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the Central Valley of Oaxaca are a World Heritage Site.

Do
Oaxaca is an ideal destination for active travelers, especially those who love outdoor activities. The whole state is mountainous, covered by the Sierra Madre Sur, with miles of backcountry areas criss crossed by deep ravines. One of the best places to hike and mountain climb is the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve high up in the mountains with a desert climate that's perfect for cacti, the area's most famous type of vegetation.

Ecotourists who prefer coastal sealife can visit hundreds of miles of coastline that feature lagoons, mangroves, and isolated beaches free of resort hotels, commercial enterprises, or people of any sort. Lagunas de Chacahua National Park is known for its mangrove, birdwatching, and three species of sea turtle who hatch their young on its beaches. If you're interested in a mix of marine species and land species, head to the resort area of Huatulco, which is also a national park and biosphere reserve.

Adrenaline seekers will find lots to do in Oaxaca, including:
 * Surfing - Oaxaca's Pacific coast is famous among surfers for its laid-back beach towns and its variety of great surfing conditions. A couple of Oaxaca's most famous surf destinations are Zipolite and Mazunte, though even a non-touristic town like Salina Cruz has a surprising number of surf shops, hostals, and surf instructors (not to mention some tasty waves)
 * Caving - Oaxaca isn't known for its commercial "show caves", but there are a number of caves in its many mountains, including the deepest cave in the Americas, the Sistema Huautla in the town of Huautla. This is a wild cave that requires a permit from the local government to explore. It's about a mile deep and has more than 100 miles of mapped passageways. A serious challenge for the expert caver only.

Archaeology is a big draw for Oaxaca, which hosts ancient ruins of the Zapotec and Mixtec civilizations that date back as far as 1800 BC, as well as some caves near Mitla that are thought to be one of the earliest places where humans developed agriculture. Monte Alban, Mitla and the caves are.

Take a cooking class! Foodies generally regard Oaxaca as having the most fascinating and delicious regional cuisine in Mexico with ingredeitns and cooking techniques that have been passed from generation to generation for more than a millenium. The food is tightly tied to the state's agriculture, which is unique in Mexico for relying on heritage varieties of corn, squash, tomatoes, cacao and other products that are produced locally on very small scale farms. Many of the chiles and spices used in Oaxacan dishes are unavailable outside Oaxaca. Famous cooking schools are in the city of Oaxaca and there are tours to mezcal distilleries in remote villages.

Eat
Oaxaca has a very rich gastronomy that offers a wide range of dishes. Most commonly in Oaxaca de Juárez you will have the chance to eat the famous tlayudas, a giant tortilla filled with beans and the Oaxacan quesillo (wrapped cheese) and accompanied by tasajo (beef). Dauntless travelers should also try chapulines (grasshoppers), which are a popular dish.

Oaxaca's gastronomy is known for its "seven moles," chapulines (grasshoppers), Oaxaca tamales in banana leaves, tasajo and mescal. Regional variations include the wide variety of vegetables in the Central Valleys region, fish and shellfish in the Coast and Isthmus regions and the year-round availability of tropical fruit in the Papaloapan area on the Veracruz border. Like most of the rest of Mexico, corn is the staple food, with corn tortillas, called "blandas" accompanying most meals. Black beans are preferred. Oaxaca produces seven varieties of mole called manchamanteles, chichilo, amarillo, rojo, verde, coloradito and negro. These moles and other dishes are flavored with a variety of chili peppers such as pasillas Oaxaqueños, amarillos, chilhuacles, chilcostles, chile anchos and costeños. Epazote, pitiona and hoja santa are favored herbs in Oaxacan cooking. The last is indispensable for the preparation of mole verde.

Mezcal
There is a saying in Oaxaca, "Para todo mal, mezcal, para todo bien, también" (For everything bad, mezcal; for everything good, the same.) Alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks based on the maguey plant have been consumed in many parts of Mexico since early in the pre-Hispanic period. The tradition of the making of the distilled liquor called mezcal has been a strong tradition in the Oaxacan highlands since the colonial period. One reason for this is the quality and varieties of maguey grown here. Some varieties, such as espadín and arroquense are cultivated but one variety called tobalá is still made with wild maguey plants. It is made with the heart of the plant which is roasted in pits (giving the final product a smokey flavor) and is sometimes flavored with a chicken or turkey breast (pechuga) added to the mash. It is mezcal, not tequila, and may contain a "worm," which is really a larva that infests maguey plants. The final distilled product can be served as is or can be flavored (called cremas) with almonds, coffee, cocoa fruits and other flavors.

The town of Matatlán (officially, Santiago Matatlan) calls itself the world capital of mezcal. The best known producer here is Rancho Zapata, which also has a restaurant. It is owned by a man that goes only by the name of Tío (uncle) Pablo, who won first prize for his mezcal in Chicago in 2003. In many parts of the Central Valleys area, you can find small stands and stores selling locally made mezcal on roadsides.

Hot chocolate
Chocolate, which is grown in the state, is known for its role as a beverage. In Mexico, the cacao beans are ground then combined with sugar, almonds, cinnamon and other ingredients to form bars. Pieces of these bars are mixed with hot milk or water and then served hot.

Stay safe
Oaxaca is generally peaceful and tourists have few problems in popular coastal areas like Huatulco and Puerto Escondido, the city of Oaxaca, or the archzeological zones of Monte Alban and Mitla. Rural areas are also generally safe. However, crime can always be an issue and things get a bit dicey in the far western rural areas near the border with Guerrero and in the far southeast between the port of Salina Cruz and the Chiapas border.

Go next
Any trip to Oaxaca just wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Pacific beaches. From Oaxaca de Juárez, take any bus ADO, OCC, or local busses to Pochutla, the regional hub and market for the coast. There aren't many attractions in Pochutla, but there are several banks and ATMs which many travelers from nearby towns come to use when ATMs in their village are out of cash. The ayuntamiento building and red and white church here are quite beautiful. From Pochutla you can catch a collectivo to Mazunte, home of the famous sea-turtle museum, or the increasingly popular Zipolite.

title: Oaxaca (state)


text:
Oaxtepec

Oaxtepec (pronounced Watehpec) is a city of 7,000 people (2020) in Morelos. The main industry of the city is domestic tourism due to the warm weather and the large campus which includes several economic hotels, cabanas, campsites, several pools, and a waterpark. (Don't expect to see many foreigners, if any at all.)

Get in
Take a bus from Mexico City's Taxqueña bus station. Buses leave every 10 minutes until around 19:00 in the evening and cost around M$80 (pesos). You may be able to take a bus from Puebla although this is uncertain.

Oaxtepec is 44 km (27 mi) from Cuernavaca.

From Mexico City, it is 91 km (57 mi) via Mexican Federal Highway 113, or 100 kilometres (62 mi) via Mexican Federal Highway 95D and Mexican Federal Highway 115D.

Get around
If you are staying in the large government-owned campus with the waterpark and many hotels, you can walk down the road (or wait on the side) for a beige van to come driving by. This van acts as a sort of free transportation to patrons of the campus and can take you to your hotel, or from your hotel to the entrance or waterpark.

See

Do
Swim! If you stay on the campus you will have complimentary access to numerous pools, including a very large and very nice Olympic pool and a diving pool with diving boards of various heights.

Go to the waterpark known as PAO (Parque Acuatico Oaxtepec). If you are staying on the campus and have an identification bracelet (given to you when you check in to a hotel on the campus) you will get half off of the admission price, which should come out to about M$60 a person. There are plenty of terrifying waterslides/toboggans, a wave pool, restaurants, and a bunch of regular pools.

Go to the club house (Casa Club). Here, you can get on the internet, workout at the gym, go to a restaurant, order a snack like ramen noodles, or sit in a sauna, all free if you stay on the campus.

Buy
There are the usual knick-knacks one can expect to come across in a town aimed at domestic tourism.

Eat
Near the Excovento, you will be able to easily leave the campus (stand in front of the Excovento and go to the left of it if you are coming from the inner area of the campus). There are plenty of reasonably priced Mexican restaurants as well as a few stands selling very cheap and very delicious street food. There are also several places to get food within the campus although these tend to cost a little bit more than what you can get outside.

Drink
Abbarotes stores (convenience stores) seem to all carry alcohol. There are also a few liquor stores near the main square (which is near the Excovento and the place where all of the taxis are parked).

Sleep
If you don't stay on the campus, you can stay in the main city. Just look for "Hospedaje" signs. Some say "hospedaje con alberca" which means that they rent rooms that have access to a pool.

The prices of the hotels usually go up on the weekends when they are on the campus.

The best-priced room is the Hotel Juvenil, which costs about M$280 on the weekdays and around M$350 on the weekends. These rooms are located right next to the Excovento and therefore have easy access to the rest of the town and its shops and restaurants. Each one is more like a little house than a hotel with a kitchen that has a fridge, a restroom, a table that seats four, and four beds (two of which are in their own bedroom). This is the cheapest indoor accommodation.

You can also camp if you'd like. Camping is around M$150 a night but if you don't have your own tent then you will have to rent one for M$100 more.

Go next
Mexico City

title: Oaxtepec


text:
Obama

Obama (小浜市 Obama-shi) is a city in Fukui Prefecture.

Understand
Its Japanese name means literally "little beach," and the city promotes itself as "Nara by the Sea," for its numerous historic temples and shrines. For most of its history a fishing town, the city now supports itself primarily by tourism.

Obama, in a mixture of giddy silliness and self-promotion, latched on to the 2008 Obama presidential campaign in the United States, and local businesses started selling Barack Obama merchandise and hosting primary watch parties. The craze had its origins in a 2006 interview in Japan with then Senator Obama, when he remarked that his customs official at the airport had been from the city of Obama. Hearing this, the Obama city hall sent the senator gifts of Wasaka Agate lacquered chopsticks, as well as a DVD about the city. Upon his securing of the presidency in November 2008, the city celebrated with dancing by the "Obama Girls," a troupe of hula dancers celebrating Obama's Hawaiian upbringing, and by building a commemorative statue of the president-elect in front of City Hall.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a partly bilingual guide site.

By train
Obama is on the JR Obama Line which runs from Tsuruga Station (1 hr, ¥950). Services are infrequent but timed to meet limited express trains that stop at Tsuruga. With a change in Tsuruga, you can reach Obama from Kyoto in 2 hrs (¥4,180) and Osaka in 2 1/2 hrs (¥5,550).

From Tokyo, the easiest way to reach Obama is to take the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari service to Maibara, the Shirasagi limited express train to Tsuruga, and then the JR Obama Line. If timed perfectly you can reach Obama in just over 4 hrs (¥14,050).

The Japan Rail Pass is valid for all of these journeys.

See

Buy
When visiting, you should seek out the city's traditional Wasaka Agate crafts and lacquer ware. They have a bright red color, produced by burning basic agate stone and then polishing it with sand. The lacquer ware is the luxury souvenir of choice; it is created by highly skilled craftsmen in a lengthy process which developed 400 years ago in the city.

Go next

 * Tsuruga
 * Maizuru
 * Wakasa
 * Oi
 * Takahama
 * Mihama
 * Takashima
 * Ayabe
 * Miyazu

title: Obama


text:
Oban

Oban (Scottish Gaelic: An t-Òban) is a town in Argyll and Bute on the northwest coast of Scotland. It's a transport hub and most visitors are passing through on the way to the Hebrides, only staying overnight if ferry / train schedules make that necessary; conversely, Hebrideans come here for shopping and other necessities. The main reason to regard Oban as a destination in its own right is for sea sports, including kayaking, scuba-diving, wildlife-watching and fishing. It also has great local sea food. In 2021 the population was 8060.

Ferries from Oban sail to Lismore, Mull, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree, Barra and Kerrara. Kerrara is so close that it's effectively an outlying district of Oban, and therefore described on this page.

Visitor information

 * Visit Oban website
 * on North Pier is the Tourist Information Centre. It's open Tu-Sa 9:30AM - 5PM. It is open until 27 Oct 2024, and may not reopen after then.

By plane
Glasgow Airport is closest and has a good range of UK and European flights. Hiring a car, turn west onto M8 then cross Erskine Bridge to join A82 north. By public transport go into central Glasgow for the bus or train to Oban. You could save time by taking a taxi from the airport to Dumbarton Central station, where the Oban trains stop: reckon £20-25.

Edinburgh Airport by car doesn't take much longer and has more destinations. It's west of the city so you turn straight onto M9 north.

By train
Trains from Glasgow Queen Street run up the West Highland Line, taking 3 hours 10 min to Oban via Dumbarton Central, Helensburgh Upper and Crianlarich (where a portion divides for Fort William and Mallaig). There are six M-Sa, with the first running north around 5:20AM for 8:40AM, the last at 6:20PM for 9:30PM. Southbound back to Glasgow the first is around 5:20AM, the last at 8:30PM. There's only three trains on Sunday.

Oban railway station is in town centre next to the ferry terminal. It has a staffed ticket office, toilets and waiting room. There is step-free access to all platforms.

By bus
By bus: Citylink 975 / 976 / 977 runs six times a day from Glasgow Buchanan station, either via Arrochar, Inveraray and Taynuilt, or via Crianlarich, Tyndrum and Taynuilt, taking 3 hr 10 min to Oban.

Bus 978 runs daily from Edinburgh and takes 4 hours via Edinburgh airport, Grangemouth, Stirling, Doune, Callander, Crianlarich, Dalmally and Taynuilt.

West Coast Motors Bus 918 runs twice M-Sa from Fort William (90 min), where it connects with the bus from Inverness.

Bus 418 runs five times M-Sa across Clachan Bridge to the island of Seil, connecting with the ferries to Luing and Easdale.

The bus terminus in Oban is by the railway station and ferry terminal.

By road
From Glasgow follow A82 north to Crianlarich then A85 west to Oban, 100 miles, say 2 hr 30 min as it's a busy undivided highway. From Edinburgh take M9 to Dunblane then A84 and A85 through Doune and Callander.

Connel Bridge, which carries A828 north to Ballachulish and Fort William, is being upgraded in 2023 / 24, and this means periods of closure — check ahead for these.

A good choice in town for overnight parking, if space is available, is the railway station car park. It's out of the usual trajectory of late-night drunks and in 2023 costs £3 for 24 hours. An old sign warns that your ticket expires at midnight, but that's not correct.

By boat
is the port for Calmac car ferries to Lismore, Mull, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay and Barra. There's also a weekly ferry to Islay, but you're better sailing via Kennacraig. See the island pages for details of these and alternative routes. Oban ferry terminal is next to the railway station. By road you may think you've overshot, as you reach south edge of town, then you come to a sharp right. If you pass the lifeboat station you've gone too far.

Booking ahead is always wise, and it's essential for caravans and motorhomes - these are not permitted to join the unbooked stand-by queue. You'd be sent away to make a booking, and if you couldn't sail that day, at least you'd have accommodation. This rule improves space in the queue but is more about capacity to shoehorn cars into odd spaces on the ferry, that couldn't possibly fit a caravan. The policy applies to all Calmac ports (except a few minor "turn up and go" routes) but is especially relevant to the major outbound port of Oban.

Also with a caravan or motorhome, in summer be prepared at check-in to show a pitch reservation at your destination, else you may be turned away. All the Scottish islands have a problem in summer with visitor vehicles camping illegally on the verges and passing places.

See "Get around" for routes to the nearby islands in Loch Linnhe. is the port for small private craft, on A85 five miles north of town. Cruises of the Hebrides often depart from here.

Get around
Most sights in town can be reached on foot, but some accommodation is up a fairly steep hill.

West Coast Motors run buses in and around Oban. The only one you're likely to use is the 005 / 405, which runs north hourly M-Sa to Dunbeg (a one-mile walk to Dunstaffnage), Connel bridge, Oban Airport, Benderloch and Barcaldine.

Kerrera: Calmac ferries sail from Gallanach, the jetty 3 miles south of Oban, to Kerrara, taking only 5 min. There are over a dozen ferries daily, year-round; mid-morning and mid-afternoon they're every 30 min. Until end of March 2025 the return fare is £3.70 adult, £1.90 child aged 5-15. Visitor cars are not carried and you don't need one; bikes are free but space is limited.

See

 * Dunollie Lighthouse is on Ganavan Road 200 yards south of the turn-off to the castle. It's a 20-foot tower first lit in 1892 and more accurately described as a "sector light" - the colour displayed indicates whether you're too far east or west, or correctly positioned entering the narrow channel to Oban harbour.
 * The Dog Stone just north of the lighthouse was once a sea stack and is now on a raised beach ashore. Legend invokes the Bran the dog of Fingal McCool, but truth is stranger: a flash flood in a desert 415 million years ago heaped up boulders that became conglomerated.
 * Dunollie Lighthouse is on Ganavan Road 200 yards south of the turn-off to the castle. It's a 20-foot tower first lit in 1892 and more accurately described as a "sector light" - the colour displayed indicates whether you're too far east or west, or correctly positioned entering the narrow channel to Oban harbour.
 * The Dog Stone just north of the lighthouse was once a sea stack and is now on a raised beach ashore. Legend invokes the Bran the dog of Fingal McCool, but truth is stranger: a flash flood in a desert 415 million years ago heaped up boulders that became conglomerated.
 * Dunollie Lighthouse is on Ganavan Road 200 yards south of the turn-off to the castle. It's a 20-foot tower first lit in 1892 and more accurately described as a "sector light" - the colour displayed indicates whether you're too far east or west, or correctly positioned entering the narrow channel to Oban harbour.
 * The Dog Stone just north of the lighthouse was once a sea stack and is now on a raised beach ashore. Legend invokes the Bran the dog of Fingal McCool, but truth is stranger: a flash flood in a desert 415 million years ago heaped up boulders that became conglomerated.
 * The Dog Stone just north of the lighthouse was once a sea stack and is now on a raised beach ashore. Legend invokes the Bran the dog of Fingal McCool, but truth is stranger: a flash flood in a desert 415 million years ago heaped up boulders that became conglomerated.

Do

 * What's on? Read Oban Times or listen to Oban FM on 103.3 FM.
 * Phoenix Cinema is at 140 George St.
 * Atlantis Leisure has a gym, pool and fitness classes. It's up the hill on Dalriach Rd.
 * Day trips to Mull, Iona and Fingal's Cave are run by West Coast Tours, Turus Mara and Staffa Tours. These use the Calmac ferry to reach Mull.
 * Beaches: the coast near town is rocky. Two small sandy beaches are north of Dunollie on Ganavan Road, but the best is Ganavan Sands at road's end. North end of the beach is Ganavan Maze, a symbolic and modern course of concentric stone circles.
 * Boat cruises to St Kilda and other remote Hebridean places sail from Dunstaffnage Marina. These are large live-aboard boats on 7- to 10-day itineraries. (Day trips to St Kilda use small boats from Skye or Harris, but from the mainland would be too far for a day.) Operators include Hebrides Cruises, Majestic Line and St Hilda Sea Adventures. It's best to reserve well in advance.
 * Diving: Puffin Dive Centre is at Port Gallanach PA34 4QH, south of town near the ferry pier for Kerrara. You'll want a drysuit, though in summer a chunky wetsuit may suffice.
 * is reached by a short ferry ride from Gallanach south of town. From the landing pier are two hiking trails: south with Gylen Castle and north with Hutcheson's Monument.
 * Golf: Glencruiten GC is half a mile east of town. It's a short but hilly parkland course, white tees 4471 yards, par 62.
 * Rugby Union: Oban Lorne RFC play in the amateur leagues at Mossfield Park, east towards the golf course.
 * Shinty: Oban Camanachd play in the MOWI Premiership, the top tier. Oban Celtic play in the National Division, the second tier. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Oban Games & Argyllshire Gathering are held at Mossfield Park on the fourth Thursday in August, with the next on Th 22 Aug 2024. Lorne Highland Games are no longer held.
 * Royal National Mòd is a festival of Celtic / Gaelic literature, music and culture held in autumn. The next is held in Oban on 11-19 Oct 2024. The 2025 Mòd is in Fort William and Lochabers.
 * Royal National Mòd is a festival of Celtic / Gaelic literature, music and culture held in autumn. The next is held in Oban on 11-19 Oct 2024. The 2025 Mòd is in Fort William and Lochabers.

Buy

 * Supermarkets are on the retail park south side of town, and include Tesco, M&S, Aldi and Lidl.
 * Fuel: don't venture out to the islands or into the Highlands with a low tank. Tesco Fuel is as cheap as you'll find hereabouts, open daily 6AM-8PM.

Eat

 * Oban Seafood Hut is the green shack by the ferry pier serving seafood to go daily 10:00-18:00. Watch the ferries as you dine al wafto, flapping your hands about to keep off marauding seagulls and midges.
 * Olive Garden by the ferry pier serves steak, seafood and burgers W-Su noon-9PM.
 * The View at 34 George St has trad pub food and live music, open Su-W noon-midnight, Th-Sa noon-2AM.
 * China Restaurant is at 39 Stafford St, open M-Sa 12:00-14:00, 17:00-22:30, Su 17:00-22:30.
 * Piazza is part of Ee-usk and serves Italian.
 * Coast serves trad fare, mainly seafood, in a former bank at 104 George St. It's open M-Sa noon-2PM, 5:30-9PM, Su 5-9PM.
 * The Barn is at Cologin 2 miles south, see "Sleep".
 * Piazza is part of Ee-usk and serves Italian.
 * Coast serves trad fare, mainly seafood, in a former bank at 104 George St. It's open M-Sa noon-2PM, 5:30-9PM, Su 5-9PM.
 * The Barn is at Cologin 2 miles south, see "Sleep".
 * The Barn is at Cologin 2 miles south, see "Sleep".

Drink
Oban is the subject of an ode by the great William McGonagall - see Dundee for his career and other poetic gems. That's mentioned here because it helps you appreciate his artistry if you chug some whisky before reading him, during, after, and even better instead of.
 * Whisky Vaults Hotel at 3 Tweedale St has ten rooms en suite but most come here for the whisky bar.
 * Whisky Vaults Hotel at 3 Tweedale St has ten rooms en suite but most come here for the whisky bar.
 * Whisky Vaults Hotel at 3 Tweedale St has ten rooms en suite but most come here for the whisky bar.
 * Whisky Vaults Hotel at 3 Tweedale St has ten rooms en suite but most come here for the whisky bar.
 * Whisky Vaults Hotel at 3 Tweedale St has ten rooms en suite but most come here for the whisky bar.

Splurge

 * Airds Hotel quarter of a mile from the Pierhouse also gets rave reviews for comfort and food, similar price.
 * Airds Hotel quarter of a mile from the Pierhouse also gets rave reviews for comfort and food, similar price.
 * Airds Hotel quarter of a mile from the Pierhouse also gets rave reviews for comfort and food, similar price.
 * Airds Hotel quarter of a mile from the Pierhouse also gets rave reviews for comfort and food, similar price.
 * Airds Hotel quarter of a mile from the Pierhouse also gets rave reviews for comfort and food, similar price.

Connect
As of April 2023, Oban and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers. Finish any important calls before taking the ferry, as coverage is patchy further west. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Sail west on a ferry. A day trip is enough to see Lismore; Mull and Iona can be done as a day trip but deserve longer. Further away are Coll, Tiree, Colonsay, Barra and South Uist.
 * Go north to Fort William for Ben Nevis, and routes to Loch Ness and Skye.
 * Go south for the bridge to Seil, which along with Luing and Easdale islands was once quarried for slate.
 * Further south see Arduaine Garden, the extensive prehistoric area of Kilmartin, and  Tarbert which has ferries to Islay.
 * Go southeast towards Glasgow, seeing Inveraray, the Cowal peninsula and Loch Lomond.

title: Oban


text:
Obanazawa

Obanazawa (尾花沢) is a city in Yamagata. Obanazawa's main claim to fame is that it has one of the highest snowfalls in the entire world, with over two meters falling in an average winter, and they've even developed a special sharply peaked "flower hat" (hanagasa) to stop snow accumulating on your head.

Understand
Haiku poet Matsuo Basho spent ten days here on his journey along the Narrow Road to the Deep North.

Tourist Information Site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site. It says Obanazawa is the city of snow, watermelon and hanagasa.

By air
The nearest airport is Yamagata, which receives flights from Tokyo Haneda, Osaka Itami, Sapporo Chitose and Nagoya Komaki. There are three buses a day to Ōishida Station and Obanazawa City Hall (of which two continue to Ginzan Onsen), taking 50 minutes and ¥1000 (1 hr 20 min and ¥1500 to Ginzan Onsen).

The nearest international airport is Sendai.

By train
Obanazawa is served by Ōishida Station, in the adjacent town of that name, and is served by the Yamagata Line and Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo. Tsubasa trains run eight times a day from Tokyo, with additional trains terminating at Yamagata.

Times and prices are typically as follows:

 * Shinjō (by Shinkansen): 14 minutes and ¥1880
 * Shinjō (by local train): 20 minutes and ¥410
 * Yamagata (by Shinkansen): 35 minutes and ¥2140
 * Yamagata (by local train): 50 minutes and ¥670
 * Tokyo (by Shinkansen): 3 hours 10 minutes and ¥12,670

From Sendai, take the Senzan Line to either Uzen-Chitose (for a local train) or Yamagata (for the Shinkansen); check the timetable to see which is faster. This should take roughly 2 hours and cost ¥1660 (¥3130 if taking the Shinkansen). Taking the Shinkansen via Fukushima may be slightly faster, but will be much more expensive.

On weekends, public holidays and certain holiday periods, the Chiisana-tabi Holiday Pass allows free travel on local and rapid trains in an area stretching to places such as Shinjō, Sendai, Hiraizumi, Kesennuma, Shirakawa, and Aizu-Wakamatsu for ¥2670. If you buy a limited express ticket, you can also use the Yamagata Shinkansen between Shinjō and Fukushima.

By bus
Yamakō Bus and Tōhoku Express run the overnight Tokyo Sunrise (suspended as of March 2024) from Hamamatsuchō, Tokyo Station Yaesu-dōri, Ueno, and Asakusa, taking 7 hours 30 mins and costing between ¥7400 and ¥6600.

Yamakō Bus above also runs 10 Tokkyū Yonpachi Liner buses a day from Sendai, taking 1 hour 45 minutes and costing ¥1750. These buses can also be used from Shinjō (35 minutes, ¥990).

See

 * Natagiri mountain pass (Natagiri Toge)
 * Yosen Temple

Do

Ginzan Onsen (銀山温泉) is a very small picture postcard perfect Japanese village along a river with hot spring baths in most small hotels. To get there, buses run five times a day from Ōishida Station, taking 40 minutes and costing ¥710.

The attraction of the town is its physical beauty - a village wedged between hills with a small river gushing through it and a number of quaint bridges strategically placed across the stream every 20 metres or so to connect houses on either side of the river. Famed in Japan because it was used as a set for the internationally popular NHK drama Oshin in the 1980s, Ginzan is a place to visit for a short period in winter when it is spectacularly covered in the metres of snow for which this area of Japan is famed or in summer for hiking in the surrounding hills.

If you visit in winter, you may be lucky enough to attend the New year festivities in mid January - when the small town comes out to celebrate the end of the old year and the incoming new year. Men and boys dress in sumo type apparell and barefeet in the freezing cold around a big bonfire - where last year's decorations are tossed in, and the town and visitors drink sake together.

Ginzan is a charming small town clinging to its history but with younger people resettling there. In winter, there is little to sustain a visit longer than 1-2 nights but it is highly worthwhile to see how the hardy friendly and straight forward rural Japanese live.

Speaking Japanese will assist greatly - though there are groups of Taiwanese who visit and who speak no Japanese.

Eat

 * Obanazawa beef

Go next

 * Oishida
 * Murayama
 * Shinjo
 * Funagata
 * Higashine
 * Tendo
 * Mogami
 * Okura
 * Kami

title: Obanazawa


text:
Oberammergau

Oberammergau is in the German state of Bavaria. It is famous for its Passion Play staged every 10 years, and for the "Luftmalerei" (when they paint mural-type illustrations on their houses and buildings).

By car
Go south from Munich and take the Autobahn A-95 south to the Ettal exit. From there on the B-23 to Oberammergau.

Get around
Getting around Oberammergau shouldn't be a problem since it's a relatively small town. You can get around (as most locals do) walking, but you can also take the bus (there are a couple of bus stops in town); you could also get around by car, and like most of youth by bicycle.

See

 * Most of the buildings in Oberammergau have beautifully detailed murals on them, mostly of Biblically significant tableaux.
 * There is one beautiful Catholic church in Oberammergau built in a baroque style. Although Oberammergau is known for being a Catholic town there's also an Evangelical Church.

Do

 * Take a tour near Oberammergau in Linderhof Castle.
 * Walk the 7-km walk to the village of Ettal to visit the fantastic, working monastery that still operates its own brewery.

Events

 * Every 10 years, the Passion Play is performed. The next performance will be in May 2022 (postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and you can also visit the Passion Play theater where you can take a tour, in which many different aspects of the play are explained. The tour is usually available from May to October, Tu-Su 10:00, 10:30, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00. The tour is also available on Mondays during the Holidays.

Buy
If there is something that anybody who has been to Oberammergau should have it is a wooden souvenir. Wood carving is an ancient art practised in Oberammergau (there's even a couple of schools in town), a usual Oberammergau souvenir is a wooden crucifix. The best place where you can find fully handmade wood carvings is at Lang seel. Erben in the Dorfstraße. It is the oldest woodcarving company in Oberammergau where toys for King Ludwig II and Sissi has been produced. Also you will find here handmade nativity sets which will make unique Christmas decorations.

There are two kinds of wooden clocks that can be purchased, the first is a cuckoo clock (which may vary in size and price) and the second one is a Bavarian clock, which goes in the opposite sense of conventional clocks with the inscription "In Bayern gehen die Uhren anders" (In Bavaria the clocks run differently).

Eat
For a small town Oberammergau offers a great variety of places to eat. If you don't wish to spend too much money in food you can try eating at one of the Imbiss (bars in which food is also served). You can also eat at one of the many hotel and guest houses (where among international food, local food is also served). Desserts are to be found not only in the restaurants but also in some cafés.

Drink
Hot beverages are served in the small cafés in town. There are also cafés/ice shops in which coffee and ice creams are sold all year round. But if you'd like to have a nightcap then you probably would want to go to some of the town's bars.

Sleep
For such a small town Oberammergau presents quite a variety of hotels, with prices between €45 per night to €200 per night. Location is really irrelevant since the town is quite small. Some of the hotels are pretty basic in what the offer. You can stay in places like bed and breakfasts (which have a more "family oriented" feeling) or you can stay at a 5-star hotel. You may also want to consider which hotel is adequate to your needs — for instance if you're traveling alone, if you're bringing children or even pets — because some hotels are more suited than others.

Go next

 * Garmisch-Partenkirchen
 * Bad Kohlgrub

title: Oberammergau


text:
Oberhausen

Oberhausen is a city of 209,000 people (2019) in North Rhine-Westphalia. The city hosts an international short film festival, and its gasometer is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

By plane
The closest airport is in Düsseldorf

By train
Oberhausen has 3 railway stations, Oberhausen Hauptbahnhof being the central station for the city served by long-distance services and regional trains.
 * Oberhausen-Holten, the third railway stop, only serves a residential neighbourhood.
 * Oberhausen-Holten, the third railway stop, only serves a residential neighbourhood.
 * Oberhausen-Holten, the third railway stop, only serves a residential neighbourhood.

By car
Oberhausen is well accessible by the local dense Autobahn highway network. Congestion during rush-hour can be quite bad. Drivers leaving the highway need a green pollution sticker on their windshield.

By coach, bus or tram
Local bus lines connect seamlessly to the neighbouring cities.

Tram line 112 starts in Oberhausen-Sterkrade, runs via the exclusive bus and tram road past Neue Mitte, serves the central station and city and continues south to Mülheim and is served by low-floor trams.

Intercity buses in Germany serve the city and other destinations throughout the Ruhr area.

By boat
Near the Centro Mall there s a small marina for private watercraft to dock.

By public transport
Oberhausen has a well-developed public transport network, operated by local company STOAG according to VRR tariffs.

The backbone of the system is the Streetcar line 112 and especially the part of it between the central station and Sterkrade, which doubles as a bus rapid transit (BRT) line. Opened in 1996 on a former industrial railway, this transitway has frequent and fast services every few minutes. If you miss one, don't worry, you can most likely already see the next bus or tram approaching in the distance. Board any service from platform 1 at the central station tram stop to get to the centr.O shopping mall at. Tickets should be bought before boarding at the transitway stops. Customer service offices are located at the central station, at Neue Mitte stop next to the shopping mall and at Oberhausen-Sterkrade station.

Local bus lines operate throughout the city and to neighbouring cities. Single adult fare within the city is €3.30 from January 2024 onwards.

Do

 * Turbinenhalle A former industrial complex turned into a famous music and cultural venue near the city center. Mostly caters to rock and metal bands, but occasionally hosts artists from various styles. Some nightclubs are also located in the area.

Go next

 * Duisburg
 * Essen

title: Oberhausen


text:
Oberlin

Oberlin is a city in Ohio's Lorain County. The population was 8,200 in 2019. It known as the home of Oberlin College and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music as well as many innovations in the fields of natural science, filmmaking and music composition.

Get in
Oberlin is on Route 58 (North/South) between Amherst and Wellington as well as on Route 511 (East/West). Within the city limits, R58 is known as Main Street and R511 is known as Lorain St. Route 20 (where it is also known as Kipton East Road) runs south of town and connects to R58.

Oberlin is approximately 35 miles west-southwest of Cleveland, Ohio.

While public transportation between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has been discontinued, a private service, the Airport Oberlin Shuttle, has attempted to pick up the slack, albeit with fewer scheduled departures and a higher ticket price. To make reservations or for questions, call Airport Oberlin Shuttle Service, INC at or  or visit http://www.airportoberlinshuttle.com. Reservations can be made by phone, online, or by visiting their office. Airport Oberlin Shuttle Service's office is located on the first floor of the Oberlin Inn in Suite 117.

Car rental service from all the national providers, as well as taxi service to Oberlin, are also available at CLE.

Get around
Due to its small size (approximately 3 square mi), it is easiest to walk or bike around Oberlin. Navigation is fairly simple as the streets run mostly in a standard grid system. There are two major east/west streets (Lorain/511 and College St) which are divided by Main/58 into East/West Lorain and East/West College. North/south streets are divided by College St (ex: Pleasant St. is divided into North/South Pleasant by College St. There are many scenic biking trails on Oberlin's periphery that converge on Tappan Square in downtown Oberlin.

Downtown Oberlin is at the corner of Main and College. The central square, Tappan Square, is across College St. from downtown and is a square block with corners at Main/College Sts., Main/Lorain Sts., N Professor/Lorain Sts., and Professor/College Sts. The Oberlin College campus is just west of Tappan Square (the Student Union building, Wilder Hall, is at 127 W. Lorain St).

See

Budget
Chain fast-food restaurants are also available.

Sleep
There are several locally owned and operated B&Bs.

Go next

 * Cleveland
 * Akron

title: Oberlin


text:
Oberndorf bei Salzburg and Laufen (Bavaria)

Oberndorf bei Salzburg — in Austria's Tyrol region — and Laufen — in Bavaria, Germany — face each other across the River Salzach. The Christmas carol Silent Night was composed and first performed in Oberndorf.

Get in

 * Salzburg is connected to Oberndorf by several local trains each day (30min).
 * Munich is about 2h by train from Laufen (listed as Laufen (Oberbay) in railway timetables). You may need to change trains in Mühldorf.

Get around
The towns are small with no public transport (other than the train links and buses to nearby villages), but you can walk around with ease. There are two bridges between Laufen and Oberndorf - a footbridge and a road bridge.

Do
Each Christmas Eve (24 Dec) Silent Night is sung in front of the chapel.

Buy
The Silent Night Museum sells various Christmas-related items, such as candles with Silent Night motif, snow globes playing Silent Night tunes, etc. As of 2005, they only accept cash, and the items are somewhat expensive (€6 for a small candle, more than €30 for a snow globe, etc.), but people still buy them for the sake of having bought them from the Silent Night Museum.

Sleep
Accommodation options are healthier in Laufen, though there are a few places in Oberndorf.

Go next

 * Salzburg is the region's main hub
 * Fucking is 30min away by bus
 * Munich is about 2h from Laufen


text:
Oberon

Oberon is a small town in the western falls of the Blue Mountains region of the Australian state of New South Wales.

Get in
From Sydney, drive west along the Great Western Highway (A32) via Katoomba and Lithgow. Just before you reach Lithgow, turn left onto TD1 Jenolan Caves Road and continue until Duckalmoi Rd junction. Once you're at the junction, turn right and continue until you reach Oberon.

From Bathurst / Kelso, use O'Connell Road southeast towards Oberon via O'Connell.

See

 * Oberon Dam

Do

 * Oberon Tarana railtrail is a nice walk or cycle.

Go next

 * Oberon is close enough to the huge and popular Jenolan Caves to serve as a base for day-trips to the caves.

title: Oberon


text:
Oberwiesenthal

Oberwiesenthal is a winter sports resort in the Ore Mountains in Saxony, Germany. With an altitude of 914 m above sea level, Oberwiesenthal is the highest "city" (Stadt) in Germany.

Understand
Oberwiesenthal was founded as a mining community during the era of "Berggeschrey" (sic!) in early modern times. While the mining was mostly over even before World War I, winter tourism brought new wealth to this town within easy reach of several slopes. During communist times, Oberwiesenthal was without doubt the premier winter sports destination of East Germany, and a centre for the training of world-class athletes to win gold for the "peasants and farmers' state". While winter sports never left the place, it was not unaffected by reunification of Germany and with it many formerly regular visitors making the most of their newfound freedom to travel elsewhere. However, Oberwiesenthal has since bounced back and even attracts visitors from the other side of the former Iron Curtain that were few and far between before 1990.

By train
Oberwiesenthal is not served by DB but rather a steam heritage railway (for which you need an extra ticket). The Fichtelbergbahn has departures at least twice daily in either direction even during the off season and takes you from Cranzahl (served by DB) to Oberwiesenthal in roughly one hour.

By bus
The VMS bus line 210 goes daily from Chemnitz to Oberwiesenthal (journey time: 2 hr). Plan your journey using the DB journey planner.

Get around
City bus A, which also goes to the top of Fichtelberg.
 * public transport map

Go next
Germany:
 * Annaberg-Buchholz
 * Schwarzenberg
 * Johanngeorgenstadt
 * Zwickau

Czech Republic:
 * Boží Dar (Gottesgab) – important ski area
 * Jachymov (St. Joachimsthal) – Spa town
 * Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad) – Spa town in the West Bohemian Spa Triangle

title: Oberwiesenthal


text:
Obihiro

Obihiro (帯広) is a city on the northern island of Hokkaido, It is the capital of Tokachi sub-prefecture on the Tokachi Plain, a major agricultural area.

Understand
Founded in 1883 by settlers from Honshu, and designated as a city in 1933, Obihiro is architecturally undistinguished except for a few kitsch pachinko (pin ball) palaces. To the visitor it appears a city of car dealers and cake shops.

Arranged on a regular north–south grid, most of the city lies in the south western quadrant. Two main features lie diagonal to the grid: the railway line with the main JR station and Midorigaoka Park, a green hill where some of the cities main attractions (the museum, zoo etc.) are located.

Most Japanese visitors from the south come to Obihiro to visit the dairy farms of the Tokachi Plain (thus cake shops and cookies sold as souvenirs), however foreign visitors already familiar with cows and wheat fields may be more interested in the high volcanic peaks of Daisetsuzan with its extraordinary alpine flora, or the wildlife in Shiretoko Peninsula. For these major attractions Obihiro is a gateway, conveniently bypassing Sapporo and western Hokkaido.

Tourist information site
Obihiro Tourism and Convention Association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated Google Translate.

By bus
Long-distance buses are a good way to get to Obihiro. These buses all leave from in front of JR Obihiro Station.

Get around
The center of Obihiro, located on the north side of JR Obihiro Station, is small and walkable, though most of the larger shopping areas are outside of this. The city as a whole is large and spread out, though easy to navigate. Similar to Sapporo, it is laid out on a grid, and intersections are signed in both Japanese and English (e.g., West 1 South 10). The north–south axis (which lies close to the city center) is called Ōdōri.

City buses exist, though services are less frequent than on the more densely populated island of Honshu.

By car
A car is ideal, since the main attractions are outside the city. There are some rental car companies at the airport.

Do
Obihiro is located close to the Hidaka and Daisetsuzan mountains. There are an impressive range of facilities for outdoor activities: mountain trekking, horse riding, white-water rafting, kayaking, swimming, tennis, 'park golf' etc. during the summer, and skiing, snow boarding, snow shoeing and skating etc. during the winter.

Go next
Beyond Obihiro lie the high volcanic peaks of Japan's largest national park, Daisetsuzan, and the Kushiro Wetlands National Park. Further afield are Abashiri and Shiretoko National Park.

title: Obihiro


text:
Obluchye

Obluchye (Russian: Облучье, ob-LOOCH-yeh) is a town in Jewish Autonomous Oblast. It has population of 10,500 people.

Understand
Founded in 1911 by builders of Amur Railway on the curve of Trans-Siberian Railway it derives its name from "obluchok", a front plank of Russian sledge, where the coach usually sits. The town is surrounded by mountains from three sides that makes the climate less harsh. The river Hingan divides the town in two uneven parts.

Get in
By train or by minibus from Birobidzhan.

Eat
A couple of summer cafes and a Soviet-style eatery for railwaymen, where tourists also can enter.

Sleep
There is a couple of hotels.

title: Obluchye


text:
Miyoshi (Tokushima)/Oboke and Koboke

Ōboke (大歩危) and Koboke (小歩危) mean, respectively, "big steps dangerous" and "small steps dangerous" — an apt description of the perils of traversing on foot through these steep gorges in Shikoku. The river views and awesome white water rafting are the big draws here.

Orientation
The Yoshino River which forms the Oboke and Koboke Gorges flows from Kochi Prefecture in the south up to the town of Ikeda to the north. Oboke is a bit larger and near the prefecture border, and Koboke is just to the north (it's hard to really tell where one gorge ends and the other begins, as they more or less merge together.) The main access road of Rt 32 follows the river and runs entirely through the gorges from Ikeda to Kochi, and the JR Dosan train line also follows this route.

Get in
The Iya Valley page lists a variety of car rental options and other area access info.

By road
It is recommended to travel in this area by car. If you get there by train, you'll have a long walk along a noisy road without sidewalks to many places, but some services (accommodation, rafting) offer station pick-ups if booked ahead. It is also hard to find entry points for hiking trails without a car. The nearest major car rentals are located quite far away: Marugame, Takamatsu, and Kochi, however for those entering the area via Ikeda, there is a small car rental service in Ikeda at the main station (JR Rental Car), and near to Ikeda is Miyoshi Rental Car. Within Oboke, there is also a small car rental service operated via the Mannaka Hotel which is located a 10 minute walk from Oboke Station, just past the Michi-no-Eki.

National Highway 32 winds along the Yoshino River through the pristine valley of Koboke and Oboke. Coming from Osaka, Kobe or Tokushima, take the toll highway and exit at Ikeda (Ikawa-Ikeda IC). Then follow Route 192 west about 5 minutes to Route 32, then southward towards Kochi. Along Route 32 the valley gets increasingly narrow from here, first passing through Iyaguchi after about 10km (turn here at the sign for 'Deai' if accessing the Iya Gorge area of the Iya valley via 'old' Route 32). Continue another 10 kilometers to first reach Koboke and a little further along through the gorge to Oboke. Route 32 goes south to Kochi from here and the Oboke gorge continues on for a while to Iwahara in Kochi Prefecture.

A tunnel also connects Oboke to the western Iya Valley along Route 45.

From the south (Kochi area) head north on Route 32 (about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Kochi City on this road), or take the toll highway north to the Otoyo IC and head north on Route 32 from here (about 30 minutes to Oboke from Otoyo). Iwahara would be about 10 minutes closer.

By train
Both Oboke and Koboke have stations on the JR Dosan Line from Kochi to Takamatsu via Ikeda. Stops in Koboke are by local train only, though. Nearly all trains (including express) stop in Oboke. Taxis are available from Oboke, and some places offer station pick-up if booked ahead. Iyaguchi Station, Awa-Kawaguchi Station and Koboke Station to the north and Tosa-Iwawhara Station (for Iwahara in Kochi) further south are only accessible by local train.

By bus
Buses that come from Ikeda's Awa-Ikeda Bus Terminal (阿波池田ＢＴ) to Koboke and then Oboke (and then on to the Iya Valley) run sparsely. Weekends and high season offer increased services if going from Oboke to the Iya Valley. See the Iya Valley page for more access information if going there.

Understanding the buses can be a bit confusing. There are two bus services, one offered by Shikoku Kotsu (Yonkoh) and one offered by Miyoshi City (municipal buses). The Yonkoh buses operate out of Ikeda and run through the main areas and on to the Iya Valley, while the municipal buses in Oboke/Koboke do not connect to Ikeda but are based in Awa-Kawaguchi and service some additional local areas. Some bus times are arranged to allow connection between the two systems, but sometimes they do not (the main purpose of the municipal bus is to also act as a school bus, so do look to see if they are weekdays only). Caution: Throughout 2018 many of the bus schedules and routes have changed for both the Yonkoh buses and the local municipal buses. There are many printed scedules available in the area (at hotels, rest stops, etc) which may have the old times, so do not trust anything printed before December 2018.

The Yonkoh website has times in Japanese only for their buses (but not for the many local buses).

Do

There's one big reason for most people to visit the area: the rapids rushing through the gorge below. There are observation platforms on the highway and near the train stations if you're content to gaze from a distance, but more daring types will venture down onto the Yoshino River for a sightseeing pleasure cruise, and even more adventurous types yet will try their hand at white-water rafting in the class 4 rapids.

White-water rafting
The rapids are Japan's biggest and most exciting, with amazing rock formations and crystal clear waters. There are several rafting operators available in the area and this is by far not a complete list. Canyoning (splashing down through streams and waterfalls with rope) is also available with most rafting companies.

 * Mont Bell in WestWest also offers rafting trips, as does Lion Adventure in Iyaguchi (near The Woody Rest), as well as Kenmi Rafting via Kenmi Hotsprings Hotel, however English service is limited with these and most other rafting companies in the area.
 * Mont Bell in WestWest also offers rafting trips, as does Lion Adventure in Iyaguchi (near The Woody Rest), as well as Kenmi Rafting via Kenmi Hotsprings Hotel, however English service is limited with these and most other rafting companies in the area.
 * Mont Bell in WestWest also offers rafting trips, as does Lion Adventure in Iyaguchi (near The Woody Rest), as well as Kenmi Rafting via Kenmi Hotsprings Hotel, however English service is limited with these and most other rafting companies in the area.

Pleasure boat cruise
This 30-minute boat cruise can be a more tranquil way to experience the Oboke Gorge from the water if one is not looking for the extremes of rafting. Operated via the Hotel Mannaka from their rest area across from the hotel, boats run daily from 09:00 to 17:00 and cost ¥1080/540 for adults/children. See here for more information.

Hot springs
If you survive the rafting experience without developing acute hydrophobia, or if you wish to get wet in a more heated manner, Kenmi Hotsprings Hotel, Hotel Mannaka and the Sun River Oboke hotel have hot springs offering more bubbling water to soak in, all with day-use bath only options. If one drives 15-20 minutes up from Oboke into the Iya Valley, there are also several hot springs on offer there, with the closest one being at Hotel Hikyo-no-Yu.

Buy
There are several rest areas along Route 32 between Iyaguchi to the north and the Oboke intersection to the south.

Eat and drink
The local specialties are ayu and amego, delicious river fish salted and barbecued on a stick.

Camping

 * There are closer camping options for the area located in the Iya Valley. About 15-20 minutes from Iyaguchi is the Iya-kei Campground, and about 15 minutes from Oboke are the Iya Fureai Park Campground and Kazurabashi Campground. All of the campgrounds are accessible by public bus. See the Iya Valley page for more details.
 * There are closer camping options for the area located in the Iya Valley. About 15-20 minutes from Iyaguchi is the Iya-kei Campground, and about 15 minutes from Oboke are the Iya Fureai Park Campground and Kazurabashi Campground. All of the campgrounds are accessible by public bus. See the Iya Valley page for more details.

Guesthouses
Cabins and bungalows are available at the Shiozuka Highlands Campground at affordable prices, especially if not staying alone. See above.

Go next

 * Ikeda, the access hub for the Oboke, Kobobe, and Iya region.
 * Iya Valley, with more scenic views, historic vine bridges, hot springs, and some great hiking too, it is just up the mountain and through the tunnel from Oboke.
 * Kochi, head down south for beaches, bars, and barbecue fish.

title: Miyoshi (Tokushima)/Oboke and Koboke