text:
Campeche

Campeche is the capital and largest city in the state of Campeche, Mexico. It has a population around 250,000 people and growing. It sits in the northwestern area of the state. Historically it has long been the second city of the Yucatán Peninsula after Merida roughly 155 km to the north, the capital of the neighboring state of Yucatán. Campeche a port city on the Gulf of Mexico, with relaxed atmosphere and a charming Colonial old town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Campeche is one of only two cities in North America (the other being Quebec City in Canada) to have its city walls still intact.

Understand
Campeche was founded in 1540 by the Spanish conquistadors as the city of San Francisco de Campeche (still its official name, though never used) on top of the old Maya town called Ah Can Pech (roughly, "place of snakes and ticks", supposedly for an ancient idol depicting a snake with a tick on its head). Campeche grew into the leading port in the Peninsula in the colonial era. The city's walls and a series of forts were built in the 16th century to guard against frequent pirate attacks. With independence from Spain at the start of the 1800s Campeche was at first part of the state of Yucatán, but separated with the creation of the State of Campeche mid century.

Today Campeche is a fast growing city, but has maintained its history with meticulously preserved walls and historic buildings. Especially outside of the city center, Campeche is a still fairly laid back place and can feel more like a small town. The city is still relatively compact and easy to get around, although as the city grows even bigger, that is slowly changing.

By bus
From Merida

From the ADO "centro histórico" bus station in Mérida, buses leave almost every 30 minutes for the two and a half-hour drive to Campeche, which costs between M$190 (2nd class but comfortable) and M$350 for ADO bus booked last minute (Nov 2023).

From Ciudad del Carmen

buses to Campeche are also very frequent and cost roughly M$130. The trip is about 2 hr 45 min, longer by second class bus. From Cancun, the trip to Campeche takes 6½ hours to complete and costs roughly M$300. There are four buses to Campeche every day. From Mexico City, Campeche is a lengthy 17-hour drive and this trip costs from M$800-950. A first class bus is recommended.

By train
Tren Maya is a new intercity rail system that covers five states in the Yucatan Peninsula, including Campeche. The train provides frequent service to major cities, beach resort areas, and tourist destinations. From Campeche, passengers can take trains toward Merida and Cancun, or towards Palenque (with onward connections to Tren Interoceanico toward Coatzalcocos, Veracruz). Trains go to Merida and onward to Cancun. Trains to Palenque begin December 31, 2023.

Get around
Because Campeche is still a small city, it can be easy to navigate on foot, although the oppressive heat and humidity that dominates most of the year may make this impossible. If you are staying in the historic center, this is the best option.

Otherwise or for visiting attractions away from the old town, it is best to get around the city by taxi or bus. Taxi fares are charged by zone; to go from the ADO bus station to downtown, the cost is roughly M$30. The city runs many public buses. They tend to be small, hot, usually cramped and in varying states of disrepair. The fare, however, is cheap at just M$6, so they're convenient for budget travelers or the adventurous. The bus driver will make change, but don't try to offer large bills as they likely won't be accepted.

See

 * Campeche Archaeological Museum, Forte San Miguel. This old fort of Campeche is used as a display of Mayan artefacts found in different sites around the Yucatan peninsula. Overall a good small museum with informations in English. Entrance fee M$70 ( Nov. 2023)
 * Campeche Archaeological Museum, Forte San Miguel. This old fort of Campeche is used as a display of Mayan artefacts found in different sites around the Yucatan peninsula. Overall a good small museum with informations in English. Entrance fee M$70 ( Nov. 2023)
 * Campeche Archaeological Museum, Forte San Miguel. This old fort of Campeche is used as a display of Mayan artefacts found in different sites around the Yucatan peninsula. Overall a good small museum with informations in English. Entrance fee M$70 ( Nov. 2023)
 * Campeche Archaeological Museum, Forte San Miguel. This old fort of Campeche is used as a display of Mayan artefacts found in different sites around the Yucatan peninsula. Overall a good small museum with informations in English. Entrance fee M$70 ( Nov. 2023)
 * Campeche Archaeological Museum, Forte San Miguel. This old fort of Campeche is used as a display of Mayan artefacts found in different sites around the Yucatan peninsula. Overall a good small museum with informations in English. Entrance fee M$70 ( Nov. 2023)
 * Campeche Archaeological Museum, Forte San Miguel. This old fort of Campeche is used as a display of Mayan artefacts found in different sites around the Yucatan peninsula. Overall a good small museum with informations in English. Entrance fee M$70 ( Nov. 2023)

Buy
There are tourist oriented shops in the historic center, although their prices are relatively high. The central market is quite small by Mexican standards and it doesn't offer handicrafts like many other do in the country. Outside the market, vendors hawk various items, the most interesting of which are hammocks, a Yucatan specialty.

For travellers looking for a piece of home or just wanting to buy clothing, there are several grocery/department stores located around the city. Super San Fransisco de Assiss has four locations in the city, one of which is on the Gulf of Mexico near the cinema. Another is located by the university, but it's not a central location. The biggest, and cheapest store, is Chedraui, located on Avenida Gobernadores about a 10 minute walk north of the old bus station. It features a full department store, a grocery store and a small restaurant, and has several banks in the vicinity.

Because Campeche is not very tourist oriented, knickknacks and handicrafts are hard to come by.

Eat
Campeche is well known for its seafood, especially shrimp (camarón) and shark (cazón) and both are widely available.

The only North American chains in the city are Burger King and Church's Chicken (located north of the cinema), so visitors have extra incentive to eat local. There are many small restaurants located in the historic center, all ranging in price, but try to watch food preparation before you buy. Outside of the historic centre, Avenida Gobernadores offers a plethora of eating establishments, but again, watch the food preparation and then decide.

Calle 59 is partly pedestrian between c. 10 & 12 and has a few bar/restaurants with outdoor tables

At the northern end of the malecon (about 4km) are several coctelerias that will serve the freshest seafood for lunch Competition is fierce enough that they will try to lure you with free drinks and/or a complimentary ride to the old town.

There are a few grocery stores outside the old town. All have a small restaurant, deli, bakery, grocery, meat and produce departments.

Budget
All these are in the city center:

Sweet
If you have a sweet tooth, the Chedraui bakery is a must. Donuts, sweet bread, danishes, muffins and cookies are all sold in bulk and baked fresh in store, and the prices are cheap.

Drink
Casa vieja del Rio has the best views over the central plaza and church, excellent for relaxing and people-watching from the balcony. Enter from the stairs in front of the tourist train stop, on the southern side of the plaza.

Sleep
There are a few hotels on the Malecon (Av. Adolfo Ruiz Cortines), which runs the entire length of the city along the Gulf of Mexico. Most are relatively expensive, but offer clean and comfortable accommodations. There are also a few hotels located in the historic center, particularly near the center square, and they are much cheaper in price. Unfortunately, because Campeche has a very small tourist industry, accommodations can be hard to find.

Go next

 * Maya ruins The heritage of the ancient Maya is nearby. Those nearby are mostly smaller than the more famous ruins in Yucatán, they are still fascinating and much less touristy and crowded.  Edzna is the closest major site, about  45 minutes to an hour away.  The set of Maya ruins on the other side of Escárcega, including Becan, Calakmul, and several others, are some of the largest in the Maya lands, but are comparatively little developed and more distant and difficult to visit with Campeche as a base. You can get at least a sample many of them along or near the highway as stops on a drive between Campeche and Chetumal; make a full day of it starting at dawn. Serious ruin buffs can easily make a couple days of it; staying at one of the eco-lodges or small hotels near Xpujil or towards Calakmul will  be a more pleasant stay than charmless Escárcega.
 * Champotón is a small city down the coast; further on is Ciudad del Carmen.
 * Yucatán is to the north, with the big city of Merida and other attractions.
 * Quintana Roo with its beaches and ruins is to the east.

title: Campeche


text:
Campeche (state)

Campeche is a state of Mexico on the Yucatán Peninsula. It is on the western side of the peninsula bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Much of Campeche's territory is filled with various archeological sites, almost all of which are Mayan. Its capital is also has one of the least visited colonial cities of Mexico, and the state also has many beaches.

Cities

 * — the capital city is immersed in the typically colonial aspect with towers, bastions and walls. The traveler can enjoy all the city’s attractions on board of one of the old time vehicles replicas named "El Guapo" (the handsome one) and the "Tranvía de la Ciudad" (City's Tram).
 * — colonial era town with a number of jungles and Maya sites nearby
 * — a large city sitting on an ecologically important lagoon
 * — half-way between Campeche and Carmen, it is notable for its seafood and beaches
 * — crossroads of Campeche, on the highway between Chiapas and Yucatan, key connecting point on Tren Maya
 * — scenic colonial town with access to natural areas and Mayan sites
 * — small town on a coastal island of the Gulf of Mexico, home base for pirates in the early 18th century
 * — riverfront town in the wetlands of western Campeche, known for the Maya site, El Cuyo
 * - closest village to Calakmul, several archaeological sites of the Rio Bec style nearby

Other destinations
Outside of the city of Campeche, the main reason why people come to the state are the Maya ruins. Scattered throughout the state are many dozens of archaeological sites, some that stand out are:

 * – about an hour away from Campeche, these ruins have been meticulously restored and offer a quintessential peek into Maya life during their times. An easy day trip from the city of Campeche.

 * – deep in the interior of the Mexican jungle near the border with Guatemala, these ruins are still in the process of being restored. Architecturally, they are not extremely interesting, although they are very tall and offer stunning views of the jungle. They are also situated in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and take about an hour to reach after you enter the park. Also keep your eyes open for the local flora and fauna as it is located in the Central American rain forest. Unfortunately, there is no way to enter Guatemala from here. Calakmul has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

 * - Unique Mayan site featuring a moat around the core city with large pyramids and other structures.

 * - Protected natural area that preserves 800 square kilometers of mangrove swamp and tropical forest, with land in both the states of Campeche and Yucatan. The area is home to more than 300 bird species including flamingo, stork, heron, hawk, and vulture. It is a Ramsar wetland.

Itineraries

 * Ruta Rio Bec On the road between Escárcega and Chetumal, Quintana Roo, are Mayan ruins spread across hundreds of kilometers of area. These include the sites Balámku, Becan, Calakmul, Hormiguero, Xpujil, Río Bec, and Chicanná. Some are remote and not well restored, while others are spectacular sites that are among the largest in the Maya world, but are seldom visited because they are in a comparatively remote area. Though less visited, some are historically and culturally important and all have a fascination perceived by different travelers. The sites show how this now sparsely populated area was once dense with Maya cities and towns a thousand years ago. In Campeche, you can see the regionally distinct "Rio Bec" Maya architectural style, with sets of tall steep towers, false doorways, and carved stone facades in the form of fantastic animals. With a car you can visit several of the sites in a day. Serious Maya ruin fans can make it a weeklong adventure; there are several decent places to stay the night around Xpujil. The Maya sites in Campeche are likely to become far more popular starting in late 2023 when the Tren Maya opens, allowing fast, comfortable transportation into once remote areas of Campeche and Chiapas.

Understand
Regional or ethnic identity is strong. Referring to the locals as Mexican, rather than Maya (for the Indigenous population) or Campechanos (for the Hispanic population), may risk offending some.

The topography is basically flat with small hills, much like most of the Yucatan peninsula. The northern areas of the state can be classified as dry savannah, and the area is in danger of desertification, surprisingly. The central parts of the state are heavily wooded, and the southern areas are tropical rainforest. All of these areas, sadly, are under pressure from slash and burn agriculture.

Talk
Campeche has one of the highest percentages of indigenous language speakers in Mexico and this is especially evident in the countryside. Despite that, Spanish is the lingua franca and is understood almost everywhere. However, since the state has been relatively isolated and untouched by international tourism, English is not widely spoken.

Tourists should not be embarrassed to try their Spanish, even if only reading from phrasebooks. You will stick out, but the locals will appreciate the effort and be more helpful than if no effort is made at all.

By plane
There are two airports in the state of Campeche: Campeche and Ciudad del Carmen. Campeche City has daily flights to Mexico City. Ciudad del Carmen has flights to Mexico City as well as to Houston Texas. Neither are cheap. The best bet is to fly into Mérida, Yucatan and bus to Campeche. This can also be done from Cancún, although it may take an extra day just to get to the state.

By bus
From the Autobuses del Oriente (ADO) station in Mérida, buses leave almost every hour for the three-hour drive to Campeche, which costs roughly M$300 (pesos) as of February 2024. Since it is a short run, second class buses can also be taken, although this offers only small savings (M$10-20).

From Ciudad del Carmen, buses to Campeche are also very frequent and cost roughly M$80. The trip is about two hours, longer by second class bus.

From Cancun, the trip to Mérida takes 5 hours and costs roughly M$150. From there, it is necessary to take another bus to Campeche.

From Mexico City, Campeche is a lengthy 24-hour drive and this trip costs M$700. A first class bus is recommended.

By train
Mexico's new Tren Maya intercity railway has a station on the Periferico in Campeche, the station is called San Francisco de Campeche in order to confuse travelers. As of December 2023, trains initially go in the direction of Merida and Cancun or towards Palenque. Tickets from Campeche to Cancun cost M$1100 to M$1800 and can be purchased in train stations or online through the official Tren Maya web site.

Get around
Buses in Mexico offer excellent service at cheap prices, and this is no exception in Campeche. The ADO station in Campeche City is on the outskirts of the city. It is possible to make the trip on city bus, but it is not recommended as these buses are small, hot and in varying states of disrepair. The city bus costs M$3. Look for one that says "Centro" in the front window. That will take you to the city market.

From this first class station, only a few points within the state can be reached, like Ciudad del Carmen, Champotón and Escárcega. The old bus station on Avenida Gobernadores, near the Chedraui supermarket and roughly a 10-minute walk from the market, offers second-class bus service to other regions of the state. To make it to some of the more remote natural areas and archaeological sites, it may be best to rent a car or hire a tour guide. It is unfortunate that the state's most spectacular sites are often poorly served by public transportation, but this reflects the state's underdeveloped tourist industry.

If you plan to rent a car, it is best to do this in Mérida as there are few, car rental businesses in Campeche.

See
Mayan ruins are one of the biggest reasons foreign visitors travel to Campeche. Several large Mayan city-states were in Campeche and because the state is considered "off the beaten path" with less developed tourist infrastructure, that's historically meant small crowds and low prices making it an ideal place for adventurous travelers interested in archaeological sites. Follow the Ruta Rio Bec, or build your own itinerary that meets your own schedule and interests.

Mayan archaeological sites in Campeche include:

Do
Stroll the old town of Campeche. Visit Maya ruins. Enjoy fishing and seafood in the coastal communities.

Eat
Seaside communities always have the freshest fish and the most innovative seafood dishes. Such is the case in Campeche where fresh seafood dominates the menu throughout the year. You'll find common Mexican seafood dishes, like ceviche and camarones everywhere, but keep your eyes open for the local regional dishes that make travel dining such a memorable pleasure.

The most emblematic signature dish of Campeche is pan de cazon. Cazon is dogfish, which is a small member of the shark family. It's the tasty filling between layers of corn tortillas slathered with refried beans and topped with a thick tomato-based salsa. It looks like a layer cake, or maybe a short stack of pancakes, but it sure doesn't taste like it!

Octopus is big business in both Campeche and neighboring Yucatan where the annual 7-week season starts August 1. From early August through early December, octopus is the "special of the day" at numerous Campeche restaurants. Pulpo might be in ceviche, or more likely, it will be grilled over mesquite, or perhaps served in its own ink.

Chile afficianados will enjoy the food in Campeche where two chiles are favored by local cooks: the infamous habanero with its mouth-scorching hotness, and the less-notorious chile x'catic, a long yellow chile with a milder burn. (Both are also common in the kitchens of neighboring Yucatan).

Drink
Beer is the most popular libation in Campeche. While large breweries dominate the sales, several artesanal craft brewers in the capital city of Campeche have started serving a much wider variety of quality beers. As of 2023, the breweries tend to be small brewpubs, brewing for on-premise sales to a local clientele. Most breweries also bottle their beers for off-premise sales and their beers may be sold in bars or restaurants in the region. Some local campechana beers to seek out include:

 * 29 Fuertes - they have 3 main beers (all available in bottles), a hefeweizen, a blonde ale, and a golden strong ale (which replaced a brown ale that has been discontinued)
 * Cerveceria Carnala - they have 3 main beers, a blonde ale called La Guerita, a brown ale, and a porter called Morena Mia, all are available in bottles
 * Cerveceria Baluarte - they have 3 main beers, a golden ale, an American pale ale, and most interesting, a black lager
 * Cerveceria Pregonero

Sleep

 * Hacienda Uayamon: Plantation just outside of Campeche on the road to Edzná. During the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz (1876-1911) local Maya workers toiled here as slaves in all but name. Now a very expensive, but fairly quiet resort and luxury hotel; it is meticulously preserved, allowing visitors the chance to take a tour to catch a glimpse of what life was like during the time,

Stay safe
Campeche is perhaps the safest state in all of Mexico. The population is still relatively small, and although there are places of profound poverty in the countryside and the cities, people are friendly and warm. The greatest danger comes from the stray dogs that roam the urban areas in packs, especially in the city of Campeche, although this is also the case in most of Mexico.

Campeche is still a place relatively untouched by tourism and North American culture. Visitors should dress conservatively in long pants and dress shirts, despite the heat. If you are fair skinned, you will stick out anyway, but this can be mitigated by dressing appropriately. Women especially should take this into consideration as it is not uncommon for fair skinned females to be mercilessly harassed.

Go next

 * The state of Yucatan is to the north.
 * The state of Quintana Roo is to the east.
 * The state of Tabasco, and beyond it the rest of Mexico, is to the south west.

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

title: Campeche (state)


text:
Camperdown

Camperdown is a small town on the A1 Princes Highway in the South West Coast region of Victoria, Australia.

Understand
At the 2016 census, Camperdown had a population of 3,369.

Get in
By public transport: Camperdown is on the rail line between Melbourne and Warrnambool, and is services by trains 3 times daily. Camperdown is also connected 3 days weekly to Cobden and Timboon by local bus.

By bike: Camperdown is the start of the Camperdown to Timboon rail trail, a 35km trail that connects the volcanic plains of the Kanawinka Geopark with the wooded valley town of Timboon.

By car: Camperdown is 196 km from Melbourne on the Princess Highway and Freeway (A1/M1). Camperdown is 67 km from Warrnambool travelling West on the A1.

Get around
The centre of Camperdown is easily explored on foot or bicycle. Walking trails are in place to climb Mount Leura and Mount Sugarloaf for clear views of the town. To explore the surrounding lakes and volcanic marrs private transport or bicycle would be advisable.

Do

 * Climb Mount Leura and Mount Sugarloaf
 * Climb the clocktower
 * Explore the historic avenue
 * Visit Lake Bullen Merri
 * Visit the Botanical Gardens for a spectacular view over Lake Bullen Merri and Lake Gnotuk

The 12 Apostles Visitor Information Centre can provide details and maps regarding these attractions.

title: Camperdown


text:
Camp Hill

Camp Hill is a city of 7,900 people (2019) in the west shore region of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Camp Hill is a very pleasant little town with many shops and establishment.

Understand
The area where the town of Camp Hill stands today was first settled in 1735 by people living on the west shore of the Susquehanna River, across from Harrisburg. This settlement was positioned on the main road to Harrisburg. In the mid 1800s the Cumberland Valley Railroad was built from the Susquehanna River to Carlisle. The railway expanded to Chambersburg and in 1839 a railroad bridge was built to Harrisburg connecting to the coal trains from the north. By the late 1800s one-third of the residents of Camp Hill were railroad workers. This increased the settlements population and on November 10, 1885 Camp Hill became a legalized town.

By the 1900s Camp Hill had become more of a suburb than a working town and most of its inhabitants commuted from the town to work across the river in Harrisburg. The town continued to grow throughout the 1900s as a fire department, several schools, shopping centers, retail establishments, and a variety of public works buildings were established.

Get in
It is also 4 miles outside of Harrisburg, 19 miles from Carlisle, and 35 miles from Gettysburg.

Visitors who will arrive by air, bus, or train may arrive through nearby Harrisburg. Please consult that article for more details.

Bus service from Harrisburg is provided by Capital Area Transit.

By car
This is the main way to get around Camp Hill. There are no parking meters in the town and also no garages.

Drink

 * Food, alcohol, parties, live entertainment, and games. Geared toward adults.
 * Food, alcohol, parties, live entertainment, and games. Geared toward adults.
 * Food, alcohol, parties, live entertainment, and games. Geared toward adults.
 * Food, alcohol, parties, live entertainment, and games. Geared toward adults.
 * Food, alcohol, parties, live entertainment, and games. Geared toward adults.

Go next

 * Allentown - Pennsylvania's third-largest city, with an amusement park and casino action.
 * Carlisle - Explore classic car country.
 * Gettysburg - Famous for its Civil War battleground.
 * Harrisburg - The state capital.
 * Hershey - The town that is synonymous with chocolate.
 * Lancaster - The heart of Amish country.

title: Camp Hill


text:
Campina Grande

Campina Grande is a city in Paraíba, Brazil. Second largest of its state, and the largest of the northeastern inlands (350 000 people), it has countrywide fame for midwinter parties, Festa Junina or São João, in June. It also hosts a large out-of-season carnival, Micarande, in April, and a few rodeos throughout the year.

Orientation
The city center lies on a hill along and around Avenida Marechal Floriano Peixito running east from the park Açude Velho with its obelisk known as Marco zero. Praça da Bandeira is bull's eye. Five blocks south of the center is the Açude Novo, a lake with some surrounding greenery.

By bus
The bus station, a blueprint of the one in João Pessoa, is on the SE outskirts of town, some 3 km from the centre. Take bus 500 or taxi (R$10) to the center.
 * João Pessoa by Real Bus at least once an hour from 5AM-8PM, 2 hours, R$16.
 * Sousa by Guanabara 6 daily, 5 hours, R$42.
 * Juazeiro do Norte by Guanabara

By plane
There is an airport with regional flights

Get around
If you stay in the centre, most is walkable.

Drink
A few open air shacks around both Açude Velho and Açude Novo.

Sleep
During festival times prices can be as much as doubled, and posted prices might refer to these; always ask. A few hotels around the bus station, particularly newer ones of the fancier type. Downtown is a better option:

title: Campina Grande


text:
Campinas

Campinas is a city in São Paulo state, Brazil, and the core municipality of the Grande Campinas, a metropolitan area with 2.8 million people, the second largest in the state after Grande São Paulo. Campinas is a major center of industry, services and research, holding the 11th highest GDP of Brazil and being responsible for 15% of all scientific research of the country. The city is home to State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), considered (QS Ranking 2012) the second best university of the country and the third best of Latin America.

For a visitor, besides the obvious business/academic opportunities, Campinas offers the shopping, gastronomy and nightlife typical of a large city, but with ease of access to the beautiful landscape and the scenic towns of the Mantiqueira mountain range. Campinas also hosts a considerable historical heritage from the late 19th century, associated with the prosperity of coffee farming during this period.

Districts

 * The main district of Campinas contains two high-rise areas: Downtown, the oldest part of the city and main shopping area and transport hub, and just next to it, Cambuí, an affluent neighborhood with several restaurants, bars and hotels. The rest of the main district is mostly composed of low-rise suburbs of different social profiles, with points of interest relatively spread.
 * Sousas and Joaquim Egídio, adjacent to each other, offer lots of nature and a charming historic center. Several gated communities have also popped up in this area.
 * Barão Geraldo is the district that contains UNICAMP, plus several companies and research centers. It is basically a collection of calm suburbs, but with good infrastructure of commerce and services, and a substantial number of restaurants and bars.
 * Nova Aparecida is a more industrial/suburban district and should not be of interest to a visitor.

Understand
Campinas is certainly not a main tourism destination, attracting more business travellers, international students and research visitors than conventional tourists. It offers however a number of interesting things to do for the casual visitor, such as exploring the city's coffee farming heritage and its lively nightlife.

History

Campinas started as a simple outpost for Portuguese settlers on 1774. It became a municipality on 1797, with the name of Vila de São Carlos. The city grew and prospered in subsequent decades with sugarcane farming, followed by coffee farming by the end of 19th century. After the decline of the coffee farming, Campinas started to re-emerge after the 1930s by means of industry development and more diversified exported-oriented agriculture. It eventually became the center of Brazil's major important industrial areas, which includes nearby municipalities such as Paulínia, Americana and Valinhos, collectively forming the Campinas metropolitan area. The creation of State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), in 1966, also resulted in the city becoming one of the country's most important centers of research and technology, hosting several research institutes and technology startup companies.

Culture
Campinas' culture can be described as a mix of the urban, cosmopolitan São Paulo city and the rural, caipira culture of the countryside of the São Paulo's state. The city's many bars and clubs play international pop music as much as sertanejo music. Demographically speaking, Campinas is similar to São Paulo, with a strong Portuguese and Italian heritage as well as a sizeable population of descendants of Japanese as well as migrants from the Northeast of Brazil.

By plane
Campinas has its own an international airport, but many international and domestic visitors arrive from São Paulo's airports.

By Viracopos International Airport

 * Viracopos Airport is one of the main airports in the state of São Paulo and the main hub of the airline Azul Brazilian Airlines. It has flights to Fort Lauderdale, Lisbon and Orlando, and seasonal flights to Punta del Este.

To arrive from the airport to the city, one can use the following options:

By Guarulhos/Congonhas airports
The airports of Guarulhos and Congonhas are both about 1:40 minutes away by car. Cab trips are somewhat pricey but you can take a shuttle from Lirabus that goes directly to Campinas and take about 2 hours. It costs R$40 from Guarulhos, R$35 from Congonhas, and will leave you at Largo do Pará Square, one block from Hotel Ibis, or at Terminal Multimodal Ramos de Azevedo (Rodoviária). From there you can get buses or taxis to other points of the city.

A far less attractive option is to use the Airport Bus Service from EMTU that goes to Terminal Rodoviário Barra Funda and stop at Terminal Rodoviário Tietê, where you have to take an intercity bus to Campinas. This option is both more expensive and takes a longer time (about 3 hours) than the LiraBus direct bus, so it would typically only be used in an emergency.

By car

 * From São Paulo, via the SP-330 Anhangüera or SP-348 Bandeirantes highways.
 * From Vale do Paraíba, via SP-65, Dom Pedro I highway.
 * From the Macro region of Mogi-guaçu, via SP-340, Adhemar de Barros Highway.
 * From South (Valinhos and Vinhedo), via SP-91 (Campinas - Valinhos)
 * From the Macro region of Sorocaba, via SP-75, Santos Dumont Highway)
 * From the Monte-mor, via SP-101 (Campinas - Monte-mor)
 * From Valinhos, via SP-83, Anel Viário Magalhães Teixeira
 * From Indaiatuba, via SP-73, Lix da Cunha Highway (access for the Royal Palm Plaza)
 * From Morungaba, via SP-81, Estrada das Cabras
 * From Vinhedo, via SP-324, Miguel Melhado Campos Highway
 * From Paulínia/Arthur Nogueira, via SP-332, General Milton Tavares de Souza Highway

By bus

Buses to Campinas arrive at Terminal Multimodal Ramos de Azevedo (Rua Dr. Pereira Lima - Centro), in (Botafogo). Bus tickets can even be reserved and purchased by Internet for the main bus companies. You would need to check on the bus station which company serves to a certain destination in particular.

Buses from São Paulo are however quite frequent (4-5 departures per hour) and reserving in advance is seldom necessary. The two companies that operate buses from São Paulo are Viação Cometa and Lirabus. The ticket costs R$25 and the trip takes about 1 hr 20 min (often more because of traffic in São Paulo).

However, do not use such buses if you just want to get to the Viracopos airport (there are buses from São Paulo that go directly to the airport).

By train
The only passenger train operating in Campinas is the weekend touristic ride to and from Jaguariúna (see section). At some point in the future, Campinas is expected to be linked by high speed train to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and by commuter train to São Paulo and Jundiaí.

On foot
Downtown Campinas, containing most of the city's shopping and historical buildings, is a relatively large area but still easier to be explored on foot, given the large amount of traffic. The center of Sousas/Joaquim Egídio is also an excellent area to walk.

Other areas of Campinas don't offer much in terms of sightseeing, but calm, green suburbs like Parque Taquaral, Nova Campinas, and Cidade Universitária (in Barão Geraldo), can offer a nice leisurely stroll.

By bicycle
Campinas has a very limited network of cycleways; there is for instance one that links the center of the Barão Geraldo district with the UNICAMP, and another surrounding Parque Portugal. It is better to cycle in calmer suburbs, with small amount of traffic. Cycling is a popular means of transport for the students of UNICAMP.

By bus
Despite being a city with more than 1 million inhabitants, Campinas does not have any mass rapid transit system, although a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is under implementation. Buses are hence the only option of public transport; check the EMDEC company website for routes and itineraries.

As with most large Brazilian cities, buses are confusing, and can be overcrowded and slow (as they often get stuck in traffic), but they are relatively frequent and reach practically everywhere.

Although it is not easy to find where are the bus stops and which bus to catch, people on the street will be glad to help if they can understand you. There are several main bus terminals, where you can transfer from one line into another. Some urban buses even go to neighbor cities as Jaguariúna and Paulínia.

Campinas has adopted a prepaid smartcard for paying buses, the Bilhete Único, that allows you to take multiple buses in a 2-hour period paying only a single tariff (R$3,30 as of May 2013). A visitor can obtain a Bilhete Único for free in the main bus terminals, by bringing an identity document and charging as little as R$9,00 (two tariffs).

By car
If driving a car, be aware that some avenues have been converted to one-way streets to form a ring around downtown. Sometimes it can be tricky to find your way back and be careful not to get into the wrong way on one of those avenues.

After 22:00 until 06:00, some traffic lights are turned off and just blink yellow. Don't be scared, this is not effect of a Martian invasion. For safety reasons, you are not supposed to be stopped at red lights late at night.

Be aware, however, that during normal hours red lights and speed are enforced by cameras everywhere in the city, so stick to the speed limits and don't cross red lights.

Downtown

Like many others large Brazilian cities, Campinas' Downtown suffers from urban degradation. However, it contains several buildings of historical and architectural value, many associated with São Paulo state's glorious coffee farming era between the 19th and 20th centuries.

Theater and culture
For a city of its size, Campinas is somewhat underwhelming in terms of cultural options, mostly due to the proximity to São Paulo, that tends to get the most relevant performances and expositions. Theatrical performances are mostly in Portuguese; check websites such as for a list of ongoing performances in the Campinas metro area.

Out of town trips
Campinas is just south of the Circuito das Águas Paulista (Paulista Water Circuit), a collection of mineral spring towns over the Serra da Mantiqueira mountain range. Even if you are not interested in mineral springs, it is still worth a visit as it is a scenic area with cozy and charming towns, offering also options for radical sports and ecotourism.

 * Águas de Lindóia – 90 km. One of the most popular mineral spring towns of the state
 * Amparo – 70 km. The largest city of the Water Circuit, with an impressive XIX century heritage
 * Jaguariúna – 30 km. Famous for its annual rodeo and sertanejo festival
 * Lindóia – 90 km.
 * Monte Alegre do Sul – 80 km. Lovely small town surrounded by beautiful nature
 * Serra Negra – 90 km. With lots of nature and "family-friendly" activities
 * Socorro – 80 km. Popular destination for shopping of locally made-clothes and radical sports

Outside the Circuito das Águas Paulistas, there are some other places worth a visit:
 * Vinhedo – 20 km. Containing the Wet'n'Wild and Hopi Hari theme parks
 * Águas de São Pedro – 100 km. Tranquil mineral spring town
 * Holambra - 40 km – The Brazilian "Little Netherlands", famous for its annual floral exposition

Shopping malls
Like any decent-sized city in Brazil, there are a number of American-style shopping malls, typically including a food court, movie theater, and a variety of shops.

Eat
While, like most of the state, Campinas has the fairly typical paulistano range of Italian, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and standard Brazilian food, it doesn't have anything much that might be called campineiro food. The two most notable things might be the local penchant for arugula salad (salada de rúcula) and the local lancherias' habit of serving their sandwiches cut into bite size pieces, dubbed the "angel-mouth cut" (corte boca-de-anjo). Among desserts, you should not miss the torta holandesa (Dutch pie) which, despite its name, was invented in Campinas.

Drink
While in terms of cultural options, Campinas is not quite what you expect from a metropolis, its nightlife will surely not disappoint you. Cambuí is the "city center" of bohemian life, but good bars can be found everywhere, Barão Geraldo including. Campinas' clubs, mostly contained in the affluent northern and eastern suburbs, attract crowds from the entire region. The musical scene is dominated by sertanejo (Brazilian country music) and electronic music, although there are options for all tastes, including MPB and rock'n'roll.

Stay safe
Campinas is pretty much similar to São Paulo in terms of crime problems. During the day, most of the city is considerably safe - exceptions are the "Crackland" area in the Botafogo neighborhood (Downtown) and some lower class suburbs. Fortunately, the intercity bus terminal has been moved from Botafogo, so there is no need anymore for a visitor to wander this area.

The Downtown area is not safe during the night and should be avoided. Cambuí and most affluent suburbs are relatively safe during the night, but take a cab or drive yourself if you have to walk anything more than a few blocks. If you just want to fool around during the evening, a safer bet is to go to one of the city's shopping malls.

The districts of Barão Geraldo, Sousas and Joaquim Egídio are safer than the main district, but crime does happen and staying alert to your surroundings during the night is always a good idea.

Go Next
You find hostels and private rooms in ...:

in the east:

 * Bragança Paulista – 65 km. Famous for its traditional sausages, with several establishments claiming to sell the "real Bragança sausage". One of the town's main attractions is Taboão Lake

in the west:

 * Piracicaba – 70 km. It's regarded as one of the most pleasant medium-sized cities in the state. Attractions of the city include a charming riverside area, historical heritage and Tyrolese villages. You can do boat trips on the river.
 * Boituva – 110 km. The "National Skydive Capital". It's also known for ballooning.
 * Botucatu – 220 km. It is known as the Land of Adventure. There are more than 70 waterfalls in its region, some with easy access, others with extreme difficulty. For those who enjoy extreme sports, this is the right place to venture out.
 * Bauru – 260 km. The city is the hometown of Marcos César Pontes, the first Brazilian in space. It is also the town where Pelé grew up and learned his football skills.

in the south:

 * São Paulo – The cosmopolitan state capital, with endless options of gastronomy and culture, is easily accessible from Campinas by bus

title: Campinas


text:
Campinas Region

Campinas Region is a region in the state of São Paulo. Visiting this region is a step "off the beaten path" of Brazil, away from beaches and rainforests, an area of prosperous and developed towns, of beautiful mountain landscapes, and of rodeos and sertanejo music.

Regions

 * Bragança Paulista (Águas de Lindóia, Amparo, Atibaia, Bragança Paulista, Joanópolis, Lindóia, Monte Alegre do Sul, Piracaia, Serra Negra, Socorro)
 * Campinas (Americana, Sumaré, Nova Odessa, Campinas, Holambra, Indaiatuba, Jaguariúna, Mogi Guaçu, Mogi-Mirim, Valinhos, Vinhedo)
 * Jundiaí (Jundiaí)
 * Limeira (Araras, Limeira)
 * Piracicaba (Águas de São Pedro, Piracicaba)
 * Rio Claro (Analândia, Brotas, Rio Claro)
 * São João da Boa Vista (Águas da Prata, Caconde, Casa Branca, São João da Boa Vista, São José do Rio Pardo)

Cities

 * - A major industrial hub, the third largest city in the state
 * - Popular mineral spring resort town, also with eco-adventure options
 * - Another popular mineral spring resort town, with one of the highest standards of living of the country
 * - Containing a remarkable historic center with several constructions from late XIX-early XX centuries
 * - Dutch settlement dubbed the "City of Flowers", due to it being South America's largest flower producer
 * - Open fruit farms, the Serra do Japi reserve and vivid memories of the state's railroad history
 * - City with a charming riverside area and one of the most beautiful universities in the country
 * - Mineral spring resort town with good views of the Mantiqueira mountain range
 * - Popular destination for locally made clothes and radical sports, offering also ecotourism for people with disability

Other destinations

 * , the premier rafting destination of the state, also offering other radical sports such as ziplining and rapel
 * The Vida Completa SerrAzul leisure complex, between Itupeva and Vinhedo, containing two theme parks, two shopping malls, a resort hotel and summer houses

Understand
There is hardly a region of the state of São Paulo that represents its prosperity better than the Campinas region. The real development of the region started in the nineteenth century, with coffee plantations based on European immigrant labor. The coffee farming era left, as a legacy, a formidable network of railways, which would be the basis of the region's industrialization and populational growth beginning in the 1940s.

The region's most evident sign of economical strength is the Campinas metro area, a 2.8 million metropolis that stretches along the Anhanguera and Bandeirantes motorways. Unlike Grande São Paulo, where the metropolis' economical power is highly concentrated in a small number of cities, the various cities that form the Campinas metro area compete evenly in economic development. Yet, the chaotic growth that happened after the 1950s in the state capital also affected the Campinas region, with poverty and criminality becoming a significant problem in some cities of the region.

By bus
The cities of the Campinas region can typically be reached by intercity buses, provided by various private operators. The cities of the Campinas metro area are also connected by metropolitan buses. A full list of metropolitan bus lines is available in the EMTU website.

By car
The Campinas region has a comprehensive network of motorways, maintained by either private operators, the São Paulo state or municipalities. As in the rest of the state, the roads with private operators have higher tolls but generally much better quality. Regardless, the road quality is overall quite higher than the Brazilian average, and non-pavemented roads are rare.

Do

 * Visit the Paulista Water Circuit, a cluster of towns in the Serra da Mantiqueira mountain range famous for their mineral springs, which can be enjoyed at public baths or at certain hotels. They are a good place for relaxing, but offer other leisure options including historical heritage, ecotourism and family-friendly activities. It is composed of the cities of Amparo, Monte Alegre do Sul, Serra Negra, Lindóia, Águas de Lindóia, Socorro and Águas da Prata.
 * Visit the Fruit Circuit, a popular regional tourism destination due to its wineries and fruit farms founded by European immigrants. Several of these farms are open to visitors, allowing you taste and buy local food and drinks. Alternatively, you can visit them during the yearly rural festivals and get in touch with São Paulo's immigrant culture. Cities of the Fruit Circuit include Jundiaí, Vinhedo, Indaiatuba, Morungaba, Atibaia and Valinhos.
 * Feel the thrill of the rollercoasters of Hopi Hari, and the toboggans of Wet'n'Wild, in the Vida Completa SerrAzul (see Vinhedo).
 * Cycle along the Barnabé river that crosses almost all the city of Indaiatuba.
 * Enjoy the concerts of sertanejo music in the rodeos of Americana and Jaguariúna.
 * Celebrate the caipira culture in the Festa de São João and other events in Joanópolis.

title: Campinas Region


text:
Camping

Camping is do-it-yourself accommodation: you carry your roof and your bedding in your backpack or your vehicle. It's often the only choice of accommodation you have when you're travelling off the beaten track, but there are also very popular sites for camping holidays. Many car camping sites have an area for those coming with just a tent. On these, or other areas especially for campers, there are usually at least basic facilities, such as fresh water and toilets.

Wikivoyage has articles about different sorts of camping:
 * Car camping
 * Wild camping
 * Wilderness backpacking

Campgrounds

Commercial campgrounds and similar can often be found outside cities and at vacation destinations. Often the campground caters to car campers as well as those coming only with a tent. Often there are also cabins or caravans for rent. The campgrounds usually have showers, kiosk, playground etc. However, facilities can range from the very basic (water that has to be boiled to be potable and outhouses for toilets) to something akin to a hotel with pre-built tents and permanently installed caravans for you to rent and supermarkets or private beach access.

When hiking
Camping is a common option in national parks and similar. Always check whether you need a permit to camp, how much it costs and whether your choice of site will be restricted. You generally need to get permits either in advance or at the park entrance or visitor centre. Many popular national parks or protected sites have limited camping to particular sites and some have banned it altogether. When hiking, there will often be set camp sites a day's walk apart, and often you are forbidden to camp between them. The facilities may be much more basic than at normal camping areas.

Permits can typically be obtained in advance or on arrival, but may be hard to get or sell out during very popular holiday periods. At very popular holiday periods the permits may actually be quite hard to get and sometimes sell out months in advance – don't blithely plan a Christmas camping holiday without being sure you can get a permit if you need one.

Wild camping

In e.g. the Nordic countries the right to camp is a fundamental part of the right to access: you may put your tent more or less anywhere for a night or two, as long as your camping does not disturb or harm nature or people (out of sight, out of mind, mostly, but make sure you leave no trace, keep out of sensitive areas and check campfire regulations separately). If you want facilities, use paid camping grounds. In protected areas, check local rules.

On the other hand, the United States has very strict laws on private property, and you are not allowed to step onto privately-owned land without explicit permission from the owner; in some areas it is legal for the owner to shoot you to defend his/her property should you do so. You can generally camp on public land with the exception of military areas if you leave no trace of your presence, but public and private land is often not clearly delineated, so be sure to do your research before you decide on a campsite.

Wild camping may be possible in any sparsely inhabited area, but check whether it is accepted practice. Sleeping rough is sometimes practiced where wild camping in the normal sense is not possible.

Glamping

Especially in Europe, third party companies and often campsites themselves rent out fully equipped tents or mobile homes ranging from the relatively basic and inexpensive to price and comfort on par with hotels or vacation rentals. Sometimes called glamping, it is camping with amenities and, in some cases, resort-style services not usually associated with traditional camping. Glamping has become particularly popular with 21st-century tourists seeking to combine the luxuries of hotel accommodation with the escapism and adventure recreation of camping. This type of camping has the upside of vastly reducing the amount of luggage you have to bring but limiting you to specific campsites. Some people think it dilutes the "true" camping experience.

Talk
Some campgrounds are popular by locals, others may attract a very international crowd. A regional lingua franca may be usable.

Prepare
Unless you arrive by car, you don't want to carry excess luggage. Pack what you need on the most primitive site you are going to visit. You want somewhere to sleep, a way to prepare your food, enough clothes for bad weather, what you need for your hygiene and equipment for anything you want to do (swimming gear, sports equipment, books, a pack of cards, whatever).

If you will camp during a wilderness hike, you probably already know what to carry. Otherwise the distance from the nearest bus stop to your campground (and whether you will take a taxi) may dictate whether you need proper backpacks or can use other baggage. Also consider whether that distance will be covered along a paved road, a potholed dirt road or a stony footpath across some hills.

Get in
Most campgrounds have access by car, while they may be away from routes of public transport. There may not be any taxis available in the proximity and hitchhiking may not be a viable option if most people travel to the campground as families, filling up their cars with people and luggage, and there is little other traffic along the road.

Some campgrounds lie by hiking trails or canoeing routes and the road to them may be closed for normal traffic, especially if they are inside a national park or similar – although in some parks campsites cater also to people visiting by car without any intention to carry more than a daypack.

Arrive to the campground in time to be able to choose a good spot in daylight and to acquaint yourselves to the site while the reception is open.

Fees and permits
Campgrounds are usually the cheapest kind of paid accommodation, but prices vary. Sometimes you pay by tent, sometimes (also) by number of persons. There may be more expensive alternatives, such as cottages. You might also have to pay for showers, sauna and other amenities.

See and do
Bigger campgrounds usually have quite some facilities to keep you occupied, such as beaches, badminton courts and playing equipment to borrow or rent.

The draw of campgrounds is often the surrounding nature, so there may be nice trails around.

Buy
Although most campsites have some kind of kiosk, the selection may be very limited. Unless there is a proper supermarket at the site or nearby, you will want to buy at least most provisions before leaving the closest city.

Eat
If you plan on visiting any primitive campgrounds, you may need to bring your own camping stove and fuel. Otherwise there are often communal kitchens, and barbecue sites may be available regardless.

As you probably don't have access to a refrigerator, you may need to rely on non-perishable food or frequent replenishment. Some basics are often available in a kiosk at the campground. Check the distance to the closest proper shop. There may be some nearby farm selling their produce.

Drink
Ordinary campsites usually have potable water available for you, but at some primitive sites you may have to bring your own or use a brook, the water of which should probably be boiled for a few minutes or otherwise disinfected before use. The site should have instructions of how to cope.

Sleep
Many campgrounds have sites for those coming by tent only as well as for those with caravan or campervan. Often there are also cottages, stationary caravans or other locally prepared accommodation.

Destinations

 * Camping in the United States, California desert camping
 * Camping in Israel
 * Hiking and bushwalking in Australia
 * Hiking in the Nordic countries, Right to access in the Nordic countries
 * Primitive camping in Denmark
 * Tramping in New Zealand
 * Urban camping in Japan

Stay safe
Mind fire safety. Your tent should not be close to open fire. At some sites tents have to be at a distance from each other, to prevent a fire from spreading.

Keep your valuables out of sight and avoid leaving them unguarded in unlocked places.

Connect
Many campgrounds are in sparsely populated regions; mobile phone coverage may be less than good. You may want to download your online maps and check in with your closest family when you have the chance, before leaving the closest city.

Many campgrounds have postboxes etc.

title: Camping


text:
Camping in the United States

Camping is popular in the United States, with many thousands of campgrounds scattered around the country, especially in the more scenic areas near its national parks and other wilderness areas. Car camping and RV camping are most common, and wilderness camping is somewhat popular in the more sparsely populated western states.

Campgrounds may be privately owned or government owned. Privately owned campgrounds generally cost more and offer more amenities and services. Government owned campgrounds generally cost less and offer fewer amenities and services. "Dispersed camping" at ad hoc or undeveloped camp sites is also allowed on many rural government-owned lands, generally at no charge but subject to restrictions on stay length and other uses.

There is much variation in how you claim a site. Popular campgrounds generally recommend advance reservations, and in some cases require them for all campers. The most popular campgrounds often fill up weeks or months in advance, with reservations for each site opening a certain number of days in advance.

Less popular campgrounds are generally "first come, first serve", meaning that the first person to park and/or set up at the site for the night gets it, and they may occupy that site as long as desired, up to any maximum number of days set by the campground rules (often 14 days). These campground usually require registration on site, during which you will get a tag to display at your campsite to indicate you have paid for it. Privately owned campgrounds are less likely to have maximum stay restrictions.

Cost
Rates vary significantly depending on location, campground ownership, season, and amenities provided. Grounds often have different rates during popular holiday weekends, such as Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. Government-owned campgrounds are generally low cost ($10-20 per night) and sometimes free, while privately owned campgrounds typically range from $15 per night for tent camping to $60 or more for RVs with full services and amenities.

Campground ownership
Many of the most scenic campgrounds in the States are on government land. The federal government holds huge areas through agencies such as the Forest Service, Park Service, Department of Agriculture, Army Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Land Management. States, counties, and cities may also have their own land available. Government campgrounds are sometimes privately managed through a contracted company.

Many campgrounds, especially those oriented towards RVs, are privately owned. 'RV Parks' specialize in providing services to RVers, and have electrical, water, and waste hookups. There are also some that accommodate tent campers, such as the national chain KOA.

Developed and improved
Most campsites are developed and improved. A site being developed simply means a compacted area for pitching shelter is present, and there may be a ring for wood fires and table. A site is improved when it has access to amenities such as drinkable water, toilets, trash bins, or showers. In bear country, you might also have a bear-proof box for food storage.

Electric
Some sites have amenities designed to meet the needs of Recreational Vehicles, such as electrical service. Some even have water and waste hookups at each campsite. For tent campers, some of these places may be just as enjoyable as non-electric sites, while others are about as enjoyable as parking lots.

Backpacking
Sites that aren't accessible by motorized vehicles are considered backpacking sites. You will have to carry in your tent and gear through hiking or horse trails.

Dispersed
Most lands require campers to use designated campsites. However, in some areas dispersed, or backcountry camping is permitted, where any location may be used, subject to a few restrictions. Before planning any trip, the office responsible for oversight of the particular land should be contacted to determine whether a permit is required, and if any special rules must be observed.

Leave-no-trace camping principles must be observed at all times, because unlike developed sites, the land is left vulnerable to damage. If a particular area does become overused, it may be closed off until it is able to recover.

Dispersed camping is possible at National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas. National Forests can be found nationwide, whereas BLM lands are generally west of the Rockies.

Group and youth sites
If you are camping with a large group, it can often be cheaper to get a group site for a lower cost per-person. Some grounds even have sites set aside for youth groups.

Indiana

 * Hoosier National Forest (Dispersed, Developed)
 * Shades State Park (Improved, Youth)
 * Turkey Run State Park (Electric, Youth)

Blue Earth County

 * Bray Park and Campground, Madison Lake. This lakeside park is 102 acres and includes a sandy beach, boat launch, cable suspension footbridge over a ravine, paved walking trails, 2 playgrounds, picnic shelters, dump station. 32 electric sites, 20 tent sites, showers, flush toilets.
 * Daly Park and Campground
 * Land of Memories Park, Mankato.
 * Minneopa State Park, Mankato. Park includes a waterfall (separate from campground) and a drive-through bison park. 61 drive-in sites. 6 electric sites. Camper cabins, showers, flush toilets, dump station.
 * Rapidan Dam Park, Rapidan. 20 primitive wooded sites near the river.

title: Camping in the United States


text:
Campli

Campli is a small town in Abruzzo.

Get in
Campli can be reached by the A24 Autostrada from Rome (exit Teramo), or from the A14 Autostrada between Ancona and Bari (Exit Mosciano St. Angelo.

Get around
This is a very small town and is easily walkable.

See

 * Scala Santa (Sacred Staircase) - provides the same privileges of indulgence as the Holy Stairs of the Pretorio in Rome.
 * The National Archaeological Museum in Abruzzo. Interesting exhibition that includes items from the Bronze Age (14th - 13th Century BC), and from 9th and 7th Century BC Necropoli

Eat

 * Sagra e Profano - town festival held in mid-July featuring bands, dancing and especially, local food delicacies. Featured are dishes made with rare, indigenous tartufi (truffles).

Go next
Campli is close to Civitella, Teramo and Ascoli Piceno.

title: Campli


text:
Campobasso

Campobasso is the capital of Molise region.

Understand
The city was founded before the 8th century as a garrison town. It is famous for its craftsmanship in producing steel blades, and has a population of around 49,000. The name Campobasso means, literally, "Lowfield." But don't be fooled by the name, as the city is in the mountains with an elevation of 701 meters, and can actually be quite cold in the winter.

Get in
Regular train service connects this Italian regional capital with the slightly-better-known national capital, Rome.

title: Campobasso


text:
Campobello Island

Campobello Island is an island in New Brunswick, Canada. The island has no road connection to the rest of Canada except to deer island with a ferry; though there is a bridge connecting it to nearby Lubec, Maine in the United States.

Understand
Measuring 14 km (8.7 mi) long and about 5 km (3.1 mi) wide, it has an area of 39.6 km² (15.3 sq mi). The island's permanent population in 2011 was 925.

The majority of residents are employed in the fishing/aquaculture or tourism industries.

A luxurious resort hotel was built in the late 19th century, and the island became a popular summer colony for wealthy Canadians and Americans, many of whom built grand estates there. Franklin D. Roosevelt spent his summers at a family estate on Campobello from the age of one until, as an adult, he acquired a larger property — a 34-room "cottage" — which he used as a summer retreat until 1939.

From Canada
Reaching mainland Canada by car without crossing an international border is possible only during the summer season and requires two separate ferry trips, the first to nearby Deer Island, then from Deer Island to L'Etete.

From the United States
The island's only highway, Route 774, is connected by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge to Lubec, Maine — the easternmost town in the continental United States.

Do

 * Whale watching from shore

Stay safe
There have been problems with the US Government tampering with postal mail in-transit to Campobello from elsewhere in Canada, or even elsewhere in New Brunswick. These problems have only worsened since Canada made it lawful to purchase cannabis from licenced vendors, such as provincial liquor boards. Do not mail anything (from prescription drugs to privileged legal or medical information) that you do not wish to see opened, read or tampered with by a foreign power.

title: Campobello Island


text:
Campo Grande

Campo Grande is the capital city of Mato Grosso do Sul State in Brazil. It's a gateway to Pantanal region, and an unlikely foodie capital in central Brazil.

Understand
Campo Grande is a modern, pleasant town of 875,000 inhabitants (2017) that sits in the middle of Brazilian cattle country. The city plays an important role as a regional center for services and commerce. For travelers, Campo Grande is the main gateway to the southern part of the Pantanal and to Bonito, a small town surrounded by rivers of clear waters located approximately 300 km far from Campo Grande. It is known in Brazil for as cidade morena (brown city) because of the local soil color. Its inhabitants are called campo-grandenses.

The culture of the city involves a heritage of native Brazilians and other people of diverse origins (Italian, German, Syrian-Lebanese, Japanese, Paraguayans, and Bolivians, among others).

By plane
Tourists can get a bus or taxi on their way to the city. There's no shuttle bus service, so if you want to catch a bus from the airport into town, there's a bus stop about 50 m to the right of the main avenue right in front of the airport (as you go from the airport to the avenue).

By bus
Interstate buses depart from the to numerous destinations, including Corumbá (5–6 hours, on the border with Bolivia), Bonito, Iguaçu Falls, São Paulo (13 to 15 hours) and Rio de Janeiro (20 hours). The bus terminal is reachable from the city by bus (local bus lines going downtown depart from the bus stop in front of the new terminal) or by taxi.

Get around
Public transit in Campo Grande is composed by a network of buses. Integration is possible on the terminals, where one can change buses free of charge. Some terminals are as big as a bus station, some look more like a bus stop - such as the one deserving the main shoppping mall.

The fare costs R$ 3.70 (as of May 2018) and most cars only accept payment made with the city transit card. If you don't have a card, you can either ask someone to pass the card for you (have change to pay the person back) or, if you're going to a terminal, ask the bus driver to drop you at the terminal entrance, where you can pay in cash.

Taxis are metered. A ride from the center to the airport is around R$ 25 on work days, R$ 35 on Sundays or at night.

See
Around sunrise and sunset, watch out for big birds flying in pairs: those are usually macaws coming to/fro their nests atop palm trees. Smaller, toucans are identifiable by their long, colorful beaks. At night, capybaras can be easily spotted on park lawns and around

On August and September, the blossom of ipês (golden trumpet trees, Handroanthus albus) makes for a spectacular sight.

Parks

 * Inferninho - This park, outside of the urban perimeter, has some waterfalls.
 * Ayrton Senna Park - Tu-Su 8AM-7PM.
 * Parque Ecológico do Sóter - It is the newest park in the city. Projected as a model park, it is comprised of 22 hectares of green areas, multi-sports squares, skate park, cycling trails and a churrasco kiosk.
 * Park Estadual do Prosa - Area of 135 hectares with motorbike trails.
 * Park Florestal Antonio de Albuquerque/Horto-Florestal - A green area of 4.5 hectares with some species of native trees. A prominent landmark of the city, it also possesses a library, snack bar, playground, skate park, and cycling trails. Is located in a walking distance from the city center.
 * Itanhangá Park – Kiosks and a children's park. 6:30AM–9:30PM.
 * Jacques da Luz Park
 * Parque das Nações Indígenas (at Afonso Pena av.) – One of the biggest urban parks of the world, with an extension of 119 hectares. It offers good infrastructure for leisure and sports.
 * Parque dos Poderes – The name does not refer to a park, but to a neighborhood of the city where most of the local government buildings are located, among areas of preserved native vegetation. Although urbanized, it's possible to see some species of wild animals walking freely on the streets and paths at the area.
 * Ary Coelho Plaza, Afonso Pena av. – Its huge fountain was once a stage for grand political events. It is the most traditional square of the city.
 * Praça Cuiabá
 * Praça of Araras (Av. João Rosa Pires with Dom Aquino)
 * Belmar Fidalgo Sporting Complex
 * Praça dos Imigrantes
 * Praça Oshiro Takamari - where the Aboriginal Fair functions
 * Praça da República, Av. Afonso Pena. Containing a monument to Japanese immigration.
 * Praça Vilas-Boas - Known for its fish-like shape.

Learn local dances
On this side of the world, the ballroom kings dance chamamé, vaneira, sertanejo universitário and Paraguayan polka. The dance schools always have beginners courses available, and the first class is usually free (check beforehand). Michel Teló, known worldwide for his hit Ai, se eu te pego! was originally lead singer for a local band playing such ballroom music.

Buy
Thanks to its Pantanal culture and the presence of many indigenous groups, Campo Grande has a nice offering of local crafts, which can be found at Casa do Artesão and in some smaller shops inside Feira Central.

If you're into natural medicine, barbatimão (Stryphnodendron adstringens) has anesthetic, antiseptic and hemostatic effects and is popular locally on the treatment of skins lesions, hemorrhages and burns. It can be easily found at Mercadão Municipal.

For cheap clothes and shoes, the main destination is Rua 14 de Julho (14 de Julho Street). The biggest, most noticeable hypermarket chain is Comper, but Pão de Açúcar and Wal-Mart have each one unit in town.

Eat
As with many other Brazilian regions, Campo Grande is a melting pot of many cultures. However, the elements of this mixture are different from those encountered elsewhere in Brazil, and the city might have an exotic flavor even for Brazilians of other parts of the country.

The culinary is marked by use of manioc, cerrado fruits and nuts (pequi, buriti, bocaiúva, guavira, etc.), molasses and corn flour (fubá). It's not difficult to find alligator meat - just make sure they're sourced from alligator farms, not from illegal hunting.

Arroz carreteiro (rice with beef cubes and herbs) is the typical dish of the region. Chipa, a variant of pão de queijo made with polvilho doce (mild manioc starch) instead of polvilho azedo (sour manioc starch) is favored by the locals over the Minas Gerais recipe.

Sobá, a type of Japanese noodle soup, is considered a local specialty. Good sopa paraguaya, a savory cake from the neighboring country, can also be found. And as an important center for cattle industry, Campo Grande has meat of high quality, competing with the best of Argentinian and Uruguayan production.

Drink
Local drink is tereré, a cold infusion made of erva-mate (mate leaves). Compared to chimarrão, the leaves are ground more coarsely, and might have all sorts of added flavors. Mercadão Municipal is a good place to shop for them.

Cope
The tourist office bus or City Tour Tour Bus on the corner of Av. Alfonso Pena and Av. Noroeste can be very helpful and the staff speaks English.

On Sundays there's very little to do, nearly all of the shops and cafes are closed and streets are deserted.

Stay safe
During the dry season (May to September), humidity levels in Campo Grande can easily drop below 30%. Such low levels can cause headache and irritation of eyes, throat, skin and nose (including nosebleeding), and it increases the risk of dehydration and respiration problems.

 * below 30%: attention - hydrate more often than usual
 * below 20%: alert - avoid physical activity under the sun, especially between 10am and 4pm.
 * below 12%: emergency - avoid all physical activity

To mitigate the effects of low humidity, drink lots of fluids, eat fruits, use skin moisturizer, wash face often, keep nostrils wet or use a protective vaseline-based cream such as Homeoplasmine, and sleep with a damp towel on the bed headboard. Dehydration at initial stages can be treated with homemade oral rehydration solution: 20 g of sugar + 3.5 g of table salt to 1ℓ of water.

The local government issues daily weather reports.

Go next

 * Maracaju - 3 hr away, this town is home to a regionally celebrated sausage, and holds a festival in its honor every April.
 * Corumbá
 * Bonito
 * Dourados
 * Asunción - direct service everyday at 4PM with company Cometa del Amambay. Document (ID or passport) and proof of vaccination against yellow fever are required to buy ticket. 13.5 hr, R$ 118 (May 2018).

title: Campo Grande


text:
Campo Largo

Campo Largo is a city in Paraná. It is known as the Porcelain Capital.

Get in

 * BR-376 west of Curitiba

See

 * Praça da Polônia (Poland Plaza) - Constructed during the city's first centennial in homage to Polish immigrants, the plaza has a playground with trees and benches.
 * Praça Getulio Vargas - Reinaugurated in September 2003 after renovation, this plaza holds the new Campo Largo Museum and the 500 Year Memorial. Gardens with benches, public telephones, and a monthly night market.
 * Praça Atílio Almeida Barbosa - Inaugurated in October 1972 during the sesquicentennial of Brazil's independence, this tree-lined 0plaza is home to a church, Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Piedade.
 * Praça João Antonio da Costa - Tree-lined plaza which contains the Fountain of Campo Largo and some flower gardens.
 * Praça do III Milênio, Av. Padre Natal Pigatto, near the city entrance. Constructed in honor of the new millennium.
 * Lagoa Grande Park, Rua Caetano Munhoz da Rocha, near Br 277 – Ouro Verde. Known as Lagoa Encantada, this park has bike paths, barbecue grills, public bathrooms, an event stage, soccer fields and a playground.
 * Cambuí Municipal Park - a 180-hectare park that is 3.4 km from the center of town in the neighborhood of Granja. It contains the ruins of the city's first school and medical clinic.
 * Matte Historical Park, Br 277, km 111, +55 41 3304-3300. Composed of a series of exhibits which explain the traditional system of mate production and its influence on the culture and economics of the state. Tu-Su 9:30AM–5:30PM
 * Boa Vista Falls, Estrada do cerne, Km 34 – Bateias, +55 41 3648-1346. At 38 meters it's the tallest waterfall around and it makes for a good rappelling spot. Sa and Su from 8AM-5PM or by reservation.
 * Serra da Endoença, access by Bateias or Cerne streets near the district of Bateias. This spot gives a panoramic view of the region, providing even a glimpse of Curitiba. Despite being sought out by trekkers and mountain-bikers, the grounds still lack adequate infrastructure.
 * Rio Açungui - Cutting through Sede district in the southwest part of town, this is the only river in the region whose mouth lies on the state's coast. Despite having no touristic infrastructure, part of the river is popular for rafting.

Buy

 * Rota da Louça (The Porcelain Route) - A privately funded initiative to educate visitors about the production of ceramics and porcelain. The route includes a visit to two different types of factories, lunch, and a visit to a colonial cafe at the end of the afternoon. Various products can be purchased at the ceramics shops along the route.

Eat

 * Carloto´s, Marechal Deodoro, 636, +55 41 3292-6381.
 * Carloto´s, Marechal Deodoro, 636, +55 41 3292-6381.
 * Carloto´s, Marechal Deodoro, 636, +55 41 3292-6381.
 * Carloto´s, Marechal Deodoro, 636, +55 41 3292-6381.
 * Carloto´s, Marechal Deodoro, 636, +55 41 3292-6381.
 * Carloto´s, Marechal Deodoro, 636, +55 41 3292-6381.
 * Carloto´s, Marechal Deodoro, 636, +55 41 3292-6381.
 * Mister Kuka, Rua XV de Novembro – sala 41 – Shopping XV, +55 41 3392-3844.
 * Restaurante e Churrascaria Tabaldi, Br 277 – km 118 s/n – Bom Jesus – anexo ao Hotel Nortesul.
 * Churrascaria O Laçador, Rua Airton Senna da Silva, 2404 – Trevo de Bateias, +55 41 3032-1293, +55 41 3032-1294.
 * Churrascaria Quinta, Br 277, Km, 17,5 – Guabiroba, +55 41 3392-2033.
 * Churrascaria Gaúcho, Br 277 – km 116 nº 2336 – Vila Nova, +55 41 3393-3117.
 * Estrela de Prata, Br 277 – Km 120 nº 5025 – Bom Jesus, +55 41 3392-4847.
 * Estrela de Prata, Br 277 – Km 120 nº 5025 – Bom Jesus, +55 41 3392-4847.

Sleep

 * Novtel, Av. Ayrton Senna da Silva, 4056 – Bom Jesus, +55 41 3393-4671. The hotel offers rooms with TV and private bathroom, although the telephones are still being installed. There is parking but it isn't covered. Breakfast and snacks.
 * Novtel, Av. Ayrton Senna da Silva, 4056 – Bom Jesus, +55 41 3393-4671. The hotel offers rooms with TV and private bathroom, although the telephones are still being installed. There is parking but it isn't covered. Breakfast and snacks.
 * Novtel, Av. Ayrton Senna da Silva, 4056 – Bom Jesus, +55 41 3393-4671. The hotel offers rooms with TV and private bathroom, although the telephones are still being installed. There is parking but it isn't covered. Breakfast and snacks.
 * Hotel Nortesul, Rod. do Café – Br 277 s/n Km 126, +55 41 3292-2677. 22 rooms and 2 suites. Only the suites have private bathrooms and televisions. An on-site restaurant provides meals but there is no parking garage.

Go next

 * Devoniana Escarpment, access by the Faxina highway. Beginning in the Iguaçu River valley in the here south of the state and extending beyond the Itararé River in São Paulo state, this is the border between the Paraná's two plateau regions. Canyons and caves have led some companies to offer sporting and adventure activities in the area.
 * Açungui National Forest, situated 50 km away in Três Córregos, +55 41 3322-5125. A multi-use forest preserve for sap-collecting, beekeeping, seed-gathering, logging, and environmental education. Guided visits only.

title: Campo Largo


text:
Campos do Jordão

Campos do Jordão is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It is located in Serra da Mantiqueira at an altitude of 1628 meters, making it the highest Brazilian city, considering the altitude of the seat. Its estimated population in 2020 was 52,000 people. The city is sometimes erroneously called Campos de Jordão.

Understand
It is the municipality with the highest administrative headquarters of the country, reaching 1,628 meters at the city, where the city is located in the city, and can vary for more than 2,000 meters on the outskirts of the city. Mass is located in the Serra da Mantiqueira, one of the highest mountain ranges of Brazil.

It has an area of 289.5 km². It is constantly visited by tourists from all over Brazil and even from abroad, who visit the town to enjoy the climate of winter and German architecture.

Its climate is tropical of altitude, with mild summers and cool winters. Occurrences of snow were recorded in 1928,1942 and 2004 being the last time that snow was recorded in the city. Frosts are common during winter and absolute minimum temperature was -7.3 °C in June 1, 1979. Its temperate climate favors the creation of hydrangeas, specifically the kind of Hydrangea macrophylla.

Get in
The main access to the Campos do Jordão is the Highway Floriano Rodrigues Pinheiro (SP-123), which starts at junction of Highway Carvalho Pinto/Ayrton Senna, at km 117 of the President Dutra Highway. This junction is in the sub-district of Quiririm from Taubaté and Caçapava. It is a winding road, tourism, with beautiful viewpoints in the region of the Paraíba Valley and the Sierra Mantiqueira. It houses two positions of supplies (km 11 - km Poço Grande and 18 - access to Tremembé) and various stop points of the region with products and tourist attractions. The trip, leaving from São Paulo, Campos do Jordão has to last approximately 2 hours.

As alternative, the Monteiro Lobato Highway (SP-50) is in itself a tourist attraction, through beautiful rural areas, mountain village typical of the region and the city of Monteiro Lobato.

This road has a junction with SP-42, which connects to the office of St. Benedict's Sapucaí (SP) and the south of Minas Gerais (by MG-295). The MG-295 has a junction with Highway Fernão Dias in the city of Pouso Alegre (MG).

Starting in São José dos Campos, in the north of the city, the SP-50 road is winding and has few signs, is recommended for those who have no hurry and want to do a walk before reaching Campos do Jordão. The trip leaving from São José dos Campos takes approximately 2.5 hours.

The Rodovia Floriano Rodrigues Pinheiro can also be accessed through local roads which leave Roseira, SP-62 (km 82 of the President Dutra Highway), or across the city of Pindamonhangaba (km 98 of the President Dutra Highway).

The traditional rail access is available via the railway Campos do Jordão, leaving Pindamonhangaba moved on to electricity self, stopping at tourist attractions and recreation, such as the Parque das Águas Claras and the station of Santo Antônio do Pinhal, rising slowly to Serra da Mantiqueira up in 3 hours, the Campos do Jordao. The EFCJ also offers options for walks of trenzinho out of Campos do Jordão for Santo Antônio do Pinhal and vice versa.

See

Do
There are numerous outdoor activities for winter residents and tourists. These include hiking, mountain climbing, treetop cable swings (arborismo), horseback riding, ATV riding, and motorbike riding. The mountain ranges provide unique panoramic views and much of the area is still undeveloped. Also, in order to cater to the large number of visitors, several bars, lounges, discos and clubs will open up during the winter months.

Sleep

 * Hotel Capivari Plaza
 * Hotel Capivari Plaza
 * Hotel Capivari Plaza
 * Hotel Capivari Plaza
 * Hotel Capivari Plaza
 * Hotel Capivari Plaza

title: Campos do Jordão


text:
Camps Bay

Camps Bay is a suburb in Cape Town on the Cape Peninsula of South Africa. Founded as Kamps Baai it was once considered to become Cape Town's harbour. It has become a tourism hot spot because it offers a great combination of restaurants, bars, amenities, accommodation and a fantastic beach, all very close to each other.

By car
Follow the coastal road from the Cape Town CBD westwards around Table Mountain or use the beautiful panoramic Chapmans Peak Drive to get there.

By public transport
There is no public transport yet, so your only choice would be sightseeing tourist buses that stop from time to time to give you the chance to hop off and later on again.

Get around
Camps Bay can easily be experienced by foot. However if you are staying in at the top of Camps Bay, it can take up to an hour to walk back from the beach. There are plenty of taxis available though, and it is one of the few places in Cape Town where a tourist will not need their own transport.

See

 * Beautiful view on the Twelve Apostles, a rock formation of the Table Mountain massive.
 * The beachfront with its restaurants and bars and the beach.

Do

 * Enjoy the atmosphere in this exclusive town and relax at the beach. Maybe visit some of the restaurants to spoil yourself.
 * Do some mountain hiking to get some great views.
 * Paraglide down from Lions Head or Signal Hill

Buy
A granadilla lolly on the beach on a sweltering hot summers day! As the ice cream men on the beach will tell you: "a lolly for your dolly!"

Eat
Camps Bay has a number of restaurants and cafes. In total there are probably about thirty, the majority of which are opposite the beach, stretched along Victoria Road, which is the main road of Camps Bay (runs parallel to the beach front). Some well known restaurants are Theos, Codfather (for seafood) and Summerville.

Drink
Besides these three bars, just about every restaurant in Camps Bay offers great views, and is a super spot for a drink (or a sundowner as local Capetonians like to call it).

Sleep
Camps Bay offers a wide range of accommodation. There is only one large hotel, but there are a proliferation of B&Bs, guesthouses and self-catering villas and apartments. Most tend to be in the higher end of the market; either four-star or five-star, although the guesthouses and self-catering options generally offer far better value than equivalent hotels.

Go next

 * Visit Cape Town and its attractions.
 * Do a tour around the Cape Peninsula.

title: Camps Bay


text:
Camp Verde

Camp Verde is a small town in Northern Arizona.

See

title: Camp Verde


text:
Camuy

Camuy - Romantic City - is a city east of Aguadilla and west of Arecibo on Puerto Rico's north coast.

Get in

 * San Juan: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
 * Aguadilla: Rafael Hernández Airport
 * Ponce: Mercedita Airport

By car
From Luis Muñoz Marín Airport near San Juan, take PR-2 west. The ride is about 90 minutes long.

See

 * Camuy River Boardwalk
 * Camuy City Square
 * Manuel Canelas Museum
 * Old Camuyan Casino
 * Stone Church "Iglesia de Piedra"
 * Old Camuyan Casino
 * Stone Church "Iglesia de Piedra"

Do
" La Balseada del Río Camuy" (participants travel down river on makeshift crafts.) Annual event celebrated during spring.
 * Los Amadores Beach
 * Peñón Brussi Public Beach

" El Mondongazo" traditional food and "mondongo" (cow tripe cooked puertorican stile) are offered during this weekend festival at the end of summer (yearly event)

" El Velorio De Los Reyes" this festivity takes place every 5th of January to celebrate "Three Kings Day" at the town 's main square. Enjoy traditional music. Kiosks around the square offer food and drinks. Local artisans offer their renditions of the "Three Kings" made out of native woods.

Buy
There are stores along the streets of the city center. Another shopping experience can be found in Plaza del Norte in Hatillo.
 * Lune Du Soleil Spa & Wellness Center This full service spa located on Rt # 2 offers massages, skin, hair and nail care. Their service is as good as any other place found in the big cities. The prices are reasonable and the staff speaks English.

Eat
There are many places along Rt#2 to enjoy traditional puertorican food, international food or sea food with local flair. Many people speak English and will be glad to give you directions. Try "El Fogon de Abuela" by the shore close to Penon Amador Beach.

Drink
You can try Iguana's Bar & Grill on Rt #2. Travel farther west (also on RT #2) to nearby Parador Guajataca in Quebradillas for Karaoke Night on weekends.

Sleep
You can stay in "La Rosa del Mar" Hotel or "Punta Maracayo Resort" in nearby Hatillo (10 minutes east of Camuy by Rt #2). Both places are new (built after 2000) and offer good accommodations at a good price.

title: Camuy


text:
Ca Na

Ca Na is a fishing village on the southern border of Ninh Thuan Province in the Southern Vietnam region of Vietnam.

Understand
Ca Na is a sleepy fishing village producing fish sauce and reputedly some of the best salt in Vietnam. Several hotels and resorts serving domestic tourism have popped up on the beach along Hwy 1A a kilometre out of town.

Get in
Buses going between Nha Trang and Mui Ne can let you out or pick you up in the hotel/resort area.

Get around
The town itself is not very big and is walkable.

See
There is a small temple halfway up a hill near the hotels.

Do
Vietnam Scuba Resort offers non-certified scuba. Otherwise just relax and enjoy the quiet beach.

Sleep
There is a stretch of hotels and motels along Hwy 1A, including one run by the Mai Linh taxi and transport company you see all over Vietnam.

title: Ca Na


text:
Canacona

Canacona is in South Goa.

Located in the extreme south of Goa, Canacona was outside the Goa boundaries until the eighteenth century.

Towns and other villages

 * — the main town of Canacona

 * — the "Anjuna" (alternativish, but not-so-freaky) beach of South Goa

 * — a quieter beach-neighbour to Palolem

 * — Galgibaga is, each year, host to scores of turtles visiting its shores. Nesting turtles come only on certain days of the year. For some reason, of all of Goa's long coastal stretch, they choose to zero in on Galgibaga and Morjim (Pernem).
 * Secluded areas touching the shore, like Vaturem and Xendrem

Other destinations

 * — the 'Cape of Rama', a promontory jutting out into the Arabian Sea where Cabo de Rama Fortress is located. Also a nearby town/village nearby.

 * — Goa's second-largest wildlife sanctuary located at Cotigao

 * — a centuries-old monastery.

Understand
Canacona's aboriginal population, the Kunbis (with Gaonkar or Velip as their surnames) live in areas around Gaondongri, Cotigao, Chapoli (the site for a new dam), Assali, Kulem, Khola and Agonda. Besides the Kunbi, there are also their tribal-priestly counterparts, the Velips.

Get in
Route National Highway 66, NH-66 (previously known as NH17) from Mumbai to Goa going past Panaji and Margao. Driving straight down takes you to Chaudi, the headquarters town of Canacona. A more scenic route is the coastal road (right after Navelim) going via Chinchinim, Assolna, Betul and Canaguinim.

Get around
Travel infrastructure is sparse here, except along the main highway (NH 66, National Highway 66, going from north to south of Canacona). You would need to be very adventurous to depend on the public buses to make your way around... unless you have a lot of patience or time.

See
Canacona's beach belt, 'discovered' only after the 1990s, is among the most scenic. Palolem is a freaky recreation of an east-meets-west Goan beach, with a rich variety of exotic food and accommodation to cater to the international palate.

 * Beyond the better-known Palolem and Agonda, there are nearly 20 lesser-known (or even hidden) beaches. So what if you don't find hotels or restaurants there, the idea is fine if you want to escape from it all. In some cases, the road to the beach is nothing but a narrow track.
 * Canacona and neighbouring Quepem are rustic areas, with only small towns in the area. These are not the place to go shopping, though Palolem has a growing number of touristy outlets.
 * Mallikarjun Temple, 2.5 km away from Chaudi on the main-road leading to Karwar (take road going left) is where devotees head for advice from the oracles, interpreted on where flower-petals drop.
 * Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary is located within this area.
 * Parthagal math is a five centuries-old monastery.
 * Dolphin-watching and fishing trips are what attract foreign visitors to the area.
 * Palolem, Agonda and the more deserted Cabo de Rama Fort are current hot-favourites. The first two are still not overdeveloped beach-villages. Cabo de Rama is a place for scenic views of the coast. You need your own transport to reach these places, since public buses are few and far between.
 * Loliem has a couple of centuries-old 'hero' stones, etchings on stone to record historic events of the time dating back many centuries. This village's statue of Betal, possibly a pre-Hindu deity, itself goes back to the seventh century if not earlier, according to cultural-historian Phaldessai. Canacona has a total of four Betal deities, according to him.
 * Canacona's contribution to Goan tourism is the idea of beach-huts—temporary beachside thatched huts built on coconut trees usually above ground level, right on the beach, during the fair weather (October–May) season.

Do

Visits to Anjediva Island are permitted courtesy Station Commander Sea Bird Project. Such requests should be channeled through Fr. Britto D Silva Parish Priest St. Annes Church, Binaga Karwar. Tel No 08382 31132 and email address frbrittodsilva2002@yahoo.co.in Visits in future could be curtailed due to plans by the Navy to step up security.

To visit the Island from Goa one has to proceed by any bus going to Karwar or Mangalore, leaving in the morning. The journey is about 2-1/2 hrs. From the bus stand to Karwar Port, the charge is around ₹15 for a shared-auto. A trawler takes you to Anjediv. You might need to alight into a small boat before reaching the shore, due to the shallowness of the island waters.

Visits are usually around October or February, during local feasts.

The entry to island is not restricted.

Eat
Goa's emphasis on foreign tourists - all of them are assumed to be higher-spenders by those in business - means that destinations preferred by foreigners are more in the spotlight. Emphasis on the Westerner's food tastes also lends for either an exotic mix of cuisines, or, alternative, a tastelessly watered-down Goan/Indian cuisine.

Some places nonetheless manage to come out of this trap quite effectively.

Dilip Gaitonde's Palolem Beach Resort, bang on Canacona beach, offer a range from different cuisines. Goan dishes are the favourites. Others on Palolem beach itself include Draupadi (Israeli dishes too), German Bakery (health food, German cakes, pies, strudels, six-grain bread, croissants), Sameer Bar and Restaurant (seafood, Indian, Italian), Silver Star (fish tandoor, sizzlers, beef steak), Ciaran's Camp (pre-booked three-course dinner available), Fernandes Restaurant (Goan food, fresh juices), Cool Breeze ("food from around the world" with Jazz), Simba's, Boom Shankar, etc.

Look out for the other 'shacks' that make their appearance on the coastal stretch when the foreign tourist season starts. You can also take an excursion to the coastal, sleepy town of karwar; an hour away from canacona. Go and enjoy a nice meal at amrut, an authentic seafood restaurant in the local market. Not only the fish is very fresh, its also very light on your wallet.

Drink
Draupadi, on Palolem beach, right next to the main entrance, has a recommendable strawberry cocktail made from freshly pulped strawberries that is only served in the season for strawberries (around winter).

There are two major brands of beer: King's and Kingfisher. Kings brand of beer is local to Goa and is not available outside the state and many locals swear by it. Kingfisher is the nation's best-selling beer and given the fact that its owner, business magnate Vijay Mallya, has several plush properties in Goa, it is hardly surprising that you will find yourself bombarded by Kingfisher advertising. Yet the beer itself is only average and it is recommended that you ask for King's beer first.

Stay safe

 * Coastal areas in Canacona are perhaps more used to tourists than the interior. Keep in mind that tourism has opened up here only after the 1990s.
 * Avoid drugs, and the mafia that peddles them.
 * Take usual precautions with raves.
 * Locals are trustworthy, but crime against tourists is not unknown—more in 'wilder' places like Anjuna, up north.
 * Warm food and clean water (bottled doesn't necessarily equal hygienic!) is essential to stay healthy.
 * Gaur (Indian Bison) is sometimes seen on roads. Stay away from them.

Go next
Canacona is connected by road and bus with Margao (to the north) and Karwar (to the south). Canacona is also along the Konkan Railway route, though not all fast trains stop here. The railway station is just outside the small Chaudi main town of the taluka (sub-district).

 * Karwar
 * Mangalore
 * Anshi National Park

title: Canacona