text:
Southern Tier

The Southern Tier of New York State is the geographical region that includes the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains and along the northern border of Pennsylvania.

Lake Erie lies to the west of the Southern Tier, and the north is bordered by the Niagara Frontier and the Finger Lakes. The region is bordered to the south by the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania, and together these regions are known as the Twin Tiers.

It is largely a rural area full of dairy farms, quaint towns, and deep forests. Numerous small fairs and markets dot the valleys in the summer and the area is a destination for hunters and leaf peepers in the fall. The occasional city hugs the riverbanks, providing modern amenities and urban comforts while struggling to hold on to the small town charm that is typical of the area.

It is considered to be the northernmost reaches of Appalachia.

Regions
Listed east to west:
 * Broome County
 * Tioga County
 * Chemung County
 * Steuben County
 * Allegany County
 * Cattaraugus County
 * Chautauqua County

Cities

 * — the largest city in the region. This historic city is known as the Parlor City and the Carousel Capital of America.
 * — known as the Crystal City, is home to the Corning Museum of Glass and the Rockwell Museum of Western Art.
 * — known for the Cuba Cheese Shoppe
 * — one of the top ski areas east of the Mississippi
 * — an historic town on the Chemung River. Mark Twain spent many summers here.
 * — a village on the shores of Lake Erie. It is home to SUNY Fredonia.
 * — city on the shores of Chautauqua Lake.
 * — city in the Allegany Mountains, home to the natural formation Rock City Park.
 * — historic town on the Susquehanna River. Voted coolest small town in America.

Other destinations

 * Allegany State Park is the largest state park in New York managed by New York State Parks, Recreation, & Historic Preservation.
 * Chautauqua County Grape Corridor, home of National Grape Coop (Welch's), birthplace of Concord grape juice and 2nd leading producer, and excellent wine region.
 * — the progenitor of the Chautauqua Movement, a kind of summer camp for grown-ups
 * Chenango Valley State Park, ice age lakes provide excellent bird watching a fishing in this wilderness area.
 * Hiawatha Island
 * Lake Erie State Park, large bluffs overlooking the lake and fantastic public beaches.
 * Newtown Battlefield State Park site of the Sullivan Expeditions decisive win over the Iroquois Confederacy.
 * Midway State Park, one of the oldest continually operating amusement parks in the nation.
 * Rock City Park a rare geologic formation resembling a city.

Geography
Most of the Southern Tier lies within the Allegany Plateau, a vast region of hills and valleys that results from the erosion of a plain/sea bed that uplifted millions of years ago. Fossils can often be found in road cuts and creek beds due to this action. Several rivers run through the area, often cutting broad, flat valleys through the network of smaller ones. Some of the larger are the Allegany, Canisteo, Chemung, Genesee, and Susquehanna Rivers. The Eastern Continental Divide runs right through the middle of the region, between Corning and Hornell. West of the Allegany Mountains the land slopes gently down to the shores of Lake Erie.

Climate is typical 'humid continental' with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. The region can experience heavy snows, with both lake-effect snow and Nor'easters commonly hitting the area. Two feet of snow from a single storm is not uncommon.

History
Native Americans have had a long history in the area. Large areas of the Southern Tier belonged to the Iroquois Nation prior to/during colonization. During the Revolutionary War the Sullivan Expedition marched through the area, burning an Indian village at the present site of Owego and culminating in the Battle of Newtown.

Early colonists largely followed the major rivers as they provided food and transportation. Most early industry involved harvesting the forests and shipping the lumber downstream. Elmira was first settled around 1792, with Binghamton, Corning, and other settlements beginning shortly after. The terrain limited canal building, and the area remained sparse until the coming of railroads and the Civil War led to an industrial boom. The region remained a manufacturing center for some time, but generally declined as new technology brought automation and better transportation. Binghamton, however, remained a center of industry and culture right up until the end of the Cold War when its defense heavy economy collapsed.

Today the area is attempting a resurgence. Binghamton is becoming a destination for high technology and the arts much of the rest of the region is trying to draw in tourists interested in the natural beauty and small time charm the area has in abundance.

By plane
The Southern Tier is served by two regional airports with limited flights:
 * Elmira-Corning Airport in Elmira.
 * Greater Binghamton Airport in Binghamton.

The nearby airports of Syracuse, Scranton, and somewhat farther away, Albany are considerably larger and offer more in the way of connections and services to the eastern portion of the Southern Tier. The western portion may be better served by airports in Buffalo and Erie, Pennsylvania:
 * Syracuse-Hancock International Airport in Syracuse.
 * Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
 * Albany International Airport in Albany.
 * Buffalo International Airport in Buffalo.
 * Erie International Airport in Erie, Pennsylvania.

By car

 * Interstate 81 is a major north/south link to the Southern Tier. It intersects I86/17 and I88 in Binghamton.
 * Interstate 86/17 the Southern Tier Expressway crosses the entire length of the Southern Tier east to west. It provides a major link to the area from NYC and other downstate areas. Remaining sections of old Rt 17 are in the process of being upgraded to interstate standards for the completion of I86.
 * Interstate 88 provides direct connection from Binghamton to the Albany area.
 * Interstate 90/NYS Thruway runs along the coast of Lake Erie to the Buffalo area.

By bus

 * Greyhound Bus has stations in Binghamton, Elmira, Hornell, and Olean.
 * Shortline Bus is a regional busline. They specialize in student travel and visit every large city in the Southern Tier. They provide links to many metropolitan and tourist areas of the North-East and have at least 6 round trip buses from NYC to Binghamton daily.

By train
There is no passenger rail service offered in the Southern Tier, although there are some efforts to change this. With New Jersey Transit potentially extending the Raritan Valley Line from New York City to Scranton, Pennsylvania, there have been discussions of Amtrak running service along this line and continuing to Binghamton, Elmira, and other Southern Tier cities. The nearest Amtrak stations are in Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and Erie, Pennsylvania.

Get around
The Southern Tier is a large, mostly rural region. As such, the best way to experience it is by car. There are several rental companies that service the area, particularly at the airports.

Public transportation is limited to the major metropolitan centers, with some interconnection between cities by private bus lines.

See
The region has beautiful fall colors in late September to mid-October.

The artistically inclined should head to Corning. The Corning Museum of Glass in boasts of one of the world's most extensive collections of glass items, including an amazing display of antique glassware. And the Rockwell Museum of Western Art has a wonderful display of Western American paintings and sculptures.

The Mark Twain Study in Elmira is where Samuel Clemens wrote many of his works. It is on the Elmira College campus.

In downtown Binghamton, history buffs should visit the Phelps Mansion Museum, which displays history and art of the Binghamton region, that the Roberson Museum, which showcases Southern Tier history.

The Ross Park Zoo in Binghamton is the 5th oldest in the nation.

The Waterman Conservation Education Center near Owego is dedicated to nature conservation and education. It owns many wilderness areas including Hiawatha Island.

Do
There are lots of opportunities for racing fans. The Broome-Tioga Sports Complex in Broome County is a large motocross complex. It is a stop on the Northest Classic. In Tioga County, Skyview Drags is a 1/8-mile IHRA dragstrip that frequently hosts old-style dragsters, funny cars, and rocket cars, while Shangri-La 2 Raceway is a 1/2-mile, cement, oval track. Both are near Owego. For horse races and gambling, head to Tioga Downs near Nichols.

The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail offers you 21 wineries along 40 miles of Lake Erie countryside.

For the education-minded, the Discovery Center of the Southern Tier in Binghamton is learning center for children. The Kopernik Observatory and Science Center near Binghamton is the largest public observatory in the north-east U.S.

Golfers should head to En-Joie Golf Course in Endicott, west of Binghamton. It hosts the PGA Champions Tour Dicks Open. The Links at Hiawatha, further west near Owego, is another public course. It was designed to reflect British traditions in golf.

For hikers, the Finger Lakes Trail is a hiking trail through the Finger Lakes region with large portions in the Southern Tier.

Looking for festivals? Try the Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally in Binghamton. It is a massive Spiedie cook-off and craft fair combined with a twice daily hot-air balloon launch and live music at night. The Strawberry Festival in Owego, Tioga, draws visitors from miles around for some of the best strawberries to be had.

Eat
As with most areas of the northeastern United States, Southern Tier cuisine is the result of the ethnic melting pot that immigration created and food offerings tend to be similar from county to county. There are very few 'traditional' foods of the area as no one ethnicity or crop dominated the region. The city of Binghamton, however, was once a popular immigrant destination. These immigrants brought their cuisine to the region and the area is still home to a large number of fantastic ethnic eateries that have stayed reasonably true to the original dishes.

Outside the cities, the Southern Tier is still an agricultural region and is a great place to find a large variety of local produce. Almost every town has at least one farmers market where fresh, local produce can be purchased. The growing season is short and relatively cool, so fruits and vegetables that favor such conditions are easy to find. The region is well known for its strawberries in the summer and its apple crop in the fall, but other produce that grows well include cherries, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, corn, and squashes. Maple syrup was once produced across the region and is still celebrated at numerous maple festivals in the spring. Although production has declined, it is becoming more popular due to the rising interest in natural maple syrup. Dairy is a major industry in much of the Southern Tier. Although the milk produced is generally sold to regional milk bottling companies, a few creameries and cheese factories still exist.

The Southern Tier does have one dish for which it is well known. The Spiedie, chunks of marinated meat grilled on skewers, was born in Binghamton and is quite popular throughout the region.

Drink
Before Prohibition, New York was the leading producer of hops in the US. The western section of the Southern Tier has a rich tradition in beer craft and there are a number of breweries and brewpubs to be found here. The aptly named Southern Tier Brewing Company is located in Lakewood, NY (just west of Jamestown). STBC brews some very fine craft beers and a number of season beers.

Other brewpubs are:
 * Binghamton: Water Street Brewing and Galaxy Brewery
 * Corning: Market Street Brewery
 * Fredonia: Ellicottville Brewing Company (although their brewery is actually in Ellicottville, only the Fredonia location is a full bar and restaurant)

Sleep
Lodgings depend on a given travelers preferences. Hotels are limited to the cities and to major tourist attractions. Bed and Breakfasts can be found in many of the smaller towns, particularly to the extreme east and west of the region. Additionally, there are many campsites scattered all over the Southern Tier and wilderness camping is allowed in any NYS designated state forest, of which the Southern Tier has many.

Stay safe
Staying safe in the Southern Tier can easily be accomplished by using some common sense. In urban areas, crime is generally in line with that of most other Upstate cities; in rural areas, it's generally nothing to worry about at all.

In wilderness areas, and even in the cities (bears have been spotted in Binghamton), wildlife is the major danger. Bears and several species of Big Cats inhabit the area, however, it is deer that are by far the larger danger. The Southern Tier is overpopulated by deer and vehicle collisions are frequent and sometime fatal. Several species of poisonous animals and insects inhabit the area, although these are somewhat rare. Aggressive Hornets and Yellow-jackets are the most dangerous of this list (due to frequency of occurrence), but others include the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, water vipers, Northern Black Widow Spiders, and Deer Ticks (carriers of Lyme Disease).

Winter weather in the Southern Tier can be very dangerous as well. Severe storms can be unpredictable and hit with unexpected ferocity. The area is subject to both lake-effect snows off the Great Lakes and to Nor'easters (hurricane-like snow storms that come in off the Atlantic). Take all weather advisories very seriously. Stay off the roads and ensure adequate supplies as it can sometimes be days before power is restored or the roads are cleared in remote areas. The locals are notorious for snow-storm bravado, so a good rule of thumb is to clear the road before they do.

Go next
Nearby attractions include Lake Erie, Niagara Falls, Letchworth State Park, The Finger Lakes, Pine Creek Gorge, The Poconos and Endless Mountains, and The Catskill Mountains.

title: Southern Tier


text:
Southern Transdanubia

Southern Transdanubia (Hungarian: Dél-Dunántúl) is a region in western Hungary.

Cities

 * – a pleasant cultural centre and university town
 * – a pleasant cultural centre and university town
 * – a pleasant cultural centre and university town
 * – a pleasant cultural centre and university town
 * – a pleasant cultural centre and university town
 * – a pleasant cultural centre and university town
 * – a pleasant cultural centre and university town

By train

 * 'Rippl-Rónai' InterCity express, IC 204/205. Catch it at Dombóvár or at Kaposvár to Zagreb

Go next

 * Central Transdanubia
 * Lake Balaton
 * Southern Great Plain
 * Western Transdanubia

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

title: Southern Transdanubia


text:
Southern Travancore

Southern Travancore is in Kerala in India. It is home to the capital city and various monuments, famous beaches, large temples, churches, and sporting events.

The region includes the districts of Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kanyakumari.

Cities

 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —
 * —

Other destinations

 * , one and a half journey from Thiruvananthapuram.

Eat
Southern Travancore dishes have an emphasis on vegetarian foods due to the strong influence of Hindu Nairs and Kshyatriya customs. There are a few non-vegetarian options as well, mostly limited to chicken dishes.

title: Southern Travancore


text:
Southern Ukraine

Southern Ukraine (Ukrainian: Південна Україна) is the region next to Crimea on the Black Sea coast of Ukraine.

Cities

 * (Білгород-Дністровський) – The site of the beautiful seaside castle of Akkerman that was much contested for throughout the history.
 * – A port city with two beaches
 * (Ізмаї́л)
 * (Херсо́н)
 * (Микола́їв)
 * (Очаків)
 * (Одеса) – Also called Pearl of the Black Sea, a must see when in Ukraine and refreshing alternative to busy Kyiv.
 * (Теплодар)
 * (Вилкове) – Also called the Venice of Ukraine, features a web of channels in town and access to the Danube Delta.

Other destinations

 * – A nature reserve protecting Europe's largest remaining patch of "virgin" (never-cultivated) steppe grasslands, as well a breeding and reintroduction site for rare animals like Przewalski's Horse and the Turkmenian kulan (or wild ass).
 * – One of the largest deserts in Europe.
 * — wetlands of the Dniester estuary, from the Moldovan border to the Black Sea.

Talk
Although the official language is Ukrainian, most locals in southern Ukraine speak Russian as their native language.

Stay safe
In 2022, Russia invaded the region as one of the fronts of its invasion of Ukraine. After Russian advances during the spring, fighting became inconclusive with neither side gaining a major strategic advantage. Southern Ukraine remains an active war zone and all travel to the region should be avoided.

title: Southern Ukraine


text:
Southern Upland Way

The Southern Upland Way is a long-distance walking trail in Scotland, with its western half in Dumfries and Galloway region and its eastern in the Scottish Borders.

Understand

The Southern Upland Way is a waymarked route opened in 1984, stretching 212 miles / 340 km coast-to-coast across the hills of lowland Scotland, from Portpatrick in the southwest to Cockburnspath on the North Sea coast. It's an "official" route, meaning the local council districts it traverses have a duty to keep it passable and waymarked. It's more demanding than the popular West Highland Way, since the stages are longer, crossing the grain of the land with much up-and-down. Many stage-ends lack accommodation and transport so you have to wild-camp, carrying all your kit and provisions. The route is of no great altitude but is often boggy and exposed, and seldom suitable for mountain bikes.

Allow 14 days for the route: since 2020 the record for completing it is 55 hours 42 minutes. It's usual to hike from west to east, to have the prevailing wind and afternoon sun at your back, though the western sections are longer and tougher. The east is more populated and bucolic, and closer to the cities of Edinburgh and Newcastle, so their folk bring the car for an easy out-and-back Sunday ramble then pick up the next section another time.

Prepare
This page is only a brief overview of the route. There are several detailed guides, such as the free online guide by Walk Highlands.

Ordnance Survey publish a west and an east map of the route at 1:50,000 scale, plus OS "Landranger" 1:50,000 maps of sections, with map numbers given below.

Get in
Portpatrick at the start has buses every hour or so from Stranraer, which has trains and buses from Glasgow and ferries from Belfast.

Galashiels and Melrose to the east are on a busy transport corridor.

Cockburnspath at the finish has a bus every couple of hours from Berwick, heading to Dunbar and Edinburgh.

Walk

 * (mile 0) has several hotels and B&Bs. Using OS Map 72, start at the harbour and follow the clifftop north for 4 miles then turn inland. Cross B738 then over Broad Moor. At Ochtrelure (mile 8 on the edge of Stranraer) turn south to Little Lochans then continue east. This stage is 13 miles / 21 km.

 * (mile 13) is on A75 but has no accommodation. Head through the park by the ruined castle, the trail parallels the lane towards New Luce. The waymarked trail branches east to bypass the village, but accommodation here breaks up a lengthy stage. This stage is 7 miles / 12 km.

 * (mile 20) has a pub with rooms. Take the lane east to rejoin the main trail, north through forest over boggy Artfield Fell, past a bothy and the Laggangarn standing stones. After about 13 miles the way turns east, descends to B7027 at Knowe then parallels the lane northeast to Bargrennan. This leg is 18 miles / 30 km.

 * (mile 38) is on A714 and has accommodation. Switch to OS Map 77: the next long stage crosses the rugged country of Galloway Forest Park. Follow forest tracks up Glen Trool then across the flank of Lamachan Hill, where the watershed is marked by a stone carved with runes. Descend into the Dee valley: White Laggan is a bothy, but you need to bring everything to sleep or cook. At Mid Garrary the route is crossed by a lane where you could arrange a pick-up You then cross the flank of Meikle Millyea to descend into St John's Town of Dalry. This stage is 25 miles / 40 km.

 * (mile 63) may have accommodation (probably closed in winter) and a sporadic bus to Dumfries. Switch to OS Map 76: the next stage is even longer and more exposed than the previous. You tramp north past Knowehead (crossing B729) to the 581 m summit of Benbrack, decorated by a sandstone arch. Descend to Polskeoch (with a bothy, and reached by a lane) then northeast across the well-named Cloud Hill to Sanquhar. This stage is 26 miles / 41.5 km.

 * (mile 89) will feel like a buzzing metropolis by comparison, as it's on A75 and the Glasgow-Kilmarnock-Dumfries-Carlisle railway, and has accommodation. Switch to OS Map 78: the route ascends northeast past Conrig Hill and Glengaber to Wanlockhead. This stage is 8 miles / 12.5 km.

 * (mile 97) is Britain's highest village, at 1531 ft / 467 m, and has accommodation. Lead was mined here in the 19th century, and the miners' cottages and beam engine still stand. The route trends southeast across Lowther Hill, topped by a giant radome, and A702; a mile beyond this you pass the halfway mark on the Southern Upland Way. Descend past a bothy and camping area into Beattock, where you cross the Annandale Way. This stage is 19.5 miles / 31 km.

 * (mile 117) is on A701 and A74(M), pounding with traffic at all hours. It has accommodation but there's more at Moffat two miles north. Switch to OS Map 79: the route is northeast by either a high or low route (crossing the watershed between Irish Sea and North Sea drainage) to join the lane down to Ettrick; there's a bothy at Over Phawhop. Then a short ridge brings you to Tibbie Shiels at the west end of St Mary's Loch. This stage is 20.5 miles / 33 km.

 * (mile 138) is on A708 and has camping areas, though Tibbie Shiels Inn closed years ago. Switch to OS Map 73 and follow the east side of the loch and at its far end cross A708: Dryhope Tower is a 16th century peel tower. Ascend northeast over the flank of the Hawkshaw Rigs to the summit of Blake Muir (1532 ft / 467 m) then descend to Traquair. This stage is 12 miles / 19 km.

 * (mile 150) is an attractive small settlement but has no accommodation: for this, divert two miles north to Innerleithen, which is on A72 with buses on the Galashiels-Peebles-Edinburgh route. Resuming at Traquair, head east along old cattle drovers' trails over Minch Moor and Brown Knowe (1719 ft / 524 m) towards the Three Brethren, three giant cairns. Descend by forestry trails to Yair. This stage is 13 miles / 19 km.

 * (mile 163) has accommodation and is 2 miles north of Selkirk. Cross the low ridge towards Galashiels, transport hub for the Borders and with accommodation. However the route skirts town on Gala Hill and descends onto A7: Abbotsford House across the river is the grand mansion of Sir Walter Scott. Follow the south bank of the River Tweed to Melrose. This stage is 5 miles / 9 km.
 * (mile 168) is a pleasant small town with a ruined abbey, and another nearby plus several stumps of old castles. Plenty of accommodation, and transport on the Jedburgh-Galashiels route. The route is straight north along an old drovers' trail, much of it now a tarmac lane, so it's easy going to Lauder. This stage is 10 miles / 16 km.

 * (mile 178) is a village with accommodation on A68 with buses between Jedburgh, Melrose and Edinburgh. Thirlestane Castle is the mansion at its south edge. Switch to OS Map 67: the route is east across the Lammermuir Hills via Twin Law (1467 ft / 447 m, with two large cairns) and Watch Water to Longformacus. This stage is 15 miles / 24 km.

 * (mile 193) has no accommodation, the nearest is in Duns 12 miles south. Head east by farm and forestry trails to Abbey St Bathans. This stage is 6.5 miles / 11 km.

 * (mile 200) likewise has no accommodation. Cross the ridge northeast to the busy A1 at Penmanshiel, then north besides the railway to the North Sea coast. There's a short clifftop section then turn inland to journey's end at Cockburnspath. This stage is 11.5 miles / 18 km.

 * (mile 212, pronounced "Koh-burns path") is on the A1 and has accommodation. The Borders Bus potters along the road every couple of hours from Berwick to Eyemouth, Cockburnspath, Dunbar, Haddington and Edinburgh.

See

Waymerks are small metal tokens concealed in thirteen "kists" hidden along the route: you're near one if you spot an "ULTREIA" sign, a Latin greeting for pilgrims. Help yourself to a merk if you find one, but please only take one. They're individually crafted and may be of lead, copper or pewter, or you hit the jackpot if you find one of silver. A merk was a medieval Scottish coin, abolished in 1707 upon the union with England: 13 of them made one English penny, so there's probably a sly anti-Scots joke there. A kist or cist is a prehistoric burial chamber. The original installation was in 2001; a new hoard was deposited in 2007 and the kists have been intermittently topped up since.

Stay safe
Standard advice for hill-walking: prepare for cold wet weather from above and boggy going below. Some sections are indistinct and the mist can roll in at any moment, so you need navigation skills. The route is quiet, on old cattle-drovers and forest tracks, and you may not see anyone all day. However mobile phone coverage is fairly good since there are no mountains to block the signal.

Go next

 * The Pennine Way from Edale in the Peak District has its north terminus at Kirk Yetholm. There isn't a trail onward to join SUW, which feels like a missing link. But with OS maps you can easily find your own route, either via the coast at Berwick or by heading north to Longformacus.
 * The coastal path heads south past Cockburnspath to the dramatic cliffs of St Abb's, Eyemouth, across the border to Berwick-upon-Tweed, Lindisfarne, and on down the coast of Northumberland.
 * It heads north to end at Dunbar, start of the John Muir trail back across the Central Belt via Edinburgh to the west coast at Helensburgh.
 * Near Loch Lomond the John Muir Trail intersects the West Highland Way, which goes to Fort William, for the ascent of Ben Nevis and start of the Great Glen Way to Inverness. You could be at this for some time.

title: Southern Upland Way


text:
Southern Uzbekistan

Southern Uzbekistan is the southern, Tajik-dominated, mountainous portion of Uzbekistan to the south of Samarkand. Parts of it are in the region historically known as Bactria.

Regions

 * Kashkadarya — The northern region on the western slopes of the Pamir-Alay mountains.
 * Surkhandarya — The southern region. It embraces the valleys of the Sherabad and Surkhan rivers which flow into the Amu-darya from the north

The Hissar (Gissar) Mountain Range marks an ancient frontier between the two regions: Kashkadarya was part of Sogdiana while Surkhandarya was part of Bactria.

Cities

 * — In 2001 the city of Boysun was proclaimed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO along with its surrounding countryside.
 * — rural town with a circular fortress and a Kushan archaeological site dated to the mid-1st century BC.
 * — Archaeological excavations in the area have revealed the existence of defensive system consisted of fortresses and massive walls.
 * — meaning "Palace" in Uzbek, the city is famous for its production of woven carpets.
 * — picturesque village in a narrow valley
 * —Timur birthplace and a UNESCO World Heritage site
 * — The southernmost city of Uzbekistan and an important border crossing between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan

Other destinations

 * — ruins of an important caravan resting place on the Great Silk Road.
 * — ruins of an ancient city of the Kushan Empire developed around an earlier Hellenistic fortress.
 * — cave complex carved into the Sherabad ridge on the border with Turkmenistan.
 * (Timur Darvaza) — in ancient times this narrow valley across the Hissar Mountain Range was used as a strategic passage between Bactria and Sogdia and was of great importance to any power in the region.
 * — ruins of an ancient city on the steep bank of the Amu Darya.
 * — ruins of a round fortress dated to the time of Alexander the Great.

Understand
Winters are the mildest in southern Uzbekistan, spring and autumn are bearable and summer are unbearable. In May-Augustus temperatures can reach an extreme

By plane

 * Termez Airport is linked with Moscow-Domodedovo, St Petersburg and Tashkent by direct flights of Uzbekistan Airways and VIM Airlines.
 * Karshi Airport from Moscow and Saint Petersburg

By bus
Buses from Mazar-e Sharif, Dushanbe, Kerki are infrequent and rarely carry foreigners

By train
Termez is linked to Dushanbe and Mary by rail lines.

Stay safe
Women travelling seem to face more harassment in southern Uzbekistan than in other parts of the country, whether due to cultural differences or the fact that the region sees fewer tourists. Dress conservatively and be careful.

title: Southern Uzbekistan


text:
Southern Vermont

Southern Vermont is Vermont's southern section, bordering Massachusetts to the east and New York to the west.

Cities

 * - Calvin Coolidge was born here and is also buried here
 * and
 * - Calvin Coolidge was born here and is also buried here
 * and
 * - Calvin Coolidge was born here and is also buried here
 * and
 * and

By plane
Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport

By train
There are Amtrak stations in White River Junction, Windsor, Claremont (NH), Bellows Falls, and Brattleboro.

By bus
Vermont Translines route 7 connects Rutland with Burlington.

By bus
Regional transit agencies are The Bus (Rutland County), Green Mountain Community Network (Bennington County), Tri-Valley Transit (Northern Windsor County), MOOver (Windham and Southern Windsor County).

See
Some parts of southern Vermont are particularly popular for seeing the fall foliage. This has become so popular, and the effects of the daytrippers have become so burdensome, that many communities are struggling to cope. In 2023, the village of Pomfret (near Woodstock in Windsor County) closed Cloudland Road and Barber Hill Road to non-residents during peak color season, citing not only traffic jams so severe that they were interfering with emergency services, but also problems caused by anti-social behavior, including piles of garbage, public urination on both private and public property, and people changing clothes by the roadside in an effort to get the perfect photo for social media. If you go, plan plenty of time to crawl through the traffic jams and make sure you are a considerate guest.

title: Southern Vermont


text:
Southern Vietnam

Southern Vietnam covers the Mekong Delta, the extreme southern end of the Mekong River, and the area around Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Understand
Like all river deltas, it receives the bounty of the siltation from the upper Mekong, and as such is a very rich and lush area, covered with rice fields. It produces about half of the total of Vietnam's agricultural output (in fact, the delta produces more rice than Korea and Japan combined), and is the place for timeless views of farmers planting or harvesting rice. It was the scene of vicious fighting during what the Americans call the Vietnam War and the Vietnamese call the American War, but with the country at peace for several decades now, it recovered its previous position as the country's rice bowl.

The Mekong splits in Cambodia into two main rivers, the Bassac (Hậu Giang) and the First River (Tiền Giang). Then in Vietnam it splinters into a more complex system, creating a maze of small canals, rivers and arroyos interspersed with villages and floating markets.

Life in the Mekong Delta revolves around the river, and all the villages are often accessible by river as well as by road.

The high points of life in the Mekong delta are the lunar new year (Tet, or Tết), and the mid-autumn festival (Tết trung thu), where children will set hundreds of candles on their way on the river on as many tiny skiffs.

If you know how to take your time, or are guided by an able guide, you will certainly enjoy your stay in the Mekong delta.

Cities

 * – Also called Saigon, a large, bustling city of commerce and history
 * – A city and province, famous for its coconut, gardens of fruit and garden, is a little isolated from the rest of the Mekong Delta.
 * – A city and province
 * – A city in the Ninh Thuan province
 * – A city municipality once known as Tay Do, and the largest city in the Mekong Delta. Can Tho has simple, poetic beauty with well-off villages under the shade of coconut trees. On the east bank of Hau River is Ninh Kieu Wharf, which is known for its beautiful location.
 * – A city in the An Giang province
 * – The capital of Ninh Thuan province
 * – The capital of Binh Thuan province
 * – The capital of An Giang province
 * – A beach resort just east of Phan Thiet
 * – The capital of Tien Giang province
 * – The capital of Kien Giang province
 * – Famous for the flower village of Sa Đéc, the lover's works of French writer, in the Dong Thap province
 * – A city and province, Khmer-culture influenced village in an area of vast rice paddies, shrimp lagoons, and luxuriant fruit gardens.
 * – A city and province
 * – A city and province, encircled by the Tien and Hau Rivers and long coastline. Tra Vinh's economy is based on agriculture, aquaculture, fish and, shrimp farming.
 * – A city and province, has many pagodas, communal houses. Visitors have chance to walk among the trees, relax in hammocks, try all kinds of delicious tropical fruits in the gardens of An Binh and Binh Hoa Phuoc Islands.
 * – A city in the Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province, popular with locals for access to the beach from HCMC, but also many foreigner find their way here. Many connections exist from here into the surrounding region, Southern Vietnam and the Mekong Delta.

Other destinations

 * – A major protected area of lowland rainforest about 150 km north of Ho Chi Minh City.
 * – An island of immense natural beauty with forested hills, deserted sandy beaches and extensive coral reefs
 * – An up-and-coming island beach destination in Kien Giang province

Talk
In the villages there are not many people who speak languages other than Vietnamese or Khmer, though in the cities you will find more who do. Bring a phrasebook if you are venturing out away from a tour or into places that are not listed in your guidebook.

By road
This region is near Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho (Cần Thơ) is 4 hours drive away, so it is easy to access by road, although there is only one main road, and as such it is rather crowded.

You can also enter near the coast at the Ha Tien border crossing from Kampot or Phnom Penh — bus connections are available. See also By road or Ha Tien

By plane
There are some flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Rach Gia, and also between Ho Chi Minh City and the island of Phu Quoc. Rach Gia can also be reached by boat or plane from Phu Quoc.

Airports:
 * near Ho Chi Minh City
 * near Rach Gia
 * near Can Tho
 * on Con Dao
 * on Phú Quôc

By boat
From Phnom Penh, Cambodia there is one daily boat to Chau Doc.

By boat
Only cruises/ferries between Cai Be and Can Tho, as well as Ben Tre and My Tho exist.

By bus
Travel by bus in southern Vietnam is quite convenient. There are extensive connections (express and local) between most cities and towns, just go to any town's bus station and you should be able to find bus connections to where you want to go, or at least pretty close to it.

Local buses will be large and old and will belch exhaust. They will be slightly cheaper than express buses, but may be a more interesting experience if you enjoy the grittier aspects of local culture. The buses usually won't have air conditioning, but they will keep the windows down so sometimes they can end up being cooler than the express buses. They will make frequent stops along the road to pick up travelers. If you want to get off somewhere between the main cities, you should take a local bus. Express buses will only stop at bus stations.

By bicycle and motorbike
The Mekong Delta is a great place to explore by bicycle and motorbike. The terrain is flat and the roads are well-maintained. Traffic isn't too heavy, especially on back roads off Hwy 1A. The road between Chau Doc through Long Xuyen to Can Tho is easily the most dangerous in the delta, with quite a lot of big trucks and buses rumbling along a narrow road. Be careful when riding along this stretch and hug the edges of the road.

You will never have to worry about finding a place to sleep. You will never be more than 30–40 km from a town with a guest house (nha nghi) or hotel (khach san). If the biking gets too tiring, you will also find cafes at least every 4–5 km where you can rest and have a drink. There are also mechanic shops every few kilometres where you can get flat tires and other mechanical problems repaired.

A lot of local life happens just next to the road in the delta, so exploring on two wheels can be a great way to get closer to it. You'll see farmers working their fields and walking their buffalos home in the evening. People dry rice, coconut husks, lemongrass and other spices on the side of the road. There will be plenty to see!

You can rent a motorbike in most of the bigger cities in the delta. Renting a bike for a longer trip around the delta might be difficult to work out, but you can also buy a cheap bike for just over US$100. There's no need to buy a fancy bike, you can ride comfortably on a cheap bike as the rides aren't too challenging. You can also usually rent bikes in each town for day trips, or maybe even for a few days at a time.

By tour
Many tour companies offer the same Mekong Delta tours from Ho Chi Minh City — some of them end in Saigon (2-days/1-night), others in Phnom Penh (3-days/2-nights).

However, the only times on a boat with these tours will be at one or two floating market morning boat trips from any of the overnight towns along the way, and the short Ben Tre–My Tho boat ride — otherwise you are stuck in the bus. Also the tours may include a visit to a fish farm and a Cham minority village.

It is common for the guide to offer upgrades during the trip, at cheaper than the tour asking price, so avoid buying the expensive version, as an upgrade is waiting in the wings.

For an actual boat tour of the Mekong Delta it will probably require several hundreds if not a thousand US dollars.

See
Most of the interest of the place resides in its floating markets, and the life around the rivers criss-crossing the area; also the national parks and nature reserves.

It is possible to take tours on small boats around My Tho (Mỹ Tho) and the islands north of Ben Tre (Bến Tre); around Cai Be (Cái Bè) and the An Binh peninsula; and around Can Tho (Cần Thơ). Both Cai Be and Can Tho feature floating markets.

It is also possible to get away from the main road and into the more remote rivers on board larger river cruisers for discovery cruises of the area in comfort.

Do
Sam Mountain, a few kilometres from Chau Doc, is a regional Buddhist pilgrimage site and is a good place for a hike. The "mountain" is only 160 m tall and there are steps of concrete and stone all the way to the top. You will find numerous colorful temples as you climb to the top, and there are many cafes along the way where you can relax with a fresh coconut or glass of milk coffee. If you can, save your cafe break until you get near the top, where you can relax in a hammock and enjoy the breeze while looking out over the delta and even into neighboring Cambodia. Sam Mountain is the only hill for a long way in every direction, so you can get a great view of Chau Doc and the patchwork or rice fields run through by canals all around.

Phu Quoc Island is the adventure centre for the delta area. You can go scuba diving or snorkeling here, though there aren't so many fish left nowadays. Nha Trang, in central Vietnam, has more marine life to see. Phu Quoc is best for exploring by motorbike. There are roads covering a good portion of the island, and they're generally passable as long as it hasn't been raining too much. There are few signs, though, so bring a map and find out how to ask for directions.

The roads on Phu Quoc are mostly compacted dirt and you can't travel very fast, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time before sunset if you're planning to go out exploring, especially in the northern part of the island which is sparsely populated. If you do go out, though, you can ride through some otherwise untouched forest and go for at least 15 km without seeing another bike, which is surely a record in southern Vietnam. The road that hugs the western coast of the island is great to drive along in the evening to enjoy the sunset.

Stay safe
Don't swim in the river itself, as there is a chance of picking up parasites. Bring repellent and sunblock with you. Make sure hotel has mosquito net. Also, as you will travel by boat and ferry quite often in Mekong Delta, be careful when embarking or disembarking. Check out best time to visit Mekong Delta and stay tuned to weather forecast for flood news in the area if any.

Go next
Most travellers visit the Mekong Delta as a two or three-day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. After the Mekong Delta, it is best to travel to Phu Quoc or Cambodia via Chau Doc. You may also fly out of Mekong Delta via Can Tho airfield.

Other regions:
 * Vietnam's Central Coast to the northeast
 * Vietnam's Central Highlands to the north

title: Southern Vietnam


text:
Southern Yunnan

Southern Yunnan is in China.

Cities

 * - the capital and main airport of Xishuangbanna (when booking a plane ticket, if there is no flight to Jinghong it may be listed as Xishuangbanna instead)
 * - Famous for the unusually high number of identical twins. An international twins festival is held here every year in May.
 * - Famous for the unusually high number of identical twins. An international twins festival is held here every year in May.

By plane
Lao Airlines flies from Wattay International Airport to Xishuangbanna Gasa Airport  twice a week (Fridays and Sundays).

Do
Trekking in southern Xishuangbanna. There are a number of cafes in Jinghong where you can meet up with guides who will take you on treks to see old Dai and Bulan villages in Southern Yunnan. Cost varies, but plan on about ¥300 per person for a four day trek.

The treks are pretty easy, since you will be staying in villager's homes every night along the trail. There's no need to camp, and the terrain you'll be hiking over is hilly, but not mountainous.

title: Southern Yunnan


text:
South Estonia

The South of Estonia is a diverse region with unique cultures, ski resorts and Tartu (an interesting student town).

Cities

 * – a museum-rich Hanseatic city on the banks of the Emajõgi River. Also, Estonia's second-largest and oldest city, intellectual hub famous for its universities, and a lively student city.
 * – a beach town hear Alatskivi Castle and the Zwiebelberg
 * – a small town set in the hills of south Estonia and best known winter sports centre in the Baltics, and the Winter Capital of Estonia. Surrounded by lakes, hills and ski jump towers
 * – the centre of Estonian winery and wine production
 * – a region south of Lake Peipus inhabited by the ethnic Seto minority in the border region of Estonia and Russia, including the settlements of the Värska, Obinitsa, and Meremäe. The museum in Võru has comprehensive information on the topic
 * – a town on the border with Latvia, where it literally grows into the Latvian town of Valka
 * – a beautiful, ancient and hilly city, known for its annual Viljandi Folk Music Festival, beautiful old town and overwhelming and picturesque park around the old castle
 * – a picturesque town not far from the highest hill in the Baltic states, Suur Munamägi. The birthplace of the writer Kreutzwald and the dialect of the Estonian language
 * – a small town, located on the river Emajõgi and lakes Verevi and Arbi with several sights
 * – the second largest city of Valga County after Valga. Popular for its caves, the ruins of a medieval castle, several interesting manors, and the fully authentic mausoleum of Barclay de Tolly
 * – a small island with 3 villages and under 100 inhabitants. Settled in 17th century by a group of Orthodox Old Believers seeking to escape the religious reforms. Nowadays various old architecture can be seen, esp. in the Saare village.

Other destinations

 * – the hilly landscapes of Southern Estonia. Estonian’s smallest national park between Valga and Võru
 * – the second largest national park in Estonia, famous for its "fifth season". A peat bog formed from a glacier melt from around 11,000 years ago

Understand
Geographically, South Estonia covers seven counties: Tartumaa, Jõgevamaa, Põlvamaa, Valgamaa, Võrumaa and Viljandimaa.

The region has the second largest city in Estonia, the university town Tartu. The region is full of hills, contrary to the rest of the country. Here you can also find the highest mountain of Estonia, Suur-Munamägi.

Get in
The easiest way is a bus into Tartu or Viljandi, and then onwards from there.

It is also possible to take a train from Tallinn to almost any city in Southern Estonia, but not Otepää.

Riga has 2 daily trains to Valga, 1 of which connects to train to Tartu.

Tartu Airport has just 1 daily flight from Helsinki

Get around
Bus and train schedules are easily available online – read more under Estonia.

By bus
Most villages, towns and cities are connected by regular bus services. Smaller places are often only served in the morning or noon, and late afternoon (17:00-18:00). Cities generally have buses up to 21:00. Make sure, you do not miss the last bus.

By train
There are also trains connecting towns along the Valga–Tartu and Valga–Võru route.

See
Paju Manor, 7 km north of Valga, was the site of one of the most important battles of the War of Independence in 1919. Also near Valga is Hummuli Manor, a two-storey manor house, built around 1860 in the neo-Gothic style., and Sangaste Castle, built in the 19th century, inspired by Windsor and Baltimore Castle in England.

The ruins of the unique Põltsamaa Castle, which was destroyed in 1941, have not yet been fully conserved.

Alatskivi Castle near Kallaste, is a 17th-century Neo-Gothic castle that was rebuilt in the late 19th century. Zwiebelberg, also near Kallaste, is a hill where people grow and sell onions. Enjoy the weird scenery, and maybe buy some for a healthy meal.

 * Visit the Vastseliina Episcopal Castle Ruins from Võru.
 * Visit the Vastseliina Episcopal Castle Ruins from Võru.

Do

 * Hiking in the national parks
 * Skiing in Otepää
 * Fishing at the rivers and lakes
 * Clubbing in Tartu
 * Beaches at Lake Peipus
 * Folk Festival in Viljandi

Go next

 * East Estonia – Beautiful north coast of Lake Peipsi, and gateway to Russia through the border city Narva. More people speak Russian than Eesti here.
 * North Estonia – Coastal region with the picturesque Baltic Sea, and the commercial centre of Estonia, Tallinn.
 * West Estonia and Islands – Islands, Baltic Sea, beaches, and wild life habitat for birds moving towards the south in fall.

 * Latvia – Similar to Estonia, but less commercialised, with its beautiful capital Riga, the Baltic sea resorts Jūrmala and Ventspils. As well as the Vidzeme region next to South Estonia with the picturesque Sigulda (Latvian Switzerland) and Cēsis, and Valmiera with the only professional theatre in this region of Latvia, castle ruins, a medieval church, a famous brewery and the start of the Gauja National Park.
 * Pskov – old Russian city with the architectural and cultural legacy of the medieval Pskov Republic, 160 km from Tartu and 50 km from the border.

title: South Estonia


text:
South Florida

South Florida is a region in the U.S. state of Florida. It is a widely diverse area; from its quiet, sparsely-populated central areas with a charming "Old Florida" feel to vibrant, oceanfront resort cities.

Cities
Some of the major cities in South Florida are:

 * — Outstanding landscaping, parks and beaches.
 * — Hollywood Beach, deep sea diving, Butterfly World, thoroughbred racing.
 * — Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel and the exotic beaches of Captiva Islands.
 * — Seminole Indian reservation, also known for its urban feel and the sprawling Hard Rock resort.
 * — Charter saltwater deep sea fishing, kayak, scuba diving and snorkeling.
 * — Boating, watersports, glass bottom boats, deep sea diving, cruising, various points of interest.
 * — Beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, world-class shopping, golf courses and the nearby Everglades.
 * — The Island of Palm Beach offers pristine beaches with glistening views of the Atlantic Ocean.
 * — Disney's Vero Beach resort community with priorities on art, education, culture and lifestyles.

Other destinations

 * in Collier County
 * in Collier County
 * in Collier County

Understand
South Florida has a subtropical/tropical wet-and-dry climate. Generally, winters are warm and pleasant with little rain, though the occasional cold front may lower temperatures to abnormal levels. Spring and fall are similar, with elevated humidity and moderate chances for rainfall each day, while summers are notoriously (though bearably) hot. A typical summer day brings steamy and dry conditions in the morning, brief but heavy thunderstorms in the afternoon, and milder evenings with often spectacular sunsets. The dry season begins in October and lasts through the third week in May.

The hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, with the most likely time for South Florida to be hit being mid-August through October.

Talk
A wide variety of languages are commonly spoken throughout South Florida with increasing diversity near the major cities. The City of Miami for example has three official languages: English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. English, however, dominates and is the preferred language in South Florida.

Even in areas where English is not the native language, most people will be bilingual in the other language (although generally not the other way around for native English speakers). The simplest way to get treated in English is to use the "approach rule." Most locals will respond only in the language they were summoned in unless they are not able to speak it. This rule can be used on anyone whether or not their first language is Spanish, English, or any other language. In general the more south you go in South Florida (for instance, Miami-Dade), the more Spanish speakers there will be.

Occasionally, you may run into someone who is not fluent in English. If this happens, simply speak slowly and use only simple English. In a few places, especially near Miami, you may find someone that cannot speak any English. Even when encountering a local who does not speak English, one could easily find another local to help with translation if needed without much effort, since most of the population is fluently bilingual.

By plane
in Miami and  are the most popular entry points to South Florida from all over United States as well as surface transport to the Florida Keys, Southwest Florida, Orlando, and the local cruise terminals from Ft Lauderdale-Hollywood & Miami International Airports with multiple intercity bus and shuttle lines. There are direct international flights from Canada, South America, Central America and the Caribbean to both Ft Lauderdale and Miami and from Cuba, Europe, the Middle East (Israel, Turkey, UAE, Qatar); Mexico, Morocco and Russia to Miami only. There are also alternative airports with connections from all over the United States and seasonally from Canada, which may be closer to your final destination in:
 * in Fort Myers which is also the nearest commercial airport to Naples.
 * in Fort Myers which is also the nearest commercial airport to Naples.

By car

 * I-75.svg I-75 runs south from Northern Florida through Tampa's eastern suburbs, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples, until crossing the "Alligator Alley" as a toll road to Fort Lauderdale before turning south to end in Miami Lakes.
 * I-95.svg I-95  continues south from the Atlantic Coast of the eastern USA through Treasure Coast cities into West Palm Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale before terminating in Downtown Miami.
 * Florida's_Turnpike_shield.svg The Florida Turnpike is a highway running all the way from Miami Gardens to the Gainesville area via Orlando. It is the main toll toad of the state as well as the region.
 * US 1.svg (U.S. 1) runs continuously through many cities and towns as a local street, from Key West to Vero Beach. It runs parallel to I-95 and was the main highway through the area before the interstate highway was built in 1960. Going south, it continues from where I-95 ends, south of downtown Miami, towards the Florida Keys via Homestead, Florida City and Key Largo.
 * Florida_A1A.svg A1A runs parallel to US Hwy 1 as the coastal highway along the east coast. It serves the beach communities as a local street (such as Collins Ave in Miami Beach or Ocean Dr in Ft Lauderdale) in the offshore islands/keys along the east coast. It is fragmented and does not run continuously from South Beach to Vero Beach. It runs concurrent with US Hwy 1 in places where it is not a separate road.

By train
Amtrak provides inter-city rail service through all the major cities in South Florida. Two trains provide daily service, starting in Miami, making stops in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, and West Palm Beach, continuing north to Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and eventually Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, with both trains terminating at New York City's Penn Station. All of South Florida's Amtrak stations (except Miami) share platforms with the regional commuter rail service, Tri-Rail. The Miami Amtrak Station is in the industrial suburb of Hialeah on NW 32nd Ave, just north of NW 72nd St. Additionally, high-speed rail service is available within the region on Virgin Trains USA, also formerly known as Brightline, which operates between the downtown areas of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach and Orlando International Airport seven days a week. Service to Orlando is set to begin in 2022.

By boat
Coastal cities have excellent year-round marina facilities, often serving some of the largest and most luxurious yachts in the world. Miami is home to the Port of Miami, the largest cruise ship port in the world. Fort Lauderdale also has a cruise port. There are no direct ferries from anywhere in South Florida or the Florida Keys to the Bahamas or Cuba.

By bus
Most intercity bus companies in the area have a scheduled stop at the Miami International Airport, Ft Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Cruise Terminals, and/or additional locations as stated in their websites. They typically connect Miami to Orlando in one direction and to Tampa (via Naples & Ft Myers) in the other via Ft Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Some may include Port St Lucie and/or Ft Pierce before going up towards Orlando. Other destinations served from Miami are Jacksonville via I-95 corridor and the Florida Keys via US Hwy 1 with the following:

Get around
Hire a car to explore the unique countryside areas and to get around locally in the urban areas. If not the following are available:

By bus

Travelers can travel the I-95/US Hwy 1 corridor by a series of county operated buses from Key West to Vero Beach. Doing so will require multiple transfers via multiple stops, on limited schedules, and take longer time than by Greyhound bus. Some of them also offer routing along the coastal FL-A1A Hwy (for travel along Florida's east coast). They are intended as local public transportation within the same county (or city) and into an adjacent county with the following:

Florida Gold Coast: A faster way to get between Miami, Ft Lauderdale and West Palm Beach is by train with Tri-Rail orBright Line/Virgin Trains USA Passengers connect to a local city bus from the Tri-Rail Station to the final destination. The following operate buses as public transportation in the 'Gold Coast' area: In Treasure Coast:
 * Miami Dade Transit operates the Metrobus, Metromover, and Metrorail (an elevated rapid transit train) between Miami, Miami Beach, Doral, Hialeah, Homestead, Florida City, Opa Locka and other points in Miami-Dade County. Connections to Monroe County Transit in Marathon Key (Rt #301) and to Broward County Transit in Hallandale Beach (Rt 'E'/105).
 * Broward County Transit (BCT) Local public transportation between Ft Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs and other points within Broward County. They also operate express connections to Miami on the 95 Express (Pembroke Pines & Miramar to Miami Civic Center on 3 separate routes) and the 595 Express (BB&T Center to Miami Civic Center & Miami/Brickrell on 2 separate routes)
 * Palm Tran Local public transportation between West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, Riviera Beach, Jupiter/Jupiter Beach, Wellington, Belle Glade and other points in Palm Beach County. Connections to Borward County Transit in Deerfield Beach.
 * Martin County Public Transportation (MARTY) offers connections between Stuart and Port Solerno(Rt #1) and to Indiantown. They also offer local public transportation within Stuart (Rt 2 & 3) and Port Solerno (Rt 4-5). Connections to Palm Transit in Palm Beach Gardens Mall and the VA Medical Center in Palm Beach Gardens (20x) and to the Treasure Coast Connector at Port St Lucie Wal-Mart north of the county line (Rt 1).
 * Treasure Coast Connector operates bus service between Port St Lucie and Ft Pierce and local service with Port St Lucie and Ft Pierce in Port St Lucie County.
 * GoLine IRT is the Indian River County public transportation system with bus service on 15 fixed routes throughout Indian River County (in and around Vero Beach).

See

 * Florida Lighthouses are numerous and beautiful in South Florida. Take some time to visit these iconic images of the coast.

Go next

 * Central Florida
 * North Florida

title: South Florida


text:
Forest

Forest is a city in the Mississippi Pines region of Mississippi. One thing about Forest, the name doesn't fail to live up to its surroundings, as you'll feel pretty immersed in that passing through these parts.

Drink

 * If you want to drink, it is best to go to Jackson, Mississippi.

title: Forest


text:
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) are a chain of Subantarctic islands in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. The islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom: they have no permanent residents and their administration is physically based in the Falklands, but since 1985 they have been a separate jurisdiction.

Islands

 * is the only inhabited island, with the summer-only settlement of Grytviken, and the only one regularly visited by cruise ships. Minor islands are ranged along its north coast: those visited by cruises are Willis, Bird, Albatross and Prion, and Cooper. The south shore is exposed to raging winds and waves and is seldom visited: Annenkov is the only large island on that side.
 * are six islets 240 km west of South Georgia, discovered by Jose de la Llana in 1762. They're just guano-streaked crags (pictured at head of page) rising to a maximum 75 m, and are indeed populated by shags, as well as prions and wandering albatrosses. There's no landing point and the first person to set foot there, in 1956, was an Argentinian geologist lowered by helicopter to collect rock samples.
 * Black Rock is a low rock 16 km southeast of the Shag Rocks. It was only charted in 1927 though probably there were earlier sightings.
 * are a group 55 km off the southeast tip of South Georgia, some 8 km long. They're named for the officer who sighted them on Cook's expedition of 1775. They have no safe landing places and only four parties have ever got ashore. They rise to 242 m, notable outcrops being "The Office Boys" and "Nobby". Lots of cormorants here, plus Macaroni penguins, black-browed albatross and Antarctic fur seals.
 * South Sandwich Islands are an extensive chain that are ice-clad and volcanic, in four groups:
 * are Zavodovski, Leskov and Visokoi.
 * are Candlemas itself and Vindication.
 * are Saunders, Montagu and Bristol.
 * comprises Bellingshausen, Cook and Thule.
 * are not part of SGSSI, but are marked on the map to show how the underwater mountain chain loops back to become the Antarctic Peninsula. They lie south of the 60th parallel and are covered by the Treaty: see Islands of the Southern Ocean.
 * is a colossal iceberg approaching SGSSI in 2024.
 * are phantom islands. They were first sighted in 1762 midway between South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, and over the next century several other vessels sighted them at about 53°S, 48°W – but there they most definitely are not. There's really no satisfactory explanation for the sightings. Ships would have to be many hundreds of miles off course to encounter another substantial island group. Neither the Shag Rocks nor a colossal iceberg would resemble the wild coast described. The submerged Andean mountain chain winds through the region to South Georgia and the Antarctic peninsula: volcanic islands do sometimes disappear but there is no recent volcanism or traces of a recently submerged mountain in that position. And there was no particular kudos attached to seeing or not seeing them.

Understand
The American Cordillera is the line of mountain ranges that spans half the world, from Alaska through the Rockies to central America and the Andes. Until 30 million years ago this line continued east and south in the "Scotia Arc" from Tierra del Fuego through the Falklands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich and South Orkney Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Then the mountains sank, and by 23 million years ago the rift was complete. Antarctica became a separate continent, encircled by a circumpolar ocean current that kept out warmer winds and waters, and a climate that was already chilly became exceptionally cold. All that was left between Antarctica and the Andes was the loop of mountainous islands. These repeatedly submerged and rose again as plate tectonics distorted the region, while the eastern arc became volcanic, a frigid replica of the Caribbean chain.

The Antarctic Convergence is the zone where the very cold circumpolar current meets the milder sub-Antarctic ocean. It's about 40 km wide, fairly static, and defines a climatic boundary. This zone is well north of South Georgia, but south of the Falkland Islands, so the latter's climate is much less harsh though they're at similar latitude. The mixing and upwelling of water along the Convergence creates a food chain: it fosters the growth of plankton, which are eaten by krill, which are eaten by whales and other large species. These in turn became hunted by humans.

South Georgia and the other islands were discovered (or with the Aurora Islands, imagined) in the 18th / 19th century. They were uninhabited, with no mineral wealth, and their main value was as bases for ships hunting whales and seals. In this remote dangerous ocean, any cove was welcome if it had sheltered anchorage, dry level ground for camping, fresh water, and wildlife to eat. A cluster around Grytviken on South Georgia became year-round settlements, with others as summer camps. For similar reasons South Georgia was also a staging post for explorers heading to Antarctica - and famously for Ernest Shackleton, it was a forlorn-hope refuge on his way back.

Sea-faring nations made claims on these islands, as on the Antarctic mainland, in hopes of deep-sea oil or other lucre, and for the usual flag-waving reasons: "It's the frozen pits, but we're damned if we'll let the commies claim it". In Antarctica all these claims were waived in the Treaty, created in 1959 and coming into force in 1961, but which doesn't apply north of the 60th parallel. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are north of that line, and are therefore held and governed by Britain. Argentina also claims them, and the 1982 Falklands or Malvinas War was triggered by Argentine landings on South Georgia. Forty years on, you need British permission to land, but that's chiefly to protect wildlife and the fragile habitat.

Get in

"The greatest part of this southern continent (supposing there is one), must lie within the polar circle, where the sea is so pestered with ice, that the land is thereby inaccessible."

- Captain James Cook

There are no landing strips and you can only get in by sea. The seas around South Georgia are cold and rough but free of pack ice year-round, so vessels can approach at any time of year. In summer that island is routinely visited by cruise ships, and there are multiple places where you can get ashore then get off again without risking your neck – see South Georgia Island for details.

The South Sandwich Islands are a much tougher proposition. They are beset by pack ice from April to October, though the density and extent vary year by year. This ice is a metre thick so icebreakers could still get through, unlike the massive ice shelf close to Antarctica. The island landing points are at best hazardous, and some would be daunting even to a stoked-up Marines Commando. You would need to have a special scientific purpose and bring a heavy-duty polar expedition.

You need a valid passport to visit SGSSI. You don't need a visa, but the expedition organiser or ship's captain must obtain clearance to land anywhere in these islands – this is done online more than 60 days in advance via the SGSSI government website. The main considerations are bio-security (including Covid-19), self-sufficiency, and resilience if something goes wrong. Clearance results in a one year permit, and first-time applicants must initially land at Grytviken for a physical check-out – how rat-proof is your vessel? Veterans may conduct the entire process online and go straight to their destination. There's a fee of £130 per visitor for visits up to 3 days, but that's only a small part of the charges for harbourage, customs and so on, which the ship's operator will have to recoup from the passengers. Tourist parties only spend a few hours ashore at each location then return to their ships between excursions. Staying ashore overnight makes it an expedition, which incurs a £1000 charge per group (of recommended size 4-15). But yes, you can get married here, that'll be another £400 please.

Cruise operators to SGSSI are members of IAATO and follow the same Code of Practice as for Antarctica. This limits the number of visitors who may be ashore at any one time, partly to limit the environment impact but mainly so that everyone can be swiftly plucked to safety when (not if) conditions turn dangerous. At Grytviken, which has a harbour, the maximum is 300, elsewhere in the islands it's 100. Large ships therefore have to segment their landings, with Zodiacs shuttling ship-to-shore, so those passengers might only get a couple of hours per day off ship. Smaller expedition-class ships can dock at Grytviken, and at other sites get their shore parties out and back in one operation then move on to visit a second location same day. Everything depends on the weather: an onshore breeze (which in these climes will be going on a gale) will send furious breakers pounding onto the landing beach.

Get around
Moving any significant distance is by boat, even within the same island. Ships deploy Ribs / Zodiacs for short hops.

In summer by the coast you can walk around in stout boots. In winter the ground is snow-clad even at sea level so you need snow shoes or cross-country skis. Only competent mountaineers should venture inland, where glaciers shift and ice chasms lurk unseen beneath the snow. In South Georgia you might also have to factor in high altitude.

The bio-security protocols for arriving into SGSSI also apply to moving between sites, because they're a series of unique little bio-spheres that mustn't contaminate each other. So at the very least, boot-wash; anything that might trap soil needs particular care.

Talk
It's a British territory so English is spoken by everyone. A visiting ship might have its own working language.

See and do

 * As in Antarctica, even just standing there looking involves some effort, hazard and discomfort on your part, so in SGSSI seeing means doing. Likewise doing means always be looking, you never know what strange creature or phenomenon may come into view, that isn't on your planned itinerary. And always watch out for how the weather and the sea are changing, and how the rest of your party are faring. The most important thing for you to do here is come home safe.
 * Grab trash before it blows away, if it's obviously modern, like a sweety-wrapper. Otherwise check with your leader, who'll know precisely how old and grungy it has to be to count as a protected artifact, Bellingshausen's bubble gum for instance.
 * South Georgia Island sights are detailed on that page. Some half a dozen islets and coves are routinely visited for their wildlife, and there are old whaling stations at Grytviken and Stromness Bay.
 * Zavodovski Island (Traversay): you'll earn bragging rights if you set foot here and return intact. About 5 km across, it's mostly unglaciated, with a million pairs of chinstrap penguins. That's because its peak, the well-named Mount Asphyxia (551 m), is an active strato-volcano which last erupted in 2016 and oozes sulphurous fumes.
 * Visokoi Island (Traversay) is 7 km by 5 km and is smelly rather than choking - Mount Hodson (1005 m) last erupted in 1930, and continues to steam.
 * Leskov Island (Traversay) is inactive, and the only thing to see here is to see you don't confuse it with Leskov Island off West Antarctica.
 * Candlemas Island, 3 km by 2 km, has Lucifer Hill, with lava flows seen in 1953 / 54. Nearby Vindication Island has been quiet for 10,000 years.
 * Saunders Island (Central) is a crescent 9 km long. Mount Michael (805 m) has a lava lake and frequently erupts, with the latest in 2019.
 * Montagu Island (Central) is 12 km by 10 km and ice-clad. Mount Belinda (1370 m) was thought to be inactive, but is now known to keep busy beneath the ice, with the latest lava flows in 2009.
 * Bristol Island (Central), 8 km long, has multiple volcanoes, with the latest eruption in 2016. It's the only landmass to lie on the 59th parallel South - sure to come up in a pub quiz.
 * Bellingshausen Island (Southern Thule) rises to Basilisk Peak at 255 m. A cliff plunges from the peak into a steaming crater, probably formed by an explosion in the 1970s.
 * Cook Island (Southern Thule), 6 km by 3 km, is ice-clad. Mount Harmer (1115 m) is inactive but Mount Holdgate (960 m) erupted in 1956, to the dismay of an Argentine base.
 * Thule Island (aka Morrell, Southern Thule) is the Santorini of the south: the terrain suggests that it was joined to Cook Island by a giant volcano that blew apart, leaving these two fragments and a crater as the 3 km channel between. The peak is at 1074 m; Mount Larsen (710 m) emitted steam and ash in the 1960s but has no recorded eruptions. As Thule lies at 59.45o South, it's 60 km north of the Antarctic Treaty boundary beyond which territorial claims are waived. In 1976 Argentina sought to revive its regional claims (preferably on a non-erupting spot) and established Corbeta Uruguay base on the southeast tip of Thule. The British objected but were content with a languid diplomatic badminton until 1982, when the base was used as a staging post for Argentine forces landing in South Georgia. This sparked the Falklands War: after Britain regained the Falklands they ousted the Argentines from the base but left it intact. Some months later, a Royal Navy patrol spotted the Argentine flag fluttering in place of the Union Flag - right! So they demolished the base to discourage unauthorised landings.

Buy
There is a small gift shop at Grytviken which will accept Falkland pounds, British pounds, US dollars and euros. Water is sold by the tonne. Most large ships visiting the islands will sell basic supplies (razors, shampoo, hats, snacks), but otherwise it is unlikely you will have any use for cash.

Eat

You may not hunt, fish or eat the wildlife. Don't feed it either, though there's an exemption for upchucking as your Zodiac pitches in the swell: the fish and seabirds will appreciate this contribution.

You may not bring fresh food ashore anywhere in SGSSI, unless you're a registered expedition. Chocolates and toffees are okay for tour parties.

So that alas rules out eating sandwiches in the Sandwich Islands. Both foodstuff and islands commemorate John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718–1792), who was First Lord of the Admiralty at the time of Cook's 1775 voyage here. Meat or cheese between bread slices was already common in England but the Earl made them aristocratically fashionable – supposedly he called for a snack while playing cribbage in around 1765, and his companions then asked for "the same as Sandwich." (He probably already ate them al desko, being a busy fellow, which didn't stop in the bedroom.) But Cook, knowing which side his bread was buttered in patronage, also conferred the name on the Hawaiian Islands. So these cold places were later distinguished as the South Sandwich Islands, while Hawaii somehow escaped being called the "Not the same as Sandwich Islands".

Drink

 * On short excursions, bring all drinks with you. Don't drink alcohol until you're safely back on your ship, with the exception of raising a toast at Shackleton's grave at Grytviken.
 * Don't drink from the meltwater pools, they're full of bird poop and other unspeakables. Expeditions can cut clean ice to melt for water.

Sleep
Visitors sleep back aboard their ship. An overnight stay ashore anywhere in SGSSI makes it an expedition, which must be vetted well in advance, for a £1000 fee.

Stay safe
See the stay safe section of the next-to-impossible destinations article for general information on staying safe in remote locations.

Stay healthy

 * Beware of the sun, particularly during the September to November ozone hole season. Protect yourself with high protection factor cream (30+), a floppy hat and long sleeves. If going onto glaciers or snow this is vital, as are good sunglasses.
 * Fur seal bites rapidly become infected. If you get bitten, even just a scratch, you must clean the wound and start antibiotics immediately - a broad spectrum such oxytetracycline is advised.
 * Drink plenty of water and avoid dehydration, particularly if it is windy.

Respect

 * Respect wildlife. It lives here, we don't. Breeding animals in particular are prone to disturbance. Your tour leader will indicate where to go and where not to stray: transgressors may be busted off shore visits.
 * "Don't mention the war!" – it's almost 40 years since the overthrow of the junta that instigated the Falklands War, which embroiled SGSSI. Argentina has not renounced its claims to these islands but any activity here nowadays, as in Antarctica, is in a spirit of scientific enquiry.

Connect
In summer mail can be posted in Grytviken, and it's picked up whenever either a supply ship or a fishery patrol ship arrives – usually around once a month. The only other option for contacting the outside world is with a satellite phone, which most boats will make available at a charge of between US$2 and US$5 per minute.

There is no public Internet, phone or email access available on shore.

Go next

 * Your cruise ship may head west to the Falkland Islands and a South American mainland port.
 * Or it may continue south towards the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands.
 * If the ship follows the chain of volcanic islands before heading to the Peninsula, it will pass South Orkney, rarely visited.


text:
South Georgia Island

South Georgia Island is a sub-Antarctic island administered by the United Kingdom as part of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It lies 1390 km southeast of the Falkland Islands and 2150 km from South America, and is 170 km long by 35 km wide with a mountainous interior. Its bays and islets are home to vast numbers of birds and marine life, but there is no permanent human population, and South Georgia's remoteness makes it a rare destination for tourists.

Get in
, a former whaling station, is the port of entry to South Georgia. In season it hosts the Fishery Research base, the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) and the British Antarctic Survey.

There is no airstrip on the island, so the only access is by boat. There is of course no ferry service and tourists arrive on large cruisers or smaller expedition cruisers, often combined with a tour of the Antarctic Peninsula. Research, support and official staff arrive on polar support vessels across a wild heaving ocean. Whatever the size of ship, even the gnarliest old sea-goer can expect sea-sickness.

See Antarctica for companies that sail here - all the companies that visit South Georgia also visit the Antarctic Peninsula, but not vice versa. It's the wrong side of the world for those cruising out of New Zealand to the Ross Sea.

You don't need a visa but you do need prior permission to land: see SGSSI for the rules and fees. The cruise operator or expedition leader is responsible for organising this.

Get around
There are no roads on the island, so all travel is by boat or on foot. The island is mountainous and covered by massive glaciers, so travel by land requires appropriate gear and backcountry travel skills.

The SGSSI Government lists 49 sites that may be approached by small-to-medium sized ships of up to 200 passengers. That's plenty to go at, the others are unsafe or restricted, and even the listed sites may be closed in breeding season or not suitable for landing. They're all on the north coast except Haakon Bay on the dangerous south coast. Grytviken is one of the six sites where larger ships are permitted.

See

 * is accessible only by a hazardous landing onto a rocky cliff, followed by a steep ascent over rock and through tussocks. It's home to massive numbers of black-browed, grey-headed and light-mantled sooty albatross, as well as macaroni penguins. The islet just east is Vaughan Island, the larger one east is Trinity, then the little ones further east are the Verdant Islands.
 * is a research area for the British Antarctic Survey and you may not land. The birds include wandering albatross and giant petrels.
 * is a mainland cove where it's almost impossible to land Dec / Jan with the vast numbers of grumpy fur seals that overrun the beaches. At other times of the year it's home to elephant seals, gentoo penguins, king penguins, sheathbills, and grey-headed albatross.
 * is a bight on the north coast where cruise ships often stop. The Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis is baleen, a filter feeder, and got its name because it was "the right whale to hunt" - hence the island's stations. Elephant seals and a small colony of king penguins throng the area Sept-Nov then thousands of fur seals take over the beach through February.
 * is another enormous king penguin rookery, and hosts vast numbers of other penguins and seals.
 * Albatross Island 3 km off Salisbury Plain has limited numbers of wandering albatross. You may not land here.
 * Prion Island another 5 km east is smaller than Albatross Island but has more of these birds, and parts of it may be visited. There's a boardwalk from the landing point to make access easier whilst protecting the fragile vegetation.
 * or Port Leith is an abandoned whaling station within Stromness Bay, in operation 1905-1965. It was established by Christian Salvesen Ltd, and named for their home port in Edinburgh. In 1982 it ignited the Falklands War when 50 Argentines landed, supposedly contractors come to remove scrap metal from the old station; but they arrived mob-handed and a similar landing was made at Grytviken. Within a month both groups were ejected by the Royal Navy whereupon Argentina, realising that Britain would now reinforce in this region, precipitated their invasion of the Falklands. There are gun emplacements and a cemetery, but much of the station is derelict and unsafe.
 * Stromness is another old whaling station 3 km southwest of Leith Harbour, separated by a sharp ridge with no track between. This was where Shackleton, Crean and Worsely finally staggered to safety in 1916 to bring help to their crew. Again, it's mostly derelict and unsafe.
 * Grytviken: see the separate page for the island's main settlement. There's a museum, charming old church, and grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton. The settlement is on what's now called Thatcher Peninsula, which divides the glacial fjords of Cumberland East and West Bay.
 * has astronomical numbers of king penguins, plus thousands of elephant seals and fur seals occupying the sands along the water. The sights, sounds and smells of this bay will not soon be forgotten.
 * , sheltered (somewhat) by Cooper Island, has South Georgia's most accessible macaroni penguin colony.
 * is a steep-walled inlet with a small rookery of Weddell seals, normally only found in Antarctica. Glaciers and spectacular scenery make this a common destination for cruise ships.
 * is the fjord on the south coast where Shackleton and five others landed their frail boat after their epic journey from Elephant Island. The entire south coast of South Georgia is a raging lee shore which even modern ships stay clear of. The men knew they were wrong side of the island, but their boat was in no shape to return to the open sea; so they sailed to the head of the fjord and made camp. Shackleton, Crean and Worsley set off inland - the other three were in no fit state. They crossed to Possession Bay on the north coast, famously tobogganing blind down a very steep slope to escape a night on the bare mountain, then across more glaciers and mountains to Fortuna Bay where they heard the Stromness whaling station's morning hooter. Their route is recreated in an arduous organised trek, though the distance varies from 35 to 50 km depending on the condition of the glaciers.
 * is the only sizable island off the south coast, 8 km from the mainland. Being isolated and lacking landing points, it has always been free of rats; 500 pairs of wandering albatross are among the ground-nesting birds here. Its highest point is Olstad Peak, 650 m.
 * Pickersgill Islands are a craggy archipelago 24 km southeast of Annenkov. The largest, Tanner Island, is only about 500 m by 200 m.

Do

 * Hike: The Shackleton Traverse is the 41 km route that Ernest Shackleton took across the island to bring help to his crew marooned on Elephant Island. It's arduous and hazardous across glacier, and demands mountaineering skills. Visiting parties usually just do the last low-lying 6 km from Fortuna Bay to Stromness.
 * Wildlife spotting and photography is the main attraction here.
 * Report a rat. Rats arrived in the 19th century as sealer and whaler ships put in for fresh water and established camps, and the rats set about the island's bird life in much the same way that humans were setting about the seals and whales. Birds here have no trees to nest in, and the ground is too hard for burrows, so they nest on open ground where eggs and chicks are easy prey. The pipit and the pintail were wiped out on the mainland and survived only on a few islands that rats couldn't reach; penguins and other birds were also greatly harmed. In 2011 a huge eradication effort began, involving helicopter drops of poisoned bait, though at the cost of some "collateral damage" to non-target species such as skuas. Three seasons of this, plus extensive searches with dogs, led to probable eradication in 2015, and after two more seasons with no further sightings the island was declared rat-free. So if you think you see one, report it - a photo will help, but don't try to whack it yourself.
 * Don't introduce reindeer. Rabbits into Australia, wallabies into Herm in the Channel Islands, when will they learn? The rats were an early accidental introduction but in the early 20th century reindeer were deliberately introduced as a source of meat and target for recreational shooting. The first herd was released on Barff peninsula across the bay from Grytviken, where they were seldom bothered, and bred and bred. Herds were wanted closer to the whaling stations: a second herd near Leith harbour was squished by an avalanche but a third became the "Busen herd." These latter were kept in check while whaling continued but grew from the 1960s. The Barff and Busen herds (separated by glacier) reached densities ten times what would be considered sensible in their home terrain in the far north of Norway. They chomped on the vegetation and trod on nests, and the decision was taken to eradicate them by herding for slaughter and by shooting stragglers. This was conducted 2013-2015 with 7000 reindeer killed.

Eat
Unless permitted for an expedition, no food may be taken ashore, and fishing and hunting are prohibited.

Sleep
Visitors sleep on their boat, it's by far the most comfortable and safe. Staying ashore overnight anywhere in SGSSI makes it an expedition, which requires special approval and an extra fee of £1000 per group.

Connect
Mail can be sent from Grytviken, and is picked up approximately every two weeks. The only other means of communicating with the outside world is via satellite phone, which most boats make available for between US$2 and US$5 per minute. There is no publicly available internet access.

Go next
In short, wherever the boat that brought you is going next. That might be the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands, or a South American port such as Ushuaia or Punta Arenas.

title: South Georgia Island


text:
South and West Gippsland

South Gippsland including Prom Country (named after Wilsons Promontory) is part of the Gippsland region in southeastern Victoria, Australia. It includes the southernmost point of the Australian mainland at Wilsons Prom. It is bordered to the west by Western Port Bay and the Bass Coast region, to the south by Bass Strait, to the north by West Gippsland and to the east by the Gippsland Lakes region.

The main route through the region is the South Gippsland Highway which turns off the Princes Highway at Dandenong in the Melbourne suburbs, dips south to the southern coast and then rejoins the Princes Highway at the town of Sale to the east. From Leongatha the Strzelecki Highway runs northeast through the hills to Morwell in West Gippsland. Further to the east the Hyland Highway runs north from the South Gippsland Highway to the West Gippsland town of Traralgon. The Grand Ridge Road transverses the inland hills of the region.

Cities

 * eclectic artisanal destination and a great stopping point towards Wilsons Promontory
 * a base for exploring Wilsons Promontory
 * stopping point on the way to Phillip Island
 * beachside town with surfing opportunities and rock pools
 * centre of the local region
 * scenic small town on the road to Mount Baw Baw
 * town at the foothills of Mount Baw Baw
 * service centre of the West Gippsland area
 * coal mining town and local commercial centre
 * tourist village with a number of stores and cafes

Other destinations

 * - hiking, riding, camping, water birds, koalas
 * – Penguins south of Melbourne
 * – hiking, bush camping, diving

Understand
The region’s attractions range from the natural features such as coastal parks, beaches and mountain rainforests through to its heritage of human history in maritime and coal mining activities.

The main visitors’ center is the Prom Country Information Centre, South Gippsland Highway, Korumburra, toll free 1800 630 704 (infocentre@sgsc.vic.gov.au). http://www.promcountrytourism.com.au/. If coming to Korumburra from the Melbourne direction, go through the town and turn off to the left just before leaving the town. It is a 90-minute drive from Melbourne.

By car
From Melbourne, turn onto the South Gippsland Highway from the Princes Highway at the suburb of Dandenong. If coming from the direction of New South Wales on the Princes Highway, turn off at Sale. There is also access from West Gippsland, principally from Morwell via the Strzelecki Highway and from Traralgon via the Hyland Highway.

By bus
V/Line runs from Melbourne to Yarram daily.

See

 * Mt Baw Baw. Baw Baw is a cheap and cheerful little ski resort that is suitable for the beginner/modest skier. It's a little more affordable than the more major resorts in Victoria (eg Hotham, Buller, Falls Creek). It also is a lot smaller and often goes most of the season without snow. Mt Baw Baw now has Australia's first and only BigAirBag - a variant on a fall cushion, used in the world of professional stunts, which is placed in front of a ski-jump so as to catch any fall from a jump.
 * Tooronga falls. Tooronga falls is a nice little location just out of Noojee that has camping facilities and a very nice little waterfall, with few walking circuits which are quite pleasant.
 * Tooronga falls. Tooronga falls is a nice little location just out of Noojee that has camping facilities and a very nice little waterfall, with few walking circuits which are quite pleasant.

Do
Sightseeing, Hiking, Photography and watersports on the Gippsland Lakes.
 * Scuba Diving. Some of the best scuba diving in Victoria is in the marine parks of Wilsons Promontory - deep, clear and full of interesting marine life. Phillip Island is also the starting point for many spectacular dive sites.

Eat

 * The Caca-oh chocolate school has some chocolate-making courses and accommodation available.

Drink

 * Most towns will have at least one pub

 * Wineries. The South and West Gippsland has a few wineries that are worth visiting, such as Brandy Creek, Ada River and Wild Dog.

Stay safe
The area is generally safe, but as you would do anywhere else, exercise common sense and take basic precautions. Do not display large amounts of cash or valuables in public and do not leave them in the cabin of a vehicle. Instead lock them in the trunk of your vehicle or leave them in your accommodation.

title: South and West Gippsland


text:
South Goa

South Goa covers the southern half of the state of Goa in India.

Cities

 * — cultural and commercial capital of Goa

 * — a major port city with a large Indian naval presence

Other destinations

 * — is a great spot for sunbathing, relaxing and swimming, with still relatively few tourists

 * — a small town and beach with easy access to shops and hotels

 * — a small beach-side village with spectacular sunsets

 * — a beach located South Goa easily accessible from Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore

 * — a small town

 * — a small town with one of the most beautiful beaches in Goa

 * — a small town with a beautiful beach

 * — a scenic village important in agriculture and noted for its Shree Sateri Shantadurga Temple

By plane
Dabolim Airport is well connected with major Indian cities and a few international destinations (with direct connections especially to the Middle East).

By rail
Margao Junction is a major railway station, at which the North - South Konkan Railway and the Eastwards bound South Central Railway intersect.

By road
Margao is also well connected by bus to major cities in neighbouring states. Road connectivity has also improved by leaps and bounds, so that many visitors now opt to drive to Goa.

Beaches
From north to south
 * Bogmalo Beach
 * Colva Beach - This beach's spectacle of sea, sand and sky blend in an enchanting natural harmony, weaving their magic spell on the visitors. Known for its scenic beauty.
 * Benaulim Beach, bordering Colva Beach
 * Cola Beach - a remote, unspoilt beach for those seeking complete peace and relaxation, 10km north from Agonda.
 * Agonda Beach - a small and quiet beach, near Palolem Beach
 * Palolem Beach - a scenic and popular beach in extreme south Goa.
 * Patnem Beach - a small and quiet beach, bordering Palolem Beach

Do

 * Visit "Turtle Beach" just south of Patnem
 * Check out the historic Portuguese colonial houses in Old Goa
 * Visit a heritage distillery and learn how Cashew Feni is made
 * Try some yoga classes or learn how to teach yoga

Go next

 * Dudh Sagar Waterfall
 * Karwar
 * Sirsi
 * Gokarna
 * Dharwad
 * Anshi National Park
 * Hampi
 * Badami

title: South Goa


text:
South Guangxi

South Guangxi is in Guangxi Province.

Cities

 * — has an excellent beach, and lots of cheap food
 * — a border town to Vietnam with Mong Cai lying on the other side of the border river, a place to go white water rafting, visit a water parks or spend your time on the Gold Beach
 * — famous for splendid landscapes that surround the city and for its ancient cultural heritage, including the Shiyi Tower
 * — famous for splendid landscapes that surround the city and for its ancient cultural heritage, including the Shiyi Tower
 * — famous for splendid landscapes that surround the city and for its ancient cultural heritage, including the Shiyi Tower

Other destinations

 * (涠洲岛) — this national park island offers various scenic spots, a Gothic-style Catholic cathedral, good and inexpensive seafood and wide beautiful beaches

Get in
Beihai Fucheng Airport has scheduled flights from Shanghai Pudong, Guilin, Guiyang, Chengdu, Chongqing, Beijing and Kunming

title: South Guangxi


text:
South Gujarat

South Gujarat is in India.

Cities

 * —

 * — a city and an enclave within Gujarat.

 * —

 * — the only hill station of Gujarat. It is in the Western Ghats, about 150 km from Surat.

 * — an industrial city in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

 * — Diamond City, famous for mouth watering Surati food.

 * — a town with such tourist attractions such as Tithal Beach and several grand temples.

 * — a large city located on the banks of the Daman Ganga River. Large industrial area and ranked as highly polluted.

Other destinations

 * — Best known for the Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world.

Understand
South Gujarat is one of the wettest regions of India. Its geography varies widely from the coastal plains in the west to the Western Ghats in the east. Some parts of the Southern Gujarat (Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman (India)) were under Portuguese rule for centuries alongside Goa and Diu. The rest of Southern Gujarat was under the British rule till independence.

By plane
Surat Airport is a domestic airport in Surat. Air India has daily flights to and from Delhi. SpiceJet operates daily from Surat to Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi.

By road
Most of the highways that connect Gujarat with the rest of India goes through this region.
 * From Delhi, Agra and other places in the Plains: Take the National Highway 48 (NH 48).
 * From Mumbai, Jaipur, Jodhpur and other places in Western India: Take the National Highway 48 (NH 48).
 * From Nagpur and other places in Vidarbha: Take the National Highway 53 (NH 53).

By train
There are trains from and to Mumbai (500 km) and New Delhi (1000 km) and other big cities of India several times a day going to Surat.

Get around
As in the rest of Gujarat, most people in this region travel by private buses or by taxi.

Drink
As in the rest of Gujarat, alcohol is forbidden in most of South Gujarat, except in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman.

title: South Gujarat