text:
Ban Rak Thai

Ban Rak Thai (literally "the Thai-loving village"), also known as Mae Aw in many guide books and some maps, is a city near Mae Hong Son (44 km). It was settled by former Kuomintang (KMT) (Nationalist) fighters from Yunnan province, China, after the Communist takeover of China in 1949. The population is about 1,000, mainly Chinese-born or Thai-born Chinese. Many signs are in Chinese, and much of the population speaks the Yunnan dialect Mandarin Chinese. If you speak Chinese, try it out, especially on some of the elderly people. They will be happy to speak with you, and can share some rather interesting stories of their lives pre- and post- exile, as well as about the drug trade that used to dominate the economy here.

Understand
The Chinese influence in this region dates to the civil war in China that raged until the communists took power in 1949. Remnants of the KMT army fled to Burma, where the staged forays into China to retake lost territory. In the early-1960s, China retaliated by invading the Shan State of Burma where the KMT were located. Mauled by the People's Liberation Army, the KMT fled across the border to Thailand where they settled, and raised money for fighting the communists through the heroin trade. They were granted citizenship by the Thai government on the condition that they help the Thai military fight communist insurgents, and give up their involvement in the Golden Triangle heroin trade. The KMT village of Mae Aw, in Burma, was moved across the border to Thailand where it became New Mae Aw (新密窝村 แม่ออใหม่). Finally, long after the fighting died down, in 1983-4 the Thai government renamed the town Ban Rak Thai (拉泰村 หมู่บ้านรักไทย), meaning "Love Thailand" village. A royal project was initiated to encourage the locals to cultivate tea instead of opium in the immediate surrounding area.

Get in
Your best bet is to either hire a guide from Mae Hong Son, in which case she can provide you with far more information than this page will, or to rent a motorbike in Mae Hong Son and ride up on your own. The ride is beautiful, meandering through a picturesque valley, up and down steep hills on a very windy road. The road is paved all the way. Watch for cow manure in the curves. From Mae Hong Son, head north on Hwy 1095. About 10 km up, you will see signs for Ban Rak Thai. Take a left, and follow this windy road for another 35 km or so, until it ends in the village. It is very nearly due north of Mae Hong Son and due west of Pangmapha. Geocoordinates: N19 35.109, E097 56.552.

Alternative, the Tuktuk driver at the Mae Hong Son bus station can also drive you to Ban Rak Thai with his motorbike (Tuktuk is incapable of the hill road to Ban Rak Thai).

There is a yellow songthaew between Mae Hong Son and Ban Rak Thai, with a price of 150 baht. But its time is unpredictable. There is a bus schedule posted at the Mae Hong Son bus terminal. You can check there for the updated schedule or ask your guesthouse at Ban Rak Thai if they can contact the bus driver about the time.

Get around
The village is not tiny, but is easily walked around.

See

 * The lake, Chinese tea shops, surrounding mountains. The scenery is amazing, with the town set in a valley surrounded by hills laced with smuggling routes to Myanmar.
 * There is a tea festival that takes place in Feb

Do
Visit a tea plantation to learn about growing and processing tea.

Buy
Tea and dried fruit. Any number of shops sell a dizzying variety of tea, which grows well at these altitudes, and seems to be one of the primary products. There are nice quality oolong teas grown here and some of the best are here for tasting.

Eat
Yunnan-style Chinese food, which involves a lot of tea leaves, pork fat, and oil. It's tasty, but you will probably want to supplement it with a bit of dried fruit.

Drink
Tea. Available everywhere.

Sleep
There are a number of guesthouses operating around the lake. Prices range from 300 baht to well over 1,000 baht for basic mud huts to nice little villas. Most are rather basic and tatty. This place has become a big Thai tourist destination. It gets many tour vans each day, but few stay overnight. It gets packed on holidays. Evenings around the lake are cool and lovely.

Go next
Go back the same way you came in, unless you fancy sneaking over the border into Myanmar, not recommended. A small dirt road goes to a tiny village across the border, and the guards don't seem to care. But there isn't much to see there except a school and a shop or two with some thatched homes, and a Thai flag flying above on the hill.

title: Ban Rak Thai


text:
Banská Bystrica

Banská Bystrica is a city in Central Slovakia.

Understand
Banská Bystrica is in central Slovakia between the national parks Great Fatra and Low Tatras (north of the city), the national park Poľana (east of the city), and the Štiavnické Vrchy (southwest of the city). Banská Bystrica is the capital of Banská Bystrica region (kraj) and the department (okres) of the same name. It has approximately 78,000 inhabitants.

By plane
Banská Bystrica is serviced by The airport is 15 km from Banská Bystrica, however, there are no regular passenger flights, only charters.

The closest international airports are Budapest (200 km), Bratislava (205 km) and Vienna (260 km).

If you are flying from Vienna, work out the connections well. A mid-afternoon flight from Vienna (at about 15:00) probably involves leaving Banská Bystrica on the 06:27 train or a bus between 07:00 and 08:00. It is also possible to take the 08:27 train to Bratislava and reach Vienna airport for a mid-afternoon flight, but this leaves little time buffer.

Transport to Budapest is relatively complicated with no direct bus or train. As of summer 2015, it was not possible to make it with less than 2 transfers (significantly bypassing the shortest route).

By train
There are train connections from the major Slovak cities. Banská Bystrica can also be reached from Vienna, Budapest, Poland and the Czech Republic (direct train). The city is not served well in the evening. Plan your connections from Bratislava carefully, as there are no trains between 18:01 and 23:49 (the midnight train arrives at 05:19, with the train stopping in Zvolen at 02:57, with a long wait -- to 04:47 -- for a local train to Banská Bystrica). Many of the trains from Bratislava have Wi-Fi.

There are two stations:

By bus
There are bus connections to all major Slovak cities, and international routes to Vienna, Czech Republic and many other cities in Western Europe. Buses from Bratislava cost around €9.50 (RegioJet buses cost €5). As of mid-2015, the last bus leaves Bratislava for Banská Bystrica at 20:35, so be careful about connections if booking flights to Bratislava airport or to Vienna airport.

By car
Banská Bystrica has road connections from all major Slovak cities. It can be reached from Bratislava (210 km) via highway R1. Banská Bystrica also has road connections from: Ruzomberok (52 km) road 59/E77, Martin (59 km) road 65, Zvolen (19 km) road R1/E77. From Zvolen it is possible to continue further south by E77 to Sahy (70 km - Hungarian border) and Budapest (160 km).

Get around
Banská Bystrica is a walkable city and all the main sights can be reached by foot in 15 minutes.

Public transport
Public transport is useful if staying outside the city center or for trips around the city. It consists of buses and trolleybuses and a single trip costs €0.70 (as of mid-2015). Regional buses from the main bus station (or adjacent "Parkovisko Mičinská" stop) service surrounding villages for a slightly higher price. For more information and current schedules visit this page.

Taxi
Due to increased competition (triggered by complete absence of public transport over night), prices of taxi in Banská Bystrica have plummeted to flat rate of around €3-4 per trip anywhere inside the city (trips outside the city are charged per km). With the official city area being quite large, it makes taxi really convenient transport option.

See
Banská Bystrica has a beautiful position between the mountains. Therefore, it's a popular summer and winter resort. The heart of the old city is the SNP square (Námestie SNP) which dates back to the 13th century. You can find a lot of renaissance and jugendstil buildings here. These sights include:

Out of the main square:

Do
Two big parks for relaxation near city center are available:

 * Football: FK Dukla Banská Bystrica play soccer in 1. Liga, the top tier. Their home ground Národný Atletický Štadión (capacity 7300) is 2 km west of town centre.
 * Football: FK Dukla Banská Bystrica play soccer in 1. Liga, the top tier. Their home ground Národný Atletický Štadión (capacity 7300) is 2 km west of town centre.
 * Football: FK Dukla Banská Bystrica play soccer in 1. Liga, the top tier. Their home ground Národný Atletický Štadión (capacity 7300) is 2 km west of town centre.
 * Football: FK Dukla Banská Bystrica play soccer in 1. Liga, the top tier. Their home ground Národný Atletický Štadión (capacity 7300) is 2 km west of town centre.

Cycling
Surrounding of Banská Bystrica is great for cycling sport (cross, mountain). You can do many cycling trips according to your preferences. Villages around the town are connected by asphalt roads. In the countryside and mountains there are many paved or gravel roads used for forestry in the past but now used mainly for trekking and cycling. Treks for cycling are not marked very well but the situation is improving as cycling is becoming very popular sport among locals. For more information visit cyklobb.sk There are very useful information about cycling treks including length, profile, directions, photos, eating opportunities. Unfortunately, page is available only in Slovak language but it is very intuitive and you can use google translator. During summer weekends and holidays there are also regular bus services for cyclists with bikes to 3 cycling destinations (Malý Šturec, Harmanecká jaskyňa, Donovaly).

Drink
At the central square in the city several small bars serve beer and other drinks and dishes.

Go next

 * Liptov area is an hour-drive away.
 * Great Fatra and Low Tatras are very near.
 * Zvolen and Banská Štiavnica are similar cities.

Banská Bystrica

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

title: Banská Bystrica


text:
Banská Štiavnica

Banská Štiavnica is a preserved medieval city in Slovakia and an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

By bus/train
Buses and trains are about the same price, there are numerous options: The is downhill, 3 km away from the town centre (30-40 minutes walk). The can be found halfway up next to Billa supermarket.
 * Bratislava: By bus: 2 or 3 buses a day, 185 km. By train: Take a quick-train to Hronská Dúbrava (Direction Zvolen), and change there for Banská Štiavnica, 220 km
 * Zvolen: (35 km from Banská Štiavnica): By bus: Direct connection established; By train: Both direct and indirect trains run, for indirect change at Hronská Dúbrava railway station.
 * Prague: Take a bus or train to Zvolen (580 km), and change there for Banská Štiavnica
 * Vienna: Take a bus to Bratislava (75 km), then see above
 * Budapest: Take a train to Zvolen (215 km from Budapest Keleti), then a bus or a train to Banská Štiavnica
 * Kraków: Take a bus to Zvolen (320 km)

By car
Get off the highway R1. After some 20 km of winding and relatively narrow roads, you will reach the destination. A good and is available nearby the New castle. If you can find a free spot, you may also park in the city center - which is however just some 5-10 minutes walking from the aforementioned spot.

Get around
The old town is compact and easy to walk in.

Taxi numbers can be found at the tourist office or possibly at your accommodation.

The World Heritage Area
The area inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List includes a wide territory surrounding the town of Banská Štiavnica, located in the centre of the Štiavnica Hills. They are the largest volcanic mountain range containing minerals and rock from all the periods of neovolcanism (andesites, rhyolites, rhyodacites, dacites, whinstones, their tuffs and pyroclastics). Older rock strata from the earlier Paleozoic and Mezozoic time periods appear on the surface in the tectonic window of Hodruša - Vyhne. This area is known as a mecca of minerals with nearly 150 types of them. Gold and silver bearing ores as well as other polymetallic deposits were continually exploited in the district of Banská Štiavnica as early as the 11th century. In 1156 this area was called "terra banensium", i.e. the territory of miners (in 1217 Bana), and the richness of silver ores gave rise to the name "Argentinofodina" in the 12th and 13th centuries. The prevalent form of the terrain is a cut off fluvial plateau, a highland and upland fork-like relief, stepping down to pediment hilly country. Weathered remains of funnels and mineral veins often stand out as cliffs with stone seas (in Vyhne).

A considerable part of the territory is deforested and changed into plowed fields, orchards, meadows and woody landscape interspersed with the mining works (waste dumps, shafts, probing openings, landfills, pits and reservoirs). As many as 29 species of protected plants and 11 species of protected animals occur in the Protected Landscape Area of the Štiavnica Hills.

There are several archeological finding-places in evidence in the region - the historic core of the Town Monument Reserve, Štiavnické Bane, Glanzenberg, Offenhubel, Terézia Shaft, Horná Roveň, Sitno Hill, ruins of the castle at Sitno - Ilija, as well as national cultural monuments and sites and technical ones.

Archeological sites included on the World Heritage List

 * The Town Monument Reserve: The archeological researches have been implemented several times in the historic core since 1968, especially in connection with renewal of the important cultural monuments. The finds have documented the settlement of the town connected with mining activities since the end of the 12th century (indirectly since the 11th century).  This is proved by the finds of mining tools (instruments, technical ceramics, mining lamps) and production objects (a smelting furnace, mining galleries worked by hand with a hammer and a chisel and only one side vaulted). Following are the specific localities which yielded  the archeological information: the Chamber Court  at Kammerhofská Street 2 and 3, A. Kmeťa Street 20, Radničné Square 8, Holy Trinity Square 2, Radničné Square 16.   The archeological researches also contributed to delineate the oldest urban core of the  settlement agglomeration - the future town, preserving the character of the dispersed building structure along the main roads until the 15th-16th centuries and conditioned by the rugged landscape relief. Now the site of archeological research is the locality of the Dominican monastery complex, very close to the original Romanesque basilica. The research is focused on the genesis of the building which is not clear due to the interruption of the stay of the Dominican Order in Banská Štiavnica because of the Tartar invasion (1241–1242, 1275).
 * Glanzenberg - the Old Town: The fortified premises with the central tower building (from the 12th century) and protecting the mining district (the veins of Špitaler and Bieber), at the turn of the 13th century rebuilt into an extensive castle. After the demolishing of the castle in the 15th century, production equipment was there, connected with ore mining on the close Špitaler vein.
 *  Štiavnické Bane - Horná Roveň - the area of the Terézia Shaft, traces of technical and settlement objects from the 15th to the 18th centuries.
 * Štiavnické Bane - Tanád - open-surface excavations on the Terézia vein - finds of metallurgical slag.
 * Štiavnické Bane - Offenhubel - finds of slag proving ore testing right on the mining site.
 * Sitno - archeological locality: The largest and highest situated hill-fort from the late Bronze Age, where settlement took place in the 8th century BC. This administrative, military and economic power centre was connected with settling of the hilly areas of the central Slovak territory, rich in copper. Archeological finds of stone molds for casting bronze chisels, semi-manufactured goods, slag, as well as deposits of bronze objects in the vicinity suggest the existence of a metallurgical workshop there. The importance of the locality in its changed function was renewed in the middle of the 13th century when there was built the castle to protect the roads leading to the mining district. In the 16th century, the castle served to defend the central Slovak mining towns against the Turkish danger.

Do

 * Bakomi
 * Veľká Kolpašská
 * Veľká Vodárenská
 * Evička
 * The Slovak mining museum in Banská Štiavnica has locations:
 * Open - Air Mining Museum (Banské múzeum v prírode): 1 km outside the town. An attractive exposition placed in former medieval mines. Follow the underground path, through old galleries, where silver and gold were exploited. On the surface is an exhibition of mining architecture and machines.
 * Mineral exposition (Mineralogická expozícia): Beautiful minerals from all over the world. In the courtyard, there is an old mining gallery.
 * Jozef Kollar Gallery (Galéria J. Kollára): Art from the 13th to 20th century, paintings, sculptures, precious gothic sculptures and paintings from Master M.S.
 * The Mansion in Sant Anton (Kaštieľ vo Svätom Antone): Exhibition of art history and hunting. The Baroque-Classical Mansion was built in 1744-1750. The Coburg and Koháry families owned this beautiful building and its last inhabitants was the Bulagrian Tzar Ferdinand Coburg. The interior of the mansion contains historical furniture: from Baroque to the late 19th century. Many of the exhibits had belonged to the personal property of the mansion's owners. 5 km from Banská Štiavnica.
 * The Slovak mining museum in Banská Štiavnica has locations:
 * Open - Air Mining Museum (Banské múzeum v prírode): 1 km outside the town. An attractive exposition placed in former medieval mines. Follow the underground path, through old galleries, where silver and gold were exploited. On the surface is an exhibition of mining architecture and machines.
 * Mineral exposition (Mineralogická expozícia): Beautiful minerals from all over the world. In the courtyard, there is an old mining gallery.
 * Jozef Kollar Gallery (Galéria J. Kollára): Art from the 13th to 20th century, paintings, sculptures, precious gothic sculptures and paintings from Master M.S.
 * The Mansion in Sant Anton (Kaštieľ vo Svätom Antone): Exhibition of art history and hunting. The Baroque-Classical Mansion was built in 1744-1750. The Coburg and Koháry families owned this beautiful building and its last inhabitants was the Bulagrian Tzar Ferdinand Coburg. The interior of the mansion contains historical furniture: from Baroque to the late 19th century. Many of the exhibits had belonged to the personal property of the mansion's owners. 5 km from Banská Štiavnica.
 * The Mansion in Sant Anton (Kaštieľ vo Svätom Antone): Exhibition of art history and hunting. The Baroque-Classical Mansion was built in 1744-1750. The Coburg and Koháry families owned this beautiful building and its last inhabitants was the Bulagrian Tzar Ferdinand Coburg. The interior of the mansion contains historical furniture: from Baroque to the late 19th century. Many of the exhibits had belonged to the personal property of the mansion's owners. 5 km from Banská Štiavnica.

Buy

Miscellaneous small shops are scattered around the old city main street.

Go next
Thematically similar towns are the nearby Kremnica, or Kutná Hora in Czech Republic.

title: Banská Štiavnica


text:
Bansko

Bansko (Bulgaria: Банско) is a mountain and ski resort in Southwest Bulgaria, under the slopes of the Pirin Mountains. It's one of the busiest international ski resorts in Bulgaria.

Understand
Bansko lies under the north-eastern slopes of the Pirin Mountains, on the southern edge of the Razlog Valley created by the meeting point of three mountain ranges - Rila and Pirin to the west and the Rhodope Mountains to the east. The town's official altitude is above sea level, and its permanent population is about 9 thousand.

While Bansko has been a ski resort since the Communist era, a boom in international visitors developed in the 2000s. As a result, the place is heavily covered in hotels and other establishments catering to tourists; real estate speculation is another thriving business. Since the 2010s, the town has also attracted a lot of foreign "digital nomads", a group with less seasonal variation.

Peak season in Bansko is in winter starting approximately mid-December. In summer the altitude combined with its southern location give it a mild continental climate.

By plane
Bansko has no airport of its own. The closest international airports are:
 * Sofia - about  by car, though there are shuttle services that run between the airport and Bansko, e.g. BanskoShuttle (buses run Dec-Apr; private transfers are all-year round, but much pricier)
 * Plovdiv - about  by car, but see also the railroad note below.

By train
Perhaps the most interesting way to get to Basnko is via the only surviving narrow-gauge railway in Bulgaria - the Septemvri–Dobrinishte line, where Bansko is the penultimate stop. Traversing beautiful mountains and valleys and passing by countless rural Bulgarian villages, the train is considered by some as one of the most scenic rides in the Balkans. The line starts at Septemvri, a small town close to Pazardzhik - both are on the main rail line between Sofia and Plovdiv, so switching trains is quite easy. However, this is not the most practical route to Bansko by any means, as the train takes just under 5 hours with an operating speed of just to complete a journey doable in hour and a half by car. For those with the extra flexibility required for the ride, however, this is the way to get to Bansko. The website of the national rail carrier has a dedicated page about the narrow gauge line in English, where you can check timetables.

On the other side of the Pirin Mountains, the provincial capital Blagoevgrad is served by standard-gauge trains. It lies on the main line that leads south from Sofia to the border. The station is easily accessible from the city, from which buses to Bansko are plentiful.

By bus
There are many buses departing Sofia each day from different stations so be sure to check which station your bus is departing from. Room for luggage can be an issue as they are mainly vans so you may have to wait for the next one on occasion if you have bulky items e.g. a snowboard. The cost is around 16 лв each way. The timetable can be found here.

From Blagoevgrad there is frequent bus service (every 30–60 min) to Bansko, the ticket costs 3-4 лв. The bus station is very close to the train station, around 5 min on foot. From Bansko bus station you can call a taxi to your hotel, ask at the ticket office. You should agree on the price when you get in to avoid surprises (10-15 лв should be enough). Note some hotels may suggest a bus ride from Blagoevgrad to Bansko, but at a much higher price.

Get around
Getting around in Bansko is relatively easy. The town is not large, and walking around is nice. The city government never permit high rises hotels to settle within the old city area.

Taxis are relatively cheap (5-10 лв), though you should arrange the price beforehand. Have your hotel reception call you a taxi if you can.

If you get to Bansko with your car, bear in mind that few roads get cleaned from the snow and ice, so snow chains may be required even in the city. Don't be fooled by local cars not using chains, as they use winter tyres which make a lot of difference!

Renting a car from Sofia for most tourists is considerably beneficial because of the flexibility. Taxi rides can cost €1-5 per kilometer and are not recommended when traveling outside the city of Bankso.

See
In a nice day, with good visibility the view of the mountains is beautiful, especially if you take the lift to the ski tracks. (You should get to the ski tracks at least once even if you do not ski yourself

Skiing
Bansko is a good place for skiing in winter. The resort is mainly suited to beginners and those more advanced will get bored quite quickly. Also don't expect the runs to be groomed to often. Skiers and Snowboarders could find BanskoSki useful. It is also a good idea to avoid any English school holidays as there will be insane amounts of people everywhere (and a 3-hr wait to get up the mountain via gondola) as well as the skiing world cup as half of the runs will be closed for the weeks leading up to it.

You can rent ski gear at the first station and get a discount at the lift ticket, though if you want to leave your skis there overnight there is an extra charge. A lot of ski rental shops can be found around the first station, where you can probably rent gear in better condition and get a good price if you book for more than 1 day (recommended). (Full ski gear for 4 days cost 100 лв). You can probably arrange to leave the gear at the shop overnight for free.

The weather in Bansko is obviously colder than some Greek ski resorts, so warmer clothes and a full face hood is nice to have.

You can get a multiday ticket for the lifts, although the discount is negligible. There is also a half day ticket after 12:30 or 13:00 each day, but you can also buy tickets at a better price from people leaving the ski centre before the end of the day, around the ticket offices.

Most hotels offer a bus service to the ski lift station in the morning and afternoon. Try to get to the lift station not later than 09:00 to avoid long queues. It is also advisable to buy the tickets from the previous afternoon for the same reason. There are also minibuses to ferry people up the mountain in the morning which is included in the lift pass.

Hiking
Bansko is an excellent entry way to the Pirin Mountains, Bulgaria's wildest and least developed mountain range. Vihren hut, named after the nearby Mt. Vihren, is the best place to begin both short and long distance treks. During the peak season (mid-Jun to mid-Sep) a bus will take you several times a day to and from Bansko. Great one day hikes include Mt. Vihren, the 2nd highest mountain in Bulgaria and 3rd highest in the Balkans, and The Koncheto, a 200-m-long and 1-m-wide ridge between the second and 3rd highest mountains in Pirin with vast cliffs on either side. With a full day it is possible to hike them both.

The highest peak of Pirin Mountain (Vihren, 2,916 m) is at a day's walk from the city.

Other

 * Bansko Nomad Fest is held in the last week of June since 2020; it's claimed to be the world's largest festival for digital nomads by its organizers
 * In the beginning of August an annual jazz festival, the Bansko Jazz Festival, is held in the town.
 * The Sveta Troitsa church, a Christian temple from 19th century.

Buy
There are some fashionable clothing retailers, as well as ski shops in the town. The prices for ski and sports gear are quite good, but usually not exceptional. You should be able to lower the initial price if you negotiate.

On a smaller budget, there are also numerous souvenir shops selling a range of generic Bulgarian items, as well as Bansko specific ones.

There is a village market on Sundays. You can get greens, honey, cheap shoes and farmers tools, among others.

Eat
Bansko is rife with traditional Bulgarian taverns ('Mehana'; plural 'Mehani'), as well as cafes and modern bars along the main roads. Price should be around 20 лв per person in most places.

There are also a lot of places where you can get a slice of pizza or a sandwich. The "Friends Pub" near the first ski lift station is really nice, you can get a slice of pizza in the kiosk outside, or a full meal inside.The best tavern in Bansko is Matsurev han.The inn offers Bulgarian national cuisine, traditional dishes from Bansko, prepared on live coals, on a plate and in an oven. ”Matsurev’s Inn” is located at the foot of the Pirin mountain in the heart of the town of Bansko. It is located over the church “St. Trinity” at 100 m from the central square of the town and only at 15 minutes walking from the first station of the cabin lift.

By the end of the ski season (March–April) many restaurants offer large discounts to repeat customers too, sometimes up to 60% off, making eating out at this time incredibly cheap.

Drink
Cocktail bars and strip clubs can be found during winter season, when the city becomes 'sin city'

But also numerous fountains on the streets providing fresh water from the mountain. Safe to drink.

Sleep
You can find nice 3-4 star hotels for 80 лв per night for a double room. Most hotels have sauna (free) and spa (extra charge).

Go next

 * Pirin National Park – UNESCO World Heritage National Park with over 27,000 ha, altitude 1,008–2,914 m, mountain landscapes with glacial lakes, waterfalls, caves and predominantly coniferous forests.
 * Melnik – A traditional village in beautiful landscape
 * Rhodope Mountains

title: Bansko


text:
Ban Tai

Ban Tai is one of the longest stretches of coastline on Ko Pha Ngan. The sandy beach stretches from the bay next to Thong Sala all the way past Ban Kai Beach and onto the Haad Rin peninsula. The shoreline runs parallel with Ko Samui offering fantastic views of the island in the near distance.

In high season the coastal strip offers spectacular sunsets which are particularly awesome at full moon. At low tide almost the entire coastline can be walked.

By boat
A ferry to Ban Tai is available in Thong Sala. Upon arrival at the ferry terminal, you can take a taxi to Ban Tai and arrive within five minutes.

Get around
Walking, renting motorbikes or sharing taxis to Thong Sala, the main port. Twenty minutes to Haad Rin and the full moon party.

Do
Sunbathing, swimming, snorkelling, diving, and eating.

Drink
There are many bars on the main Haad Rin -Thong Sala Road that are easily reachable by foot.

title: Ban Tai


text:
Bantayan

Bantayan is an island that is part of Cebu Province.

Understand
Bantayan is divided into three municipalities:
 * Santa Fe
 * Bantayan Town
 * Madridejos

Most of the accommodations and beaches are in Santa Fe municipality. The ferries from Cebu also arrive there.

Travelers sometime mistaken 'Bantayan' with 'Daan Bantayan' area in the inland of Cebu island, east of the Bantayan island.

By ferry
Two ferry companies ply the route between Hagnaya on Cebu island and the port of Santa Fe in Bantayan.
 * Super Shuttle Ferry
 * Island Shipping
 * Ferries leave each port every hour from 6AM until 5PM.
 * The fare on Super Shuttle Ferry is ₱359 + ₱25 terminal fee (June 2023).
 * The fare on Island Shipping ferry is 300 + 25 terminal fee (June 2023).
 * The air-conditioned bus fare from the Northern bus terminal in Cebu to Hagnaya port was ₱300 (June 2023).
 * The non-air-conditioned bus fare was ₱250 pesos (June 2023). 210 pesos(Jan 2024)

By plane
Air Juan operate aircraft between Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Bantayan airfield in Santa Fe. The fare is from ₱2576 round trip. and flying time is 30 minutes each way.

Get around

 * Tricikab (local pedicab) - a short trip from the pier to the town should cost you about ₱20 one way
 * Motorbike rental, ₱P250-450 a day, available in resorts and in rental shops in Santa Fe town
 * Bicycle rental also available (₱P100 a day)
 * Habal-habal (single motorbike with driver) for longer distances
 * Jeepney from Santa Fe town to Bantayan town.

See

 * Virgin Island
 * Ogtong Cave
 * Paradise Beach
 * Bantayan Church

Buy

 * There are PNB Bank ATMs in Santa Fe town and Bantayan town.
 * All ATM's in the Philippines have a minimum ₱250 withdrawal fee for overseas bank cards.

Eat
The public markets in Bantayan town and Santa Fe have the best prices for food.

In Bantayan Town:

 * D'Jungle restaurant - Friday buffet: all you can eat for ₱395
 * Balikbyan restaurant - German and Filipino food, try the Bicolano spicy dishes (Kinunot or Bicol express), the delicious steaks, the pork schnitzel or the mashed potatoes (further down the road after the other restaurants)
 * Hard Kock Kafe - Filipino and Western food, they have also Indian vindaloo on their menu
 * Blue Ice restaurant - Danish operation
 * Le Petit Bonheur - French operated, ice cream is their specialty
 * O'Marisquera Portuguese restaurant - Portuguese and Filipino food

In Santa Fe:

 * MJ Square - an eatery complex with local and international food.
 * Coucou Restaurant - operated by friendly owner Denis from Belgium, serves Filipino and Thai food as well as nice pizzas

Drink

 * Hard Kock Kafe
 * Coucou Bar
 * HR Music Bar
 * if you're in a local mood try the typical filipino KTV Bars such as Zenzebar or Ginza

Connect

 * It's easy to get data from smart or Globe. Accommodations all have free wifi.

Go next
Metro Cebu is the hub of the region, much the largest urban area.

title: Bantayan


text:
Banteay Chhmar

Banteay Chhmar Temple is 65 km north of Sisophon on Highway 56. In 2010, Banteay Chhmar won the "Hidden Treasures Cambodia" destination award.

Understand

Banteay Chhmar Temple and its nine satellite temples form one the great temple complexes from the Angkorian era. The temple was constructed by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. The temple complex is one of the largest from the Angkorian era and is one of only two sites outside of Bayon Temple bearing the enigmatic Bayon-style face towers. Banteay Chhmar Temple is undergoing a multi-year conservation project by Global Heritage Fund (GHF) and the Cambodian government is in efforts to have Banteay Chhmar listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Get in
Banteay Chhmar is most easily reached from Sisophon. Sisophon is at the junction of Hwy 5 and Hwy 6 and is a major transit hub linking Siem Reap, Battambang, Phnom Penh, and Poipet (Thai border). There are numerous buses and taxis from Sisophon all day long. It should not be a problem getting to Sisophon.

From Sisophon, taxis are the only practical way to reach Banteay Chhmar. Taxis can be met at the Psaar Thmei (New Market) on Hwy 56 (the road to Banteay Chhmar) in Sisophon. The CBT has taxis with the CBT logo on them at this taxi stand. As of September 2015, the road to Banteay Chhmar is entirely paved.

Shared taxis (6 people – 4 in the back; 2 in front plus driver) are US$5 per person. If you need extra legroom, you can ask to pay for 2 seats. A private taxi is US$25.

In the dry season, it takes approximately 1 hour from Sisophon to Banteay Chhmar. In the rainy season, travel times can be longer depending upon the amount of rain and where it falls. The road is very rarely, if ever, completely closed.

In the unlikely event that the road is closed, Banteay Chhmar can be reached via Samraong, about 50 km north. This road is in better condition, but is a much longer journey than from Sisophon. This road can also take you to the O'Smach/Chong Chom border crossing with Thailand.

The CBT will help you with making your onward travels from Banteay Chhmar.

Other transportation

 * Private taxis and minibuses for groups can be arranged through tour operators or guesthouses in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. You should contact the CBT if you need advice or help about these options.
 * Self-drive motorbikes can be rented in Sisophon at the Golden Crown Guesthouse (US$10/day).
 * Motorbikes with driver (motodop US$10–12) and tuk-tuks (US$30/day) can also be hired in Sisophon, though these are not the most comfortable options and not recommended.
 * There are no buses to Banteay Chhmar.

Get around
Banteay Chhmar village, the main temple and the homestays are all close and can be easily covered on foot. Most of the satellite temples can also be reached on foot, or the CBT has bicycle rentals (US$1.50/day). There are two barays (large water reservoirs). The Mebon Baray can be walked or biked to. The Pol Pot Baray (3 km) is easier to reach by motorbike.

Do

Buy
There is no ATM in Banteay Chhmar. The closest ATM is in Sisophon. US dollars, Thai baht and Khmer riel are all accepted in the market and by the CBT.

 * The CBT office has a few wooden handicrafts (sculptures, candlesticks etc.) made by local villagers. Inquire if you would to see these, or to go visit the craftsmen's homes and shops.
 * The small market area has necessities such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo and very basic medicines.

Eat
Being so far away from a major city makes dining options somewhat limited. Whatever is available in the market usually becomes the main meal of the day. There are no Tex-Mex, Italian, or nouvelle cuisine here.

The market area starts closing down around 17:00, so eat early or, if you are not eating in the CBT restaurant, ask the Chan Rom to prepare a meal to eat later.

Drink
There are no bars, nightclubs or swinging karaoke joints in Banteay Chhmar. Beer (US$0.50 can) and other drinks can be bought in various shops and there are a couple of ice sellers where you can buy ice to keep your beverages chilled.

Sleep

Connect
There is electricity only from 18:00-23:00 in Banteay Chhmar.

There are no Internet facilities. If you really need to use the Internet you can ask the CBT to borrow one of their computers and/or their USB modems. Please offer some compensation.

Go next

The most popular half-day trip is to Banteay Torp Temple. This temple is 9 km south of Banteay Chhmar off of Hwy 56. The temple consists of three soaring and precarious looking towers teetering on the verge of collapse. The nearby pagoda has some beautiful wall paintings. Frequently, tourists will have a picnic lunch here on their way back to Sisophon. For groups, the CBT will arrange a kuyon for transportation. Otherwise, it is best reached by motorbike or taxi. Bicycles are not a good idea, especially in the rainy season.

title: Banteay Chhmar


text:
Banten

Banten is the westernmost part of the island of Java in Indonesia. This article covers most of Banten province, but the northeastern parts of the province are suburbs of the Indonesian capital, and are covered in the article on Greater Jakarta.

Cities

 * — industrial city on Banten's west coast.
 * — port city with a well-known fish auction and market.
 * — sea port with frequent passenger ferries to Sumatra island.
 * — regional centre for southwestern Banten.
 * — town on the north side of the impenetrable jungle of the Baduy people.
 * — provincial capital.

Other destinations

 * — well-known beach resort on the west coast.
 * — small village on the north coast, but once the centre of the powerful Banten sultanate.
 * — more west coast beaches, with panoramic views of the Krakatoa volcano.
 * — This observation deck is a good place if you like looking down on West Javan lowlands and rice paddy.
 * — fishing village and the beach resorts of the Tanjung Lesung peninsula.
 * — beach on the Indian Ocean coast.
 * — the largest remaining lowland rain forest in Java, a refuge for rhinos. It also includes the islands that were once the volcano of Krakatoa.

Understand
The province of Banten covers the westernmost part of the island of Java. The province was created in 2000, when it separated from the province of West Java. The northeastern part of Banten, notably the cities of Tangerang and South Tangerang, are part of the Jabodetabek metropolitan area (Greater Jakarta), and therefore they are not covered in this travel guide.

The town of Banten on the north coast had been an important port for centuries, when a group of Javanese that had recently converted to Islam captured the region and established the Sultanate of Banten in 1527. The sultanate became very powerful and at its peak it ruled much of Western Java and the southern part of Sumatra. The town of Banten (nowadays often called Old Banten) became one of the major ports of Southeast Asia. Starting in the 17th century, much of Banten came under the control of the Dutch, and finally in 1813 the entire area was incorporated in the Dutch East Indies. Nowadays, the once important town of Banten is just a small village, but you can visit the old sultan palaces and the Great Mosque of the sultanate. In the Dutch colonial time, the town of Anyer on the western coast was an important port, and the western terminus of the Great Post Road. However, most of Anyer was destroyed by the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in 1883. Anyer is a popular beach resort town nowadays, and the most important port of Banten by far is now Merak, with very frequent ferries across the Sunda Strait to Sumatra.

Apart from the historical sights in the town of Banten, the region has a large number of mainly natural attractions. In the southwest, Ujung Kulon National Park covers the western peninsula and Panaitan island. The area, covered by rainforest, is only accessible by foot or by boat, and is known as the last refuge of the endangered Java one-horned rhinoceros. In addition, there are of course beaches on all sides of Banten, with the beaches of Tanjung Lesung (Panimbang) and Sawarna standing out for their beauty.

Talk
Most of the people in Banten speak Sundanese (the language of Western Java), but in the northern part of the region Javanese is widely spoken (a leftover from the Javanese that established the Sultanate of Banten. Virtually everyone however also speaks the national language Indonesian, and for more and more young people in the cities this is their first language. English is not widely spoken, but people in touristic jobs (such as upscale hotels at the beach) usually speak at least a little English.

By plane
The busiest airport of Indonesia, Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, is in Banten province. The main cities and towns of Banten can all be easily reached from the airport. There is a direct bus connection from the airport to the port of Merak, via the cities of Serang and Cilegon.

By ferry
The port of Merak is linked by very frequent ferries to the island of Sumatra. Keep in mind that Sumatra is a very large island. It is useful to take the ferry to Banten if you are in southern Sumatra (in Lampung province), but if you are in the north Sumatra it is much quicker to take a plane to Jakarta.

By train
There is one railway in the region, running from Jakarta via South Tangerang, Rangkasbitung, Serang, Old Banten, and Cilegon to Merak. Trains to Rangkasbitung are relatively frequent (about 15 trains per day), but to the other parts of the region there are just four trains per day. It is commonly easier and quicker to take a bus.

By bus
Most larger towns and cities in Banten can be reached by direct buses from several bus terminals in Jakarta. Serang is also served by buses from other destinations, such as Bandung and Central Java, and at the bus terminal of the port of Merak there are buses from destinations throughout Java and Sumatra.

By car
The road network of the northern part of Banten is extensive, with the major toll road between Merak and Jakarta connecting the largest cities, and major trunk roads to all other towns. However, roads tend to be severely congested especially in the areas near Greater Jakarta. The toll road sees long traffic jams especially during holidays. In the southern part of Banten, road quality is sometimes poor.

By train
A railway connects Rangkasbitung, Serang, Old Banten, Cilegon and Merak. There are only four trains per day per direction, so usually it is easier and quicker to take a bus.

By bus
The larger towns and cities are interconnected by a network of buses. The most frequent bus route is between Jakarta/Tangerang and Merak via the toll road, with many buses stopping on the way in Serang and Cilegon. To get to smaller towns and more remote areas you can take an elf (minibuses on routes between smaller towns) or angkot (public minivans within the cities, and to nearby villages). In the northern part of the region you can get around relatively quickly (although traffic congestion is common). To get to the southern part of the region (such as Sawarna beach), you need to keep in mind that the journey may take many hours.

By taxi
There are some taxi companies in the region of Serang and Cilegon, with the taxis of Blue Bird Group being generally reputable. In other parts of the region this is more limited. However, in all towns and villages you can rent an ojek (motorcycle taxi), which are usually available at all major street corners. Other transport options in some places include becak (bicycle rickshaws), and delman (horse carriages).

Historic and cultural sights
The main historic sights of the region can be found in the town of Banten on the north coast. As the town was the centre of the Sultanate of Banten, there are various historic buildings, including the old sultan palace and the 16th century mosque. In addition, the town boasts a Buddhist monastery as well as a Dutch colonial fort. The number of historic buildings of interest in the other cities is limited, but beach town Anyer has a lighthouse from the Dutch time (which is also the starting point of the Great Post Road).

Natural sights
The westernmost tip of Banten is covered by the Ujung Kulon National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the oldest national park of Indonesia, and the largest remaining lowland rain forest in Java. The park is a refuge for the endangered Java one-horned rhinoceros, the rarest large animal on earth, but there are also many other rare flora and fauna species. There are no roads in the National Park, so you can only get around by foot, or by boat on the seas and rivers. The holiday resorts at Tanjung Lesung (Panimbang) are a starting point for tours to the park.

Other natural point of interest in the province include the active Mount Karang volcano near Pandeglang, and the extensive jungle area south of Rangkasbitung. In this jungle, the Baduy people live. The Baduy are a traditional Sundanese community, that has not had much contact with the outside world, and does not use modern technology. To get near the area of the Baduy community (it is not allowed to get into the area) requires several hours of trekking.

Beaches
Being surrounded by seas, there is a large number of beaches in Banten. The most popular beaches are along the west coast, notably in Anyer, with a well-developed tourism infrastructure. The further you get away from Jakarta and the larger cities of Banten, the quieter the beaches get. The village of Sawarna on the Indian Ocean coast has a good surf spot. Obviously, there are very beautiful and very quiet beaches in the Ujung Kulon National Park, but getting there requires a long trek, or hiring a boat.

Do
Key activities are either at one of the beaches (surfing is popular in Sawarna, and jetskiing is popular in Anyer), or in the natural areas such as Ujung Kulon National Park (jungle trekking). The city of Cilegon has a golf course.

Buy
In most of the region, shopping is limited to local village stores and traditional markets. The cities of Serang and Cilegon more shopping facilities, including modern shopping malls.

Eat
One of the dishes Banten is known for is Sate Bandeng (milkfish satay), which is deboned milkfish frilled in its skin on bamboo skewers. Another dish with milkfish is Pecak Bandeng, which is roasted fish covered spices and sambal (chili sauce), served with rice and fresh vegetables. Another type of satay that originates from Banten is sate bebek Cibeber. Cibeber is a district of Cilegon. The satay here involves bamboo skewers with duck meat, and a sauce made of brown sugar with lemon grass, turmeric, nutmeg, and coriander.

Apart from the typical Banten dishes, most of the regular Indonesian food can be found in all cities and villages. In the cities and in the beach resorts you may find modern restaurants, but in smaller villages the food offering is usually limited to roadside stalls.

Drink
Alcoholic drinks are not widely available in cafés and restaurants, but can usually be found in upscale restaurants and bars as well as hotels and resorts.

Go next

 * Greater Jakarta — one of the busiest urban areas in the world, with many possibilities for shopping and nightlife.
 * Lampung — the southernmost province of Sumatra across the Sunda Strait, with two national parks.
 * Krakatoa — volcanic island in the Sunda Strait, known for one of the heaviest eruptions in modern history (1883).

title: Banten


text:
Bantry

Bantry (Beanntraí, dwelling place of Beann's people) is a town at the head of Bantry Bay in County Cork in southwest Ireland. In 2016 it had a population of 2722.

The southwest coast of Cork is divided into three peninsulas, like claws on the foot of Ireland. Bantry is at the base of the middle peninsula, Sheep's Head, but with roads leading to all three. It has good visitor amenities and is the obvious base for exploring all of them. For convenience, Sheep's Head is described in detail here. Beara peninsula to the north is described under Glengarriff and Castletownbere, while the southern peninsula of Mizen Head is described under Skibbereen and Schull.

Understand
Bantry Bay is 35 km long and 40 m deep; it's a ria or drowned river valley, flooded by rising sea levels at the end of the last Ice Age. Bantry and similar villages never developed as major harbours as they were so far from the cities, with poor roads and no profitable hinterland. But if you wanted to land an invasion force to catch the government by surprise, it might be a good bet.

In Ireland as in America, 18th-century rebellion against English rule arose not from the peasantry but from prosperous landed gentry, mostly Anglican Protestants. One leader was Wolfe Tone (1763-1798) of Dublin, a founder member of the United Irishmen. He was inspired by the United States and moved there, but was swiftly disillusioned by their money-grubbing, anti-democratic chicanery — with George Washington a prime culprit. Thereafter he looked to revolutionary France for support. The Directory in Paris were impressed by Wolfe Tone and saw a chance to shake and perhaps even topple their old adversary, but they were dangerous allies to have.

In 1796 an Armada or Expedition of 43 ships was assembled in Brest and eventually sailed in December - several months late through a mixture of set-backs and bungling, and not a good time for an inexperienced fleet to put to sea. They did achieve surprise, as the British warships had retreated in the face of storms, but the Expedition became scattered and confused. Most of their ships however reached Mizen Head. They were then struck by perhaps the worst winter storms of that century, unable to progress into Bantry Bay, or make any landing on the raging shores. Wolfe Tone aboard Indomtable cursed that "we were close enough to Castletownbere to throw a biscuit ashore." Anchors dragged, cables broke, ships were wrecked, and after several days of this the fleet had no choice but to limp home.

There was another Irish revolt in 1798, the "Year of the French". Napoleon was now in charge, and all he would commit in support was a series of raiding parties. The raid on Killala in County Mayo went better than expected, catching the defence off-guard and marching through Connacht for 11 days until British forces gathered against them. But a mass uprising never materialised, the rebellion fizzled out, and the other raiders were swiftly dealt with. Wolfe Tone was with a raid into Lough Swilly in Donegal that was captured by the Royal Navy. He was put on trial in Dublin and sentenced to hang, but committed suicide.

His statue now graces the main square named after him, in the village he never quite reached. So never take travel advice from this fellow, and still less from the one commemorated at the other end, Brendan the Navigator. This 5th-6th century saint really did get around the British and Irish coasts, but he's supposed to have sailed a frail coracle to America, Paradise, and various God-forsaken places. Perched on a rock he found Judas Iscariot, who had reason to know exactly where he was, and why. But if Judas is uninformative try the Tourist Information Centre in the Old Courthouse, at the top of The Square.

Get in
Cork is the nearest airport, but if you're flying in and renting a car (essential in this far-flung region) then Dublin  or Shannon  near Limerick might work.

Bus Éireann 236 runs from Cork bus station via Bandon, Enniskeane, Dunmanway and Drimoleague, taking 1 hour 45 min to Bantry; some buses continue to Glengarriff and Castletownbere. They run M-F every 90 min or so, but Sa Su there are only four or five.

Two new bus routes launched in 2023 significantly improving public transport links to Bantry.

Bus Éireann Route 270 launched in 2023 with five daily services from Skibbereen to Killarney via Bantry, Kenmare and Killorglin, operating year round. This replaced the seasonal route 252 that used to connect Bantry to Kerry to the north. The first bus departs Bantry daily at 6:48AM and last one at 6:48PM towards Killarney. Buses from Bantry to Skibbereen start at 8AM and the last one leaves Bantry at 11:30PM.

A Local Link Cork route 232 running from Allihies on the western end of the Beara peninsula along Bantry Bay into Bantry town and out the Sheeps Head peninsula to Kilcrohane operates 7 days a week with 4 buses per day.

A Local Link bus plies M-F from Skibbereen, setting off at 8AM and taking an hour via Ballydehob and Durrus to Bantry, and setting off back around 4PM.

Cruise ships often visit the bay and land parties for excursions. They're on package itineraries and don't offer point-to-point voyages to Bantry.

Get around
Local Link Cork(formerly West Cork Rural Transport) minibus runs from Bantry round Sheep's Head to Kilcrohane and Durrus then circles back to Bantry. There are two runs on Tuesday and Thursday. There are also occasional minibuses to Skibbereen, Ballydehob and Schull.

The ferry to Whiddy Island sails four or five times a day, taking 15 min from the pier 500 m west of Bantry town. Adult return €8, no cars are carried.

Bike N Beara (aka O'Donovans) does bike hire and repair. They're on Market St in Bantry, normally open M-Sa 10AM-5PM.

See

 * is the attractive centre of town — it's been created from infill of the harbour, and Bantry Bay opens from its west end. That's the man himself on the statue, and the big anchor is from the luckless French fleet.
 * in Bantry Bay is reached by a 15 min foot-passenger ferry. It's low-lying farmland; in the closing weeks of World War I it hosted a US seaplane base. At its west end is an oil tanker terminal, struck by disaster in 1979 when the tanker Betelgeuse blew up with the loss of 50 lives. Later salvage operations discovered the wreck of La Surveillante, a French frigate scuttled when the 1796 invasion was abandoned - the large anchor in town square is probably from that ship.
 * is a slender standing stone 2.1 m tall, 1 km west of the village. "Ruane" probably refers to Romans, not that they marched here, but for the Roman method of calculating Easter, which was a big dispute in early Christendom.
 * Sheep's Head: also known as Muntervary (Rinn Mhuintir Bháire), this is the scenic peninsula south side of Bantry Bay. The Goat's Path Road winds along the coast through nowhere in particular then crosses the ridge between Mt Seefin and Mt Caher. It returns east along Dunmanus Bay, through Kilcrohane, Ahakista and Durrus, where it meets the road from Bantry to Mizen Head.
 * is the village at the foot of the peninsula. The area is dotted with prehistoric sites, but there's not much left of Coolnalong castle. The village has a scattering of self-catering cottages and a bar, and is the home of Durrus Farmhouse Cheese. St James Church (C of I) has the grave of JG Farrell (1935-1979), author of Troubles, Siege of Krishnapur and Singapore Grip. He came to live on Sheep's Head but slipped from rocks while fishing, and drowned.
 * Kilvarock Garden with exotic species is 2 km west of Durrus.
 * has B&Bs and a bar, and a Bronze Age stone circle to its west. The Air India memorial is half a mile east: on 23 June 1985, Air India flight 182 from Montreal to London and Delhi was blown apart by a bomb planted by Sikh extremists, killing all 329 aboard. The plane was some 200 km off Ireland, with Sheep's Head one of the closest points of land.
 * also has B&Bs. The name means Church of Crochan, who was a contemporary of St Patrick.
 * Mt Seefin (345 m) is reached by a 1-km trail from the top of the ridge where the Goat's Path Road crosses the peninsula behind Kilcrohane. Park in the layby, where there's a cross and kitsch pietà, and head east. The trail starts level then ascends a steep, muddy gully, then the summit comes into view. Note "Seefin" is a common name, this is the one in County Cork. You can also hike up Mt Caher (391 m), the peak west of the road, by a 2-km trail.
 * and cliffs are at the end of the peninsula. You can drive most of the way there by the lane that goes west from Kilcrohane. The word "Eire" has been picked out in slate for the benefit of air navigators: some 85 of these were placed around Ireland in 1942-43. Sheep's Head was Eire 31 but the number is no longer visible.
 * Beara Peninsula to the north: see Glengarriff and Castletownbere.
 * Mizen Head to the south: see Skibbereen and Schull.
 * is away up in the Shehy mountains, where the lake is the source of the River Lee flowing to Cork. St Finbarr is believed to have founded a monastery on an islet in the 6th century. Its remoteness made it a place where Roman Catholic mass could be held during the Penal Laws repression. There are ruins on the islet from 1700, and a richly decorated 19th-century oratory which is a pilgrimage site.
 * is away up in the Shehy mountains, where the lake is the source of the River Lee flowing to Cork. St Finbarr is believed to have founded a monastery on an islet in the 6th century. Its remoteness made it a place where Roman Catholic mass could be held during the Penal Laws repression. There are ruins on the islet from 1700, and a richly decorated 19th-century oratory which is a pilgrimage site.

Do

 * Béicín Loop is a level paved trail from the Square north along the coast. Either retrace your steps or circle back into town via the lane. See Explore West Cork for other trails.
 * Cinemax is on the Quay just west of the Square.
 * Bay Run is a half-marathon from Glengarriff to Bantry held in May, dates TBA. There's also a triathlon, held in late July.
 * West Cork Music & Literary Festivals are no longer in a fixed week, but events are held through summer into autumn.
 * Bay Run is a half-marathon from Glengarriff to Bantry held in May, dates TBA. There's also a triathlon, held in late July.
 * West Cork Music & Literary Festivals are no longer in a fixed week, but events are held through summer into autumn.

Buy

 * Bantry Market is every Friday morning on the Square, with the first Friday of the month being the big event.

Drink

 * Others include Quays Bar, Ma Murphy's, West cafe wine bar and Boston Bar.
 * Others include Quays Bar, Ma Murphy's, West cafe wine bar and Boston Bar.

Sleep

 * Bantry House (see above) has B&B and self-catering accommodation.
 * Ballylickey House, next to Seaview House, has upscale self-catering lodges.
 * Bantry House (see above) has B&B and self-catering accommodation.
 * Ballylickey House, next to Seaview House, has upscale self-catering lodges.
 * Ballylickey House, next to Seaview House, has upscale self-catering lodges.

Connect
As of March 2023, Bantry has 4G from all Irish carriers. The signal is generally available in the countryside, but poor/patchy in areas.

Go next

 * North to Glengarriff for the Italianate Gardens, and Castletownbere for Beara Peninsula. Further north you cross into County Kerry on the road to Killarney.
 * South to Skibbereen and Schull for Mizen Head. The rugged coast then trends west.

title: Bantry


text:
Bantry (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Bantry:

Ireland

 * Bantry — A town in County Cork, Southwest Ireland.

United States of America

 * Bantry (North Dakota) — A town in McHenry County of North Dakota.

title: Bantry (disambiguation)


text:
Banyak Islands

The Banyak Islands are a group of tiny islands off the western coast of Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, primarily visited on surfing charters. The islands are about 100 km north of the island of Nias.

Understand
Kepulauan Banyak is Indonesian for "Many Islands".

Flora and fauna

 * 1) Green turtle (Caretta caretta)
 * 2) Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
 * 3) Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Climate
To enjoy the beauty of this group of islands, it's recommended to visit here between March to August. That's because the weather is sunny and calm, making it the best time for island hopping, kayaking and snorkeling.

By plane
The nearest airport to the Banyak Islands is the small Syekh Hamzah Fansyuri Airport on the Sumatra mainland, near Singkil. The nearest major airport is Medan's Kuala Namu International Airport, more than 250 km away.

By boat
There are frequent boats from Singkil to Balai on the Banyak Islands. The boats only leave at high tide.

Surfing
Waves are high and can reach 6 meters. There are 12 spots for surfing, spread across the Banyak Islands. The most visited surfing spots are Amandangan Beach and Violation Beach on Bangkaru Island.

Snorkeling
The unique view of the sea is at the coral reefs, filled with marine plants and reef fish of various colors and various sizes. Enjoying the beauty of biodiversity can be done by using snorkeling, especially for places that are hard to see by boat with see-through floors.

Trekking
Trekking on the Tuangku Island while enjoying the beauty of its forest. The journey can be started from Kampong Haloban and along the way tourists might encounter Mouse Deer, Nias Beo, Squirrel, Wild Boar and Butterfly of various colors. There is also a Bat Cave and Swallow's Nest Cave. But be careful of the Estuary Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) which sometimes appears in river.

Go next

 * Return to Sumatra mainland.
 * Explore Nias island.

title: Banyak Islands


text:
Banyuwangi

Banyuwangi is a regency in East Java. Its capital city is at the eastern tip of Java Island in Indonesia.

Understand
Banyuwangi is at the easternmost tip of Java, and is best known for its ferry connection at Ketapang to Gilimanuk in Bali, which makes it a gateway for locals (or tourists) traveling by car to Bali from any of Java’s major cities (such as Jakarta). It can also serve as a rest area for drivers, tourists, or locals, heading to Bali by land. This area has a lot more to offer though and it is becoming better known as a visitor destination in its own right. Banyuwangi is also the gateway to some stunning volcanic scenery on the Ijen Plateau as well as the main access point for the Baluran National Park, world renowned surfing at G-Land (Grajagan), and the remote Alas Purwo National Park.

By train
There are several daily trains from Surabaya and Malang run by the national operator Kereta Api, taking six hours, plus one daily train from Yogyakarta taking 13 hours. These trains run to, which is the station for ferries to Bali; the harbour is just 200 m away. Until 2020 this station was known as Banyuwangi Baru and may still appear as that on old signage and timetables, but it's 10 km north of Banyuwangi town centre.

If Banyuwangi is where you want to be, get off at station (previously called Karangasem) which is on the west edge of town, 3 km from the centre.

By boat
Ferries run 24 hours a day from Gilimanuk in Bali to Ketapang every 30 min. The journey takes about 45 minutes, although loading and unloading can take much longer. Price is Rp 7500 for foot passengers, but this credit must be loaded onto a smartcard in order to pass the turnstile. Buy the smartcard at a desk before the main ticket window. Multiple passengers may use the same smartcard, so try to find other tourists to pool the cost. Then, at the main ticket window, load onto it the number of entries required. The ferry operator is ASDP,.

The ticket can be bought via Ferizy's website or on the spot.

From Ketapang, blue bemos are available 09:00 to 15:00. Prices to downtown area or nearby are Rp 5,000 - 10,000 per person, but they will ask for 2 or 3 times that, the price will go down as you walk away. Another option is to take a metered taxi. The company Bosowa Taxi (dark blue looking taxis) operates the area, and if you don't see one nearby, you can call one at. Price to downtown Banyuwangi is around Rp. 51,000 (Aug 2015). Watch the meter as you arrive at your destination as the driver may switch it off the second you arrive

By car
From Denpasar to Banyuwangi (via Gilimanuk) takes 4 hours due to traffic. The route is via the main highway, but it is only two lane and is full of trucks and buses trying to overtake each other. From Jakarta, it is a 15-hour drive; from Ngawi, it is a 6-hour drive via the toll road "tol Ngawi-Surabaya", 8-10 hour drive on non-toll roads.

Get around
The main bus station in Banyuwangi is at Ketapang ferry terminal. From there, regular yellow coloured bemos and shuttle buses run into the capital city (Sri Tanjung bus terminal/Brawijaya bus terminal), and elsewhere in the vicinity. Becaks (horse-cart/pedicabs) are widely available in town. Do not accept the first price the driver tells you.

Most surfers heading for G-Land are doing so from Bali, and transportation to the camps is part of their surf package. You can however reach G-Land independently with a bus from Sri Tanjung terminal to Benculuk (about 1 hour), where you change and catch another bus to Grajagan (about 30 minutes).

You can hire private jeeps with a driver in Banyuwangi. Vital for independent trips up to the Ijen Crater or for exploring the remote parts of the south eastern coastal National parks.

Alas Purwo National Park
This is one of the more remote and least populated parks areas of Java, and one which is relatively under-visited due to both the difficulties of getting there and the lack of developed accommodation options. It is also an area of great mystical significance to the Javanese - local legend has it that this was the first area of the whole world to emerge from the ocean.

The park is largely flat with highest peak only 320 m and covers some 43,000 hectares. There are some beautiful, deserted beaches here as well as large swatches of lowland tropical forest. The world famous G-land surf camp is on the park borders.

The key access point to the park is the village of Triangulasi which is about 80 km south east of Banyuwangi. Before visiting you should make contact with the national park office in Banyuwangi at Alas Purwo National Park Head Office, Jl Brawijaya No. 20,. There is some very basic self-catering hut accommodation at Triangulasi, as well as a camping ground and the park office will be able to advise you on this.

Mammals to be seen inside the park include banteng (the buffalo of Java), asiatic wild dog, leopard cat, muntjac deer and ebony leaf monkey. The park's western beaches are noted turtle hatching areas with olive ridley, hawksbill, green and leatherback turtles all occurring.

The Ijen Plateau
Near Banyuwangi and Bondowoso, this is a spectacular area of volcanic activity. The Ijen Plateau is the centre point of the large mountain range west of Banyuwangi and abuts the Baluran National Park to the north.

The Ijen Crater (Kawah Ijen) can be approached from Bondowoso in the west or Banyuwangi in the east. Both come together at the parking, from where you can go up to the crater. Neither road is good, but the Bondowoso route is easier. The trip can be done during the day or night (departing around 01:00). The latter is the popular choice as that's the only time the "blue fire" can be seen.

From Bondowoso you are best off finding a guide with a car (preferably a 4x4) who will drive you through the village of Wonosari and eastwards up a very basic potholed road which winds its way up the mountain. You will pass through the native casuarina forest and extensive coffee plantations before the road end at the village of Jampit where there is some shelter available (Pos Paltuding). If you are travelling late in the day, you could actually bed down with a sleeping bag or camp here as you could in the disused vulcanology station huts slightly further up the mountain.

From Banyuwangi to the parking lot takes about 1,5 hours by car. Most tourists will have a tour that includes transport on a 4x4, but the road is made of asphalt, and any car in good shape will be able to make it to the parking lot. However the road is narrow, curvy, and very steep in some parts, and driving at night can be dangerous.

At 2:00, the trailhead to the crater opens and entry fees are collected. The hike takes about 90 minutes and gains about 500 meters. The trail is wide and easy to follow, but is sandy and slippery in places. The colour of the water in the lake is scarcely believable, being an extraordinary vivid aqua blue. Evidence of volcanic activity is everywhere with steaming water and brilliant yellow crystalline sulfur deposits. You will see many workers trudging up and down the mountain carrying sacks of sulfur, sacrificing their long-term health for about Rp1000 per kg of ore. At night, when the proper conditions are met, you may see the famous "blue fire" (ignited sulphuric gas) down near the lake.

From the rim, the hike into the crater and down to the lake is an additional 45 minutes. The trail becomes a rocky, steep, single-person trail, where only a few meters have a handrail. Have your gas mask accessible, as the fumes get thicker as you go down. Once at the bottom, the exposure to white smoke coming out of the sulfur pipes can be irritating to the eyes and it's difficult to breathe without a gas mask. You can see the mining operation at work, and if you made it to the bottom before first light, you can see the dazzling blue flames up close, between the plumes of noxious volcanic steam.

Safety is not up to western standards, so enter the crater at your own risk. Some people decide to not go down to the lake. Officially, access to the crater is restricted, and signs warn you not to enter. In practice, this is only enforced when volcanic activity is high, and guides explain this as a way for local government to avoid liability.

At night, the otherwise obvious path can be challenging, so you may want a guide. It can be as cold as 5° C at the top. Proper hiking gear is useful: at minimum you need sturdy sports shoes, a flashlight, and a layer warmer than a t-shirt.

Tours to Kawah Ijen vary in price depending on the travel agency/hotel where it is booked, but all of them offer the same services, which are broken down as follows:
 * Transport to/from Ijen: drivers will wait at the parking lot while tourists hike. Around Rp200,000 per person.
 * Entry fee: Rp100,000-150,000 (Sunday) per foreign person.
 * Guide: Rp150,000-250,000 per group.
 * Gas masks: professional "proper" masks are available for Rp50,000 each. They can be rented in the caldera, next to the trail that goes down to the bottom.
 * Snacks and water: extra.

Some of the places that offer this and other tours are:
 * Osing Vacation: Rp350,000-750,000 per person (July 2021).(+6285204932963)
 * Kampung Osing Inn (+6287852738711): Rp350,000-400,000 per person (August 2015).
 * Berlin Barat Hotel: Rp750,000 per person (August 2015).
 * Hotel Blanbangan: Rp700,000-1,200,000 per person (August 2015).

Discounts for the transport part are offered to groups of people that get into the same car.

Many other post-caldera cones and craters are within the caldera or along its rim. The largest concentration of post-caldera cones forms an E-W-trending zone across the southern side of the caldera. Coffee plantations cover much of the Ijen caldera floor, and tourists are drawn to its waterfalls, hot springs, and dramatic volcanic scenery.

Gandrung Dance
This is a highly-regarded art form in Banyuwangi, and one of the nicknames for the capital city is Gandrung. In Javanese, gandrung means hopelessly in love. The love in this case is directed to Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice. The performance is an homage to Dewi Sri in gratitude for the rice harvest. The performance is a very special cultural event with unique orchestration. Check at the Tourist Information Centre for scheduled performances.

Do

 * Surf at G-Land (Grajagan Beach) about 60 km south of Banyuwangi. One of the world's most consistent left-hand reefbreaks, Grajagan was first surfed in 1972. A few years later the Australian Boyum brothers built a rickety bamboo treehouse on the Plengkung Beach bordering the remote Alas Purwo National Park on Java's south-east tip and the G-Land surf camp concept was born. These days there are several basic surfcamps between the wild jungle and kilometre-long coral reef. Permission to stay at G-Land must be obtained from the park rangers in advance, which is handled by the surf camp management. The camps offer all inclusive surf packages from 3 days and upwards, details on the following websites:

 * Surf at Red Island Beach.
 * Bangsring Underwater. A semi-artificial snorkelling site filled with coral just north of Banyuwangi. The fish-life is incredibly dense and the entry price is only 5000 rupiah.

Eat
Street stall and simple warung food is the go in Banyuwangi and you will find lots of it. At night, many warungs can be found on the north-west side of Taman Blambangan park and also at the smaller park nearby, next to the Masjid Agung Baiturrahman mosque.

Drink
Try local kopi ijen at a local cafe.

Sleep
There is a lot of fairly identical budget accommodation in Banyuwangi and there are often several well-meaning and well-mannered touts at the Ketapang ferry terminal eager to take you to their option. The small extra payment for the tout might be worth it if you're tired and just want accommodation.

Connect
The dialing code for Banyuwangi is 0333.

Go next

 * Bali — with its famous beaches and Hindu temples.
 * Baluran National Park — is a grassland, forest and coastal park with lovely, deserted beaches.
 * Probolinggo — on the route to Mount Bromo.
 * Sukamade — turtle conservation beach.

title: Banyuwangi


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Baoding

Baoding (保定 Bǎodìng) is a city in Hebei in north China with a number of notable historic sites.

Understand

Administratively, Baoding is vast with the prefecture's land area encompassing 11 million inhabitants. The metro area has a population of 2 million. There are several outerlying counties far from the center. In the north is Yi County has a multi-site tourist complex centered on the Western Qing Tombs that includes a Yishui Lake and a historic town. In the northwest of Baoding Prefecture is Laiyuan County which includes Baishi Mountain, one of north China's most picturesque mountains.

Baoding was razed by the Mongols in the 13th century but was reconstructed under the Yuan dynasty, during which it received its contemporary name. It flourished as a cultural hub throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Qing Dynasty, Baoding housed the Viceroy of Zhili, a key administrative role overseeing Zhili Province—now primarily Hebei. This position held significant sway in imperial court politics, given the province encircled Beijing. The viceroy's office is now a museum.

By plane
Inter-provincial bus travel to Baoding from Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport.

High speed rail from Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport to Baoding East takes about 30 minutes.

By train
is near the city center. It offers less frequent train services from Beijing Station. Travel times vary between approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 10 minutes by high-speed rail.

is roughly 7 km east of the city center, serves trains from Beijing West Station and Beijing Fentai Station. The journey by high-speed rail typically takes about 40 to 50 minutes.

Get around
Taxis are plentiful. There is no metro system.

Central Baoding

Learn
Baoding hosts two key provincial universities: Hebei University and the Agricultural University of Hebei (AUH). These institutions draw a handful of international graduate students, who are drawn to the affordable tuition and living costs, and a good education in specialized fields such as crop production and soil management at AUH.

Buy

Xidajie (West Street) is the main historical shopping street in the area, reopened in 2022 after renovations. A bustling hub for visitors, this street draws comparisons to Nanluoguxiang in Beijing and other historical shopping streets across China. One thing that sets Xidajie apart is a unique local offering: a shop specializing in Baoding balls (look for the storefront with the big sign 保定铁球). These traditional Chinese relaxation tools, consisting of two metal balls that are rotated in one hand, are a famed cultural hallmark of the city.

Eat
Baoding is famous around China for donkey burgers (驴肉火烧), which are sandwiches stuffed with donkey meat.

Go next

 * Shijiazhuang - the modern day provincial capital to the south
 * Zunhua - Visit the Eastern Qing Tombs after seeing the Western Qing Tombs

title: Baoding


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Baoguo

Baoguo is a city in East Sichuan.

Understand
Baoguo is the base town serving Emeishan National Park. It's crammed full of buses carting domestic Chinese tourists about. Prices are somewhat hiked because it is a tourist hub.

Get around
Walk.

See
At the end of Baoguo town is the welcoming square to Emeishan National Park. It includes a hand-hewn waterfall, some carvings in a cliff and a giant copper bell (First Mountain Pavilion).

The surrounding area is known as the 'Baoguo Temple Scenic Area', covering an area of 2 sqkm that includes:

 * Bauguo Temple
 * Shanjue Temple
 * Fuhu Temple
 * Leiyin Temple
 * Chunyang Palace
 * Mt. Emei Museum

Do

 * Emeishan National Park
 * Hot Spring: in one the fancy resort, if you want to check it out.
 * Ski: Leidongping ski resort is operating during Winter.

Buy
Plenty of shops to stock up on cheap(er) snack food before your climb.

Eat
A bowl of noodle costs ¥10-12 (as of Mar 2019). There are enough eating options in the area (but not too many). Most restaurants along the main road would have one English speaking staff to talk to you. Some places don't have the patience (and manners) to deal with non-Mandarin speaking customers, just don't visit them anymore, there are enough good places around.

Up a couple of side streets towards the mountain from Teddy Bear Hotel there is the 'Food Street', seems to be the main place to eat for visitors. The menu looks similar between places, but the prices vary.

Steamed buns are good sustenance for your hike (and cheap)! (The ones wrapped in corn skin are the most flavoursome.)

Drink
There is a bar across the river from the rest of town.

Go next
Bus 5 ("gongchur ooo") and then bus 1 ("gongchur yao") to get to Emei bus station ("urrr may chur jan"). Alternatively, a taxi should be ¥15.

title: Baoguo


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Baoji

Baoji (宝鸡; Bǎojī) is a city in Shaanxi.

By plane
Baoji does not have an airport. The nearest airport of any size is Tianshui Maijishan Airport in Tianshui and the nearest major airport is Xi’an Xianyang International Airport in Xianyang.

There is a bus service operating between Xi’an Xianyang International Airport and Baoji South Bus Station. These buses depart from the transport interchange on the east side of Terminal 3. Departure times (as of April 2024) are 09:40, 10:40, 11:40, 13:40, 14:40, 15:30, 17:10, 18:50 and 20:30. The journey time is approximately 2 hours and the fare is ¥62 (as of April 2024).

By train
From Xi'an: 50 minutes by high-speed train ¥50, linking the two dedicated stations on the high-speed line. 2 hours on a fast train ¥30, 3 hours on a regular train ¥22, linking the two main stations. Tickets are usually available at the day of travel though you might only get a hard seat.

Go next

 * Tiantaishan National Park

title: Baoji


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Bao Loc

Bao Loc is in the Central Highlands (Vietnam).

Understand
This is a medium-sized city that sits on Hwy 20 between Ho Chi Minh and Dalat. This serves as a good resting stop if traveling on motorbike with many cafes and hotels with free Wi-Fi.

See
The park in the middle of city is quite nice. There's a lake (hồ Bao Loc) in the centre - a common place for locals to spend their weekend fishing. This makes a nice photo with the lake in the front and Vietnamese apartments (and a temple) in the back.

Do
There's not much to do other than eat, sleep, and enjoy the little park.

Eat
There's a very popular vegetarian restaurant on Hwy 20 (aka Tran Phu) and Nguyen Van Troi, called Quan Chay (or Quan Che on Google Maps).

Sleep
There are many hotels near the park and the lake (hồ Bao Loc).

Go next
Take Highway 20 to Dalat (north) or Ho Chi Minh City (south).

title: Bao Loc


text:
Baoting

Baoting (保亭; Bǎotíng) is a county in the hills of Hainan Province in China.

Understand
Baoting is one of Hainan's least populated counties. The majority of the population are Li (黎) or Miao (苗) people.

The administrative capital and largest town is Baocheng (保城).

Get in
Buses to Baoting are available from most major cities and towns on the island. Buses from the Haikou South Bus Station take 3-4 hours and cost between ¥64 and ¥81. Buses from the Sanya Central Bus Station take about 60-90 minutes and cost between ¥12 and ¥26.

title: Baoting


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Baotou

Baotou (Chinese: 包头 Bāotóu, Mongolian: Buɣutu qota) is a city on the Yellow River (Huáng Hé) in Inner Mongolia. The metropolitan area has a population of over two million.

Understand
The largest city in Inner Mongolia, Baotou used to be an arid region inhabited by Mongolian herders and their sheep. The town that has since grown up has four main parts
 * Donghe — the old part of town and lies to the east
 * Qingshan — part of the new city
 * Jiuyuan
 * Kunqu (Kandulun) — major part of the new city and is the main shopping and entertainment area with all the western restaurants near Baobaidalou (a large walking street and shopping area)

The new city is bisected by Gangtie St, a large road that goes from the east in Qingshan to the west in Kunqu.

By train
There are two main train stations. There is high-speed rail but only inside Inner Mongolia (1hr to Hohhot). A night train to Beijing takes about 12 hours and ¥110-150 (seat) or ¥300-450 (soft sleeper).

Eat
Try Mongolian hot pot with mutton, especially in the winter. Any mutton dish is worth trying as they raise sheep up in the mountains.

Go next

 * Desert resorts and whistling sand dunes are about 50 km south of the city in Dalad Banner, part of Ordos City

title: Baotou


text:
Bar

Bar is a major port for Montenegro.

Understand
The Old Town of Bar, 4 km far from the coast, is the most significant among the numerous cultural-historical monuments of this town, a witness to its turbulent history. These old bricks are deaf witnesses of numerous conquerors and different cultures.

Bar is the main port city of Montenegro. Unlike other cities along the coastline, Bar is not only tourist-focused, and the most majority of restaurants, bars and shops are open year-around for the local population. The tourist centres and tour companies usually only operate during the May - September summer season.

By plane
For the airports in Podgorica or Tivat take a bus or a Taxi, from Podgorica you can also take the train, and then continue a local taxi to the airport.

Alternatively, take an one-hour drive by a car. It is possible to reach Podgorica airport through a taxi service. A transfer should cost €30 for a vehicle up to four passengers, and €60 for a minivan up to eight passengers.

By train
One day train ("Tara") and one night train ("Lovcen") take eleven hours from Belgrade via Rakovica (for Belgrade suburban lines), Bijelo Poljea, Prijepolje, Podgorica and a dozen other stops; they're chronically an hour late. Scheduled arrival is 7:23 AM. For 2024 the day service runs only between mid-June and mid-September and requires a simple change between Serbian and Montenegrin local trains at the border station of Bijelo Polje. In Belgrade for some years these trains departed from Topcider, the dreary motorail terminal in the southern burbs, but they now run from Centar station.

By bus
During the summer months, there is a local bus service running between Sutomare (about 5 km north along the coast) and Bar. Services are hourly.

On foot
Bar is a small city and everywhere is walkable. The walk between Bar and the beaches in Susanj will take about 30 minutes; taxi drivers will be happy to take you.

 * Car rentals

See

Churches and monasteries
There are numerous of historic churches and monasteries in and around Bar.

Do

 * Football: FK Mornar play in First League, the top tier. Their home ground Stadion Topolica (capacity 2500) is on the coast north side of town; it's also used by lower-tier teams.

.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, Bar has 4G from all Montenegro carriers. 5G has not rolled out in Montenegro.

Go next

 * Podgorica, capital of montenegro, 1 hour away by car, also by train at 9:23AM, 11:32AM, 2:13 PM, 5:03 PM and the last one at 8:38 PM
 * Budva, 50 min by car on a coastal road trip
 * Kotor and Bay of Kotor by bus.
 * Ulcinj, most southern coastal town, 30 min away by car, close to Albania border
 * Shkodra, 1 hour away by car in Albania
 * Dubrovnik, most popular coastal city in Croatia
 * Belgrade, Nis, and Novi Sad in Serbia

title: Bar


text:
Baraboo

Baraboo is a town in south-central Wisconsin at the eastern terminus of Southwest Wisconsin's Driftless Region. A town of about 12,000 people, Baraboo's most popular attractions are Devil's Lake State Park and Circus World Museum. Baraboo is the county seat of Sauk County.

Get in
The nearest airport is in Madison. From there, reach Baraboo via Hwy. 113 and the Merrimac Ferry; Hwy. 113, 19, and 12; or I-94.

Get around
Visitors will need a bicycle or car to get around Baraboo and the surrounding area. The intersection of Highway 33 and Highway 123 is near the center of town. Most lodgings are off Highway 33 east of town or Highway 12, west of town.

Affluent visitors can choose to fly into small airports in either Baraboo or Wisconsin Dells.

title: Baraboo


text:
Baracoa

Baracoa, nicknamed La Ciudad Primera, is Cuba's easternmost and oldest city. It is popular among tourists for its indigenous-inflected unique local culture, distinctive local cuisine, natural rainforest surroundings, and its chocolate.

Understand
Shielded by heavy mountains on one side and the Atlantic ocean on the other, Baracoa has historically been isolated from the rest of Cuba; until the 1960s, it could only be accessed by sea. This isolation has contributed to much of Baracoa's distinct identity from the rest of Cuba.

History
It is believed that Baracoa is where Columbus first landed on American soil, making it truly the first city of the modern Americas. Baracoa was formally established as the first of Diego Velazquez' villas in 1511, and was Cuba's capital until 1515, when the capital was moved to Santiago in part due to Baracoa's remoteness. In the coming centuries, Baracoa, simultaneously close and remote from the rest of Cuba, thrived off piracy and developed a culture distinct from the rest of the island. French settlers fleeing the revolution in nearby Haiti found the climate ideal for growing cacao, and the city transitioned to an agricultural center. In the lead-up to the 1959 revolution, the citizens of Baracoa were particularly supportive and helpful (as was generally true of Eastern Cuba), and were rewarded by the completion of a road from Guantánamo and the end of more than 4 centuries of isolation. Today Baracoa is chiefly a major agricultural zone for Cuba, with all of Cuba's chocolate coming from the surrounding area, and is a major destination on the Cuban tourist trail.

Culture
Baracoa's culture has more visible indigenous roots than most of the rest of the Cuba, and many major archeological finds have been made here. The local hero is Hatuey, who famously resisted the Spanish, and local art has a distinctive indigenous inflection to it. The cuisine is also different from the rest of Cuba and the overall lifestyle is more relaxed.

Climate
Baracoa and the surrounding areas has a tropical rainforest microclimate, which allows chocolate to grow very well. Expect a fair bit of rain, although it's generally not unpleasant. Baracoa can be surprisingly cool, though most of the surrounding area is pretty hot.

Get in
Although no longer reachable only by boat, Baracoa remains pretty isolated. Baracoa is accessible from Guantanamo City via La Farola (the lighthouse), a mountain pass road built in the 1960s to reward the Baracoans for their support of the revolution.

Note that transportation in and out of Baracoa on both the plane and bus is frequently fully-booked during high season. So, make sure to buy your tickets early enough, especially when leaving, since there are not many alternatives. In low season, however, the Viazul bus might run with less than 10 people.

By bus
A daily Viazul (prices & times see link) bus runs between Santiago and Baracoa via Guantanamo City, taking about 5 hr. The is located at the northern tip of Baracoa city. The bus ride is one of the more beautiful in Cuba, going from semi-arid desert out of Guantanamo to impressive mountains on La Farola to rain-forest lowlands approaching Baracoa.

Also Astro, the national bus line, serves Baracoa from the same bus terminal as Viazul, but as a tourist you are highly unlikely to be allowed on, and if you are (usually by being a student), you're not likely to get a seat. Furthermore, there are local provincial buses and passenger trucks from a separate terminal within the center of the city (ask a Cuban). The latter also connects to Moa with at least one (packed) bus a day (CUC1-2) in each direction, which can easily take up to 3 hr. Either way, you can try stopping both (Astro and provincial ones) at the exit of the city, depending on where you want to go.

Of course, this being Cuba, the usual array of chartered buses also serve Baracoa.

By plane
Both Cubana and Aerogaviota operate flights from Havana to Baracoa. See Cubajet to book these flights.

By car
It's also possible to drive La Farola in a rental vehicle or a taxi, though this is not particularly recommended as, asides from the difficulty and expense of getting a rental car in Cuba, most of the road, especially the mountainous sections, is very remote and if a breakdown happens, you will be stuck for a while; there is no cell phone reception and the only way to communicate will be through buses. Baracoa is 150 km east of Guantanamo City.

By taxi
Many taxi drivers will offer you to travel between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa for the same price as Viazul, depending on the availability of sufficient passengers (at least 4), which they will try to find. This is a meaningful alternative to be considered, especially due to its flexibility (to take pictures) and directness, i.e. no stopping or waiting. On the other hand, you may be stuffed in a quite uncomfortable and unsafe "backseat" of a pickup along with 6 other people for 3.5 hr, so there's that.

Taxi and car will also be the only two options to travel between Punta de Maisi and Baracoa (see at the end).

Get around
Baracoa is a tiny and very compact town, as such walking will be the primary form of transportation in-town. For excursions further afield, a taxi, a bici-taxi or horse-drawn vehicles are handy. Bici-taxis are everywhere and can be paid for in CUC or CUP. Regular taxis are less common but can be hired if necessary.

By hired driver
Bici-taxis are available for rent for approximately CUC5/day. Alternatively, you can hire a car (with driver) for about CUC20.

By moped
Mopeds and scooters can be rented from a rental agency just off the main park (Parque Centro). It is located inside a cafeteria next to the cinema. Expect to pay approximately CUC25 for a full day.

By thumb
There is a lot of short distance travel in and out of town. For destinations less than 15 km along the main road, try waving at vehicles with people already on its back.

See

Do
Relax around the town, share a bottle of rum and koola cola with locals at the nightclub 100 steps above the town. The Casa de la Trova by the church offers itself as a comfortable and welcoming drinking establishment where you can dance with the locals. Popular for any blossoming salsa lovers.

Buy
Contrary to what you might expect for such an isolated city, Baracoa is not any more expensive than anywhere else in Cuba, partly because the Cuban tourism market is so tightly-controlled. Costs in Baracoa run the gamut depending on whether you frequent peso or CUC places.

In general, as one goes east in Cuba, how much people care whether you give them CUC or CUP decreases, and this is most so in Baracoa, with virtually all non-tourist goods (such as trips to the national park) being payable in either currency.

Baracoa is a good place to buy indigenous-styled art, although it's not cheap. Small wooden capsules sold here with cocoa-butter make for a nice souvenir/gift - but some of them smell better than others.

Eat
Travelers weary of the repetitive (and frankly somewhat boring) food found elsewhere in Cuba can breath a sigh of relief when they reach Baracoa—and then dig straight into the small city's delicious regional dishes.

The local peanut butter bars are a good snack. The peso pizza is a good treat too.

In general, aside from chocolate, government-run restaurants do not serve local cuisine.

Regional specialties
Baracoa is known as the land of chocolate and coconut and most of the local cuisine is based around these two ingredients. Near the midpoint of La Farola, the Viazul bus makes a stop at a tiny tourist-oriented village, where you can buy red bananas, Baracoa chocolate, and cucurucho.

In addition, coconut manifests itself in two local specialties.

Drink
Be sure to check out Baracoan drinking chocolate – hot chocolate brewed with cinnamon leaves. It's delicious, though the powdered milk limits its potential somewhat.

You'll of course find the usual assortment of peso and CUC sodas and alcohol in bars all around Baracoa.

Sleep
As elsewhere in Cuba, casas particulares, available for around CUC15-20 per night will most likely be your cheapest options. Note that while many casas are small, they tend to operate in informal (and not entirely legal) family networks, so if the main casa is full, you will stay at a family member's.

Be prepared for the onslaught of hoteliers and taxi drivers as you arrive at the bus terminal. Watch out for the people claiming to be hotel owners, offering you a very cheap rate because this may change when you arrive at the hotel, meet the real owner and get given the real room rates. The game is that by this time you cannot be bothered to go and look for another hotel because it is just too hot. Instead just walk the short distance from the bus terminal into the city and check out 2 or 3 casas for yourself.

Cope
Being a tiny isolated tourist town in a largely isolated country, Baracoa does not have lots of communication with the outside world, though it does have an Etecsa office just off Parque Independencia.

The local newspaper is Venceremos ("We will conquer"), as in the rest of Guantanamo province.

Go next
There is not much to do in the surrounding towns, and as most visitors come in by bus via La Farola, they leave exactly the way they came, towards Guantanamo City and Santiago, or alternatively take a flight to Havana.

If you're determined to leave a different way than they came and have your own very good wheels (or a taxi's) and a sense of adventure, there's actually two other possibilities for leaving Baracoa.

 * Punta de Maisi – Roughly 62 km east of Baracoa and Cuba's easternmost point, from which you can see Haiti on a clear day. Bargain with a taxi driver (and you're going to want to have a car, not a bici-taxi), but be aware that the road is rough and the trip will likely take longer than the distance suggests. From here another road theoretically connects to the same coastal highway that splits from La Farola in Cajobabo.

 * Moa – This industrial town in the Holguín province with barely two accommodation options is quite depressing but interesting. And venturing further will take you to some of the attractions of Northern Holguín Province, including Banes, birthplace of Fulgencio Batista, Birán, birthplace of Fidel Castro (the two are shockingly close) and Parque Nacional Cayo Saetia.

title: Baracoa