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Sindelfingen

Böblingen  and Sindelfingen are two cities next to each other near Stuttgart in Germany. Most of the travellers are here for work or to do business. Some travellers to Stuttgart stay here to avoid the centre of Stuttgart for whatever reason and still enjoy access to the city via the S-bahn. Some of them are visitors to the nearby exhibition and trade fair centre Stuttgart Messe or just need a place to stay near the airport. Some come to Sindelfingen to get their new Mercedes Benz directly from the manufacturing plant.

Understand
There is a long rivalry between the cities that predates the bloodshed of the Bauernkrieg in 1525, but today both cities have the long-term plan to unite. Böblingen and Sindelfingen today share aspects of city development like the waste water treatment plant, incineration, road maintenance, electricity grid, telephone network, district heating and public transport. Both cities even share one common city quarter. On other aspects, both cities are still divided. They are different political entities, have two town halls, two mayors, two budgets, separate fire and police departments, different sports facilities, different concert halls, and different events.

Both cities have developed well. While the city of Sindelfingen has the car manufacturing plant, a lot of the connected industry and logistics is situated nearby in Böblingen-Hulb. This gave both cities a diversity of well paid jobs in different industries and a lot of tax revenue and the opportunity to grow.

Autobahn 81, that runs between Sindelfingen and Böblingen, is undergoing a major upgrade from 2021 until at least 2026. All bridges and exits will be renewed, and also some supporting roads undergo a major upgrade. This will lead unavoidably to a lot of inconvenience for locals and travellers to both cities with construction noise, unpredictable changes in traffic flows, clogged streets and unreliable time frames for public buses. Traffic and quality of life will improve dramatically as soon as the project is finished.

Sindelfingen
Sindelfingen has about 65,000 residents and has maintained many old framework buildings in the old city. Its citizens and visitors enjoy a rich cultural life of high quality. The city has one of the highest percentage of residents from other nations in comparison to other cities of the same size. In fact residents of foreign origin now outnumber residents of German background.The people of all the different nations come together every year to celebrate Internationales Straßenfest and try the different traditional foods and enjoy music and dance performances. The villages of Maichingen and Darmsheim are a part of the city of Sindelfingen.

By plane
You can also use the Frankfurt Airport, which has a direct high-speed railway connection to Stuttgart, which takes little 80 minutes, landing you at Stuttgart's Hauptbahnhof (central railway station). From there you can use the local public transportation. Other less convenient options could be Munich and Zürich.

By public transportation
Böblingen and Sindelfingen are part of the unified public transport system of VVS that covers the whole region of Stuttgart. There are five train stations of the S-Bahn Stuttgart and four stations of the Schönbuchbahn that give access to local bus lines of the stadtbus. From Stuttgart main station or from the airport, the shortest route is S1 to Herrenberg. The trip from Stuttgart main station or from the airport to Böblingen station should take around 30 minutes. Sindelfingen also has a direct bus line to Stuttgart-Vaihingen, that stops near some hotels.

By car
Böblingen and Sindelfingen are very well connected to major highways and many think they are even too well connected. There are four exits to the Autobahn 81, that runs in north and south direction between the cities. The Autobahn 8, which runs in east-west direction, is only a few kilometers away and goes through the woods of Sindelfingen and is connected by Kreuz Stuttgart to Autobahn 81. Additionally, there is the Bundesstraße 464 which runs along the west side of the cities and is the main access road for cargo transport to the car manufacturing plant. Five exits connect both cities to Bundesstraße 464 and to some neighbouring cities.

The old cities have only access roads and only residential parking. You should avoid these parts unless you know exactly the spot where you want to go and how to get in and out again. Böblingen and Sindelfingen owe their wealth to the development of the car and the car industries. They are the two cities that treat cars like holy cows, but still do milk them a bit. Never touch a car, it is offensive and keep distance. Those luxury cars have big doors that swing wide open. There are lots of parking spaces in the city. The supermarkets and malls in the center allow one hour parking for free and charge per hour after that. There is a huge underground parking under the marketplace in Sindelfingen that charges a similar rate. Ikea allows free parking for the whole day, but closes the car park overnight. In the northeast of the city in the Hohenzollernstraße near the Badezentrum and Burghaldenfriedhof are two big parking lots that allow parking for free. You also can place a trailer or a camper there for some days. There are two bus stations Altenheim Burghalde and Badezentrum that connect to the city.

By bike
Böblingen and Sindelfingen are connected to Stuttgart over the Radschnellweg Böblingen/Sindelfingen – Stuttgart. This is one of the first bike roads of its kind in Germany. The idea of these high speed bicycle roads is to have a direct connection between communities that are at least 5 km long and 3 metres wide. They have a smooth surface, and are separated from other road traffic and have as little crossings with busy roads in order to make it as fast as possible and they are illuminated. These roads are designated with the green bicycle signs and have a green strip at the banquets on both sides. The aim is that the road allows a sustained travel speed of 20 km/h.

By bus and train
Böblingen and Sindelfingen have a unified bus and train system that is a part of the greater unified transport system of Stuttgart (VVS). The standard ticket is valid for two hours and allows access to all bus lines and trains in the area of both cities. StadtTicket for Böblingen and Sindelfingen is valid for the whole day until 07:00 the next morning. Trains run at a frequency of two trains at least, the S1 line runs four trains during rush hour. Bus lines of the Stadtbus for the most part get served at a frequency of once or twice every hour. On Sundays and national holidays, service is limited to once every hour. Some bus lines to the industrial or shopping areas do not run on Sundays. A layout of the traffic lines in Böblingen and Sindelfingen is here. All informations about public transport in the area of Stuttgart are at the VVS homepage in German and English.

 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.
 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.
 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.
 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.
 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.
 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.
 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.
 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.
 * Danziger Straße, Südbahnhof, Heusteigstraße, Zimmerschlag are the stations of the Schönbuchbahn (RB 46) in Böblingen.

Carsharing
The Sindelfingen and Böblingen areas belong to the larger Stuttgart area of the car sharing provider ShareNow. You must register with your driver's licence upfront and pay per use of the cars.

Bikesharing
You can rent bikes on demand close to the Sindelfingen railway stations from RegioRad (Smartphone app)

E-scooter
Some of the leading scooter operators also offer service in Sindelfingen, e.g., Lime, Bird or Tier. You need a smartphone and the app of the provider to locate and rent the scooters.

Sindelfingen
The old city is accessed best by foot. Most areas have cobblestones.

Do

 * Day trips to the Schönbuch Nature Park for biking or hiking on maintained marked roads and trails. Visit the fenced animals at certain places. Hear the red deer roar during rut.
 * Day trip to the beautiful small city of Waldenbuch and visit the chocolate manufacturer Ritter and the museum Ritter. Start hiking trips to the surrounding Schönbuch Nature Park.
 * Day trips to the nearby historic city of Herrenberg and to Weil der Stadt with its city wall still intact. Both cities are easily accessible via S-Bahn.
 * Visit Stuttgart and the gigantic Stuttgart 21 construction site that covers the whole city and the airport
 * Day trips to the Schönbuch Nature Park for biking or hiking on maintained marked roads and trails. Visit the fenced animals at certain places. Hear the red deer roar during rut.
 * Day trip to the beautiful small city of Waldenbuch and visit the chocolate manufacturer Ritter and the museum Ritter. Start hiking trips to the surrounding Schönbuch Nature Park.
 * Day trips to the nearby historic city of Herrenberg and to Weil der Stadt with its city wall still intact. Both cities are easily accessible via S-Bahn.
 * Visit Stuttgart and the gigantic Stuttgart 21 construction site that covers the whole city and the airport
 * Day trips to the Schönbuch Nature Park for biking or hiking on maintained marked roads and trails. Visit the fenced animals at certain places. Hear the red deer roar during rut.
 * Day trip to the beautiful small city of Waldenbuch and visit the chocolate manufacturer Ritter and the museum Ritter. Start hiking trips to the surrounding Schönbuch Nature Park.
 * Day trips to the nearby historic city of Herrenberg and to Weil der Stadt with its city wall still intact. Both cities are easily accessible via S-Bahn.
 * Visit Stuttgart and the gigantic Stuttgart 21 construction site that covers the whole city and the airport
 * Visit Stuttgart and the gigantic Stuttgart 21 construction site that covers the whole city and the airport

Eat

 * Kebab: many Döner shops all around town. Price for Döner is €4.50-5.00
 * Wettbachplatz Many bars & restaurants surround the square. Foreign and local cuisine. Especially nice in summer.
 * Wettbachplatz Many bars & restaurants surround the square. Foreign and local cuisine. Especially nice in summer.

Drink

 * During the summer try something around "Wettbachplatz". Many Bars & Restaurants.

Stay safe
Böblingen and Sindelfingen have a unified health care system. Both clinics operate as one facility with two branches that complement each other. They provide for emergency care and routine medical treatment. The emergency call is the universal number 112. Both cities are considered as safe, even through night time and violent crimes are very rare. The biggest danger probably is road traffic. The woods of Sindelfingen as the whole area is a risk zone for infected ticks. Some of them can spread TBE or borreliosis.
 * Covid quick test at Breuningerland and at several places in the city centre
 * Covid quick test at Breuningerland and at several places in the city centre
 * Covid quick test at Breuningerland and at several places in the city centre
 * Covid quick test at Breuningerland and at several places in the city centre

Go next

 * Böblingen
 * Stuttgart
 * Waldenbuch

title: Sindelfingen


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Sindh

Sindh (Sindhi: سنڌ), the historical home to the Sindhi people is the second most populated administrative unit of Pakistan after Punjab, with a population of over 45 million people. Sindh is known as Bab-ul-Islam (the gateway of Islam), as it saw the first spread of Islam into South Asia. It has its own culture and traditions, and has its roots in one of the world's oldest civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilisation, which Sindh was home to.

Sindh is endowed with coastal access, and is a major centre of economic activity in Pakistan. Karachi, the country's largest city at the southwestern tip of Sindh, is the main financial hub of the country as well one of the most populous cities in the world and has both the country's largest airport and largest seaport.

Regions
The Sindh, Pakistan is a fairly small province, with 2 regions and 7 administrative divisions:

1. Banbhore Division

2. Hyderabad Division

3. Karachi Division

4. Larkana Division

5. Mirpurkhas Division

6. Nawabshah Division

7. Sukkur Division

Cities

 * – coastal port city, provincial capital, the financial capital and largest city of Pakistan
 * – second largest city of Sindh, rich both historically and culturally
 * – third largest city of Sindh
 * – famous for its proximity to Mohenjo-daro
 * – famous for KotDiji, Faiz Mahal
 * – historic town famous for the necropolis at Makli
 * — known for its impressive fort and birthplace of Mughal emperor Akbar
 * – historic town famous for the necropolis at Makli
 * — known for its impressive fort and birthplace of Mughal emperor Akbar

Other destinations

 * – an ancient city not to be missed by history buffs
 * – Sindh's only national park offers great natural beauty and a good variety of wildlife
 * – a vast freshwater lake, perfect for picnicking and boating
 * – town of the great mystic poet, saint and scholar Lal Shahbaz Qalandar

Understand
Sindh is bounded to the west by Balochistan, to the north by Punjab, the east by the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan and to the south by the Arabian Sea. Many of the settlements in Sindh are located on, or close to the River Indus. This is similar to Egypt, where many settlements are located on the Nile.

Sindh has strong Hindu influences and it is prominently featured in Hindu mythology. Even though many Sindhi Hindus migrated to India during the partition, the region still houses a large Hindu population and many of Pakistan's Hindus live here.

History
Sindh is home to one of the earliest cities in the world, Mohenjo-daro which was one of the most advanced of its time, and one of the main cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC). IVC was one of the great civilisations of the ancient world, and one of the earliest Bronze Age civilisations. In 6th century BC, Sindh was conquered by Persian based empire Achaemenid Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire. Around the fall of Achaemenid Empire in the late 300s BC, Sindh was conquered by a army of Kingdom of Macedonia led by the lord of Asia, Alexander the Great. Sindh remained under the control of Kingdom of Macedonia till the death of Alexander. Sindh soon came under the control of the Maurya Empire.

The Islamic era began when the Islamic forces under the leadership of general Muhammad bin Qasim entered Sindh in 711 AD, defeated the ruling Raja Dahir of Rai dynasty and conquered Sindh and neighbouring regions along the Indus River for the second Islamic caliphates Umayyad Caliphate. Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Islamic caliphates established after the death of Muhammad and at its greatest extent, was the largest empire in the world at that time. Sindh was made easternmost province of the Umayyad Caliphate and Mansura, which lies some 70 km north-east of Hyderabad was established and made the regional capital. The conquest brought South Asian societies into direct contact with Arabs and Islamic civilization and hence, started the mass religious conversion when millions of local people of Sindh were converted to Islam. Later when Umayyad Caliphate was succeeded by the third of the Islamic caliphates Abbasid Caliphate, Sindh remained an integral part of the Abbasid Caliphate who continued to rule over Sindh until the Siege of Baghdad in 1258 AD when the Mongol Empire captured the Abbasid capital Baghdad and ended its reign. The Baghdad siege marks the end of the Golden Age of Islam during which much of the Muslim world experienced a scientific, economic, and cultural boom. In 1339 AD when Jam Unar founded the Samma dynasty, locals replaced the Arab rule by Samma. Samma dynasty ruled the Sindh as well parts of Punjab and Balochistan between 14th-16th century AD, and developed the cities of Thatta and adjoining Makli Hills. Both were greatly expanded and local Sindhi art, architecture, music and culture was promoted.

In the 16th century, Akbar the Great conquered Sindh and incorporated it into the Mughal Empire. Akbar was born in 1542 AD in Umerkot, where his parents had been given refuge by the local Hindu ruler. During the rule of the Mughals, Sindhi literature greatly flourished. Shahjahan Mosque in Thatta was constructed when the Shah Jahan, the grandson of Akbar and then the fifth Mughal Emperor visited Thatta. Mughal rule lasted until when the Durrani Empire invaded Sindh in 1747 AD. The Talpur established government in Sindh in 1783 AD and remained the ruling elite until Britishers under the leadership of Sir Charles Napier, who later became governor of Sindh, defeated them, ended their reign and began the colonial era on the entire subcontinent. Britishers initially came as traders in the subcontinent but become so powerful that virtually the entire subcontinent fell to their hands. During British rule, railway lines were laid in Sindh and the infrastructure of Sindh was improved, particularly in Karachi where major developments were taken.

Climate
Sindh lies in a subtropical region; it is hot in the summer and mild to warm in winter. Temperatures frequently rise above 45°C (103°F) between May and August, and the minimum average temperature of 2°C (35°F) occurs during December and January in the northern region. The northern part is hotter in summer and colder in winter whereas the southern part has more moderate seasonal changes. Rainfall is concentrated in the monsoon season, from July to August.

Talk
The official language of the province is Sindhi and is a first language to most people. This said, it's more commonly heard in rural areas, not urban areas where Urdu and English are more commonly spoken.

If you know Gujarati, you'll find it easier to learn Sindhi as both languages are similar to one another. As in any other place, making an attempt to learn a few words, or speak Sindhi, will go a long way and will most certainly endear you to the locals.

Other commonly spoken languages include Pashto, Punjabi, Saraiki, and Balochi.

By plane
Most visitors to Sindh arrive at Jinnah International Airport, in the southern city of Karachi. The airport is the country's largest and busiest and works as the main gateway to Pakistan. It is served by many international airlines such as Air Arabia, Air China, Cathy Pacific, Etihad, Emirates, Gulf Air, FlyDubai, Iran Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Saudia, SriLankan Airlines, Thai Airways, and Turkish Airlines. The airport is the main hub of the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines and other local airlines of Pakistan such as Air Blue. Sukkur Airport in the northern part of Sindh handles only domestic flights, but can be useful when coming into northern Sindh.

By train
Sindh is well connected with the rest of the country by Pakistan Railways. The busiest railway station is in Karachi in southwest Sindh and plenty of trains (both economical and air-conditioned class) bound for Karachi originate daily from major Pakistani cities such as Lahore, Rawalpindi, Quetta and Peshawar.

Karachi railway station, more commonly known as Cantt. station, is the final destination station of virtually all trains travelling into Sindh, while Hyderabad and the northern railway station of Rohri near Sukkur are important railway junctions where the majority of the trains make brief stops.

Mostly people travel to Karachi and trains for Karachi are abundant so you should have no difficulty to find one that suits you. For travellers from Punjab, the air-conditioned accommodation class trains Tezgam or Shalimar Express are preferred. Tezgam originates from Rawalpindi, and travels via many major cities of Punjab such Gujranwala, Lahore, Multan and Bahawalpur. Shalimar Express originates from Lahore and via Faisalabad, Multan, and Bahawalpur enters Sindh. Both travel to Karachi, stopping briefly at Rohri and Hyderabad.

The Khyber Mail is recommended for the journey between Sindh and the north-western region while the Bolan Mail is the best choice for those travelling from Balochistan. The Khyber Mail is Pakistan's oldest and most prestigious train have both economy and air-conditioned class accommodation. It has the longest running route in Pakistan and runs through many major cities in Punjab to Karachi after briefly stopping at major railway stations in Sindh. The Bolan Mail has air-conditioned class and is the country's most historic train and travels via many cities and towns in Sindh before reaching Karachi.

An international train link connects Sindh with the neighbouring Indian state of Rajasthan. Thar Express is a weekly train run every Friday. Its termini are Karachi in Pakistan and Bhagat Ki Kothi near Jodhpur in India. The border crossing takes place between Zero Point (Khokhrapar) in Pakistan and Munabao in India which are the two last railway stations of the India-Pakistan border and this is the point where passengers had to change trains.

By car
Sindh is well connected with the rest of Pakistan via network of multiple-lane highways and can be reached easily by driving your own car.

National Highway # N-5 originates from border town of Torkham (Pakistan-Afghanistan border) and runs via many major cities such as Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Multan, before crossing into Sindh where it passes through Hyderabad, Khairpur and reaching Karachi. It is 1756 km long which makes it largest highway in the country and is the most used way in Pakistan for getting around. National Highway # N-55 (Indus Highway) is a 1264-km-long highway that originates from Peshawar and runs via Kohat, Dera Ghazi Khan enter Sindh and travels up to Hyderabad.

Sindh is well connected to the country's southwestern region of Balochistan. National Highway # N-25 (RCD Highway) is 813 km long, originates from border town of Chaman (Pakistan-Afghanistan border) and runs via Quetta, Kalat, Khuzdar and Bela on its way to Karachi. National Highway # N-65 (Indus Highway) is 385 km long, originates from Quetta and runs via Sibi to enter Sindh and travel up to Sukkur. The 653-km long National Highway # N-10 (Makran Coastal Highway) runs from Gwadar and later merge with N-25 for Karachi.

By bus
Sindh is well connected with rest of Pakistan and Karachi, being the country's most important city, is the main hub for all means of transportation. There are bus services (both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned) to all major cities in Sindh from other parts of the country and mostly for Karachi. Daewoo Sammi can be a good option if travelling from Punjab. They're popular bus operator in the country and operate more clean, air-conditioned, spacey, secure, and modern fleet of buses.

By bus
A large part of travel between cities in Sindh is by bus. Travel by bus is the cheapest, most convenient, and most common way to move from place to place. Buses and minibuses travel around Sindh but quality can vary a lot. You can find buses to all major cities and towns. Air-conditioned buses run between major cities of the Sindh while non-air-conditioned for both from the major cities to small towns but the only drawback is comfort in non-air-conditioned buses. Buses are the only cheap way of reaching places not covered by railway.

The one-way fare on a Daewoo air-conditioned bus between Karachi and Sukkur is Rs. 1,500. The buses run throughout the day at one-hour intervals and the ride takes seven hours while the one-way fare on a normal air-conditioned bus for travelling between Karachi and Hyderabad is around Rs. 300.

By train
Sindh has a good railway network by Pakistani standards, and it's more than adequate for travel between major cities and towns. Plenty of trains travel back and forth daily, stopping at many railway stations along the way. Although major cities are well connected, you will need to use buses, taxis or your own car to reach many of the attractive tourist sites.

Awam Express and Khushhal Khan Khattak Express are economy class only trains but have a good network in Sindh. Awam Express runs on the main line (between Karachi and Rohri) while Khushhal Khan Khattak Express operates on the branch line (between Karachi and Jacobabad). Sukkur Express and Bolan Mail have air-conditioned class accommodations. Bolan Mail runs on the branch line, while Sukkur Express on the main. Sukkur Express is the only regional train, and travels through many major cities and towns of Sindh. It runs on the main line until Rohri but later changes onto a branch line for Jacobabad.

Marvi Passenger and Saman Sarkar Express travel from east to west and back in the southern part of Sindh. Badin Express travels between Hyderabad and Badin.

By car
Sindh has a rather good road network and all cities and major towns are well connected with each other by multi-lane highways and arterial roads. Many settlements are on, or close to, the National Highways # N-5 and N-55. Karachi and Hyderabad, the two largest cities, are connected to each other by both a multi-lane highway and a motorway, which reduces the distance to 150 km and the travel time to 2 hours.

By plane
Getting around Sindh by plane is very uncommon. Several commercial airports remain closed for most of the year and only become operational occasionally. Pakistan's national carrier PIA is the only carrier that flies between Sindh airports. They have direct, non-daily flights between Karachi and the northern cities of Sukkur and Mohenjo-daro, as well as direct flights between Sukkur and Mohenjo-daro.

A one-way ticket in economy class between Karachi and Mohenjo-daro or Sukkur should cost no more than Rs. 10,000 and the journey takes one hour. The journey between Sukkur and Mohenjo-daro takes half an hour and a one-way ticket in economy class costs approximately Rs. 5,000.

See
Sindh has numerous tourist attractions, with the most celebrated ones being ruins of archaeological sites and the country's most popular beaches. Most visitors to Sindh end up in Karachi, a real mega-city, home to 23 million people. Karachi is a modern, bustling and multicultural metropolis and as the country's most developed urban area, provides a glimpse of modern life in Pakistan. It offers a remarkable variety of attractions and has a collection of beautiful buildings of varied architectural styles largely dating back to the British period. However, Sindh has much more to offer to its visitors than just a great city.

Cultural
Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and its heritage, Sindh is dotted with well-known archaeological and historically significant sites which, despite extensive neglect, have been surprisingly well preserved. The most prominent are the ruins of earliest advance urban city of Mohenjo-daro and historical monuments at Makli, which is one of the world's largest necropolises. Both sites are designated as cultural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Other sites of archaeological and historical significance are awaiting a listing, such as the Shah Jahan Mosque of Thatta, the ancient city of Bhambore, the 15th and 18th century Chaukhandi Tombs and the gigantic fortification of Ranikot Fort, which can be said the Great Wall of Sindh and is believed to be the largest fort in the world.

Islamic architecture is quite prominent in Sindh as well and the region is dotted with numerous cultural shrines and beautiful mausoleums. They are visited throughout the year by devotees from all over the country. Some fine examples are the very old Shrine of Shahbaz Qalander, the Shrine of Abdul Latif Bhittai in Bhit and the Shrine of Sachal Sarmast near Ranipur. The most iconic mausoleum of the country can be found in Karachi, and is the modern and beautiful mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan.

Natural
Due to the coastline, Sindh is bestowed with country's busiest sea port and is fringed by beaches, especially silver and golden sand beaches scattered on its southwestern coastline, with the exceptions being some important areas of mangrove forest in the south-east. Sindh forms the basin for the Indus, Pakistan's longest river, which has created a number of freshwater lakes in the province with the most popular one being Keenjhar Lake which serves as a perfect spot for a picnic as well as for fishing and boating. The central-western part of Sindh is home to the Kirthar mountain range, which consists of a series of parallel rock hill ridges where Sindh's highest peaks are located. The mountains occasionally receive snowfall during the winters, with the most popular being Gorakh Hill station situated at an elevation of 5,688 ft, and the vast and rugged Kirthar National Park. Kirthar Park, located in the midst of the barren rocks, is the last bastion of a wide variety of the region's wildlife. Although Kirthar mountain range is not nearly as exotic or scenic as the plateaus of northern Pakistan, at is still well worth visiting for its natural beauty.

Do
Sindh has a coastline of 300 km, thus offering plenty of water-based activities such as deep-sea fishing, boating, sailing, snorkelling, scuba diving or simply swimming and relaxing in a beach hut. Most of activities are concentrated in and around Karachi. In fact, Karachi is heaven for water babies in Pakistan and there are plenty of opportunities to cool down in either the water of the Arabian Sea or in some of the country's biggest water-parks.

Kirthar National Park offers some key activities in this region. Driving through rugged, hilly and unpaved dirt roads of Kirthar National Park is an adventure and a thrilling experience, while hiking is worth it to experience the incredible landscape of the region.

Buy
Sindh is a region of artisans and is known all over the world for its various crafts and arts and is home to a myriad of small markets and to traditional bazaars, to modern upscale and high-end shopping malls of Karachi and you will not be short of options.Ajrak — a block-printed shawl — and Sindhi topi — a hat — are unique to Sindh and thus are the most popular souvenirs. Both are integral and essential parts of Sindhi society and have been symbols of Sindhi culture, traditions and nationalism for hundreds of years. The shawl displays special designs and patterns made using block printing by stamps while the Sindhi topi is cylindrical except for a portion cut out in the front to expose the forehead. Intricate geometrical designs are embroidered on the hat, with small pieces of mirror are sewed into it also. Both are made and sold all over Sindh and are worn predominantly by people of Sindh. Their usage is evident at all levels of society, and is held in high esteem, with the utmost respect given to them. According to Sindhi traditions, both are often presented as gifts of hospitality to guests and presented to the person who is utterly respectable.

The bazaars of Sindh are known for hand-printed fabrics, glass bangles and Sindhi embroidery work in laid with tinny mirrors, one of the more world known handicrafts of Pakistan. The ralli is a patchwork quilt, is another Sindhi icon and part of the Sindhi heritage and culture. It is made with small pieces of cloth of different geometrical shapes sewn together to create intricate designs. They may be used as a bedspread or a blanket.

Eat
Due to being a coastal region, seafood is widely available and popular in Sindh. Most of region's food is based on Pakistani cuisine and composed of the same dishes you'll find elsewhere in the country. Some local delicacies and regional Sindhi cuisine are available, but your best chances of finding them is in rural and suburban localities. Sindhi biryani is a version of biryani and considered the speciality of Sindh. It is rich in texture and taste and popular throughout the country but there's no better place to eat it than in Sindh.

Sindh has an unlimited supply of cheap basic restaurants and dhabas but the best places to eat are obviously in larger cities. Karachi diners are iconic and the capital has the country's best upmarket dining scene hands down.

Drink
When it comes to alcohol, Sindh is liberal and it is much more easily available than it is elsewhere in the country. Nonetheless, it is considered a taboo and drinking alcohol in public areas is strongly discouraged. Only legal liquor stores are allowed to sell. Those are usually marked with blue and red coloured stripes, have no area to sit and drink, mostly sell the locally produced brand Murree Brewery and are usually closed on Fridays. Usually the large cities have a number of such places.

The best place to slick your thirst is certainly Karachi, where the café culture is on the rise and the city has plenty of excellent café to spend beautiful evenings drinking great coffee or enjoying a delicious shisha all under one roof.

Stay safe
Crime exists as anywhere in the country. Armed robbery is not uncommon so it is very important to keep a low profile wherever you go in Sindh. Some cases of kidnapping have been reported as well. Crime in large cities like Karachi is at a rate you could expect from most mega cities of this size. Use common sense and avoid unpopulated parts of the region. You should always keep the emergency telephone contact numbers of your country's foreign mission in Karachi.

Go next

 * Punjab
 * Balochistan

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

title: Sindh


text:
Sindhi phrasebook

Sindhi (Sindhi: سنڌي, Devanagari script: सिन्धी, Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region. It is spoken by an estimated 24,410,910 people in Pakistan. It is the third most spoken language in Pakistan and is the official language of the province of Sindh. It is also spoken in India by some 2,535,485 speakers; particularly in Sindhi enclaves.

It is an Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family.

Pronunciation guide
Sindhi is primarily written in the Arabic script. Some members of the Sindhi diaspora in India may use Devanagari, but the Arabic script is still more common even in India.

Basics

 * Tawhan keeyan aahyo?- "how are you?" (general greeting)
 * Aaon/Maan theek aahiyan - "Very well".

 * 1) Tawhanjo naalo chha aahe - "What is your name?"
 * 2) Munhnjo naalo ______ aahaye. - "My name is _____."
 * 3) Tawhaan ker aahyo - "Who are you?"
 * 4) Mehrbani - "Thanks"
 * 5) Tawhaan jee Mehrbani - "Thank you"
 * 6) Ha - "Yes"
 * 7) Na - "No"
 * 8) Keeyan aahyo/Kehra haal aahin - "How are you?"
 * 9) Aaon/Maan theek ahyaan - "I'm fine"
 * 10) Allah wahi - "Goodbye" (used to end a conversation by Muslim Sindhis)
 * 11) Theek aahe - "Okay" (used to end a conversation by Sindhis)
 * 12) Hik - "One"
 * 13) Ba - "Two"
 * 14) Tey - "Three"
 * 15) Aaon/Maan Sindh jo aahyan/ Aaon/Maan Sindh maan ahyaan - "I am from Sindh"
 * 16) Aaon/Maan musulman aahyan / hindhu aahyann - "I am Muslim / Hindu"
 * 17) Aaon/Maan Sindhi aahyan / Assin/Assan Sindhi aahyun - "I am Sindhi" / "We are Sindhis"
 * 18) Tokhe chha khape-"what do you want"
 * 19) Chup kare veh - "keep quiet"
 * 20) Jeay______- "Long Live______"
 * 21) Bhali Karay aaya-"you are welcome"
 * 22) Tawhan san mili khushi thi - "nice to meet you"
 * 23) Tawahan jo dehnh kean guzryo?- "how was your day?"
 * 24) Tamam sutho guzryo cha kan ta puranan dostan san milyo huwas. - "It was very good because i meet with my old friends"
 * 25) Chha tih/toh kare? - "What are you doing?"
 * 26) Haarein chha? - "Now what?"
 * 27) Tawahan ke kuchh khape? - "You want anything?"
 * 28) Tawahan ke chha toh khape? - "Do you want anything?"
 * 29) Na, mukhe/maakhe kuchh na khape. - No, I don't want anything

title: Sindhi phrasebook


text:
Sındırgı

Sındırgı is a town near the southern boundary of Southern Marmara Region in Turkey. It has geothermal hot springs but is best known for its traditional rugs.

Understand
Sındırgı was on an old route towards Izmir, the last village before the road hairpinned over the ridge to enter Manisa province. It traditionally made carpets but only grew from 1854, when spa waters became fashionable. There are sources 5 km southeast at Ilica, but the main source and tourist development is 10 km east at Hisaralan. In 2012 the town population was 12,949, with double that in the surrounding villages.

The town used to be known as "Koruköy" or "Carseae". It is not known where the name "Sındırgı" came from.

Get in
For inter-city routes, first travel to Balıkesir 63 km north. It has buses from Istanbul heading to Izmir. A bus runs hourly from Balıkesir via Bigadiç to Sındırgı, for a fare in 2022 of 30 TL.

is downtown, off Yunus Emre Cd.

By road from Istanbul or Ankara follow O-5 towards Izmir, leaving at Balıkesir for D555.

Get around
You need your own wheels to get around the thermal areas.

See

 * is modern.
 * was created when the valley was dammed in 1968. It irrigates the region.
 * is just off the road over the hills.

Do

 * and Emen Termal Hotel got dismal reviews in 2021 / 22, the water was cold and grubby.
 * is further out but has better facilities, see Sleep.
 * Oil-wrestling (yağlı güreş): Sındırgı is one of many Turkish towns that practise this. The national finals are in Edirne in June ane July.
 * Yağcıbedir Festival promotes the town's carpets. It's held in September.

Buy

 * Şok Market at the foot of town is the main store.
 * Local specialities are kolonya (eau de cologne) and Yağcı Bedir rugs and carpets.

Eat

 * Along Balıkesir Cd into town find Üç Yıldız Pide Salonu and Erenler Lokanta ve Kasap.
 * Along Akhisar Cd west find Lezzeti Adıyaman Çiğköfte, Can Börek, Yağcıbedir Pide and Tetik Izgara.

Drink

 * The town bars remained closed 2022, so either head for the cafes or buy from the supermarket.

Sleep

 * Laguna Thermal Resort on lakeside is just timeshares, relentlessly marketed.
 * Laguna Thermal Resort on lakeside is just timeshares, relentlessly marketed.

Connect
As of April 2022, Sındırgı has 4G from Turkcell and Vodafone, but no signal from Türk Telekom. 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Balıkesir is a transport hub but has several old mosques.
 * Izmir is a large modern city but with many visitor facilities.
 * Bursa is modern but as the Ottoman's first city has many historic sights.

title: Sındırgı