text:
Midland (North Carolina)

Midland is a town in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.

Eat

 * Bob's Restaurant, 13230 Highway 601, (704) 888-3898
 * A & a Seafood, 13350 Bethel Avenue Ext, (704) 888-8680

Sleep
Stay in nearby Mount Pleasant (North Carolina) or Concord (North Carolina). Mount pleasant has several B&Bs to choose from, and Concord has a full range of hotels.

title: Midland (North Carolina)


text:
Midland (Ontario)

Midland is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario on the shores of Georgian Bay. A beautiful area for a vacation by the water, it draws many tourists, particularly in summertime.

As of the 2016 census, its population was 17,000.

Understand
Historically, Midland was an English-speaking community while neighbouring Penetanguishene had a large French-speaking population. The communities reflect the heritage of both founding peoples; Midland has a rich history dating back to the first settlers in Ontario, who came and lived among the Huron aboriginal people in the 1600s.

History
As early as AD 800, the Huron settled in semi-permanent villages in the area. The young French translator, Étienne Brûlé, was the first European to set foot in the area, some time between 1610 and 1614.

In 1793, John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, visited the area and saw its potential as a naval base. He wanted to use the bay to shelter warships to protect British interests on lakes Huron, Erie and Michigan. Beginning in 1814, the British-Canadians built the Penetanguishene Road to provide the area a land route to Barrie and Toronto, as it was previously accessible only by water transport along the rivers or across Georgian Bay.

The town of Midland was founded in 1871 when the Midland Railway selected the sparsely populated community of Mundy's Bay as its new terminus. At that time the railway ran from Port Hope to Beaverton. The line to the town was completed by 1879. Settlers, attracted by the convenience of rail service, soon began to move into the area. The village thrived based on Georgian Bay shipping and the lumber and grain trade. Light industrial companies have established themselves in the area and tourism in the southern Georgian Bay area also contributes to the economy.

Climate
The climate is nearly the same as much of Southern Ontario and has balmy summers and chilly winters. Thunderstorms, hailstorms, snowstorm, lake effect snow, and freezing rain are also commonplace for this city.

By car
Midland is about a 30-minute drive north of Wasaga Beach and about 145 km (1½ hour) drive north of Toronto on Highway 400, before heading west for 16 km on Highway 12 at Waubaushene. Travelers can also arrive traveling south on Highways 69 and 400 travel south from Sudbury, before heading west on Highway 12 at Waubaushene. Travelers can also arrive from Orillia by heading west on Highway 12. A branch of the Trans-Canada Highway passes through the area, traveling between Sudbury and Kanata (near Ottawa) on Highway 69 and 400, then Highway 12, then Highway 7, then Highway 417.

By bus

Get around

 * Busy Bee Taxi Midland, +1 705-526-2424
 * Central Taxi Midland, +1 705-526-2626
 * Central Taxi Midland, +1 705-526-2626

See

 * Martyr's Shrine, 16163 Highway 12 West, the only national shrine outside of Quebec. It is a Roman Catholic church commemorating the Canadian Martyrs, eight missionaries from Sainte-Marie who were martyred during the Huron-Iroquois wars; it also operates as the Huronia museum. Pope John Paul II held a pastoral meeting at this site in September 1984.
 * Fred Lenz murals, various locations including King Street, Midland. Most of the murals were painted by now deceased artist Fred Lenz. The largest, depicting a meeting between a local native and Jesuit Missionary Jean de Brebeuf, is on the silos overlooking the main harbour. This work was completed by Lenz's sons following his death in 2001.

Do

 * The Butter Tart Festival is held annually in early June. The day after the Butter tart festival is the Butter Tart Trot, a 5-km fun run for older people and a 2.5-km run for children under 5 years old.
 * Power and sail boating is very popular, and there are marinas and a sailing club based in the town. The town has easy access to the relatively sheltered waters of south eastern Georgian Bay. Among the marinas nearby are Bay Port Yachting Centre on the northwest side of the bay, and Wye Heritage Marina along the southeast shore. There is also good fishing.
 * Power and sail boating is very popular, and there are marinas and a sailing club based in the town. The town has easy access to the relatively sheltered waters of south eastern Georgian Bay. Among the marinas nearby are Bay Port Yachting Centre on the northwest side of the bay, and Wye Heritage Marina along the southeast shore. There is also good fishing.

Go next

 * Penetanguishene
 * Awenda Provincial Park is one of the most beautiful parts of Georgian Bay shore, with sand, cobble and boulder beaches in sheltered Methodist Point Bay. They are signs of a glaciated past.

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

title: Midland (Ontario)


text:
Midland (Texas)

Midland is a city in the Permian Basin region of Texas with a population that just passed the 100,000 mark. Named among the 150 best U.S. cities in which to live for the past twelve years, its warm climate, friendly people, and central location are the primary reasons for the city's popularity. Twenty minutes to the west is Odessa, with a population of about 100,000. Nearly a quarter of a million people reside in the Midland/Odessa metropolitan area.

Understand
Midland was founded in 1885 as a railroad stop on the barren west Texas plains, and named for its location midway between Fort Worth and El Paso. Since then, Midland has served as a center for agriculture, ranching, and transportation for the southern plains.

Midland was a relatively small town until the discovery of oil in the 1920s, when it was quickly transformed into the administrative hub of the Permian Basin. One of the world's largest petroleum-producing regions, today the basin supplies nearly 20 percent of the country's oil and gas output, and thousands of people are employed locally to extract it.

Nowhere is the oil influence more visible than downtown, where the streets are lined by high-rise office buildings constructed by oil companies. The Bank of America Building is reputably the tallest building between Fort Worth and Phoenix, and the Wilco Building is only a little shorter. The Petroleum Building is a beautiful example of architecture from the Roaring Twenties, while Claydesta Center (a business park of several 5- & 6-story buildings) showplaces the splendour of the heyday of Midland's Oil Business.

The oil crash in the late 1980s dealt a firm blow to the area, and Midland fell into a bit of disrepair, but has since bounced back and is chugging along. Notable former residents are George W Bush and Laura Bush, in their younger years.

By car
Midland is on I-20 between Fort Worth and El Paso. Other highways connect Midland to San Angelo, Lubbock, Andrews, and Fort Stockton. Midland is just over two hours south of Lubbock, and four to five hours from both El Paso and Fort Worth.

By bus
Midland is served by Greyhound. The bus station is on Front St, near downtown.

By car
The easiest way to get around Midland is by car. Car rentals are available at Midland International Airport. Midland is laid out in a grid surrounded by Loop 250 and I-20. Traffic is generally light, with some very high congestion possible during peak hours. Parking is readily available across the city. Downtown, the streets are lined by free two hour parking places. You can park in some parking garages for longer periods of time for a fee.

By bus
The EZRider bus system provides affordable access to most of the city. Bus stops are located near most shopping centers and hotels. Fares normally run $1. The main bus stop is located downtown behind the Midland Center. A parking lot is located at this stop for bus users.

Stay safe
Midland is a very safe city. Violent crime is rare, while muggings and pickpocketings are practically unheard of. Midland police are available by dialing 911.

During heavy rainstorms, Midland's streets are prone to flooding. These floods have been known to wash away cars in the past, so be careful of driving across a flooded road.

title: Midland (Texas)


text:
Midlands

There is more than region called Midlands:

Australia

 * A region straddling the border between Eastern and Central Tasmania, roughly corresponding to the Midland Highway (Hwy 1) corridor

Chad

 * Arid Midlands - a region of Chad.

Ireland

 * East Coast and Midlands - a region of Ireland.

South Africa

 * Midlands (KwaZulu-Natal) - a region in KwaZulu-Natal.

United Kingdom

 * East Midlands - a region of England.
 * West Midlands (region) - a region of England.
 * West Midlands (county) - a county within the WM region, centred on Birmingham.

United States of America

 * Plantation Midlands - a region in Georgia.

title: Midlands


text:
Midlands (KwaZulu-Natal)

Midlands,, is in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Cities

 * — the capital of Kwazulu-Natal has a long history
 * — known for its 95-m-high waterfalls

Other destinations
Midlands Meander

title: Midlands (KwaZulu-Natal)


text:
Mid-North Coast

The Mid-North Coast of the Australian state of New South Wales stretches for some 300 km along the Pacific Ocean shoreline from Port Stephens (north of Newcastle) in the south to Coffs Harbour in the north and inland to Dorrigo and neighbouring towns. It is bordered by the Hunter Valley region to the south, by the Northern Rivers region to the north and New England to the west.

Coffs Harbour–Nambucca Valley

 * – most known for its greenery, and being close to some of the world's oldest rainforests

 * – the banana capital of New South Wales, most known for the Big Banana
 * – the waterfall capital of Australia, and only 2 km from the most visited Gondwana Rainforest of Australia - Dorrigo National Park
 * – sleepy coastal town at the mouth of the Bellinger and Kalang Rivers

MidCoast

 * – a small highway town of 382 on the Pacific Highway
 * – popular fishing spot
 * – regional centre of the Avon Valley and otherwise a prominent country town
 * – home to the National Motorcycle Museum
 * – sleepy coastal surfing town
 * – stopover town en route to Barrington Tops National Park.
 * – historic town on the banks of the Manning River

Port Macquarie–Kempsey region

 * – quiet town, popular with stopovers from Sydney to Brisbane
 * – known for its wildlife and its colonial convict history

Other destinations

 * – a small village near Myall Lakes.
 * The Gloucester Tops and Polblue Honeymoon sections of are in the Mid-North Coast.
 * – a mid-sized coastal national park near Port Macquarie.
 * – the most visited part of the world-heritage Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.
 * – large sand dunes and lakes characterise the park, popular for water recreation and camping.

By plane
The two biggest airports in the region are Coffs Harbour Airport, and Port Macquarie Airport. Qantaslink and Rex have flights to both these destinations daily.

By train
There are several railway stations on the Mid North Coast serviced by three trains; the Grafton, the Casino and the Brisbane XPT trains. Each run north and south once a day. Heading north from Sydney Central, the first station on the mid north coast is Gloucester followed by Wingham and Taree. Further north are Kendall, Wauchope (for Port Macquarie), Kempsey, Eungai, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Urunga, Sawtell and Coffs Harbour. There is no station for Forster-Tuncurry.

Rail is the fastest and cheapest way to get to either Sydney, Newcastle, the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

By car
Given that this region is huge, getting into different parts of the area massively differs by time. However, the two main ways to get into this region is either via the M1 Pacific Motorway from the north, or via the A1/M1 Pacific Highway/Motorway from the south. The closest point of the Mid-North Coast from Sydney takes about 2.5 hours to do, but the furtherest point can take about 7 hours non-stop but the closest point of the Mid-North Coast from Newcastle is only 15 minutes away. There's similar times from coming up north, taking about 3 hours from Brisbane, but it can take up to 8 hours non-stop depending on location.

Other ways to get into the Mid-North Coast include using either the B56, or the B78, both taking about 2 hours from New England Highway, but are not that significant.

Get around
The Pacific Highway (A1) and Motorway (M1) pass through most of the population centres on the coast.

By bus
Three bus services run throughout the region; Sawtell Coaches, Busways, and Ryans Bus Service. Sawtell Coaches run various services throughout Coffs Harbour city and to the suburbs of Boambee and Sawtell. Busways run services throughout Coffs Harbour city down south as far as Scotts Head and west into Bellingen. Ryans Bus services run throughout Coffs Harbour City and run North to Woolgoolga on a regular basis. Busways also operate services in the Port Macquarie region.

See
Given that the Mid-North Coast covers quite a large area, what you see in the different areas differ. In the southern areas of the Mid-North Coast, it's more associated with lakes and sand dunes, while some of the central areas are mostly known for its fishing areas and the northern areas are mostly known for its Gondwana Rainforests, and known for raining nearly every day.

Do
Since the Mid-North Coast is a particularly large area, what's in the different parts vary significantly. However, hiking trails can be found nearly everywhere you go, regardless of where you are. Forster is somewhat known for its fishing spots, although it's not the most popular thing in Forster.

Eat
Food also varies from where you go in the Mid-North Coast, but most of the region has some good seafood. Coffs Harbour, arguably has some of the best Punjabi food outside of Sydney in New South Wales due to its high Punjabi population.

Stay safe
Normal beach safety precautions apply at beaches. Many beaches, especially outside Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie, lack lifeguards – enter the water at your own risk, and check the Bureau of Meterology (BOM) for up-to-date weather conditions.

In higher-elevation areas, such as the Gloucester Tops section of Barrington Tops National Park, or the easternmost fringes of New England National Park (both of which creep into the Mid-North Coast), it may snow. Combined with gravel roads, make sure you are equipped and are able to drive on such conditions. Wikivoyage's article on winter driving may be of some use; otherwise check with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

title: Mid-North Coast


text:
Mid Wales

Mid Wales (Welsh: Canolbarth Cymru) is in the United Kingdom.

Towns

 * (Ceredigion)
 * (Welsh: Aberhonddu) (Powys)
 * (Welsh: Llanfair ym Muallt) (Powys)
 * (Welsh: Aberteifi) (Ceredigion)
 * (Welsh: Y Gelli Gandryl) (Powys)
 * (Welsh: Llanbedr Pont Steffan or Llambed) (Ceredigion)
 * (Powys)
 * (Powys)
 * (Powys)

Other destinations

 * (Welsh: Bannau Brycheiniog)

Understand
Mid Wales is the sparsely-populated heart of Wales, covering more than a third of the total area of the country but containing only around 1/15 of its population, with the university town of Aberystwyth being one of only few settlements of any significant size. It stretches from the fringes of Snowdonia in the north to the edge of industrial South Wales, and from the English border to the Irish Sea.

Much of the region consists of the remote upland area of the Cambrian Mountains. They are not high by UK or international standards - the highest point is Pumlumon Fawr, at 752 metres or 2,467 feet. But they are wild and remote, with only a few small villages and isolated farms, and crossed by only a handful of roads; the land is largely useful only for sheep-farming and forestry. Several of the valleys were also flooded in the 1950s and 1960s to create reservoirs mainly serving England, which proved controversial at the time. The mountains also act as a barrier between the more English-speaking county of Powys in the east and the predominantly Welsh-speaking county of Ceredigion to the West. The areas towards the English border are lower-lying, more fertile and more heavily populated, particularly in the valleys of the rivers Severn, Wye and Usk, all of which rise in the mountains. While the scenery of mid Wales may not match the rugged grandeur of Snowdonia, it has an appeal of its own: softer and greener, yet much emptier and less given over to tourism.

Talk
As elsewhere in Wales, English is universally understood. Welsh is, though, widely spoken in western Powys and in Ceredigion, and predominates in many parts of the latter. Visitors will not be expected to speak Welsh, but respect for the language and at least an attempt to pronounce place-names and so on correctly goes a long way with Welsh-speakers.

By car
The main routes into mid Wales are the A470 (from north and south Wales), the A483 (from Swansea and Wrexham), and the A40, A44 and A458 (from across the border in England). All are single-carriageway roads: one demonstration of the remoteness of mid Wales is that there are no motorways or dual carriageways in the area at all apart from a short bypass around Brecon.

By train
Arriva Trains Wales operates the Cambrian Line from Shrewsbury (with some services starting from Birmingham) to Aberystwyth, via the Severn Valley towns of Welshpool, Newtown and Caersws. Arriva Trains also run the famous Heart of Wales Line from Swansea to Shrewsbury. This service takes almost 4 hours to make the 120-mile journey through mid Wales due to the many gradients and turns. It is popular with tourists but also provides an essential service to rural communities along the route.

By plane
There are no airports or air services in mid Wales. The nearest airports are at Cardiff and Birmingham.

See

 * Strata Florida Abbey near Pontrhydfendigaid
 * Devil's Bridge waterfall
 * Ynyslas dunes near Borth
 * Centre for Alternative Technology Machynlleth
 * Powis Castle and Garden, near Welshpool

Do
Work on organic farms - Wales is home to many communes and organic farms, and WWOOF can arrange for volunteers to work for free at some of these place in exchange for room and board. It is an excellent way to experience life in the Welsh countryside, make friends and, at the same time, learn a little about organic farming.

Go next

 * North Wales
 * South Wales
 * West Midlands (region)

Midden Wales

title: Mid Wales


text:
Midway (Georgia)

Midway is a city in Coastal Georgia.

title: Midway (Georgia)


text:
Midway Islands

The Midway Islands or Midway Atoll is a wildlife refuge in the north Pacific Ocean, roughly "midway" between the USA and East Asia, just east of the International Date Line. It was made famous by an Oscar-winning color documentary in 1942, and a 1976 feature film, both about the battle which marked a turning point in World War II.

History
The U.S. took formal possession of the islands in 1867. In 1903 President Teddy Roosevelt declared the islands a seabird conservation area. Later in 1903 the laying of a trans-Pacific telegraph cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights, and a hotel was built to house passengers.

A naval base was constructed shortly before the U.S. entered World War II (see Pacific War), and the victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the war's turning points. Although the islands and surrounding waters were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in 1988, they continued to serve as a naval facility until 1993. The atoll was transferred to civilian control in 1996 following an environmental restoration effort. The US Fish & Wildlife Service manages Midway as part of the Papahanamokuakea Marine National Monument.

Landscape
Midway is part of the extended series of Pacific islands which include Hawaii. It is an atoll of several low, sandy islands. The two largest are Sand Island (the most developed) and Eastern Island (not to be confused with Easter Island), with the smaller Spit Island between them. A coral reef, one of the most northerly of this kind, nearly encircles them. The three largest islands total 6.2 km2 in area; their collective coastline is 15 km. The highest point is 13 m above sea level.

Climate
The climate is subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds.

Get in
A private air charter company based in Honolulu provides air service to the Midway Islands on their 19-seat Gulfstream with a capacity of 3,200 lbs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the atoll, has a visitor program in place to accommodate small groups of interested visitors.

 * Oceanic Society, a marine conservation non-profit organization, offers naturalist-led ecotours in groups of up to 16 participants. The tours are focused on natural history, and offer one excursion to Eastern Island, and at least one snorkeling trip to the emergent reef.
 * Military Historical Tours offers once-yearly day trips to the island on 3 June. Participants arrive around noon on a chartered United Airlines 737-800 from Honolulu and leave around 8PM that evening. These tours include official ceremonies commemorating the Battle of Midway and also offer some time to explore the island.

There is a harbor on Sand Island, and Henderson Field Airport on Sand Island is fully certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and kept operational around the clock as an emergency landing strip for many trans-Pacific flights. Without this runway being maintained many twin engine jets would have to choose alternate routes that would use much more fuel. Those with their own means of transportation can inquire with the FWS about visiting.

However, sailors must still apply for the above permits months in advance of visiting and the monument has very strict guidelines that must be followed in order to transit through these protected waters. A few examples are that vessels must have their hull cleaned prior to entrance and owners must pay $1,500 for the required monitoring devices that track vessel movements while in monument waters. These requirements are in place to try to inhibit the introduction of invasive species and make sure that the fragile coral reefs are not jeopardized by errant sailors.

Cruise ships crossing the Pacific sometimes stop outside of the atoll, using tenders to deliver passengers to Sand Island for day visits ashore however even these cruise ships must adhere to the strict permitting guidelines in order to pass through and visit the protected monument's waters.

Day visitors from cruise ships are sometimes guided by US Fish and Wildlife staff on excursions.

Fees and permits
Organizations or individuals wishing to visit Midway Atoll must apply for a permit from the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument months in advance of their intended visit.

Midway is a US territory and has the same visa requirements as the United States.

Get around
Bikes and golf carts are available for rent at $5 and $25 per day respectively. Walking is easy since the terrain is flat, but stick to the roads and trails to prevent ankle sprains.

See

Nearly 5 million members of 17 species of seabirds nest on the islands, including 2 million albatross, both Laysan and black-footed. 80% of the world's population of Laysan albatrosses are found at Midway. They are more affectionately known as "gooney birds" for their awkward landings and especially for their entertaining mating rituals. Endangered Hawaiian monk seals (7-8 feet, up to 500 lb) haul themselves onto land to rest and to give birth and raise their young; giant green sea turtles (up to 400 lb) are frequent visitors and have been documented nesting on Midway's beaches; and a pod of 250-300 spinner dolphins lives – and often performs acrobatics – in and around the atoll's shallow lagoon. There is also a small but growing population of Laysan ducks, the most endangered waterfowl in the northern hemisphere.

The islands also contain memorials and artifacts of the 1942 Battle of Midway, and the original cable buildings erected in 1903.

Do
The primary activities on Midway Atoll are nature viewing, wildlife photography, snorkeling, kayaking and touring the World War II historical sites.

Scuba diving is available only to researchers working on the island. Fishing is prohibited.

North Beach is open to humans, but other beaches are normally off limits and reserved for sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals, both of which are endangered and protected under federal law. Midway Bowl is open Sunday from 7 to 9PM. A miniature golf course on Sand Island is being restored.

Houses and dorms are located on the island, mainly used by members of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A 24-hour gym on Midway is present as a natural breeding ground for albatross bird species. The gym is not being managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The doors remain unlocked, but the gym is off-limits due to falling concrete.

Work
US Fish & Wildlife employs about 6 staff personnel and has about 10 to 12 volunteers stay for 3- to 4-month stints throughout the year.

Chugach operates the facilities at Midway under contract with the USFWS. It is a Native American corporation based in Anchorage, Alaska. It employs about 55 people, most are from Thailand but some are US citizens.

There are 4 airport/fireman contract workers and one PA. These positions all periodically are advertised on various websites.

Buy
Sand Island has a small "Ship Store" that carries basic items, snack type foods, gedunk (candy), and alcohol. They also rent DVDs. Nearby a small gift store run by "The Friends of Midway" sells T-shirts, postcards, books, recordings of the bird colonies, and other items.

Eat
All meals are served at "The Clipper House" which serves as Midway's galley to the 60 or so residents, and the visiting tourist groups and researchers. Meals are served three times a day at the regular posted hours only. The most popular food item is the soft-serve ice cream machine. Beverages and ice are available in the hotel lobby, but there are no snack machines.

Drink
The water at Midway is safe to drink. Island residents carry and use refillable water bottles. Visitors should bring their refillable bottles: once you see the amount of plastic that washes up on the shores of the atoll you will understand why disposable plastic bottles are shunned. Alcohol is served in the local bar for 2-3 hours several nights per week.

Sleep
There are hotels on Midway. Old naval barracks have been refurbished as comfortable hotel rooms, each with a private bath. During the albatross breeding season (winter) up until the time that the chicks fledge (summer) there is the constant sound of the albatross and so earplugs are recommended.

Stay safe
There is no crime on Midway, though there is an old navy brig that can be used as a jail. Rule breakers are put on the next departing plane.

Stay healthy
Midway is staffed with a Physician Assistant, and three of the airport workers are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians. The medical clinic includes an emergency room, ambulance, and x-ray suite.

The major concerns are sunburn, dehydration, and twisted ankles. Venturing off the posted pathways and trails can be dangerous due to the unstable, sandy terrain full of holes created by burrowing petrels.

Thr runway, Sand Island, allows medical evacuations of injured or seriously ill individuals from Midway to Honolulu. Evacuations by air are expensive and are generally not covered by regular health insurance. Visitors are advised to have travel insurance that specifically covers medical evacuations. Through a partnership with Travel Guard, Diver's Alert Network (DAN) offers such insurance. For the best coverage, purchase least 15 days in advance of your travel. DAN insures both divers and non-divers.

Go next

 * Things change frequently at Midway. For up-to-date, reliable information, visit the www.fws.gov website.
 * The Kure Atoll and the Pearl and Hermes Atoll lie 60 miles to the west and 90 miles to the east, respectively. These are uninhabited coral formations. Kure is part of the State of Hawaii and has a seasonal field crew of about 6 persons stationed for 5 months of the year. Pearl & Hermes has a seal research team stationed there for 6 to 8 weeks each summer and is part the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Kure and Pearl & Hermes are also under the protection of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (created in 2007) encompassing the islands to the northwest of Hawaii.
 * The nearest inhabited islands of Hawaii lie about 1200 miles ESE.
 * Wake Island, about 1,200 miles WSW, was the next stop on Pan Am's "China Clipper" service.
 * The Marshall Islands are about 1,500 miles SW.

title: Midway Islands


text:
Midwest (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Midwest:

Australia

 * Mid West (Western Australia)

Ireland

 * Mid-West Region is an alternative name for Shannon Region

United States of America

 * Midwest - a region of the United States.
 * Midwest City - a place in Oklahoma
 * Midwest (Wyoming) a small town in Central Wyoming

title: Midwest (disambiguation)


text:
Midwest

The Midwest is known as "America's Heartland": the massive Great Lakes, the vast northwoods, wide-open plains full of corn and wheat, a patchwork of industrial cities and small towns, and one of America's greatest cities, Chicago.

States
The following eight states of the Midwest account for one-fifth of the U.S. population:

Although Pennsylvania is classified as a Mid-Atlantic state on Wikivoyage, the western parts of the state around Pittsburgh are Midwestern in character.

Cities
See also the pages for the states of the Midwest, for smaller but still substantial cities in the region.

 * – the "Windy City" and third largest city in the U.S., with architecture galore and plenty of deep dish pizza or hot dogs to scarf down for hungry travelers
 * – the "Queen City" is the oldest large city in the region with hills and Victorian architecture.
 * – the "Heart of Rock and Roll" has a revitalized 21st-century downtown on the water
 * – the "Motor City", a.k.a. "Motown", where some of the nation's most popular music acts got their start
 * – the "Circle City" and "Crossroads of America;" home of the Indy 500 as well as the world's largest children's museum and a number of arts and cultural districts
 * – the "City of Fountains" and its own style of barbecue eats
 * – "Brew City", "Cream City" and the "City of Festivals"
 * – "Gateway City", home of the Gateway Arch often considered the easternmost city of the West and the northernmost city of the South
 * The "Twin Cities" – Minneapolis & Saint Paul

Other destinations

 * – A large chain of lakes, rivers and marshes known for its seclusion and natural beauty on the border of Minnesota and Canada
 * – one of the country's busiest national parks, along the Cuyahoga River south of Cleveland.
 * – A hilly area shared between Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois known for its tourist areas and skiing.
 * – the "North Coast" of the United States, and the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface and volume.
 * – beautiful dunes and beaches, hidden on the industrial northwest coast of Indiana.
 * – a beautiful, wild island at the northern tip of the Midwest.
 * – the famous lakes and hill country at the intersection of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
 * – enormous dunes in a wild part of Northern Michigan.

Understand
The term "Midwest" refers to the states generally west of Appalachia, north of the Ohio River and east of the Great Plains. This area is sometimes referred to as the "heart" or "rust belt" of America and is often associated with agriculture and industry (historically manufacturing but this has faded as years have passed). The culture of the Midwest is generally acknowledged to be "down to earth", as much of the population is far from the influences of coastal cities and cultural centers such as New York City and Los Angeles. The Midwest is largely nearly evenly divided between liberals and conservatives, and the region has the highest concentration of swing states in presidential elections.

A synonym, the North Central Region, describes its geographic location more accurately; the "west" suffix is a historical artifact from the country's early history, when most of the U.S. population lived east of the Appalachian Mountains.

States bordering the Great Lakes (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin) are sometimes called the "North Coast", "Third Coast" or "Fresh Coast" as parallels to the East and West coasts. These are the states of the region which make up the rust belt.

Also known as "America's Heartland", for its primary role in the nation's manufacturing and farming sectors as well as its patchwork of big commercial cities and small towns that, in combination, are considered as the broadest representation of American culture. In fact, most national television broadcasters speak with a Midwestern accent. The Midwest was the home of more than one quarter of U.S. Presidents (and that's taking into account that a half dozen people were President before most the Midwest achieved statehood) as well as the birthplace of the inventors and entrepreneurs of most of the technology that fuels the world's economy- examples include airplane, automobile, electric lighting, the transistor, petroleum, steel production.

Major population centers tend to be located either on the Great Lakes (Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee and Duluth) or on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers (Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Louis and Cincinnati). This reflects the historical importance of waterways as a method of connecting the region to the ports of New York (via the Erie Canal) and New Orleans (via the rivers). Chicago, originally a marshy area, boomed due to being the easiest method of shipping from the St. Lawrence and Erie Canal to New Orleans. Commerce via the Great Lakes remains a major portion of the region's economy. The major exception to this is Indianapolis, which has unnavigable waterways but is a major intersection for road travel. Chicago also became the main railroad hub for the entire country in the 19th century and has kept this position to this day.

With the advent of globalization, much of the heavy industry that many Midwestern cities were dependent on were outsourced to countries in Asia and Latin America with lower labor cost, leading to a decline of many once-great cities. As such, many Midwestern cities continue to suffer from high unemployment, urban decay and high violent crime rates. This is particularly true in cities which were built on a single industry such as Detroit and Flint (automobiles,) and the decaying steel town of Gary, Indiana.

History
While the Midwest has been home to several indigenous nations, the Iroquois came to conquer most of the lands during the 17th and 18th centuries. France became the first colonial power in the Midwest, mostly doing peaceful commerce with the indigenous peoples, with few settlements.

In the 1783 Treaty of Paris, the United States annexed the territories which came to form the Midwest; still, well into the 19th century, the Midwest was considered to be part of the Wild West. Large-scale settlement came with the railroads and the Industrial Revolution.

The Midwest was primarily settled by Central European and Scandinavian immigrants, the heritage of which is reflected in the local cuisines, which tend to be simple and hearty, with a strong emphasis on meat and potatoes, as well as dairy products.

Talk
English is, as with the rest of the U.S., the de facto official language. The "Midwestern Accent" is the voice most commonly heard on national newscasts across the country. Some areas with large Hispanic populations might have a majority speaking Spanish, but most native speakers of Spanish in the Midwest have at least basic English skills. There is also a substantial German-speaking history which is now mostly confined to rural areas made up of plain Anabaptist communities.

Most of the larger cities have sizeable diverse ethnic communities with many first-generation immigrants. This is particularly true of Chicago, which is known for its large communities of Assyrians, Jews, Poles, Ukrainians and African-Americans transplanted from the South: dialectical and linguistic diversity vary widely in this city. That said, the classic Chicago accent is moribund, and most younger Chicagoans speak with a general American accent. Milwaukee is home to a large Hmong-speaking population as well. Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota have their own minor linguistic quirks, but generally the English spoken here is among the easiest dialects to understand in all America and is largely devoid of unusual terms for everyday items.

Local dialects of other European languages such as German, Norwegian and Swedish are spoken by some elderly residents, though these dialects are now moribund, and most of the younger generation is monolingual in English.

By plane
The Midwest is served by several international airports, including many of the major US airlines' national hubs. Chicago-O'Hare (United and American), Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky (Delta), Detroit (Delta), and Minneapolis-Saint Paul (Delta). Many major metropolitan areas also have secondary international and regional airports, served by minor and discount airlines.

By car
The Midwest is served by several interstate highways. Most of the states in the Midwest can be accessed by the major east-west corridors of:
 * I-94 – connects Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota
 * I-90 – connects Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota
 * I-80 – connects Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa
 * I-70 – connects Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri

Additionally, several major interstate highways have their northern, eastern and western termini in Midwest states including:
 * I-24 – connects southern Illinois to the Southeastern U.S.
 * I-29 – starts in Kansas City and provides an important link to Canada by running through northwestern Missouri, western Iowa, and up through the Dakotas
 * I-35 – starts in northern Minnesota, serves Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Des Moines, Kansas City and ends in Texas
 * I-39 – gives traffic from north and northwest a bypass around Chicago when heading south.
 * I-43 – Links Milwaukee to I-39, thus allowing them to avoid to Chicago to get further south.
 * I-44 – begins in St. Louis, runs through the Missouri Ozarks into Oklahoma and Texas and thus provides an important link between the Midwest and Southwest.
 * I-55 – starts in Chicago, serves St. Louis and reaches New Orleans
 * I-57 – gives Chicago traffic an alternative to I-55 in getting to Memphis and bisects Illinois vertically.
 * I-64 – starts in St. Louis and connects it with southern Illinois and southern Indiana through Evansville, and ultimately to Virginia. I-64 is an important east-west corridor linking the Midwest to the Southeast.
 * I-65 – starts just outside of Chicago in Gary, Indiana, serves Indianapolis and ultimately terminates in Alabama
 * I-69 – Links Indianapolis to Lansing, Michigan and runs to the Canadian border in Port Huron
 * I-71 – starts in Cleveland, also serving Columbus and Cincinnati then on to Kentucky
 * I-72 – Planned to run from St. Joseph, Missouri eventually. It links Hannibal, Missouri to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois via Springfield, Illinois.
 * I-74 – Links the Quad Cities to Peoria, Illinois, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati
 * I-75 – starts in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, contains the only bridge connecting the two parts of Michigan, and linking through Detroit, Michigan and Cincinnati ultimately terminating in Florida
 * I-77 – starts in Cleveland and runs all the way to South Carolina
 * I-80 – the second-longest interstate in the nation, running from New Jersey to California, and serves Midwest hubs Cleveland, Chicago and Des Moines
 * I-88 – relieves congestion on I-80 between the Quad Cities and Chicago.
 * I-94 – Links Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and points west together.
 * I-96 – Links Detroit to West Michigan

By train
Amtrak also operates several routes through the Midwest, including several that primarily connect Chicago directly to other major Midwest cities. The major routes running through several Midwest states and major cities include:
 * Capitol Limited (Chicago, Cleveland and onto Washington, D.C.)
 * Cardinal/Hoosier State (Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and onto Washington, D.C. and New York City)
 * Empire Builder (Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-Saint Paul and onto Seattle or Portland)
 * Lake Shore Limited (Chicago, Cleveland and onto New York City or Boston)
 * Texas Eagle (Chicago, St. Louis and onto Texas)
 * California Zephyr (Chicago onto Denver and the San Francisco Bay Area)

By bus

 * Greyhound offers passenger bus service from many U.S. cities.
 * Megabus is a low-cost bus company that offers many routes across Wisconsin and into Minneapolis and St. Paul.

By boat

 * Great Lakes – The northern Midwest can be traversed by boat throughout the Great Lakes. Many boaters utilize the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway and their connection points as a travel route.  The Great Lakes Cruising Company and the American Canadian Caribbean Line provide cruises with several Midwest cities (including Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee) in their itineria.
 * River Travel – Additionally, the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio Rivers are some of the primary navigable waters in the U.S. There are also steamboat and cruise options connecting points along Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

By plane
Many major metropolitan areas also have secondary international and regional airports, supporting national, discount and commuter airlines.

By car
In addition to the major interstates listed above, many Midwest cities have secondary interstate service such as outerbelt and by-pass systems. With the exception of Chicago, Midwestern cities have unreliable public transportation networks, making driving the best way to get around.

By train
Most of the Midwest lacks regional passenger rail service, but segments of Amtrak routes may suffice. Chicago, however, is a major Amtrak hub, and also has a relatively comprehensive urban rail network.

See
Great Lakes
 * Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, including Northern Ohio and Southeastern Michigan.
 * Lake Erie Islands. Located west of Cleveland, Ohio and southeast of Detroit, Michigan, a group of picturesque and festive islands in Lake Erie are accessible via ferry. In addition to several Ohio State Parks located on the islands, there is plenty to do including wineries, restaurants, bars, marinas and beaches.
 * North Shore Scenic Drive – Along Lake Superior in Minnesota, this picturesque route is popular for stunning vistas of the water and beautiful fall foliage. Follow Minnesota Route 61 northeasterly from Duluth all the way to Thunder Bay, Canada.
 * The Mackinac Bridge – Connecting the two peninsulas of Michigan via I-75. An engineering marvel and an important transportation artery.

River Dancing
 * Great River Road – The Mighty Mississippi, from Wisconsin and Minnesota through Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri and south to the Gulf of Mexico
 * Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route in Illinois
 * Ohio River Scenic Byway – a river trail through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
 * Ohio & Erie Canalway – from Lake Erie in Cleveland through Ohio to the Ohio River valley

Inland History and Culture
 * Historical National Road – a trail of history running through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
 * Amish Country Byway in Ohio
 * Lincoln Highway in Illinois
 * Amana Colonies in Iowa

Do
Great Lakes
 * Beaches, including the dunes in Indiana along Lake Michigan.
 * Fishing, with many charters in most major cities to choose from.
 * Boating, in and around the Apostle Islands in northern Wisconsin.
 * Lighthouses worthy of a picture in Wisconsin's Door County.
 * Resorts along the Traverse City area of Michigan.

River Valleys
 * Casino riverboats in Dubuque, Iowa.
 * Rafting and tubing along the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.
 * Boatwatching along the Mississippi River in Hannibal, Missouri, Mark Twain's hometown.

Amusement Parks
 * Cedar Point
 * Six Flags Great America
 * Kings Island
 * Michigan's Adventure
 * Six Flags St. Louis
 * Valleyfair in Shakopee, Minnesota
 * Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, IN

Music
Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City have legendary jazz and blues clubs. Many of the greats have not only traveled the region extensively whilst on tour, but more than a handful were born or resided in the region, with these three cities leading the way.

Eat
The Midwest is a patchwork of big cities, small towns and farming communities. Being the epicenter of the American Industrial Revolution, it attracted an influx of immigrants and African Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, resulting in a diverse ethnic culinary experience from the heavy German, Irish, Polish, Czech, Ukrainian, Italian, Greek, Scandinavian, Mexican, Puerto Rican and African-American urban populations to rural Amish and Mennonite cooking traditions. Due to its harsh climate away from the coast, as well as a history of Central European and Scandinavian settlement, Midwestern cuisines tend to be simple and hearty, with a heavy emphasis on meat, potatoes and dairy products.

Being the main center of cattle farming in the United States, the Midwest is generally regarded as having the best steaks in the country. Chicago in particular is known for having an exceptionally large number of top quality steakhouses.

Big Midwest cities, like Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee, are known for their bratwurst, kielbasa, Italian sausage and good old American hot dogs. Smaller, rural clusters, like the German Amana Colonies, in east-central Iowa, is home to some of the best German-American food in the Midwest. Known for family-style dining, the Amana Colonies provide hearty foods the Midwest is known for. As many African-Americans trace their family roots to the South, regional specialities of the South are often found in African-American communities.

Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin have heavier Scandinavian influences. In the larger cities, food culture has also been strongly influenced by newer immigrant communities, with strong influences from Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines being particularly evident.

Wisconsin is also known as one of America's main cheesemaking regions, with cheddar cheeses being the most popular. Due to a history of Swiss-German settlement Wisconsin is also known for its Emmentaler cheeses (known as "Swiss cheese" in most of the U.S.), and some parts of Wisconsin are known for their localized version of Swiss-German dishes such as rösti and kalberwurst.

Locally grown food is seasonally available in rural areas, often at roadside stands. Spring crops include salad greens, radishes, sweet peas and spinach. Summer's abundance includes sweet corn, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, onions, melons, berries, apples, cherries, peaches and pears. The agricultural abundance can be excellent in season and seems to encourage large helpings year around.

Drink

 * Beer – The Midwest was historically the center of the American brewing industry, and major domestic breweries Anheuser-Busch (St. Louis) and Miller (Milwaukee) remain headquartered in the area. Many well-known craft breweries are also in the region, including Summit (St. Paul), Goose Island (Chicago), Great Lakes (Cleveland, OH), Bell's (Kalamazoo, MI), New Glarus (New Glarus, WI), Gluek's (Cold Spring, MN), Schell's (New Ulm, MN), Leinenkugel's (Chippewa Falls, WI). Microbreweries and brew-pubs can be found throughout the area. Millstream Brewery, located in the Amana Colonies, Iowa is home to the world's best (2010 World Beer Cup, Gold medal winner) Vienna style lager beer.
 * Milk – Wisconsin in particular is renowned for its fresh dairy: milk, cream, and all manner of cheeses.
 * Wine – Wine is made in every state of the Midwest. Catawba grapes were first discovered in Ohio in 1802 and thus Catawba vineyards line the shores and islands of Lake Erie.  Michigan and Missouri also have significant wine countries.  The Amana Colonies, located in Iowa, is home to five wineries featuring their traditional sweet, fruit wines, as well as many varieties of German and French-style wineries.  Iowa is home to almost 90 wineries, many featuring the unique flavors of "cold-climate" grapes.

Stay safe
The rural areas and small cities of the Midwest are among the safest for travelers and residents in all America. Parts of the larger cities—particularly southern Chicago, the north side of Milwaukee, the east side of Cleveland, East Saint Louis, and several regions in Detroit—should be avoided after dark.

Weather in the Midwest ranges from blistering heat waves in July and August, to fierce blizzards in January and February. Tornadoes are common in the southern parts of this region in the springtime, but ample warnings are often given to help protect property and lives. If the weather on the road appears to be turning inclement, local radio and television stations will continuously offer advice and information. Disastrous weather is rare and the region is not earthquake prone.

title: Midwest


text:
Mid West (Western Australia)

Mid West is one of the nine regions of Western Australia, with a population of 52,000 in 2006, and with Geraldton as its only large town. Its people and facilities are concentrated on the coast, but it stretches a long, long way inland, to small mining towns and harsh desert. Mid West has boundaries with Gascoyne Region to the northwest, Pilbara to the north, Goldfields Region to the east and southeast, the Wheatbelt to the south and the Indian Ocean to the West.

Towns

 * and Port Denison is an old coastal town with heritage buildings and rock lobsters.
 * was depopulated in the late 19th century, so its historic settlement has been preserved. The incessant winds have bent the trees almost at right angles.
 * the main town is a popular kitesurfing, windsurfing, fishing, sailing and surfing spot.
 * at the mouth of the Murchison River is the base for Kalbarri National Park.
 * has a Spanish Mission-style church, a profusion of wild flowers in spring, and Urawa Nature Reserve.
 * (aka Warramboo) is a historic gold-mining town, still active but with many remains. New national parks are being created near town but in 2022 these have not yet opened.
 * means "place of little water" but has even less gold. It's seen a few gold-rushes, only to relapse into ghost-town torpor - the latest was in 2007 / 08.

Other destinations

 * Kalbarri National Park is in two sections: the 80 km gorge of the Murchison River carved through the deep orange bedrock, and the coast south of Kalbarri town where the bedrock ends in sculpted cliffs.
 * is lurid pink - the colour is from its algae. It's used to farm prawns, which are pink enough to begin with, but you'd best cook thoroughly to make sure.
 * was a farm that claimed to be a micro-nation. In 1970 the landowner had a strop over wheat quotas and declared independence from Australia. The place became a cod-Ruritanian tourist attraction, with its own currency, stamps, constitutional flim-flam, and the "Prince" got up in the sort of fustian used in school productions of King Lear. His death, and an unpaid tax bill of $2 million, put an end to the pantomime in 2020.
 * are a coral archipelago 60 km west of Geraldton. There are 122 islands in 3 groups: Wallabi (north), Easter, and Pelsaert (south). They have been quarried for phosphates but the area is now a national park, with excellent fishing, snorkelling and diving. There are historic remains (Batavia was wrecked here in 1629) and boat and air tours visit from Geraldton, but overnight stays are not permitted.
 * is far east and north of anywhere else, yet still a long way to go to reach the region's boundary. You only come to this tiny isolated place to traverse the Gunbarrel Highway into the interior. The first section from Wiluna to Carnegie is unsealed but graded and suitable for 4WD. Further east is expedition territory on a rough track into the Gibson Desert, named for the fellow whose bones lie somewhere hereabouts.

Understand
The landscape along the coast is Mediterranean, with rolling terrain and enough rainfall for livestock farming. This attracted European settlement, but the arid interior was little exploited until the discovery of gold and other minerals. A string of mining towns then developed inland, though the workings were never on the scale of Pilbara to the north or Goldfields region to the south.

So to most visitors the Mid West means its coastal strip. It's a leisurely day's drive from Perth so it makes a good first night's stopover on a road trip north - anywhere between Dongara to Geraldton. After that, fuel, food and accommodation become sparse on the road up towards Carnarvon.

Get in
Geraldton has daily flights from Perth, taking an hour. Skippers Aviation fly three times a week from Perth to Wiluna, Meekatharra and Mount Magnet then back to Perth.

By road from Perth follow either Brand Highway 1 inland or North West Coastal Highway 60, which meet up near Dongara. From the north, take NW Coastal Highway.

TransWA buses run two or three times a day between Perth and Geraldton, with one a day continuing to Kalbarri. One or two buses a week run inland from Geraldton to Mullewa, Mount Magnet and Meekatharra.

Integerity Coaches run three times a week along the coast from Perth to Geraldton, Carnarvon, Coral Bay, Exmouth, Karratha, Port Hedland and Broome. One bus a week runs far inland on the Great Northern Highway from Perth to Mount Magnet, Meekatharra, Newman and Port Hedland. From these northern towns the bus is quicker than your own car, as they travel all day and night with shifts of drivers.

Get around
You need a car. If you didn't drive from Perth, rent from Geraldton. They can also bring a car to the airport if pre-booked.

Fees for national parks are standard: a day pass in 2022 is $15 for a vehicle with up to 12 occupants, pay cash or by card. Passes are also available for 5, 14, 30 days and annually. There's no charge if you enter by bicycle or on foot, but the distances under a hot sun are formidable.

See

 * Kalbarri National Park inland portion is the region's top sight - access it by the turnoff at Ajana. You need a day to explore the scenic river canyon. Use the turnoff at Northampton to access the coastal portion, a line of sea cliffs. Either way leads into town then you can continue through the other portion.
 * Wildlife is everywhere but best seen in the park. At sea watch for whales, which migrate along this coast.
 * Spanish Colonial Mission churches suit this climate better than Victorian Gothic, so Monsignor Hawes built beautiful examples at Geraldton and Mullewa.
 * Local history is well-presented in Dongara, Greenough and Geraldton.
 * Night skies are brilliant once you get away from the towns and busy main highway.

Do

 * Hiking: most areas have trails, Kalbarri has the best. They're scenic but hot, and at the height of summer the rangers close the trails.
 * Surfing: the Mid West coast has roaring ocean breakers. Novices should seek more sheltered spots, for instance in Geraldton.

Eat

 * Country food and pub grub is dominated by meat: steaks, lamb chops, beef and burgers. The coast towns offer fish and prawns.
 * Non-meat diets were traditionally hard to come by hereabouts, but the purchasing power of metropolitans visiting and setting up their own outlets has wrought a change. Geraldton especially has choice for vegetarians and GF diets.
 * Food is not cheap, as it may have travelled a long way to your plate.

Drink

 * Few stand-alone pubs except in Geraldton, the hotel and restaurant bars are the usual drinking resorts.
 * There are rum distilleries in Greenough and Port Denison.

Stay safe

 * This is a low-risk region, the main things to need care are road use and water activities.
 * All the standard road safety advice applies here: watch your speed, try to avoid driving at night, overtaking is best kept for designated overtaking lanes, remember Australia has a near-zero alcohol limit for drivers, and avoid dirt roads in bad weather.
 * Water safety: it's seldom sharks, it's sometimes jellyfish or big waves, but the biggest risks to you and your family come from boat traffic. Check for designated swimming areas.

Go next

 * North in Gascoyne Region is Shark Bay / Monkey Mia, Carnarvon town, the Ningaloo Reef resorts of Coral Bay and Exmouth and Mount Augustus.
 * South is Wheatbelt Region. Along the coast are the small ports of Jurien Bay, Cervantes and Lancelin, with Pinnacles National Park inland.

title: Mid West (Western Australia)


text:
Midwest City

Midwest City is in the Frontier Country region of Oklahoma, a city that grew up around Tinker Air Force Base and the General Motors and Douglas Aircraft Company plants, though in some ways feels like OKC suburbia.

title: Midwest City


text:
Mie

Mie Prefecture (三重県 Mie-ken) is in the western Kansai region of the main Japanese island Honshu.

Tourist Information Site
Kanko Mie is the prefecture's official Japanese-only guide site with integrated machine translation.

Cities

 * — The prefectural capital with the shortest name possible (a one-stroke letter つ in hiragana).
 * — An industrial city and the most urban city.
 * — The home of Japan's most (in)famous ninja clan.
 * — Site of Japan's holiest shrine.
 * — An ancient mountain town in the south with breathtaking scenery.
 * — A city between Tsu and Ise. Famous throughout Japan for its beef.
 * — Famous for pearl cultivation.
 * — Known for its motor sports events.
 * — Popular holiday spot near Ise.
 * — Small city having the best in nature.
 * — A small city next to Nagoya. Easy access to Nagashima Spa Land.

By train
Mie is easily accessible from anywhere in central Japan using the Kintetsu or JR (Japan Rail) train lines. From other parts of Honshu, the shinkansen (bullet train) can quickly though rather expensively get you to Nagoya Station, where you can transfer to either the Kintetsu or JR line into Mie.

By boat
Ferries leave hourly from Nagoya airport (NGO) to Tsu Nagisamachi port and a port in Matsusaka.

See

 * Ise Shrine is the holiest shrine in Japan and home to the sun goddess Amaterasu. (Ise)
 * Learn about the history of ninja in one of the former ninja homelands (Iga)
 * Mikimoto Pearl Island (Toba)
 * Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Kii Mountain Pilgrimage Route (Kumano)
 * Hike the Akame 48 Waterfalls to see just how many waterfalls there really are (Nabari)
 * Explore a well-preserved former Tokaido Road post town (Kameyama)
 * Watch the sunrise over Meoto Iwa (Ise)

Eat
Matsusaka is known for its delicious, massaged, beer-fed beef. According to locals, it's every bit as good as the more internationally famous Kobe product.

Drink
Hokosugi (鉾杉) sake, brewed near Ise, is very tasty and reasonably priced.

title: Mie


text:
Mielno

Mielno is resort town in the Zachodniopomorskie voivodeship in northwestern Poland. It is situated at the coast of Pomerania at a wide sandy beach.

By plane
There is no airport really near to Mielno. These two are the closest ones:

By train
The is a very small train station. There is only a train service during the summer when tourists in great numbers visit the Polish seaside. The trains are operated by PKP.

By bus
PKS

By car
From Gdansk or Szczecin by the route E28 to Koszalin and than just north to the coast.

Get around
The sea resort is not quite big, so you can easily walk on foot or rent a bike.

See
- Stag monument, located on the small square in the city center. - Jamno Lake

Go next

 * medieval town of Koszalin
 * Slowinski Nationalpark with the highest dunes in Europe
 * sea resort and medieval town of Kolobrzeg
 * sea resort of Ustka
 * sea resort of Leba
 * sea resort of Rowy
 * sea resort of Ustronie Morskie
 * sea resort of Darlowo

title: Mielno


text:
Miercurea Ciuc

Miercurea Ciuc is a city in Transylvania.

Get in
Arrive by train from Bucharest Gara du Nord (5 hours) or Budapest Keleti (12 hours). The Budapest train, though much longer, is a delight. Book an old-fashioned sleeper and enjoy sheets, towel, washbasin and complimentary coffee, croissant and water. It is relatively inexpensive. You may have to share with one or two same-sex others, depending on the price you pay. On the other hand, if there is a free cabin, you may get to sleep alone. There is also a restaurant car on the train. Timetable. There is also an early morning train. (From Budapest airport allow a couple of hours to get to Keleti station. The cheapest way is by public bus to Köbanya-Kispest then take the metro, changing at Deák Tér.) Train times in Romania.

Other options include: Fly to Cluj Napoca or Tirgu Mures with Wizzair. Another way is to fly with BlueAir to Bacau. This is the nearest airport (86km), but do not have bus info at this time. The train goes a long way round and takes 5 hours.

The train station is 5-10 mins walk from the centre. There are usually sufficient taxis waiting. There are also town buses from outside the station. Other local and national buses depart from the bus station, which is 300 m to your left.

See

 * Petofi Street
 * 2001 Millennium Church
 * 2001 Millennium Church

title: Miercurea Ciuc


text:
Miesville

Miesville is a city in Dakota County, in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. It is southeast of south Saint Paul.

Understand
The population of Miesville is 135, according to the 2000 census. The city has a total area of 1.8 square miles.

Get in
Highway 61 passes through the town.

Do
Go to a Miesville Mudhens ball game. The Mudhens are the local, amateur baseball team.

Connect

 * 651 is the local area code.

title: Miesville


text:
Migjorn de Mallorca

Migjorn de Mallorca is a region of Mallorca.

Understand
Migjorn is the southernmost region on the island of Mallorca. It has numerous beaches and bays that invite you to swim and sunbathe. Therefore, many tourist centers have developed in the region. The places were partly built out of the ground and are marked by building sins, but it's not as bad as in Playa de Palma. In addition, the main source of income for the residents of Migjorn comes from agriculture. There are even still fishermen, but here, as in many other places, the Mediterranean is very empty.

In the meantime, the need for nature conservation has also been recognized and efforts are made to combat environmental sins. Many areas, especially on the coast, have been declared nature reserves. Some are even closed to private traffic. The hotel ruins on Es Trenc show that they are serious. Here a court ruled that the building was unlawful, stopped the construction and ordered the demolition. Unfortunately, there is still no money for this today. As on the whole island, the locals speak Mallorquí, a dialect of Catalan that is only very distantly related to the standard Spanish language. Mostly Spanish, English and German are spoken in the tourist centres. Off the beaten track, people tend to be understood only when they speak Spanish, and even then, they may not understand the dialect answer.

The area includes the following municipalities:
 * Campos
 * Felanitx
 * Llucmajor
 * Ses Salines
 * Santanyi

By plane
Migjorn can be reached via the international airport of Palma de Mallorca.

By car
From Palma de Mallorca the MA-19 motorway leads to shortly after Llucmajor, then it becomes the main road MA-19, which leads through Campos to Santanyí. The MA-5020 leads from Campos to Felanitx, the MA-14 from Santanyí to Felanitx. This leads further north and you can reach Manacor.

From Santanyí the MA-6102 leads to Cala Figuera and the MA-6100 to es Llombards and on via Ses Salines to Colonia St. Jordi.

Get around
Migjorn has a well-developed bus network that is tailored to the needs of the residents. It is assumed that tourists take guided trips by coach, rather than public transport. If you really want to explore Migjorn by bus, you should definitely get an up-to-date timetable for all bus routes and pay attention to the special features of the bus routes, because not every bus stops at every location. You also have to be prepared for the fact that the buses are not air-conditioned.

For shorter distances you can also take a taxi.

The road network in Migjorn is well developed and in fairly good condition. Many small towns are very narrow, but that can get a lot worse in other places on Mallorca. With a rental car you can explore the whole region in two days.

See

 * Santuari de Sant Salvador, at Felanitx. Fortress-like pilgrimage site and lookout point.
 * Botanicactus, in Ses Salines. Garden with 12,000 different species of cactus.
 * Cabrera centre, in Colonia de Sant Jordi near Ses Salines. Visitor centre in which the natural world of the national park on the island of Cabrera south of Mallorca is modelled.

Cala d'Or

 * Cala D'Or Gardens is a family friendly hotel by AluaSoul Resort.
 * Inturotel chain have three other hotels in town.
 * Monsuau is a peaceful place at the edge of town 200 m north of Nature Olea. Adults only.
 * Gavimar Ariel Chico Club is a block inland from Cala Gran Costa and less expensive.
 * Cala D'Or Gardens is a family friendly hotel by AluaSoul Resort.
 * Inturotel chain have three other hotels in town.
 * Monsuau is a peaceful place at the edge of town 200 m north of Nature Olea. Adults only.
 * Gavimar Ariel Chico Club is a block inland from Cala Gran Costa and less expensive.
 * Inturotel chain have three other hotels in town.
 * Monsuau is a peaceful place at the edge of town 200 m north of Nature Olea. Adults only.
 * Gavimar Ariel Chico Club is a block inland from Cala Gran Costa and less expensive.
 * Monsuau is a peaceful place at the edge of town 200 m north of Nature Olea. Adults only.
 * Gavimar Ariel Chico Club is a block inland from Cala Gran Costa and less expensive.
 * Gavimar Ariel Chico Club is a block inland from Cala Gran Costa and less expensive.
 * Gavimar Ariel Chico Club is a block inland from Cala Gran Costa and less expensive.
 * Gavimar Ariel Chico Club is a block inland from Cala Gran Costa and less expensive.

title: Migjorn de Mallorca


text:
Mihara

Mihara (三原) is a city in Hiroshima prefecture. Mihara’s main point of interests are probably its views over the islands and some beautiful natural spots inland. With several train lines and ferry lines, it is also well located to explore the region. There are quite a few interesting places to eat and drink in the main city, most of them within walking distance.

Understand
“Mihara city” usually designates a rather large area (470 km²) including the inner city itself, some more or less wild areas, as well as the Hiroshima Airport,  Kosagi Island (小佐木島) and Sagi Island (佐木島). The city is on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, facing the northern half of the Shimani (島並), the chain of islands linking Onomichi on the Honshu Island and Imabari on the Shikoku Island. In 2020, it was home to 91,000 people. Its population has been declining since the mid-1980s.

The locals are quite friendly to foreigners, although English accessibility is not very high. Most places have no English menu and apart from the most famous touristic places, there are few documents provided in English.

Tourist information

The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site. Clicking on "English" shows an 8-page pamphlet in English.

Get in
Hiroshima Airport (HIJ IATA) is located in Mihara city. However it is not connected to the train line and one must take a bus to the Mihara Station (around 40 min and ¥900).

The Shinkansen goes through the Mihara Station, however only the Kodama line stops here. Coming from Hiroshima, it takes about 30 min and ¥3500. Coming from Osaka or Tokyo, it is possible to take the Kodama line all the way through although it is usually much faster to take the Sakura or Nozomi line and change in Fukuyama.

The local lines Kure and Sanyo share the same station as the Shinkansen. The Kure (呉) line goes along the coast from Mihara to Hiroshima, via Takehara and Kure. The Sanyo (山陽) line goes mainly inland from Kurashiki to Hiroshima, via Fukuyama, Onomichi, Mihara and Higashi-Hiroshima.

There are also several ferry lines and bus lines (see below).

Get around
Going around the wider Mihara city is can be done via the local train lines or by bus. As in most places in Japan, the number of buses per day can be surprising given the rurality of some areas. The bus schedules on Google Map seem to be pretty accurate. Still, going inland can be very time consuming via public transports.

The inner city is fully accessible by walking (30 min at most to get anywhere). There is also a car rental company nearby. There are many taxis around the station, and it should take at most ¥1000 to get anywhere within the inner city.

It is possible to rent bicycles near the tourist office at the train station. Various types are available (regular, electric, race, for children) for ¥1000-2000 per day. The office opens at 08:000 and the bicycles must be returned by 17:00. An identity document (passport, licence, ...) will be scanned as guarantee but the procedure is rather simple.

There several ferry lines stopping at the Mihara port, deserving the nearby islands every day. There is also a line to Okunoshima (“rabbit island”) on the week-ends and holidays. The Sunami port also deserves Sagi Island and Ikuchi Island, as well Okunoshima (on the week-end and holidays). See the website (in Japanese).

See

 * Sankeien Garden (三景園), 64-24 Zennyuji, Hongo-cho Mihara (Next to Hiroshima Airport).
 * Central Airport Park (広島県立中央森林公園), 1315 Hongocho Kamikitagata, Mihara (Next to Hiroshima Airport).
 * Funaki Gorge (船木渓 (Funakikyo), (Near Hiroshima Airport).
 * Mihara Castle Ruins (三原城跡), 1-Shiromachi, Mihara (Next to Mihara Stn). 06:30-22:00.
 * Mihara Castle Ruins (三原城跡), 1-Shiromachi, Mihara (Next to Mihara Stn). 06:30-22:00.

Do
The views over the islands chain from the Ryuosan (竜王山) and Fudekageyama (筆影山) are worth the trouble. On clear days, one can see as far as the mountains of Shikoku island. They also make good spots to view the cherry blossoms (particularly the Fudekageyama) and autum colors. There is an indicated walking trail connecting the two (about 40 min). They are accessible by car and bus.

For those with a bit of experience, there are some interesting walking trails around the west flank of the Ryuosan, connecting the Jinmu copper mountains (神武銅山) and the lesser known “Peak 246”. Those are loosely indicated so caution is advised.

On Sagi Island, the Taiheizan (大平山) and Inuyama (狗山) also make interesting hiking spots. The island also has a “hill of a thousand cherry blossoms” (塔の峰千本桜), and some momiji (Japanese red maples) near the Mukota port (south). The island can easily be circled by bike. There are some sand beaches and a camping ground in the north (Sagi port).

The Yassa Festival takes place in mid-August. It is the main traditional festival of the city, with dances, concerts and fireworks.

Eat
Most eating and drinking places are in the pedestrian area south of Mihara Station. There are also a couple places at the Airport and in the Sunami area.

As in the rest of Japan, many places like the izakaya are difficult to categorize as either eating or drinking establishment. While you can go to an izakaya only to drink, as a matter of etiquette it is generally understood that you should also order at least a couple plates.

Budget

 * Ramen Karen (ラーメン華蓮), 1-11-14 Shiromachi. Cheap fat ramen. Gyoza and beer also available. ¥1000.

Mid-range

 * Hito to Nomidokoro Uchuya (人と呑所　宇宙屋), 1-6-36 Minatomachi. Modern izakaya with a wide range of food, from traditional Japanese (try the raw liver) to potato salad. You can let the owner choose for you (he might speak a bit English?). Smoking permitted.
 * AGITO (アジト), 1-4-13 Minatomachi. Italian food izakaya-styled. Smoking permitted.
 * Franky (フランキー), 1-6-16 Minatomachi. Modern izakaya with particularly good Mediterannean food and a long wine list. Smoking permitted.
 * Izakaya Takuya (居酒屋たくや), 1-12-27 Shiromachi. Typical izakaya run by a middle-aged couple. Mostly local crowd but friendly. Has horse and whale. Smoking permitted.
 * Mukai Seipan (ムカイ製パン), 1-23-1 Sunami. Amazing bakery in Sunami. Table bread, rice bread, baguette, sandwiches and more. Fried fish sandwich using locally caught bream is recommended. It is open until 18:00 but is usually sold out by 16:00.

Splurge

 * Setouchi Winery/Restaurant Mio (瀬戸内醸造所・レストランmio), 1-5-26 Nishi Sunami (Access from the station via bus, taxi (¥2000) or train + walking). Beautiful place at the location of a former shipyard in front of Sagijima. Japanese cuisine accommodated with homemade wine. Really good but rather expensive. Check website for hours. Service is usually available in English and French during the week, and eventually the week-end if you ask in advance.

Drink

 * Grand Cafe (グランカフェ), 1-5-2 Shiromachi. Good music (usually the Rolling Stones). The barman is a musician and knows a lot about the city and wider area.
 * Carlton (カールトン), 1-5-4 Shiromachi. Jazz music and no windows. Good selection of whiskies.
 * MASH (マッシュ), 1-11-18 Shiromachi (2nd floor). Owner is a fan of Tintin and foreign movies. There is usually something running on the small tv behind the bar.
 * Ichimaru (壱〇), 1-9-12 Shiromachi. A small and tranquil bar with a nice selection of wine, beer and whisky.
 * Tachinomi Hiro-chan (立ち呑み hiro-chan), 1-5-12 Minatomachi. A friendly standing bar with a selection of craft beers. Also serves fried skewered meat and vegetables (kushiage).
 * BAR FLAT, 1-19-3 Shiromachi. A classic bar with a large collection of whiskies and various cocktails. Inside a renovated traditional house (kominka).

Sleep
Most hotels are near Mihara Station or next to Hiroshima Airport. Mostly typical business hotels with a few more "traditional".

 * Yamane Inn (山根旅館), 1-14-21 Shiromachi. Traditional Japanese inn (ryokan) near the station.
 * Hotel Suehiro (ホテル寿恵広), 1-4-5 Sunami Nishi. Modest hotel by the sea next to the Sunami port.

Connect
In Takehara city (竹原) you can reach Okunoshima (大久野島) by ferry from the Mihara or Sunami ports (week-ends), or everyday from Tadano-umi (忠海), which is accessible via the Kure line. Tadano-umi also has some impressive views from up the mounts Kurotaki (黒滝山) and Shirotaki (白滝). It takes about 30 min by foot from the station to the entrance of the mountain path. Takehara itself is an old merchant city, whose traditional buildings have been preserved in the Takehara Townscape Conservation Area.

On the other side via the Sanyo line, Onomichi has the famous temple Senkouji (千光寺). It is also the northern gate of the shimanamikaidou, the highway crossing the islands chain.

Up north inland, the city of Miyoshi (see the Momonoke youkai museum) can be reached via the Sanyo line with a transfer to the Fukuen line in Fukuyama. With an additional transfer to the Geibi line in Shio-cho, one can reach the city Shobara, famous for its apple orchards.

Among the islands of the Shimanami, the city of Setoda (瀬戸田) on Ikuchi island (生口島) is remarkable for the temple grounds of the Kousanji (耕三寺) and the “Hill of Hope”, a massive marble construction. It is accessible by ferry every day from Mihara or Sunami.

Go next

 * Takehara
 * Onomichi
 * Higashihiroshima
 * Sera
 * Fukuyama
 * Kasaoka
 * Kure
 * Etajima

title: Mihara


text:
Mijas

Mijas is a town and municipality in the Costa del Sol in southern Spain. It consists of Mijas Pueblo a typically Andalusian white-washed village located at the mountain side of Sierra de Mijas 428 m above mean sea level.

Understand
Everything outside Mijas Pueblo is called Mijas Costa, the main villages: the more industrial area Las Lagunas that's the most populated part of Mijas and it is totally integrated with Fuengirola. La Cala de Mijas is the main beach resort. Other smaller beach resorts are Riviera del Sol and Calahonda. According to the INE census of 2017, Mijas has 77,151 inhabitants, which makes it the fourth largest municipality of the province. This is concentrated in three main urban centres: Mijas Pueblo, on the hillside of the Sierra de Mijas, the historic centre of the municipality; Las Lagunas, in the area called Mijas Costa, is part of the urban continuum of the city of Fuengirola; and La Cala de Mijas, a coastal town. The surface of the municipal term is of 148 km ² and it extends from the coastal saws of the Penibética to the Mediterranean Sea.

Its history dates back to antiquity, with Phoenician and Roman remains, however, in modernity Mijas was a small town dedicated mainly to agriculture and fishing until the explosion of the tourist boom in the 1950s. Since then, the activity tourist and the construction sector have been the engines of the local economy, shooting at the same time population and per capita income. Today it is a multicultural municipality with a percentage of residents of foreign origin and one of the main centres of residential tourism in Andalusia.

Get in
From the main bus station in Fuengirola there are various ways you can get to Mijas and Mijas Costa.

Mijas is served by a regular bus service (bus number 122 which terminates in Mijas village itself or number 221 which continues on to Coín) from the main bus station in Fuengirola. The cost of the journey is €1.30.

To travel to Mijas Costa or La Cala De Mijas catch the Marbella bus No 220 which stops in La Cala De Mijas, and various other parts of Mijas Costa, Calahonda, Riviera Del Sol and Miraflores. Again the cost of the journey is approx €1.50.

See

 * Flamenco Dancers perform for an hour, on some days, in the public Plaza Virgen de la Peña near the donkeys. Check with the tourist bureau.
 * Hermitage of Our Lady of the Remedies: Raised at the beginning of the 18th century, the reduced church presents a single ship with armor of parhilera, that becomes the greater chapel in vault of edge. Very restored, it keeps the sculpture of dress of the Virgen de los Remedios of the 18th century.
 * Hermitage of the Virgin of the Rock: it is a cave hermitage excavated in the rock by a Carmelite brother between 1656 and 1682, to which a sacristy of irregular stone has been added, trying to simulate a natural work. The exterior of the feet made with the same intention, has access of half a point and small bulrush. In an irregular niche carved in the front is the Virgen de la Peña, patron saint of Mijas.
 * Church of San Sebastian: its construction corresponds to the late seventeenth century, renovated on numerous occasions. It appears with a nave covered with a truss armor, a square main chapel with a hemispherical vault, and an arched vault with wall paintings of angels.
 * Parochial Church of the Immaculate Conception The Parochial Church of the Immaculate Conception was consecrated in 1631, it is in the upper area of the town and on the ruins of the old mosque from which its Mudejar tower was used to fulfill the functions of a belfry.
 * Hermitage of Calvary: built around 1710 at the foot of the Sierra de Mijas, the removal of the Carmelite monks who lived in the hospice and the Monastery of Compás.
 * Hermitage of San Antón: a single ship built in the 18th century. The size of the Saint is made of polychrome wood from the same period. It opens to the public on January 17, patron saint of San Antón.
 * The Gardens of the Wall in Mijas is about gardens built on the remains of the old fortress that surrounded the town.
 * Hermitage of Calvary: built around 1710 at the foot of the Sierra de Mijas, the removal of the Carmelite monks who lived in the hospice and the Monastery of Compás.
 * Hermitage of San Antón: a single ship built in the 18th century. The size of the Saint is made of polychrome wood from the same period. It opens to the public on January 17, patron saint of San Antón.
 * The Gardens of the Wall in Mijas is about gardens built on the remains of the old fortress that surrounded the town.
 * The Max Carrousel of Mijas: Miniatures Museum collects a collection of miniature items that includes a "Head of a white man reduced by the gíbaros", the portrait of "Abraham Lincoln" made in painting on the head of a pin, the "Our Father" written on the chant of a business card, the representation of "The Seven Wonders of the World" carved on a toothpick and the "Last Supper of Leonardo Da Vinci" on a bead of rice, among other things.
 * The Historical Museum of Mijas: inaugurated in 1995, it contains a collection of farming tools, fishing, oil mills, a winery, typical Mijeña cuisine, etc. In addition, itinerant art collections and local crafts are also exhibited.
 * Mirajas Towers of Mijas are four towers beacons that were part of an old coastal defensive line along the Andalusian Mediterranean coast. From east to west: Torre de Calaburras, Torre Nueva of La Cala del Moral, Battery Tower of La Cala del Moral and Torre de Calahonda.

Beaches
These beaches pertain to the costal part of Mijas not to be confused with the Pueblo Mijas.
 * Beaches - the 12-km coastline offers nine beaches, with those in La Cala the Mijas having the blue European quality flag. Mijas is up in the sierra mountains but the beach can be accessed by driving down to town of Fuengirola which is right at the coastline. The trip down is around 15 km.
 * Cala de Mijas: The Cala de Mijas is an urban beach with dark, medium-grained sand and some rocky areas and a high degree of occupation. It measures 1.6 km in length and it waves the blue flag.
 * Cabo Rocoso beach in Mijas: Cabo Rocoso beach in Mijas is a beach of dark sand of medium grain and moderate waves. It is a semiurban beach with a low occupation degree and about 100 m in length. You can practice windsurfing, sailing and diving.
 * Calahonda Beach: One of the best beaches on the Costa del Sol, Calahonda beach, you can practice diving and fishing for its crystal clear waters. On the beach of Calahonda. We will find a golden sand of medium grain and calm waters. It is a semi-urban beach with a high occupation gradient and about 4.5 km in length.
 * Playa del Bombo  emi-urban beach with dark sand next to a cliff, making it ideal for scuba diving. It is 1.1 km long and a high degree of occupation.
 * Playa del Chaparral  Chaparral Beach is a semi-urban beach with rocks and moderate waves. It has an average occupation degree and 4.4 km in length. Possibility of windsurfing, sailing and diving.
 * Playa del Faro: Rocky enclave with multiple coves of fine sand. Fishing underwater and with cane is practiced. It is 1.4 km long and has a low occupancy level.

Do

 * Rock climbing/Bouldering Parque Miralla, Mijas pueblo
 * Plaza de Toros/Bullring Mijas pueblo
 * Ethnological Museum of Mijas Mijas pueblo
 * Golf - Mijas has 7 Gglf courses and more are under construction.
 * Mijas Aqua Park in Las Lagunas.
 * Rent pedal boats, jet skis, parascending on the beach.
 * Visit the Roman ruins at the Torreblanca end of Los Boliches
 * Benalmádena port and the aquarium (about 10 km away).
 * Train ride to Málaga.
 * Ferry cruise to Benalmádena.
 * Feria week in mid-October every year. A mixture of music, flamenco, religion, horses, eating and drinking See the Spanish at play, when they party they do it seriously.
 * Play golf at one of the many courses within easy reach.No absolutely no to any 26 handicapers, bandits
 * Mijas Burrotaxis: If you go to Mijas you can not miss the Burrotaxis. Burrotaxis is a peculiar transport method of Mijas, which appeared at the end of the 1950s, as a result of the fact that some workers from the quarries who returned to their homes on donkeys, were required by tourists to take photographs or take a walk.
 * Biennial of the Villa de Mijas art that is celebrated between October and November the first and in June the second.
 * Villa de Mijas theater festival, which is held in June the second.
 * Flamenco Festival, in August
 * Latin Night in August
 * Calapop Festival in August
 * Celtic Night, in August bands of bagpipes from Gibraltar and northern Spain play.
 * Mijas Jazz Festival, in autumn.
 * Other cultural events  are the Fair of Tales, the Literary Contest of Love Letters, the Market of the Senses and the International Day of the Peoples.
 * Beach activities: on the beaches you can practice water sports, rent water bikes, pedal boats, etc.

Buy

 * Mijas Town - Mijas has many little independent traditional shops which sell mainly artisian decoration and decort such as hand made pottery, paintings, lots of souvenirs from Spain, and leather jackets and clothing. The shops have there displays outside on the white streets which makes Mijas also so very touristic and attractive.

Eat
There are lots of Spanish tapa bars in the area. You may need to look in the small corridors and streets for traditional good Mediterranean food.

 * Mirlo Blanco Restarante
 * Los Arcos

Drink

Cruzcampo which is the traditional Spanish beer is served everywhere as is various Spanish wines. Again, lots of places to drink and eat.

Mijas is not really a place for a mad drunken sleazy night out (the nearby town of Fuengirola is better for that), however there are many smaller bars and cafes where one can have a civilised drink. The Boveda del Flamenco bar is a fantastic little place, which used to be the old village jail. It is excellent to sit outside in the summer and watch the world going by. Although many local Spanish residents have their own ways of hanging out in Mijas, discothèques and others are not in the area except nearby cities. If you fancy something to eat or have a nice meal, there are many restaurants about.

Sleep
There are many other places where you can sleep or look for accommodation since everything is very nearby.

 * Hotel Tamisa Golf If you are looking for golfing accommodations in the area of Mijas, there is the Mijas golf course.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.
 * There are many options to rental self-catering villas in the area. You can check the following option.

title: Mijas


text:
Mikindani

Mikindani is a town in Pembwe and the Southeast, Tanzania.

Understand
For a long time Mikindani was the major town in the region, however in the 1940s nearby Mtwara was made the regional capital due to its larger natural harbour. Since then Mikindani has been left to pursue the quiet, slow-paced life of a fishing village, albeit a larger than average fishing village.

Get in
There are several buses daily from Dar es Salaam which you can get from Ubungo, Temeke or Mbagala bus stations (at least 8 hours). During the rainy season parts of the road can get flooded. It's usually still passable but this can add significantly to the journey time. The companies operating the route change regularly but when picking a bus go for one with four seats in a row, the ones with five can be pretty cramped. Sitting in the back half of the bus can be somewhat traumatic during the non-paved part of the journey.

From Lindi there are buses throughout the morning, in the afternoon you can make the journey by first getting a bus to Mnazi Mmoja (Mingoyo) then catching an onward bus from there (~2 hours).

From Mtwara there are daladalas (minibuses) throughout the day from around 6AM to around 7PM (about 30 minutes). Alternatively, you could get a taxi (around TSh 10,000), a tuktuk (bajaji) (around TSh 6,000) or a motorbike (pikipiki) (around TSh 4,000).

From Masasi there are buses throughout the day the last one leave around mid-afternoon (about 4 or 5 hours).

From Newala and Mozambique you'll have to go via Mtwara.

Precision Air also fly from Dar to Mtwara, the timetable is highly erratic.

Get around
Mikindani is sufficiently small that you shouldn't need anything other than your legs to get you around. Cycling around the town can be quite pleasant: depending on the current management the Old Boma may or may not rent you a bike to explore it with.

See
There is little in the way of actual 'sights' in Mikindani (and those that are there are often mislabeled, the old slave market isn't that old and Livingston House has very little to do with David Livingston), however it's a very atmospheric town and a nice place to stroll around and soak in the culture. If you prefer your strolls more structured, the Old Boma has a book of walks around town. It is equally interesting to just wander and get lost. There will be no shortage of people to point you in the right direction when you want to get back.

Buy
For general supplies you're better off going to Mtwara but basics can be purchased in Mikindani. There are general shops (duka) all over town, the best of the bunch are probably the ones at the daladala stand.

Kuchele is the towns resident artist and has shop next to the old slave market. If you're in town more than a day he will probably find you to show you his work. He's a nice chap and won't switch on the 'hard-sell' if you look through his work.

The Old Boma has a selection handicrafts produced locally, but a better selection can be found at ADEA in Mtwara.

Eat
For Tanzanian fare, Subira's restaurant at the long distance bus stand is the best bet for cheap, tasty food. The only other option is Samaki's in the old slave market. There's a chap at the daladala stand that does chipsi mayai (chip omelette - it sounds odd but it's a Tanzanian classic) or chipsi kuku (chicken and chips).

Muku's bar at the daladala stand sits somewhere between Tanzanian food and Western food.

Ten Degrees and the Boma cater to the ex-pat crowd. The quality and popularity of them ebbs and flows between the two due to high staff turnover.

Drink
Muku's bar next to the daladala stand is the liveliest of the bars in town offering all you would expect from a Tanzanian bar.

Hiphop beach next to the long distance bus stand will be a cracking place for a drink overlooking the bay if they ever get round to getting a beer fridge. They have cold soda and warm beer.

Ten Degrees and the Boma (listed in the sleeping section) are fairly standard ex-pat bars.

Sleep
A wider range of accommodation can be found in nearby Mtwara which can be used as a base for visiting Mikindani.

Go next
All buses going north from Mtwara (those going to Dar, Kilwa, Lindi, Newala and Masasi) stop at Mikindani en route, although the Dar buses (which also stop at Nangurukuru for Kilwa) will only stop if you have brought your ticket in advance.

Going south (to Mozambique, Tandahimba or Newala) you will have to make your way to Mtwara first.

title: Mikindani


text:
Mikkeli

Mikkeli (St. Michel in Swedish) is a cozy town in South Savonia province, Eastern Finland with a population of 54,400. It is 230 km NE from Helsinki and 100 km west from Savonlinna. It was founded in 1838 and the Finnish Army HQ under Marshal Mannerheim was based there during World War II.

By train
Mikkeli railway station is in the centre, one block from the market square. The city is on the main Savonia railway between Helsinki and Kuopio. Sometimes you may have to change trains in Kouvola. Typically, there are 7 daily connections from Helsinki to Mikkeli, ranging from "regular" old express trains (seize the opportunity while they still are around!) to slightly better equipped InterCity 2 trains. The fastest connection are the Pendolino trains, making the trip in 2 hours and 16 minutes.

By bus
Mikkeli has good bus connections to all main cities of Southern and Northern Finland. Direct routes are available for example from Helsinki, Lahti, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Lappeenranta, Savonlinna and Imatra. Buses leave from the Matkakeskus terminal integrated with the railway station.

By boat
Lake Saimaa can be reached from the sea through the Saimaa Canal. Boats with high masts may have to moor at Kristiina, some 15 km south of the centre.

By car
From Helsinki drive through road 5. Almost equal in distance is the road via Kouvola (roads 7, 6 and 15).

Get around
Mikkeli has a comprehensive public transport system (buses to e.g. Anttola and Otava almost every hour). Information about local transport you can find here. You can use theDigitransit route planner to find local bus routes between given locations and addresses. One-way tickets for buses in the city area cost around €3, while fares for longer routes are distance based. The Waltti Mobiili mobile app can be used to purchase tickets.

Moppe service lines and rural lines complement the regular local bus lines. Part of these services operate by fixed route and schedule, but part of them are based on the dial-a-ride principle.

Major car rental companies, such as Europcar and Hertz, are available in Mikkeli. In summertime, one may also hop in a sightseeing bus or take a cruise in Saimaa from the harbour.

Taxis are also available.

 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

By electric kick scooter
Finnish Joe Scooter rents electric kick scooters for use in the centre.

See
During World War II, Mikkeli was the headquarters of the Finnish Army, and quite a few sights from the period remain.

Do

Eat
Mikkeli has quite a few restaurants given to the city's relatively small size, although many of them are generic chain restaurants. Fast food is available in the form of kebabs and pizzas. McDonald's and Hesburger have two restaurants each in Mikkeli. Almost all kebab restaurants stay open until the closing time of night clubs, and are thus seen as the preferred late-night eating options. There is a list of lunch offers for each day.

Some noteworthy restaurants:

Drink
Mikkeli's nightlife is not perhaps one of the busiest in Finland, but has some nice pubs to visit. Surprisingly the live music scene is very active. Most of the bars are centred along Porrassalmenkatu, so exploring the night is very easy. In wintertime the city is quiet, but in summer many nice terraces open up throughout the centre.

Sleep
There are a few hotels in the town centre but not many hostels can be found. Camping is a good choice for cheaper accommodation.

Cottages
The area around Mikkeli is one of Finland's main centres for summer cottages (kesämökki). Most are inconveniently located unless you have your own car, and primarily geared for families or groups who can bring all their own gear (bedding, food, etc.) and stay a week or longer, but a few cater also to short-stay visitors. Prices vary widely depending on the facilities: some places go for as little as €30/night, top-end facilities ten times that.

Go next

 * Suomenniemi
 * Jyväskylä
 * Kouvola
 * Kuopio
 * Pieksämäki
 * Savonlinna — The northernmost medieval stone castle, with a famous opera festival, 100 km away by car

title: Mikkeli


text:
Mikołajki

Mikołajki is a popular town in the Warmia-Masuria voivodship in northern Poland. It is a well-loved starting place for sailing trips on the lakes in the region.

title: Mikołajki