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Kumgangsan

Kumgangsan (금강산 or formally romanized as Geumgangsan), literally the Diamond Mountains, is in North Korea.

Understand
Kumgangsan is the second tallest mountain in North Korea with its highest peak (Pirobong) at 1,638 meters. The area is famed for its scenic beauty, and in 1998 became the first part of North Korea that could be visited on organized tours from the South. The tours stopped in 2008 after the shooting of a South Korean tourist, and there is no sign that they will resume. North Korea is still looking for ways to develop the tourism potential of the facilities, and they are used for Chinese tourists and for the infrequent family reunions of relatives separated during the Korean War.

Get in

Independent travel to Kumgangsan is not normally allowed. Joining a tour group is generally the only possible way of getting there, although it is unclear which tour operators could take you there.

From South Korea
Visiting from South Korea is not possible. Until 2008, special cross-border group tours were possible to Kumgangsan and Kaesong in North Korea, but they were suspended after a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean guard in July 2008. Since South Korea cannot assure the safety of its citizens, all tours are indefinitely suspended.

From Yanji, China
The northeastern Chinese city of Yanji is three hours by road from the North Korean port city of Rason. North Korea had been using sea travel between Rason to Kumgang as a means to circumvent restrictions on direct travel to Kumgang by South Korea. As of 2012, North Korea had established air connections from Yanji through Pyongyang to the eastern port of Wonsan, with sea connections onward. The primary market for these tours appears to be citizens of the People's Republic of China.

As Kumgangsan is close to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, this diversion through China substantially lengthens the trip; the only access is therefore a four or five-day guided tour at a cost of 4,500 Chinese yuan per person.

From Rason, North Korea
There is a cruise ship that travels between the North Korean port of Rason in the country's northeast to Kumgangsan. It mostly serves Chinese travellers, although Western tour operators can potentially offer this as well.

Get around

Independent travel is not allowed. You will be bused around with your tour group at all times.

See
The Diamond Mountains are considered the most dramatic scenery in North Korea. It boasts waterfalls, lagoons, mineral springs and Buddhist temples, and hermitages. Park officials provide maps that help you choose between the many attractive sites. The area is divided into Inner, Outer, and Sea Kumgangsan.

Do
Make sure you listen to your guides, if they have not told you where you can photograph then ask. It will save you any uncomfortable moments.

Buy
There are many shops selling a wide range of goods from international duty free items to North Korean products which allow the visitors to bring home a little bit of North Korea back south. Jewelry, alcohol and cosmetics are of high quality. Also, there is a shop selling health care supplements, cosmetics, a variety of vitamins and health foods. Souvenirs are also available.

Eat and drink
Visitors must book with approved travel agents and remain in their guide's company throughout. It is therefore not permitted to leave the group to sample the local cuisine or nightlife.

Sleep

Stay safe
On 11 July 2008, a South Korean tourist was shot dead by North Korean guards after she walked onto a beach at sunrise. North Korea insists that she had wandered into a restricted military area at 04:30 in the morning.

Since nothing really changed in North Korea after this event, if you do get to visit then make sure you follow your guide's advice very carefully and do not wander around by yourself.

Go next
As of 2012, direct travel between the two Koreas is not possible in this region. The only way out is to leave with the group in the same manner in which you arrived, presumably to China.

title: Kumgangsan


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Kumily

Kumily (Malayalam: കുമളി Kumaḷi) is a town in Kerala State in South India. It is in the Cardamom Hills near Thekkady and the Periyar Tiger Reserve, in the Idukki District.

Understand
A major tourist destination and spices trading center. Kumily is an access point for many Kerala bound merchants and labourers, and in close proximity to the bordering points in Tamil Nadu.

Get in
The nearest airport is Madurai and so is the Railway Station but since it is on the Kerala side it would be wise to get in via Kottayam.

Bus from Kottayam. Buses from Tamil Nadu, especially Madurai at a distance of 120 km.

Get around
Taxis and Autorickshaws.

See

 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily
 * Kollampattada, Kumily

Buy
Spices and Condiments, Various types of Tea (Masala, Vanilla, Coca late, Cardamom), Coffee beans and powder

Eat

 * Lord's Family Restaurant on the main road of Kumily, in the center. The "Navrathan Kurma" is wonderful.

Sleep
Lot of hotels and home stays are available.

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

title: Kumily


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Kumpur

Kumpur is a village in Dhading District in the Bagmati Zone of the Himalayas region of Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 7,916 and 1,405 houses.

Understand
Kumpur is in Dhading district Nepal. It is located between Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Get in
Access: You can easily reach to Kumpur: it is 80 km from Kathmandu - between Kathmandu and Pokhara, it takes 4 hour/ by local buses to Bungchung Village, if you take private vehicle (Car/Jeep) drive you on 2.5 hours then hike up to Kumpur for around 3 hours. Buses leaves from Nearby central bus station Kathmandu.

It is 80 km far from Kathmandu, it takes 4 hour by local buses. And walk up to village around 3 hour. people lives different types of cast like Ghale, Braman, Newar, Sarki, Kami, Damai, Magar, Praja etc., They all have own different traditional life style. Most people are farmers, although some castes have their own professions.

See
The village layout with hillside areas, so it's nice and warm even throughout the winter, but still you have excellent views on the Annapurna range, Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Manaslu, Mardi Himal, Gauri sankar and lots of water falls with panoramic views and natural beauty which surrounds Kumpur.

Sleep
Homestays are available in Kumpur.

title: Kumpur


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Kumta

Kumta small town on western coastal part of Karnatka, India. The best time to visit is in the month of October to January. Kumta is known for its betelnut, cashew, coconut, banana cultivation and fisheries.

By plane
You can fly to Dabolim Airport (Goa) and take a taxi or bus.It is 4 hours from there. You can fly to Bajpe Airport (Mangalore) and take a taxi or bus. It is 3 hours from there.

By train
Kumta is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Mangalore, Cochin and other important places through the Konkan Railway. The journey between Mangalore and Kumta takes not more than 4 hours. Visitors from Chennai can enter via Mangalore. For details, kindly enquire with the Railway authorities. Travelers from Bangalore and Hyderabad should get off at Hubli and proceed by road to Kumta. The road between Hubli and Kumta, is one of the best in Karnataka and passes through thick jungle.

By bus
Overnight deluxe bus services are available from Bangalore. Buses also ply between Madgaon/Karwar/Mangalore and Kumta  at regular intervals.

Kumta is about
 * 75 km (almost 47 miles) south of the city of Karwar
 * 480 km (around 300 miles) from Bangalore
 * 202 km (around 126 miles) from Mangalore.

Get around
Rental Cars, Public Transport (Bus), Auto rickshaw or bicycle.

See
Kumta is famous as coastal town with many beaches and for temples.

Do
The Town has 4 Beaches in it. Dhareshwar beach is very good and is located 5 km away from Kumta. Beautiful places in Kumta include:
 * Kumta beach
 * Kadle beach
 * Ashwinidhama
 * Dhareshwar beach
 * Baada beach
 * Mirjan Fort
 * Aghanashini Fort

Temples in Kumta town are
 * Kumbeshwar
 * Uppin Ganapati
 * Shanteri Kamakshi Temple
 * Venkatraman Temple
 * Mahalasa Temple
 * Shantika Parmeshwari Temple
 * Mahasati Katta
 * Kumta Amma Temple

Other temples
 * Kanchika Parmeshwari Temple, Baad
 * Shiva Temple, Dhareshwar

Buy
Kumta is famous for crafted items and cashew nuts. The famous shop for the crafted items is Mahalasa, near Shantika Parameshwari temple. Sahyadri Cashew is the best brand for cashew nut products.

Eat
Kumta (for that matter entire Konkan) is famous for fish. You can have different types of fish items.

 * Taj Hotel. For delicious Biryani near Masjid in market area
 * Hotel Moonlight on Kumbeshwar road which serves great fish delicacies in this part of the world. Their Masala Fry is lip-smacking. Sweets like ghanti (also called as ghati), saati, misal bhaji are famous in Kumta. You can also have gadbad (it's a sundae, served with different types of fruits).

Drink
You can have tender coconut, soda sharabat (lime juice with soda and sugar syrup) and shunti soda (ginger soda).

Sleep
There are three main options one can go for.
 * Hotel Vaibhav (200 meters from the bus stand) - a/c and non-a/c rooms are available.
 * Kamath Hotel (500 meters from the bus stand)
 * Kamath Hotel (500 meters from the bus stand)

You can also opt for a guest house maintained by the government.

Go next

 * Yana - 30 km from here. Good for trekking.
 * Gokarna, famous for its beach (originally famous for the temple), is just 35 km away.
 * Jog Falls, tallest waterfall of India, is 70 km away.
 * Murdeshwara
 * Annegudde

title: Kumta


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Kunashir

Kunashir (Russian: Кунаши́р, koo-nah-SHIHR) is the southernmost of the Kuril Islands in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast. The island is also 24 km away from Hokkaido, Japan, and is known as Kunashiri (国後, "after the country") there. The native Ainu name Kunashir possibly means Black Island or Grass Island.

Understand
Russia administers and views the island as part of its territory since WWII, but Japan still claims it, making it a part of the South Kuril border dispute.

Get in
SAT Airlines flies from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Yuzhno-Kurilsk four times a week.

A ferry operates from Korsakov on Sakhalin, taking roughly 12 hours.

title: Kunashir


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Kundapur

Kundapur is a popular town in Udupi district of Karnataka, India, known for its unique dialect of Kannada and great food.

Understand
Kundapur is at the centre of Karnataka's coastal belt and gives visitors the possibility to easily explore the interesting and diverse surroundings. Due to its well-organised local bus system Kundapur allows you to reach the Western Ghats, Karnataka's hinterland and other lovely beach strips quickly. Further mobility is secured by the train station which has frequent trains to Mumbai, Goa and Kerala.

By plane
The nearest airport is Mangalore ( from Kundapur), which has flights from Mumbai and Bangalore and an international flight from the Gulf.

By train
railway station is almost 3 km from city centre (Main Bus Stand). Frequent bus service is available to the railway station. This station connects Madgaon and Mumbai to the north and Mangalore, Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram to the south with the frequent train services.

By bus
Kundapur has some of the best bus services found in India, with neat, clean and luxurious buses plying every minute on the Kundpaur–Udupi–Mangalore route (NH 17). Even AC buses are available in this route. The Kundapura Bangalore route is services by a number of modern A/C Volvo and sleeper services.

Get around
In Kundapur one can see Sri Kundeshwara Temple from which the name "Kundapur" has came, Sri Venkataramana Temple which is famous as Padu Tirupathi and also Kote Hanumantha Temple which is coolest riverside temple.

Kundapura Railway Station (KUDA) is a major railway station on Konkan Railway route. For the outside visitors/devotees this is alighting point to visit 3 important ancient temples in the region. Shree Vinayaka Temple, Anagudde (7 km), Shree Mookambika Temple, Kollur (38 km) & Shree Sharadamba Temple, Shringeri (less than 80 km).

See and do

Eat and drink

 * Hotel JK. Good food. Cool non-veg stuff.
 * Hotel Parijatha, near Shenoy Park. Pure veg.
 * Hotel Sharon. Harshs Refreshments- Shastri Circle. Pure veg.
 * Maiya Canteen. Pure vegetarian restaurant.

Sleep

 * Sharon International Hotel, at the division of the road, one towards Kundapur old bus stand and the other towards Bhatkal. There is one more hotel diagonally opposite Sharon. Prices are quite reasonable and the rooms clean.

Go next

 * Mangalore
 * Murdeshwar
 * Kollur
 * Gokarna

title: Kundapur


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Kundasang

Kundasang is in Sabah in Malaysian Borneo 6 km from Mount Kinabalu Park. It is also the location of the Kundasang War Memorial. Kundasang has grown into a popular leisure destination with many resorts in the vicinity. It is popular for its fresh vegetables, and plantations and farms suitable for temperate climate.

Understand
Historically a small village, it has today grown into a small town. With an elevation of about 2,000 metres above sea level, it is one of the coolest places in Sabah with temperatures dropping to 13ºC at night.

Kundasang is also associated with the infamous death marches which took place near the end of World War II in 1945. Over 2500 Australian & British POWs died in Sandakan and during the three forced death marches inland through the jungle towards Ranau.

Kundasang is popular among locals from around Sabah especially during weekends and public holidays, school holidays also. So if you are planning a visit during these times, do book in advance as accommodation in almost all lodgings will be full.

The nearest big town is Ranau, about 20 km east.

Get in
Kundasang is on the main road between Kota Kinabalu (100 km) and Ranau, 6 km after the Mount Kinabalu Park entrance.

By taxi
Long range taxis are another option. A shared taxi costs RM25 per Person (August 2022). The shares taxis continue to Ranau. As of 2022, Uber/Grab cheaper taxi fares are available in and around Kota Kinabalu. At this time, they do not extend their service up to Gunung Kinabalu tamen/Kinabalu Mountain park entrances.

By car
Self-drive is easy from Kota Kinabalu with a mostly decent bitumen road and adequate sign posting. It does become mountainous and windy on approach but also very scenic. The journey from KK is about 90-100 km and takes approximately 2 hours depending on how confident you are overtaking very slow trucks doing 20 km/h. Exercise patience and caution as locals do overtake on blind corners, over double lines, and occasionally with on coming traffic.

Also as you ascend the weather changes, mist then heavy rain along with speeding traffic and very tight bends cause accidents, just allow a little more time or stop for a while.

Do

 * Eco-tourism
 * World War II history

Eat
Kundasang is renowned for its fresh vegetables and strawberries. In fact, merchants from all over Sabah and Northern Borneo come here to source vegetables. Stalls selling veggies are abundant along the main road passing through the town.

The hotels and resorts have their own restaurants, which are mainly along the main road, outside of the township. There are local open-air eateries in the township.

Drink
Alcohol is available at restaurants but may not be mentioned on the menu.

Go next

 * Mount Kinabalu
 * Poring Hot Spring
 * Ranau War Memorial

title: Kundasang


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Kundur

Kundur is an island in the Riau Islands province of Indonesia, situated to the east of Sumatra island.

Understand
Kundur is part of the Karimun group of islands and is located south of Great Karimun Island.

Although larger than its northern neighbour, Kundur is much less developed and more laid back. Tanjung Batu, the main town, has a busy waterfront and a couple of streets lined with shops.

It used to be mostly a destination for cheap sex and gambling, but a crackdown has put an end to most of it.

Kundur is popular for cycling trips.

Get in
Kundur's port of Tanjung Batu is not designated as a visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry point. Those requiring visas should get one beforehand. For visa-free nationalities, there does not seem to be a problem entering or leaving Indonesia via Tanjung Batu.

As Kundur does not have an airport, all visitors arrive by ferry. Most connections are with neighbouring islands, e.g. Tanjung Balai on Karimun, and the Sumatra "mainland". Direct ferry services to Singapore have been terminated, so you'll need to detour via Batam or Bintan.

From other Riau Islands
To/from Batam via Karimun Island: Several companies operate ferries between Tanjung Batu and Sekupang, the main domestic port on Batam, stopping at Tanjung Balai on Karimun on enroute.
 * The Miko Natalia 3 (Tel: +62-779-21922 in Tanjung Batu; +62-777-21207/31895 in Tanjung Balai; +62-778-321980 in Sekupang, Batam) links Tanjung Batu with Tanjung Balai, the main town on Karimun Island several times daily. Between Tanjung Batu and Tanjung Balai, tickets cost Rp. 46,000 one-way before port taxes. Journey time is over one hour, longer if stops are made at islands along the way.
 * The Marina Batam also operates this route.

To/from Karimun Island only:
 * The Ocean Indoma operates ferries between Tanjung Batu and Tanjung Balai twice a day.

To/from Tanjung Pinang, Bintan
 * One daily speedboat operated by SB Giam Mas (Tel: +62-779-431589 in Tanjung Batu) departs daily from Tanjung Batu at 0745 for Tanjung Pinang, the main town on Bintan. The boat returns to Tanjung Batu on the same day, departing Tanjung Pinang at 1200. The boat has scheduled stops at Galang Island and Moro on Sugibawah Island, while unscheduled stops may be made at various little settlements along the way. Journey time is about 2½ hr each way. The fare from Tanjung Batu to Tanjung Pinang and vice-versa is Rp 130,000 before port taxes. On the other hand, Tanjung Batu to Galang/Rempang costs Rp 95,000, Moro to Galang/Rempang costs Rp 50,000. From Tanjung Pinang to Moro is Rp 95,000, Galang/Rempang is Rp 45,000.

From Sumatra
Boats link Tanjung Batu with various Sumatra mailand ports, such as Tembilahan in Riau province, and Kuala Tungkal in Jambi.

Get around
Angkuts (minivans) link Tanjung Batu with various towns on Kundur Island such as Sawang, Selat Belia and Prayun. Most of these vans leave from the market in Tanjung Batu.

There are also many ojeks (motorcycle taxis) waiting at various intersections in Tanjung Batu.

Tanjung Batu itself is small enough to be covered on foot.

Tanjung Batu
One would not describe Tanjung Batu, the main town on Kundur, as pretty or charming, unlike Tanjung Balai on Karimun which somehow has more atmosphere. Nevertheless, the town is very quiet and relaxed, except for the many ojek (motorcyle taxis) drivers who will constantly yell out to you and ask whether you want a ride (or, if you are a man, a woman!). The main commercial streets are Jalan Merdeka where the market is, and the shop-lined Jalan Jend Sudirman. The waterfront is also interesting with many boats loading and unloading goods. Just relax and enjoy the feeling of being in a timeless tropical port.

Most buildings here have an additional "bird house" on their roofs, housing thousands of swallows. The owners will harvest "birds nest" - a protein-rich gelatine-like substance formed from the saliva of the swallows - which is in high demand by the Chinese who consume them as a health supplement.

 * Cetiya Sasana Kitri (福朝廟) - at Jalan Usman Harun, unique red calabash in front of the temple differentiate it from others.
 * Vihara Dharma Shanti Kundur (泰安廟) - have a stroll and enjoy the breeze in the late evening. Spacious, with tables and chairs. The door is painted with guardian deities, probably one of the great spot in the town.
 * Masjid Raya Nurussalam

Urung

 * Vihara Maitri Segara

Hop over to Pulau Belat.

Do

 * Visit the wet market in the morning. Hive of activity, where many fresh items are sold. Can see chicken slaughtered, and plucked clean. Fishes prepared fresh.

Drink
For bottled drinking water get the local produced AVIGA spring water from PT. Citra Alam Sumber Wita costs Rp 2,000 for a 1500 ml bottle.

Go next
See Get in section for ferry details.
 * Catch a ferry to Tembilahan or Kuala Tungkal in Jambi on the Sumatra mainland.
 * Or if you need a bit more hustle and bustle, head to Tanjung Balai on Karimun.

Telephone numbers
The country code for Indonesia is 62. The area code for Tanjung Batu is 779.

title: Kundur


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Kunduz

Kunduz (Pashto: کندز; Persian: قندوز) also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a major city in the North of Afghanistan.

Get in
Most visitors will arrive by the rebuilt road from Pol-e Khomri. It is also possible to get to Kunduz from Mazar-e Sharif and Taloqan.

Get around
The city is fairly small. The local roads, like others in Afghanistan are poor. Local taxis are available.

See
There's not much for tourists here.
 * Traffic Square
 * Mosques

Eat
The usual Afghan fare - kebab or lamb with rice are here. Some river fish may also be on the menu. Pastries, influenced by the proximity to Kyrgyzstan are available.

title: Kunduz


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Kunene

Kunene is a region in northwestern Namibia.

Cities

 * — near an important deposit of petrified wood and the Twyfelfontein valley, known for its rock art
 * — the capital of Kunene
 * — the gateway to the Etosha National Park
 * — a sleepy settlement with a re-built German fort
 * — a sleepy settlement with a re-built German fort

Other destinations

 * — connected to the rest of the world by 4WD-only tracks, this is the remotest part of the country and is the home of the Himba tribe
 * — has the country's most inaccessible shores, dotted with shipwrecks
 * — next to the D3700, Epupa, on the Kunene River, is a scenic waterfall on the Kunene River
 * — the largest repository of San art in Namibia and a UNESCO World Heritage site

Understand
Kunene is situated on the Atlantic Ocean and borders Angola in the north. It has domestic borders with the Four-O region in the northwest, Otjozondjupa in the east, and Erongo in the south.

Compared to the rest of Namibia, Kunene is relatively underdeveloped. This is due to the mountainous inaccessible geography and the dryness that significantly hinders agriculture.

Kunene is home to the Himba people, a subtribe of the Herero. The most commonly spoken languages at home were Otjiherero languages (42% of households) and Nama/Damara (36%).

Get in
Due to the scarcity of other options, most travellers will arrive by car. There are no national roads (B roads) in Kunene. The major roads leading into the region are the C38 from Otjiwarongo to Outjo, the C138 from Etosha National Park, and the C46 from Oshakati to Ruacana. There are no major airports in the region but a lot of small airstrips, suitable for 2 and 4 seaters.

By public transport
Between towns you can catch a minibus. Opuwo has local shared taxis that can take you around.

Get around
The C39 from Outjo to Khorixas, the C40 from Outjo to Kamanjab, the C35 from Kamanjab to Ruacana, the C138 from Etosha, and the C41 to Opuwo, are all tarred. All other C-roads are rough and heavily corrugated gravel roads that are just about passable with an ordinary sedan. Unlike in other regions of Namibia, D roads in Kunene may require a 4x4. For instance the D 3703 from Opuwo to Etanga is missing a bridge and happily takes you on a bypass through the sandy riverbed. During rainy season entire areas might be cut off from the the road network altogether.

Keep also in mind that in entire Kaokoland (the northwest of the region) only Opuwo has a petrol station. At smaller places you can buy petrol in 5-liter cans at an inflated price. Diesel likely comes from neighboring Angola where it is much cheaper and of inferior quality, but with a car that requires clean Diesel fuel you should not be visiting this area, anyway.

There is a veterinary demarkation between Kaokoland and the rest of Kunene region. Check Wikipedia for details. No meat may be taken from north of the line southwards. You will nevertheless be checked both ways, nobody knows why. Passing the Red Line from the north will cost you all your red meat, plan accordingly. The "Namibian way" of getting through these controls is to arrive mid-day with your camping fridge topped with ice-cold drinks. When the officers open the fridge they will likely mention how hot it is today. Offer some of the drinks, and in most cases this will lead them to take the loot and abandon their search. But whatever you do, stay friendly, or else they will let you unpack your entire car in the blistering sun.

Sleep
A few popular destinations have well-developed tourist services. Everywhere else you are on your own, with communal camps (camp sites without potable water or electricity) often the only option for accommodation. Unlike the indigenous Ovahimba people you will not find water in the dry savannah and need to bring it along.

Stay safe
Cholera is a major concern in Kunene Region, particularly near the border with Angola.

All of northern Namibia is a Malaria risk zone. Take the necessary precautions. Cholera is a major concern in Kunene Region, particularly near the border with Angola.

The Kunene River has crocodiles and hippos. It is not safe to swim there. Outside the settlements it is not safe to even go near, as hippos are both aggressive and territorial and can easily outrun a human on land.

The dry riverbeds north of the Swakop River are inhabited by desert elephants. If you are driving through one of the rivers, remember that the area is theirs, not yours. They certainly know it. Don't drive too close towards a herd of elephants. 10-15 m is close enough for good holiday pictures and will normally not put your party in danger. Otherwise, the younger ones might play with your car, the older ones might get angry, either way your car might end upside down. You'll know that an elephant is angry when it shakes its head. In this case, stay in the car, switch off the engine, and avoid all unnatural noise (cell phone, camera, such things). They will eventually walk away; wait for this to happen instead of trying a daring escape.

Go next
Kunene borders Angola in the north. Domestically the following regions of Namibia border with Kunene:
 * the Four-O region in the northwest
 * Otjozondjupa in the east
 * Erongo in the south

title: Kunene


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Kungälv

Kungälv is a city and municipality in Bohuslän on the west coast of Sweden.

Understand
As well as Kungälv itself see also Marstrand

By car
The E6 highway goes through Kungälv. The E45 highway goes nearby

By train
There is a train station called Ytterby, located in a suburb in western Kungälv. Västtrafik tickets are used.

By bus
There is a dense schedule of buses from Gothenburg. Västtrafik tickets are used.

title: Kungälv


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Kungsbacka

Kungsbacka is in the north of Halland on the west coast of Sweden. The municipality of Kungsbacka has around 74,000 inhabitants and the city has around 10,500 inhabitants.

Get in
From the Landvetter and Gothenburg City airports, the airport bus to Gothenburg (going directly from the airport building, ticket by creditcard from driver) and then train is preferred. From Copenhagen airport, Öresundståg trains go directly from the arrival area to Kungsbacka (3 hours travel time).
 * By plane

Between Gothenburg and Kungsbacka there are Västtrafik trains. From Copenhagen, Malmö, Halmstad and cities in between, use the Öresundståg trains. The train station is in central Kungsbacka.
 * By train

There are Västtrafik buses to the coast of Kungsbacka municipality, e.g. Särö, but if going to Kungsbacka use the train.
 * By bus

Use the E6 highway. From Landvetter airport follow the roads 40 and E6.
 * By car

See

 * Tjolöholm Slott, a mansion built 1898-1904, approx 10 km south of Kungsbacka. It is located on a peninsula in the Kungsbacka Fjord on the Kattegat coast. Tjoloholm Castle was designed in the Arts and Crafts style by architect Lars Israel Wahlmann. There are guided tours in English in the summer months.

Do
Kungsmässan is a large shopping centre with around 90 stores.

title: Kungsbacka


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Kungsleden

Kungsleden ("King of Trails") is a 430-km-long walk in northern Sweden, from Abisko to Hemavan, through part of Sápmi, the region inhabited by the Sámi people. The trail passes through the Laponia national parks, the largest wilderness area of Europe.

At Sälka, the trail passes Kebnekaise, the highest mountain in Sweden.

Abiskojaure - Alesjaure
Boat option to Alesjaure, 240 kr (2011)

Tjäktja - Sälka

The pass somewhat before Sälka is the highest point of Kungsleden, at 1100 m. From Abisko to Sälka the trail coincides with Nordkalottleden, which then turns to the Norvegian Narvik fells and ends in Kvikkjokk farther on Kungsleden.

Vakkotavare - Saltoluokta
Saltoluokta, kayaks for rent.

Sitojaure - Aktse
Near Aktse is Skierffeklippan. Skierffeklippan is popular to climb.

Pårte - Kvikkjokk

Don't miss the classic camping ground Rosbacken in Kvikkjokk.

Gasaklahko - Vuonatjviken
On this stage the polar circle is passed.

Vuonatjviken - Jäkkvik
From Saudal Kungsleden has a rather new route. Be careful and follow the signs. In Jäkkvik it is possible to tent by Kyrkans Fjällgård.

Jäkkvik - Adolfström
Campsite Adofström, Adolfströms camping.

Adolfström - Barasjuhka
Boat option to Bäverholmen, 150 kr (2011). Restaurant in Bäverholmen, open 12:00-18:00.

Laddiebakttie - Rävfallsstugan
On this stage the border between Norrbotten and Västerbotten is passed. To stay in Rävfallsstugan one has to reserve and pick up a key in advance - cost 150 kr (2019). The cabin also has a sauna, for which you have to chop wood yourself.

Rävfallsstugan - Ammarnäs

Food Ammarnäs, Ammarnäs Livs. At the bus stop in Ammarnäs there is a free toilet and at the lawn behind the bus stop it is possible to camp for free. Guidecentrum close to the bus, Ammarnäs Wärdshus and Ammarnäsgården for eating. Ammarnäsgården also hosts Naturum, with tourist information and nature guides. Fjällvilt sells local reindeer and game products.

Ammarnäs - Aigertstugan - Servestugan
Possibility of skipping Aigert stretch by taking boat taxi over Tjulträsk with Thorbjörn (Ammarnäs Båt-Taxi), who also offers taxi between Ammarnäs and the lakeshore (about 8 km). Cash only. This leaves about 15-20 min walk inland to Servestugan. Servestugan doesn't have a sauna, but a good platform in the stream for washing. Camping on the Aigert stretch if one doesn't want to stay by the cabin is best done at Vuomatjåhkka in the narrow valley west of the shelter - the rest of the stretch is either without water nearby, exposed, or very rocky. Around Servestugan, one can walk a little further along the path westwards and camp in the stream delta.

Servestugan - Tärnasjöstugan
Good camping options by the lakes.

Tärnasjöstugan - Syterstugan

Boat option over Tärnasjö no longer operational (since 2017). Syterstugan takes card payments. Good tenting spots close to the cabins (pay small fee to use kitchen and facilities, as with all STF cabins). Eastern trail up to Sytertoppen accessible from here.

Syterstugan - Viterskalsstugan
Good tenting spots through all of Syterskalet, especially closer to the meeting with Viterskalet. Bridge over stream at the western mouth of Syterskalet now built for easier access to Sytertoppen from the west.

Viterskalsstugan - Hemavan
Gondola finished in 2019 (after closing of old lift) for transportation into valley if one doesn't want to walk down. 125 kr single journey for an adult (2019), running 10:00-17:00 in the summer. Several restaurants open at various times throughout the year. Bar at Hemavan Vandrarhem stocks craft beer. Hemavans Wärdshus open 18:00-21:00 weekdays and 18:00-22:00 weekends.

Get in
It is most common to start in Abisko (Abisko Turiststation). It is possible to reach Abisko with the night train from Stockholm. With aeroplane it is possible to reach Kiruna from Stockholm and continue with train or bus to Abisko.

Hemavan has an airport with connection to Stockholm. Reaching Stockholm with bus and train is also possible. Lapplandspilen is a direct coach route between Hemavan and Stockholm.

For those not going to hike all the trail, there are bus connections to Vakkotavare (the bus to Ritsem), Saltoluokta (boat from Kebnats, which has bus from Gällivare via Porjus), Kvikkjokk, Jäkkvik and Ammarnäs. Nikkaluokta, near Kebnekaise, is also a popular starting point although not on Kungsleden by itself; the trail reaches Kungsleden by Singi (the next cabin after Sälka if coming from Abisko).

Helicopters are common in the Kungsleden area, some days it is possible to see more helicopters then people. Two operators are:
 * Lapplandsflyg
 * Fiskeflyg

Maps
There are free digital maps available. Download them, as you will not have fast data (or even any mobile phone coverage) available at all places. And do not drop the device, have it drenched in rain or a river, have it stop working because of moisture, or have the batteries go flat. A paper map is recommended.
 * OpenStreetMap
 * OpenHikingMap.
 * Lantmateriet.

Lodging
Price for a night in a hut is 360–420 kr/person (children 50 kr) for members, 460–520/150 kr for non-members (2017). Shared rooms, outhouse, cooking facilities. Own linen or sleeping bag. Household duties (such as firewood chopping and carrying water) are shared by the guests.

The cabins are closed off season, still with at least an unlocked emergency room and an emergency phone available.

Camping
It is possible to stay by the cottages with tent if one wants to use the facilities. The price is 100 kr (member) or 200–250 kr (non-member). Children 6–15 years half price. Day visit free/100 kr.

Backcountry
Allemansrätten allows you to legally camp in most places for free, except within 100 m of a house. At this trail the main exception is in certain protected areas, such as the Abisko national park. It is also inadvisable to stay close to main reindeer pastures if herds are nearby, since this disturbs a vital economic activity in the area.

Eat
There is some food at sale in many cottages on the trail, and at some Sámi camps. The assortment is not the best, so you should carry some of your food. Picking berries and mushroom (with the ordinary caveats) is allowed at most places along the trail.

 * Supplies in the STF huts

Fishing
Fishing by the trail is mostly allowed, but requires paying a fee to get a permit. Check details.
 * Fjällfiske.

Drink
Plenty of water is available along the trail in most areas. Higher plateaus can be devoid of good sources especially in dry years, so it is worth checking with locals if conditions are drier than normal. It is fine to drink as long as the water is either moving (streams should be at least half a meter in width, as a thumb rule), or large/deep enough to not get stagnant. Special care should be taken in lemming years, since dead carcasses may contaminate the water.

Books

 * Berggren, Annika, Vandringsturer på Kungsleden: Abisko - Kvikkjokk, Vildmarksbiblioteket, Växjö, 2008.
 * Berggren, Annika, Vandringsturer på Kungsleden: Kvikkjokk - Hemavan, Vildmarksbiblioteket, Växjö, 2009.
 * Feldt, Kjell-Olof. Vår bästa tid är i fjällen. Stockholm: Norstedt, 1993.
 * Grundsten, Claes. Kungsleden The Royal Trail Through Arctic Sweden. Herefordshire: Carreg Ltd, 2009.
 * Grundsten, Claes. Abisko, Kebnekaise : [leder, utflyktsmål, bestigningar, stugor]. Stockholm: Norstedt, 2010.
 * Hennemann, Michael. Schweden: Kungsleden. Welver: Stein, 2011.
 * Karlsson, Bo. Sareks fyra årstider. Stockholm: Norstedt, 1982.
 * Magnusson, Lars, Vandra i Sverige: en vägvisare till sevärdheterna längs Sveriges vandringsleder, Prisma i samarbete med Svenska turistföreningen, Stockholm, 2002.
 * Neregård, Fredrik, Fjällvandra längs Kungsleden: Abisko - Kebnekaise, Calazo Förlag, 2011.

eBooks
Fjallflora - ebook of some of the most common flowers along Kungsleden.

Go next

 * Padjelantaleden — another trail through part of Laponia
 * Södra Kungsleden — southward from Hemavan, in Dalarna, Härjedalen and Jämtland
 * Lapplandsleden — southward from Hemavan, to Borgafjäll in Dorotea at the southern border of Swedish Lappland.
 * Nordkalottleden — from Abisko to the north for some 380 km more of trekking, to Kautokeino in Norwegian Finnmark – or to the south-west from Sälka or west from Kvikkjokk, to Sulitjelma, likewise in Norway.

title: Kungsleden


text:
Kungur

Kungur (Russian: Кунгу́р koon-GOOR) is a city in Perm Krai, Russia.

Understand
Kungur is the oldest city of Perm Krai, founded in 1663. It is a city in western Russia, southern Perm Province. It has a population of approximately 81,000. Nearby is Kungur Karst.

By bus
Bus is the easiest way to get to Kungur from Perm.

AV Perm operates buses from Perm bus station every 15-30 minutes during the day. The journey takes 2 hours and costs ₽271 nowadays.

By train
Trans-Siberian trains stop at Kungur.

RZD operates several long distance express trains from Perm-II station in Perm. The journey takes 90 minutes and costs ₽250-500. Trains leave in the early morning, afternoon, and evening.

Suburban elektrischa trains depart Perm II station for Kungur. These trains are cheaper (₽175) than the RZD trains and the buses but are painfully slow and will limit your time if you plan to visit Kungur on a day trip.

Get around
There are at least two information boards with a map of the city. One is near the railway station, the other one is near the park on the crossing of Sovetskaya and Gogol streets.

Local buses have routes and schedules posted at most stops.

See

 * Theotokos of Tikhvin Church
 * Fire Pot Monument
 * Centre of The Universe Sculpture
 * Park of Aeronauts

Do

title: Kungur


text:
Kunitachi

Kunitachi (国立市 Kunitachi-shi) is a city in western Tokyo. The naming of Kunitachi comes from its location: sandwiched between Kokubunji (国分寺) and Tachikawa (立川), the first kanji in each city was combined to create a new name.

Understand
Kunitachi is known for its posh, high class neighborhood, and for its many schools. There are many public and private schools and two universities (Hitotsubashi University and Kunitachi Music University). Some Japanese TV dramas have been filmed here; for example, "Antique" (2002) starring Hideaki Takizawa as a patissier, and "H2" (2005).

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated Google Translate.

Get in
Kunitachi has 3 train stations. Kunitachi Station of JR Chuo Line, Yaho (谷保) and Yagawa (矢川) Station of JR Nambu Line. From Shinjuku, you can take the JR Chuo line to Kunitachi Station (about 35 minutes. if on the express train, change to local train at Kokubunji Station). You can also take Keio Line from Shinjuku to Bubaigawara, then change to JR Nambu Line (towards Tachikawa direction) for Yaho Station (The trip costs ¥400 and about 25 minutes).

Get around
It's not a big city, so walking around is the best. Take the South Exit of Kunitachi Station, and explore Daigaku dori (University Avenue).

See
Kunitachi is famous for its cherry blossoms in late March to early April. Daigaku Dori (University Avenue) that runs southward from Kunitachi station and Sakura Dori (Cherry blossom Avenue) that runs East-West makes an excellent stroll.

Sleep
Kunitachi has few hotels. You had better use a hotel in neighboring Tachikawa.

Go next

 * Kokubunji
 * Fuchu
 * Hino
 * Akishima
 * Hachioji
 * Fussa
 * Kodaira
 * Tama
 * Machida

title: Kunitachi


text:
Kunming

Kunming (昆明; Kūnmíng) is the capital of Yunnan Province in China. Known in China as the City of Eternal Spring, Kunming is at an almost-tropical latitude but with a 2000 m (6600 ft) altitude, which gives it a very temperate climate. However, in winter it has been known to snow, so if visiting in December–February, pack warm. Also, when it rains - it's cold. The air is also quite clean compared to other Chinese cities, even though the traffic-congested streets still emit more than their fair share of pollution. The population of the prefecture of Kunming was close to 8½ million in 2020, and the city is expanding rapidly, with numerous highways and modern buildings. Largely because of the fine climate, flower-growing is a major industry; tourist attractions include flower exhibits and auctions and a huge botanical garden.

In addition to its own charms, Kunming serves as a base from which to explore Yunnan province. Some routes to or from Kunming are described in Hong Kong to Kunming overland. The most popular route within Yunnan runs north and west from Kunming, and is described in Yunnan tourist trail. Kunming is also the jumping off point for trips to the tropical paradise area Xishuangbanna down in southern Yunnan near the Laotian border.

Understand
Kunming is one of the most important transport hubs of Southwest China. It is well connected to the rest of China by road, rail and air and also has good air links to Southeast Asia and a few outside the region, such as flights to Kolkata.

Some historic routes no longer exist. The old French-built railway to Vietnam is no longer in service, but a new railway along a similar route (Kuning to Hekou North 河口北), with regular passenger service, has been opened to replace it. There are also buses along that route, and a new bullet train link all the way to Singapore via Vientiane is perennially under discussion. The Burma Road, which terminated in Kunming, no longer exists but there are newer and better roads over much of that route and rail over some of it.

The area is known for the Yí (彝) people, an ethnic minority prevalent in and around Kunming. Especially at popular tourist sites, you may see people dressed in traditional Yi garb and selling handicrafts or showing off local dances.

Get in
Kunming is well connected to anywhere in China or Southeast Asia and reasonably easy to reach from outside that region.

By plane

The new Changshui Airport is about 25 km north-east of the city area, and the old Wujiaba airport is no longer in use. Immigration can sometimes be congested. A taxi ride to the city centre will take approximately 30–40 minutes, at peak times you can expect to double this, as Kunming suffers major traffic congestion.

The airport is served by metro Line 6, which goes to the East Bus Station, where you can transfer to line 3, and go on to Tangzixiang, the interchange station for Line 2 in downtown. The hours of operation for line 6 are from 06:20-23:00 daily. Trains are 10 minutes apart. A ride to the central train station costs ¥6 as of June 2018. If taking the metro to the airport, make sure to get off at Airport Center/Kunming Airport station, not Airport Front.

Another transport option are shuttle buses named Airport Express. There are six lines with different operation times (~08:00-00:00 for most popular lines), single ride costs ¥25.

You can book air tickets from the Air China Office, Wallton Building, 448 Baoshan Jie (0871)3159171, from any number of travel agents in the King World Hotel a few blocks north of the train station on Beijing Lu, or from other agents around town. Tickets to Beijing are usually about ¥1600 to 2000, to Hong Kong about ¥1200 to 1500, with closer destinations getting ever cheaper as China's domestic carriers jostle for market share.

By train
south of downtown serves destinations throughout China including Hekou, Nanning, Guilin, Chengdu (Sichuan), Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an.

Three High Speed Rail lines come to the which is 20 km southeast of downtown, in one of the city's newly developed areas, and is connected with the city center by a subway line. The main high-speed lines connect Kunming to Guangzhou (9 hr) via Nanning, and to Shanghai (11½-12 hr, as compared to around 40 hr on a "conventional" train) via Guiyang, Changsha, Nanchang, and Hangzhou. High speed China-Laos Railway train to Vientiane and other cities in Laos also depart from here. Some trains continue directly to other major destinations on China's high-speed rail network, including Beijing (12 hr), Wuhan, Nanjing, Fuzhou and Xiamen.

The train service to destinations inside of Yunnan is still fairly limited, but growing fast. From Kunming Station, there is an overnight sleeper train to Xiaguan (Dali New Town) and Lijiang. Two more lines run via Jianshui and Mengzi to Hekou (on the Vietnamese border, where one can cross the border and take a Vietnamese narrow-gauge train to Hanoi) Another line runs via Jinghong and Pu'er to Mohan on the Laotian border and then crosses the border on its way to Vientiane. From the new Kunming South Station, you can go to cities along the Kunming-Nanning and Kunming-Guiyang high-speed lines, or take a non-stop "commuter" train to Yuxi.

Kunming's third rail terminal,, the main hub of Yunnan's formerly grand narrow-gauge network, is mostly of interests to rail fans. As of 2016, most of its building has been converted to a railway museum (see below), while the working passenger station occupies one of the rooms of the building. From there, 3 trains a day run to destinations within Kunming's metropolitan area, thus offering you an inexpensive way to ride a meter-gauge train.

All three stations are accessible by metro. If taking the metro to Kunming Railway Station, take Exit A from the metro station and follow the blue signs for "购票乘车" to get to the railway station.

The Chinese government has plans to turn Kunming into a hub for trains into Southeast Asia. A railway to Vientiane, Laos was completed in December 2021, with an extension of that line to Bangkok, Thailand under construction and scheduled to be completed in 2028. Cross-border passenger trains began operating between Kunming and Vientiane in April 2023. Lines to Mandalay and Yangon in Myanmar, as well as to Hanoi and Haiphong in Vietnam have been proposed, but construction has not started yet.

By bus
Kunming has moved its bus stations to the edge of the city in a bid to decrease traffic congestion. There are four bus stations for each of the cardinal directions (N,S,E,W). The general rule of thumb is you should go to the bus station in the direction you want to travel (e.g. if you are headed to Dali or Lijiang you will need to use the West Bus Station (Xibu Keyun Zhan); or if you are headed to Jinghong or Jianshui or Vientiane (Laos) you will need the South Bus Station).

The bus stations next to the train station are no longer long-distance bus stations.

The long-distance buses are excellent - cheap, reliable, comfortable, however, overnight sleepers can be cold, bumpy and dirty, check out the bus before you buy the tickets. People smoke in the bus in China, which is a big problem if the weather is cold and all bus windows are closed.

There are international departures to Laos and Vietnam, though these services are not always running. The bus to Laos goes all the way from Kunming to Vientiane, and cost approximately 550,000 kip or US$80 and last 38 hours if you go all the way. You can get off at stops in between like Luang Prabang or Udomxai (Oudomxai), and the cost of the ticket is comparative. From Vientiene to Luang Prabang, there are also VIP night buses with reclining seats as well as several daily local buses. There is a better chance of getting the slightly more expensive sleeper if you book the day ahead. The buses will make rest stops at local restaurants with standard Lao squat toilets. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang is about 12 hours, from Luang Prabang to Udomsai is about 5 hours, and climbs up a mountain road with severe potholes and many scenic villages clinging to the side of the road. From Udomxai to Kunming, is claimed to be about 19 hours but leaves at 12:30 and arrives about 09:30 the next morning. The road on the China side of the border is several lanes wide with many tunnels and smooth pavement. There are many freelance money changers on the China side of the border; there is no bank or currency exchange at Kunming's South Bus Station.

The journey to Vietnam is less arduous. Buses to Hekou, the border city on the Chinese side, leave regularly. There were night buses which allow you to leave Kunming at 20:00 and arrive at Hekou in time to cross the border as soon as it opens, but the bus only needs 7 hours now so times might have changed. The bus station in Hekou is about 3 km from the border crossing, and public buses go there. From there, you can take one of the many buses to Sapa, bus or train to Hanoi, or elsewhere. To reach the Eastern bus station from the railway station, you can take bus 60 (¥2, ~30 min).

Get around
Kunming has generally good roads but they are often badly overloaded with traffic, and not only at peak times. By Western standards, the driving is often appalling; see Driving in China. For any journey by ground transport, a generous allowance for traffic delays is good planning.

By metro
The metro system consists of five lines, with more under construction. The metro operates from approximately 07:00 to 22:00, and fares are ¥2–10 depending on distance traveled. To buy a single-journey ticket card, select your destination on one of the ticket machines and insert the required cash. The machines give change, but only accept paper money—no coins, cards, WeChat, or Alipay. Swipe your ticket to enter the metro and insert it when you leave, similar to the Shanghai metro system.

Line 6 from the airport to downtown was the first line to go into service, followed by Line 1 and Line 2, which temporarily combined as one line run from south to north through the city center and via Kunming Railway Station. Line 3 is an east–west line connecting to Line 6. Line 4 is a south–north line starting from the new Kunming South Railway Station.

English signage on the metro system is pretty good.

By bus
City buses costs ¥1-2 per trip and cover most of the city. They operate from about 06:00 until late evening 21:30/22:00! (from first stop, which means, if you go from last stop, you can get bus also at 23:00 going back to first stop). They stop at every stop along their assigned route, but not all bus routes stop at all physical bus stops! Don't be surprised to see a bus driving right past a stop, as it may not be on their route. Stops are usually 500 m to 1 km apart. Bus drivers are lead footed, and often race each other, especially on the ring roads. They tend to stop suddenly too, so get a good hand hold. Some of the bus stops are at the sides of the road but some bus stops are in the middle of the road and appear to have been designed to provide maximum inconvenience and danger for passengers. There have been reports of pickpockets on crowded buses, especially just before "Spring Festival", when people need extra cash. It is possible to get a bus card, which reduces the cost per trip to ¥0.90. The card itself costs ¥20 and is bought at bus stations. Bus Nos. 52 and 67 run to the airport and may cost ¥2 depending on the bus and hour. Also some other buses cost ¥2. These usually go longer distances such as to "villages" around Kunming. Bus routes are marked on some local maps (purchased from street vendors or kiosks) but are not always accurate. You can check the following Chinese only website (bus 10) but at least there is a map with the bus stop and you can quickly change bus number in the URL (this only works for regular bus, not c62 and the like).

By taxi
Taxis start at ¥8. Make sure the driver uses the meter to avoid being scammed. Sometimes, taxi drivers will ask for a flat fee, but you should avoid this, because usually such flat fees are much more expensive than using the meter for rides within the city. As usual, care should be taken when traveling at night or long distances. Larger taxis cost more than smaller taxis. Also be aware that taxis are zoned and cannot access all areas. Don't be surprised if a taxi driver cannot take you to your destination as it may be outside their zone. Only certain taxis are allowed into the central areas at certain times. This is to allow all taxis a chance at the lucrative business areas. It is especially difficult to get a taxi around 18:30, when taxi shifts switch and drivers need to return their cars. A fuel tax of ¥3 has been added to fares and is explained on a small sign on the dashboards of all taxis. Thus for each ride you'll have to add ¥3 to the meter reading to calculate your actual fare.

By bicycle
Bicycles can be rented at some hostels for about ¥20 a day. There are bike lanes along the edges of many major roads and traffic generally moves fairly slowly. In addition, a scheme in the Dianchi (lakeside) area of town provides bicycle rental as a public service, similar to schemes in Paris and London. However, registration is a prerequisite and it is unclear how accessible the system is to foreigners, particularly short-stay tourists.

Day trips and excursions

 * Dinosaur Valley at Lufeng opened at 2008. This is a national park displaying more than 70 full dinosaur skeleton fossils found in the area, scattered over the mountains about 75 km away from Kunming. Many attractions for kids available. Regular buses go from Kunming's West bust terminal. Very nice for a half-day trip. Entry ¥120.
 * Dinosaur Valley at Lufeng opened at 2008. This is a national park displaying more than 70 full dinosaur skeleton fossils found in the area, scattered over the mountains about 75 km away from Kunming. Many attractions for kids available. Regular buses go from Kunming's West bust terminal. Very nice for a half-day trip. Entry ¥120.
 * Dinosaur Valley at Lufeng opened at 2008. This is a national park displaying more than 70 full dinosaur skeleton fossils found in the area, scattered over the mountains about 75 km away from Kunming. Many attractions for kids available. Regular buses go from Kunming's West bust terminal. Very nice for a half-day trip. Entry ¥120.

Eat
Local specialties include:
 * Over-the-Bridge Rice Noodles (过桥米线; guòqiáo mǐxiàn) is a typical Yunnan local flavor that could only be tasted in some parts of Yunnan. This famous dish consists of several courses and a big bowl of chicken soup with very thick oil on top to keep the heat for cooking the food items, including raw pork, cooked chicken pieces, pork liver, slices of squid and slices of carp for the first course to be dipped into the boiling hot soup. Vegetables are then added afterwards as the second course, and the rice noodles follow as the last course. It is a kind of snack food in Yunnan.
 * The name supposedly comes from a husband who isolated himself in a garden for intensive study before his civil service exam; this is the dish his loving wife prepared, and carried over the bridge, to sustain him.

 * Steam Potted Chicken (汽锅鸡 qìguō jī) with Tienchi & Steam Potted Chicken with Cordyceps used to be made in a restaurant famous for this course. Later they created a new variety with gastrodia tuber in the soup, becoming one of the well known local nutritious dishes in Kunming. Early in the Qianlong Era of the Qing Dynasty, the steam potted chicken became popular among the common people. Jianshui County has a long history in producing the best pottery ware in Yunnan. Pots produced in this county has different shapes and forms.  The steam pot has a hollow tube fixed in the center, up to the height of the pot. Food including the raw chicken pieces, ginger, salt and so forth are put around the tube and the pot is placed onto a bigger pot with boiling water underneath. Steam will come up from the small hole in the middle to heat the food in the pot. The Chicken will be ready in 3-4 hours. The same method is used to cook other food and will increase the flavor of the dish.
 * Yiliang Roasted Duck (宜良烤鸭 Yílíang kǎoyā) - The "Goujie Roasted Duck" produced in the Goujie Street of Yiliang is extraordinarily delicious, with the crispy and yellowish skin, soft and tender duck meat, has a special slight flavor of pine needles.
 * Xuanwei Ham (宣威火腿 Xuānwēi huǒtuǐ) dates back to 1727. Xuanwei ham won a prize at the Panama Fair in 1915. In 1923, Mr. Sun Zhongshan wrote an inscription "Yin He Shi De" (which means "eat properly for a sound mind") for Xuanwei ham and taste it at a food competition held in Guangzhou. Xuanwei ham has been selling well to Southeastern Asia and European countries. As a rule, the Xuanwei ham is processed during the winter. Select the best pork leg and press out the pork blood completely. Rub it with salt and smoke or air it dry after the salt permeates to a certain depth of the pork. Try to test the pork leg in three when the surface of the pork turn in green. The quality standard is to have the ham fragrance from three needles punched in the pork. Cut the ham open from the middle, it looks bright in color and has a clean fresh color. It can be preserved well in cellar with low moisture or in a warehouse with good air conditioning. Xuanwei ham can be bought from any big or small stores. If not convenient for travelling, it is possible to buy canned Xuanwei ham.
 * Er Kuai (饵块, ěrkuài) is a chewy rice cake made from steamed rice, which is pounded, kneaded, and rolled into various shapes. The resulting cakes are used in a number of dishes: thinly-sliced erkuai stir-fried with fragrant spicy hot sauce and pork (chao er kuai), cut into square noodles served with gravy (lu er si) or in soup, or rolled into pancakes which are then wrapped around a youtiao (Chinese donut stick) with a sweet or spicy sauce (er kuai bao you tiao), an addictive street snack.
 * Red Re-fried Beans are a local favorite, consisting (as the name implies) of a red bean re-fried, often in some mixture of flour and powdered chicken broth and meat tenderizer. A succulent addition to any traditional meal.
 * Sweet Tonghai Peapowder Candy is a famous traditional snack. It is very easy to get it from any store and shopping stand. The ingredients of the sweet are quality white sugar, rice cerealose, and roasted pea powder (broad bean or pea).
 * Qujing Pickled Chives Flower was first produced in the Guanxu Year of the Qing Dynasty. Main ingredients include chives flower, salt, wine, chili, and brown sugar.
 * Sweet Pickled Kaiyuan Chinese Onion - Kaiyuan is a place in the south Yunnan and it is famous for its delicious sweet pickled Chinese onion. It is made of the Chinese onion, salt, chili, brown sugar, wine. After being sealed in a jar for three months, it is ready. It tastes crispy and slightly sweet.
 * Smoked Smelly Bean Curd is one of the popular snacks found in the night snack market in Kunming. Quality Bean Curd is used as the raw material and it is smoked over a charcoal fire. If you have chance to be at the night snack market in Kunming, remember to experience it yourself.
 * The Eight Treasures of Yunnan - Of all the well-known Yunnan cakes, the Eight Treasures of Yunnan comes first. It is packed in eight small pieces. It consists of one hard-skin cake, a ham-stuffed moon part, two crispy white parts stuffed with puree and two crispy parts stuffed with sesame, peanuts, mushroom and rutabaga pickle.
 * Wild Mushrooms (菌子 junzi)
 * Old lady potatoes with peppers and fennel (老奶洋芋 laonai yangyu)
 * Fried goats cheese (rubing), sometimes served with sugar or black pepper and salt. On the street, girls dressed in Dali minority costumes offer rubing with Hershey's chocolate, rose flavor, and condensed milk. Occasionally mixed in with green beans.
 * Local barbeque - at night, street vendors set up charcoal grills to barbeque potatoes, zucchinis, pork, chicken, beef on skewers - all sprinkled liberally with powdered local chili. The taste is excellent and incredibly spicy - typically pay ¥1-2 per skewer for a great street meal.
 * Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐 chòu dòufu) - although not strictly a local specialty, this is a favorite among Chinese everywhere. Although it is certainly an acquired taste, it should not be missed.

Many restaurants in Kunming offer localized food delivery. One particularly convenient restaurant delivery service in Kunming is called Lazy Bones Home Delivery. They deliver food for restaurants like Daddy's Diner all over Kunming. Unfortunately they charge a small fee. You can find them on the web or call.

Budget
For breakfast, try one of the stands or carts selling ¥1 steamed buns and other cheap food.

Chinese
The Vegetarian Restaurant is a few doors to the left of the Kunming Zoo main entrance on Yuan Tong Lu, serves somewhat pricey imitation meat dishes from a 1,500-year-old tradition. Dishes range from ¥3.5 to ¥98. The crispy "duck" is especially good.

Western

In the Kunming Flower and Bird Market, there is a great pizzeria set in a Qing dynasty courtyard house. The prices are more expensive than eating local dishes, but the atmosphere and quality of the food are outstanding. To find it, head to the flower and bird market and as you walk round, keep your eyes peeled for their sign above the stalls.

Along Wenlin Jie there are many Western cafes and restaurants. This street is commonly known as Western Street and the taxi drivers know it well! These cafes include:

Drink
The main club area is in the Wuhua district, specifically Kundu Bar Street. Clubs are open until 05:30 or 06:00. There are probably more than 10 clubs to suit every style and taste.

Wen Lin Street (Wen Lin Jie)
This long street is full of 20-30 small lounges/bars that locals and university students visit.

Other areas
Several western-style retro-bars can be found on Tuo East Road east of Bailong Road, and catering mostly to a local clientèle afford an opportunity to mingle with locals.

Other bars include:

Near railway station
There are a number of so-so budget options around the railway station and along Beijing Road north of the station.

Connect
If you are arriving in China through Kunming, note that there is no telco store in the Kunming Changshui Airport. A convenience store at the arrival hall (level B1) sells one at a hefty price of ¥100, it is not clear what is included in that price (as of Mar 2019).

Visas

 * 🇨🇳 China

Consulates

 * Laos
 * 🇲🇲 Myanmar
 * 🇹🇭 Thailand
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia
 * Vietnam
 * 🇰🇭 Cambodia

Stay safe
Regarding concerns about earthquakes, risk of terrorism, please refer to your own country's foreign office advice regarding travel to China.

Travelers to Kunming in 2010 reported barber shops, massage centers, and other small shops involved in various cons. One such involves an older woman entering the shop and demanding a larger amount than was quoted. The woman together with the workers apply pressure and it can be especially intimidating to be surrounded by a shop filled with angry Chinese while your head is covered in soap (and it is dripping into your eyes), all your clothes and passport are locked in a closet (and they have the key), or together they are blocking the exit. If you give in to the much larger demanded amount, the service will continue. Disagreement can result in variations of the shop workers pushing you out with your hair half cut/full of soap, barefoot, or simply not allowing you to leave while one (or many) of the workers surround you attempting to pick your pocket. To date, so many incidents have been reported to the PSB in Kunming that they are considering setting up the first ever Tourist Police unit in Yunnan Province.

Dianchi Lake (滇池) is highly polluted. Do not swim in the lake or eat fish caught in it.

Go next

 * Shilin – the Stone Forest, a national park full of spectacular stone pillars carved by erosion
 * Visit the hot springs at Anning - 34 km from Kunming.
 * Dongchuan – known for its colorful terraces
 * Travel further north-west to the old towns of Dali (4 hours) or Lijiang (8 hours), both very popular with domestic and foreign tourists. See Yunnan tourist trail for discussion.
 * Fuxian lake - one of cleanest and deepest lakes in China (hard to believe when you see how locals wash their motorbikes on the beach). One hour by bus from Kunming. Great one day trip. In Kunming get to South bus station (buses 170, 156; taxi ¥40), really far from downtown. Regular buses to Chengjiang (澄江) for ¥15–20 every hour. There you can take local transport/taxi to lake or walk. Lake is 3–4 km far from Chengjiang bus station. Last bus back to Kunming at 19:00. You also can camp on the beach, recommended not too close to city. Lake is huge, clear, beautiful! You can walk around within a weekend or just a half, to South end of lake, there are also villages with transport to Kunming.
 * The tin-mining center of Gejiu, the historic towns of Shiping, Mengzi, and (most impressive of all) Jianshui, and the Yuanyang rice terrace all lie to the south.
 * Yuanmou - buses can be taken to here will allow you to explore the Earth Forest.

title: Kunming


text:
Kunming Prefecture

Kunming Prefecture is in Yunnan Province. It borders Sichuan Province to the north, Qujing Prefecture to the east, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture to the southeast, Yuxi Prefecture to the southwest and Chuxiong Yu Autonomous Prefecture to the west.

Regions

 * Dongchuan district – area with many red fields
 * Jinning County – the county seat, Kunyang, has a large memorial park dedicated to Admiral Zheng He.

Cities

 * – the main city in the prefecture
 * Chenggong – Kunming's future city center (under construction), 20 km southeast from the present-day downtown Kunming
 * Chenggong – Kunming's future city center (under construction), 20 km southeast from the present-day downtown Kunming

Other destinations

 * Dian Chi Lake – a gigantic lake on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau near Kunming. Its nickname is the "Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland" and it was the model for the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace in Beijing.
 * – the Stone Forest, a national park full of spectacular stone pillars carved by erosion
 * – Jiaozi Snow Mountain and natural area

Understand
Kunming Prefecture is comprised of 14 county-level units (counties and districts, including the 4 districts making up Kunming City proper). Most travellers who visit this prefecture only stop in Kunming or Shilin, but there are other places to be visited.

title: Kunming Prefecture


text:
Kunnamkulam

Kunnamkulam is a city in India. It is 24 km from Thrissur, on Kozhikode highway. It can also reached from Guruvayoor, which is 8 km away.

Get in

Nearest railway station is Trichur in the east, Guruvayoor in the south and Kuttipuram in the north.

Nearest airport is Cochin airport (Nedumbassery) which is about 75 km away.

Private and state owned buses can get you here from Thrissur, Ernakulam, Guruvayoor, Kozhikode, Palghat etc.

Private tourist taxi operators are also available. They charge about US$1 for every 3.5 km covered.

See

 * Arthat Simhasana Church
 * Kakkad . Where the world renowned Kalamandalam started before Cheruthuruthi. Most government, public offices including Mini Civil Station of Kunnamkulam are located here.
 * Kakkad Ganapathy temple is a pilgrimage centre where pooram is observed in March/April.
 * Malabar Independent Syrian Church
 * Pannithadam. Where some old gold coins were found and is of archaeological interest
 * Pazhanji Church (Pazhanji Palli).
 * Tomb of St. Sleebo Mor Osthatheos Bava

Do

 * Enjoy green paddy fields, visit local Hindu temples and Christian churches.
 * There is a beautiful beach 8 km away from the city known as Chavakad, also you will get toddy on the sea shore.
 * Narimada, also known as Kallaikunnu, 4.5 km from town centre, is where lots of movies where shot, with a nearby temple complex named Inporkulam which is known for its ancient hide out, looking like modern bunks.

Buy

 * Pazhanji. A market known for areca/betel nut.

Drink
Kunnamkulam has numerous bars, see below to just name a few.:

 * Alukas Bar
 * The Beverage - (on the Pattambi Road near the market)
 * RC Bar
 * Victory International Fortgate

Stay safe
Beware of touts and scammers around Aduputty, Kakkad, and Canteen.

title: Kunnamkulam


text:
Kunshan

Kunshan (昆山) is a small city in Jiangsu province of China. It is located between Shanghai and Suzhou, about 50 km from central Shanghai and 37 km from Suzhou. Administratively, it is a county-level city within the prefecture-level city Suzhou.

Get in
Kunshan is very close to Shanghai, the largest city in China, so it's pretty easy to get in from nearly anywhere.

Shanghai Metro Line now extends into Kunshan. As of late 2017, Kunshan is the end of the line but plans call for it to eventually link to the metro systems of both Suzhou and Wuxi.

By plane
There is no airport in Kunshan. People come to Kunshan by plane mainly through airports in Shanghai or Wuxi.

Pudong Airport (浦东机场, ) is Shanghai's main international airport, 92 km to the east of Kunshan.

Shanghai's older airport Hongqiao (虹桥机场 ) services domestic flights, the only exception being the city shuttle services to Tokyo-Haneda, Seoul-Gimpo, Hong Kong, and Taipei-Songshan, it is 42 km away to the east of Kunshan.

Sunan Shuofang International Airport (苏南硕放国际机场 ) is a relatively small airport shared by Wuxi, Suzhou and some other small cities nearby, it is 41 km to the west of Kunshan.

By train
Shanghai-Nanjing Intercity express rail, Beijing-Shanghai high speed rail and the old Shanghai-Nanjing railway ran through Kunshan, so it's very convenient to get in and out by train.

There are two railway stations in Kunshan, the old Kunshan Railway Station, which mainly services conventional low speed trains and cargo trains, and the new Kunshan Nan Railway Station which services high speed trains and intercity express trains.

By metro
Kunshan is on both Suzhou metro line 11 and Shanghai metro line.

By bus
There are several long-distance bus stations in Kunshan, they provide scheduled bus services to Shanghai, Suzhou and many nearby towns and villages.

Specifically, there is a bus service to Kunshan from Shanghai, which has buses running from 10:30 to 19:30, every hour on the half hour. The ticket price was ¥76 and the journey was about one hour. Passengers can buy the tickets in Gate 6-7 and Gate 8–9, Arrival Hall, Terminal 1 (T1), or in the ticket office for long-distance buses at the exit of bus parking area, or in the Airport Long-Distance Bus Station. The bus used on this route is a sleeper bus so you get a fairly comfortably bed and a blanket.

Eat
Aozhao noodle is one of the most famous foods in Kunshan.

There are numerous Japanese teppanyaki restaurants in Kunshan, offering all-you-can-eat and drink deals for around ¥150. These are located mainly along Bailu lu, at the intersections of chaoyang road and zhenchuan road.

Drink
Oasis Bar, Bailu Lu. Best bar in town, great Western food and friendly people.

title: Kunshan


text:
Kununurra

Kununurra is a small town built on big dreams. In a remote corner of the vast Kimberley region of Western Australia, its unaffected pastoral feel makes a comfortable base from which to explore the majestic natural attractions in the rugged surrounding landscape.

Understand

 * "We are still 300 miles from the telegraph line and cannot, of course, tell what difficulties may not yet be in store for us, so I feel bound to push on, at the same time no one can regret more than I do that I am unable to follow this magnificent stream to its mouth . . . "
 * - journal of Alexander Forrest, who prudently named the river after WA Governor Sir Harry St George Ord

Kimberley was the first part of Australia to be settled by humans, maybe 65,000 years ago, and the Miriwoong are their descendants in the area they call Goonoonooram, "river". It was this River Ord, 651 km long, that grabbed the attention of the first European explorers, led by Alexander Forrest in 1879. Its fertile plains were crying out for farming, initially as cattle ranches - the patriarch of this Ponderosa was Patrick Durack, who in 1882 drove 7250 head of cattle and 200 horses overland from Queensland to establish the Lissadell, Argyle, Rosewood and Ivanhoe stations. They soon realised that fruit and veg would be even more profitable in these rich alluvial soils, and the more water (and more constant supply) they could get, the better. But Victorian technology could be no match for this forceful river.

A town only appeared in the late 1950s, with "Goonoonooram" westernised as Kununurra, when the Ord Irrigation Scheme sought to harness and regulate the huge monsoon flow. The first stage was completed in 1963 with the construction of the Diversion Dam over the natural dam of Bandicoot Rock. This created Lake Kununurra, drowned the old highway to Darwin, and fed a network of canals to nearby farms. Rice, cotton and sugar were the intended crops, but these were ravaged by pests; still there was enough profitable agriculture to go for a second stage. The Ord River Dam further south upstream was completed in 1971 and created Lake Argyle, Australia's second largest artificial Lake. Its initial capacity of 5641 gigalitre was doubled in the 1990s by raising the dam's earth wall, and a hydroelectric power station was installed. The new lakeside also became a resort area.

The other valuable crop was diamonds: these were long known in the river alluvium but only in 1979 was the source found, a volcanic pipe. Quality was low but there were lots, especially of otherwise-rare pink diamonds. Rio Tinto acquired the site and mined the pipe by open cast, down and down to 600 m, then converted in 2013 to block cave mining. By 2020 the operation was uneconomic and the mine closed.

Climate
Kununurra has a tropical monsoon climate with two distinct seasons, wet and dry. The dry from May to September is hot but not roasting, with 30°C highs, blue skies and the main influx of tourists.

October to April sees heavy rain, 40°C days and uncomfortable humid nights. Travel is difficult and some facilities close for the season; yet in many ways Kununurra is at its best. Electric storms rage from billowing pewter thunderclouds pierced by golden sunsets. Waterfalls gush from the rocks, and green new growth carpets the landscape. If you can endure the humidity and incessant rain, you'll experience a Kununurra that few will ever know.

Get in
Agriculture inspections: Western Australia has rules on what food and plant material may be brought in. This mostly affects arrivals from the nearby Northern Territory, with checks on air and (more visibly) road travellers. They're trying to keep pests at bay (though the battle against cane toads may be a lost cause, see below) and to re-assure export customers that WA produce is safe. See the official website for what is or is not allowed: there are stiff fines for failing to declare or dump (say) a stash of apples. Best eat any fresh produce beforehand, and it's too bad about the floral tributes you were bringing for your late aunt Gladys.

By plane
To town: taxis await incoming flights and cost around $12 to town. Several hotels offer a free transfer if you're staying with them. There isn’t a bus.

By road
Are you sure about this? Kununurra is only 30 km from the Northern Territory border, but a very long way from anywhere else.

From Perth by road the first objective is to reach Broome, a three-day journey of 2360 km by the North West Coastal Highway via Carnarvon, or 2050 km by the Great Northern Highway inland via Newman. These highways join at Port Hedland.

From Broome the only safe, all-weather onward route is the Great Northern Highway, 1044 km via Camballin, Fitzroy Crossing and Ord River. Reckon two days.

Gibb River Road is a scenic "short-cut", 650 km but it will take most of a week, lurching over lumps and stream beds and potholes. It's a dirt track for 4WD only, no caravans but a robust trailer should survive it. It's impassable in the wet season and may be blocked after unseasonal rains, check with the tourist bureau before setting out. It traverses great scenery across the northern Kimberleys, which the driver will be too pre-occupied to enjoy until a breakdown enforces its prolonged contemplation.

From Darwin take the sealed Stuart Highway 324 km south to Katherine. From here you turn west for 524 km on Victoria Highway.

By bus
From Perth, Integrity Coaches run two days a week to Broome, taking 36 hours along the coast via Geraldton, Carnarvon, Exmouth and Port Hedland. A third bus goes inland via Mount Magnet and Newman to Port Hedland to connect onto the coastal bus.

From Broome you take the Greyhound, ideally having changed your socks. This leaves five days a week at 6AM, and takes 14 hours via Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Durack. It takes a one-hour break in Kununurra then rumbles on overnight to Katherine, Hayes Creek, Palmerston and Darwin, another 10 hours.

From Darwin the westbound Greyhound leaves around 3PM to reach Kununurra towards 1AM and Broome at 3PM. Remember the one-hour time switch at the WA / NT border.

is the bus halt and rest stop in Kununurra, just off Victoria Highway on Messmate Way.

Get around
Even though Kununurra is small, interesting things tend to be far apart. The town doesn't have a local bus service but short hops around town can be easily done on foot. Trips further afield will require a car and getting to places on rough dirt roads needs a 4WD.

Driving around town, you will encounter few cars and not a single traffic light. On street parking and carparks are free. Most corners, even major intersections, follow the give way rule and stop signs are given the same regard by most local motorists.

Outside town, the long, straight stretches of highway give you a chance to put the foot down and eat up some miles. If you are inexperienced in country driving, watch out for oncoming road trains that can push you off the road with their draft, and kangaroos at sunset.

Car hire is available from Avis, Budget, Kununurra and Thrifty, all based at the airport but you could probably negotiate a pick-up downtown. Hertz no longer operate here.

See
Sunset and sunrise are the best times to view natural features: it's cooler, the low slanting light fires the rocks into luminous orange, and there's more wildlife about. But at sunset think about the getting back, and don't be caught out on rough unfamiliar ground when darkness falls.

Near town

 * Celebrity Tree Park is the triangle between Victoria Highway, Lily Creek Lagoon, and Kimberland on Old Darwin Rd. A park has existed since 1984, but filming of the 2008 film Australia brought a celebrity crowd to town and each celeb planted a different species of tree. The tourist agencies reckoned this would do for Kununurra what Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand, but several trees have died and plaques have dropped off others, so you may struggle to identify whether your dog is lifting its leg against one planted by Nicole Kidman or one by Baz Luhrmann. The film got mixed reviews but in 2023 was adapted as a six-part TV series. The park is free to access 24 hours.
 * Lily Creek Lagoon is the small lake just south of the highway, a side-arm of the much larger Kununurra Lake.
 * Art galleries: see Buy for these, as the work is for sale, but they won't mind you just browsing.
 * at 191 m is the local landmark and highest point for miles. You get a fair view of the surrounding countryside from the car park at the head of Kelly Road (off Speargrass Road), but for the full panorama follow the well worn trail to the service stairs up to the TV tower at the peak.
 * is the long lake created in 1963. It stretches 55 km from the Diversion Dam up to the Lake Argyle Dam, but passes just south of town. The middle is a drowned forest of dead trees poking their limbs above the water, but the fringing wetlands support a huge range of plants, birds, fish and other animals, fostered by the stable water level. There are picnic, barbecue and swimming spots off Victoria Hwy, and a cruise boat does a tour.
 * is the long lake created in 1963. It stretches 55 km from the Diversion Dam up to the Lake Argyle Dam, but passes just south of town. The middle is a drowned forest of dead trees poking their limbs above the water, but the fringing wetlands support a huge range of plants, birds, fish and other animals, fostered by the stable water level. There are picnic, barbecue and swimming spots off Victoria Hwy, and a cruise boat does a tour.
 * is the long lake created in 1963. It stretches 55 km from the Diversion Dam up to the Lake Argyle Dam, but passes just south of town. The middle is a drowned forest of dead trees poking their limbs above the water, but the fringing wetlands support a huge range of plants, birds, fish and other animals, fostered by the stable water level. There are picnic, barbecue and swimming spots off Victoria Hwy, and a cruise boat does a tour.
 * is 6 km west of town; it impounds the waters of Lake Kununurra and carries the Victoria Highway. No stopping on the dam, there's free parking either side. It's adorned by massive iron pulleys, levers and mechanical doodahs to send the water into irrigation channels north under gravity and south with pumping. White water surges through its 20 gates next to a shady picnic area and boat ramp - this is also a good fishing spot in the dry season, but may be submerged in the wet.
 * or "Sleeping Buddha" is a long outcrop by the lake, with a protuberance that faintly resembles an elephant dipping its trunk. Actually a humongous petrified caterpillar might be more like it. It's possible to climb it - head for the racetrack and continue south, but the trail is rough and unmarked. And it looks even less like an elephant or Buddha from up there.

Further out

 * 10 km from town is as far north as you can get all-weather and by 2WD, along the sealed Ivanhoe Road. Most folk stop at this point to fish for Barramundi, have a BBQ or relax along along the water's edge. Swimming is unwise as the freshwater crocs got in first and don't like to share. The two-stage crossing of the River Ord is sealed but always submerged: it's okay by 4WD or on foot when water levels are low, but after rains the river is an impassable torrent. Beyond is the unsealed Parry Creek Road.
 * 32 km north of town is a deep waterhole at the base of a 30 m waterfall. If you got here by Ivanhoe Crossing and Parry Creek Road you wasted your time, because when the river is that low, the waterfall here is a trickle and the pool is stagnant cocoa. But during breaks in the rains, a 4WD can slither up unsealed Valentine Spring Road, reached off Victoria Highway 12 km west of town.
 * Middle Springs or Mayiba is a smaller falls and pool in another gully 500 m south of Black Rock.
 * Secret Springs it would be a crime to show on the map. Continue north on Valentine Spring Road for 5 km past the Black Rock turn-off, then take the next left (unsigned). Grind slowly and carefully up this track for 9 km to find the three main pools.
 * is an enormous lake created by the upper dam. Reach it by driving 35 km southeast on Victoria Hwy almost to the NT border, then take Highway 256, the sealed Lake Argyle Road, for 35 km southwest. This brings you to the resort village (see Sleep), the dam, and then a picnic area at its final turnaround. The scenery is stark going-on surreal, with arid hills above the lake's aching blue. You can swim, hike or fish around the myriad of islands, bays and beaches. Cruise and fishing charter boats ply the waters and are a good way to explore the lake, which has no fringing track.
 * Argyle Diamond Mine was about 50 km south of the lake, reached by a separate access road. It comprised a deep pit, a sprawl of industry, and a pre-fab village where "swing" workers rotated through on two week shifts. It's mostly all been cleared away and the site is fenced off, no point coming to try to grub through the dirt for diamonds.
 * El Questro: see Wyndham for this wilderness park 100 km west of Kununurra.

Do

 * What's going on? Read Kimberley Echo, published Thursdays. Or listen to Redwave Media Spirit on 102.5 FM.
 * Footy: Ord River Magpies men and women play Australian rules football in the amateur leagues, at Ivanhoe Rd next to the KAS Showgrounds.
 * has flat horse-racing and rodeos during the dry season. Reach it by the unsealed Drovers Road, which branches off Victoria Highway east of town.
 * Boat trips explore Lake Kununurra and the Ord River. Operators are Triple J Tours and Kununurra Cruises.
 * has flat horse-racing and rodeos during the dry season. Reach it by the unsealed Drovers Road, which branches off Victoria Highway east of town.
 * Boat trips explore Lake Kununurra and the Ord River. Operators are Triple J Tours and Kununurra Cruises.

Events

 * Ord Valley Muster is held over a week in May, with art, music, dance and cultural events. The main venue is Celebrity Tree Park.
 * Kununurra Agricultural Show is over two days in mid July. The Showgrounds are at the corner of Ivanhoe Rd and Coolabah Drive, opposite Ivanhoe Caravan Resort.
 * Kimberley Economic Forum is a business event in alternate years. The next is held at Kimberley Grande Resort 28-30 Aug 2024.

Work
See Australia for the eligibility rules on who may work here. "Help wanted" jobs are advertised in the local paper and supermarket notice boards, or ask around.

For the unskilled, harvesting gigs are available between June and November.

Hospitality work at the hotels is available in the tourist season, but they'll want you to have some skills and experience, and to commit to the full season.

Buy

 * As elsewhere in the far north of Western Australia, prices are high because of the cost of transporting goods.

 * Fuel: Ord River Roadhouse is open 24 hours and is the cheapest you'll find for a long way.
 * Saturday market has local produce, crafts and knick-knacks. It's held on White Gum Park by the Visitor Centre, April-Sep Sa 8AM-noon.
 * Saturday market has local produce, crafts and knick-knacks. It's held on White Gum Park by the Visitor Centre, April-Sep Sa 8AM-noon.
 * Saturday market has local produce, crafts and knick-knacks. It's held on White Gum Park by the Visitor Centre, April-Sep Sa 8AM-noon.

Eat
Hotel restaurants generally have the best fare. Among the offerings are dishes of crocodile, kangaroo and barramundi; if only someone would invent a culinary use for the cane toad.

Fresh local fruit and veg are abundant in season, such as Kensington Pride mangos September-December. Then all of a sudden they're gone, and what's on the supermarket shelf or in the restaurant meal has spent most of a week in a refrigerated truck.

Boab nut is worth a try. Boab trees start to fruit in October, and in January the mature nut drops to the ground. The nuts are too high to pick from a branch, so you need to search for an intact one among the litter of smashed shells left by birds. The flaky dry white flesh inside the thin-shelled nut is compared by some to citrus-flavoured powdered milk, and by others to sour Styrofoam. The tubers of baby boabs are also edible and resemble water chestnut. Bottles of spiced boab chutney may be on sale at the Saturday markets.

Mid-range

 * Zebra Rock Restaurant within Kununurra Hotel serves food daily 7-10AM, noon-8PM.
 * Lily's Cafe is within Lily Lagoon Resort, open daily.
 * Lily's Cafe is within Lily Lagoon Resort, open daily.
 * Lily's Cafe is within Lily Lagoon Resort, open daily.
 * Lily's Cafe is within Lily Lagoon Resort, open daily.

Splurge

 * The Grande Bistro is within Kimberley Grande Resort, serving Australian fare M-Th 5:30-8PM, F-Su noon-2PM, 5:30-8PM.

Drink
If there is one thing that Kununurra residents do well, it's drink. As with food, the better drinking holes are in hotel restaurant bars, most of which are licensed to allow you to drink without purchasing a meal. Any establishment with the word bar in the name is a safe bet. Though the usual street drinking laws are still enforced, you are unlikely to be hassled by the local constabulary if you are having a quiet one while lounging on a rock with a good view.

Occasionally, bottle shops are prohibited to sell full strength beer, wine and spirits till after 7PM, whenever the local police deem that a community event will be marred by availability of booze during the day. Though it might feel like a ridiculous inconvenience, there's no point complaining to the bottle shop staff. Just come back after 7PM like everyone else.

The rest of the time there are plenty of ways to get something cold and numbing to slake your thirst.

 * Aussie Sports Bar is within Hotel Kununurra at 37 Messmate Way, open daily noon-8PM.
 * Their Thirsty Camel Bottle Shop has a wide selection and is open M-Sa noon-6PM.

 * Sports Bar within Kimberley Grande Resort has six wide-screen TVs showing cable sport channels. It's open noon to midnight.
 * Water: you're going to need lots, so get a 5-10 litre container at the supermarkets.
 * Water: you're going to need lots, so get a 5-10 litre container at the supermarkets.
 * Water: you're going to need lots, so get a 5-10 litre container at the supermarkets.

Sleep

 * Rates quoted are for the April - Oct dry season. Rates drop in the wet, when travel here is misery.

Budget

 * Kunurra Backpackers is mostly occupied by contract workers but may have short-term availability. It's at 24 Nutwood Cres north side of town.

Splurge

 * Houseboats are available for rent on Lily Creek Lagoon and elsewhere in Kimberley.
 * Houseboats are available for rent on Lily Creek Lagoon and elsewhere in Kimberley.
 * Houseboats are available for rent on Lily Creek Lagoon and elsewhere in Kimberley.

Connect

 * Mobile: as of March 2024, town has 4G from Telstra and a scratchy mobile signal from Optus and Vodafone. There's no signal on the approach highways.
 * Mobile: as of March 2024, town has 4G from Telstra and a scratchy mobile signal from Optus and Vodafone. There's no signal on the approach highways.

Go next

 * Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle Range) — a striking jumble of striped sandstone domes that truly deserves to be described as a must see. Although scenic flights from Kununurra are popular, Purnululu is really best appreciated from ground level.
 * Darwin — Route 1 continues eastwards from Kununurra into the Northern Territory, passing through Judbarra / Gregory National Park and Katherine before reaching Darwin after about 800 km.
 * Warmun (Turkey Creek) — an Aboriginal community around 200 km south of Kununurra. Besides being an entry point to the Purnululu National Park, it also has a long standing arts scene that's produced a number of internationally recognised Aboriginal Artists. A roadhouse, caravan park and basic hotel accommodation are enough to rest and refuel.
 * Wyndham — the oldest and most northerly town in the Kimberley. Wyndham is about 100 km from Kununurra and sits in the Cambridge Gulf at the confluence of five rivers. Among the desolate natural scenery are a number of interesting relics from the towns boom and bust history.
 * Tennant Creek

title: Kununurra


text:
Kuopio

Kuopio is the capital and largest city of North Savonia. The city is surrounded by lakes from three sides, which supplies loads of beaches and the feeling of water being always close. Some of the wooden houses arranged as a grid have been preserved in the centre which makes it a nice place to visit. The former municipalities of Juankoski, Karttula, Maaninka, Nilsiä, Riistavesi and Vehmersalmi have been incorporated into Kuopio and are described in this article; the municipality now covers a fifth of the area of North Savonia.

Understand

Kuopio was established as a parish in the 1550s and incorporated as a city in 1782. Kuopio has a population of around 122,000 (2021).

Kuopio is on a peninsula in the middle of the lake Kallavesi. The lake has an area of, or if all Iso-Kalla is counted and then the 10th largest lake of Finland,  in length with a shoreline of. Some 400 islands are larger than a hectare. The Heinävesi and Leppävirta routes provide boat and ship access to Lake Saimaa downstream. Kuopio and neighbouring are the far end of 4-m shipping lanes from the Baltic Sea via Saimaa Canal. 2.4-m fairways continue to Iisalmi.

By train
About 4–5 hours from Helsinki. Tickets and timetables information: VR

By boat

Kuopio is also reachable by yacht from the sea, via the Saimaa Canal, via either Varkaus or Heinävesi. Some marinas:

 * By the centre:
 * Elsewhere
 * Elsewhere
 * Elsewhere
 * Elsewhere

By bus
Good connections from all directions. Direct routes connect Kuopio f.ex. with Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä and Joensuu.

Coming via Tallinn or Stockholm, there may be coach connections from the port with arranged transfer, mostly via Kamppi.

Timetables, fares and tickets information: Matkahuolto

By car
National highway 5 from Helsinki and highway 9 (E63) from Turku. Kuopio is about a five hour drive from Helsinki. If you want to use alternative less busy route, drive through roads 4, 616, 447, 72, 9 and 5.

By bus

Kuopio has a good system of public transport. You can ride from one part of the city to another with a single ticket of €3.30, children (7–16) €1.70, €5/2.60 in the night (23:00–04:00). Kauppatori is the hub of Kuopio's public transport system, but be aware that many bus lines just pass through and continue somewhere to the other side of the city.

Smartphone tickets for the buses can be bought using Waltti or Routes and Tickets apps.

Information about local buses can be found at Vilkku. You can use the Digitransit route planner to find local bus routes between given locations and addresses.

Electric kick scooters
American Bird, Finnish Move on East and German Tier rent electric kick scooters for use in the centre.

By bike
Kuopio has a city bike system.

By taxi

 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Taksi EHT, Taksinappi, Taksini
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Taksi EHT, Taksinappi, Taksini
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Taksi EHT, Taksinappi, Taksini
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Taksi EHT, Taksinappi, Taksini

In summer

 * Watch football at KuPS. They play soccer April-Oct in Veikkausliiga, the top tier in Finland. Their home ground Savon Sanomat Areena (capacity 5000) is a short walk south of town centre. They share it with the women's team Palokissat.

Buy

Alcohol
Alko is the national alcoholic beverage retailing monopoly in Finland. Essentially, it is the only store in the country which retails beer over 4.7% ABV, wine (except in vineyards) and spirits. Alcoholic beverages are also sold in licensed restaurants and bars to ages 18 and up. Alko is required by law to sell drinks with lower alcohol content than 4.7% and non-alcoholic alternatives, but in practice carries a very limited stock of low alcohol beer, cider and non-alcoholic drinks and mixers as supermarkets sell the same products at a lower price.

Eat

 * Kalakukko fish pie, The best-known speciality in the province of Savo is probably the ‘kalakukko’ fish pie, a type of rye bread pie stuffed with fish (the name literally means "fish rooster"). Once you have tasted warm ‘kalakukko’, it is hard to resist. The best places for shopping for a genuine ‘kalakukko’, consisting vendace or perch and bacon baked inside a rye crust, are the Market Hall and the Marketplace.
 * You should also try fried vendace (muikku, a fresh-water fish) at local kiosks and restaurants.

Press
Locally published newspapers include:
 * Savon Sanomat
 * Viikkosavo
 * Kuopion Kaupunkilehti

Religious services
Local international churches:
 * Kuopio church international International friendship group provides activities: learn English, bible study groups, camps and sport events.

Go next

 * (in Leppävirta, 54 km from Kuopio) — Spa hotel with the only ski and multipurpose sports hall in the world built into rock. The skiing, biathlon and curling facilities are available around the year. For children there is also a snow play area.

You could continue by ferry or boat, either on the route Kuopio–Heinävesi–Savonlinna (a national landscape) or Kuopio–Varkaus–Savonlinna–Lappeenranta. Savonlinna is famous for its castle and the opera festival held in its courtyard. Lappeenranta is the starting point of the Saimaa Canal to Vyborg and the sea.

title: Kuopio


text:
Kuortane

Kuortane is a municipality of Southern Ostrobothnia, 40 km from Seinäjoki.

Get in
Kuortane has direct buses from Seinäjoki, Tampere and Kokkola. Osmo Aho route Pohjanmaan pikavuoro between Tampere and Kokkola stops at Kuortane, its tickets are are sold at Onnibus web site.

By taxi
See Southern Ostrobothnia
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

Do

This is a training place for top Finnish and international sporting performers. Besides, there are also a lot of activities for the whole family and athletes. People can come to have a few days of practicing some sports or experimenting new activities such as boxing, Sumba lessons, and many others and have a great time. Here guests can learn important and vital things about health, well-being, eating habits for a better daily life. Therefore, it can become more than just a leisure time for some; it can be an investment for a good lifestyle.

The Kuortane Sport Institute is IAAF accredited training center. During summer time there are nature and exercise tracks, 15 outdoor tennis courts, climbing wall, beach volleyball, a golf course (5 km away), canoeing, kayaking, church boats, swimming beach next to the hotel. It is considered a very safe beach for kids because the water has a low level. Besides, during the winter there are other sports such as cross country skiing tracks, downhill skiing (30 km), skating, snow shoe treks and ice fishing.

Some of the indoor facilities offered are the Kuortane Arena offering athletic areas, the Ica Arena for ice hockey and figure skating, swimming pool, the Bowling Alley, the indoor Golf Training Facility and the Sports Arena.

There is a local beach sauna for groups of up to 40 and a barbeque place.

The Wellbeing Center offers guided exercise courses and lectures, human performance programs, physical care services, massage and zone therapy.

Kuortane Sports Resort offers a variety of accommodation options and price levels. All the rooms are furnished and there are four different sizes available. Some of them have their own sauna, washing machine and balconies with a wonderful view of the Kuortane Lake.

There are four different types of restaurants. Visitors can choose according to their preference the Eppula Buffet Table, the restaurant Aalto à la Carte, the Café Tassi menu. Also, there is a bar next to the bowling area.

Moreover, the resort offers the possibility for setting up events or meetings for families or companies.

title: Kuortane