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Wikivoyage:Joke articles/East Berlin

East Berlin is in the German Democratic Republic.

Understand

As a result of quadripartite occupation by the allied powers (USSR in the East, USA-France-UK in the West), Berlin holds a special political status. The highest profile of the few points where East meets West, East Berlin is by far the easiest spot to visit behind the Iron Curtain.

The de facto capital of the German Democratic Republic or "East Germany", East Berlin is also its most populous city at just above a million inhabitants. The city is proudly displayed as the glistening show piece of a glorious socialist workers' paradise which the régime presents to the wider world with slightly fuller shelves, modern Plattenbau housing estates and the meticulously maintained Karl Marx Allee where parades are frequently held.

Get in
A word to the wise regarding border controls: East German custom and border officials are notorious for their lack of humor or even common courtesy. Expect to be picked for an especially thorough search for no other reason than they don't like your face. Apart from the "obvious" like hard currency, goods only available for hard currency and illegal goods, customs agents are particularly on the lookout for what they deem "political literature" — particularly if written in German. You might consider your Spiegel or Stern a harmless read on the train — the GDR customs officials will certainly consider it an attempt to bring down their régime or worse.

Visa requirements
Citizens of most nations require a visa to cross into East Germany or East Berlin. For obtaining visas for the GDR or visas for longer stays see the GDR section. A one-day Visa for East Berlin can easily be obtained at the border, passport required (ID-card and visa voucher for West Berlin citizens). A charge of 5 DM applies except for West Berlin Citizens. One-day visas are technically valid from midnight, practically from 7 am, as this is the official opening time of the checkpoints, until midnight (2 am for West Berliners). Usually day visa are given out until around 8 pm. Since checkpoints are open until 2 am for West Berliners (Checkpoint Charlie 24/7 for diplomats and allied patrols), the adventurous might try to enter just after midnight to get a visa for the new day and jump into the East Berlin nightlife.

Overstaying will almost certainly result in a fine. The only chance to spontaneously extend the stay is a booking of a hotel room in the Interhotel "Palasthotel", "Grand Hotel" or "Metropol". Expect prices around 200 DM per person per night, hard currency only. After receiving the payment the hotel will take care of the visa extension.

Entry points include:
 * Bahnhof Friedrichstraße, all nations, pedestrian only. From the west, Bahnhof Friedrichstraße can only be reached by U-Bahn (Line 6) or S-Bahn (Lines 1 and 2).
 * Bornholmer Straße, West Germans, West Berliners, GDR only. Pedestrian or car
 * Chausseestraße, West Berliners, GDR only. Pedestrian or car
 * Invalidenstraße West Berliners, GDR only. Pedestrian or car
 * Friedrichstraße ("Checkpoint Charlie"), third nations, GDR, pedestrian or car.
 * Heinrich-Heine-Straße, West Germans, GDR only. Pedestrian or car
 * Oberbaumbrücke, West Berliners, GDR only. Pedestrian only
 * Sonnenallee, West Berliners, GDR only. Pedestrian or car

By plane
Berlin (or rather a suburb) is home to East Germany's best and largest airport, Schönefeld Airport. The airport is located outside the city limits in the town of Schönefeld in the southeast. It is not subject to the four-power-regulations (which impose a limitation of only allowing carriers of the four allied nations) and thus receives flights from more carriers. The airport is served by all major eastern airlines, as well as GDR flag carrier Interflug. Schönefeld also offers flights to some Western European (but not West German) destinations for more affordable prices than the West Berlin airports and thus attracts passengers from West Berlin as well. Due to flights to/from Schönefeld sometimes being hijacked by Easterners wishing to defect, security is tight and there are rumors of Stasi officers on every plane (though whether that only applies to Interflug or to all airlines is unclear). From Schönefeld Airport take the S-Bahn into town.

One cannot obtain visas for East Germany at the airport (except transit visa). All visa requirements have to be met beforehand.

The West Berlin airports of Tempelhof in the American sector and Tegel  in the French sector have flights from all major West German Airports and Paris, but not to other destinations (flights to UK or the US would be possible under four-power-regulations, but are not offered). From there use the West Berlin inner-city transport to get to the border checkpoints. Flights to West Berlin are a special experience, since the allied air corridors allow a maximum altitude of 10.000 feet, which gives much better ground visibility.

From East Germany
East Berlin is well connected to the East German network run by Deutsche Reichsbahn and the steam trains are a cool way of getting around although they're not all that fast — riding East German trains can be an adventure all by itself. However, given the state of the roads and the low car ownership rate they are rather popular with the locals and train remains the main way cargo is moved around East Germany — in sharp contrast with the west, where trucks clog the roads.

Train stations for long distance trains are Berlin Hauptbahnhof (formerly known as Schlesischer Bahnhof and then Ostbahnhof) or Berlin-Lichtenberg. Both stations are connected with the S-Bahn and Buses. Lichtenberg is also served by U-Bahn and tram. Depending on your final destination in East Berlin there is also the possibility to change to the S-Bahn at Schönefeld Airport Station, at Bernau or Erkner, depending on the starting point.

From West Germany
All trains from West Germany to Berlin pass West Berlin before they reach their terminus at Berlin Friedrichstraße station. This means, you do the standard transit procedure to West Berlin and enter East Berlin as a pedestrian (see below).

While the GDR government has ceased its earlier cancellation and blockade of "transit" services from West Germany to West Berlin, they do the bare minimum maintenance of the transit rail lines and even though the transit passengers are a source of hard currency, travel times of several hours even for the shorter routes aren't out of the ordinary. Add seemingly random delays at the border and the unfriendly and harsh border police and many West Germans and West Berliners vastly prefer flying to get around the hassle. There are currently talks between the West and East German governments to expand the Hanover-Berlin transit corridor with Western money to remedy the issue and hopefully one day run a high speed train — currently undergoing extensive testing under the tentative name "Inter-City Experimental" — over the yet-to-be-built route, but given the difficulty of all types of negotiations and the seemingly random tightening of "border security" measures by the East Germans don't expect it to even start construction before 1995.

From East Germany
There are motorways from Frankfurt/Oder, Dresden, Leipzig, Magdeburg, Schwerin and Prenzlau to Berlin. All meet at the Berlin Orbital, the world's longest ring highway, which is mostly due to the fact that it was completed in the 1970s in a way to avoid touching West Berlin and it only slightly grazes East Berlin in one point. There is a tree known colloquially as the "Stundeneiche" ("hour oak") as it marks a point from where central Berlin is roughly an hour away. Unlike the famed West German Autobahn, East German highways are often still in the state in which the Nazis built them (if worse for wear) and some are actually paved with cobblestone. Unfortunately the roads in and around Berlin are also the lone exception to the general low traffic congestion in the East.

From West Germany
If you want to get to East Berlin directly from West Germany (or other bordering countries of the GDR), you have to meet visa requirements beforehand. There is no chance of getting a visitor visa at the border. Otherwise do the standard transit procedure and travel to East Berlin from West Berlin (see below).

Traffic from Western nations must clear a series of three checkpoints:
 * Checkpoint Alpha (the Helmstedt–Marienborn border) guards the crossing out of West Germany on the main transit road, Bundesautobahn 2 (A2)
 * Checkpoint Bravo (Grenzübergangsstelle Drewitz-Dreilinden) controls main autobahn border crossing points into West Berlin
 * Checkpoint Charlie controls access from West Berlin to East Berlin for foreigners and armed forces of the quadripartite occupying powers

The transit roads into East Berlin are in a better state than other highways in East Germany, but that isn't saying much. If you are only transiting, you are expected to make no stops except at designated rest stations and, as your transit visa is timestamped, it is highly advisable to bring proof of any rest stop lest the border guards start asking questions. It is rumored that, like pretty much anything else, rest stops are infiltrated by plain clothes Stasi officers, so don't say anything you'd not want the Stasi to hear.

Crossing the inner-city Berlin Wall
Please note that you can cross the border only at designated border crossing points by foot or by car. There is no public transport crossing the border. Using public transport always means exiting the western transport, cross the border by foot and rejoin eastern public transport and vice versa. Please note also that it is forbidden to use motorcycles to cross the wall, also bicycles are not allowed (you may take your bikes in your car though). Taxis likewise can bring you to the border, but not cross it.

Access to the border checkpoints are as follows:
 * Bahnhof Friedrichstraße: From the west: U-Bahn (Line 6) or S-Bahn (Lines 1 and 2). Please note you can change between those lines without crossing into East Berlin. There are duty free stores Intershop on the platforms which sell cigarettes and liquor cheaper than West Berlin high-street prices. There is, however, no allowance to bring cigarettes and liquor, if you hadnt actually crossed the border. From the East: S-Bahn, tram (tram station Am Kupfergraben 200 m away), buses, taxi or by foot.
 * Bornholmer Straße: From the west: Bus, taxi or by foot. From the East: Tram, bus, taxi, foot. The S-Bahn-Station Bornholmer Straße is closed. Trains from both sides pass the station without stop.
 * Chausseestraße: From the west: U-Bahn (Line 6, Chausseestraße Station), bus, taxi, by foot. From the East: Tram, bus, taxi
 * Invalidenstraße: From the west: Bus, taxi, foot. From the East: Tram, bus, taxi, foot
 * Invalidenstraße: From the west: Bus, taxi, foot. From the East: Tram, bus, taxi, foot
 * Friedrichstraße ("Checkpoint Charlie"): From the west: U-Bahn (Line 6, Kochstraße station, 150 m), bus, taxi, foot. From the East: U-Bahn (Line A, Stadtmitte station, 400 m), bus, taxi, foot.
 * Heinrich-Heine-Straße: From the west: U-Bahn (Line 8, Moritzplatz station, 150 m), bus, taxi, foot. From the East: Bus, taxi, foot
 * Oberbaumbrücke: From the west: U-Bahn (Line 1, Schlesisches Tor station, 500 m), taxi, foot. From the East: S-Bahn (Warschauer Straße station, 500 m), taxi, foot.
 * Sonnenallee: From the west: Bus, taxi, foot. From the East: S-Bahn (Sonnenallee station, 500 m), taxi, foot.

Entry
After you choose the correct queue at the first booth, your will be asked to fill in a registration form in two pieces with some of your personal and passport data. Also there are questions on the purpose of your stay and, if applicable, the name of the person you're visiting passports will be checked and your visa issued. The passport inspector will take your 5 DM fees, inspect your passport by comparing the photograph with your face. Once satisfied, you will receive your passport with the second registration card (they keep the first) and the visa as a separate sheet of paper, which you should guard carefully — trying to exit without it will get you into deeeeep trouble.

Next is the minimum change, 25 DM into 25 M at a rate of 1:1. Sometimes the eastern money comes in a plastic bag with a 20 M note and coins (quite handy, if you need change for public transport), but sometimes you get away with a 20 M and a 5 M note.

At the next booth is the customs inspection. You will be asked to fill in a customs declaration form. All items which you import into the GDR (as presents e.g.) have to be listed as well as the money you take with you. Bringing hard currency is allowed without limit, but needs to be declared and you will be asked on differences at the exit.

Exit
You have to exit at the same checkpoint you used for entry.

A guard will inspect your papers to allow access to the checkpoint. You will be asked to the customs inspection first. They check your customs declaration form, ask for any leftover eastern currency (correct answer: none), items bought or received as presents. You might have to produce the amount of declared hard currency.

Last step is the passport inspection, again there is looking at you.

By car
Leave your favourite tapes for the car radio at home. You won't get them across the border.

In addition to your personal documents, you need car registration papers and a green international insurance card. You also have to pay a road use charge of 10 DM (not applicable for West Germans and West Berliners).

Mobile car-phones will be sealed or otherwise made defunct during the stay. Please note that Western car rentals usually forbid taking rented cars to the East.

When exiting, your car will be searched thoroughly, until the officer is satisfied that you did not hide any defectors. It means opening the hood, trunk, rear bench, inspecting the tank, roll mirrors under the car. Assume they are well informed on any car types and how to remove anything. Most of the procedure you can wait sitting in the car, but you will be asked for assistance in opening the hood and trunk (or simply to do it yourself, removing luggage and so on at the orders of the officer).

Do's and dont's
The atmosphere with uniforms, heavily armed guards, roadblocks, and so on is intentionally intimidating. Keep cool.

Bringing East German currency in and out is strictly forbidden. Also do not bring any printed items which the GDR might consider as negative. This can, for example, be a calendar with the anniversary of the June 17th uprising marked as a public holiday. Also all magnetic tapes, cassettes, floppy discs — and of course, as with any international border, any kind of weapons, explosives, or drugs.

Some items may not be taken across the inner German frontier, mainly anything that is subsidised. These include textiles, shoes and some food (although the last woman reported to have gone handbag shopping in the East is now kept in an asylum).

Fares
A single journey is 0,20 M. You can buy tickets in advance in blocks of 5 for 1 M at ticket counters in S- or U-Bahn stations, or pay on the train using mechanical ticket dispensers. Just throw the money into a wheel behind a glass, and pull the ticket. No change given. Tickets are for a single ride, without transfer (which requires a new ticket).

Day tickets cost 2 M and can be used on all public transport within the city limits. They are also available at U- and S-Bahn stations.

By S-Bahn
The S-Bahn was the first of its kind in the world, opened in the Weimar Republic and expanded by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympics. It is one of very few things better maintained in the East than in the West mostly due to it being operated by (East German) Deutsche Reichsbahn even in the Western sectors and consequently boycotted by many Western anti-Communists. The S-Bahn runs nearly 24 hours a day, with an operating break between approximately 2 and 4AM. The S-Bahn is the best choice to cover large distances, as the trains are fast and run very frequently during daytime. Also, it is above ground and often allows nice views. Note that most S-Bahn lines also cover suburbs outside Berlin, which may not be covered by your visa. If you have an East Berlin-only visa, the S-Bahn grid and the last stations within the Berlin city limits are mapped on the back of the visa sheet. There are random patrols on the trains to enforce that.

By subway
The East German subway network has hardly been expanded since the end of the war, and many stations show signs of aging. It's still fast and a good way to get to the places where it does go, but — unlike in the West — it's not the main mode of transport. Indeed, two West Berlin U-Bahn lines, U6 and U8, pass under East Berlin through a series of Geisterbahnhöfe, or ghost stations, that have been closed since the city was divided. The one exception is Berlin-Friedrichstraße on the U6 line, which is also served by several East Berlin S-Bahn lines, though you must pass through border control to transfer between services. Note that East Berlin transit maps do not illustrate these U-Bahn lines.

In East Berlin there are two lines: Thälmannplatz to Pankow Vinetastr (Line A) and Alexanderplatz to Friedrichsfelde Ost (Line E). They meet at Alexanderplatz, where you can transfer. Trains run every ten minutes between 4AM and shortly after midnight.

By tram
East Berlin has a well maintained tram network (probably the best in the GDR and one of the best in the Eastern bloc) mostly running Czechoslovakian Tatra wagons. No matter where you're going, the tram will get you there faster than a car.

By taxi
If you find an empty taxi, flag it down and take a photograph, as it is a rare sight. The ride is comfortable in Russian-built Wolga-Limousins. Taxis are organised under VEB Kraftverkehr Berlin and work as socialism works: they pretend to pay you, you pretend to work.

There are taxi ranks at traffic hotspots, but rarely any taxis there. If the yellow taxi sign on the roof is lit, you can flag it down in the street. Prices are moderate, approximately 1 M per mile.

By black taxi
If there is a market, there will always be somebody to serve it. Socialism is no exception to that. Thus many private drivers of the Schwarztaxe cruise the streets and pick up passengers, especially at night. Just stand at the street and give a sign. Many claim this is the only properly working means of transport in East Berlin. Just tell the driver your destination. Prices are negotiable. 1 M per km is considered appropriate, though convertible currency certainly won't be rejected either.

By car
In short: don't. The locals can get mind-boggling horsepower out of their two stroke Trabant (derisively or affectionately called "Trabbi" or "Rennpappe" - literally "running cardboard") with homebrew repairs and tuning. They need petroil, leaving any sane driver in the dust and a cloud of oily gasoline fumes. And don't even try to contend with the upper echelons in their Ladas and Wartburgs that think their party membership means the road belongs to them. While the régime is careful to keep potholes in Berlin to a minimum, they do crop up here as well, though they are less common than in provincial cities like Karl Marx Stadt or Rostock. East Berlin is also a big exception to the rule of East German cities being spared the worst traffic jams.

Still, if you do: Don't drink and drive. There is a zero alcohol policy, which is strictly enforced. It might even detect residual alcohol from the night before. Unlike West German rules, you may turn right on red traffic lights, if there is a green arrow signposted and you are certain not to interfere with others' right of way. There are plenty of traffic police along the way who are eager to fine you for even the slightest breach of regulations.

On foot
There is no such thing as a pleasant stroll in Berlin. The smell of lignite and oiled gasoline is overwhelming and the overall drab exterior makes few places worth exploring. That said, the parades lead to streets being shut down and checking out the latest in military marches and hymns to the inevitable victory of Marxism Leninism is as good a way as any to spend a day with nothing else to do (literally, everything else is closed).

Ampelmännchen (literally "little traffic light men") are a common symbol on pedestrian signals in the German Democratic Republic. This distinctive socialist traffic icon displays a male figure wearing a Communist hat.

Prussian heritage
As the historical centre (district Berlin-Mitte) is part of East Berlin, many buildings of the old Prussian capital are here, concentrated along the Baroque axis Unter den Linden and its side streets. Though the communists demolished the Stadtschloss of the Kaiser to replace it with the Palast der Republik (see below), still many of the imperial buildings are left, including
 * Berliner Dom, 19th century representative arcitecture for the Kaiser
 * Guard House (Unter den Linden 4) with guards. Changing guards at noon shows military discipline performed by soldiers of the people's army (NVA), which would make every Prussian officer proud.
 * Opera House (Unter den Lindes 7) with statues of the 1813 Prussian war heroes Bülow, Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, Yorck.
 * Main building of the University (Unter den Linden 6)
 * Equestrian statue of Frederick the Great (opp. Unter den Linden 9)
 * Brandenburg Gate, located directly on the eastern side of the border within the sealed-off area. Not readily accessible from either side, but most easily seen from West Berlin

A bit off Unter den Linden is the Museum Island with the treasures of the Pergamon-Museum, the Bode Museum and others.

To the south there is the Gerndarmenmarkt with classicist architecture of the concert hall, with German and French Churches on either side

Socialist structures
The Fernsehturm (TV tower) is perhaps the most notable piece of GDR architecture and one of the highest buildings in Europe. It is visible throughout town, and unlike imperialist propaganda in western capitals, mapped on city plans. The sphere, which holds the observation platform on 669 ft, a restaurant at 681 ft and technical platforms, is encased with a special type of tiles, which in sunshine reflect the sun as a cross (Pope's revenge). If you want to enjoy the view from above, the elevator will get you up (and down) in 38 seconds. Admission: Observation deck 3 M, Restaurant (Price Stage S) 5 M. The TV tower sits amidst an ensemble designed by the GDR with the Weltzeituhr a frequent meeting point. The Nikolaiviertel is also close by and despite being the oldest neighborhood of what is now Berlin, the buildings actually date to an attempt by the GDR régime to imitate a genuine old town feel.

The Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic) is probably the thing the régime wants you to see most and it definitely has some architectural value to it. Built on the site of the former Stadtschloss, this building exhibits the best and most modern aspects of Eastern architecture as well as the newest in lamp design, giving rise to the derisive nickname "Erich's Lampenladen". It holds a large hall, where the East German parliament meets, but also concerts are staged. There are 11 entertainment places from restaurants, coffee bars to a bowling arena and discotheque.

In front of the Palast der Republik is the recently completed Marx-Engels-Forum, a public square named for the two most influential thinkers of the Communist Movement. A pair of larger-than-life statues of Marx and Engels sit at the center of the square. Behind them is a relief sculpture depicting the struggles of the German Socialist Movement, illustrating workers' exploitation under capitalist rule and their subsequent liberation in a Socialist society.

Eastwards there is the 3 miles long boulevard of the Karl-Marx-Allee with the best of socialist 1950s wedding-cake-style architecture, added by some 1970s concrete buildings. Walking the whole stretch might be a bit boring, but luckily the subway line E runs underneath it to shortcut. Best walk is between tube-stations Strausberger Platz and Weberwiese, as there are some shops, cafés and restaurants in the base floor of the 8-story and sometimes higher apartment blocks. At the beginning of the Landsberger Allee there is Leninplatz with some 1970 high-rise apartment blocks and a giant 19 mtrs Lenin-statue.

In Treptower park, south of the city, there is the Soviet War Memorial, rising some 30 m into the sky. The memorial is also grave to 7.000 soviet soldiers, who fell during the battle of Berlin.

If you want to follow the traces of Erich Honecker & Co., try the Protokollstrecke (protocol route). It is the route they take from the ministries and Communist Party Headquarters to the gated compound Wandlitz north of Berlin. Just follow the streets Grunerstraße/Alexanderstraße/Otto-Braun-Straße/Greifswalder Straße/Berliner Allee to the motorway and see, how neatly the facades are done — until one house into the side streets, from where the standard gray begins. Mostly in the mornings and in the afternoons an armada of policemen come out of the nowhere to allow a fleet of speeding Volvo-limousines to pass.

The Berlin Wall
Though the erection of the Berlin Wall is celebrated by propaganda on stamps and in speeches — even an army march was composed — the eastern authorities do their best to hide the wall from their own population. In fact you best see it from the western side or from the S-Bahn en route to Bhf. Friedrichstraße, when you cross it. From the east the border area is widely fenced off and patrols galore eagerly observe everyone lingering around there: Don't even think of taking photographs. Visibility to the actual border is mostly interrupted by concrete or stone walls. At the Brandenburg Gate the view is open, but from a distance. The best way of looking at the wall is from the S-Bahn between Schönhauser Allee and Pankow stations. The trains are cut through the entire death strip until it makes a curve at the very last concrete wall, which is the last obstacle to the west. Trains run at maximum speed and the train dispatchers continuously sweat out of every pore to get the trains out of the critical zone. After 20 seconds that Cold War rollercoaster regains East Berlin ground. Well worth the 20 Pf.

Do
The GDR is well-known for the manufacture of photographic equipment, with the Praktica line exported far and wide. One would therefore expect it to be a focal point for budding photographers. Achtung! Be very careful what you photograph, or you will be imprisoned and interrogated as a Western spy.

Soccer
Dynamo Berlin is the best in GDR soccer. It regularly attracts the best players playing the Oberliga and thus is a championship contender most of the time. The fact that the head of the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, Erich Mielke is an avid fan has nothing to do with this and any accusations of match-fixing are filthy propaganda of revanchist renegades, supporters of Dynamo Dresden or Union Berlin. They score however surprisingly often penalties in the 89th minute or injury time. Home matches are played in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark, Eberswalder Str. with a capacity of nearly 30.000. As this stadium is next to the Berlin Wall, some risk-matches are played in the Stadion der Weltjugend.

The second Berlin club is Union Berlin, home arena is Alte Försterei at Berlin-Köpenick, capacity 20.000. It is the largest single-purpose football stadium in the GDR. Union supporters are mostly in opposition with the regime and f*ck SED-singing is often heard.

The biggest and best stadium is Stadion der Weltjugend which has been host to the World Festival of Youth and Students twice (the only stadium in the world to hold that distinction). It is often used for athletics and regime showcases of all kinds, also cup finals are staged there.

Ice hockey
Ice hockey is played at Sportforum Hohenschönhausen, Konrad-Wolf-Straße. Home team is SG Dynamo Berlin, their only competitor in the Oberliga is Dynamo Weißwasser. They play each other 10 to 15 times a season (depending on modus) to determine the champion. Given the limited entertainment value, often there are tickets available.

In addition to the official championship there is the "Bestenermittlung" with true amateur teams competing in their free time.

In general the GDR regime prefers sports that can get them lots of medals at Olympic games and as team sports only get them a small chance at one bronze or silver at best, those are generally relegated to second fiddle compared to athletics, swimming and the likes. Of course Western accusations of doping are entirely unfounded and the claim that many female athletes look surprisingly "male" is a filthy imperialist lie.

Horse racing
There is harness racing at Karlshorst (Trabrennbahn Karlshorst), Hermann-Duncker-Str., near the S-Bahnhof Karlshorst. Races are two or three times a week and you see the workers on Paradise level with their horses and full purses for the betting (no hats though). There is Perimutual betting available on win, place, exacta and trifecta. Remember, even if you win big you'll be saddled with loads of non-convertible East German currency that you can't take West, so better play it safe with your bets.

A flat racing course is at Hoppegarten, which is outside the East Berlin City limits.

Buy
While shelves are slightly fuller than in the rest of the country, this is still a command economy and many goods — particularly those that have to be imported for hard currency — are sparse or unavailable. While locals make do with barter and a lot of waiting in line (rumor has it that queuing early and then bartering the space in the line is a "job" of some), owners of hard currency can shop in Intershops that have a reasonable assortment of products at or close to Western standards. Some products sold in Intershops are actually identical to Western brands license-produced in Eastern factories and the chocolate is made with actual cacao, not whichever "ersatz" the Industriekombinat came up with this time for their Schlager-Süßtafel.

If you stay at one of the hotels aimed at Western foreigners, you'll likely be given ample opportunity to spend your hard currency as the GDR goes to great lengths to extract as much DM as they can from the Klassenfeind.

Note that in this guide, unlike otherwise noted "M" stands for (non-convertible) Mark der DDR or Ostmark whereas "DM" stands for (fully convertible) Deutsche Mark or Westmark.

Eat
Nothing says Ich bin ein Berliner quite like a dozen fresh jelly doughnuts, which come highly recommended by John F. Kennedy. Oddly, these are called "Berliner" everywhere (well except where they are known as Krapfen) *except* in Berlin, where they are "pancakes" ("Pfannkuchen"). Pfannkuchen meanwhile are known as Palatschinken in Berlin. Confused yet?

In addition to that, the GDR government would like to inform you about the latest culinary advancements of Socialism, including:

 * Goldbroiler (rotisserie chicken), a proud and well-fed socialist bird, suitable for any coat of arms. Not those shabby rotten western-style birds.
 * Ketwurst (a wiener with ketchup in a hollowed out bread roll totally not the same as a "hot dog")
 * Grilletta (a pork-based patty on a bread roll with sauce totally not the same as a "hamburger")
 * Krusta (rectangular, bread based dish with various toppings depending on availability totally not the same as a "pizza" and totally superior to this inferior imperialist copy)

All of them are available at Imbiss stalls at or near Alexanderplatz.

Note that "Jägerschnitzel" is not a Schnitzel in the Austrian or West German sense at all, but rather a sausage. In general, East-German cuisine is quite influenced by its "brother peoples" in the East, particularly the USSR and Hungary.

Restaurants in the command economy are divided into several price stages from I to IV and, top class, S. Price stage I does not exist in reality, price stage II are simple, often shabby, restaurants. Beginning with price stage III you may expect table linen. Prices for a meal are 4 M to 6 M. A beer, 0,5 l is 1,12 M. Price stage IV are the wait to be seated class and price stage S is reserved for high-end (in socialist standards) cuisine. You find them in the Interhotels or at touristy spots like the top of the TV-tower. Please note that restaurant menus have only narrative character and can be far away from what really is on offer. If the waiter mumbles some Hamwanich (we don't have [that]), try something else. Repeat if necessary. The Palast der Republik has several restaurants that are better stocked than average and you have a higher chance than in other GDR restaurants to get otherwise scarce foods like bananas or oranges, though the top restaurants are hard-currency only.

Drink
Alcohol is cheap and plentiful. Prices in bars are hardly higher than in supermarkets. Favorite choices (always available for hard currency but sometimes unavailable for Mark der DDR) include:

 * Radeberger Pilsner (beer) — about 50% of production is exported, mostly to the West
 * Nordhäuser Doppelkorn (liquor)
 * Pfeffi (peppermint liquor — tastes like toothpaste)

Coffee is a favorite with the locals, which means you're out of luck looking for quality in tea. That said, the GDR is hard pressed to import enough for hard currency and despite some recent attempts to get the "brother people" of Vietnam into the coffee growing business, coffee is still scarce and a favorite in the Westpaket that West Germans send their East German relatives, due among other things to Western tax breaks. In restaurants aimed at foreigners you might get actual 100% coffee, but in the cheaper places expect anything from 49% to the whole stuff being ersatz. Blech.

Nightlife
Many cafés and restaurants open late evening as Nachtbar (night bar), dancing or disco, some with DJ, others with live music, too. Tickets are usually sold well in advance, so expect long waiting lines for a spontaneous visit. The doormen execute a strict regime. Hard currency might be an argument, but may give you some hardship with the waiting crowd. Hotel guests usually may jump the queue, if its in the same house.

Talk
Most people in East Berlin speak German, some of them with the distinctive Berlin dialect. Despite media portrayals — and the weird half-Saarland/half-Saxonian accent of Erich Honnecker — nearly nobody speaks Saxon and any attempt at a Saxon accent is bound to draw very unfriendly responses, especially when you should find yourself talking to a Stasi officer. Russian is commonly taught in schools, though results vary. Due to scant opportunities to practice them and low emphasis on them in schooling, other foreign languages are rarely to be found. Stasi agents are surprisingly good at foreign languages, however, so don't think speaking in English or French will protect you.

Apart from dialect, East Berlin language usage is also influenced by the sometimes cumbersome and overly bureaucratic coinings of the régime and in some cases the humorous responses of common people to those rather absurd terms. A whole list of "GDR-German" would be too long, but the usual suspects in the West German press can recount dozens of examples from memory.

Sleep
Be advised that Western governments maintain that East German hotels — especially those catering to foreigners — are employed to spy on foreigners in audio and video-controlled rooms. Keep your secret documents to yourself, don't partake in prostitution (which in addition to being illegal under GDR law is rumored to be a tool of the régime to extract intelligence) and avoid getting too drunk.

Connect
Note that all modes of communication into and out of East Berlin are likely to be read, tapped and otherwise spied on by the Stasi, so do not try any communication which you don't want the Stasi to get wind of through this route.

For using public payphones you need 20 Pf-coins. From payphones it is possible to phone within East Berlin, East Germany (but it is a well-kept secret to find out the appropriate area code, which varies, depending from where you call) and West Berlin, area code 849. Direct calls to West Germany or other countries are only possible with the aid of a post office, as they have to be registered.

Stay safe
While the days of Westerners being abducted in East Berlin have passed, you should still under no circumstances say anything that might be construed as a criticism of Marxism-Leninism, the East German government, the East-German-Soviet relations, the Berlin Wall or the general superiority of East Germany and its leaders over its western counterparts.

According to official reports, crime does not exist in Socialism, and the only way East Germans know of criminal activity is through the popular Polizeiruf 110 series — an original creation of GDR television and not at all similar to West German Tatort. According to West German propaganda reports in Spiegel and FAZ, criminal activity does exist even in East Berlin, but violent crime is extremely rare and the Volkspolizei is quite efficient in dealing with "regular" crime in addition to their role of keeping the peace politically.

Go next
Do you plan to go to the West next? This may be anything from a major hassle at the border to impossible, depending on your nationality. While soldiers of the allied powers in uniform are to be allowed free movement in all four sectors of Berlin under old 1940s treaties, the East German authorities might still try to hassle you and no such protection applies for any non-military member of your party or soldiers from other countries.

The GDR government has draconian laws against what it calls "Republikflucht" (desertion of the republic) and any — supposed or real — border violations. It is a matter of public record that firearms are employed to stop any unauthorized crossing of the border and while a shoot to kill policy cannot be verified at this time, many people have died trying to cross the border. Furthermore anything that can be construed as aiding third parties in crossing the border illegally — including detailed maps showing the border or "suspicious" interest for the border — is likely to attract the attention of East German authorities and you do not want their attention.

The logical place to go next is the GDR in general:
 * Potsdam is extensively touted by the GDR as a good day-trip from Berlin. It has a lot of Prussian heritage and was the site of the Potsdam conference where Stalin, Truman, Churchill and his successor Attlee negotiated about the future of the world, including Berlin partition
 * Eisenhüttenstadt, which was never called Stalinstadt — no, that's fake news — is one of the most beautiful examples of 1950s GDR architecture outside East Berlin
 * Mödlareuth is known by the Americans as "Little Berlin" as it's on the GDR border and divided by a wall.
 * Bautzen, if you overdid it. This city is home to the notorious Stasi jail.

title: Wikivoyage:Joke articles/East Berlin


text:
East Bohemia

East Bohemia is a region of the Czech Republic.

Get around
There is a modern corridor rail Praha-Ostrava-Brno-Wien going through the region. Pardubice, Choceň, Ústí nad Orlicí, Česká Třebová and Svitavy lie on the track, however most modern IC and EC trains stop only in Pardubice and Česká Třebová. To visit all other mentioned towns, you have to take either rychlík (R) or osobní/spěšný vlak (Os/Sp) trains. Chrudim lies on the rail connecting Pardubice and Jihlava. There are many minor local rails in the region as well but with few exceptions it is not very convenient to use them.

See
The Ležáky memorial commemorates the annihilation of the village of Ležáky by Nazi Germans on 9 June 1942, as a retaliation for the assassination of the acting Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich. It is 30 km south of Pardubice near Miřetice.

Go next

 * Central Bohemia
 * Highlands
 * North Bohemia
 * South Bohemia
 * West Bohemia

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

title: East Bohemia


text:
Eastbourne

Eastbourne is a popular and traditional sea-side resort town in East Sussex, on England's South East coast. It has one of the highest recorded days of sunshine per year in Britain and its climate is notable for its relatively high sunshine levels, with the town claiming to be the "Sunniest Place in the UK".

Understand
Eastbourne is about 110 km from London. It has a population of just over 100,000 (2021), making it the second largest town in Sussex. It lies at the eastern end of the South Downs range of chalk cliffs and hills: its most famous feature being Beachy Head, the highest chalk cliff in Southern England. To the east it is bordered by the low-lying flood plains of the Pevensey Levels and beyond.

The town has a reputation of being "God's waiting room" due to the high population of elderly residents, with one district of town having an average age of 71.1! Most of the population is younger, however, and you probably wouldn't see that many elderly people if you visited. The main shopping centre is being renovated to have more, better-known shops, which should make it even more popular with younger people.

Part of the town's charm is its largely undeveloped seafront, devoid of the amusements and loud activity associated with Brighton, its bigger and brasher western cousin. Eastbourne's front remains composed mainly of Victorian hotels, as much of Eastbourne has traditionally belonged to the Duke of Devonshire, who retains the rights to these buildings and refuses to allow them to be converted into shops.

The lovely 1935 bandstand remains, and traditional seafront concerts still take place every day in the holiday season for those content to listen and laze in a deckchair. The relative peace is only shattered in mid-August by the biggest event of the year for the town, "Airbourne". This justifably and proudly claims to be the South Coast's biggest free air display, and takes place over the sea attracting visitors of all ages during its four days. Many come just to see the world famous RAF Red Arrows who are regular visitors, but there are many other attractions at ground level too, such as live bands, with Scouting for Girls performing one year.

Visitor information

 * Visit Eastbourne website

By car
The main roads into Eastbourne are the A27, which runs west to Brighton, and the A259, which heads east to Hastings. The A22 (joining the A27) goes north towards London.

By train
Southern Railway is the principal train company serving Eastbourne. It is linked by train to the west with Brighton, and to the east with Bexhill, Hastings and Ashford International (for Eurostar services to France and Belgium). There is a direct line to London, stopping in London at Clapham Junction, East Croydon and finally London Victoria, with trains running between two and three times an hour, journey time between 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. If you arrive at Gatwick Airport, you can catch a Southern train to Eastbourne (which is the same train as the London Victoria-Eastbourne train), with journey times here taking about 50 minutes to an hour. Trains also come from Bedford via St Pancras and Gatwick Airport and into Brighton; although the train doesn't go to Eastbourne, you can either change at Haywards Heath or Brighton for a separate train to Eastbourne.

Fare and timetable information is available from the Southern Railway website or National Rail Enquiries- (local rate call, UK only number)

By bus
Services within Eastbourne borough are mainly operated by Stagecoach Buses Ltd, which is the successor of the company to the world's first municipal bus operator. Stagecoach Buses also operate country services to Tunbridge Wells, Heathfield, Uckfield, Willingdon, Polegate, Pevensey Bay, Hailsham, Bexhill and Hastings.

Hailsham, Pevensey Bay, Polegate, Willingdon and Hailsham are included in the local Eastbourne fare zonal system. Within the fare zone system there is an unlimited day rover ticket for £3.00, while single fares can be £1.90 as far as Polegate, rising to a higher price if continuing to Hailsham. A weekly ticket is available from the driver for £11.50 to cover this zone.

Town services are covered by services 1, 1A, 2, 3, 5, 5A and the LOOP, while out of town services are covered by services 1X, 51 (251), 52 (252), 54, 98 and 99 (as at 28 November 2010).

To Hailsham: 1X, 51, 52, 54, 98; To Bexhill and Hastings: 98, 99; To Heathfield: 51 and 52; To Tunbridge Wells: 251 and 252 (same buses as for Heathfield, which are then prefixed with a 2 from Heathfield); To Pevensey Bay: 99

Brighton is served by Brighton and Hove Buses on services 12, 12X and 13X. Brighton and Hove offer an excellent value all-day ticket for £5.00 from the driver, or £3.50 if purchased in advance on the Internet, which includes the return journey between the two towns and unlimited travel in Brighton and Hove. Those travellers who also wish to use local services in Eastbourne as well as wanting to go to Brighton for the day with unlimited travel, may wish to purchase an Explorer ticket on a Stagecoach bus for £5.50, which then gives total unlimited travel on most services in Kent and Sussex for one day, including all Stagecoach, Arriva and Brighton & Hove. The same explorer ticket on a Brighton and Hove Bus costs £7.00, so the same ticket from Stagecoach is better value.

Services 12 and 12X serve East Dean, Seaford, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Rottingdean and Saltdean en route to Brighton from Eastbourne.

Eastbourne's art deco bus station closed some years ago, but almost all services now stop in a buses-only area of the main shopping precinct at Terminus Road, near the railway station. There is no formal bus office in the town centre, but information and timetables are posted at all stops in the central area. Limited bus information can be obtained from the Tourist Information office in Cornfield Road.

By taxi
"Black cabs" are rarely seen on Eastbourne's streets, but taxis licensed by the local authority are readily available at all times from ranks either side of the railway station. The two main taxi firms in Eastbourne are 720 Taxis and 726 Taxis; both are reliable:

Do
From the country park, take a 4-hour walk on top of the cliffs back to Eastbourne. Don't forget to take a picnic, though Birling Gap is a pleasant beauty spot on this part of the coast, which looks particularly nice in Spring and has an excellent pub, restaurant and hotel.
 * This 160-km-long footpath, which starts on the Western edge of the town and runs through the South Downs National Park as far as Winchester to the west is a must for any keen walker, even if you're not an avid hiker, you can walk just a little bit of the trail and enjoy the Sussex countryside. (The location on the marker is the start of the path on the edge of Eastbourne.)
 * This 160-km-long footpath, which starts on the Western edge of the town and runs through the South Downs National Park as far as Winchester to the west is a must for any keen walker, even if you're not an avid hiker, you can walk just a little bit of the trail and enjoy the Sussex countryside. (The location on the marker is the start of the path on the edge of Eastbourne.)
 * This 160-km-long footpath, which starts on the Western edge of the town and runs through the South Downs National Park as far as Winchester to the west is a must for any keen walker, even if you're not an avid hiker, you can walk just a little bit of the trail and enjoy the Sussex countryside. (The location on the marker is the start of the path on the edge of Eastbourne.)

Events
The two biggest events in Eastbourne are Airbourne (in August) and the Nature Valley International (in June), with other events taking place mainly in summer. If you visit Eastbourne between May and September, visit the Western Lawns (near the Wishtower on the seafront, opposite the Grand Hotel) as quite often, there are events taking place there on the weekends.

Buy
While it does not perhaps offer the same range as other more fashionable shopping areas like Brighton or Tunbridge Wells, Eastbourne has a good mix of the familiar "high street" names and unusual retailers.

There is also a shop devoted to stationery for stationery lovers called All Things Analogue.

For those with more eclectic tastes, is a good area of town to visit. While it's hard to ignore the several funeral directors in South Street and Grove Road, reflecting the higher than average proportion of aged residents of the town, there are many shops for those who want to live life to the full, whatever their age. Particularly recommended is Camilla's second-hand bookshop which is stacked to the ceiling with books on just about every subject imaginable, Mr & Mrs Doaks Bumper Bookshop selling children's books including a child-friendly teashop, a Belgian chocolate emporium and a Bang and Olufsen hi-fi and TV specialist dealer.

The 2-km-long road known as (somewhat confusingly, just inland from the seafront) is like a mini-town, with two bank branches, post offices, takeaways, convenience stores, antique and curio shopping, furnishers, kitchen and carpet suppliers. This is the main A259 road, and leads northwards to Langney, where there is a district shopping with a Tesco Metro, Iceland, Family Bargains and several other smaller stores.

is more of a traditional village high street in the "posher" part of town. Even though it has two small chain supermarkets, it still has several small, independent shops, including hairdressers, florists, cafes, a bike shop, and a physiotherapist among others. While some shops have closed, business is still thriving here. It is a good place to stock up on food and drink before going to explore the nearby South Downs, being only a few minutes from the edge of the national park, and the sea

houses a large Tesco Extra store, Pets at Home, Homebase, Argos, Vokins, Wickes, McDonald's Drive-thru and Pizza Hut.

comprises Asda, Next, Boots, Matalan, Harvey's, Brantano, Cineworld Cinema and Frankie & Bennys, which adjoins the man-made Sovereign Harbour development, which also houses a number of small shops, bars and restaurants.

in Hampden Park houses a Sainsbury's Superstore, DFS and a Currys/PC World, adjacent to which is the David Lloyd Centre and Lloyds Lanes Bowling Alley. Nearby are Dunelm Mill and Halfords.

Eat
As would be expected of a seaside resort, Eastbourne offers food to suit all tastes, budgets and time demands. There are plenty of fast food outlets including McDonald's and Wimpy in Terminus Road. However, for those wanting something a little more traditional, the best fish and chip restaurants include Seaquel and Qualisea, both around the junction of Terminus Road and Seaside Road, or the Dolphin fish bar on Seaside.

Fresh seafood and shellfish can be obtained near the pier or if you are in self-catering accommodation, you can buy and cook fresh local catches from the wet fish shops alongside the fisherman's boat stores on the seafront walking east towards Princes Park.

Many different cuisines are also on offer in Terminus Road, the main street for restaurants. If you like a sea view along with good food and drink, try the Cafe Belge at the seaward end of Terminus Road, which offers around 80 Belgian beers along with a menu reflecting the culinary traditions of Belgium.

Development on the seafront is limited, but the hotel restaurants are always worth a try, as are the cafes and kiosks on the lower promenade — small establishments along the seafront, which are especially good in warm summer weather — including some that have opened in former seafront shelters. Eastbourne seems to be trying to follow the lead of Brighton in making more of its beachfront for food and entertainment and several cafes and restaurants now open into the late evening on the shoreline.

There is also a good choice of bars and restaurants available in the Sovereign Harbour Waterfront development, including some big chains like Harvester and authentic smaller restaurants like the Thai restaurant there— a great place during summer with views over the town's harbour. Some specific highlights are listed below, but it would be worth having an explore around the other parts of the town for some undiscovered highlights.

Drink
Eastbourne has plenty of pubs ranging from the traditional to the trendy. Particularly recommended for those who love, or want to try, the best local "real ale" are The Marine on Seaside, which also offers an excellent restaurant and bar menu- all day on Sundays. Also recommended are The Terminus, a refurbished Harveys of Lewes pub in the town centre. Most nightclubs are situated in Langney, Pevensey and Terminus Roads though the pier with the Atlantis nightspot is something of a honeypot for language students and other smart young things.

If you're looking for something refreshing but not intoxicating, there are plenty of stops for a cuppa and the usual coffee chains. The Pavilion Tea Rooms, east of the pier, are recommended for afternoon tea when a piano player often adds to the polite, typically English ambience of the place.

Sleep
Hotels are all along the seafront, so there won't be a lack of places to sleep. If you're walking along the promenade, you'll see hotel after hotel after hotel. And most of the town's 4- and 5-star hotels are, unsurprisingly, on the seafront and generally towards the Meads end of town.

For those on more modest budgets, there are plenty of family-run, welcoming small hotels such as

There are also many "bed and breakfast" establishments such as The Sea Breeze Guest House . There are self-catering flatlets such as "Beachside Guesthouse and Self-Catering Apartments" and there are also campsites on the edge of town such as Fairfields Farm. The town's Youth Hostel is in a very picturesque spot on top of the Downs going out of town westwards, near one of the golf links.

Go next
Map of places with Wikivoyage articles nearby

Other places of interest in the Eastbourne area
 * Eastbourne Miniature Steam Engine Railway. A great place to sit on top of a mini steam engine!
 * The Cuckoo Trail a cycle path from Eastbourne to Heathfield through the Sussex Weald
 * Catch a ferry to Dieppe from the nearby town of Newhaven.
 * The Cuckoo Trail a cycle path from Eastbourne to Heathfield through the Sussex Weald
 * Catch a ferry to Dieppe from the nearby town of Newhaven.

title: Eastbourne


text:
East Brunswick

East Brunswick is a town of 48,000 people (2019) in New Jersey.

Understand
When sections of North Brunswick and Monroe split away in 1860, East Brunswick was formed. It was a quiet, sleepy town until a century later when it became a bedroom community for commuters.

By bus

 * New Jersey Transit buses have several stops in East Brunswick, connecting to New Brunswick and other places.
 * Suburban Transit bus lines 400, (rush hour:) 500, 600 connect to and from New York City at the East Brunswick Transportation Center and the Tower Center.

By car
East Brunswick can be accessed by Exit 9 off of NJ Turnpike/I-95, U.S. Route 1, and NJ Route 18.

By bicycle
East Brunswick is somewhat friendly to bicycles. There are areas with bike lanes (which you probably will never get to see, due to rarity), however you will almost always be sharing the roads with cars.

By bus
Despite being a suburban town, it is possible, albeit somewhat inconvenient, to travel by NJ Transit bus (lines 811, 815, 818). There are stops centrally located in key areas (residential, retail, public), but you still may need to walk a distance.

By car
As a suburban town that lacks much public or mass transit, cars are the best way to get around East Brunswick. Virtually every part of East Brunswick is readily accessible by car.

By foot
Although spread out in traditional suburban style, it is possible to walk around East Brunswick. This is particularly true on Route 18, where hotels are located. Nonetheless, walking can also be very dangerous because almost all main roads are county or state highways with high speed limits. Fatalities while crossing these highways do happen.

By horse
In certain (more rural) parts of East Brunswick, locals occasionally travel by horse.

See
There are many parks in East Brunswick.

 * Many more nature trails and playgrounds.
 * Many more nature trails and playgrounds.
 * Many more nature trails and playgrounds.
 * Many more nature trails and playgrounds.

Do
Although locals complain about there being "little to do", there is enough for outsiders to be interested in.

Buy
Route 18 has dozens, if not hundreds of retail establishments. A chain or big box of every variety is on Route 18, as well as many smaller businesses. Beyond it, there are other retail places, but they are more spread out and not as centrally-located.

Eat
Some of the best eats are to be found in or near the Route 18 Shopping Center. Nonetheless, there is great food up and down (what locals call) 18.

Connect
Public pay phones are available, but declining.

Wireless internet is available at the public library.

Go next

 * New Brunswick
 * Freehold
 * New York City

title: East Brunswick


text:
East Burkina Faso

East Burkina Faso the arid, easternmost part of Burkina Faso.

Cities

 * — a city of 21,000 people and the capital of Gnagna Province
 * — a city of 15,000 people, and the capital of Tapoa Province
 * — home of the Botanical Garden Bantia with typical savanna and wetland habitats of the region,
 * — a city of 59,000 people, and the capital city of Boulgou Province

Other destinations

 * — an important birding area
 * — a transborder park and UNESCO World Heritage Site shared with Niger and Benin
 * — it has a wide variety of habitats, ranging from the gallery forests of the Arli and Pendjari rivers to savanna woodland and sandstone hills of the Gobnangou chain

Stay safe
Caution recommended given rising destabilization and unrest in Burkina Faso since 2018.

Go next
Ouagadougou

title: East Burkina Faso


text:
East Cape

New Zealand's East Cape of the North Island is one of the most isolated areas in the country. This region has a reputation for rugged yet spectacular coastlines, rich Māori heritage and culture, and a relaxed way of life centered around te moana (the ocean). The East Cape region is where the films Whale Rider and Boy were set and filmed. Both films portray the region's lifestyle fairly well.

Townships

 * Te Kaha Small community 65km drive north east from Opotiki. Te Kaha is a popular spot for fishermen and holiday makers from Opotiki.
 * Whanarua Bay and Maraehako Bay These neighbouring bays offer several good accommodation options and are popular with summer holiday makers. Whanarua bay itself is accessed from the highway by a steep one way road about 200m west of the Rendezvous holiday park.
 * Raukokore Featuring a picuresque Anglican church standing isolated near the shore of Papatea Bay.
 * Waihau Bay Well known among sports fishermen and is the setting for the film Boy. Waihau Bay is a 100km drive north east from Opotiki.
 * Whangaparaoa The easternmost settlement in the Bay of Plenty
 * Hicks Bay
 * Te Araroa Small beachside settlement famous for its manuka honey. There is a decent holiday park near the beach that also contains a small shop. Head 20km along East Cape Rd to see the East Cape lighthouse on top of the easternmost point of mainland New Zealand.
 * Tikitiki The most easterly point of the New Zealand Highway network.
 * Ruatoria With a population of around 900 Ruatoria is the second largest town in the East Coast district. Ruatoria is the home of the East Coast Rugby Football Union - the smallest union in New Zealand.
 * Tokomaru Bay
 * Tolaga Bay Small bay and settlement that is popular among local holiday makers and features the longest wharf in New Zealand

Understand
The East Cape region is officially part of the Gisborne District. However, the East Cape is generally referred to as the entire geographical cape between the east of Opotiki and the north of Gisborne. This area of New Zealand has a strong Māori presence and influence, with 88 percent of the population being Māori and 45 percent speaking Māori (compared to 14 percent and 4 percent respectively for New Zealand). Historical, cultural and economic ties to ancestrial land are a main contributing factor to this unique demography. Unemployment, poverty and isolation are common on the East Cape. However, its inhabitants generally offer a warm welcome to travelers.

Travelers who are interested in the Māori way of life, or who love getting off the beaten track, should find this region fascinating. Travelers making their way through this region should be aware of cultural aspects such as tapu (sacred) areas such as burial grounds and rahui (temporary ban) on fishing.

Talk
Māori is spoken regularly by nearly half of the East Cape region's population. Check out the Māori phrasebook for pronunciation tips and basic Māori words.

Get in
Take State Highway 2 from Auckland, Tauranga or Wellington. From Rotorua take State Highway 30 or State Highway 33 to the Bay of Plenty coast to meet State Highway 2. State Highway 2 meets State Highway 35 at Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty and at Makaraka about 6km from Gisborne in Poverty Bay.

Get around
Follow State Highway 35. It is the only significant road around the cape and connects most of the significant settlements and all the important side roads. To access the East Cape Lighthouse take East Coast Rd from Te Araroa.

Fuel can be hard to come by on State Highway 35 so fuel up in Opotiki or Gisborne and plan your trip to ensure you don't run empty. There are some general stores located on SH35 that provide basic fuel for a premium price. These stores have limited opening times, and may have run out of fuel all together.

Do

 * Fishing.

Eat
Seafood (kai moana) is one of the highlights of this region. Fresh paua (abalone), crayfish, oysters, and a wide variety of fish and other shell species can be caught or collected from the coastline or traded with local fishermen (see Do section). You can usually find the fish and chip shop attached to the local holiday park.

If you are planning purchasing groceries it is a good idea to get them from Whakatane, Opotiki or Gisborne before you begin your journey as the availability of goods in this region are limited.

title: East Cape


text:
East Central Florida

East Central Florida is a region of Florida in the Southeastern United States, lying between South Florida and the culturally Southern North Florida to the north.

Cities

 * - Home of the Kennedy Space Center and Port Canaveral
 * - Beach community near Kennedy Space Center
 * - Home of Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona Cubs baseball team
 * - A principal city of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville metropolitan area
 * - Offers miles of beautiful beaches
 * - Home of Universal Studios and SeaWorld
 * - Offers miles of beautiful beaches
 * - Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens
 * - west of the Kennedy Space Center

Understand
The central part of Florida's peninsula has few geographical features, and those that exist do not separate central Florida into regions. The large Orlando metropolitan area is the most significant feature that comes between the eastern and western coasts, but due to the presence of Daytona Beach and other coastal cities with little in common with the inland metropolis, the term "East Central Florida" is not a shared cultural identity. It is more accurately a group of neighboring counties — Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia, and Brevard — with little in common.

East Central Florida is most accurately divided into two regions, though these do not correspond with county lines. First is the coastal region, which attracts tourists visiting beaches and the Kennedy Space Center. Second is the inland region, dominated by Orlando and known for Orlando Airport and theme parks. The dividing line between the coast and inland regions roughly follows the route of I-95, a few miles inland from the Intracoastal Waterway, which separates the tourist islands and the mainland.

Talk
English is the official language of the state. However, the Spanish language is making inroads throughout the state. Native-born Floridians will usually speak in a southern accent. However, after the migration of millions of Americans from other states to Florida, the southern dialect is becoming diluted with other accents.

By plane

 * Orlando International Airport - close to Disney World and the surrounding attractions south of Downtown Orlando. It airport offers car rentals and free shuttles to Disney World for visitors.
 * Orlando-Sanford International Airport - in Sanford, north of Orlando. Orlando-Sanford is geared to airlines that operate charter services, such as Allegiant Airlines in the United States, and a host of flights from the United Kingdom.  Icelandair offers nonstop flights to Iceland.  The airport is approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of Orlando International Airport.
 * Daytona Beach International Airport - the largest airport in Volusia County, which is served by Delta, JetBlue, and American Airlines.
 * Melbourne International Airport - fly directly into Melbourne Beach and hop right on to a surf board!

By bus
East Central Florida is served by Greyhound Bus Lines, which has scheduled stops in Orlando and other cities. The Greyhound routes connect with other major cities in the United States of America.

By bus

 * LYNX - Public transportation by Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority. With the main hub centered on Orlando, bus service provided in Osceola, Orange, and Seminole Counties. Some buses link to neighboring counties. Service to Disney World is available.
 * SCAT - Public Transportation by Space Coast Area Transit, offers bus service around Brevard County.
 * VOTRAN - Volusia County Transportation service. Offers buses, shuttles, special services for the disabled and elderly. Connection offered with LYNX to reach Orlando.

See

 * John F. Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Center in Cape Canaveral
 * Canaveral National Seashore - 24 miles of undeveloped beach, sea turtle nesting.
 * Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge features manatee, bird, and other wildlife watching, hiking, canoeing and kayaking.
 * Public Beaches - Brevard County and Volusia County.

Do

 * Surfing in Cocoa-Rockledge and Daytona Beach

Eat
In Titusville, rock shrimp and other local seafood are specialty.

Stay safe
General information about safety in Florida is found at Florida, while specific details about safety can be found in individual city articles.

Go next

 * West Central Florida

title: East Central Florida


text:
East Central Saskatchewan

East Central Saskatchewan is a region of Saskatchewan. It is located east and southeast of Saskatoon and northeast of Regina, up to the Manitoba border. The majority of the region is rural and largely agricultural, while the northeastern portion is part of forested transition area to the Canadian Shield.

Communities

 * — the largest city in the region with 16,000 people, it's home of North America's longest-running film festival
 * — a good base for enjoying Pacquia Regional Park's outdoor recreational opportunities
 * — known as the "Heart of Good Spirit Country" due to its proximity to several lakes and parks
 * — known for its unspoiled wilderness and snowmobile trails
 * — check out the murals on the buildings
 * — gateway to Duck Mountain Provincial Park
 * — small town on the Yellowhead Highway in the heart of potash country
 * — visit Melville's railway and heritage museums
 * — known as the "City of Northern Lights" due to the frequency with which the aurora borealis appears
 * — near Wakaw Lake, a small recreational lake; also home to an excursion and event passenger train
 * — near Little Manitou Lake, a saltwater lake fed by underground springs that allows bathers to float easily

Other destinations

 * — known for extensive variety of birds during migration seasons; includes the small towns of Foam Lake, Wadena, Watson, and Wynard.
 * — known for extensive variety of birds during migration seasons; includes the small towns of Foam Lake, Wadena, Watson, and Wynard.
 * — known for extensive variety of birds during migration seasons; includes the small towns of Foam Lake, Wadena, Watson, and Wynard.
 * — known for extensive variety of birds during migration seasons; includes the small towns of Foam Lake, Wadena, Watson, and Wynard.

Understand

East Central Saskatchewan is made up Parkland, a mix of flat Prairie land and small groves mixed forest and small lakes. The northeastern section is predominantly forested and sparsely populated.

Its economy is primarily associated with agriculture. Saskatchewan grows a large portion of Canada's grain and canola (for cooking oil). Other grains such as flax, rye, oats, peas, lentils, canary seed, and barley are also produced in the province.

Climate
Central Saskatchewan typically has warm summers and long, cold winters, and gets more sunlight per year than is typical for Canada.

By air
The nearest airports are located in Saskatoon and Regina.

By car
The region is bisected the by Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16), part of the Trans-Canada Highway which enters the province and the region on the east side from Winnipeg and heads west towards Saskatoon and the Alberta border on-route to Edmonton. Highway 6 is the main north-south route that connects to Regina. There are many other highways that travel throughout the region.

By train
Via Rail provides two lines to the region. The Canadian runs from eastern Canada and has flag stops in Melville and Watrous; while a northern route that connects Winnipeg with Churchill, Manitoba pass through the region and includes flag stops in Kamsack, Canora, and Hudson Bay.

Get around
The majority of trips through this region are by private automobile, and many places are only accessible by road.

See

 * National Doukhobor Heritage Village in Veregin (between Canora and Kamsack); a National and Provincial Historic site, that depicts the lifestyles of the Doukhobor immigrants who settled the area.

Do

 * Little Manitou Lake, known as the "Dead Sea of Canada", has a mineral spa in Mantou Beach
 * Duck Mountain Provincial Park, Greenwater Lake Provincial Park, Pasquia Regional Park (near Arborfield), and Manitou Beach provide a wide range of recreational opportunities.
 * Yorkton Film Festival in late May. It is North America's longest-running film festival. Around the same time, you can catch the dazzling First Nations (Indigenous) dancers at the Painted Hand Casino Pow Wow, with hundreds of dancers expected from Western Canada and north-west United States.

Eat
The region is known for its saskatoon berries, after which the city is named. Also called serviceberries, or western juneberries, they are used in saskatoon berry pie, jam, wines, cider, and beers, or are sweetened and dried and used like dried cranberries. The region also has strong Ukrainian roots, so perogies are available at local diners.

title: East Central Saskatchewan


text:
Eastchester

Eastchester is a town in New York. The town includes the villages of Bronxville and Tuckahoe, which are covered in separate articles.

Get in

 * Hutchinson River Parkway Exit 18

Do
Immaculate Conception Annual Carnival Held in May each year at the ICS Elementary School in Eastchester. Rides, Attractions and Food.

title: Eastchester


text:
East Chicago

East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana, and a suburb of Chicago. East Chicago had its start in 1893, and, with the arrival of Inland Steel in 1903, it soon became the most industrialized city in America, with some 80% of the area relegated to heavy industry. Other firms like Republic Steel, Youngstown Steel, LaSalle Steel, and U.S. Steel began operations too, pushing out some 600,000 tons of steel in 1914 and 8.6 million tons at peak capacity in 1978. Refineries and plants lined the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal that connected the Grand Calumet River to Lake Michigan.

The downside of all this was substantial pollution such as lead, resulting in the town becoming a Superfund site. Then the steel crisis of the 1970s happen, and unemployment and depopulation skyrocketed. These events transformed East Chicago into the emerging more diversified community that it is today.

Clayton Mark built a model community called Marktown here during the heyday of steel operations, and it is somewhat of an urban exploration attraction in its dilapidated state.

Get in
There are direct commuter trains from Chicago via the South Shore Line.

title: East Chicago


text:
East China

East China is a key area of China historically, politically, and economically.

Over a thousand years ago, this area was the main terminus of the Maritime Silk Road, and traded extensively with Japan and Southeast Asia. Today the region is an economic powerhouse beyond even the Pearl River Delta in South China. The area has many millions of migrant workers from less developed areas of China.

It is also a very important area historically. See cities and understand below for details.

Regions
In some ways, Taiwan could also be considered part of this region — it has had much immigration from Fujian, with which it continues to share strong cultural ties. Fujian dialects are commonly spoken, and it was once administered as part of that province. However, it is economically and politically distinct with its own visas and currency, so it is not included here.

Cities
The main cities of the region include:

 * , capital of Fujian
 * (Zhejiang Province), capital of China under the Southern Song, 1127-1279; Marco Polo wrote the city is beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world.
 * (Jiangsu Province), capital of China under several dynasties, of the Tai Ping Kingdom in the 19th century, and of the Republic of China (1912-1949). Its history goes back to several hundred BCE and for most of that time it has been one of the most important cities in China.
 * (Zhejiang Province), a major trading port in the tea clipper era, still an important port and industrial city
 * , unlike other cities in the area, did not become very important until the 19th century, though some neighborhoods date back much further. Relics of the city's "Golden Age" — 1840s to 1930s — abound, a fascinating mixture of East and West. Today, Shanghai is the hub of the region and the financial and fashion center of China.
 * (Jiangsu Province), old city of canals and gardens, capital of one of the three states in the Three Kingdoms Period, 220-280 CE. Today a major center of hi-tech industry.
 * (Zhejiang Province), a busy seaport and industrial city
 * , Special Economic Zone, Fujian
 * (Jiangsu Province), largest city in the province.

There is a Chinese saying: Heaven has paradise, but Earth has Hangzhou and Suzhou. Both cities are among the most-visited destinations for Chinese tourists, and also major destinations for international tourism. Their main attractions — the classical gardens of Suzhou and West Lake in the center of Hangzhou — are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

All these cities are now quite modern, heavily industrialised, very busy, and still expanding.

Other destinations
Some scenic areas in the region provide a somewhat rural escape for city dwellers:
 * county (Huzhou prefecture, Zhejiang province on the south side of Lake Tai) has over 60,000 hectares (about 235 square miles) of bamboo groves and 40 different species of bamboo.
 * earth roundhouses in Western Fujian.
 * is a large lake right on the Jiangsu-Zhejiang border.
 * is an island near Ningbo, a national park with an important Buddhist temple.
 * is a scenic and historic area in Fujian.

Much of the region is flat Yangtze Delta terrain and has water towns, the traditional market towns for agricultural areas and now tourist attractions. All have picturesque canals with old houses along them and many bridges, and many are set up to accommodate tourists.

 * 绍兴, is the largest of these, a city of about half a million. It attracts many Chinese tourists to whom it is famous as the "town of fish and rice", an expression indicating prosperity.
 * There are three within Shanghai Municipality. Two, Qibao and Zhujiajiao, are close to downtown and can be reached by metro. Fengjing is further out and, as of early 2018, still needs a bus or taxi ride. The "Fengjing peasant" style of painting is well-known within China and has been exhibited internationally.
 * 乌镇 is close to Hangzhou and makes a good stop en route between Shanghai and Hangzhou. There are buses from Shanghai Stadium.
 * , an historic town south-west of Shanghai. The final scene from Mission Impossible 3 was filmed here.
 * , located between Shanghai and Suzhou.

Understand
Until the 19th century, Hangzhou and Nanjing were the great cities of this region; both have been the capital of China, Nanjing under several different regimes. Suzhou was another important city, famous for its gardens, canals and silk. Quanzhou was one of the greatest ports of the Maritime Silk Road.

In the 19th century, China lost two "Opium Wars" to foreign powers, and was forced to open certain Treaty Ports to foreign trade in the treaties that ended those wars. Xiamen, Ningbo and Shanghai were opened in the 1840s, after the first war; all developed very rapidly after that. Until then, Shanghai was not a particularly significant town, though it did enjoy a strategic position at the mouth of the great Yangtze River, but by the early 20th century Shanghai became one of the world's richest and wildest cities. After the second opium war in the 1860s, cities further inland up the Yangtze were opened — Zhenjiang, Nanjing and Hankou (now part of Wuhan). They also developed considerably and the region as a whole did quite well from then until the 1930s.

Then everything went wrong; Japan succeeded in conquering most of the region (though not all of the mountainous areas in Fujian), and they suffered horrendously under Japanese occupation, 1937 to 1945 (see World War II in China). Then there were the Chinese Civil War, 1945-1949, the Great Leap Forward in the 50s, and the Cultural Revolution 1966-1976; all caused severe problems in this region. Also, the region lost some of its prosperity in the postwar era because the extensive traditional trade with Japan and Taiwan was mostly cut off.

In the "reform and opening up" since 1978, this area has benefited enormously. Shanghai is again definitely one of the world's greatest cities, and Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, Fuzhou and Xiamen are not far behind. All are very modern cities with lots of large new roads and buildings, and all have mass transit systems with some lines in service and more under construction. Between the cities are both more large new roads and an extensive rail network including many fast, efficient bullet train links.

The entire region is a hive of industry, one of the most prosperous in China. It is a magnet for migrants from poorer regions who come here in droves seeking work. More of everything is under construction; cranes are visible everywhere.

Talk
As usual in China, Mandarin is the lingua franca; nearly everyone can speak it except some of the elderly. English is not widespread but some people speak it quite well.

The region does have its own language group, called Wu, which is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin or any other varieties of Chinese. This is a populous region and the number of Wu speakers is large (second only to Mandarin). The language is also referred to as Shanghai dialect or Shanghainese, though strictly Shanghainese is a dialect of Wu. There are many local variants of Wu; the prestige dialect is that of Suzhou (an older city, capital of the Kingdom of Wu centuries back, and home to many scholars), not that of Shanghai. Wu is spoken over quite a broad area, including Shanghai, most of Zhejiang, parts of Jiangsu and even a few places in Anhui, but different local variants can be quite different. If you happen to have command of some Shanghainese, for example, you would be understood easily in nearby cities like Suzhou and Jiaxing, but not further afield.

Variants of Mandarin are spoken natively in parts of Jiangsu, such as the area around Nanjing. These differ somewhat from standard Mandarin and can be tricky to understand at times, but if you are fluent in standard Mandarin, asking the other person to speak slowly usually does the trick.

Fujian is dominated by Min dialects, which are extremely diverse and mutually unintelligible. Two of the most important are Minnan, spoken around Xiamen and across the sea in Taiwan (where it is called Taiwanese), and Mindong, spoken around Fuzhou. There are Hakka speakers in Fujian as well.

Get in
The area is well connected to the rest of China by road, rail and air. Most international visitors arrive by air.

Perhaps the commonest way to reach the area is to fly to Shanghai. There are two airports in the city with as a major international airport with connections all over the world and  that is closer to the center and handles mainly domestic flights, plus some to nearby countries such as South Korea. Buses and the metro connect the two, taking about an hour. There are also direct buses from either airport to major cities in the region; see the city articles for details.

Shanghai Metro Line (the main East-West line through downtown) goes to both airports and to the new Hongqiao train station right next to Hongqiao airport, which has high-speed trains to many places in the region and beyond. This is not a convenient way to get between the airports if you have a lot of luggage, because you need to change trains once. On the other hand, if you are travelling light and have a bit of time to spare, you can easily jump off somewhere in the middle for a quick look at Downtown Shanghai.

Other cities in the region, such as Hangzhou, Nanjing and Xiamen, also have international airports. Air Asia's flight from Kuala Lumpur to Hangzhou provides a low-cost route to or from Southeast Asia.

There are ferries from Japan to Shanghai and Suzhou, and from Taiwan-controlled islands off the Fujian coast to nearby mainland cities — Kinmen to Xiamen or Matsu to Fuzhou.

Get around
The area is well-connected by China's rail and road networks. There are good highways and a high-speed rail network.

It is also possible to travel by boat, see Along the Yangtze River or Along the Grand Canal.

Itineraries

 * Along the Yangtze River and Along the Grand Canal both cover some routes in this area; both also extend beyond it, along with the Pearl River Delta.

Do
The East China Fair is a trade fair held annually in the spring in Shanghai. Their definition of "East China" is broader than what we use on Wikivoyage; they include the inland province Jiangxi while we treat that elsewhere and cover only coastal provinces in this article.

Eat
Noodles are a primary food source in the region.

Fujian cuisine (Min 闽) is known for its seafood. One famous dish is "Buddha jumps over a wall", a complex chowder that supposedly smells good enough to make a vegetarian monk forget his vows and hop a fence.

Go next
This region is geographically in the center of the Chinese coast and is well-connected by road, rail or air to anywhere else in China. Going north, major attractions include Qingdao and Beijing. Heading southwest, Guangzhou and other cities of the Pearl River Delta are reasonably close. Going west, Huangshan, Wuhan and Xi'an beckon. Of course there are other interesting places in all directions as well.

The area is also fairly close to a number of other countries; Japan, Korea, Taiwan or the Philippines are only a short flight. Japan or Taiwan can also be reached by ferry; see above,

title: East China


text:
East Coast

There is more than one place called East Coast:

 * East Coast (Malaysia) - a region of Malaysia
 * East Coast (New Zealand) - a region of the North Island in New Zealand
 * A section of the coastline of the United Kingdom, facing the North Sea.
 * East Coast (United States of America)

title: East Coast


text:
East Coast (Malaysia)

The East Coast is a part of Peninsular Malaysia. Largely rural and comparatively poor, the East Coast's prime attractions are some of Malaysia's most unspoiled islands, featuring great beaches and excellent scuba diving.

Cities

 * - capital of Kelantan
 * - capital of Terengganu
 * - capital of Pahang, and the largest city on the East Coast

Other destinations

 * – backpacker paradise
 * – resort and scuba paradise
 * – slightly more commercialised paradise
 * – the country's oldest national park

Understand
The East Coast is the poorest and most culturally conservative part of Malaysia.

The economy is largely based on agriculture, and the people are fairly conservative. Most women wear a headscarf. Kelantan and Terengganu (but not Pahang) implement many aspects of Islamic law (syariah) in public. Beaches and supermarket queues are sex-segregated, and the availability of alcohol is limited. Unlike the rest of Malaysia, the weekend in Terengganu and Kelantan runs from Friday to Saturday, with shops and banks closed on Friday but everything open on Sunday.

On the resort islands, however, rules are far more relaxed. On these islands there is little gender-segregation and alcohol is readily available. If a backpacker decides to sunbathe topless in these areas, oglers (not imams) are her top concern.

Pahang is home to some of Malaysia's most popular colonial hill stations, including Cameron Highlands and Fraser's Hill.

The East Coast is home to Batek people, a group of Orang Asli, the Indigenous population and the oldest inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia. They are nomadic (i.e. they move from one place to another) with their main homelands consisting of Taman Negara and whatever is remaining of the surrounding virgin forests that remain unlogged.

Climate
The East Coast is highly seasonal, with strong monsoon winds and rains lashing the coast between November and February. Most resorts on the islands shut down during this period, transport links to them are very limited, and high waves and poor visibility make most water sports impossible. The "good" season is April to October, with June to August being the busiest months.

Talk
Standard Malay is spoken by nearly everybody, but the dialects of Kelantan and to a lesser extent Terengganu are infamously difficult for outsiders to understand, and the version of Thai spoken near the northern border may also be unintelligible to speakers of standard Thai. The major cities like Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu are also home to ethnic Chinese communities that speak various southern Chinese dialects, but most of them are also able to speak standard Malay and the local dialect of Malay.

By plane
There are regular mainline flights on Malaysian and Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur and Penang to Kota Bharu, Kuala Terengganu, plus turboprop services from both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to Tioman and Redang on Berjaya Air.

By train
The fabled Jungle Railway chugs over 500 km through the heart of Malaysia from Gemas up to Tumpat near Kota Bharu. There is a railway from Thailand, but it has no passenger services, so you'll need to take a bus from the Thai railhead at Sungai Kolok across the border to Rantau Panjang and onward to Kota Bharu.

By bus
Buses connect all major cities on the East Coast to Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.

By car
The E8 lebuhraya (East Coast Expressway) connects KL, Pahang, and parts of Terrenganu; the expressway ends just to the west of Kuala Terengganu, meaning you'll have to use normal country highways if you're travelling to Kelantan by car. There are plans to extend the expressway to Kota Bharu, but an opening date has yet to be released. There are no expressways along the East Coast south of Kuantan, so if coming from Singapore and Johor Bahru, you'll have to drive on regular country roads via Kota Tinggi, Mersing and Pekan.

Get around
Getting around these states is usually by car, but there are also bus networks within and between each state.

See
Probably the most famous attractions are Taman Negara, the virgin rainforest park in the interior of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan, and various offshore islands, though Kenyir Lake in Ulu (upriver) Terengganu is also a beautiful spot. The East-West Highway that connects the states of Kelantan and Perak across the hilly interior, is scenic, too, but the most common pleasant sight on the East Coast is the series of kampung (villages) with coconut trees that dot the coastal highway.

Do
One of the main attractions of East Coast Malaysia is scuba diving and snorkelling. There are several islands to visit and dive from. The smaller islands which have the least amount of dive centres are generally more rewarding. The coral around Pulau Sibu Island for example is in much better condition than the more famous Pulau Tioman (less bleaching and diver damage). Malaysia's East Coast offers some of best and closest scuba diving to Singapore and is a good option for weekend breaks and long weekends, and many dive shops in Singapore organise weekend trips here.

Eat
The East Coast has several distinctive dishes. Kelantanese cuisine, covered under Kelantan § Eat, is particularly famous, but all three states have delicious food.

Drink
In Kelantan and Terengganu, Muslim-owned establishments are by law not allowed to deal in alcohol, and Muslims caught drinking may be caned and fined.

These laws do not apply to non-Muslims, so Chinese and Indian shops may legally stock beer and spirits, but their stocks will often not be on public display and prices tend to be high. On the resort islands in particular, you'll be looking at upwards of RM 10 for a can of beer, so stock up before arrival. One notable exception is Tioman, which is a duty-free island.

title: East Coast (Malaysia)


text:
East Coast (New Zealand)

The East Coast, also known as Eastland or the Gisborne Region, lies around and south of the East Cape of the North Island of New Zealand. It lies between the Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay. This part of New Zealand was the first to be sighted and explored by Captain Cook and the crew of HMS Endeavour in 1769.

Towns

 * – a seaside city, the only large town in the region
 * – a small inland settlement with outdoor and wilderness activities

Understand
Young Nick's Head, near Gisborne, was the first land sighted by Cook's expedition.

The area around Gisborne was named Poverty Bay by Captain Cook because his first landfall party was unsuccessful in obtaining provisions when the crew encountered hostile Maori inhabitants. Cook's landing is commemorated by a statue of him on the beach at Kaiti and replicas of his ship atop poles in Gisborne's main street.

The East Coast, particularly around East Cape, has a reputation for unemployment, poverty and isolation. Those who farm the land often have limited means and though they are able to live off the land and its produce, they are unable to derive a great income from it. Much of the area is multi-owner Maori Land, which makes it difficult to obtain development finance. However the cost of living on ancestral land is far less than in the cities, so many Maori remain here because it is inexpensive and offers a different lifestyle.

This is the area of New Zealand where the film Whale Rider was set and filmed. The film portrays the country lifestyle fairly well.

Get in
InterCity is a coach company that serves more than 600 destinations nationwide.

State Highway 2 passes through Poverty Bay on its way from the Bay of Plenty to the Hawkes Bay. However the Pacific Coast Highway goes right around East Cape.

Sleep
There are plenty of motels in Gisborne, but few elsewhere on the East Coast.

Freedom camping is permitted in many beach areas along the coastal highway. You need to provide all your own facilities, and there are restrictions on what sort of camps can be set up and how long a stay can be, but it is free. See Gisborne District Council's webpage on freedom camping.

Go next

 * Bay of Plenty, first stop Opotiki
 * Hawke's Bay, first stop Morere

title: East Coast (New Zealand)


text:
East Coast (United States of America)

The East Coast of the United States stretches from Maine to Florida and is covered in these articles:

 * New England
 * Mid-Atlantic
 * South (United States of America)
 * Florida

Many of the states on the East Coast have long histories, with beautiful and fascinating colonial architecture and historic sites.

title: East Coast (United States of America)