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Annapurna Circuit

The Annapurna Circuit is a trekking route in the Annapurna mountains of the Himalayas in Nepal. The Annapurna Circuit is considered one of the best treks in the world, though road construction is threatening its reputation and its future as a classic trek. Yet no one disputes that the scenery is outstanding: 17 to 21 days long, this trek takes you through distinct regional scenery of rivers, flora, fauna and above all, mountains.

Understand

The Annapurna Circuit trek is usually a counter-clockwise loop from Besisahar to Nayapul, and reaches its summit halfway at Thorung La Pass, at a height of 5416 m (17,769 feet). Some trekkers have trekked clockwise, but be warned: summiting Thorong La from West to East is incredibly difficult, a vastly steep and lengthy climb up more than 1.5 kilometers in elevation gain, over 8-10km in horizontal distance, up unstable and dangerous rocky gullies with upper sections having no marked trail (especially if it snowed), low oxygen, and no tea houses or camps save for one or two abandoned stone huts. Most trekkers are exhausted even from hiking down this section of the trek, so choose wisely -- but intrepid trekkers have hiked it clockwise.

The traditional trek starts at Besisahar, on the eastern side of the loop, hiking north and west to Manang and Thorong La. This portion of the trek follows the Marsyangdi River upstream, to its source near the village of Manang. To get there, several days of up-hill hiking are required. From Dharapani to Kagbeni you will be walking the Annapurna section of The Great Himalaya Trail, a long distance trekking route that connects Nepal from East to West. After you reach the source of the Marsyangdi, you leave the dusty jeep road behind and hike up an ancient walking trail, up, up, up until you summit Thorong La pass -- a grueling day of hiking -- and then you descend back down the other side to Muktinath and Kagbeni, where the trail meets up with the Kali Gandaki River (and the western section of the Circuit). Many trekkers choose to finish their ~12-day-trek in Muktinath or Jomsom, either taking a very bumpy jeep or bus ride from Muktinath to Pokhara, or a small plane from Jomsom. Another option is to ride down by mountain bike from Muktinath or Jomsom, turning those bumpy roads into a positive thing for tourism. Mustang is on its way to becoming a major downhill biking destination, thanks to its beautiful scenery and the fact that one descends from 4000 m to 1200 m altitude along this jeep road or single-tracking it on alternative walking trails. Either way, it is advisable to stay off the jeep roads whenever possible, especially in this latter section of the trek, as they are narrow, steep, and dangerous. Buy a map and hike the trails. Despite the poor condition of the road, the western side of the trek is said by many locals to be more beautiful, though, especially at stops like Tatopani (which literally means hot springs). At the western end of the trek by Nayapul, several options are available, including adding on a trek to Poon Hill and / or the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC Trek), aka the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek.

There are four regions that are passed through on the traditional counter-clockwise trek; Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, and Myagdi. Lamjung and Myagdi, of the lower elevations, are both predominantly Hindu and with lush green subtropical valleys with villages and terraced farming. Manang and Mustang are of the higher elevations and are predominantly Tibetan Buddhist. The Manang people are Gurung (not Tibetan descent) and are very proud of their unique cultural heritage. People of Mustang identify themselves a lot closer with Tibet and the Mustang region has actually been part of Tibet in history. Mustang also is one of the last places in the world to view the ancient Bonpo Religion in action. Villages to note for Bonpo are Thini and Lupra near Jomsom, and Nargon near Kobang. The trek also goes through Buddhist villages and Hindu holy sites, most notably just after you come down from Thorong La Pass into the dusty town of Muktinath. Its temple is a revered holy site for both Buddhists and Hindus. Just before you get to Manang, the small community of Braga (Braka) has one of the oldest (and most picturesque) monasteries in the region.

The route goes past the following mountains: Manaslu (an over-8,000-meter peak), Langtang Himal, Annapurna II and IV, Annapurna III and Gangapurna, and, of course, Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri, passing through the world's deepest gorge in between those two over-8,000-m peaks. Poon Hill, at the end of the trek, affords views of those two mountains, and of South Annapurna and Machapuchare, the "Fishtail Mountain."

Note that as of 2023, you are legally required to hire a guide, although in practice, you don't need to. Many trekkers still hike without a guide, although it is adviseable to hike the Circuit with at least one other person. The police checkpoints along the trail (such as in Dharapani and Koto) only require the ACAP permit, not the TIMS registration, and do not hassle any hiker that doesn't have a guide (although they might hassle you if you are alone).

This is a "teahouse trek," meaning there are villages with lodges / guesthouses to stay in and restaurants to eat in along the entire route. You are expected to eat dinner and breakfast in the same lodge / guesthouse where you are spending the night. Prices of rooms are often inexpensive because of this (Rs 0 / 100 to Rs 500 for a room); lodge owners tend to make their money on the food and drinks they are selling you than on the room where you are sleeping. However, in the higher elevations, especially around the Pass, expect to pay Rs 800 for a room. Note that most rooms have two or sometimes three single beds (so you could share if you are willing), and occasionally rooms have only one double bed. The bed linens, especially the comforters / blankets, are often not washed (especially at higher elevations), where they are usually just "aired-out". If this bothers you, bring a sleeping bag or a liner, but you don't need a sleeping bag at any point of the trek (as of 2024) if you can relax your standards of cleanliness. Also note that although the temperature is cold, you can always ask for more blankets. Even in the winter, a sleeping bag is unnecessary. Instead, bring an emergency blanket if you are still concerned.

Also, be prepared for all manner of bathrooms. Sometimes you'll get a modern flush toilet with private access, other times you'll have to venture out in the cold to use a smelly public squat toilet. Even so, all lodges have running water. However, it may not always be hot water. Typically, a solar shower will give you a luke-warm 'power shower' if it's been a sunny day. Better yet is to ask if the guest house has gas showers, which are on-demand, propane-heated hot water). Otherwise, especially in the winter, you might have to ask for the "bucket" shower (a humbling experience for most westerners used to the comforts of modern showers). Another thing to do is ask if the water pipes run through the fire in the dining room or kitchen, as once the fire is going you'll be steaming with the best of them!

Before you go on the trek, and every day before you set out to hike, check on the status of the road and trails. Construction of the road (and certain sections of the trail) has interfered with trekking, with some parts being dangerous to navigate. Locals tend to talk up the road and downplay its negative aspects. Road walks in Nepal are very unpleasant, and unhealthy, due to the large amounts of powdery dust that tend to be kicked up from passing jeeps and buses. It is always better to take the primary red trails (look for the red/white flags painted along the trail), and if you're up for an adventure, try the blue/white secondary trails -- although these trails are often very steep and challenging (especially the one east of Syange/Jagat up to Chipla). Ask your guest house proprietor if he/she has any information on the current status of the trails/road before you set out each day.

Buy

Bring along a sufficient amount of money for the entire trek, though apparently you can use cash traveler's checks or exchange US dollars in Jomsom or Chame. There are no ATMs on the trek after Manang (there is an ‘IME’ ATM in Manang and an ATM in Muktinath then Jomsom (July ‘23)). A day on the lower villages of the trek can cost as little as Rs 1500 (food and accommodation only). A day in the higher points of the trail can cost Rs 4000 (in 2024). You can do the trek for about USD 20 a day if you go independently, and probably cheaper if you budget your spending well, and share rooms.

Budget for Rs 1500 per day if you are a very modest spending trekker, though those on a budget can probably get by with even less. People who want to live it up a little should allow for more, perhaps double. Despite the efforts of ACAP there could be variations in pricing that will surprise. For some reason the region between Tal and Chame is more expensive than from Chame to Manang which is more difficult to access! As the prices seem to be fairly set throughout each village though do not concern yourself with hunting around a village looking for a cheaper place and try not to stop at the first lodge you see so that trekkers are spread through the village. Quite often the nicest lodges are on the way out of town.

In 2024, Rs 50,000-60,000 was enough for a very bougie trek from Besisahar to Jomson, per person, including beer and all-you-can-eat meals.

Itinerary

The best part about this trek is the varied scenery it has to offer. You start from tropical forest in Besisahar, see terminal moraine near Manang and then move past the snow line across the Thorung La and then to the barren landscape of lower Mustang and Muktinath.

Guides are legally required, and as of 2024 can be easily hired in Pokhara or Kathmandu at many travel agencies. However, this 'law' is more of a suggestion than a hard rule. Locals will tell you that you 'must have a guide', but other trekkers (including yours-truly) hiked the circuit without one (in 2024). If you are the kind of person who bought all the gear just for this trek, and have never used a map before, then maybe you should hire a guide. If you are the kind of person who brings two suitcases as checked-baggage on a vacation, you should hire a porter. Again, this is not necessary for most people, but it does help funnel more money into the local economy of Nepal. As a classic "tea-house trek," which goes from village to village and does not require trekkers to bring along food or camping equipment, porters and guides are not actually necessary, though many trekkers still like to use them.

There are guesthouses in all the villages scattered along the trail so set whatever pace you like and enjoy the views.

The hike between Besisahar and Bhulbhule is pleasant enough. It is the jungly bit of the hike and provides a nice contrast to the various ecosystems you will be hiking through in the coming days. Therefore taking a bus to Bhulbhule is not recommended. It will likely take you the same amount of time either way as the road is a potholed mess and the buses are slow, uncomfortable and run infrequently.

You can try and walk the lower stages at a faster pace maybe combining two of them into one so that more time can be spent on acclimatization on the higher stages. For example, a couple of extra days can be spent at Manang (or even more scenic: at Upper Pisang) and utilized by climbing to one of the many peaks around it, or the ice lake, and coming back down so as to increase the production of red blood cells. You can also see the origin of the Marsyangdi river in Manang. Taking the high trail from Pisang via Ghyaru and Ngawal, and sleeping in either of those villages also helps acclimatization, and more importantly, those villages are very beautiful. As those villages are already higher in elevation than Manang, the extra acclimatization day in Manang can be skipped.

After you make it over Thorong La, the road from Muktinath all the way down to Nayapul is made of potholes and dust (2024). Definitely use the trails, if you can. It is possible to mountain-bike down from Muktinath to Tatopani, with bike rental available in Muktinath. Mustang Mountainbikes is a shop that has been there since 2011. They have good bikes and give all necessary information about mountainbiking on the road and alternative trails. For a typical ride from Muktinath to Tatopani, take 2-3 days.

(820 m) to Khudi: 7 km, 2 hr It can typically be a long journey to get Besisahar from Kathmandu. If you can arrive at a reasonable time it's worth considering walking directly on to Khudi and stopping there for the night. It'll be more basic but cheaper than the much larger Besisahar, and it will give you a good start the next morning. The first day, usually Besisahar to Bahundanda, can be brutally hot, and ends with a long climb. Knocking a couple of hours off of this and enabling you to spend more time out of the heat of the day isn't a bad thing.

(790 m) to Bhulbhule: 2 km, 1 hr

Bhulbhule (840 m) to Ngadi: 4 km, 1 hr 15 min (you can find bush-grade green from Bob & Mom's guesthouse in Ngadi), as of 2024. Ngadi has good views of the snow-capped mountains in the early morning.

Ngadi (890 m) to Bahundanda: 4 km, 1 hr 45 min

(1310 m) to Ghermu: 5 km, 1 hr 30 min

Ghermu (1130 m) to Jagat: 3 km, 1 hr 30 min. Ghermu sits in an open valley and is therefore a more pleasant place to spend the night than Jagat. Jagat is a dirty, congested village that sits in a narrow chasm.

(1300 m) to Chamche: 4 km, 1 hr

Chamche (1385 m) to Tal: 5 km, 2 hr

Tal (1700 m) to Karte: 4 km, 1 hr 30 min

Karte (1870 m) to Dharapani: 2 km, 1 hr. Dharapani is a good place to stay with good views up both canyons.

(1900 m) to Bagarchap: 2 km, 1.00 hrs

Bagarchap (2160 m) to Danaqyu: 2 km, 45 min

Danaqyu (2200 m) to Koto:

(upper trail) Danaqyu to Thanchowk: 6 km, 2 hr 15 min

(upper trail) Thanchowk (2570 m) to Koto: 4 km, 1 hr

(lower trail) Danaqyu to Latamarang: 1.5 km, 1 hr

(lower trail) Latamarang (2400 m) to Koto: 5.5 km, 2 hr

Koto (2640 m) to Chame: 2 km, 45 min. Koto is small, clean and quiet as compared to the hustle and chaos of Chame. In Koto there is also a nice Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and great mountain vistas.

(2710 m) to Bhratang: 7 km, 2 hr

Bhratang (2850 m) to Dhukur Pokhari: 6 km, 1 hr 30 min

Dhukur Pokhari (3240 m) to Humde: There is a trail between Lower and Upper Pisang. Upper Pisang has quaint old-school lodging and an active Tibetan Buddhist Monastery worth visiting for the Sunset and Sunrise chants. Furthermore, the villages along the upper trail are full of character and the views along the trail are perhaps the best of the whole circuit.

(upper trail) Dhukur Pokhari to Upper Pisang: 1.5 km, 1 hr 30 min

(upper trail) Upper Pisang (3310 m) to Ghyaru: 4.5 km, 1 hr 45 min

(upper trail) Ghyaru (3730 m) to Ngawal: 5 km, 1 hr 45 min

(upper trail) Ngawal (3680 m) to Humde: 2 km, 45 min

(lower trail) Dhukur Pokhari to Lower Pisang: 6 km, 1 hr

(lower trail)  (3250 m) to Humde: 7 km, 2 hr

Humde (3330 m) to Bhraga: 6 km, 1 hr 45 min

Bhraga (3450 m) to Manang: 2 km, 30 min. Manang is a pleasant enough place to spend a rest day. It is clean and has a couple of “movie houses” with good DVD collections. There are many day trips one can take here. A map of times, distances, and locations is next to the central stupa. If you have the time, an excellent side trip is the hike to Tilicho Lake from Manang, returning to the main trail at Yak Karkha. This could take up to 3 days. As the lake is at 4900 m, it's good for acclimatization and is a worthwhile spot to visit briefly.

(3540 m) to Yak Kharka: 9 km, 3 hr

Yak Kharka (4050 m) to Letdar: 1 km, 1 hr

(4200 m) to Thorung Phedi: 5 km, 2 hr 30 min

(4450 m) to High Camp: 1 km, 45 min. High Camp at 4900 m has loads of beds and great views of the surrounding mountains.

High Camp (4850 m) to Thorung Pass: 5 km, 2 hr 15 min

Thorung Pass (5416 m) to Charabu: 6 km, 2 hr 45 min

Charabu (4230 m) to Muktinath: 4 km, 1 hr 15 min

(3800 m) to Kagbeni: When you arrive in Muktinath, you are back to civilization. The trail is hiking a dusty road until Gharkhola where the two separate. From this point forward expect to be stepping off the road frequently to allow trucks pass. For Rs 200 you can catch a truck from Muktinath to Jomsom. (2014: jeep costs Rs 710). Or make use of the road in the most adventurous way: bike it down! Muktinath has some decent accommodation and food after your 1700-m descent from the Thorung La and also has Hindu and Buddhist temples that you can visit. You can also stay down the road in Jharkot or on the other side of the valley in the very inexpensive and charming hamlets of Purang and Jhong.

(high trail) Muktinath to Jhong: 3 km, 1 hr 30 min

(high trail) Jhong (3540 m) to Kagbeni: 6 km, 45 hr 45 min

(low trail) to Jharkot: 1 km, 1 hr. 1 hour is possibly longer than you would expect to take; the road is well worn and mainly on a fairly gentle down hill.

(low trail) Jharkot (3550 m) to Khinga: 3 km, 45 min

(low trail) Khinga (3355 m) to Kagbeni: 6 km, 1 hr 45 min. Kagbeni is an amazing little town with hidden alleyways and European like charm. It is easily a place to spend a couple of nights.

Kagbeni (2800 m) to Eklebhatti: 2 km, 1 hr. The hike into gale like winds along the dusty road from Kagbeni to Jomsom with jeeps and motorbikes hurtling by at high speed is... not enjoyable. Take a jeep instead.

Eklebhatti (2740 m) to Jomsom: 7 km, 2 hr (but seems longer). Hiking into Jomsom feels like hiking into a ghost town and will leave you with an uneasy feeling that you won’t find a place to stay. Keep walking. All the guesthouses are on the other side of the town by the airport. It will take about 15 minutes to get through town to where the guesthouses are.

From Jomsom you can either take a 20-minute flight back to Pokhara for about USD100 or bus it for ~USD20 on a multi-stage all-day affair that will get you back to Pokhara after dark.

Bus: Jomsom to Ghasa; change buses; Ghasa to Baglung (or get off at Gharkhola); change bus; Baglung to Pokhara). Or take a mountain bike to Tatopani.

Jomsom (2720 m) to Marpha: 6 km, 1 hr 30 min

(2670 m) to Tukuche: 6 km, 1.30 hrs

Tukuche (2590 m) to Kobang: 4 km, 1 hr

Kobang (2640 m) to Larjung: 1 km, 1 hr

Larjung (2550 m) to Kokhethanti: 3 km, 1 hr

Kokhethanti (2525 m) to Kalopani/Lete: 3 km, 1 hr

(2535 m) to Ghasa: 7 km, 3 hr

Ghasa (2010 m) to Kopochepani: 4 km, 1 hr 30 min. The road as of 2009 had made it up as far as Jomson, and this route can be used to walk down. The road route is a wide, fairly level route that will get you a good distance quickly, however, you will have to contend with the dust thrown up by the 4x4s and the lack of scenery. A route off to the left takes you on a steep incline away from the road and back onto a proper path. This way is much harder, but much more fulfilling

Kopochepani (1480 m) to Rupsechhahara: 2 km, 45 min

Rupsechhahara (1500 m) to Dana: 3 km, 1 hr

Dana (1400 m) to Tatopani: 4 km, 1 hr 30 min

(1200 m) to Ghara: 5 km, 2.15 hrs

Ghara (1700 m) to Sikha: 6 km, 1 hr

Sikha (1935 m) to Chitre: 1 km, 1.45 hrs

Chitre (2350 m) to Poon Hill: 2 km, 1 hr 15 min

Poon Hill (3200 m) to Ghorepani: 3 km, 3 hr. The walk up Poon Hill in the morning can get very crowded. Rather than head up there, head up the hill the other side (as if heading to Chomrong). You'll have a better view and you'll have it to yourself. Continuing on the path mentioned in the note above, will take you along a ridge, and across a valley to the village of Chomrong, two days into the Annapurna Base Camp trek. Ghorepani (which literally translates to "Horsewater") is a small place which also serves as a base to trek up to Poon Hill and as a campground for those continuing on one of the other treks in the region. The trail to Ghorepani, and to other nearby trekking destinations, starts and ends in Pokhara and is considered to be an easy expedition. The trek route to Ghorepani is usually closed from July to mid-September due to the monsoon season.

(2870 m) to Ulleri: 2 km, 1 hr

Ulleri (2010 m) to Tikhedhunga: 2 km, 1 hr

Tikhedhunga (1500 m) to Birethanti: 6 km, 2 hr

(1025 m) to Nayapul (1070 m): 1 km, 30 min

Naar-Pho Valley
Naar-Pho Valley was opened to foreigners in 2002 and only a comparatively few tourists have visited the area so far. The area has a totally Tibetan character and the two main villages and  are both located at over 4000 m altitude. A trekking permit is needed for this restricted area, and it must be arranged through a trekking agency. It is also compulsory to have a guide, and as there is not much tourism infrastructure to speak of, most groups visiting the area choose an old style camping trek with porters, cooks etc. Entrance to Naar-Pho is from Koto (before Chame) and exit is via Kang La pass 5300 m to Ngawal. A side trip to Naar-Pho requires 9 days if two nights are spent in both Phugaon and Naar. As hiking from Koto to Ngawal takes normally 2 days along the AC, a side trip to Naar-Pho adds about 7 days to the total trekking time.

Tilicho Lake
The is one of the highest lakes in the world at 4920 m and requires 2-3 days from Manang. Walk 3 hr to Khangsar, some maps will show a path along the south side of the valley, but this path is old, unused and wrecked by landslides, stick to the northern side.

You may be confused by people referring to the upper and lower path: there are actually three different paths. Two paths leave Khangsar, the lower one is (more) landslide prone and has no teahouses, use the upper one. About 45 min after Shree Kharka the path splits — the path upwards involves a lot more climbing and descending and is unsafe (the signpost to it is crossed out and has "Danger" scratched on it) — take the path downwards. Some people refer to this downwards path as the "lower path", causing confusion with the "even lower" path. Be aware that the path recommended above is marked as only a minor trail on some maps.

Out of Khangsar take the upper path 40 minutes to a monastery and a further 20 minutes to Shree Kharka, with two tea houses where you can have lunch or spend the night. There is another teahouse about 20 minutes after Shree Kharka.

Three hours on from Shree Kharka you will reach Tilicho Base Camp, with three teahouses and another under construction.

The lake is reached by walking three hours up from the Tilicho Base Camp at approximately 4100 m. It's a tough, steep, consistent climb and will be by far the highest you've been at this point in your trek. Snow leopards are around in this area but you are more likely to see blue sheep and yaks. It's possible to reach base camp and climb to the lake in one day from Shree Kharka but it's best to stay overnight at base camp, then head up very early in the morning to get the best weather; it gets very windy after 11:00 and the clouds can start forming as early as 08:00. Being at the lake can be very cold: be sure to bring warm clothes. There is a teahouse there where you can get food and tea, but no accommodation except in an emergency. The teahouse may not open in low season, the staff come up from base camp each day, so check there before heading up.

It takes 1½ hours to get back to base camp. Once down you could stay the night, or continue 3 hr back to Shree Kharka (or 2 hr 45 min back to just before Shree Kharka). The next day it is possible to walk directly to Yak Kharka via Old Khangasar so you do not have to backtrack all the way to Manang, there is a clear signpost at a split in the path just after Shree Karka. It takes approximately 4hrs to get from Shree Kharka to Yak Kharka.

Go next
Depending on where you end your trek, buses and jeeps are available to take you to Pokhara, a nice little city on a lake, to spend a few days unwinding and relaxing at Lakeside. Kathmandu is about a six-hour bus ride or half-hour flight from Pokhara, easily arranged once you're ready to leave the lakeside town.

title: Annapurna Circuit


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Annapurna Sanctuary

The Annapurna Sanctuary trek is in Nepal.

For information on preparing for this trek, including when to go, what to bring, what permits are required, and safety precautions including altitude sickness, and water contamination, see Trekking in Nepal.

Understand
The Annapurna Sanctuary Trek is a trek in the Annapurna region which commonly starts or finishes in either Phedi or Nayapul and reaches the Annapurna Base Camp. Phedi is situated at a distance of 165 Kilometers (via Baglung Highway) from the capital city, Kathmandu. A total of 5 to 7 days is necessary for the whole trek to finish.

Get in
Travelers can take a bus to either Phedi or Nayapul from Pokhara. It takes around 2 hours to Nayapul by bus and costs around N₨.110-200. There are several bus stations in Pokhara from which you can begin your journey. The bus to Nayapul is usually taken from the Baglung bus station which lies north of the Phewa Lake. The walk to the bus station takes about 45 minutes from the lakeside.

Taxi service charges on the route from Pokhara to Nayapul costs around N₨1500 for 1½ hrs, however on the way back Nayapul-Pokhara, it's possible to arrange it for as little as ₨300. Taxi Service from Pokhara to Phedi costs around ₨.700 to 1000 which takes around 20 mins ; Taxi Service from Pokhara to Dhampus costs around ₨.2000.

It's also possible to catch a jeep from Kimche to Pokhara at ₨700/per person but the connection is infrequent and may delay at times.

Walk

 * Day 1: to Gandruk
 * Day 2: to Chomrong
 * Day 3: to Dovan
 * Day 4: to Annapurna Base Camp (via )
 * Day 5:

Itinerary
There are a myriad of trails that traverse the Annapurna and lead to Chomrong from where there is only one path up to Annapurna Base Camp. Nayapul is marked by a collection of road side shacks that function as bus/taxi stop backed by a slightly more substantial village that has a jeep track through the middle of it.
 * Nayapul to Ghorepani and Poon Hill

Start your trek by following the jeep track down until you spot a swingbridge to your left, there is a foot path leading to it and you cross the river here. Turn left as you come of the bridge and pick up the track along the Modi Khola for about half an hour before you come to the outskirts of Birethanti and an ACAP check point where you have to get your Conservation permit checked. You can now see another swingbridge that you have to cross. Directly opposite the swingbridge is the TIMS office where you can either buy TIMS certificate or just check it if you have it already.

Birethanti has a number of lodges although if you have just started your hike you may wish to walk on to Tikhedunga.

Keep the river to your left hand side as you follow the start of a jeep track, and the destruction of the trail, for an hour or so before it peters out at the small hamlet of Baajgara where there are two tea shops. The trail keeps following the river, make sure the river is always to your left, and eventually you arrive in Hile where there are four lodges. The lodge owners here like to make out you are already in Tikhedunga in order to catch some of their customers. In fact Tikhedunga and its myriad of lodges is another fifteen minutes down the track.

 * Ghorepani to Tadapani
 * Tadapani to Chomrong via Ghurjung
 * Tadapani to Chomrong via Ghandruk
 * Chomrong to Annapurna Base Camp
 * Chomrong to Landruk
 * Ghandruk to Landruk
 * Landruk to Phedi
 * If you do not want to go to Landruk then you can go from Chomrong via Syauli Bazar to Birethani/Nayapul. From Kimche it is a dirt road with traffic (jeeps).

If you come from Poon Hill:
 * Ghorephani to Tadapani (3h) (or continue to Chomrong)
 * Tadapani to Chomrong (4h); bridges to cross river in:
 * Gurjung
 * Rimrong (after Melache/Kimrong steep down on one side, and step up on other side of the river)
 * Jhindu (very steep stairs up to Jhindu and Chomrong)
 * Chomrong to ABC can be done in 2 days (Deurali to MBC 2h, MBC to ABC 1.5h)
 * ABC to Jhindu can be done in 1 day. Hotspring in Jhindu: ₨50. In Chomrong, ask for the shortest way to Jhindu to avoid 100 steps.

Sleep
Sinuwa:

Bamboo:

Dovan:

Himalaya:

Deurali:

MBC:

ABC:

Stay healthy
There are official safe drinking water stations located at Landruk, Ghandruk, Jhinu and Chomrong. Past Chomrong, plastic water bottles are not permitted to be sold so trekkers will have to supply their own containers to be refilled. Lodges offer boiled or reverse osmosis water for around Rs. 130 per litre and untreated water for free.

Stay safe
Above Deurali, snow may be present as early as mid-November. Foot traffic quickly compacts the snow into ice making the trail treacherous, especially travelling downhill. Trekking poles and micro crampons can make the going considerably easier and some trekkers resort to wearing socks on the exterior of their boots or wrapping them in rope for extra traction.

The trail is exposed to avalanche danger where it crosses several slide paths, trekkers should practice appropriate Snow safety as conditions warrant.

Go next

 * Annapurna

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

title: Annapurna Sanctuary


text:
Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor—often abbreviated as AA or A2—is a picturesque city surrounding the University of Michigan. It has a strong bent toward the arts, and an attractive and pedestrian-friendly downtown. Visitors enjoy the city's wonderful sidewalk cafe dining, unique shops, lots of bookstores, and abundant cultural opportunities.

Ann Arbor is in Michigan 35 mi north of the Ohio border and 45 mi west of Detroit, near where the furthest exurban fringes give way to country and small towns. In 2019, the city had a population of about 120,000 people, and thousands of visitors come to town for football games and various festivals.

Understand
Ann Arbor is centered on the University of Michigan. The U of M campus intermingles with downtown, and the whole area is walkable, though day buses run between the campuses and the central business district. Toyota, General Motors, Ford, Thomson, Google, and Domino's have a major presence in the area. The university is well known for its medical school complex.

Farther out, the city fades into urban sprawl (a mall and business parks in the south), then countryside dotted with towns, and to the east, Detroit suburbs. Bus routes beyond the city limits, except in the direction of Ypsilanti, are lacking; you'll want a car or bike unless you have several hours to spare. On some autumn Saturdays, transport is difficult as 100,000-odd people pour in for university football games.

Ann Arbor, or Tree town, is, as one might expect, full of trees; they line the streets, and in summer from the air, or year-round in Google Earth, all that can be seen is a green swath with a few buildings sticking out. (In the early 20th century, after having leveled the forest that once occupied the area, the city instituted an aggressive tree-planting program that's since borne fruit.)

The city was founded in 1824 as "Annarbour", named after the two founders' wives (Ann Allen and Mary Ann Rumsey) and an arbor of burr oak trees on the village site (although some have theorized that the name arose from an arbor of roses or grapes).

Like most of Michigan, summers can be hot and humid, with temperatures occasionally hitting, but averaging in the mid 80s. Winters are fairly normal for the lower Great Lakes region, which enjoys 4 seasons. It starts to be chilly in late October and it begins to warm up again in mid-March (but the occasional early April snowfall is not unheard of!) Average winter temperatures are generally in the range of and in January temps can dip below, or even lower if it's windy. Summers can get quite hot; in July and early-August it can hit high into the 90s with high humidity.

Downtown is a solid block of restaurants and art galleries. The university hosts cultural events, and venues such as the Michigan Theater host first-run independent films and high-profile music groups. Several good independent bookshops are located here, and the Ann Arbor Art Fair draws over half a million visitors each summer.

By car
Ann Arbor is bounded by I-94 (between Detroit and Jackson) on the south and west, US-23 (between Flint and Toledo, Ohio) on the east, and M-14 (which leads to Detroit's western suburbs and I-96) on the north. From Toledo and other points south of Ann Arbor, take US-23 north; from Detroit, the airport, and points east, take I-94 west (or I-96 west to M-14 west); from Chicago and points west, take I-94 east; from the north, take US-23 south. There is ample paid parking downtown, but very little is on the curb (most is in parking garages). An option is to use the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) park and ride lots, which lie on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. There are five such lots with free parking around the city, and bus service to each.

By plane
The nearest major airport is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, about 25 minutes away. The best way to get to downtown Ann Arbor is the Michigan Flyer (see below), but there are also several shuttle services (also below) that offer pre-booked trips for $30-35 one-way and $55-60 round-trip, with the cost per person decreasing as the size of the group increases, that will take you to any location in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas. Uber will also pick up and drop off between Ann Arbor and Detroit airport, and can be much cheaper than a cab, $25-30 each way. There are quite a lot of airport shuttle services, but the following will give you a place to start:

By train

 * Route serving Ann Arbor:
 * Wolverine Service operates daily several times between Pontiac and Chicago including stops along the way in Troy, Royal Oak, Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles, and New Buffalo. There are three westbound and three eastbound departures daily. Detroit is about 1 hour away by train, and costs $10 – 15 one-way. The train is about 4 hr 45 min from Chicago, and usually costs between $25 and $50 one-way. The train from Chicago generally arrives 15 minutes to half an hour behind schedule.  There are many train connections in Chicago.
 * Amtrak also runs thruway bus connections to the Toledo station for connections further east on the Lake Shore Limited (Boston & New York) and the Capitol Limited (Washington DC).
 * Amtrak also runs thruway bus connections to the Toledo station for connections further east on the Lake Shore Limited (Boston & New York) and the Capitol Limited (Washington DC).

By bus

 * As of Jan 31, 2022, Megabus no longer operates to & from Ann Arbor.
 * As of Jan 31, 2022, Megabus no longer operates to & from Ann Arbor.

Get around
Downtown Ann Arbor is not large, so it's easy to get around just by walking. In fact, free parking is almost nonexistent, especially when the town is full of students, so you'll probably prefer to walk anyway. Occasionally you'll find an unused parking meter; you'll have to feed it money between 8AM-6PM on weekdays and Saturdays, otherwise they're free. There are parking lots and buildings scattered around downtown; they're free on Sundays, otherwise you can generally expect to pay around 80 cents to $1 per hour.

By taxi
Ann Arbor has several reliable 24-hour taxicab companies. You can't hail a cab from the sidewalk, although there are certain spots in town where they often hang out waiting for passengers, notably in front of the Michigan Union on State Street, and the Federal Building on Liberty Street. Uber and Lyft both have a large presence in Ann Arbor and are often far cheaper than a traditional taxi, especially off-peak

See

Public art
Ann Arbor has a number of public sculptures and murals that can be viewed both on campus and downtown. Of these, several are particularly well-known:

Parks and gardens
Ann Arbor has 147 city parks, ranging from less than a block wide to over 100 acres. Some of the more prominent ones include:

Museums

Closed to the public
Several of the university's collections are hosted by institutions that are primarily research-oriented, and so generally don't have exhibits on permanent display. However, it may be possible to arrange to view the collections through contacting the curators.

Do

Work

 * The University of Michigan and the infrastructure and support services for it are major employers in Ann Arbor.

Bookstores
It's been said that Ann Arbor has more bookstores per capita than any other town in the US – certainly a walking tour of downtown will take you past quite a few, although the number is beginning to slowly dwindle. The flagship Borders bookstore was here from 1971 until it closed in 2011.

Other

Eat
For a relatively small Great Lakes town, Ann Arbor has a large variety of cheap (and sometimes quirky) eateries (thanks in part to the large student population) such as pizza restaurants, quick Chinese food and lots of sandwich and wrap shops downtown. You'll also notice hot dog and tamale carts on many street corners, particularly in the summer, selling basic fare starting at $1 with complimentary toppings. As alternative to restaurants the regional supermarket Busch's have good salads and sushi.

One thing you won't see much of, however, at least on campus and in the downtown area, are popular nationwide fast-food chains. The impression is that Ann Arbor is proud enough of its small independent restaurants that it has no need for mass-produced french fries (although with rental costs rising in the downtown area, many local restaurants — and shops — are being ousted in favor of wealthier small chains, like Bruegger's and Great Wraps).

For the more refined palate, there's no shortage of fine dining. Between Ann Arbor's vibrant cultural life and its sizeable international population, there seems to be considerable demand for the fancy and the exotic. There are certainly a few restaurants in town that can empty your wallet singlehandedly, but don't let their reputations scare you away: at even the priciest restaurants, there are dishes that you can order for a more modest fee, if you just want to sample the atmosphere. During warmer weather, be sure to check out the eateries on Main Street that offer outdoor sidewalk dining. It's a popular alternative, especially for the locals who have just suffered through six months of winter, and even though you're sitting right by the street, it's more relaxing than you might expect.

If you're looking for an Ann Arbor specialty, the fragel — a raisin bagel that has been deep-fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar — seems to have originated here. Once available all over town, now you can only find them at the Bagel Fragel on Plymouth Rd or certain Paneras.

Sleep
There are four main hotel districts in Ann Arbor: near campus; in the southern part of town, where State Street meets I-94 (including Boardwalk St, Briarwood Cir and Victors Way); in the southeastern part of town, near the intersection of Washtenaw Rd and US-23 (including Carpenter Rd); and in the northeastern part of town, by the intersection of Plymouth Rd and US-23 (including Green Rd). There are also a few in the northwestern part of town, near the intersection of Jackson Ave and I-94. Accommodations tend to be the most expensive in the campus area, so unless you're here for a conference or business trip that's being paid for, you'll probably want to look further out.

Hotels in the campus area are within easy walking distance of downtown Ann Arbor and most of the attractions. The southeastern area is served by two AATA bus lines, route 4 (along Washtenaw) and route 22 (along Carpenter), and the northwestern area is along route 9. The other two areas aren't quite as well linked, although route 2 does go along part of Plymouth Rd, and the commuter 36 stops at Wolverine Tower, which is a short walk from the hotels along State and Boardwalk. However, you'll most likely want to use your car to get around if you're staying outside of downtown.

Stay safe
Ann Arbor is generally a very safe town, though the usual rules about common sense (being aware of your surroundings after dark and knowing where you are going) apply here as they would anywhere. The only really common crimes in town are those that you find in any other university town. Theft is the biggie, as many university students who leave their bags unattended in the library or those who fail to lock their bikes can tell you. There's also the occasional mugging or sexual assault, but these tend to occur after dark, so if you're not wandering the streets at 2AM, you probably don't have anything to worry about. Having said that, wandering the streets at 2AM in downtown Ann Arbor is generally quite safe and not at all frightening; there are usually enough students out partying or hanging out with friends until the wee hours that you won't feel like a lone target, or like you're in a dangerous crowd. U of M Police, Ann Arbor Police, and the Washtenaw County Sheriff patrol regularly and are not difficult to find — indeed, alcohol violations such as drinking on the street from an open container are vigorously policed. There are emergency phones located all over campus.

Internet
Free wi-fi access is plentiful at local cafes.

Radio stations
Four good public radio stations are within listening distance.

 * WCBN-FM Ann Arbor, 88.3 FM. Located in the basement of the Student Activities building at the University of Michigan you will find the studios of WCBN.  The format is total freeform -- DJs have complete control over their shows -- which makes the broadcasts a mixed bag.  The variety is stunning, though, from Sounds of the Subcontinent to emo to classic jazz to Noise Till Noon.  They also broadcast a list of upcoming concerts around town at regular intervals.
 * WEMU, 89.1 FM. News, jazz and blues, with a tilt toward little-known fusion and crossover, from the campus of Eastern Michigan University.  Consistent quality -- you'll either like almost all of it, or very little.  News updates on the hour, and in the early morning and midafternoon.
 * WUOM, 91.7 FM. Talk radio from NPR and PRI.
 * WDET, 101.9 FM. News and music during the day; electronica-tinged underground music at night.  Broadcast from Wayne State University in Detroit.

Go next
The rest of Washtenaw County has quite a few charming little towns and villages that you might enjoy visiting.

 * Ypsilanti is about 15 minutes east on I-94, but practically contiguous with Ann Arbor if you're driving down Washtenaw Avenue; four AATA bus routes travel from downtown Ann Arbor to downtown Ypsilanti.
 * Dexter is about 15 minutes west on I-94.
 * Saline is about 15 minutes south on US-23.
 * Chelsea is about 20 minutes west on I-94.
 * Manchester is about 30 minutes southwest on I-94 and MI-52.
 * Milan is about 30 minutes south on US-23.

If you'd rather get out of the county, there are some larger cities and towns a short drive away.

 * Dundee is about 30 minutes south on I-23. Most people go for the nearest branch of Cabela's, an enormous outdoor outfitter and hunting/fishing/camping store, but it also has a nice little downtown. A 20-minute drive from Dundee along MI-50 will bring you to Tecumseh, a charming village with a great downtown and some very nice restaurants, including a British imports shop with a quaint tea café.
 * Detroit is about 45 minutes east on either I-94 or I-96. If you're not visiting downtown Detroit, you might want to stop in some of the suburbs. There's a nice movie theatre and good restaurants (as well as the only IKEA in Michigan) in nearby Canton; Novi and Troy (home of the impressive Somerset Collection mall) are good for shopping; Hamtramck has a sizeable Polish population, and Dearborn is home to the largest Middle Eastern community in the United States, as well as the fantastic Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.
 * Lansing is about 1 hour west on I-96. It's the state capital, and home to rival college Michigan State University.
 * Frankenmuth, which bills itself as "Michigan's #1 tourist attraction", is about 1 hour north on US-23. It's a great little tourist town with a Bavarian-style downtown, delicious all-you-can-eat fried chicken dinners, and a year-round Christmas store.
 * Toledo, Ohio is about 1 hour south on US-23. You'll pass several nice little villages on the way. In town, there's a great art museum, the world-class Toledo Zoo, and a neighborhood of old Victorian homes.

title: Ann Arbor


text:
Annavaram

Annavaram is a temple town in Coastal Andhra Pradesh, famous for the Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Vari temple located on a hillock. The town itself is on the banks of the Pampa River.

By car
The national highway NH5 connecting Chennai and Howrah passes through Annavaram

By train
Annavaram is served by the A.V.M Railway Station. The town is 3 km away. The Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam line of the Southern Railway, part of the line that runs between Chennai and Howrah stops at the city.

By bus
A.P.S.R.T.C Buses run every 30 mins from Annavaram to Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam. There are many private buses from Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Kakinada.

Get around
Environment friendly horse carts (locally called Tonga) can be used to go around the town. Autorickshaws and taxis are also available along with city buses and buses run by temple management.

See
- The Sree Veera Venkata Satyanaryana Swamy temple, on the Ratnagiri hill. On the northern side of the temple's compound, there's a sundial, on Indian Standard time.

- There are shrines of Vana Durga and Kanaka Durga nearby. Goddess Vanadurga is held in great veneration.

- The temple of Grama Devatha (Village deity) is in the village, at the foot of the hill.

- Park on the banks of holy river Pampa.

Do
Sri Gokulam - The place where holy cows are maintained and fed by devastanam and devotees.

There are some adopted temples around this town by this temple devasthanam. They are - Sri Bhuvaneswari temple, Kovvuru, West Godavari District - Sri VenuGopala Swamy Temple, Gedhanapalli - Sri Malleswara Swamy Temple

Buy
Souvenirs of the Lord and his consort can be bought, along with the temple publications in the premises of the temple.

Eat
Since it is a temple town, only vegetarian food is available and allowed. The prasadam of this temple is very famous and delicious. The temple manages a free kitchen (annadana satram) in its vicinity, which provides free but delicious food to the pilgrims.

Drink
Consuming alcohol is absolutely forbidded in this temple.

Sleep
Devastanam administration has taken all measures for the pilgrim's comfortable stay on the Ratnagiri. Visitors are offered different kinds of accommodation ranging from Normal rooms to A.C Suites in various choultries and guest houses on the hill. For the convenience of the casual short-term visitors, devastanam provides lockers to keep their luggage..

title: Annavaram


text:
Annecy

Annecy, in the north of the French Alps, is called "the Venice of Savoie" — a well-deserved title. The medieval town centre built around a 14th-century chateau is dissected by small canals and streams running out of Lac Annecy, which is clean, fresh and a wonderful azure colour. Annecy is the prefecture of the département of Haute-Savoie.

By plane
Geneva is the nearest major international airport and is well served from across Europe and beyond. On the motorway, it is just over 35 min away. A little further away is Lyon, a full international airport, and Grenoble, which is focused on low-cost and winter flights. Both are about a one-hour drive by car or bus. Annecy's own airport has no commercial flights.

By train
Ten TER Rhône-Alpes trains operated by SNCF leave daily for Annecy from the Gare de Part-Dieu in Lyon, leaving around every two hours from 07:00 to 21:00. A round-trip ticket is ( one-way) and the trip is around two hours each way.

There are also trains leaving for Annecy from Chambéry, which run more frequently. Eighteen TER trains, a few TGV trains, one Intercités de Nuit train, and one SNCF bus service run between the two towns, taking around an hour each way. A round-trip ticket is ( one-way).

Three or four through trains per day run all the way from Paris Gare de Lyon, taking around 3 hours 40 minutes. Fares are variable depending on how far in advance you book. A larger number of potential journeys are possible changing at Lyon Part-Dieu.

"Léman Express" trains to Geneva run roughly once per hour, with a journey time of around ninety minutes to the main Geneva Cornavin station. Several other stations are served within the Geneva area.

By bus
Annecy is a popular day trip from nearby Geneva, Switzerland (bring your passport for the border crossing - although checks are not frequent). Buses leave from Geneva's intercity bus station about 5 times/day on Sundays, more frequently on weekdays. A round-trip ticket costs 32 Swiss francs, and the trip takes about an hour in each direction.

By car
Autoroute A41 runs next to Annecy, and you can easily drive there from, e.g., Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble or Aosta.

See

Do

 * Swim, row or sail on the lake. The city provides free public beaches for swimming in addition to some pay beaches.
 * Hike on the mountains around the city. The tourist information office provides maps and information for local trails.
 * Bike around the lake of Annecy, or up in the mountains if you are in good shape. There are bicycle lanes on almost all the 36 km of the lakeside track. The trip will take between 1 and 2 1/2 hours and is used by about 1.1 million cyclists per year.
 * Hanglide above the lake from the Col de la Forclaz (~20 km)
 * Shop the many boutiques lining the narrow stone-paved streets. A large, modern mall can also be found in the newer part of the city.
 * Films a theatre near the large mall showing multiple films for your enjoyment.
 * Football: FC Annecy play soccer in Ligue 2, the second tier in France. Their home ground (capacity 15,700) is 2 km north of city centre.
 * Football: FC Annecy play soccer in Ligue 2, the second tier in France. Their home ground (capacity 15,700) is 2 km north of city centre.

Events

 * April: A cozy village festival is held, a great place to bring the family. Rides and vendors are abundant, along with the great French cuisine. The festival lines Lac Annecy and is very peaceful and beautiful.
 * June: One of the biggest animation festivals is held in Annecy (6 days)
 * July: Noctibules festival during the nights (4 days)
 * The first week-end of August is the Lake Festival (Fête du Lac) with attractions around the lake and a great fireworks. This event brings more than 100,000 spectators.
 * October: "Descente des Alpages" or "Return from Alpine Pastures". Occurs once a year on the second Saturday of October. This is a traditional farmers' festival with local music, food and entertainment.

Buy
Annecy has a number of local artisan shops as well as many European chain boutiques.

There is a market (marché) each Sunday morning in the pedestrian streets of the medieval city. Le marché is an open-air market with the freshest fruits and vegetables.

Eat
For between meals try the ice cream shops, favored by the locals, located on the numerous pedestrian-only by-ways that weave the city and river together.

Another suggestion is the brioche (sweet roll) and other goodies to be found at the boulangeries (bakeries) in town.

And of course, Haute-Savoie is famous for its cheese recipes:

Sleep
There are Bed & breakfasts, and a youth hostel. Surrounding mountains and lake activities are draining a large number of tourist during the summer and more and more during the winter season. Several winter sport resorts are within a 30-minute drive.

Cope
The town gets ridiculously busy in July but September brings fewer people - visit then when the air is clearer and the views to the mountains are better.

Go next
If you want to get away from the crowds, try the far side of the lake. The best way to get around is by bike.
 * Discover small towns nearby in the Alps such as Thônes, La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand, Menthon St. Bernard, Duingt, Faverges
 * Use the place as a base to visit other places of the Alps such as Chamonix (~80 km), Geneva (45 km), Chambery (40 km), Yvoire (60 km), Thonon, Evian, Val d'Isère, Aosta (IT, 100 km).
 * A shuttle bus connects the Annecy train station directly to the Geneva Airport.

title: Annecy


text:
Annemasse

Annemasse is a city in the Haute-Savoie region of France, directly across the border from Geneva, Switzerland. Many of its inhabitants work in Geneva and travel home every day. It is a useful place to stay for those who find Geneva's hotel prices too much for their pocket.

From Geneva by public transport
There are several different alternatives to get in from Geneva, but they might be difficult to find, especially if you don't speak French.
 * From Cornavin station take TPG tram 18 to Bel-Air and transfer there to tram 17 which crosses the French border into Annemasse. Remember that you need to buy a ticket that is also valid in Zone 210 - a normal hour or day ticket is valid only until the border.
 * TPG tram 12 with take you to the French border at the Moillesulaz border station which is about 2.5 km from the centre of Annemasse.
 * Chêne-Bourg station in the east of the Geneva is the terminus of TAC, (Annemasse's public bus company). Take bus route 1 or 2 into the city center of Annemasse.

If you are taking the bus you should better have a map of the bus network (the part of Annemasse's bus network you need to get in is also on Geneva's public transportation map) and preferably also a good map of the city itself. Take notice of the names of the bus stops, because the buses continue to the other side of the city... in the worst case you might end up in an industrial area in the middle of nowhere.

By car
Annemasse is easily reached from Geneva and elsewhere in the region if you have a car.

By train
The railway station is north of the city center. Trains arrive from Lyon, Chambéry and other places in France. The line to Geneva Eaux-Vives and Chêne-Bourg reopened in December 2019, and continues to Gare Cornavin.

By foot
The city center is not very large, so you can walk around by foot.

By bus
The only form of public transportation is the bus network, although most visitors probably will use it just for transportation from Geneva and back. A single ticket costs €1.40 and is valid for one hour. Tickets are bought from the driver, and you'd better have exact change (and Swiss francs are not accepted). On Sundays and other holidays there are just two lines that run, DA and DB that are drawn on a separate map on the bus stops.

See
Frankly talking, Annemasse is for the most part just a bedroom community of Geneva, but there are still a few things to experience.

Do

 * Salève ridge and cable car - well described in Geneva's article but actually on the French side. The best way to get there if you haven't got a car is via Geneva - take Geneva's bus number 8 to Veyrier-Douane.

Buy
If you're staying for a longer period in Geneva, Annemasse is a good place to buy food and other necessities cheaper than in Switzerland. The city is not a major shopping destination, though. There is a Casino food store along the main road, at about 10 minutes walk from the Moillesulaz border station, and a smaller SPAR closer to the border.

Go next
Basically you have the same options as getting in. Geneva is nearby and trains take you into France.

title: Annemasse


text:
Annobón

Annobón is an island in Equatorial Guinea, located farther out in the Atlantic Ocean on a line running through Bioko and the independent islands of Sao Tome and Principe. It is 670 km from Malabo.

Understand
The provincial capital is San Antonio de Palé on the north side of the island. It has an airport and a hospital. The other town is Mabana, formerly known as San Pedro.

In 2015, Annobon had about 5,200 inhabitants. The island's inhabitants are of mixed Portuguese and Angolan descent, with some Spanish mixed in. The official language is Spanish but most of the inhabitants speak, Annobonese, a creole form of Portuguese.

The island's main industries are fishing and timber.

Get in

There is no regular shipping service to the rest of Equatorial Guinea, and ships call as infrequently as every few months.

Palace Travel offers a 10-day tour of Equatorial Guinea that includes 2 days in Annobon.

See

 * In San Antonio de Palé, there is a colonial church with a wooden gabled roof and stained-glass windows.
 * Lago a Pot, a crater lake near the center of the volcanic island, which you can get to by hiking through a valley filled with ceiba trees, huge ferns, and lots of moss.
 * Fauna: Annobón has three endemic bird species and subspecies - Annobón paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone smithii), Annobón white-eye (Zosterops griseovirescens), and Annobón scops owl (Otus senegalensis feae).
 * Quioveo in the Annobón Natural Reserve is an extinct volcano and the highest point on the island.

Do

 * Playa del Palmar, swimming and enjoy different leisure activities on the beach.

 * campo de fútbol, football stadium.

Go next

 * Go back to Malabo.

title: Annobón


text:
Annot

Annot is a village in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Annot is nestled 750m up in the valley of the Vaïre between the Mercantour National Park and the Gorges du Verdon.

By train
Annot is on the line of the Train des Pignes, a private railway from Digne-les-Bains to Nice, with four to five trains daily in each direction. Contact Chemin de Fers de Provence, Tel: +334 97 03 80 80.

By bus
Annot lies on the Nice-Gap line, but the stop is at Les Scaffarels, 2km from Annot proper. Contact Autocars SCAL, Tel: +334 92 51 06 05.

See
The old village is a truly fascinating area to explore. The district also encompasses the hamlets of Rouaine, Les Scaffarels and Les Gastres.

Do

 * Travel by a steam train on the rail line.
 * Do the waymarked walk of the Grés d'Annot. The grés are vast boulders lying close to the village.

title: Annot


text:
Annur

Annur is a city in Tamil Nadu, India about 32 km from Coimbatore.

The name Annur came from "Vanniyur", later transformed into Anniyur and now Annur. The myth behind the name goes like, Above 1000 years ago, when a small hunter hit a stone under a "Vanni" tree, it started bleeding. He was astonished and called the village people to look after this issue. Later they found a 'Suyambu' Lord Shiva Idol there and built a temple over there.

Get in
Annur can be reached from Coimbatore (33km) by bus. Nearest air port is at Coimbatore.

Can be reached from Tirupur (35km) by bus.

See
The famous temple is called Manneeswaraswamy Temple built 1000 years ago by Chera kings. Annur is also a cotton and textile manufacturing Hub comprising of Yarn spinning mills, 100 cotton ginning factories. It also has more than 100 edible oil mills.

 * Manneswara Temple
 * Anaimalai Karupparayan Temple Annur
 * Periya Amman And Siriya Amman Temple
 * Mondipalayam Perumal Temple
 * Othimalai Murugar temple at Irumbarai
 * Then Thirupathi Venkateshwarar Temple
 * RakkiAnnan Swamy Temple near Kariyampalayam
 * Kaniappa Swamy Temple at Idayarpalayam near Pasur
 * Karuparayan Kovil Kariyagoundanur

Buy
Local products include cotton textiles and edible oils such as coconut oil. You can find varieties if saris in the next town called Punjai Puliampatti, which is 15 km from Annur.

Eat
For night outs to eat non-vegetarian food in Dhaba's Annur is the best place. There is eight Dhaba's in Annur and people love to have food out there. Many City living people come out to these places for a change, just to escape from the crowd and pollution. Urbanization is good but that should not irritate human. Here you feel peaceful during night outs.

New Punjabi Dhaba in Annur - Avinashi Road, Delhi Dhaba in Annur - Coimbatore Road, and few other Dhaba's are good to eat non-veg food.

title: Annur


text:
Ansan

Ansan (안산) is a city in Gyeonggi, South Korea, on the coast of the Yellow Sea (locally called West Sea). The Yellow Sea lies to the west of the city, and portions of various islands lie within the city's jurisdiction. The largest and best-known of these is Daebudo. On land, the town of Gunpo is to the east, Anyang to the northeast, Siheung to the north and Hwaseong to the south.

Understand

Ansan is a mid-sized city on the outskirts of Seoul. It is well integrated with Seoul's transport system, and generally speaking can be considered as a suburb. The city was planned by Park Jeong-hee in 1970 and is an important industrial center.

Ansan has one of Korea's largest immigrant communities. The percentage of multi-cultural families here is the highest in South Korea, although it is less known than Itaewon among English-speaking foreigners, as most immigrants here are Chinese and other Asian blue collar workers.

History
Ansan used to be Janghanggu County or Gosaya Holcha County in Goguryeo. It was promoted to Janggu County during the reign of King Gyeongdeok of Silla. In the early Goryeo Dynasty, it was renamed Ansan-gun, and in the 9th year of King Hyunjong (1018), it became a vassal county of Suwon (Suwon: Suwon) and became Ansan County.

Climate
Ansan's climate is very similar to that of nearby Seoul and Suwon.The following table is Suwon's climate. Compared to Incheon or Seoul, Suwon is relatively hotter and colder. It features continental climate. Ansan is close to the West Sea so there are a lot of winds from the sea.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's forecast, it is not always well buried in Incheon and Suwon, but it is much similar to Incheon's climate than inland Suwon and mainly belongs to the temperate rain. It is about 2 degrees cooler in summer and 2 degrees warmer in winter than Seoul or Suwon like the beach. Except for Daebudo Island, it is an area that has no characteristics of coastal cities, but it is quite pleasant because it has a combination of marine climate characteristics. Annual precipitation is about 1,300mm, which is as high as a general west coast area. The drainage facilities are well equipped, so there is no flood damage. However, due to the nature of the oceanic climate, it is very humid in summer. In summer, there are many days when humidity is more than 90% even on days when it does not rain, and 100% is also recorded during the night time.

Read

 * Sangnoksu Station is a subway railway station on Seoul Subway Line 4. Sangoksu means "Evergreen Tree". The station is named after the book Sangnoksu (1935) by Sim Hun. The setting of the novel Sangnoksu is stream in Sangnok-gu.

Get in
Cities nearby include Gunpo and Uiwang to the east, Hwaseong to the south, and Siheung to the north and west. Approximate travel times from other locations are as follows:

By subway
Ansan is located on Subway Line 4 and the Suin–Bundang Line Travel times to the center of Ansan (Jungang station):
 * From Seoul Station (Seoul): 1 hr 10 min
 * From Geumjeong Station (Gunpo): 20 min
 * From Oido Station (Siheung) : 20 min

Ansan is served by eight subway stations (all on Line 4. five stations are shared with the Suin-Bundang Line), listed from the closest to Seoul: Banwol, Sangnoksu, Hanyang University at Ansan, Jungang, Gojan, Choji, Ansan, Neunggil.

Ansan is scheduled to open the Shin Ansan Line connecting Ansan and Yeouido on December 31, 2024, which is expected to provide convenient access to transportation and increase inflows to the Yeouido and Mapo areas of Seoul.

The Suin-Bundang Line runs from Cheongnyangni to Incheon. It opened in 17 Sep 2020. Besides sharing with Line 4, as mentioned above, it has one station in Ansan:

If coming from Bucheon, then the Seohae (West Coast) Line would be the route. It calls at the following stations in Ansan:

 * Choji (초지). Transfer with Line 4 and the Suin-Bundang Line.
 * Choji (초지). Transfer with Line 4 and the Suin-Bundang Line.
 * Choji (초지). Transfer with Line 4 and the Suin-Bundang Line.

By bus

 * The Ansan Bus Terminal (KO:안산종합버스터미널) near Ansan Station provides daily bus service to Incheon International Airport and most cities in South Korea. Buses travel via Gimpo International Airport and Incheon International Airport. Express buses to Iksan, Dongdaegu, and Gwangju are also available. Near Sangnoksu Station are buses going to Suwon Station and Gangnam Station. Ansan has 53 bus lines with 537 buses operating in and out of the city limits, connecting the city with Seoul and other outlying Gyeonggi cities. The Ansan transfer center also has express city buses, city buses and intercity buses to link to Banwal industrial estate, Sihaw lake and nearby cities.
 * To Ansan Bus Terminal from Incheon Bus terminal: 30 min
 * From Gimpo Airport: 90 min
 * From Incheon Airport: 2 hr (express bus approx. 55–70 min)
 * From Suwon: 30 min (take blue bus 707, 909 or red bus 110 at Suwon station)
 * From Jamsil, Seoul: 60 min
 * From Gangnam, Seoul : 55 min (take Red bus 3100, 3101 and 3102 or express bus 700. You can take the bus No.3102 at the Gangnam-station, metro line No.2, exit No.5 or 6.)

By bicycle
Hiring a bicycle is a good way to get around this city. You can use public bicycles, named 'Pedalro' in Ansan city. There are many bicycle stops and good quality of bicycles around this city. Ansan has comparatively good bike path so you can ride safely. You can apply for a membership or just register a non-membership. (1-day pass) for using this bicycles. The fee is ₩1,000 for a day (for more information for using Pedalro, visit the website - 안산시 공공자전거). You can ride 24 hours but you have to park the bicycle you are riding at any bicycle stops every 2 hours and borrow it again. There is also Smart Phone application for this (for iOS)(for Android), you can find easily where is the nearest bicycle stop from you or how many bicycles are left in the stops. Pedalro runs until 31 Dec 2021.

In addition to Pedalo, you can use other bicycle sharing services such as 'Everybike (에브리 바이크)' and 'KakaoBike (카카오 바이크)'

By City Tour Bus
CIty Tour Bus operates 10:00 to 17:00 every Wednesday and Saturday in April to December but it is flexible according to climate. You must have a reservation through telephone or the website. The telephone number is 031-407-0101 and 031-413-1212. The bus boarding place is located at Exit 2 of Jungang Station on subway line No.4. In regular tour, there are five courses. First course is a tour about Ansan culture and arts. Second course is a tour about multicultural street and traditional market. Third course is about Daebu Haesolgil which means pathway along the Daebu Island. Fourth course is about 'Daebu Bada Hyanggi Theme Park'. Fifth course is about experience art in Daebu. Furthermore, You can make a course freely but it has to participate over thirty people. In experience tour, there are several courses like mud flat experience, salt pond experience and so on.

Regular taxi
You can take a taxi at taxi stand. Basic fare of regular taxi is around ₩4,800. The taxi stand is near the bus station.

As of July 2023, the basic fare for regular taxis is ₩4,800 (₩5,800 at night), with a surcharge of ₩100 applied according to time and distance. (The basic fare is up to 1.6 km (1 mi), plus ₩100 per 135 m.)

Call taxi
When you move to another place where is hard to access, you can call a taxi. Basic fare of call taxi is around ₩3,800. You can call kakao taxi or T-map taxi. Kakao taxi is easier to call than T-map taxi.

Historical monuments and structures

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Festivals
There are several regular festivals in Ansan.

Movie theaters
There are several movie theaters in Ansan. Big multiplex movie theater chains, such as CGV, Lotte Cinema and Megabox, are represented in Ansan and show movies of various genres.

Others

 * Visit the "Chinatown" around the Ansan Station, an area with lots of Chinese, Indian and Central Asian restaurants. As it serves the local immigrant community, it has a more authentic feel to it than anything you can find in Seoul.
 * Visit the "Chinatown" around the Ansan Station, an area with lots of Chinese, Indian and Central Asian restaurants. As it serves the local immigrant community, it has a more authentic feel to it than anything you can find in Seoul.
 * Visit the "Chinatown" around the Ansan Station, an area with lots of Chinese, Indian and Central Asian restaurants. As it serves the local immigrant community, it has a more authentic feel to it than anything you can find in Seoul.
 * Visit the "Chinatown" around the Ansan Station, an area with lots of Chinese, Indian and Central Asian restaurants. As it serves the local immigrant community, it has a more authentic feel to it than anything you can find in Seoul.
 * Visit the "Chinatown" around the Ansan Station, an area with lots of Chinese, Indian and Central Asian restaurants. As it serves the local immigrant community, it has a more authentic feel to it than anything you can find in Seoul.
 * Visit the "Chinatown" around the Ansan Station, an area with lots of Chinese, Indian and Central Asian restaurants. As it serves the local immigrant community, it has a more authentic feel to it than anything you can find in Seoul.

Learn
There are several universities in Ansan, including Hanyang University.

Buy
There are many foreign markets in Ansan providing cheap fruit and vegetables, along with various foreign food and merchandise. Lotte Mart is one of Korea's major superstore chains has three branches in Ansan, one of which is located near the bus terminal.

Eat
There are many foreign restaurants in Ansan including Indian, Indonesian, Pakistani and others mostly being situated near Ansan station.

Mid-range

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Drink

 * Ansan's main downtown area is opposite Jungang Station and features dozens of bars and coffee shops.

Bar

 * Imported beers from South East Asia can be found at some markets and restaurants near Ansan Station.

Sleep
There are a bunch of cheap love motels in Ansan. To find these cross the street from the station, go 5 or 6 blocks and veer to your left a street or two. They range from between ₩50,000 to ₩80,000, and most will have large TV's with cable, Internet and PC, and some nicer ones even have baths.

Hotels, in the standard sense, are rare in Ansan and are mostly 'business' hotels serving foreign visitors who visit Ansan's large industrial complex. Hotel 'Hi-Vice' is a basic business hotel and may serve for foreign visitors, with room rates between ₩40-120,000 it is opposite Jungang Station and also features a wedding hall. There is also an international hotel located close to Sangoksu Station. However, as mentioned above, many motels are on par with 3-4 star hotels and are typically rather cheap.

Guest house is in Hanyang University. However, you need a permission from Hanyang University. Fee of standard room is ₩129,000, twin room, deluxe double and deluxe twin for ₩176,000 and Royal sweet for ₩400,000. They furnished super high speed of Internet, central heating system, individual air condition, available international phone call at anytime and satellite broadcasting that provide variety of internal and external channels.

Connect
See Seoul.

Stay safe
Ansan has higher than average crime levels for South Korea, although it is still very safe by global standards.

Go next

 * Daebudo - an island administratively part of Ansan and famous for its mud flats.
 * Suwon - with the world heritage listed Hwaseong Fortress.
 * Songdo - also called "Songdo International Business District", with lots of skyscrapers.
 * Incheon - South Korea's third largest city, best known for its airport but also featuring many cultural attractions.
 * Seoul - the lively national capital with modern and ancient attractions to keep you busy for weeks.

title: Ansan


text:
Ansó

Ansó is a village in Aragon in the Valles de Echo and Ansó in the Spanish Pyrenees. The village is tiny but very pretty with its stone houses and views of the mountains around. It is also a great base for exploring the mountains and villages in the valley.

Get in
It is best to have your own transport (see Get around) but there is one bus a day to and from Jaca.

Get around
Best to have your own transport. The area is pretty and well suited for some strenuous biking but no local rentals are available.

Go next

 * Jaca
 * Echo

title: Ansó


text:
Anshan

Anshan (鞍山; Ānshān) is the third largest prefecture level city in Liaoning Province in China. It is in the central area of the province about 92 km south of Shenyang, the province's capital. Anshan sits on the boundary between the mountains of eastern Liaoning and the plains of the west. The area contains the famous Qianshan Park National Park, Tangangzi Hot Spring Spa and the Jade Buddha Palace Temple. The city's name is derived form the shape of a nearby mountain (in Chinese 山; shān) that resembles the shape of a horse's saddle (鞍; Ān). Anshan is home to the Angang Iron and Steel Company, one of the largest steel producers in China.

Understand
The area of Anshan has been inhabited since prehistoric times. In the Tang dynasty, the emperor of China lived in and around Anshan for a period of two years during the wars between China and the Goguryeo. Ansi city, in the south east of modern Anshan, was the scene of a large battle during those wars. During this time, many significant sites were established including the Hot Springs at Tangangzi and many temples in Qianshan. During the Ming Dynasty, a small fort was built in Anshan on the road from Haicheng to Liaoyang. This fort, and a nearby lookout tower are still visible today. The city however remained small and of little importance until the twentieth century.

Japan had gained influence in Liaoning and was industrialising the region. A joint Sino-Japanese venture, Anshan Zhenzing Iron Ore Company Unlimited, was started in Anshan in 1918. After the Japanese occupied the northeast of China in 1931, the company was turned into a Japanese owned monopoly. Anshan was occupied by the Japanese and was part of the Japanese puppet state of Manchuco. The Japanese founded a steel mill alongside the existing iron works in Anshan. The city grew in size around this new industrial site. The defeat of the Japanese in 1945 saw Anshan returned to China. However, peace had not yet arrived. Civil war continued between the Chinese Nationalist Government and the Communist People's Liberation Army. The city of Anshan was the scene of one of the battles of this war. A monument in Lishishan Park commemorates the battle. On the 19th of February 1948, Anshan was liberated by the PLA.

The northeast of China was marked out to become a major industrial centre for the new People's Republic of China. Anshan was set to become a key part of this industrial development. The steel mills had been damaged during the wars. In December 1948, the Anshan Iron and Steel Company, also known as Angang, was founded. Production in the newly repaired steel plant resumed on July 9, 1949. The plant was expanded to become, at one time, the largest steel producer in China. Other industries set up alongside the steel plant including mining for coal, iron and other minerals. This industrial wealth had an environmental cost. The open-hearth furnaces of the steel mill created large amounts of dust and other pollution. Along with its growing reputation as a major steel producer, Anshan was also gaining a reputation as a dirty, smelly town. The furnaces of the steel plant were changed in the 1980s to designs which blow oxygen in form the front. This increased the production and also reduced the pollution. In the 1990s, they were additionally altered to blow oxygen in form the top as well. This further increase production and reduced pollution. In December 2000, all three production lines of Anshan Iron and Steel company switched form mould-casting to continuous casting. This new technology has significantly reduced the dust and other pollution in the city. The new plant equipment is also much less labour-intensive. This has meant a reduction in the workforce and has caused an unemployment problem in the city. A new drive to market Anshan as a tourist destination is hoped to help bolster the cities economy.

By plane
Anshan Teng'ao Airport (AOG) is located 15 km to the south east of the city centre, about 30 minutes away by car and near to the Anshan South exit of the Shenda Expressway. The airport serves domestic routes only. Scheduled flights to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu are flown daily throughout the year. In addition to the main terminal at Teng'ao airport, there is also a city terminal located on Qianshan West Road in Tiexi district. Travellers may purchase tickets as well as check-in and obtain a boarding card at either terminal. After check-in, a coach takes passengers from the city terminal to the main terminal.

The nearest international airport is Shenyang Taoxian International Airport (SHE, 沈阳桃仙国际机场). This is 90 km to the north of Anshan city and takes about 1.5 hours to reach by road. Shenyang Taoxian International Airport is a major regional airport. There are coaches running regularly between Anshan and Shenyang Airport. A more frequent coach service runs from the center of Shenyang, see below. Alternatively, a taxi can be hired. It is usually possible to negotiate a price of about ¥200-300 for the taxi between Anshan and Shenyang airport. If you are willing to share a taxi with four other travelers, then you might pay ¥50-60 per person though you will have to wait until the taxi is full before the driver will set off. If booking flights via a local travel agent or hotel in Anshan, the agent will usually be able to arrange a taxi to or from Shenyang Airport, at a discounted rate.

There is a third small airport, Yingkou Lanqi Airport (YKH), about 90 km to the south, near to Bayuquan city. Yingkou Lanqi has only flights domestically to Beijing and Shanghai, but is more convenient for travellers visiting Haicheng or Xiuyan counties in the south of Anshan.

By road
Anshan has two exits on the Shenda Expressway (Route G15), which runs between Shenyang and Dalian. The first exit is due west of the city, the second is towards the southern end and is signposted as Anshan South. A third exit on the G15 near Liaoyang can take you via the G91 conveniently to the north end of the city. It takes about an hour and a half to travel the 93 km from Shenyang and about three hours for the 300 km from Dalian.

The Liaozhong Ring Expressway (Route G91) runs through the north of Anshan connecting east to Benxi and west with the Jingshen Expressway (Route G1) that leads to Beijing. Two exists on this route serve Anshan. The western exit interstects with the G15 to take travellers to the west of Anshan's Tiexi district. The next exit at Shoushan town, between Anshan and Liaoyang city, will take you to the north of Anshan's Lishan district.

The Panhai and Danxi Expressways (Route G16) run through the southern part of Anshan servicing Haicheng city and Xiuyan city in the south of Anshan Prefecture. They connect west to the nearby cities of Yingkou and Panjin and on to the G1 to Beijing. South west the route connects to Dandong on the border of North Korea. The G16 intersects the G15 just south west of Haicheng.

By bus
Anshan's long-distance coach station is in the center of town on the southern side of the square beside the train station. Regular coaches run to Anshan from most neighboring cities and other regions too. Coaches to and from Shenyang run as frequently as every 10 or 15 minutes. Effectively they leave when full. This route costs ¥25 each way. Direct coaches between Anshan and Beijing's eastern long-distance coach station run several times a day and there are sleeper coaches at night.

By train
Anshan is on the main line between Dalian and Shenyang. There are direct trains from most cities in Liaoning and neighboring provinces such as Jilin, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia as well as from Beijing and beyond. A High Speed Rail line between Dalian and Harbin passes through Anshan and is available from the Anshan West Railway Station. The high speed line allows travel from Anshan to Dalian in about one and a half hours and to Shenyang in about twenty minutes during summer. In winter, the line runs at a reduced speed due to the cold weather.

By taxi
A taxi from Shenyang to Anshan will cost about ¥400 by the meter. Many drivers in Anshan will negotiate a significantly cheaper rate, typical ¥200-300 each way.

If you are in desperate hurry to leave the town, night drivers can be contacted through the taxi drivers located outside the main train station. The main night driver route is from Dalian to Shenyang and reverse (cost ¥500-800 depending on distance). Negotiate a rate and then expect to cough up a little additional during your trip since your fare might be sold to another driver along the way (like a relay race and you are the baton).

Get around
There are buses to just about every part of town from the area near the train station. Purchase a town map and it should have the bus routes on it. Bus No.8 goes past the Jade Buddha Temple and terminates outside Qianshan Park. To the Jade Buddha will cost ¥2 and to Qianshan ¥8. Most other buses cost ¥1 around the city. A few of the longer routes into the suburbs will cost ¥2. Bus 8 departs from the Jianguo Street behind the long-distance bus station, at the southeast end of the square near the train station. Other buses leave from the local bus station situated to the northwest corner of the square.

Taxis are inexpensive in Anshan. The rates are ¥7 for up to 3 km and ¥2 for each 1 km there after. All taxis are metered but for longer journeys, you may negotiate the fare. A taxi to Qianshan Mountains will cost about ¥30.

Hot Spring Spas
Anshan is famous for its Hot Spring Spas and Sanatoriums. There are several How Spring Spas around the city, mostly in the Qianshan district but also in Haicheng and Xiuyan. In addition to there are many smaller bathhouses throughout the city. These bathhouses don't use the natural hot springs but offer similar services. Prices are ¥28-60 for bathing. Extras such as massage may be ¥20-100 for each service. Price lists are usually prominently displayed though only in Chinese. Many spas and bathhouses are open 24 hours and it is quite common for people to sleep overnight in the restrooms after bathing. This can make a cheap alternative to a hotel room.

Buy

 * Jade Carvings of Xiuyan County - Xiuyan County in Anshan is full of a kind of jade the people call the "national stone" of China, and in the higher end department stores (like Parkson), you can find decent pricing. There is a large Jade market situated at the north end of the Jade Buddha temple complex.
 * Nantai luggage market is a large leather bag market located near Anshan's sibling city of Haichung. Here a large array of leather and imitation leather products are available such as bags, belts and wallets. Many are cheap copies of western designer brands and counterfeit goods are the norm here. Prices will be significantly cheaper than equivalent copies in other areas of China. If buying to take out of China, it's probably best to stick to Chinese brands than buy the fake western brands so as to avoid problems at customs.

title: Anshan


text:
Anshun

Anshun (安顺; Ānshùn) is a city in Guizhou Province, southwestern China. The city is rather small, but the huge waterfalls and caves in the surrounding area make this city a popular stop in most trips to Guizhou.

Understand
Anshun is a popular tourist destination just south of Guiyang. Waterfalls, caves and cool temperatures make Anshun an ideal summer vacation spot. The average temperature of Anshun is about 21 °C in summer. The best season to visit it is from June to October. Anshun ranked No 2 in a list of the Top Attractions of summer 2018, released by China Tourism Academy in July, following only Kunming of Southwest China's Yunnan province.

Today's city survives on tourism, subsistence farming, and its traditional batik industry, which capitalizes on the highly developed textile skills of the local Bouyi minority. The road between Anshun and Huangguoshu is roughly where Bouyi country starts to get interesting, so you could take a break between the must-see destinations to walk the countryside and do a little exploring. The Bouyi number around 3 million and live throughout western Guizhou. A writing system for the Bouyi language was devised in the 1950s and is used to record their rich folk literature. Surrounded by karst hills, Anshun has one of Guizhou's most scenic landscapes in the province.

Central Guizhou is the most travelled region of the province and it is also where the province's star sights, such as Huangguoshu Falls, Longgong Caves and Zhijin Cave, as well as its capital city, Guiyang, are located. Tourists flock here to Huangguoshu, the tallest waterfall in China. While not very well known to westerners, the Chinese TV version of the “Journey to the West” being filmed here means that almost everybody in China knows this scenery. Located on the Baishui River in Anshun, it is 77.8 meters high and 101 meters wide. Tourists can view the falls from many different angles, at the six main observation decks. Other popular sites, include the kaleidoscopic Dragon Palace Cave, and the Getu Karst Park which hosted the 2014 Black Diamond International Rock Climbing Championships. The Great Arch has become a magnet for technical climbers. Measuring 70 metres high and seventy metres across it is one of the largest such formations in the world and a challenge to thrill seekers from around the world. The Dragon Palace Cave is a spectacular underground karst cave 32 km southwest of Anshun. You can take a boat into the cave to view its spectacular subterranean scenery.

This is not very far away from the fascinating Zhongdong or Middle Cave where until around 2008 around twenty families were living in a humongous limestone cavern 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) up a mountain. This used to be the world's only year-round settlement inside a naturally occurring cave in China. Fifteen kilometres away from the nearest town, it had its own classroom, and basketball court as well as village houses.

History
Founded in the 13th century, the Anshun garrison grew into a prosperous trading post, mainly because of its strategic position along the overland trade routes between central and southwestern China. Once a centre for tea and opium trading, Anshun remains the commercial hub of western Guizhou and is now most famous as a producer of batik, kitchen knives and the lethal Anjiu brand of alcohol.

A Sunday market found in Anshun once drew large numbers of minority villagers from all over the countryside, though it has become of less interest. However, most weekends you will still encounter women villagers in traditional dress on Anshun's streets selling vegetables or things such as home-made brooms. Once a marvellous historical city ringed by a town wall, the city's heritage has largely vanished and it is the surrounding sights that are the real draws.

Orientation
The long-distance bus and train stations are 3 km and 4 km south of downtown respectively. The main commercial and shopping areas are found on Zhonghua Donglu, Gufu Jie and Zhonghua Nanlu.

Get in
Frequent buses travel between Guiyang and Anshun. The trip takes about 2 hours. There is still almost one hour's trip from Anshun to the famous waterfall, Huangguoshu.

Buses to Anshun leave from every one of Guiyang's stations (¥25, two hours, every 20 minutes from 07:00 to 19:00). Any Guiyang bound bus out of Xingyi or Weining will also let you off in Anshun if you tell the driver.

There are several bus stations in Anshun that are useful to travellers. The north bus station (客车北站; keche beizhan) has buses (¥34, three hours, every 20 minutes, 07:00 to 18:00) to Zhijin town (for Zhijin Cave). Almost every other bus now leaves from the new east bus station (东客运站; dong keyunzhan), 10 km east of the centre. Bus 16 (¥1) runs here from Zhonghua Nanlu opposite the Xixiushan Binguan. A taxi is ¥25 to ¥30.

 * Guiyang ¥35, 1½ hours, every 20 minutes (07:10 to 19:10)
 * Huangguoshu ¥20, one hour, every 20 minutes (07:20 to 19:00)
 * Kunmíng sleeper ¥150, 10 hours, four daily (09:00, 10.40, 13:00 and 16:00)
 * Longgong Caves ¥10, 40 minutes, every 30 minutes (07:30 to 18:00)
 * Pingba ¥15, 40 minutes, every 30 minutes (07:30 to 18:30)
 * Shuicheng ¥60, 3½ hours, every 50 minutes (08:20 to 16:40)
 * Weining ¥90, five to six hours, one daily (10:00)
 * Yunfeng ¥5, 40 minutes, every 30 minutes (07:30 to 18:00)

By train
The original Anshun Railway Station on Zhonghua Road and was built in 1960. Sleepers from here used to take ten hours to Kunming and 12 hours up to Chongqing. The new Anshun West railway station is part of the Hangchangkun Passenger Railway on the Kunming – Guiyang High Speed Train. From Kunming South Station to Guiyang North Station is a distance of 463 km (288 miles) which takes between two and three hours. Every day, there are about 40 G-trains departing from Kunming South Railway Station from about 07:00 to 21:00. With much shorter travelling time than driving for over 7 hours, it is easy to stop in Anshun (about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes from Kunming South), and visit the famous Huangguoshu Waterfall on the way. In turn this is part of the 2,066-km (1,284 mi) Shanghai–Kunming high-speed railway, which passes through the four provincial capitals, of Hangzhou, Nanchang, Changsha, and Guiyang. The last section, Guiyang–Kunming, was opened on 28 December 2016.

Most of the non-high-speed trains heading east stop in Guiyang (¥15, 1½ hours, regular), but they are slowly being phased out in favour of the G trains. It is still hard to get sleeper reservations for trains from here; pick them up in Guiyang at the ticket office a few hundred metres north of the train station on Zhonghua Nanlu. Destinations include the following but it is best to check to make sure that they are still running:
 * Cǎohǎi (for Weining) ¥37, three to five hours, eight daily
 * Guiyang ¥15, 1½ hours, regular
 * Kaili ¥43, four hours, nine daily
 * Kūnmíng ¥75 (seat), ¥133 (hard sleeper), eight to 10 hours
 * Liùpánshuǐ ¥24, 2½ hours, regular

Get around
Bus Number 1 zips around town from the train station and up Tashan Donglu, and on past the Hongshan Binguan. Bus 2 travels between the train station and the north bus station. Bus 16 runs from Zhonghua Nanlu to the east bus station. Buses cost ¥1. Taxi ﬂagfall is ¥6.

Do
The old part of Anshun, which lies in the northern of the centre area, is a nice place for an evening walk.

Festivals and events
A few minor festivals are held in the Anshun area, though they are generally not as spectacular as those held around Kaili. None of them are worth the trip to Anshun alone, but if you happen to be in town already, they are a pleasant diversion and certainly a nice excuse to get out and explore the countryside. Always double-check dates with local tourism officials before heading off into the wilds to attend any of the following festivities as dates are known to change from year to year, as well as the location. Tiaohua Flower Dance Festival Held in Miao villages during the first lunar month. The main location in Anshun is Flower Dance Hill, a few kilometres northwest of town; festivities occur from the 4th to the 6th of the first lunar month. Other gatherings are held at Machang and Gaofeng villages (Pingba County), halfway between Anshun and Guiyang, and in Qingzhen town.

Sanyuesan At Pogong (Guanlǐng County), 80nkm southwest of Anshun, and at Huohua (Ziyun County), 100 km south of Anshun, on the 3rd day of the third lunar month. The festival has different significance depending on what minority group is celebrating it, however, all groups mark it with singing and dancing.

Sìyueba ‘Ox King’ Festival Held at Jiuzhou and Shuangbao villages, both about 25 km east of Anshun, on the 8th day of the fourth lunar month. Liuyueliu is a Bouyi festival at Luohe (Ziyun County), 67 km southeast of Anshun, and Lazhai (near Huangla town), 56 km east, on the 6th of the sixth lunar month. Activities include ground opera and singing competitions. Eating New Rice Festival Held at Huolong and Dagouchang villages, 55 km east of Anshun, south of the main highway, sometime during the seventh or eighth lunar months. Newer festivals include the Guizhou Batik Festival, a state-sponsored festival set up to display (and flog) batik to the tourists from the 28–29 September. Authorities have also introduced the annual Guizhou Anshun Aviclub General Aviation Flight Carnival, which will hold promotional events for air travel.

Buy
The region produces a lot of batik (蜡染画; làrǎn huà), some of the batik you see in Dali and most of it in Yangshuo is from Guizhou. There are also various other handicrafts. There are a group of stores selling these and other tourist bric-a-brac along the west side of the main street just north of the bus station. The train station is at the south end of the same street.

The stretch of Zhonghua Nanlu near Zhonghua Donglu is where the city's big commercial stores and shopping centres are located. The Wholesale Market of Small Goods in Anshun (Anshun Laran Shichang; Zhonghua Nanlu; 中华 南路) is the city's main market and probably the most interesting place to prowl. For a peek at the more contemporary side of Anshun, Gufu Jie is a street of trendy clothing stores and bakeries, and snack stalls that get so packed on weekends it is hard to move. Several ethnic groups across southwestern China have been traditionally involved in creating batik. For almost 1,000 years, the Bouyi around Anshun have been using batik as a background to embroidery on clothing, and since the establishment of a factory in Anshun in the 1950s, have come to monopolize the indigenous textile market. The designs, which were originally of abstract plants and animals, are drawn with wax on cloth. The cloth is then dyed in indigo before being boiled to remove all traces of the wax, leaving the pattern in white on a blue background. The earlier monochromatic batiks have now given way to multi-colored, mass-produced designs, which include stylized representations of zodiac animals, scenes from Bouyi legends, and mythical creatures. Today, Anshun's batik is in great demand across China.

Eat
There are lots of places to eat in Anshun, but precious little to recommend. There is a food market down an alley off Zhonghua Nanlu, just south of the Bank of China. There are some bakeries and several hole-in-the wall places on Gufu Jie. There is also a huge supermarket on Zhonghua Nanlu, perfect for picking up snacks for day trips. Be forewarned: dog is eaten in these parts… lots of dog. You will often see the skinned animals boiled and propped up outside restaurants as an enticement to customers.

Sleep
There are twin rooms for ¥100 just on the left when you leave the train station.

There is a lot of midrange accommodation in Anshun that is geared to Chinese tour groups, which is generally drab and undistinguished. Anju Binguan (220 1359) has budget rooms right next to the station but the bathrooms are tiny. Directly opposite is the Xixhiushan Binguan (221 1888) has doubles for ¥200-300 but the rooms are ridiculously cramped. Bathrooms are exactly the opposite – sparsely outfitted and often the same size or bigger than the actual sleeping area. Gongdianju Zhaodaisuo on (332 9124) Zhonghua Nanlu; 中华南路; only has basic little budget rooms with Chinese toilets and cubby-hole-like showers with no doors. Henghuangshan Dajiudian (Golden Phoenix Mountain Hotel (322 5663) with is garish classical Greek façade on Tashan Donglu; 塔山东路58号) has similarly priced rooms that definitely starting to show their age.

Among foreign tourists, the two most popular choices are the two western branded properties.

219 Xihang Road.
 * Set on the edge of the beautiful Hong Shan Lake, but still in the city center, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Anshun is adjacent to the municipal government, and offers easy access to highways, the train station and airport. Huang Guo Shu Waterfall is only 40 km away, and the Wen Temple of Anshun is within walking distance. Friendly staff greet you on arrival with a signature, warm chocolate chip cookie. Ask for a room overlooking the lake. They are slightly more expensive than the standard US$60 rooms, but are definitely worth it. The sunrise over the lake is breathtaking, and a fantastic way to start the day. Popular with business travelers on Hilton Honours Benefits. The view from the Executive Lounge is especially impressive. On the downside, even up here on the non-smoking floor, so of the rooms have really strong ashtray odours. A walk around Hong Shan Lake waterfront reveals swimmers in the lake and locals doing exercises. Ask the Concierge for directions to Gu Fu Jie at night, which is a buzzing food street. Tel: 851 3366 9666 No.42 Hongshanhu Road.
 * Howard Johnson Hot Spring Resort Anshun is 3 km from the airport and very convenient the high-speed railway station. Rooms and public areas are tastefully decorated with examples of local culture and characteristics. There is even a sky garden so that you can enjoy the surrounding mountain scenery By the time you read this, the hot springs will be open and operational. Special family suites make the place very suitable for those travelling with children.

Connect

 * Bank of China (中国银行; Zhongguo yinhang cnr tashan Xilu and Zhonghua nanlu; 09:00 - 17:00)
 * China Post (Zhongguo Youzheng; cnr Tashan Donglu and Zhonghua Nanlu) Tucked in next to the China Telecom building.
 * China Travel Service (CTS; Zhongguo Luxingshe; Tel: 323 4662; Tashan Donglu M-F 09:00 - 17:00) No English signs outside. Look for a blue sign with yellow Chinese characters.

Go next
The long-distance station on the corner of Zhonghua Nanlu and Huangguoshu Dajie has a handful of handy destinations, and the bus stand in front of the train station has buses for numerous provinces in the southeastern part of China. These are much reduced with the arrival of the high-speed train but still represent a budget option for immigrant factory workers and masochistic backpackers.

Destination Price Duration Frequency Departs Foshan ¥260 19hr daily 12:00 Fuzhou ¥360 32hr daily 12:00 Guangzhou ¥240 20hr daily 12:00 Shenzhen ¥280 22hr daily 12:00 Xiamen ¥320 28hr daily 12:00

By bus
Local buses depart every hour from Anshun's East bus station (¥5-10, 30 to 40 minutes, every 20 to 30 minutes from 07:00 to 17:00). The last bus returns to Anshun at 17:00. From March to October, minivans to microvans run all day between Longgong and Huangguoshu (¥15-30, 30 minutes), leaving when full. They run infrequently, if at all, the rest of the year, but there are always plenty of taxis at the Huangguoshu parking lot that you can take.

title: Anshun