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Kerala Backwaters

Backwaters in Kerala is a network of 1500 km of canals both manmade and natural, 38 rivers and 5 big lakes extending from one end of Kerala to the other.

Backwaters is one of the major tourism product of Kerala, being unique to the state. Traditionally used as one of the main transportation alleys, today backwaters offer a rejuvenating experience for tourists visiting Kerala.

The backwaters can be explored by hiring a boat for one or several days. If you go for more than a day, the boat usually comes with a navigator and a cook, which provide you with various facilities when exploring the backwaters.

Understand
While hill resorts and beaches can be found in other parts of India, the backwaters are unique to Kerala. Meandering through the coastal areas of Kerala is a 900-km-long (560-mile) intricate network of lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and deltas of several rivers that flow into the Arabian Sea. This is a natural phenomenon, as major rivers and streams that flows within Kerala drain themselves into backwaters regions, resulting in creation of several small land strips, lagoons, islands etc, which opens to sea at few areas. Thus backwaters are one of the largest fresh-water sources and rich in marine habitat as well as adds to natural beauty. Kerala has 3 backwater regions.

The most beautiful and accessible part of the backwaters is the stretch in the districts of Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam. The Vembanad Lake is the longest lake in South Asia and listed as prestigious Ramsar sites, with rich biodiversity. The north Vembanad Lake opens to sea at Kochi harbour. The Kochi coast is dotted with numerous islands interconnected by ferries and bridges, adorning the Queen of the Arabian Sea like a necklace of pearls. The islands break the waves from the sea, thus ensuring that the back waters are calm and navigable. Among the islands, Wellingdon Island deserves special mention as it houses the Port of Cochin and the largest Naval presence in India: the Southern Naval Command.

The southern Vembanad Lake is world-renowned for its natural beauty and large expanse of water, sandwiched between district of Alappuzha and Kottayam. This is the most visited tourist area in South India and enthralls visitors all over world. Houseboat tourism, made these backwaters popular, where tourists can stay overnight in luxurious houseboats, enjoying natural beauty.

Alappuzha has one of the largest network of canals and lagoons. It is famous for its unique practice of farming below sea-level at Kuttanad, where sea water is prevented using mud bars and lagoon strips. Whereas Kottayam has rose to world fame, when its sleepy lake village- Kumarakom became favourite holiday homes for international celebrities, overnight. Kumarakom is a famous bird sanctuary with home of several rare migratory birds with large expanse of backwaters and lagoons.

The second most visited backwater region is in Kollam district. This is one of the largest freshwater lake in India, with numerous navigable canals and rivers interconnecting almost all regions of south Kerala. The Ashtamudi Lake is also home of several endangered marine species.

The third backwater region is located at Kannur-Valiyaparambu Backwaters located in districts of Kannur and Kasaragod, which is least exploited, though it offers amazing natural beauty and presence of numerous small uninhabited islands.

Apart from these three major backwater regions, smaller lagoons can be found in most coastal districts of Kerala. The popular options are

 * Thiruvallam Lagoons and Akkulam-Veli Backwaters in Thiruvananthapuram district. Whereas former is a religious destination, latter is famous for its large eco-tourist project, the Akkulam Tourist Village.
 * Alumkadavu Backwaters in Kollam district at Karunagappally, famous for its large houseboat dry docks and boatyards where most of the houseboats are constructed and repaired.
 * Kumbalangi Backwaters, which is part of Vembanad Lake, near Kochi. It is famous for its village tourism, where small canoes are used to navigate a maze of mangrove forests, which is a unique experience
 * Canoli canal and Kallai backwaters, in Kozhikode district, are good for boating while the bird sanctuary at Kadalundi is fast becoming a favourite with bird-watchers and nature lovers. Nearby is Korapuzha, where the Korapuzha Jalotsavam, a water sports festival attracts large tourists.

Houseboat tourism is the most popular activity in backwaters, with many large Kettu-vallams (traditional rice boats, now converted into floating hotels), large cruisers and yachts operating.

Arundhati Roy's famed debut novel The God of Small Things is set largely in the Kerala Backwaters. It is worth reading to get a sense of the role of culture, religion, and politics in shaping the society of the people who live here.

By plane
To access the Vembanad Lake,  in Kochi is 90 km from Alappuzha and Kottayam districts.

To access the Ashtamudi Lake,  in state capital Thiruvananthapuram is better, as it's within 68 km.

near Kozhikode, should be your choice to reach the Malabar Backwaters, particularly Kannur areas. Alternatively, Mangalore Airport and Coimbatore Airport  are other options having national flight connectivity.

By train
Alappuzha Town and Kottayam Junction are the major railway stations for all trains bound to South Kerala, where you need to align to proceed to Alappuzha Backwaters and Kumarakom islands respectively.

Kollam Junction, another major railway station, is in the heart of Kollam town where you can reach the Astamudi-Sasthamkotta lake regions.

Kannur, Thalassery, are Kasargod are major stations on the busy Konkan Railway line (Thiruvananthapuram–Mumbai route). Hence align respectively, to proceed to the Malabar backwaters region.

By car
Most of the backwater regions are interconnected each other with National highways and State highways. While much of Alappuzha region is connected by NH 47, Kottayam is connected with SH 1 (MC Road) and both the regions are interconnected with AC State highway (Alappuzha–Changassery).

Much of Kollam regions are covered with numerous State highways and 2 national highway- NH 47 and NH 208.

Northern Kerala are interconnected with several SH and NH 17.

By ferry
Regular cruises call at Kochi port from where tourists can reach Vembanad Lake either by car or yachts or light cruisers. A few ships do call at Old Alappuzha Port.

Similarly few cruises call at Beypore Port near Kozhikode, from where tourists can proceed to Kannur Backwaters via cars.

Get around
Boat is the best way to go around the region. Apart from tourist houseboats, regular ferries operated by Kerala State Inland Navigation Company (KSINC) and traditional country-side canoes also operate in the region.

Road connections are also available interconnected by bridges, allowing cars and buses to ply. A few islands are connected with small walk-bridges, which needed to be explored either by foot or bicycle/bikes.

Kettu-Valloms
Before trucks became common, the main cargo transportation was through backwaters by 'Kettuvalloms'. Kettuvallom loosely translated means: ‘roofed boat’. They can be as long as 70 foot, with a 30 ton capacity, made with wooden planks joined and tied together with coconut ropes and painted with cashew nut oil outside. Nowadays many kettuvalloms have been converted to House Boats by enterprising boat owners with amenities like beds, kitchens, bars & toilets. The entire houseboats are constructed with natural eco-friendly materials like bamboo, coir, palm leaves and wood. Normally houseboats have 2 or 3 bedrooms with large lobby area, a kitchen and crew rooms. Some larger houseboats are even two storied with open terrace and observation deck connected with bamboo stair case.

They are available on hire for fixed rates (varies according to the season). The package usually includes tour along the backwater with stops at various place with historical or cultural importance. The menu usually includes the fresh water catch along with the seasonal sea food and Kerala vegetarian dishes. Guests who require special menus as well as vegetarian foods in certain specific styles, must inform the crew or operator office, at least one day before the cruise. Packages include cost of food and all regular amenities. Guests can swim in the backwaters, only in the areas, authorized by houseboat crew. Most of the houseboat operates on 22-hour cruise, starting from noon to 10AM next day. The houseboats will be anchored from evening 8PM onwards and morning 6AM next day, as laws prohibit these vessels being piloted at night. Houseboats are available for 8-hour cruise package for larger crowds, who do not prefer staying over-night.

The backwaters flow through almost all the districts of Kerala -- Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kottayam, etc. Almost all the stretches have breathtaking views. Not to be missed are the Thiruvallam backwaters, Kumarakom (on Vembanad lake) and Kuttanad.

Other attractions
It's water, water and water everywhere, with few narrow of strip of land in-between with huge coconut trees guarding, with its palms swaying in wind. The experience cannot be described effectively by any travelogue.

Do
A large draw to the backwaters of Kerala are tours in houseboats. The houseboats are equipped with kitchens (many include a cook!), bedrooms and a pilot. Some houseboat operators offer fishing and will even cook your catch according to your preferred style of cooking. These tours commonly anchor at local vegetable markets and allow you to purchase fresh, local produce. In the evenings, the houseboats will anchor near local toddy shops and you can treat yourself to traditional Kerala palm toddies and food.

Perhaps unique to this region are the floating supermarkets operated by Triveni Co-op. They offer a decent selection of groceries items and other essentials to cater to people living on the islands. The supermarkets are built inside large motorized boats.

Eat
A key component of the daily menu for those travelling in a houseboat is freshly-caught freshwater fish. Regular menus are prepared in typical Kerala style, freshly prepared by crew in each houseboat. Special dietary needs can be accommodated if notified in advance. Guests also can cook for themselves in the boat's kitchen.

Around the backwaters, there are numerous small Kallu shops (Toddy Shops) which also serve food. However you would not be able to appreciate, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, as majority of them are fishes and other non-vegetarian dishes. Kallu-shops, serves local palm toddy known as Kallu, but today most of the people visit shops for its signature dishes. Some signature regional specialties include:

 * Karimeen Fry: Pearlspot fish which is shallow fried in coconut oil.
 * Varal Roast: a relative of the squid, famous its tasty meat, which is grilled in banana leaf in a semi-masala gravy
 * Kochjnu Pollichatu: grilled shrimp (prawns) cooked in dry tomato gravy
 * Chemmeen Thoran: shallow fried tiger prawn strips cooked with fried vegetables with grated coconut powder
 * Panni Ullathiyathu: baked pork cooked in heavily spiced tomato masala gravy
 * Tharavu Roast: duck curry in semi dry masala gravy
 * Kappa and Fish Curry: Mashed baked Tapioca flavored in tumeric and spices, served with fish curry.
 * Pepper fried Chicken served with Malabar Porattas (Kerala Bread)

Drink

 * Kallu (Toddy) with fish: Fresh palm toddy derived from coconut tree.
 * Sweet Tender coconut water

Sleep
Many travellers stay on houseboats, but you can also find many resorts dotting the backwaters. Most of these are converted ancestral homes where you can stay with the family and have a feel of the local culture and cuisine.

There are few homestays in the island of Kumbalangi, Bolghatty etc. But to see the backwaters, you don't have to stay in any of the islands, there are hotels in mainland Ernakulam, from where you can go the islands, or backwaters.

Stay safe

 * Most of houseboats are relatively safer with excellent safety track-record and all houseboats have trained lifeguards. Yet precautions must be taken care, as backwaters have bigger depth and even expert swimmers itself finds difficult in swimming here. Swim only in those areas, authorized by lifeguards. Never swim in evenings and early mornings
 * Being water borne areas, mosquitoes are common, hence mosquito-repellents must be used.

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

title: Kerala Backwaters


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Kerama Islands

The Kerama Islands (慶良間諸島 Kerama-shotō) are a small archipelago and a National Park in Okinawa, Japan, to the west of the main Okinawa Island.

Islands
Kerama proper consists of six inhabited islands and twenty uninhabited ones. Three can easily be visited:
 * Tokashiki Village
 * — smallest and least populated of the trio (300), connected by bridge to Geruma and Fukaji
 * — the largest in size and population (all of 700)
 * Zamami Village
 * — small island with about 600 people

While not strictly a part of Kerama, several islands in the vicinity are covered here as well:
 * — a comparative metropolis with 7,000 inhabitants and its own airport, known for its beauty and awamori
 * — a small island at halfway mark between Kume and Okinawa
 * — one bar, one cop, no restaurants, and a few guesthouses catering to intrepid scuba divers

Understand
Accessible in under an hour from Naha, the Kerama Islands are a popular getaway from the big-city bustle of the main island.

Historically, the Kerama Island group was a part of the Ryukyu Kingdom. For some 600 years, the islanders were employed as skillful navigators for the Kingdom’s trading vessels between Okinawa and China.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Get in
Ferries connect Naha to Tokashiki (35/70 min fast/slow ferry), Akajima (50/90 min), Zamami (60/120 min) and Aguni (-/130 min). Kerama Airport on Fukaji, connected by bridge to Akajima, serves only charter flights.

Kumejima has an airport with regular flights from Naha (35 min) and seasonal charters direct from Tokyo. The other way in is a 4-hour ferry ride from Naha, stopping at Tonaki along the way.

Get around
Akajima and Zamami are served by the same ferry, but otherwise island-hopping will usually require a detour via Naha.

See
There are a number of beaches to snorkel from and lookouts around the island on peaks that are used to look for whales when they migrate through the area in the Spring. The 3 settlements on the island are diving tourist towns but have many building and remnants from WWII including a WWII museum with many original weapons and information from that period.

Do
Hire bicycles and cycle to one of the many viewing platforms throughout Zamami Island. The views of the turquoise sea and surrounding islets are well worth the demanding bike ride. Oki Rental at Ama Beach rents bikes and scooters. A bike hired there will cost ¥1,500 per day or ¥1,000 if you take the bike for three days or more. This is significantly cheaper than renting in Zamami Tow.

Furuzamami Beach has a small beach bar which rents parasols, sun-loungers and snorkeling gear. It is the only beach in Zamami with such facilities. The water of Furazamami Beach is crystal clear and coral and fishes are readily accessible.

title: Kerama Islands


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Kerava

Kerava is a town in Central Uusimaa, in Southern Finland. It's located about 30km to the north from Helsinki and is part of the greater metropolitan area.

By public transport

 * See Helsinki for information about HSL public transport routes, fares and tickets.

Kerava is served by Helsinki commuter trains, with 3 faster "R", "H" and "Z" trains (20 min from Helsinki) and 5 "K" trains per hour (35 min from Helsinki). The is right next to the town centre. In addition, there are bus routes from other parts of the capital region.

By plane
All international and domestic flights to Helsinki land at the , 15 kilometers to the south-west of the town. From airport to Kerava, take the commuter train P to Tikkurila and change for a Kerava-bound commuter train. Travel time to Kerava from the airport is about 45 min.

By car
Kerava is next to the Helsinki-Lahti motorway. It takes about 30 minutes to get in from central Helsinki, if there are no traffic jams.

Get around
In the centre, you can get around by foot. To go elsewhere, drive or travel by bus or taxi.

By bus

 * See Helsinki for information about routes, fares and tickets

Local buses operate within Kerava itself and also provide easy access to neighbouring communities Tuusula and Sipoo.

By scooter
You can rent electric kick scooters for use in the centre from Finnish Swup.

By taxi
See Uusimaa for information about companies and fares

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

See

An industrial town emerging from scratch along the railway a little more than a century ago, you won't find any old town in Kerava. However the city has its fair share of modern art and architecture.

 * Many modern sculptures and statues around downtown.
 * Many modern sculptures and statues around downtown.
 * Many modern sculptures and statues around downtown.

Do

Keravan päivä. "The Kerava day" is usually a week before Juhannus (Midsummer). Free concerts and art around the city, with the main event at the Aurinkomäki stage. Brief information in Finnish here.

Buy
Along the main street Kauppakaari you can find all kinds of shops and restaurants. At its eastern end and across Keskustan Kehä you can find two hypermarkets, and. The Prisma works 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Citymarket may have a more diverse selection for things such as cheese and different meat cuts.

Eat
 at Kauppakaari street has several places:
 * Chinese restaurant  offers buffet Chinese and Sushi.
 *  is another option for Asian and Sushi.
 * The New Sherwood, where you can go for lunch, a full dining experience, or just a pint of Guinness. They also host bands and other parties after dinner time.
 *  - steaks, grilled meat etc.

Also at Kauppakaari street is , whose pizzas include gluten-free options for a small additional fee.

At Asemanaukio, between the library and train station, you can find Nepalese restaurant . Nearby, next to the bus platforms, is the sushi restaurant .

Drink

 * The New Sherwood (see section "Eat", above)
 * Three Kings The Bar, Kauppakaari 1. They show NHL hockey and games of major football leagues. Affordable beers and pub snacks.
 * Kamun Kapakka, Paasikivenkatu 4 (one block from Kauppakaari). High-quality domestic and foreign beers on tap, and more in bottles.

Sleep
With Cosmopoli having closed, there are no hotels (administratively) in Kerava. The nearest hotels are:
 * , Rantatie 2, Tuusula, tel. +358 9 2951501
 * Hotelli Rivoli, Järvenpää, tel. +358 9 27141

In addition, you can find a wide selection of accommodation in Vantaa, especially near the airport.

Go next

 * The lake Tuusulanjärvi, with several artist's homes or cottages from a hundred years back turned into museums, is 5 km west of Kerava, in Tuusula and Järvenpää. Do the names Jean Sibelius, Aleksis Kivi, Juhani Aho, Venny Soldan-Brofeldt and Pekka Halonen ring any bells? You might also enjoy a walk along the lake that brought them here.

title: Kerava


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Kerch

Kerch  (Russian, Ukrainian: Керчь), is a city (population 149,566) on the Kerch Peninsula of eastern Crimea. It was decorated by the Soviet Union as a "Hero City" of World War II.

Understand

Archeological digs in the area reveal it had already been inhabited in 17th–15th centuries BC. The city's history began in the 7th century BC, when Greek colonists from Miletus founded the city-state Panticapaeum on Mount Mithridates, near the mouth of the Melek-Chesme river. Panticapaeum subdued nearby cities and by 480 BC became a capital of the Kingdom of Bosporus. Later, during the rule of Mithradates VI Eupator, Panticapaeum for a short period of time became the capital of the much more powerful and extensive Kingdom of Pontus.

Located at the intersection of trade routes between the steppe and Europe, the city grew rapidly. Panticapaeum minted its own coins and exported grain, salted fish and wine. The Melek-Chesme River, now  small and shallow, was navigable in Bosporan times, and sea galleys were able to enter the river. Panticapaeum and the Kingdom of Bosporus suffered from Ostrogoth raids in the 1st century AD, and were devastated by the Huns in AD 375.

From the 6th century the city was under the control of the Byzantine Empire. By order of Emperor Justinian I, a citadel named Bospor was built there. The center of a diocese, it grew under the influence of Greek Christianity. In the 7th century, the Turkic Khazars took control of Bospor, and the city was renamed Karcha (from Turkic "karşı" meaning 'opposite, facing'). In the late 10th century, Khazaria fell to Kievan Rus' and Kerch became the center of a successor-state. From the 10th century, the city was known as Korchev, a center of trade between Rus', Crimea, the Caucasus, and the East.

In the 13th century, Crimea including Korchev was invaded by Mongols. After that, the city became a Genoese colony named Cerco (Cherkio) in 1318. Townspeople fished and worked at salt-works.

In 1475, city was passed to the Ottoman Empire. During the Turkish rule Kerch fell into decay and served as a slave-market. It repeatedly suffered from raids of Zaporizhian Cossacks.

By the times of Peter the Great, Russian military forces were reinforcing in the Azov sea area, and as a response, the Turks built the fortress Yenikale, near Kerch, on the shore of Kerch Strait. The fortress was completed by 1706. In 1771 the Imperial Russian Army, commanded by Grigorii Potemkin, invaded Crimea and approached Yenikale. The Turks decided to abandon the fortress. By the Peace Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji in 1774, Kerch and Yenikale were ceded to Russia.

Because of its location, from 1821 Kerch developed into an important trade and fishing port. An ironwork factory was built in 1846, based on a huge iron ore deposit found on Kerch Peninsula.

During the Crimean War the city was devastated by British forces in 1855.

From 1941 to 1945, Kerch was the site of heavy fighting between Soviet Army and Axis forces. After fierce fighting, the city was taken by the Germans in November 1941. On 30 December 1941, the Soviets recaptured Kerch in a naval landing operation. In 1942 the Nazis occupied the city again. The Red Army lost more than 160,000 men, either killed or taken prisoner at the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula. On 31 October 1943, another Soviet amphibious operation was launched, returning Kerch to Soviet control on 11 April 1944.

By train
There are long-distance sleeper trains from Moscow (24–28 hours).

Also Kerch has regional train connections with Simferopol and Dzhankoy. Though these regional trains are cheap they are also slow.

By plane
The main airport of Crimea is in Simferopol (220 km west of Kerch). If you prefer air travel you can get to Kerch via Simferopol, follow these steps:
 * 1) Arrive at Simferopol International Airport. Now you should get to Simferopol Central Intercity Bus Station (Avtovokzal), there are two options:
 * 2) * Taxi. There are plenty of private cabs in front of the airport, but prices are usually not reasonable and many of the drivers are dishonest. You should always negotiate a price before you board a cab and make sure that this price is for the entire route (not for each kilometer)
 * 3) * Public transport. Take marshrutka bus #49 (bus stop is in the middle of the square in front of the airport). Price is written on paper sheets inside the bus. There are no tickets; just pass money to your driver. Usually it takes 25–35 minutes to get to Avtovokzal. Avtovokzal is just an intermediate stop for marshrutka #49; don't miss this stop! Ask the driver or passengers if you are not sure where to exit (most of the locals do not speak English, but they should understand what Avtovokzal means). If you have a GPS device you can locate Avtovokzal by coordinates (44°56'55"N, 34° 7'34"E)
 * 4) Inside Avtovokzal's terminal buy a ticket to the nearest bus to Kerch. During the day, intercity buses to Kerch depart every 30–45 minutes. There is a small fee if you have lots of luggage and need to use the bus's luggage compartment. Departure time, platform number, bus number and seat are printed on the ticket.
 * 5) Find your bus (it comes to the platform 15 minutes before departure)
 * 6) It takes about 4 hours to get to Kerch from Simferopol, usually with an intermediate 5-minute stop at Feodosia.

You are also can get to Kerch via the international airports in Krasnodar and Anapa at the mainland Russia.

There are dozen intercity bus routes which connect Kerch and mainland Russia via Crimean Bridge. All routes starts from the Kerch Bus Station (Avtovokzal). It takes about 2-3 hours to get from Anapa airport to Kerch, - or 4-5 hours to access Kerch from airport of Krasnodar.

By bus
Kerch has frequent intercity bus connections with other destinations in Crimea and mainland Russia.

There are also a few unofficial international bus services that connect cities of Crimea and southern Ukraine. This service violates the legislation of Ukraine, but is in demand.

By car
The 11-km long Crimean Bridge (Крымский мост, colloquially the Kerch Bridge, Керченский мост), over Kerch strait, connecting Crimea and Krasnodar Krai, was inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 15 May 2018, and opened for non-truck cars on 16 May and for trucks on 1 October. The rail bridge was inaugurated on 23 December 2019 and the first scheduled passenger train crossed the bridge on 25 December 2019.

Kerch ferry line

Kerch ferry line transports cars, passengers and cargo trains across Kerch Strait to mainland Russia.

The Crimean harbor is Port Krym, at eastern outskirts of Kerch. Port Krym is connected with Kerch Central Bus Station (Avtovokzal) by marshrutka bus line #1, #18.

The ferry harbor on mainland side is Port Kavkaz that has an intercity bus connection with Krasnodar. It takes about 4 hours to get to Port Kavkaz from Krasnodar.

Get around
All places near the city center are accessible by foot walk. If you need to get to a distant district or a sea beach on the outskirts then marshutka buses are your best friends. The price is usually written on a paper sheet inside the bus.

There are trolleybus lines in Kerch that connect Kerch Central Bus Station (Avtovokzal) with Kerch Train Terminal and Voykov Metal Works factory.

There are always a few cabs available at Kerch Central Bus Station.

See

 * Church of St. John the Baptist — built in 717, it's one of the oldest churches in Eastern Europe.
 * Mount Mithridates — a hill with a picturesque view on the city. The Great Mithridates Staircase with 428 footsteps leads to the top of the hill. 'The Monument of Glory' (1944, built after World War II) is on the top.
 * Panticapaeum — ruins of the ancient city (5th century BC–3rd century AD), former capital of the Kingdom of Bosporus, and Tsarskiy Kurghan (4th century BC), a burial mound for one of Bosporian kings; Panticapaeum is not in the best condition, as anything of interest was removed to museums in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, London, Paris and Berlin but it's still worth a look.
 * Fortress of Yenikale (18th century) built by Ottoman Turks on the shore of Kerch Strait, at the eastern outskirts of Kerch, not far from ferry line. The fortress is mostly ruined, however if you have enough time to spend in Kerch you may want to see it.
 * Fortress Kerch built by the Russian military architect Totleben in the middle of 19th century, after the Crimean war, to defend the Imperial borders. It's a very interesting place on the Ak-Burun cape.
 * Sites of ancient settlements Mirmecium, Tiritaka and Nimphei
 * Ancient History Museum of Kerch - established at 1826.
 * Golden pantry - treasures of ancient Kerch.( as part of the Museum collection )
 * Lapidarium - one of the largest collections in Europe.
 * Memorial of heroic guerrilla warfare in Adzhimushkay mines.

Do

 * At summer season you can take a rest on a sea sandy beaches, however most of them are at the outskirts. Also, there are a few mud-cure sources near the city.
 * Climb to the top of Mount Mithridates. А torchlight procession happens on Mount Mithridates every May 8th (Victory Day).

Eat
There is a wide selection of restaurants, cafe on the high street & around, although not all of them are open until late.

You can choose from a wide range of fresh fish. Smoked gobies (bychki vyalenye) is one of the most popular dishes, particularly good with beer. At autumn & winter salted anchovy is available on the market.

Drink
Crimea region is famous for its wines. Local wine stores offer a wide range of original Crimean wines.

Most famous local wine brands: Massandra, Inkerman, Magarach, Novy Svet, Koktebel.

Sleep
There are several hotels in the city. There are summer resorts in the suburbs. In summer season many of the locals offer a house, flat or a room for rent.

Go next

 * Ostrich farm near Kerch - excursions & cafe of exotic food.
 * Chokrak Lake - a salt lake at coast of Azov Sea near Kerch.
 * Generalskiye plyazhi - virgin nature, bays & beaches of Azov sea.

title: Kerch


text:
Kerema

Kerema is the capital of the Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea. It is on the coast of the Gulf of Papua. About 6,500 live there.

Understand
Languages spoken in the Kerema area include Toaripi, Kakiae, Opae, Moivo Hivi and Tairuma. The villages towards the east of Kerema from Hamuhamu, Miaru to Iokea and inland to Moveave all speak Toaripi.

Taking advantage of the abundant natural resources, fishing, logging and oil are the main industries.

Get in

 * Airlines PNG has almost daily flights from the nation's capital, Port Moresby.

 * Located from Port Moresby by road.

Go next

 * Kikori. On the delta of the Kikori river in Gulf Province, this is a small fishing center and a good place for birdwatching. Accommodation at the Delta Lodge.

title: Kerema


text:
Keremeos

Keremeos is a village of about 1,500 people (2016) in the Similkameen region of British Columbia. Fruit stands are also a major component of the local economy, making it the self-titled "fruit stand capital of Canada." All sorts of soft fruits, apples, cherries, peaches, and vegetables are grown in the South Similkameen's dry warm climate, and vineyards and wineries are quickly being added as the valley's wine-growing potential is being recognized.

Understand

Keremeos is on the western boundary of Canada’s Sonoran Desert and is the western gateway to interior wine country. According to local legend, Keremeos means "the meeting of the winds".

Nearly one-third of its area is occupied by orchards. The economy of the area has been based on agriculture since the first European settlers arrived in the mid-19th century. Abundant sunshine and a vast, replenishing aquifer make the lower Similkameen Valley one of Canada's most productive farmlands.

Keremeos' main industries are horticulture, agriculture, ranching, and wine making, among others.

History
With K Mountain as a backdrop, Keremeos is a community whose "Wild West" looks date back to 1909 when the postmaster of the now-abandoned community of Upper Keremeos, Mr. George Kirby, purchased land alongside the Similkameen River in anticipation of the V.V. & E. Railway passing through the area. Eventually the Great Northern Railway from the US built a branch line up to Hedley and other businesses soon followed. Keremeos was incorporated in 1956.

Climate
Keremeos has a semi-arid climate with cool but short winters and hot, dry summers.

The area has a mild, dry climate with temperatures in the 30-32 °C range in the summer and 1-7 °C in the winter. More than 2600 annual hours of sunshine, annual rainfall is 268mm, and annual snowfall is 50 cm. Elevation is 416m. Frost free period averages 181 days with last freeze occurring around April 18th, first freeze around October 17th.

By car

 * The Village of Keremeos is in the south-west corner of British Columbia 340 km east of the Greater Vancouver metropolitan area. Access to Keremeos is via Highway 3 from the Fraser Valley, Highway 5A from the Thompson Valley and via Highways 3 and 3A from the Okanagan Valley.

See
The landscape surrounding Keremeos is semi-arid and contains hundreds of plant and animal species found only in this region. Steep, rocky mountain sides and long slides of fine material give the Keremeos area a look found nowhere else in British Columbia. Californian Big Horn Sheep and Mountain Goats can be seen frequently on mountainsides.

Nearby
Hedley is about 30 km west of Keremeos along Highway 3.

Do

 * Fishing: excellent fishing in area lakes and rivers

Nearby
Hedley is about 30 km west of Keremeos along Highway 3.

Buy
The most common thing to buy in Keremeos during the summer and early fall is fruit at the various fruits stands on Highway 3 at the western end of Keremeos, featuring fruit from the local area. Examples of fruit include apples, grapes, nectarines, and peaches. Any of the fruit stands will also sell pure apple juice and other fruit juices, which taste different than concentrated juices normally found in grocery stores. If you're heading from Vancouver, these will be the first fruit stands that you encounter. There are more of these fruit stands around Oliver and Osoyoos.

Go next
Cathedral Provincial Park, southwest of town, has excellent hiking and wonderful views.

title: Keremeos


text:
Keren

Sitting in the picturesque foothills of northern Eritrea, Keren is the country's second-largest city and regional capital of the surrounding districts. Approximately 146,000 people belonging to various tribes and ethnic groups call the city home. The dominant tribes — Bilen and Tigre — represent over 80 percent of the city's population.

History
The city grew after the establishment of the Eritrean Railway by the Italian colonial powers. It was an important stop before Asmara, from where the line would continue onto the coast at Massawa. Unfortunately, decades of warfare left the railway in disrepair and it has been largely dismantled. There are plans to eventually restore the line.

After Eritrean Independence, Keren entered a transitional development stage. The government, hoping to improve the economic importance of the country's second-largest city, further developed its infrastructure and educational system.

Climate
Keren experiences a semi-arid desert climate, with the hottest period being March until June and the coolest from October to February. Weather is sparse throughout the year, except the rainy season that stretches from mid-June to mid-September. The rain can provide a pleasant relief from the hot African sun.

See
The most obvious thing you will see upon entering Keren is its beautiful landscape. Rugged mountains dot the outskirts of the city and create a nice setting to explore the rest of what this city has to offer, such as century-old ruins, bustling markets and Italianate architecture.

Eat

 * in Keren the Blin community traditionally cooking called kala ካላ.

Sleep
There are five small lodges or 'pensions' in Keren.

Go next

 * Nakfa

title: Keren


text:
Kerguelen

Îles Kerguelen or the Kerguelen Archipelago are 3300 km southeast of Madagascar, so far south that they lie in the Antarctic Ocean not the Indian. They're governed as part of the Terres australes et antarctiques françaises, the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. The main island Grande Terre is one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth, populated year-round by a crew of 25 to 125 scientists.

Understand

The Kerguelen Plateau was a lost Madagascar, a tropical miniature continent that cooled, then sank 20 million years ago. Two volcanic areas were active enough to keep their heads above water as archipelagos: Kerguelen, and Heard and McDonald Islands further south. The first sure sighting of the former was in 1772 by Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec, who claimed them for France. The main island of Kerguelen soon became a watering hole for whaling vessels, nine of which were wrecked here. The whalers called it Desolation Island and their blubber pots, graves and huts are found at several landing coves. In the late 19th century France reasserted its claim, no other nation sought it, and Kerguelen is now part of a territory called Les Terres australes et antarctiques françaises, TAAF for short, the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. This entity also includes Crozet, Saint-Paul and Amsterdam islands.

Grande Terre is by far the largest of the group, measuring 150 km east-west and 120 km north-south, an area about two-thirds the size of Corsica. The other 300 islands mostly lie close, separated by fjords that have flooded to become sea straits. Port-aux-Français is the only settlement, a research base with a population of about 25 in winter and 125 in summer.

The Kerguelen Islands are at 49°15′S 69°35′E - about as far south as Rouen is north, yet their climate is much colder. That's because the Kerguelen Plateau acts as a baffle to the very cold circumpolar current, diverting it north. Kerguelen is therefore south of the Convergence, the invisible but sharp boundary between the Antarctic and Indian Oceans. However it's not freezing, the Cook Glacier is shrinking, and the sea approach is open year-round. Daytime highs are about 10-12 °C Nov-April and 5°C May-Oct. The annual rainfall of 677 mm is evenly spread. The wind buffets you constantly, gusts of 200 kph have been recorded, and the supply ship heaves its way here through 15 m ocean waves.

The terrain is black basalt overlain by treeless tundra similar to Iceland. Kerguelen supports large colonies of penguins and other seabirds, and seals including elephant seals, but there are many introduced species. Rabbits, sheep and reindeer all churn up the tundra, rats prey on ground-nesting birds, and salmon have driven out any native river fish. The French staff therefore enjoy fresh meat and grow their own vegetables, but even they don't have a culinary use for the feral cats. There are no plans to eradicate the pests and remediate the habitat, and it may not be feasible. In spite of this the terrain is a, though some politicians bellow that Kerguelen would be a great place to test nuclear weapons or to imprison jihadists, perhaps at the same time.

Talk
The official language is of course French. These are bright multilingual people with some English, but you're going to be in a Francophone environment on a trip lasting a month, so you'll be an isolated étranger if you don't have any French.

"Taafien" is the patois of the staff, laden with acronyms and abbreviations. "Taaf" refers to the territory of Terres australes et antarctiques françaises. "Ker" means Kerguelen, and you might hear "alfred" for king penguin, "blo" for rabbit (bête à longues oreilles, while "lapins" are those who study them), and "Marduf" for the supply ship. "Paf" is Port-aux-Français, "pafiens" are its inhabitants, "Ti'Ker" its main building, and "Central Park" is the elephant seal haul-out area within the settlement.

Get in
This requires careful planning, as the islands are not easy to get to. There is no air service, and only a small landing pier at Port-aux-Français. Small cruise ships very occasionally call here - check the itineraries of those visiting Heard Island and McDonald Islands. Antarctic cruises almost never come this way, as it's so far off their usual routes.

Kerguelen is visited four times a year by the support ship Marion Dufresne, which starts from Réunion and visits Crozet Islands, Kerguelen, Île Saint-Paul, Île Amsterdam then back to Réunion. Until 2019 tourist berths were available on these sailings; they were suspended because of Covid and in 2024 it was announced that they will not resume.

Get around
Walk, there is no public transport. The only vehicles are for base personnel, and they seldom venture beyond the local area, to avoid cutting up the fragile terrain. In taafien, to venture off base is manip, and those who do so are manipeurs.

See

 * is the landing point and only settlement. It's by Morbihan Bay, the best shelter to be had in these windy islands. "Route 66" is the 4 km road to the laboratory and satellite tracking station, though neither Harley-Davidsons nor the Joad family jalopy are to be seen on it.
 * 200 m west of the landing pier is the most southerly place of worship of France, built 1957-61 in concrete. The virgin statue within is Introun Varia an Avel, "Our Maria of the Wind" in Breton, while the statue outside is "Virgin of the Sealers", carved from the wood of a shipwreck.
 * (Observatory Bay) is 2 km west of the port. It was a geomagnetic observatory, and astronomical for the 1874 Transit of Venus, the closest to the port of several such observatories. Transits come in pairs eight years apart, when Venus appears as a black dot crossing the sun over several hours; there's a 121.5 year gap to the next pair then a 105.5 year gap to the following pair, a 243 year cycle. Precise timings allow one to calculate distances within the solar system. Kerguelen was centrally placed for the 1874 event and several expeditions came, but poor weather and problems with instruments meant they left little the wiser. The camp remnants here are from a 1902/03 expedition led by von Drygalski.
 * 10 km west of Port-aux-Français was a temporary US station for the transit. The present building dug into the hillside was a seismology station from the 1950s to 1963; it's been refurbished as a refuge cabin. The beach has large colonies of rockhopper and gentoo penguins, sea lions and albatross.
 * Satellite tracking is the job of the station 3 km east of the port. The chief target is GPS navigation satellites, as Europe is developing its own system independent of the US, and needs a network of ground stations to keep them in view. There aren't too many other places to build a station in the far southern oceans. This area has also been used for rocket launches, but these were weather probes to at most 500 km altitude before clattering back down on the island.
 * is the 58 km east promontory of Grande Terre, where the settlement stands. The eastern part is low-lying with many ponds and bogs, and large king penguin colonies; the north coast has macaronis. The west is mountainous, rising to Mont Crozier at 979 m - this area's glaciers all melted in the 20th century. The peninsula was named in 1915 for Admiral Amédée Courbet (1827-1885), party to erase the name of Observations Halbinsel assigned by the German Transit expedition.
 * is the east point of Courbet Peninsula. Its long black beach is a king penguin rookery, often visited by tourist parties. John Nunn and three others were marooned here 1826 to 1829 after their second shipwreck, erecting "Hope Cottage" for shelter. They collected so many penguin eggs to eat that they had to build a cart for them all, the first wheeled transport in Kerguelen.
 * 5 km north of the cape is a freshwater lagoon of 6.5 km by 5 km, created when a glacial moraine closed off a sea inlet. It's populated by introduced salmon.PJDA depuis le Marion.jpg
 * (Betsy Cove) is a small beach on Courbet Peninsula once used by whalers, so there are remains of their pots, and of the geomagnetic and Transit observatory erected in 1874 by a German expedition led by von Schleinitz. In 1852 Captain Joseph J Fuller was marooned here for a year, the only survivor of the wreck of his ship Rosswell King.
 * is an inlet of Hillsborough Bay on the north coast. It was used by whalers but the buildings date from its time as a sheep farm 1913-1931. It was too cold and with insufficient grazing, so the sheep perished and the enterprise folded. A metal roof has been placed over the farmstead to protect the historic structure, and the burial plot is kept maintained.
 * 5 km off Port Couvreux is the fourth largest island of the archipelago, a triangle about 5 km on each side.
 * is a research cabin at the head of a long fjord at the top of Morbihan Bay, which almost severs Courbet Peninsula from the rest of Grande Terre.
 * is a freshwater lake 3.7 km long. In the late 20th century there were attempts to establish fish farming here, which flopped. The shore is littered with curious phallic pebbles called "dicks of Armor". Analysis of the lake sediments suggests that nearby Diable volcano last erupted around 1100 AD.
 * is about 10 km by 3 km and also known as Île Australia. "Rennes" are reindeer or caribou, Rangifer tarandus.
 * is the substantial ruin of a whaling station. It began production in 1909, suspended operations during World War 1 then resumed until 1926, when overhunting of whales and seals plus the development of factory ships made it uneconomic. It acted for a time as a research station then in 1931 came an attempt to establish a fruit farm, by entrepreneurs who'd failed to spot the relevance of the perished sheep to the likely fate of apricots. The settlement has four buildings, partly restored.
 * is about 17 km long by 2 km wide. Port-Bizet is a seismology cabin midway along its north shore, named for the Bizet mountain sheep reared here from 1950 to 2012. This hardy breed fared better than those at Port Couvreux (until they were eaten, that is) with 3500 at the herd's peak.
 * (literally "Twelfth Port") is the site of "Le Castel", a research cabin of the 1950s. It's on the north shore of Ronarc'h Peninsula, looking across Morbihan Bay to "Paf", and with Mt Pouce (743 m) rearing up behind it. Barely a bootlace of land connects this peninsula to Jeanne-d'Arc Peninsula, which in turn hangs by a thread from Grande Terre. Mont Ross - Archipel des Kerguelen.jpg
 * is an extinct stratovolcano rising abruptly from the south coast. Part of the Gallieni Massif, it's the highest point of the archipelago, at 1850 m / 6070 ft, forming a double peak with Petit Ross at 1721 m. These peaks and connecting scarp were the rim of an ancient volcanic caldera. It was first climbed in 1973, the last French peak to be conquered - the glaciers and icy rockface are the difficulty. The first traverse of the scarp and double peaks was in 2006.
 * Larose Bay is just west of Mont Ross, embellished by the sharp rock of Doigt de Sainte Anne. It's an important bird habitat with some 21,500 pairs of king penguins, 500 pairs of gentoos, 6000 pairs of macaronis and 4000 pairs of rockhoppers.
 * Îles du Prince-de-Monaco is a group of 16 islets 5 km west of Larose Bay. Their tiny surface area and hilly terrain may remind you of the Principality of Monaco but nothing else will.
 * is a rare patch of sheltered water on the wild west coast. It was named for the ship which visited here in 1913/14, and Curieuse is also the name of a modern oceanography launch working from Port-aux-Français. This coast is otherwise exposed and lacks landing points, so it's rarely visited.
 * Île de l'Ouest is what shelters Port Curieuse. It's 11 km long by 5 km wide, and separated from Grande Terre by only a 50 m channel. It was used by sealers and whalers, who also called it Saddle Island for its profile, and here John Nunn and his companions suffered their first shipwreck in Nov 1825. They were rescued 15 days later, only to be wrecked here again in December. A year later, they patched up an abandoned boat and re-located to Cap Ratmanoff on Grande Terre, a less harsh abode for their next three years as castaways.
 * La Montjoie is a camp by Baie Rocheuse further north up the coast.
 * is on Baie de l'Oiseau near the north tip of Grande Terre, with a beach thronged by elephant seals and king penguins. It was named by Captain Cook, who landed here on Christmas Day 1797. It was the first landfall of ships approaching from the north, with its distinctive sea arch, which collapsed around 1910 leaving two great stumps. Whalers and sealers camped here, especially from Nantucket, and there was a geomagnetic station. The Nantucket link sparked the interest of novelists: The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allen Poe ends abruptly in the polar regions, and Jules Verne's Le Sphinx des glaces takes up that story 11 years later.
 * are a sub-archipelago of five islands and several islets, 15 km northwest of Grande Terre. Named for their cloud-wreathed cliffs, they have no introduced species so their vegetation is preserved. Great numbers of gentoos, rockhoppers and macaronis nest here.
 * is the largest outlying island, extending 28 km by 12 km. It's separated from Grande Terre by the km-wide Tucker Strait, too far for rats to swim, and nobody has introduced any species. It's therefore the largest tract of pristine habitat in the archipelago, and is strictly protected - researchers seldom land, and tourists never. Its highest point is Pyramide Mexicaine at 687 m.
 * Île Howe just north of Foch and Île Saint-Lanne Gramont just west are under similar protection, along with four other nearby islets and the northern sub-archipelago of Îles Leygues.

Do

 * Watching wildlife is why you came. And you won't have time for much else, as the ship needs to sail on in a day or two.

Buy
While the official currency is the euro (€), there are no stores on the archipelago.

Eat
Tourists are fed on the ship of arrival, so they should expect the same fare they have consumed since Réunion. Meanwhile les pafiens ashore are eagerly opening the jars of cranberry sauce and other goods that have just arrived on the ship, to garnish their reindeer steaks.

Drink
Water, but don't drink from the pools, they're full of unspeakable material. You'll want a hot drink as soon as you get inside from your sight-seeing.

Useful to know: "louzou" is Taafien (French jargon used on the archipelago) for red wine, and doesn't mean Greek anise-favoured liquor.

Sleep

Tourists to Kerguelen normally sleep aboard the supply ship.

Stay safe
The main risks are on the sea voyage, with heaving slippery decks, stairwells to tumble down, and loose objects flying about. You need to be physically fit, and any medical condition to be very well controlled, even if you lose your tablets to sea-sickness. The age range for joining the ship is 18-75. Ashore, the main hazard is slips and trips on the rocky terrain, plus the cold weather.

Connect
As of 2023, there is no mobile phone network on the islands. The ship has satellite-based radio phones but they're not for casual conversations.

Go next

 * Île Amsterdam 1400 km north is the usual next port-of-call of the supply ship. Then you come back to Réunion.
 * Îles Éparses, the "Scattered Isles", are tiny places around Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. They too have a supply ship that tourists can join.

title: Kerguelen


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Kerikeri

Kerikeri is a popular tourist destination in the famous Bay of Islands on the North Island of New Zealand. Often described as the Cradle of the Nation, it is the site of the first permanent mission station in the country, and has some of the most historic buildings in New Zealand.

Located in the Winterless North, Kerikeri is a rapidly-expanding centre of sub-tropical and allied horticulture, and retirement homes. It lies at the very western extremity of the Kerikeri Inlet, where fresh water of the Kerikeri River tumbles into the salty Bay of Islands. Kerikeri is an ideal central base for day trips south-east to tourist areas such as Paihia and Russell and westward to the mighty kauri trees in the Puketi Forest.

For a time, Kerikeri had the town slogan It's So Nice They Named It Twice which was written in the Visitors' Book at the youth hostel by an anonymous backpacker in the early 1980s. With lush vegetation, modern appearance and a progressive community, Kerikeri was judged Top Small Town of New Zealand in 2001.

By car
Kerikeri is a pleasant three-hour drive north of Auckland, via State Highway 1 and the last 12 km on State Highway 10.

By bus
InterCity coaches travel daily between Auckland and Kerikeri via Whangarei and Paihia.

See

 * Walks. There are lovely walks at Kerikeri and several others in the district. The 4-km stroll from the Stone Store to Rainbow Falls can be undertaken by most people. It meanders through very photogenic scenery and regenerating native bush. A short track leads from the Stone Store to Kororipo Pa. Another fine walk is from opposite St James Church to the Fairy Pools past Wharepoke Falls on the south bank of the Kerikeri River. The Fairy Pools can also be reached via a track from the Youth Hostel.
 * Fairy pools. These delightful pools were given to the nation by Caroline Little who was captivated by them in 1928 on her first visit from China.
 * Rainbow Falls, on the Kerikeri River, so called because the Maori name for them, Waianiwaniwa, means Waters of the Rainbow. You can drive almost to the falls; they are to the north of the main town.
 * Dawn chorus. A rewarding experience. Just before dawn, at Manginangina in the Puketi Forest, thousands of native birds join voices to welcome the day, and there are very friendly birds which come regularly for breakfast.
 * Walks. There are lovely walks at Kerikeri and several others in the district. The 4-km stroll from the Stone Store to Rainbow Falls can be undertaken by most people. It meanders through very photogenic scenery and regenerating native bush. A short track leads from the Stone Store to Kororipo Pa. Another fine walk is from opposite St James Church to the Fairy Pools past Wharepoke Falls on the south bank of the Kerikeri River. The Fairy Pools can also be reached via a track from the Youth Hostel.
 * Fairy pools. These delightful pools were given to the nation by Caroline Little who was captivated by them in 1928 on her first visit from China.
 * Rainbow Falls, on the Kerikeri River, so called because the Maori name for them, Waianiwaniwa, means Waters of the Rainbow. You can drive almost to the falls; they are to the north of the main town.
 * Dawn chorus. A rewarding experience. Just before dawn, at Manginangina in the Puketi Forest, thousands of native birds join voices to welcome the day, and there are very friendly birds which come regularly for breakfast.
 * Dawn chorus. A rewarding experience. Just before dawn, at Manginangina in the Puketi Forest, thousands of native birds join voices to welcome the day, and there are very friendly birds which come regularly for breakfast.

 * Tourist buses call in daily to Kerikeri to uplift day-trippers for guided tours to Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga.
 * Tourist buses call in daily to Kerikeri to uplift day-trippers for guided tours to Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga.

Do

 * Beaches. Although the water at the Stone Store basin is part of the Bay of Islands, where overseas yachties tie up regularly, especially in the hurricane season, Kerikeri township does not have a beach. But not too far away there are wonderful swimming beaches, at Matauri Bay, which boasts impressive views of the Cavalli Islands, Te Ngaere and Tapuaetahi.
 * Fishing. The Bay of Islands has been renowned for its big-game fishing since American author Zane Gray put it on the map in the 1930s. But there are smaller fish in the bay as well, and charter operators are busy all year round.
 * Flying. Kerikeri Airport has a very active Bay of Islands Aero Club and flying schools. Joyrides and charter flights are available, and if you feel like doing something extraordinary, there's always tandem parachute jumping
 * Sailing. The Kerikeri Cruising Club at Doves Bay is very active due to the unsurpassed boating waters on Kerikeri's doorstep, up with the very best in the world. The club has modern facilities, including a large marina.
 * Swimming. As well as the marvellous nearby beaches, and various places to swim in the Kerikeri River like the Fairy Pools, Kerikeri has a modern swimming pool with diving facilities. Sited at the Kerikeri High School, it is a community pool.
 * Golf. 1 km from the town centre, the Bay of Islands Golf Club has one of the best all-weather championship courses in New Zealand. Out towards Matauri Bay is the Kauri Cliffs Golf Course which has been included in the world’s top 10 courses by several golfing magazines.

Arts, crafts and gifts

 * Art and Craft Trail. There are dozens of arts and crafts enterprises in the Kerikeri area and the Art and Craft Trail has become well-known to tourists. This involves a visit to about 20 pottery, painting and craft outlets in the area.

Drink
Visitors can relax for a drink with their friends at the Kerikeri RSA, Citrus Bar or Homestead Hotel, or at the cafes and restaurants which have bars or are BYOs. The Cottle Hill Winery (Cottle Hill Drive) and Marsden Winery (near airport) offer local wines.

Sleep
Thousands of backpackers visit Kerikeri every year. Kerikeri has a surprisingly large static population of backpackers, and no wonder, because the facilities for them are first class without a corresponding tariff. The major camper/backpacker destinations in Kerikeri are Aranga Holiday Park, Gibby’s Place and the Youth Hostel (all right in town), Hone Heke Lodge (near the schools), Hideaway Lodge (near airport) and Pagoda Lodge in Pa Road.

Other accommodation that is not listed below includes Heron Hill Hospitality, Aratika Lodge, Darcy Lodge, Donna’s White House, Kerikeri Lodge, Woodlands, Villa Maria, Palm Grove Motel, Abilene Motel, Kerikeri Court Motel, Kauri Park Motel, Homestead Motels, Ora Ora Resort, Kemp Lodge, Orchard Motel and Kingfisher Retreat.

Go next

 * Paihia and Waitangi
 * Russell
 * Puketi Forest - kauri trees
 * Ninety Mile Beach - day trips and tours
 * Cape Reinga - day trips and tours

title: Kerikeri


text:
Kerimäki

Kerimäki is a rural former municipality, now part of Savonlinna. The namesake parish village lies by the lake Puruvesi. Kerimäki is best known for the world's largest wooden church.

Understand

Puruvesi is the eleventh largest lake of Finland, and has exceptionally clear and pure water, as most of its waters get filtered through sand or fall as rain on water. It has 720–850 islands on 416 km², totalling some 10% of its area. It lies between Orivesi and Pihlajavesi and is bisected by Punkaharju. It can be regarded as a bay of Suur-Saimaa, as it is nearly level with Pihlajavesi. Most of Puruvesi is protected as a Natura 2000 area. The endangered Saimaa seal got extinct in the lake in the 1950s but has been returning.

Do

 * Fishing is popular due especially to the salmonoid fish. The Arctic char is protected part of the year.

Go next

 * Savonlinna
 * Punkaharju
 * Savonranta

title: Kerimäki


text:
Kerinci Seblat National Park

Kerinci Seblat National Park is an national park in Sumatra, spanning four provinces.

Understand
One of the largest national parks in Indonesia, Kerinci Seblat protects almost of tropical rain forests in central western Sumatra running down the Barisan mountain range and its foothills and covering parts of four provinces. Terrains varies from lowland forests up to the peak of mighty Mount Kerinci at 3,805 m.

The national park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra and one of the most important tiger reserves in the world.

History
The national park was formed from a collection of watershed protection forests (hutan lindung) and nature reserves and was established in 1982 although its boundaries were not legally formalised until the mid 1990s.

Landscape
The park is dominated by the Barisan mountains. Scenery in many areas is very spectacular with active and dormant volcanoes including Mount Kerinci, at 3805m the highest mountain in Sumatra and Indonesia's highest active volcano. The national park forests protect the headwaters of some of Sumatra's most important rivers which flow from springs and peat swamps like Ladeh Panjang (Kerinci district) and Danau Kebut (Merangin district) high in the mountains, as well as many lakes and wetlands.

The Great Sumatra Fault runs through the centre of the national park and forms the densely populated Kerinci valley, which lies in the middle of and is surrounded by national park forests.

Flora and fauna
Kerinci Seblat is most famous amongst bird-watchers as the best place to see most of the highland Sumatran endemic bird species including the Schneider's Pitta, Salvadore's pheasant and Sumatran Cochoa, all presumed extinct for much of the 20th century before being rediscovered here. More than 375 species of bird have been recorded to date.

This is also the most important location in Sumatra for wild Sumatran Tiger and one of the 12 most important tiger reserves anywhere in the world although seeing wild tigers is unusual due both to the dense forest and the animals' shy nature. Other fauna includes elephants (best seen in national park forests in Bengkulu), clouded leopards, tapirs, sun bears and at least seven species of primate.

Forest edge farmers continue to report occasional sightings of the mysterious orang pendek, a large, bipedal cryptozoological primate resembling an orangutan (which are not recorded in Kerinci Seblat).

The national park also houses the biggest and the tallest flowers in the world, the monstrous, flesh red flower of the parasite Rafflesia arnoldii which can grow up to a metre in diameter, and is best searched for in the Bengkulu area of the park - ask for flowering information in Curup. In the southern part of Kerinci district hope to see the slightly smaller Rafflesia hasseltii which is a vivid dark red in colour. The huge Amorphophallus titanum and Amorphophallus gigas are also present and can grow up to 4 metres in height. A remarkable flower at higher altitudes on Mount Kerinci and Mount Tujuh is the Javanese edelweiss Anaphalis javanica, which only grows on volcanoes. This shrub can reach more than two metres in height and is colored white-green because of its small hairs; the flowers are yellow with white. Numerous orchids are also found, most often flowering at the beginning of the rainy season in late September or October.

Climate
Rainfall is heaviest between October-December and from February-April while May-August is mainly dry but with some occasional rains, there are no major variations in seasonal temperature. Photographers may wish to avoid the period July-August as these dry months are often hazy. Because much of the park is above 700m in altitude, evenings and nights tend to be cool while in the high mountains temperatures may occasionally drop as low as 5C at night and so trekkers should be prepared for cool evenings

Get in
Despite Jambi province having a district named Kerinci, the closest way to get there is from Padang. Most visitors arrive from Padang's Minangkabau International Airport which offers quickest access for the Kerinci area of the national park (seven hours). Jambi city (the capital of Jambi province) is nine hours away. Bengkulu airport (domestic flights from Jakarta) is better for visits to North Bengkulu (elephants) and the Curup area of the national park (rafflesia).

You may want to call your hotel or homestay in advance to arrange for personal transport (you can hire a car, van, or bus) for your trip, however there are good 'travel' minibus and shared taxi services from Padang, Jambi and Bengkulu to the main towns in the districts that border the park. Padang to Kerinci (Sungaipenuh) or Bangko (Merangin district) is a 6-7 hour bus drive; Jambi city to Bangko 5 hours; Bengkulu city to Curup is 3 hours; Bengkulu city to the elephant sanctuary at Seblat is 4 hours; Bukittinggi to Kersik Tuo is 8 hours by regular minivan (from bus station or arrange pickup at accommodation).

Fees and permits
You should bring a photocopy of your passport, to be given to the authorities to process your national park entry permit. Visitors planning to climb Mt Kerinci can get a photocopy made at the village of Kersik Tuo at the foot of the mountain. Photocopies of your passport and the visa section are also useful if staying in a village as your homestay must report visitors to the head of the village or the local police post.

The price for entry to the national park as of February 2012 is Rp 20,000 per person. Buy tickets at the national park headquarters in Sungaipenuh, Kerinci, at Kersiktua, at Curup (near Bengkulu) or in Bangko if you are planning to visit Renah Kemumu or the national park forests in Merangin district.

Get around
There are frequent travel minibus services between district capitals, usually leaving in the morning or evening. Angkot minibuses serve villages to and from district capitals. Roads in many areas are poorly maintained so travelling even a relatively short distance can take time, and especially so in the rainy season. It is possible to hire a car and driver in many of the district capitals - expect to pay about Rp 40,000 a day plus petrol and driver's food.

You can also hire a self-drive motor bike or grab a ride on an ojek motorbike taxi - always negotiate a price before, ask help from your hotel if necessary.

On the main road between Palompek and Sungai Penuh through Kersik Tuo, white angkots pass very regularly and can be flagged down. Fare 5,000 to 15,000, pay when getting off.

Others

 * Remote, rarely visited traditional forest-edge villages in Jangkat and Sungai Tenang and Muara Siau areas of Merangin district.
 * Megaliths in the Kerinci valley and at remote and rarely visited Renah Kemumu village in Merangin district.
 * Remote, rarely visited traditional forest-edge villages in Jangkat and Sungai Tenang and Muara Siau areas of Merangin district.
 * Megaliths in the Kerinci valley and at remote and rarely visited Renah Kemumu village in Merangin district.
 * Megaliths in the Kerinci valley and at remote and rarely visited Renah Kemumu village in Merangin district.

Do

The park offers superb trekking and climbing opportunities for both novices and the more experienced as well as bird and wildlife watching whether just going for a walk for a day or a week-long jungle expedition.

If staying in Sungaipenuh, ask the National Park office or your hotel to help you rent a car (motor bikes not advised!) for a Night Safari through the forests of Bukit Tapan: the road passes through dense forests and a night drive (leave about 22:00, return at 01:00-02:00) gives a chance to experience tropical forest at night — and the chance to see some of the inhabitants (Sumatran tigers, Asiatic golden cat, sunbears, tapir, civet cats and rare serow antelopes are among the animals that have been spotted)

Go bird watching or just enjoy fantastic scenery from a dugout canoe in beautiful Lake Bentau, a stunning marshland area at the foot of Mt Tujuh. The Kerinci Bird Watching Club are now starting to offer specialist bird watching trips for visiting 'twitchers' http://kerincibirdclub.wordpress.com

Trek (two days, one night) from Talang Kemuning village (two hours from Sungaipenuh) to forests of Mt Kunyit (south of the Kerinci valley) to see sulphur pits and hot springs and pitcher plants or from Renah Kayu Embun (Sungaipenuh) climb to the peak of Mt Raya for fantastic views and rare flora such as the Kayu Embun tree and pitcher plants, Kerinci rabbits and yes, the chance of a possible Sumatran tiger encounter.

More adventurous forest treks - the forest trail west from Lempur in the south of Kerinci district to Sungai Ipuh village in Mukomuko district of Bengkulu - allow five days though the locals do the trip in 3 days (you will need special permission from park headquarters); Lempur to Rantau Kermas via the ancient enclave village of Renah Kemumu (4 days - megaliths and hot springs and stunning scenery) or stay in forest villages in Muara Siau, Merangin district like Durian Rambun or Lubuk Bira.

Tiger watching- unlike India it is difficult to see wild Sumatran tigers even though there may be as many as 200 tigers in and around Kerinci Seblat but national park officers will advise on areas where tigers are usually present and suggest experienced guides. And yes, people do see tigers.

The Muara Imat-Birun area on the Kerinci-Merangin district borders is one of the best places to hope to see wild tigers or at least tiger signs as well as Rafflesia and Amorphophallus, rare orchids and good birdwatching. Ask at the national park offices.

Buy
The national park office has a range of t-shirts designed by young national park officers while exploring village and small town markets offers the chance to buy simple local handicrafts and woven baskets still routinely used by villagers. Never buy wildlife products or wild plants.

Eat
Food in the restaurants in the small towns around the national park is mainly Padang rice and a variety of meat, fish and vegetable dishes liberally spiced with chilli. If you do not like spicy food, ask for 'tidak pedas'.

In Kerinci district look for restaurants offering 'dendeng batokok' - a grilled, finely sliced, smoked steak.

Sleep
For visits to Mt Kerinci or Mt Tujuh stay at homestays in the village of Kersik Tuo. There are reasonable hotels and inns in Sungaipenuh, Bangko and Curup which are gateways to the national park and easily reached from provincial capitals. If you stay in a village as part of your adventure, please make a contribution to your host's expenses! In Birun, stay in Pak Samsul's simple wooden house and learn all about tigers from this former Tiger ranger.

Camping
Even experienced climbers should avoid a solo climb of Mt Kerinci as there have been rare cases of disappearances and deaths primarily due to sudden changes in weather and the risk of poisonous gases from the crater. Forest treks involving camping overnight should be conducted with a reliable local guide - safer and much more rewarding. You can ask your local accommodation to arrange for a guide for you or request advice from national park officers. The national park's tiger protection rangers can be asked to act as guides for short forest treks during their leave periods (27-3 of each month) A highly recommended guide is Pak Ahmad, with around 30 years of experience taking people up Mt Kerinci. Homestay Pak Subandi can also advise on guides. Pak Agustria, a former Tiger ranger based in Bangko is a good companion for trips to the remote and rarely visited Renah Kemumu, Jangkat and Sungai Tenang areas of the national park while Pak Samsul, another former Tiger ranger, is a great guide to forests around Birun (between Kerinci and Merangin).

The homestays at the foot of Mt Kerinci also provide equipment rental, and your guide, or porters if you choose to hire any, will bring his own (basic) equipment and tent however in other areas you should bring a tent or ask your guide to organise camping tarpaulins etc.

The basic fee for an English-speaking guide at Mt Kerinci is about Rp 300,000 per day, and Rp 150,000 per porter. However, in other areas of the park guide fees are less expensive - expect to pay about Rp 150,000 a day for a highly experienced forest guide (though English-speaking forest guides will always charge a higher fee than forest edge villagers who know the forest better.) For deep forest adventures, buy a pocket dictionary so you can communicate more easily with your guide(s). Dictionaries don't often have the names of wild animals and birds - ask the park office to print out their tri-lingual list of wildlife (English, Indonesian and Latin names of species recorded)

Backcountry
It is also possible to explore the surrounding area in motorcycles, including the tea plantations. For real back country expeditions, in particular in national park edge villages in Merangin district, give yourself plenty of time and expect poor or very poor roads. Once away from Mt Kerinci or district capitals homestays or losmen are few and far between, if staying in villages, ask the village head to organise accommodation. Don't forget to make a contribution to your hosts.

title: Kerinci Seblat National Park


text:
Kerkouane

Kerkouane (also Kerkuane) is in Tunisia.

Understand
A Phoenician city, Kerkouane was probably abandoned in 3rd century BCE and, therefore, largely ignored by the Romans. As such it is probably the only example of its kind to survive. Noted for its clear demonstration of town planning techniques. The town and its necropolis are a UNESCO World Heritage List site.

Get in
Approximately 80 km to the east of Tunis, equidistant (20 km) between the towns of Keliba and El Haouaria.

Buses run from Kelibia and can drop you at the turn off for the ruins from which it is a 1½ km walk. (Unsure where to find these busses, taxi drivers had no information either)

A taxi there from Kelibia should cost about 4-10 DT. No meters here so settle on a price with the taxi drive before going. For the return trip, a taxi driver proposed a price of 2 DT (picking up other passengers on the way). It might be a wait for a taxi on the return and you'll have to get out to the main road (1½ km) but don't hesitate to flag down taxis with passengers as well. Otherwise, you can arrange with the taxi driver to wait for you (probably unnecessary as there are taxis that pass by), or you could hitchhike.

The site could be visited as a day trip from Tunis, Hammamet or perhaps even Sousse. Take a louage to Kelibia (no buses nor trains), which costs about 6.5 DT from Bab Alioua in Tunis. Taxis wait just beside the louage stop.

Get around
The remains are easy to walk around. Some form of transport from the main road may be useful as it is about a 1½ km walk

See
7 DT for entrance to the ruins with 1 DT for photo rights.
 * The remains are well marked out and set on a nice stretch of coast line. Allow the best part of an hour to do them justice.

Do

 * Explore the remains and look out for the minimalist mosaics of the Punic God Tanit
 * Sit beside the sea and relax. The sea is rather agitated here!
 * Picnic in the old town square, under the big tree.

Buy
There is a small gift shop in the museum that sells tourist oriented products.

Eat
The museum shop sells a few drinks and snacks.

Sleep
The best place to base yourself for accommodation would be the nearby town of Kelibia, but a day trip should suffice.

Go next

 * Tunis
 * Nabeul
 * Hammamet
 * Kelibia, famous for her great beaches, popular with locals. Ask the taxi drivers to bring you to the beach, or just head southwards and you'll come upon the sea, which is very calm here. Also has an old Roman Fort, 7 DT for entrance.
 * El Haouaria, good for hiking by the sea.

title: Kerkouane


text:
Kerkrade

Kerkrade is a city in the South Limburg region, in the Dutch province of Limburg.

Understand
Throughout most of its history, modern day Kerkrade was part of the historic city of Herzogenrath. The South Limburg area was commonly disputed between different duchies and nations around it, and Herzogenrath changed hands repeatedly. It was ruled over time by the Duchy of Brabant, by Spain and later by the French. When the Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed after the French revolutionairy and Napoleonic wars, the area's ownership was determined at the Vienna Congress. There, the border was drawn right through the middle of historic Herzogenrath, creating the two adjoining towns of Kerkrade in the Netherlands and modern day Herzogenrath in Germany. When the Belgians declared their independence, they claimed the Kerkrade area as their own, but Dutch ownership was eventually restored in 1839.

In 1104, a abbey was founded in former Herzogenrath, by an Angustian priest named Ailbertus. After his death, his bones were buried in the abbey's crypt. The monks of Rolduc started coal mining activities in the area in the 18th century and received the sole right to exploit the coal mines on Kerkrade's soil in 1723. They thus laid the foundations for what would become the main economic activity in the town and the whole region.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the first state mines were opened. Coal mining became the beating heart of the region's economy and the main source of income for many of its people. When all the mines were closed in the 1960s, Kerkrade became somewhat impoverished. Still considered one of the underdeveloped parts of the region by some, Kerkrade is not a main travelers' destination. However, as renovations and facilities development take place, the town is gaining tourist popularity rapidly.

Travelers who do take the effort to visit Kerkrade will find a good number of interesting sights as well a good attractions in and directly around town.

By train
There is a train station in Kerkrade, which is served by regional trains and connects the town to Landgraaf and Heerlen. In Heerlen there's a rail connection to the intercity trains to and from the north Heerlen. In Landgraaf you can change for the German towns of Herzogenrath or Aachen

By bus
Bus lines lead to other Dutch towns in the region as well as to Aachen and Herzogenrath in Germany. However, not all of them pass through the main bus station in the city center so check which stop to use. Many buses stop at the Parkstad Limburg stadion or Gaiapark, which is still a good distance from the town center. However, you can easily change there for buses to Kerkrade center.
 * Line 44 between Heerlen and Aachen passes through
 * Line 41 runs between Kerkrade and Sittard via Heerlen and Hoensbroek
 * Line 30 goes to Herzogenrath
 * Line 28 runs from Schinveld to Kerkrade Bleijerheide via Heerlen

By car
There are two main roads connecting Kerkrade to the outside world:
 * N300 in the direction of Simpelveld, which connects there to the N281 and the E14/A76
 * N299 in the direction of Landgraaf and Brunssum

By plane
The nearest airport is Maastricht-Aachen airport, with a few international connections. As for the rest of the region, larger Dutch, Belgian and German airports are within reasonable travel distance, so consider:
 * Eindhoven Airport, 113 km or ~2 hr by train
 * Düsseldorf Airport, 107 km or ~2½ hr by train
 * Brussels Airport, 134 km
 * Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, 227 km or ~3 hours by train

Get around
The city center is doable on foot and buses are good to get to specific places a bit further away. The main bus station is on the Rolduckerweg, at the corner of Poststraat.

By bike
A bike is a fine way to see town and a few villages around, but renting one here can be a bit of a challenge. Ask at the tourist information office in the Continium museum, or rent your bike in a more touristic town in the area.

By car
Parking is quite abundantly available but in the center you usually have to pay. Large free parking places can be found at Diepenbrockstraat (near the Rodahal), Einderstraat and Old Hickeryplein.

Buy
The tourist information office in Continium, has a range of local products. Kerkrade has a fair range of general shopping option in the center but if you're on a hunt for clothing or up for a real shopping spree, catch a bus to Heerlen instead.

Drink
For clubbing or serious nightlife your best bet is to head to nearby Heerlen, as most youngsters from here do. However, Kerkrade itself has a few bars that are fine for a beer or two. Walk around the market square and you'll find a few options.

Stay safe
Kerkrade, as so many other cities and places in Limburg, is a hub of drug trafficking. Crime goes hand in hand with these practices. If you just want to smoke a joint, go to one of the legalized "coffee shops".

Prostitution in lawful in the Netherlands and there are some of these brothels in Kerkrade. Getting in bed with a street prostitute carries a very high risk of getting an STD. Stay safe: if going to a brothel always use a condom.

Meeting "junkies" and wanderers, which happens occasionally at supermarkets and in city centres, is a hassle as they are often asking for money. Locals find this annoying, since they already have an income from the state to survive and are often begging to obtain money to purchase illegal street drugs. Giving money to drug addicts encourages drug-related crime and might also encourage other beggars to panhandle you. Normally, these people do not pick-pocket your wallet but, as in any city in the world, keep an eye on your personal items.

Go next
Destinations in the direct surrounding area include:
 * Herzogenrath, Germany, directly bordering Kerkrade
 * Simpelveld, 8 km
 * Landgraaf, 6 km
 * Heerlen, 8.5 km

title: Kerkrade


text:
Kerman

Kerman is the capital of Kerman, in southeastern Iran.

Understand
Kerman is a city with 677,650 inhabitants (2006), on a sandy plain, 1749 m above sea level. Kerman is the largest carpet producing and exporting center in Iran, and a large producer of pistachios on the world market.

By bus
Kerman is well connected to most parts of the country. Taxi from bus station to the city maximum 70000 rials.

By car
Freeways connect the city to Yazd (300 km), Zahedan, Bandar Abbas (600 km), Birjand and Shiraz (600 km), Mashhad (1,200) km.

By train
Kerman is connected to the whole railway network of Iran. It is connected to Yazd and Zahedan.

Get around
You can get around the city by taxi or bus. You can also go to the small towns such as Mahan, Shahdad, and villages such as Sirch, Zangi-Abad, by bus or taxi.

See

 * Mouyedi Ice-House - There are several small-gardens around this ice-house which were filled with the water in winter, then after that the water iced, the ices lead to the ice-house to use in summer.
 * Jameh mosque - The Friday mosque. Conciled entrance from teh bazar, another entrance from the main street near Sohada square.
 * Malek mosque (Imam mosque) - A gem of a mosque!
 * National Library, housed in a former a textile factory.
 * Museum of the Holy Defense - Interesting installation in the courtyard, depicting a battlefield in the Shatt-el-arab. Admission 3000 rials.
 * Takht-e Dargah-e Gholi Beyg - A monument in the side of the hills in the east of Kerman.
 * Ghal'e Dokhtar - A historical castle in the hills in the east of Kerman; attributed to the Ashkanian era.
 * Ghal'e Ardeshir - A historical castle in the hills in the east of Kerman; attributed to the Ashkanian era.
 * Ganjali Khan Square - It is similar to "Naghshe Jahan" and "Mirchakhmaq" squares. The bazaars are located in three side of square and in the fourth side, the Ganjali Khan School is established.
 * Ganjalikhan bath - A historic bath. Access from inside the bazaar.
 * Ganjali Khan Mosque - It is located in the north-west of square and near Ganjalikhan School. It was constructed in 1007 AH (1694-95 CE).
 * Zarabkhaneh museum - It is located in the north side of square. This eight-angle place includes an arch, four porticoes and four booths in four views. Now, it has changed to coin museum.
 * Zarabkhaneh museum - It is located in the north side of square. This eight-angle place includes an arch, four porticoes and four booths in four views. Now, it has changed to coin museum.

Buy

 * Rugs, Like many Iranian cities, Kerman produces rugs and has its own well-known style of rug-making.
 * Pistachio, Kerman is the center of producing the pistachio in Iran. More than 95% of Iran pistachios are produced in Kerman.
 * Kolompeh is a very delicious pie, with walnuts and date paste.
 * Henna a flowering plant which is another souvenir of Kerman.
 * Cumin a herbaceous annual plant, which is another souvenir of Kerman.
 * Patteh is a unique handicraft which is produced in Kerman.
 * Quvetoo (Persian:قوِتو - قاووت)
 * Distillates, Kerman has many kinds of aromatic distillates.

Eat
You can almost find any food that is served in other cities of Iran. There are many restaurants ( both fast food and traditional) around the city and notably on Jomhuri Blv.

Drink
Drinking alcohol is illegal, and if seen by police may be met with punishment, though available on the black market.

 * Doogh is a popular and delicious naturally-carbonated yogurt drink. It is generally served with ice and a dash of mint.
 * Distills - Kerman have many kinds of aromatic distills.
 * Pāloodeh-e-Kermani (Fāloodeh-e-Kermani) is a special deliciously refreshing sorbet made from small drops of starch, suspended in rosewater.
 * Black tea (chāi, چای) is the national drink of alcohol-free Iran. It is served strong and with crystallized or cubed sugar (ghand, قند) which is held artfully between the teeth while tea is sipped through.
 * Fruit juices (āb miveh, آب ميوه), A wide variety of fruit juices (āb miveh, آب ميوه) and drinks are available from shops and street vendors including cherry cordial (sharbat ālbāloo, شربت آلبالو) and banana milkshakes (shir moz, شير موز).
 * Soft drinks are widely available, both international makes such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, and their brand names including 7up, Sprite, Fanta, etc., and local makes such as Zam Zam. "Coca-Cola Original" and "Pepsi Original", etc., are not made of original Coca-Cola Company's and PepsiCo's ingredients and taste exactly the same as Zam Zam.
 * Ma-o-sha'eir is a non-alcoholic beer which you can find in the supermarkets.

Sleep

 * Hotel Omid has the cheapest rooms in town, but no singles.
 * Hotel Omid has the cheapest rooms in town, but no singles.
 * Hotel Omid has the cheapest rooms in town, but no singles.
 * Hotel Omid has the cheapest rooms in town, but no singles.
 * Hotel Omid has the cheapest rooms in town, but no singles.

Learn

 * Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman is one of the highest rank universities in Iran (among the 8 top Iranian universities) for its educational and research activities as well as its design and development. The university started its academic activities in 1975, in 3 disciplines: Physics, Chemistry, and English; with 10 faculty members and 70 students.The university is located in the south eastern part of Kerman, in an area of 500 hectares. It has an enrollment of about 12,500 students who are studying and doing research in 16 colleges and research institutes of the university. There are about 100 different disciplines available for the students to choose from, which offers programs leading to B.A., B.Sc., M.A., M.Sc., D.V.M.,or Ph.D. degrees. There are 400 faculty members, and 1000 regular employees at the university.
 * Afzali Pour (Kerman) University of Medical Sciences
 * Azad University of Kerman
 * Kerman Khaje-Nasir Higher Education Center
 * Shahid Chamran College of Thechnology

Stay safe

 * See also the warnings at Iran.

Iran is generally a safe country. It is advised however, that being an obvious tourist may attract some unwanted attention from interested Iranians, but do not be alarmed or react negatively. Standard advice to keep your bag secured and safe, and to leave personal and valuable belongings in your hotel room or hotel safe should be regarded. Iranians are generally peaceful, hospitable people, but it is advised to act with caution when walk in the streets alone late at night or when approached by strangers to the same degree that you would in your native country.

Emergency services

 * Police: 110
 * Fire department: 125
 * EMS: 115
 * Road EMS: 115 or 112

Go next

 * Regular buses go further south and up north to Tehran or Mashad.

title: Kerman


text:
Kerman (province)

Kermān Province is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the southeast of the country. Its center is Kerman. The province of Kerman is the second largest in Iran, 181,714 km². The population of the province is 2.6 million. The main townships of Kerman province are: Baft, Bardsir, Bam, Jiroft, Rafsanjan, Zarand, Sirjan, Shahr-e-Babak, Kerman, Mahan and Kohnoj.

Other destinations

 * Khabr
 * Kohpayeh
 * Koh-banan
 * Sirch
 * Joopar

Understand
Kerman province is considered a paradise for palaeontologists because of an abundance of vertebrate fossils from different geological eras. Fossils include Placodermi, jawed and jawless armoured fish dating back to Devonian era or first geological era (395-365 million years ago), dinosaurs dating back to the Jurassic era (195-65 million years ago) and mammals from the Third Geological Era (ranging from 2-7 million years ago).

The history of human settlements in the territory of Kerman dates back to the 4th millennium BC. This area is considered as one of the ancient regions of Iran and valuable historical vestiges have been discovered here. Jiroft is an example, where a previously unknown settlement dating back to around 2500 BC has just been established by archeologists. Kerman has an abundance of historical sites and landmarks, 283 in total, according to Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization. Ancient abandoned citadels such as Arg-é Bam and Rayen castle have been preserved in the desert for two thousand years.

Historical documents refer to Kerman as "Karmania", "Kermania", "Germania" and "Žermanya", which means bravery and combat. Geographers have recorded Kerman's ancient name as "Go'asheer" (Bardesheer).

By plane
Kerman International Airport has regular flights to all major and some smaller cities in Iran.

By bus
Kerman is well connected to most parts of the country by bus.

By car
Freeways connect the province to Yazd, Sistan-va-Baloochestan, Hormozgan, Khorasan-e-Jonoobi and Fars.

By train
Kerman is connected to the whole railway network of Iran. It is connected to Yazd and also it will be connected to Zahedan in the near future (under construction).

See

 * The cultural landscape of Maymand, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List
 * Lut Desert, partially located in Sistan and Baluchestan, the rest in Kerman is a world heritage listed salt desert.

Eat
kashk Bademjan Dizzy Khoresht Sabzi Kalle Pacheh

Candies: Shohan Ghotab Pistachio Date

Learn
Kerman province contains the following universities:
 * Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman
 * Kerman University of Medical Sciences
 * Rafsanjan University of Vali Asr
 * Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences
 * Islamic Azad University of Baft
 * Islamic Azad University of Zarand
 * Islamic Azad University of Kerman
 * Islamic Azad University of Jiroft
 * Islamic Azad University of Bam
 * Islamic Azad University of Bardsir
 *  Islamic Azad University of Shar-e-Babak
 *  Islamic Azad University of Kahnuj
 * Islamic Azad University of Rafsanjan
 * Islamic Azad University of Sirjan
 * Kerman Khaje-Nasir Higher Education Center
 * Shahid Chamran College of Thechnology

title: Kerman (province)


text:
Kermanshah

Kermanshah is a city in Central Western Iran. Its climate is mild and it has many natural and historical sightseeings.

Understand
Kermanshah has a large population, and Kurdish language as well as some dialects of Kurdish is widely used in the city.

By plane
Kermanshah has an international airport that can be reached from some airports in Iran, especially from and to Tehran, and Mashhad. There are also regular flights to Kermanshah Airport from Istanbul.

By car
You can hire a car, however the easiest way to travel is via taxi. Snapp (اسنپ) and Tapsi (تپسی) are easy to use and equivalent to Uber and outside Tehran, they are cheap (Travel rates for Snapp and Tapsi are higher in Tehran).

By train
Kermanshah railway station was inaugurated in March 2018. There will be two weekly direct trains to Tehran and Mashhad.

By bus

 * There are buses to Kermanshah from Tehran and other major cities.
 * There are bus groups going to Karbala through Baghdad in Iraq every day, but first you should go to a travel agency.

See
There are four museums in old houses of Qajar period. These are Museum of Ethnography at Tekyeh Moavenalmolk, Zagros Paleolithic Museum and Museum of Epigraphy and Qajar Hand Writings at Tekieh Biglar Baigi. The Zagros Paleolithic Museum contains rich collections of stone tools and animal fossil bones from various Paleolithic sites in Iran. It is the first museum in Iran that is devoted to Paleolithic period of Iran. The Museum of Traditional Martial Art (wrestling موزه پهلوانی) in Kermanshah contains many wax models of traditional wrestlers.

 * Talab-e Hashilan: There are tiny floating islands in this marsh with various plants sheltering 200 species of birds. The 1500-hectare marsh is 32 km distant from Kermanshah. Prav Cave in the Prav Mountains between Taq Bostan and Bisotoon heights is the deepest cave in Asia (the deepest cave in the world is Ali-Sadr Cave in Hamedan northeast of Kermanshah). There are famous glaciers and a marvelous 762-meter deep valley in it with several streams.Qoori Qal'eh cave is another of the natural wonders of the province, located 92 km from the city heading toward Paveh. The cave's spine is 3,140 meters long and the cave-length is 12 km with a beautiful natural surrounding of a variety of forest trees. In the cave, the first phase of which has been developed, there is an ever-flowing stream of 111 liters per second, and chambers with enchanting icicles and colorful columns. In fact, it is a romantic sight never to be forgotten.

Buy

 * Beji (cookie)
 * Nan-e Roughani
 * Nan-e shekari
 * Nan-e berenji
 * Kaak
 * Kermanshahi Butter
 * Nan-e khormayi
 * Giveh is a kind of soft, comfortable, durable and handwoven-top shoe common in several parts of Iran especially in rural and mountainous areas of Kermanshah Province. The production centers of Giveh in Kermanshah Province are Paveh, Harsin, and Kermanshah. Giveh is made up of two parts: sole and upper. The sole is usually rubber or leather the upper is woven thread. Before the arrival of rubber industry to the area Giveh-makers would use a kind of wild-bull leather to make giveh and the upper was of wool or cotton thread. Most rich people would wear them. With the arrival of rubber industry lower class people use rubber in the sole of their shoes.

Budget

 * Kermanshah Oak Hostel, No. 12, Naghibzadeh alley, West Motahhari (Sirous) St., Javanshir intersection, Kermanshah,. checkin: 14:00 checkout: 12:00. A newly renovated building in the heart of traditional Kermanshah, offering dorms and private rooms to the guests from December 2018. Dormitories have beautifully designed bunk beds with private curtains, individual lockers, sockets and light on each bed. A budget guesthouse, suitable for families, couples and backpackers; Breakfast and WiFi are included. It is close to old bazaar of Kermanshah and other sightseeing of Kermanshah. Dorms from €5.5, private rooms from €17.5. Contact: +98 83 3723 1682

Stay safe

 * See also the information at Iran.

Emergency services

 * Police: 110
 * Fire department: 125
 * EMS: 115
 * Road EMS: 115 or 112

Go next
Shopping. Nan-Brenji, Nan-Roghan, and handicrafts including gilim, giveh (cotton shoe), and local dress can be bought.

title: Kermanshah