text:
Milwaukee

Milwaukee is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, United States. The city's population is about 600,000 with about 1.6 million in the metropolitan area (2019). It is in the southeastern portion of the state on the western shore of Lake Michigan.

History and culture
Milwaukee's human history begins with American Indian people who lived near the confluence of Milwaukee's three rivers into Lake Michigan for centuries. Tribes who inhabited the area that is now Milwaukee included Menominee, Fox, Mascouten, Sauk, and Potawatomi. With the arrival of Europeans and an increasing population, large and often violent divides become more prominent. These settlers built three dueling settlements, Juneautown, Kilbourntown, and Walker's Point, around what is now Downtown. The two former communities were extremely competitive and created two non-aligning street grids. This is why 1st Street is west of the Milwaukee River and many of the city's bridges cross the river diagonally (connecting the two grids).

Milwaukee has historically been a major immigrant city. During the early 20th century, German and Polish immigrants tended to dominate. The city still strongly identifies with its German and Polish heritage. For part of the early 20th-century German was even the main language of the city, and German names are still very common.

As waves of immigrants arrived in Milwaukee they tended (and tend) to form communities in specific areas. The Near North and Northwest sides were originally German, but are now mainly African American with Hmong enclaves. The Near South side was originally Polish but is now mainly Mexican. Juneautown was originally mainly populated by English immigrants as well as people from the eastern United States.

In the 1960s and 70s many white Milwaukeeans moved to the suburbs ("white flight") creating a large racial and socio-economic divide between the city and suburbs. Today the city remains highly segregated with low rates of social and economic mobility for African Americans.

Milwaukee is home to some instantly recognized corporations such as Miller Brewing and Harley Davidson. Harley holds an enormous celebration on every fifth anniversary. The 120th anniversary will be celebrated in August 2023.

Milwaukee was once the home to four of the world's largest breweries (Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst, and Miller), making it the number one beer producing city in the world for many years. Despite the decline in its position as the world's leading beer producer through the loss of three of those breweries, its one remaining major brewery, Miller Brewing Company is a key employer. Miller employs over 2,200 people on Milwaukee's west side. All this beer brewing has earned the city the nickname "Brew City" and its identification with and fondness for beer remains strong as ever.

Milwaukee has advertised itself as the "City of Festivals," especially emphasizing an annual summer party along the lakefront called Summerfest. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "the largest music festival in the world", Summerfest attracts about a million visitors a year to its twelve stages. Smaller ethnic festivals throughout the summer celebrate many of Milwaukee's ethnic groups.

Geography
Milwaukee is in the northern Midwest, along the shores of Lake Michigan. It is approximately 90 mi north of Chicago, and 330 mi southeast of Minneapolis/Saint Paul.

Watch
Milwaukee is probably best known from TV as the settings of the 1970s sitcoms Laverne and Shirley and Happy Days. That '70s Show, a popular sitcom at the turn of the 21st century, is set in a fictional town in Wisconsin, in which Milwaukee is frequently mentioned. It has also served as the backdrop for numerous Hollywood films. The films Bridesmaids, Transformers 3, Mr. 3000 and Milwaukee, Minnesota were set in the area. Milwaukee, Minnesota gives a good winter portrait of the city and was largely filmed in the Bay View neighborhood.

Climate
Weather patterns in Milwaukee can fluctuate daily, often with little consistency in temperature or conditions. In the summer, the temperatures can range from as low as and as high as. In the winter, the temperature can drop below regularly but can get as high as. In general, six months of the year are cold, overcast, and wet. Milwaukee is the second coldest major city in the country; winter is very long and cold! Spring is often very wet and sometimes cold and miserable. It is not unheard of to get snowfall in early April. Winter visitor may quickly get an idea why there are so many bars, bowling alleys and festivals in Milwaukee. The best time to visit is by far in the summer or the early fall during Indian Summer when the whole place comes to life and everybody is outside.

Tourist information

 * Visit Milwaukee website

Get in
There is an array of almost every transportation mode thinkable to get to Milwaukee. The cheapest way is by bus, but many travelers prefer the comfort and convenience of air, boat, car, or train travel. Chicago, a massive transportation hub, is less than 100 miles (161 km) away.

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport
Milwaukee is served by. Southeast of the city.

The airport has service with the following airlines from its 2 concourses.

 * Concourse C: Air Canada, Southwest, United, and Volaris
 * Concourse D: Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, and Frontier.

Direct international flights are offered a few times daily from Canada, and seasonally from Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Other international travelers will have to connect or fly to Chicago and take ground transportation.

Ground transportation:
 * Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) buses run frequent airport service from roughly 4AM to 2AM. The fare is $2.00, which can be paid with cash (exact change required) or by card via the Umo app. The GreenLine express bus goes from Mitchell Airport to the North Shore via Bay View, the Third Ward, the eastern edge of Downtown and the East Side. Route 80 goes from Mitchell through the South Side into the middle of Downtown and continues north to Villard Ave. (Both lines cross the main Wisconsin Ave. transit corridor, and have stops a couple blocks from the Intermodal Station.)
 * Go Airport Shuttle shared taxi-van shuttle. Approximately $12 to Downtown.
 * Taxi approximately $30 to downtown.
 * Coach bus or train is an alternative, but only faster if you are lucky with timing and need to go to or near the Intermodal Station. Several bus lines (Badger, Wisconsin Coach USA, Lamers) and the Amtrak Hiawatha Train go downtown en route as part of incoming or outbound onward services. Buses (and the shuttle to the Airport Rail Station) all leave from just outside the baggage claim, if you're lucky there'll be one waiting (on average there are 1-2 per hour). $4-6.

Alternative airports
Chicago's main airports—O'Hare International Airport or Midway Airport —can be cheaper or easier alternatives, especially for destinations not served from Milwaukee. There is an hourly direct shuttle from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Milwaukee Intermodal Station and Milwaukee Mitchell Airport run by Wisconsin Coach Lines. $26. It is possible take a CTA 'L' train from either of the Chicago airports to Chicago Union Station ($2.25 from Midway, $5 from O'Hare) and then go on to Milwaukee with either bus or Amtrak saving time or money in some cases. With ideal timing you can make it from Midway to Downtown Milwaukee via rail in under 3 hours from landing. However, many flights arrive at Chicago after or near the time that shuttle or rail service end for the day. Greyhound does offer late runs to Milwaukee from their Downtown depot, in case of a late arrival in Chicago, but is not for the faint of heart. Greyhound also has a few buses each day from the Cumberland CTA Blue Line station, just two stops outside of O'Hare on the CTA blue line 'L'.

Train operator

 * Train routes stopping in Milwaukee:
 * Hiawatha has 6 to 7 daily round trips between Milwaukee Downtown Intermodal Station and Chicago with stops along the way at Milwaukee Airport-Trains station, Sturtevant (7 miles west of Racine), and Glenview. Travel time to Milwaukee Downtown Intermodal Station from Chicago is 1.5 hours. Taking this train offers the quickest travel time from Chicago, power outlets at your seat, a quiet car, and snack & beverage service.
 * Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago. This route only stops in Milwaukee at Milwaukee Intermodal station. 'Weekly Special' Internet fares can be found for $120 to Portland and $40 from the Saint Paul (Twin Cities).

By car
I-94 comes in from Madison to the west, and continues to Chicago to the south.

I-43 will get you to the city from Green Bay from the north, and continues southwest to Beloit.

I-41 approaches the Milwaukee area from Fond du Lac and other Fox Valley cities to the north.

By boat
Lake Express high-speed ferry operates several daily trips across Lake Michigan to Muskegon, Michigan. The ferry docks on the south side of the port near Bayview. No winter service.

By bus
Milwaukee is served by several interstate bus lines daily, there is competition on most routes as well as onward connections. Book a few weeks ahead online for the best prices. Most buses stop at or across the street from the Milwaukee Intermodal Station (where all trains stop as well) on St Paul Street on the south edge of Downtown Milwaukee. Chartered tours of Milwaukee are also arranged from cities in the region, and there are casino charters from across the Midwest.

Get around
Getting around in Milwaukee is easy. Block numbers are consistent across the city, including most of the suburbs, starting roughly where the Milwaukee and Menominee rivers meet. All numbered streets run north-south, increasing in number as you head west from 1st Street. Most named streets go east-west, with the notable exception of streets east of 1st St. Standard blocks are 1/8th of a mile long north to south, and 1/16th of a mile east to west.

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS)
Milwaukee's bus system, MCTS, has an extensive coverage area (85% of Milwaukee County) and core routes with very frequent service. Outlying suburbs have shorter hours, slower and less-frequent service. Express buses called "UBuses" offer service to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. MCTS also serves Mitchell International Airport with both a local bus and a new, more express route; see Get In for details. Most routes run from about 5AM until at least midnight.

Fares:

Single trips are $2. For visitors with a smartphone, the easiest way to pay is via the Umo app. For those who do not wish to use mobile payment, MCTS also has a contactless smart card known as the WisGo card that allows you to load stored value. There is a one-time fee of $2 to purchase a WisGo card, which can be purchased online or at 120 sales outlets in Milwaukee County; they are not sold by bus drivers. The Umo app and WisGo card can also be used on the Waukesha Metro, which has connections to MCTS.

At the stops for Connect 1, a bus rapid transit line from downtown Milwaukee to the regional medical center in Wauwatosa, there are ticket vending machines. While they are intended for use on that route, they print tickets that are valid on any route for 90 minutes. The machines accept cash (exact change only) and card payments.

If you are going to be using public transit a lot while in Milwaukee, it would be a good idea to use the Umo app or WisGo Card since paper transfers for cash fares have been eliminated. Additionally, for payments with the Umo app or WisGo Card, fares are capped at $4 daily, $19.50 weekly, and $72 monthly.

Drivers and ticket vending machines only accept exact fare for those paying with cash. If you are paying cash and do not have exact change, you will not have any choice but to pay extra.

There are automated audio-visual stop announcements. If you need any information don't hesitate to ask the bus operator for help. Most drivers know the city well and will be happy to give you directions or call your stop.

The Hop streetcar
The Hop is a streetcar operating in downtown from the Amtrak station to Burns Commons. It opened in 2018. Free.

Regional services

 * Ozaukee County is served by the Ozaukee County Express from Downtown Milwaukee (some service also to Milwaukee's South Side) via the I-43 corridor. Ozaukee County Transit also offers shared-ride taxi services.
 * Wisconsin Coach Lines offer service from Racine and Kenosha in the south to Downtown Milwaukee, and from Waukesha and Mukwonago in the west to Downtown Milwaukee and to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

By bicycle
Milwaukee was awarded bronze status from the League of American Bicyclists in 2004 and 2009. Bike maps are available from the city or for sale at local shops. Weather permitting, Milwaukee is a very pleasant place to bicycle. There are several separated bike lanes and network of leisurely trails called the Oak Leaf Trail. Some are even limited access paths (think: bike freeway) as well as 65 mi (105 km) of on-street bike lanes and 75 mi (121 km) of signed bike routes (the city aims to raise that number to several hundred miles of on-street bike lanes as streets are re-paved).

Bikeshare
Bublr Bikes is Milwaukee's bikeshare system. Bike stations are mostly concentrated in the greater downtown area and the East Side. Single rides cost $3 for 30 minutes and can be paid for with a credit card at any bike station. Bublr also sells 30-day passes online for $15, which allows for unlimited free rides in 60-minute increments; you can avoid additional charges by returning a bike within that time frame and hopping on a new one.

Bicycle rentals and tours

Bicycle Shops are also often willing to do rentals, and also sell high-quality products that are often locally made: It is fairly easy to find a used bike in good working condition at local thrift stores, which is much cheaper than renting if you are going to be staying in the city for any length of time.
 * sells top-notch locally made bicycles and has the best selection of track and fixed gear equipment in the Midwest.
 * is useful if you need a space and some tools to fix your bike while traveling, they have assorted hours and suggested donation rates.

All MCTS buses have bicycle racks which are free to use with bus fare, so if you get tired, lost, the weather turns bad or whatever you can hop on the bus.

By taxi
While there are plenty of taxis to meet demand, do not expect to simply flag one down. With the notable exceptions of queues at larger hotels, the airport, train- and bus stations, largely attended events and most of the downtown area, you should call for one. Even going from the Upper East Side to Downtown can cost $20. The number one company is Yellow Cab.

In the warmer (and occasionally the colder) months there are alternative ways of getting point to point.
 * Horse-drawn carriages are available downtown and sometimes on the East Side, and often outside public events.

By car
While it is possible to use the bus to go to many suburbs, some tourists prefer driving. You can pick up a rental car at the Milwaukee General Mitchell Field Airport and many agencies provide rentals downtown too. There are several rental car agencies on site that can help you get around town whether you are visiting the area or a local driving a temporary vehicle.

 * Avis
 * Budget
 * Enterprise
 * Hertz

Parking Downtown and in some business districts (on the East Side, in some suburbs) costs money. Keep an eye out for electronic meters: there will be a number on a post at each space, and you need it to pay at a machine down the block (cards accepted). Visitors parking overnight on city streets should call the City at by 1AM to request parking permission. Overnight parking can also be registered for free (up to 3 nights) online at the DPW's night parking site.

Parking outside the Downtown/East Side is overall a non-issue. Traffic conditions vary.

Breweries
Breweries are integral to Milwaukee's image. Although the number of large scale operations has dwindled in the last decade, the nickname "the Brew City" still rings true, and microbreweries are booming. In several spots around the city, the smell of yeast from the beer factories is quite strong. Milwaukee was once the home to four of the world's largest breweries: Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst, and Miller. For many years it was the number one beer producing city in the world. Of those four only Miller remains.

Festivals

 * Black Arts Fest Annual festival that honors African and African American culture, creating a positive atmosphere that unifies all ages.
 * Festa Italiana
 * German Fest One of the more popular fests. Lots of beer-drinking and cliche Bavarian garb, music, dancing and food.
 * Irish Fest A very popular event, many locals take Irish Dancing lessons and these dancers are central to the fest.
 * Labor Fest An actual celebration of organized labor on Labor Day! Its a free way to celebrate and respect the meaning of the day.
 * Polish Fest
 * PrideFest
 * Juneteenth Day celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. Held every year on June 19th, the event is very popular, and draws a huge police presence due to violence at past events.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Polish Fest
 * PrideFest
 * Juneteenth Day celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. Held every year on June 19th, the event is very popular, and draws a huge police presence due to violence at past events.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Juneteenth Day celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. Held every year on June 19th, the event is very popular, and draws a huge police presence due to violence at past events.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Juneteenth Day celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. Held every year on June 19th, the event is very popular, and draws a huge police presence due to violence at past events.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.

Venues
There is a wide spectrum of theater and concert venues in Milwaukee.

Sports
Milwaukee has memorable moments in sports history, with the Brewers and Bucks most likely to interest travelers. Home run slugger Hank Aaron hit most of his home runs in Milwaukee (mostly as a member of the Braves, who have since moved to Atlanta, though he finished his career with the Brewers). The Bucks are the youngest team to ever win an NBA title.

 * The Milwaukee Mile Its premier distinction is as the oldest operating motor speedway in the world, hosting at least one auto race every year since 1903. The track is at the grounds for the Wisconsin State Fair. The track has held events sanctioned by major sanctioning bodies, such as the American Automobile Association, USAC, CART/Champ Car World Series, NASCAR, and the IndyCar Series. There have also been many races in regional series such as ARTGO.
 * College basketball - The city has two NCAA Division I college basketball teams—the Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference, and the Milwaukee Panthers of the Horizon League. Marquette's men's team plays at Fiserv Forum, while Milwaukee's men play at UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena (the women's teams of both schools play on their respective campuses).
 * Milwaukee Mustangs Indoor arena football.
 * The Milwaukee Mile Its premier distinction is as the oldest operating motor speedway in the world, hosting at least one auto race every year since 1903. The track is at the grounds for the Wisconsin State Fair. The track has held events sanctioned by major sanctioning bodies, such as the American Automobile Association, USAC, CART/Champ Car World Series, NASCAR, and the IndyCar Series. There have also been many races in regional series such as ARTGO.
 * College basketball - The city has two NCAA Division I college basketball teams—the Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference, and the Milwaukee Panthers of the Horizon League. Marquette's men's team plays at Fiserv Forum, while Milwaukee's men play at UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena (the women's teams of both schools play on their respective campuses).
 * Milwaukee Mustangs Indoor arena football.
 * Milwaukee Mustangs Indoor arena football.

Neighborhood visits

 * Downtown - Downtown Milwaukee consists of two neighborhoods which sit across the Milwaukee River from each other.

Juneautown (or Eastown), between the lake and the river, is the financial heart of the city, as well as the place where Milwaukee was born. The city's tallest building, the 601-foot USBank Tower, is here along the lake, as are some of the other architecturally significant buildings, including the Cathedral of St. John and Milwaukee's City Hall. There are a number of coffee shops and restaurants, but except for around Cathedral Square and Milwaukee Street area mostly closes down after business hours.

Across the river, Kilbourntown (or Westown) serves as the city's entertainment center. Here you will find attractions such as the Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee's primary convention center. Nearby are the Grand Avenue Mall, the Milwaukee Theater, and the Bradley Center. Many of the city's hotels are here as well, as are some excellent restaurants and clubs. Further to the west is Milwaukee's gigantic neo-classical Courthouse, the Milwaukee Public Museum, and the ornate Milwaukee Central Library. While none of the city's tall buildings have public observatories, you can get a fantastic view from Polaris, the revolving restaurant perched atop the Hyatt Regency in the heart of Kilbourntown.

The Riverwalk lines both sides of the Milwaukee River through the downtown area, and is home to a number of pieces of public art, as well as some of the city's most popular restaurants.
 * Historic Third Ward - This small district, directly to the south of Juneautown, is Milwaukee's version of the trendy urban "warehouse district." The streets of the Third Ward are lined with 19th and early 20th-century warehouse buildings which have been converted into lofts and offices. At street level, chic shops and restaurants are commonplace. The area is also an entertainment hub. The Eisner Museum of Advertising and Design is at 208 N Water St, blocks from the Broadway Theater Center, home of the Skylight Opera. On the ward's southern boundary -the Milwaukee River - one can find the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (or just MIAD), which is the centerpiece of the city's art scene. On Gallery Night, which occurs once every three months, the Third Ward hums with activity, as it is home to the city's largest collection of art galleries. The Third Ward is also home to the newest section of the Riverwalk, which offers some fantastic views of the downtown skyline. The Third Ward is within walking distance of downtown.
 * Fifth Ward/Walker's Point Founded by George Walker in June of 1835 as a fur trading post, Walker's settlement was combined with Juneautown and Kilbourntown to become the City of Milwaukee in 1846. Walker also contributed to the building of the city's first streetcar line in 1859. Walker's Point is south of the Third Ward, and is served by the #18, 15, and 19 buses from Downtown. The northern part of the neighborhood (especially north of National Avenue) is a rapidly re-developing warehouse district, home to many popular restaurants, cafes, clubs, and bars, while the southern and western parts are mainly Hispanic. The neighborhood is also the center of Milwaukee's gay scene.
 * Avenues West/Marquette is the neighborhood immediately west of Downtown. Home to Marquette University, the area has a large student population, and consists mainly of mid-rise apartments and walk-ups as well as many of the city's social services institutions. The neighborhood is relatively seedy the further away you get from the university, although its not particularly dangerous. The Pabst Mansion and Rave/Eagle's Ballroom (music venue) are in the neighborhood, along Wisconsin Avenue.
 * Martin Luther King Drive - A period of urban renewal has revitalized this neighborhood with brand new restaurants, coffee houses and jazz, blues and neo-soul lounges. It is known as the epicenter of African-American commerce in Wisconsin. From downtown, simply continue north on Old World 3rd Street which turns into Martin Luther King Drive. The #19 bus runs the entire length of the street.
 * Riverwest - An older working-class neighborhood bordered by the Milwaukee River or the south and east and Holton Street on the west. Riverwest is one of the most racially integrated in the city. As the East Side and Downtown have gentrified, Riverwest has become an increasingly diverse neighborhood, and is also home to much of the hipster and alternative scenes in Milwaukee. Amongst the many hipsters, one can still find plenty of Puerto Rican families and grandmothers. Center Street and Clarke Street are the main commercial areas of the neighborhood. The buses 10 (Humboldt Ave) and 14 (Holton St) stop at both streets on their way north from Downtown.
 * Bay View - A vibrant area on the city's south shore with lots of neighborhood bars and restaurants. Number 15 bus south from downtown. Kinnickinnic Avenue is the neighborhood's main street and is lined with shops, bar, restaurants, and cafes.
 * Historic Mitchell Street - This once Polish center is now home to some of Milwaukee's most vibrant Hispanic culture. The busiest area of the street is between 6th and 13th Streets. The #54 bus runs down Mitchell, and the 80, 19, and 14 connect the neighborhood to Downtown.
 * Historic Mitchell Street - This once Polish center is now home to some of Milwaukee's most vibrant Hispanic culture. The busiest area of the street is between 6th and 13th Streets. The #54 bus runs down Mitchell, and the 80, 19, and 14 connect the neighborhood to Downtown.

Parks
Milwaukee has one of the best public parks systems in the country. The area of parkland and beaches along the lake is the crown jewel of the system, and gets very busy during good weather.

Boat tours
There are several Lake Michigan and Milwaukee River tourboat operators.
 * Sea Dog Sailing offers sailing trips out of McKinley Marina.
 * Sea Dog Sailing offers sailing trips out of McKinley Marina.
 * Sea Dog Sailing offers sailing trips out of McKinley Marina.

Learn
The largest university is the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee with around 30,000 students. Other schools include Marquette University, Alverno College, Cardinal Stritch University, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Mount Mary College, Wisconsin Lutheran College, Concordia University Wisconsin, Lakeland College, and Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology.

Work
Milwaukee is home to several Fortune 500 companies; in fact, the metropolitan region (defined as the Milwaukee-West Allis-Waukesha area) was "ranked number five in the nation when measuring the number of Fortune 500 companies as a share of the population - just behind the number four Minneapolis-St. Paul region in Minnesota". The area has a wide employment base, with companies ranging from high-tech and specialty manufacturing firms (GE Medical, Harley Davidson) to retail and finance corporations (Kohl's, Northwestern Mutual).

The Milwaukee-Racine metropolitan area was also rated one of the Top 20 Hot Cities for Entrepreneurs in 2005.

Buy
Milwaukee is one of the best places to get products made in Wisconsin. From fine food to Harley Davidson Motorcycles, Milwaukee offers amazing variety and quality for very reasonable prices.

Several shopping malls are outside of the city. There are a few shopping areas including the Third Ward and the East Side around Prospect and North or Brady St as well as other shops of assorted types across the city.

Downtown/Third Ward

Bayview

East Side

Riverwest

Food
Many visitors enjoying taking some food or other consumables with them when they leave. Wisconsin cheese, locally roasted coffee especially from Colectivo or Anodyne, and micro-brews are the most popular treasures. Ginseng and even El Rey Mexican products are common souvenirs.

Locally made

 * Harley Davidson motorcycles of course have several plants in and around Milwaukee, and many more retail stores. Notables include the House of Harley on Layton Ave in Greenfield, Hal's Harley in New Berlin, Wisconsin Harley in Oconomowoc, and many other dealers.
 * Bicycles from Milwaukee Bicycle, Trek, Schwinn, and other local builders are available in huge selection and often cheaper than elsewhere.

Eat
With its immigrant heritage, Milwaukee is a major restaurant city. Good local restaurants serve almost every kind of food imaginable, usually quite cheaply. Different neighborhoods have different specialities when it comes to food.

 * Old World Third St along (and just west of) the Milwaukee River provides a richer variety of restaurants and also many of the more upscale restaurants (and clubs) in town. Traditional Germanic and Mediterranean foods are the highlights.
 * Milwaukee St, between Wisconsin and Wells Sts., offers many trendy and top rated restaurants in the city as well as an upscale nightlife for the after dinner drink.
 * The east side also has many nice restaurants, bakeries, and cafes. Most places are clustered on Farwell, North, or Brady Streets.
 * The Fifth Ward and South Side contain many different authentic and cheap Mexican and Latin American restaurants.
 * Bay View has a variety of different kinds of places, especially with regards to "hip" comfort food.

Mid-range
The majority of mid-range, non-chain places in Downtown are on Milwaukee Street or near Cathedral Square east of the river.

On the East Side, you can head over to the intersection of North and Farwell Avenues, where you'll find local favorites like Beans & Barley (healthy/organic), Pizza Man (burned to the ground in early 2010), Von Trier's (German), the BBC (bar & grill), and the Twisted Fork (pasta). Louisa's is also a great Italian restaurant. A bit farther up Oakland Ave, near Locust Street (near the UW-Milwaukee Campus), you'll find an exciting variety of restaurants including the Oakland Trattoria (Mediterranean), Sharazad (Middle Eastern), Lula's Cafe (East African), Thai Kitchen, and Oakland Gyros (Greek).

The Third Ward has many places, some with river-side seating in the summer (such as the Milwaukee Ale House on Water Street). Coquette Cafe, on Milwaukee Street, is the owned by the same chef as the critically acclaimed Sanford.

Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View is also lined with different places, including local favorite Lulu (at Howell), and Honeypie (Midwestern comfort food with locally sourced ingredients).

National Avenue around 6th Street has several Mexican restaurants, although they can also be found throughout the entire south side.

Bakeries
Part of Milwaukee’s food culture is high expectations and hard-set habits when it comes to bread and sweets. Eat your way through Milwaukee immigrant history, without even having a meal.

Custard
Of course the largest city in America’s Dairyland has perfected its own style of turning milk into frozen enjoyment. Custard is not-your-daddy’s soft-serve. Its thick- made fresh with egg yolks and lots of cream so there are only a few flavor choices: vanilla, flavor of the day, and maybe chocolate. Oh, and don’t call it ice cream.

There are a handful of other places to get custard in and around the city. Most people have a favorite but will settle for anything, it's hard to go wrong.

Cafes
Milwaukee has a strong culture with a large number of unique local places despite the onslaught of Starbucks. Some are open late, until Midnight or so.

Roasters

Nightlife
There's no shortage of night life in the Brew City. Milwaukeeans spend more (per capita) on entertainment than the citizenry of any other major American city, and you can bet that a good percentage of that entertainment is served in liquid form. Despite the amount of money spent on it, drinking is still very cheap. Expect to pay $4 for a decent local beer or import, $2 for a Pabst, Hamm's, Old Style or Schlitz. Read the specials boards, there are often great deals, for instance, a pint of a dark local micro-brew for $2 several places on Thursday and many places have $1 PBR or Old Style. Cover is only charged at some places with live music, bigger clubs, or if there is a special very cheap drink night. Every bar can serve you mixed drinks, but wine is less popular. Closing time is an early 2AM during the week and 2:30AM on Friday and Saturday. All retail alcohol sales stop at 9PM.

With 957 licensed taverns it's hard to go thirsty. There is a corner bar at least every few blocks, no matter where you are in Milwaukee. Plus there are several handfuls of licensed dance halls (what kids call clubs and venues these days), if you want to get your groove on. Other popular nighttime activities include bowling (black-light bowling at midnight), movies, concerts, and theater.

Many of the main places to go out in Milwaukee are concentrated in a few different areas, which are easy to walk around and bar-hop within. Cabs are also easy to hail Downtown and on the East Side.

Downtown the biggest bar street is Water St with a heavy drinking scene. Across the river to the west is Old World 3rd St with some German-inspired taverns and sports bars (it's near the Bradley Center arena). Back across the river and up the hill to the east is Milwaukee Street, hosting a wide range of classier, more upscale small bars.

The East Side has two of the city's main bar areas: on Brady Street and on North Ave between Oakland and Prospect.

Brady Street is full of people outside during the summer and has a mix of different bars, cafes, and restaurants.

North Avenue is a few blocks north of Brady and is a very popular bar street, especially with the college crowd. There are a number of bars within a few blocks of each other on North and side streets.

Riverwest houses several bars and venues reaching across the neighborhood. Its a mix of DIYers, hippies, and hipsters. A great place to easily experience the Milwaukee neighborhood atmosphere.

The Third Ward has a number of places in old warehouses right on the river, several blocks south on Water Street from the main bar area, as well as on Broadway one block east. Places here tend to be a little more upscale and draw a yuppie and middle aged clientele.

The Fifth Ward/Walker's Point, just across the river and a few more blocks south, is the hub of gay nightlife but has some straight bars and Latin-themed places too. There are a number of places, mainly along S 2nd St and National Ave. There are also a few places south of the Allen Bradley Plant (with the huge clocktower) on 2nd and 1st Streets.

Bay View to the South has many bars scattered throughout the neighborhood. Kinnickinnic Ave is lined with bars between Bay and the Lake Parkway, and there's another cluster near the lake at Russell and Superior. There are lots of really old-school places here. If you're not staying here and are drinking, plan how to get back, as the last buses run at 2AM and taxis are expensive if you are going further than Downtown.

Sleep
Visitors to Milwaukee find it easiest to stay in or near downtown, where most of the city's hotels are. Milwaukee has a youth hostel and an array of hotels to meet most budgets. There is a small bed and breakfast district on the Westside.

Cheap hotels can be found on the Near South Side as well as the North Side, the quality of these tends to reflect the average quality of life in the areas these are in, hence may not be up to the standards of relatively affluent travelers.

More generic cheaper hotels are outside the urban city. For instance, there is a strip of budget hotels on College Ave near Mitchell International Airport. Near most interstates you can also find chain hotels.

Bed and Breakfast
There are several B&Bs in the Concordia Historic District on Milwaukee's West Side and near Marquette University. These are great and historic late 19th-century mansions that have been converted to outstanding Bed and Breakfast Inns:

There are also some B&Bs elsewhere:

North Side
There are a few family-run motels along Appleton Avenue to the Northwest:

Stay safe
Milwaukee, like all major American cities, has a relatively high crime rate. Since most crime is concentrated in specific poorer areas, the majority of the city is perfectly safe. Though virtually all tourist destinations in and around Milwaukee are safe and accessible during the day and night, common sense should always apply. Like anywhere else, it helps to be aware of your surroundings. As in most American cities, dangerous neighborhoods tend to be very run down.

The areas of Milwaukee along the lakeshore (also where most attractions are) tend to be the safest.

The west and south sides of Milwaukee also offer interesting tourist opportunities that include Milwaukee's famous Basilica and Frank Lloyd Wright's Greek Orthodox church. Crime can happen anywhere; don't let geographic stereotypes dictate your travels.

The area bounded by I-43 on the east, Capitol Dr on the north, North Ave on the south and Sherman Blvd on the west contains some of the poorest areas of the city and is especially dangerous. The Near South Side also has serious gang-related crime problems but is fine during the day, especially along the main commercial streets.

Newspapers
Many community and neighborhood oriented weekly papers are offered for free in cafes and coffee shops.

 * The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is Milwaukee's only major daily newspaper, distributed in the morning. $0.50 daily, $1.75 Sunday Edition.
 * The Shepherd Express is Milwaukee's free-press publication.
 * OnMilwaukee.com has lots of reviews and event listings online.

Cope
Also, the suburbs of Ozaukee, Waukesha, and Racine Counties have a reputation for being politically and socially conservative. It's your best bet just to go with the flow here. If you are an LGBT visitor, displays of affection will turn heads in these areas. Some suburbs are even more conservative than the rural parts of the state. Milwaukee is not as socially liberal as Madison, although people in Milwaukee are overall tolerant of each other, even if many of the assorted social and ethnic groups tend to avoid each other. Clique culture is big in the region and many people grew up together so don't be surprised to get an unfriendly reception from some people you meet being an outsider. Dressing in a non-conservative manner here (keeping up with fashion trends, v-necks, high fashion, etc.) is generally frowned upon in southeast Wisconsin and will get you some funny looks from locals so if this kind of attention bothers you then pack accordingly. The city is becoming more and more laid back.

Consulates

 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden

Go next

Cedarburg is a well-known small town 20 miles north of downtown Milwaukee in Ozaukee County. Its downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the location of many popular festivals throughout the year. Take I-43 to well-marked Cedarburg exits.

title: Milwaukee


text:
Mimaropa

Mimaropa (from Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) is Region IV-B in the administrative system of the Philippines; as of the 2020 census it had a population of 3,228,558. Tourism, fishing and manufacturing all play roles in the economy, but agriculture is still the largest contributor at 42% of GDP.

Regions
The region includes five provinces:

The national government divides the country into three major regions — Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao — and includes Mimaropa as part of the Luzon group. In 2005 an executive order was issued to reclassify Palawan as part of the Western Visayas region and rename the remainder of Mimaropa to Mimaro. However, this was put on hold and, as of 2015, it is not clear if it will ever be implemented.

Wikivoyage divides the country a bit differently, treating Palawan as a separate fourth region. We include the other provinces of Mimaropa under Luzon.

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

title: Mimaropa


text:
Mimizan

Mimizan is a village in Les Landes.

Get in
Fly to Bordeaux or Biarritz

There is no airport in Mimizan, therefore you can arrive by the airport Bordeaux-Mérignac, which is at 120km of Mimizan or by the airport Biarritz-Pays Basque at 124km of Mimizan. After you can take the train until the SNCF train station of Labouheyre, which is at 27km of Mimizan, and arrive to in bus with the line 13.

Get around
Work up an appetite for the fantastic local food and burn off some calories..cycle! Cheap to rent ( a day), numerous local hire stores. Or, you could increase the carbon footprint and drive!

To get around Mimizan you can use the car or the bike, which is in rental; or use the Mimiz's Bus, which is a free Shuffle, it's convenient and economic.

See
Amazing forests gently dropping needles onto miles and miles of sand, lashed by Atlantic storms generating fantastic surf!

You can see many beautiful things in this city. There ar la promenade fleurie in a park, the beach of course, the history museum of priory and bell tower porch, the heritage house, the gascogne paper, the Aureilhan lake, l'église du Bourg or again the church: Saint-Martin.

Do
Surf, cycle, walk and generally soak up the slower pace of life on the South West coast. Visit tucked away hamlets, eat the formule menu, speak French and forget the strains of the 9-5.

What to do in Mimizan ? It is easy, you can surf your best wave, for it, there are many surf schools: l'école de surf la garluche, silver coast, Mimizan surf academy or Mimizan bodyboard academy. You can walk in discovery trail, have fun to the stelsia Casino, go to the equestrian center Marina to pass a good time with horses. You can fly in the air with skydiving with OJB Parachutisme or the flydream.

Buy
To have a memory of your holidays you can buy many jewels to les Fées Créations or to Dodie's. You can buy clothes to: Victime de la mode. For the fan of video game, you can go to Océans games.

Understand
Mimizan is situated in the South West of France, in the department of Landes, in the region Nouvelle Aquitaine. There are 7 137 inhabitants. There is a beach of 10 km, face to the Atlantic ocean: this beach is divide in two parts: south and north, which comport different beaches. At North, there are the remember beach, the Ailes's beach and the garluche's beach. at the south there are: the goëlands's beach, the mouettes's beach, the south beach and the lespecier's beach. In french beach in "plage".

title: Mimizan


text:
Mims

Mims is a city in Brevard County.

By car
The main route to Mims is US-1, which travels south from New Smyrna Beach directly through Edgewater and Oak Hill to Mims. It continues south to Titusville. I-95 parallels this route roughly a mile to a few miles west of US-1. FL-46 enters Mims from the west.

Go next

 * Titusville, a larger town, is just south of Mims.
 * North of Mims is Oak Hill, a town on the southern edge of the New Smyrna Beach area.

title: Mims


text:
Mina (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Mina:

Lebanon

 * El Mina - a coastal city, part of Tripoli (Lebanon)

Mexico

 * Mina (Nuevo León) - a village near Monterrey, on the route to the Boca de Potrerillos archeological site.

Saudi Arabia

 * Mina - A temporary tented town outside Mecca, accommodation for Hajj pilgrims.

United States of America

 * Mina (Nevada) - A town in Nevada.
 * Mina (Pennsylvania) - A town in Pennsylvania

title: Mina (disambiguation)


text:
Minakami

Minakami (水上) is a town in Gunma prefecture.

Understand
The town, which includes Minakami Hot Spring Village, commands superb views of Mt. Tanigawa, Mt. Hotaka, and Mt. Shibutsu. Adventurous visitors can enjoy outdoor sports such as rafting. But if you plan to do some mountain-climbing during your visit, be aware that Mt. Tanigawa has the Guinness world record for the most deaths while climbing!

Tenjindaira, or Tenjin Temple, is renowned for receiving massive amounts of snow, and during the 2014-2015 season it scored 17 metres of snow! Tenjin Daira is an old Japanese word meaning “powder paradise”. OK, maybe that’s not quite a literal translation, but “tenjin” does refer to the God of the Sky and Weather, and Mt. Tanigawa's Tenjin Temple certainly gets the weather in full force – all that snow doesn’t come from out of the blue!

Meanwhile the Mt. Tanigawa [backcountry] that’s easily accessible from the Tenjin Ski Resort is notorious[simultaneously famous and infamous]. There is a huge range of backcountry terrain ranging from [mellow trees] to steep chutes and cliffs. The legendary mountain offers [snow porn] at its best, and associated with the avalanche of hype about the terrain is, well... avalanches. The risks are high and one of the main lines, Nishi Kurosawa, aka Tenjin Bowling Alley or Avalanche Gully, is very aptly named!

Tourist Information
Located outside of Minakami station, the tourist information center is open from 8:45AM to 5PM.

Staff can communicate fairly well in basic English.

The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

By train
The centrally-located JR Minakami Station is on the JR Joetsu Line, between Takasaki to the south and Echigo-Yuzawa to the north. Jomo-Kogen Station is on the Joetsu Shinkansen line, but it's only served by the all-stops Tanigawa. Kanetsu Kotsu buses run about every hour from Jomo-kogen (上毛高原) station to the city center, taking 25 min and ¥620.

If you want to do the whole route by train, allow at least 2hr 15min from Tokyo. Take a Joetsu or Hokuriku Shinkansen (Bullet train) to Takasaki or Echigo-Yuzawa (which offers the shortest transfer varies). Then transfer to Joetsu Line (standard line) to Minakami Station. Minakami Station is the final stop.

By car
It is 2-3 hours by car from Tokyo.

See
Mt. Tanigawa (谷川岳)

Mount Tanigawa, also known as Tanigawa-dake, is one of Japan’s 100 Most Famous Mountains. On the border between the Gunma and Niigata Prefectures in northern Minakami, the mountain sits right at where the weather systems from the Asian continent and the Pacific meet, often colliding in severe storms. Notorious for its nasty weather and chest-deep snow, the mountain affords wonderful panoramic views of Gunma and an abundance of flora.

Tanigawadake Ropeway is at the end of Japan National Route 291. The journey is around 1,400 metres, crossing Doaiguchi station and Tenjintaira station.

The first peak you’ll see is called Tomanomimi (トマノ耳), while the higher peak is called Okinomimi (オキノ耳). After scaling the two peaks, you can continue traversing along the ridge or go back the same way you came.

There are only two other ways off the mountain. The first one is to take the trail leading away from the [Kuma-ana?] hut. This trail is very rocky, with lots of [chains and ladders], which probably makes for a safer ascent than descent.

The other way is to retrace your steps back to the Kuma-ana hut, and take a right. This trail will eventually dump you out at Minakami station (水上駅). [I ended up flying back down to the base of the gondola to escape an incoming rainstorm.] [Grab a map and explore the vast network of trails that this legendary peak has to offer.]

Thick with foliage in the fall and heavy with snow in the winter, its location right at the nexus of two weather systems makes it easy to disappear into the beauty of Mount Tanigawa- both figuratively and literally. Between the initial explorations in the 1930s and today, more than 800 people have disappeared on its snowy peaks. That’s four times more casualties than on Everest in an equivalent period of time.

The casualties started early in Mt. Tanigawa's history. In 1943, a climbing party disappeared, their bodies undiscovered until 30 years later. Near Tanigawa’s base, you can find a small monument inscribed with the names of all those who have lost their lives on the mountain.

It’s possible for a novice to hike Tanigawa in the more temperate months of July through November, following a number of gentler trails. In the autumn, particularly mid-October, the colors of fall foliage light up the valleys and mountainsides. In the winter, visitors can ski at the Tanigawadake Tenjindaira ski resort, which is located halfway up the mountain. Though there are only six chair lifts running, [it also has some of Japan’s deepest snow.]

However, as for winter and off-trail climbing, that should be left to the experienced climbers. There is a high risk of death by avalanches and overexposure, and climbers need to have their route plans approved by local officials before making attempting a climb. There are two small emergency huts along the upper ridges, but they have restricted capacity.

Tanigawa is a majestic mountain, glowing rust red and burnt orange in the fall, and then sparkling a blinding white in the winter. It is both serene and severe, welcoming and deadly.

Do
Traditionally a hot spring town, Minakami has over 120 onsen, or hot spring baths.

A gentle breeze, dense fog and the melody of the gurgling river stream drift through the forest in Minakami. The cool breeze helps neutralize the searing heat of the hot spring. Close your eyes and listen to the chant of wind, the river and the forest as you become a part of nature. All this can be experienced at the Takaragawa Onsen in Minakami. Besides being named the “Number One Outdoor Hot Spring in the world”, it was also the filming location for Thermae Romae II. You can access this famous onsen from JR Minakami Station by bus.

Bungy Japan has been operating a bungee jump since 2007, and over 40,000 customers, including some of Japan’s most famous television personalities and celebrities, have jumped. If you're brave enough to try it out, the course has you bungee jumping towards an incredibly rapid river while facing enormous mountains.

Minakami offers a wide range of other outdoor activities to choose from, such as rafting, para-gliding and golf.

Buy
Most stores and businesses can't accept foreign cards, so it is best to carry at least enough cash for a few days. Most foreigner bank cards/debit cards can be used withdraw money from ATMs, which can be found at 24/7 convenience stores such as 7-11, FamilyMart, et cetera. These ATMs have several languages to choose from, including English.

Go next

 * Katashina
 * Kawaba
 * Numata
 * Takayama
 * Nakanojo
 * Shibukawa
 * Yuzawa
 * Minamiuonuma
 * Uonuma

title: Minakami


text:
Minamata

Minamata (水俣) is a city in Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu, Japan.

Understand
Minamata is above all known for one thing: the contamination of its bay with mercury from a chemical plant and the resulting Minamata disease (水俣病 Minamata-byō) that resulted neurological symptoms including paralysis, insanity and death. The culprit, Chisso Corporation — the town's largest employer by far — did all it could to avoid blame, including suppressing internal research showing that its wastewater caused the disease in cats and later claiming it had cleaned up its wastewater in 1959 while in fact it hadn't, leading to an epidemic of severe birth defects. When the second wave of cases broke out, photographer W. Eugene Smith brought the disease to the world's attention in 1972, and was severely beaten for his trouble by yakuza goons. In the end, an estimated 17,000 people were affected.

Given that sad history, the town is nowhere near as grim as you might expect: it's on Kumamoto's scenic Shiranui Coast, occasionally dubbed "the Mediterranean of Japan", and there are quite a few hot springs nearby.

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

Get in
Minamata is served by Shin-Minamata station on the Kyushu Shinkansen line from Fukuoka (2 hrs), Kumamoto (40 min) and Kagoshima (35 min). The cheaper but slower option is to use the private Hisatsu Orange Railway from Yatsushiro (1 hr) to Satsumasendai (90 min), which stops at both Shin-Minamata and "old" Minamata station.

Do
The hot springs towns of Yunoko Onsen (湯の児温泉) and Yunotsuru Onsen (湯の鶴温泉) are nearby.

Go next

 * Tsunagi
 * Ashikita
 * Kuma
 * Yatsushiro
 * Hitoyoshi
 * Izumi
 * Akune
 * Nagashima
 * Satsumasendai

title: Minamata


text:
Minamidaito

Minamidaitō is a village on an island of the same name in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. Other than its tiny neighbor Kitadaito, the nearest land is Okinawa island, about 400 km (240 mi) to the west. The island is known as Minamidaitō-jima (南大東島) and the village is Minamidaitō-son (南大東村). The name is also sometimes written as Minami Daito, or Minamidaitou. With 1400 inhabitants, it has about twice the population of nearby Kitadaito.

Minamidaito island was probably first discovered by the Spanish explorers in the 16th century. Later in 1820, it was found by a Russian sail ship Borodino and named South Borodino Island. The sharp cliffs surrounding it completely made it inaccessible to humans, until in 1900 a Japanese pioneering team from Hachijō Island became its first inhabitants, using it to grow sugarcane. Minamidaito continues to produce sugarcane as its main source of revenue; it also runs factories for refining the sugar and producing a unique brand of rum called Cor Cor.

As a tourist destination, Minamidaito is one for the adventurous - flight tickets are not cheap and ferries are few, but the fascinating ethnic nature, culture and hospitality of the place can easily make it worth the cost, even just for a weekend visit. Everything about Minamidaito is unique, from the unique cultural blend between Okinawa and its ancestral Hachijo to its unique fauna and flora. It is also home to Japan's largest weather station and Japan's shortest airline flight.

Get in

The only way to get to Minamidaito is from Naha or neighboring Kitadaito either by plane or ferry. There are two flights per day from Naha, which can be reserved up to two months in advance from Naha Airport or by telephone or internet with Japan Airlines. Flights last about 70 minutes and cost ¥31,600 for a roundtrip (in 2011) or ¥24,900 for one way. The ferry costs around ¥10,000 for a roundtrip, but sails only once per week and takes 15–17 hours each way. The timetable is decided about a month before. Check with Daito Line (homepage in Japanese only).

The flight between Minamidaito and Kitadaito lasts for 3 minutes or 15 minutes counting takeoff and landing, and is the shortest airline flight in Japan. At ¥8,300 it is comparatively no doubt the most expensive too.

Get around
The main village complex is easily navigable on foot. For the outer sights there is a rental service for cars and bicycles, but locals are always happy to offer a lift.

The first place to stop by is the Visitor Center (bijitaa sentaa) from which the manager, Kazuaki Higashi (Higashi-san), will help to organise your sightseeing needs. He organizes tours to the underground cave (Chiteiko), night wildlife sightseeing.

Talk
If you cannot speak Japanese, it will be important to bring a phrasebook. Almost all of the native islanders have virtually no comprehension of English. On the other hand, due to the presence of school staff, university students and migrants from the Philippines, there should be a few English speakers somewhere to be found.

Eriko Yoshizato, the manager of Yoshizato Hotel, speaks good English and will be able to help with any queries.

If you have studied Japanese, you will have a great opportunity to practice the Okinawan dialect and the rarer Hachijo dialect.

See

 * Bats - Daito's unique bat, the okomori, will usually be eating fruit in the fukugi trees at night. Ask Higashi-san about where to look.
 * Whale-watching (hoeru wotchingu) is also possible in the winter, while during the summer typhoon season you can watch the enormous waves crashing into the rocks.
 * Daito Shrine (Daito Jinja) is hidden away in a beautiful forest setting. There is a large torii gate, a pathway around the forest walk, and a sumo stage used during the Honen Festival.
 * Daito Culture Center (bunka sentaa) is not far from the village office, and hosts numerous artefacts from the island's history. Information is in Japanese, but the photographs speak for themselves. Entry ¥200.
 * A view of 70% of the island is available at Hinomaru observation tower.
 * The best place to investigate Minamidaito's unique plant species is next to Kaigunbo pool.
 * Taiko drumming - The young traditional drumming group Daito Taiko practices hard every evening from 18:45-19:30 at the sogo center. If you turn up to watch, they will probably do a performance just for you.
 * The multiple prize-winning sanshin girl group Borojino Musume likes to perform for visitors. Ask ahead.

Do
The visitor center can help you with all the activities and getting hold of any equipment. Services are very inexpensive, or free.

 * Fishing is possible at all the ports, though there are good and bad days for fish. On a good day you have a better chance of catching an enormous fish than anywhere else in Okinawa.
 * Caving - There are two major caves - Hoshinodo (星野洞), a pink rock cave which is easily navigable with installed staircases and costs ¥800, and the impressive Akiba Chiteiko (秋葉地底湖, underground lake), which requires a tour for 1-4 people from Mr. Higashi costing ¥6000 per person. (It now includes wear, gloves, helmet, three torches and photos the guide will take and burn in a CD.)
 * Canoeing - The ponds on Minamidaito are naturally networked, creating a large canoe course. Ask Mr. Higashi.
 * Diving lessons are available from Borodino Diving Service, and gives a close-up view of the island's unique sea life. Prior diving experience is necessary.
 * Swimming - There are two natural swimming pools carved into the rock next to the sea, Kaigunbo (海軍棒) and Shioya(塩屋). During the low tide in spring and summer these are available for snorkeling and regular swimming.
 * Bird watching can be enjoyed from an observation tower next to one of the ponds, or from various other locations.
 * Work out - The sports center is free to use and has a weights room, running balcony, and a weekly schedule of sports including basketball, volleyball and badminton.
 * Prepare Daito sushi - Ms. Ryoko's bento (takeaway meals) shop just in front of the hotel "Southern Cross" offers a 1½-hr lesson for ¥2500. You can take a sushi box (8 pieces) when you finish.
 * Daito celebrates most of the annual festivals of Okinawa and Hachijo, the main event being the Honen Festival on September 22–23, featuring a shrine-bearing parade, a sumo tournament and a stage show.

Buy
Most souvenirs are available at the airport.
 * Minamidaito's Cor Cor rum is one of the few brands of rum in Japan. There are two labels; red, made from the cane juice, and green, made with the refined sugar.
 * CD recordings of local talent, including Borojino Musume, are available.
 * Sea salt, sea essence, pressed local plants, sea jerky, t-shirts and picture books are amongst other memorabilia.

Eat

Eating on Minamidaito is highly affordable and very good quality. Most meals only cost ¥300-1000. Fish is usually served on the day it is caught, and is well known on Okinawa for this.

There are numerous eating houses, but they all offer roughly the same menu.

Groups usually share their food and drink, as well as the cost.

 * Daito Soba (available at a restaurant of the same name) is highly reputed. A big bowl of thick soba noodles with a small buffet selection of meat and vegetables costs only around ¥700.
 * Daito Sushi has a unique taste and a high reputation. It's usually made from mackerel. While in most of Japan the mackerel's season is spring, in the Daito islands you can catch it all year round.
 * Vegetables are generally sweeter than in other places. Pumpkin and potato are the main vegetable produce.
 * Nawakiri (fish, Promethichthys prometheus) soup is often the dish of the day.

Drink
Beer and awamori are the favorites on Minamidaito. In the bars most beer is Okinawa's Orion Beer, although Yebisu can also be found. Most locals tend to have one glass of Orion then share out a big bottle of awamori.

Chu-hi, the shochu fruit drink, is also in supply, and most bars also have other drinks if requested.

The island's own produce, Cor Cor rum, is available but not often seen, probably because rum is unpopular with Japanese people.

As for soft drinks, look for Daito's fresh shikwasa (bitter orange) juice.

Sleep
There are a few small hotels and guest houses on Minamidaito, but maybe the best choice for non-Japanese speakers is the larger Yoshizato Hotel, which is in the centre of the village. Ask about a hotel package when booking your flight tickets.

Connect

 * Minamidaito Visitor Center - Tel: 098-022-2432
 * Yoshizato Hotel - Tel: 098-022-2511
 * Petit Hotel Southern Cross: 098-022-2947
 * Guest House Kinjo: 098-022-2045
 * Guest House Yoshizato: 098-022-2511

Go next
There are two flights per day to Naha, with one connecting through Kitadaito. The ferry is cheaper but takes very long and there is only a single roundtrip every week.

Flights and ferries occasionally do not run if the weather is bad - if an afternoon flight is canceled, then you will have to wait until the next day. Be careful about making reservations for connecting flights immediately after your trip.

title: Minamidaito


text:
Minami-Uonuma

Minami-Uonuma (南魚沼市) is a city in Niigata, which produces the best koshihikari rice in the prefecture.

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

See
Naked Man Festival (浦佐毘沙門堂裸押合大祭): In the beginning of March of every year there is a Naked Man Festival held at Bukoji Temple (普光寺) in Urasa town (浦佐)  near the Shinkansen station.

There are many of these kinds of Festivals held throughout Japan, each with its own regional flavor. At least one Japanese website claims that this particular Festival has 1200 years of history, but this is unconfirmed. The common description is that hordes of scantily clad men push and shove each other while chanting and carrying burning candles. What is actually occurring is a bit more complex.

For the purposes of the Festival, there is a person appointed as the “good luck keeper”, who sits upon the elevated stage/main altar of the Temple. To touch this person is deemed to bring good luck the entire year. However, the correct and required way to touch this person is to proceed directly through the middle of the Temple, approaching “straight” down the center. The metaphoric connotation between “straight” and “crooked” is believed intentional. The “good luck keeper” has a number of guards who line the stage and prevent, often through somewhat physically forceful means, participants from entering the stage incorrectly from the sides.

Before the Festival, all participants are encouraged to drink enormous amounts of Sake (Niigata-ken produces some of the best Sake in all of Japan) which is supplied by the Festival, and most (almost all) participants are highly inebriated. In addition, the Temple is overfilled, with a steady stream of (mostly drunken) participants continually flowing-in as the festival progresses.

Thus, the shoving is a result of an overfilled Temple, in which numerous intoxicated participants are attempting to gain entrance to the center stage by charging directly through the middle of this unruly mob. Meanwhile, the gatekeeper guards forcefully shove off participants who attempt to enter the stage from the sides. Throughout the Festival numerous other events occur within the Temple, often including group chanting and the carrying of large burning candles through the crowd onto the elevated stage/main altar.

The event inside the Temple is the main, but not the only event, as there are also festivities leading up to the entrance of the Temple. First, after being fed enormous amounts of Sake, participants are led in an organized groups through the town and up the large hill in which the Temple is situated. All are shirtless and wearing only a white fundoshi loincloth and straw zori slippers in the winter cold. This is where the pushing and shoving, with some fistfights in-between, starts to occur. Violence, on an extremely limited and controlled scale, is expected and almost encouraged amongst participants; with members of local Karate dojos and other “bouncers” stationed along the festival route to quickly end the numerous drunken fistfights before anyone gets seriously hurt. Then, leading up to the Temple, participants are made to run along a snow covered trail and jump into a pool of cold water before entering. Throughout, there is an abundance of chanting and merrymaking along the way.

Once inside the Temple, the conditions are too chaotic for any kind of fisticuffs or merrymaking, as participants are focused on not falling down, as there is a very real danger of getting trampled or kicked.

Sociologically, the festival reveals a great deal about the local conditions and history. The participants from the neighboring towns are basically farmhands and working class males, who are forced to suddenly live somewhat sedentary lives while Niigata goes dormant during its snowbound winter. Historically, as before modern transportation systems arrived many of these towns were literally snowed in, it is easy to envision how frustration and boredom may have been the actual origins of this physically demanding Festival; with the Festival offering a very much needed release of physical tension and resentment. It is said that whatever happens in the Festival is forgiven at the end with no repercussions. Historically, this probably gave males the opportunity to vent some physical aggression against others in their small farming village, without earning the disrespect of their neighbors.

Although there may be some limited, but harmless, violence, it is all in good fun, as the festival can best be described as controlled and directed mayhem. For the tourist the Festival offers a spectacle that can best be described in western terms as a drunken rugby game, with numerous intoxicated boxers, kamikaze pilots, and American football player types charging through for good measure. For the traveler, it offers an interesting perspective on the role of social releases in Japanese society; with insight on the traditional foundation of a society that often allows for emotional releases within a larger controlling structure.

The action is centered around Bukoji Temple near Urasa Station and is easily located and accessed. As with most Japanese festivals there is no charge associated with watching (at least on the street and hill sections, check if there is any admission fee or other restriction associated with entering the spectator area within the Temple). There are many spectators, as the street and far corners of the Temple are lined with both locals and tourists. Spectators range from local families who have come out to cheer on relatives to foreign and Japanese tourists who have come to witness this rowdy spectacle.

Like most Festivals throughout Japan, the Naked Man Festival participation seems to be a local affair. However, every year a limited number of students from the nearby International University of Japan (国際大学) are invited to participate, giving a small number of foreigners the opportunity to experience this traditional Festival. (This article written by a two time participant and 1995 graduate of the International University of Japan; and thus, the information herein dates back to the mid-1990s.)

Go next

 * Yuzawa
 * Tokamachi
 * Uonuma
 * Tsunan
 * Minakami
 * Ojiya
 * Nagaoka
 * Numata
 * Shibukawa

title: Minami-Uonuma


text:
Minas Gerais

Minas Gerais is a state in Brazil's Southeast region. Minas Gerais is a large state with a valuable 18th-century cultural heritage, originated in the Brazilian gold mining era. The state has also a nationwide popular cuisine, and beautiful landscapes in the Serra da Mantiqueira and Serra da Canastra mountain ranges.

Cities

 * — the state's capital, a cultural and economic metropolis
 * — famous for its diamonds, its music and 18th century architecture
 * — a modern city known as the "little America" of Brazil
 * — an industrial and university center between Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte, hosts an important festival of Baroque music
 * — cultural hub of the north
 * — the most important Brazilian ensemble of Baroque architecture, a
 * — a city built amongst seven lakes
 * — the cattle ranching capital of Brazil
 * — humorously referred to as "Land of Uber", a very modern cosmopolitan city, the second largest city in the state

Other destinations

 * — a park near Mariana with trails for exploring its waterfalls, rivers, lakes and caves
 * — known for its numerous waterfalls, diverse wildlife and for being a haven for the endangered Brazilian Merganser

Understand
Minas Gerais was the seedbed of the Brazilian revolution. Inspired by the American and French revolutions, a group of Mineiros, led by Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, nicknamed Tiradentes because he was a dentist, tried to break free from Portuguese rule, but was suppressed. The motto of Minas is Libertas quae sera tamen (Liberty, though it be delayed).

"Minas Gerais" means "General Mines", so called because of the various mines in the area. Some still operate; in February 2006 a ring of diamond smugglers, passing off diamonds from Minas as if they were South African, was broken up.

Electricity
Electricity in Minas Gerais is 110 V 60 Hz, but there may be 220 V outlets, so ask. Plugs have two round prongs about 2 cm apart, but outlets that also handle US plugs are common in places frequented by tourists, such as hotels and LAN houses.

Talk
Mineiros speak Portuguese like other Brazilians, but, for some, the mineiro accent can be difficult to understand. Middle-class young people usually speak at least some English. Spanish on the other hand is spoken by almost nobody, even in the capital. Some expressions are often linked to the concept of the mineiro accent. Examples:
 * uai - used liberally as a form of emphasis, often at the end of sentences. It sounds like the English word why, but is basically meaningless and can be ignored. It is also equivalent to ué (less mineiro) and can be replaced for ora (more formal).
 * trem - locals use the word for train to mean thing or stuff, as in "Me passa aquele trem ali" ("Pass me that thing over there").

By plane
Major airports serving the state are located in Belo Horizonte, Juiz de Fora and Uberlândia.

See

 * Trail of Tiradentes - The cobblestone streets of quaint mountain towns such as Congonhas, Ouro Branco, Ouro Preto, Mariana, São João del Rei and Tiradentes hold a great deal of colonial history, largely untouched by time. Grand churches, government buildings, and noble residences abound, their histories entwined with the local gold rush, slavery, and the Inconfidência Mineira, an important early attempt to break free from colonial rule. Many area churches bear the mark of famous architects and artists such as Aleijadinho.

Eat
Minas' traditional cuisine is unique but was mainly influenced by the Portuguese. Minas prides itself on its food, and comida mineira restaurants can be found throughout the country.

 * Angu - A hearty side-dish similar to polenta, with sausage and collard greens, and sometimes other meats or vegetables.
 * Bolinho de mandioca - Fritters made of mandioca, potato, and egg.
 * Feijão tropeiro - One of the most typical dishes, consisting of brown beans cooked with pork rinds, eggs, garlic, onion, mandioca flours, and other ingredients.
 * Frango com quiabo - Chicken and okra, heavily tempered with garlic, onion, and tomato. Served over rice.
 * Queijo mineiro - A white table cheese, popular throughout the country.
 * Quibebe - Mashed squash with onions and seasoning.
 * Doces Gourmet - sugar candy in the sugar tail

Drink
Minas is home to various producers of (the finest, as some might say) cachaça, a very strong drink, often found on recipes for caipirinha cocktails. Its capital, Belo Horizonte, is said to be the "alcoholics' paradise", with more than ten thousand bars and restaurants.

Stay safe
Most big cities have chronic safety problems, which may or may not affect visitors. Some tips to help you:
 * Dress simply, without flaunting expensive clothes or jewellery.
 * Give preference to going out with a mate.
 * If you are being robbed, do not resist.

Go next

 * Espírito Santo — Although off-the-beaten path, the state east of Minas Gerais has much to offer tourists. The capital Vitória's beautiful bay and bridge; Vila Velha's Convento da Penha (a 16th-century hilltop Franciscan convent); Guarapari's beaches and summer parties; the German-colonized town of Domingos Martins; Pedra Azul State Park's beautiful blue rock; and Itaúnas's dunes and forró (a Northeastern Brazilian dance); are some of the main attractions that should guarantee tourists a good time.

title: Minas Gerais


text:
Minō

Minō (箕面) is a city in Osaka (prefecture).

Tourist Information Site
The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site with a colorful walking map.

Get in
Take the Hankyu Takarazuka line to Ishibashi and change to the Minoh Line. Railway buffs take note: this was among the first pieces of the Hankyu railway system.

You can also take the Subway Midosuji (Red) line to Senri-Chuo station and then at bus stop 11 you can catch either the 19 or 20 bus to Minoo Station (箕面駅). The 19 takes you past a hospital and takes about 10 minutes longer than the 20. The bus ride takes 15 to 25 min depending on traffic.

Buses run from Senri-Chuo every 15 minutes until about 22:00.

There is a flat fare of ¥210 for adults.

You can also take a taxi. Taxis generally cost about ¥1,400. It varies depending on the time and day. Weekends are usually more expensive.

Get around
The main sights in Minō Park can be reached on foot.

If you want to visit Minoo Q's Mall, a large shopping mall with many fun shops and a movie theater with one of the only IMAX screens in Japan, you can take the 19 or 20 bus from Minoo Station to Kayano-chuo bus stop. If you leave from Senri-Chuo station, there is a loop bus that runs every fifteen minutes from the same bus stop as the 19 and 20 buses. You can also take the 19 or 20 buses and get off at Kayano-chuo Gakko Mae stop.

See

 * Minō Koen 箕面公園 (follow the signposts and hikers from the train station). Quiet, secluded, heavily wooded Minō Park is a great place to get away from the concrete and bustle of the big city. Easy walking paths follow a burbling brook up to a 33-m-tall waterfall, where wild monkeys spend time when they see fit. You may also see deer.

The park features cedars and momiji (Japanese red maple). The best time of year to visit Mino Park is late November. During the fall, it is the arguably the best place in Osaka to see the changing leaves.

Along the path that leads to the waterfall, which is about 3 km long, (and uphill for the last half) there are a number of cute little shops that sell souvenirs (omiyage) and serve Momiji-tempura. Momiji-tempura is breaded and fried maple leaves. They are sweet and surprisingly delicious. They are only found in Minoo.

 * There's also a small insect museum about 20 min up the path.
 * Minoh beer is a tasty microbrew that you can buy from shops on the walk between the station and the entrance to the park.

There are also a number of small cafes mixed in with the shops. They generally serve traditional Japanese fare such as soba or udon. Many of these places are seasonal and some are not open in winter.

About halfway between the train station and the waterfall you will pass Ryuanji Temple. It is part of the Shugendo mountain worship religious sect and has a number of interesting buildings, some of which you can enter.

The park also has a number of other hiking trails for more serious hikers. Most of them lead to scenic overviews or into the hills beyond the waterfall.

Do

There are a number of things to do in Minoo.

The most popular place to go is up into Mino Park to visit the waterfall.

In 2011 an Ashiyu (foot onsen) opened next to Minoo Station. It is lovely.

There are also a number of regular hot springs you can visit as well.

On the path up to the waterfall you pass Minoh Kanko Hotel - it features a large run-down and expensive onsen (hot-spring) resort.

Mino is also known for having the first Mister Donut shop in Japan, established in 1971. It is located near the Minoo Station, along National Route 9 and offers some legacy donuts from its early years as well as newer ones. Well worth a visit.

You can also take the 19 or 20 bus to Minoo Q's Mall, a large and beautiful shopping mall. There is also a loop bus from the same stop.

Buy
There are small shops along the path to Minō Waterfall, with most of the usual souvenirs - albeit with a few more plastic bugs than usual, owing to the insect museum. The other main themes in the shops are owls, monkeys and momiji.

You can also see a number of shops featuring red and white pottery that is only found in this area.

Eat
The local snack and souvenir specialty is momiji no tenpura, small maple leaves slowly deep fried in batter. They are sweet and crunchy. They are usually sold in small bags or cups and generally more delicious when warm.

The area close to the waterfall has several shops selling a variety of food. If you are not interested in soba, udon or fish you should bring a sandwich or a picnic with you. Don't worry about bringing drinks... there are many vending machines along the path.

There are also two convenience stores in Minoo station. You can buy drinks, sandwiches and a number of other things to take with you. Beware though: the monkeys love plastic bags! If they're in the area they might come down and try to steal your lunch.

Drink
Minoh beer is produced by microbreweries in Minoh. You will find it for sale at most of the shops on the street between the station and the entrance to the park.

You can buy beer and other drinks from the shops near the waterfall, but these are about twice the price you could buy them for at the convenience store near the station.

Sleep
Travelers may wish to look for accommodation elsewhere, as several major cities are within easy reach (see below).

Go next
Osaka and Kobe are within easy reach on the Hankyu Line; it's also plausible to day-trip here from Kyoto.
 * Ikeda
 * Toyonaka
 * Toyono
 * Nose
 * Itami
 * Kawanishi
 * Suita
 * Ibaraki
 * Takatsuki

title: Minō


text:
Mindanao

Mindanao is an island in the Philippines, the southernmost major island in the country and the second largest, after Luzon.

Regions
For administrative purposes, the Philippine government divides the country into three main regions — Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Mindanao region includes Mindanao island (shown in red on the map) plus a number of smaller ones nearby (in maroon); the Sulu Islands are off to the southwest, Dinagat and Siargao are to the northeast, and the small island province of Camiguin is in the strait between Mindanao and Bohol.

Mindanao is divided into 5 regions administratively. This guide uses the regions the same as those used in administrative terms:
 * Zamboanga Peninsula — on the west; consists of Zamboanga City at the tip of the peninsula, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay
 * Bangsamoro (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM) — Formerly the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), it consists of three provinces on the mainland, around the bay on the west side south of the Zamboanga Peninsula — Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur — plus three in the Sulu Islands — Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu
 * Soccsksargen — most of the peninsula on the south (the rest is ARMM); consists of North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato
 * Northern Mindanao — consists of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Norte
 * Davao Region — around the bay on the southeast; consists of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental and Davao de Oro
 * Caraga Region — the peninsula in the northeast; consists of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao Del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands

Cities

 * or CDO, the most important city on the north coast
 * , toward the southeast, the largest city on the island and 3rd in the country
 * , on the south coast
 * , northeast of CDO
 * , in the middle of Mindanao
 * , in the southwest at the tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula
 * east of Ozamiz.
 * north of General Santos.
 * north of General Santos.

Other destinations

 * - Waterfalls, lakes and Lumad (T'boli) culture
 * – The highest mountain in the Philippines, a dormant volcano
 * , a
 * – Surfing destination off the northeast Pacific coast
 * – Quiet island with fine beaches

History
Mindanao has a long, complex and remarkably colorful history. To settlers, it is a Promised Land (Lupang Pangako) rich in natural resources. Much of the region's history circles on a long, ongoing ethno-religious conflict between Christian migrants and native Muslims; religious clashes have been going on since the arrival of the Spaniards on the island in the late 1500s.

Until the late 19th century, almost the entire northern coast of Borneo and parts of the Philippines — more-or-less everything from Sarawak to Mindanao — was heavily infested with pirates, and most of the area was ruled by pirate kings. The Sultanate of Sulu ruled all of the Sulu Islands and Palawan plus parts of Borneo and mainland Mindanao, and its capital Jolo (on Sulu) had a great slave market. The Spanish, the British, the Sultan of Brunei, the White Rajas of Sarawak, and later the Americans fought wars against the pirate kingdoms and eventually shut them down, but it was quite a struggle.

Pirates from Mindanao often raided towns in other parts of the Philippines. Towns like Altavas and Bolinao were built inland to avoid them, while others had fortifications or a warning system like the Dumaguete bell tower. This may not be entirely ended; in 2001 a group based in Basilan grabbed 20 hostages near Puerto Princesa in Palawan and in 2015 another bunch grabbed four near Davao. In both cases the raiders arrived by boat and some hostages were eventually murdered.

The Moros vigorously resisted Spanish, American and Japanese rule for several reasons: Moro nationalism, anti-colonialism, Islam, and piracy. Today some are still resisting the Philippine government. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was established in 1989 to give them partial independence, and a peace deal between the government and the largest Moro militia group (Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF) was signed in 2012. However there are still armed rebel groups in some areas and a substantial Philippine military presence to suppress them; the two sides reportedly have ties to Al Qaeda and the CIA respectively. On January 2019, ARMM was replaced by the Bangsamoro region after a successful plebiscite.

Moros still talk about a battle at Bud Dajo on Sulu in 1906 where, according to Moro accounts and American critics of the war such as Mark Twain, American forces massacred almost 1000 people, mostly women and children. Some draw parallels with current events; naval guns were used at Bud Dajo to kill at a distance, much as drones are used today. In official American accounts it was a justified counter-insurgency action with some collateral damage, many of the women were armed and some of the children were being used as human shields.

Geography
Mindanao occupies about, or about 33% of the Philippines' territorial area, making it larger than countries such as the Netherlands, South Korea, and Austria, to mention a few.

Mindanao has a great variety of terrain, having ten mountain ranges, two plateau areas, and many swampy lowlands. Most of the island has scattered mountain ranges, but the central and eastern parts has the most mountains, and sprawling plains between them, especially in the Soccsksargen region.

Most of Mindanao is covered with rainforest and some peat swamps, but they have been mostly cleared out for farmland and a few oil palm plantations.

Off the southwest end of Mindanao are the Sulu Islands, a chain leading almost all the way to Sabah, which is the easternmost province of Malaysia, located on the island of Borneo.

People
Mindanao's population is diverse, even before colonial times. With a population of over 28,000,000 (2015 figures: over 22% of the Philippines' total), it is the second most populous island of the Philippines and the eighth in the world.

Most of Mindanao's non-indigenous people are of Visayan, and occasionally Ilocano and Tagalog heritage, mostly migrants brought by American-era resettlement programs in the 1930s. They form over 50-60% of the population.

The southwestern portion of Mindanao, from the Sulu Archipelago to Maguindanao and the Lanao provinces, is the homeland of the Moro (Filipino Muslim) people, which are rather a grouping of ethnic groups which practiced Islam long before the Spaniards arrived.

A predominantly Muslim group, the Sama-Bajau (Badjao, also "Sea Gypsies"), live mostly on boats and are found in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. There has always been extensive trade between Mindanao and Borneo, and the Badjao do much of that trading. They are also found in most other parts of the Philippines, and often seen as beggars or vagrants in the cities.

The rest of Mindanao, especially the forested interior, are the ancestral lands of the animist Lumad, rather an umbrella term for all the non-Muslim indigenous peoples of Mindanao. They used to live in most of Mindanao not inhabited by the Moros, until Christian immigrants, primarily Visayans and Ilocanos under American-era resettlement drove them into the mountains. The Lumad are facing an uncertain future, having been repeatedly accused of harboring communist rebels, but they are striving to keep their culture and lifestyle alive.

Climate
Being 10 degrees north of the equator, most of Mindanao have a tropical climate, with just two seasons, though it really rains at any time for each season. In reality though, the climate is far from uniform, with the northern and eastern parts of the island which faces the Pacific generally wet all year, and the southern and western parts mostly hot and dry.

Mindanao can be said to be outside the typhoon belt, but it can be struck by typhoons during the final months of the year.

By plane
Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City is the main port of entry by plane, and there are international flights from Singapore (on Scoot), Doha (on Qatar Airways), Quanzhou (on XiamenAir), and Manado (on Garuda Indonesia). Laguindingan Airport is the second most important airport, but only receives domestic flights and has a short runway which cannot accommodate larger aircraft.

The other airports with regular flights are:
 * Zamboanga City - Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines from Manila and Cebu, PAL Express from Kota Kinabalu (suspended).
 * Dipolog - Cebu Pacific and PAL Express from Manila, and Cebgo from Cebu
 * Pagadian - Cebu Pacific and PAL Express from Manila and Cebgo from Cebu.
 * Ozamiz - Cebu Pacific from Manila and Cebu, and PAL Express from Manila
 * Cotabato City - Cebu Pacific from Manila and Cebu, Philippine Airlines from Manila
 * General Santos - Cebu Pacific from Cebu, Iloilo and Manila. Philippine Airlines from Manila, Cebu, and Iloilo
 * Camiguin - Cebu Pacific and PAL Express from Cebu, SkyJet from Manila
 * Butuan - Cebu Pacific and PAL Express from Manila and Cebu
 * Surigao City - Cebu Pacific from Manila and Cebu
 * Siargao - Cebu Pacific from Manila and Cebu, PAL Express from Clark and Cebu.

Zamboanga, Pagadian, Dipolog, Cotabato, General Santos, and Butuan, can accommodate flights using medium-sized jet aircraft like Airbus A320s or Boeing 737s, but the others are only capable of accommodating turboprop planes and small business jets.

By ferry
Ferries connect Mindanao with Luzon and Visayas, and internationally from Malaysia (Sandakan) and Indonesia (Bitung).

 * Ferries from Cagayan de Oro connect with Manila, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu City, and Tagbilaran.
 * Zamboanga City is connected by ferry to Manila (via Dumaguete), and Sandakan in Malaysia.
 * Lipata port in Surigao City is served by roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferries link from Leyte, and ferries from Cebu.
 * Nasipit in Butuan has ferries from Manila, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, and Jagna.
 * Dapitan is served by RORO ferries from Dumaguete on companies such as Aleson, Montenegro, and Super Shuttle.
 * Dipolog has ferries from Manila, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu.
 * The other ports in Iligan, Ozamiz, and Dipolog is connected to Manila, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cebu.

By bus
Philtranco has deluxe buses to Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Tandag, Bislig, Tagum and Surigao going to/from Manila via Lucena, Naga, Iriga, Legazpi, Calbayog and Tacloban. Since 2022, Davao Metro Shuttle also runs a Manila–Davao service, with luxury Volvo buses.

PP Bus Lines also has a similar daily service from Manila to Davao City, but with non-air-conditioned vehicles.

Ceres Liner, the largest bus company in the Visayas, operates a Dumaguete to Dipolog service, which takes the ferry to Dapitan. Bachelor Express also has buses from Tagbilaran and Tubigon in Bohol and Ormoc and Tacloban in Leyte to Davao and Butuan.

Get around
Mindanao is as vast as Luzon, and as said above, roughly the same size as some European countries such as Austria or Netherlands. By land, bus travel is the best mode of transportation, but for even longer distances, air travel is faster and safer.

By bus

Mindanao's long-haul bus services are dominated by the Bacolod-based company Yanson Group of Bus Companies, which runs services through its three subsidiaries in the island:

Other major bus companies are:

Most cities and towns in Mindanao have one centralized bus station, generally near downtown. The hub cities, Davao, General Santos and Cagayan de Oro, have one central terminal providing easy transfers between bus lines, though Cagayan de Oro is an exception, with two separate terminals, which means you have to take local public transport to reach the other terminal. For example, if transferring from a bus coming from anywhere in western Mindanao to a bus headed for Davao, you must take a jeepney or a taxi to the terminal for trips to eastern Mindanao.

Traveling by bus through Mindanao can be dangerous, especially in Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga, and Bangsamoro. There have been cases of terrorist groups planting bombs on buses, and passengers can get robbed by bandits. Due to those, buses in Mindanao may only stop at designated stops and stations, and luggage are inspected by transportation police before being placed onto the cargo compartment.

By plane
Flying is a possible alternative to the slower provincial buses for long distances in Mindanao, and are the only other way to get between the mainland and Sulu Archipelago beside the ferries.

Cebu Pacific and Cebgo flies to Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga from their Davao hub and to Cotabato City and Tawi-tawi from Zamboanga, while PAL Express flies to Zamboanga and Siargao from Davao and to Tawi-tawi from Zamboanga.

By car or motorcycle
Driving is not a good option due to the relative high accident rate, the risk of being attacked and robbed by bandits around Bangsamoro, and the lack of rental agencies outside the largest cities, but is an enjoyable experience as open roads are more possible here and some inland locations are only best reachable by car or motorcycle.

Mindanao proper has a good network of national highways, linking most major cities with each other. Traffic is relatively light, with less cars but more motorcycles, tricycles, and larger and longer trucks. Most cities and towns only grew during the American era, with more centralized settlements surrounded by large swaths of rural land, and roads are quite wider as there are a few houses built close to the road. Road quality has been improved through efforts to widen the most travelled highways, but this is only true for most of the mainland (except Bangsamoro or the former ARMM).

Car rental is only available on the largest cities (e.g. Davao), and if you intend to drive a lot, you could either bring a vehicle from Luzon or buy one within the island (useful if you intend to stay in Mindanao for the long term).

Small tourist towns and the outlying islands (e.g. Siargao, Camiguin) have motorcycle rentals, but is only good for trips within a few kilometers from town.

By ferry
Ferries and boats connect mainland Mindanao with outlying islands. There are also a few services between coastal cities in the mainland, but are slower than a bus ride or a flight.

Talk
Most Mindanao residents speak Visayan languages like Cebuano (often called Bisaya by the speakers themselves) and Hiligaynon as their first language, reflecting the Visayan background of most of its migrant population. Cebuano is most widely spoken, but the varieties or dialects spoken will be different from Standard or General Cebuano, and may contain influences from other major Visayan languages.

Tagalog, while mostly a second language in most of Mindanao, is widely spoken in Davao Region, and also has an influenced the dialect of Cebuano spoken in that region. A mix of Cebuano and Tagalog called "Bisalog" is common spoken in Davao Region, most commonly in Davao City.

Ilocano can be encountered as well, especially in inland Cotabato where some Ilocos residents settled back in the 1930s.

Languages native to Mindanao are numerous; among the notable of them are Surigaonon in the Surigao provinces of Caraga, Maguindanaoan in Maguindanao, Maranao in the Lanao provinces, and Tausug in Sulu. The animist, jungle-dwelling Lumad also speak their own languages but are less useful as most can speak the lingua franca of their area.

The Spanish-based creole language Chavacano, is spoken and understood as a first language in Zamboanga City and Basilan.

See

 * UK Peak, Aleosan, Cotabato Province
 * Asik-Asik Falls Alamada, Cotabato Province

Stay safe
See the information box in the Understand section.

title: Mindanao


text:
Mindelo

Mindelo is on the island of São Vicente. Mindelo is the cultural capital of Cape Verde. You'll hear traditional music commonly played in bars and restaurants around town.

Get in
From the airport at São Pedro taxis take you to Mindelo for $800 (Cape Verde escudos) during the day and $1000 in the evening.

You can also walk the 100 m from the airport up to the main road. From there it is probably possible to flag down an aluguer.

The port at Mindelo has regular ferries across to Porto Novo on Santo Antão. Make sure you have a driver's license or passport before buying the tickets. Their website does not work very well.

Get around
A lot of the town is walkable. Local buses travel some limited routes and taxis are common.

150 escudos gets you around town.

You can also take buses.

Walking tour
Starting at Praça Nova (officially named Praça Amilcar Cabral) walk south past the historic CV Telecom building. Continue until you reach the Alliance Francaise. Diagonally opposite is Chava d'Ouro which is a good place for lunch and dinner or coffee and cake. Turn right into Rua Libertadores d'Africa to reach the eagle monument at the shore. Turn left to head south again past the Torre de Belem and the fish market where the road curves left to enter Praça Independencia and a general market. A narrow road bisects the square. Follow it north past the church, parliament and Mercado Municipal indoor market. Turn right after the market to reach Palácio do Povo. Turn left here and follow Avenida Baltazar Lopes da Silva north until Rua Patrice Lumumba. Turning left here returns you to Praça Nova.

From here you can head west past Hotel Mindel and its terraced bar restaurant and reach a small beach in the harbour. Head north along the road to reach the port. The boat for Santo Antão leaves from here. Looking back along the coast gives you the best view of the city.

If you still have time and energy a 20-min walk to the north will take you around the headland, through the port area to a pleasant and popular beach in the next bay. From here you can walk or take a bus back to town.

Eat
The most famous Capverdian dish is the catchupa, which you can get at any stand in the Quiosque Praça Nova, expect to pay around $200 (€2) for a catchupa or a feijoada with fish. There are also several cafés between Praça Nova and Rua Lisboa (Café Dalia, Café Confiança, etc.)

Drink

 * cheap grog (rum) and pontche in the local bars of rua Santo Antonio

Go next
Go to Santo Antão: a different island with magical landscapes. At least two boats a day leave from Mindelo to Porto Novo for $300 (tickets can be bought at the harbour)

title: Mindelo


text:
Minden (Germany)

Minden, sometimes also called Minden an der Weser or Minden (Westfalen) is in NRW, Germany.

Understand
Minden has been the headquarters of Melitta, a German producer of coffee filters since 1929.

By plane
The closest airport is Hannover

Go next

 * Lübbecke
 * Hamelin
 * Bielefeld
 * Wiedensahl

title: Minden (Germany)


text:
Minden (Nebraska)

Minden, known as "The Christmas City", is a picturesque small town located on the wide-open prairie of South Central Nebraska. It was settled by Danish, Swedish, and German immigrants. It was incorporated in 1883. The community is proud of its progressive heritage.

The heart of the community of nearly 3,000 is the Minden Town Square, located one block east and four blocks south of the Harold Warp Pioneer Village. Up-to-date shops line the four sides of this charming square along with the beautifully restored Minden Opera House. The Kearney County Courthouse stands in the center of the town square. Its huge, white dome is a landmark visible for miles.

title: Minden (Nebraska)


text:
Minden (Nevada)

Minden is a city in Nevada located a few miles south of Carson City in the Carson Valley which is east of Lake Tahoe. The town is about 2 miles west of Gardnerville.

By plane
is the nearest major airport.

title: Minden (Nevada)