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West Bali National Park

West Bali National Park (Indonesian: Taman Nasional Bali Barat) is the only national park on the island of Bali.

Understand
West Bali National Park is the most north-westerly point of Bali. It includes the whole of the Prapat Agung Peninsula, and large swathes of land around the towns of Gilimanuk, Cekik and Banyuwedang. The official area inside the park boundaries is 190 km², with a further 580 km² of protected reserve in the highlands to the east. In total this accounts for some ten percent of Bali's total land area.

History
The park was first recognised as an area of importance in 1917 when the council of Bali rulers designated it as a nature park. It was established as an Indonesian National Park in 1995.

Landscape
The habitat is very varied with rainforest, dry savanna, acacia scrub and lowland forests, as well as more montane forests in the higher centre. There are also some pockets of dense mangrove forest.

In the north of the park there is an obvious north jutting peninsula called Prapat Agung. Around this peninsula there are long stretches of protected beach and offshore coral reef as well, as a small offshore island called Menjangan. The latter is a very popular diving destination.

There are several long extinct volcanoes in the protected reserve area to the east, with Mount Patas (1,412 metres) and Mount Merbuk (1,388 metres) being the highest points. These peaks are dominant visual landscape features from within every area of the park.

Flora and fauna

160 species of bird have been recorded in the park, including the near extinct Bali Starling, Bali's only endemic vertebrate species, and a key reason why this national park was created in the first place. By 2001, as few as six individuals were thought to survive in the wild, all of them in this park. Since then captive breeding and re-introduction efforts have continued apace, but poaching pressures are a large problem. With that in mind, a second re-introduction programme was started in remote regions of Nusa Penida in 2004. Keen birdwatchers can find a checklist of likely species and their status here.

Mammals found inside the park include Banteng, a species of wild cattle from which the familiar Bali cows are descended. Java Rusa and Indian Muntjac deer are quite widespread, and Menjangan Island is in fact named after these (Menjangan means deer in Bahasa Indonesia). Wild Boar and Leopard Cats are both quite common but seldom encountered.

A Bali Tiger (a full sub-species of Tiger) was shot here in 1937, and despite rumours to the contrary, that is the last ever confirmed sighting of an animal considered extinct since that moment.

Climate
Not noticeably different from the rest of Bali or eastern Java, but it may feel a little hotter and drier in the dry season here than in southern parts of Bali.

Bali is always warm, humid and tropical, remaining around 30-35°C (85-95°F) all year round. The April–October dry season and November–March rainy seasons are only relative, with plenty of rainfall around the year, but the Balinese winter is cloudier, more humid and with a higher chance of thunderstorms.

Get in
Most visitors to the park arrive along the north coast road from Lovina (about 90 minutes) or Pemuteran (about 15 minutes). Others come from the south via Gilimanuk (about 15 minutes)

All visitors should check in at one of the two park offices (PHPA) for information, and to purchase permits and arrange guides. The headquarters is at the village of Cekik just south of the Gilimanuk in the west. The other is at Labuan Lalang on the north coast from where boats to Menjangan Island depart. The main ranger station is on the road between the two offices at Sumber Klampok.

The park staff are welcoming, helpful and will arrange guided tours for you.

Fees and permits
Permits and obligatory guides are available at the park headquarters at Cekik and the office at Labuhan Lalang and Banywedang (near Mimpi hotel). The diving permit charge is Rp 25,000 per person and the snorkeling permit is 15'000rp per person. On the top there is an entrance fee of 200'000rp on weekdays and 300'000rp on Sundays and public holidays. The cost of a guide is negotiable. Use your common sense and do not be tight. Best is to use a dive operator in Pemuteran to organize your diving or snorkeling trip. Check them on Tripadvisor or Google Business.

Get around
Only a small portion of the park is open to visitors, and this rule must be respected. There are two key ways to explore the park: either hiking the trails or concentrating on marine aspects.

Walking the trails must be done with an official guide from one of the national park offices (most normally the one at Cekik). Boat trips to Menjangan and around Gilimanuk Bay can be organised in advance (ask at your hotel), or by charter on the day you arrive.

See and do
The official park trails should be explored with a guide recommended by the national park office. This is actually a rule but it is sometimes 'quietly' ignored. Please do not do this nor encourage the practice, despite the very irresponsible advice given in some printed travel guides to do so.

The Tegal Blunder Trail is most popular with birdwatchers, and it is an easy two-hour walk. The ranger checkpoint is at the village of Slumber Klampok about 20 minutes west of Cekik. From the same checkpoint you can take the more strenuous Gunung Klatakan Trail to the south east. This is tougher walking for about five hours, but it takes you through some memorable rainforest. There are other trails and opportunities for interesting hikes, but these are the two most popular and the easiest. Ask guides about other opportunities at the time, particularly those involving hiking deeper into the Prapat Agung Peninsula.

The tour guides also offer a tour of the mangrove forest by traditional fishing boat, which lasts for about 2-3 hours and leads through some amazing mangrove forest where birds (such as fishing marabou storks), fish, sea urchins, starfish and tiny crabs can be seen. The price for this tour is Rp 800,000 for 1-2 persons, or Rp 1,200,000 for a group of 3-5 persons. Ask the guides hanging around the official tourism posts for the tour. The tour guide recommends this tour during flat or low tide.

The uninhabited Menjangan Island is a must-do for any visitor to Bali interested in marine life, snorkelling or diving. Boats leave from the beach at Labuan Lalang at the northern edge of Teluk Terima bay, and can chartered on the day. Groups of tourists often club together at Labuan Lalang in the mornings for that very purpose. Any boat charter must be accompanied by a guide, and you must purchase a permit (The diving permit charge is Rp 25,000 per person and the snorkeling permit is 15'000rp per person. On the top there is an entrance fee of 200'000rp on weekdays and 300'000rp on Sundays and public holidays) from the national park office in the main Labuhan Lalang car park. Many of Bali's dive operators based in the southern tourist regions offer dive excursions specifically to Menjangan. The snorkelling here is probably the best on Bali with good clear water and calm seas.

There is a notable temple on Menjangan called Puri Gili Kencana which is certainly worth a visit. You can walk around the whole of Menjangan in about 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you take it slower though there is plenty of natural coastal beauty to absorb.

Gilimanuk Bay snakes into the south western tip of the Prapat Agung peninsula, and the park office can arrange a guided boat trip for you in a traditional outrigger. Expect to pay about Rp 300,000 per hour including guide fees. The bay is quiet and supports a rich diversity of marine life. There are some notable areas of mangrove forest fringing the bay, and these act as a natural nursery for the diverse fish life in the area.

Buy
This region of Bali is not particularly known for its shopping.

Eat
Aside from the Waka Shorea luxury resort there is nowhere to eat inside the national park, so bring food in with you.

If you arrive along the north coast road, there are lots of hawker stalls at Labuhan Lalang. If coming from Gilimanuk there are many restaurants, small shops and hawker stands in the town, and around the national park headquarters at Cekik.

Drink
There is nowhere inside the national park to purchase any drinks, including water. Bring in ample water with you.

Lodging
There is one official high end resort inside the boundaries of the national park on the Prapat Agung peninsula. There is no other accommodation inside the park. Visitors on a lower budget day trip the park from Gilimanuk, Pemuteran or Lovina where there are ranges of accommodation to suit all budgets.

Camping
Not permitted inside the national park, but there is a basic campsite at the park headquarters in Cekik. Facilities are limited but do include passable toilets and bathrooms. Bring your own camping gear. A small donation to the helpful (and underpaid) park staff is in order.

Backcountry
Nothing available inside the national park.

Stay safe
Bring plenty of water with you as you will dehydrate quickly.and if diving be sure to choose a certified and insured dive operator.as they are a lots a cowboy center in the area

Go next
If you are exploring the park via a base in the north west (Pemuteran or Lovina) then you may wish to continue your journey around Bali to the south and west via Gilimanuk. The reverse is of course also the case.

title: West Bali National Park


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West Kelowna

West Kelowna is a city of about 33,000 people (2016) in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. It is the fourth largest community in the valley and home to some of its best known wineries, including Mission Hill, Mount Boucherie and Quail's Gate.

Understand
Located on the west side of Okanagan Lake this stunning community offers lush trellised vineyards, mountain biking trails, hiking paths, skiing, beaches and spas.

Prior to incorporation in 2007, West Kelowna was commonly known as Westbank. The municipality is home to more than 25,000 people. Pride in the community's deep agricultural roots continues today with row upon row of orchards and vineyards and even the country's first nut farm.

By car
Most travellers will arrive in Westbank/West Kelowna by car. Highway 97 is the major highway through the community with Kelowna & Vernon to the north and Peachland, Summerland and Penticton to the south. Highway 97C (the Coquihalla Connector) also offers access to the community, which is the route most people from Vancouver travel.

By plane
The Kelowna International Airport is a 25-minute drive away in Kelowna.

By boat
There are several boat launches with parking facilities along the lakeshore, and they can get quite busy in the summer months.

By public transit

 * Bus route 22 operates between Peachland and West Kelowna.
 * Bus route 97 is a limited stop frequent route. It travels between the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus (UBCO) and West Kelowna with stops in Rutland and downtown Kelowna. At most hours, it is the only option to cross Okanagan Lake between Kelowna, and West Kelowna and Peachland.
 * Bus route 97 is a limited stop frequent route. It travels between the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus (UBCO) and West Kelowna with stops in Rutland and downtown Kelowna. At most hours, it is the only option to cross Okanagan Lake between Kelowna, and West Kelowna and Peachland.

Do

 * Wine tasting, as there are numerous local vineyard and wineries, including some of Canada's most well known wineries. See "Drink" section for local wineries.

Drink
Gentle winding roads, lush orchards, ripe vineyards and spectacular views will take you away to your wine tasting adventures. West Kelowna is proud to have seven wineries within its boundaries, with all offering a unique flavour and experience. From a winery that adorns a hilltop with mission style architecture and bells, to small farmgate organic wineries as well as the most photographed vineyard in the Okanagan, you are sure to find the perfect bottle of wine here. With an additional 22 wineries within a half hour drive, if wine touring is your thing, the area offers the perfect central location for a wine touring vacation.

Cope

 * The nearest hospital is in Kelowna.

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

title: West Kelowna


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West Bank

The West Bank is an area located in the Middle East between Israel and Jordan, to the north of the Dead Sea. It forms the larger half of the semi-autonomous Palestinian Territories, the smaller half being the Gaza Strip. De facto control on the ground tends to be Israeli, Palestinian (Fatah since the Hamas takeover of Gaza) or some degree of joint sovereignty. Be prepared for that to affect your travels and to come upon checkpoints and signs barring Israeli citizens from entering certain areas. Israel refers to the area as Judea and Samaria.

Cities
In each group, cities are listed from north to south:

Mixed

 * (الخليل/חברון) In the southern West Bank, a holy city due to the presence of the Cave of the Patriarchs. There is a large Palestinian majority, with a few hundred Jews living in the city center, and a few thousand more in the suburb/settlement of Kiryat Arba.

Palestinian

 * (جنين /ג'נין) – the West Bank's northernmost city, only 26 km from Nazareth. Its name's meaning is The spring of gardens.
 * (طولكرم/טולכרם)
 * (نابلس/ שׁכם) – considered the commercial capital of the West Bank, and known for its old city, its furniture trade and the delicious kunafa/kenafeh
 * (قلقيلية/קלקיליה)
 * (رام الله/רמאללה) – the administrative capital of the West Bank and temporary host to the Palestinian Authority. Ramallah is a magnet for Palestinians seeking work as well as foreign activists
 * (أريحا/יריחו) – the "Oldest City in the World", around 400 m below sea level and great starting point for the Dead Sea
 * (بيت لحم/בית לחם) – an ancient city much like many others in the West Bank, Bethlehem is also the site of Christian holy places such as the Church of the Nativity and a Jewish holy site as the City of David; it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Major Israeli settlements
The following settlements are of interest for tourists: Large settlements of little interest to tourists include Modiin Ilit and Beitar Ilit.
 * (اريئيل/אריאל)
 * - (שִׁלֹה) An important Biblical city.
 * (معاليه أدوميم/מעלה אדומים)
 * (جوش عتصيون/גוש עציון) including Efrat

Other destinations

 * – the lowest place on earth, with natural and historic sites as well as beaches and resorts.
 * – great for hiking and nature

Understand
This area is known as the West Bank because it lies on the western bank of the Jordan River. This part of the world is steeped in Biblical history and contains many sites of religious and archaeological significance. It has been under Israeli administration since 1967 with future status uncertain and still to be resolved, between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Historically and among some parts of Israeli society, especially among right-wingers the area has also been known as Judea/Samaria.

About 2.5 million Palestinians and 400,000 Israelis live in the West Bank (not including East Jerusalem). As far as travelling is concerned, Israeli and Palestinian sites in the West Bank are essentially separate travel destinations, since Israelis and Palestinians have separate bus networks, license plates and rental cars can generally be used in either Arab cities or Jewish settlements but not both.

The West Bank did not exist as a concept before 1949. Its border is the cease-fire line between Israeli and Jordanian troops in 1949. Even though both sides specified at the time that it was not a permanent border, nevertheless, nowadays much of the world assumes that the border between Israel and a future Palestinian state will be based on this line.

Jordan annexed the West Bank after the 1948/49 war and nominally treated it as an integral part of its territory although there were tensions between "Palestinians" and "Hashemites" as the two ethnic groups in Jordan came to be known. The annexation of the West Bank by Jordan was only ever recognized by a handful of countries, although few countries made any statement whatsoever as to their opinion on the de jure status of the area. During this time the area was also sometimes known as "Cisjordan" ("this side of the Jordan") with what is today the Kingdom of Jordan known as "Transjordan" ("the other side of the Jordan"). The Jewish minority which had lived in the area both through Zionist immigration and since time immemorial was expelled by Jordan and the religious sites (including those in East Jerusalem) were off-limits to Jews despite half-hearted promises by the Jordanian government to find a way to allow visitors. Jordan also engaged in systemic acts of cultural vandalism, deliberately destroying Jewish historical sites such as synagogues or cemeteries. The Jordanian control of the region ended abruptly in 1967 when Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser badly misjudged both his military capabilities and Israel's willingness to answer his brinkmanship with a preventive strike. After closing Israel's access to the Red Sea and amassing troops near the armistice lines - both acts Israel had warned would constitute a casus belli - Israel launched a swift and devastating airstrike destroying most of the Egyptian air force on the ground. Nasser managed to mislead the public as to how the war was going and despite Israeli attempts to keep Jordan from entering the war, King Hussein ordered an offensive, which was quickly repelled leading to the Israeli capture of East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

In 1967, due to the Six-Day War, the West Bank came under Israeli control. Israel did not annex the West Bank (except for East Jerusalem which was incorporated in 1980) due to its large Palestinian population, but Israelis did establish civilian settlements in the West Bank. These settlements are considered to be illegal by the international community, with the sole exception being the United States. West Bank Palestinians have often resisted the Israeli occupation, most notably in the First Intifada of the late 1980s. However, there have also been various degrees of cooperation and cross community relations, including West Bank Palestinians working for Israeli owned businesses - despite what firebrands on both sides want. In fact, Palestinians who were deemed "traitors" by more radical elements due to having or allegedly having worked for Israelis were among the most numerous group of victims of the First Intifada which also had characteristics of a "Palestinian civil war".

Among the territories Israel conquered in 1967, the West Bank is the most important for several reasons. Unlike the Golan Heights, its importance is not only of military-strategic nature. While both the Golan and the West Bank serve as (literal) "high ground" to stop an attack and to keep the fighting away from Israel's major population centers in the Coastal Plain, the West Bank also has sentimental, historical and religious importance as many of the tales of the Bible are said to have taken place here and the common assumption is that the Jewish people originated in the hills while the coastal areas were dominated by other groups like the Philistines - making the current geopolitical and ethnic setup particularly ironic. While the Sinai Peninsula was conquered by Israel from Egypt and there were even attempts to establish Jewish settlements there, it was mostly held as a "bargaining chip" and given back to Egypt in a "land for peace" deal when Sadat and Begin hashed out peace at Camp David. Israel's unwillingness to give up the West Bank - with secular minds arguing that it would leave Israel with indefensible borders and religious leaders arguing that giving up the Lands of the Torah bordered on blasphemy - was also a major stumbling block to peace with Jordan. Jordan, despite engaging in the three big shooting wars with Israel in 1948, 1967 and 1973 was widely seen as a more moderate, pro-peace Arab nation under the comparatively liberal and pro-Western King Hussein, but as Jordan only officially renounced its claim to the West Bank in 1988 in favor of the PLO, a peace treaty between Jordan and Israel (which largely sidesteps the West Bank issue) was only signed in 1994 - the second between an Arab nation and Israel.

The Oslo Accords in 1993 began the "peace process" and established Palestinian autonomy in parts of the West Bank. This autonomy was extended in several steps in the 1990s, but in 2000 the Second Intifada broke out and negotiations halted. Since then, there have been some attempts at negotiations, but no more concrete progress towards an agreement. Around 2002, Israel reentered the autonomous West Bank cities in order to capture Palestinian militants that were carrying out bombings in Israel. In 2005 Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip (the latter by force in some cases), but they remain in the West Bank. A year after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas won the Palestinian elections and subsequently took de facto control of the Gaza strip, while Fatah continues to control the West Bank. In Israeli political discourse the example of the Gaza withdrawal is often brought up as an argument against concessions or withdrawal, especially if done unilaterally. There haven't been any elections in either the West Bank or Gaza since 2005 and the (Fatah aligned) Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas who took over after the death of Yasser Arafat has had his term extended instead of standing for election. It is widely assumed by observers that Hamas would lose an election in the West Bank and Fatah one in the Gaza Strip as the vast majority of Palestinians in the respective areas have about had it with their corruption and incompetence, but the international situation as well as the conflict with Israel have allowed all parties to delay elections thus far. As Abbas is in his eighties and has not established a clear successor, there are questions as to the future of Palestinian leadership in the medium to long term.

Since 2009, Israel has been building new settlements in the West Bank, and expanding existing ones. Since 2019, Israeli settlements in the West Bank have been formally recognised as part of Israel by the United States.

The West Bank is divided into three noncontiguous areas based on the Oslo Accords:
 * Area A (18% of land) - Full Palestinian security and civil control, but the Israeli army sometimes launches raids here to capture Palestinian militants. This includes most Palestinian cities and well over 90% of West Bank Palestinians live here.
 * Area B (21% of land) - Israeli security, Palestinian civil control. This includes most Palestinian villages and the farmland between them.
 * Area C (61% of land) - Full Israeli control. This includes uninhabited areas, all Israeli settlements, and most major roads. 4% of West Bank Palestinians live in Area C.

There are no fences or other physical boundaries between areas A, B, and C. However, the Israeli military has put checkpoints on many roads, generally at crossings between Area C and areas A or B. Because areas A and B are noncontiguous, Palestinians going from place to place often have to transverse these checkpoints. Israel's West Bank barrier (physically a wall and a fence depending on where you are, and labeled by either term depending on political sympathies) is entirely within Area C.

Climate
Temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters.

Terrain
Mostly rugged dissected upland, very hilly and mountainous, heavy vegetation is common in many places. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth reachable on foot.
 * lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
 * highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Talk
The main languages in the West Bank are Arabic and Hebrew, although English and French are also understood to varying degrees. Most road and tourist signs in Areas A and B will be written in Arabic and English, while most signs in Area C will be written in those languages and Hebrew. Many Palestinians understand Hebrew, due to business and governmental contacts. However, it is not advisable to speak Hebrew in Palestinian cities or Arabic in Jewish settlements, as it may arouse suspicion. Russian is also common among students who have gone to university in Russia or Eastern Europe. Many Israeli settlements contain many emigres from the United States who speak English and some have Hasidic Jews who speak Yiddish.

By plane
There are no civilian airports within the West Bank, and the nearest major airport is Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport. From Ben Gurion Airport, it is possible to take a 50-minute taxi or shuttle ride to Jerusalem and from Jerusalem to continue on to the major West Bank cities of Bethlehem or Ramallah.

Alternatively, fly to Amman Queen Alia International Airport, and enter the West Bank at the Allenby crossing near Jericho. When using the Allenby crossing, you won't get a Jordanian exit stamp because of Jordan's role as a care-taker of the West Bank, so there is no "proof" of exiting Jordan (and therefore entering Israeli-controlled territory) on your passport. For more on this issue see Visa trouble.

Palestinian ID card-holders must fly through Amman because the Israeli government prohibits them from entering Israel at Ben Gurion Airport. It is best for people who may be listed under the Israeli census as having a Palestinian ID card (by birth to a card-holder, etc.), or who once had a Palestinian ID card, to just use the airport in Amman rather than risk being sent back home on a flight from Tel Aviv for using the wrong airport.

By car
Where in the West Bank one can travel using a rental car depends on the organization from which it was rented. Most cars rented in Israel proper can be driven in Area C without issue. While those cars can be driven into Areas A and B, the rental car insurance will not typically cover accidents that take place in those areas, and traveling there might violate the rental car contract. Cars rented from Arab companies in East Jerusalem can be driven in all three areas of the West Bank (A, B, and C) along with Israel proper with full insurance coverage. Israeli cars have yellow license plates and can be driven in all three areas. Palestinian cars with white or green license plates can travel throughout the West Bank with the exception of Israeli settlements and some roads in Area C that are meant to exclusively connect these settlements. These cars cannot be taken into Israel proper.

By bus or shared taxi
for details on the travel between the West Bank and Jordan. Bus service to Jewish settlements in the West Bank can generally be found in the Israeli city which is closest to each settlement. Egged (אגד) bus company runs buses from Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, Netanya, and Beit Shean. Egged Ta'avura runs buses from Jerusalem. Afikim bus company runs buses from Tel Aviv and Petach Tikva. Due to ongoing attacks on buses to West Bank settlements, the Israeli government has installed enhanced security on buses such as bullet proof windows (on certain routes) and crash barriers at bus stops.

There are also Arab bus companies going into the West Bank from the bus depot in East Jerusalem, for prices comparable to service taxis, theoretically running on schedules. The main bus station is across the street from Damascus Gate. These buses reach Bethlehem and Ramallah, and from there you can connect to other locations.

For reaching other Palestinian cities, service taxis (shared taxis, pronounced servees) are preferable over Egged buses. They are extremely cheap, and travel quite fast on the road. The service taxi is a great place to mingle with the locals.

By train
There are no active railways in the West Bank, except for the Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway (which briefly passes through a part of the West Bank without stopping in it). You can take a train to Jerusalem via this line, which has excellent through trains with most cities in Israel as well as Ben Gurion International Airport, and then a bus to the West Bank.

By car
Roads used by Israelis (in Area C) are generally in very good shape. However, within Arab areas the quality of roads varies, with frequent speed bumps requiring constant alertness.

Numerous Israeli roadblocks impede the movement of Palestinians between Palestinian cities in the West Bank and also between the West Bank and both East Jerusalem and Jordan. Visitors who travel to Arab areas of the West Bank should also expect to encounter Israeli checkpoints, and those of Palestinian origin may be subjected to strip searches or other intrusive procedures. Meanwhile, Israeli citizens are barred entirely from entering certain areas under Palestinian administration.

Driving in the West Bank is relatively safe and has some wonderful scenery, particularly along route 90. You can avoid excessive controls by entering via Ariel, driving over Nablus and leaving after Rotem.

Taxis are a good option, but they can be expensive. If you're part of a tour, your tour bus is even better. See above for car rentals.

By bus
Jewish and Arab communities are served by separate bus networks; and – with the exception of Jerusalem, where it is possible to take Israeli buses in the west and Arab buses/sheruts in the east – it can be very difficult to interchange between Jewish and Arab networks.

The Jewish bus network is comprehensive and reaches every Israeli settlement. It is often very infrequent though. In addition, it can be problematic to gain admittance into a settlement to take a bus from the stops inside.

Arab bus services operate on limited routes and times, except for those around Jerusalem. You are almost always advised to use shared taxis which will be quicker although marginally more expensive. Buses, like shared taxis will also tend to wait until full before departing. You can hail a bus on any road.

By shared taxi
Shared taxis (servees) are common between Palestinian cities, and often the best means of travel. Most shared taxis have fixed bus-stations, often car-parks near the centre of towns or cities. Larger minivans carry 7 passengers and inner-city shared taxis carry 4. Fares are fixed and overcharging on these services is extremely rare. Shared taxis are often distinguished with black stripes on front and back at the sides, particularly the normal-sized cars serving inner-city routes. You should pay the driver directly once the journey has begun, although you can wait until you reach your destination. Passengers will often work out the change between themselves. As you may be sharing with conservative or religious people, you may observe a certain etiquette, particularly when it comes to men and women sitting next to each other.

There are no Jewish-run shared taxis in the West Bank.

By thumb
Hitching through the West Bank is easy and enjoyable — local Palestinians are happy to offer a ride to anyone who is not visibly pro-Israel. Similarly, Israelis are generally happy to offer a ride to anyone who is not visibly Arab, though they are more wary these days, as some Jewish hitchhikers have been kidnapped and killed, and one Jewish driver was killed by a hitchhiker with a bomb. Foreign tourists can try hitchhiking with either group, though of course, the only destinations available will be destinations of that group. There have been attacks on those waiting for a ride in isolated areas so in many settlements of either ethnic group there is a more or less established place where drivers will expect hitchhikers - ask around where that spot is as it will also increase your chances of finding a ride.

By rental car
To rent a Palestinian car with green license plate, first get to Ramallah or other cities, by public transportation or taxi. Then you can rent a car and take it to any Arab area in the West Bank. However, you will not be allowed to enter most Israeli settlements with it.

Palestinian car-hire companies located in East Jerusalem promise to rent you Israeli cars which can travel in most parts of the West Bank and throughout Israel. Definitely check the rating beforehand for any catches.

See

Besides the attractions of Jerusalem, Jericho, Nablus, Bethlehem and the Dead Sea, the following sights are worth mentioning (north to south):

Do
Hiking in the Judaean Desert and swimming in the Dead Sea are famous.

Work
The West Bank has a controversial political history and present. There are a number of NGOs and movements on the ground that monitor the situation and advocate for human rights. These organizations are largely run by volunteers with tourist visas.

Buy
The Israeli new shekel (NIS or ILS) is used throughout the West Bank, including in Palestinian areas. US dollars seem to be widely accepted at tourist shops in Jericho and Bethlehem.

Eat
Ramallah has a number of good restaurants, including Darna (Palestinian and Lebanese food—there are pictures on the wall of many famous people who have visited, including Kofi Annan, Richard Gere and Jimmy Carter), Pronto (excellent pizza and Italian food), Ziryab (relaxing place with a fireplace), Stone's and Sangria's. There is an excellent ice cream shop in downtown called Rukab's. The locally-made ice cream is a real treat on a hot day, in addition to the fresh juice shops around the central square, Al-Manara.

Falafel, Shawarma, Hummus, Musakhan, Tabouli, Kofta, Knafeh, Kibbeh, Maqluba, Baba Ghanoush, and other delicious cuisine are widely available.

The settlement of Beitar Ilit has a great bar that serves Kosher Chicken soup with harif. The settlement of Ariel has many fast food restaurants and other tasty kosher treats.

Learn
Birzeit University, just outside of Ramallah, has a long and illustrious history, and offers Arabic immersion classes for foreigners. In addition, there are similar programs at the Bethlehem Bible College and Bethlehem University in Bethlehem, the Palestinian-American University in Jenin and An-Najah in Nablus. There is also the Palestinian-American University of Jenin located in the Christian Palestinian village of Zababdeh. Alternative travel agencies like Green Olive Tours, as well as NGO's such as the Holy Land Trust and the Alternative Tourism Group in Bethlehem offer day and multi-day tours, as well as enticing summer programs for internationals that combine homestays, culture and language classes with volunteering and site-seeing.

Ariel University is the largest Israeli-run educational institute in the West Bank. For religious education, many Yeshivot are located in various Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

If you are interested in learning about the social, political and cultural facets of life in the West Bank, there is a first hand experience tour, run by the All Nations Cafe from Jerusalem and Bethlehem, where you can get to know Palestinians and Jews who promote coexistence in the Holy Land.

Stay safe
Watch the news and check the situation before you go. It is not a good idea to visit if fighting between Palestinians and Israelis happens to be intense at the given time. However, violence in the West Bank tends to be very localized. Violence in Nablus, for instance, should not necessarily hinder travel to Ramallah. Still, use discretion.

It is important to carry your passport (including Israeli entry card, if applicable) with you while traveling in the West Bank, especially if taking buses. Israeli checkpoints can be just about anywhere and may require you to identify yourself. Your phones and cameras may be inspected at Israeli military checkpoints, so be sure not to film anything that might cast the Israeli military in a bad light; doing so will at best result in those videos and images being deleted, and at worst could get you arrested on national security grounds.

In general the security situation in the West Bank tends to be much better than in the Gaza Strip, but that does not necessarily mean much.

While non-Israeli Jews are generally left alone, symbols associated with the State of Israel or Zionism, such as the Star of David, are best left at home. Espousing blatantly pro-Israeli views will highly offend many Palestinians and is not recommended. On the other hand, people living in Jewish settlements usually don't take kindly to any expression of support for Palestinian rights.

Dogs can be a problem in remote areas of the West Bank, e.g. when hiking in Wadi Qelt, although they are far less numerous than in some other parts of Asia. If they get too close to you, pick up a stone or pretend to do so. They will remember this gesture from the last painful experience. Also, picking up or carrying a large stick might help.

Touts
Due to more and more tourists visiting the West Bank, there is a constant growth of unofficial guides (mostly taxi drivers) waiting at bus stops or checkpoints offering their service to the unsuspecting tourist. Be wary of such people, who just try to make as much money off you as they can without offering much added value.

Mostly they will try to take you from one place to the other where you will likely buy something, so they can make their share from the shop owner (~40%). They will even ruthlessly tell you that something is closed or might take too long - this is mostly not true, they just want to make sure you spend more time somewhere else, potentially spending money there.

Don't believe anyone if the solution to your question is going by taxi or requiring a guide. These are just lies made up for the tourists to make them pay unnecessarily for services which are easily explorable one one's own. Alternatively, if you require help, ask several locals first before you make a decision. If you really need to use a regular guide, agree on a fixed schedule and do not allow deviations from it.

One distinct exception seem to be servees (orange shared taxi/minibus) drivers – they are probably the most honest people you will meet as a tourist. They will always give you exactly the price locals pay, too.

Respect
The West Bank is less conservative than most Arab nations, so women don't need to be completely covered. But it is still a good idea to dress fairly conservatively. Palestinian Muslims, Christians and Samaritans generally get along with no major issues.

The political opinions of Jewish settlers in the West Bank tend to be more right-wing than those of Israelis or Jews in general.

Be very wary of bringing up politics and the Israel-Palestine conflict, for obvious reasons.

Alcohol is not served in Hebron, but it is served in other Palestinian communities such as Ramallah and Nablus.

Connect
Israeli phone company Bezeq and the Palestinian company Paltel provide communication services in the West Bank. Many retailers in the West Bank offer cell-phones to rent. Popular companies to go with are: Jawwal (only able to be used in the Palestinian territories), Wataniyya (only able to be used in the Palestinian territories), and Cellcom (an Israeli company that is able to be used in both Israel and the Palestinian territories).

Phone numbers in the Palestinian territories use one of two country codes: +970 and +972, which correspond respectively to the Palestinean Authority and Israel proper. If one of the codes won't work for a number, try again using the other.

Go next
Cities:
 * Jerusalem – Besides the Dead Sea, a central focus for most people coming to this region. Multiple buses throughout the day available from Ramallah.
 * Tel Aviv – A big and the most cosmopolitan city in Israel, well known for its club culture. Buses available directly from Jerusalem.
 * Nazareth – The largest Arab city in Israel and best known as the home of Joseph and Mary.

Regions:
 * Jezreel Valley and Lower Galilee – Gateways to the Western Galilee, the Upper Galilee, the Sea of Galilee region and the Golan Heights.
 * Dead Sea – One of the most famous things to see/do in Israel and Jordan. Check out Ein Gedi, a Nature Reserve and oasis along the Dead Sea.
 * Negev – Desert south of the Dead Sea, featuring amazing sites and desert landscapes, including the Ramon Crater, the Small Crater and Ein Avdat.

Countries:
 * Jordan – Famous for Petra, Jerash and Wadi Rum.

for leaving from the West Bank into Jordan.

title: West Bank


text:
West Bank (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called West Bank:

Egypt

 * Luxor/West Bank - the part of Luxor on the west side of the Nile River

Palestinian Territories

 * West Bank - a territory on the west side of the Jordan River

USA

 * Parts of Greater New Orleans are sometimes called the West Bank.

title: West Bank (disambiguation)


text:
West Bend

West Bend is a city of 30,000 people in Southeast Wisconsin.

Get in
Located 45 minutes north of Milwaukee on Highway 45, but south of Fond du Lac. The Washington County Commuter Express provides multiple buses daily between West Bend and Milwaukee, one way for $3. Charter flights are available at West Bend Airport.

Get around
West Bend is a pedestrian friendly community. The Milwaukee River meanders through on its way to Lake Michigan. The community has developed a bike trail, river walk, and a vibrant downtown. It is a popular destination on warm Thursday nights to hear music and Saturday mornings for the Farmer's Market. There is also a taxi service in West Bend. Taxis have to be scheduled early to pick you up. They will almost always be very late however, so it is best to avoid the taxi service if at all possible.

Buy
West Bend's downtown is the best place to find many unique shops and restaurants. The shops downtown change often.

For larger retail outlets check Main Street and Paradise Ave. These larger stores include: Walmart, Menards, Home Depot, Kohl's, Shopko, Lane Bryant, Dress Barn, Elder Beerman's, as well as many others.

title: West Bend


text:
West Bengal

A state in Eastern India, West Bengal (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Paścimbaṅga) presents some of the marvellous landscape features and natural scenic beauty, from the picturesque hills of Darjeeling to the mangrove rainforest of the Sundarbans. Here, you can also find man-made structures with varying tastes, from the terracotta temples of Bishnupur to the colonial structures of Kolkata.

Regions
There are 23 districts in West Bengal and they have been traditionally grouped into North Bengal and South Bengal. However, West Bengal is a diverse state with multiple travel regions.

Cities

 * (Calcutta) — the "City of Palaces", the largest city in the state, the capital of West Bengal and the former capital of British India
 * (Berhampore) — a fortified British cantonment with Dutch, French, Mughal and Portuguese architecture and reminiscences
 * (Burdwan) — a major agricultural city
 * (Chandernagore) — a former French colony
 * — a beautiful hill station and centre of a major tea growing area
 * — an industrial city in the Rarh region
 * — Kolkata's twin city, the second-largest in the state, with the largest railway complex in India
 * — former capital of Bengal under the Nawabs
 * — a major business and shopping centre and gateway for travellers to Sikkim and North-Eastern India

Other destinations

 * — a low-lying hill in the western Rarh region
 * — a forested area in Buxa and Jayanti Hills is a habitat for tigers, Asian elephants and other mammals plus a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles
 * — rolling grasslands and forest is rich with herbivores such as the Indian rhinoceros and elephants birds, reptiles and amphibians
 * — former capital of Bengal under the Sultans
 * — a national park with wildlife including one-horned rhinos
 * — a Hindu pilgrimage site with unspoilt beaches
 * — the town of Rabindranath Tagore's university Visva Bharati and known for exotic handmade goods, a
 * — a popular trekking destination with Mt Sandakphu, the tallest peak of West Bengal
 * — a with Royal Bengal Tigers and deer found in forests and mangrove swamps

Name
The term "West Bengal" (পশ্চিমবঙ্গ POHSH-chihm-bawng-goh) originated during the partition of India in 1947, as the name of the Indian state carved out of the western parts of the former Bengal province. The remaining eastern parts of Bengal joined with Pakistan from 1947 till 1971, when it became Bangladesh. However, the exact origin of the word "Bengal" is uncertain (see Bengal).

History
The history of West Bengal dates back to 20,000 years. The region that is now West Bengal was part of a number of empires and kingdoms during the past two thousand years, including the Vanga Kingdom, the kingdom of Magadha. However, the first independent king of Bengal was Shashanka of the 6th century, with his capital at Karnasuvarna (near present-day Baharampur). After Shashanka, Bengal was ruled by Pala and Sena dynasties. Bengal was later invaded by Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty between 1021 and 1023.

During the 12th century, Sufi missionaries arrived in Bengal, bringing along with them the message of Islam. Bakhtiar Khilji, a military commander from the Delhi Sultanate, overran Bengal between 1202 and 1206, initiating the Bengal Sultanate that ran from 13th to 16th century, with the capital being Gour-Pandua. European traders arrived late in the 15th century and established settlements across the Hooghly River.

Bengal was later conquered by the Mughals in 1576. There were several independent Hindu states established in Bengal during the Mughal period like those of Maharaja Pratapaditya of Jessore and Raja Sitaram Ray of Bardhaman. The Koch Bihar Kingdom in North Bengal flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Mughal Bengal was ruled by Nawabs in early 17th century, with the first Nawab of Bengal being Murshid Quli Khan.

The Battle of Plassey in 1757 saw the defeat of Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal. Bengal Presidency was established by 1765, eventually including all British territories north of the Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh), from the mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to the Himalayas and the Punjab region. Calcutta was named the capital of British India in 1772. The Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj movement had a great impact on the cultural and economic life of Bengal. The failed uprising against the British rule in 1857 resulted in the disbandment of the British East India Company.

Between 1905 and 1911, attempts were made to bifurcate Bengal to curb nationalism, but widespread protest forced the British to call it off. Bengal played a major role in the Indian independence movement, producing some of India's greatest revolutionaries including Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. At the independence of India in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines, with the western part remained in India as West Bengal while the eastern part joined Pakistan as East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh). In 1950, the Cooch Behar State merged with West Bengal. In 1955, the former French enclave of Chandannagar was integrated into West Bengal.

Incidents surrounding the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 caused millions of refugees to influx into West Bengal, most of them Hindus. The Left Front, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), governed the state for the subsequent three decades, making it the longest-serving democratically elected communist party in the world. Although they are no longer in power since 2011, the Communists' imprint remains powerful on the state, with many streets named after Marx and other local and foreign revolutionary figures.

Geography
West Bengal is diverse in terms of geography and is distinctively unique for being the only state in India with the Himalayas in the north and the Bay of Bengal in the south, with vast stretches of plains, plateaus and deltas between them.

The Eastern Himalayas range starts abruptly up from the Terai region near Siliguri. Sandakphu at is the highest point of West Bengal. Remnants of the Shivaliks can be seen on the northern plains, where they are known as the Buxa-Jayanti Hills. The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas and forests at the base of the Himalayas range. The Dooars region stretching across the middle of the Terai belt are a conglomerate of tall grasslands, savannas and evergreen and deciduous forests.

The Rarh region lies south of the Ganges and east of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, the eastern part of which is in West Bengal. Part of the Sundarbans is in the vast deltaic region south of the state.

Culture
The culture of West Bengal attracts tourists from around the world. It has its roots in literature, music, fine arts, drama and cinema. Certain regions in the state are known for their folk cultures as well.

Economy
West Bengal is the economic and transport hub of Eastern India and it is the home to some of the busiest railway stations in India. The state also has river ports at Kolkata and Haldia. Kolkata is an information technology (IT) hub of the state, with several IT firms and companies having established their campuses in the city.

Climate
West Bengal experiences 5 seasons: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter.

Spring is short and more dominant in the northern region. Summer commences from the first week of March and continues till June. The weather remains hot and humid during the day, accompanied by cool breezes at night. The western highlands will experience a hot dry climate. Thunderstorms locally called Kalbaishakhi, occur in late summer. Monsoon starts in July and ends in late September when torrential rainfall gives rise to severe floods in the south. Autumn is short, between October and mid-November. The retreating monsoon at this time may give rise to storms. Winter sets by late November and continues till Spring arrives in February, January being the coldest. The Himalayan region in the north experiences snowfall during winter, usually after mid-December.

In the plains, during summer the temperature ranges between 26 °C (79 °F) and 40 °C (104 °F) while winter experiences between 13 °C (55 °F) to 19 °C (66 °F). The Darjeeling Hills have an average temperature of about 15 °C (59 °F) during summer and 2 °C (36 °F) during winter.

North Bengal receives the highest rainfall, while Rarh receives the lowest rainfall. Coastal regions receive medium rainfall. Drought-like conditions may occur in Purulia.

Talk
The official languages of the state are Bengali and English.

Nepali is widely spoken in the Darjeeling Hills.

Hindi is spoken in major cities, and you're likely to find a Hindi speaker in Kolkata.

Other commonly spoken languages include Santali, Odia, and Urdu.

Get in
Kolkata is considered to be an ideal hub to cover all the destinations in West Bengal and there are several public transport services to and from the city.

By plane
Travellers from abroad might certainly come in via Kolkata. Besides, a few major cities have domestic airports.
 * Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Dum Dum, Kolkata, , ,
 * Bagdogra International Airport, Bagdogra, Siliguri,
 * Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, Andal, Durgapur,
 * Cooch Behar Airport, Cooch Behar

By train
Railways link it with other states from all sides. Major railway stations are in Asansol, Howrah, Kolkata and Siliguri.

By bus
Government-owned companies like NBSTC (North Bengal State Transport Corporation), SBSTC (South Bengal State Transport Corporation) and WBTC (West Bengal Transport Corporation) operate buses to and from various destinations within Eastern India. Several private players also operate air conditioned buses between most important destinations. You can book a bus tickets online for government buses via official websites of respective companies, and for private buses you have options like Redbus, Abhibus, MyTempoTraveller and Myticketbuddy.

By car
Kolkata is one of the vertices of the Golden Quadrilateral project, a network of highways that connect the major cities of India. All other major cities are also well connected by national and state highways.

By boat
Major ports are Kolkata and Haldia, and there are some smaller ports.

Get around
Within the state, the main transport links are trains and buses. Taxis and hired cars are available in most places.

By train
West Bengal has an extensive railway network and is part of the three zones of Indian Railways: Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway (SER). Apart from the mail and express trains coming from outside the state (they are generally very crowded), there are some fast trains within the state and a large number of passenger trains and locals.

The southern part of West Bengal is served by the Kolkata Suburban Railway (commonly referred to as "local trains"). Depending on the route, local trains can be extremely crowded. It is less expensive to travel around by train as compared to private cabs or taxis.

By rickshaw
Rickshaws are the most common mode of transport in West Bengal, especially for short and medium distances. There are three types of rickshaws operating throughout the state: cycle rickshaws, electric rickshaws (locally called totos) and auto-rickshaws (locally called autos). Electric rickshaw operators can charge huge fares on seeing a tourist. Usually, electric rickshaw rides are short and cost ₹10-15 per person (as of 2022).

By car
There are highways and expressways connecting the cities and other adjacent states. There is almost no traffic except during the festival season, and even then traffic is reasonably light. All villages are connected via paved roads. You are required to pay toll taxes at various points on the expressways and national highways either through cash or FASTag. Charges may vary depending on the type of vehicle.

See
The state of West Bengal has significant architectural and natural heritage. The Howrah Bridge, the Victoria Memorial and Vidyasagar Setu symbolises not only Kolkata but also the entire state. Although Kolkata may have the lion's share of the state's museums and landmarks, you should not ignore the rest of West Bengal. There are numerous cities, villages and national parks spread across the state, three of which are designated as s.

Historical attractions
West Bengal was the cultural centre of India during the British rule. Monuments and places of worship in the state had been influenced by several cultures and their distinct architecture also speaks of the time of their construction. British influence had led to the construction of many buildings featuring European style architecture, few noteworthy of them carries a Gothic influence.

Natural attractions
The natural beauty of West Bengal is diverse, from the snowy Darjeeling Hills at the north to the Bay of Bengal and the Sundarbans at the south. The coastal strip of West Bengal, from the Sundarbans to the border of Odisha, has some beautiful beach resorts, including Digha, Shankarpur, Mandarmani, Bakkhali and Sagar Island. The Chota Nagpur Plateau at the western fringe of the state is also incredible with low-lying hills and other picnic spots.

Itineraries

 * Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (Toy Train) — a narrow-gauge heritage railway service from Siliguri to Darjeeling, run by the Indian Railways. It was built between 1879 and 1881 and is about long. It is powered by steam and diesel engines and offers panoramic views while climbing up the mountains. Listed as a, this route is popular with tourists as it passes through picturesque mountain scenery.
 * Grand Trunk Road — its main route starts from Howrah and runs across the Hooghly River before turning northwest into the Rarh region.
 * Sandakphu–Phalut Trek — Sandakphu (3,636 m) is the highest point in West Bengal and Phalut (3,600 m) is the northernmost point of West Bengal. The trek combines both these points offering great views of Kangchenjunga and several other snow peaks including Mount Everest.

Do
West Bengal has numerous independent theatre groups locally called yātrā dal (travelling group/band), who perform shows mostly in the rural areas. Foreigners not familiar with the dialect spoken can enjoy the atmosphere surrounding these events, as fairs organised by local inhabitants, merchants and craftsmen often accompany such gatherings.

Make an āḍḍā with people. āḍḍā is a term Bengalis use for freestyle intellectual verbal information sharing. It is a common sight in Bengal to find groups engaged in rigorous discussion and debates, though more notably in Kolkata. Such gathering always welcome anyone who wishes to join them. It offers a great opportunity to learn more about the local customs, the people and their views on different things and happenings in and around West Bengal. People from various age groups will happily invite foreign tourists to join their discussions and share thoughts, ideas and experience.

Take a boat ride across the Hooghly River, or hire a small boat and spend the evening discovering the banks of the river around Kolkata, Howrah, Diamond Harbour, Chandannagar or Murshidabad. Boatmen usually demand ₹500 for an hour. Price is negotiable through bargaining.

Events
Durga Puja (দুর্গাপূজা Durgāpūjā) is the most celebrated festival in West Bengal. It takes place between September and October, depending on the Hindu lunisolar calendar. There are celebrations in every corner of the state. People are filled with joy and happiness. People distribute sweets and clothes to their loved ones, expressing love and joy. Durga Puja in Kolkata has been listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021.

Celebrelated at the day of Diwali, Kali Puja (কালীপূজা Kālīpūjā) is another major festival in West Bengal, worshipping the Goddess Kali.

Ras Mela (রাসমেলা Rāsmelā) is one of the most famous and popular yearly fairs in the entire state of West Bengal. Ras Mela is hosted in the occasion of Ras Purnima and the city is fully decorated. Conducted in a huge open ground, it is full of people. You can enjoy food, rides, circuses and many more. There could be some issues entering the fair as the entry points are totally jampacked but once you are in the fair, you can enjoy the rest of your night. There are singers and performers coming from different parts of India. There is an atmosphere of enjoyment and craziness in this time of the year. It's like a winter carnival. Mostly organised in late November or early December. Dates can change each year as it is organised on the basis of a Hindu astronomical event, Ras Purnima or Shakta Rash.

Beside religious festivals, Poila Boishakh (পয়লা বৈশাখ Paẏlā Baiśākh; Bengali New Year) is also celebrated in West Bengal. However, unlike Bangladesh, the Poila Boishakh celebration takes place in 15 April. Here people from all walks of life participate in various cultural shows, called Boishakhi Mela, wearing the national attire (Punjabi or sari), eating Bengali sweets and wishing everyone a happy Bengali New Year.

Eat

West Bengal is famous for fish preparations and sweet meat but some of the vegetarian dishes are also a speciality. In earlier centuries widows were prohibited from taking anything other than vegetarian food (predominantly they still are but now rules are being broken) and they were principal chefs in large homes. They developed vegetarian dishes extensively.

Bengali cuisine is centred around fish. Machher jhol, fish in curry gravy, is a watery fish curry available everywhere and goes well with rice. However, Bengalis everywhere swear by ilish (aka hilsa, a variant of shad), which is lightly marinaded in mustard and steamed is up there with the best fish dishes in the world.

West Bengal is known to make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products, including rôsogolla (aka rasgulla, cheese balls dipped in a sugary syrup), pantua (a fried variant of rôsogolla) rôsomalai (aka rasmalai, cheese balls dipped in creamy sweetened milk), chômchôm, kalojam, mishti doi (sweet yoghurt) and several kinds of sôndesh. These sweets are also famous all over India. Pitha, a kind of sweet cake, bread or dimsum are specialties of winter season. Sweets like narkel-naru, til-naru, moa and payesh are prepared during the Lakshmi Puja. Popular street food includes alur chôp, begunī, jhal muri (similar to the bhel puri of Mumbai) and phuchka (aka golgappa).

In cities like Kolkata, one can get all types of food from any part of the country. Even one can get Chinese, Thai and continental. In most of the other towns, one can mostly find Bengali hotel and restaurants, though Punjabi, North Indian and South Indian outlets are also available. Mughlai dishes are very popular.

Drink
There are plenty of bars across the state. You might expect nightlife in major cities like Kolkata and Siliguri.

Sleep
Like the rest of India, there are both government and private accommodations. Most of the government lodges are run by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC or West Bengal Tourism) and can be booked from the tourism centres in Kolkata and Siliguri.

Stay safe
West Bengal is very safe for foreigners. People are friendly and accept people of different cultures warmly. As a foreigner you might find people staring at you but they are just curious. But if you notice anything objectionable in their behaviour with you, face them boldly and ask for help. People are helpful and you will have them coming to your rescue. You may also call the police. But people on the roads are helpful to foreigners and they can be relied upon.

West Bengal is a very politically active state. You may witness clashes, which most often occur between students of fronts affiliated to the ruling party and the opposition parties. It is better to stay out of the matter and leave the area, as even the police sometimes get involved.

You should take extra precautions while travelling closer to the India–Bangladesh border. There have been cases of illegal migration of people from Bangladesh and drug dealings along the border are fairly common. You might take the assistance of the Border Security Force (BSF) if necessary.

Natural disasters
The southern parts of West Bengal are prone to flooding, since the areas are composed mainly out of silt, a material which is carried down by the rivers and tributaries comprising the Ganges Delta. The rivers would overflow or burst their banks after heavy rainfall. Also, beware of the cyclones occurring at the coastal areas of the state.

The Darjeeling Hills experience heavy rainfall as well, with moderate snowfall in winter. Altitude sickness is another problem in the region.

Respect
Although West Bengal has a lot in common with Bangladesh, don't treat it as a part of Bangladesh.

The Indian rupee is commonly called taka in West Bengal. You must not confuse it with the Bangladeshi taka.

The various respect tips in the Bangladesh article apply here, except that the state is Hindu-majority.

Bengala Occidentalis

title: West Bengal


text:
West Bohemia

West Bohemia is a region in the Czech Republic.

Understand
This region along the Franconian, Saxon and Bavarian borders with the Czech Republic has had a lot of German influence throughout the existence of Austria-Hungary and before. After World War II most of the ethnically German inhabitants were expelled and the "Iron Curtain" ruptured many cross border links even as Czechoslovakia and the GDR ("East Germany") nominally called each other "socialist brother countries". With the end of the Cold War and the entry of the Czech Republic into the European Union in 2004, this region became a lot more accessible from the west and tourism has benefited from it. Among the most notable towns are those that form the West Bohemian Spa Triangle, which was a retreat of the rich and the famous, throughout the 19th century and into the Belle Époque, who would consume and bathe in the mineral water emerging from countless springs in the area. After World War I, the aristocrats lost their power in most of Europe, and the new state of Czechoslovakia tried in vain to avert the decline of tourism in the Spa triangle. Even worse was World War II, when the area was annexed by Nazi Germany, under the infamous 1938 Munich Agreement, and later bombed by the Americans.

Do

Also, there are 14 golf courses in West Bohemia.

Stay safe
West Bohemia is a very safe region.

Go next

 * Central Bohemia
 * North Bohemia
 * South Bohemia

title: West Bohemia


text:
Westbrook

There is more than one place called Westbrook:

United Kingdom

 * Westbrook (Cheshire) - A city in Cheshire in England.

United States of America

 * Westbrook (Connecticut) - A town in the state of Connecticut.
 * Westbrook (Maine) - A town in the state of Maine.
 * Westbrook (Minnesota) - A town in the state of Minnesota.

title: Westbrook


text:
Westbrook (Maine)

Westbrook is a city in Maine.

Do

 * Check out Woodlawn Cemetery Pond where there are ducks and a quiet atmosphere.

Go next

 * The Maine Mall is located just in South Portland. Has many shops.
 * Portland

title: Westbrook (Maine)


text:
West Central Florida

West Central Florida is in the state of Florida in the United States. It includes Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties, therefore including the Tampa area, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the state.

By plane
The largest airport in the region is Tampa International Airport on the western side of Tampa. TIA serves dozens of destinations, with daily flights to most major cities in the US and almost every major airline hub. The Tampa-Atlanta route carries the most passengers of any route with nearly 3 times as many passengers as the second largest destination Charlotte. The largest airlines in/out of TIA are American, Delta, and Southwest.

Directly across the bay and just 10 miles from TIA is St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, which served mostly by budget airlines and used for private aviation. It is a hub for Allegiant Air which flies to about two dozen small airports throughout the Midwest & Northeast. As of February 2011, it is also served by: Frontier Airlines to Milwaukee & Omaha (both seasonal); Air Transat to Halifax & Toronto (both seasonal); Sunwing Airlines to Toronto; Vision Air to Gulfport-Biloxi; & Locair to Marsh Harbour & Treasure Cay.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is located between Sarasota and Bradenton and is served by American, Delta, JetBlue, and United. About half of the routes are seasonal.

Go next

 * East Central Florida

title: West Central Florida


text:
Westchester

There is more than one place called Westchester:

United States of America

 * Westchester (California) — a neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles.
 * Westchester County — a county in the New York metro area.

title: Westchester


text:
West Chester

There is more than one place called West Chester:

United States of America

 * West Chester (Ohio)
 * West Chester (Pennsylvania)

title: West Chester


text:
West Chester (Ohio)

West Chester is a township in southwest Ohio, about midway between Dayton and Cincinnati, but is considered a suburb of Cincinnati.

By car
I-75 provides easy access to West Chester with exits 19, 21 and 22.

title: West Chester (Ohio)


text:
West Chester (Pennsylvania)

West Chester is a borough in Chester County in the Philadelphia Region of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat.

By bus

 * SEPTA Route 104, follows West Chester Pike into Downtown West Chester, ending in a stop on the campus of West Chester University.

Get around
No taxi services run steadily through downtown West Chester, but the downtown area is an easy walk from one end to another. Walking around downtown is nice because of the historic atmosphere and brick sidewalks with a mixture of shops, bars, restaurants, and local offices.

See
The entire town is rich with history. The cobblestone streets were put in the 1700s. The soldiers of the Revolutionary War walked through West Chester on those very cobblestones. Visitors along with residents marvel at the building where Abraham Lincoln started his journey towards the presidency. West Chester has more than 3,000 structures built before the colonial time which puts the entire downtown on the list of National Registered Historic Places. The town was home for the legendary African-American folk artist, Horace Pippin, Pulitzer Prize winning composer Samuel O. Barber (1910-1981) along with many other aspiring and proven artists.

Do
There are so many exciting things to do in West Chester. With all of the restaurants, bars and shopping there is an activity for everyone.

West Chester University is a major attraction to the area. Many families visit the campus in hopes of sending their children to a highly accredited university. Because the school is located in the heart of the town it is mainly seen as a college town, which means the nightlife is always active and exciting. For those who enjoy golf there are more than five golf courses in West Chester.

Parking is free all weekend in the Parking Garages & Lots and on-street meters. And you never have to feed the meters after 5 pm everyday.

 * Televised home shopping channel QVC's headquarters and main broadcast studios are just north of town. Studio tours, which are $7.50 ($6 for children), run several times daily, and tickets to special live-audience events are available in advance via the website. A company store selling fan ware with the QVC logo as well as a small selection of popular items is on the premises.

For those interested in the arts, downtown West Chester is home to more than 15 shops containing art gallery work.

Buy
West Chester is known for its quaint boutiques and trendy shops. Gay street is a central area for shopping. Malena's Vintage boutique, Plane Janea and Niche are just some of the fashionable shops located on Gay Street. The unique finds in Malena's Boutique range from 50s cocktail dresses to Gucci bags. This little store has everything a fashionista would want. Plain Jane sells any type of beauty product a girl could need. This affordable store has jeans and nice button-downs for men along with beautifully, colorful dresses for women. These are just a few of the shopping experiences West Chester has to offer.

One place that is frequented by the local kids during the summertime is the Brandywine River. There are plenty of rope swings and little spots to hang out. The rope swings aren't really a tourist spot, they are more like a hangout spot for residents of West Chester. The Brandywine River Park is also a popular place for companies and large groups to spend the day. There are also canoe and kayak tours during the spring and summer seasons.

Eat
Downtown West Chester is known for its bars and restaurants. The town offers a variety of over 25 restaurants. The restaurants range from coffee to sandwich shops to Italian cuisine. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, located at 3 West Gay street, serve fresh beer, fresh food, and interesting culture. The laid-back atmosphere only adds to the appeal of this self beer brewing restaurant. Another fantastic restaurant is the Lincoln Room. It is located in one of West Chester's most historic and famous structures. This classical establishment is known for its early morning tea and luncheon menu. These restaurants represent the pinnacle of fine dining. Some local favorites include:

Being a college town there are countless places to grab a slice of pizza. Many also offer Philly Cheese Steaks. 24 in total-America's Pie, Papa John’s, Dominos Pizza, Pizza Hut, Amore Pizza, Pizza University, Culinary, Peace of Pizza, Rigtown, Rigtown Uptown, Saucey, Nino’s Pats Pizzeria, New Haven Pizza, Chris's Pizza, Benny's Pizza, Sam's Pizza Island, Tommy's Pizzeria, Empire Pizzeria and Grill, Joey's Pizza, Carmines, Jumbo Pizza, Café Fiorello’s, Brother’s Pizza, The Bistro.

Drink
Being a college town, West Chester has many bars to offer its visitors and residents, like Barnaby's of West Chester that is filled to the max every Friday and Saturday night. The Note offers live entertainment and musical performances.

Sleep
There are many hotels in and around the West Chester Area. As the suburbs expand more and more hotels are being built.

The Brandywine Valley is home to many upscale bed and breakfasts.

title: West Chester (Pennsylvania)


text:
Westchester County

Westchester County is a county of New York State in the New York metro area. It lies to the immediate north of the New York City borough of the Bronx. A number of its villages and towns serve as bedroom communities for commuters to New York City, but Westchester itself is also open for business. Pepsico, IBM, MasterCard, Reader's Digest and other prominent corporations have their headquarters here. But it's not all work and no play. There's plenty to see and do in the county.

Northern

 * – a village shared by two towns. Home to many wealthy families, Trump National Golf Course, Sleepy Hollow Country Club, and a number of historic buildings and districts. Historic sites include All Saints' Episcopal Church, Juniper Ledge, and the Scarborough Historic District.
 * – a pretty and well-to-do town, home of Bill and Hillary Clinton
 * – township in the northwest corner of the county, borders the Hudson River and Putnam County. The Old Croton Dam is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * – location of popular Croton Point Park, which juts nearly a mile into the river. Also home to Teatown Lake Reservation.
 * – the location of Sing Sing maximum-security prison where New York City mobsters were sent "up the river". Outside the prison walls, Ossining is ranked the #2 best community to live in by Westchester Magazine
 * – northernmost city in Westchester with scenic views of the Hudson Highlands.
 * – no, we didn't make this up; longtime address of Reader's Digest
 * – this hamlet is reputedly named by a devoted fan of Wagner for the heavenly abode in Norse mythology. Today, Valhalla is home to several large cemeteries which are final resting places of many rich and famous people.
 * – home to the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center and the Guiding Eyes for the Blind headquarters. The town hosts a yearly Greasestock festival, a showcase of alternative fuel vehicles.

Northeastern

 * – yes, Martha Stewart still lives here. The Bedford Village Historic District, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Palmer-Lewis Estate, and The Woodpile are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * – in 1897 over 50 buildings of the original town were moved a mile or so south to make way for one of New York City's reservoirs. The Katonah Village Historic District, Stepping Stones, and St. Luke's Episcopal Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The John Jay Homestead is listed as a National Historic Landmark.
 * – though lacking a downtown business district, Lewisboro is rich in natural areas with two Westchester County parks, six town parks and several community preserves.
 * – ostensibly named after local Native American chief Kisco. Now a commercial hub of northern Westchester for shopping and dining with both small businesses and large chain stores like Target, Gap, and Staples.
 * – this wealthy town has been the home of many celebrities including Christopher Reeve (Superman).
 * – "cradle of the American circus" where Hachaliah Bailey bought an African elephant to use for farm work but it drew such crowds that Bailey took "Old Bet" on the road as a traveling circus. Bailey built the Elephant Hotel in Old Bet's honor and the elephant remains a symbol of the town to this day.

Lower Hudson Valley

 * – quaint Hudson River village. The Estherwood and Carriage House, Hyatt-Livingston House, South Presbyterian Church, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * – Hudson River village has stunning views of the cliffs of the Palisades. Former home to Billie Burke, the "Good Witch" in the Wizard of Oz. Historical sites include the Jasper F. Cropsey House and Studio, the Hastings Prototype House and the John William Draper House.
 * – Named for Washington Irving, who lived nearby at Sunnyside.
 * – the very one from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Many places in the story can still be visited today like the Old Dutch Church and Cemetery.
 * – this Hudson River village is home to several significant historic sites as well as a quaint business district featuring restaurants and antique shops.
 * – 3rd most populous city in New York state and undergoing major development along the Hudson River. Getty Square, its traditional center only a few blocks east of the river, is down-scale.

Sound Shore

 * – affluent square-mile community on Long Island Sound. Before the automobile, Larchmont was a resort community serving wealthy New York City residents; many of the Victorian "cottages" and a few of the grand hotels remain to this day.
 * – name of both a town and a village on Long Island Sound. The exclusive Winged Foot Golf Club has hosted the PGA Championship and several US Opens. Home to Walter's Hot Dog Stand, a Westchester County landmark.
 * – home of Iona College and the former College of New Rochelle.
 * – a wealthy community of pretty houses, churches and golf courses, it has a short coast on the Long Island Sound and borders the Bronx.
 * – the Bush-Lyon Homestead, Capitol Theater, Life Savers Building, Putnam and Mellor Engine and Hose Company Firehouse, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * – upscale city on the Long Island Sound; home of Playland amusement park. Smallest and least city-like of the cities in Westchester; has a small central area with one main street (Purchase Street) and feels much more like a village than anything else.

Lower Interior

 * – affluent square-mile community listed in Forbes as one of "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes". Historic sites include the US Post Office–Bronxville, the Bronxville Women's Club, Lawrence Park Historic District, and the Masterton-Dusenberry House.
 * – former home of a president, John Adams, and vice president, Aaron Burr. Upscale shopping at the Vernon Hills Shopping Center.
 * – roughly one mile square, this village is the alleged birthplace of the term "cocktail".
 * – historical places include the Hadden-Margolis House, Stony Hill Cemetery, and United States Post Office.
 * – named after George Washington's home, this is a diverse, largely Black and Latino city undergoing redevelopment as of the early 2020s but with some remaining blighted areas. The Mount Vernon Public Library is the largest public library in Westchester County.
 * – home of a state university with a prominent School of the Arts as well as headquarters for several major American corporations
 * – contains six main parks totaling nearly 100 acres
 * – one of the wealthiest towns in the nation, with residents like Liza Minnelli and Yoko Ono
 * – was a major producer of high-quality white marble for the world.
 * – the seat of government for Westchester County, its downtown has been redeveloped with upscale housing and retail. Has two large shopping malls, the Galleria and the Westchester.

Understand
Westchester County ranks number two (after NYC) for wealthiest areas in New York State, and is the seventh wealthiest county nationally. Westchester has long been associated with "old money", and some of the country's wealthiest families for generations have lived "upstate" to escape the crowds of New York City but close enough to the Big Apple for business or pleasure. The county maintains its rural appeal with thousands of acres of parks and through a political system of townships containing villages containing hamlets that discourages large cities and preserves small municipalities. Although Westchester is home to nearly one million residents, a village like Briarcliff Manor has a population just under 8,000. Small businesses abound in the towns and villages and you'll need to visit the larger cities and towns like Yonkers, White Plains and Mt Kisco, to find national chain stores and malls.

European settlement of the area began with enormous tracts of farmland held by Dutch manor lords and some of their place names continue to this day, such as Tappan Zee (the Tappan sea), Peekskill (Peek's creek), and Verplank (from van der Planken, near the bridge). Other names honor the Native Americans who lived here like Ossining (from the Sint Sinck tribe), Mount Kisco (allegedly named for Chief Cisqua), and the Kitchiwan neighborhood of Ossining (Kitchiwank tribe).

The political geography of Westchester confuses locals and visitors alike. The county has cities, towns, villages, and hamlets, many of which share names and sometimes overlap. ZIP (postal) codes don't follow municipal boundaries, so the place names in street addresses often don't match the city, town, or village that the address actually resides in.

By plane

 * Westchester County Airport —  The biggest airport of the lower Hudson Valley, other than the New York City/New Jersey airports. Tickets can be pricey, but it's oh-so-convenient to arrive smack in the middle of your destination and bypass the traffic around the three major international airports. Rental cars are available.
 * John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport — The three major international airports in the New York City area offer service to just about anywhere. Westchester-based taxi and livery cars offer regular service to and from the three internationals from most areas of the county. New York City yellow cabs will take to you Westchester in a pinch, but the fares can be exorbitant. If staying in Westchester, ask if your hotel offers shuttle service.

By train

 * Amtrak. Some trains make stops at Yonkers and Croton-on-Hudson (Empire Service) and in New Rochelle (Northeast Corridor). However, if you are coming from New York City, keep in mind that Amtrak trains from there are much more expensive than Metro-North to these stops.
 * Metro-North Railroad. Three branches of Metro-North Commuter Railroad serve the county, all from Grand Central Terminal:
 * The Hudson Line travels the far west flank of the county along the bank of the Hudson River. For the best views on trains departing from Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, get a seat on the left side of the train: opposite Yonkers and Hastings-on-Hudson you will be treated to great views of the sheer cliffs of the Palisades.
 * The Harlem Line runs up the middle.
 * The New Haven Line serves communities on the Long Island Sound shore and continues into Connecticut.
 * New York City Subway. Termini of several lines to the Bronx are close to the southern edge of Westchester County. From there, you can take a Bee Line Bus to points in Westchester County.

By car
The main Interstate highways leading to Westchester are:
 * I-87—named "New York State Thruway" between Westchester and Albany, serves only New York State, from the New York City borough of the Bronx, through the Hudson River Valley and Adirondack Mountains to the Canadian border.
 * I-95—named "New England Thruway" in Westchester, serves the length of the U.S.'s East Coast from Miami, Florida, to Maine at the Canadian border.

A few U.S. routes serve Westchester:
 * US-1—named "Boston Post Road" or "Post Road" through most of Westchester, largely parallels I-95 and serves the length of the U.S.'s East Coast from Key West, Florida, to Maine at the Canadian border.
 * US-6—stretches between Bishop, California, and Provincetown, Massachusetts, serving communities in northern Westchester.
 * US-9—named "Broadway" (or "North" or "South Broadway") through much of Westchester, largely parallels I-87 in New York state and runs from Lewes, Delaware through New Jersey, the Hudson Valley, and Adirondack Mountains to the Canadian border.
 * US-202—runs from New Castle, Delaware to Bangor, Maine, serving communities in northern Westchester.

By car

It's possible to plan getting around by bus or train, but to make the most of your visit, a car is recommended.

In addition to I-87 and I-95 listed in Get in, Westchester has two auxiliary interstates.

 * I-287 (Cross-Westchester Expressway) — connects I-95 in Rye to I-87 in Tarrytown via White Plains. It crosses the Tappan Zee Bridge into Rockland County and continues into New Jersey.
 * I-684 — connects I-287 at White Plains to I-84 in Putnam county to the north

Westchester has several parkways, which permit "passenger cars only", no trucks. These roads were built before the rise of interstate freeways. Many are narrow and pass under low bridges, but often traverse scenic, park-like stretches.

 * Bronx River Parkway — from the Bronx, through Yonkers, Scarsdale, and White Plains to Valhalla
 * Cross County Parkway — from Yonkers to New Rochelle via Mount Vernon
 * Hutchinson River Parkway — from the Bronx to the Connecticut border at Rye Brook via Pelham, New Rochelle, Scarsdale, and Harrison
 * Saw Mill River Parkway — from Yonkers to Katonah via Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Pleasantville, Chappaqua, Mount Kisco, and Bedford
 * Sprain Brook Parkway — Yonkers to Hawthorne via Ardsley, Greenburgh, and Elmsford
 * Taconic State Parkway — from Valhalla it counties north of Westchester via Mount Pleasant, Briarcliff Manor, and Yorktown

See

In Mount Vernon, be sure to visit Saint Paul's Church, a National Historic Site.

In Tarrytown, you can visit Lyndhurst, "America's most famous Gothic Revival Mansion", and Sunnyside, the home of Washington Irving, author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip van Winkle.

Philipsburg Manor is a historic Dutch manor and mill restored to its appearance in the late 17th/early 18th century. You can visit it and Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate when you're in Sleepy Hollow. While you're there, stop by to admire the stained glass windows by Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall at Union Church of Pocantico Hills, and walk through Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, the final resting place of Washington Irving, Andrew Carnegie, Walter Chrysler, and Elizabeth Arden. It also contains the Old Dutch Church and Burying Ground, the churchyard from Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

The Hudson River Museum in Yonkers has exhibitions on regional history, Hudson Valley art, and a planetarium.

In Purchase, you can visit the Neuberger Museum of Art, which features modern, contemporary, and African art, and stroll through the Donald M Kendall Sculpture Gardens, which has more than 40 major sculptures amongst 12 outdoor gardens.

Across the entire county is the Taconic State Parkway, where you can drive through beautiful forests during the autumn months.

Do

 * Visit a farmer's market or farmstand. Farms are scarce in this mostly suburban county, but agriculture is alive and well in the form of farmers markets. Find markets in places like Pleasantville, Tarrytown, Larchmont, Lewisboro, Pound Ridge and Ossining.
 * You can still find a few orchards and farms in the northern end of the county that offer pick-your-own fruit and vegetables in season.
 * Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, in Sleepy Hollow's Pocantico Hills village, promotes regional agriculture through its educational programs and its demonstration gardens and greenhouses.
 * Taste local vintages. There are two wineries in the county. See Pleasantville.
 * At Playland in the City of Rye, you can enjoy the historic amusement park (circa 1928).
 * Take sailing lessons at the Croton Sailing School, Senasqua Rd, Croton-on-Hudson, +1 800-859-SAIL.
 * Rent a kayak, take a guided tour, or launch your own kayak/canoe. Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center, Route 6 & 202, Annsville Circle, Cortlandt Manor, +1 914 739-2588. Good starting point for paddling the scenic Hudson Highlands.
 * Oakland beach – Westchester’s own small beach on the Long Island Sound, with restaurant Seaside Johnny’s right on the property.
 * Yonkers Raceway Casino and racetrack.
 * Oakland beach – Westchester’s own small beach on the Long Island Sound, with restaurant Seaside Johnny’s right on the property.
 * Yonkers Raceway Casino and racetrack.

Arts

 * Art Galleries, Tarrytown. Main Street is home to a few fine art galleries worth experiencing.
 * Paramount Center for the Arts, Peekskill. Features stage productions, live performances of music and dance, classic films and recent major releases, and visual arts exhibitions.
 * Paramount Center for the Arts, Peekskill. Features stage productions, live performances of music and dance, classic films and recent major releases, and visual arts exhibitions.

Bicycling
Explore the county from the perch of a bicycle seat. Moab it isn't, but if you've got a mountain bike you've got your pick of three county parks that sport mountain bike trails. For flatlanders, the Old Croton Aqueduct is a mostly level dirt trail, and the paved North and South County Trailways follow the relatively gentle grades of the old Putnam Line railway. There is a gap between the North and South County Trailways in Elmsford that requires a connection via local streets.

 * Blue Mountain Reservation, Peekskill. Seven miles (11 km) of trails in 1,600-acre county park. Trails are marked for level of experience.
 * Graham Hills Park, Pleasantville. Five miles (8 km) of trails through a 431-acre county park, geared toward riders with some experience. The park is in the middle of the county at the junction of the Saw Mill River, Taconic, and Sprain Brook Parkways.
 * Sprain Ridge Park, in Yonkers. On 278 acres of wooded terrain in the southern end of the county offers trails for beginners as well as advanced.
 * Blue Mountain Reservation, Peekskill. Seven miles (11 km) of trails in 1,600-acre county park. Trails are marked for level of experience.
 * Graham Hills Park, Pleasantville. Five miles (8 km) of trails through a 431-acre county park, geared toward riders with some experience. The park is in the middle of the county at the junction of the Saw Mill River, Taconic, and Sprain Brook Parkways.
 * Sprain Ridge Park, in Yonkers. On 278 acres of wooded terrain in the southern end of the county offers trails for beginners as well as advanced.

Buy

 * Cross County Shopping Center — An outdoor mall in Yonkers.
 * The Galleria at White Plains — An enclosed shopping mall in downtown White Plains.
 * Jefferson Valley Mall — An enclosed shopping mall in Yorktown in northern Westchester.
 * The Westchester — An upscale shopping mall in White Plains.

Eat

Westchester has plenty of dining options for many types of cuisine. It has traditionally been known for its Italian-American food at numerous restaurants and pizzerias. For the affluent, Westchester features many fine restaurants with chef graduates from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY or the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. More budget friendly are old-fashioned diners where everything is on the menu; be sure to ask for the daily specials. You'll find a diner in nearly every village and hamlet. Also widely available are bagels and other foods associated with New York City delis. The ethnic diversity of Westchester gives rise to Portuguese food in Ossining and Tarrytown, Korean in Scarsdale, Greek in Tarrytown (and at many diners throughout the county), and Chinese everywhere. Several towns feature cooking from Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, and other countries in Latin America. You can also eat Nepalese food in both Yorktown Heights and Scarsdale.

Westchester Magazine publishes a list of best food and drink in the county every year.

For two weeks in March and November, some of the finest restaurants in Westchester participate in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week with a fixed price three-course lunch ($20.14) and dinner ($30.14) that are bargains at top-rated establishments.

For the do-it-yourself crowd, there is also a large number of farmers markets and farm stands in addition to organic markets and ethnic markets for specialty food items.

In 2020, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, an upscale farm-to-table restaurant, was awarded two Michelin stars and was ranked one of the 50 best restaurants in the world.

Drink
The city of White Plains contains a number of popular bars and dance clubs located on Mamaroneck Ave. The Irish bars along McLean Ave in Yonkers are popular spots to have a drink at.

Stay safe
For medical, police, or fire emergencies, call 911.

There are numerous hospitals throughout Westchester, including the centrally-located Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.

Connect
The telephone area code for the county is 914. This was shared with other counties until 2000, after which it became Westchester's exclusively.

Go next
If you are based in Westchester County, the obvious place to go next is New York City, to the south.

Another option is to drive or take a train further north along the Hudson River, to explore the beauty of the Hudson Valley.

Going east will take you to Connecticut.

Going west will take you to New Jersey or into Rockland County and the Catskills on the other side of the Hudson River.

title: Westchester County


text:
Westcliffe

Westcliffe is the county seat of Custer County in Colorado.

Get in
Drive west from Colorado Springs towards Florence, Wetmore, and on route 96 to Westcliffe.

See

 * Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range
 * Cowboy ranches
 * Wide open spaces, forests, small lakes and mountain streams.

Do

 * Relax
 * motorcycle,
 * horseback riding.

Eat
Several nice cafes, restaurants, and no fast food.

Drink
Local brews, Colorado beers, clean mountain water.

title: Westcliffe


text:
West Coast

There's more than one place called West Coast:

Finland

 * West Coast (Finland) - the western coast of Finland, a region bordering the Gulf of Bothnia

Malaysia

 * West Coast (Malaysia) - the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia

New Zealand

 * West Coast (New Zealand) - on the western coast of the South Island

South Africa

 * West Coast (South Africa) - in the Western Cape and Northern Cape

Suriname

 * West Coast (Suriname) - the western of the two coastal regions of Suriname

title: West Coast


text:
West Coast (Malaysia)

The West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Malay:Pantai Barat Semenanjung Malaysia) includes states which have their coastlines along the Straits of Malacca. This part of the peninsular is more urban and developed than the more Malay, Muslim and rural East Coast. As a result, the terms West Coast and East Coast tend to mean more than a geographical description of the states. The capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and the new administrative centre of Putrajaya are located in this region.

Regions
From north to south:

Cities

 * — capital and largest city in Malaysia, located in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur which is surrounded by Selangor state
 * — capital city of Kedah
 * — capital of Penang, charming and very popular with travellers, and famous for its hawker food
 * — capital of Perak, which is famous for its food and karst scenery
 * — the tiny capital of Perlis
 * — royal capital of Selangor, known for its bak kut teh (Chinese-style pork rib soup) and its bustling Little India neighbourhood
 * — royal town in Perak with a few sights and laid back atmosphere
 * — historic city, and capital of Malacca state
 * — capital of Negeri Sembilan

Other destinations

 * - Pangkor Island
 * - Pangkor Island
 * - Pangkor Island

By plane

 * Sultan Azlan Shah Airport

title: West Coast (Malaysia)