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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Witsand slipway

Witsand slipway is a launch site for divers boats around the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. It's also known as Soetwater slipway after the resort nearby, and Crayfish factory after the abandoned rock lobster processing facility at the point just to the west. It's mostly used by divers in summer, when the south easterly wind makes diving on the False Bay side of the peninsula unpleasant.

Access

This slipway provides public access for launching boats with seaworthiness certificates and licensed skippers. There does not appear to be any control over launching.

Position
About halfway between Kommetjie and Scarborough.
 * S34°10.405' E018°20.536'
 * S34°10.692' E018°20.684'

About (distance)km from central Cape Town by road.

Conditions
The slipway is extremely exposed to swell from the south west, but as it is only used by divers when the south-west swell is low, and the wind is light or from the east, this is not normally a problem. The water is shallow at low tide, and at spring low may be too shallow for larger boats, particularly if there is any swell from the south west, which may break at the slip in these conditions. The approaches are over a long stretch of shallow sand bottom, but there are outcrops of reef to the sides which must be avoided at low water.

About twice a year the roads are closed due to cycle and road running events. when this happens don't bother to try to get to Scarborough. Diving is not planned for those occasions even if the weather is perfect.

Dives may well be planned and take place in fairly strong south easterly winds, but the boat will be in the lee of the land and the sea may be flat. Diving is often good in these conditions.

Facilities
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no security whatsoever unless you organise a temporary guard. This is recommended as the slipway is out of the way and used by commercial ski-boat fishermen, some of whom may not have the respect for your property you may wish for. Parking for trailers is moderate but may sometimes be filled. This facility is seldom used by divers, as there are not many popular sites in this area. Parking for vehicles without trailers is also fairly extensive. The parking near the slipway is paved and in good condition.

The slipway is a concrete ramp and is wide and in good condition. The access road turning area and part of the parking area is paved. There is a small concrete jetty to the side of the slipway ramp where boats can pick up and drop off passengers and crew. In very good conditions it is possible to tie up to load and wait for access, but usually the boat will only be alongside for a very short time to get on or off, which should be done without wasting any time. The water at the slipway is shallow and there may be a tidal restriction to launching and recovery for larger boats.

There are no public toilets or any other facilities. There are only sand dunes and beach to the east, and rocks to the west.

Fees
If there is a launching fee it is not often levied as there is normally no-one in attendance

Get in
From the airport follow the N2 south-west towards Cape Town. Turn on to the M3 south and follow it to the end. Turn right onto Steenberg Road (M42) and then left onto Ou Kaapse Weg (M64). Follow the road over the mountain for about 11 kilometres. At the second traffic light turn right into Kommetjie Road (M65) and follow this road all the way through Kommetjie and along the mountainside until you reach the turnoff to Soetwater at the crossroads. Turn right and then left to the slipway when you can see the gates to the Soetwater resort. There is a short cut which bypasses the residential area at Kommetjie, but it is not well signposted. This is a left turn after you pass the small industrial area. The turnoff is to the left at a T-junction into the M65, with a small traffic island at the junction. This road goes straight to Soetwater. From Hout Bay follow Chapman's Peak Drive (M6) (if it is open) onto Ou Kaapse Weg (M64) then use the directions as outlined above.

Hazards
Security varies depending on whether the commecial fishermen are using the slip.

Return to Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay


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Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/York Shoal

The dive site York Shoal is an offshore rocky reef in the central part of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

York shoal is very seldom dived by recreational divers, because it is fairly far from the launch sites, near a known feeding area for great white sharks, and is virtually unknown to the diving public. Some will dive it because it is there, and to gather more information. Scientific diving may occasionally occur for various reasons, including surveys of the reef life.

Position

 * S34°09.367' E018°35.583', 13.7km bearing 077° magnetic from Miller's Point and 24.3km bearing 293° magnetic from Harbour Island, about 2 km SSE of Seal Island

This site is not in a Marine Protected Area. A permit is not required.

Name
The name "York Shoal" is marked on the nautical charts of the area.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 28 m at the edge of the adjacent shingle bottom (smallish loose rocks, usually rounded by the action of water), and the top of the reef is about 4 m. Average depth of a dive is likely to be about 18 to 20m m.

Visibility
Visibility is likely to be whatever is prevalent on the west side of False Bay at the time. The site is far enough offshore to not be much affected by coastal effects, and is in a reasonably sheltered area for swell with a westerly component. On a sunny day the surface water may well have an algal bloom, particularly since the shoal is near to Seal Island, and the water is likelier to be richer in nitrates than average. If there is an algal bloom, the deeper water may be quite a bit clearer than near the surface, but it may be quite dark at depth. There is less kelp and other seaweed at the top of the reef than one might expect, and this suggests that the light levels are consistently low. There is insufficient data to be sure.

Topography
The reef is hard sedimentary rock with strike roughly east-west and dip about 10 degrees to the north, consequently the relief is mainly low flattish ridges and gullies, with no known steep or high dropoffs.

Geology: The geology is not known. For some time it was suspected to be peninsula granite, due to the proximity to the obvious granite outcrops of Seal Island, but the reef is clearly durable sedimentary rock, some of which is dark grey and fine grained. It has a similar feel to the reef of Table Bay, which is known to be Pre-Cambrian Tygerberg formation, and the proximity to Seal Island supports this conjecture, as it is below the level of the top of the nearby batholith, therefore likely to be older.

Get in
Boat access only: the site is several kilometers offshore.

The site is about 13.7 km from the Miller's Point slipway, 15.8 km from the Simon's Town jetty, 24.6 km from Gordon's Bay Old Harbour,or 23.8 km from Harbour Island in Gordon's Bay

Marine life
The shallower part of the reef is dominated by heavy growth of red-bait ascidians, with patches of black mussel, quite probably the invasive Mediterranean mussel. Also moderate numbers of sandy anemones, striped anemones and false plum anemones, and some gorgonian sea fans, which become more common at greater depths. Hottentot seabream and klipfish are fairly plentiful.

Photography
Not a particularly scenic dive, and visibility is unpredictable, so macro may be the best bet.

Suggested Routes
Not enough is known about the site to recommend any routes.

Hazards
The site is in an area known for the number of Great White sharks, and near a known feeding area for these apex predators.

Skills
No special skills recommended. There is a large area above 18m and therefore suitable for entry level divers.

Equipment
No special equipment required, but it is a large reef and if you surface away from the shotline, a DSMB will be useful to make your position visible while ascending and when you reach the surface.

Nearby
Other offshore dive sites of False Bay:

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of reef dive sites in the northern False Bay offshore area

Other regional dive sites:
 * Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast
 * Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast

 * Dive sites of False Bay east coast
 * Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area

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


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Diving the Tsitsikamma

This article is intended to provide the already qualified Scuba diver with information which will help to plan dives in the waters of the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (Tsitsikamma National Park), whether as a local resident or a visitor. Information is provided without prejudice, and is not guaranteed accurate or complete. Use it at your own risk.

General Topography
The coastline is fairly straight, and is generally very steep from a relatively flat coastal region between the inland mountains and the sea. Much of the shoreline can best be described as cliffs. The rock formations are heavily folded sandstones and shales of the Table Mountain series. The coastline formation to the west of the river mouth is the Silurian Tchando formation, which is typically fine to coarse grained brown sandstone and shale, and inland and across the river to the east, mostly Ordovician Peninsula sandstone. Offshore formations may include Devonian Gydo shales and siltstones. Folding is roughly parallel to the coastline, and dip is frequently near vertical, even overfolded in places. Resistance to weathering is also very variable, with some extremely resistant quartzitic sandstone, and some very friable shales. As a result, there are areas with distinct ridges, often roughly parallel to the shoreline.

The Storms River gorge is roughly perpendicular to the coastline, and very narrow — the sides are approximately vertical. A boat trip or hike up the gorge will show a section through the coastal formations.

Climate, Weather and Sea conditions
The coastal waters are exposed to wind from the south west through to the south east.

The Marine Ecology
The Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area is in the warm temperate Agulhas bioregion, which extends from Cape Point to the Mbashe River. The Mbashe River was chosen as the most appropriate boundary between the subtropical Natal province to the north, and the warm temperate Agulhas region to the south, but change is gradual between these regions. Upwelling on the south coast of South Africa is largely driven by the Agulhas current and the continental shelf This form of upwelling forces cold deep water up onto the continental shelf, but not necessarily above the thermocline. In the region east of the Agulhas bank, wind enhanced upwelling, occurring mainly in summer, augments the current driven upwelling bringing the colder deeper waters to the surface. This enhances biological productivity by supply of nutrients to the euphotic zone (where plants have sufficient light to flourish) which fuels phytoplankton production, and rocky shores that are supplied with the nutrient rich water support rich algal biomass.

Equipment
Normal recreational scuba diving equipment is appropriate for most dive sites in this region. The offshore sites can be subjected to fairly strong currents, so a surface marker buoy is recommended to allow the boat crew to keep track of where you are, particularly while surfacing, when it may not be possible to remain at a shotline during the safety stop. DSMBs are recommended for at least one diver of a buddy pair when the current is strong.

Water temperature is variable, and can be as low as 10°C. Dry suits can be an advantage when the temperature is so low. At other times the temperature may be in the low 20s, and a wetsuit will be adequate.

Respect
The waters of the Tsitsikamma National Park are a Marine Protected Area, and a permit is required to dive there. It is also illegal to remove, damage or harass marine life in the reserve.

Connect
Cell phone connectivity is variable, there are many dead spots.

Get around
The road to the park is good, but there is no shore access to any dive site except Storms River Mouth. All others are only practicably accessible by boat.

Stay safe
There may be strong currents at the offshore dive sites, and heavy swell is common. Some days this simply makes it unsafe to dive or do out on a boat, but much of the time the swell is low enough to get to the dive site, but the surge may be very strong, and waves may break over the shallower areas.

Dive sites

 * — Inshore rocky reef in the Storm's River mouth adjacent to the slipway.
 * — Inshore rocky reef beyond the Knoll on the coastline to the east of the Storm's River mouth.
 * (estimated): — an offshore rocky reef south of the Storm's River mouth.

title: Diving the Tsitsikamma


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Diving the Tsitsikamma/Rheeder's Reef

The dive site Rheeder's Reef is an inshore rocky reef in the Storm's River Mouth area of the Tsitsikamma National Park, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

Position
S34.02901° E23.92825°

Beyond the Knoll on the coastline to the east of the Storm's River mouth.

This site is in the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (2009). A permit is required.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 21m. and the shallower areas are mostly about 16 m, but extend inshore as far as you can dive. This is not often shallower than about 8m, as the surge can be very strong, and it is usually more pleasant to stay a bit deeper.

Visibility
Visibility is very variable, and ranges from less than 3 m to more than 20 m. 10 m would be considered good.

Topography
Extensive relatively flat reef. Ridges run E-W with strike of sedimentary rock, probably sandstones and shales. Occasional sand patches. Dip very steep, near vertical.

Geology: Sedimentary rocks of the Table Mountain series, probably Ordovician sandstones of the Peninsula formation.. Strike approximately east-west, parallel with the shoreline cliffs, Dip very steep, near vertical.

Conditions
The site is exposed to wind and swell from the south east and south west, so should be dived when the swell is fairly low and particularly when the swell period is short. The site is reasonably protected from winds from the north west, but these usually accompany a cold front and south westerly swell will follow.

The site is usually at it's best in winter but there are also occasional opportunities at other times of the year. The site will probably be diveable in any conditions when it is safe to launch or recover a boat at the slipway, but this gives no indication of the visibility.

Get in
Access to this site is only by boat as the shore is a steep cliff. The site is about (distance)km from the Storm's River Mouth slipway

Marine life
Varies considerably with the topography: On the higher profile areas,there is quite heavy invertebrate turf with lots of sponges, gorgonian twig corals, colonial ascidians, False corals, and scattered anemones. Also sone Granular, Reticulated, Cobbled and Spiny starfish, brittle stars, feather stars, Cape urchins, fan hydroids, small whitish soft corals, nudibranchs, small barnacles etc. Fish include Blue Hottentot, Roman, Dageraad, Blacktail, Fransmadam, Koester, Steentjie, and shy sharks

Photography
Good site for photography, particularly close up and macro photography of invertebrates, but also providing opportunities to photograph the local reef fish, Visibility is variable, and the water is fairly deep, so an external flash is recommended for anything other than close-up work.

Routes
No particular routes recommended. Try to find an area where the ridges and gullies are relatively large as there is more to see and less bare rock.

Hazards
No site specific hazards known.

Skills
No special skills required. Good buoyancy control is helpful if there is a strong surge.

Equipment
No special equipment required. A DSMB will make it easier for the boat crew to find you if you do not surface on the shotline. A shotline is not particularly useful here for recreational dives, as the bottom is relatively flat. If the visibility is poor it will be dark, and a light will be useful to restore colour at depth.

Back to Diving the Tsitsikamma

title: Diving the Tsitsikamma/Rheeder's Reef


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Diving the Tsitsikamma/Storm's River Mouth

The dive site Storm's River Mouth is a shoreline rocky reef, in the Tsitsikamma National Park in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The waters of the park have high biodiversity and have been protected from fishing for many years, so the marine life is abundant.

Access
This is a shore dive. There is adequate paved parking at the end of the road into the park, in front of the restaurant at the river mouth. At the seaward side of the end of the parking lot is the gravel access road to the slipway. The dive shop is up a short flight of steps and across a flat grassy area to the left of the slipway, just below the restaurant, and is also accessible by steps down from the wooden platform in front of the restaurant

Entry and exit can be from the slipway, from the small sandy beach to the left, below the restaurant, from the rocks to the right of the slipway, or up a steep wooden ladder normally used for boarding boats.

The beach and the old slipway adjacent to the beach can be very surgey if a swell is running, and the new slipway can be very slippery due to algal growth. At low tide the jump from the breakwater/retaining wall alongside the slipway is quite high, so keep as far to the end as possible without landing on the rocks. The concrete steps at the top of the new slipway are convenient and reasonably safe at most states of the tide, but may be tricky in a big swell. The wooden ladder's lower rungs are sometimes tilted by contact with the boat and may not be usable. Check first.

Position

 * S34°01.355 E023°53.928' (approximately)

The west side of the Storm's River mouth, in front of the restaurant, and near the slipway.

This site is in the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (2009). A permit is required.

Name
The name "Storm's River Mouth" is a simple geographical description. The site is at the mouth of the Storm's River.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 9 m, at the east end of the rocky ridges which define the inlet.

Visibility
Visibility in this area is often poor, and at the river mouth possibly more so than further offshore and to the east. This can also be predicted by the reef life, which is more typical of deeper water where there is less light. However, in spite of the probability of poor visibility it can still be a pleasant and interesting dive. In divable conditions visibility may range from 2 m upwards, but probably seldom better than about 6 m.

Topography
The dive site is in and around a small inlet on the west side of the river mouth. It is protected to some extent from swells from the south west, but is open to swells from the east. There are steep sided rocky ridges to the north and south of this inlet, which has a largely sandy bottom and a small beach to the west below the restaurant. These ridges are home to a quite surprising variety of invertebrates. The ridges extend quite a distance beyond the parts visible above the water, and are quite high profile. There are also smaller ridges parallel to these that stick up from the sand bottom toward the east.

Beyond these ridges it is possible to swim around to the south or north into parallel inlets. The one to the south is generally rough to extremely rough, as it is more exposed to waves. This is probably a dangerous area to dive, and almost certainly a dangerous area to try to get out. Do not consider it an alternative exit area unless the conditions are exceptionally calm.

The inlet to the north is far more protected than the inlet to the south, and may be a pleasant dive site, but exit there would require a long hike via steep but good paths to get back to the parking area. It could be used as an emergency exit point.

Geology: Sedimentary rocks of the Table Mountain series. Strike is approximately east-west, and dip is variable but generally very steep. The site is in very tightly folded strata and a synclinal axis appears to be nearby.

Conditions
The site is exposed to easterly swells and wind waves, so should be dived in westerly swells, preferably short period, as the site is shallow.

The site is usually at it's best in winter but there are also occasional opportunities at other times of the year.

This is an area which sometimes has upwellings of cold water, caused by easterly winds, which may also bring poor visibility.

Facilities
Good and apparently secure parking close to the site, easy access to the water, a hot fresh water shower, clean toilets, Changing cubicles, a small sandy beach, restaurant and shop. There are also day trails of various lengths along the rivermouth and across a suspension bridge to the top of the escarment on the other side of the river, and through the local indigenous forest. Self catering accommodation is available.

Marine life
The reef supports a diverse cover of invertebrates and bushy coralline algae that one would normally expect to see in deeper water. This may be a consequence of the commonly poor light levels resulting from poor visibility.

There are more sponges and soft corals than one would expect in such a shallow site, and they are quite colourful. There are also a variety of fish typical of this part of the coast, and you will probably see Roman, Blacktail and Fransmadam, but others are possible, and occasionally a fairly large shoal may be seen.

Other invertebrates include basket stars, brittle stars, and spiny starfish, Cape sea urchins, Knobbly, False plum, Striped and Violet spotted anemones, sea squirts of a few species, and a variety of colonial ascidians.

Photography
As the visibility is often limited, macro photography is most likely to produce acceptable results.

Suggested Routes
A map of the recommended scuba and snorkel routes is displayed on site outside the dive shop. These are basically to explore the ridges to the south and north of the inlet, to the east of the new slipway.

Hazards
Strong surge and sharp rocks.

Skills
No special skills required. The site is suitable for snorkelling. It may be possible to arrange for night diving.

Equipment
No special equipment recommended. A surface marker buoy per buddy pair will alert the excursion boat to your presence, and will allow your buddy to find you more easily if you are separated in poor visibility.

Back to Diving the Tsitsikamma


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Divonne-les-Bains

Divonne-les-Bains is a town of 9,600 people (2017) in Rhône-Alpes, just outside of Geneva. It serves as a bedroom community for Geneva, and as a tourist destination owing to its thermal baths, golf course and casino. It is a laid-back town that combines ease of access to Geneva with the serenity of pastoral Alpine paths and a lovely lake. Divonne-les-Bains is nestled at the feet of Jura Alps, and is also the site of Lake Divonne.

Get in
Divonne-les-Bains lies approximately 15 km north of Geneva, just off Swiss Autoroute 1 (Coppet exit if approaching from Geneva). From the Airport, take Autoroute 1 towards Lausanne to the Coppet exit (exit number 10?), turning left at the light. Remain on this road, continuing through the border checkpoint, and you will find yourself in the heart of Divonne-les-Bains on Avenue de Geneve.

Taxis are available for approximately 55 Swiss Francs (one way).

Get around
The easiest way to traverse Divonne-les-Bains is on foot, particularly if you're staying in a hotel in town. By the time you locate a parking space, odds are you could have walked there. Moreover, walking offers a pleasant opportunity to familiarize yourself with the various cafes, shops, etc. If you are visiting Divonne-les-Bains for the day, there are several public (free) parking lots, especially in the area near the Esplanade.

Do
Divonne-les-Bains is famous for its thermal baths, and there is a casino and a golf course. Every Sunday there is a market along the Grand Rue, with an abundance of vendors offering fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, prepared foods, breads, and flowers. The market also offers dry goods such as clothing, spices, and linens. The perennial favourite seems to be the roasted turkey breast (dinde), available from the whole roasted chicken vendor, which always sells out. You should have a general idea of prevailing prices (e.g., from supermarkets) so you may better comparison shop. That being said, the market offers a wide range of the very freshest produce. The Sunday market also affords a good opportunity to people watch at one of the many cafes lining the Grand Rue.

Buy
Divonne-les-Bains is only a short drive from Versoix, where you may visit the Favarger chocolate factory. They have a factory store, where you may buy some excellent Swiss chocolate at discounts of approximately 20-30%.

Eat
Visit Cafe Quatre Vents on the Grand Rue for some of the best cappuccino in the Geneva area, and a pretty good Croque Monsieur.

Hello Pizza, at 14 Grand Rue, is great for carry-out pizza and lasagna.

Sleep
Home Business Residence combines a great location with a friendly staff and reasonable rates. It's within walking distance to just about everything in Divonne-les-Bains.

Villa du Lac is, as its name implies, adjacent to Lake Divonne, and offers long and short term lodging.

Connect
Divonne Tourism Office (French only)

title: Divonne-les-Bains


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Divriği

Divriği is an iron-mining town in the mountainous northeast of Central Anatolia. In 2022 its population was 10,623 and stable, while the countryside around has become depopulated. The reason to visit is the Great Mosque and the adjoining medieval hospital (Darüşşifa), a for their superb carvings and architecture.

Understand
The town is first documented in the Hittite era of 1500 BC, when it was called Apbrike; later the Byzantines called it Tephrike. From 843 AD it was settled by the Paulicians, an Armenian Christian sect. Almost nothing is known of their beliefs and practices, but they called themselves "Good Christians" implying that others weren't, a sure way to irk your neighbours. They were tolerated or persecuted by turns in other Byzantine territories, but in 843 Empress Theodora set about them in earnest. The survivors fled here, Tephrike, and for a time enjoyed a semi-autonomous realm protected by the Emir of Malatya. But they counter-attacked the Byzantines, so around 870 Basil I crushed them and made Tephrike a Byzantine possession. Thus it remained until the Byzantine defeat in 1071 at Manzikert by the Seljuk Turks, who called the town Divrik. Meanwhile the escaping Paulicians disappeared into Armenia to become the Tondrakians, with a credo somewhere between Karl Marx and Rasputin.

From the late 11th century Anatolia was a war zone between the Byzantines, Seljuks and Crusaders. However Divrik up in the mountains was not on any major route and lacked strategic value, so it was left in peace. From 1072 to 1277 it was the seat of the Mengücek, a Turkish principality under the Seljuks of Rum. In 1229 the Mengücek ruler called on the architect Hürrem Şah to build the Great Mosque - Şah had made his reputation at Ahlat near Tatvan with his fine stonework, and once again obliged.

The ructions that threw up the Turkish mountain chain one million years ago brought iron ore to the surface, so the bare landscape is tinted red, ablaze in the sunset. The ore became valuable for steel-making in the 19th century and in the 1930s the railway arrived to serve the mines. In 1939 this became part of the mainline all the way to Kars. Mining remains important: Divriği A-Kafa mine has reserves of 100 million tonnes of ore and B-Kafa has 50 million tonnes, both yielding 55% iron. So do the maths, these two mines alone can yield 82.5 million tonnes of iron. Meanwhile the railway and better roads brought tourists to see the Great Mosque and other antiquities. Mining hasn't blighted the old town, and modern developers and cement mixers have ignored the place much as medieval warlords did, so the old centre has been preserved. In 1985 the Great Mosque and its complex became one of the first places in Turkey inscribed as a.

The local population follows the Alevi tradition of Islam, a Sufi-infused variant of Islam that took root in the 11th / 12th centuries. They have little in common with the Alawites of Syria, but both names pay homage to Caliph ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, effectively the successor to Muhammed the Prophet (peace be upon him). The beliefs of Alevi are loosely-defined and they are in some ways a cultural rather than a religious identity.

By air
The nearest airport is in Sivas, 180 km or 3 hours away by road. Given its limited flights, you might prefer to fly to Ankara.

By bus
A bus runs nightly from Istanbul (16 hr) via Ankara (8 hr) and Sivas to Divriği, arriving around 08:00 and returning west at 10:30. In 2022 the fare is 600 TL from Istanbul and 400 TL from Ankara. The bus company is Divriği Nazar Turizm - Metroturizm and Flixbus don't run here.

Divriği Özlem Turizm and Divriği Birlik run dolmuş services from Sivas otogar. There's no fixed timetable, they start whenever they have enough passengers. They also ferry customers of the Tourist Doğu Express around the sights.

By train
Doğu Express leaves Ankara daily towards 18:00 and runs overnight via Kayseri and Sivas to Divriği, arriving towards 08:00. It continues east to Erzincan for 10:30 and Erzurum for 14:30 to reach Kars at 18:30. The eastbound train leaves Kars at 08:00, reaching Erzurum at 12:00, Erzincan at 16:00, Divriği at 18:30, Sivas at 22:00, Kayseri towards 02:00 and Ankara at 08.30. There are couchettes and a buffet.

A more expensive "tourist" version of this train runs in winter. It makes long stops for sightseeing eastbound at İliç (for Kemaliye), Erzincan and Erzurum; the westbound train makes long stops at Divriği and Bostankaya (for Sivas). Total travel time Ankara-Kars is 30 hours, and you're tied to the train schedule without flexibility of stopover. The accommodation is in standard sleeping cars, which have been purloined from the conventional train, so the travel experience on those has been degraded.

Regional trains run twice a day from Sivas and from Erzincan, both taking three hours to reach Divriği. So you could have six hours to explore here between those towns.

is 500 m north of town along the main road. Water, snacks, tea and loos but no other facilities.

By car
Divriği is just off the D260. From Sivas (172 km), take the D850 south to join the D260 near Kangal. From Malatya (192 km), follow the D875 north and branch off on the D260 near Arapgir.

Get around
Most sites and amenities are within walking distance of the town centre. The only outlier is Kız Köprüsü ("Maiden's Bridge") 4 km north: look out west as the train from Sivas slows to come into town, you'll see enough of it.

See

 * Kamareddin Türbesi 100 m west of Great Mosque was built in 1196 and is the tomb of Kamar ad-Din.
 * Nurettin Salih Türbesi or Kemankeş Türbesi 150 m southwest of Great Mosque is well preserved but fairly plain. It was built in 1241.
 * is another well-preserved mausoleum. It was built in 1195 for Mengücek ruler Shahshahan, but is named for the 14th century woman who endowed the Great Mosque.
 * ("Upper Church") is the scrappy shell of a 19th century Armenian church north side of town. There are several more in the surrounding countryside, but even worse ruined and in remote spots. So take a good look at this one before deciding on any excursions to find them.
 * Traditional mansions dot the historic core. These include A’yan Ağa Konağı (1838), Hafislioğlu Ebubekir (1850s) and Tevrüzlü Evleri (early 20th century).
 * Traditional mansions dot the historic core. These include A’yan Ağa Konağı (1838), Hafislioğlu Ebubekir (1850s) and Tevrüzlü Evleri (early 20th century).
 * is the other citadel across the river. It's 17th century and well-ruined, you mostly come for the view. There was probably an earlier castle here and local tradition credits the Paulicians, the Armenian Christian sect: kastaghon is Armenian for "little fort".
 * City walls and fortifications survive here and there around the perimeter.
 * ("view terrace") is on a ridge overlooking the town, with a glass-floor balcony hanging over the canyon of the Çaltı River, entrance 5 TL. A plankway follows the clifftop to an observation tower on an even higher ground.
 * ("maiden's bridge") 4 km north of the old town is a 13th-century Mengücek stone bridge with three arches. The railway bridge alongside is also photogenic.
 * ("maiden's bridge") 4 km north of the old town is a 13th-century Mengücek stone bridge with three arches. The railway bridge alongside is also photogenic.

Further out

 * means "Satan's rocks", a group of hoodoos along a valley 18 km north above Maltepe village. The name is supposedly because of the eerie sounds of the night winds here; the moon shadows at full moon are just as creepy. The road to Maltepe is suitable for 2WD.
 * Akdağ is the mountain of 2200 m east of Maltepe. The summit has been a place of pilgrimage. There are old iron ore mines around its foot.
 * (nowadays officially Çiğdemli) is a village 27 km southeast with many old stone multistorey buildings, decrepit in a photogenic way.

Do

 * Turkish baths: the hammam in town centre dates from the 17th century.

Buy

 * Lots of little stores in town centre but no big supermarket.
 * Hüma Hatun Sokağı 200 m west of Great Mosque is the main strip for souvenirs and other local produce.
 * The filling station on D260 at the south edge of town is open 24 hours.

Eat

 * Over a dozen budget eating places line the bazaar.

Drink

 * Some cafes serve beer.

Sleep

 * Otel Ninni in town centre is a very basic hostel.
 * Divriği Otel is next to the Güllüoğlu, similar quality.
 * Divriği Otel is next to the Güllüoğlu, similar quality.
 * Divriği Otel is next to the Güllüoğlu, similar quality.
 * Divriği Otel is next to the Güllüoğlu, similar quality.

Connect
As of Nov 2022, Divriği has a very patchy 4G signal from Türk Telekom and Vodafone, but nothing from Turkcell, and there's nothing on the approach highways.

Go next

 * Kemaliye (known locally as Eğin) is a attractive traditional village to the east. The scenic route there is Taş Yol, "Stone Road", through tight tunnels above the gorge of the Euphrates River.
 * The daily train takes you east to Erzincan, Erzurum and Kars, or west to Sivas and Ankara.

title: Divriği


text:
Dixfield

Dixfield is a town in Oxford County, part of River Valley (Maine) in the Lakes and Mountains region of Maine.

See

 * Dixfield Historical Society & Museum
 * Dixfield Tuscan Opera House
 * Dixfield Moose; Legend of Bullrock

Stay safe
Dixfield Police Department at 236 Main Street.

title: Dixfield


text:
Southern Utah

Southern Utah (often referred to as Utah's Dixie & Red Cliffs) is a region in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Utah, encompassing the counties of Iron and Washington.

Cities and communities

 * — a small city, home to Southern Utah University and near the northwestern section of Zion National Park, as well as Cedar Breaks National Monument
 * — a rapidly growing town along the road to Zion
 * — a nice, albeit overpriced, resort town on Zion's western border
 * — county seat of Washington County, which boasts 2 huge LDS temples; home to Utah Tech University, and has countless outdoor activity opportunities in the surrounding areas
 * — town in Saint George; a historical site with a shopping center
 * , small community, has some parks, has a golf course, has some ponds.

Other destinations

 * — a colossal natural amphitheater of multi-hued rocky cliffs
 * — the largest national forest in the state (1,900,000 acres!) is mostly high altitude evergreen forest, with lots of hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, climbing, and even spelunking possibilities
 * — a pretty state park full of red sandstone bluffs, just northwest of Saint George
 * — one of America's most popular parks is breathtaking and has lots of excellent hikes ranging from very easy to very challenging, but all of them rewarding

Understand
The part of Utah known as Dixie is the southwestern corner of the state. It bears this incongruous name (more commonly associated with the South region of the United States, far to the southeast of Utah) because early settlers were successful in practicing some of the same agriculture as in the southeastern United States. Historically it has been sparsely populated, but the growing popularity of St. George as both a retirement community and a jumping-off point for outdoor recreation is increasing the population rapidly.

Get in

 * St. George Regional Airport ( has flights from Salt Lake City, Denver, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

title: Southern Utah


text:
Dixon (Illinois)

Dixon is called "The Petunia City" but is probably best known as the boyhood home of former US President Ronald Reagan.

title: Dixon (Illinois)


text:
Dixon (California)

Dixon is in Solano County in the Sacramento Valley of California.

By car

 * I-80.svg Dixon is about northeast from San Francisco and  southwest of Sacramento (via Davis  east). Dixon is accessed from Exit 60 (Midway Rd, Lewis Rd) through Exit 67 (Pedrick Rd) of I-80.
 * California 113.svg to California 12.svg 1st St, Rio Dixon Rd goes south from I-80, through town as 1st St and becomes Rio Dixon Rd south of town to its intersection with CA-Hwy 12 later. Going north CA-Hwy 113 runs concurrent on I-80 from Exit 66A to Exit 70 and  north to I-5 in Woodland (exit 537).
 * Pedrick Rd from California 16.svg & I-5.svg. Road 98 goes from Exit 541 of I-5 as CA-16, along the westside of Woodland, to I-80 as Pedrick Rd (exit 67). This roads serves as the most direct route into Dixon from I-5 north/west of Woodland or anywhere further north without into & through Sacramento.

By bus

 * Nearest connection points to Amtrak/Amtrak California and Greyhound are in Davis and in Fairfield. Nearest transfer point for other Solano & FAST Transit buses are in Fairfield and to the Yolo Bus in Davis. Nearest BART station (By car) is the Concord Station, southwest, in Concord (via Concord Ave from Exit 52 of I-680).

By plane
Nearest airport is Sacramento International Airport is north/northeast via CA-Hwy 113 to Woodland and I-5 south towards Sacramento.

Next nearest airport is Oakland International Airport  is south/west on I-80 and 880 to Exit 35 of I-880.

Go next

 * Sacramento- 80 East. About 20 to 40 minutes away, depending on traffic.
 * Rio Vista- 113 South to 12 East. About 30 minutes away.
 * San Francisco- 80 West. About 75 minutes away, depending on traffic.

title: Dixon (California)


text:
Diyarbakır

Diyarbakır (Kurdish and Zaza: Amed; the Turkified form of Diyarbekir is also common in colloquial Kurdish) is the largest city in Southeastern Anatolia. It is on the Tigris, one of the greatest rivers of the Middle East, and is considered by many to be the capital of the Kurdish people.

Understand
Earliest references to the place come from Assyrian records, which mention it as the capital of the Aramean kingdom of Bit-Zamani (ca. 1300 BC). The Romans conquered the city and named it Amida, after the earlier Assyrian name Amid. During the Roman rule, the city walls were built, per the command of the Roman emperor Constantius II. After the Romans, came the Persians, and after them the Muslim Arabs. It was the leader of the Arab Bekr tribe, Bekr Bin Vail, who named the city Diyar Bakr, meaning "the country of Bakr", i.e. Arabs.

After a few centuries, Diyarbakır came under the Ottoman Empire and earned the status of the capital of a large province.

By plane
Turkish Airlines offers daily domestic flights from Istanbul (IST) and Ankara to Diyarbakir (DIY).

The is about from the old quarter.

By rail
There is one overnight train from the capital Ankara, the Guney Kurtalan Express, running five days per week. The train continues eastwards to Batman and the terminus Kurtalan, near Siirt. Journey time from Ankara is just over 20 hours and the train arrives early morning. Main stops along the route are Kayseri, Sivas, and Malatya. The train carries both couchettes, sleeping cars and a dining car. Additionally, there is a twice-daily regional train from Batman. National operator TCDD sells tickets online.

With the construction of high-speed lines over the coming years, journey times are expected to decrease somewhat.

By bus
Many local bus companies offer services from cities all over Turkey, including, among others, Erzurum (6 hours, bargainable down to 35 TL from the standard fare of 50 TL), and Mardin (dolmuş-type service, 2 hours, 9 TL—make sure you have your change back if you have no exact amount). The main bus station is about  away from the city centre, along the highway to Urfa. A taxi to the old quarter should cost around 100 TL (Sep 2022).

When traveling westwards by bus or car be prepared for several ID check ups at military checkpoints.

See

You first stop should be the where you can get a free booklet in English about the history and sights of the city. All main attractions are concentric around this location so it makes for a perfect starting point.

The old city containing many mosques and churches, is a little run down but enclosed in magnificent walls. The city walls are very old and certainly worth a walk around. Some of towers are restored by the municipality and are easy to reach from the center of the old city. One such is, which offers a nice view of Tigris river below the city, and a great look over the city walls—a teahouse offering traditional tea is nearby as well. However, be careful while walking on the walls and do not enter into all of the towers which looks fancy enough, as some of them are home to junkies.

The old city is like a village in the middle of the city with village mentality; goose running around, women having cay in front of their houses and kids shouting to foreigners the few English words they know.

However, walking around in the city center is unique and totally different from other Turkish cities. You'll see people as they live their everyday Kurdish life. If you are lucky, you may even get invited for a tea by a friendly shop owner.

To avoid problems, dress modestly. There is extensive development outside including a pleasant park. It's called and it contains many teahouses and traditional bed-like constructions, where you sink into cushions and drink tea while overlooking the Tigris river below. A little further south on the main road, there is the that crosses the Tigris. It's a popular spot for families and young people to hang out and especially beautiful at night, to drink tea or smoke Nargileh.

The Diyarbakir fortress has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Do
You can go for a walk on the old city wall. Get onto it at the northern gate and walk anticlockwise to Mardin Gate. Great views of the surrounding area and the city and it's free. Single tourists might be conspicuous, however, and should beware of pickpockets. The walls serve as home to drug addicts, criminals and poor children - don't wander alone.

Many tourists only visit the old part of Diyarbakir, but don't miss the new and modern New City. Around Ofis district you find a lot of nice bars and cafès filled with lots of students and young couples. Some bars have live music; ask some locals on the street for suggestions. Don't worry about security issues as this part of the city is filled with policemen.

The most developed segment of the city is the district of Kayapinar. Having the same level of development as the Western Anatolian cities, Kayapinar has several 5-star hotels and tons of cafes/markets. It is significantly safer as well: there is not a strong need for police presence, violent events rarely occur compared to the rest of the city, and it stands out as one of the best places for staying. Still, the same precautions should be taken here as in the rest of Turkey, as pickpocketing is present.

Buy
In the old city you will find many people manufacturing metal tools by hand: sickles, hammers, and other, mostly agricultural implements.

You can also find cheap (around 25 TL) traditional Kurdish trousers, the kind that older men wear every day. Enjoy tea and bargaining sessions with some friendly Bazaar shopkeepers.

You can visit the extremely crowded and regionally renown shopping centers. 4 of them are in Kayapinar (Forum Diyarbakir, Ninova, Ceylan Karavil Diyarbakir, Winstown), and one of them is in Baglar (NCity). Furthermore, Ceylan Karavil is the largest amongst the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia's shopping centers. You can buy anything you want from there and also watch cinemas.

Eat
Grilled lamb liver, ciğer kebabı, is a famous part of Diyarbakır cuisine.

Ekşili etli dolma, meftune, içli köfte are some other "must taste"s.

A mixture of wheat grain, chick-peas, and yoghurt called mehir is purported to be very good for the stomach and is said to help healing stomach problems.

Diyarbakır is very famous for its desserts. Kadayıf, künefe are the two main types of desserts. They are acquired tastes, though, as they are very sweet and contain huge amounts of sugar. Saim Usta is perhaps the best place to have kadayıf in town, while for künefe, you should check out Levent Usta.

Drink
There are many tea gardens in Ofis and along the basalt city walls, where you can meet locals. People in Diyarbakir are very open towards foreigners and you'll have a hard time paying for your own tea.

Sleep
In summer check that your hotel has aircon since Diyarbakir can become very hot! There are quite some budget-midrange hotels on Suleyman Caddesi, close to the wall or at Inönü Caddesi. Check around for good prices.

Stay safe
Due to heavy police presence and several checkpoints enforced by armored police cars throughout the old quarter, it's strongly suggested that you carry your passport at all times and be ready to present it when asked. Carrying a copy might help but given the circumstances you should probably carry the original. Multiple sections might be off limits for reasons that range from heavy construction or remodeling to security problems.

Diyarbakır is rough. At first glance, it seems not to be a very welcoming city, but the opposite is true. However, life in this city is hard for many people. It is not advisable at all to walk alone during the night time, especially in the old quarter. Taking some precautions during the visit is advisable, just common sense. Don't hang around in dark areas; try not to look like the typical tourist, etc.

While walking around the old city, you will see many children playing with toy guns, and, this could sound a little extreme, but they might try shooting you with plastic guns—be careful. Children can also be very annoying here, shouting "Money! Money!" at you and following you around. Not advised to give them money since that reveals the location of your purse and will probably not stop them. Just try to ignore them or try saying "Ayyip!" (shame).

The main shopping road, Gazi Caddesi, in the old quarter also houses two pricey hotels (one of them being the "Green Park"), which might lead you to expect that the area is safe. Be warned! The lower end of the street toward the Mardin Kapı, the Mardin Gate, is pretty dark and can be dangerous at night. Do not become prey to pickpockets who seem to hang around there.

The modern part of Diyarbakir is very much safer.

However, Diyarbakir seems to have recovered from the old times and the police are trying their best to provide a high level of security. So don't let the issues mentioned above scare you off, as the city itself is still a jewel among others in eastern Turkey, offering an amazing and unforgettable charm. Tourist crowds are still tending more to Mardin (1 hr away), so enjoy having the city mostly to yourself.

Go next

 * Hasankeyf — a village to the east, downriver on the Tigris, with lots of medieval Islamic architecture and pleasant vistas.
 * Mardin (10 TL by dolmuş from the otogar), Elazig, and Şanlıurfa are all a day's trip from Diyarbakır.
 * Karacadağ — the forerunner of domesticated wheat originated in the mountains of Karacadağ. Cultivation of wheat in the area dates back to approximately 8,800 BCE. Present-day Karacadağ is home to seasonal nomads. Explore the ancient villages populated by Turkmen and Kurdish tribes.
 * Ergani — In the largest district after the city center of Diyarbakir, you can get to see where the animals were first domesticated as mankind started settled farming at Çayönü, around 40 km north-west of Diyarbakır. The site is hugely important for neolithic research and dates from 7200 to 6600 BC. Also, you can visit Adam's grandson Enos's tomb.
 * Egil — Being home to the Castle of Egil and Egil Peygamber Kabirleri, Egil is renown for its natural beauties and historical heritages.
 * Erbil - The capital of Iraq's largely self-governing Kurdistan region. Several buses leave daily from Diyarbakir's main bus station. Tickets cannot be purchased online without a valid Turkish national ID number, so most travellers will need to go to the bus station in person and buy a ticket there. This can be done the day before departure, as the bus will not be fully booked. Journeys may take up to twelve hours, but the buses are reasonably comfortable, with A/C, plug sockets, and curtains on the windows.

title: Diyarbakır


text:
Dizin

Dizin is a ski resort north of Tehran. The highest ski lift reaches 3,600 m (11,800 ft), making it one of the 40 highest ski resorts in the world. Popular with rich Iranians form north Tehran on the weekend (Thursday and Friday) but during the week it is barely visited. Most people just take the gondola up and ski to the restaurant in the middle of the slope and spend the day showing off their latest gear while sipping tea. It is probably the most liberal public place in Iran but police still occasionally patrol the slopes. However, girls can be seen with a fair amount of hair showing and young couples are openly chatting away.

Get in
From Tehran:
 * Taxi. 300-350,000 rials one-way.
 * Group tour organized by hotel or your travel agent.
 * Minibus (Tel: +9 89126708975) Leaves very early in the morning, around 05:00, and departs from Dizin around 15:00. Price is 100,000 rials return.

There are two ways to reach Dizin from Tehran. The longest and safest way is through Karaj, this road is usually open but it takes about 2.5 hours. The quickest way is directly north passing through the resort of Shemshak. Between Shemshak and Dizin the road is steep and frequent avalanches means this part of the road often is closed. The minibus mentioned above use this way - Unless you are on a day-trip it is strongly advised you take the road through Karaj.

Make sure you check the weather and snow forecast before you leave, especially if you're traveling the direct route.

Get around
The hotel is 20 m from the bottom of the slopes. The parking area is 50 m away with a few shops that rent out ski equipment.

See
You can see Mount Damavand, the highest mountain in Iran, from Dizin. The scenery with the surrounding mountains is spectacular.

Do

Dizin is an excellent place for skiing and snowboarding, with 22 lifts in the area. A day pass costs between 120,000 and 150,000 rials (more on the weekend). A snowboard can be rented for 100,000 per day, but can go as high as 300,000 per day depending on where you rent and quality. Cheaper rentals are available in Shemshak or at the parking lot on the top of Dizin.

Buy
It is possible to rent ski and snowboard equipment at three places: the pro-shop at the hotel which has the newest great and thus much more expensive, the rental places around the parking lot by the hotel and a few small places along the road at the parking lot on the top. The latter is about half the price compared to the ones at the bottom of the slopes. Same applies to rentals in Shemshak.

Ski instructors are available for hire. It is also possible to hire an experienced guide who can take you to other mountains and off-piste skiing.

Eat
During the day there is a SFC (Iranian version of KFC) in the middle of the slope and a snack bar at the top. The latter also serve breakfast.

At night there are only two restaurants (also open for breakfast and lunch); one in Dizin Hotel and another in the other hotel (only restaurant is open).

Sleep
There is also a hotel in Shemshak from where you can catch a ride or a taxi to the top of the slope. Next to Dizin Hotel 1 there is another hotel with the equally creative name Dizin Hotel 2.

Connect
There is no public telephone in Dizin. Irancell mobile network has coverage (early 2009). You may also be able to use the phone in the reception of Hotel Dizin for local calls.

Go next
You can get a taxi from the top of the slope down to Shemshak which is another ski resort 15 minutes away. Shemshak is steeper and very good for experienced skiers.

title: Dizin


text:
Dja Faunal Reserve

Dja Faunal Reserve, in the south-eastern part of Cameroon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Flora and fauna
There are many different animals, including monkeys, in the reserve. However, you probably won’t see them.

Get in
The road is rough and dirt. It might look a short way on the map, but it takes a while. Buses do go to the village just outside the reserve, or you could take a 4x4 vehicle. But, be wary during the rainy season, you could easily get stuck for days.

Fees and permits
You are required to pay a park fee, hire a nature guard (he or she will have a gun), and probably a guide as well. Total should be around 10000 to 15000 CFA for all three.

Get around
You'll have to walk, there are no other transport options in the reserve.

See
Pygmy villages, you could pay to see a traditional dance.

Buy
There isn't much to buy, or many options. The locals may have something for you if asked.

Eat and drink
Best to take your own food if picky. Some of the locals may cook for you if you ask (~3000 CFA).

Sleep
Your two options are camping or staying in the village just outside the reserve.

Stay safe
It's best to go with a guide who knows the area and can advise on all the above. Contact a tour company (e.g. in Yaoundé).

title: Dja Faunal Reserve


text:
Djenné

Djenné is a city in Mali, famous for its mosque, which is the biggest mudbrick building in the world. As of 1987, the city had a population of 12,000. Djenné has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO says on its website that "Djenné became a market centre and an important link in the trans-Saharan gold trade."

Get in
The best day to find transport to Djenné is Monday - market day - when many minibuses and bush taxis make their way to the town. Otherwise you may need to take transport to the Djenné junction on the main Bamako-Mopti road, and wait for further transport to Djenné.

Get around
For traveling short distances walking may be the best method as it allows you to appreciate the scenery and look at the mud based architecture in the city.

When the river is high, you can take a pinasse to nearby Fula villages.

Go next
On Tuesday morning there is a minibus to Bamako leaving at around 7:30 (7500CFA). (It may operate other mornings, too - check.)

Otherwise, for westbound destinations you can get a minibus headed for Sevare and get off at the junction with the main road (2500CFA), where frequent buses run to Sissako and Bamako.

title: Djenné


text:
Djerba

Djerba is an island and a cultural in south Tunisia with beautiful sandy beaches and beautiful, peaceful and silent countryside. One from the best ecological destinations in the world, this island preserves its traditions and its unique architectural theme.

Understand
Djerba is known for its beautiful beaches and dramatic sunsets and therefore a popular tourist destination, particularly with French, German and Italian tourists. It is one of the few remaining places in Tunisia where a Berber language is still spoken. It is the largest island of North Africa with a total population of around 160,000. It is also notable for being home to one of the last remaining Jewish communities in the Arab world.

By bus
Buses between Tunis and south bus station in Houmt Souk's centre ville in Djerba cost DT26.750 and take about 8 hours. The fare includes the ferry ride to the island. Night rides are common and fairly comfortable. As always, on the island, the bus makes several stops - ask and be sure you know where you are getting off!

By plane
Tunisair provides scheduled service from the island to some major European cities, there is also domestic service provided by Tunisair's subsidiary, Tunisair Express, between Djerba and Tunis. A few European charter airlines also fly to the island.

For transport from the airport, taxi seems to be one of the few options. They should however use a meter. A ride to Houmt Souk center costs around DT20.

By train
The train line ends at Gabes, 70 km to the north-west. From there, you must take a bus or louage (shared van) to El Jorf and then a ferry to Djerba (no need to get off the van).

Get around
Public transportation is limited but taxis are available for reasonable prices. Stations de taxis exist in most towns and appear on Google Maps. Drivers are honest and use their meters. Ridesharing apps like Bolt and Uber do not work in Djerba as of early 2024.

It's also possible to rent a bicycle or motorcycle.

By bike
Bicycles are for rent for example in Houmt Souk or the Midoun area. Biking is relatively common and many drivers are accustomed to having bikes and small scooters on the roads. The main roads are clean and of good quality, and outside the towns traffic is quite light. Watch out for the smaller roads which are not always paved. Additionally, only a fraction of the roads is lit at night.

See

Do
Enjoy the sandy beaches. One of the best is at the, near Djerba Explore, which has incredibly clear and blue-green waters. Here you can do water sports, and locals propose camel or horse rides (DT10 for a ride up and down the beach, possible to negotiate, possible to do longer rides). A restaurant on the beach (the only one) serves grilled fish and other dishes for about DT10-15 per person. A ride from Houmt Souk costs about DT10.

Visit Ras R'mel peninsula, rent a bicycle (almost impossible to find) and visit the small villages; enjoy a simple and typical architecture, a silent countryside and beautiful sunsets and sunrises. Eat fresh tasty fish; go to the typical fish market. Do not miss a Turkish bath. Visit the jewelers and admire bedouin silver jewelry.

A great place to watch beautiful sunsets is at the northwest side of the island is Borj Djillidj before turning left to Ajim. The quiet little port and lighthouse hosts the traditional fishermen who still catch octopus with clay pots and come back against sunset with their wins of the day. A most quiet and serene place sure to inspire.

Buy
Textiles, spices, dates, loofahs, traditional clothes, drums and pottery.

In the souks, bargain and don't be afraid to ask for even a quarter of the starting price.

Eat
Eat fresh grilled fish, couscous with fish and lamb meat, try "brik à l'oeuf", Tunisian sandwich (casse-croute tunisien), lablabi (a chick-peas soup), salade mechouia (mixed grilled vegetables), tastira (mixed fried vegetables). Fricasse (sandwich bread fried in oil and topped with various toppings). Gelato and pizzas from the souk. Look for the smaller shops with signs in Arabic, the owners are friendly and will explain what you can get, and the prices are much lower!

Drink
Drink only bottled water; if you feel adventurous, try fresh orange juice, mint tea, Turkish coffee, boukha (local liquor made of figs), celtia (local beer), l'ban (liquid yogurt; try the fresh l'ban from the milkman, rather than the bottled one).

Sleep
There are many hotels are available for all kinds of budgets, including of course deluxe hotels.

Go next
From the bus station of Houmt Souk (gare routière) it is quite easy and cheap to get to the major cities in the mainland.

Various tour agencies offer trips of one to two days into the nearby deserts to the west.

title: Djerba


text:
Djibo

Djibo is in North Burkina Faso. Djibo is pretty dry and dusty, with a lake. The population is predominantly Peul and thus Fulfulde is predominantly spoken and élévage is important. This is the capital of the Soum province. There is a substantial Mossi population with some others sprinkled in (Koroumba, Bella).

Get in
From Ouaga, you can go almost directly north through Kongoussi, which is shorter but unpaved the whole way (STAF), or go through Ouahigouya (Ouaga-OHG is paved, but OHG-Djibo is not) and change busses there (STMB, SOGEBAF). 4000 CFA one way; 7000 CFA round trip.

 * STMB: daily 07:00, 14:30 to OHG, 11:00, 17:30 from OHG. Be sure to ask about their Carte de Fidelité (sort of like frequent flyer programs), which can be obtained in Ouaga or Ouahigouya.
 * STAF: daily 07:00 (to and from Ouaga)
 * SOGEBAF: daily 06:30, 13:30 to OHG, 10:00, 17:00 from OHG. There is a third bus to OHG on Wednesdays that leaves at 17:00. They are consistently very late and undependable.

Do
There are some movie places—a popular one is one block east of the marché

There is a traditional healer not too far from Djibo.

There is a Tuareg camp on the Ouaga road just South of Djibo. They offer camel rides, treks and an overnight Tuareg experience involving camping out under the stars. Ask for Mohammed, the head of the family (he speaks good French)

Buy

 * Marché. Daily, relatively large and in the middle of town. Wednesday is marché day: there is a large animal market, vegetable selection is great, and the town is very crowded. The faux type factor is low.

There are typical boutiques around the town but the largest are:

 * “the drive-thru” – near Hotel Massa — really nice people and a good selection including jam and oatmeal
 * “the one near Meillure Pain Locale” – also really nice people and good selection
 * “the one near the Caisse des Artisans” – also really nice people and good selection
 * Supermarché – not really super, but an interesting variety of things

Restaurants
There are a few kiosques around (notably Kiosque Beldal and Kiosque Soutien) and meat is plentiful. Also:

 * Hotel Massa – A variety of Togolese food. Sometimes you can get salad. The most expensive around.
 * La Causette – Tanti makes good, inexpensive riz-sauce and tô.

Street food and snacks
There are little “benga lady” operations around the marché; typically they offer benga, rice and sauce, and tô. Also:

 * milk products – Peuhl milk keeps yogurt, gappal, and chobbal plentiful in Djibo. The ladies at Kiosque Soutien have good yogurt. Not too far from the market is a place with cold, pasteurized milk and "Benin cheese" that has to be ordered in advance
 * bread – Djibo is home to some of the best bread in Burkina. The standard pain locale is 50 CFA per loaf and is delicious, but Bol d'Or or "Meillure Pain Locale" has a large loaf of fantastic bread at 120 CFA.
 * buur-maasa and other forms of fried dough and potato-like produce are available around the marché
 * Mariam at the Secretariat Publique near SOGEBAF has fantastic yogurt, bisap, and toydo

Drink

 * Hotel Massa – a fonctionnaire hot-spot (if you’re trying to find a particular fonctionnaire, starting here and asking patrons if they’ve seen him/her is a good way to start); a bit more expensive.
 * La Detente – sort of a younger crowd with lots of flirting
 * 215 – great for an afternoon beer, the owner “tink-tink” enjoys Americans
 * Calypso – popular for dancing on Saturday nights

Sleep

 * Auberge de Savanne — This auberge on the road into Djibo from Ouagadougou offers air-conditioned ensuite double rooms for 15000 CFA a night. It is a pleasant location with lots of greenery. Opened in 2007.
 * DPEBA hotel: 1000 CFA (teacher rate), fantastic if it’s available
 * Hotel Massa: 5000 CFA for room with fan and bathroom in hallway, A/C is available but keep in mind that electricity in Djibo cuts off at from 1:00-7:00. Some Volunteers have had a terrible time here.
 * The Auberge: otherwise known as 'the old auberge' — characterless, on the edge of town

Stay safe
See the warning on the Burkina Faso article for information on the security situation.

Connect

 * Post Office, Open M-F 07:30 – 12:00 and 15:00 – 17:00, Saturday 07:30 – 12:00.
 * Internet. A cybercafe is near the Clinique Dentaire and 2 others have opened near the market.

title: Djibo


text:
Djibouti

Djibouti is in the Horn peninsula on the Gulf of Aden. The country can be divided into three regions; the coastal plain and volcanic plateaus in the central and southern parts of the country and the mountain ranges in the north. Much of the country is wasteland with virtually no arable land.

Cities

 * - the capital and by far the largest city

Other destinations

 * — Djibouti's only national park
 * on the Ethiopian border is a desolate, steaming lake surrounded by limestone chimneys and a lunar landscape used as the "Forbidden Zone" in Planet of the Apes.
 * is Africa's lowest point (157 m below sea level) and the saltiest lake outside Antarctica. Its shores are largely salt pans and nearby is Ardoukoba, which last erupted in 1978.

Understand
Djibouti's location near the Suez Route, one of the world's most busiest shipping routes, has made the country important for international trade.

Climate
Djibouti's climate is very hot, humid and arid, especially in the summer. The summer heat is moderated, however, by a sustained breeze in the coastal city of Djibouti. From October to April, the temperature is cooler, with occasional rain. Cyclones from the Indian Ocean create heavy rains and flash flooding.

Tourist information

 * National Tourism Office of Djibouti

Visa requirements
Most nationals can get a visa on arrival for 15,000 DJF or 90 USD (as of November 2018), valid for one month. Transit visas are valid for 10 days and are available on arrival at the airport to nationals of the European Union, Scandinavian countries and the USA for 10,000 Fdj. If you plan to enter by land you have to arrange for visas in advance. Visas can be obtained from neighbouring countries (e.g. embassy in Addis Ababa makes visa within a day). Where no Djibouti embassy exists, they can often be obtained from the French embassy. The types of visas include: Entry (visa de séjour); Tourist (visa de tourisme); Business (visa d’affaires); and Transit (visa de transit). Those travelling on Singaporean passports can get a visa free. It is possible to make e-visa, though there are many reports of rejections and delays without any explanations.

By car
There are roads from Djibouti to Assab (Eritrea) and going west into Ethiopia via Dikhil. Those using them should be aware that road conditions are generally poor and personal security might be at risk when travelling, particularly to Ethiopia. Visitors are advised to check transit regulations as political conditions in Ethiopia and Eritrea are changeable. There are no formal border posts with Eritrea. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for the interior. There is a new highway from Djibouti to Tadjoura. Traffic drives on the right. It is advisable to carry water and petrol on any expedition off main routes. An International Driving Permit is recommended, although not legally required. A temporary licence to drive is available from local authorities on presentation of a valid UK driving licence.

By train
Passenger train services between Ethiopia and Djibouti City were restarted in December 2016. While the line mostly serves as a vital freight link from landlocked Ethiopia to the major port of Djibouti, it also has passenger service. Reportedly passenger trains reach a top speed of and take 12 hours for the more than  long journey from Addis Abeba that used to take three days by road.

By bus
Buses operate from Djibouti to most towns and villages throughout the country. Buses leave when they are full. A minibus service operates in Djibouti, stopping on demand. A fixed-fare system is used.

By boat
There are ferry services connecting Djibouti to Yemen. Djibouti City is one of the main ports of eastern Africa so it's a popular route.

Get around

 * Taxis are available in Djibouti and from the airport to the town, as you exit the airport there is a big billboard displaying expected taxi fares, look for it; also in Ali-Sabieh, Dikhil, Dorale and Arta. Fares can increase by 50% after dark.
 * Bicycling is a great way to get around the small capital.
 * Ferry services sail daily from L'Escale (Djibouti) to Tadjoura and Obock. The journey takes about three hours.

By car
You should avoid driving after dark outside the city of Djibouti. Vehicles do not always have working headlights and there may be livestock on the roads. Extra care must be taken in the occasionally chaotic traffic.

Talk
Although French and Arabic are the official languages, Somali and Afar are widely spoken. English may be spoken at tourist facilities, but is not widely spoken by locals or taxi drivers.

See

 * Lake Abbe is one of the most desolate places on Earth and is dotted with limestone chimneys standing as high of 50 m. It was described as lunar, and Planet of the Apes was filmed here.
 * Lake Abbe is one of the most desolate places on Earth and is dotted with limestone chimneys standing as high of 50 m. It was described as lunar, and Planet of the Apes was filmed here.

Do

 * Scuba diving — Despite the country's arid landscape, off the coast lie several reefs teeming with all sorts of life.
 * Sea kayaking — Sea kayaking allows you to enjoy the Gulf of Tadjoura and Ghoubet Kharrib in an eco-friendly way, with the possibility of observing whale sharks and sea turtles.
 * Whale shark tours — You can also go snorkelling or diving with whale sharks, although the chance of seeing them varies throughout the season (70-80% in Nov-Jan and close to zero during warmer months).

Money
The currency of Djibouti is the Djiboutian franc, denoted by the symbol "Fdj" (ISO currency code: DJF). The Djiboutian franc is pegged to the US dollar. You can convert dollars to francs with local street money changers located in the Djiboutian market area. The street money changers are women who line the street waiting to convert foreign currencies to francs. Whilst generally honest brokers it is still advisable to have yours ready and check the exchange rate in advance. Most of them speak basic English.

Coins in Djibouti come in denominations of 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20-, 50-, 100-, 250 and 500 Djiboutian francs. Banknotes in Djibouti come in denominations of 1,000-, 2,000-, 5,000 and 10,000 Djiboutian francs. There is also a 40 Djiboutian franc banknote, but is worth more as a numismatic piece than as a circulating piece.

Shopping
Khat: A leafy stimulant popular with the locals. It is flown into the country each morning from Ethiopia and arrives by truck in Djibouti's Central Market at about 13:00. It is fairly inexpensive, but quality varies greatly, so shop with caution. Khat may not be taken out of Djibouti through the airport, and is illegal to possess in many other countries.

You can purchase general merchandise and food items at the larger department stores using US dollars. The tourist traps will see you coming a mile away and charge ridiculous conversion rates and tourist prices. If you have access to Camp Lemonnier, go to the disbursement office for the best rate.

Eat
The city of Djibouti has many places to eat, including tourist traps. Western food is often expensive cuisine, with local cuisine being much cheaper. For example, the Ethiopian Community Center offers a wide variety of local, tasty and reasonably priced dishes. Average price per meal outside tourist areas is US$4 including drink.

Stay safe
Natural hazards include earthquakes and droughts. Occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods.

Visitors should be aware of the risk of banditry outside the capital city.

Stay healthy
Health insurance is advisable. Doctors and hospitals may expect immediate cash payment for any medical treatment. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for visitors over one year of age coming from infected areas. Cholera is also a serious risk and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding if these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. Typhoid immunization is usually advised.

Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, exists year round. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. Mefloquine, doxycycline or atovaquone/proguanil are recommended.

The adult HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is over 3% or 1 in 33 adults. Protect yourself.

Tap water is not safe to drink unless it has been boiled or otherwise sterilized.

Respect
Casual wear is widely acceptable, but Djibouti is a Muslim country and certain codes of behaviour should be observed. Shorts are generally not appropriate outside of hotels, beaches or sport activities. While homosexuality is not explicitly criminalized it remains broadly unaccepted, Djibouti is generally considered unsafe for LGBT travelers in all locations.

Connect
There is a 3G phone network in the country that runs on 900MHz. The maximum speed is 7mbps but expect it to be lower. You can get 1GB of data for about US$3. More info can be obtained here

title: Djibouti


text:
Djibouti (city)

Djibouti (جيبوتي) is the capital city of Djibouti and has a population of around 400,000.

Understand
The city was founded in 1888 and was designated the capital of French Somaliland three years later. The city has some beaches along its eastern shore. Today it's mostly notable for its harbour, which accounts for much of the local economic activity.

By train
There are passenger trains from Addis Abeba via Dire Dawa every second day. Journey time for the full trip is about 12 hours. The new trains are comfortable and there is a dining car on board. Tickets are sold at the station and should be bought at least few days beforehand. Additionally, there is a ticket office in central Djibouti.

Get around
Get around by Green TaxiCabs. Some people will tell you to avoid the taxis with the drivers chewing khat, which is a natural, amphetamine-like stimulant. It gives the local Djiboutians and Somalis something called Merran, which is the Somali word for 'energy'.

Taxis cost from 500 Fdj to any amount, depending on distance. For example: Camp Lemonier to the city centre cost 1,500 Fdj. Negotiate and you may get a lower price, but there are better things to do than to argue over 500 Fdj.

See

 * Beaches on the eastern shore.

Stay safe
For taxis, make sure you go with someone who knows the city; otherwise, you will pay way more than you should. Agree on the price in advance, and only enter the taxi once you have agreed.

title: Djibouti (city)


text:
Djougou

Djougou is a city of 268,000 people (2013) in Northern Benin.

Understand
It is located about 380 km from Cotonou, and 40 km from the Togolese border, at the gates of the Atacora massif.

Get in
Djougou is a major hub of transportation and communication. It acts as a crossroads of trade and travel, and is easily accessible during the entire year. There are four major roads that intersect to form the city’s center—the roads to Cotonou, Parakou, Natitingou, and the Ouake/Togolese border.

There are bus connections from Parakou, Natitingou, and Cotonou. The 7-hour trip to Cotonou costs 6,000 CFA, to Natitingou 3,000 CFA and to Parakou also 3,000 CFA.

Get around
A day trip to visit the huge market in the little village Ouaké which is situated directly to the border of Togo. The market is each Tuesday and offers a lot of Beninish and imported goods.

Buy
The grand marché in Djougou is held every 4 days, but the market area is open every day. Djougou hosts the largest market in the area.

Connect
Cell phone communication is very consistent in Djougou, and all major carriers have service in the area pretty much all of the time. Internet communication is also available in the cyber cafes and in some office buildings, although the connection is not always reliable.

title: Djougou


text:
DMZ

A Demilitarized Zone (abbreviated as 'DMZ') is an area of reduced military presence that lies on the border between two states, usually agreed to in the aftermath of an armed conflict where a complete peaceful resolution has not yet been reached. The reduced military presence within a DMZ is intended to reduce the likelihood of an accidental or intentional armed confrontation.

Active Demilitarized Zones
There are several notable Demilitarized Zones around the world:

 * The Korean Demilitarized Zone along the complete border separating North and South Korea. The 'peace village' of Panmunjeom straddles the border line and is controlled by both sides.
 * The Green Line on Cyprus dividing both the capital Nicosia and the northern part of the island (known as Northern Cyprus) from the south.

Former Demilitarized Zones
There are also many former DMZ zones that are no longer active but are of historical interest:

 * The former DMZ (Vietnam) was the border area between North Vietnam and South Vietnam before reunification.

title: DMZ


text:
DMZ (Vietnam)

Vietnam's Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, is the area around the former border between North and South Vietnam. Historically it was a narrow band of terrain extending from Laos to the coast, five km on either side of the Ben Hai River, roughly on the 17th parallel, north latitude.

The area saw heavy fighting in the war, and ruins of old American military bases still exist. Even if you're not interested in the history, the area has some spectacular mountain scenery and rugged jungles.

Understand
While the actual border was marked by the Ben Hai river, most historical sights (i.e., American bases) are along Highway 9, which runs parallel to the river several km to the south. This road runs to the Lao border and continues onward.

Get in
The area's only major city is Dong Ha, on the coast. It's on Hwy 1, and easily accessible from Hue and Da Nang.

Tours can be arranged from Dong Ha by DMZ Tours (located along Le Duan street) for around US$15-17. This tour will pick you up on the bus coming from Hue, and go to the tunnels, Dakrong bridge, rockpile, and Khe Sanh. Does not include Camp Carol, Con Tien, or food/water, but is a pleasant ride with a spirited guide (some propaganda).

Lots of travel agents in Hue offer convenient day trips by bus. They are cheap at US$10-15 per person, but be forewarned that you will have to get up very early, as the tours usually start at 06:00. Expect to return to Hue between 18:00-19:00. You will also be herded back on to the bus to continue to the next stop, only to find yourself waiting for some stragglers. It can get crowded in the Vinh Moc Tunnels if your bus group is large.

You can go by car, which can be expensive, but if it's raining, which it often is, you'll be glad you did. Also, private tours can take you to some places where the big buses and large groups don't.

Tours by motorbike can be arranged, but unless you are a diehard such is likely very tiring as distances for a round trip can be as high as 300 km. If you want a motorbike tour, it may be better to spend a night in Dong Ha and make arrangements there.

Booking through a hotel will probably cost more due to commission.

Get around
Unless you have your own transportation, you'll need to hire a taxi or take a guided tour to see the sights. Some local tour operators offer motorcycle trips along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

See

Arranged in order from east (Vietnamese coast) to west (Lao border):

Buy
Though you'll probably encounter vendors selling GI dogtags, lighters, and other paraphernalia, you can be sure that none of them are genuine.

Quang Tri is famous for pepper bean and Arabica coffee, and can be purchased in Dong Ha Market, next to the Dong Ha bridge, on Hwy 1.

Go next
You can either move to discover Phong Nha-Ke Bang or enjoy your next days in Hue city. Other than that, you can take a bus and get to Laos from Dong Ha City.

title: DMZ (Vietnam)


text:
Dnipro

Dnipro (Ukrainian: Дніпро, also transliterated Dnepr from Russian: Днепр), until May 2016 known as Dnipropetrovsk (Ukrainian: Дніпропетро́вськ) or Dnepropetrovsk (Russian: Днепропетровск), is a major industrial city in Eastern Ukraine. It is named after the Dnieper River (known in Ukraine as the Dnipro River) than runs through it. You may find some interesting and useful information about Dnipro on unofficial website.

Understand
Dnipro is an industrial centre of Ukraine that was a hub for the Soviet military industry. As such, no foreigners were allowed to visit without official permission until the 1990s. As an industrial centre still, it suffers from heavy pollution issues, but is generally well maintained and provides an interesting insight into real working life in Ukraine. Like other Ukrainian cities, the choice of name has assumed political connotations since the Russian invasion of Ukraine; most Westerners use the official name "Dnipro", but Russian media and supporters of Russia still use the Soviet-era name "Dnepropetrovsk".

History
Immediately after its foundation Dnipro, or as it was then known Yekaterinoslav (Russian: Екатериносла́в, named after Catherine the Great), began to develop exclusively on the right bank of the Dnieper River. At first the city developed radially from the central point provided by the Transfiguration Cathedral. Neo-classical structures of brick and stone construction were preferred and the city began to take on the appearance of a typical European city of the era. Of these buildings many have been retained in the city's older Zhovtnevy Raion (district). Amongst the most important buildings of this era are the Transfiguration Cathedral, and a number of buildings in the area surrounding Dmytra Yavornytskoho Prospekt. Over the next few decades, until the October Revolution in 1917 the city did not change much in appearance and the predominant architectural style remained that of neo-classicism. Notable buildings built in the era preceding the Bolshevik's rise to power and the establishment of communist Ukraine and later its absorption into the Soviet Union, include the main building of the National Mining University, which was built in 1899–1901, the art-nouveau inspired building of the city's former Duma, the Dnipro National Historical Museum, and the Mechnikov Regional Hospital. Other buildings of the era that did not fit the typical architectural style of the time in Dnipro include, the Ukrainian-influenced Grand Hotel Ukraine, the Russian revivalist style railway station (since reconstructed), and the art-nouveau Astoriya building on Dmytra Yavornytskoho Prospekt.

Stalinist architecture (monumental Soviet classicism) dominates in the city centre. Once the Bolsheviks had taken power in Dnipro the city was gradually purged of tsarist-era monuments and monumental architecture was stripped of Imperial coats of arms and other non-socialist symbols. In 1917, a monument to Catherine the Great that stood in front of the Mining Institute was replaced with one of Russian academic Mikhail Lomonosov. Later, due to damage from the Second World War, a number of large buildings were reconstructed. The main railway station, for example, was stripped of its Russian-revival ornamentation and redesigned in the style of Stalinist social-realism, whilst the Grand Hotel Ukraine survived the war but was later simplified much in design, with its roof being reconstructed in a typical French mansard style as opposed to the ornamental Ukrainian baroque of the pre-war era. Other badly damaged buildings were, more often than not, demolished completely and replaced with new structures. This is one of the main reasons why much of Dnipro central avenue, Dmytra Yavornytskoho Prospekt, is designed in the style of Stalinist Social Realism. Many pre-revolution buildings were also reconstructed to suit new purposes. For example, the Emperor Nicholas II Commercial Institute in Dnipro was reconstructed to serve as the administrative centre for the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a function it fulfils to this day. Other buildings, such as the Potemkin Palace were given over to the proletariat, in this case as the students' union of the Dnipro National University. - Stalinist architecture blends with the post-modernism of Dnipro's 'Passage' shopping and entertainment centre.

After the 1950s, the industrialisation of Dnipro became even more profound, with the Southern (Yuzhne) Missile and Rocket factory being set up in the city. However, this was not the only development and many other factories, especially metallurgical and heavy-manufacturing plants, were set up in the city. At this point Dnipro became one of the most important manufacturing cities in the Soviet Union, producing many goods from small articles like screws and vacuum cleaners to aircraft engine pieces and ballistic missiles. As a result of all this industrialisation the city's inner suburbs became increasingly polluted and were gradually given over to large, unsightly industrial enterprises. At the same time the extensive development of the city's left bank and western suburbs as new residential areas began. The low-rise tenant houses of the Khrushchev era (Khrushchyovkas) gave way to the construction of high-rise prefabricated apartment blocks (similar to German Plattenbaus). In 1976 in line with the city's 1926 renaming a large monumental statue of Grigoriy Petrovsky was placed on the square in front of the city's station. To this day the city is characterised by its mix of architectural styles, with much of the city's centre consisting of pre-revolutionary buildings in a variety of styles, stalinist buildings and constructivist architecture, whilst residential districts are, more often than not, made up of aesthetically simple, technically outdated mid-rise and high-rise housing stock from the Soviet era. Despite this, the city does have a large number of 'private sectors' were the tradition of building and maintaining individual detached housing has continued to this day. Since the independence of Ukraine in 1991 and the economic development that followed, a number of large commercial and business centres have been built in the city's outskirts.

After the Euromaidan Revolution of 2014, the new post-Euromaidan government passed a de-communization law in 2015 that made the display of communist symbols illegal. Accordingly, the city was re-named to Dnipro to remove references to Grigoriy Petrovsky, who was a communist, and the statue of Grigoriy Petrovsky was demolished.

Geography
The city is built mainly upon the both banks of the Dnieper, at its confluence with the Samara River. The area the city is built on is mainly devoid of hills and other geographical features. Being mainly flat, the land is easy to use, which explains why the city has been able to grow to such a great extent over the past 200 years. Whilst most residential, commercial, and industrial districts of the city are along the less marshy south bank of the river, some residential, commercial, and industrial areas have developed on the previously less-hospitable northern bank. Subdivisions: Amur-Nyzhnodniprovskyi, Shevchenkivskyi Sobornyi, Industrialnyi, Tsentralnyi, Chechelivskyi, Novokodatskyi, Samarskyi.

Climate
During the summer, Dnipro is very warm (average day temperature in July is 24 to 28 °C (75 to 82 °F), even hot sometimes 32 to 36 °C (90 to 97 °F). Temperatures as high as 36 °C (97 °F) have been recorded in May. Winter is not so cold (average day temperature in January is −4 to 0 °C (25 to 32 °F) but when there is no snow and the wind blows hard, it feels extremely cold. A mix of snow and rain happens usually in December. The best time for visiting the city is in late spring — late April and May and early in autumn: September and October, when the city's trees turn yellow. Other times are mainly dry with a few showers.

By boat
There are reports about ferries that go down the Dnieper from Kyiv.

By public transport
Dnipro has a convenient public transport system:

Single ride tickets in buses cost 15 грн, in trams, trolleybuses and metro — 8 грн.
 * 92 bus routes
 * 11 tram routes
 * 20 trolleybus routes
 * 1 metro line

Schedules are available on the official website (in Ukrainian) and on the map.

You can also check information about public transport on EasyWay and Google Maps.

By taxi
Taxi is the easiest way of getting around the city. Some popular taxi companies include:

By scooter
Kick scooter is a funny way to shorten your time while getting around the city.

By car (rental)
It is possible to take car via car sharing company Getmancar.

Novomoskovsk
Novomoskovsk (Новомосковськ, Новомосковск), 27 km northeast from Dnipro, has these sights:

Eat
Borscht, cutlet po Kyiv, and cutlet po domashnyomu, olivier (mayonnaise salad) and plove for a good rice dish.

For a quick meal get a schwarma, there is a great place in the city center.

Drink
Though there are few quality drinking spots, some do exist. The best would be Reporter on Prospekt Dmytra Yavornytskoho - a couple blocks past the town square. The second would be Master Schmidt, which has some live music and is a bit more alternative (on Schmidt Street about 3 or 4 blocks up from Prospekt Dmytra Yavornytskoho). For more of a club scene there is Labyrinth and Berlin (inquire locally for the exact location). And if you choose to be really adventurous, you can attempt a Metro Party - getting off at each of the 5 metro stops and drinking a drink. Lastly, for more of a local scene you can simply have a drink on the street-- by the river which is a quite nice walk or just in the city center. This is the custom known as drinking "na lavochke".

Sleep
There are a nice amount of hotels around the city. It's also possible to rent an apartment.

Budget

 * Hotel Dinamo

Mid-range

 * Hotel Dnipropetrovsk. Along the embankment and close to the city center, address 33 Naberezhna. Rooms "economy-class" on the 6th floor in 1970ss style, and all furniture not maintained, looks very old and ugly.

Stay safe
Be wary of groups of drunken people roaming around. Be careful drinking on the street at night because although the number has decreased since the 1990s, Gopniks still exist in Dnipro. They are people that enjoy drinking and fighting and little else and will not hesitate to fight you.

Go next

 * Kamianske - a major industrial center near Dnipro.
 * Gulyaypole - the city during the Civil War, the former biggest village in Ukraine (by population) and the capital of Makhnovshchina.
 * Henichesk is a popular resort at Azov Sea
 * Nikopol
 * Mariupol, 200 km to the southeast, is a climatic and mud resort and part of the Pryazovia area.
 * Zaporizhzhia, 60 km to the southeast, is the center of Zaporizhzhia region, part of the Dnieper Ukraine area.

title: Dnipro


text:
Doab

Doab is the region in India between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in the western and southwestern parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Cities

 * — tourist capital of India, home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Taj Mahal

 * — famous for its locks and Aligarh Muslim University

 * — Barsana is where Radha, the eternal consort of Krishna, is said to have lived

 * —

 * — abandoned but well-preserved town that was once the capital of the Mughal Empire and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site

 * — industrial city just east of Delhi

 * — ancient town of Mahabharata fame, with Jain shrines

 * — the Ceramics City

 * — village close to Delhi

 * — known as the birthplace of Lord Krishna

 * — famous for sport equipments like cricket bats, sweets like nankhatai and gazak, for being the starting point of the 1857 rebellion against British colonial rule, it is a large ancient city close to Delhi.

 * — satellite city of Delhi

 * —

 * — a university city

 * —

 * — holy city of Krishna's childhood, ISKCON (Hare Krishna) temples and windows

Other destinations

 * — A project for wildlife preservation

By plane
The commercial airports in the region include:
 * Agra Airport, Agra
 * Bareilly Airport, Bareilly
 * Hindon Airport, Ghaziabad

title: Doab


text:
Doaba

Doaba is in the state of Punjab, India. It is an area that lies between the Beas River and the Satluj River and it consists of the districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr.

Cities

 * — trade town between the hills and plains

 * — a city and industrial center

 * — a small city famous for Rail Coach Factory

 * — a city with an ancient history

 * — historic market town

 * — significant site in Sikhism

title: Doaba


text:
Dobbs Ferry

Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County in the state of New York in the United States of America.

By plane

 * Westchester County Airport, 240 Airport Rd, White Plains, +1 914 995-4860 (airlines). The closest airport, about 30 minutes drive. Rental cars are available.
 * Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, +1 845 564-2100. Another alternative to the congestion of the 3 major airports. Allegiant Air, American Eagle, and JetBlue operate flights from Florida and Philadelphia (Mar 2021).
 * Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport: The three major international airports in the New York City area offer service from 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 bicycle

 * The South County Trailway, a major north-south bicycle route, and the Old Croton Aqueduct trail, provide easy bicycle access to Dobbs Ferry. In addition, Route 9 (Broadway) has substantial recreational and commuting distance riders.

By car

 * From the West, take I-87S/I-287E Across the Tappan Zee Bridge. Take Exit 9 (Tarrytown) just past the bridge, and turn left onto US-9 South.  Stay on US-9 South (aka Broadway) for about 3 miles, and until Broadway jags right.  Follow Broadway right, and you will have easy access to most of Dobbs Ferry just past the turn.

By train

 * Metro-North Railroad - Hudson line, (in green on map). Express service to Dobbs Ferry station from New York City's Grand Central Terminal is about 35 minutes. Local rail service is available from other Metro-North commuter stations. Taxis are usually available at the arrival of trains from New York City. On all Metro-North trains on-board fares are subject to a stiff surcharge, so buy your tickets at the station or at the vending machines.
 * Amtrak. Long distance connections are available in New York City's Penn Station and at Metro-North's Croton-Harmon station.

By bus

 * Bee Line System. Westchester County's bus service provides access to White Plains and other locations in the county. Schedules and route maps are available on-line and at the Dobbs Ferry train station.

Get around
Best to park or take the train here and walk around the waterfront and historic downtown on foot. You can also travel very quickly to or through town on Broadway, the same Broadway that goes all the way to the southern tip of Manhattan.

See
The village offers gorgeous views of the Hudson River from various viewpoints downtown and up in the hills, including the edge of the New Jersey Palisades. The waterfront is a wide expanse of grass, barbecue pits and a playground for relaxing and enjoying the sun. You can see the tall skyscrapers of Manhattan from the water's edge. There are lots of cute shops downtown for window shopping or actual purchasing. Walk the Croton Aqueduct trail for spying on gorgeous homes and estates of all times and architecture.

Drink
There are no places in Dobbs that are just a bar. There are several pubs where the action in this small Hudson villages gets a little livelier than average.

Stay safe
Dial 911 from any telephone for emergency police, medical, and fire services. Dobbs Ferry is a small village that typically does not experience crime other than the occasional littering.

title: Dobbs Ferry