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Útila

Útila is the smallest of the three major islands in the Bay Islands group in the west Caribbean Sea off the northern coast of Honduras. It's a very popular destination for those on a budget to get their PADI certifications, or do fun dives, and party. It's a great place to dive but there's little other reason to go.

Get in
Getting to Útila is a relatively simple process from many gateway cities. Direct flights to both San Pedro Sula and Roatan are now available from Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Toronto.

From either Roatan or San Pedro Sula a simple Honduran airline flight (with SOSA or Charter) gets you to Útila.

By land, take a bus to La Ceiba where you can catch a ferry for the hour's journey. The Utila Dream departs La Ceiba at 09:00 and 16:30 (07:00, 08:00 and 15:20 from Utila). As of December 2023, the fare is L800.

Transport directly from Utila to Roatan or vice-versa is occasionally available by several different small boat operators on the islands. Ask around as service is not regularly scheduled and boats will generally not leave unless they have enough people on both islands to make the journey viable. The price is about US$55 one-way, about the same as the long way on the ferry.

Avianca, Delta, American and United all operate services to Honduras.

Get around
The main town in Utila is fairly small and everywhere can be walked to fairly easily. Tuk-Tuks are available on the main road at all times and will go anywhere for US$1-$3. Bikes, scooters, motorcycles and ATVs can be rented at several locations in town, although rates are quite high.

Understand
As a former British colony, and a heavy tourist and expat destination, English is spoken widely and almost ubiquitously on the island.

In the water
Útila is consistently ranked among the best diving destinations in the Caribbean. Útila certifies more new divers than any other location in the Caribbean and arguably around the world. Historically, diving on Útila has been startlingly inexpensive, hence its reputation as a backpacker resort. Moreover, Útila is legendary for its macro creatures (e.g. sting rays, occasional whale sharks). Útila rewards the diver that perfects their buoyancy and is willing to slow down and spend time to find the hidden little creatures of the reef.

While Útila is not known for its beaches, there is some excellent snorkeling available right offshore - especially towards the Blue Bayou area. It is possible to snorkel either form the few small beaches, or with most of the dive boats. Snorkel equipment can be hired for $5-$15 USD.

Útila also has fantastic waters for kayaking and stand up paddleboarding. The island is split east/west by a canal that you can kayak through; kayaks can be rented from Coral View Hotel near the southern canal entrance or from several dive shops. Guided kayaking trips (see Kayak Útila ) to the North Shore through the Mangrove Channel and down to the Cays are a great option to safely explore these waters as well.

On the land
There are a variety of things to see that you can make a day of hiking to (ask around for directions). A crashed drug runner airplane in the jungle north of the airport is an interesting sight. Freshwater caves on the eastern shore can make for good swimming or exploring, but be very careful if you plan to go deep into them as people have become lost and died inside: take 2 waterproof torches (flashlights). The view from the top of pumpkin hill is not to be missed. Similarly panoramic is the view from the top of the water tower.

Do

 * Diving - Útila has the cheapest Open Water courses in the Caribbean, the price is US$225-$300 for PADI Open Water, Advanced Open Water, or Rescue Course. Typically this also includes a basic hostel room during the course, and a couple of fun dives after completion. Shop around as each offers its own unique atmosphere, and some are definitely better than others.
 * Paddling -Útila's waters are fabulous for kayaking and Stand up Paddleboarding. For kayaking, you can either rent a kayak at various spots or hook up with a marine naturalist guided tour with Kayak Útila. . Stand up Paddleboards (SUPs) are available through Paddle Útila .
 * Partying - There is a very strong nightlife on Útila with a party happening somewhere almost every night, especially during high season. There is an unofficial understanding between the major bars of the island as to where people will go each night. Generally after 1AM only one bar is still going, and it typically stays open until 4 or 5AM. Ask around and you should have no trouble finding out where the place to be is that night. Or just follow the music.
 * SunJam  - Early in August every year Útila hosts the largest electronic music party in Central America. DJs from around the world, and the event draws a crowd of over a thousand from all over Central America. The entire week leading up to SunJam there are pre-parties and the island is crowded and buzzing with excitement. Note that it can be very hard to find a place to stay during this week. For more information about SunJam visit Parrots Dive Centre , whose owner is one of the main organizers.

Scuba diving facilities

When you get to the island, you'll be given flyers for several dive shops. Before signing up for a diving course, you should visit some of the shops to meet the instructors and see the facilities yourself, because the shops are very similar on paper. You can drop your bags and one of the shops while you shop around. Many of the shops will give you a free night in the dorms if you just check out their shop (e.g. Útila Dive Centre did this as of August 2012). The island is small and it's an efficient market -- the prices are very similar between the dive shops. The quality of the instruction is also going to very similar, since they're (almost) all teaching the same PADI course. Most shops will also be able to give you instruction in English, Spanish, and other languages -- just ask to speak to the instructor when you stop by.

Each shop will emphasize some specific aspect of their facility (e.g. "we have the best parties!", "we're the best place for instructors to train to be diving instructors!", "we're locally owned!", etc.), but they are essentially all equally good facilities and instructors (enforced by PADI). You should just try to find the best fit for your personality.

 * Courses are available at least in English and Spanish.
 * The logo appears similar to the brand of rum, but there is apparently no endorsement from the alcohol company.
 * In 2011 and 2010 the Útila Dive Centre was awarded #1 PADI Instructor training facility in the Americas by international training agency PADI.
 * Courses are available in English, French, Spanish, Dutch and German.
 * Courses come with free accommodation.
 * PADI scuba dive courses from the Beginner to Professional Level
 * Instructor Development Course (IDC) begin each month
 * Courses are available in English, French, Spanish, Dutch and German.
 * Courses come with free accommodation.
 * PADI scuba dive courses from the Beginner to Professional Level
 * Instructor Development Course (IDC) begin each month
 * Instructor Development Course (IDC) begin each month

Buy
One needs to understand that islands are isolated. Goods do not arrive every day, so not everything will be available all the time. The ATMs sometimes run out of money, produce not grown locally is often only available for a couple days after it has arrived, etc.

Credit cards are accepted at most places but discouraged, as there is a very high transaction fee (8-10%). Traveller's cheques can be cashed at Henderson's just west of the ferry dock, and are taken by most dive shops. The easiest way to get money is from an ATM (there are 2, on the Plus and Cirrus networks) or by going into the bank. Queues can be long at the bank but the ATMs run out of money fairly regularly. Also the maximum withdrawal is L4000 (a little over US$200) but if you go into the bank there is no limit to how much you can take out at once. Make sure not to run completely out of money before making another trip to the bank or you might find yourself looking for someone to lend you some money for a day.

US dollars are widely accepted, with change given in Honduran lempiras. Many vendors will refuse torn or ripped bills, as well as denominations over $20.

Scuba diving and snorkeling equipment is available for sale from the Diveshack Útila, located on the corner of the crossroads in the main town, and where the ferry leaves/departs. There is a good range of scuba diving and snorkeling equipment at reasonable prices.

Funkytown Library (located at the main road at the Reef Cinema) offers a wide range of great books for sale, exchange and rent. Another book exchange is at Bundu cafe.

Groceries: There are many small grocery stores and corner stores to buy food for cooking. Almost all the hotels have shared public kitchens. Bush's is the largest grocery store, similar to a North American supermarket, but is considerably more expensive than everywhere else.

Eat
The island has a wide variety of fruit, seafood meals, pasta, vegetarian and breakfast fitting for a king with fresh coffee. Many establishments offer a discount for larger groups, so be sure to round up a posse at your hostel before you go out to eat.

 * Check the Bundu Cafe daily for their specials which are always changing and never disappoint. Also a great place to enjoy a margarita.
 * Not to be missed is RJ's located across from Alton's Dive Center furthest east from the ferry dock. The BBQ is great with mostly fresh seafood and the "Ruminade"(home-made lemonade with local rum) is just what you need after a long day of diving. Only open Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
 * Great for people watching and with very reasonable prices, you can't go wrong at Munchies. Their long hours mean you're likely to still get a meal there after everywhere else has closed.
 * If you want to splurge, try the Mango Inn. Beautiful surroundings, excellent liquor selection, and a giant wood burning stove that ensures some of the best pizza on the island.
 * Mainstreet Lounge (formerly Dave's) has a small menu but everything on it is fantastic and fairly priced..

Finally, no trip to Honduras is complete without eating a few baleadas. They're cheap and everywhere; street vendors dot the island. Ask others as not all baleadas are created equal.

Drink

 * There is no shortfall in entertainment with the consistent danceable music of Coco Locos, the bar on a dock.
 * Enjoy the psychodelic and open-air feel of Treetanic, perched up in a tree straight ahead from the ferry dock. The owner has spent over a decade and a half perfecting this work of art. Not to be missed.
 * Every Tuesday is ladies night at La Pirata. Women drink free for most of the night and things often get wild. This bar also has an amazing view of the sunset and offers drink specials during that time.
 * If you want to dance the night away, it is the Bar in the Bush on Wednesdays and Fridays.
 * Local divers can be found recounting stories of Whale Sharks at Tranquilla, on the water beside Colo Loco. A popular place to watch the sun set.
 * Bundu Café offers free movie nights and live music Jam on Thursdays.
 * Skid Row is popular with ex-pats. Also one of the only places you can get Guifiti (Honduran moonshine).

Sleep
Places to stay are plenty, and range from about US$5 to more than $60 for modern rooms with hot water in low season. Accommodation is usually provided free with dive courses, some dive shops will give you a dorm for fun dives.

Stay safe
Útila is much safer than the mainland, with very little violence and virtually no murders. Theft most commonly occurs as late-night snatch and runs from intoxicated people being careless, or occasional break-ins if you forget to lock your door. Most hostels employ night watchmen.

There is a big problem with cards that are used in the ATMs on the island being cloned. A safer way to get money is to go in to the bank with your cash card and your passport.

The biggest concern in Útila are the sand flies, which are worst at dawn and dusk or when there is no breeze. Mosquitoes are around but not nearly as bad as the sand flies. The best way to avoid these, unsurprisingly, is to avoid the sand. At most of the dive shops, you access the water and boats via a dock, not a beach. Aside from avoiding the beach, you may be able to avoid the flies by doing the following:
 * Wearing full length trousers, and tucking them into your socks. This may work, but you'll look look ridiculous and you'll roast in the heat.
 * Applying a layer of oil to your body (e.g. coconut oil, baby oil, suntan oil). Oils work only if applied heavy enough to drown the insects before they can bite. Several shops on the island sell a local (made on Roatan), organic and environmentally friendly (so as to not damage the coral) oil repellent; a small bottle is around L15. This may work for some, but then you're covering in oil.

Traffic is also something to be aware of as roads are narrow and some people drive too fast. Just because you're a pedestrian doesn't necessarily mean they will give you the right of way.

Use caution buying a bicycle from strangers on the street. It is a small island and if the one you bought was stolen, the owner will see you riding it and confront you.

Connect
Internet costs L30-50 (US$1.50-$2.50) per hour. There are several internet cafes, such as Annie's (near to where you get off the ferry) and Mermaids (east of the ferry dock and just before the cinema). Lots of dive shops and restaurants have free Wi-Fi, and some dive shops have a computer that guests can use. Personal wi-fi, such as those from business and dive shops tend to be a bit slow but reliable. Internet cafes have the fastest connections.

The postal service is reliable, and among the best in Central America, but slow. Mail is usually sent general delivery but can also be addressed c/o any of the dive shops. To pick up a parcel or letter the recipient must present their passport at the post office, located at the ferry dock. Address mail to: Útila, Bay Islands, 34201, Honduras, Central America.

title: Útila


text:
Uto

Uto (宇土) is a city in Kumamoto (prefecture) on the island of Kyushu, Japan.

Understand
The city has some 40,000 inhabitants on 75 km².

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with basic navigation in English.

Get in
Uto is a stop on the JR Kagoshima Line.

By train
From Hakata station in Fukuoka, take the Relay Tsubame or Ariake limited express train to Kumamoto and transfer to the Kagoshima line local train for the run to Uto (1 hour 40 minutes, ¥4090). Local trains from Fukuoka take about 2½ hours at a cost of ¥2420 (at least one change of trains is required).

Do
The Uto Jizo Festival is held yearly on 23-24 August.

Eat
There are some famous and delicious foods in Uto city.
 * Utomochi (うと餅) and Kosodemochi (小袖餅): Small rice cake with red bean paste inside. Two shops near the station sell them with different tradenames. Around \300 per pack.

Go next

 * Uki
 * Jonan
 * Kumamoto
 * Hikawa
 * Kosa
 * Yatsushiro
 * Kamiamakusa
 * Amakusa
 * Kashima

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

title: Uto


text:
Utrecht

Utrecht is a central Dutch city with a long history. With 362,000 inhabitants (2022), it’s the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. Utrecht is known as a student city with a large population of single young people. This results in a booming nightlife with many places to have a quick meal, some drinks or a dance.

Understand
The history of the city goes back to 47 AD when the Roman emperor Claudius ordered his general Corbulo to build a defensive line along the river Rhine which was the northern most border of the empire. One of the strongholds (or Castella) along the river was built at a crossing in the river and was called Traiectum (which means crossing place). In the local language this became Trecht, Uut-Trecht (lower-Trecht) and later Utrecht. On the place where once the castellum stood now stands the Domchurch built in the 13th century.

By train

Coming from Germany with the Deutschland-Ticket, take the RE19 e.g. from Düsseldorf/Duisburg to Arnhem. And then an InterCity (every 15 min) for €7-12 to Utrecht

The train station is at the western edge of the old city. A 5-minute walk through the Hoog Catharijne shopping center (follow signs to “Centrum”) will take you from the station to the city or the bus station.

By bus
The bus station is next to the train station. International buses depart from the western side of the train station ('Jaarbeurszijde'), exit the railway station on the correct side and turn right to find the busstop next to the NH-Hotel. Flixbus has several lines to Utrecht connecting directly with many European Countries. The international buses to Belgium and Germany are often a cost effective alternative to the trains with longer (Germany) or similar (Belgium) travel duration. The regional and city buses depart from separate stations on the east and west side of the train station. The regional buses are much slower than the trains. For information about the city buses, check the U-OV website, this is the company that provides public transport services in and around the city of Utrecht. Buses to the smaller towns around Utrecht are run by BBA, Arriva and Connexxion. Time schedules for train and bus can be found here.

By car
If you are coming in by car, park your car in one of the many parking garages around the city (follow the signs) and walk from there. Electronic signs display the number of parking spaces available in any given lot as well as directions to the lot, and if the sign says Vol it means the lot is full. Expect to pay around €3 to €5 per hour (as of Aug 2019) at any of the garages in the center. Parking on the curb side is also possible, expect to pay €3 to €5 an hour in advance at the meter (as of Aug 2019). Parking fines are around €70 and frequently enforced, so make sure to get back to your car before the ticket expires. It’s best to avoid driving into central Utrecht. Instead, leave your car at the city perimeter and take a bus or tram into the center.

There are 4 Park + Ride (P+R) around the city where you can park your car for the day at a flat rate of €5 (as of Aug 2019), including transit to the city center by bus or tram for up to 5 passengers. Both bus and trams offer comparable frequency of service. Two P+R facilities are adjacent to tram lines:

Get around
Walking or using a bike is the easiest way to travel in the city of Utrecht. To use the public transportation in the Netherlands, it is recommended to buy an OV-chipkaart. You can buy these on the central bus station (lower level of Utrecht Centraal Station), at kiosks inside the central train station or at some book stores and grocery stores. The OV-chipkaart is valid for bus, train and tram and works like a debit card that you must first charge with an amount. Buses do take cash though.

By bike
Using a bike is the easiest way to travel in the city centre if the weather is on your side. There are many bicycle shops near the train station where you can rent bikes. Alternatively, if you have a personal OV-chipkaart you can rent an OV-Fiets for €3.85 per 24 hours at one of the rail stations, you have to subscribe to the service for 1 eurocent a year on the NS website first though. Do make sure that you have good locks on your bike, as bike thefts are unfortunately quite common in the city centre. Also it's a good idea to make use of the free bike parking areas provided by the city council. They are usually guarded and are a safe place to park your bike.

Also recommended is to do a bike tour. There are several bike tour companies offering guided city tours. There are also cycle routes starting in the centre of Utrecht, which you can download for free: Utrecht Forts Cycle Route.

By bus
A good alternative is taking the bus, which goes often and will take you nearly everywhere. Utrecht Centraal Station serves as the main bus hub for Utrecht as well as the main train hub for the Netherlands. Most buses run from early morning (around 06:00) until just after midnight. City center rides cost ~€2.50. U-OV operates trams and local buses in and around Utrecht, and has a page in English for visitors.

In addition, there are several so-called nightlines. These cost €5-6 and can’t be paid for using strips or OV-chipkaart.

By public transit
Utrecht has 3 tram routes all running via the central station (Utrecht Centraal Station a.k.a. Utrecht CS). The station has an underground tram/bus stop named Centrumzijde (meaning downtown side) on the east side of the station. On the station's west side, there is another tram stop named Jaarbeursplein, but visitors are most likely to use Centrumzijde which is nearest to the old city centre. Platforms labelled B at Centrumzijde is for trams. There are 3 tram routes effective July 2, 2022:
 * Tram : Nieuwegein-Zuid – Utrecht CS – P+R Science Park
 * Tram : IJsselstein-Zuid – Utrecht CS – P+R Science Park
 * Tram : Utrecht CS – P+R Science Park

From Utrecht CS, trams run southwest passing P+R Westraven to Nieuwegein Stadscentrum where the tram line splits into two branches to IJsselstein-Zuid and Nieuwegein-Zuid. The southwest section of the line operates every day to a little past midnight.

Trams operate from Utrecht CS southeast to P+R Science Park Monday to Friday until 21:30. At these times riders can travel from either IJsselstein-Zuid or Nieuwegein-Zuid to P+R Science Park without switching vehicles. However, there is no weekend or late evening service to P+R Science Park, at which times all trams terminate at Utrecht CS. Use bus line 28 when trams to P+R Science Park are not running. P+R Science Park is in the Uithof district southeast of the centre of Utrecht.

U-OV operates trams and local buses, and their network can be travelled as cheap as €6.95 using the U-OV dagkaart. For the rest of the province, a separate €11.05 off-peak ticket exists. Both tickets offer unlimited access to U-OV buses and trams. The tickets can be bought online or at U-OV ticket machines or service desks. To use the tickets, you must be in the possession of an OV-chipkaart.

By car
Seeing Utrecht by car is not recommended. The city planners have made it as difficult as possible to navigate the city center, to try and discourage cars there. Driving around can be frustrating as the center is fraught with bus-only lanes, one-way streets, traffic lights and terribly expensive parking spaces. If you want to come by car it is recommended to park at one of the P+R (Park and Ride) places, and take a cheap shuttle bus or tram service into town. There are also several parking garages closer to the center, but they are more expensive.

Oudegracht
It is a major canal going through the heart of the city, with shops and restaurants on both sides. This canal is unique because of its many picturesque cellars on water level. Centuries ago they were used for storage and commerce. Nowadays, many of them host fine restaurants and pubs. In the summer you can find nice terraces at the water here.

Museums
Museumkaart is accepted at the city's museums.

Do

 * Have a drink at one of the terraces at the lower docks of Oudegracht
 * Climb the Dom tower, a full 112 metres high. You can climb to near the top.
 * Take a tour with a boat through the canals
 * Take a bicycle tour through the old city centre
 * Find out the stories behind the buildings in a free tour.
 * Rent a canal bike and pedal your own way around the canals.
 * Try a locally brewed beer at Stadskasteel Oudaen, which is a 13th-century city castle turned restaurant.
 * Football: FC Utrecht play soccer in Eredivisie, the Dutch top tier. Their home ground is Stadion Galgenwaard (capacity 23,750), 2 km southeast of city centre.

Parks
The, and the  are nice places to chill out in summer.

Cinemas
Watch a movie at one of many cinemas. With the exception of some animated movies (and even those are usually available in the original language as well), all movies are subtitled and not dubbed, so you should be able to enjoy all the standard Hollywood fare in the original English. As any large city, Utrecht has its share of cinemas showing Hollywood movies:

More interesting are the three independent cinemas, these specialize in art house movies and also are ideal places to get a drink or have dinner:

Festivals

 * Visit the Gaudeamus Muziekweek .This is the internationally celebrated annual festival for young composers and new music. Apart from the annual festival they also organize a monthly series of new, contemporary music.
 * The yearly Utrecht Festival of Old Music, called Festival Oude Muziek, late August to early September, brings to Utrecht some of the best artists in the world of authentic performance, but reserves some space for future talent as well. Concerts of all sizes are scattered over some of the city's most beautiful churches, with major performances held at Vredenburg Leidsche Rijn and the old Dom Church and a nice central lounge. There are over 60 free 'fringe' concerts and a set student price of €7.
 * Visit the Parade, a yearly open air summer festival with theatre, comedy, dance, music and other attractions. De Parade is a traveling festival that visits Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and the Hague every summer.

Work
A ton of service positions exist in the ancient city centre. However, they usually have low wages and require fluent Dutch.

Buy
Most shops are in the city centre, concentrated around the Oudegracht, Vredeburg and Neude. There is also a large shopping centre extending east from the city centre in the direction of the Wilhelminapark. For general shop info and their opening hours you can visit openingstijden.nl as it shows an overview of the most popular shops.

 * Books. Broese is a large bookstore at Stadhuisbrug 5. They have a fair selection of English books. Bijleveld at the Janskerkhof is an old bookstore with beautiful wooden show windows.
 * Music. Plato at Voorstraat 35 has a fair selection at reasonable prices. Boudisque at the Drieharingenstraat (near Vredenburg) is the largest record store in Utrecht. Jazz, Classical music, Pop music and DVDs all have their own store. Near the Vredenburg the Revenge has a fair selection of vinyl, focusing on electronic music.
 * Markets. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays there is a large open air market on the Vredenburg square. On Saturdays you can find a plant market on the Janskerkhof and a flower market on the Oudegracht. The Breedstraat houses a large fabric market (lapjesmarkt) on Saturday mornings (09:00-13:00).
 * At Stationsplein 7 there is a give-away shop, open Tu 14:00-18:00 and Sa 14:00-17:00.
 * Cannabis. Sarasani, opened in 1968, was the oldest coffee shop in the Netherlands. Located at Oudegracht 327 a/d werf, which means it was on the canal level, and sat under the main street. Sarisani closed down in 2007. On Wednesdays and Saturdays Joepi makes a round through the center of Utrecht to deliver food and beverages with a little ‘extra’, mainly psychedelics, cannabis and energetic herbs.
 * Cannabis. Sarasani, opened in 1968, was the oldest coffee shop in the Netherlands. Located at Oudegracht 327 a/d werf, which means it was on the canal level, and sat under the main street. Sarisani closed down in 2007. On Wednesdays and Saturdays Joepi makes a round through the center of Utrecht to deliver food and beverages with a little ‘extra’, mainly psychedelics, cannabis and energetic herbs.
 * Cannabis. Sarasani, opened in 1968, was the oldest coffee shop in the Netherlands. Located at Oudegracht 327 a/d werf, which means it was on the canal level, and sat under the main street. Sarisani closed down in 2007. On Wednesdays and Saturdays Joepi makes a round through the center of Utrecht to deliver food and beverages with a little ‘extra’, mainly psychedelics, cannabis and energetic herbs.

Geek gear
There are half a dozen stores at the part of the Oudegracht (Old Canal) south of De Dom that sell board games, card games, wargames, roleplaying games, fantasy and science-fiction books and/or comics (e.g. Piet Snot, Elf Fantasy, the Joker and Neverneverland). Keep your eyes peeled; some of these stores are easy to miss.
 * Blunder has a large collection of “mainstream comics” on street level and an even bigger collection of the newest American comics and Manga/Anime in the basement. The address is Oudegracht 203.
 * Piet Snot is a normal comic shop. They also have a big collection of second hand comics. Vismarkt 3 (It’s a small part of the Oudegracht that for some dark reason has been given a different name...)
 * Strip & Lectuurshop. Lots of comics at Oudegracht 194
 * The Joker. Games, games and more games. From your normal family games to the German type games and the American wargames and everything in between. They also have lots of collectible card games and scenario-books for RPGs. In the basement it’s possible to play the games. It is at Oudegracht 230a.
 * Neverneverland, like The Joker, has a large selection of boardgames and RPGs at Oudegracht 202.
 * Subcultures is well... about subcultures, next to being a regular game shop. Specialized in miniature wargames, RPGs and designer toys. The address is Oude Gracht 183.

Eat
Many restaurants can be found in the city center. Especially near the canals there is a huge choice of places to eat, each with their own style of kitchen, like Italian, Thai, and American. Ask the locals for which places are recommended as not every restaurant offers the same quality.

Budget

 * There are several Flemish snack bars outside of Hoog Catharijne that sell wonderful thick fries with mayonnaise. Try it; it’s not as bad as John Travolta’s character seems to think in Pulp Fiction.
 * To try something Dutch visit one of the snackbars and order a Kroket.
 * For a more multi-ethnic view of Utrecht, walk away from the old city from the bus station/central station, walk under the train tracks, and follow the bus route (straight ahead) about 200 m. Try some affordable rotisserie style chicken on the left side of the Kanaalstraat, get a Moroccan style bagel across the street at one of the many middle eastern bakeries, and stock up on way-affordable (the cheapest in Utrecht) fruit and veggies at one of the many produce markets.
 * There are several Flemish snack bars outside of Hoog Catharijne that sell wonderful thick fries with mayonnaise. Try it; it’s not as bad as John Travolta’s character seems to think in Pulp Fiction.
 * To try something Dutch visit one of the snackbars and order a Kroket.
 * For a more multi-ethnic view of Utrecht, walk away from the old city from the bus station/central station, walk under the train tracks, and follow the bus route (straight ahead) about 200 m. Try some affordable rotisserie style chicken on the left side of the Kanaalstraat, get a Moroccan style bagel across the street at one of the many middle eastern bakeries, and stock up on way-affordable (the cheapest in Utrecht) fruit and veggies at one of the many produce markets.
 * There are several Flemish snack bars outside of Hoog Catharijne that sell wonderful thick fries with mayonnaise. Try it; it’s not as bad as John Travolta’s character seems to think in Pulp Fiction.
 * To try something Dutch visit one of the snackbars and order a Kroket.
 * For a more multi-ethnic view of Utrecht, walk away from the old city from the bus station/central station, walk under the train tracks, and follow the bus route (straight ahead) about 200 m. Try some affordable rotisserie style chicken on the left side of the Kanaalstraat, get a Moroccan style bagel across the street at one of the many middle eastern bakeries, and stock up on way-affordable (the cheapest in Utrecht) fruit and veggies at one of the many produce markets.
 * There are several Flemish snack bars outside of Hoog Catharijne that sell wonderful thick fries with mayonnaise. Try it; it’s not as bad as John Travolta’s character seems to think in Pulp Fiction.
 * To try something Dutch visit one of the snackbars and order a Kroket.
 * For a more multi-ethnic view of Utrecht, walk away from the old city from the bus station/central station, walk under the train tracks, and follow the bus route (straight ahead) about 200 m. Try some affordable rotisserie style chicken on the left side of the Kanaalstraat, get a Moroccan style bagel across the street at one of the many middle eastern bakeries, and stock up on way-affordable (the cheapest in Utrecht) fruit and veggies at one of the many produce markets.

Drink
As the population of Utrecht contains a lot of students, naturally there are a lot of places where you can spend the day or night having some drinks and a dance. Most are in the city center. Main hubs for drinks are Neude, Janskerkhof, Mariaplaats and Ledig Erf.

Drinks

 * The terraces at Neude, Janskerkhof or Ledig Erf
 * The lower docks near the canal Oudegracht
 * The cafe's at the street Lucasbolwerk
 * Stairway to Heaven is a large rockcafe at Mariaplaats 11-12.
 * Olivier at the Achter Clarenburg. A Belgian cafe with some thirty beers. Located in an old church.
 * Theatercafé De Bastaard, Jansveld 17. Students, artists, the occasional local celebrity. There is a pool table in the back.
 * Jan Primus, Jan van Scorelstraat 27 - 31. It’s a little out of the centre of the city near the Wilhelmina Park. No music, no slot machine, no nothing. Just 160 beers. 10 draught and 150 bottled.

Along the Oudegracht
The Oudegracht is home to a lot of bars, both in- and outdoors, and both at street and at water level. From north to south:

Nightlife

 * The clubs near the square Janskerkhof provide a great dancing opportunity for young people ('t Pakhuis, Jansbar, Hofman).
 * The clubs at the street Oudkerkhof provide a great dancing opportunity for everyone (Dikke Dries).
 * The Nobelstraat is full of pubs which turn into dancing venues at night (de Vrienden, Otje, Kneus, Jaloezie).
 * Other cafes, recommended for students, are Beurs (at Neude), Zussen and Hemmingway (near Janskerkhof).
 * The main venue for pop concerts and for dancing are TivoliVredenburg, De Helling, Ekko, Kargadoor, De Vloer and DBs (close to the train station Zuilen).
 * Techno fans can visit BASIS.

Sleep
Utrecht, like any big town, has its fair share of business hotels of the big chains.

Budget

The city's campsite (De Berekuil, on the east side of the city) has been a huge mess for a couple years now, and it is uncertain what will happen to it in the future. There are few other campsites, though some farmers also have small scale camping on their land. For instance Camping de Boomgaard, 8 km from Utrecht city.

Connect
As of July 2022, Utrecht has 5G from all Dutch carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Stay safe
Utrecht as a student city is quite safe, although there are some neighbourhoods in the outskirts that you probably don't want to visit. As always, don’t flash your wallet at markets and have a natural caution for pickpockets in the city centre. Unfortunately, bike thefts are a common nuisance, so if you travel by bike, make sure you have good locks and park your bike at a bike parking spots. Parking your bike in the city centre is easy as Utrecht has it own bike parking route. Parking lots for bikes are located under the Vredenburg (entrance between Zara and The Sting), the Neude (Neudeflat), Zadelstraat, under the City Hall, under the stairs at the Stationsplein West or the Jaarbeursplein.

You are unlikely to have any business in the lower-income and immigrant neighbourhoods such as Kanaleneiland and Overvecht south-west and north of the city center. While serious crime rarely takes place, they are best avoided unless you want to tempt fate. If for some reason you do end up in these neighbourhoods it is strongly advised to keep your mobile phone and camera concealed. The youth in this area is known to act aggressively if they suspect they are being filmed or photographed.

Go next

 * IJsselstein has a small attractive old town centre located near Binnenstad station along tram line 21 from Utrecht Centraal Station.
 * Amersfoort has a medieval centre, and is a fifteen-minute train ride from Utrecht.
 * 's-Hertogenbosch (commonly known as Den Bosch) has a preserved medieval centre, and is a half-hour train ride from Utrecht.
 * Vechtstreek — a region along the river Vecht famous for its magnificent 17th and 18th-century estates
 * Soest (Netherlands) — home to the biggest dune area in Utrecht
 * Soesterberg — home to the Dutch national air force museum
 * Wijk bij Duurstede — a typically old Dutch town on the Rhine river; dikes galore!
 * Rhenen — played a key-role in the World War II Grebbelinie defense. Beautiful forests and a great zoo
 * Rhijnauwen — take a walk in the forests between the Uithof and Bunnik
 * Rhenen — played a key-role in the World War II Grebbelinie defense. Beautiful forests and a great zoo
 * Rhijnauwen — take a walk in the forests between the Uithof and Bunnik

title: Utrecht


text:
Utrecht (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Utrecht:

Netherlands

 * Utrecht (province) - A province in the Netherlands.
 * Utrecht - The capital of Utrecht (province).

South Africa

 * Utrecht (KwaZulu Natal) - A town in South Africa.

title: Utrecht (disambiguation)


text:
Utrecht (province)

Utrecht is a central province of the Netherlands. With its 1359 square kilometers it's the smallest province in the country - it is, however, densely populated. The province consists mostly of municipalities forming the historically and presently important cities of Utrecht and Amersfoort and their urban areas, although it contains its share of green open landscapes in its part of the Groene Hart. Considered a part of the Randstad, it has convenient and fast links with major cities of South and North Holland, as well as other Dutch provinces, thanks to its central location.

Cities

 * — the historic university town known for its canals, student life and left-wing politics
 * — the second-largest city in the province, with a large medieval town center
 * — Fortresses of the famous Holland Water Line
 * - Home of the Ouwehands Dierenpark zoo and the Grebbeberg Military War Cemetery.
 * — famous for its witch's stool, where they issue certificates proving people aren't witches
 * — with a history spanning a millennium, it now serves as a commuter town for Amersfoort
 * — quite a large town but mostly residential
 * — the world's only drive-through windmill and some castles
 * — commuter town with a modern commercial cheese market

Other destinations

 * — mixed forests and moorlands on a hill ridge
 * — castles, estates, buitenplaatsen, gardens, tea houses and other remnants from the Dutch Golden Age

Understand
Utrecht was originally a bishopric that was often at war with its neighbors Gelderland, Holland (now the provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland) and Brabant (now North-Brabant and Flemish Brabant). It was one of the provinces in the Union of Utrecht that declared themselves independent of Spain in 1579, thus starting what would eventually become the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Get in
Since Utrecht is located in the center of the country, it is relatively easy to reach from anywhere in the Netherlands. There is no major airport, but there is a regular direct train between the city of Utrecht, which is the central railway hub of the country, and Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam.

Get around
Train travel on NS railways is usually more direct, frequent, and convenient where it is available, between towns and cities. Syntus Utrecht operates regional and rural bus routes, and, U-OV operates bus routes within the city as well as a few tram lines.

See
The most interesting part of the province Utrecht is the city with the same name.

Eat
In Spakenburg, a former fishing village in the north of the province lots of seafood can be eaten.

Go next

 * Groene Hart — an agricultural area in the heart of the Randstad
 * Vechtstreek — castles, estates, buitenplaatsen, gardens, tea houses and other remnants from the Dutch Golden Age

title: Utrecht (province)


text:
Utsjoki

Utsjoki (North Sami: Ohcejohka) is the main village of the municipality with the same name, in northernmost Finnish Lapland. It is located on the right bank of the Teno river (Norwegian: Tana, Sámi: Deatnu) and thus by the border to Norway. Tourism in Utsjoki is clearly concentrated on salmon fishing. The municipality is a summer destination with few activities in winter.

Understand

The municipality is very sparsely populated, with large wilderness areas. Virtually all the population have their homes in the valleys of river Teno and river Utsjoki and therefore most of the municipality is uninhabited, used as reindeer pasture and foraging and hunting grounds. Actually the population is concentrated into three villages: Utsjoki, and. The rest of the villages you see on the map are just groups of a few houses, perhaps home to a few families.

About half of the population is Sámi; Utsjoki is the only municipality in Finland having Sámi speaking majority! Reindeer husbandry is important culturally and economically, but more traditionally people have lived from fishing salmon. Nowadays the border trade with Norway is the most important source of income, as most things are cheaper in Finland than in Norway. Social ties across the border are common and many families have close relatives in Norway.

By road
The normal way to get to Utsjoki is using the roads; either driving or travelling with the bus. Snowmobile routes and hiking trails provide alternatives for the more adventurous. Remember that distances are huge.

The European routes E6 and E75 meet across the border in Norway. The former travels through Norway all the way from Halden in the south to Kirkenes in the east, the latter runs through Finland via Rovaniemi, Ivalo and Inari to Utsjoki and across the bridge to Norway.

There are daily coaches from Rovaniemi via Ivalo, Kaamanen, Utsjoki and Nuorgam to Tana Bru (and Vadsø in summer). A one-way bus ticket to Utsjoki village costs about €30 from Ivalo and €83 from Rovaniemi. See timetables by Matkahuolto. There are also daily minibuses from Karasjok and Varangerbotn to Roavvegieddi, on the Norwegian side (must be prebooked, timetables by Snelandia).

By plane
The nearest airports are Ivalo (170 km), Kittilä (320 km) and Rovaniemi (450 km) in Finland, and Lakselv (190 km) and Kirkenes (190 km) in Norway. Ivalo has daily connections to Helsinki.

Get around
The village itself is small, but it is stretched out along the rivers, such that you have to like walking and have some time to manage without vehicles (6 km from the tourist information to the church).

You can use daily long distance coach services from Rovaniemi for destinations along E75 and possibly school buses along the other roads. Taxis are probably the most practical solution for anything farther than you want to walk. A bike is usable in summer if you have or can rent one.

 * Taxi Utsjoki/Sujala Antti

The national roads are in good shape, built as straight lines through the wilderness. Minor roads may be in less good condition, especially in winter, spring and early summer.

In the winter there are snowmobile routes, which can be used also for longer journeys. Driving outside routes is forbidden, with some exceptions.

See

 * The panorama of the Teno River.
 * Northern Lights – Except in summer, when nights are light in Lapland, chances are good you'll be amazed by colourful curtains of Aurora borealis silently dancing high above you. The polar night starts in November and ends in January. During the polar night dawn turns to dusk without the sun rising at all.
 * Northern Lights – Except in summer, when nights are light in Lapland, chances are good you'll be amazed by colourful curtains of Aurora borealis silently dancing high above you. The polar night starts in November and ends in January. During the polar night dawn turns to dusk without the sun rising at all.

Do

 * Salmon fishing in the Teno river, the most important salmon river in Europe. As in salmon rivers elsewhere, this requires an easy to buy special permit in addition to the national fishing management fee. Check the procedures for disinfecting your fishing equipment. Note Norwegian requirements if crossing the border, even if not landing.
 * Hiking in the surroundings, the Kevo Strict Nature Reserve or the Paistunturit or Kaldoaivi Wilderness Area. Information from Siida in Inari. Several trails start from the school centre. A map is recommended. It shows also the trails starting from the Utsjoki village. The Kaldoaivi area is shown on a map "Kaldoaivi Sevettijärvi Nuorgam ".
 * Utsjoki geological trail (3.5 km)
 * Kalkujoenlampi Trail (5.9 km circle trail)
 * Utsjoki Hiking Trail (35 km as circle trail), mostly above the tree line in open fell areas, via Mantojärvi Church. Fairly popular. The highest point along the trail, Roavveoaivi (466 m), offers wide views, e.g. to the snow-capped Rastigaissa fell in Norway (centrepiece of the Sampo Lapplill tale by Topelius). For sleeping there is one open wilderness hut at Goahppelasjávri. On the trail you need to ford the river Badjeseavttet.
 * Kevo Hiking Trail (64 km) through the Kevo canyon in the Kevo Strict Nature Reserve to Sulaoja near Karigasniemi.
 * Elli Trail (3.8 km), starts from the intersection at Lomatärppi holiday village
 * Cross-country skiing in the wilderness areas in winter, challenging even for experienced skiers because of the sometimes very harsh conditions.

There is a swimming pool, a movie theater and even a disc golf park in the village.

If you happen to be here when the sun returns after the polar night, try to join the celebration.

Buy
People coming from the Norwegian side of the border usually head for the Alko store in Nuorgam to buy liquor, because it's far cheaper than in Norway. Tourists from elsewhere will most probably find some souvenirs more interesting.

Open wilderness cottages
There are open wilderness huts in the nearby wilderness areas, but only one reasonably close to Utsjoki:

Backcountry
The right to access allows you to camp in a tent more or less anywhere away from people, except in places with special rules, such as in the Kevo Strict Nature Reserve. In the wilderness areas the right applies, with an additional right to make campfires under certain rules.

Connect
Postal code: 99980 Utsjoki

Mobile phones probably work well in the village and along the main roads, while there is no guarantee elsewhere. Be prepared to climb a fell if you need to make a call. For Teno, trails, cottages etc., check with your host or other locals.

Go next

 * Other villages in the municipality:
 * Nuorgam (Sami: Njuorggán), some 50 km north-east from Utsjoki, the very northernmost point of Finland – and of the European Union.
 * Karigasniemi (Sami: Gáregasnjárga) in the south-west, 100 km on the way to Karasjok (and Kautokeino and Alta). Road 970 along Teno to Karigasniemi provides for a scenic ride, while most buses use E75 to Kaamanen and road 92 onward.
 * Norway is just across the bridge over Teno. The municipality Tana has its centre downstream at Tana bru or "Tana bridge", which got its bridge already in 1948. The Arctic Sea opens in Varangerbotn about 80 km north-east from Utsjoki.

title: Utsjoki


text:
Utsunomiya

Utsunomiya (宇都宮) is the capital of Tochigi prefecture, Japan.

Understand
Utsunomiya has more streets lined with horse chestnut trees (栃の木 tochi-no-ki), and more places and products labeled Marronnier (French for Aesculus hippocastanum) than any other city in Japan's Tochigi ("Buckeye") Prefecture.

Utsunomiya is also the hometown of jazz great Sadao Watanabe and bills itself as a Jazz Town that is also famous for its cocktail bars.

The small mining town of Oya, the source of the distinctive greenish-gray volcanic stone used to construct many of Utsunomiya's buildings, is a short bus ride away and makes a good half-day or day trip.

Tourist information site

 * Discover Utsunomiya is the city's official multilingual tourist website.

By plane
From Narita Airport, the fastest and most expensive way to reach Utsunomiya is to take the Narita Express train to Tokyo Station and transfer to the Tohoku Shinkansen Yamabiko, Nasuno or Tsubasa service (2 hr 15 min, ¥7800).

From Haneda Airport, take the Keikyu Line train to Shinagawa, then the Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku line train to Tokyo Station. From there, take the Tohoku Shinkansen (about 1 hr 45 min, ¥5200). A cheaper trip is to continue up the Yamanote to Ueno station and change to the JR Utsunomiya commuter line (3 hours, ¥2290).

By train
Utsunomiya is a major train hub served by the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, JR Tohoku Main Line, Tobu Nikko Line and JR Utsunomiya Line.

Tohoku Shinkansen Yamabiko, Max Yamabiko, Nasuno and Tsubasa trains depart from Tokyo station about three times per hour, with more trains during the evening. The ride costs ¥4800 and lasts just 50-55 minutes.

Direct runs on the regular Tohoku Main Line depart from Ueno station 3-4 times per hour. The trip takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes at a cost of ¥1890.

There are also hourly departures on the Shonan-Shinjuku line from Shinjuku station, reaching Utsunomiya in roughly the same time it takes from Ueno, and at the same price.

JR Nikko Line trains, appropriately bound for Nikko, depart from Utsunomiya.

Tobu line trains run to Tobu-Utsunomiya station from Tochigi every 30 minutes or so. From Asakusa, you can reach Utsunomiya by Tobu rapid train, changing in Shin-Tochigi. This train typically takes longer (2 hours) and less convenient than its JR counterpart, but about ¥500 cheaper for one-way fare (¥1160).

With the exception of the Tobu line, all of these trains can be used at no charge with the Japan Rail Pass.

By bus
Kintetsu operates the Tochinoki overnight highway bus service from Osaka and Kyoto to Utsunomiya Station. It takes 10 hours from Osaka and 8½ hours from Kyoto and costs ¥11,400 and ¥10,700 one way, respectively. This service has been spotty with suspensions; it is usually cheaper and more reliable to take a train to Tokyo Station or Shinjuku station, then to ride a bus to your destination from there.

Mito, the capital of neighboring Ibaraki, has highway bus service connecting with Utsunomiya, with departures hourly in either direction.

Get around
Public transport in Utsunomiya consists of buses and one light rail line east towards Haga. For most tourist staying for one night or wishing to simply shop, most stores, hotels, and restaurants are within convenient walking distance from the east and west exits of Utsunomiya Station.

On foot
Much of Utsunomiya can easily be reached by foot from Utsunomiya Station. Some major shopping, hotels, grocery stores, and other shops can be walked to in five minutes or less. For other areas, such as Orion-Dori or the jazz clubs/restaurants, you can expect about 10 to 15 minutes.

The crime rate is low and incidents are rare. However, do take care at night. Always carry ID with you at all times, as police often perform "Gaijin Checks" (Foreigner Checks) for valid visiting or working visas.

By taxi
Taxis are readily available from the west side of Utsunomiya station, first floor. Take the west exit, and immediately bear right. Taxis can be found immediately to the right of the bus section. Fares start at about ¥1,000 and climb fast.

By bus
Bus services are also available primarily from the west exit (Utsunomiya JR Station). For assistance on finding your bus route, there is a help desk station directly next to the Shinkansen entrance (2nd Floor), as well as a computerized system just outside of the 2nd floor entrance. Fares start at about ¥200 per adult.

Routes specific to the east side of Utsunomiya (IE, Bell Mall, Utsunomiya University) are available from the east exit of Utsunomiya JR. Follow the walkway until you see the semi-famous “Gyoza-Statue,” approximately where boarding occurs.

A number of free or reduced bus services are available to retail stores such as Fukudaya or Joyful Honda. These bus services usually run by the hour, but are not typically useful to the average tourist

By bicycle
Relatively easy, if you know how to cycle, there's always a renting bicycle centre just nearby to the JR Utsunomiya Station. Once you exit from the station, walk towards Lala Square Shopping Mall. You will see a bicycle shop across from LaLa Square and the McDonald's next door.

Bicycle parking is restricted in some areas. While theft is unlikely, remember to lock your bike and take your valuables with you. Be careful of traffic, and observe traffic laws and signals especially at night.

By rail
The Utsunomiya Light Rail tram line opened in 2023, running from Utsunomiya JR Station East Exit across the Kinu River to the Honda Research and Development Centre.

See

Buy
In comparison to Tokyo, Utsunomiya is not much of a place to shop. It does, however, have some variety of stores to keep individuals busy for an afternoon. The vast majority of malls are easily located on or near main street (starting from Utsunomiya JR West Exit). You can walk to most worthwhile areas in 15 minutes, or take a five-minute bus ride.

Eat
Utsunomiya is most famous for its gyōza (餃子) dumplings, available sauteed, deep-fried, boiled, and/or steamed with all sorts of stuffings all around the city. You can find gyoza just about anywhere, but here are some key areas.

 * Utsunomiya Station Stores, level one. Look next to the grocery store for long queues.
 * Orion Dori, various. There are several gyoza specialty restaurants throughout the stretch.
 * Orion Dori, various. There are several gyoza specialty restaurants throughout the stretch.

In addition, there are plenty of other restaurants elsewhere.

For Starbucks fiends, there are Starbucks coffee shops in Utsunomiya Station (with Wi-Fi), and Bell Mall. There are also plenty of fast food chains, such as Mos Burger (inside Utsunomiya Station, first floor), and a McDonald's (outside the main entrance, right side). For those wishing to stay on a budget, the grocery stores in La La Square (B1) and Utsunomiya Station (1) are your best bet.

Drink
Utsunomiya bills itself as a jazz town and a cocktail area. The quality varies however, in both departments of jazz and cocktails. Cover charges as high as ¥4000 can be expected, with cocktails starting at ¥1000 per drink.

For regular bar experiences, see below.

 * The Lion’s Head (1800 – ?) (on Utsunomiya main street, several blocks from Utsunomiya Tobu Station and about 10-15 minutes walk from Utsunomiya JR, across from the Washington Hotel). Remodeled in July 2007, this is the primary hangout for gaijins in the area. Atmosphere is your typical English pub, be it without a large screen TV for soccer games. Beers start at about ¥600, Guinness, other hard to find brews, and wine are available. Fish and chips are worth ordering off of the menu, but most other food items are too small and unevenly priced. English spoken.
 * Nohkin’s (18:00 – 02:00 (S-Th), -05:00 (F, Sat). (Directly above The Lion’s Head on Utsunomiya Main Street, 2nd floor. See above). The bar itself is dark and the music quality varies (live or recorded), but the drink menu is one of the more aptly available. A large assortment of cocktails, wines, champagnes, and brews from local and international areas are available. Drinks start at about ¥500. Ask about their famous waiter who bares a strong resemblance to Ichiro of American Baseball fame.  Some English spoken.
 * Bird Land (On the same side of the road as The Lion's Head, cross the crossing immediately west of the Lion's Head, it's about 50 m away). This is the most well known night club in Utsunomiya. Expect to find Japanese, Brazilians and some native English speakers there on the weekends.  Plays mainly dance and hip-hop.  Serves Kirin, Guinness, a large array of spirits etc. Serves particularly good western food.  Mostly deserted during the week. Also check out the Izakaya Samurai which is below Bird Land.
 * Kento's (Just off Orion Street, turn left at McDonald's before you hit Tobu station). This is a chain bar you can find in number of cities, the slogan is "oldies but goodies". The design is of a 1960s Greaser bar.  It hosts live bands playing mostly 60s & 70s music.
 * Kento's (Just off Orion Street, turn left at McDonald's before you hit Tobu station). This is a chain bar you can find in number of cities, the slogan is "oldies but goodies". The design is of a 1960s Greaser bar.  It hosts live bands playing mostly 60s & 70s music.

Utsunomiya has excellent nightlife with many quirky bars, classic cocktail bars and jazz clubs which can be found around town.

Sleep
Hotels range from grand (wedding hotels) to business hotels (small rooms and beds).

Go next

 * Nikko, the grandiose burial site of the Tokugawa Shoguns
 * Mashiko, a town of pottery and steam trains
 * Nasu
 * Kanuma
 * Shimotsuke
 * Tochigi
 * Ashikaga
 * Moka
 * Takanezawa

title: Utsunomiya


text:
Uttaradit

Uttaradit (อุตรดิตถ์) is a city and province in lower northern Thailand.

Understand
Uttradit has a long history developing through the years since pre-historic times. The site of the original town, then called Bang Pho Tha It, was on the right bank of the Nan River. It flourished as a port for goods transportation. As a result, King Rama V elevated its status to a province and re-named it Uttradit, literally the "port of the north".

Uttradit is 483 kilometres north of Bangkok and covers an area of 7,838 km2.

See

Sak Yai (สักใหญ่) At Ban Pang Klua, Tambon Namkrai about 53 km away from the province with an area of about 20,000 rai and consists of various unsorted woods. Notably, this botanical forest has a biggest teak tree in the world: 37 m high with a circumference of 9.5 m. Around 1,500 years old it had reached 47 m tall until damaged in a windstorm.

Klong Tron (คลองตรอน) national park has a natural forest covering 324,241 rai or about 518.80 km2. It consists of high and low hills.

Phu Miang (ภูเมี่ยง) at Tambon Nam Pai, the Phu Miang mountains divide Uttaradit Province and Phitsanulok Province. They are about 1,656 m above sea level. At the peak, you can view both provinces and see Sirikit Dam. The Klong Tron waterfall of eight levels is here.

Chan cave (ถ้ำจัน) at Tambon Nam Krai. It is the middle cave of five. The way to the cave is very steep and the cave entrance is semicirclar. Inside is a huge room. The ceiling is about 20 m high and in the middle of the cave is a Buddha image.

Tao cave (ถ้ำเต่า) at Tambon Nam Krai. It is on another mountain and about 620 m from Tham Chan Cave. From the cave entrance, a walkway has an excavation which looks like a stone sculpture. The way to the cave is a bit complicated; on the left side has a 17 m long hollow being steep until the first room. From here, there is a tiny hole you can go through. Another room is linked with the right walkway. From here, you can walk to the large room where a six metre high stone pillar is in the middle. In the cave are beautiful stalagmite and stalactites.

Phu Soi Dao (ภูสอยดาว) with an area of 125,110 rai covering Nam Pad district of Uttaradit and Chat Trakan district of Phitsanulok, the park, particularly at the height 1,428 metres in Ban Rom Klao, used to be the stronghold of the communists. In a mountainous area with elevations over 1,800 m, the topography of the park is like that of Phu Kradung. It is cool throughout the year. Beside interesting natural attractions in the park, tents are available for tourists. Phu Soi Dao Waterfall, near the park office, it is shaded by trees and plants. The five level cascade houses a tourist service center. No accommodation, but campsites are available. From the falls to atop the hill is about a 4–5 hr walk.

Sai Tip Waterfall (น้ำตกสายทิพย์) in the middle of the pine forest, is one of the most beautiful falls in the park. It has seven levels, which can be reached by walking from the camping area down to the seventh level.

Wat Thamma Thipatai (วัดธรรมาธิปไตย) is where the door panels of the large and ancient viharn of Wat Phra Fang are kept. The carved design is of the graceful style of the late-Ayutthaya period. They are rated as the second best such creation next only to those at Wat Suthat in Bangkok.

Wat Tha Thanon (วัดท่าถนน) houses Luang Pho Phet (หลวงพ่อเพชร), the principal Buddha statue of the province. It is of the Chiang Saen-style and cast in bronze. Wat Yai Tha Sao (วัดใหญ่ท่าเสา) It features and old viharn with beautiful wood-carved door panels and lintels.

The Phraya Phichai Dap Hak Memorial (อนุสาวรีย์พระยาพิชัยดาบหัก) As governor of Muang Phichai (south of Uttaradit) about 200 years ago during the Thon Buri Period, he valiantly fought with Burmese evaders until one of his swords broke in two. But he prevailed, hence the sobriquet "Phichai of the Broken Sword".

Uttaradit Provincial Cultural Hall (หอวัฒนธรรมจังหวัดอุตรดิตถ์) houses important historical relics. A major item is the "Yan Mat" (ยานมาศ), a carved wooden carrying pole made by late-Ayutthaya Period craftsmen. Wat Klang (วัดกลาง) is an old temple with beautiful plaster bas-reliefs over the ubosot. Inside are rare wall murals of the Early Rattanakosin Period style depicting the Jataka and assemblage of celestial beings. The Phra Si Phanommat Memorial (อนุสาวรีย์พระศรีพนมมาศ) commemorates a community leader who was highly revered by the townspeople. The Chinese-born alcohol tax collector contributed greatly to the development of the community and was rewarded with the rank of Phra Si Phanommat from King Rama V.

Wat Phra Borom That Thung Yang (วัดพระบรมธาตุทุ่งยั้ง) An old temple, once called Wat Mahathat. There is a large, circular-shaped, Ceylonese-style chedi enshrining a holy relic. Wat Phra Yun Phutthabat Yukhon (วัดพระยืนพุทธบาทยุคล) features a Chiang Saen-style mondop which covers a pair of holy footprints. It also houses a Sukhothai-style Buddha statue cast in bronze.

Wat Phra Thaen Sila Art (วัดพระแท่นศิลาอาสน์) The major feature is the base of a sermon platform built with laterite. The square slab with pattern is believed to have been made during the Sukhothai Period.

Namtok Mae Phun (น้ำตกแม่พูล) at Ban Ton Klua, about 20 kilometres from town. The dam-like barrier creates multi-level cascades amid pleasant natural surroundings.

Bo Lek Nam Phi (บ่อเหล็กน้ำพี้) was the source of the best quality iron ore which was used to fashion swords and weapons in the past. Today, there are still two "wells". Ores from these two sources are believed to have been used to make swords for kings.

Lam Nam Nan National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติลำน้ำน่าน) It is a complex mountain range comprising various kinds of abundant forests. It covers a total area of 624,468 rai (999 km2) and consists of mixed deciduous forest, dry evergreen forest, hill evergreen forest and deciduous dipterocarp forest, where the leaves will transform into beautiful colours during winter and is a habitat of various types of animals such as barking deer, deer, wild boars, bears and more than 200 species of birds. Sirikit Dam (เขื่อนสิริกิติ์), in the park, is the country's largest earthen dam.

Do

Phraya Phichai Dap Hak and Red Cross Fair (งานพระยาพิชัยดาบหักและงานกาชาด) is an annual commeration of the heroic deeds of Phraya Phichai. It is help from 7–16 January at the Phraya Phichai Dap Hak Stadium, and includes Provincial Red Cross Centre’s booths selling products, traditional and cultural performances, various forms of entertainment and a ceremony to worship Phraya Phichai Dap Hak.

The Tradition of Buddha Cremation (ประเพณีถวายพระเพลิงพระบรมศพพระพุทธเจ้า), a religious ritual seen nowhere else, is held at Wat Phra Borom That Thung Yang after Visakha Bucha day in May. It features the re-enactment the funeral ceremony for the Lord Buddha.

Durian festival is held each year around the beginning of June in Laplae district. The province is most famous for two new varieties of durian which lack the usual, and to some people offensive, odour: Longlaplae and Linlaplae, both named after Laplae District. Durian production in Uttaradit province is estimated to be around 20,000 tonnes in 2012. The province has approximately 10,600 acres of durian orchards.

Langsat festival is held each year around the middle to end of September. The langsat (Lansium parasiticum), for which Uttaradit is famous, is a fruit that is similar in taste to the longan.

Buy
Interesting items include woven materials (ผลิตภัณฑ์จากผ้าพื้นเมือง) with their lovely designs and colours, and preserved edibles made from local fruits such as chewy Kluai Kuan (กล้วยกวน) which is made from banana.

Eat
Uttaradit has a surprising number of places to eat, including a couple chain restaurants. Some of the most popular places include a large food-court located on the top floor of Friday's grocery store where they have reasonably priced Thai dishes, desserts and beverages. Like many food-courts in Thailand, customers buy food coupons to pay vendors.

KFC can be found inside the Lotus department store downtown Uttaradit along with a doughnut shop, and another Thai food court. The New York Restaurant located between Lotus and the bus station serves American, German and Thai food.

Additionally, Uttaradit has several coffee shops, a Pizza Company take-away or delivery restaurant, and several Thai restaurants serving local food. For those who speak little Thai, the New York Restaurant could be convenient as they have English and German-speaking staff.

Drink
Beverage options in Uttaradit are plentiful. As noted above, there are several small coffee shops located throughout the city, many of which also serve desserts.

If you are interested in a "night out on the town" you may want to consider visiting The Crystal Palm disco. Serves a selection of Thai whisky and beer. It is, in effect, a disco with live performances onstage, and attracts a young crowd.

The Treehouse Restaurant and Bar, on the outskirts of the city, is a casual and romantic place to dine and drink. A live band often plays adult contemporary music. Indoor seating is also available.

Sleep
There are two big hotels (Siharaj and Friday, up to 800 baht) and nice smaller one (Taitana, next to the bus station, 420 baht). SunNae Boutique Hotel, Room 500 Baht, Phone 055-832-234, Facebook: Sunee Boutique Hotel

title: Uttaradit


text:
Uttara Kannada

Uttara Kannada or North Canara is a district in the Karavali region of Karnataka.

Cities

 * —

 * —

 * —

 * —

 * — a Hindu pilgrimage town, hosting a temple to Lord Ganesha

 * —

 * — Beach town

 * — huge statue of Shiva

 * —

 * —

 * —

See

 * Gokarna Beach
 * Murudeshwara Beach

 * Attiveri bird sanctuary
 * Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
 * Anshi National Park
 * Kavala caves
 * Synthery rocks
 * Sykes point
 * Yana
 * Banavasi
 * Burude Falls,
 * Unchalli Falls,
 * Benne Hole falls,
 * Magod Falls,
 * Sathodi Falls
 * Supa Dam
 * Kodasalli Dam
 * Kadra Dam

title: Uttara Kannada


text:
Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand (Hindi: उत्तराखण्ड Uttarākhaṇḍ), until 2007 known as Uttaranchal, is a stunningly beautiful state in the Himalayan North of India.

Regions
Uttarakhand has two large divisions, each with its own culture and language.

Cities
Here are nine of the most notable cities.
 * — the capital, called the "Oxford of India" for its boarding schools

 * — a hill station

 * — a holy city on the Ganges and one of the sites of Kumbh Mela, the world's largest festival

 * — a small town made famous by Jim Corbett who penned the novel "The Man Eaters of Kumaon"

 * — famous hill station near Dehradun known for its scenic beauty and panoramic views

 * — picturesque hill station in the Himalayan foothills known for its 150+ year old schools
 * — a city in Uttarakhand that is close to the borders with China (Tibet) and Nepal

 * — the yoga capital of the world

Other destinations

 * — ski resort
 * — temple of Vishnu

 * — picturesque, less frequented hill station

 * — oldest national park of India
 * — nature retreat
 * — source of the holy Ganges river

 * — temple of Shiva
 * — End of the Indian road and start of trekking routes into the montane wilderness
 * — source of the Yamuna River
 * — National Park and Tiger Reserve
 * — a, famous for its outstanding natural beauty, endangered animals and endemic alpine flowers

Understand
Uttarakhand, which is in the Himalayan region, is one of the most picturesque states in the country and has tourist destinations that range from hill stations to popular towns to pilgrim destinations.

Talk
The local languages are Kumaoni and Garhwali, but everyone also speaks Hindi. English is not so common, but well-understood and spoken in some parts.

Get in
There are many ways to enter Uttarakhand. If you are interested in seeing the Garhwal region you can enter through either Haridwar or Kotdwar. Haridwar is the more popular entrance. For both options there are regular bus and train services available from New Delhi. Entry in Kumaon is through Ramnagar, Haldwani or Tanakpur. Major entry points of the state include:
 * If entering from Dehradun, you can head towards Mussoorie, Chakrata, Barkot and Yamunotri.
 * If entering from Haridwar, you can head towards Rishikesh, Tehri, Uttarkashi and Gangotri.
 * If entering from Kotdwar, you can head towards Lansdowne, Satpuli, Pauri, Srinagar, Rudraprayag and Kedarnath.
 * If entering from Ramnagar, you can head towards Ranikhet, Chaukhutia, Karnprayag, Joshimath and Badrinath.
 * If entering from Haldwani, you can head towards Nainital, Almora, Kausani, Bageshwar, Chaukori and Munsyari.
 * If entering from Tanakpur, you can head towards Champawat, Lohaghat, Pithoragarh, Askot, Jauljibi and Dharchula.

Get around
Public transport mainly consists of buses and shared jeeps that ply the major north-south pilgrimage routes during the day. Travelling between or away from these routes may require a long wait, hitchhiking, or hiring a private vehicle. In the higher mountains, most drivers are friendly and will take extra passengers if they have empty seats, often in exchange for a small payment (similar to the bus fare).

Rockfalls are frequent during monsoon season, and can delay travel for several hours. The main north-south routes are also the main access points for the Indian Army to its border with China, so rockfalls tend to be cleared quickly (i.e. within the same day) on these roads. Rockfalls on minor roads may stop traffic for days or sometimes even weeks.

Uttarakhand is an increasingly popular destination for motorcycling and cycling, and walking is an option in pilgrimage season, when thousands of pilgrims walk the major pilgrimage routes.

Private taxis and jeeps are available in most towns.

See
Nainital, Mussoorie and Ranikhet though it's better to treat these slightly overcrowded, touristy 'hill stations' as base camps to explore lots of other hidden jewels further afield in Uttarakhand. In Garhwal, Pauri and Gwaldam there are very peaceful & scenic places. In the Kumaon region, if you are near Almora and want to stay in a secluded area, try Peora or Mukteshwar.

 * Jim Corbett National Park -The oldest national park in India, this wildlife sanctuary has been a hot-spot for plenty of nature lovers. The humble abode of Sambar deer, elephant, golden jackal and many others, the park has surprises in store for all. It is inhabited by at least 300+ tigers, 600 species of birds, 50 mammals and 25 reptile species. From abundant flora and fauna to green foliage, there is beauty all around.

 * Rajaji National Park - Rajaji National park always attracts to wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers. This place is located around 248 km from Delhi and around 6 km from Haridwar. This park remains open from November to June for the tourists.

 * Badrinath Temple - This beautiful temple is located near to Alaknanda River, at an altitude of 3133 meters above from the sea level. This temple is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu.

 * Bhowali - Bhowali is situated at a distance of 12 km, from Nainital, at an altitude of 1,706 m, from the level of sea. This place provides a panoramic view of the nature. This place if famous for its panoramic view as well as hill fruit mart, which was established in 1912.

 * Dehradun - Dehradun is the capital city of Uttarakhand. This is one of the oldest cities of India, located in the Himalayas. This city is also termed as the “Oxford of India”, as it is best known educational centres of India.

 * Dunagiri - pristine and tranquil ancient forests.

Trekking
Uttarakhand is a great place for trekking. At the lower levels, there are forests and wildlife. At the upper reaches, you go past the tree line to snow clad mountains. There are many trip designs which can be conceived of, but there are perhaps around 20 trips which are the most popular. See also: Leave-no-trace camping and Wilderness backpacking

 * Roopkund Trek (Bedni Bugyal, Chamoli District) - one of the most popular treks. Roopkund, also known as Mystery Lake, is a clear water Himalayan lake. Roopkund starts from Debal. This beautiful lake is surrounded by majestic Himalayan peaks covered with snow and glaciers. Generally, trekkers and adventurers travel to Lohajung or Wan by road. From there, they climb a hillock at Wan and reach Ran ki Dhar, where a flat area allows for overnight camping. If the sky is clear, one can see Trishul Parvat from Bedini Bugyal. The next camping spot is at Bedini Bugyal, which is 12–13 km from Wan. There is a huge grazing ground for mules, horses, and sheep. One can see many Himalayan peaks from Bedini Bugyal bridge. Trekkers then go up to Bhagwabasa, which is 10–11 km from Bedini Bugyal. The weather at Bhagwabasa is hostile most of the year. From Bhagwabasa, trekkers either go to Roopkund and return, or go to Shila Samundra (Ocean of Stones) via Junargalli Col Pass, which is just above the lake, and then proceed to Homkund. Another trekking route starts from Mundoli, near Tharali, which is accessible from Haridwar and Rishikesh. Kathgodam - Ranikhet - Garur- Gwaldam - Debal (1220 m) - Bagrigad (1890 m) - Mundoli village - Lohajung pass - Wan village (2590 m) - Bedni Bugyal (3660 m) - Kalu Vinayak - Baghubasa - Roopkund. Kathgodam is the only place connected by rail.
 * Tungnath- Chandrashila Trek, Chopta - Chandrashila commands the most beautiful view of the Himalayas in the whole region, especially Chaukhamba & Nanda Devi. There's one of the Panch Kedars - Tungnath's temple - the highest temple of Shiva. There are camping fees for the location as it comes under Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary.  Take your own trekking equipment. It’s better to rent from Delhi. You can pitch & stay anywhere you want along the trek route.
 * Deoriatal Trek, Chopta - Deoriatal Trek is one of the famous trekking destinations in Uttarakhand. One can drive up to the Sari village near Ukhimath, from where it is a short 4 km walk to the lake. Trekking can be done for entire year in Deoriatal.
 * Gangotri Glacier Trek - Tapovan (meditation ground of Gods), Gaumukh (source of Ganga) & Shivling Mountain.
 * Har ki doon - very scenic trek, near to Swargrohini peak, from where Pandavas went to the heaven.
 * Kafni glacier trek
 * Kalindni Pass Trek - Gangotri to Badrinath.
 * Khatling Glacier - near Gangotri.
 * Kuari Pass Trek - near Auli, quite popular with foreign tourists
 * Madmaheshwar Trek - near Ukhimath, Rudraprayag - one of the most beautiful treks leading to a Panch Kedar, it's at the base of Chaukhamba Peak (7,000 m/23,950 ft).
 * Milam glacier trek
 * Panwali Bugyal Trek, Tehri District - it leads to Triguninarayan, a place where the eternal flame of Shiva & Sati's (Parvati's previous incarnation) marriage is still kindling.
 * Pindari glacier trip
 * Satopanth Swargarohini Trek - near Badrinath, one of the most pristine treks. Satopanth tal is a lake at an altitude of 4,600 m.
 * Sunder dhunga trek
 * Thailisan - Binsar Trek in Pauri, an uplifting trek, providing panoramic view of Himalayas.
 * Trekking inside Nanda Devi Sanctuary
 *  Valley of Flowers Trek - near Badrinath - the most beautiful valley.
 * Nanda Devi National Park Trek- Covers Lata Karak, Saini Kharak & Jindidhar on the periphery of the corezone. The park is open for trekking and camping till Dharanshi inside the core zone.

Eat
Kumaoni food is very simple but very nutritious and completely suits the hard environment of the Himalayas. Pulses like gehet are fashioned into different preparations like ras-bhaat, chains, faanda and thatwaani – all are unique preparations from the same pulse. Jholi or curry seasoned with curd. Chudkan
 * Aaloo gutuk and Pinalu Gutuk are fried potatoes or pinalu, seasoned with spices.
 * Bal Mithai is a brown chocolate-like fudge, made with roasted khoya, coated with white sugar balls.
 * Bhatt ki Churkani is a soup like preparation of bhatt pulses eaten with rice.
 * Chains is a preparation of whole urad which are first roasted then ground and then seasoned into a soup.
 * Dubka is a simple dish made from various lentils, which are ground and made into a curry-like dish with a few local spices available in the Kumaon hills like jamboo and jakhiya. It's usually made in an iron wok and eaten with rice.
 * Jholi is a curry seasoned with curd and curry leaves.
 * Kaapa is a dish prepared with spinach leaves crushed into a paste and cooked with other condiments.
 * Saag is a fried dish of green vegetables. Can be made from any of the various green vegetables like palak (spinach), lai, methi (fenugreek leaves) and so on.

The types of food here include Garhwali, Indian, Chinese and Tibetan. In the tourists centers such as Badrinath, Gujarati, and Marwari, other regional cuisines are available for the hordes of pilgrims that descend on the holy sites every summer.

Drink
Uttarakhand has high excise taxes on beer and alcohol: a bottle of beer can cost ₹150-₹250, nearly double the price of some other states in India. Quite a few holy towns including Haridwar and Rishikesh are officially dry. Cannabis is illegal, but widely used anyway.

Stay safe
The roads are a bit tricky, and taxi rides in the hills may appear dangerous, but otherwise Uttarakhand is a pretty safe place for tourists. However, tourists are known to encounter problems in the urban centres and the plains districts such as Haridwar.

Go next
One may take up one of the trekking tours to have a walk in Chopta, Tungnath, Deoria Taal and Chandrasheela. Or, simply dive into the natural garden of Buransh - a destination considered to be the Switzerland of India.

title: Uttarakhand


text:
Uttarkashi

Uttarkashi (or Uttarkasi) is a town in Uttarakhand.

Understand
February to May season is at best. Also go in monsoon.

Get in
From Delhi, take the train or fly to Dehradun (5 hrs). Then grab a taxi to go to Uttarkashi (5 hrs).

Get around
The best way for getting around in Uttarkashi town is by walking. If you are staying near the bus station where most of the hotels are located, you can easily walk to the city center in 5 to 10 minutes. The town is so small that you don't really need transport to move around but if you want to visit the nearby tourist spots you have can either use the public transport or hire a taxi.

Learn Mountaineering
One of the prominent mountaineering institutes are based in Uttarkashi that offer courses in Mountaineering and Adventure Sports.The institutes offer technical courses in mountaineering for the capacity building of the future generations in adventure sports and conservation of the Himalayas. Uttarkashi is a major hub of learning in adventue sports.

 * 1) Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM): Established in 1965, Nehru Institute of Mountaineering is a premier institute of mountaineering sports in India. Certified by the international federation for climbing and mountaineering - UIAA,  NIM  offer courses in Basic Mountaineering (BMC), Advance Mountaineering (AMC), Method of Instruction (MOI), Mountain Search & Rescue (S&R) and Adventure Courses for teenagers. To facilitate teams from both India and abroad who come to this region for mountaineering, the Institute provides technical equipment from the Dias Memorial Fund Store on nominal hire charges.
 * 2) Nanda Devi Institute of Adventure Sports and Outdoor Education (NDI):  Established in 2011, Nanda Devi Institute of Adventure Sports offers improvised courses in Basic Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Adventure Orientation and specialized course in Ski & Snow Craft based Search and Rescue. NDI also offers vocational courses in nature guiding and designing of interpretive nature trails. The  NDI has designed the first Interpretive Nature Trail to Nanda Devi National Park in the Himalayas. Nanda Devi Institute is certified by the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and recognized by the Disaster Mitigation and Management Center (DMMC) Government of Uttarakhand as a resource organization to provide training in disaster response. The NDI is also registered with the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB).

Go next
Yamunotri: Yamunotri is one of the famous and revered pilgrim center in India. Visit Yamunotri temple situated at the height of 4,421 metres above the sea level. You can opt to do various treks from Yamunotri such as Saptrishi tal, Dodital and others.

title: Uttarkashi


text:
Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh (UP, Hindi: उत्तर प्रदेश Uttar Pradeś) is a large state in the Plains region of India. With around 240 million inhabitants in 2021, it is not just more populous than other states of India, but all other sub-national regions in the world. If UP were a country, it'd be the fifth most populous country, just behind Indonesia and ahead of Pakistan.

Cities
Here are nine of the most notable cities.
 * — capital of Uttar Pradesh, the City of Nawab, also home to one of the IIMs
 * — tourist capital of India, home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Taj Mahal
 * — known as the birthplace of the Hindu God Rama and Lord Rishabhadeva, first Tirthankar of the Jains
 * — historical city of Bundelkhand
 * — once known as the "Manchester of India", now famous for its leather works and IIT Kanpur
 * — known as the birthplace of Lord Krishna
 * (Allahabad) — holy place where the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati meet
 * — the site of the Buddha Sakyamuni's first teaching after gaining enlightenment
 * — one of the holiest cities in India to Hindus, many temples are off-limits to non-Hindus, on the banks of the Ganges

Other destinations

 * — A project for wildlife preservation
 * — A project for wildlife preservation

Understand
Uttar Pradesh is the fourth largest state in terms of land area. The western plain is the most urban region. The postal code of Uttar Pradesh is 121XXX - 285XXX. Agriculture is the most important section of Uttar Pradesh’s economy, employing about three-quarters of the work force. Uttar Pradesh has the largest production of food grain and oilseeds in India. In addition, UP ranks the first in the production of wheat, maize, barley, gram, sugar cane, and potatoes. The three most important industries of UP are sugar, cotton fabrics and diversified food preparations. Goods carrier equipment, photostat machines, chemicals, polyester fibre and steel tube galvanized sheets are the other big industries of UP.

Kathak, one of the eight recognised classical dance forms in India, was born in Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, the countryside songs and dances are significant traits of the local culture. Uttar Pradesh is famous for handicrafts such as carpet weaving, hand printing, chikan (a type of embroidery), metal enamelling, brocade and brass, and ebony work. Uttar Pradesh has the biggest brass and copperware manufacturing industry in India.

History
The State of Uttar Pradesh has an ancient and rich history. It was recognised in the later Vedic Age as Brahmarshi Desha or Madhya Desha. Many great sages of the Vedic times flourished in this state. Several sacred books of the Aryans were also composed here. Two great epics of India, Ramayana and Mahabharata, appear to have been inspired by Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh has played a vital role in the history of many different religions. In the sixth century BCE, Uttar Pradesh was associated with two new religions - Jainism and Buddhism. It was at Sarnath that the Buddha preached his first sermon and laid the foundations of his order, and it was in Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, where Buddha breathed his last breath. Several pilgrimage centres in Uttar Pradesh like Ayodhya, Prayag, Varanasi and Mathura became reputed centres of learning. In the medieval period, the area passed under Muslim rule and led the way to new synthesis of Hindu and Islamic cultures. Ramananda and his disciple Kabir, Tulsidas, Surdas and other intellectuals contributed to the growth of literature in Khadiboli, Braj Bhasha, Awadhi and other languages nowadays treated as dialects of Hindi.

Uttar Pradesh preserved its intellectual excellency even under the British administration. The British combined Agra and Oudh into one province, and called it United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. The name was shortened to the United Provinces in 1935. In January 1950, the United Provinces was renamed as Uttar Pradesh.

The state is bounded by the states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh as well as Nepal to the north, Haryana and Delhi to the west, Madhya Pradesh to the south, and Bihar to the east. Uttar Pradesh can be divided into two distinct regions, (i) Southern hills and (ii) Gangetic plain.

By plane
Uttar Pradesh has international airports at Kushinagar, Lucknow, Varanasi and Ayodhya, with another fifth international airport in Noida expected to open in late 2024. Besides, the state also has some smaller airports with domestic operations.

See

 * Sangam, Anand Bhavan, Minto Park, Sita Samahit Isthal, Company Garden, New Yamuna Bridge, and lots more in the holy city Allahabad (Prayag).
 * Ghats at Varanasi (Kashi).
 * Nawab's or Royal city Lucknow.

Do
Take a holy dip in Sangam at Allahabad and visit ghats at Varanasi and it is a very royal place.

In Lucknow, there is a place called Chowk. Chowk has tons to offer (in terms of touristy locations like the Imambaras) and its narrow streets are interesting.

Eat
The cuisine consists of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Uttar Pradesh's most famous dishes include kebabs, Dum Biryani, and various Mutton recipes. The Chaat, samosa and pakora, among the most popular snacks in all of India, are also originally from Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh has been greatly influenced by Mughal cooking techniques. Mughali cuisine is also integral to Western and Central Uttar Pradesh's cuisine.

The state is famous for its Nawabi foods (of Lucknow and environs) and use of mutton, paneer, and rich spices including cardamom and saffron. Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, is a heaven for food lovers due to the sheer range of variety available. Lucknow, before being the seat of Nawabs (Kings) of the Awadh region, is the birth place of the famous Awadhi cuisine. Awadhi cuisine bears similarities to those of Kashmir and Punjab. It is a good place to find refined Muslim Indian food. During your visit, go to Old Lucknow. It's normal to visit eateries which are 150-200 years old, serving famed Lucknowi Biryani (mutton & Basmati rice preparation with exotic herbs), nehari, kulcha, sheermal and many more traditional dishes.

Varanasi is another city where people live for eating. It is famous for the Hindu Vegetarian style which includes chaat, tikki, and kachori, among others.

Drink
Always have a keen eye to famous drinks like Lassi, Kullahd, etc. People will guide you very well for that.

Stay safe
Uttar Pradesh is notoriously known for kidnapping, particularly outside the metropolitan cities. While this is mainly of concern to residents, as always, travel sensibly and remain vigilant.

title: Uttar Pradesh


text:
Uummannaq

Uummannaq (Danish: Umanak) is a city in Western Greenland. Uummannaq is a town of about 1,300 people (2013) with another 1,300 residing in the surrounding settlements. The main industry in the area is fishing for halibut, which has overtaken hunting as the principal industry for the town. The town is about 500 km north of the Arctic Circle, and the midnight sun is experienced from mid-May through August.

Uummannaq is on a heartshaped island, hence its name, heartlike place.

Get in
Airgreenland flies from Ilulissat and Qaanaaq to the nearby airport at Qaarsut. From there a helicopter will take you to the heliport in Uummannaq. The easiest way to get to Uummannaq is to take a flight from Kangerlussuaq to Qaarsut with a layover in either Aasiaat or Ilulissat. Then take the 10-minute helicopter flight to Uummannaq, in the winter the journey from Qaarsut is easy by car, but by air is faster.

Get around
The city can be traversed on foot. The surrounding region can in the summer be visited by boat, and in winter by dogsled or snowmobile. Dog sleds are used during the winter months to travel around the city, to fishing sites, and to the nearby settlements.

Dog sledding
The best time to take a dog sledding adventure is from February to April, during this time, the fjord that surrounds Uummannaq is frozen and the dog sled is the main method of transport between the town and the settlements.

Heliskiing
Heliskiing near Uummannaq is unbelievable. The best place to go is the Sernersuaq glacier on the large peninsula Nuussuaqq.

Ice fishing
Ice fishing is a great way to get out on the frozen fjord in the winter and spend some time with the locals. The local fishermen travel out to the fishing sites on the fjord in the winter by dog sled to fish for halibut.

Skiing
Skiing is part of everyday life in Uummannaq, especially on the ice fjords. It serves as a method of transport and a great way to see the local scenery.

Snowmobiling
Snowmobiling is a great way for tourist to travel between the settlements at Uummannaq. The easiest way to rent one is to check with the local tourist office in Uummannaq.

title: Uummannaq


text:
Uusikaupunki

Uusikaupunki (Swedish: Nystad) is a city in Finland Proper in Western Finland.

Understand
Uusikaupunki was founded in 1617 and is the main town of the Vakka-Suomi region. In the 19th century it was an important ship building and shipping centre. The Empire style wooden old town was built according to a plan from 1856. Among the big employers nowadays are Finland's only car factory (which produces Mercedes-Benz A-Class cars) and a shipyard (building boats and small ships). The Vakka-Suomi countryside, including countryside parts of the Uusikaupunki municipality, is described in a separate guide.

Get in
The nearest major city is Turku, which has hourly buses to Uusikaupunki (1 hr 10 min, €11.30). A few buses on weekdays also from Rauma (1 hr, €11.10). No passenger service along the Uusikaupunki railway as of 2021.

Get around
Ukikyyti connects the routes of passengers traveling in the same direction and at the same time, thus being able to serve as many customers as possible. Ukikyydi's service area covers the city center of Uusikaupunki and its immediate surroundings.

The ride can be ordered within the service area between any addresses on weekdays from 07:00 to 21:00 and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00. The ride is ordered and paid for with Matkahuolto's Routes and Tickets application. Alternatively, the ride can be ordered by calling 0800 133 733 M–F from 08:00 to 16:00, in which case payment will be made in the car with either cash or a debit card. The order can be placed for immediate need or even five days before the time of the trip.

You can get the ride from the location indicated by the app or customer service. If the trip is booked for several people, the price of the first passenger will be €2 and each additional passenger will be charged an additional €1. You can also get a car with a pram, wheelchair or rollator, for example.

See

 * Wooden old town.
 * Isokari lighthouse island, see cruises below.
 * Katanpää fortress, built 1915–1917, see cruises below.

Festivals and concerts

 * Crusell week in July–August in honour of clarinettist and composer Bernhard Henrik Crusell. Many concerts.
 * Crusell week in July–August in honour of clarinettist and composer Bernhard Henrik Crusell. Many concerts.

Work
Since 1968, the automotive industrial manufacturer has been one of the most important employers in the town.

Sleep
For lodging and camping farther from the centre, see Vakka-Suomi countryside.

Go next

 * Charter a yacht or other boat and sail to Hanko through the Archipelago Sea.

title: Uusikaupunki


text:
Uva

Uva is a province in Sri Lanka.

Cities

 * - the capital city of Uva Province, a romantic spot surrounded by tea plantations
 * - a busy market town 10 km north of Haputale
 * - the most famous place for tourism, sleepy small town with many places to visit
 * a village of the hill country, surrounded by tea estates; there's also a little Anglican Church (St Andrews) on the Bandarawela Road
 * - a pilgrimage town sacred to Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and indigenous Vedda people
 * - capital city of the same district, located about 50 km from Badulla on the highway A°4 leading to Pottuvil on the eastern coast
 * - capital city of the same district, located about 50 km from Badulla on the highway A°4 leading to Pottuvil on the eastern coast
 * - capital city of the same district, located about 50 km from Badulla on the highway A°4 leading to Pottuvil on the eastern coast

Other destinations

 * was established in 1972 to protect the Walawe reservoir. Wildlife includes elephants, crocodiles, jackals, buffalo etc.
 * , 300 km away from Colombo in the dry zone. The fascinating Veddas tribes, members of any of the aboriginal people of Sri Lanka, are still living in the Park.

Get in
The train journey from Colombo takes about 9 hours, and runs along the Mahaweli River Valley among green mountains, offering splendid views on the highlands, tea plantations and countless waterfalls.

Waterfalls

 * Dunhinda Falls 3 km from Badulla town
 * Manawela Falls 12 km from Welimada
 * Diyaluma Falls It is 220m (570ft) in height and very close to the A-4 road between Koslanda and Wellawaya.

Haputale Town
http://www.haputale.de

Guest Houses

 * Bawa Guest House, Haputale, 32. Thammbipillai Ave.down under Welimada Temple Road. Phone +94 57 226 82 60Friendly place with big clean rooms, hot water and delicious home cooking. Hosts can provide a lot of information about the area.Free pickup service call Fazmi +94(0)72 915 76 16. Email: bawaguest@yahoo.com
 * Bawa Guest House, Haputale, 32. Thammbipillai Ave.down under Welimada Temple Road. Phone +94 57 226 82 60Friendly place with big clean rooms, hot water and delicious home cooking. Hosts can provide a lot of information about the area.Free pickup service call Fazmi +94(0)72 915 76 16. Email: bawaguest@yahoo.com
 * Bawa Guest House, Haputale, 32. Thammbipillai Ave.down under Welimada Temple Road. Phone +94 57 226 82 60Friendly place with big clean rooms, hot water and delicious home cooking. Hosts can provide a lot of information about the area.Free pickup service call Fazmi +94(0)72 915 76 16. Email: bawaguest@yahoo.com

title: Uva


text:
Uvalde

Uvalde is a city in the Hill Country River Region of Texas.

Go next

 * Garner State Park is about 30 miles north on highway 83, a nice place to relax and enjoy nature.

title: Uvalde


text:
Uvita

Uvita is a small town in South Pacific Costa Rica south of Dominical, and north of Ojochal.

Understand
Uvita is in the heart of Ballena Marine National Park. There has been a tremendous influx of foreigners moving into Uvita. Uvita was once considered "remote" but now features numerous grocery stores, banks, doctors, dentists, Internet cafés and a thriving expat and local culture.

Uvita is the name of the settlement along the highway. The touristy area near the beach is called Uvita Bahia.

By bus
From Quepos, take a bus to Uvita.

From San José, you can take the bus via Quepos or take the bus to San Isidro (de Perez Zeledon/de General) and from there the bus to Uvita. The first option is longer, but a great drive next to the ocean. The second one a shorter ride, and great view over a great mountain range.

From Palmar Norte and south of there, the bus to Dominical goes by Uvita, or the Uvita bus stop at the town.

By plane
You can fly into Palmar Sur via Sansa or Nature Air.

To get to Uvita from San José SJO airport, you can take Easy Ride Shuttle Services. They run shuttles twice a day in moderns vans and A/C. They go through the coast and the trip is 3½ hr—a lot faster than regular bus for a price of course.

By car
Or rent a car and drive yourself.

Get around
Uvita consists of the centre of town right next to the highway, the "original" Uvita, and the Bahía part next to the Ballena Marine National Park at the beach. Both parts are about 2 km apart and, unfortunately, the town centre near the highway exhibits the most important amenities like supermarkets, ATMs and many restaurants. Also, while there are buses going into Bahía, along the highway it is much easier to catch a bus north or south along the coast.

Most of Bahía is easily explorable by foot, but you might want to take a bicycle or taxi for the town centre of Uvita.

Do

Eat
You will find a great deal of places, from a drive thru hot dog place, to lots of little sodas (small little restaurants that are traditional all over Costa Rica. Seafood is great. Uvita is on the ocean. Pizza places are around, La Fogata is the oldest and best one, they also have great BBQ chicken. For more upscale you can visit Terrazas, up in the hills of Uvita, great view. Also La Cusinga Eco Lodge, the first hotel in the area, a truly eco lodge. Call ahead for reservations, as it is by reservation only. La Cusinga offers a great view of Ballena Marine National Park. They have trails and a private preserve. A new Mexican place is open, next to the gas station.

Drink
Well you are at the beach and a hot sun will make you search for a cool drink, along the beach there are a few bars, also in the main road there are a few too. there are always something happening, Karaoke, ladies night, a soccer match on TV. Try the local beer, Imperial, or the Cacique ron. Some of the place are Marino Ballena, Almendros, Pachanga, Delfines, and some that come and go. For a more upscale sunset relaxing mood Terrazas is the place, drink special, and movie nights are always popular.

Sleep

 * Canto Ballena
 * Rana Roja Cabins
 * Nido del Halcon
 * Cabinas Gato

Go next

 * Playa Hermosa (Osa) – The name says it all, but also home to the Playa Hermosa Reserva Biologica, a conservation project up in the steep hills and home to ancient tropical trees of over 1,000 years old.
 * Dominical – A surfing destination with a small town and good nightlife scene in the north end of the South Pacific, but pricier than Uvita.
 * Nauyaca Waterfalls – Big waterfalls nearby (10 km North of Dominical)

title: Uvita