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Tafraoute

Tafraoute is a city in the Anti Atlas region of Morocco.

Get in
Getting into and out of Tafraoute is time consuming with at least 3 hours per direction to the next large town. But the drives themselves are very worthwhile for the beautiful views. The R104 between Tiznit and Tafraoute is locally known as "the road of the 400 turns" and a motorcyclists' favourite. It takes too long to do a day trip from Agadir or elsewhere on the coast if traveling by bus or shared taxis.

By car
From Agadir the R105 leads to Tafraoute in 3 hours.

From Taroudant, the P1723 leads south to the R106 which gets you onto the R105 to Tafraoute (3 hours). Coming from Tiznit on the R104, in a small settlement called Jemaa-Ida-Oussemlal, there is a junction with signs both pointing to Tafraoute; One says 40 km and the other 60 km. The 40-km route is the northern fork. The longer route goes via Izerbi and is the newly resurfaced road.

By bus
Buses to Tafraoute leave regularly throughout the day from Tiznit. Takes about 3½ hours. (Look for the green coloured LUX city buses.) There are CTM buses to Agadir leaving from the center of Tafraoute. One leaving Tafraoute at 8:00 arrives in Agadir at around 12:45.

By taxi
Shared taxis go from Tiznit, with the trip taking about 3 hours. You must also factor in some extra time for the other taxi seats to fill up - we waited 30 minutes. I think we were charged 100 MAD for two travelers (updated December 2023). To get to Tiznit, there are shared taxis from Agadir, about 2.5 hour drive and similar price.

Do
Hike out into the desert to Chapeau de Napoléon or Rochers Peints.

 * Hiking & Mountainbiking Go to Tafraout Adventure (on main square opposite post office) for maps, trekking tours, or mountain bike rental.
 * Go for a stroll If you have 30 min to spare, walk south along the riverbed (that's the side Hotel Salama is on). After a short walk you'll get a good view of the valley and cool rock formations. You can climb onto some of the rocks for a view of the village.If you are walking on to Napoleon's Hat it is best to rejoin the road when you can (marked as Imiyan on OpenStreetMap) as after then the riverbed gets very overgrown.

Eat
In the restaurant of Hotel Tanger, down at the bridge in the city center. They serve cheap but delicious Tajines.

Drink

 * Restaurant La Kasbah Previously described as "A tourist oriented restaurant with patio that also serves alcohol. Probably the closest you'll get to a 'drinks' kind of place in this town". As of November 2022 it no longer serves alcohol, but a beer bought elsewhere can be drunk on the premises. It's south of the bridge near the CTM bus office.

Sleep

 * Hotel Les Amandiers Tafraoute's premiere tourist hotel, offering 4-star luxury at reasonable rates. Large, clean en-suite rooms, bar, restaurant, outdoor swimming pool. Friendly staff speak good French, English & German.
 * Hotel Salama Modern hotel centrally located next to the bridge
 * Hotel Tangier a two storey building on the other side of what is the main river bed through the village.
 * Hotel Les Amis Located just past the bridge opposite gas station. No lobby area, but nice clean rooms, good internet and ensuite bathrooms. 150 dirhams.

Go next
Ait Mansour Gorge, a beautiful oasis a short distance from Tafraoute. Can be done in a day trip, but there are very few buses. Hitchhiking is a good way to get back to Tafraoute.

Gdourt a picturesque village above an oasis near Ait Mansour.

title: Tafraoute


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Taft

Taft is a small community at the eastern foot of the Temblor mountains, in Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California. It is not much of a vacation destination although there are sites to see including the oil museum, a historic fort and the Carrizo Plains National Monument. There is also a large tract of BLM lands open to off-road enthusiasts.

Understand
The primary industry if the region is oil and gas productions with some of the most prolific oil fields in the state including the Midway Sunset field being just minutes from the city. Other major employers include a nearby Federal prison and kitty litter mines.

The town has a wide range of services including supermarkets, restaurants, a downtown theater and arts center, a college, and others.

The area is a popular location for film shoots being just a little over 2 hours north of Los Angeles. Movies include the 2007 film There Will be Blood, a period drama about the beginning of the oil industry in the area.

Taft in the past couple of years has marketed itself as the gateway to the Carrizo Plain National Monument and is trying to encourage tourism to the area but there isn't much infrastructure to support tourism as of yet.

There are only about 6 hotels in town which all tend to run a bit on the seedy side but look for improvements in the near future as city planners continue to work to improve the city's visitor services.

By car
Taft is located at the intersection of CA-33 and CA-119. From the east, Taft is 16 miles from I-5. From the north, CA-33 connects Taft with McKittrick and Coalinga. From the south, CA-33 connects Taft with Maricopa and Santa Maria via CA-166.

Go next

 * Carrizo Plain National Monument. Take CA-33 south for 16 miles, turn right on Soda Lake Rd. This remote national monument is home to the largest remaining native grassland in California. During wet years it boasts spectacular wildflowers in the spring, and Soda Lake is an important wintering area for waterfowl when precipitation is sufficient to flood the seasonal lakebed. The park is also home to Painted Rock, a Native American site that has been adorned with pictographs over thousands of years. Services are extremely limited, with just a small visitor center, two primitive campgrounds, and a handful of marked trails available.
 * McKittrick - An oil & gas town located north of Taft on Highway 33 that is home to the McKittrick Brea Pit, a tar pit that was the site of a huge cache of prehistoric fossils.
 * Maricopa - Located south of Taft on Highway 33, this oil & agriculture town was the site of one of the largest oil spills in history when the Lakeview Gusher unleashed nine million barrels of oil onto the surrounding countryside.
 * Buttonwillow - Located north of Taft, this town offers additional lodging options and services and is home to the Buttonwillow Tree, a state landmark that gave the town its name.
 * Bakersfield - Northeast of Taft. Nicknamed "the country music capital of the West Coast", Bakersfield is the largest city in the southern San Joaquin Valley and is thus the best option for those seeking lodging, transportation, or other services.

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

title: Taft


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Taftan

Taftan is a city in Balochistan. It's very close to the borders of Iran and Afghanistan.

Understand
Taftan derives its name from the mountain peak which is on the Iranian side of border and is snow capped in winters. The city is famous for trade items going from Indian subcontinent to Iran and vice versa.

This is the first Pakistani town you'll encouter on the Istanbul to New Delhi over land route.

Get in
Taftan is on RCD highway which connects Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. RCD is a well built road and connects Taftan with Quetta to the east (600 km away, 12 hours of driving) and then onwards to Karachi to the south.

(August 2010) If you arrive from Iran via Zahedan and the border town Mirjaveh and have finished the paperwork, security forces (Balochistan Levies) will take you to their headquarter where you have to register once more. Then they will offer you an armed escort for the bus ride to Quetta for Rs1500. It is possible to refuse but no bus company will take you without escort if you're a recognizable foreigner.

Stay safe

 * The area is a major smuggling area for drugs, oil, carpets, movies, so be careful.
 * Do not stray too far from the main highway as not to get lost in the desert and trapped in a possibly lethal situation caused by dehydration.

Go next

 * To Iran
 * To Pakistani cities of Quetta, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad

title: Taftan


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Taganga

Taganga is a small fishing village 5 km north of Santa Marta at the Caribbean coast in Colombia.

Understand
Taganga is a great and idyllic fishing village. Many tourists, local and international, visit this beautiful place every year. It has great charm and the surrounding attractions are plenty.

Although Taganga is a popular place to go, it has also its share of challenges with the infrastructure and public services which is work in progress. It still has charm and might be a nicer place than Santa Marta to explore the surrounding attractions or do some diving.

By bus
Frequent minibuses (collectivos) go from Carrera 5 in Santa Marta to the center of Taganga for COP$2,000 per person (August 2021). It's about 15 minutes and a beautiful ride. On the way back, the bus goes in Santa Marta on Carrera 1 and then Calle 22.

Coming from Minca, the bus to Tanganga goes near the Plaza de Mercado. Ask somebody there where exactly.

By taxi
Taxi fare from bus terminal of Santa Marta to Taganga starts from COP$7,000, but drivers usually charge more for foreigners. Be sure to negotiate before you take. The fare from the main beach of Santa Marta (Carrera 1) to Taganga starts at COP$10,000 and rises to COP$12,000 (all prices as of August 2016) on Sundays, holidays and nights. For cruise ship passengers arriving in Santa Marta there are plenty of taxis and mini-buses waiting in a gated police controlled area to take you.

By boat
There is a daily boat service to and from El Cabo San Juan in the Tayrona National Park. It departs for El Cabo at about 9:30AM, and arrives back at Taganga at 4PM. The 1 hour boat ride can be really rough in the open ocean. Protect your belongings with plastic bags, because you can get wet through, especially in the back of the boat. There is a fixed price. The entrance fee for the National Park has to be paid at the beach.

See
Taganga is surrounded by beautiful desert mountains covered in natural flora and fauna. There are millions of lovely fish and corals which can be reached by short walks and snorkeling out to corals. People watching and good mellow times are to be had along the beach road and loads of beautiful tourists.

There is a viewpoint called Mirador on the way towards Santa Marta. It's better to take a bus or taxi there and back, as the there is no sidewalk and the street is curvy and narrow.

Scuba diving

Taganga has become a popular scuba diving spot. Diving spots are usually near the small island "Aguja", a part of Tayrona National Park. The underwater of Taganga has a big diversity of marine life. There are a dozen diving schools in town, but be careful where you do your courses. There are many reports of travelers doing their courses, paying and never receiving any certificate. Be careful for your safety: some diving centers have pretty old equipment, never follow safety rules such as safety-stop and even skip important skills/exams during the course or have dive masters teaching courses, check if you will be with a real instructor. For more information check padi alerts.

A small review of available dive centers:

Buy
Get homemade seasonal sweets and delicious frozen fruit treats at Kelly seasonally.

There are minimarkets throughout the town. The next big supermarket is in Santa Marta and called Exito. The bus from Taganga goes to Carrera 5/Calle 22 in Santa Marta. From there it's a short walk. The bus back to Taganga goes from in front of the supermarket.

The bus goes to Santa Marta's Parque Bolívar, where there is a BBVA bank branch with three ATMs. The bus goes on Carrera 5 back to Taganga.

Eat
Mid-quality restaurants that specialize mainly in fish dishes are clustered on the beach, with a main dish starting at COP$10,000-15,000 (September 2021). It's worthwhile to walk up two blocks.

There is some street food along the Carrera 3. Most food stalls are there in the late afternoon and in the evening. Special Colombian style hot dogs are from COP$3,000, Hamburgers from COP$5,000 and typical Colombian snacks from COP$1,500 (September 2021).

 * You can buy fresh fish from fisherman at the left side of beach from afternoon into the evening - They will cut it for you and give you just the fillet if you want.
 * Republika Taganguera Divanga's French Restaurant/Bar/Swimming pool. Located in DIVANGA nice hostel with swimming pool 2 blocks straight from Delfin Hostel on the beach. good vibes. +57 5 421 90 92
 * Che Luis, usually very crowded with locals/Israelis. Mostly an Israeli place and very loud as well.
 * El Reef, Cra1 # 15-09. Great panini sandwich and good salad. The speciality: very good waffles with ice cream and Nutella.

Drink
It would be good idea to take a couple of "Stubbie Coolers" (Australian vernacular for an item which keeps the beer in your bottle cooler or longer) as the heat in Taganga will have you drinking warm beer by the time you are at the end of your drink.

Sleep

 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.
 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.
 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.
 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.
 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.
 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.
 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.
 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.
 * Another option is to ask around for an apartment to rent. There are gringo shacks and guest houses all over the town. Usually, most places to stay that are geared towards foreign backpackers will have all the creature comforts (read: running water). Taganga has a long history of people's belongings disappearing as everyone in town often have keys and people lose stuff the day they are scheduled to leave. There is always the option of find a person who's renting a room in their house, or seeing who's out of town and turned their home into a temporary guest house. It's a great way of meeting people and really getting to know a town as interesting as Taganga. If you do this, be sure you trust where you are staying, and bring your own locks as a precaution. Also, Taganga has no water due to political issues, so there are times where water can be an issue.

Connect
There is a great little internet cafe a block to the west of the police station and ATM, which adds little friendly touches like the occasional cup of water.

Stay safe
Taganga had a difficult time a couple of years back with drug dealers, robbery and less than ideal police behavior, but it is a town full of hard working friendly people and it has slowly been recovering since, still regular precautions should be taken, enjoy your visit exercising discretion and caution.

There are quite 7 small beaches outside of Taganga (15 minutes walk), which are connected by walking paths covered by vegetation. These paths are not well illuminated, so precautions must be taken on late hours when there are not many people walking to and from. Do not walk there by yourself. Wait for a small group. If you carry valuables with you and don't feel adventurous, it's better to take a boat (3 minutes; COP $5.000).

Go next
Hostels have these places:

 * Tayrona National Park — an unspoilt natural paradise of jungle, birds, ocean, and absolutely gorgeous beaches. A boat leaves for the backpacker beach haven of El Cabo every morning around 10AM. On the country road that goes through the national park, there are hostels in El Zaino and Calabazo.
 * Santa Marta — Blue collectivos leave for Santa Marta for every 15 minutes or even more often, passing the roundabout at the malecon (COP$2,000, September 2021). They pass along Av.  del Ferrocarril and Santa Marta malecon at Carrera 1C and then Calle 22.
 * Minca – a bit cooler and 20km from Santa Marta. It's 580m above sea level towards the mountain top Cuchilla San Lorenzo
 * Guachaca
 * Cartagena – Direct intercity buses depart from Santa Marta. Berlinas bus company offers shuttle tickets from Taganga hostels to Cartagena. DivaExpe (see tour operator) sells tickets.

Suitable for a trip is:
 * Ciudad Perdida — Taganga, even more so than Santa Marta, is the main jumping off point for the famous trek, and you should be able to arrange a trek on short notice with any of the hostels or tour companies dotting the main road.

title: Taganga


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Taganrog

Taganrog is the second largest city in Rostov Oblast, Russia known as the home city of Anton Chekhov.

By train
Reaching Taganrog by rail usually requires a change of trains in Rostov-on-the-Don which is an important rail hub. A few direct trains heading to the Black Sea cost makes stop-overs here but they are usually only running during summer season. However, commuter trains from Rostov-on-the-Don departs hourly during the day with a journey time of just two hours.

By bus
There is also a developed network of shuttle bus service from Rostov-on-the-Don and other neighboring cities and villages of Rostov Oblast and across the border from Ukraine.

By car

 * When traveling from Moscow, take federal route M4 up to Rostov-on-the-Don, after Rostov take route Е58-М23 in direction of Taganrog (around 45 miles).
 * When traveling from Ukraine, pass through Mariupol, Novoazovsk and cross the border checkpoint at Novoazovsk. After the Ukainian/Russian border, go around 35 miles on route M23 to Taganrog.

Get around

 * Taganrog's main and most popular public transport is tramway. It has a network of 9 lines.

See
There are eight museums in the city: Alferaki Palace, Taganrog Museum of Art, Birth house of Anton Chekhov memorial museum, Taganrog City Architectural Development Museum, Ivan Vasilenko Museum, Chekhov Gymnasium, Anatoly Durov Museum, The Chekhov Shop.

title: Taganrog


text:
Tagaytay

Located at a mountain ridge on southern Cavite, the city of Tagaytay provides a mildly cool refuge from Manila's gritty side. It is the unofficial "Second Summer Capital" of the Philippines (the first is Baguio), and its proximity to Metro Manila draws local and foreign tourists alike. Despite the city's association with scenic Taal Volcano and the lake surrounding it, being in neighboring Batangas province, Tagaytay has many hidden things beyond the first impressions. Once a sleepy mountain town, Tagaytay has been a home to many things worth visiting: scenic viewpoints, religious sites, dining, and a new arrival, shopping malls.

Understand
Rising at about, Tagaytay is cooler than the lowlands of Cavite, and some rich residents, both Filipino and foreigner, have set up mansions near to the scenic views of mountains and the dominating Taal volcano and lake. It is a city of 85,000 people (2020), scattered in 38 barangays. Due to its altitude, there are also some pine trees – similar to those in Baguio — growing here.

Tagaytay is unofficially called the "Second Summer Capital of the Philippines" by locals and tourists in comparison to Baguio; official statistics as of 2015 record 500,000 tourist arrivals. Tagaytay becomes crowded during Christmas and Holy Week, and the main highways to the city become jammed.

Name
Tagaytay's name is derived from the Tagalog word for "mountain ridge", but there is an urban legend circulating by word of mouth to describe the origin of the city's name. The tale describes the origin of the name "Tagaytay" as coming from the yells of a boy who was hunting with his father on the location of the current city. The boy shouted "Taga, itay" after his father hunted and caught one, and this words echoed at the mountain, that led to the name.

Orientation
Tagaytay, despite its city status, looks more of a aggregation of villages and towns, with subdivisions — gated or not — and farmland in between, however, large urban developments like high-rise condominiums and shopping malls have arrived in Tagaytay, and traffic jams have become a problem during peak season.

Important to local orientation are the main roads and the major junctions, which form the commercial centers. Aguinaldo Highway is the east-west artery and main commercial street, becoming Tagaytay-Calamba Road to Picnic Grove and People's Park east of the central roundabout, Tagaytay Rotonda. Tagaytay Rotonda, aka Olivarez Junction (after the eponymous college and mall complex), has two large malls and the roundabout where Aguinaldo Highway turns to the west. Mahogany Junction, and the Kaybagal area, rather two barangays with directional disambiguation on their names, has the casino, city hall complex, public market, the Sky Ranch theme park, the Summit Ridge mall, and the Taal Vista Hotel. Between the Mahogany and Olivarez areas are the strip of cliffside restaurants with views of Taal volcano and lake (and Batangas province), and a row of retreat houses. Western Tagaytay, which blurs into the adjacent municipality of Alfonso, has Crossing Mendez, another junction with a commercial strip, some accommodations, the Puzzle Mansion, and Zoori (Zoo and Residence Inn).

Climate
Tagaytay has a mild climate and dramatic scenery, which makes it popular with residents of Manila. Average temperatures range from to. There are three seasons, a cool dry season, hot dry season (summer) and the wet season. Peak seasons are the cool dry season, which includes the Christmas and New Year period, and the hot dry season, which includes the Holy Week peak period.

The cool dry season from December to March is the most pleasant season to visit, with daytime highs below the 30s and nighttime lows from and below, and not much rainfall, except in December.

The hot dry season is characterized by daytime highs at, but is short, only lasting between April and May, and the weather becomes variable by May. While the humidity can make the heat unbearable, Tagaytay generally does have cooler temperatures, so many tourists flock the city during Holy Week.

Rainy season covers much of the year, from June to November, but the weather can be changeable. July and August has the most rainfall, and it's best to avoid those months.

Local information

 * Tagaytay Coty Government website

Get in
Tagaytay is south of Manila, and is easy to reach than the more popular Baguio. While it's possible to reach the city by bus, many travelers bring a car.

By car

Most tourists to Tagaytay bring a car, making all major road entry points packed during times. Tagaytay is a hour from Manila under proper traffic conditions, but expect travel to be 1½-2 hours due to traffic jams or an occasional rainstorm.

From Manila
From Manila, the main highways to Tagaytay are the moderately congested Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road (Route 420), the most traveled route with an interchange with the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) on the Santa Rosa end, and the perennially snarled Aguinaldo Highway (Route 62 in Bacoor, Route 419 between Bacoor and Silang, Route 410 from Silang to Tagaytay).

Many travelers from Manila drive to Tagaytay via SLEX. Most leave at Santa Rosa Exit, which directly connects to Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road (Route 420), but it gets snarled during weekdays or peak season, so there are alternatives:

 * Via CALAX Leave SLEX at Mamplasan, and take the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) to Santa Rosa, where you turn right to Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road.
 * Via Eton City Exit: Exit SLEX at Eton City, then follow partially divided Greenfield Park, and turn left to Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road. The roads from Eton City exit are lightly traveled, so it is being promoted as an alternate route to Tagaytay from SLEX.
 * Via Carmona Exit: Exit SLEX at Carmona, then follow Governor's Drive through Carmona, then turn left at Carmona-Silang Road. It bypasses Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road to the north and useful if you are making side trips to Silang, but leads you through barangays in the middle of nowhere and local processions during the middle of the year can slow traffic down.

For the two options mentioned, 1 hour and 30 minutes is a good rule of thumb, if accounting for traffic.

 * Via MCX and Daang Hari: Exit into Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX) in Muntinlupa, which ends at a circular junction with Daang Hari at the southern tip of Las Piñas. Afterwards, follow Daang Hari with an option of traveling up to Aguinaldo Highway in Imus, or turning into Molino-Paliparan Road into Dasmariñas, where you turn right to Governor's Drive to Palapala Junction. Approximate travel times are 1 hour, 50 minutes to 2 hours, if accounting for traffic conditions.
 * Via CAVITEX: Take the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx, or Coastal Road), exit at Bacoor, and follow Aguinaldo Highway all the way to Tagaytay. This is no longer a recommended option due to traffic jams along stretches of Aguinaldo Highway, and a trip can take about 2 hours or more.

For those taking Aguinaldo Highway or Governor's Drive on their road trip, beware of a travel restriction in force from December 2018, where vehicles cannot travel through those mentioned roads based on the final digit of their license plate number during weekdays.

By bus
Tagaytay is well served by buses from Metro Manila, but delays from traffic jams remain. Most buses to Tagaytay depart from Parañaque and head for other towns further inland within southern Cavite or to Western Batangas via Aguinaldo Highway. Buses going to Tagaytay can be found where they show "via Tagaytay" on their signboards. For a complete list, see Parañaque.

There are two bus companies which have trips terminating at Tagaytay.

Tagaytay does not have any bus stations; instead, buses stop at major road junctions: Tagaytay Rotonda (aka. Olivarez, the junction of Aguinaldo Highway and Tagaytay-Calamba Road), Mahogany Junction (the intersection of Mahogany Avenue and Crisanto M. delos Reyes Avenue), and Crossing Mendez (junction between Aguinaldo Highway and Tagaytay-Mendez Road). Buses terminating at Tagaytay generally turn around past Mendez or at the roundabout.

Regardless of carrier, the bus fare to Tagaytay from Parañaque is approximately as of 2019. A trip from Nasugbu costs around, and Balayan from.

Alternative routes from Manila
If you don't bother taking a bus plying Aguinaldo Highway through congested suburban Cavite, you may consider taking the DLTB bus from Pasay and headed for Nasugbu via Carmona for, or take a bus to Santa Rosa, then transfer to a jeepney. The DLTB bus fare may cost as twice as the usual fare from Parañaque, but it saves time otherwise wasted on a traffic jam.

Bus travel via Santa Rosa, coupled with a jeepney trip to Tagaytay is a possible option, especially if you are coming from the airport or from Metro Manila's financial centers. There are many possible combinations, based on your starting point.

 * From NAIA: UBE Express operates premium buses to Nuvali (with a transfer to a jeepney from there) or Robinsons Santa Rosa Market. If you took the bus to the Robinsons mall, you must transfer to a jeepney plying the National Highway and get down at Balibago, where the jeepneys to Tagaytay depart. The fare is about.
 * From Pasay or Cubao: Jam and Jac Liner has buses to Balibago Complex from either point, with departures every 30 minutes. Fares start from . to . They provide a more direct connection with the jeepney terminal, which is within walking distance.
 * From Makati: Tas Trans operates another premium bus from The Circuit to Nuvali via Santa Rosa Exit.

By van
UV Express (formerly known as FX and GTExpress) also provide service to Tagaytay from Manila, especially EDSA Rotonda, Shaw Crossing, Buendia and Alabang. Fares range from to.

By boat
The nearest ports are in Batangas City and Manila, both with connections to local public transport.

From Batangas port
From Batangas port, there is one local jeepney route out of the port, which unfortunately does not serve the central bus station, but it's easy to find a connection as you enter downtown Batangas. Tricycles are the only direct option to reach the bus station, but there is a risk of rip-offs (a charge for a long-distance tricycle ride is not uncommon within Batangas City).

At the bus station, options are:

 * Provincial buses: BSC (Batman Starexpress) has hourly departures to Nasugbu from Batangas. Get down at the Palico roundabout, where you can catch another bus on the direction of Tagaytay. A trip from Batangas to Palico takes about 2 hours with traffic in account, and about a hour to Tagaytay from Palico. The fare is about to Palico, and  to Tagaytay from Palico.
 * Minivans: There are UV Express to Calamba or Dasmariñas. From Calamba, transfer to another van are available. From Dasmariñas, buses are available outside the bus terminal. They are often not a comfortable and affordable option; vans tend to be cramped, and the fares are twice as the bus. Beware of unlicensed ones though.

Get around
Tagaytay does not have any taxis, and they are not available from the malls either; the few taxis are generally those who pay thousands of pesos to get to the city from Manila. There are jeepneys across town, but almost all run to nearby towns and municipalities. Within Tagaytay, you'll either get around by car or if you don't drive, by tricycle or jeepney.

By jeepney
Jeepneys are common. Fares are usually around, sometimes a little more depending on the distance.

On foot
At the Tagaytay visitor's center and near the zip line is quite easy to walk and explore.

See
Most tourists visit Tagaytay to view Taal Volcano, an active volcano with a large crater lake with a small cone rising in the middle. Though part of nearby Batangas province, tours to the area are mostly organized from here (see ). You can just view the volcano from the slopes of the city; trips to the volcano are expensive though by local standards, but reasonable by foreign standards, especially if you bargain. Due to an eruption that is ongoing since 2020, it has been prohibited to visit the volcano.

Buy
Small shops line the roadway as you come into the area, the vegetables and fruits are fresh and good quality.

The area is also famous for its Buko Pie.

There is also the Good Shepherd Convent (like the one in Baguio) and you can get your favorite Ube jam, pili, etc. In addition to that you can also get their buko pie for which Laguna/Cavite is known.

Drink
Coffee - Coffee shops are abundant in the city proper, some of the noted ones are Starbucks Coffee and Bag of Beans.

Stay safe
Tagaytay is a safe place to visit, and the locals are very nice, just beware of the usual things in Tagaytay such as scammers and pickpockets; in short exercise the usual level of common sense when travelling.

Beware of the obvious scams and ensure that if you are visiting Taal volcano or any other attractions with guides that they have the proper identification usually administered by the Philippine Tourist Board.

As with all tourist destinations, they like to "plus plus" everything, that is add the taxes and the tourist fee on later, so make sure that you ask for the complete price inclusive of tourist fee. It is recommended that if you visit Taal Volcano and you go horseback riding, that you demand to pay your guide a tip and forego paying as a tour guide fee at the ticket office as this ensures that your working guide actually gets paid as they get undercut from the ticket office; a tip of  usually suffices.

Connect
Police, Medical and Fire: 911. 911 may also be texted from cellphones. Tourist hotline: +63 2-5241728, +63 2-5241660 Immigration hotline: 527 Directory assistance: 187 (fee applies)

Mobile phone reception is good in the area.

Go next
Indang, a quiet, off-the-beaten-track municipality with some historical sights and some resorts, can be reached within 15 to 30 minutes.

Western Batangas can be reachable by a 30-minute or 1-hour road trip. Nearest places are:
 * Nasugbu — The touristic and commercial center of the region, with luxury beach resorts, mountain hiking, and a few sights.
 * Lemery and Taal — Two contrasting towns, separated by a river that once connected Taal Lake and volcano with the sea. Lemery is mostly commercial, with some sights and a few beaches, while Taal has heritage homes, a very old basilica, and butterfly knife (balisong) producers and shops.

Taal Volcano can be visited without having to book a tour in Tagaytay, but tend to be expensive if a tout approaches you on the Batangas side. Talisay is the main entry point, within the designated park boundaries, and has luxurious lakeside resorts, but its town center has little to nothing to see.

title: Tagaytay


text:
Tagbilaran

Tagbilaran is the capital city of the island province of Bohol in the Philippines. With about 105,000 residents as of 2020, it is the main point of entry to Bohol and serves as the province's political, social and economic center. Besides, it's known as the "City of Friendship".

Understand
Despite being the capital of Bohol, and despite its relative size, Tagbilaran does not feel like a big city. In some respects the city feels more like a provincial town rather than the bustling capital city of one of the Philippines' best-known provinces, and rightfully so. Few establishments are open 24 hours, many stores are closed on Sunday, traffic is almost non-existent, and Tagbilaranons (as local residents are called) seem to be more relaxed than their counterparts in larger cities.

However, this atmosphere does yield several positives: locals are very friendly, the city is very safe, and as the introduction of most tourists to Bohol, Tagbilaran gives a good picture of what one can expect from the rest of the province.

History
Little is known about the pre-history of Tagbilaran, although it is believed to have been a trading outpost where, according to Spanish accounts, the natives conducted trade with China, the Malay states and present-day Indonesia. It is said that around the year 1200, the Lutaos of northern Mindanao established settlements on stilts along the Tagbilaran Strait, separating mainland Bohol from Panglao Island (which today separates Tagbilaran from Dauis), which later became the Kingdom of Dapitan, a prosperous local center of power. It is believed that these settlements were abandoned by 1563 due to attacks by the Portuguese and their allies from Ternate. Another kingdom, the Bool Kingdom, may have also existed within city limits in the 15th century.

The first recorded event in what is now believed to be Tagbilaran was the Sandugo. Known as the first treaty of friendship between Filipinos and Spaniards, this blood compact was effected between local chieftain Rajah Sikatuna and explorer (and later Governor-General of the Philippines) Miguel López de Legazpi, which reportedly took place in what is now the eastern outskirts of the city. (This fact is disputed by historical findings claiming that the event may have actually taken place in Loay, away.)

Tagbilaran used to be part of neighboring Baclayon, and its parish church was one of the six churches of Bohol established by the Jesuits when they came to the island in 1595 to evangelize and convert the natives to Christianity. The town was later split from Baclayon in 1742, when Father Cesar Felipe Doria, Rector of the Jesuits in Bohol, petitioned for the creation of a new town as he believed Baclayon became too large to be administered by a single priest, and the town was dedicated to Saint Joseph the Worker, hence the town was originally called San José de Tagbilaran. It later became the capital of Bohol in 1854, after the island was made a separate province from neighboring Cebu.

The town grew throughout the Spanish and American regimes, and on 1 July 1966, Tagbilaran was elevated to a city by virtue of Republic Act No. 4660.

Orientation
Tagbilaran is divided into 15 barangays. Most economic activity is concentrated in the city center, which consists of Poblacion I, II, III and Cogon (immediately north of Poblacion II). The city's remaining 11 barangays are more rural and more closely resemble neighboring towns, although they become more urbanized approaching the city center.

Talk
The main language of Tagbilaran, like the rest of Bohol, is Boholano, a dialect of Cebuano which differs from standard Cebuano largely in terms of pronunciation. These differences sometimes have linguists describe Boholano as a separate language altogether. Despite this, standard Cebuano is understood by Boholano speakers, as it is the language used in Cebuano-language mass media, and Boholano as spoken in Tagbilaran is closer to standard Cebuano than the Boholano spoken further inland. English is also well-understood by most city residents, although Tagbilaranons speak it to varying levels of fluency.

Unlike in neighboring Cebu, Tagbilaranons (and Boholanos in general) are less hesitant to speak Filipino, especially owing to the influx of tourists from non-Cebuano speaking regions of the Philippines. Many Boholanos will know how to speak Filipino as Filipino language instruction is required in school, and they will normally respond in Filipino when spoken to in Filipino, though some will respond instead in English (as in Cebu). However, it is not uncommon for a Tagbilaranon to ask a Filipino speaker if they are new to the city, as speaking in Filipino is often (though not always) an indicator of not being a resident.

By plane
Since November 2018, Tagbilaran has been served by the Bohol–Panglao International Airport, the only airport in Bohol with commercial service. The old Tagbilaran Airport in downtown Tagbilaran is closed.

Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines all have flights to Panglao Airport. While most flights to the city originate from Manila, since 2018, there has been a boom in air service to the city, and it is now possible to fly from Boracay, Cagayan de Oro, Metro Cebu, Davao and Angeles. International service was also introduced, with Jeju Air flying from Seoul.

An alternative to flying is to fly to Cebu Airport, then go to Tagbilaran by boat.

Ground Transportation. Buses connect the airport with the Tagbilaran City Integrated Bus Terminal (Island City Mall) via Alona Beach and downtown Panglao, operated by Southern Star Transit, with service every 45 minutes from 5:45AM until 6PM. fare of.

By boat
There are boats going to neighboring islands in the Visayas, as well as to Luzon and Mindanao. Two types of ships transport passengers to Tagbilaran: fast ferries (catamarans) and regular ferries. Fares on regular ferries are cheaper than with fast ferries, although the travel times are longer (for instance, the regular ferry to Cebu takes five hours versus two hours with a fast ferry).

Fast ferries
Three companies provide fast ferry service. Fares are normally around one-way, with all three companies offering promotions for buying tickets early. For example, a round-trip ticket between Cebu and Tagbilaran bought at least two days in advance on Weesam express is, inclusive of passenger service charges. Sunday ferries from Tagbilaran to Cebu are often fully booked, so book ahead or use the port in Tubigon, if leaving on a Sunday.

 * 2GO Travel (formerly SuperCat) has three trips daily between Tagbilaran and Cebu City. Ferries leave from Pier 4 at the Cebu International Port for Tagbilaran at 9:15AM, 1:35PM and 6:05PM and return to Cebu from Tagbilaran at 7AM, 11:25AM and 3:55PM.
 * OceanJet has the most services to Tagbilaran, with six daily trips to Cebu, and two to Dumaguete which then travel on to Siquijor. From Cebu, ferries leave from Pier 1 at the Cebu International Port for Tagbilaran at 6AM, 9:20AM, 11:30AM, 2PM, 3:35PM and 6:35PM and return to Cebu from Tagbilaran at 7:05AM, 9:20AM, 11:40AM, 1:30PM, 4:20PM and 6PM. From Siquijor, ferries leave for Tagbilaran at 6AM, 11:20AM returning to Siquijor from Tagbilaran (via Dumaguete) at 6AM, 3PM. This ferry leaves Dumaguete for Tagbilaran at 6AM and 3PM. Tagbilaran to Dumaguete cost . if you buy a Libre Balik Promo ticket from Tagbilaran to Cebu city (valid 6 days) you pay only  return.
 * Weesam Express has three daily trips between Tagbilaran and Cebu. Ferries leave from Pier 4 at the Cebu International Port for Tagbilaran at 9AM, 2PM and 6:30PM, returning to Cebu from Tagbilaran at 7AM, 11:20AM and 4:30PM.

Regular ferries

 * There are two ferry companies with boats to Cebu City: Lite Shipping and Trans Asia Shipping. Fares are for regular seats (open-air),  for a Lying (bed) (open-air) and for Tourist class A/C lying (bed) it is  (Aug 2022).
 * Lite Shipping Corporation has two daily services, leaving Cebu at 13:00 and 10PM, returning to Cebu from Tagbilaran at noon and 10:30PM.
 * Trans Asia from Cebu to Tagbilaran every Monday 7AM. and from Tagbilaran to Cebu every Sunday at 10PM.
 * Lite Shipping has a ferry 3 times a week M W Sa at 8PM from Tagbilaran to Plaridel in Misamis Occidental via Larena Siquijor.
 * Lite Shipping has a ferry from Tagbilaran to Argao on Cebu island twice a day 8AM and 4PM. (From Argao you can get a bus to Metro Cebu or Dumaguete).
 * Trans Asia has a ferry 3 times a week from Tagbilaran to Cagayan de Oro;.

By bus
Most buses serving Tagbilaran from other towns in Bohol, as well as all buses from other cities in the Philippines, terminate at the (IBT), Alfonso L. Uy St, Dao (in the northern outskirts of the city, beside the Island City Mall). The relatively spartan structure also houses the terminal for vans serving the rest of Bohol: vans are to the left of the entrance, while buses are to the right. Southern Star Transit has a bus to/from the Integrated bus terminal to Alona beach every 45 min from 5:45AM till 6PM for.

By car
The main roads into Tagbilaran are the two halves of the circumferential road circling the island of Bohol which emanate from the city center: the Tagbilaran North Road and the Tagbilaran East Road. In the city center, both roads are known as Carlos P. Garcia Avenue (popularly shortened to "CPG Avenue") and Venancio P. Inting Avenue, respectively. Another major road into Tagbilaran is the Tagbilaran-Corella-Sikatuna-Loboc Road, connecting the city to Loboc and the interior towns of Bohol via Corella.

By tricycle
With over 3,000 of them throughout the city, tricycles are the main form of public transportation in Tagbilaran, and can be hailed from any part of the city. They can normally seat up to two people (three if the "seat" behind the driver is counted), with a small luggage space provided on the back. Fares vary according to distance (regular fare: /person), with drivers charging more to reach Island City Mall and Tagbilaran City Integrated Bus Terminal, the seaport, or destinations beyond city limits. Tricycles may also be chartered as well for day tours of the city and surrounding towns.

By jeepney or bus
Aside from tricycles, jeepneys are the other main form of transport in Tagbilaran, with many routes converging at the Island City Mall and the Tagbilaran City Integrated Bus Terminal. Some routes, particularly to the northwestern part of the city and to Panglao Island, also converge at points within the city center, such as Tagbilaran City Square. Jeepneys may either ply routes within the city, or may go to surrounding towns. The fare is for the first  (which covers most of the city area), plus  for every additional km beyond that.

Jeepney routes in Tagbilaran are not numbered. However, it is easy to determine what kind of route a jeepney plies: city jeepneys will normally identify specific points and roads within the city (eg: Carlos P. Garcia Avenue, the Island City Mall, etc.) while provincial jeepneys will only mention the town served from Tagbilaran (i.e. Baclayon, Panglao)

Buses which serve the rest of Bohol also stop at points within Tagbilaran, although they do not go through the city center. Buses are useful mostly for heading towards the Tagbilaran City Integrated Bus Terminal, where it is possible to transfer to tricycles and jeepneys serving the rest of the city.

By taxi
There are white taxis in the city, though they are not plentiful and they are mostly found at the airport, seaport and major malls. Taxi rates are the same as in major urban centers such as Manila and Cebu: taxis in Tagbilaran charge a flagdown rate, plus  for every additional 300 m. It is not uncommon however to negotiate rates when going outside the city, especially to Panglao, as the taxi driver has to drive back to Tagbilaran without passengers.

On foot
Tagbilaran is small enough that the city center can be covered adequately on foot. However, as is the case with the rest of the Philippines, sidewalks are few and far between, except along major roads such as Carlos P. Garcia Avenue.

See
Tagbilaran is often perceived as a city with nothing to see, and tourists often skip the city in favor of better-known sites in other parts of Bohol. However, contrary to popular belief, the city does have a number of unique sites.

Corella
A tiny town away from Tagbilaran, the main attraction of which is the Tarsier Visitors Center,  out of town. The town has no place to eat, or to sleep.

Getting there: jeepneys and buses are available at Tagbilaran's main bus terminal, fares are and the ride is around 40 minutes. Taxis are faster, but more expensive, with prices about several hundreds of pesos. However, the center of Corella is located in the forest and there are no taxis or tricycles anywhere in sight, passing jeepneys and buses can take you to nearby destinations, such as Tagbilaran or Loboc.

Festivals
Tagbilaran celebrates three major festivals.

 * The Ubi Festival is celebrated every January in honor of Bohol's most famous agricultural export, ubi (purple yam). With most celebrations taking place in Plaza Rizal, there are exhibits featuring sustainable agriculture and the plant's uses, a contest for the best ubi specimen and upcoming products, as well as a motorcade through the city.
 * The Tagbilaran City Fiesta is the city's official fiesta, celebrated every May in honor of the city's patron saint, Saint Joseph the Worker, whose feast day is on 1 May. This fiesta also opens Bohol's "Month of Fiestas", as every town in Bohol has a May fiesta.  Nightly activities are held in the nine days leading to the fiesta itself, such as the Mutya ng Tagbilaran beauty pageant, stage productions and concerts. On the day itself, motorcades and a street dancing festival take place in the city center.
 * The Sandugo Festival is Tagbilaran's major festival, and it is celebrated every July to commemorate the blood compact made between Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel López de Legazpi, often coinciding with the charter anniversary of the city. Highlights include a re-enactment of the Sandugo, a street dancing festival through the city center, and the Miss Bohol Sandugo beauty pageant.

Malls & supermarkets

 * There are five malls in Tagbilaran, three of which are in the city center.

Eat
Aside from the standard Philippine chain restaurants Tagbilaran also has a number of unique places to eat.

Drink
There are a number of nightlife spots in Tagbilaran, although they're not as plentiful as in neighboring Panglao. For example, while there is only one nightclub, there are music and karaoke bars scattered throughout the city.

Telephones
The area code of Tagbilaran, like the rest of Bohol, is 38. Area codes are not required for calls made within the entire province of Bohol.

The three main mobile service providers in the Philippines: Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and Sun Cellular, have good (though sometimes spotty) coverage throughout Tagbilaran, and all three providers operate both 2G and 3G networks throughout the city. SIM cards are sold at convenience stores throughout the city, at mobile phone stores located in the city center (especially within Tagbilaran City Square), and by touts located along Carlos P. Garcia Avenue. All three providers also have offices in the city: Globe Telecom and Sun Cellular have their local offices at the Island City Mall, while Smart Communications has its office at the Ambassador Arcade on B. Inting Street, in the city center.

Unlike mobile phones, however, payphones are hard to find in Tagbilaran, though there are a few in the city center. Some convenience stores though offer use of their telephones for a small fee, often for a three-minute local call.

Internet
There are Internet cafés scattered throughout Tagbilaran, serving both casual Internet surfers and online gamers. Use of a computer at an Internet café typically costs around per hour. The cafés often offer additional services as well, such as printing documents, but most cafés close at night.
 * Megabyte Café at Bohol Quality Mall. Open 9AM-9PM /10min. They also have LAN cable plugin (for direct internet to laptops) and printing, scanning, copying, etc. services

Wi-Fi
While there are Wi-Fi hotspots in the city, significant coverage is mostly limited to the city center. Many places that do offer Wi-Fi lock their networks and only provide access to paying customers. Most of the hotels and inns throughout the city normally offer free Wi-Fi to their guests, though sometimes coverage is limited to common areas.
 * McDonald's in Bohol Quality Mall (access daily 7-11AM and 1-5PM). Password available upon request and no purchase required.
 * Dunkin' Donuts near Rizal Park, CPG (access: store hours). Password typed on device upon request with purchase.
 * Dunkin' Donuts in Island City Mall (access: mall hours). Password typed on device upon request with purchase.
 * Bo's Coffee Club near Rizal Park, CPG (access: store hours). Daily altered password stub available upon request with purchase.
 * Bo's Coffee Club in Island City Mall (access: mall hours). Password typed on device upon request with purchase.
 * Brewpoint Coffee Club at Soledad Suites (access: store hours). Daily altered password stub available upon request with purchase.

Go next
The rest of Bohol awaits visitors to Tagbilaran, with many parts of the province reasonably accessible from the city.

There are good connections to other islands:
 * Panglao Island, home of the famous white sands of Alona Beach, the underground springs of Hinagdanan Cave, and stately old churches and buildings dotting the island, is immediately south of the city. Both the older Butalid Causeway, located in the city center, and the newer Borja Bridge to the east in Booy, connect Tagbilaran to Panglao.
 * The neighboring town of Baclayon is known for both its stately old church and its many old Spanish houses. The world's largest python in captivity, Prony, is kept in a sanctuary in Barangay Laya, close to the border with Alburquerque, and Pamilacan Island, with its white sand beaches and old Spanish-era watchtower, is a short boat ride away.
 * Loboc, 24 km east of Tagbilaran, has long been considered the center of Boholano Christianity, and the town church (and the adjoining Museo de Loboc) are its major landmarks. The world-famous Loboc Children's Choir is based here, performing every Sunday during Mass.  Lunchtime river cruises along the Loboc River are also a favorite activity among visitors.
 * Jagna town has a port with ferries to/from Camiguin Island
 * Cebu City
 * Dumaguete - the University city of Gentle People with its popular Rizal Boulevard for evening promenades and opportunities for Whale and Dolphin watching, just a fast boat ride away!
 * Siquijor

title: Tagbilaran


text:
Taghazout

Taghazout is a small port about 20 km north of Agadir in south-west Morocco.

Understand
Taghazout is under massive development and connecting more with the neighbouring villages of Tamraght and Aourir. The original beach cafes and shops have been flattened.

Get in
The most convenient by plane is to arrive in the airport of Agadir. Another airport around is in Marrakech and some international flights go to Essaouira. Somewhat further away is the airport of Casablanca.

 * Agadir – You can take the local bus 32 or 33 from Agadir to Taghazout. The bus starts north of Souq El Had, close to the CTM bus station. The bus (32 & 33) runs every 30 min from 06:00-20:00 and takes 45 mins. It costs 7 dirham. There is also an Agadir–Tamri bus passing through Taghazout. Grand taxis can be catched from the main plaza. Or you can take a taxi from the Agadir airport to Taghazout, which costs 300 dirham, or from Agadir's long distance bus station the taxi should cost about 150 dirham. The going price for a private taxi from Agadir anywhere in the center to Taghazout is 150 dirham. We found the same price to go back to Agadir. (Updated Dec 2023)

 * Marrakech – There are several buses daily to get you to Agadir from Marrakech. You can also take a direct taxi if you prefer comfort, which costs 1,200 dirham (day and night), or a shared shuttle bus for 160 dirham (run by Souk to Surf).

 * Casablanca – You have a few options. You can either jump on the train to Marrakech and from there to Agadir. Or you take a train to Casa Voyageurs in Casablanca and take a Supratours bus directly from there to Agadir. These run at specific times every day and take 6-8 hr to reach Agadir. The quickest route is probably the train to Marrakech and then a bus, and it has the added benefit of allowing you to pass through a major city and perhaps stop there for a night to see the market and the town. The train can be crowded though, so it’s best to get a first class ticket so you have a booked seat. The price difference is not major.

 * Tangier and Rabat – Take a train via Casablanca to Marrakech. Then take a bus to Agadir.

Between Essaouira and Agadir it is very easy to catch an intercity bus anywhere along the way. While CTM and Supratours are not allowed to pick up additional passengers, local intercity buses do not have such a restriction. From the Essaouira airport you can take the local bus, a taxi or walk to the intersection of the country road "National route 1" where the local intercity buses take you to Taghazout. During the day there is one bus about every hour. This is a great way to explore the coast including Taghazout between these two cities without issues. The regular price for the full distance is 50 dirham. From Essaouira and Imsouane, there is also the option of getting the Souk to Surf shuttles which cost 120 and 80 dirham respectively.

Get around
The town is so small that everything can be reached on foot.

Do

 * Surf the Anchor point, an amazing surf location in Morocco. Less crowded than Spain and France, warmer water and fantastic culture. Anchors, Killers, Mysteries and a little further up, Boilers. Busy line ups over the Christmas break.

Drink
As of late 2023, the one bar selling alcoholic drinks in town is at the popular Dfrost hotel.

Sleep
Checkout the regular reservation websites, there are plenty of options. However, touts at the central square will also be able to arrange you a room in an apartment or even a whole house, especially for a longer time.

Connect
Most ho(s)tels will have WiFi.

Go next
There is wonderful sightseeing in places such as Tamraght, Aourir or the Imouzzer waterfall, and Paradise Valley, which has many small deep lakes. Many surfcamps take their surfers to these famous places when there are no waves. These places have great views of the mountains.

title: Taghazout


text:
Tagong

Tagong is a small town in the Tibetan prefecture of Ganzi.

Understand
With an altitude of 3,700 m and it is half way between Kangding and Litang. It is known for scenic grasslands and local Tibetan Buddhist culture.

Get in
Many official buses and private vans/cars leave from Kangding in the morning. There are buses going at 6 in the morning in the direction of Tagong, however their final destination is Garze and you have to pay the full price. Probably the easiest (and as cheap as bus) way is to find a taxi at the taxi parking in Kangding (across the river from Yak market). The price is ¥50 per person (4 person/car) and you can ask the driver to stop at viewpoints, which is definitely worth it.

Get around
Hiking. Really good option for discovering Tagong grassland is to rent a motorbike in Tagong, you will find many option around the town. There are no manual scooters in Tagong; you should be able to shift on motorbike.

See
Most people come here to relax and visit the grasslands and maybe hiking or take horse tour.

Do
Horse treks through the pristine countryside are a popular option, running about ¥150/person for half a day. This can be bargained somewhat. "Half a day" may only comprise a few hours. If possible, try to get the details.

A wonderful hike across the grasslands to the south takes you to the Lhagang Monastery and Ani Gompa (nunnery), which offers affordable lodging. To get there, simply proceed from town past the temple, make a right on the road 100m past the temple, and you will see the monestery's golden roof in the distance. Walk toward it. The walk is around 9 km each way, but most of the way the terrain is flat. Ideal way is to make a small loop - 1) One way you can follow the road and cross the roadbrigde, then proceed directly to the monastery across the grassland (you will have yak herds in the fenced area on your lefthand side), 2) Amazing ridge walk - the ridge is on your lefthand side if you look the monastery from Tagong. Cross the road, ford the small river and you will get to a fenced area with yaks. Go to left and you will get to the base of a hill, climb to the ridge around 100 vertical meters and follow the rigde in the direction of the monastery. There is a path following the ridge. The views of grassland, nunnery, monastery and Zhara Lhatse are magnificent. The highest point of the ridge is around 3950m. The walk is slightly more demanding compared to shortest way through the grassland, but the distance is exaclty the same and the rigde is going straight to the nunnery.

After enjoying the monastery grounds you can seek out lodging at the nunnery. To reach it, proceed left (as you face the monastery) down the road in front of the monastery, through the village, past the temple there, until you see a very small shop on your right. Inquire there; the guesthouse is upstairs.

Hike to village of Xiangnong. Cross the brigde behind Tagong monastery and follow the river upstream to the valley for around 4 km. This road is ideal for motorbike as well.

Hike to any of the hills around the town for amazing views. Go to the stupa near Tagong monastery for magnificent sunset illuminating peaks of Zhara Lhatse.

Eat
Check out Sally's if you are chasing Western food. The Chinese food there is good, but not that Chinese. In particular, the spicy yak stew (¥18) is good. Sally's is just round the corner from the temple.

Most guesthouses will offer you very affordable Tibetan food. Most meals consist of the same thing: yak cheese dissolved in tea mixed with some barley flour. Definitely worth a try, and quite bland (it helps to add sugar), but it's good as a breakfast.

Sleep
There is a backpackers next to the temple.

You can choose to stay at a hotel without restaurant facilities for cheaper price.

Stay safe
There are a lot of wild and guard dogs. They spend the whole day sleeping all around on the streets. If you want to hike in the hills around Tagong, they may go with you and to be sure, the more dogs, the bigger the problem.

There are reports of Han Chinese being mugged at knife point in Tibetan regions of China.

Go next
Move on to Danba or Bamei, neither as scenic or authentic a Tibetan village/town as Tagong, but each with their own worthwhile attractions. Past Bamei, en route to Danba, the driver may stop at a roadside hotspring (for free) or you can ask him to.

Go to Kangding or Xinduqiao

Minibuses go to Ganzi (about ¥120, 11 hours) via LuHou from the main road. The best tame to catch them is in the morning (08:00-09:00). As of May 2011, the road between Tagong and Ganzi is under construction and most of it isn't paved. The ride is hard and long (11-12 hr).

title: Tagong


text:
Taguig

Taguig is a city, part of Metro Manila in the Philippines. Taguig contains the Bonifacio Global City (popularly known simply as BGC), Metro Manila's second most important business district and a major tourism, shopping, dining and entertainment destination. Other attractions include the Manila American Cemetery and the affluent neighbourhood of McKinley Hill.

Understand
Taguig's Fort Bonifacio Global City, is a planned neighborhood built on part of a former military base. It was built upon modern concepts of urbanism, including pedestrian-friendliness and mixed use buildings, which together with the cleanness, safety and unusually rigorous traffic enforcement, makes it sort of a "Singapore"-like city inside Manila. For some people, the area may look sterile, expensive, over-internationalized and lacking Filipino character, while for others, it might offer a welcome respite from the grittiness that characterizes most of Metro Manila outside the air conditioning of a shopping mall. It also symbolizes the craving for modernity and global thinking which perhaps is also part of Filipino culture.

Nonetheless, it is a misconception to think of BGC as a sort of expat or wealthy-only enclave; the area is bustling with locals from all over Metro Manila, working in the area's call centers during the day, and strolling around the Bonifacio High Street or shopping at the lively '''Market! Market!''' on evenings and weekends.

South of BGC, the affluent neighborhood of McKinley Hill attempts to replicate the charms of Italy with two large mixed used (residential and shopping) developments, the Tuscany Private Estate and Venice Grand Canal Mall/The Florence, which attract crowds of selfie-snapping Manileños, although as of early 2018 the actual shops are still slow to settle there.

In between the two neighborhoods lies the huge and serene Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, the largest American World War II cemetery in the world, which despite being one of Metro Manila's top attractions, it is still an oasis of peace in the bustling metropolis.

Outside of BGC and McKinley Hill, Taguig is mostly urban sprawl typical of Metro Manila; there is a lot of slums and tenements, interspersed with some residential subdivisions, high-rise condominiums and apartments, industrial parks and shopping malls.

By taxi or e-hailing
If you are coming from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport or from Makati taking a taxi or hailing a car or taxi to Taguig using the Grab app would be a convenient and relatively affordable option. If you want to hail a car but do not have a data plan, you can use the Grab kiosks in the airport and several shopping malls in Makati. Going to Taguig from Manila's city center will be more expensive (around ), and you should be prepared to spend a long time in traffic.

By train/bus
The PNR Southrail passes through the West border of Taguig, which contains the Nichols and FTI stations. However, the BGC area is much closer to the Ayala and Guadalupe MRT-3 stations. If you want to cut through the traffic of Manila, an option is take the MRT-3 to Ayala or Guadalupe, and then take a taxi/Grab or public transportation to BGC. There are buses to the BGC bus terminal at Ayala Station, right across the Shell gas station near the East exit.

There are two routes, the West Route which has stops on the west part of Bonifacio Global City and the East Express which offers a one-way ride to the Market! Market! shopping mall on the eastern portion of the city.

Get around
If use public transportation try sakay.ph , it will show you the right type to your destination.

By bus
BGC has its own system of comfortable, air-conditioned buses, named BGC Bus. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, information on the bus route posted online are mostly outdated. Price is for all routes regardless of destination; As of March 2022; there are three active routes West Route and East Express and Central Route. The buses only accept Beep smart cards as payment which could be reloaded at MRT stations and convenience stores.

On foot
With wide walkways, plenty of shelter and serious traffic enforcement, BGC is perhaps the best place in Metro Manila to explore by walking. The Bonifacio High Street pedestrian street leading to the Serendra, the Forbestown Road leading to the Burgos Circle, and the Uptown Parade are some places definitely to be explored on foot.

By taxi or e-hailing
BGC and McKinley Hill are quite compact areas and nearby each other, so taking a taxi or using Grab to hail a car or taxi in-between these areas shouldn't be expensive.

By jeepney or tricycle
While BGCs uses only regular buses for internal transportation, in the rest of Taguig you can find the usual choice of jeepneys and tricycles.

Bonifacio Global City
The BGC area, with its modern skyscrapers, exhibits of contemporary architecture, wide walkways, street art, and several mixed used developments containing cafes, restaurants and shops, can be considered as a sight by itself and possibly the most pedestrian-friendly area of Metro Manila. It is an area that deserves a few hours of exploration, both in the day and in the evening where some areas get more alive.

To have panoramic views of the area, go to one of BGC's several rooftop bars and sky lounges. BGC also contains the Metrobank Tower (part of Grand Hyatt Manila), which is high, the tallest building of the Philippines.

 * Bonifacio High Street (see )
 * Bonifacio High Street (see )

Pinagsama
The Pinagsama barangay contains McKinley Hill, a business and upscale residential area just south of BGC (after the Manila American Cemetery). Its main attraction is certainly the Venice Grand Canal mall.
 * Venice Grand Canal (see )

Do
BGC may be a superb destination for business, shopping, dining and nightlife, but in terms of cultural options it still lags far behind Manila. If you enjoy contemporary art, however, you can find street art, art galleries, and open air installations.

Bonifacio Global City

Eat
BGC and McKinley Hill are gastronomic paradises, with restaurants scattered in the mixed used developments including the Bonifacio High Street, Serendra, The Fort Strip, Forbes Town, Uptown Parade and Tuscany Estate, in the multiple shopping malls and some sitting by themselves in the streets. While it is true that many restaurants in the area are expensive by Filipino standards, affordable street food can be found at the Fiesta Market, the Mercado Centrale, and at the usual array of Filipino fast food and casual dining chains.

Stay safe
BGC is certainly one of safest areas of Metro Manila, thanks to the ostensive presence of security and heavy-handed traffic enforcement. It is not unusual to see people jogging by themselves in the evening, which wouldn't be recommended in most parts of Manila. However, some care is required at traffic junctions, where discretionary turns are allowed and drivers performing a turn often refuse to yield to pedestrians, despite signs to do otherwise.

Beware of high-value party drugs and laced drinks in bars. The city's high nightlife has invited illegal drug dealers, so watch out for seedy locations where such drugs are sold. Also, don't just accept a drink from strangers or leave your drink alone.

Although BGC and McKinley Hill are quite close to each other, it is better not to walk between the areas as you pass through desolated roads with no people in the streets. Take a taxi or use Grab instead.

Outside BGC or McKinley Hill, Taguig is rather a mix of slums and residential communities. Drugs and violent crimes are common, so beware.

Embassies
British Embassy, Manila: 120 Upper McKinley Road; +63 (02) 8858 2200

Embassy of Colombia, Manila: Inoza Tower, 14th Floor, 40th St corner 11th Avenue; Telephone: +63 (02) 88009163; Email: efilipinas@cancilleria.gov.co;

Embassy of Hungary, Manila: CVC Law Center, 8th floor Del Rosario, 39th Street;

Embassy of the Republic of Singapore, Manila: 505 Rizal Dr, Bonifacio Global City,; +63 (02) 8856 9922;

Go next

 * Makati
 * Pasig
 * Pateros

title: Taguig


text:
Tahara

Tahara (田原) is a city in Aichi, Chubu.

Understand
Aichi's southernmost town, Tahara has absorbed the towns of Akabane and Atsumi to become a single city of about 66,000. The city now claims all of the Atsumi Peninsula, separating Mikawa Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It is also home to a Toyota factory reputed to be among the most sophisticated plants in the world. There is a Lexus plant here.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

By ferry
Irago Crystal Port (伊良湖クリスタルポルト) is on Cape Irago at the tip of the peninsula.
 * The Ise Bay Ferry runs from Toba, Mie. The ride takes 55 minutes and costs ¥1500 per person. Vehicles can also be transported for ¥4500 and up, depending on the length of your vehicle.
 * The Meitetsu Ferry provides a connection from Koba Port, near Nagoya's Centrair Airport for ¥2240.

By train
Tahara can be reached from Toyohashi via the Atsumi line of the Toyohashi Railway (豊橋鉄道渥美線, Toyohashi Tetsudou Atsumi-sen). It costs ¥510.

Go next

 * Toyohashi
 * Toyokawa
 * Toba - by boat
 * Gamagori
 * Okazaki
 * Shinshiro
 * Kosai
 * Arai
 * Hamamatsu

title: Tahara


text:
Tahiti

Tahiti lies in the South Pacific. It is the largest of the 118 islands and atolls that comprise French Polynesia. Tahiti is in the Society Islands, an archipelago which includes the islands of Bora Bora, Raiatea, Taha'a, Huahine and Moorea, and has a population of 190,000 people (2017), about 83% of whom are of Polynesian ancestry. The legendary name 'Tahiti' not only identifies this island but also the group of islands that make up French Polynesia.

Tahiti is composed of two volcanic mountain ranges. In the shape of a 'turtle', it is made of Tahiti Nui (the larger part) and Tahiti Iti (the peninsula). The two islands are linked by the isthmus of Taravao and skirted by black beaches.

Towns

 * is the capital, and the administrative centre. Once sleepy, today its harbour is busy with cargo freighters, copra ships, luxury liners and ocean-going yachts. There are cafes, shops overflowing with French fashions, shell jewellery and handicrafts and a wide variety of restaurants serving Tahitian, French, and Asian cuisine. Not an attractive city, there are many small shops selling black pearls, small goods, souvenirs. The marche draws many shoppers for local produce (including fish) or souvenirs. Popular cafe with Wi-Fi on second floor. Don't expect many stores to be open after 18:00. What is open are the food trucks by the harbour, some restaurants and bars, and lei vendors. Convenience stores a outside the city centre at service stations are open.
 * has the international airport built on the lagoon. Apart from the airlines check-in counters, there is an information counter, a snack bar, a restaurant and vehicle rental offices and shops. Nearby, in a special Tahitian-style house, artisans sell flower leis and shell necklaces. A fairly large, often grungy area. Home to the centre commercial (i.e., the shopping centre) south of the airport on the main highway and anchored by a Carrefour.

Understand
Tahiti and her islands are some of the most beautiful in all the South Pacific. Tahitians are very respectful, generous and kind. To hear random people say 'hello' on the street to strangers or even passersby is not uncommon. Many of the Tahitian children are into rap and hiphop, performing or practicing in the streets or in public squares.

The philosophy of the people, 'aita pea pea' (not to worry), is the Tahitian way of life. Be patient and polite to them and you will get anything you ask for, including a large smile. They are very warm and welcoming people.

Your trip to Tahiti may be a one-time but unique experience due to its high price. Though not legally binding, more and more couples are renewing their marriage vows and will be bedecked in pareus, flowers, shells and feathers. The groom approaches the beach in an outrigger canoe. His bride, carried on a rattan throne, awaits him on the white-sand beach. A spectacular sunset, Tahitian music and dancers add to the ambiance. A Tahitian priest "marries" the couple and gives them their Tahitian name and the Tahitian name of their first-born.

History
The generally accepted theory states that Polynesians first settled in the Pacific around 4,000 years ago. Using wooden double-hulled sailing canoes lashed together with natural fibers and applying their knowledge of the wind, currents and stars, the first intrepid navigators sailed eastward, settling the central island groups of the Cook Islands and French Polynesia between 500 BC and 500 AD.

Other great expeditions undertaken around 1000 AD established the Polynesian triangle consisting of Hawaii (to the north), Easter Island (to the east), Samoa (to the west) and New Zealand (to the south-west.) The various languages derived from the ma'ohi that are spoken in these islands testify to the common origin of their peoples.

In the 16th century, Magellan reached the Tuamotu Islands and the Marquesas. However, the name of Englishman Samuel Wallis is the one most often associated with the European discovery of Tahiti in 1767. The following year, the French navigator Antoine de Bougainville named it 'New Cythera'. A year later, it was the English Captain James Cook's turn to land and take possession of the Society Islands.

At that time, Tahiti and her islands were divided into several chiefdoms and kingdoms. Around 1797, one of the chiefs succeeded in affirming his supremacy and established the 'Pomare dynasty' with the help of the Europeans. During the First and Second World Wars, many islanders left to fight alongside French troops. In 1958, the EFO (French Establishments of Oceania) became French Polynesia. The 1960s marked a turning point when the establishment of CEP (Center for Experimentation in the Pacific) in 1963 rapidly propelled them into the modern age. This was characterized by the influx of people from outlying islands to Tahiti, the growth of local businesses and an increase in the standard of living.

Climate
The weather is ideal! The climate is tropical. The average ambient temperature is 80°F (27°C) and the waters of the lagoons average 79°F (26°C) in the winter and 84°F (29°C) in the summer. But do not worry, most resorts and hotel rooms are air conditioned or cooled by ceiling fans.

Summer with a warmer and more humid climate is from November to April, and winter is from May to October, when the climate is slightly cooler and drier. When you step out of the airplane, you'll immediately notice that the air is warm and humid. Consequently, besides your camera and your extra memory cards, do not forget to pack lightweight cotton clothes, sunscreen lotion and a baseball cap or a wide brimmed hat. Synthetic fabrics can get hot and sticky in the tropics.

Get in
Tahiti is served by Faa'a International Airport, which is close to the main city of Papeete (Papy - et - tay). All international flights will land in Tahiti. The national airline carrier then operates flights to all of the other islands.

Just a little over 8 hours non-stop flying time from Los Angeles and 12 hours from New York, Tahiti is located halfway between the US and Australia.

Tahiti is regularly served by Air Tahiti Nui, Air France, Air New Zealand and LATAM. Expect to be greeted by a small band, ladies handing out flowers any time of the day or the night.

In case of a late arrival time, you will probably need to book accommodation that night unless you are part of a package group, as hotels typically don't permit very early check-in.

If your flight arrives after 20:00, your dining and grocery shopping opportunities may be greatly limited for that evening.

Visas
Holders of a passport from the EU, and most countries of North or South America don't need to apply for a visa for a stay of up to one month. French Nationals only require a National Identity Card. However, a passport is necessary in case of transit via Chile, New Zealand and the USA.

Except for nationals of the European Union and aliens holding a 10-year residence card for metropolitan France, all foreigners entering French Polynesia must have a return ticket.

By bus
The most common form of transportation around Tahiti is "le Truck". It is a rickety public open-air bus with wooden passenger cabins that will stop on the side of the street and serve different cities. Prices are inexpensive, normally set around 100 to 200 F (francs) per person and most will end up in the centre close to the market. Other means of transportation include scooters or private cars. Most rental cars cost around 9,000 F per day. There is a multitude of bikes to rent cheaply. This is especially a good idea on Sundays as everything is closed so you may wish to explore the islands.

By taxi
Taxis can take you anywhere on the island of Tahiti, for a price. Fares start at 1000 F, plus 130 F/kilometre 06:00-20:00 (230 F/km at night) anywhere on the island. During the day, the furthest destinations on the island will cost 8000 F (Jan 2019). Prices are posted at the taxi stands, including the one at the Fa'a Airport.

By boat
The ferry or catamaran will take you to Moorea and other adjacent islands. It now takes about half an hour by catamaran to go from Tahiti to Moorea.

Ferries (sometimes combined cargo and pax boats like the Aranui) travel between most islands. Catamarans and ferry boats cross between Tahiti and Moorea several times a day. Schooners and cargo boats serve all the inhabited islands from Papeete. Rotations vary according to the destinations: from three times a week to the Society Islands to once monthly to the Island of Mangareva.

Two cruise ships ply the islands: the Paul Gauguin, which does a regular 7-day trip around the Societies, with occasional trips out to the Tuamotus, Marquesas and Cook Islands; and the Tahitian Princess which does similar itineraries. A great way to see the islands, unless you're on a tight budget.

The Bora Bora Cruises is a more intimate vessel based in the Leeward Islands. For more adventure, embark on the Aranui III.

By plane
Air Tahiti operates regular flights between 46 islands from Tahiti. It will take you about 10 minutes to go to the sister island of Tahiti, Moorea.

Talk
French and Tahitian are the most spoken languages, but English is widely understood in the tourist areas, but not in less frequently visited areas (such as the remote islands of the Tuamotus). As Tahiti is a part of France, most signs are in French, very few of them in Tahitian.

Brush up on your Tahitian and French:

Tahitian:
 * Iaorana (E-yo-or-ahna) = Hello
 * Mauruuru (ma-rou-rou) = Thank you
 * Vahine (vah-heen-ney) = Woman
 * Tane (tah-ney)  = Man
 * Nana (nah-nah)  = Goodbye
 * Maeva (ma-ay-va) = Welcome
 * Fare (fa-ray)  = House/bungalow

Many Tahitians end up mixing up words in French and Tahitian. An example would be a Tahitian asking where his "vini" is instead of using the French word for cellphone. "Où est mon vini?" "Where is my cellphone?" This is very common.

See
There are many things to do in Tahiti and a lot to see and take pictures of. Should you embark on a circle island trip (of around 70 miles/112 km), some of the must see things would include:

 * 'Le Marché'. This is the large two-story Papeete's market place where many things can be bought. Buy your lunch here and some "Monoi". "Monoi" is the local tahitian oil, strongly scented and worth a good price. It is used to get tanned and moisturize your skin. Also buy a "pareu". This is typical tahitian clothing that can be tied into many different ways (a cover-up, a dress, shorts, a shawl). It can also be spread out as a picnic cloth or a beach towel. Created with traditional designs and bright tropical colors, they are inexpensive and make the perfect souvenir. This is especially good for getting to know Tahitians as every Tahitian knows how to tie one. Le Marche is also the place where you'll find jewellery as well as many calendars, postcards, cups... Ripe fruits, scented soaps, vanilla beans, dance costumes, wooven hats and bags and shell necklaces up to your ears are what you'll find in the market. It is centrally located and you can't miss it.
 * The Arahoho blowhole on the North side of Tahiti Nui. An area where a blowhole in the shore has formed on the road and whose waves crash inside the rock cliff.
 * Les Trois Cascades. Three beautiful waterfalls inside the island of Tahiti Nui. The path had been closed by a rockfall; check with the tourist office on updates or chance going if you are close by. The pedestrian bridge is chained shut.
 * Tomb of King Pomare the Fifth. The tomb of the only king of Tahiti, when it was a monarchy.
 * Pointe Venus Lighthouse. Black sand beach and clear blue water by a fishing reef. Popular with young Tahitians.
 * Botanical Garden/Gauguin Museum. At Papeari, on the west coast, the botanical garden made by Harrison Smith lies alongside the Gauguin Museum in the magical setting of the Motu Ovini.
 * The Olivier-Breaud Golf Course. You can admire the wonderful layout of this golf course set in the magnificent Atimoana complex which was a sugar cane farmland rum in the 19th century.
 * Arahurahu Marae. A restored religious site containing various stone block structures dedicated to the old gods and where important ceremonies used to take place.
 *  Museums. It is interesting to visit the Museum of Tahiti and the Islands which has a rich collection of very old pieces and reconstructed historical scenes. The Black pearl museum as well as the Gauguin museum are fun to see if you want to get out of the heat.
 * To'ata. A square with small restaurants (see "Eat") but also the place to be for the July celebrations with dance and traditional music, the Heiva I Tahiti.

Do

 * All nautical activities: surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling (most resorts will provide you with the equipment for free), canyoning, water sports, deep sea fishing, kitesurfing. Use reputable dive company for diving, those with the far out websites are reportedly a bit low on ethics and safety, not well prepared and do not go far past the marina.
 * On land you also have the possibility of for example hiking, 4WD safari and golf.
 * Deep sea fishing has been curtailed on Tahiti and is difficult to find.

Buy
There are many of the shops around the centre near "Notre Dame".

If you are dreaming of a tattoo, those available in Tahiti have unique patterns which are said to reflect the spirit of the island. There are lots of places to get tattooed around Papeete including the market. You may also want to buy a black pearl, and available a good prices in the market.

Eat
Tipping is not a custom in Tahiti. It is beginning to be seen in some of the restaurants and hotels on the larger islands, but in general Tahitians do not expect your tip.

"Roulottes" (snack shops on wheels) are especially popular on Friday nights to get some great Chinese food, crepes, and French-style dishes. You won't miss it since it is located along Papeete's waterfront. Unbelievably delicious meals at bargain prices in a fun and local atmosphere. When possible eat here as a meal for two can cost 1000-1500 F (Feb 2019), which is much less than a hotel meal (plus you get plenty of food).

The main island dish to try is the "poisson cru" ("raw fish" in French.) It is a fresh fish marinated with lime juice and coconut mixed with vegetables. Many varieties can be found all over including Poisson Cru Chinois (Chinese style), Poisson Cru Ananas (pineapple style). Parrotfish, ahi, mahi mahi, and other fresh fish are divine in a light sauce made from Tahitian vanilla and coconut milk. Do not miss the exotic tropical fruits.

Baguettes are found all over the island at a very reasonable price. As well as baguettes, Tahitians have created the "baguette sandwich" where everything from fish to french fries are stuffed into.

Make sure you also try the very popular Chinese ma'a tinito (which is a mixture of pork, kidney beans, Chinese cabbage and macaroni.)

Family occasions and celebrations are the time for a huge tamara'a Tahiti (Tahitian-style feasts) where a meal consisting of suckling pig, fish, breadfruit, yams and fe'i bananas is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed in an earth-dug oven over layers of hot rocks.

If you are looking for fine dining try Paea south of Papeete to Chez Remy or Le Carre at Le Meridien. Pricey, but fantastic meals, large French menu and best wine and drinks selection, and very friendly, relaxed staff who also spoke perfect English. The papaya dessert is delicious. US$28–45 per person. The Italian restaurant near the Le Meridien entrance is also good, especially stone oven baked pizza and the Anchovie-Caper-Olive Spaghetti.

Tips: get French creamed cheese at breakfast on your crepes.

Also, plan for your meals. Many restaurants don't open until 19:00. Some of the hotels have multiple restaurants that serve different menus at different times of the day, and changes by day, which made for limited selections and inability to order something you saw the day before. Some restaurants and businesses on the island close from 12:00-13:00, some until 15:00, which can make shopping and eating on a whim difficult. (Can't blame them, it's hottest then.)

Drink
Bottles of water are readily available. Being a French territory, wine is common and easy to find. As this is a tropical island, a multitude of fruit juices from pineapple juice to coconut milk are to be found everywhere. It is sometimes better to crack open your own coconut yourself and drain it for lunch. If you're a fan of beer, the Hinano Beer will be one to taste, and perhaps bring a few cans home.

Music and dancing tell the story of the Tahitian people. Most hotels feature evening entertainment. Club dancing is also available in central Papeete but close at 03:00. You will probably not even get out that late, so tired that you will be from spending so much time in the sun discovering the island.

Sleep
Accommodation in Tahiti can run from the most luxurious 5-star hotels like The Brando Resort or Tahiti Intercontinental, with overwater bungalows, a bar, a pool, to small family pensions. Bring insect repellent if you're staying in a pension. Much of the accommodation in Tahiti is of older style from the early 1970s.

Several international groups are present: InterContinental, Sofitel, Novotel, Le Meridien, Sheraton, Orient Express, Club Med and Radisson. Two local chains, Maitai and South Pacific Management, complete the hotel scene. Although complying with international standards, the overwater bungalows are decorated in Polynesian-style with the use of pandanus, bamboo and shell light fixtures. Some bungalows are fitted with glass-bottomed tables for watching the fishes without ever getting your feet wet. The Radisson is quite a way from the airport and is perfect if you want to relax, but makes getting into town difficult (either a limited hotel shuttle or an expensive taxi ride).

Family hotels are ideal for travellers preferring both simplicity and local experience. Family hotels are divided into four categories:

 * Bed and Breakfast: furnished bungalows limited to four dwelling units per home and able to accommodate 12 people, equipped with bathrooms either private or shared.
 * Holiday family homes: furnished bungalows limited to nine dwelling units and able to accommodate twenty-seven persons, equipped with bathrooms and kitchenette.
 * Family-run guest houses: same as the above + breakfast and dinner service.
 * Family hotels: offers full board meal service and à la carte food menu.

Stay outside of Papeete if you want a quieter, more pleasant smelling experience. Traffic is heavy in Papeete and so is the smell of it.

Connect
Many resorts have business centers from where you can have high-speed Internet access.

Papeete's Central Post Office is open weekdays from 07:30 to 11:30 and from 13:00 to 17:00 or 18:00. Saturdays from 07:30 to 11:30.

Stay safe
Tahiti has one of the lowest crime rates within France and its territories. However, petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching occurs.

Medical treatment is generally good. Two major hospitals as well as several private clinics provide 24-hour medical service.

As an overseas territory of France, defence and law enforcement are provided by the French Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) and Gendarmerie.

Be sure to bring jelly-type sandals for walking amidst coral in the water and along the beaches or either old sneakers so you don't cut your feet on the coral or don't step on a stonefish.

Encounters with sharks in the lagoon will be most likely when scuba diving or even snorkeling but they are totally inoffensive. So are stingrays. However, be aware of moray eels which hide deep in the corals and whose bite can cause serious injury.

No vaccines are required.

Go next
People often know about Tahiti and Bora Bora but the following are other wonderful islands that should absolutely be visited: It is no longer possible to take a direct flight from Tahiti to Easter Island.
 * Moorea
 * Maupiti
 * Tetiaroa
 * Huahine
 * Raiatea
 * Tahaa
 * Fakarava
 * Nuku Hiva
 * Rangiroa
 * Manihi
 * Tikehau

title: Tahiti


text:
Tahitian phrasebook

Tahitian (Reo Tahiti) is the main language of French Polynesia.

Básics

 * Hello. : 'ia orana
 * How are you? : E aha te huru? (Formal). Maita'i 'oe? (Informal).
 * Fine, thank you. : Maita'i,Māurūru.
 * What is your name? : O vai tō'oe i'oa?
 * My name is ______ . :  O______tō'u i'oa . (  _____ .)
 * Nice to meet you. : . ( )
 * Please. : . ( )
 * Thank you. : Māurūru
 * You're welcome. : Maeva. Mānava.
 * No problem. : 'Aita pe'a'pe'a.
 * Yes. : E, oia
 * No. : 'Aita
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : E'e
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : Auē ho'i e
 * I'm sorry. : Ua hape vau.
 * Goodbye : 'a parahi(men). Nana(women). Haere ra.
 * Goodbye (informal) : Araua'e
 * I can't speak tahitian [well]. : 'Aita ite au i te parau Tahiti.(Formal) 'Aita vau parau Tahiti.(Informal)
 * Do you speak English? : 'Ua ite 'oe i te parau Marite? (Formal). Parau Marite 'oe? (Informal).
 * Do you speak French? :
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? : 'Ua ite i te hō'ē ta'ata i te parau Marite?
 * Is there someone here who speaks French? :
 * Help! : 'a tauturu ia'u!
 * Look out! : Ha'apa'o maitai'i
 * Good morning. : 'ia maita'i te mahana.
 * Good evening. : 'ia ora 'oe i teie po
 * Good night. : 'ia maita'i te ru'i.
 * Good night (to sleep) : ta'oto maita'i
 * I don't understand. : 'Aita i papu ia'u
 * Where is the toilet? : E teihea i te Vāhi haumitira'a?

Numbers
te mau nūmera

 * 0: 'aore

 * 1: ho'e

 * 2: piti

 * 3: toru

 * 4: maha

 * 5: pae

 * 6: ono

 * 7: hitu

 * 8: va'u,

 * 9: iv'a,

 * 10: ho'e'ahuru

 * 11: ho'e'ahuru'ngak'dahi

 * 20: piti'ra'ho'e'ahuru

 * 50: pae'ra'ho'e'ahuru

 * 100: ho'inaa

 * 200: piti'ra'ho'inā

 * 500: pae'ra'ho'inā

 * 1 000: ho'ahura'inā

 * 2 000: piti'ra'ho'ahura'inā

 * 5 000: pae'ra'ho'ahura'inā

 * 10 000: ho'ahura'huru'ho'inā

 * 100 000: ho'inu'ho'inā

 * 1 000 000: dahi'ya'ho'uwuiha

Time

 * Now:
 * Later: Ana'uanei.
 * Before:
 * Morning: te po'ipo'i
 * Afternoon: te avatea.
 * Evening: I te ahiahi.
 * Night: Te pō.

Duration

 * Day: Mahana
 * Week: Hepetoma
 * Month: 'āva'e
 * Year: matahiti

Days
Te mau Mahana o te hetepoma
 * Today: I teie mahana
 * Yesterday: I nanahi
 * Tomorrow: Ananahi
 * Monday: Monire.
 * Tuesday: Mahana Piti.
 * Wednesday: Mahana Toru.
 * Thursday: Mahana maha.
 * Friday: Mahana pae.
 * Saturday: Mahana ma'a.
 * Sunday: Tapati.

Months
Te mau 'āva'e
 * January: Tēnurae
 * February: Fepuare
 * March: Māti
 * April: 'ēperēra
 * May: Mē
 * June: Teunu
 * July: Tiurai
 * August: 'ātete
 * September: Tetepa
 * October: 'ātopa
 * November: Novema
 * December: Tītema

Writing time and date

 * Tuesday january 7, 2020 : Mahana piti te hitu no tēnuare piti tauatini piti 'ahuru

Colors
te mau 'uu

 * White : Teatea
 * Black : Ereere
 * Gray : Rehu
 * Red : Ute ute
 * Blue : Nanamu, muana
 * Yellow : Rearea
 * Orange : Anani
 * Green : Matie
 * Purple : Vare'au
 * Pink : Tarona

Transportation

 * Airplane : manureva
 * Bus : pere'o'o uta ta'ata
 * Ship : pahī
 * Car : pere'o'o

Directions

 * Where is_____? : E teihea_____?
 * ....the airport? : ....i te tahua taura'a manureva?
 * Street : purōmu
 * Turn right : na te pae atau
 * Turn left : na te pae aui
 * Right: atau
 * Left: aui
 * North : apato'erau
 * South : apato'a
 * East : hiti'a o te rā
 * West: tō'o'a o te rā

Lodging

 * Bathroom : fare iti

Bars
Fare inura'a

Shopping

 * I need___
 * ...Hairbrush: pārehe rouru
 * ...Toothpaste: pu'a niho
 * ...Toothbrush: pōrōmu niho
 * ...Soap: pu'a
 * ...Shampoo: pu'a rouru

title: Tahitian phrasebook


text:
Tahlequah

Tahlequah is in the Green Country region of Oklahoma.

Understand
Tahlequah, Oklahoma is the Capital of the Cherokee Nation. It is also to home of North Eastern Oklahoma State University.

title: Tahlequah