text:
Northern Arizona

Northern Arizona is a region in Arizona, a state of the United States of America. It is most famous for the Grand Canyon but includes a wide range of other destinations that are notable for their scenery and diversity.

Cities

 * — a planned community in Arizona notable for its crafts
 * — the largest polygamist community in the US may also be the remotest town in the lower 48, both geographically and culturally (though this is rapidly changing)
 * — a more populated city close to the Red Rock region of Sedona and the Verde River Valley
 * — the biggest city in the area
 * — gateway to the Grand Canyon
 * — gateway to Nevada and California
 * — slot canyons and Lake Powell
 * — Red Rock mountains and crystal healing energy vortices
 * — largest town in the Navajo Nation
 * — gateway to the Grand Canyon and Route 66
 * — gateway to Nevada and California
 * — slot canyons and Lake Powell
 * — Red Rock mountains and crystal healing energy vortices
 * — largest town in the Navajo Nation
 * — gateway to the Grand Canyon and Route 66
 * — Red Rock mountains and crystal healing energy vortices
 * — largest town in the Navajo Nation
 * — gateway to the Grand Canyon and Route 66
 * — gateway to the Grand Canyon and Route 66

Other destinations

 * — a "living ghost town" just off the road to Vegas
 * — Lake Powell
 * – the world's most famous canyon
 * – a national monument protecting the western end of the Grand Canyon
 * — Wine Country, Northern Arizona's answer to the Napa Valley
 * — a site of historical interest near Fredonia.
 * — preserves an 11th-century volcanic cinder cone of scenic and scientific interest.
 * — beautiful colorful cliffs and rock formations
 * — an important archaeological site in a scenic setting
 * — also has interesting archaeological sites
 * — beautiful colorful cliffs and rock formations
 * — an important archaeological site in a scenic setting
 * — also has interesting archaeological sites

Understand
For purposes of this article, North (Arizona) is taken to be everything in the state north of Interstate highway 40 (following the historic Route 66), west of (and including) Winslow and east of Kingman. The region also extends southward along I-17 from Flagstaff toward Phoenix, to include attractions within 20 miles or so of the highway north of Greater Phoenix. This definition is arbitrary, as region definitions for this state vary.

This is a geographically diverse area that contains not only the famous Grand Canyon but also some mountainous country near Flagstaff and lesser canyon/mesa terrain to the east and west. Part of Navajo Nation falls within this region. There are a number of national parks and monuments here, many of them either clustered around Flagstaff or within Navajo Nation. Flagstaff makes a good base of operations from which to explore these attractions, most of which do not feature lodging themselves.

The northernmost part of this region is separated from the rest of it by the Grand Canyon and is known as the "Arizona Strip" - no relation to the "Strip" in Las Vegas, although that city isn't far away as the crow flies. Getting to the Arizona Strip from elsewhere in northern Arizona can be tricky owing to the obvious logistical difficulties imposed by the Canyon, and as a result, it has acquired a cultural identity that in many regards has more to do with southern Utah than with the rest of Arizona. First settled by Mormon pioneers, the area features several areas of interest such as Pipe Spring National Monument, a onetime Mormon outpost, and Colorado City, a polygamist community on the Arizona-Utah border.

Talk
English in the state of Arizona represents a blend of North Midland and South Midland dialects without clear regional differences. Although English is the primary language of Arizona, many primary and secondary Spanish speakers are prevalent due to the state's proximity to Mexico. Much of the regional language and place-names are directly influenced by Spanish and the local Native American languages. With the possible exception of the Navajo word hogan (earthand-timber dwelling), the linguistic influence of Arizona's Yuma, Papago (Tohono O'odham), Pima(Akimel O'odham), Hiaki (Yaqui), Apache, Navajo(Dine), and Hopi tribes is strongly limited to place-names, including Arizona itself, Yuma, Havasu, Tucson, and Oraibi.

By plane
Regional airports with air service:
 * Flagstaff, connecting to Phoenix.
 * Page, with service from Las Vegas and Phoenix - with Contour Airlines.
 * Prescott, connecting with Los Angeles and Denver with United Airlines.

Air service to Bullhead City and the Grand Canyon airport in Tusayan has existed in the past.

By train
Amtrak rolls through the region on the Southwest Chief, Amtrak's main line through the southwestern United States, runs east-west through the region, with a major and well-centralized stop in Flagstaff as well as smaller stations in Winslow, Williams and Kingman (daily departure; Chicago - Kansas City - Albuquerque - Flagstaff - Los Angeles).

By car
Primary access into northern Arizona is by road.

 * I-17.svg Interstate 17 (I-17) is a north-south intra-state route, connecting Flagstaff and Phoenix (and can be a complete zoo on the weekends as Phoenicians get out of town).
 * I-40.svg Interstate 40 (I-40) is an east-west cross-state route, coming from California across the Colorado River, connecting Kingman, Ash Fork, Williams, Flagstaff, Winslow, and Holbrook; continuing into New Mexico, heading to Albuquerque.
 * US 66 (AZ historic).svg Historic Route 66 follows the route of I-40 along this region's southern edge, with points of interest along the way and reasonably good roads leading north and south. I-17 connects Flagstaff and Phoenix (and can be a complete zoo on the weekends as Phoenicians get out of town).

Access from the north is distinctly limited by the daunting terrain of the Grand Canyon.
 * US 89.svgUS 89A.svg US Highway 89 and 89A (ALT 89) enter from Utah north of the Grand Canyon. US 89 crosses Glen Canyon into Page, and US 89A crosses into Arizona further west just south of Kanab. US 89 contiues south from Page and eventually connects to I-40 near Flagstaff.

 * [[Image:US 93.svg|18px]] U.S. Route 93 (US 93) is a major north-south route which gets a lot of Phoenix-Vegas traffic; US 93 starts in Wickenburg, runs through Kingman and on towards Hoover Dam, Las Vegas and on wards into Nevada.

Drink
Flagstaff and Sedona are the only towns in this region large enough to have significant nightlife. Visitors to the region should note that alcoholic beverages are prohibited within Navajo Nation.

Go next

 * North – continue north to the Canyon Country region of the state of Utah, if you enjoy the canyon country found here.
 * South – Western Arizona, Greater Phoenix or Mogollon Rim regions of Arizona.
 * East – Northwest New Mexico.
 * West – Southern Nevada with Las Vegas, and or Southern California Desert.

title: Northern Arizona


text:
Northern Armenia

Northern Armenia includes the 3 northernmost provinces of Armenia. The western part of this region is arid, while the central and eastern parts are often lush and green, with much of Armenia's forests. The Debed river canyon of Lori Province is particularly beautiful and rich in monuments, along with the rolling hills of the remote Shamshadin, centered around Berd, and Dilijan-Ijevan.

Regions
Northern Armenia, as defined here, includes Shirak, Lori and Tavush Marzes.

Cities

 * – Armenia's 2nd largest city which once dwarfed Yerevan. Small old town area still shows earthquake damage from 1988.
 * – Armenia's 3rd largest city with Soviet Armenian architecture, and vast industrial sections which have been largely left to disintegrate.
 * – This industrial mining town doesn't have a lot to offer, but there several beautiful monasteries in the vicinity of it: Sanahin Monastery, Haghpat Monastery.
 * – The surrounding region is a hiker's and biker's paradise, waiting for someone to mark and publish the old trails that weave across the rolling hills, valleys and mountains.
 * – The center of Armenia's "Little Switzerland" area, and very popular place for locals to get away from the city.
 * — A village in Northern Armenia, which is especially famous thanks to its beautiful natural surroundings
 * – With Makaravank Monastery nearby.
 * – Small town near the border with Georgia, featuring 2 small nearby monasteries.
 * – The site of the USSR’s largest mine of pumice, and has 2 monasteries.
 * – Known for the ruins of nearby Lori Fortress, and to a lesser extent for the house-museum of namesake Stepan Shahumyan.
 * – A cute little town with a nice town square which has stunning views of the Debed Gorge's cliffs. The town square holds the quirky little Tumanyan Matchbox Label Museum, and the Soviet-themed Flying Samovar Cafe.
 * – A cute little town with a nice town square which has stunning views of the Debed Gorge's cliffs. The town square holds the quirky little Tumanyan Matchbox Label Museum, and the Soviet-themed Flying Samovar Cafe.

Other destinations

 * Debed Canyon. This deep and green canyon is one of Armenia's most picturesque spots, and possibly the most densely lined with landmark monasteries. The combination of ancient architecture and natural beauty make it a popular spot to explore, hike and go river rafting.
 * Shamshadin. Probably the most cut-off region of Armenia, the rolling forested hills and monuments are virtually unknown to not only the world, but even to Armenians outside of the region. If you want to go off the beaten track, this is a place to spend time.

Understand
Lori and Tavush are some of the greenest parts of Armenia, with a lot of forests along bordering regions especially. The northernmost part of Lori had its history intertwined with Georgia's for many centuries. The north and northeast are also extremely rich in monasteries and other historic monuments. Days can be spent visiting and hiking to them. The whole area is great for hikers, with no fences, and lots of back country trails. Camping is acceptable just about anywhere.

Gyumri was devastated by an earthquake in 1988 and so was Spitak. Recovery was excruciatingly slow, but now things are for the most part restored - at least to levels of normalcy seen in other parts of Armenia. You will, however still notice earthquake damage in Gyumri.

Talk
Armenian is universally spoken and Russian nearly so. English, French and German are less so, but English proficiency is growing rapidly.

Get in
Each of the three Marzes has a main highway from Yerevan. One goes to Gyumri, one to Vanadzor-Alaverdi-Georgia, and the third to Dilijan-Noyemberyan-Georgia (via Lake Sevan). Options to get out to each of these regions is day trips/tours, renting a car, taking a taxi, or public transportation. Gyumri, Vanadzor and Dilijan are all no more than 1½-2 hours from Yerevan, and a day trip is easy. If you want to go beyond these cities though, it can become harder to fit it all into a day trip, and looking into spending the night becomes worthwhile.

Get around
If you get to each of these cities by public transportation, you can negotiate with taxis for getting to the regional sites, though be prepared for tough negotiations. ֏100 per kilometer and US$3-5 an hour for waiting are standard taxi fares in Yerevan and certainly sufficient in the outlying regions.

Broadly

 * Other sights - Lori Berd, Hnevank Monastery, Dendropark, Horom Citadel, Mastara Church, Ardvi Monastery, Mshkavank Monastery, Berdavan Castle, Makaravank Monastery, Arakelots Monastery, Srveghi Monastery, Jukhtak Monastery, Matosavank Monastery, Shkhmuradi Monastery, Kaptavank Monastery, Molokan (Amish-style) villages east of Vanadzor

Do

 * Tumanyan House Museum (Dsegh Village)
 * Sharambeyan Street in Dilijan - restored historic district with crafts shops and museums.

Eat
In the Dilijan area there are some nicer restaurants, and riverside fish and traditional barbecue joints, while almost everywhere else you can find a roadside barbecue every so often. Gyumri and Vanadzor also have many choices for food. Bigger towns have open markets (shukas) where you can get some fresh fruits, bread and sandwich ingredients, and they may sell some prepared foods, khachapuris. shawerma and lahmejuns.

Drink
Gyumri has its own beer named after the town (also available in Yerevan). Much of Armenia's small rock scene originates in Gyumri and Vanadzor, where there are some bars and clubs.

Stay safe
The only real danger across this region is in the very northeast along the border with Azerbaijan. If you get close to the border, they have been known to shoot into Armenia.

Go next
Aside from the numerous vans (marshutni) and buses headed towards Yerevan (Երեվան), which you can hop into, you can take a taxi, or if you're really adventurous and have too much time on your hands, take the train which goes Alaverdi-Vanadzor-Gyumri-Yerevan (and reverse to Tbilisi). You can also catch transport to Tbilisi from many towns in northwest and northcentral Armenia. From the northeast you can catch transport to Lake Sevan.

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

title: Northern Armenia


text:
Northern Belize

Northern Belize is a region consisting of Belize's administrative districts of Orange Walk and Corozal.

Cities

 * - capital of its district
 * - capital of its district
 * - Maya ruins
 * - Maya ruins
 * - Maya ruins
 * - Maya ruins
 * - Maya ruins, Rio Bravo wildlife reserve
 * - Maya ruins
 * - Shipstern wildlife reserve
 * - Maya ruins, Rio Bravo wildlife reserve
 * - Maya ruins
 * - Shipstern wildlife reserve
 * - Maya ruins
 * - Shipstern wildlife reserve
 * - Maya ruins
 * - Shipstern wildlife reserve

Other destinations

 * - nature reserve

title: Northern Belize


text:
Northern Benin

Northern Benin is the upland region of Benin away from the Atlantic Ocean.

Cities

 * — a fairly large city and a center of Christian pilgrimage.
 * — the largest city of the north, on the border with Southwestern Niger
 * — the largest city of the north, on the border with Southwestern Niger
 * — the largest city of the north, on the border with Southwestern Niger
 * — the largest city of the north, on the border with Southwestern Niger

Other destinations

 * — adjacent to the more famous W National Park.

title: Northern Benin


text:
Northern British Columbia

Northern British Columbia is a vast region covering most of the northern half of the province of British Columbia.

Cities

 * — the largest city in the northern BC, and its business and government centre, but not one of its tourist centres
 * — neighbouring villages on Haida Gwaii, with Daajing Giids (formerly named Queen Charlotte) being the main service centre and Skidegate being the ferry connection to the mainland.
 * — Mile zero on the Alaska Highway, it has a number of murals that depict aspects of building the Alaska Highway
 * — A resources town (forestry, oil and gas) and last "major" centre before the Yukon
 * — Established in 1794, it's the oldest European-established settlement in present-day British Columbia and the largest town in the region
 * — a town that was built in the 1950s to support an aluminum industry
 * — a coastal city with ferry and rail links
 * — a charming alpine town that is a good base for exploring the surrounding wilderness
 * — the regional retail and service hub for the northwestern portion of British Columbia

Other destinations

 * − a historic first nations and Klondike Gold Rush trail between Alaska and British Columbia operated by the United States' and Canada's national park agencies
 * − Gwaii Haanas protects an archipelago of 138 islands, the largest being Moresby Island and the southernmost being Kunghit Island.
 * — Hiking, fishing, camping and some pretty scenery in the Northern Rockies, and close to Laird River Hot Springs.
 * − a wilderness area with a lush rainforest and sandy beaches, and historic Haida villages.
 * — a wilderness area and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the province's far northwest corner.

Understand
Northern British Columbia is a vast area, most of it undeveloped. Most settlements are along the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) or the Peace River area. Much of the land is forested and mountainous, although the Peace River Country is flatter and on the upstream extension of the Peace River in neighbouring Alberta.

By car

 * BC-16 (TCH).svg Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) connects the region with the Alberta Rockies, enabling travel west from Edmonton via Jasper.
 * BC-37.svg Highway 37 (Stewart-Cassiar Highway) connects the region with the Alaska Highway near Watson Lake, Yukon.
 * BC-97.svg Highway 97 connects the region with rest of British Columbia from the south. The portion of the highway north of Dawson Creek is known as the Alaska Highway, connecting Alaska via the Yukon to the area.
 * Highway 43 (in Alberta) / BC-2.svg Highway 2 (in British Columbia) connects the region with Alberta Peace Country, enabling travel from west of Edmonton via Grande Prairie.

Driving will demand many hours at the wheel. In the summer months, expect at least 14 hours of driving from the border. In the winter months, you will need to bring a chain for the drive on the Alaska Highway and at least 16 hours of driving.

Airports within this region with scheduled commercial flights

 * Dawson Creek in the Peace Country area
 * Fort St. John (North Peace Regional Airport - ) in the Peace Country area
 * Fort Nelson (Northern Rockies Regional Airport - ) - in the Northern Rockies area
 * Masset on Haida Gwaii
 * Prince George Airport in the Nechako area.  This is the busiest airport in the region.
 * Prince Rupert has a small airport in the North Coast area
 * Sandspit on Haida Gwaii
 * Terrace has Northwest Regional Airport in the North Coast area

Most of the airports listed above have direct flights from Vancouver International Airport.

By bus

By train

 * The route is sometimes referred to by its old name, The Skeena. The train makes three departures per direction per week and is more of a scenic excursion than a cost-effective means of transportation.
 * The train is the means of getting to the Canadian trailhead of the Chilkoot Trail located in Bennett City, British Columbia.

By boat

 * Operates a vehicle ferry route that enters the region by taking the Inside Passage route from Port Hardy in North Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert via Bella Bella and/or Klemtu.
 * Operates a vehicle ferry route that enters the region by taking the Inside Passage route from Port Hardy in North Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert via Bella Bella and/or Klemtu.

By boat

 * Routes within Northern British Columbia include:
 * Vehicle ferry between the Prince Rupert on the mainland and Graham Island (Skidegate) on Haida Gwaii (7 to 8 hours crossing).
 * Vehicle ferry within Haida Gwaii between Graham Island (Skidegate) and Moresby Island (Alliford Bay) near Sandspit (20 minutes crossing)..
 * Ferries in this region:

By bus

 * Between Prince George and Fort St. John with stops in Mackenzie, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, and Taylor. There is also a weekly trip between Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson including a stop in Fort St. John, allowing passengers to travel between Prince George and Fort Nelson over two consecutive days.
 * Between Prince George and Prince Rupert with stops in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, New Hazelton, Kitwanga, and Terrace, and Port Edward.
 * Between Prince George and Prince Rupert with stops in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, New Hazelton, Kitwanga, and Terrace, and Port Edward.

By public transit

 * BC Transit operates bus routes within communities such as Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Smithers, and Terrace. Bus services also connect cities several days per week between the following communities:
 * Terrace and New Hazelton (Hazeltons Transit System)
 * New Hazelton and Smithers (Hazeltons Transit System)
 * Smithers and Burns Lake (Bulkley-Nechako Transit System)
 * Burns Lake and Prince George via Vanderhoof (Bulkley-Nechako Transit System)

See
Northern British Columbia has plenty of wilderness with natural features and wildlife, as well as numerous historical destinations. Totem poles can be found in the western portions of the region and are important cultural monuments for the region's Indigenous peoples.

Do
There at least half a dozen provincial parks scattered through the region that offer opportunities for camping, fishing, more hiking, canoeing, wildlife and bird watching, and being along in the wilderness.

Most towns have trails for hiking, horse-riding, cross-country skiing, mountain biking and/or snowmobiling.

There are plenty of freshwater and saltwater sport fishing opportunities throughout the region.

Stay safe
Northern British Columbia is sparsely populated. If you are driving, ensure that you have enough fuel in your car for your journey, a spare tire, and emergency equipment as it assistance may be far away and take a long time to get to you.

See Dangerous animals for information on safety in bear country.

Go next
If you've come this far, you really should continue further north to explore Yukon or Alaska.

title: Northern British Columbia


text:
Northern Bundelkhand

Northern Bundelkhand is in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Cities

 * —

 * — a pilgrimage destination known for a number of important Hindu temples and shrines

 * — fortified town at the Betwa River, known for the cluster of Jain temples.

 * — historic city where Rani Laxmibai fought for freedom from the British in the revolt of 1857

 * —

 * —

 * —

Understand
Bundelkhand is a geographic and cultural region, distinguished from the Indo-Gangetic plain to the north by its gentle hills. In modern times, Bundelkhand is divided between two states. Northern Bundelkhand is part of Uttar Pradesh. The people speak the Bundeli dialect of Hindi.

By car
The Bundelkhand Expressway, inaugurated in July 2022, connects Etawah to Chitrakoot at.

title: Northern Bundelkhand


text:
Northern Cameroon

Northern Cameroon is a geopolitical region in Cameroon administratively divided into three regions: the Far North Region, the North Region, and the Adamawa Region.

Cities

 * - close to the border with Chad and its capital N'Djamena.
 * – one of Cameroon's popular tourist attractions, renown for its lunar landscape
 * - close to the border with Chad and its capital N'Djamena.
 * – one of Cameroon's popular tourist attractions, renown for its lunar landscape

Other destinations

 * — You may see here lion, African bush elephant, hyena, hartebeest, roan antelope, Kob, waterbuck, reed, gazelle, Sudan cheetah and West African giraffe. The avifauna reported are geese, egrets, North African ostriches, herons, pelicans, saddle-billed storks and ibis.
 * — A UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve. African elephant, spotted hyena, waterbuck, warthog and monkeys are found in the park, as are antelope such as the kob, western hartebeest, giant eland and waterbuck, and African buffalo. The only place in Africa where there is a realistic chance to view the giant eland, Africa's largest antelope, is in Bénoué National Park. The African wild dog is present here, as are hippopotamus colonies. Along with hippo, crocodile are common in the rivers.

Get in
Garoua International Airport

See

 * The chief's palace in Oudjilla, which the king is thought to have 50 wives and 113 children.

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

Boko Haram, a Nigerian jihadist group, operates in the north of the country. They have kidnapped Europeans in the Northern parts of the country.

Bandits/highwaymen also operate in some parts of the north.

title: Northern Cameroon


text:
Northern Cape

The Northern Cape, in the north-west corner of South Africa, is its largest and least populated province with only a population of 1,303,047 (2021). Distances between towns are enormous due to its sparse population. It is slightly larger than Germany, which has 65 times more people.

Regions
The Northern Cape can be divided into the following regions:

Cities

 * — famous for its Big Hole, the world's largest hand-dug excavation
 * — a good starting point to the famous Augrabies Falls
 * — known for its scenic beauty and the Eye of Kuruman, a deep spring
 * — visitors are drawn for the area's high floral diversity
 * — renowned for producing high-quality racehorses and many stud farms
 * — a last outpost of Apartheid

National parks

 * — straddles the border between Namibia and South Africa
 * — awe-inspiring waterfalls when the river is in flood
 * — a majestic and infinite desert landscape with migrating herds
 * — famous for the flowering in Spring
 * — the newest park in South Africa, replaces the old Vaalbos National Park.
 * — the newest park in South Africa, replaces the old Vaalbos National Park.

Other nature reserves

 * (Private nature reserve)
 * (Private nature reserve)
 * (Private nature reserve)
 * (Private nature reserve)
 * (Private nature reserve)

Understand
Although it is the largest of the nine provinces (361,000 km²), it has the smallest population (1.3 million in 2020).

The Northern Cape was part of the Cape Province from 1910 until 1994 when the old provincial boundaries were redrawn, and the Cape Province was split into the Northern Cape, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape Provinces.

The Northern Cape is a dry and sparsely populated region, and much of it is semi-desert. Nevertheless, it has a beauty of its own and is a popular destination for South African and international tourists alike.

By car
The Northern Cape Province is served by a number of excellent national roads.
 * The N1 runs from Cape Town to Gauteng via the south-eastern edge of the Northern Cape and Bloemfontein.
 * The N7 runs from Cape Town and the Western Cape, goes through Springbok and then on up north to Namibia.
 * The N8 runs from near Upington across through Kimberley and Bloemfontein, and then goes on to Maseru Bridge (border post to Lesotho).
 * The N10 runs from the Namibia border down through Upington and then on to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
 * The N12 runs from George in the Western Cape to Gauteng, going via Kimberley.
 * The N14 runs from Springbok to Upington and then on to Johannesburg and Pretoria in Gauteng.

By plane
Upington Airport and Kimberley Airport have flights to some of the major cities in South Africa, operated by South African Airways.

Get around
Public transport is limited, so your best option is by car. Remember to fuel up whenever you can, as distances between gas stations can be long.

See

 * The historic diamond mining town of Kimberley with its world-famous Big Hole and many other attractions.
 * The Augrabies Falls near Upington
 * The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park at the border to Botswana

Do

 * Rock climbing

title: Northern Cape


text:
Northern Chile

Northern Chile is among the driest parts of the world. It includes the regions of Arica-Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta, Atacama and Coquimbo.

Cities

 * — a relaxed mining city with lots of leisure activities and a large car industry
 * — the "city of the eternal spring" offers beautiful beaches, and a very dry, mild climate
 * — "copper capital" of the country with the giant mine of Chuquicamata nearby
 * — gateway to Bahía Inglesa, a picturesque and lovely beach to just enjoy the sun
 * — gateway to Bahía Inglesa and Desierto Florido
 * — includes the Union Flag of the UK in its coat of arms
 * — a seaside city with long beaches and a picturesque city centre
 * — gateway to the Pisco Valley
 * — famous for the national schnapps produced here, Pisco
 * — gateway to the National Humboldt Penguin Reserve to see Humboldt penguins, bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, sea otters, and many types of seabirds
 * — gateway to Lauca National Park
 * — gateway to popular attractions such as Salar de Atacama, El Tatio Geysers and Valle de la Luna
 * — supposed to be best stargazing in the world, but nowadays just a regular town on the way to Pisco Eqlui

Other destinations

 * – in the Andes with large volcanic mountains, and its neighbour Las Vicuñas National Reserve just south.
 * – home to Llullaillaco Volcano.
 * – an impressive dry desert landscape.

Understand
Northern Chile has been thriving on the mining industry since the middle of the 19th century. It started with saltpetre which came to an abrupt end at the beginning of the 20th century when the synthetic production of nitrates was invented. The remains of the old production sites are still impressive and provide an insight into the hard life of the workers. Nowadays copper has taken over the role of Chile's main export good and is mined in giant open pits. Furthermore some minerals like lithium are produced in the salt lakes.

Many visitors come to see the spectacular landscape of the Andean Highlands. Snow-covered mountains more than 6,000 m high contrasting with blue lakes, mountains showing all shades of red and brown due to their volcanic origin, and a number of geothermal areas with hot springs and geysers are among the natural attractions of the region.

On the more relaxing side, Arica and Iquique offer long sandy beaches at the Pacific coast.

By plane
Airports in this area with several flights daily from Santiago:
 * Andrés Sabella Gálvez International Airport in Antofagasta – also connections to/from Peru
 * Chacalluta International Airport in Arica – also connections to/from Bolivia
 * El Loa Airport in Calama
 * Diego Aracena International Airport in Iquique – also connections to/from Bolivia
 * La Florida Airport in La Serena

By car
The national highway #5 (Panamericana) is the main artery of the region connecting central Chile with Antofagasta, Iquique, Arica and Peru. Access from Bolivia (La Paz and Oruro) is via highway #11 passing Lauca National Park and Putre towards Arica. The alternate route from Oruro via Colchane and highway #15 towards Iquique is less used and thus in better condition (at least on the Chilean side). Access from northwestern Argentina (Salta) goes along Chilean highways #23 or #27 to San Pedro de Atacama and Calama.

By car
The highways outside of the highlands are generally in good condition as are the main highways through the highlands to the neighbouring countries. Other roads in the highlands can be very rough. Before moving along such roads individually it is best to enquire locally about road and weather conditions.

Renting a truck or 4WD in Antofagasta or Calama is a great idea if you are 3-5 people and want to explore the region around on your own. This will save you a lot of money on expensive tours in San Pedro de Atacama, and rental cars are much cheaper in Antofagasta or Calama. But due to the rough terrain, it is strongly recommended to get a 4WD or truck, instead of a regular, unless you plan to stay on proper roads.

By bus
Buses connect all cities and also provide connections to neighbouring countries. There are no longer any passenger trains in Northern Chile.

See

 * Playa,_Bahia_Inglesa.JPG
 * Playa,_Bahia_Inglesa.JPG

 * Explosion_de_colores_en_Atacama_(21571234649).jpg
 * MonumentoNaturalLaPortada.jpg
 * MonumentoNaturalLaPortada.jpg

Stay safe
Be aware that you can easily get up to more than of altitude on normal roads. Get accustomed to this by getting higher in reasonable steps. If you join one of those one-day excursions from Arica to Lauca National Park then you are very likely to suffer from altitude sickness which must be taken seriously.

In the mountainous areas, mobile phone coverage is usually limited to the vicinity of towns. If you set out on a track road other than one which connects towns or popular tourist attractions then it might be a good idea to take a satellite phone with you. Filling stations are rare so make sure you know your options.

Go next
Antofagasta (regio)

title: Northern Chile


text:
Northern Circuit

The Northern Circuit (道北 Dōhoku) covers the northern and inner part of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Tourist information site
The local tourist associations have a multilingual web info catalogue, do-hoku.com for the whole area.

Cities

 * (旭川市 Asahikawa-shi) – Hokkaido's second-largest city, famed for being the coldest place in Japan
 * (富良野市 Furano-shi) — Popular ski resort with near-guaranteed perfect powder
 * (名寄市 Nayoro-shi)
 * (士別市 Shibetsu-shi)
 * (稚内市 Wakkanai-shi) – Japan's northernmost town

Towns and villages

 * (美瑛町 Biei-chō)
 * (上川町 Kamikawa-chō)
 * (層雲峡 Sōunkyō)

 * (占冠村 Shimukappu-mura)
 * (幌延町 Horonobe-chō)

Other destinations

 * Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park
 * (利尻島 Rishiri-tō)
 * (礼文島 Rebun-tō)
 * (大雪山国立公園 Daisetsuzan Kokuritsu Kōen)

By plane

 * Asahikawa Airport
 * Wakkanai Airport

By train

 * JR Rumoi Line
 * JR Soya Line

By boat

 * Wakkanai Port - Ferry from Korsakov, Sakhalin, Russia.

title: Northern Circuit


text:
Northern Coast (Andhra Pradesh)

The Northern Coast region of Andhra Pradesh, also known as Uttarandhra, consists of the districts of Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, East Godavari, Eluru, Kakinada, Konaseema, Krishna, NTR, Parvathipuram Manyam, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari, and Yanam.

Cities

 * — scenic beauty of hills and greenery, interspersed with streams and rivulets
 * — known mainly for the Venkateswara Temple
 * (Rajamahendravaram) — known as a cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh, Rajahmundry is noted for its versatile Vedic culture and intellectualism
 * — the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh
 * (Vizag) — the largest and the most attractive city in Andhra Pradesh, with exotic resorts near beaches
 * — former French colony
 * (Rajamahendravaram) — known as a cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh, Rajahmundry is noted for its versatile Vedic culture and intellectualism
 * — the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh
 * (Vizag) — the largest and the most attractive city in Andhra Pradesh, with exotic resorts near beaches
 * — former French colony
 * — the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh
 * (Vizag) — the largest and the most attractive city in Andhra Pradesh, with exotic resorts near beaches
 * — former French colony

Other destinations

 * — one of the largest freshwater lakes in India
 * — nicknamed the Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh, with the temperature going as low as 5°C
 * — a scenic gorge located on the Godavari river in the East Godavari district

By plane
Visakhapatnam Airport is the international gateway to the Northern Coast. Rajahmundry Airport is another airport.

Go next

 * Southern Coast (Andhra Pradesh)

title: Northern Coast (Andhra Pradesh)


text:
East Fujian

East Fujian (闽东 mǐndōng) is an area of Fujian Province in China.

Cities
In the Chinese administrative system, the region is divided into two prefectures whose administrative centers are the cities of Fuzhou and Ningde.

 * - The main center of the region. The prefecture includes many smaller towns.
 * (长乐; Chánglè) - with a town and the airport, on the coast to the east
 * (福清; Fúqīng) - an industrial town of about half a million, near the coast a bit south of Fuzhou
 * - coastal town with beaches and good seafood, north of Fuzhou
 * District (马尾区 Mǎwěiqū), the port area, 20 km downstream
 * (闽侯县; Mǐnhóuxiàn) - several universities have new campuses in this area, west of downtown
 * (永泰县; Yǒngtàixiàn) - scenic area with waterfalls, further west
 * (连江县; Liánjiāngxiàn), along the coast North of Fuzhou
 * - center of another prefecture

Other destinations

 * (平潭县; Píngtánxiàn) - an island south of Fuzhou

Talk
The local languages of the region are Mindong (Eastern Min or Fuzhou Hua) and Minbei (Northern Min).

As anywhere in China, Mandarin is the lingua franca, very widely spoken. English is not widespread, but some people speak it well.

Get in
Fuzhou Changle International Airport is the main airport in the region. It is served by domestic flights to most other major Chinese cities, as well as some international flights to East and Southeast Asian destinations.

The main cities are all on the fast train line connecting Fuzhou and Shanghai, and all of them have stations but not all trains stop at all stations.

There is also a good modern highway connecting all these cities, plus smaller highways running inland to various other towns.

Fuzhou is connected to the Taiwan-controlled Matsu islands by ferry.

Get around
Except for the Min River valley, where Fuzhou and Mawei are located, most of the terrain here is quite hilly. There are roads through most of it, and some — like the main Shenzhen-Shanghai highway which passes through the region near the coast or the links from Fuzhou to major nearby places like Mawei, Changle and Fuqing — are modern multi-lane divided highways. Out in the countryside, though, there are lots of lesser roads and some villages in the hills have only a dirt road leading in.

Fairly frequent local bus service connects most towns (镇) with neighboring towns and the county seat. Ferries operate across some river estuaries. For example, there is passenger ferry service from Long'an 龙安 (the port for Dianxia Town 店下镇, connected by bus service to Fuding and Taimushan) to Shacheng Town (傻城镇), the port town on the border with Zhejiang, from which one can travel north into Zhejiang (the Yuliao 渔寮 resort area and beyond, toward Cangnan and Wenzhou) along the winding coastal road (bus service available).

Go next
The easiest way to leave this region is via the high-speed rail line running through the area roughly parallel to the coast. Going north this takes you into Zhejiang province, with Wenzhou just across the border and Ningbo, Hangzhou and Shanghai further on. Going south, it goes to other Fujian cities — Putian, Quanzhou, Xiamen ... — and then into Guangdong province, to Shantou and Shenzhen.

title: East Fujian


text:
Northern Coast (Peru)

The Northern Coast is in Peru. It offers many archaeological sites, beaches, surfing, and thermal baths.

Cities

 * — a city near Chanquillo, an archaeological site dated to the 4th century BC that is listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO
 * — the largest fishing port in the world, it also has some excellent
 * — known by surfers for having the world's longest left hand wave
 * — a lively city with several archeological sites and museums
 * — a very quiet and tranquil beach town
 * — one of the best places to eat in Perú, especially for the ceviche
 * — close to Cerro Sechin archeological site
 * — provincial capital with nice weather
 * — port and oil town, with an airport, petrified trees and an abundance of other fossils
 * — close to archaeological sites of the Chimu civilization
 * — a gritty town, gateway to beaches, mangroves and national parks
 * — it has thermal baths and beaches

Other destinations

 * — across the border from Huaquillas, Ecuador)
 * — a small beach resort close to Ecuador
 * — surfing and fishing village just north of Trujillo

Get in
The border crossing at the coast with Ecuador is near the border town of Aguas Verdes (Peru) and Huayaquillas (Ecuador). There are several international buses which make the crossing and wait at the immigration office.

Captain Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport

Get around
The Ruta nacional PE-1 begins, which is the Peruvian section of the Pan-American Highway, is completely asphalted. It runs along the entire coast from Aguas Verdes at the Ecuadorian border, passing through Lima and end after Tacna at the border crossing with Chile called Santa Rosa.

Cope
In Talara, electricity uses a mixture of 110 V at 60 Hz and 220 V at 60 Hz.

title: Northern Coast (Peru)


text:
Northern Cook Islands

The Northern Cook Islands are a loose group of low, coral atolls that see little tourism.

Islands

 * Manihiki — the easiest to get to island of the Northern Group.
 * Nassau Island — a small island governed by Pukapuka.
 * Penrhyn (Tongareva or Mangarongaro) — the northernmost of the Cook Islands.
 * Pukapuka — an island culturally closer to Samoa than to the rest of the Cooks.
 * Rakahanga — an island only accessible by boats from Manihiki.
 * Suwarrow (also called Suvorov or Suvarov) — an uninhabited island home to the only national park in the Cook Islands.

By plane
There are Air Rarotonga flights from Rarotonga to Manihiki once every two weeks and flights to Pukapuka and Penryhn less frequently. All flights from Rarotonga to the Northern Group are so expensive they may as well cost an arm and a leg.

By boat
There are some (infrequent) boats going between the islands.

title: Northern Cook Islands


text:
Northern Cyprus

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC, Turkish: Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti) is a republic on the north and east side of the island of Cyprus. It's a holiday destination with beaches and antiquities set in the Mediterranean Sea 70 km south of Turkey, the only country to recognise it. In 2021 its population was 383,000.

Towns

 * Cypriot towns have multiple spellings. Names used on these pages correspond to road signs.

 * (Lefkoşa / Lefkosia) is the divided capital, with the historic centre within its stout walls.
 * (Girne / Keryneia) has an attractive harbour and castle. This is the main base for visitors, with hotels along the coast for 20 km on either side.
 * (Mağusa / Ammochostos) is another walled city, with a beach strip north; south is blighted by the border zone.
 * (Trikomo) marks the north end of Famagusta resort strip. You come this way to reach Karpaz Peninsula.
 * (Omorfo / Morphou) is the main village in the least developed area of Northern Cyprus.
 * (Lefka) is the other large village in that area.

Other destinations

 * is a long remote peninsula in the northeast. It has good beaches, Byzantine monasteries, and over-friendly wild donkeys.
 * is an exclave separated from the rest of TRNC. Formerly the village of Kokkina, it's nowadays a military area.

History
Cyprus has been contested for millennia by rival nations, who sought its minerals, cotton and control of sea lanes between Europe and the Levant. Turkey was a relative newcomer to this dogfight, as it was only by the 16th century that the Ottomans had substantial control of the mainland and could expand into a maritime empire. They captured Rhodes in 1522 and their next target was Cyprus, where the Venetians were ensconced. That terrible assault succeeded in 1571 and is the background to Shakespeare's Othello. The Ottomans retained Cyprus for 300 years and many Turks settled here, especially in the north, but overall there remained a Greek majority population.

Mainland Greece and almost all its islands likewise fell under Ottoman rule, but by the 19th century that empire was in decline, and Greece won its independence in 1830. That was the springboard for the Megali campaign to regain all the "Hellenistic" territories, which included Crete, Cyprus, and just about every trading port around the east Mediterranean. There were vicious wars that threatened to de-stabilise a much wider region (code for "let the Russians in") so the western powers stepped in, and in 1878 Britain took over Cyprus though still acknowledging the Ottomans as nominal rulers. That pretence ended in 1914 when Turkey entered World War I on the side of Germany and the island became part of the British Empire. The post-war treaty of 1923 led to extensive population exchanges between Greece and Turkey, but this didn't affect Cyprus, where the two communities continued to detest each other. Throughout all this, Greek Cypriots dreamed not of independence but enosis, a merger with mainland Greece. After World War II Britain's colonies moved towards independence but here one community insisted on enosis while the other imagined that Cyprus would joyfully become Turkish the minute the Union Flag was hauled down. Factional violence became organised into rival militias EOKA and TMT, and Cyprus slid towards civil war.

The outcome was independence on 15 Aug 1960. Britain retained two large military territories on the south coast, but there was no partition, rather a power-sharing agreement and noble declarations about protecting the rights of minorities. One crucial clause in the peace deal gave Britain, Greece and Turkey the right to intervene militarily "to restore the status quo" in case the deal was overthrown. But power-sharing was dysfunctional from the outset and community violence continued; a series of peace initiatives were launched and sank. In 1974 the enosis faction seized power in a coup, and Turkey therefore invaded. By the time a ceasefire was agreed they controlled the northern third of the island, including its chief port Famagusta and half the capital Nicosia.

Talks to convert that ceasefire into a definitive treaty have dragged on ever since, so it's a "frozen conflict", with the United Nations patrolling a buffer zone between the two sides. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", TRNC. So far only Turkey recognizes the TRNC, while all other governments and the United Nations regard it as a puppet state and recognize only the government of the Republic of Cyprus over the whole island, excluding the British military territories. Since the 1990s a thaw between Greece and Turkey has led to easing of tensions within Cyprus, and it's nowadays easy to pass between the two parts, but the razor wire, watchtowers and derelict no-man's land are as stark as ever. The other dynamic from 2004 was Cyprus joining the European Union, a form of enosis stretching to Lisbon and Dublin that Turkey also aspires to join, but which raises questions of border control and trade rules with regard to TRNC.

Geography
The Kyrenia or Pentadactylos ("five-fingered") mountain range rises from the coast to 1000 m. It's a limestone ridge with ancient fortresses perched on its heights, which dwindle eastwards to create the panhandle of the Karpaz Peninsula. Inland is a broad plain, fertile and traversed by the main roads. Further south the land rises again towards the Troodos Mountains, the mineral-rich uplands that caused copper (cuprum) to be named after Cyprus, but the Turkish advance halted before it.

TRNC is at 35° N in the east Med, the same latitude as Crete or central Tunisia, so it has a subtropical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Frost is rare at low altitude but in winter the sea is cold and rough, with a raw wind blowing off it, and many hotels and other facilities close up. April-June is a good season to visit for landward exploring, but Sept-Oct is better for water sports.

Visit North Cyprus is the TRNC tourist agency.

Talk
The language of Northern Cyprus is Turkish (see the Turkish phrasebook), with a distinct dialect in casual conversation. English is widely spoken in the hospitality sector, especially in Kyrenia. Obscure dialects of Greek persist among a few gnarly old folk, but you're more likely to overhear Russian, as TRNC like mainland Turkey remains easily accessible to them. Some local phrases are:

 * Napañ? (nah-PANG; how are you, literally how are you doing? - informal) or Naparsınız? (nah-par-sing-EEZ - formal or plural)
 * Eyidir (a-e-DEER; I'm fine) or Napayım (nah-pay-EEM; I'm fine, literally, what should I do?)
 * Kaçadır bu? (ca-TCHA-durr boo; how much does this cost, literally, for how much is this?)
 * Çok güzel yer Kıbrıs (chock gue-ZELL yerr KEEP-rees; Cyprus is a very beautiful place)

Entry requirements
Most visitors can enter Northern Cyprus easily, whether by land from the Republic of Cyprus, or from elsewhere. Difficulty may arise if you enter the Republic from TRNC then leave by a different route, or vice versa, see below.

No advance visa is needed except for citizens of Syria, Armenia and Nigeria. Everyone else can simply rock up at the border by land, sea or air. A national ID card is sufficient for citizens of Turkey, the EU, and other countries within the Schengen Area (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein). All others such as the UK or USA need to show a passport valid for 6 months beyond the date of entry. In theory you might be asked about your finances, accommodation and onward travel but they seldom bother. The outcome is a visitor visa for 30 to 90 days; this may not be extended, does not permit work or residence, and 90 days in any 180 is your maximum. Other visas for work, study, business and property ownership have the same 90-in-180 limit.

You can ask for your entry stamp to go on a separate slip of paper, though TRNC passport stamps are no longer a problem for later visits to Greece or Cyprus. The need might arise if you had to shuttle between TRNC and the Republic, and didn't want to fill up your passport.

Visas in advance for citizens of Syria, Armenia and Nigeria are obtained in person from a TRNC "Mission Abroad" (since they're not accredited as an embassy or consulate). There are two dozen, for instance in New York, Washington DC, London and Berlin, but none in the three source countries; perhaps one of the seven Missions in Turkey would be convenient.

North-south itineraries are nowadays only a potential problem. The south maintains that entering the island through the north is illegal. They equally maintain that EU citizens have freedom of movement throughout Cyprus and the Schengen Area. They also have border posts along the Green Line that they claim isn't a border. The upshot of this muddle is that EU citizens have no difficulty, but others (eg British) are at the whim of north-south politics. These are nowadays pragmatic, but any diplomatic rift with Turkey might suddenly lead to Cypriot immigration officials blocking your crossing from TRNC. On south-to-north itineraries, non-EU passport holders should ensure they're stamped out, to avoid later accusations that they've overstayed in the EU.

Do not bring a dog. The island of Cyprus is free of dog rabies, but it's common on mainland Turkey so cross-infection in TRNC is a risk.

By plane
is 13 km east of Nicosia. It has frequent flights from Istanbul (IST and SAW), and seasonal flights from across Europe. Since Northern Cyprus is not internationally recognised (including by IATA), all flights from other countries must touch down briefly in Turkey to perform a feegle-fogle with the paperwork then continue on their way.

You could also fly to Larnaca in the south and take a taxi to the border in Nicosia.

By boat
Akgunlerdenizcilik ferries connect Kyrenia (Girne) to Alanya, Taşucu and Mersin in Turkey, and Famagusta (Mağusa) to Mersin.

The fast ferry from Alanya only sails in summer: from Alanya Th & Su at 12:00, from Kyrenia W & Sa at 10:00. This is a catamaran (shown in timetables as deniz otobüsü) for foot passengers taking 2 hr 30 min.

A similar fast-cat ferry, summer only, takes 80 min from Mersin. It sails from Mersin Su Tu & Th at 21:00, from Kyrenia M W & F at 23:00.

The third fast-cat route, summer only, takes two hours from Taşucu. It sails Fridays only from Taşucu at 14:00 and from Girne at 10:00.

The only car ferry is from Taşucu and takes six hours. It sails four times a week in summer: from Taşucu on Su M Tu & Th at 23:30 and from Kyrenia M & Tu at 14:00, W & F at 23:30. This ferry sails all year.

Ferries from Madenli south of İskenderun are not sailing, as the earthquake of 2023 damaged the port.

With your own boat, Kyrenia and Famagusta are the designated Ports of Entry to clear TRNC immigration and customs.

By road
The land crossings between TRNC and the Republic are:
 * Yesilirmak (by car) is the westernmost tip of TRNC, beyond Lefke.
 * Lefke (by car) south of Lefke village. A new route south of Lefke is under construction in 2024.
 * Astromeritis / Zodhia (by car) south of Güzelyurt.
 * Agios Dometios / Kermia / Metehan is the chief crossing by road, and pedestrians are permitted, at the west edge of Nicosia.
 * Ledra Palace (pedestrians only) is the oldest crossing, west flank of the old city walls of Nicosia.
 * Ledra Street (pedestrians only) is the most convenient for day-trips, an alley through the bazaar in old Nicosia.
 * Pergamos / Beyarmudu (by car) via Dhekelia military zone.
 * Strovilia near Agios Nikolaos (by car) in the east of the island near Famagusta.

If you hire a car from the south, check their small print to ensure they allow their vehicles to go north.

Car insurance from the Republic is not valid in TRNC, so you have to buy at the border; you can't buy elsewhere. And while the border posts are open 24 hours for immigration and customs, the kiosks for insurance are not. The main crossing at Agios Dometios / Kermia / Metehan has a kiosk open 08:00 to midnight, check the latest hours if you intend to use the others. You buy for a minimum of one month, which in 2024 costs €120 and is only valid for third party not comprehensive.

By car
A car is by far the best way to travel around Northern Cyprus. There are rental desks in Nicosia city, Ercan Airport, Kyrenia and Famagusta - best book ahead, as their fleets are small and their opening hours limited. They can arrange to pick up / drop off at Kyrenia ferry port or at Ledra Palace border crossing in Nicosia.

Check the deal with fuel, they usually rent empty-to-empty, so the first task is to find a filling station. The second task is to estimate how much fuel you might use, as there's no credit for unused fuel.

If you hire in the south, you may take the vehicle north but must buy extra insurance at the border, see above.

The highways are in good repair, well-signposted, pleasantly uncongested by western standards, and local drivers are less frenetic than on the Turkish mainland.

Hitch-hiking is usually easy along these roads.

By bus
Dolmuşes - minibuses - are the main public transport. They don't have a fixed timetable and set off whenever full, but reckon on runs between Nicosia and Kyrenia every 30 minutes, and between other towns hourly. They're designed for locals not tourists and become very sparse by early evening. Some sights (such as St Hilarion) are several km from a dolmuş route, and the east peninsula beyond İskele and the west end beyond Lefke have infrequent services.

By taxi
There are many taxi ranks, but you won't see many taxis around to wave down, so make sure to get some numbers. Taxis wait at the airport, and at Ledra Palace and Kermiya crossings. A trip from Nicosia to Kyrenia in 2024 is about €60.

See

 * Kyrenia is dominated by its castle; the museum within displays a shipwreck from 4th century BC. The harbour is an attractive area for strolling, bathed in golden light at evening.
 * Bellapais Abbey near Kyrenia is a scenic ruin with great Gothic arches and towering stone walls.
 * Castles: in the Beşparmak Mountains are St Hilarion Castle (above Kyrenia), Buffavento and Kantara Castle (towards Karpaz).
 * Walled City of Nicosia: the walls were built in 1567 are are mostly intact, though bisected by the north / south border. Until the 19th century they defined city limits and contain Selimiye Mosque and Büyük Han or Great Inn. A short walk beyond are Samanbahçe quarter, Büyük Hamam the ancient baths, and Bandabulya bazaar.
 * Walled City of Famagusta sights include Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, the walls themselves, and Othello Tower, where the Cypriot section of Shakespeare's play Othello is set.
 * Salamis is the ruin of a Roman city north of Famagusta, with statues, agoras, and an amphitheatre.
 * Karpaz to the northeast is festooned with wild donkeys. Apostolos Andreas Monastery is an ancient pilgrimage site.

Do

 * Beaches are a major part of the appeal of Northern Cyprus. The north coast has the best, clean and sandy, on the long resort strip either side of Kyrenia. Some are private to hotels. Karpaz Peninsula has equally good beaches, much quieter, for instance near Dikarpaz. West coast has a beach strip north of Famagusta. South of Famagusta is blighted by the border, with Varosha a strange ghost town.
 * Casinos: gambling is legal in Northern Cyprus but not in mainland Turkey or the Republic of Cyprus, so these attract a louche crowd. Every upscale hotel has a casino, dress smart. Organised crime has its tentacles all over them, for money-laundering, prostitution and other rackets.
 * Nightlife other than gambling and paid-for sex is a tourist thing not a local habit. In the beach resort strips of Kyrenia and Famagusta, you can bop away like it was Paphos, but Nicosia is strangely quiet for a capital.
 * Scuba diving: this is the Med, so adjust your expectations. First, it's seasonal, the Med is cold in winter and dive shacks close up. Most coral was stripped out years ago and the waters over-fished, so marine life is encountered (such as the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta) but is not as abundant as the Red Sea. However the lack of river run-off means clear waters, and the limestone scenery catches the sunlight. This makes Northern Cyprus a good destination for novice training and low-experience divers; rufty-tufty old salts will be content with a day or two diving then head off to explore the landward sights. Kyrenia beach strip has most of the dive operators.
 * Other sports such as windsurfing, jet-skiing, water-skiing, sailing and paragliding are likewise based around Kyrenia.
 * Boat tours putter out from all the main harbours.
 * Hiking and trekking are best in the Kyrenia mountains.
 * Northern Cyprus Music Festival is held at Bellapais Monastery near Kyrenia mid-Sept to early November.

Money
The Turkish lira is the official currency in Northern Cyprus, one and the same as the mainland lira, denoted as TL (ISO code TRY). That means that Northern Cyprus suffers the same hyper-inflation as the mainland, about 50% per annum, so exchange rates and prices quoted on these pages go out of date quickly. Don't exchange until you get here, and don't leave with a wad unspent. Euros, UK pounds and credit cards are accepted by all but the smallest businesses. These may even quote prices in or insist on euros to counter inflation.

Lira banknotes are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 TL, see Turkey for specimens. You need the E9 series from 2009, previous issues are no longer valid. You might encounter coins of 1 TL or less, worth next-to-nothing. One lira is divided into 100 kuruş, an amount you could barely see with a microscope.

Exchange desks are honest, and the standard scams are unheard of.

Shopping

 * AVM means a shopping centre, AlışVeriş Merkezi, and these are found in the main towns along with convenience stores. TRNC doesn't have big western-style supermarkets.
 * Tourist souvenirs are likewise sold in the main towns. The cuter the surroundings the higher the price, so Büyük Han the Great Inn of Nicosia costs most.

Property
Northern Cyprus property is low cost compared to the Republic of Cyprus, but you're going to need a good lawyer. The long list of pitfalls in buying property in the south also applies to the north, and is compounded by the problem of title. Thousands of Cypriots driven out in the war of 1974 still hold titles to their land, which courts may enforce over later purchasers.

The landmark case was Apostolides v Orams 2009. Apostolides and his family fled in 1974 from Laptos, nowadays Lapta on Kyrenia resort strip. It was only with the easing of border restrictions in 2003 that they were able to return, to find a villa built there by David and Linda Orams from England, who'd bought the land in good faith from a local agent. Apostolides sued in the Cypriot courts but their judgement was not enforceable in the north, so the case bounced around the British and European courts before a definitive ruling in Apostolides' favour by the European Court of Justice. It was a pyrrhic victory, as the Orams abandoned the property and Apostolides got nothing out of it, but the lawyers still got paid plenty.

So a wave of further cases never materialised. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2013 and 2015 that though TRNC was not recognised, it did have de facto an independent judiciary and legal system, and that future disputes should be heard there, specifically by the Immovable Property Commission. That body is more likely than a southern court to rule that those who've paid money for land in the north also have enforceable rights.

Eat
Most Northern Cypriot cuisine will be familiar if you've eaten Turkish, Greek and Middle Eastern fare back home. Dishes you might not find elsewhere are Molehiya, Enginar Dolması, Kolokas, Bullez, Çiçek Dolması, Magarina-Bulli, Pilav, Bulgur Köftesi, Mucendra, Hummus Çorbası, Hellimli and Pirohu.

 * Halloumi is known as hellim in Turkish. It can be grilled without melting so it features in many dishes, such as hellimli cake, hellim böreği a pastry, and pirohu the traditional Turkish meal of mantı with hellim instead of meat.
 * Şeftali Kebabı is made from lamb.
 * Fırın Kebabı is the Turkish equivalent of kleftiko, a kebab of lamb and Cypriot potatoes.
 * Magarına Bulli is pasta with chicken, and hellim sprinkled all over it. Best is hand-made pasta, el magarınası or yahnili magarına.
 * Çakısdez (pronounced chuck-ess-dez) are green olives, hand-crushed using special stones, and flavored with garlic.
 * Samarella is sun-dried meat, traditionally goat.

Turkish Cypriots like their desserts:
 * Pekmez is a thick syrup of carob juice, from the carob trees of the Pentadaktylos mountains, made into gloochy desserts such as gullurikya.
 * Nor böreği is a pastry with cinnamon, sugar and "nor", a cheese particular to Cyprus.
 * Sini gatmeri is an almond filo whirl, and sac (say "sach") gatmeri is a light pastry of sugar and dough.
 * Ekmek Kadayıfı is soft dough filled with nor cheese and sweet syrup, try it with vanilla ice-cream.
 * Macun are preserved fruits, such as ceviz (walnut) macunu.

European-style food can be found wherever there are large tourist populations, so Kyrenia has the best selection, and supermarkets have supplies for self-catering.

Drink

 * Tax on alcohol is low in TRNC, so all alcohol-based drinks are cheaper than in the south or on the mainland. The resort strips have free-standing pubs; elsewhere the cafes serve alcohol.

 * Rakı is the national drink, as in mainland Turkey. It's an aniseed-flavoured spirit similar to Greek ouzo, drunk mixed with water (which turns it cloudy) in a long glass, as an aperitif or alongside a meal.
 * Brandy from Cyprus is sweeter than from the mainland, from its double distillation of white wines and aging in oak barrels. Most production is around Limassol in the south but TRNC has a couple of distilleries. To offset the sweetness it's often drunk as Brandy Sour, mixing in the squash of local lemons.
 * Zivania is also described as brandy but is more like grappa or marc, a colourless sugarless distillate from wine grape pressings. Drink it neat as an aperitif. It's unique to Cyprus, and in the south is EU-protected as a name of origin, with a maximum 60% strength. Inevitably TRNC has set up its own trade protection system, which even Turkey doesn't recognise, and you may find higher-strength products better used for lighting the barbecue or treating a nasty sore on your cat's backside.
 * Wine producers include Aphrodite and Kantara, but most wine is imported from the Turkish mainland. There's a mixture of grape varietals and no system equivalent to AOC, but it's perfectly good enough for chasing down a kebab.
 * Beer is the usual Turkish brands - Efes is the commonest. International imports are found in the resort strips, where you're seldom far from an Irish pub.
 * Non-alcoholic drinks include ayran the Turkish classic yogurt, fresh squeezed orange juice, Turkish coffee; and the tap-water is safe to drink though "flat" from desalination.

Sleep
Accommodation in Northern Cyprus is plentiful. A 40 km resort strip is centred on Kyrenia, aimed at western holiday makers; supply exceeds demand and there are some excellent package deals. Famagusta has a smaller strip but hasn't attracted western tourism. Nicosia has surprisingly little for a capital city. Karpaz at the east end and Güzelyurt in the west have few hotels and accommodation is in small pansiyons. Inspect their rooms thoroughly before checking in and be prepared to hold your nose.

Learn
Northern Cyprus has five universities, all private.

 * Near East University (Yakın Doğu Üniversitesi)
 * Eastern Mediterranean University (Doğu Akdeniz Üniversitesi)
 * Cyprus International University (Uluslararası Kıbrıs Üniversitesi)
 * European University of Lefke (Lefke Avrupa Üniversitesi)
 * Girne American University (Girne Amerikan Üniversitesi)

There's also a campus of Middle East Technical University at Güzelyurt, and of Istanbul Technical University at Famagusta.

Work
Working is forbidden to anybody not in possession of a permit, which unlikely to be granted to non-Turkish visitors.

Cope
Electricity is 240 volt AC, and plugs and sockets are 3-pin rectangular, same as the UK. Power cuts are fairly frequent, and voltage glitches may damage electronics.

Laundromats are found in the three cities.

Embassies are in south Nicosia, since they don't recognise the north, and have limited ability to assist you here.

Stay healthy

 * Health care here is private so adequate health insurance is essential. An annual policy is often the best deal; check that coverage includes TRNC not just the EU.
 * TRNC has lots of doctors familiar with the ailments of elderly westerners. Your accommodation will know who's reliable and who's out to fleece you.
 * Take enough of your usual medication and some spare but not too much, including paraphernalia such as injecting kit for diabetes. Take also the prescriptions to prove it's legit and for your sole use.

Stay safe
Northern Cyprus is safe, take usual care of valuables, and watch out for traffic (which drives on the left). In the water, beware mad bats on jet skis.

Central Nicosia attracts a seedy crowd, though pickpocketing, assault and sexual assault remain uncommon by western standards.

Don't lark about on the border fence or use unauthorised crossings. The guards will assume you're making a recce for smuggling or human trafficking.

Respect
99% of Turkish Cypriots are nominally Sunni Muslims, but secular. Only a pious elderly minority routinely attend a mosque, and it's rare to see women in veils. The majority are like westerners: religion is confined to rights-of-passage around birth, marriage and death, and plays no role in daily life, yet mightily offended they would be if you mocked their religion or its rites and observances. However they're equally sensitive on symbols of the state, such as the flag or imagery of Kemal Atatürk. Disrespecting these puts you in harm's way, and doing so on the mainland could get you jailed.

The Greek-Turkish violence of 1963 to 1974 and subsequent partition are still a raw memory. Don't bring the subject up, but if it arises, express sympathetic interest; it's their experience that counts, not your opinion.

LGBTQ+ travelers should be comfortable especially in the Kyrenia tourist strip, where hotels are vying for their trade. Homosexuality was legalized in 2009, but same-sex relationships are not recognized by the government. Open displays of same-sex affection will draw stares, maybe cat-calling to the same extent as for lightly-dressed hetero women, but not violence.

Connect
Northern Cyprus uses Turkish area code 392. When dialling from Turkey, Northern Cyprus or the Republic of Cyprus, the dialling format is 0 392 xxx xxxx and the call is charged as domestic. From any other country the format is +90 392 xxx xxxx and it's charged as international.

The mobile networks are KKTC Turkcell and KKTC Telsim (Vodafone). They have 4G coverage of most of the north - it's a small place so you're seldom far from a relay mast. As of 2024, 5G has not reached the north. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Calling on a non-local mobile phone incurs international rates, consider buying a local SIM card. However the north operators may permit roaming in the south, and vice versa, check their deals. Nicosia North old city is within range of the southern networks, but elsewhere the "buffer zone" is too broad for cross-over.

Go next

 * Nicosia South has plenty to see and you just stroll across the border at Ledra Street.
 * The rest of southern Cyprus has lots of historic sites, museums, and lively beach resorts such as Paphos.
 * Mainland Turkey is easily reached by flights to Istanbul or ferries to its Mediterranean coast.

title: Northern Cyprus


text:
Northern Dalmatia

Northern Dalmatia is a coastal region in Croatia. It is famous for its striking scenery, truly breathtaking national parks, and many beautiful and unspoilt islands. It is home to several exceptionally beautiful and historic coastal cities and towns. Many of these destinations are traditional and picture-postcard. It has much to offer as a holiday destination, but is not so prone to the extreme tourist influxes that Southern Dalmatia experiences. It consists of the two counties of Zadar and Šibenik-Knin.

Cities

 * – largest city in the region and the seat of Zadar county. It is a regional transport hub from which most parts of the region can be reached whether by railroad, bus or ferry. The city features a beautiful Old Town with many old buildings and 34 churches for visitors to admire. The city is particularly beautiful during the summer months when many restaurants offer al fresco dining in the various courtyards and squares. Almost all of the Dalmatian islands can be reached from the port, which offer a whole other aspect to the region's appeal.
 * – medieval town 80 km (45 miles) south of Zadar and the seat of Sibenik-Knin county. It is perched on a gentle hill and is very close to the Krka Falls and Kornati island group, perhaps the best-known Croatian archipelago.
 * – a popular tourist town between Zadar and Šibenik
 * – small town a short distance north of Zadar. It has a small cluster of historic buildings on a small island away from the predominantly residential parts of the town. Nin is well situated for access to the island of Pag with its beautiful sandy beaches. Nin also has a large stretching sandy beach of its own, about half a mile away from the historic core.
 * . A beautiful village located some 32 km (20 miles) east of Zadar.
 * – the former capital of the medieval Kingdom of Croatia.

Islands

 * Žirje
 * Krapanj
 * Kaprije
 * Prvić
 * Zlarin
 * Žirje
 * Krapanj
 * Kaprije
 * Prvić
 * Zlarin

Talk
The language of the region is Croatian. As the area is not particularly touristy, there is a marked difference in the number of people who can speak other languages such as English, German and French. Therefore it is advisable to take a small phrase book or just learn some basic phrases that may help.

Get in
The main point of access to the region for most foreigners is Zadar International airport, 8 km (5 miles) east of the main city. You can travel from the airport to the main city bus and train station for a cheap fare from directly outside the front of the main terminal building. Then again, it is possible to hire a car from the airport which will give you much more flexibility.

Get around
Buses are clean, efficient and punctual in Croatia. In fact, many locals regularly use public transport instead of driving. Of course, though, car hire will allow you to be more flexible however may work out more expending depending on your travel plans. Buses run regularly around the local area and buses run to Zagreb, the capital, and many other larger Croatian cities from the central bus station. A train line also runs south toward Split and Dubrovnik.

See

 * Zadar's Old Town. Take an afternoon out to relax and experience a traditional Adriatic City. Relax in the cafés and restaurants, visit the many museums and art galleries, climb the tower of the cathedral or just take a dip in the sea. Alternatively, take a low-cost ferry out to one of the beautiful islands from the port right next to the Old Town.

title: Northern Dalmatia


text:
Northern Edwards Plateau

The Northern Edwards Plateau is the far southern reach of the Panhandle of Texas.

Other destinations

 * Big Spring State Park

Understand
The north portion of the Edwards Plateau is bound by Southeast New Mexico on the west, the higher Llano Estacado Plateau to the north, and the North Central Plains to the east and northeast.

Get in

 * San Angelo Regional Airport has flights from Dallas/Fort Worth

title: Northern Edwards Plateau


text:
Northern Greece

Northern Greece is the large, varied upper half of Greece which, apart from a few scattered famous attractions, is still relatively untouristed, though much of this area offers rewarding destinations that deserve to be better known. Distances are long, and though the major cities are easy enough to get to by bus or train, and almost everywhere is served by at least one bus a day, visitors who want to get off the beaten track or cover a lot of ground in a limited time will probably find it most practical to have a car.

Regions

 * Epirus - A mountainous region known for its rugged landscapes and traditional villages, home to the famous Zagori villages renowned for their stone houses, the Vikos Gorge, one of the deepest canyons in the world, and the ancient city of Dodona.
 * Macedonia - Home to Greece's second-largest city, Thessaloniki, which is a bustling metropolis with a rich history. Other notable places in Macedonia include Mount Olympus, the ancient city of Vergina, and the Halkidiki peninsula with its beautiful beaches.
 * Thrace - Thrace shares its borders with Bulgaria and Turkey. The region is known for its rich cultural heritage, including a significant Muslim minority. Thrace features beautiful landscapes, such as the Evros Delta, and important historical sites like the ancient city of Anastasioupolis.

Cities
The main cities in central and northern Greece are:

 * : Ioannina is built around Lake Pamvotida and is known for its medieval fortress, traditional market, and the island of Nissi, where you can visit monasteries
 * — Famous for its Byzantine-era churches and its well-preserved Jewish quarter, home to the archaeological site of Aigai, the ancient capital of Macedonia
 * - The second-largest city in Greece, a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with a mix of ancient sites, Byzantine churches, excellent museums, a vibrant food scene, and a bustling waterfront
 * - A charming city with a lively atmosphere, beautiful old town, a medieval fortress and several interesting museums; also a gateway to Lake Kerkini and its rich birdlife
 * - A picturesque coastal city known for its harbor, Ottoman-era architecture, charming old town, beaches and nightlife
 * - Famous for its carnival
 * - interesting Christian-Muslim appearance of the city center
 * - modern port city with a beautiful promenade
 * - modern port city with a beautiful promenade

Other destinations

 * —impressive landscape with high mountains, dense barely inhabited forests and impressive gorges and the wild beauty of the Zagoria mountain villages
 * – The highest mountain of Greece, major trekking destination
 * — No.1 tourist destination in Northern Grecce
 * — mountainous area with picturesque mountain villages, a multitude of old famous monasteries and impressive vegetation
 * — Wild mountainous nature in between Greece and Bulgaria
 * — Unique landscape and wild life
 * Thasos-Island: the most beautiful island in Northern Greece
 * Samothrace-Island: wild mountainous with few tourism and stunning nature

Understand
The North of Greece is a mountainous area and the climate is much colder and more rainy than southern Greece. Best time to visit is June to End of September

By plane
There are a few airports in central and northern Greece. The biggest one is in Thessaloniki.
 * Alexandroupolis International Airport "Democritus"
 * Kavala International Airport "Megas Alexandros"
 * Thessaloniki International Airport "Macedonia"
 * Volos Central Greece Airport (Nea Anchialos National Airport)
 * Ioannina National Airport "Epirus"
 * Kastoria National Airport "Aristotelis"
 * Kozani National Airport "Filippos"
 * Aktion National Airport (Lefkada Airport "Aktion")

By train
Thessaloniki is Greece's hub for international rail service. Trains connect Thessaloníki to Sofia (3 daily), Bucharest (1 daily), Istanbul (2 daily) and Belgrade via Skopje (2 daily). There are special fares as Balkan Flexipass and other offers e.g. the City-Star Ticket form Czech Republic to Greece. From Athens the train connects most of the cities in the eastern part of Greece. The state train company is Trainose (Τραινοσέ).

By car
Northern Greece can be entered by car either from any of its land neighbors countries, or from Athens. From western Europe, the most popular route to Greece was through Yugoslavia. Following the troubles in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990s, most motorists from western Europe came overland by Italy, and then took a trans-Adriatic ferry from there. Although the countries of the former Yugoslavia have since stabilized, and Hungary-Romania-Bulgaria form another, albeit a much longer, alternative, the overland route through Italy now remains the most popular option.

By bus
There is some, albeit limited, international bus service to neighboring Albania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, as well as Georgia. From Athens there are buses to every town in Central and Northern Greece.

By boat
The main port to get to Northern Greece from Italy is Igoumenitsa. Several ferries depart daily from the Italian port cities of Venice, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi.

By regional coach
Interurban coaches ("KTEL" buses) are by far the most convenient way to travel around Greece, as well as for intra-regional travelling.

By train
Trains (OSE) connects most of the towns on the east part of Greece. The main train line connects Volos, Larissa, Katerini, Thessaloniki, Kilkis, Serres, Xanthi, Komotini and Alexandroupoli. There is also a train connection between Larissa and Kalampaka (Meteora) and a train line connecting Thessaloniki Veria, Naoussa and Edessa. Travelling with ordinary trains can be cheaper, although a little bit slower, whereas choosing a fancy faster Intercity train will cost the same amount of money, or even more than a KTEL bus.

title: Northern Greece


text:
Northern Greenland

The Far North of Greenland is sparsely inhabited and exceptionally cold. Even getting here is an achievement, and getting around is an exercise in planning, as the tourist infrastructure found in other parts of Greenland simply is not present here.

Other destinations

 * is a tiny uninhabited island (about 10 m across and 1 m high) in the Arctic Ocean, north of Greenland, and is considered the northernmost piece of permanent land on Earth—though there are a couple of unconfirmed potential islands further north. So far the only sighting of the island was in a 1996 exploration; beyond that you'd have to be incredibly resourceful and adventurous to make it here and back alive. The nearest city is Qaanaaq.
 * – the world's largest national park protecting the entire northeast of Greenland

Climate
Temperatures by the coast climb just above freezing in summer, with daily means of about in July and  to  in February in Upernavik and Qaanaaq (Rovaniemi has 16°C/60°F and −11°C/13°F in comparison). Station Nord on the north coast has an average temperature of in July and  in February. In the inland highlands winters are even harsher; Summit Camp has an average of in July and  in January.

Get in

 * Air Greenland is basically the only option for tourists. Tickets are expensive and the schedule is sparse. Airports exist at Qaanaaq and Upernavik.
 * There is also the Thule Air base, which belongs to the U.S. It has flights directly from the U.S., but only for people working there or invited.
 * Cruise ships visit in the summer time.

Get around

 * Air Greenland operates helicopter flights from the airports to settlements without airports.

Stay safe
While summer days are mostly just cool or cold by the coast, in winter and in the inland it can get incredibly cold. Even for short summer hikes you should have some understanding of cold weather. When it is not summer, or for longer hikes, you will probably need an expert to guide you on equipment and for survival would the weather turn bad.

title: Northern Greenland


text:
Northern Guangdong

Northern Guangdong is in Guangdong Province in China. This region is less developed and industrialised than the coastal regions of Guangdong, with beautiful mountain hikes, rainforests and communities of ethnic minorities.

Cities

 * (河源; Héyuán) - small city surrounded by rain forest, a centre of Hakka culture
 * (梅州; Méizhōu) - in the far northeast of Guangdong, the cultural capital of the Hakka people
 * (清远; Qīngyuǎn) - tourist city north of Pearl River Delta surrounded by mountains, known for its hot springs and rafting
 * (韶关; Sháoguān) - in the far north of Guangdong, home to an important temple, beautiful natural scenery and a large ethnic Yao community
 * (云浮; Yúnfú) - city in the mountains northwest of Zhuhai, known for its stonemasonry
 * (肇庆; Zhàoqìng) - famous for its fresh air and the surrounding environment, and for its rice dumplings that are typically eaten during for the Dragon Boat Festival.

Towns and sub-prefecture cities

 * - small Yao minority city amongst the mountains

Other destinations

 * in Shaoguan
 * in Shaoguan

Talk
The region is split between Hakka speakers and Cantonese speakers. Hakka is the main language in Meizhou, Heyuan and Shaoguan, with accents and local expressions differing between the different cities; the Meizhou dialect is considered to be the prestige dialect. Cantonese is main language in Yunfu, Qingyuan and Zhaoqing albeit with distinctive accents and local expressions. Nevertheless, if you are fluent in standard Cantonese, this should not pose too much of a challenge, and most locals are also able to speak standard Cantonese.

The Yao ethnic minority speak their own languages, which are distantly related to Vietnamese and Khmer but unrelated to Chinese.

As with elsewhere in China, Mandarin is the official language, so most younger locals are able to speak Mandarin as well.

Get in
There are plentiful train, bus, and highway connections from Guangzhou and other cities of the Pearl River Delta.

Do
Go hiking. This is a mountainous region with beautiful natural scenery. Shaoguan in particular is known for hiking.

Go next

 * Pearl River Delta
 * Western Guangdong
 * Chaoshan
 * Central Guangxi
 * Hunan
 * Inland Fujian
 * Jiangxi

title: Northern Guangdong


text:
Northern Gulf Coast

The Northern Gulf Coast is a region on the Central Plains of Thailand. It is travelled through to get to Southern Thailand.

Cities

 * — historic city
 * — sand, sea, sun
 * — beach resort on the gulf coast
 * — quiet beach resort south of Hua Hin
 * — quiet beach resort south of Hua Hin

By plane
Hua Hin Airport

Bangkok with its airports is not too far.

By train
Train service from Bangkok.

Do

 * Go to the beach – the coast is dotted with beach towns for swimming and other seaside activities.

title: Northern Gulf Coast


text:
Discovery Islands

The Discovery Islands are a group of sparsely populated islands in the Discovery Passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. With the myriad of islands and passages, marine parks and beautiful views, they are a haven for anyone with a boat.

Islands

 * Outer Islands and Mainland Inlets — The mostly undeveloped islands beyond Quadra and Cortes and Desolation Sound, including the nearby mainland inlets and fjords. It's a prime spot for salmon fishing, grizzly bear viewing and some spectacular scenery.
 * Outer Islands and Mainland Inlets — The mostly undeveloped islands beyond Quadra and Cortes and Desolation Sound, including the nearby mainland inlets and fjords. It's a prime spot for salmon fishing, grizzly bear viewing and some spectacular scenery.

Understand
Most of these islands have very few residents. The primary attraction to visitors is the salmon fishing and there are numerous fishing lodges.

Get in
Only Quadra Island and Cortes Island have ferry service. The remainder are served by private boat or float plane. The easiest access and most options are from nearby Campbell River on Vancouver Island.

By ferry
Operates scheduled ferry service enabling travel between Campbell River on Vancouver Island and two of the Discovery Islands. The ferries are small so give yourself time particularly if you want to get to Cortes Island from Campbell River. Delays are not uncommon. BC Ferries routes serving the Discovery Islands:

 * Campbell River - : 10 minutes crossing, 16 or 17 crossings a day
 * - : 40 minutes crossing, 6-7 crossings a day

By water taxi
Water taxi is another option, albeit more expensive, to get to Quadra Island and Cortes Island. It is the only way to get to the Outer Islands or Desolation Sound if you don't have your own boat and are not flying. There are some water taxi companies in Campbell River that service the entire Discovery Islands and nearby mainland inlets. It is also possible to get to Cortes Island and Desolation Sound from Lund on the upper Sunshine Coast.

By plane
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is in Campbell River. From Campbell River, a taxi or shuttle bus can take you from the airport to the BC Ferries terminal, to water taxis, or to a seaplane base for onward travel.

A seaplane provides a faster and scenic entry to the islands at a price. Flights travel to the Outer Islands and Desolation Sound, see those articles for operators. Seaplane flights operate from Campbell River throughout the year and also operate from Vancouver and Seattle during the summer.

Get around
The only ferry between islands in the group is a BC Ferries shuttle between Quadra and Cortes islands. Otherwise, you will have to really on water taxis that are based in Campbell River and Lund, or seaplanes.

See
You can explore the history and heritage of the islands' Indigenous peoples on Quadra Island by visiting the Nuyumbalees Cultural Centre and the petroglyphs at Cape Mudge.

There's lots of wildlife to see here, too, including grizzly bears, eagles, black bears, sea lions, porpoises and orcas.

Do
It's all about the outdoors here: visit the provincial parks, hike, go rock climbing, camp, kayak, canoe, and fish. There are tour companies and outfitters who will get you want you need to enjoy the incredible wilderness available here.

Stay safe
See Dangerous animals § Bears for information on grizzly and black bears.

Go next

 * Central Vancouver Island – With beaches and big trees, hikes and kayaking, whale watching and salmon fishing, caves and surfing, the central part of Vancouver Island is a haven for outdoor recreation. Campbell River is a short ferry ride from Quadra Island.
 * Sunshine Coast – Low-key 180-km (110-mi) stretch of forest, seashore and mountains. Those who appreciate the beauty of outstanding marine parks and marshland bird sanctuaries, old growth forest and alpine peaks will find this the perfect destination. It's accessed by water taxi from Cortes Island or the Desolation Sound area.

title: Discovery Islands


text:
Northern Haiti

Northern Haiti lies along the Atlantic side of the country and includes the northern peninsula. It is the area most visited by tourists, due to its relative safety and the presence of Labadee, a popular cruise ship excursion site.

Cities

 * — the country's second largest city.
 * — a border town near some interesting ruins and the Dominican border.
 * — a small-ish port, where the first black republic was born.
 * — a small town right by two of the country's most famous landmarks: the Sans-Souci Palace and the Citadelle Laferrière.
 * — a smuggling haven en route to Miami, and a potential point of embark for Tortuga Island.

Other destinations

 * — Haiti's principal source of tourist dollar, surprisingly, is one lone (beautiful) private beach, off limits to Haitians, and owned by a busy cruise liner, dropping off hundreds of daytrippers every day.
 * — an island just waiting to become a major tourist destination is as of yet still entirely undeveloped, with limited electricity, no police force, no infrastructure upkeep, as well as beautiful rocky views, one incredibly beautiful and isolated beach, centuries of pirate history, and a good number of mountaintop mansions belonging to various drug lords.

Get in
Cap-Haitien International Airport is the primary way of getting in, unless you're on a Royal Caribbean cruise bound for Labadee, in which case you'll arrive by cruise ship.

Get around
There isn't much public transportation in Haiti (understandably) so your primary way of getting around will be by car.

Go next
The central areas of Haiti are some of the most dangerous in the Western Hemisphere. The Dominican Republic, however, is generally safer for travel. Keep in mind the border between the DR and Haiti isn't always open, so plan ahead.

title: Northern Haiti


text:
Northern Highlands (Nicaragua)

Northern Highlands is a mountainous coffee growing region in northern Nicaragua.

Cities

 * - a revolutionary city with many murals
 * - the northern pearl with eternal spring
 * - a coffee growing center
 * - the city of donkeys
 * - the first city in the world to be bombed by airplanes
 * - with traditional life
 * - founded by the Spaniards in 1543
 * - the last town on the Río Coco before its long jungle journey to the Caribbean

Understand
This is the coolest part of the country where cloud forests are prevalent. The breathtaking nature, the coffee plantations where you can sample a cuppa on the farm where it is grown and murals from the revolutionary era make this region well worth a visit.

History
If all you remember about Nicaragua is grainy footage from the 1980s of mustachioed men with automatic rifles, chances are, those images come from here. The inaccessible and rural north has been coffee country for centuries and a hotbed of political uprisings of all kinds for even longer. Augusto Sandino carved out a domain encompassing half the country from bases in this mountains in the 1920s and early 1930s. Fighting against - and beating - the US Marines, no less. After Sandino was shot by Anastasio Somoza, people disgruntled with the Somoza-led Guardia Nacional got themselves weapons and met in the mountains to plan the defeat of the Somoza regime. It was here that Carlos Fonseca founded the FSLN, or Sandinista party. It was also here that he was shot by Somoza's forces in 1976.

When the Sandinistas took over in 1979, disgruntled members of the Guardia Nacional and people who were disappointed with the new rulers got together and attacked the Sandinistas from bases in these mountains. At the same time, the Sandinistas struck back not only militarily but also by bringing new forms of (collective) ownership and a huge literacy campaign to these impoverished mountains. The literacy campaign (or "crusade" as it was known) was transformative not only for students, but also for the teachers. Many city-dwellers saw "rural" Nicaragua for the first time, with all this meant and many a marriage began in those days.

Today the area is mostly cleared of all remnants of its violent past - including almost all mines - and even though the hills and forests won't talk, they have seen quite a lot in the last few decades.

Sports
The region is notably better at football (soccer) than the rest of the country, where baseball rains supreme. The Real Estelí football won all consecutive national championships from 2007 to 2014.

Talk
Spanish. There are several language schools in Estelí and Matagalpa.

By bus
From Managua, buses leave frequently from Mercado Mayoreo for Estelí, Matagalpa, Jinotega and other cities in the region.

From León and Chinandega there are less frequent bus service to Estelí and Matagalpa. Empalme San Isidro and Sébaco on the Pan-American Highway serve as a change point when there is no suitable direct bus service.

From Honduras, there are three border crossings into the Northern Highlands. From Choluteca and southern Honduras, you can reach Somoto on the Pan-American Highway through the El Fraternidad / El Espino border post. From Tegucigalpa and central Honduras, the Las Manos crossing brings you to Ocotal. The northernmost crossing is at La Apertura / Teotecasinte, which brings you first to Jalapa and then Ocotal. On paper a treaty of free movement between Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala should enable you to cross the border without fees or permits, but in practice you will still be charged some fees in most cases. You should not cross the border outside the designated crossing points.

By car
The Pan-American Highway runs through the region, from Managua through Sébaco, Estelí and Somoto to El Espino on the Honduras border. From León and Chinandega on the Northern Pacific Coast there is an excellent highway that reaches the Pan-American Highway between Sébaco and Estelí. There are also roads reaching Matagalpa from Boaco and from Bilwi on the Caribbean Coast.

See

 * Visit Estelí with its rich revolutionary history and many street murals.
 * Admire the Estanzuela waterfall, eight kilometers south of Estelí.
 * Stay at a coffee farm to learn about the coffee production process from plant to cup.

Do

 * Explore the Somoto Canyon and jump off a seven meter high cliff into the water.
 * Ride on a horse through your favorite coffee farms after a delicious morning brew.
 * Climb up Cerro Mogotón, the highest mountain in Nicaragua at 2,107 meters.
 * Swim or boat in the beautiful Lake Apanás.

Sleep
Consider spending a little more on your hotel to get you a warm shower as the mornings can be a little chilly. Most locals get by just fine with cold showers, however.

Drink
The famous Nicaraguan coffee that you have been searching all the time but just couldn't get? It is grown here and you can have a cup of marvelous black caffeine water on almost every corner. For more devoted drinkers, you can spend a few days on a coffee farm, such as Selva Negra or Esperanza Verde.

Stay safe
Although this is one of the parts of the country where the Contra War hit hardest, it is mostly mine-free. If you should happen upon a place that is not, stay on the main road and ask your guides.

Go next

 * León - a colonial city with an enormous cathedral and an excellent art museum. Regular bus service from Esteli and Matagalpa.
 * Bilwi on the Caribbean coast.
 * Honduras There is regular bus service from Somoto to the El Espino border crossing on the Pan-American Highway and from Ocotal to the Las Manos border crossing..

title: Northern Highlands (Nicaragua)


text:
Northern Hungary

Northern Hungary is a region of Hungary. It includes the counties Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Heves and Nógrád.

Cities

 * — former seat of the Nógrád comitatus (county). Balassagyarmat is famous for the traditional Palóc culture.
 * — famous for its baroque buildings, castle and wines, especially Bull's Blood (Bikavér), and for the nearby Szépasszony Valley wine region
 * — city of wines, and gateway to the Mátra mountains and ski resort
 * — spa with hot mineral water
 * — with the unique cave bath in Miskolctapolca, the third largest city in the country, located near the Bükk hills
 * — a former mining town situated in the hills with two castle ruins
 * — a former mining town situated in the hills with two castle ruins
 * — a former mining town situated in the hills with two castle ruins

Other destinations

 * — include a superb karst complex, part of UNESCO World Heritage List
 * — interesting wine region, part of UNESCO World Heritage List
 * — a section of the Carpathian Mountain range with some interesting caves
 * — a section of the Carpathian Mountain range with some interesting caves
 * — a section of the Carpathian Mountain range with some interesting caves
 * — a preserved traditional settlement that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * — Spotted with castles and ruins, a wine region that is also member of the UNESCO world heritage site list

By bus
Timetables in English. Intercity Bus Timetable,

By train
You should try to take the Intercity trains: they're much cleaner than regular and international trains, they don't stop at every small town and a seat is reserved for you. Intercity trains are a bit more expensive and it's better to reserve your seat days before the travel, because they are usually full.

See

 * Karancs-Medves area near Salgótarján

Do
Hiking and trekking opportunities abound in the North Hungarian Mountains.

Wellness treatments are available at the Turkish bath in the Hospital of Francis Markhot, Eger (Markhot Ferenc Kórház Törökfürdő), and Carbon dioxide Gas Spa Bath of Mátraderecske (Mátraderecskei Széndioxid Gyógygázfürdő ) in Heves County.

Stay safe

 * The tap water all area potable.

Go next

 * Central Hungary
 * Northern Great Plain

title: Northern Hungary


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Northern Idaho

Northern Idaho is the northern part of Idaho's Panhandle that borders on Montana, Washington State and British Columbia.

Hiawatha Trail
Located just off I-90 on the Idaho-Montana border, midway between major airports in Spokane, Washington, and Missoula, Montana, the route of the Hiawatha Rail-Trail is a scenic section of abandoned railbed from the Milwaukee Road that the Taft Tunnel Preservation Society, a grassroots Wallace non-profit organization, and the U.S. Forest Service turned into a world class non-motorized trail.

Do
Brundage Mountain Boasting over 300 inches of snow a year, Brundage is reputed to have some of the best snow in Idaho. The mountain has 1,500 acres of lift-served terrain in addition to 19,000 of backcountry terrain served by SnoCats. Beginner or expert, Brundage offers plenty of choices with a variety of terrain ranging from wide, groomed trails to plunging steeps and powder fields. Unlike the crowded larger resorts, powder lasts for days on the slopes at Brundage. Another bonus to Brundage being a bit smaller is their prices -lift tickets range from just $22 to $48 for a full day! In the summer, Brundage offers scenic chair lift rides, concerts, a music festival, and lift-served mountain biking, all at great rates.
 * - located in Athol

Go next

 * Boise — south of the region
 * Montana
 * Spokane — just west of Coeur d'Alene

title: Northern Idaho