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Asmara

The Eritrean capital of Asmara is a vibrant mix of Italian and African architecture and culture. It is by far the biggest and most important city of Eritrea and not just the administration center of the country but also the cultural center and the place where every tourist will arrive to the country.

Understand
Electric power is not available throughout the day, although it depends a lot in which part of the city you are and also in which season. In the central part there is power mainly between afternoon and the early morning. So you should charge your phone and camera when you are able to. Power cuts are common, specially in the rainy season so you might be without power for some days in some cases.

The internet connection is very slow. Don't expect to be able to do more than receiving and sending emails. But there are many internet cafes where you can buy a ticket to use the wifi (~Nkf 20 per hour).

History
Founded in the 12th century by a union of villages trying to protect themselves from bandits, Asmara has grown to become a bustling city of over half a million people. Over its history, the city has endured the rule of various empires and countries, including the Italian Empire from the late 19th century, the British from after World War II and Ethiopia from 1950. After a long and bloody war with Ethiopia, Asmara was finally liberated in 1991 and became the capital of a country which had not had self-rule for two centuries.

Today, it is difficult to walk down a street in downtown Asmara and not see an old Italian building. In the early 1930s, Mussolini, the Italian dictator, injected huge amounts of funds into the city with the goal of making it the centre of a second Roman Empire that spanned Africa. Architects were only limited by their imagination, and practically the entire city centre was rebuilt. Not only were cathedrals built in ancient-Romanesque style, but also numerous offices influenced by the architectural movements of cubism and futurism.

Climate
The dry season from December to April is distinguished by the terrain of red-brown, rusty, beige or black rubble surrounding the city, resembling photos from Mars. The vegetation consists largely of shrubbery, eucalyptus, aloes, cacti and the odd explosively colorful specs of bougainville, jacaranda or other ornamental plants.

The rainy season between May and September (hopefully) brings torrents of rain and needed nourishment to the land, which transforms itself from lunar/marsian-esque to verdant and grassy in the post-rain months of August to October.

Regardless of when you go, temperatures in Asmara rarely rise above a comfortable dry 30° C in the sun. The capital is known for its lovely climate. There is very little humidity in the air so the biggest variations in temperatures occur between night and day, or whether one is standing in the sun or in the shade, not between seasons. Between December and February, it can get very cold at night and in the morning, it can even drop a few degrees below 0° C. Due to lack of heating and insulation in Asmara, it is important to bring proper clothes. Rains only last a few hours at a time and it all dries up quickly enough, although the occasional flash flood is not uncommon during the rainy season.

Get in
If you are entering the country without a visa, as a holder of an Eritrean ID card in combination with a foreign passport, you are required to register with the Immigration and Nationality office in Asmara within seven business days of entry into the country.

Get around

Asmara has 10 downtown bus-lines on distinctive Red Mercedes Benz buses, with a sign in the front saying where they're headed (oftentimes in Latin script). The bus stops are easily identifiable (there are signs and an obvious shelter with a bench), but the buses stop running quite early in the evening (about 19:00). They run on 15-30 minute intervals during the day (every day), but there is no fixed or published schedule. The roads get pretty jammed at rush hours (in the morning, midday and around 16:00). The fare is about Nkf 2, and the entrance is in the back where one buys the ticket. It is not necessary to have exact change, but one should try to pay in lower denominations.

Line number 1 goes between the airport, 3 km south of the city, and the former zoo in Biet Ghiorghis, 2 km (1 mi) east of the city on the eastern escarpment (the windy road to the Red Sea begins after Biet Ghirogis). Number 1 also passes through the main streets in downtown Asmara (Independence and Martyrs Avenues). All bus lines that begin with 2 (e.g. 21, 22), run between the marketplace downtown and the surrounding villages, but there are only a few a day. Therefore, plan to leave early in order to be able to return the same day. Only the locals know the schedule (through word of mouth). If you're lucky one of them speaks English and will be very helpful. Some villages like Embaderho and Tselot are well worth visiting for their scenery and traditional lifestyle.

There also white minibus-lines running on the main streets of the city, which run on fixed routes but without fixed stops or signs. They usually stop at the bus stops, but you still have to hail them when you see them, just like a cab. Before boarding, ask them where they're headed, unless the ticket-boy (called fottorino) doesn't beat you to it by announcing it loudly. Then, let them know when you want to get off ("Stop!" is a universally understood command). Costs Nkf 2.

Finally there are the yellow taxis, most of which also run on fixed routes on the main streets like the white minivans. They have a similar system to the minivans, and the fare is Nkf 5. You'll most likely be sharing the ride with 3 other people. Since some cabs do not use fixed routes, some will take you personally to where you want to go. These taxis are called contract taxis, and you will have to negotiate the price with the driver. The price depends on how far you're travelling, but most contract drivers charge, at a minimum, Nkf 70. These cabs usually wait outside the airport when a plane is coming in, the city's main hotels (Asmara Palace Hotel, Nyala, Ambassador etc.), the road to the right of the main cathedral downtown and other obvious spots. They can also be hailed on any street, but many cabs are on a fixed route with passengers already in them.

Renting a car is insanely expensive and fuel prices are higher than in Europe. Renting a cab to drive you around town is also quite expensive, but affordable. Be prepared to pay Nkf 3000 - 6000 for a weekend with a driver. It is perhaps better to take the bus or contact one of the national tour agencies (ask at the information desk at the airport upon arrival).

See
Asmara's main attraction is its World Heritage listed colonial Italian architecture. The palm-lined main street "Harnet Avenue" is colloquially referred to as "Kombishtato" (a creole of the neighbourhood's original name: Campo Cintato) meaning fenced area. It is full of cafés, bars, shops and old cinemas, and it makes for a nice mile long stroll between the eastern end of this avenue where the "half" stadium is (you'll know when you see half a bleacher) and the western end where the Government palace is. Asmara's colourful and bustling marketplace lies north of the Catholic cathedral. It's a great place to learn how to haggle and buy some souvenirs.

From the café on the top floor of the Nyala Hotel, one has a great view of the city while enjoying a nice well-chilled beer. The beer is exceptionally good in Asmara, aptly called "Asmara Beer". Behind the hotel in the quieter Maryam Gmbi Street is the National Museum. It's a modest museum well worth visiting with a collection of artifacts spanning over five millennia of the land's history (the museum is closed on Wednesdays and open all other days between 08:00 and 11:00 and 15:00 and 17:00).

On the Massawa Road in the outskirts of the city you can see the spectacular scenery of the eastern escarpment. There was a zoo there but it closed many years ago. Further down the road, one reaches Bar Durfo, a bar and café perched on a cliff overlooking the dramatic precipice of the Asmara - Massawa highway. You will need a car or taxi to get beyond the last stop of the No. 1 bus, Biet Ghiorghis, to Bar Durfo.

There are more places to see the dramatic highland landscape or the eastern escarpment. Additionally, one can see a traditional Eritrean highland village in the village of Tselot (which means 'prayer' and is also famous for being the President's village). Tselot lies about 7 km south east of the city center and is served by the red city bus line No. 28 departing from the square in front of the main entrance of the orthodox cathedral Enda Maryam. You should leave as early as possible because there are only a couple of buses per day so you have to make sure you have a way to get back. The rural highland lifestyle in Tselot resembles Biblical times: stone houses (Hidmo), small plots, ancient temples (both Christian and Muslim), people farming and herding with traditional means using little technology, transporting their goods (as well as themselves) on mule and camel back.

Within walking distance of the village, is the Martyrs National Park, inaugurated in 2000. It is a mountainous forest and wildlife reserve at the ridge of the highland plateau. The landscape consists of an eerily quiet semi-arid plain in a valley, an extension of the highland plateau, interrupted by the dramatic chasm of the eastern ridge which the village center straddles. The views and scenery are spectacular. The highest viewpoint features chasms, gorges and mountaintops bathed by a sea of clouds, which gives one the impression of standing "above the clouds".

Do
If you are in Asmara for a short stay, the best thing to do after you're done sightseeing in this city is to head for the outskirts where the scenery is stunning at the very least.

Unless you come from a high altitude area yourself, you may need a couple of days of strolling in Asmara to get your body used to the thin dry air at 2,300 m.

Bring lots of sunscreen lotion but also a sweater as it can get really chilly not only at night but even when standing in the shade (temperatures can vary greatly on different sides of the same street depending on the position of the sun). The sun shines very bright throughout the day in Africa, especially so in Asmara where clouds are rare, so unless you enjoy squinting, bring UV blocking shades.

If you like hiking, rock climbing and mountainbiking, the above mentioned areas outside of town are excellent places to do so, but bring your own gear (including bike) as there are no rental bikes and a very limited supply of safety equipment (shoes, ropes, etc.) in Asmara. However, tents and mosquito nets are readily available at an affordable price in the marketplace downtown. Also consult the locals and bring a guide, because it is good to have someone familiar with the place who speaks the local language in case of an accident or any other eventuality (like what is legal and not legal). For example, taking pictures around any government installation or authority (police, airport, ministries etc.) is strictly forbidden, and your guide can help you get out of such sticky situations.

Finally, take time to savor some good food in Asmara. Drinking fresh fruit juices or eating ice cream might be unsafe, but it seems like the situation improved a lot, a good spot for fresh juice is Wintana Fast Food, at Meda Eritrea square. Regarding drinking water you should definitely stick to bottled drinks.

If you need fast internet go to Asmara Palace- Nkf 100 per hour. There is reported to find an other good internet café few hundred meters west of Nakfa house / Fiat Tagliero. If you start to miss good old American candy and Soda, Wikianos Super-market has all the stuff you need. If you want to take them Photo's - Photo Zula If you want to get a nice Eritrean pendant Gold silver etc. around the main mosque there is a bunch of Jewellery shops. If you need a hair cut - there is two barbershops that are bomb - one in Mai-Temenai beside Ghirmai Hotel on Menegedi Keren. The other one is in Shuk by the bus stop. The ones in Mai-Temenai were dope!

Clubs: Expo - Benifer and Berhe Aiba were the two main spots. If you want like bahlawi experience check out Hidmona- the food there is bomb too.

Buy
Gold and silver jewellery is cheap in Asmara and is definitely a bargain by world standards. So are frankincense and myrrh.

Otherwise most of the souvenirs bought by tourists are the local home-spun and gold-thread embroidered cotton garments, traditional goat-skin rugs, olivewood carvings, ceramic coffee-pots and other traditional knick-knacks; all of which are found at the marketplace.

Eat

For traditional food (injera), you have many options, for example Hamassien Restaurant on Seraye Street. If you are looking for cheaper options than restaurants you should try fast food restaurants or snack bars. They have not just burger but also Eritrean food like fuul, silsi, salata, fata and others. It consists in bread rolls with a tasty sauce. Just try different ones and pick your favourite.

If you miss Chinese food and Indian food. Beside Sunshine hotel in Tiravolo there is a government building to the left. Its an embassy or Eritrean government building. Hop in the elevator go to the 5th floor. Its called Grassroots cafe. Also Bar Bereket if you want Kitcha fit-fit and shai. If you want Seafood there is Paradiso restaurant in Mai-temenai (sadly seafood sucks in Asmara). You got to go to Cherhi in Abashawel and just enjoy the 360-degree view of Asmara and get your self a latte or espresso.

If you want ice cream and don't want to be sick, go to the Gelateria da Fortuna, lead by an Italian. Ice cream is definitely not cheap here but tastes as good as in Italy. It is a hundred meters south east of Mai Jah Jah. If you eat ice cream anywhere else in Asmara you will get the runs.

If you want good pastries and coffee and tea just stroll around the center and pick any of the cafés, there are a lot of them in Harnet Avenue and Sematat Avenue. Near Edaga Ekli there is a place called Pharmacy Hamassien.

Drink
Eritrea is not a big wine country, even though it used to have a wine-making tradition during the colonial period. On the other hand Eritrea, is a big beer-drinking country, and the Eritrean beer is definitely a good one. There is only one brewery in the country (Asmara Beer) producing only one type of beer (Pilsener), that's why they don't even need to put a label on the bottle. Asmara Beer is great, quenches your thirsty throat and has a good taste. It has around 5% alcohol per volume and a nice hop flavour in the well known bottle. Enjoy!

Nightlife in Asmara is often considered quieter than most other country capitals, but there are a good range of local bars. Prostitution is legal and rife.

Stay safe
Asmara is an extremely safe city, safe enough for a stroll in the middle of the night. Most people are genuinely friendly, without wanting anything in exchange, beggary and "hustling" is not as common as in most other third world countries and neither is tourism. However, homosexuality is illegal and can in the worst case scenario lead to execution.

Sleep

 * Embasoira Hotel, behind Independence Avenue (on the east side).
 * Hamassien Hotel, right next door to the Embasoira. The Swiss-cottage-looking building.
 * Sunshine Hotel, near the Roof Garden restaurant.
 * Selam Hotel, a few blocks away from the Presidential Palace and the National Museum and has a nice garden.
 * The Crystal Hotel behind Cinema Roma, similar to the Sunshine Hotel.
 * Asmara Central Hotel, good value, directly beside Harnet Avenue in Mata Street
 * Sunshine Hotel, near the Roof Garden restaurant.
 * Selam Hotel, a few blocks away from the Presidential Palace and the National Museum and has a nice garden.
 * The Crystal Hotel behind Cinema Roma, similar to the Sunshine Hotel.
 * Asmara Central Hotel, good value, directly beside Harnet Avenue in Mata Street

Embassies

 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next
To leave Asmara to go anywhere else in the country you need a traveler's permit which can be obtained from the Ministry of Immigration and Nationality opposite the Cathedral compound on Harnet Av. downtown.

If you intend to leave by Air, see the "Getting In" section. In 2018 there are no domestic flight routes as of date.

There are roads heading in 4 directions from Asmara. There might always be military-police roadblocks (called "blocco" locally) where you will be checked for your ID and traveller's permit. Always carry these or certified copies of these with you. There are fixed bloccos and there are also mobile and random checkpoints on the roads both inside and outside the limits of nearly all towns and communities in Eritrea. So you might be asked more than once for your papers. Around Asmara there were no fixed bloccos in 2017.

Formerly the blocco for the road towards the coast was placed past the village of Durfo and was called "blocco Batsi" (Batsi is another name for Massawa). The blocco for the road heading west towards the country's second largest town Keren and the western lowlands (bordering Sudan) was called "blocco Keren" and the blocco for the two roads heading south was called "blocco Godaeif" (Asmara's southernmost suburb) which later divides at a fork with one road towards the southwestern highlands and the Mereb river border crossing (now closed) to Ethiopia and the other road towards the southeastern highlands and the "Zalambessa" border crossing to Ethiopia (closed).

Buses are the main means of transport in Eritrea other than camelback or your own car. Buses run to all main towns and villages from Asmara, some several times a day, others only once a day or a couple of times a week, requiring you to sleepover for one or more nights there or even on the way, before returning. Buses don't run after dusk because of road safety (Eritrea is a very mountainous country). Fog and mist can severely delay traffic as well.

Renting a car or chartering a taxi is possible in Eritrea, but both cost about the same and are extremely expensive, as is the price of fuel. There is one narrow-gauge train line, from Asmara to Massawa, but it is driven by a slow steam-engine which only runs for chartered tours.

title: Asmara


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Asmat

The Asmat is a regency of southwest Papua province of Indonesia, located on the western half of the island of New Guinea.

The term Asmat refers both to the Asmat people and the region they inhabit. The region is vast and covered in primary rainforest and swamp forest, and covers approximately 1.5 million hectares. The western half of Asmat is part of Lorentz National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Asmat is notable both for the rich and vibrant traditional tribal culture and art as well as its globally significant biodiversity.

Understand
The Asmat region is located in Papua province (western New Guinea) of Indonesia. The area is home to the Asmat people, are an ethnic group of New Guinea, who possess one of the most well-known and vibrant woodcarving traditions in the Pacific and whose art is sought by collectors worldwide. The Asmat region is located on the island's southwestern coast and totals approximately 19,000 km². Habitats include mangrove, tidal swamp, freshwater swamp, and lowland rainforest. The land of Asmat is located both within and adjacent to Lorentz National Park and World Heritage Site, the largest protected area in the Asia-Pacific region. The total Asmat population is estimated to be around 70,000. The term "Asmat" is used to refer both to the people and the region they inhabit.

There are about 12 sub-areas of Asmat: Joerat, Emari Ducur, Unir Siran, Unir Epmak, Bras, Bismam, Simai, Kenakap, Aramatak, Yupmakcain, Becumbub, and Safan. Towns include Agats.

Talk
People in Asmat speak Indonesian and Papuan Malay.

Get in
The easiest transit in and out of the Asmat region is via Timika city to the west. There are semi-regular plane flights and ships making the run from Timika to Agats, the main town, and entry point.

Get around
The Asmat area is dense tropical rainforest and swamp, so walking any distance is virtually impossible. All transportation between villages is by dugout canoe with an outboard motor. Due to rising fuel costs, this can be very expensive.

See
Woodcarving, village life, ceremonies, pristine nature. The birdlife of Asmat is especially rich and birdwatching is certain to be challenging but very rewarding. Asmat forests contain dozens of species of Birds of paradise, parrots, lorikeets, and other birds.

Eat
As a city in eastern Indonesia, typical food in Asmat is made from sago, such as papeda and sago bread. You also may find another Indonesian cuisine there.

Drink
Bottled water only. Alcohol is restricted and should not be brought in.

Stay safe
Avoid crocodiles and mosquitos.

Go next
Easiest transit in and out of the Asmat region is via Timika city to the west. There are semi-regular plane flights and ships making the run from Timika to Agats.

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

title: Asmat


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Asni

Asni is a small town in the foothills of the High Atlas mountains in Morocco. It is about an hour's drive from Marrakech.

Understand
As the town is on both the routes into and around the Atlas mountains, there is a steady drift of tourists, and hence the place is full of hustlers. For a more peaceful stay near the Atlas mountains, carry on up the road to the more attractive Imlil.

Climate
Asni during the summer (2008):
 * Max temperature of ~45°C (113°F) around 13:30
 * Min temperature of ~15°C (60°F) around 05:00, before sunrise.
 * Rain: Very rare. Sometimes short, sharp downpours of dirty rain in the afternoons or thunderstorms.
 * Sun: Very intense. It's so much cooler in the shade (hard to find with the sun so high in the sky!). Causes perpetual sweat (despite low-ish humidity): at least 3L of water needed during a day spent outside.

Get in
It takes about 1 hr to get from Marrakech to Asni.

By bus
There are buses from Gare Routière or Jardin Sidi Mimoun which ostensibly leave every 30 min.

By taxi
A slightly quicker way is to take a petit taxi to the out-of-town grand taxi 'park' (15 dirham. If you're better at haggling you can get this lower, if you care about a few pence.). From there, a grand taxi will take you to Asni for 15 dirham per person. Don't get ripped off taking a taxi straight from the airport!

Get around
Asni describes both the small village where the grand taxis drop you and the wider valley, however if we just consider the village: it is split into two parts. The commercial area, down by the main road. Here there are shops lined up on either side of the road. Behind the shops up a slope to the south(?) a short distance is the residential part of the village, consisting of 50 or so houses.

Walking on foot is the way to get around (as the village is only a few hundred metres wide).

See
This village has little to see. Old mud-brick houses seem amazing the first time you seem them, but you'll see more, higher up in the mountains, without all the touts and conmen. Compared to Imlil and Marrakech, Asni is noticeably less touristy and therefore is more like the 'real' Morocco whilst still offering all the amenities needed to stay there. It is, however, neither as picturesque as Imlil nor better located for visiting the Atlas. If you are looking for a base from which to explore deep into the Atlas, Asni's a bit too far north.

Do
For many people there's little to do here beyond buying food and water, and leaving. Okay, that's a bit harsh. Asni has many hammam (bath houses), which would have been nice after long walks in the day.

Buy
There are 20–30 tiny shops in Asni, mostly selling exactly the same things. Food, water (probably a really good idea if you are planning to head further into the mountains. Bottled water gets more expensive the further you get from Marrakech? And if you feel like being conned, there are loads of really naff trinkets being sold by hustlers. Hustlers are out to get you. They'll invite you to their house, give you lots of mint tea and sell you an excellent but massively overpriced meal (50 dirham each for couscous). They become really pushy when the inevitable "silver" bangles come out. They spend all day waiting around the cafe opposite the petrol station. Sunglasses allow you to avoid making eye-contact.

The weekly market (Saturdays) is big. Traders travel for hours and hours to get there. However, Marrakech probably has everything you can buy here, at a lower price.

Eat

 * There are a couple of cafes on the main street mainly selling tagine: It's quite nice.
 * Rounds of bread, eggs and cigarettes all cost 1 dirham each.
 * Fruit and vegetables: from a couple of stalls, really fresh stuff, amazing flavour: e.g. 5 dirham/kg for potatoes
 * There are a few butchers and several places to buy a chicken (alive or dead)
 * Tinned foods and sauces are sold in most shops

There no cheese (except 'Laughing Cow') and although they sell milk, it's already curdled before you buy it.

Drink

 * Water – Bottled water (1.5L bottles) can be bought at most shops. Some shops have fridges, and therefore sell cold water! The locals drink the tap water with no problem, but foreigners should drink just small amounts at first to get used to it. The water in Asni is far better than in Marrakech.
 * Soft Drinks – Coke, Fanta, Sprite, cost around 7 dirham for a litre bottle, and can be bought from a fridge too.
 * Alcohol – It's legal, but there's nowhere to buy it in Asni.

Sleep
There is one hostel and one hotel (The hotel has closed down, but the hostel is open for business).

Go next

 * To get back to Marrakech take a minibus or a grand taxi. Taxis back to Marrakech are in general more expensive than coming here. This is because people often travel through the mountains, so there are fewer people coming back to Marrakech.
 * To go on up into the mountains, please read the Imlil page.

title: Asni


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Aspen

Aspen is a ski resort in the state of Colorado in the Rocky Mountains region of the United States of America. Its little sister is Snowmass Village, which is about 10 miles (16 km) from downtown Aspen.

By plane
(also known as Sardy Field; ). Major carriers to Aspen include American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express. Private jet charters are a popular method of travel to the Rocky Mountains of Aspen.

Aspen-Pitkin County Airport is a small airport for small planes only, and traffic tends to stop in any inclement weather.

Flying into Denver Airport and driving up to Aspen is sometimes cheaper, but extreme weather conditions can make it hard to drive.

By car
The drive to Aspen is about 4 hours from Denver. There are two major routes from Denver - through Glenwood Springs or through Independence Pass. Independence Pass is only open in the summer months, but provides spectacular views and can be a bit faster than the longer route through Glenwood. To take this route, travel south from Copper Mountain exit off I70 through Leadville.

Get around
There are numerous large rental car services available at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport.
 * Alamo
 * Avis
 * Budget
 * Go Rentals
 * Hertz
 * National

Scheduled and chartered services are available from Denver International Airport and Eagle County Regional Airport. Free buses operate within the cities of Aspen and Snowmass Village and many hotels have free shuttle service to and from the airport.

It's all about getting around on skis in the winter and mountain bikes or your own two feet in the summer!

See

Winter

 * Ski - There are four downhill ski mountains in the area: Aspen Mountain, which has the best location, Snowmass, which is the largest, Aspen Highlands, famed for its epic Highlands bowl, and Buttermilk, which provides the best experience for beginners and freestyle. They are all quite large and sprawling, and will give you one of the best skiing experiences in the country.
 * Sleigh rides
 * Sledding
 * Snowshoeing
 * Snowmobiling

Summer

 * Mountain bike
 * Hike
 * Golf
 * Gondola rides to the top of Aspen Mountain
 * White water rafting
 * Fly fishing
 * Mine exploration
 * Hot air ballooning
 * Rodeos
 * Paint ball
 * Paragliding
 * Outdoor concerts

Buy
Downtown Aspen has a plethora of shops for every budget. The downtown area also has two pedestrian-only streets lined with T-shirt and souvenir shops. Of course, Aspen is a great place to buy ski equipment and clothing with an abundance of ski shops and stores. The city also has an open air market in the summer months.

Snowmass Village also has its own shopping precinct, fitted with numerous candy shops, souvenir shops and ski shops.

Equipment rental
There are many places in Aspen Snowmass where you can rent all types of equipment including skis and snowboards in the winter and bikes in the summer.

Some of the stores that specialize in equipment rentals:

Splurge

Go next
Colorado is home to over 70 wineries and its own vineyards. Wine lovers can enjoy several scenic day trips from Aspen to many of the small towns that are a part of Colorado's Wine Country. These lovely little communities include Montrose, Palisade, Paonia and Hotchkiss, as well as the city of Grand Junction.

 * Glenwood Springs - Home to a quaint, historic downtown and the largest hot spring pool in the USA.
 * Carbondale - About 40 minutes down the valley from Aspen, Carbondale is a nice, eclectic mix of artsy, outdoorsy and earthy/hippie. It has art galleries with offerings much more affordable than you will find in Aspen, plus an astonishing range of restaurants from Chinese, Salvadoran, Mexican, Italian, Thai and Asian/Fusion. Restaurant 689, located at 689 Main Street, rivals Aspen's best offerings. During mid-summer, Carbondale's Mountain Fair is a 3-day (free!) music extravaganza and art fair. Artisans come from all over the US to exhibit and sell hand-made clothing, jewelry, toys, paintings, sculpture and home decor. The home town police - who are very low-key and friendly - wear tie-dye for this event.
 * Denver - A 4-hour drive away, Denver is Colorado's capital and largest city. Denver boasts historic buildings and modernistic skyscrapers, abundant shopping and incredible dining. Located where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, Denver has some of the best views a city can have. It is also home to one of the last downtown amusement parks, Elitch Gardens.

title: Aspen


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Assam

Assam (Assamese: অসম Asam) is a land of red hills, green valleys and blue rivers — the majestic and sacred Brahmaputra. It is known for its famous tea, its silk and its biodiversity, and is also rich in archeological heritage. Assam is in the north eastern region of India, just below the eastern Himalayan foothills, and is home to more than 31 million people (2011).

It is surrounded by the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya, which together with Assam are known collectively as the seven sisters, and by the nations of Bhutan and Bangladesh. The borders of China and Myanmar are within the range of 80 to 100 km.

In spite of its merits as a place to visit, Assam is decidedly off the beaten track for tourists.

Cities

Major cities are:
 * — Capital and largest city in Assam, city of temples, history and archaeological sites
 * — commercial and industrial hub, home to many monuments of Assamese culture
 * — the birthplace of Mahapurush Srimanta Sarkardev draws visitors who come to learn Sattriya dance and do research on Vaishnavism
 * — experience the rich folklore and culture of rural Assam in a picturesque landscape
 * — home to several parks, gardens and temples
 * — an old urban centre for Assam, but nevertheless home to wildlife sanctuaries and a UNESCO-listed national park, beautiful views amid ancient ruins, and sacred Hindu and Christian sites from the 17th and 19th centuries
 * — considered by some to be the cultural center of Assam and the last capital of the mighty Ahom kingdom.
 * —birthplace of many eminent personalities that includes the great saint, philosopher and cultural scientist Srimanta Sankardeva
 * — Bhuban Hills, tea gardens and the former capital of the Old Cachari Kingdom (Khaspur).
 * — Ancient town and also said to be the cultural capital of Assam, with many historical ruins with the Himalayas as a backdrop.
 * — famous for its endless stretches of tea gardens.
 * — well known for its Ahom palaces and monuments.

Other destinations
Assam has several attractive destinations; majority of these are national parks, wildlife and bird sanctuaries, areas with archaeological interests and areas with unique cultural heritage. Moreover, as a whole, the region is covered by beautiful natural landscapes.

 * — A wonderful habitat of numerous birds; there are feral horses on the islands of the Brahmaputra close to the park.

 * — A World Heritage Site of UNESCO, it is the largest habitat for one-horned rhinoceros and several other unique flora and fauna.

 * — In the foothills of Eastern Himalayas, where the river Manah flows with picturesque turns and clean water and sandy beaches. Although Manas is primarily a tiger reserve, it possesses numerous other valuable flora and fauna; the park is situated roughly 150 km west of Guwahati.

 * — One of the most scenic national park of Assam, Nameri comes as a delight for the nature loving and bird watching traveler. The bird-life is particularly superb. Also, chances of spotting a Tiger is very high.

 * (Mini Kaziranga National Park) — marshes, streams and grasslands provide a habitat for the Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephant, wild buffalo and tiger. It provides a home for many migratory species of birds and reptiles
 * — A very rich biodiversity and is home to the only apes in India, the western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock), as well as the only nocturnal primate found in the northeast Indian states, the Bengal slow loris.

Understand

Assam (অসম aw-xawm) is part of a transitional region between South Asia and Southeast Asia. Prior to Indian independence in 1947, Assam had been a part of British India since the British annexed the Kingdom of Assam and its tributary states in 1826 following the Treaty of Yandaboo. Assam used to be a larger state. Sylhet Division, formerly part of Assam, was allotted to Pakistan in the 1947 United Nations India Partition and subsequently became part of Bangladesh after the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, while Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya were carved out of Assam during the 1960s and 70s. With an area of 78,438 km2, Assam in its current configuration is almost equivalent to the size of Ireland or Austria.

History of urban development goes back to almost two thousand years in the region. Existence of ancient urban areas such as Pragjyotishapura (Guwahati), Hatapesvara (Tezpur), and Durjaya, and medieval towns such as Charaideu, Garhgaon, Rongpur, Jorhat, Khaspur, and Guwahati, are well recorded.

Guwahati with its more than two thousand years of history is the largest urban centre and a million plus city in Assam. The city has experienced multifold growth during past three decades to grow as the primate city in the region; the city's population was approximately 0.9 million (considering Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) area) during the census of 2001.

Assam was known as the Kingdom of Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa during the first millennium AD and was broken into smaller states during the beginning of the second millennium; however, later, for almost 600 years starting in the 13th century, the region was again transformed into a united sovereign country as the Kingdom of Assam under the later dynasties such as the Ahoms and Koches.

Assam has been a world leader in production of tea for more than past one hundred years and produces around 25 percent of the world's tea. Traditionally it is also a producer of high-quality silk, locally called paat bred on mulberry leaves, and the only place in the world where all four major silk types are cultivated, the others being the golden silk Muga unique to Assam, the Ahimsa silk Eri bred on castor leaves, and tassar.

A paradise for nature lovers
Assam and surrounding regions have to be a paradise for the nature lovers and researchers. The region's unique natural settings, hydro-geomorphic environment and biodiversity have no parallel in Asia. Within an eighty to hundred kilometres of journey by land, one can travel from a flat flood plain with tropical rainforests and wet paddy fields to mountainous regions of Alpine-Himalayan climatic conditions at very high altitude. Geomorphic studies conclude that the Brahmaputra, the life-line of Assam is a paleo-river; older than the Himalayas. The river with steep gorges and rapids in Arunachal Pradesh entering Assam, becomes a braided river (at times 16 km wide) and with tributaries, creates a flood plain (Brahmaputra Valley: 80–100 km wide, 1000 km long). The hills of Karbi Anglong, North Cachar and those in and close to Guwahati (also Khasi-Garo Hills) now eroded and dissected are originally parts of the South Indian Plateau system. In the south, the Barak originating in the Barail Range (Assam-Nagaland border), flows through the Cachar district with a 40–50 km wide valley and confluences with the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh.

Assam is one of the richest biodiversity zones in the world and consists of tropical rainforests, deciduous forests, riverine grasslands, bamboo orchards and numerous wetland ecosystems; Many are now protected as national parks and reserved forests. The Kaziranga, home of the rare Rhinoceros, and Manas are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Assam. Pabitora has the highest density of rhinos. The reserve forests of Joypur, Upper Dihing and Dirak are a stretch of pristine rainforests. The region is the last refuge for numerous other endangered species such as Golden Langur or Honali Bandor (Trachypithecus geei), White-winged Wood Duck or Deohanh (Cairina scutulata), Bengal Florican or Ulumora, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Pygmy Hog or Nolgahori, Greater Adjutant or Hargila, Hispid Hare or Khagorikota, Slow Loris or Lajuki Bandor, Swamp Francolin or Koira and so on. Some other endangered species with significant population in Assam are Tiger, Elephant, Hoolock Gibbon, Jerdon's Babbler and so on. Assam is also known for orchids the more well known being the foxtail or kopou and blue vanda or bhatou.

Climate
With the "Tropical Monsoon Rainforest Climate", Assam is temperate (Summer max. at 35-38 and winter min. at 6-8 degrees Celsius) and experiences heavy rainfall and high humidity. However, temperature is much lesser in the hilly areas of Central Assam. The climate is characterised by heavy monsoon downpours reducing summer temperature and foggy nights and mornings in winter. Thunderstorms known as Bordoicila are frequent during the afternoons. Spring (March–April) and Autumn (September–October) are usually pleasant with moderate rainfall and temperature.

Cultural heritage
Assam is also a region, which can be termed as a crucible of cultures. It is a true meeting place of South Asian and South East Asian cultures, where the principal language Assamese (Oxomeeya) exhibits hybridity between Indo-Iranian, Tibeto-Burman and Tai-Kadai group of languages. Apart from the hybrid Assamese population, there are several distinct ethno-cultural groups such as Bodo, Karbi, Mishing, Dimasa, Tiwa, Rabha, Hasong, Taiphake, Taikhamti, Taiaiton, Singphow, Bru, Garo, etc. with distinct languages, dialects, food habits, architecture and settlement pattern, textile design, dance, music, musical instruments, belief, etc.

State of tourism
It is important to understand that in the past 60 years, the Government of India's restrictions on the foreigners in the region such as the Restricted Area Permit System (RAP - finally abolished in Assam and neighbouring Meghalaya in the 1990s), acted as major hindrances for the foreign tourists and foreign interest groups to legally enter in to Assam and gradually pushed Assam in to isolation from the world. Assam today is a terra incognita to the new generations in the developed world; while the old generation British, other Europeans, Americans and Japanese still remember 'Assam' whatever may be the cause varying from colonial administration, to tea and oil industry or to WWII. For past 60 years, tourism promotion and development was a neglected subject. During the same time period, few Assamese have left Assam for other places; Assamese have been happy inside Assam, inside their native places and inside their houses, which has seen a sea-change with thousands of students and skilled labourers coming from different cities in India. Therefore, as a not well-known place, Assam has long way to go to establish herself as a foremost tourist destination. However, Assam possesses everything that is required for developing herself as a leader of travel and tourism in the world and most importantly Assamese are one of the most hospitable people.

Talk
Assamese is the principal language and the lingua franca in the region. Assamese and Bodo are the local official languages in Assam (outside Barak Valley) while Bengali and Meitei (Manipuri) are used as the same in the Barak Valley. There are several other local languages such as Mishing, Karbi, Dimasa, Garo, Hmar, Bru, Taiphake, Taikhamti, etc. used by the specific ethno-cultural groups in different pockets. However, most educated people speak English and Hindi with local accents. Bengali is also spoken in many parts of Assam, especially Guwahati, Silchar, and the westernmost part of the state, where there are large Bengali communities. Moreover, there are many speakers of other Indian languages and dialects such as Punjabi, Marwari, Bhojpuri, and Gujarati, particularly in the urban centres.

Usually, all official signs and documents are written in both Assamese and English, using British spelling. The Government of India establishments Indian Railways, ONGC, et al. have sign boards in three languages - Assamese, English and Hindi. Commercial and street signs are usually written in Assamese and English (or even just English), and in Bengali in the Barak Valley.

Fluent English is widely spoken by upper-class Assamese people, and by many customer service workers catering to foreign or middle/upper-class clients. However, the average person on the street speaks only a very small amount of English, so you might have to be clever about finding the simplest or most local "key words" to communicate what you want. Hindi is apparently much more widely spoken, more so than in many parts of southern India. Bengali is probably spoken widely around much of Assam as well, not only in the Cachar Valley, but this is a sensitive issue, since many Assamese people feel their culture is threatened by modern immigration from Bengali-speaking Bangladesh.

By plane
There is good air-connectivity to Assam from elsewhere in India. Guwahati's Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is the busiest in Assam. Other major airports in the state include Dibrugarh, and Silchar. Air India along with several private airlines operate daily services from all of India's big cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore. Moreover, there are other airports in Tezpur and Jorhat with less frequent flights connecting cities such as Kolkata and other cities of the northeast region to Assam. Arriving by plane gives a wonderful welcome aerial view of the green valley surrounded by blue hills in Assam. The major airlines operating in the region are:
 * Air India
 * Spicejet
 * IndiGo
 * Air Asia

For international travellers from East Asia or South East Asia, the easiest route to get to Assam is via Kolkata. There are several direct flights from Kolkata to Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Silchar and Jorhat. The journey time in a direct flight from Kolkata to Guwahati takes less than 45 minutes, while a flight from Kolkata to Dibrugarh (the eastern most civil airport in Assam) takes around 90 minutes. Similarly for travellers from Europe, Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, routes via Delhi, Mumbai or even Kolkata are best ways to enter the state. Out of these three major Indian cities, Delhi and Kolkata have higher frequency of flights to Guwahati. A Delhi-Guwahati direct flight takes around 2 hour and 30 minutes.

There are a limited number of international flights going into Guwahati. As of February 2020, there are Nok Air flights between Guwahati and Bangkok while Druk Air flies between Paro and Singapore via Guwahati.

By rail
Three major routes of North East Frontier Railways (NF Railways) cover Assam and provide linkage to elsewhere in India. Guwahati railway station is the largest in Assam and is served by direct trains from most of the major cities in India. The Rajdhani Express (fully air-conditioned) from New Delhi (takes 27 hours) and Saraighat Express from Howrah in Kolkata (takes 17 hours) are the fastest ones. There are many direct trains from Delhi (including the Rajdhani Express) and Kolkata for Dibrugarh in Upper Assam. Usually, Dibrugarh is an additional night's journey (12 hr) from Guwahati.

By car
There are highways from Indian states in the west and buses run between Siliguri (to Siliguri buses are available from Kolkata, Darjeeling and Gangtok) and Guwahati; However, travelling by bus may not be comfortable in this patch and travel time is usually longer than that of trains. Road connectivity to surrounding Seven Sister States is good, however may take different durations depending on the location of the state.

Tamu in western Myanmar is connected to a reasonably good highway to Assam via Manipur; Tamu in Myanmar border is closer to Mandalay. The historic Stilwell Road between Assam-Myanmar-China from Ledo in Upper Assam to Myitkina in Myanmar and further to Kunming in China is right now not fully operationalised.

There are also roads connecting Bhutan.

By bus and car
Buses are the most common medium of travel in Assam. "AC buses" in Assam (ones nice enough to offer air conditioning) are generally well maintained and comfortable, and "non-AC" buses vary, often being quite crowded, but are still reliable. There are regular bus services connecting important places within Assam and to neighbouring states, and even many smaller towns. Long-distance buses generally are called Night Super Bus (because they usually travel only at after sunset) are more comfortable with reclining seats. Sleeper buses with beds are also available, though the ride can be too bumpy to actually sleep. Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) is state run bus company with a very exhaustive network. Some private players have large networks as well. It's not common to book bus tickets in advance online, though you probably won't be able to do it yourself if you don't have an Indian credit card or bank account. And some more casual, non-AC buses routes won't be listed online.

Some routes that don't have buses, as well as many that do, also have transport service by shared cars, varying from small cars to SUVS (particularly "Sumos", a jeep-like Indian model) to mini-buses. This seems to particularly be the case for routes from Assam into neighboring states via mountain roads. These are relatively adventurous, often packing more people than you would think possible into the vehicle, and sometimes not leaving until full. But they sometimes leave more frequently and travel more directly than cheap buses, and are much cheaper than hiring a taxi for yourself. The driver may want to tie your luggage to the top - this is usually safe enough, but if you don't want to do it, just buy an extra ticket for your bags. To make sure you're getting a shared vehicle rather than paying for the whole thing, make sure to say "share". If someone says "reserve", that means you're paying them the equivalent of a full vehicle's worth of people for them to take you alone.

That said, reserved taxis can be a good option for travelling inside Assam and to the surrounding region. In majority cities and even small towns private taxi-cabs are available for rent for local travel as well for inter-city travel. The taxi-cabs can be also rented on daily basis. For a traveller, it is easier to hire a taxi from the hotel he or she is staying; usually the hotels can arrange or provide with information on the local car rental agencies. This will be much more expensive than traveling on in shared or public transit vehicles, but 100 times more comfortable, and probably still shockingly cheap by North American, European, or Northeast Asian standards.

Self driving may not be advisable for many reasons - dangerous traffic, animals in the road, and frequent agitations and "bandhs" (political labor strikes) in certain areas to name some.

By train
Although having a fairly extensive railway network, trains are less convenient than buses or taxis for travelling short distances within Assam - inter-city or inter-regional trains are not very frequent within Assam. Moreover, the Assam's rail network is fragmented due to different gauge size. The services on narrow gauge and meter gauge lines are irregular and uncomfortable. Broad gauge service links Guwahati with major cities in upper Assam (Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Tinsukia), which is comfortable but little more time-consuming than the buses; However, from Guwahati, one may try using the Rajdhani Express (fully air-conditioned) for an over-night journey to reach Dibrugarh or Tinsukia. The railway tickets are bookable online or available at the electronic ticketing counters in the stations. It is important to have a reservation for an overnight train journey, to obtain a berth in a comfortable A/C or non A/C sleeper coach. For reservation, booking should be made 2 months before the journey; however, in majority trains 'Tatkal' service is available.

We traveled several times on unreserved trains in early 2023, and it was often convenient, if a bit adventurous, depending on the circumstances. Though trains are infrequent and often hours late, their schedules are at least well-documented online, which is more than can be said of many local bus and shared car services. And with a "general" ticket, you're almost guaranteed to get on even without an advance reservation. Though we did have one absurdly crowded train ride (people filling the aisles and sleeping on the luggage racks), we also had several where we had train cars nearly to ourselves.

By plane
Air travel from Guwahati to Upper Assam or Southern Assam districts can be quicker and easier. Guwahati is linked with Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur and Silchar with several flights. However, it is important to book a ticket early. A flight between Guwahati and Dibrugarh takes roughly 45 minutes.

See

 * Kaziranga National Park is on the south bank of the Brahmaputra river. It is home and one of the last refuges to rhinoceros of Assam and . It covers an area of 430 km2.
 * Manas National Park is a haven for tigers and a.

Do

 * Brahmaputra Cruise - A private firm, Assam-Bengal Navigation offers river cruise on Brahmaputra. This tour covers almost whole of the stretch of river lying in Assam.
 * Jadav Payeng Initiative This village is famous for the man made forest & mishing tribe. They assist in Assam's eco-cultural tours & travel.
 * Greener Pastures - An eco-tourism organization which provides responsible tours to offbeat and exotic destinations of Northeast India. Activities include trekking, tribal tours, wildlife journeys, river cruises, tea tours and adventure sports such as caving and rafting.
 * Pedalroads Adventures- An adventure tour company based in Guwahati offering cycling and trekking tours across the northeastern states.

Eat
It is worthwhile to taste ethnic Assamese cuisine which comprises rice with regional curries, including choices of fish, lamb, chicken and duck. Assamese meals are usually accompanied by various side dishes like mash potatoes (Alu Pitika) or pickles of small fried fishes.

Rice
Rice is the most important ingredient in the state's cuisine. The large varieties of rice found in the region has led to speculation that the grain was first domesticated in the Assam-Yunnan region. Both the indica as well as the japonica varieties are grown in Assam. The most popular class of rice is the joha or scented rice. As a staple diet rice is eaten either steam boiled (ukhua) or sundried (aaroi). Some very fine varieties of rice namely, Karaballam or kauribadam etc. are available in Assam only. Rice is eaten as a snack in many different forms: roasted and ground (xandoh), boiled in its husk and flattened (chira), puffed (akhoi). There is also a variety of rice grown that can be just soaked and eaten (kumol saul).

Fish
The next most important ingredient is fish, harvested from the many rivers, ponds and lakes in the region. There is no traditional ethnic community in Assam that does not eat fish. Some of the most popular big fishes are the Rohu, the Hilsa and the chital (big), khoria (medium) (Chitala chitala), Maagur, Xingi, Borali, Bhokua, Xaal, Xol, etc. The small varieties of fish available and eaten in Assam include Puthi, Borolia, Mua, cheniputhi, tengera, lachin, bhagun and pabho.
 * The most popular dish from Assam, the tenga (fish sour), is an indispensable part of a proper meal in Assam. The most popular tenga is made with tomatoes, though the ones made with kajinemu (thick skinned elongated lemon) and thekera (dried Mangosteen,) are also popular
 * Another favourite is small fish roasted in banana leaves (paatotdia).
 * Hukuti is a special fish dish prepared from dried small fish (puthi maas) pounded with an arum stem and dried and stored in bamboo tubes. Variations of this exist among the ethnic communities of Northeast India in general and Assam in particular, are dried and fermented small fish puthy mas (Ticto barb), three to four in numbers are roasted along with lavish amounts of green chillies, tomatoes, ginger and garlic (all roasted). The ingredients are then pounded in a mortar to make a coarse paste and served with rice.

The Assamese meat and fish dish is characterized by low amount of spices and oil, higher quantity of ginger, norosingho paat (curry leaves) and lemon juice. This is quite different from Bengali dishes in taste.

Meats
Pork and to some extent, beef dishes are particular favorites in the tribal areas in Assam. Beef is not eaten by the majority of Assamese as they practice Hinduism, and its production and import are tightly restricted by the state government; however, beef is popular among Assamese Muslims and tribal communities. Likewise pork is eaten by the non-Muslim Assamese population. The basic cooking method is boiling. Onla, of the Bodos, is made with ground rice and special herbs, and constitutes a complete meal in itself. Other meats include squab, duck, chicken, mutton, venison, and turtle although venison and turtle meat are legally prohibited. The combination of duck – white gourd and squab – papaya or banana flower is very popular. Meat is curried in spicy gravy.

Typical Assamese dishes

 * Chutney is made of coriander, spinach, tomato, heartleaf, curry leaf, chilli, lentil, chickpea etc. Xukan masor chutney (chutney made of dried fish) is popular among the tribal communities. Salads contain ingredients like carrots, radish, tomatoes, cucumbers and beetroot.
 * The khar is a signature dish made with a key ingredient, also called khar. The traditional ingredient is made by filtering water through the ashes of a banana tree, which is then called kola khar . A traditional meal invariably begins with a khar dish, made of raw papaya, pulses or any other main ingredient. Xôkôta: It is a severely bitter type of preparation. It is prepared with dry jute leaf, urad bean and khar.
 * Kharoli is fermented mashed mustard (Brassica campestris var. toria) seed to which a khar has been added, and kahudi to which an acidic agent (lemon juice or dried mangosteen) has been added. Pitikas are also made from roasted or steamed vegetables (tomatoes and eggplants being very popular). Small fishes, Asiatic pennywort, matikaduri, tengamora leaves, heartleaf, and dôrôn (Leucus longifolia) are roasted separately wrapped in banana leaves and mashed into pitika along with mustard oil, salt and chilli. It is also called patotdia (literally, 'in a leaf').
 * Pickles in Assam are made from various fruits and vegetables, including mango, Indian gooseberry, hog plum, olive, Tamarind, star fruit, mangosteen, radish, carrot, elephant apple, Indian jujube, chilli, lime and garlic.
 * Poitabhat is a favourite dish in Assam during the summer season. Cooked rice is soaked overnight in order to prepare poitabhat and served the next day garnished with mustard oil, onion, chilli, pickles, pitika (smashes), etc.
 * Pokori is a fritter is made of flower and tender leaves of pumpkin, tender leaves of bottle gourd, eggplant, tender leaves of Night-flowering Jasmine, etc.
 * Side dishes called pitika - are a signature characteristic of Assamese cuisine. The most popular is aloo pitika - mashed potatoes) garnished with raw onions, mustard oil, green chillies and sometimes boiled eggs. khorisa tenga is mashed fermented bamboo shoot, sometimes pickled in mustard oil and spices.
 * The tenga is a light and sour fish dish, another signature class of preparations. The souring ingredient could be mangosteen or lemon but the most popular type is made with tomatoes. Fish dishes made with fermented bamboo shoot are generally sour, but they are not called tengas. Fish is fried in mustard oil or curried with bottle gourd or spinach. Another tenga dish is prepared with matimah (urad bean) and outenga (elephant apple). Bottle gourd also can be added to it. Tengamora or noltenga and lentil is also a distinct tenga curry.

Assamese Snacks

 * Bora saul is a variety of glutinous rice found in Assam. It has an important role in Assamese traditional occasions like Bihu. It is used in Jolpan (snacks) and Pitha (ricecake or pancake). Soaked and ground bora saul is used in preparing Pitha. Boiled bora saul is served as Jolpan with curd or milk, jaggery or sugar.
 * Chira (Flattened rice, also called beaten rice) is a dehusked rice which is flattened into flat light dry flakes. These flakes of rice swell when added to liquid, whether hot or cold, as they absorb water, milk or any other liquids. It can be eaten raw by immersing it in plain water or milk or curd, with salt or sugar or jaggery to taste, or lightly fried in oil.
 * Ghila pitha is a type of pancake so called because of its knee cap sized shape. Knee cap is called Ghila in Assamese. Rice flour of Bora saul, one kind of glutinous rice or any common rice is used in it. A paste made of rice flour and jaggery is prepared first and then fried in cooking oil at a certain quantity. Salt is also used instead of jaggery to make salty Ghila pitha. It is generally prepared and served in Bihu in Assam.
 * Kumol saul is a unique type of rice from Assam that can be eaten without cooking. It is rendered fluffy and edible by being soaked in water for a short time. The rice may be eaten with milk or curd, jaggery, yogurt after being immersed in warm water for just fifteen minutes or so.
 * Muri (puffed rice) is made by heating sand in a pot, and then throwing in grains of rice. The rice may be washed in brine to provide seasoning. The rice puffs up and is separated from the sand by a strainer. It is served with hot milk or curd and jaggery or sugar.
 * Pitha is a ricecake or pancake, a thin flat cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. It is an inseparable part of Jolpan in Assam. It is a special class of rice preparation generally made only on special occasions like Bihu in Assam. Made usually with soaked and ground rice, they could be fried in oil, roasted over a slow fire or baked and rolled over a hot plate.
 * Suji (Semolina) is also one type of common jolpan, a type of dessert. Like pithaguri it is heated on a frying pan and water is added to make it a paste and then served with hot milk.
 * Til Pitha is a type of pancake. It is a special class of rice preparation and generally made only on special occasions like Bihu in Assam. Bora saul, a glutinous type of rice is soaked and ground. Then a certain quantity of this rice flour is baked, filled up with sesame seeds, ground coconut and dried rind of orange, jaggery, etc. and pressed and rolled with many folders. This rice cake is also called Hesa pitha since it is pressed after rolling it as folder by folder.

Major cities like Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat and Dibrugarh offer a wide variety of restaurants and eat outs. Restaurants are normally very cheap and a good meal will cost about $0.50 to $1 per person. There are also ambient restaurants which serve all kinds of Indian and Assamese dishes for about less than $5 – $8 per person.

Drink
Assam is famous for tea internationally. It has a large tea growing industry. Most plantations are located in the upper Assam. 70% tea is exported outside India. People drink tea with/without milk and also sometimes containing ginger and spices such as cardamom.

Rohi is a fermented rice beer found throughout the northeast. The most common type in Assam is rohi made from sticky rice by the Bodo community. Many other cultures in Assam have their own versions of it, with each using a different name.

Sleep
Major towns in Assam usually have a few hotels and various guesthouses (smaller, locally-owned hotels), while more rural tourist destinations will have many "homestays" (more local and casual yet). The once-common practice of refusing foreign guests (because of the hassle or technological requirements of reporting their details as required by the government) thankfully seems to be very uncommon as of 2023.

Many accommodations do not provide WiFi, and some don't provide hot water for showers, or only provide it by delivering a bucket of it to your room. so if either of these things are critical to you, make sure to ask in advance (an in-room water heater is called a "geyser", pronounced "geezer").

Many accommodations here are not listed on hotel aggregator websites, and if you do use one of those to book online, make sure to the still contact the place directly once you've booked - it's not unusual find places that didn't see your online booking, don't actually honor online bookings anymore, or even demand a much higher price once you arrive (though this will usually earn them a very low rating). The recommended way to find a wider range of accommodations is to search in a map app, and then either just show up to one or contact them directly if you can find a phone number (sometimes visible in photos of the place's sign even if it's not in the listing). If you don't like talking on the phone, most also use WhatsApp. Homestays and some guesthouses expect you to contact them ahead of time if they don't have reception desks, and that applies even more generally if you'll be arriving later at night.

Some places with "hotel" in the name are actually only restaurants with no rooms available. Usually you can figure out the difference by looking at online reviews. In theory, a sign that says "fooding and lodging" means they do have rooms, though beware that the quality can be scandalously low.

Stay safe
Assam and Northeast India in general are considered to be among the safest parts of India as far as street crime - much safer than most of northern India. Locals here don't seem to worry much about theft or assaults (except perhaps in certain neighborhoods of Guwahati), and though women still take some precautions, traveling alone is not at all unheard of. Locals say pickpockets are an issue in crowded train cars, though it doesn't seem to be bad compared to some other places. In other words, you probably shouldn't push your luck, but you can breathe relatively easy here compared to more famous tourist spots in India.

There is a recent history of armed insurgency (rebel and terrorist attacks) in Assam, but over the last decade it's almost completely died down. One place to possibly still avoid is the Karbi Anglong area, far off the beaten track in the east of the state.

Tap water is problematic due to lack of sanitary facilities and sewage treatment. It is safest to assume water is unsafe for drinking without being chemically treated or boiled, which is one reason to stick to tea or bottled water.

Northeast India has a much higher rate of malaria than most other parts of the country, but the disease is uncommon enough that it's not much talked about among locals. It's probably more of an issue in the mountainous surrounding states than in Assam itself, and taking daily preventative drugs is probably overkill, but it's still be wise to take basic precautions such as using mosquito nets and mosquito repellent spray, especially in more remote areas.

Air pollution can be quite bad in Assam, with Guwahati rivaling Delhi and other major Indian cities at certain times (usually during the winter). Many locals are not aware of this, calling the yellowish haze "just fog", but an online search for air quality measurements quickly proves otherwise. Even remote rural areas can still have considerable smog, though normally much less severe than Guwahati.

The region is prone to natural disasters with annual floods (in specific areas) and frequent mild earthquakes. Floods usually occur during monsoon (mid June till late August) and many a times can create trouble by destroying roads and railway linkages at places. Strong earthquakes are rare, but not unheard of; three of these were recorded in 1869, 1897 (magnitude 8.1); and in 1950 (magnitude 8.6).

Cope
Happily, Assam is much more laid-back about commerce and tourism than many more tourist-frequented parts of India and Southeast Asia. Vendors are not aggressive, with the exception of aggressive taxi/tuktuk drivers at certain major transit hubs. Not only that, but the general assumption is that people being honest about prices as well, with the major exception of tuktuk and motorcycle taxis in Guwahati (in smaller towns it's much less of an issue). Catcalling and other sexull harassment of women doesn't seem to be common in Guwahati or major tourist areas, at least for foreigners, and even tiresome attention such as selfie requests are mostly absent except in the poorer parts of Lower Assam. Street noise, pollution, and traffic jams in Guwahati are likely to be the most stressful aspects of your visit.

If you're of East Asian descent, expect people in Assam to constantly want to tell you how they have friends or relatives from Northeast Indian minority groups who "look just like you". They don't mean anything bad by it, and they may not be exaggerating as much as you'd guess, but it can get tiresome. What's considered more ignorant is people from other parts of India thinking that typical Assamese people look East Asian, which you'll quickly see is not the case.

Stay connected
Public wifi is almost unheard of in Assam, probably because cell phone data is so cheap, so it's a good idea to get an Indian SIM card, if you don't have one already, or else sign up for a roaming plan from your provider in another country (though be aware that some don't work here even if they work in other states of India). Getting a local SIM card is a bit of a burden for foreign visitors, but should be possible by walking into an official office of one of the major providers - bring your passport, the printout of your e-visa if applicable (with your photo and QR code on it), and an Indian friend who can receive a verification code on their phone for you. This may take some time. Alternatively, if you'll be mostly staying in Guwahati or at nicer hotels elsewhere, you might be able to get wifi most nights (but make sure to ask before booking, since many accommodations don't offer wifi).

Radio stations

 * AIR Guwahati / Akashvani Guwahati) - 729 kHz, 1035 kHz, 4940 kHz, 7280 kHz, 100.8 MHz
 * Gupshup FM - 94.3
 * Radio Oolala (Positive Radio Pvt. Ltd.) - 91.9 MHz
 * Big 92.7 FM, Guwahati (Adlabs Films Ltd.) - 92.7 MHz
 * Gyan Vani, Guwahati - 107.8 MHz
 * AIR Dibrugarh / Akashvani Dibrugarh - 567 kHz
 * AIR Jorhat / Akashvani Jorhat - 103.4 MHz
 * AIR Tezpur / Akashvani Tezpur - 1125 kHz
 * AIR Diphu / Akashvani Diphu) - 1485 kHz
 * AIR Haflong / Akashvani Haflong - 100.2 MHz
 * AIR Nagaon / Akashvani Nagaon - 102.7 MHz
 * AIR Kokrajhar / Akashvani Kokrajhar - 1512 kHz
 * AIR Dhubri / Akashvani Dhubri - 103.3 MHz
 * AIR Silchar / Akashvani Silchar - 828 kHz

Newspapers

 * The Assam Tribune
 * The Sentinel
 * The Asomiya Pratidin
 * Janasadharan

Go next

 * Aizawl and other parts of Mizoram
 * Darjeeling and Kalimpong
 * Gangtok and other parts of Sikkim
 * Gelephu, Bhutanese town on the border with Assam
 * Imphal, Loktak Lake and other parts of Manipur
 * Kohima, Zhukou Valley and other parts of Nagaland
 * The metropolises of Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai along with other parts of India
 * Mandalay in Myanmar via Moreh (Manipur) and Tamu (Myanmar)
 * Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh
 * Samdrup Jongkhar - Bhutanese town on the border with Assam
 * Shillong and the world's wettest town Cherrapunji in Meghalaya
 * Tawang - A picturesque Himalayan place with winter snow and a large Buddhist monastery about 100 km north of the town of Tezpur.
 * Thimphu, Paro and other parts of Bhutan

title: Assam


text:
Assamese phrasebook

Assamese, also called Axomiya (অসমীয়া Axomīẏā) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by 15+ million people worldwide, Mainly in the Indian state of Assam. It is also spoken in states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India.

Pronunciation guide
There are 13 vowels and 40 consonants in written Assamese, some of which are not distinguished by their pronunciations.

Vowels
Assamese vowels can either be independent or hooked on to the consonant in the form of diacritics. The distinction between long and short vowels is purely orthographic and both vowels are pronounced the same. The vowel অ does not have any equivalent diacritic and certain consonants in Assamese words are pronounced with the অ-sound.

 * অ aw : like British dawn
 * অ' oh : like Scottish sole
 * আ া ah : like father
 * ই ি ih : like pin
 * ঈ ী ih : like pin
 * উ ু ōo : like moon
 * ঊ ূ ōo : like moon
 * ঋ ৃ rih : like return
 * এ ে eh : like bed
 * এ' ে' a : like cat
 * ঐ ৈ oi : like boy
 * ও ো oo : like foot
 * ঔ ৌ ou : like boat

Consonants
Certain Assamese consonants have its aspirated equivalents, which are pronounced with a puff of air. However, unlike most Indian languages, there's no distinction between dental and retroflex consonants in Assamese.

 * ক k : like skip
 * খ kh : like sinkhole
 * গ g : like go
 * ঘ gh : like loghouse
 * ঙ ng : like sing

 * চ s : like sip
 * ছ s : like sip
 * জ z : like haze
 * ঝ z : like haze
 * ঞ n/n : like not, nasalises the preceding vowel in words like মিঞা (MIHn-ah)

 * ট t : like stick
 * ঠ th : like lighthouse
 * ড d : like doubt
 * ঢ dh : like mudhut
 * ণ n : like not

 * ত t : like stick
 * থ th : like lighthouse
 * দ d : like doubt
 * ধ dh : like mudhut
 * ন n : like not

 * প p : like spin
 * ফ f : like friend
 * ব b : like boy
 * ভ bh : like abhorrent
 * ম m : like mould

 * য z : haze
 * ৰ r : like road
 * ল l : like leaf
 * ৱ w : like wander

 * শ s/x : like sip before ত, থ, দ and ধ, like Scottish loch  elsewhere
 * ষ s/x : like sip before ত, থ, দ and ধ, like Scottish loch  elsewhere
 * স s/x : like sip before ত, থ, দ, ধ and র, like Scottish loch  elsewhere
 * হ h : like behind
 * ক্ষ kh-y : no English equivalent

 * ড় r : like road
 * ঢ় r-h : like warhead
 * য় y : like yes

 * ৎ t : like tick
 * ং ng : like sing
 * ঃ h : like head, often geminates the preceding consonant

Other diacritics

 * ঁ n : nasalises the vowel

Common multigraphs

 * জ্ঞ g : like go at initial syllable ; like a geminated hard "g" elsewhere

Basics

 * Hello. (formal) : na-mas-kar নমস্কাৰ
 * Hello. (informal) : bhal neh? ভাল নে?
 * How are you? : ah-poo-nahr kih kha-bar? আপোনাৰ কি খৱৰ?
 * Fine, thank you. : bhal dhonyo'bad ভাল ধন্যবাদ
 * What is your name? : apu'nar nam ki? আপোনাৰ নাম কি?
 * My name is ______. : mu'r nam .... মোৰ নাম .......
 * Nice to meet you. : bhal la'gil apu'nak log pai ভাল লাগিল আপোনাক লগ পাই
 * Please. (formal) : onu-groh kori অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি
 * Thank you. : dhonyo'bad (dhoinno-bad). ধন্যবাদ
 * Yes : hoy হয় (Formal), o অ' (Informal)
 * No : nohoy নহয় (Formal), nai নাই (Informal)
 * Excuse me : sau (n) চাওঁ
 * See you : ahisu dei আহিছোঁ দেই (Formal), ahu (n) আহোঁ (Informal)
 * Goodbye : zau (n) যাওঁ
 * I don't speak Assamese : moi oxomiya koʼbo nu'waru (n) মই অসমীয়া কʼব নোৱাৰোঁ
 * Do you speak English? : apuni ingrazi koi ne? আপুনি ইংৰাজী কয় নে?
 * Good morning : xu pro'bhat সুপ্ৰভাত
 * Good afternoon : xubho xon'dhia শুভ সন্ধিয়া
 * Good night:xubho raa'tri শুভ ৰাত্ৰি
 * I don't understand : moi buzi puʼwa nai মই বুজি পোৱা নাই
 * Where is the toilet? : xou-sa-loi koʼt ase? শৌচালয় কʼত আছে?

Problems

 * Leave me alone. : muʼk okole eri diok মোক অকলে এৰি দিয়ক
 * Don't touch me! : muʼk nusubo! মোক নুচুব!
 * I'll call the police. : moi polisok / arok-khik matim. মই পুলিচক / আৰক্ষীক মাতিম
 * Police! : Police! (The exact Assamese word is 'arok-khi !'but not always used). পুলিচ! / আৰক্ষী!
 * Stop! Thief! : su'r! su'r! চোৰ! চোৰ!
 * I need your help. : olop xo-hai lagey অলপ সহায় লাগে
 * It's an emergency. : e eta joru-ri-kalin aabosh-tha! ই এটা জৰুৰীকালীন অৱস্থা!
 * I'm lost. : moi baat hera-lu (n) মই বাট হেৰালোঁ
 * I lost my bag. : mu'r bag-tu heral মোৰ বেগটো হেৰাল
 * I lost my wallet. : mu'r wallet-tu heral মোৰ ৱালেটটো হেৰাল
 * I'm sick. : mu'r gaa-tu beya / mu'r ga bhal loga nai মোৰ গাটো বেয়া / মোৰ গা ভাল লগা নাই
 * I've been injured. : moi dukh pai-su (n) মই দুখ পাইছোঁ
 * I need a doctor. : mu'k daktor lage মোক ডাক্তৰ লাগে
 * Can I use your phone? : apu'nar pho'ne byo-bohar kori'bo paru ne? আপোনাৰ ফোন ব্যৱহাৰ কৰিব পাৰোঁ নে?

Numbers

 * 0 : xuin'no শূন্য/০
 * 1 : ek এক/১
 * 2 : dui দুই/২
 * 3 : ti'ni তিনি/৩
 * 4 : cha'ri চাৰি/৪
 * 5 : pa(n)s পাঁচ/৫
 * 6 : soi ছয়/৬
 * 7 : xat সাত/৭
 * 8 : aath আঠ/৮
 * 9 : noh ন'/৯
 * 10 : doh দহ/১০
 * 11 : a'gharo এঘাৰ/১১
 * 12 : baro বাৰ/১২
 * 13 : te'ro তেৰ/১৩
 * 14 : soi'dhyo চৈধ্য/১৪
 * 15 : pun-dho-roh পোন্ধৰ/১৫
 * 16 : xu'llo ষোল্ল/১৬
 * 17 : xu'toro সোতৰ/১৭
 * 18 : u'thoro ওঠৰ/১৮
 * 19 : unno'ish ঊনৈশ/১৯
 * 20 : bis বিছ/২০
 * 30 : trish ত্ৰিশ/৩০
 * 40 : sol'lish চল্লিশ/৪০
 * 50 : pon'chas পঞ্চাশ/৫০
 * 60 : xa'thi ষাঠি/৬০
 * 70 : xot'tur সত্তৰ/৭০
 * 80 : a'khi আশী/৮০
 * 90 : nob'boi নব্বৈ/৯০
 * 100 : a'kho এশ/১০০
 * 1000 : ha'zar হাজাৰ/১০০০
 * 10000 : doh ha'zar দহ হাজাৰ/১০০০০
 * 100000 : lakh লাখ/১০০০০০
 * 1000000 : doh lakh দহ লাখ/১০০০০০০
 * 10000000 : ku'ti কোটি/১০০০০০০০
 * 100000000 : doh ku'ti দহ কোটি/১০০০০০০০০

Time

 * now : etiya এতিয়া
 * later : pisot পিছত
 * before : aagote আগতে
 * morning : rati puwa / ag bela ৰাতি পুৱা/ আগ বেলা
 * afternoon : duporiya / pas bela দুপৰীয়া/পাছ বেলা
 * evening : abeli আবেলি
 * night : rati ৰাতি

Clock time

 * What time is it? : keita bajise? কেইটা বাজিছে?
 * one o'clock AM : rati eta ৰাতি এটা
 * two o'clock AM : rati duta ৰাতি দুটা
 * noon : duporiya barota দুপৰীয়া বাৰটা
 * one o'clock PM : duporiya eta দুপৰীয়া এটা
 * two o'clock PM : duporiya duta দুপৰীয়া দুটা
 * midnight : maj rati মাজ ৰাতি

Duration

 * _____ minute(s) : ....... minit (both singular and plural) ....... মিনিট
 * _____ hour(s) : ....... ghonta (both singular and plural) ....... ঘণ্টা
 * _____ day(s) : ....... din (both singular and plural) ....... দিন
 * _____ week(s) : ....... xoptah (both singular and plural) ....... সপ্তাহ
 * _____ month(s) : ....... mah (both singular and plural) ....... মাহ
 * _____ year(s) : ....... bosor (both singular and plural) ....... বছৰ

Days

 * today : aji আজি
 * yesterday : ju'wa kali যোৱাকালি
 * tomorrow : oha kali অহাকালি
 * this week : ey xoptah এই সপ্তাহ
 * last week : ju'wa xoptah যোৱা সপ্তাহ
 * next week : oha xoptah অহা সপ্তাহ

 * Sunday : deu'baar / robibaar দেওবাৰ / ৰবিবাৰ
 * Monday : xu'mbar সোমবাৰ
 * Tuesday : mongolbar মঙ্গলবাৰ
 * Wednesday : budhbar বুধবাৰ
 * Thursday : brihospotibar বৃহস্পতিবাৰ
 * Friday : xukurbar শুকুৰবাৰ
 * Saturday : xonibar শনিবাৰ

Months

 * January : january জানুৱাৰী
 * February : february ফেব্ৰুৱাৰী
 * March : mars মাৰ্চ
 * April : april এপ্ৰিল
 * May : may মে'
 * June : june জুন
 * July : july জুলাই
 * August : agost আগষ্ট
 * September : septembor চেপ্টেম্বৰ
 * October : octu'bor অক্টোবৰ
 * November : novembor নৱেম্বৰ
 * December : decembor ডিচেম্বৰ

Seasons

 * Spring : boxonto kal বসন্তকাল
 * Summer : gorom kal গৰমকাল
 * Autumn : xorot kal শৰৎকাল
 * Winter : xit kal শীতকাল

Writing time and dates
Day / Month / Year.

Colors

 * black : koʼla ক'লা
 * white : boga বগা
 * gray : dhuʼ(n)wa boroniya ধোঁৱা বৰণীয়া
 * red :ronga ৰঙা
 * blue : nila নীলা
 * yellow : halodhia হালধীয়া
 * green : xeujia সেউজীয়া
 * orange : komola কমলা
 * purple : bengunia বেঙুনীয়া
 * brown : matia মাটীয়া
 * pink : gulopia গুলপীয়া

Buses and trains

 * How much is a ticket to _____? : .....loi ticketor kimaan daam? __ লৈ টিকেটৰ কিমান দাম?
 * One ticket to _____, please. : .........loi eta ticket dibo suun anugroh kori. __লৈ এটা টিকেট দিব চোন অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি
 * Where does this train/bus go? : eikhon train/bus ko'loi jabo? এইখন ট্ৰেইন/বাছ ক'লৈ যাব?
 * Where is the train/bus to _____? : .....loi ju'wa train/bus khon ko't? __লৈ যোৱা ট্ৰেইন/বাছখন ক'ত?
 * Does this train/bus stop in _____? : eikhon train/bus........ ot rokhe ne? এইখন ট্ৰেইন/বাছ __ত ৰখেনে?
 * When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : ....loi ju'a train/bus khon keita bojat jai? ...লৈ যোৱা ট্ৰেইন/বাছখন কেইটা বজাত যাই?
 * When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : Eikhon train / bus keita bojat .... pai? এইখন ট্ৰেইন/বাছ কেইটা বজাত ..... পাই?

Directions

 * How do I get to _____? : moi kenekoi ........ loi jabo parim? মই কেনেকৈ .....লৈ যাব পাৰিম?
 * ...the train/bus station? : moi kenekoi train/bus station oloi jabo parim? মই কেনেকৈ ট্ৰেইন/বাছ ষ্টেচনলৈ যাব পাৰিম?
 * ...the airport? : moi kenekoi airport oloi jabo parim? মই কেনেকৈ এয়াৰপʼৰ্টলৈ যাব পাৰিম?
 * ...downtown? : moi kenekoi sohoror kendroloi jabo parim? মই কেনেকৈ চহৰৰ কেন্দ্ৰলৈ যাব পাৰিম?
 * ...the youth hostel?: moi keneke youth hoʼstel oloi jabo parim? মই কেনেকৈ য়ুঠ হʼষ্টেললৈ যাব পাৰিম?
 * ...the _____ hotel? : moi kenekoi hoʼtel oloi jabo parim? মই কেনেকৈ য়ুঠ হʼটেললৈ যাব পাৰিম?
 * ...the American/Australian/British/Canadian consulate? : moi kenekoi American/Australian/British/Canadian consulate oloi jabo parim? মই কেনেকৈ আমেৰিকান/অষ্ট্ৰেলিয়ান/ব্ৰিটিষ/কেনেডিয়ান কনচুলেটলৈ যাব পাৰিম?
 * Where are there a lot of... : kot besikoi......... ase? কত বেছিকৈ ...... আছে?
 * ...hotels? : hoʼtel হʼটেল
 * ...restaurants? : resturant ৰেষ্টুৰাণ্ট
 * ...bars? : bar বাৰ
 * ...sites to see? : sabo logia thai চাব লগিয়া ঠাই
 * Can you show me the map? : mu'k map khon dekhuabo ne? মোক মেপখন দেখুৱাব নে?
 * street : rasta ৰাস্তা
 * Turn left/right. : bau'(n) fale / xu'(n) fale ghuribo বাওঁফালে / সোঁফালে ঘুৰিব
 * straight ahead : seedhakoi aagoloi চিধাকৈ আগলৈ
 * towards the _____ : .... or dixot ...ৰ দিশত
 * past the _____ : ... or pisot ... ৰ পিছত
 * before the _____ : ... or aagot ... ৰ আগত
 * Watch for the _____. : .... tuʼ mon koribo.  ...টো মন কৰিব
 * intersection : sari ali চাৰিআলি
 * north : uttor উত্তৰ
 * south : dokhin দক্ষীণ
 * east : pub পূব
 * west : poschim পশ্চিম
 * uphill : paharor u'poroloi পাহাৰৰ ওপৰলৈ
 * downhill : paharor tololoi পাহাৰৰ তললৈ

Taxis

 * Taxi! : taxi! টেক্সী!
 * Take me to _____, please. : muʼk ____loi loi jau'k, onugorh kori মোক _______লৈ লৈ যাওক, অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি
 * How much does it cost to get to _____? : ____loi jaboloi kiman lagibo? ______লৈ যাবলৈ কিমান লাগিব?
 * Take me there, please. : muʼk taa loike loi jaaok, onugroh kori মোক তালৈকে লৈ যাওক, অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি

Lodging

 * Do you have any rooms available? : apu'nar tat room asene? আপোনাৰ তাত ৰুম আছে নে?
 * How much is a room for one person/two people? : ejon / dujon manuhor ba-be room or kimaan daam? এজন / দুজন মানুহৰ বাবে ৰুমৰ কিমান দাম?
 * Does the room come with... : Room ot..........paam ne? ৰুমত ..... পাম নে?
 * ...bedsheets? : bedsheet / bisona sador বিছনা চাদৰ
 * ...a bathroom? : bathroom
 * ...a telephone? : telephone
 * ...a TV? : TV
 * May I see the room first? : moi room tuʼ aage sabo paruʼ(n) ne? মই ৰুমটো আগে চাব পাৰোঁনে?
 * Do you have anything... : apu'nar kiba ........ asene? আপোনাৰ কিবা ..... আছেনে?
 * ...quieter? : ... iyatkoi kom awajor ...ইয়াতকৈ কম আৱাজৰ
 * ...bigger? : ... iyatkoi daangor ইয়াতকৈ ডাঙৰ
 * ...cleaner? : iyatkoi safa ইয়াতকৈ চাফা
 * ...cheaper? : iyatkoi xosta ইয়াতকৈ শস্তা
 * OK, I'll take it. : thik ase, moi eitu' lom ঠিক আছে, মই এইটো লম
 * I will stay for _____ night(s). : moi .....rati thakim মই ..... ৰাতি থাকিম
 * Can you suggest another hotel? : an ku'nu' bhal hotel jane neki? আন কোনো ভাল হোটেল জানে নেকি?
 * Do you have (a)... : apu'nar tat ........ ase ne? আপোনাৰ তাত ......... আছে নে?
 * ...safe? : sonduk চন্দুক
 * ...lockers? : locker লকাৰ
 * Is breakfast/supper included? : logote breakfast aru dinner thakibo ne? লগতে ব্ৰেকফাষ্ট আৰু ডিনাৰ থাকিব নে?
 * What time is breakfast/supper? : breakfast / dinner keita bojat? ব্ৰেকফাষ্ট / ডিনাৰ কেইটা বজাত?
 * Please clean my room. : mu'r room tu' safa kori diok মোৰ ৰুমটো চাফা কৰি দিয়ক
 * Can you wake me at _____? : mu'k ...... ta bojat jogai dibo ne? মোক ....... টা বজাত জগাই দিব নে?
 * I want to check out. : moi check-out koribo bisaru'(n) মই চেক-আওট কৰিব বিচাৰিছোঁ

Money

 * Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : American/Australian/Canadian dollar loi ne? আমেৰিকান/অষ্ট্ৰেলিয়ান/কেনেডিয়ান ডলাৰ লয় নে?
 * Do you accept British pounds? : British pound loi ne? ব্ৰিটিষ পাওণ্ড লয় নে?
 * Do you accept credit cards? : Credit card loi ne? ক্ৰেডিট কাৰ্ড লয় নে?
 * Can you change money for me? : muʼr karensi khini xoloni kori dibo paaribo neki? মোৰ কাৰেঞ্চী খিনি সলনি কৰি দিব পাৰিব নেকি?
 * Where can I get money changed? : moi karensi ko't xoloni koribo parim? মই কাৰেঞ্চী ক'ত সলনি কৰিব পাৰিম?
 * Can you change a traveler's cheque for me? : mu'r traveler cheque ekhon xoloni kori dibo paribo ne? মোৰ ট্ৰেৱেলাৰ চে'ক এখন সলনি কৰি দিব পাৰিব নেকি?
 * Where can I get a traveller's cheque changed? : (Moi) traveller cheque kot xoloni koribo paarim? ট্ৰেৱেলাৰ চে'ক কʼত সলনি কৰিব পাৰিম?
 * What is the exchange rate? : binimoy har kimaan? বিনিময় হাৰ কিমান?
 * Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : ATM ko't ase? এটীএম কʼত আছে?

Eating

 * I'm hungry. : ভোক লাগিছে (bhu'k lagi'se)
 * A table for one person / two people, please.: এজনৰ / দুজনৰ বাবে টেবুল দিবচোন। (ejo'nor / du'jonor ba'bee table dibo sun)
 * Please bring a menu. : মেনু এখন আনিবচোন (menu ek'hon aani'bo sun)
 * Can I look in the kitchen? : পাকঘৰটো চাব পাৰিম নে? (pak'ghar tu sabo paa'rim ne?)
 * Is there a house specialty? : আপোনালোকৰ বিশেষ কিবা খোৱা বস্তু আছে নে?(apu'na'lukor bi'khek kiba khu'wa bos'tu ase'ne?)
 * Is there a local specialty? : স্থানীয় কিবা বিশেষ খোৱা বস্তু আছে নে? (stha'niyo kiba bi'khekh khu'wa bos'tu ase'ne?)
 * Please choose for me. : মোৰ কাৰণে এটা বাছি দিয়ক (mu'r karo'ne eta basi diok)
 * I'm a vegetarian. : মই নিৰামিষভোজী (moi nira-amikh-bhu-ji)
 * I don't eat pork/beef/raw fish. : মই গাহৰিৰ মাংস/গৰুৰ মাংস/কেঁছা মাছ নাখাওঁ (moi ga'horir mang'kho/gorur mang'kho/ke'sa maas na'khau)
 * Please do not use too much oil/chillies.: অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি বেছি তেল/জলা নিদিব (onu'groh kori besi tel/jola ni'dibo)
 * fixed-price meal : নিৰ্দিষ্ট দামৰ আহাৰ (nir'disto da'mor ahar)
 * à la carte : মেনু অনুযায়ী (menu onu'jayi)
 * breakfast : ৰাতিপুৱাৰ আহাৰ (rati'puwar ahar)
 * lunch : দুপৰীয়াৰ সাজ (dupo-ri-yar xaj)
 * light meal/snack : জলপান (jol'pan)
 * supper/dinner : ৰাতিৰ সাজ (ra'tir xaj) or নৈশ সাজ (noi'xo xaj)
 * Please bring _____. : অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি এটা ... আনক। (onu'groh kori eta...... anok)
 * I want a dish containing _____. : মোক এটা .... থকা খোৱা বস্তু লাগে। (mu'k eta....tho'ka khu'wa bostu lage)
 * rice : ভাত (bhaat)
 * bread (indian) : ৰুটি (ruti)
 * bread (european) : পাউৰুটি
 * chicken : মুৰ্গী মাংস (mur'gi man'kho)
 * mutton : পঠা (po'tha), ছাগলী মাংস (sa-goli man'kho)
 * pork : গাহৰি মাংস (ga'hori man'kho)
 * beef : গৰু মাংস (goru man'kho)
 * fish : মাছ (maas)
 * chese : পনীৰ (pa'ner)
 * vegetables : শাক-পাচলি (xak-pa'cho'li)
 * fruit : ফল (fol)

title: Assamese phrasebook