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Tabriz

Tabriz (Persian: تبریز, Azerbaijani: Təbriz) is the capital of East Azerbaijan province, in the Azerbaijan region of Iran. It is a modern industrialized Iranian city with signs of civilization dating back 2,500 years. Having some of the most famous museums, major cultural events, and prestigious Iranian universities, the city is considered a major hub for science and culture in Iran. Tabriz was named by the Organization of Islamic Conference as the "city of the Islamic world tourism" for 2018.

People
The majority of the city's population are Iranian Azerbaijanis, followed by Persians, Armenians, Assyrians, and other people of the Caucasus.

Geography
At an altitude of 1,340 meters above sea level, 619 km northwest of Tehran, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s. It is a former capital of Persia, and had a population of 1,400,000 according to 1992 census. Tabriz is in a valley to the north of the long ridge of Mount Sahand. The valley opens out into a plain that slopes down gently to the northern end of Lake Orumieh, 60 km to the west. The 160-km long Aji, Chai or Talkheh River is the major river of the city, formed by merging of three smaller rivers, namely the Ab Nahand, Quri Chai, and Ojan Chai, all of which originate from the Sabalan Mountain and the heights in the southeastern part of the town. The river and streams join the Orumieh Lake after passing through the valleys between the Sorkhband and Yekkeh Chin mountain north of Tabriz and Osku district. Mehran River or Maidan Chai, also called Liqvan River, originates from the peaks between Karim and Sultan mountains overlooking the Liqvan village (a major center of cheese production in Iran) near Esparakhoun and Qeshlaq. Its worst natural disadvantage, however, is its vulnerability to earthquakes, one of which utterly destroyed the city in 858. Rebuilt in a minor key, it was again devastated in 1041, when more than 40,000 people lost their lives.

Climate
By virtue of its situation, Tabriz has a continental climate with low humidity (average annual rain fall is 288 mm). It has a modestly warm summer climate and a severely cold winter.

History
The town has a long and checkered history. Although the early history of Tabriz is shrouded in legend and mystery, the town's origins are believed to date back to distant antiquity, perhaps even before the Sassanian era (224-651 ACE). The oldest stone tablet with a reference to Tabriz is that of Sargon II, the Assyrian king. The tablet refers to a place called Tauri Castle and Tarmkis. The historians believe that this castle was situated on the site of the present Tabriz. It was the capital of Azarbin the 3rd century CE and again under the Mongol Ilkhanid dynasty (1256-1353), although for some time Maragheh supplanted it. During the reign of Aqa Khan of the Ilkhanids, as well as under the reign of Ghazan Khan, Tabriz reached the peak of its glory and importance. Many great artists and philosophers from all over the world traveled to Tabriz. During this same period, Khajeh Rashid od-Din Fazlollah, the learned historian and Minister of Ghazan Khan, built the famous Rob'e Rashidi center. The great Berber traveller Ibn Battuta visited the city in this period.

In 1392, after the end of Mongol rule, the town was sacked by Tamerlane. It was soon restored under the Turkman tribe of the Qara Qoyunlu, who established a short-lived local dynasty. Under the Safavids it rose from regional to national capital for a short period, but the second of the Safavid kings, Shah Tahmasb, moved the capital to Qazvin because of the vulnerability of Tabriz to Ottoman attacks. The town then went into a period of decline, fought over by the Iranians, Ottomans and Russians and struck by earthquake and disease.

Tabriz was the residence of the crown prince under the Qajar kings, themselves of Turkish stock, but the town did not return to prosperity until the second half of the 19th century. The greatest boost to Tabriz came with the opening up of Persia to the West at the turn of this century, when it became the main staging post between the interior of Iran and the Black Sea and, for a short time, the economic capital. In 1908 it was the center of a revolt against Mohammad Ali Shah, which was only put down with the brutal intervention of the Russians.

In the second Irano-Russian War the city was occupied by the Tsar's troops. However, it was returned to Iran following the signing of the Turkmanchai Treaty, a peace and trade settlement that ended the Irano-Russian War of 1826–1828. The Iranian Constitutional Revolution originated in Tabriz and culminated during the reign of Mohammad Ali Shah of Qajar dynasty (1779-1925). Sattar Khan and Baqer Khan were the two most prominent leading figures behind the movement. Tabriz was occupied by Russians several times in the first half of the 20th century, including most of both world wars. A railway line to the border at Jolfa, built by the expansionist Russians, has been of little importance, but it increased in significance in the 1990s as a result of Iran's friendlier relations with its northern neighbors.

Talk
Azerbaijani, a Turkic language, is the primary language spoken by most Tabrizis, although many people, especially the younger generation, can communicate in Persian and moderate to advanced English.

Get in
Tabriz is 310 km southeast of Bazargan (at the Iran — Turkey frontier), 131 km south of Agarak (at the Iran - Armenia border crossing), 159 km south of Jolfa on the Iran — Azerbaijan Republic border, and can be reached by road, rail (742 km from Tehran, with connections to Europe and Moscow), air from Tehran, Istanbul and other major cities in the region, and highway (Highway number 1 connects Tabriz to Tehran).

By plane
Airport bus #136 goes to airport from Motahhari St. every 30–40 minutes. Another option is getting a taxi.

Domestic flights
 * Ahwaz operated by Iran Air
 * Bandar Abbas operated by Iran Air
 * Isfahan operated by Iran Air
 * Mashhad operated by ATA air, Iran Air Tours, Iran Aseman and Zagros Airlines
 * Shiraz - Monday and Friday, operated by Iran Aseman. Fare is 2,200,000 rials for 1-way.
 * Daily direct flights to Tehran (Mehrabad Airport) by Iran Air, Iran Aseman and other companies. Fare is 490,000 rials for 1-way.

International direct flights to the following destinations exist:
 * Baghdad - F and M, operated by ATA air.
 * Baku - Tu and Sa, operated by Kish Air.
 * Damascus.
 * Dubai - Tu and Sa, operated by Kish Air (around US$200 for round trip).
 * Gaziantep - Tu, operated by Sky Airlines.
 * Istanbul 13 flights per week, operated by Turkish airlines (7 flights), Iran Air (2 flights) and ATA air (4 flights). Fare is around US$250 for a round trip.
 * Tbilisi 2 flights per week, operated by ATA air.

By car
By the bridge over the Urmia lake Tabriz is reachable from Urmia in 1.5 hours.

By train
There are overnight trains to Tehran (12 hr) via Maraghe (2 hr), Zanjan (9 hr) and Qazvin. A 2nd class sleeper (six bunks per cabin) leaves Tabriz at 20:30 nightly reaching Tehran at 09:30, price is 40,000 rials. More comfortable is the 1st class train for 170,000 rials, leaving at 17:30 and arriving in Tehran at 06:00. This has 4-bunk cabins with TV and dinner is included in the price. From Tehran to Tabriz the sleepers depart at 16:00 and 18:30. Buy tickets in advance from a city travel agent or on the day at the station.

An international train runs once a week from Tehran to Tabriz and continues west at 23:30 Sundays to Van in Turkey, arriving 08:00 Monday. The eastbound train leaves Van Monday 21:00 to arrive Tabriz Tuesday by 05:15, continuing to Tehran for 18:20. To reach Ankara and Istanbul, take the bus from Van or twice-weekly train from Tatvan on the other side of the lake.

A more direct line from Tehran has finally opened, however as of 2023 there is only one train per day which terminates at the Tabriz-Khavaran railway station in the eastern outskirts of the city.

By bus
There are buses from Tabriz to Iranian cities including Tehran 6-8 hrs (fare 150,000 single), Ahvaz 15 hr, Ardabil 4 hr, Esfahan 17 hr, Maku 4 hr, Maraghe 2 hr, Qazvin 7 hr, Shiraz 23 hr, Zanjan 5 hr. International routes are to Baku in Azerbaijan 15 hr, Istanbul in Turkey 33 hr and Yerevan in Armenia 10 hr.

Get around
City transport awaiting the Metro that's only partly operational is limited to taxis, shared taxis and buses.

By metro
Tabriz is building an extensive metro system, but as of 2022, only Line 1 is operational..

By taxi
Taxis can be chartered for a modest fee (around US$20 if you need a driver and car for the whole day to visit the region!)

By shared taxi
Shared taxis are even more of a bargain, but you will need to speak a few words of Persian and risk your life by stepping on the side of the road and scream your destination at passing-by Paykans. However, the experience of sharing a car with 4 locals of both genders and all ages (+ driver) can be fun! Some drivers refuse to be paid, the pleasure of chatting with a foreigner about the various plagues of Iran being apparently enough to make their day. (be careful of tarof, though)

By bus
Buses are difficult to take (no map, no schedule) and definitely not worth the experience when compared to shared taxis despite being quasi-free.

Inside Tabriz
With a very rich history, Tabriz used to house many historical monuments. Unfortunately, many of them were destroyed in repeated invasions and attacks of foreign forces, negligence of the ruling governments, and natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. What remains now mostly dates back to the Ilkhanids, the Safavids, and the Qajars. Some of the monuments are unrivaled masterpieces of architecture. The Shahrdari Square is the center of the town, on the south-west of which stands the imposing edifice of Municipality. The railway station (5 km from the center of the town) is at the western edge of the town. The Quri Chai river runs through Tabriz, and most places of interest to the visitor are to the south of this river and alone or north of Imam Khomeini Avenue.

 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.

Around Tabriz
In Iranian Azerbaijan there are many historically and scenery interesting places to visit. The mountainous region of south Azerbaijan offers breathtaking views and excellent treks among castles, rocky paths and remote villages.

Do

Learn
Tabriz is the site for some of the major Iranian universities including University of Tabriz, Sahand University of Technology, Azad University of Tabriz, Payam Nour University of Tabriz, and Azerbaijan University. Tabriz University offers degree programs for foreign nationals through the regular application without entrance exam the entrance to other universities is through entrance exam.

There are a couple of big libraries in the city including Tabriz National Library which are holding some of the oldest handwritten Iranian literature and modern texts.

Souvenirs

 * Tabrizi nuts and Dried Fruits are quite famous in the region. There are a couple of famous stores which are known nationwide, including Tavazoe (in Abrasan Square, Imam Ave.), and Rex (Shahnaz Sq., Imam Ave.)
 * Tabrizi carpets are among the finest in the world, and you will find masterpieces in shops and inside the Bazaar. These rugs are among the most decorative rugs and frequently use colors like pink, red and cream. Prices for rugs in Tabriz are about 50% less than in most Western countries. You should consider the customs rules of Iran and your home country, too. Typically, for 2 rugs, there is no customs fee or tax.
 * Gold and silver jewelry is also a local handicraft.

Modern shopping centers
The three big modern supermarket are: Refah, Sepah, and Laleh. There are small supermarkets all around city and some other smaller arcades in the city center in Tarbiat St.

Eat
Traditional cuisine: Kabab, rice, Abgousht (meat broth), Kufte Tabrizi (big meat ball) some restaurants serve them all, but if you step inside a more modest Chelowkebabi, odds are you won't have much choice apart from the traditional rice and kebab. But still you can find some restaurants which serve all, for instance there is a historical bath Nowbar Bath in city center which has been converted to a traditional restaurant and it serves Abgousht, Kufteh, and other foods.

Food vendors: There are food vendors in Shahgoli's main square during late spring and summer. Their offerings include roasted salted corn (locally called makka) and/or boiled eggs and potato wrapped in flat bread (called yeralma yomurta). They normally stay open till midnight.

Fast foods: There are small fast food restaurants for pizza, and sandwiches all around the city.

Drinks: The most common drink in Tabriz (likewise many other middle eastern cities) is tea which is served in tea houses along with option of qaliyan (shusha). The famous traditional cold drink is dough (yogurt juice) which is served in restaurants and it is also being sold in supermarkets along the cities.

Fresh smoothiesː There are many stores in Imam Ave, between Saat square and Ferdowsi street, that are serving smoothies. The most popular ones are pomegranate, bananas, and watermelon. The smoothies in these stores are mostly sugar sweetened.

Confectioneries and dried nuts: Tabriz is famous for its confectioneries and dried nuts. Some of the most famous confectioneries are Qurabiya, Tabrizi Luvuz, Zulbia, Pashmak, Nuga (or Nuqa), and Ris. There are no chain stores like in many big cities so you have to go to confectionery store. Some of the famous ones are: Karimi (in Vali Asr district), Eftekhari, and Reks (in Imam Ave close to Shahnaz St.)

Fruits and vegetableː fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased from Rahli Bazar in the city center. There are also smaller shops around the city for fruits and vegetables. Sometimes vendors also sell fruits and vegetables from the back of their trucks for a cheaper price. Fruits and vegetables are normally brought to Tabriz from gardens and farms around the city and from gardens of other parts of Iran.

Cold and frozen desserts: In summer time ice cream and faloodeh is sold in some of the fast food restaurants in the city center. Many of these ice-cream places is a family business and they have their own secret recipe for ice cream. The recipe passes from generation to the next generation inside the family. The most famous ones are: Shams (in Imam Ave close to saat), and Vahid (in Ark Alley).

Hot appetizers: Labou (hot boiled sweet red-beet) and Pakhla (salty boiled Fava Beans) are sold normally in winter time by peddlers in street sides.

Drink
Nightlife may not have the same meaning in Iranian towns as in Western cities. Apart from private parties, there is nothing even vaguely close to a nightclub in the whole country. However, places for getting out at night in Tabriz include ice cream & juice houses, kebab restaurants, Qalyan (hubble bubble), and tchaikhaneh. Going to theaters and walking around some of the major streets (Valiasr district, Abrasan, and Shahnaz Shariati St.) is one of the major hobbies of the youngsters in Tabriz. In the summer, families go to some of the big parks to have their supper in a public area in a picnic style way.

Sleep
There is a good variety of hotels. Downtown, Ferdowsi street hosts many guest houses and there are many independent and national hotel chains from the mid-range to the high-end mostly in central and in Southeastern districts of Tabriz.

Hotels
The hotels are convenient but relatively expensive. The hotels in city center are recommended if you are looking to see the historic sites of Tabriz and feel the life of Tabriz residents, while the hotels in new suburbs are far away from the city center and mostly used by business travelers. Here is a list of major hotels in Tabrizː

Guest houses
Guest houses are mostly in Ferdowsi Street and Amin Street. Many guest houses charges extra if you want to shower (around 2-3000 toman extra is not unusual).

Tourist Information Centre
Next to Tabriz Bazaar on Ferdowsi Rd (look for big black sign). Nasser Khan at the centre can help you with all your queries about Tabriz and its surroundings, and will probably also offer you some well-brewed tea.

Consulates

 * 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

Phone

 * Country Code for Iran:                 +98
 * Area Code for Tabriz:                  041
 * Tabriz Cellular Phone (Code):          0914

Stay safe

 * See also the information at Iran.:

Tabriz is a safe city; however, like any other major big city in the world, you should always consider common sense safety measuresː do not leave your luggage unattended and never leave your car or your bike unlocked when you are walking a long distance away.

Emergency service

 * For all emergency services callː 110

Respect

 * People in Tabriz respect bread. Never walk on bread or never throw it away in public.
 * During Ramadan, eating, drinking, and smoking in public is forbidden by state law. But as a traveler you can eat and drink in many of the restaurants with the curtain down, in a way that the served food is not visible from street.

Go next

 * Sardroud
 * Ardabil
 * Kandovan - small village 50 km away, with houses carved in the rocks like in Cappadocia, Turkey
 * Maku
 * Maraghe
 * Osku — known as the capital of batik in Iran.
 * Takab — Takht-e Soleyman, a Zoroastrian fire temple and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is nearby
 * Urmia — capital of West Azerbaijan province
 * Zanjan

title: Tabriz


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Tabuaeran

Tabuaeran, also known as Fanning Island or Fanning Atoll, is one of the Northern Line Islands in Kiribati.

Get in
The most common way to get into Fanning Island is by taking a boat from Christmas Island (Kiritimati). You can also visit the atoll as a port of call from a cruise line. Holland America has it as a humanitarian stop on their way to French Polynesia.

Get around
There is a dirt road that completely circles the lagoon. There are small dirt trails running in every direction from the road, but be mindful of the native population's personal property and space when hiking the trails. There is a modest collection of bicycles near the lagoon's main dock and you'll be able to rent one for a small fee.

See
There is a beautiful beach to swim in that has an area with soft sand. Other areas have large coral pieces that can be difficult to walk on. There are also areas that farm seaweed.

Do
There is a concrete basketball court on the island that was built by a cruise line years ago. The men of the island enjoy a pick-up game and are friendly when approached about playing. They carry on smoking their hand-rolled cigarettes, even while playing the game.

Buy
There are no shops on the island in the conventional sense. There are natives that are willing to sell you certain trinkets, with a popular item with visitors being woman's "defence knife" which is made from palm wood and is studded with shark teeth and other decorations scavenged from the sea. US dollars are generally accepted.

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

title: Tabuaeran


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Taüll

Taüll is a village of 260 people in Catalonia. It is home to the church of Sant Climent de Taüll, an excellent example of Romanesque architecture.

Understand
There is a relatively new ski centre at Taull or Boi-Taull. This is separate from the old vllage of Taull, which is reached from Boi at the end of the Boi Valley.

Taüll's economy is based on tourism and livestock.

Situated at 1,520 m abore sea level in the valley of Sant Martí, a small valley in the Valley of Boí. The closest river is the Sant Martí river, Noguera de Tor affluent. A ravine splits the village in two districts: La Guinsa and Lo Barri. La Guinsa goes from the entrance of the village to the ravine, and Lo Barri goes from the ravine to the high part of the village.

Get in
To get to Taüll, from the city of Lleida, take the N-230 road, that begins in Lleida and finishes in Vielha. The N-230 goes through the village of Pont de Suert. At the end of the village turn right to take the L-500, the main road of the Valley of Boí. Continue on this road after leave behind Barruera until another fork. Turn to the right at L-501, that takes you to the settlements of Boí and Taüll and finishes at the ski station of Boí-Taüll.

Buses from Pont de Suert run to Taull and the ski centre. There are several villages on this bus route, in all of which fine natural scenery is further embellished by beautiful Romanesque churches.

See
Taull, though a small village, has two beautiful Romanesque churches.

Do
visit Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park

title: Taüll


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Tacheddirt

Tacheddirt (also Tachdirt) is a small village high up (2314m) in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It is the highest settlement in the Rhirhaia valley, about 2.5 miles further up than Ikkiss.

The village is populated by about 200 or 300 people. It has no road or track, but rather a winding footpath.

Get in
From Ikkiss (see Ikkiss page for how to get there), it is necessary to walk to Tacheddirt, as there is no road or track more than the winding footpath. The footpath is in some places slippery and dangerous for the mules and donkeys that are used.

From Ikkiss it is quite difficult to find the path to Tacheddirt. The path is the one which winds up behind a small concrete water duct (by the school) on the right of the path as you walk down the slope towards the town.

The route is only about 1.5 miles as the crow flies, but is probably 2 or 3 on foot.

From Imlil head East up the valley, through Tamatert, and over the pass. Follow the track along the South side of the valley until you reach a ford over the river to Tacheddirt on the other side of the river.

Get around
The only way is by foot, no roads exist. The village isn't very big anyway.

See
The village is clustered on the north side of the valley, on the lower slopes of the mountain, Angour. The houses are all mud brick except for the French Refuge that was built here in the 90s(?). There are only about 100 homes in the village, most are in a clump on the East side of the village by the stream, a line of others extends outwards to the west along the top of a steep slope of scree. There is a small reservoir in at the top of this slope to the North West of the village, which is used to produce electricity for an hour each day. One of the few electric lights is in the French Refuge, which has a solar panel.

Do
The main reason for being here, for a traveller, is to hike in the surrounding mountains. In all directions rise mighty snow capped ridges. Many people just stay in the village one night, before moving on. However it is often easier to set up a base camp in the village and do day hikes. On the other hand the mountains are so huge, it is hard to get anywhere.

Two day hikes that are available are:

 * Hike Eastward, up the valley further to Tizi n' Tacheddirt (3230m). This way you'll see locals from the village collecting small bushes for firewood. At the top of the pass you can look over into the next valley, and either continue onwards to the next village, or (if you have time) climb the mountain to the left (called ?), before returning to Tacheddirt. Continuing East from Tizi n'Tacheddirt will bring you down to Iabessene and the Ourika Valley.
 * Hike northwards to the Tizi n'ou Addi pass. From here there is a (horribly ugly) road for the ski centre in Oukaimeden. From the pass it is an exciting unpathed scramble up the ridge to Jebel Oukaimedene's peak (3262m ish).
 * Tacheddirt is a stop on a reasonably popular long (two week) trekking loop that visits Lac d'Ifni and Jebel Toubkal before reaching Imlil. To continue on this loop head South from Tacheddirt over Tizi Likemt.

Note: All of this will be covered in snow in winter!!! Weather, in the summer or winter can change very rapidly. A thunder and hail storm can move in on a sunny cloudless day in minutes.

Buy
The French Refuge provides:
 * Food (the carer makes a really yummy Tagine, just ignore all the ants crawling all over his kitchen!!!)
 * Bottled Water (Pretty vital up here, unless you've brought a load with you, or have water purification tablets). Note: the water here is far more expensive than you might be expecting. The water has to get all the way from Marrakech to this village across dodgy tracks and up paths on a donkey's back.

Eat
Either bring your own food or buy some at the French Refuge. He makes yummy tagine and can get you bread from the bakery in Tacheddirt. Food is also available at the new hotel.

Drink
There was a little shop on the way over the pass (Tizi n Tamatert) from Imlil which sold coca cola & mint tea. This isn't really in Tacheddirt, but is some 2 hours' walk away.

Sleep
Either in a tent (on a very hard surface remember your mat) by the Refuge, or in the refuge. A new hotel is being built here by the owner of the last hotel in Aremd, it was still under construction in May 2007, but was open by May 2008. It provides comfortable accommodation and good food. The terrace has first rate views across the valley.

Cope
This village has no roads, no electricity and no running water. Even though there is a French Refuge, you should be prepared to survive on your own, should they run out of bottled water, etc. Some water purification tablets, matches, something to boil water in, etc are all probably a good idea. Also a day or twos worth of emergency food in case you can't get any here.

Go next
Walk back to Ikkiss, Imlil or Oukaimeden.

title: Tacheddirt


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Tachikawa

Tachikawa (立川市 Tachikawa-shi) is a city in western Tokyo.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated Google Translate.

Get in
Downtown Tachikawa is served by the JR Chuo line, JR Nambu line, and Tama Monorail.

See

Showa Kinen Park (昭和記念公園, showa kinen koen), located at a former US Air Base, the land was regained as a spacious park.

Green Belt, perfect for walking or riding a bike. It goes from Tachikawa North, to Kunitachi.

Subaru of Tachikawa (aka Car Do), one of the largest Subaru dealers featuring large amounts of aftermarket parts as well as used cars. A frequent Subaru-enthusiast tourist stop.

Do
There are several movie theaters and a department store near the station. These are somewhat busy on weekends.

Buy
There are many shopping spots, Isetan, Takashimaya SC, Lumine, Granduo, and so on. Lumine is very popular for teenagers. Isetan is a famous department store in Japan, so it might have shop clerks who can speak English or other languages. On the other hand, Takashimaya closed in 2023 and reopened in 2024 as a shopping complex - shocking the locals with cheaper shops such as Seria \100 shop, OK Store supermarket and Hama-zushi belt-conveyor sushi.

All these complexes have some café or restaurants, so you can rest while shopping.

Eat

Granduo (left at exit subway/metro) has good eating area at the 6th and 7th floor.

Go next

 * Akishima
 * Fussa
 * Akiruno
 * Hachioji
 * Kunitachi
 * Kokubunji
 * Musashimurayama
 * Higashiyamato
 * Kodaira

title: Tachikawa


text:
Tachileik

Tachileik (also spelt Tachilek) is in Shan State, Eastern Myanmar, on the border with Thailand.

Understand
Although just five metres across the river from Mae Sai, the northernmost town in Thailand, Tachileik seems a different world. The happy outgoing atmosphere that you have been used to in Thailand evaporates instantly and is replaced by a slightly uptight one. This is not to say that the Burmese people are not welcoming, indeed they love tourists and are very keen to sit down and talk (when they think they are not being watched), but do not expect to feel at ease here, and do not be surprised if you are followed by government people throughout the town. As long as your purposes are legitimate, you follow local rules and customs and you don't go around making a spectacle of yourself, you will have a great time in Tachileik and the border area of Burma. The demeanour of the locals has lightened greatly since the advent of Myanmar's fledgling democracy and much of the feeling of being watched has dissipated. As of October 2017 the transformation in Tachilek has been remarkable. Now it is Mae Sai that is a quiet backwater now that visa-runners have been banned and there are few tourists and Tachilek is now a fun place to spend the day. Everyone from the immigration officials to local market traders has a sense of joie de vivre that did not exist even 3 or 4 years ago. If anyone is watching anyone nowadays it is on the Thai side with officialdom watching over many aspects of peoples increasingly regulated lives whilst Tachilek has taken on the mantle of party town.

The majority of people crossing to Myanmar are Thais shopping for bootlegged Chinese goods or off to play golf on the only course in the region, which explains why so many are carrying golf clubs. There are also 3 casinos in Tachileik, one of which caters to "low" rollers. You may even find a 10 baht roulette table. There are very few foreigners making the crossing these days.

If you are expecting to see the real Myanmar, this is not the place to do it. If you are "stamp collecting" in your passport, want to see something a bit more visceral than what you find in Thailand or are at loose ends in Chiang Rai for the day, then this is a good place to go. A good thing about visiting is the ease of entry to the border area, getting another stamp in your passport and getting a flavour of life in Myanmar.

From Thailand
Only citizens of Singapore are permitted to enter Myanmar without a visa at the border post here. Citizens of most other countries are can get a visa-on-arrival to visit Tachileik only for up to 14 days, but must have a visa prior to arrival if they wish to proceed further into Myanmar.

A 14 day visa is USD10 or 500 baht. Note, if your USD10 is not in pristine condition, the authorities will not accept it. They really want 500 baht instead since it is worth USD16. As of October 2017, $10 is readily accepted again and the notes no longer need to be pristine. The visa is valid only for the Tachilek-Kengtung area and is not for travel to other parts of Myanmar. Note that the Myanmar Immigration authorities will hold on to your passport for the duration of your stay in the country, giving you an entry permit instead. You will get your passport back on crossing back over to Thailand, on the right side of the bridge (facing Thailand). Holders of a normal one-month Myanmar visa cannot use it to enter at Mae Sai. As of November 2017, foreigners holding Myanmar e-visas can enter the country at Tachileik.

Thai citizens
If you are a Thai citizen, you can get a temporary border pass at the Mae Sai District office, about 2 km before the border on Pahonyotin Rd in Mae Sai, for 30 baht. The building for border pass applications is to the right of the main district office building. All you need is your bat prachachon (ID card). The pass is valid for 7 days only at the Mae Sai-Tachileik crossing, as of December 2019.

By road
Shared taxis (USD12) and buses (USD8) run to Kengtung (4-5 hr) in the mornings. A permit is necessary but bus and taxi drivers can make the arrangements (don't show up at the last minute). Onward travel from Kengtung to Mong La on the Chinese border is possible with permission from Myanmar immigration, easily organised in Kengtung.

Get around
Tachilek is small and there are plenty of trishaws for hire; short 1-2 hour tours can be negotiated for about 200-300 baht. Motorcycle taxis and car taxis are also available. The bus station and airport are outside town on the road to Kengtung. Take a pickup or hire a taxi to get there.

Buy
Tachileik market is much like any market you would find on the Thai side of the border except that it sells a large quantity of items that may get you into trouble with customs authorities in your home country. It is infamous for the sale of animal parts, such as pelts, including critical endangered species.

Stock up on Thai baht on the Thai side before you arrive in Tachileik. The de facto main currency used in Tachileik is the Thai baht, although ATMs will only give out Myanmar kyat. Expect Myanmar kyat to be declined by street vendors and some shops. The unofficial rate is 1,000 Myanmar kyat per 20 Thai baht as of December 2019.

You can find all the latest DVDs at prices ranging from 40 baht. As long as you don't go mad with the quantity you should have no problems getting them back into Thailand. As for taking them back home, that depends on your country's customs policies.

Expect, occasionally, to see wildlife, endangered animal pelts, and skulls, though these are rarely seen in the main part of the market. Local handicrafts range from kitsch to genuine Shan clothing.

Knock-off prescription drugs (in particular, Viagra) and X-rated films are carried around by very annoying, but licensed hawkers. Knives and guns are freely available. Do not buy cigarettes as they are usually Burmese knock-offs put into Western-branded packages and may get you into trouble with Customs when you try and return into Thailand: also, they taste terrible.

If you do intend to shop here, the Thai customs authority screen every bag returning to Thailand and do not take kindly to many of the things sold in the market. This applies mainly to returning Thais, although foreigners' bags are hardly ever screened as long as the bearer looks presentable.

Tachilek Duty Free shop (Golden Palace Plaza) sells alcoholic drinks and tobacco products at way, way below Thai prices. A bottle of decent quality single malt Scotch whisky costs from 1,500 baht a bottle as of July 2016, though the selection may be limited. There doesn't seem to be any definite rule about the quantity you can bring into Thailand: for foreigners the unofficial policy seems to be if you can carry it you can import it. Don't go mad though, you always stand the risk of having everything confiscated, although this is extremely unlikely as a complicated network of people benefit financially from the shop. As of July 2016 Thais are being told that they can only bring in 1 litre of any kind of alcoholic beverage. The excess is not confiscated though. Foreigners (October 2017) are now required to put their bags through the scanner but this does not seem to be to check the quantity of duty free purchases.

Drink
Golden Palace Plaza This is the duty free shop on the Burmese side of the border. The complex now has a 'steak house' of sorts, serving chicken, pork and beef steaks and french fries. The main reason to eat there is the range of beers and wines that can be pulled out of the fridge to accompany your food: Belgian beers, German beers, Mexican beers and sometimes Beer Lao, all way, way below the prices 20 m away across the Sai river in Thailand. As the border is now open until 21:00, you can afford to linger after your days shopping and gambling.

MHTS Duty Free Shop This is located in the main tourist market, near the KBZ bank. In addition to a decent duty free range, the shop also stocks a range of imported beers in its fridge for you to drink outside the shop and people watch. As of July 2016, Thai Leo or Singha beer costs 20 baht a can. Guinness Foreign Export costs 55 baht a can. Hoegaarten from Belgium and various German and Korean beers are also available at low, low prices. Samosas or pakoras are sold by the passing vendors to complement the beer.

Sleep
Most tourists to Tachilek pop across the border from Thailand for a night and there are many hotels in town. Prices are usually quoted in baht, but US dollars are welcome.

Talk
Shan, Burmese, Thai, Chinese (Mandarin and Yunnanese), and some English - listed in order from most widely to least spoken - are all widely spoken languages in Tachileik. Wa is the main language spoken in the southern part of Wa State near Tachileik, but these areas are off-limits to most foreigners. Akha and other hill tribe languages are also spoken in the Tachileik area.

Go next
If you have a Myanmar visa and plan to exit Myanmar at the Mae Sai border, you must obtain a permit in advance from the MTT offices in Yangon.

 * Mae Sai in Thailand

title: Tachileik


text:
Tacloban

Tacloban is a city in Eastern Visayas and the capital of the province of Leyte. It's the home of the Pintados Festival, a cultural event in Leyte commemorating the life and culture of the early settlers of Tacloban.

By plane

Cebu Pacific flies from Manila using an Airbus A320 jet, while its regional carrier Cebgo flies from Cebu using turboprop aircraft. PAL Express flies from Manila and Cebu using jets and turboprops, respectively. Philippines AirAsia has flights from Manila or Clark using jets.

By ferry
There are no passenger ferries to or from Tacloban, but you can take a bus or van to Ormoc port, Baybay port or Naval port then get a ferry to Cebu City from there.

By bus

 * There are buses going to Manila via Catbalogan, Calbayog, Sorsogon, Legazpi City, Naga, Lucena, and to Davao and Cagayan de Oro via Surigao and Butuan.
 * There are small buses going from Tacloban to Naval, Sogod, Maasin, Baybay, and Ormoc.
 * Long-distance buses arrive at the Tacloban Bus Terminal, 2 km from downtown.

Get around

 * There are many ways to get from the airport to all over Tacloban City, especially downtown, which is where most of the fun and excitement happens.
 * Jeepneys are the cheapest way to get from the airport to downtown and cost an average of for a one way trip downtown, for a taxi or pedicab you are looking at ; if asked for more, then you are being ripped off.
 * For visitors not familiar with the city, you hire a tricycle to get to your destination. It costs around per ride.
 * Taxis operate from the airport to any part of the city. MLHuillier Taxi have the most cars. Taxi service is now available from the hotel to fetch you to the airport or any destination within the city and sub-urban towns around Tacloban at a higher price. For pick-up from downtown hotels in Tacloban to the airport, the standard price is . More than this amount is above the norm. Be prepared with the exact amount as drivers may not always have loose change. When wanting taxi service at your hotel, ask the front desk, they have contacts with taxi operators and drivers. For out-of-city points, prices are negotiable.
 * Jeepneys are the cheapest way to travel all around the city. Although confusing at first, it may take you a while to adjust to the directions and the naming of the different sections of the city, if in doubt ask a local since everyone is very willing to help.
 * When walking around the city, crossing the streets, intersections, observe traffic rules as the city imposes its anti-jaywalking ordinance. Some tourists and visitors who are used to the indifference of pedestrians in other cities in the Philippines, Tacloban could be a different place for them. The feel of the city is not as urbanized as in other highly urbanized cities in the Philippines. So every visitor and locals alike who come from rural towns may mistakenly take for granted traffic rules. There is a tendency to disregard the local ordinances.

Connect
The international telephone country code for the Philippines is 63. The area code for Tacloban is 53.

Hospital

 * Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center. Senator Enage Street. Phone 53-3213129. (DOH Hospital).

Immigration office

 * Bureau of Immigration Tacloban office. Kanhuraw Hill. Magsaysay Blvd. phone 053-3256004.

Go next

 * Naval
 * Ormoc
 * Baybay
 * Maasin
 * Sogod
 * Calbayog
 * Catbalogan
 * Borongan
 * Guiuan
 * Catarman
 * Palo
 * Basey
 * Marabut

title: Tacloban


text:
Tacna

Tacna is a city on the Southern Coast of Peru. It serves as the main gateway between Peru and Chile.

Get in
Buses run to Tacna from Lima (20 hours) and points south along the coast, including Nazca (12 hours) and Arequipa.

To get to Arica, Chile, take a colectivo taxi from the international terminal, located next to the domestic bus terminal. You will encounter many touts on the way between terminals, but you may wish to wait until inside the terminal to secure transport as prices vary slightly.

"Official" colectivos are reachable through the gate marked "Taxi colectivo" and their price is clearly marked on a sign: as of September 2014, you have to pay S/18 (soles) (or 4,000 Chilean pesos) per person for the colectivo, and S/1 for the terminal departure tax. Although you will no doubt be assured that the colectivo is leaving right away, this is often not the case as they will not leave until full (if you are in a group of 4 or more you may wish to try and negotiate your own taxi). The driver will help you through customs and immigration. The journey takes 1½-2 hours, depending how long border formalities take: you are not allowed to bring animal and vegetable products (especially fresh fruits or plants) into Chile, so eat your remaining fruits before crossing the border. The colectivo will drop you at the international terminal in Arica; you can try and negotiate a ride to your accommodation but this may not be possible. To continue onwards in Chile, walk to the domestic terminal right next to the international terminal and buy a bus ticket from there. Food, money exchange, baggage deposit and bathrooms are available inside.

A daily train runs from Arica. The railway station, is located on the 2 De Mayo street.

Connect
Caretur Tacna (Cámara Regional de Turismo)

title: Tacna


text:
Tacoma

Tacoma in the state of Washington, is the state's second-largest city, with just under 220,000 residents. It has a dynamic art scene and a great ballet.

Understand
Tacoma often gets a negative description reminiscent of the one given to Oakland, California. These negative vibes are equally unrealistic and often come from those who have never lived in or even visited the city. While it has neither the tourist amenities of its neighbor Seattle to the north nor the suburban safety of Olympia to the south, you can certainly spend a few pleasant days in Tacoma.

By plane
The  is the nearest airport for commercial flights. It is 25 mi/40 km north of Tacoma. The airport serves much of the greater Seattle Metropolitan area and the Pacific NW. Options besides taxi/limo or rental car are:

By car
Tacoma is along Interstate 5 (I-5), approximately 35 mi south of Seattle (35 min), 293 mi (5 hr) southwest of Spokane, and 143 mi (2½ hr) north of Portland.

 * I-5.svg & I-705.svg From Interstate 5 (I-5) Tacoma is accessed from exits #136 ("Port of Tacoma") through #127 ("S Tacoma Way/WA-512 to Puyallup") along I-5. To get to downtown, exit off at the Interstate 705 off ramp at Exit 133, just beyond the Tacoma dome if going south from I-5, or continue along I-705 past downtown to Schuster Pkwy to get to old town, north Tacoma and the Ruston Way waterfront. Continue to the next exit along I-5 to 132B to get to WA-16 going west towards Gig Harbor, Bremerton and for additional access to other parts of town. To get to Joint Base Lewis McChord continue south past WA-512 to exits #125 ("Bridgeport Way/McChord Field"), #123 ("Thorne Ln"), 122 ("Berkely Ave nearest access to Madigan Hospital and Camp Murray"), 120 ("Joint Base Lewis-McChord") which is the location of the main gate & visitors center into the base, or 119 (Dupont-Steilacoom Rd). Access to the military base is controlled and a valid Dept. of Defense (DoD) ID and vehicle decal are required to be allowed through. Otherwise see the visitors center off of exit 120. Exits 119-125 will come first before getting into Tacoma if going north on I-5 from Olympia.
 * I-90.svg & WA-18.svg From Interstate 90 (I-90) coming from eastern Washington exit off at WA-Hwy 18 at Exit # 25. Go south on WA Hwy 18 through Tiger Mountain, Convington, Maple Valley and Auburn to Federal Way where WA-18 merges into I-5. Follow signs to I-5 south to Tacoma.
 * WA-3.svg to WA-16.svg From Kitsap Peninsula Go south on Hwy 3 and follow signs for "WA-16 EAST to Port Orchard - Tacoma". Continue south along WA-16 through Gig Harbor and across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge into Tacoma. There's a toll to cross the Narrows Bridge into Tacoma but no toll coming the other way into Gig Harbor. There are 5 exits into town from along WA-16 between the bridge and where the highway ends at I-5. Follows signs for I-5 "To Seattle" and exit at the next exit to I-705 to get downtown otherwise follow signs for I-5 south "To Portland" to get to the south or east part of town.
 * WA-163.svg N Pearl St connects the Washington State Ferry from Vashon Island to WA-Hwy 16

By bus
The bus station for Greyhound, Northwestern Trailways, Sound Transit, Intercity Transit, Pierce Transit & Link Light Rail is at the Tacoma Dome Station Parking Garage Buildings at 510 - 610 E Puyallup Ave (facing E Puyallup Ave), between East E St and East G St, one block north of Freighthouse Square (2501 East D St). Greyhound, NW Trailways and a taxi stand are at the west building while Sound Transit, Intercity & Pierce Transit buses are next door in front of the east building. The Link Light Rail to downtown Tacoma is at the opposite side of the parking buildings along E 25th, between the E Parking Garage Building and the Freighthouse Square building:
 * Rt #574 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Kent-Des Moines Hwy (SR-516), S 272nd St, Federal Way, Tacoma Dome & Lakewood
 * Rt#586 Downtown Tacoma//UW Tacoma, Tacoma Dome, Federal Way University of Washington/U-District. Operates during weekday rush hours only. No stops in downtown Seattle
 * Rt#590,594 Downtown Seattle, Tacoma Dome Station, Downtown Tacoma/UW Tacoma & Lakewood. Rt 590 travels only between Downtown Tacoma, Tacoma Dome & Downtown Seattle during weekday rush hours only.
 * Rt#592 Downtown Seattle, Lakewood Park & Ride, Lakewood Sounder, Dupont. Northbound only during morning rush hours and southbound only during afternoon rush hours. No stops in downtown Tacoma or Tacoma Dome.
 * Rt#595 Downtown Seattle, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Community College (TCC), Gig Harbor, Purdy. Operates during weekday rush hours only.
 * Link Light Rail runs frequent trains from Freighthouse Square to downtown Tacoma (just north of 9th & Commerce). The train goes by UW Tacoma, several museums, several downtown hotels and the downtown convention center. The stop is along E 25th between the parking garage buildings and the Freighthouse Square building.
 * Intercity Transit 620 operates bus service between Lakewood (SR-512/S Tacoma Way; Lakewood Sounder STation) and Olympia via Lacey.
 * Rt#592 Downtown Seattle, Lakewood Park & Ride, Lakewood Sounder, Dupont. Northbound only during morning rush hours and southbound only during afternoon rush hours. No stops in downtown Tacoma or Tacoma Dome.
 * Rt#595 Downtown Seattle, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Community College (TCC), Gig Harbor, Purdy. Operates during weekday rush hours only.
 * Link Light Rail runs frequent trains from Freighthouse Square to downtown Tacoma (just north of 9th & Commerce). The train goes by UW Tacoma, several museums, several downtown hotels and the downtown convention center. The stop is along E 25th between the parking garage buildings and the Freighthouse Square building.
 * Intercity Transit 620 operates bus service between Lakewood (SR-512/S Tacoma Way; Lakewood Sounder STation) and Olympia via Lacey.
 * Intercity Transit 620 operates bus service between Lakewood (SR-512/S Tacoma Way; Lakewood Sounder STation) and Olympia via Lacey.
 * Intercity Transit 620 operates bus service between Lakewood (SR-512/S Tacoma Way; Lakewood Sounder STation) and Olympia via Lacey.

By train
There are two train stations. The Amtrak & Sounder Train Stations are in the middle to the west end of the Freighthouse Square Building, adjacent to each other. Both are well marked.

 * Routes stopping in Tacoma:
 * Amtrak Cascades operates between Vancouver, BC and Eugene via Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Lacey (Olympia), Centralia, Kelso (Longview), Vancouver, WA, Portland, Oregon City, Salem, and Albany.  There are two round trips daily along the portion between Vancouver and Seattle, four round trips daily along the portion between Seattle and Portland, and two round trips daily along the portion between Portland and Eugene.  No train departures travel the whole length of the route. Additional service between Vancouver and Seattle, and between Portland to Eugene are provided on the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.
 * Coast Starlight operates daily between Seattle and Los Angeles. Stops include Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, Klamath Falls, Dunsmuir, Redding, Chico, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez, San Francisco (Emeryville), Oakland, San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Van Nuys, and Burbank. Between Seattle and Eugene, it makes the same stops as the Amtrak Cascades, except it skips Tukwila and Oregon City.
 * Routes stopping in Tacoma:
 * Amtrak Cascades operates between Vancouver, BC and Eugene via Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Lacey (Olympia), Centralia, Kelso (Longview), Vancouver, WA, Portland, Oregon City, Salem, and Albany.  There are two round trips daily along the portion between Vancouver and Seattle, four round trips daily along the portion between Seattle and Portland, and two round trips daily along the portion between Portland and Eugene.  No train departures travel the whole length of the route. Additional service between Vancouver and Seattle, and between Portland to Eugene are provided on the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.
 * Coast Starlight operates daily between Seattle and Los Angeles. Stops include Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, Klamath Falls, Dunsmuir, Redding, Chico, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez, San Francisco (Emeryville), Oakland, San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Van Nuys, and Burbank. Between Seattle and Eugene, it makes the same stops as the Amtrak Cascades, except it skips Tukwila and Oregon City.

By car
The area's roads are designed more or less around a grid system, where most roads are numbered based on their distance from the city center. Addresses also conform to the numbering of the roads around them. Nearly all streets run with the compass directions. "A" Street, one block east of Pacific Ave (SR-7), divides east from south while Orchard Street divides south from west. 6th Avenue and Division Avenue divide north from south. The numbered roads run east-west, parallel to 6th Avenue, while the named roads run north-south (except for one corner in the North End where everything is rotated by 60°). The addresses on the opposite side of Commencement Bay towards Federal Way between the bay and the King/Pierce County line are in the northeast (NE) part of town. The addresses in Gig Harbor & Key Peninsula all have northwest (NW) designations and Lakewood and Steilacoom are in the Southwest part of town with SW addresses. This also applies to much of the extended areas of unincorporated Pierce County, though the addresses in places like Fife, Milton, Puyallup & Sumner have their own numbering system and are not based on Tacoma's numbering system. Some of the same streets will change names when it crosses from one city/municipality to the next.

By public transit

 * Tacoma LINK A light rail/streetcar line that runs between Freighthouse Square (near the Tacoma Dome and the train station) and downtown, with a stop that serves the Washington State History Museum / University of Washington, Tacoma area. Trains run every 10-20 minutes, and the fares are free.
 * Tacoma LINK A light rail/streetcar line that runs between Freighthouse Square (near the Tacoma Dome and the train station) and downtown, with a stop that serves the Washington State History Museum / University of Washington, Tacoma area. Trains run every 10-20 minutes, and the fares are free.
 * Tacoma LINK A light rail/streetcar line that runs between Freighthouse Square (near the Tacoma Dome and the train station) and downtown, with a stop that serves the Washington State History Museum / University of Washington, Tacoma area. Trains run every 10-20 minutes, and the fares are free.

Point Defiance Park
is a 700-acre city park featuring old growth forests, gardens, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Owen Beach, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, as well as a playground, picnic areas and countless hiking trails. It is the north end of Tacoma and is accessible from I-5 by following I-705 past downtown to Schuster Pkwy which goes along the Ruston Way waterfront to N 51st & Pearl. Go north on Pearl (right turn from N 51st coming from Ruston Way) into the main entrance of the park. From Hwy 16 go north on N Pearl (WA-163) into the park. By bus the #11 goes from downtown (10th & Commerce) to the park. From the Tacoma Dome station take the #41 bus going into downtown which becomes the #11 bus so no transferring of buses needed.

Museums
Tacoma is home to a variety of interesting museums:

Other

 * , the gateway to Gig Harbor, Poulsbo, Hood Canal, Port Townsend, and the Olympic Peninsula, was remodeled to include a second span (which now requires a $6 toll for those returning to Tacoma). (The original bridge, built in 1940, and known as "Galloping Gertie", is well known because of its collapse.)
 * , the gateway to Gig Harbor, Poulsbo, Hood Canal, Port Townsend, and the Olympic Peninsula, was remodeled to include a second span (which now requires a $6 toll for those returning to Tacoma). (The original bridge, built in 1940, and known as "Galloping Gertie", is well known because of its collapse.)
 * , the gateway to Gig Harbor, Poulsbo, Hood Canal, Port Townsend, and the Olympic Peninsula, was remodeled to include a second span (which now requires a $6 toll for those returning to Tacoma). (The original bridge, built in 1940, and known as "Galloping Gertie", is well known because of its collapse.)

Buy

 * Thursdays 10AM-2PM along Broadway between 9th & 11th Ave in downtown from May to Oct.
 * Fridays 3PM-6PM in June - August @ 5715 Reginald Gutierrez Ln (Stewart Heights Park)
 * Thursdays 10AM-2PM along Broadway between 9th & 11th Ave in downtown from May to Oct.
 * Fridays 3PM-6PM in June - August @ 5715 Reginald Gutierrez Ln (Stewart Heights Park)

Eat
6th Avenue has some affordable restaurants. Most of the suggested venues below are along 6th Ave between Sprague and Union. Sixth Ave divides north from south so some of the listed establishments in the below may be in the north or the south side of 6th Ave.

Downtown Tacoma has a wide range of restaurants, from fine dining to casual. Most of the downtown restaurants suggested in the below are in the immediate areas surrounding the University of Washington Tacoma campus, Tacoma Convention Center and Union Station which are along the Link Light Rail route. They are also found elsewhere such as towards the Stadium District north of downtown such as Maxwell's (one of the suggested venues).

Hilltop just up the hill from Downtown Tacoma has many choices for dining. Most of the mentioned venues in Hilltop are clustered around S Martin Luther King & S 11th St. They can be located further north or south along S MLK and east or west along the cross streets too.

South Tacoma has wonderful Asian restaurants.

Lincoln District has international flavor.

North End
The North End neighborhood is an upscale neighborhood especially those east of Pearl, in old town and up along N Ruston Way. Except the Silver Cloud by the waterfront most of the accommodations in the North End are in large (historic) homes that have been permitted and converted to board guests as a Bed & Breakfast and are located in quiet residential neighborhoods.

South Tacoma
The South Tacoma accommodations are near some of the large shopping complexes as well as quicker access to the Lewis McChord military reservation. The accommodations are typically lined up along S Hosmer from the 7400 block (accessed off of S 72nd at Exit #129) through 9200 block where S Hosmer become S Steele (accessed from Exit #128 if going north bound I-5). The area have also been an epicenter of crime particularly at the 8800 of S Hosmer. Safer to be closer to S 74th. They're the typical national chain hotels and motels surrounded by different restaurants such as Ihop, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Subway:

Stay safe
While Tacoma's crime problem has improved over the past decade, the city still has a high crime rate relative to other Northwest cities. Much of the crime is concentrated on the Hilltop and Eastside neighborhoods and the hotels along S Hosmer/Steele St between 8400-9900 blocks, particularly at a boarded up hotel on 8820 S Hosmer St and its surrounding area(s). The Stadium District area towards the north end has the lowest crime rate in the city and Downtown has a low crime rate compared to downtown areas of other cities (including Seattle), however visitors should be cautious as in any urban area. Visitors should also be careful when entering the surrounding suburbs of Lakewood, Spanaway and Parkland. Crime problems in Lakewood sometimes run over into near by Parkland. As always when traveling alone or at night, avoid poorly-lit areas with little foot traffic.

Connect
The area code for the Tacoma area and South King County is 253.

Go next
Near Tacoma are some other things worth visiting, listed roughly north to south:

 * To the northwest, the waterfront town of Gig Harbor. I-5 to exit 132 (WA Hwy 16) A great place to see the bridge is by visiting the park below and slightly adjacent to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Going north from the bridge, take the first exit (24th St NW) and follow the signs (several left turns). On a very clear day, Mount Rainier will be in the background to the east, beyond the waterway.
 * Seattle, north of Tacoma, has a lot to do for visitors.
 * To the northeast, Rhododendron Species Foundation and Garden, and the adjacent Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, just off Interstate 5.
 * Wild Waves, a water-themed amusement park, also in Federal Way, just off Interstate 5.
 * To the south, Lakewold Gardens Estate, in Lakewood.
 * Also to the south, Northwest Trek, a 615-acre park that is home to more than 200 North American animals.
 * To the southeast, Mount Rainier National Park, and the nearby Mt. Rainier Railroad.
 * To the southwest is Washington's easygoing capital city, Olympia.

title: Tacoma


text:
Tacuarembó

Tacuarembó is a town in the Northern Interior region of Uruguay with approximately 55,000 inhabitants in 2011. It is popular as an important center for gaucho culture, and as one of the presumed birthplaces of Carlos Gardel, perhaps the most prominent figure in the history of tango.

By bus
From Montevideo, buses leave from Terminal Tres Cruces, and the 5-hr ride costs around U$800. Timetable, companies and prices can be checked at its website.

From Porto Alegre in Brazil, companies Turil go all the way to Tacuarembó twice a week (leaves Porto Alegre Mondays and Fridays 23:15, 170 BRL or 50 USD, and goes back to Porto Alegre Sundays and Thursdays 21:30, U$3 or 103 USD (2018). (Buy your tickets from the Brazilian version of their website). But it is cheaper to take a bus from Porto Alegre to Santana do Livramento (07:00, 100 BRL or 30 USD), walk across the border to Rivera (don't forget to pass on the immigration post), and take a onward bus to Tacuarembó (2 hr, U$240 or 8 USD). From Rivera to Tacuarembó, the M-Sa timetable is: 04:30*, 06:00, 07:00, 10:00, 15:00*, 15:30*, 19:00 (* Sunday service).

By train
From Rivera there's twice weekly (Monday and Friday) a train. Leaving Rivera at 18:00 and arriving at at 20:10. For the return trip, the train leaves at 7:00 in Tacuarembo and arrives at 9:10 in Rivera (Monday and Friday).

Get around
Tacuarembó town is fairly small and easily walkable. However, a good number of attractions lie out of town and you'll need your own transport to reach them.

Do

 * Nearby is the Indian Cemetery which has been in continuous use since precolumbian times.
 * Nearby is the Indian Cemetery which has been in continuous use since precolumbian times.
 * Nearby is the Indian Cemetery which has been in continuous use since precolumbian times.
 * Nearby is the Indian Cemetery which has been in continuous use since precolumbian times.

Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha
This big event celebrating regional countryside life and customs takes place annually on the second weekend of March, on Lavanderas Lake. It remains a very traditional event, with most attendees being somehow connected to gaucho culture of Northern Uruguay.

Official website: https://www.patriagaucha.com.uy/

It is structured as a competition between gaucho culture groups, the sociedades criollas, most located in nearby villages. A group of them, Sociedades Participantes, competes for the fair big prize, while another group, Sociedades Invitadas, competes for the right to join the Sociedades Participantes on the year to come.

Tournaments counting points for the sociedades include:
 * many types of horse and bull riding (rodeo)
 * best rancho - which is a historically accurate reconstruction of some remarkable area relevant to the gaucho history, complete with buildings, furniture, artifacts and usually cuisine. Themes of choice are usually estancias of respected people, rural schools, rural train stations or even a cheese factories of 1800s or early 1900s.
 * best dish - and you can buy vouchers at the fair central office (administración) to taste it as well!
 * flor del pago (village flower) - the lady who'll represent the gaucho nation in other events. It's not a beauty pageant, she is instead selected for her horse-riding ability and eloquence
 * little peasant (girl and boy) - best old times children presentation (they usually come riding their own horses even at tender ages!)

On the festival Saturday, all the sociedades (including those not competing) leave in a horse parade that crosses Tacuarembó town, from 09:00 to midday. Locals estimate between 3 and 5 thousand horses. Once finished, there's an act in front of General Artigas statue on the main square, after which is a great opportunity for pictures with gauchos and their horses.

On the festival Sunday, a gaucho mass is celebrated just outside the festival venue.

Tickets
Entrance to the general area costs U$300 or less (inquire about discounts at the ticket office, since in 2018 tickets bought with BROU cards received a 2nd free ticket - up to 5 combos / 10 tickets per card).

The ticket is valid for the whole day. It's possible to leave the area and go back with the same ticket, just ask for the return voucher on your way out (but these vouchers are only handed till 22:00). Most people spend the day at the fair, leave in the evening (rest and take shower), and come back at night for the concerts.

Entrance to the rodeos vary with day/seat area, but could be as cheap as U$100. There's an independent ticket booth for each tribune, so inquire prices and shade situation first.

Accommodation
Accommodation is a big issue during the festival, as there are few hotels available. The local custom is of either of renting an entire house or camping, but most people camp, which is an experience in itself. Two independently managed camping grounds are set up on each side of the Fiesta. In 2018, the price was U$1,000 (35 USD) a day for the right to use a 30m² plot of land, plus U$300 (10 USD) a day per person to cover facilities. These prices are thought with large groups in mind, as there are virtually no solo travellers in town, so if you're alone it might be negotiable.

Camping in green public areas nearby the festival area is not frowned upon during festival time, and it's free.

If you're feeling rich, some locals offer rooms in their houses (inquire at the tourist office as AirBnb is not a thing there yet), and in 2018 the going rate was U$2,000 or 70 USD a night.

Transport
Most festival goers have their own means of transport (horses or cars), so with the extra coaches put by the companies, there's no shortage of bus tickets even on what would be peak times (like on the evening of the last day). But do check which coach (coche) is yours, as there might be up to ten extra buses leaving at the same time.

Weather
March sees mild temperatures, with hot sunny days and chill evenings. Temperatures drop sharply once the sun sets, so if you plan to spend the whole day & night there, take a coat with you.

If you're camping, be prepared to cope with +10°C at night. And local knowledge says there's no Patria Gaucha without a day of rain, so plan accordingly.

Sleep

 * Hotel Orange: Av. 25 de Agosto 247, Tel. +598 4632 6862, offers nice basic equipped rooms
 * Tacuarembo Hotel: Av. 18 de Julio 133, Tel. +598 (4)63 22104, +598 (4)63 22105, +598 (0)63 22945

Go next

 * Salto, one bus a day M-Sa 16:00, Su 17:0], U$600 or 21 USD.

title: Tacuarembó


text:
Tada

Tada is a town on the Chennai-Nellore highway, just over 65 km from Chennai, India and 80 km from Tirupathi. It is in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh and is about 1.5 km north of the Andhra Pradesh border.

Get in
This place marks the border of Andhra Pradesh. Its nearest major railway station is Tada and Sullurpeta. NH-5 starts from Chennai to Kolkata, which passes through Tada. Pulicat Lake lies east to Tada.

Tada is well connected to Chennai via local trains and Mofussil buses that head to Chennai from Tirupathi and Nellore.

Trains from Chennai heading to Sullurpeta from Chennai Central pass via Tada. There is a train every two hours and the last train from Tada to Chennai leaves at 8:30PM.

See

 * The Tada Falls - Also known as Ubbalamadugu Falls, which is about 15 km from the Tada railway station is a major attraction. Since there are not many trek-worthy spots near Chennai, Tada falls has become a popular trekking spot for adventure enthusiasts from Chennai. To reach the falls you had to take the road that goes west before the TADA town. And ask for the village Varadayyapalem. From here the falls would be nearly 5 km. On the road from NH5 to Varadayyapalem is the Kalki Oneness Temple.
 * The Oneness Temple - Kalki Oneness Temple, in the Golden City, Varadaiahpalem, Chittoor Dist. Andhra Pradesh, India: Just 3 km from small town Tada.

Do
Tada is a relatively little known tourist destination. It is known for its waterfall (locally known as Ubbalamadugu Falls), hillocks and greenery. It is ideal for hiking, trekking and picnics.

Work
Tada is at a walking distance from Sri City, a Planned Integrated Business City (Township) located 55 km North of Chennai on NH 5 along the border of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Tamil Nadu (TN) States of India. Much of Sricity area is in Chittoor District and a smaller area along the NH5 is in Nellore District of AP, adjacent to Tiruvallur District of TN. 90+ top companies from around the globe are on board to set up shops at Sri City.

The Satish Dhawan Space Centre (aka SHAR), India's Satellite/Rocket launching centre is located at Sriharikota, on the eastern side of the Pulicat Lake which separates Sri City and the Satellite launching station.

Sleep
For better hotels the best locations to stay are at Srikalahasti or Varadaiahpalem town. Otherwise, Sullurpeta has very good AC and non-AC lodges.

title: Tada


text:
Nagiso

Nagiso (南木曾) is a town in Nagano. It is the home to several waterfalls, among which Tadachi Waterfalls (田立の滝) is the most visited. These waterfalls have been part of Chuo-Alps Quasi National Park since 2020. There is also a camping area close to the mountains.

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

By train
Tadachi is located on the Chūō Main Line. The best (and cheapest) way to get here from Nagoya is to take the train - 90 minutes. You can use the JR Aozora Day Pass for ¥2500 to cover all your train transport for the day.

By bus

 * There are buses from Tsumago.

Get around
To get to the mountains, you have to first go through the village, up the mountain to the highest car park and the starting point of the hiking trail - 6km from the train station. There is a map near the train station and once you reach the highest car park, there are printed maps available.

Do
Hike up the trail along the many waterfalls.

Go next

 * Okuwa
 * Agematsu
 * Otaki (Nagano)
 * Kiso
 * Seinaiji
 * Nakatsugawa
 * Ena
 * Mizunami
 * Toki
 * Tsumago

title: Nagiso


text:
Tada Falls

Tada Falls, or Ubbalamdugu Falls, is in Tada mandal of Tirupati district in Andhra Pradesh, north of the border with Tamil Nadu, in India. It is around 95 km from Chennai.

Get in
Tada is well connected to Chennai via local trains and mofussil buses that head to Chennai from Tirupathi and Nellore.

By train
Trains from Chennai heading to Sullurpeta from Chennai Central pass via Tada. There is a train every two hours and the last train from Tada to Chennai leaves at 8:30PM.

By car
To reach Tada, cross the Padi junction in Chennai and take the Redhills route and join NH-5. Drive for about 60 km and you will reach Tada town. Before you reach Tada you will cross the AP checkpost. If you are taking taxis, then you will have to shell out permit tax here (₹250 for Indica and Ambassador) and it is pretty high for a Tata Sumo or Tempo Traveller. It might be cost effective to take 2 Indica's compared to a Tata Sumo.

Once you reach Tada, take the left which is right next to the bridge and you will reach Varadiah Palem. Ask the people for directions from here. You have to take a left turn to reach Tada falls and there are absolutely no indications at this point. You can reach this place from Kalahasti too.

Get around
It is 20 km from the Tada to reach the base camp of the Tada falls. Where you can park our vehicles and start trekking. The only way to get around from here is on foot.

Locally the falls is called "Ubbalamadugu Falls". Remember this name as it can come in handy if you are lost.

Do
The ideal time to visit Tada is between August-December when the sun is a little less intense. The worst time is March-June.

Once you have reached Base Camp the trek begins. The total trek distance would be about 10 km to and fro with nearly 4 km in really rocky conditions. From here, the mud road begins and if you are on SUV or two wheelers, you can go for another 1 km.

Just after 150 m or so, you reached a place where you must cross a small stream. A small word of caution: don't get into it with your shoes on. It will become really tough to trek with wet soles.

Once you cross this small stream the walk continues till you reach a mud-path. Follow this mud-path and you will first go up the hill and then down the hill. It is quite tricky to follow the path as in some places only rocks are seen and there is absolutely nothing to indicate a path.

Keep walking along the mud-path and you will cross another stream. Continue walking on the mud-path and around 30 min later you will reach a Siva Temple. This is the last place where you can sit comfortably and have food, if you haven't had any so far. If you don't reach the Siva temple within an hour and half of starting the trek, then you have lost your way. Use the time-tested method of following the stream and proceed.

After this point there is no proper path and you have to rely on the direction shown people who are around the Siva Temple. You have to cross the stream and then look for a path. You will find a small clearing and this might help you on the way forward. From here on, the trek starts to become difficult. You encounter rocks and millipedes on those rocks on the way forward. (Remember to listen for the stream from this point on. This would be very helpful.)

Some of the rocks are pretty big. You have to climb nearly 3 m at times and some of the formations are also difficult. There should be two falls, but only one is found during peak summer before the rains have started.

Cost
Total cost per person (approx): ₹450 (includes travelling, lunch, breakfast).

Eat
Commercialization of this place hasn't begun: it is still a nice spot for trekking without the usual buzz of people and shops surrounding you. There are small canteens and grocery stores at Tada, where you can buy snacks or water.

Drink
You can buy water at Tada and do not forget to fill you bottles from the Stream before making the return journey.

Sleep
With limited accommodation available nearby, the nearest place is Sullurpeta, which has very good AC and Non-AC lodges. Staying in the forest beyond sunset is not advised.

Go next
Keep around 2½ hr for the journey back. It will be tiring, so give yourself ample time and also take rest wherever needed. Drinking water becomes a luxury and so you can fill the bottles from the streams. This trek isn't for someone who doesn't enjoy walking on the rocks.

You can take the same way back to reach Tada village from the Tada Falls. There on you can either take a bus, train or cab back to Chennai or Tirupati.

title: Tada Falls


text:
Tadlo

Tadlo (ຕາດເລາະ) is a village in Laos.

Get in
From Pakse, get a bus to Salavan and ask to be dropped off at the road for Tadlo (30,000 kip). From the drop-off point after the bridge, it's about 2km down a road on the right hand side. There may be a tuk-tuk waiting to take you and the going rate is 5,000 kip/person.

Get around
Tadlo is easily navigated on foot.

See
Tadlo waterfalls. There are 3 waterfalls within 10km of Tadlo. The first is right next to the village, the second is about a 1km walk upstream and the third is about 8km upstream. The second waterfall can be easily found by following the jungle path on the left hand side of the river (facing upstream). You will hear it before you see it, and there is a home-made set of steps to take you down to the bottom of the waterfall where you can swim. You can also hop around the large stones at the top of the waterfall, and even jump off if you are brave enough, although check the area you're jumping into first.

Do
Trekking. Treks with guides can be arrange at the Tourist Info. Sites include the surrounding forest and Katu and Alak tribes people, as well as waterfalls.

Elephant Rides. Tadlo Lodge offers elephant treks for 100,000 kip/person. The trek takes around 1 1/2 hours and the elephants are very friendly and timid.

Buy
There are a couple of small shops selling the necessities.

Connect
Tim's Guest House operates a local computer school and they have good internet access via 3G at 200 kip/minute. If you have your own device it is 10,000 kip for unlimited wifi access.

Go next
Walk back to the main street in Salavan (or catch a ride from one of the guesthouses). Buses back to Pakse operate a few times a day - ask a guesthouse for times - and cost 25,000 kip. just wait by the side of the road.

title: Tadlo


text:
Tadoussac

Tadoussac is a village in Quebec on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, at its meeting point with the Saguenay River Fjord. It is part of the Association of the "Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec" and the bay of Tadoussac is part of the club of the most beautiful bays in the world. It is the gateway to the North Shore. This locality is part of the tourist region of Manicouagan, on the Route des Baleines and the Route Nature aux mille délices (gourmet route).

Understand
A small village hidden in the hollow of the mountains, Tadoussac enjoys a privileged site: the majesty of the St. Lawrence, the Saguenay fjord, unique in North America, the sand dunes, a charming little lake located in the middle of heart of the village, several houses over a hundred years old and many activities to enhance your stay. The beauty of the bay of Tadoussac led to it becoming in 1998 the first member of the select club of the most beautiful bays in the world. Tadoussac is also ranked among the most beautiful villages in Quebec.

In 2000, it wax the first Canadian city to celebrate 400 years of history, Tadoussac constitutes a bastion of Quebec's historical heritage. Tadoussac, which started as a trading post, is the oldest still existing French settlement in the Western Hemisphere. Explorer Jacques Cartier visited the area in 1535 and was seized by its beauty; he anchored there and visited the place. He was followed by Pierre de Chauvin in 1599 and Samuel de Champlain in 1603. The first fur trade post in Canada was established in 1600; it was the first permanent French establishment in North America north of Florida.

Geography
The entrance to the bay of Tadoussac has a length of 1.0 km, ie between Pointe de l'Islet (west side of the bay) and Pointe Rouge (east side). This beach can accommodate cruise ships at anchor. This bay serves as a refuge in the event of big waves on the river or on the Saguenay.

The Parc-Languedoc and the Jardin-des-Jésuites are located on Pointe Rouge on a plateau overlooking the mouth of the Saguenay. From the beach, going east, the cliffs become higher and steeper, up to the mountain of Glaise and the Pointe aux Vaches which face the batture of the Pointe aux Vaches.

Visitors can take the rue des Pionniers which becomes the Chemin de la Rivière-du-Moulin-à-Baude to the Dunes De Sables belvedere to see the panorama of the river. Then, very close to the mouth of the Moulin-à-Baude river, hiking trails were created.

At low tide, the flats of Pointe aux Vaches in Tadoussac extend over on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, between the mouth of the Saguenay (Pointe aux Vaches) and the delimiting the eastern part of La Grande Anse where the Grande Anse stream flows. A narrower sand area stretches as far as Cap de Bon-Désir, passing through the bay of Petites Bergeronnes and the bay of Grandes Bergeronnes.

By car
Quebec Route 138 crosses the Saguenay River from Baie Sainte-Catherine by ferry. This is the usual means of entry into the area from Quebec City and points westward. From Tadoussac, Route 138 continues downriver beyond Sept-Iles.

There is also ferry service across the St. Lawrence from Saint-Siméon to Rivière-du-Loup.

Quebec Route 172 from Tadoussac or QR170 from Saint-Siméon follows the fjords of the Saguenay River westward to Chicoutimi-Jonquière (as this is mostly parkland, there are no services and no cell towers on this road). A bridge crosses the Saguenay in Chicoutimi-Nord.

Quebec Route 138 from Montreal or Quebec City, take route 138 east to the Saguenay Fjord. After the ferry (free and open year round), you are in Tadoussac.

From Rivière-du-Loup and Gaspésie, take the Rivière-du-Loup ferry to join Quebec Route 18 on the other side of the Saint Lawrence River.

From Chicoutimi-Jonquière, go to Chicoutimi Nord, then follow route Quebec Route 18 towards Tadoussac. There are few services (such as gas stations) on this road and no cell signal because it crosses parks and forests, without inhabited towns.

By bus

 * Operates a daily route between Baie-Comeau and Montreal including stops in Forestville, Tadoussac, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Siméon, La Malbaie, Clermont, Saint-Hilarion, Baie-Saint-Paul, Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Boischatel, and Quebec City. Trips toward Baie-Comeau start from Quebec City and do not include a stop in Montreal.

By boat
Tadoussac is at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Saguenay rivers and accessible seasonally by boat.

Get around
You can walk from and to anywhere in town.

Whales and wildlife cruises
The area is well known for its whale watching opportunities on the St. Lawrence River; multiple companies offer excursions on small boats. One of the best sites south of the Arctic to see beluga whales; fin whales, minke whales and harbour porpoises are particularly common, with humpback whales and blue whales also sometimes visible. Most boat tours are seasonal, running from May to September.

Excursions up the Saguenay River provide the opportunity to see belugas, as well as at least three species of seal (grey seal, harbour seal, harp seal) which give birth on the rocky shores.

Eat
There are various restaurants in the area.

title: Tadoussac


text:
Taebaek

Taebaek (태백) is a city in Gangwon.

Understand
Taebaek is located in the southern interior of Gangwon State. The east-west length is 27.1 km and the north-south length is 33.8 km, and the area is 303.47 ㎢, which is 1.8% of Gangwon State's total area. As of 2016, the population was 47,333, which is 3% of Gangwon State's total population.

By plane
From Incheon or Gimpo International Airport (ICN or GMP), there is a direct intercity bus from the airports to Taebaek. These only operate four times a day, so it may be more efficient to enter Seoul by bus or AREX and use the more numerous bus and rail connection from there.

By bus
All intercity buses arrive at Taebaek Bus Terminal. There are connections to most cities in the capital region and the rest of Gangwon, as well as Busan, Daejeon, and Gwangju.

From Seoul, an intercity bus to Taebaek departs from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal every 30 minutes. The bus will make one or two stops along the way before reaching Taebaek. The trip takes around three hours. There are milk run buses that makes over 20 stops as well, which are not advisable as they will arrive later than the next direct bus. ₩24,600 or ₩31,900 depending on bus class.

By train
The main train stop is Taebaek Station located right next to the bus terminal. Dongbaeksan and Cheoram Stations are also within city limits but probably are not convenient for travellers.

From Seoul, six trains depart from Cheongnyangni station each day to stop at Taebaek en route to Gangneung. The trip costs ₩15,200 and takes 3 hours and 40 minutes.

From other cities direct rail connections are rare and undesirable compared to buses. There is one daily train that leaves from Busan (Bujeon Station) and arrives Cheoram a whopping 6 hours later. Two trains run between Daegu (Dongdaegu Station) and Cheoram and Dongbaeksan Stations each day as well.

By foot
Taebaek is quite small therefore transportation around the city core can be done mostly by walking. There is a car rental directly across the train station and bus terminal.

By bus
All city bus lines start and end at the bus terminal. Buses with three-digit line numbers are the same routes as their two-letter counterparts, only more expensive. The most commonly used bus lines for travellers are 1 (11,12,110,120), 4 (41, 410). Bus 1 and 4 are circular lines that loop (counterclockwise and clockwise respectively) around the city limits every 20 minutes to reach the main villages.

Do

.

Buy
Traditional foods and oils can be found in the main city market.

Eat
A local specialty is the Taebaek Hanu beef, from Taebaek cattle. You can find many restaurants with Hanu beef on the menu by exiting the main terminal and cross the roundabout. Most taxi drivers, if asked in Korean, will be able to direct you to their personal choice.

Another local specialty is Taebaek Dalkgalbi also known as Water Dalkgalbi (물닭갈비). Taebaek Dalkgalbi is more of a soup version of the more common Chuncheon Dalkgalbi, hence the name 'water'. It is marinated chicken in a gochujang sauce served with ramyeon or udon noodles. There are many places that serve dalkgalbi, but the original restaurant is simply called "Taebaek Dalkgalbi".

A traditional Korean home specializing in mountain vegetable bibimbap can be found within the city. To reach it: travel to the Il-ju-gong building complex, go down the alleyway which is on the left hand side of Paris Baguette and turn right at the intersection. It is the third restaurant on your right, located in a wooden shingled Korean home.

Many restaurants offer traditional mountain herbs in their side dishes as well.

Drink
There are several Korean hof, one dancing establishment and one Korean/Western bar in Taebaek.

 * Village of Aroma: A place where you can savor various types of craft beers and traditional liquors. It's an opportunity to taste locally-produced drinks and engage with the local culture.
 * Scent of the Sky: A sophisticated bar offering a range of wines and cocktails. Particularly during sunset, you can enjoy a beautiful view while sipping on your drink.
 * Cafe and Wine Bar: Combining the elements of a cafe and a wine bar, this venue provides a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy various wines. It's a space where you can pair light snacks with your drinks.
 * Taebaek Makgeolli House: A specialized venue offering a variety of makgeolli (Korean rice wine) made from local ingredients. It's a great place to taste fresh and distinctive makgeolli while immersing yourself in the local ambiance.
 * Village of Aroma (향토주방): A place where you can savor various types of craft beers and traditional liquors. It's an opportunity to taste locally-produced drinks and engage with the local culture.
 * Scent of the Sky (하늘향기): A sophisticated bar offering a range of wines and cocktails. Particularly during sunset, you can enjoy a beautiful view while sipping on your drink.
 * Cafe and Wine Bar (카페겸 와인바): Combining the elements of a cafe and a wine bar, this venue provides a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy various wines. It's a space where you can pair light snacks with your drinks.
 * Gangwon Province Soju House: This establishment focuses on traditional Korean soju, offering a variety of alcoholic beverages. You can enjoy locally-produced soju along with delicious side dishes.
 * Taebaek Beer Warehouse (태백 맥주창고): A beer warehouse that offers a wide selection of beers, both local and international. The casual and friendly environment makes it a popular spot for those looking to enjoy a laid-back evening.

In Taebaek, there are unique and cozy cafes that make for great places to spend some time. During your travels, consider exploring local cafes where you can enjoy beverages and desserts made with regional specialties. Here are some recommended cafes in Taebaek
 * Taebaek Spring Water: Taebaek is known for its clean and clear mountainous water. Trying the local spring water will allow you to experience the pure taste unique to the region.
 * Taebaek Tea: Taebaek is renowned for its tea cultivation. Sample some locally produced tea, and you'll likely enjoy the refreshing and aromatic qualities, especially if it's grown in the lush greenery of the region.
 * Pine Nut Juice: With abundant pine forests surrounding Taebaek, pine nut juice is a popular and healthy local beverage. It offers a unique flavor and is known for its nutritional benefits.
 * Cornelian Cherry Juice: Cornelian cherries, commonly found in Taebaek, produce a juice with a slightly tart taste. Especially refreshing during the summer, this beverage is favored for its crisp and invigorating flavor.
 * Taebaek Makgeolli (Korean Rice Wine): Makgeolli, a traditional Korean rice wine, is produced in various regions, each with its own unique characteristics. Taebaek's makgeolli reflects the local flair and can be enjoyed at local establishments.

These cafes each offer a unique atmosphere and flavors, providing an opportunity to have a special experience during your travels.
 * Milk Plus: Located in Taebaek, this cafe is renowned for using fresh milk and cheese to create a variety of beverages and desserts. You can enjoy special drinks in a cozy atmosphere.
 * Kurobin: This cafe boasts an artistic and cozy ambiance. It's a place where you can experience a sense of artistry along with various types of coffee.
 * Herb Bakery Cafe: Famous for using fresh herbs and ingredients in their bread and desserts, this cafe offers healthy and delicious drinks in a comfortable setting.
 * Ruden: Situated in the heart of Taebaek, this cafe provides various types of coffee and desserts. You can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of Taebaek through the windows.
 * Old Bookstore: Converted from a charming old bookstore, this cafe is a place where you can enjoy coffee amidst a variety of books. The serene and cozy atmosphere makes it a great spot to spend some time.

title: Taebaek


text:
Tafea

Tafea is a province of Vanuatu.

Regions
There are only three islands in Tafea with services: There are also the islands of Erromango and Futuna, which do not have any services and consist of a few small villages. Erromango is larger island, though, much like Tanna in size.

Cities
For the most part, Tafea is not densely populated. Most of the people live in small villages, although there is a settlement on Aniwa which includes a hotel. Tanna is somewhat more developed, with a road going around much of the island, along with several hotels.

Aneityum

 * Aneghowhat
 * Mystery Island

Aniwa

 * Itamotou
 * Imalé
 * Isavaï
 * Namsafoura
 * Namsafoura

Erromango

 * Port Narvin
 * Unpongkor

Futuna

 * Iasoa
 * Ipao
 * Isia
 * Marae
 * Nakiroa
 * Napua

Tanna

 * Bethel
 * Ipekel
 * Isangel
 * Yenarpon
 * Yenarpon
 * Yenarpon
 * Yenarpon
 * Yenarpon
 * Yenarpon

Other destinations
Mystery Island is the location of an airport and eatery. It is near the island of Aneityum.

Understand
It includes the southern islands of Tanna, Anatom, Futuna, Erromango, Aniwa, and Aneityum, from which the district gets its name.

Geography
The province has a population of 32,540 people and an area of 1,628 km. The main island, though second to Erromango in area, is Tanna, with some 80 percent of the province population, with the provincial capital of Isangel, and the largest village of Lenakel, both close together on the southwest coast.

The three larger islands are Melanesian, but the smaller two, Aniwa and Futuna, also known under the collective term Erronan Islands, are Polynesian outliers. Futuna is sometimes called West Futuna to distinguish it from Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna.

The island of Tanna has the world's most accessible volcano, Mount Yasur, with 1,084 meters the highest peak of the province. Aniwa Island is the only coral island, the other four are volcanic and reach much higher elevations than Aniwa.

Anatom is the southernmost island of Vanuatu (not counting the remote, tiny and uninhabited Matthew and Hunter Islands, 280 to 335 kilometres (174–208 miles) to the southeast, which are disputed with New Caledonia, but which are considered by the people of Anatom Island part of their custom ownership). Its southeastern cape Nétchan Néganneaing is the southernmost point of land in Vanuatu, more southerly than the southern satellite islet Inyeug. The latter, however, is surrounded Intao Reef, that extends even further south, albeit submerged, thus being the southernmost feature of Vanuatu.

History
Unlike the other provinces of Vanuatu, the territorial integrity of this administrative unit has been unchanged since the times of the Condominium, when it was called Southern District, or Tanna after the main island. Only the capital moved from Lenakel to nearby Isangel, less than two kilometers more southeast.

A secessionist movement began in the 1970s, and the Nation of Tanna was proclaimed on March 24, 1974. While the British were more open to allowing its holdings in Vanuatu independence, it was opposed by the French colonists and finally suppressed by the Anglo-French Condominium authorities on June 29, 1974.

In 1980, there was another attempt to secede, declaring the Tafea Nation on January 1, 1980, its name coming from the initials of the five islands that were to be part of the nation (Tanna, Aniwa, Futuna, Erromango and Aneityum). British forces intervened on May 26, 1980, allowing the islands to become part of the newly independent nation of Vanuatu on July 30, 1980.

See

 * Mt. Yasur on Tanna island. Mount Yasur is an active volcano, 361 m (1,184 ft) above sea level. The glow of the volcano was apparently what attracted Captain James Cook to the island in 1774. The volcano can be climbed up to the rim and provides some stunning photo opportunities. Because of the variability of the eruptions, the local government has created safety levels: Level 0 - Low activity, access to the crater allowed; Level 1 - Normal activity, access to the crater allowed; Level 2 - Moderate to high activity, lava bombs may land beyond the crater rim, access to the crater is closed; Level 3 - Severe activity, access to the summit zone is closed; Level 4 - Major eruption, all access closed.

Beware that a few people have been killed by lava bombs in the past. A Tour Guide must be used. The entry fee is 2250 Vatu.

Do
See Mantanna Marae Resort. It's completely custom and maintains the culture of the Ni-Vanuatu people.

Eat

 * Mantanna's Restaurant. Five-star dining with international selection. Best place to eat on the Island!

Drink

 * John Frum Kava Bar, local drink. The root of Kava is chewed, usually prepared in the Nakomal by virgin boys.

Sleep

 * Friendly Beach on Tanna Island is located 6km away from Mt Yasur Volcano right on the quiet secluded sand beach of Lowelkas Cove, on the other side of the island from the airport.

Go next

 * Port-Vila is the main city and capital of Vanuatu.

title: Tafea


text:
Tafi Atome

Tafi Atome, a small village in the Volta Basin, is best known for the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary, one of the most popular and well-run ecotourism projects in Ghana.

Understand
According to local guides, the mona monkeys native to this area were considered sacred as the spirits of their fallen warriors. As residents slowly abandoned the old beliefs in favour of Christianity, the taboos on killing monkeys weakened, and the monkeys' numbers declined. But seeing the potential to develop the local economy through ecotourism and to protect the monkeys, the village worked with an American Peace Corps volunteer to establish a wildlife sanctuary.

Today, Tafi Atome is one of the best run ecotourism projects in Ghana. Proceeds are reinvested in the community, including the construction of a medical clinic (which is closed due to lack of medical staff). A guesthouse is available onsite, and breakfast and dinner are provided to those staying the night. Excellent guided tours of the forest are also included, beginning with an obligatory morning stop to see the monkeys.

Get in
The village is easily accessible off the main Ho-Hohoe road, making it a possible daytrip destination from both cities. As of January 2012, the government is preparing to construct a paved road through Tafi Atome.

From Ho

Ask for Tafi Atome at the main tro-tro station. You’ll likely board a Hohoe-bound van, and get off near the halfway point at Logba Alekpeti. In January 2012, the fare was ~3.5 cedis.

The village is several kilometers up a dirt road. From there, a taxi or moto-taxi is the easiest way to the village (~1 - 2 cedis per person).

It is possible to walk from the junction to the village, although you'll certainly disappoint the taxi drivers. The road has been widened in preparation for paving, so there is no shade for the more than one-hour walk. Be sure to bring plenty of water and apply sunscreen.

Get around
Tafi Atome is a small village. Upon arriving, take a few minutes to walk around and familiarize yourself with the layout of the town. You can easily get around the village and the nearby forest paths on foot.

Motorcycle taxis are the fastest way back to the main Ho-Hohoe road or to the neighboring kente village of Tafi Abuife. Moto-taxis are to be found in front of the Information Center.

See

 * The biggest draw is obviously seeing the groups of mona monkeys that live in the surrounding forest and pop in town a couple times per day. The best time to see them is in the early hours of the morning, but tours can be arranged throughout the day.  Bananas are covered by the entrance fee, and the monkeys will usually take them directly from your hands.  Because the monkeys are now habituated to humans, they are even willing to climb on your arms and shoulders.  This is safe and the monkeys are not aggressive.
 * A tour of the surrounding forest is also included. This is an excellent chance to see some of the local flora and fauna.
 * The cemetery. Ask your tour guide to show you the local cemetery, located in the forest along the “Cemetery Trail.”
 * The clinic. Ask one of the residents to show you the medical clinic, built with funds raised by the tourism project.  As of January 2012, the clinic was closed.  Residents are waiting for a medical professional to staff the location.

Do

 * Tafi Abuife. This kente weaving village is several kilometers away. You can see how kente cloth is made, tour the village, and buy high quality kente at some of the best values in Ghana. A moto-taxi is the easiest way to get between the two villages. For those feeling more adventurous, it is possible to hike. Follow the Cemetery Trail straight from Tafi Atome to Tafi Abuife.  The hike is over 6 km and will easily take more than an hour.  The path gets very small at times, and you may have to walk through tall grass for a stretch.  Bring water and sunscreen.

Buy

 * Souvenirs, including local kente cloth and carvings, are available at the Information Center.

Eat
For those staying overnight at the guesthouse, dinner and breakfast are included. Most visitors eat at Vinolia's Inn. If you are interested in having lunch, let Vinolia or the information centre know in advance.

The food on offer through the Information Centre is sometimes a little spare—you could find yourself sharing a rather small meal with several other tourists, so you might want to supplement with packaged snacks and soft drinks, which are sold in several small shops.

Drink

 * Bottled water and pure water sachets are sold in the small shops.
 * Beer and soft drinks are also available, but may be room temperature.

Sleep
Several rooms are available in the guesthouse, and are reserved through the Information Center upon arrival.

Connect
There is no internet available in the village.

Go next

 * Wli falls is reasonably close, and a pretty natural place to visit along with Tafi on a Volta Region itinerary.

title: Tafi Atome


text:
Tafi Viejo

Tafi Viejo is a town in the Tucuman province in the Andean Northwest region of Argentina. It doesn't really have any tourist attractions, except for a private park called "Alpa Puyo" where you can spend the day practising sports, walking, or simply sunbathing surrounded by the lush, always-green foliage. The views of Tucuman City and the eastern plains and the Aconquija Hills are amazing both during the day and at night. The admission costs 2 pesos per person.

Besides, there are cabins, a restaurant and café open all day, a small zoo, and a museum.

title: Tafi Viejo