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Maps

Maps are graphs that show the position of destinations in relation to other places. They can be used for reference, planning, or travel, or a combination of these.

History

Maps have existed for hundreds of years and mapmaking become more common once exploration and discoveries of new lands began. However, these maps, such as those made by explorers in the 1500s, were often not drawn very accurately, as they lacked the tools for doing so. Still, they usually include features for actually using them in navigation or other intended uses, to fully understand the markings, one must understand the navigation techniques of the time. You don't have to know the exact position of a feature, as long as you can determine a safe route close enough that you find it.

Mapmaking gradually became more accurate as the related technologies evolved, and with aerial photography, satellites and GPS, maps have become extremely accurate. The accuracy has posed new problems: with former triangulation techniques, relative locations were often fairly exact while they could be considerably off from their claimed position; a fairway could be correctly drawn to pass between islands, but as the islands were off, a GPS navigator would have a boater steer straight towards one of them.

Maps are commonly incorporated into encyclopedias and travel guides such as this one; the map on the right was specifically created for Wikivoyage.

Layouts and designs
Many maps, particularly in historic times, were on a single sheet of paper; however, maps in more recent times have been in other layouts, including those in leaflets and whole books, which are called atlases. An entire three-dimensional world map to scale is a terrestrial globe, free of projection distortions but inherently much less portable than its two-dimensional counterparts.

While historic maps were often hand drawn, maps today are mostly computer-made.

Nowadays there is an abundance of information on any area, and the prime design choice to make is about balancing the amount of information to include against how easy it is to grasp; a cluttered map is difficult to use. Somebody who is to drive along highways needs to easily discern major cities and road numbers, which are clearly signposted on the road, and other features can be added to the extent they don't interfere with this. A biker needs a map that tells about cycleways, usable highway shoulders, usable minor roads, and topography. A traveller with a tent or caravan needs to know about campsites, of little importance to others.

Projections

Mapmakers have throughout history faced the problem that Earth is more-or-less a sphere, a round, three-dimensional object, while maps are two-dimensional and rectangular. Therefore, mapmakers have used varying methods to convert the physical Earth's shape onto a two-dimensional, rectangular map. The most common projection method is to squeeze a farther distance into a smaller distance for locations near the equator and stretch out the distances at higher latitudes. This is why relatively small landmasses near the North Pole appear as large as continents near the equator.

Maps can be made so that distances, angles, or areas remain true, but not so that all three are true at the same time. The distortions are also not equal all over the map. Different projections can get a quite accurate image along a meridian or latitude or around a point, with bigger distortion away from the area of main interest. Sometimes the differences are subtle, but for accurate measurement over long distances, such as in navigation, the specifics of the projection have to be taken in account. For maps of the world the distortions are obvious, but somebody accustomed to a specific projection may believe it gives the true image.

Purposes
Maps can serve many purposes, but most important for travelers are usually road maps, political maps of national borders, and topographic maps that show mountains, deserts, rivers, etc. Many general-purpose maps try to incorporate all three of these to some degree.

Buying a map

Maps are often available from stores catering to users of the specific map type. Road maps can often be bought at petrol stations, hiking maps from visitor centres or stores for hiking equipment and so on. Also many book stores sell maps. Of course the maps can be bought on the web, from web stores of such businesses or of the publishers.

Physical maps

 * The Geographers' A-Z Street Atlas makes maps for urban areas in the United Kingdom. The first atlas of London was published in 1936 after its artists, Phyllis Pearsall, had completed the monumental task of walking the 3000 miles it took to cover every single one of London's 23,000 streets, to verify their names and locations, and even pinpoint house numbers, stations and points of interest. As well as being mapped, the streets were listed in the lengthy index, from Aaron Hill Road to Zoffany Street! While the London atlas is still the most iconic, every urban area in Britain now has its own A-Z, and the series has spawned numerous copies from commercial competitors.
 * Car tyre company Michelin produces some of the best road maps in Europe, most notably of its native France, but also of most other European countries and of the continent as a whole. They were first made in 1905 to complement their famous Guides rouges (for hotels and restaurants, responsible for doling out the prestigious Michelin stars); the Guides verts (for tourist attractions, scenic routes and interesting cities) followed in the 1930s. Other prominent road atlas makers in the European market are the AA, Collins and Philip's.
 * The Ordnance Survey was first conducted across Great Britain in the wake of the Jacobite uprising (1745) and was a pioneering attempt to map first the whole of Scotland, then all of the British Isles, at a scale of 1:36,000. Throughout the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, these maps were refined and updated using the method of triangulation – the trig points which stand on most peaks in the country are the product of the 1936 effort. Today, the OS use satellite mapping like everyone else, and they make by far the most detailed topographic maps of Britain, which are essential to any traveller wanting to stray off the beaten path. The pink-covered Landranger general-purpose maps (1:50,000) and orange Explorer walking and cycling maps (1:25,000) are the two most popular series, beside OS MasterMap, the Ordnance Survey's premium product, which covers all fixed features of the United Kingdom that are greater than a few metres in a single continuous digital map.
 * Rand McNally is well-known for their maps of the United States. The company publishes books, with each page in the book showing a map of one of the fifty states. The books include other sections as well, such as information on certain routes and destinations. Use Rand McNally's national road atlases if you're interested in using them for transportation over large distances (such as a hundred miles or more), but not if you're driving around a city or interested in the detailed topography of a certain place.
 * No city's map is more familiar to inhabitants and visitors than that which depicts its public transport system. Perhaps the single most influential of these is London's Tube map, specifically the 1933 version created by draughtsman Harry Beck, which was the first to dispense with geographical accuracy and focus on a simplistic 'circuit diagram' rendering of the lines using bold primary colours and only verticals, horizontals and 45° diagonals allowed. Beck's influence can be seen in the modern Tube map, as well as metro maps of systems around the world. Other iconic transit maps, not all of which have signed up to Beck's ideals, include those depicting systems in Berlin, Chicago, Madrid, Moscow, New York City, Paris, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
 * The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office issues the Admiralty charts on most areas relevant for international shipping. Although locally produced maps may give more detail, the nearly global coverage make these charts a common choice.

Electronic maps
Most navigator devices and navigation apps come with maps. For some you need to buy the maps you need, some have maps as free downloads and some use online maps downloaded tile for tile as needed – as long as your internet connection works. Some online maps can be used with a web browser.

Maps available on the WWW include:
 * OpenStreetMap (OSM) is an open-source online map service run by volunteers. Most maps on Wikivoyage are based on OSM, showing some of the layers. OSM map data is used also e.g. for some biking and hiking maps.
 * Google Maps are one of Google's many products and are fairly similar to OSM. Google Maps also provide directions, so you can enter the place you're departing and your destination into the system and it will give you directions, which you can print. Also run by Google is Google Earth, a map of the world created from satellite images that is detailed to even individual houses. Earlier versions of the application, which were downloadable, enabled users to draw routes on top of the map and construct models of buildings.

Activities
Certain activities, especially those where transportation is involved, are made easier with a map.

Driving
When driving, a road atlas offers some advantages over a collection of unwieldy, loose map sheets. It is easier to use a map for driving when you're traveling long distances on major highways than when you are driving down a narrow street in a large city.

Having a second person as map reader is essential unless you have a device giving directions by voice. Having the device in a well-placed rack allows the driver to use its screen for navigation when little happens on the road, but only as long as there are no surprises or confusion – checking more carefully or changing settings will take away your attention from the road for the moment you should have noticed that elk, bike or child. In streets or on busy roads there may be too much happening for even a glance at the navigator.

Public transport
Public transport services provide maps showing the extent of their service. Some have the lines on a normal map, which can be used also for orienteering by foot, or a miniature one that can easily be used together with another city map. Maps for underground lines are often schematics with distorted distances and directions; the user is assumed to know what station they are heading for, using the map to see whether and where to transfer and to see the intermediate stops.

Hiking
Many parks, especially those at a national level, will provide maps of their trail network. These will include other locations, like a visitor center or points of interest, as a reference for comparison with the trails. Park maps are often topographic, showing hills by contour lines, with each contour line representing a particular elevation. The farther apart the contour lines are, the flatter the area. Therefore, trails that cross many contour lines within a short distance will be more difficult hikes than trails that cross only a few or no contour lines. Also vegetation types are often shown, at least on the level of distinguishing forest from open terrain, and marking marshes and stone fields.

Where trails are not well-marked or where you might want to make a detour – such as to a place to camp wild, cook or swim, or to seek shelter for deteriorating whether – you will need a map detailed enough to allow navigation independent of the trail and its markings. In open landscape the scale can be quite small, but in rocky or forested terrain you need to be able to use details in the immediate vicinity for navigation. Regardless, they should be detailed enough to let you choose and keep to a feasible route in the terrain.

Cycling
In some cases there are maps showing cycling routes for a particular area. These are often made in a general attempt to further cycling, for commuters or tourists, which means areas with cycling maps often have relatively well developed cycling infrastructure, or at least a good amount of safe and comfortable routes, be it by roads or along dedicated bikeways. On ordinary road maps it is hard to see whether there are bikeways or wide enough paved shoulders, and whether the roads otherwise are suited for cycling. Cycling maps can also point out especially nice routes along minor roads, and relevant services.

Boating
Sea charts are meant for navigating boats and ships. They show coastlines and harbors, anchorages, fairways, shallows, depths, navigational aids etc.

Common symbols
Symbology can vary considerably between map types and scales, regions, and publishers. Any decent paper map will include a legend with a key to explain the meanings of the used colors and symbols. General-purpose online maps and navigation apps like Google Maps, on the other hand, tend to let users guess the meaning of their vastly simplified color schemes and icon sets. Luckily, there are some common principles found in many maps that make this possible.

Point symbols

 * Small circles or dots are used on small scale maps to represent settlements.
 * Stars often represent capital cities.
 * Aircraft symbols represent airports and airfields.
 * Anchors represent harbors or mooring points.
 * Triangles with a number next to them represent mountain peaks and their elevation.

Lines

 * Solid lines of varying width, often in red to yellow or white colors, represent different kinds of roads.
 * Dashed black and white lines usually represent railroads.
 * Dashed or dash-dotted lines, especially those with shading around them, usually represent some kind of political boundary.
 * Blue lines typically represent linear water features such as rivers, streams, canals, or coast lines.
 * Brown, thin lines running in parallel represent relief features and elevation.

Areas

 * Green areas can represent a number of different (often natural or semi-natural) areas such as forests, scrubland, or protected areas. On orienteering maps, green is used for thick vegetation, while on a city map it will often signify some sort of park.
 * Blue areas represent larger bodies of waters such as lakes and oceans.
 * Yellow areas may represent beaches, agricultural land, or rural areas.
 * White areas represent areas of open terrain, or navigable waters in nautical maps.
 * Areas shaded or hatched in red are often inaccessible to the public for one reason or another.

title: Maps


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Mapua

Mapua is a small town in the Nelson Bays region of New Zealand.

Understand
One of the small towns near Nelson, it makes a nice visit for some of its waterside restaurants.

See

 * Grossos Point

Go next

 * Motueka

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

title: Mapua


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Mapusa

Mapusa is a town in North Goa. It is the main commercial centre in North Goa (outside of Panjim, which is larger). It is basically a town for locals, who throng to it for their shopping and commercial requirements. However, Mapusa has a very colourful weekly Friday Market that goes on from early morning to late evening, and it increasingly attracts a number of tourists.

By bus
Easily reachable by bus from Panaji (the state capital) and the north Goa beach belt. Be warned however that the Goa bus service, while inexpensive, can also be crowded, and from some parts of the state (outside of the bigger cities) often very infrequent.

Get around
Mapusa, a small town, with a hillock at its northern extreme, can be easily accessed on foot. Two-wheeler motorcycle taxis will also not just take you around the place, but also help you find the address you're searching for.

See
Besides the weekly colourful Friday Market, Mapusa is known for its educational institutions. It also has scenic (though not very famed) churches and temples. An alternative bookshop, the Other India Bookstore, is known to attract a number of tourists and visitors because of the wide range of off-the-beaten-track books that it stores.

Do

 * Visit the weekly Friday Market.
 * Church out the Our Lady Of Miracles Church (an example of Catholic-Hindu amity during its feast time).
 * See if the circus is visiting Mapusa when you're there (usually around Christmas).
 * Visit the many 'sales' of low-end inexpensive items available in Mapusa.
 * Buy a plant or tree from the Friday Mapusa Market, keep Goa green.
 * Visit the century-old Athaide Municipal Library at Mapusa.
 * Taste Goan-style fast-food around the Alankar Cinema late evening, and in some locations within the market.
 * Squeeze your way into the Mapusa fish market, and see how locals buy their fish.

Buy

 * Traditional Goan items from the Mapusa Friday Market.
 * Tasty Goan spices from the Mapusa Market.
 * Typical Goan sweets from the many shops that dot the market area.
 * Traditional Goan bread from the special section within the Mapusa market.
 * Gold and silver jewellery from the line of shops at the entry to the market.
 * Books from the Other India Bookstore, an interesting place for pan-India alternate books.

Eat
This is the place to eat traditional Goan food, both prepared in the Catholic and Hindu styles. Though there are a few eating outlets in Mapusa, the traditional styles of cooking still hold reign in places like Cafe Xavier (in the market), while Babaji's cold drinks outlet, which also offers snacks, is a prominent draw for the younger crowd.

Drink
Like the rest of Goa, lots of restaurants, bars and cold drink houses. Check out the roadside stalls near the Mapusa taxi stand that offer traditional Goan cold drinks (green and red-coloured syrups, coolant and healthy kokum juices, milk-shakes and a lot more).

Sleep
Mapusa has quite a few hotels, but many visitors prefer to either stay on the coastal belt or in bigger cities of Goa like Panjim. The Govt of India Youth Hostel is very cheap (as low as ₹30/night) and can be ideal for groups of students. As Mapusa is close to some popular beaches and to Panaji too, it can be a good staying place.

Connect
Cybercafes in and around Mapusa:

Mapusa and around:

 * Tape Rollers Cyber Cafe, G-1, Jelaza Apts, Opp Muslim Masjid, Angod, Mapusa 403507 2263911
 * Mark Anthony Cybernet (P) Ltd., Shop No. 4, Sajjangad, Dattawadi Mapusa 403507 Ph 2276184
 * Anilo Fernandes, Garden Centre Phase II, Shop No 15, Opp Mapusa Police Station, Mapusa 403507 12345678
 * Sabino Enterprises, Baskin Robbins, Shop No.1, Braganza House, Opp Mapusa Bus Stand, Mapusa 403507 Ph 2265758
 * Lizlon Enterprises, Shop No.186, Municipal Market, Mapusa 403507 Ph 2256096
 * Edlyn Infotech, House No.73/10, Khorlim Mapusa 403507 Ph 2262616
 * Jude C.D. Lima, Shop 8, Tivim Parish Centre Tivim 403502 Ph 3100942
 * National Bakery, House No.5/20, Feira Alto, Altinho, Mapusa 430507 Ph 2264021

Go next
Each evening, as hundreds of tourists (especially foreigners) use Mapusa as their departure point to leave Goa (specially if travelling by bus to Mumbai or Pune), the local bus-stand becomes crowded and colourful with crowds waiting for their evening bus out-of-Goa.

Mapusa

Commons:Category:Mapusa

title: Mapusa


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Maputo

Maputo is the capital city of Mozambique. Buildings range from old colonial palaces to new high-rise constructions, but the dominant architecture consists of Stalinist-looking concrete-walled boxes, generally with badly eroded paint and rusty security bars. Fortunately, these tend to fade into the background, and there are enough buildings with old charm and lush enough gardens (cycads, coleus, flamboyant, jacaranda, bouganvillea, etc.) to give a pleasing if shabby feel. Especially outstanding buildings which shouldn't be missed are the Pancho Guedes creations: Gaudiesque, surreal and difficult to find.

Understand
Maputo has been the capital of Mozambique since 1898. The city was called Lourenço Marques until the country's independence in 1975. It is the largest city in Mozambique and the country's most important harbour. It sits at the mouth of the Santo River in the extreme south, 90 km from the border with South Africa.

In comparison with other sub-Saharan African cities, the urban area feels small and concentrated, with wide avenues and old trees. People are generally out and about in the streets, walking, driving and getting on with life. The vibe is healthy and active, with little begging and lots of street vendors and markets. There is no heavy presence of police during the day.

There are few tourists to be seen and at times the atmosphere is as much South American as African. The city provides a range of accommodation, from many-star hotels (e.g. Polana, Cardoso, Southern Sun) to comfortable backpackers' hostels (Base and Fatima's) and reasonable options in between (Mozaic Guest House).

By plane

 * LAM operate a lot of domestic flights within Mozambique.
 * TAP flies non-stop from Lisbon.
 * SAA operates two flights a day from Johannesburg to Maputo and SA Airlink has five flights a week from Durban and from Cape Town.
 * SAA operates two flights a day from Johannesburg to Maputo and SA Airlink has five flights a week from Durban and from Cape Town.

Taxis from the airport to town should be around MT 500. Hotels generally send their buses to meet flights, but only if they have passengers on the flight with bookings at their hotel. Local SIM cards can be bought at the shop near the exit from the terminal where there is also a bank.

By train

Rail services to Maputo are slowly improving, although the lines that are operating are of limited use to tourists. An exception is the daily service from Ressano Garcia at the border with South Africa, it is a convenient way of traveling here from Johannesburg and Pretoria as daily trains connects with the city of Komatipoort across the border.

By car
The highway from Johannesburg to Maputo is very good. From Johannesburg, take the N4 towards Mbombela (about 400 km). From Mbombela, continue following the N4 to Komatipoort, the last town on the South African side (about 100 km). Just past Komatipoort is the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia border post. Current car registration papers (or good facsimile thereof) and third party insurance are required to get a car past the border. Insurance can (only?) be purchased at the border. On the Mozambican side, just follow the N4 (now called EN4) for a further 80 km or so to reach Maputo.

Also easy access from Manzini in Eswatini (Swaziland), around 186 km. There is a minivan/taxi from Manzini to Maputo. The drive time, including getting visa at the Namaacha border post, is 4 hr.

From Durban, on the KwaZulu Natal coast (South Africa), Maputo is 600 km away and best approached via the Golele border post into Eswatini. The shortest route from Golele into Mozambique is at the Goba border post.

Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Control: The border control can be very intimidating to new (and even returning) visitors to Mozambique. As you drive into the Mozambican side of the border, you will have many people rushing to your vehicle (some even looking quite official) and then directing you to perform this or that activity. The goal is probably to intimidate you so that you use their services (expertise) to expedite the border crossing, which they do. They will then suggest that you pay them a fee that you believe is fair for all this.

In essence, the role of these helpers is to "fast track" your queue through the border control, meaning that they kind of bump the ordinary traveller out of the queue. This is done with the tacit approval of the border officials—implying that they are part of the tactic, and they quite possibly also receive some gain from it.

Depending on your standpoint, it may be viewed as encouraging an activity that is not entirely legal but expedites your passage, or something you are vehemently opposed to.

By bus
From Johannesburg

By bicycle
If you are a little adventurous, it is possible to cycle by means of a mountain bike from Maputo to Ponta do Ouro. But be warned that you will have to push your bicycle for about 30 km through thick sand. The trip is well worth it, and the look on the locals faces when they find out where you are going is not to be missed.

It can be dangerous at times so try to travel in a group.

Get around

You can walk the center of the city by day but steer clear of the central business district at night.

Metered (yellow-roofed) taxi longer distances or at night but agree to a fare beforehand as many don't have meters. Ask hotel desks or locals for guidance on reasonable fares (e.g., Hotel Cardoso to Feira Popular or Mercado Central is around MT 150 - 200).

"Tuk-Tuks" are also a great way to see the city. The driver's are typically more fluent in English as they offer their services as tour guides to the passengers of visiting cruise liners.

A very inexpensive way to get around is by mini-bus or "Chapa" (pronounced SHA-PAA). They work like small busses and have routes that criss-cross the city. All major routes begin and end in either the downtown core/market area, called "Baixa" (pronounced BAA-SHAA), or in the middle of the city, on Av. 24 de Julho, called Museu. If you can speak Portuguese, then this is an excellent way to travel, or if you have a local friend to take you. Prices are low, MT 5 for most trips and MT 7.5 for longer ones (all one way). Even if you don't know which Chapa to take, it's a great way to explore the city. If you get lost, just find a Chapa that is going to one of the two major chapa terminals within the city: "Museu" or "Baixa." Generally the navigators (usually hanging out of the passenger side door) will be yelling the destination. Note that the destination which is written on the windshield may read "A. Voador" - but don't fear, this is just an archaic name for the terminal in the Baixa. Drivers cannot get away with overcharging you because you can easily see what the locals are paying, or the locals themselves will object. To get off, say "paragem" to the assistant.

Chapa routes can be identified by a colored bar on the windshield. Among the routes that tourists are most likely to want to use are:

 * blue chapas, which go west to Xipamanine
 * yellow chapas, which run north and south on Av. Lenine, or on one of the parallel avenues to its east
 * red chapas, which go north and south on Av. Guerra Popular
 * green chapas, which run east and west along Av. Eduardo Mondlane
 * black chapas, which run east and west Av. 24 de Julho
 * pink chapas, which use Av. Eduardo Mondlane, Av. Julius Nyerere, and the Marginal to connect downtown to Costa do Sol.

All of these routes continue far out into Maputo's suburbs, where they split off from one another, but this part of their journey is not likely to be part of your itinerary.

While chapas are an interesting and authentic form of transport, they are not particularly safe. Even locals suffer from frequent pickpocketings on chapas, or while waiting for chapa stops. The minibuses are always packed far beyond their originally intended capacity, seats are frequently broken, and many travelers have to stand up while riding, though there are no handrails or appropriate places to hang on like in a larger bus.

Chapa drivers are notorious for disrespecting traffic rules and taking unnecessary risks with passenger safety to cut a few minutes off the journey.

Beware of the safety issues regarding chapas when you decide whether or not to experience this form of transport as a tourist (or resident).

Maputo has also been expanding its fleet of city-owned buses, which use the same terminals as the chapas. They have more varied routes than the chapas do, which can make them more difficult to use for the visitor, but you can always ask the conductor, or other passengers, if it's going your way. To take a city bus, you board at the rear, pay the conductor, and exit from the front.

See
A recommended walk is along Avenida Julius Nyerere. Start from the Hotel Cardoso or Natural History Museum along R Mutemba to Nyerere then left (north) to the Polana Hotel. Boutiques, restaurants, curio vendors, video stores, etc. to be seen in the relatively-upscale Polana neighborhood.

 * The Railway Station on Praca dos Trabalhadores is sometimes mistaken to be the work by Gustave Eiffel. However, the building is an imposing structure and well-worth a visit, especially at Friday or Saturday nights where live music often is played.
 * The Railway Station on Praca dos Trabalhadores is sometimes mistaken to be the work by Gustave Eiffel. However, the building is an imposing structure and well-worth a visit, especially at Friday or Saturday nights where live music often is played.
 * The Railway Station on Praca dos Trabalhadores is sometimes mistaken to be the work by Gustave Eiffel. However, the building is an imposing structure and well-worth a visit, especially at Friday or Saturday nights where live music often is played.
 * The Railway Station on Praca dos Trabalhadores is sometimes mistaken to be the work by Gustave Eiffel. However, the building is an imposing structure and well-worth a visit, especially at Friday or Saturday nights where live music often is played.

Do

 * Visit some beautiful beaches, such as Catembe and Ponta d'Ouro. It is very jovial in these atmospheres and are generally safe, but beware of pickpocketing and avoid bringing valuables with you on a beach stroll. Ponta D'Ouro and Ponta Malongane have some beautiful scuba-diving spots, with either campsites or chalets right on the beach.
 * Take in a wedding. Beautiful tribal singing and women ululating. Civil ceremonies next door to Avenida Hotel. Several weddings on Saturday morning.

Work
Work is now available to the locals, but if you are a foreigner and thinking about taking a sabbatical, it is a perfectly safe and comfortable place to do it. However, new regulations on expat workers in Mozambique have imposed quotas on the number of foreigners a business can employ, and it is getting increasingly difficult to obtain work permits as a foreigner in Mozambique, in particular with small companies or organizations.

Buy

 * African fabrics both waxprint and woven in the fabric shops along the Avenida de Guerra Popular
 * Cashews all over the place, roasted, salted, plain, any which way and nearly anywhere. The number two export of the country, selling for about MT 200 per kg.
 * Wood carvings, boxes, picture frames from curio vendors.
 * Batik cloth ranging from the tacky animal stuff to glorious works of art. Most of what is on offer is on the lower quality end, but persistent searching will yield some gems among the dross.

The easiest place to buy touristy things is in the Parque dos Continuadores (also known as FEIMA) at the corner of Av. Julius Nyerere and Av. Mao Tse-Tung. The selection is large, with many vendors. Be prepared to bargain. There are also vendors lined up along the Marginal and some in the Baixa, particularly on the weekends.

For counterfeit DVDs, cell-phone parts, used clothing, etc., go to one of the many city markets; the two most convenient are probably Mercado Janeta, at the corner of Av. Mao Tse-Tung and Av. Lenine and Mercado do Povo, on Av. Karl Marx. Or you can just browse the many sidewalk vendors - there is a particularly heavy concentration in the baixa, near the chapa terminus at Av. 25 de Setembro and Av. Guerra Popular. From here you can also catch a chapa to the massive market at Xipamanine, which sells just about everything imaginable.

Eat
The local cuisine is a mixture of African, Portuguese, Middle Eastern and Indian/Pakistani cuisine. All these different cuisines are served at various areas in the city.

Budget
Any number of small cafes serve simple dishes and juices that are affordable. Unless you are adventurous, stay away from most roadside stalls especially if they are serving meat. Safe roadside fare includes cashews (usually fire roasted without salt served in small paper cones), fried bean cakes called Bhajia, uncut and unwashed fruits (cut and wash yourself with bottled water), and soft-serve ice cream. Expect to pay between MT 15 and 50.

The fruit from roadside stands is usually fine, especially if it has a hard peel, which most do (banana, mango, pineapple, tangerine, papaya, etc.). They expect to sell the fruit by the kilogram, so be prepared for strange looks if you want just a couple of individual fruits. Prices change with what's in season, except for bananas, which are always available - a couple of bananas should set you back MT 5 or 10.

The smaller cafes will have egg sandwiches, fries, grilled chicken, small pastries, and simple hamburgers. Expect to pay between MT 15 and 75.

Do not lose sight of your credit or debit cards or they may be cloned. Rather always pay cash at any restaurant.

Drink
Fruit juice is usually sweetened nectar and not fresh 100% juice. The usual selections of fizzy sugar water in a bottle (soft drinks) can be found too. Pressed sugar cane juice is available in some markets.

Pepsi and Coca-Cola are widely available, including Sprite, Mirinda, and Fanta fruit-flavored pop (Orange and Pineapple are most common, Grape is also sometimes available). Coca-Cola is more common than Pepsi. "Sparletta" brand fruit-flavoured pop is also widely available. Expect to pay between MT 15 and 50. Shop owners are usually very strict when it comes to the empty bottles as they are expensive and reused, do not try and keep one without trying to pay the full price for the bottle first.

The wine selection is reasonably good, and depending on your budget you can get a range of South African, Portuguese and Chilean wines. Most common are cheap South African and Portuguese wines, but you can find nice wines (for a price) in upper-end restaurants and certain bottle stores or delis. Wine by the glass generally comes from a box.

Beer is widely available, with 2M ('dois-em'), Laurentina, Manica, and Raiz being the common selection. Laurentina comes in two varieties, 'Clara' a lager, and 'Preta' a very dark Lager with hints of coffee and chocolate. Locals tend to order the Laurentina varieties simply by saying Clara or Preta, and leaving out Laurentina. Preta is the most expensive beer, followed by Manica and then 2M. Raiz is a newer beer intended for the budget market and is considered a 'cheap' beer. The larger beer bottles are also expensive and should always be returned or purchased. The beer is very inexpensive and reasonably good ranging from MT 30 to 50.

Drink water from a bottle (MT 25-40/1.5 L), not the tap.

Nightlife

 * Xima's bar, on Av. Eduardo Mondlane, is popular with the locals and has live music on the weekends.
 * Africa Bar nightclub is on Av. 24 de Julho near Av. Karl Marx.
 * Gil Vicente is a bar attached to the Gil Vicente theatre, across from the 'Jardim Tunduru.
 * Centro Cultural Franco-Mozambicain has live music and cultural events.
 * Central Train Station houses a jazz lounge on weekends.
 * Feira Popular is in the Baixa, and houses many bars and restaurants.
 * Coconuts a discotheque in front of the beach. An amazing vibe.
 * Coconuts a discotheque in front of the beach. An amazing vibe.
 * Coconuts a discotheque in front of the beach. An amazing vibe.
 * Coconuts a discotheque in front of the beach. An amazing vibe.

Mid-range

 * VIP Grand Hotel Maputo is a conference-hotel near the commercial centre of town, the Feira Popular, the ferry to Catembe. The rooms are pleasantly clean and modern with good wireless internet included in the room rate, but service is poor, and food is awful.
 * VIP Grand Hotel Maputo is a conference-hotel near the commercial centre of town, the Feira Popular, the ferry to Catembe. The rooms are pleasantly clean and modern with good wireless internet included in the room rate, but service is poor, and food is awful.
 * VIP Grand Hotel Maputo is a conference-hotel near the commercial centre of town, the Feira Popular, the ferry to Catembe. The rooms are pleasantly clean and modern with good wireless internet included in the room rate, but service is poor, and food is awful.
 * VIP Grand Hotel Maputo is a conference-hotel near the commercial centre of town, the Feira Popular, the ferry to Catembe. The rooms are pleasantly clean and modern with good wireless internet included in the room rate, but service is poor, and food is awful.

Stay safe
Violent crime does not rise to the Johannesburg level but is still a problem. Occasional pickpocketing attempts do occur and are almost guaranteed on busy streets. At night, it is better not to walk around alone but you are generally fairly safe in the well-lit areas along Avenida 24 de Julho. Regardless of the hour, be smart when walking around: don't carry much around in the streets with you, and if you have a bag, keep it close to you.

If you have a cell phone, do not flaunt it: pickpockets have been known to take cellphones right out of people's hands while they are talking on them.

The local police are out of control and will target foreigners in the area around popular backpacker hostels, bus stations, etc. Carry a certified copy of your passport (not your real one) and a copy of your visa too, so that there is no potential problem with the police (you are legally obliged to carry both at all times). Mozambican notaries can be found at (among other places) Av. Lenine, close to the park, and Av. Armando Tivane. Look for the signs that say "Cartorio Notarial." The lines look long, but they move surprisingly fast.

Also, very obviously, do not carry drugs or knives (penknives) around with you at all. One backpacker arriving by bus from Tete was detained and taken to the police station where he was robbed. Do not expect the police station to be a sanctuary if police hassle you. However, if an officer tries to fine you because he believes something is wrong with your passport, demand to be taken to the Chief of Police. He will almost certainly let you go because usually he is only trying to solicit a bribe.

Stay healthy

 * Malarial prophylaxis is essential in all parts of Mozambique.
 * Do not drink the tap water.
 * There is high HIV incidence. For your own safety, do not have unprotected sex.

Connect
English (and some Portuguese) language radio transmissions are available from BBC World Service on 95.5 MHz. Also, local radio station LM Radio, broadcasts fully in English, on 87.8Mhz. Mainly play golden oldies.

Wi-Fi
Since in Africa internet connectivity costs are rather high, and hotels might provide it charged extra, or limited complimentary data packages, it might be nice to know that there are a few places in Maputo that offer you Wi-Fi. access. Among them, you can find them in:
 * facilitate.com @ Cantinho do Brasil on Av. Vladimir Lenine, opposite the large church on corner with Av. Eduardo Mondlane.
 * Nossa Casa, on Av. Marginal, opposite the Radisson Hotel.
 * Marisqueira Sagres, next to Nossa Casa.
 * Southern Sun Hotel, on Avenida Marginal - good wifi coverage in the bar and lobby.
 * Clube Marítimo, on Av. Marginal, opposite the Fish Market.
 * Dolce Vita, on Avenida Julius Nyerere.
 * Nautilus, both on the corner of Avenida 24 de Julho and Avenida Julius Nyerere, and in Maputo Shopping Center
 * Surf, on Jardim dos Namorados (Avenida Friedrich Engels)
 * Café Sol, on Sommerschield II neighborhood (past the University Main Campus, on Avenida Julius Nyerere)

Embassies and consulates

 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇮🇪 Ireland
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next
Take the short ferry ride across the bay to visit Catembe. Its relaxed atmosphere is a pleasant retreat from Maputo. It's not recommended on a weekends, however, as it can be overrun with people 'enjoying' the weekend.

Day trips out to Inhaca are easy to do on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Just catch the local ferry at 07:30 and after a couple of hours you will arrive close to Inhaca. You may need to pay another small boat to get you closer to the beach, or wade in waist-high water. Order your lunch early as it can take hours out on this relaxed island. The ferry leaves from the same ferry at about 15:00. On the island you can walk up to the Lighthouse, or catch a boat to the southern tip to do some worthwhile snorkelling.

A few tour operators also lead other day tours to such places as the Maputo Special Reserve (formally the Maputo Elephant Reserve), Macaneta Beach, and Bilene Beach. These trips can be costly if you do not have a few people to go with.

title: Maputo


text:
Maqu

Maqu is a county-level town in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the southern part of Gansu Province.

Get in
Daily buses from Xiahe, Hezuo, Luqu, Langmusi (mini-buses), Lanzhou, Linxia... schedules vary, tickets can be purchased just prior to departure.

Get around
The town itself sits about a kilometer north of the Yellow River, which along with the vast grasslands, is the town's main attraction. To get anywhere outside of the town and the nearby river area, you will need to hire a private car/taxi or try to take one of the daily buses heading off to south in the direction of the more remote villages of Maqu County.

See
Numerous grasslands, the Yellow River, dark-skinned Tibetan nomads... pretty much anywhere you go there will be something interesting. If nothing else, you will be in one of the most remote regions in China beneath a deep-blue sky in the midst of never-ending grasslands...

Do
(see above)

Buy
There aren't too many shops catering to tourists, but you will probably see lots of Tibetan cowboy hats available. The sun is hot & bright @ 3500+ meters (12,000+ ft)!!!

Eat
Local Muslim noodle shops & Sichuan Chinese restaurants abound... and if you are looking for "local Tibetan" food, this is about it... the locals are by far the main customers at these restaurants!

Drink
You'll enjoy your visit more if you don't drink alcohol, especially at this altitude.

Sleep
A couple larger hotels (doubles ¥100-200) are around, as well as many cheaper Chinese-style hostels (dorms, doubles from ¥20/person)

Go next
You get out the same way you got in... the same bus routes depart Maqu as those which arrive...

title: Maqu


text:
Maracaibo

Maracaibo is the capital of Zulia state in Northwest Venezuela, and is the second largest city in the country after Caracas. It has more than 2 million people and it's famous for its typical music, big shopping malls and beautiful parks. It is called "La Primera Ciudad de Venezuela" (The Most Important Venezuelan City) because of its development.

By plane

 * Avior Airlines flies from Bogota and Caracas.
 * Conviasa has frequent flights from Caracas and Porlamar.
 * Copa Airlines flies daily to Panama City with connections to other cities in Latin America and the US.
 * Estelar Latinoamerica and LASER Airlines fly from Caracas.
 * Turpial Airlines flies from Valencia
 * Venezolana flies daily from Caracas and Panama City.
 * Venezolana flies daily from Caracas and Panama City.

By bus
Maracaibo is your arrival point in Venezuela if you take the most direct route from Santa Marta in Colombia.

Night buses go to/from Caracas, San Cristobal and Mérida. The cheap bus to Mérida is much less comfortable.

Get around

 * Taxi: Taxi service is generally cheaper in Maracaibo than in other cities in Venezuela including Caracas due to high offer and lower demand. Always use a taxi from a taxi service, either by requesting it directly through the phone or walking to a taxi service spot. Never take a taxi off the street, no matter how 'legit' it might look. Anyone can put a taxi sign on their car (the plastic dome is attached by a couple of elastic strings). Most businesses in Maracaibo will aid a tourist searching for a taxi so don't be afraid to ask in a McDonald's or another shop for help locating one.  Hotels have their own taxi services.
 * Subway: It's the most modern and secure way to get around in the city. It is a new system so it has only 6 stations that connect the southwest to the center. Libertado station is 200 m north of the bus terminal (but be careful if you walk).
 * Bus: Mugging is very common in bus routes, general advice is, if you can afford a taxi, take a taxi. If you cannot, use common sense, do not wear watches, chains or anything that might incite muggers.
 * Walking: Maracaibo has a good layout and good sidewalks, caution should be taken if walking during the day because of the extreme heat and solar radiation. Extreme caution should be taken if walking during the night, it's advised to take other forms of transportation if possible.

See
Maracaibo has a nice but sterile centre, that they try to posh up with old European styled parks - not very successful.
 * Palafitos in Santa Rosa de Agua. To the north of Maracaibo, these buildings are created by native Venezuelans on top of the water with wood.
 * Palafitos in Santa Rosa de Agua. To the north of Maracaibo, these buildings are created by native Venezuelans on top of the water with wood.
 * Palafitos in Santa Rosa de Agua. To the north of Maracaibo, these buildings are created by native Venezuelans on top of the water with wood.
 * Palafitos in Santa Rosa de Agua. To the north of Maracaibo, these buildings are created by native Venezuelans on top of the water with wood.
 * Palafitos in Santa Rosa de Agua. To the north of Maracaibo, these buildings are created by native Venezuelans on top of the water with wood.

Do

 * Jog in the late afternoon/night at, a big urban park along the lake border, located in El Milagro Ave. One of the meeting places for the population.
 * Get in Tranvia, a touristic transport system that takes you around the downtown and tells you the city history. There's also a night trip with several stops in the most famous night clubs. Main station is at Vereda del Lago urban park.

Eat

 * Try the local cuisine, places like:

Connect

 * Free WiFi in:
 * 13 Subway restaurants around the city.
 * La Chinita International Airport in Manuel Belloso Highway.
 * La Chinita International Airport in Manuel Belloso Highway.

Go next
The bus station is 200 m south of Libertador metro station (don't walk at night). There are air-conditioned buses to most cities in Venezuela.

 * (Sinamaica Lagoon)

To Colombia
From the bus terminal, there are old American cars called "por puestos" that will take you to the bus station in Maicao, Colombia (3 hours, from there you can take a bus to anywhere in Colombia). They leave when they fill up. If you want one with air conditioning (recommended), don't mention this but just wait for one that looks a bit newer (otherwise they will want to charge you extra for it and they can be quite aggressive). On the way to the border you will pass through about 10 military or police checkpionts where you have to show your passport. If there are any illegal immigrants in your car, they will have to negotiate a bribe with each of these guards (normally US$2-10 at each checkpoint) and this will add about an hour to the journey. Amerlujo and Expresos Brasilia have direct buses to Colombia but they cost about twice as much as going via Maicao and they leave very early in the morning. Expect to take about 12 hours in total to get from Maracaibo to Cartagena.

title: Maracaibo


text:
Maracas Valley

Maracas Valley is in northern Trinidad.

Landscape
This shows the rugged hillsides covered in tropical vegetation falling steeply into the sea. This view looks westwards over Seat Deau bay towards a peninsula behind which is the beach at Maracas itself.

Get around
You will must go by road to get to these shores. The route from Port of Spain goes through rugged mountains.

Do

 * Enjoy the scenery
 * Chill on the beach at Maracas Bay

Eat
Eat modestly at the shacks on the beach at Maracas.

Stay safe
The road in has a mixed reputation for safety so be a little careful.

Go next

 * Chaguaramas
 * Chaguanas

title: Maracas Valley


text:
Maracay

Maracay is the capital of Aragua state in Central Venezuela. Famous for being called the Garden City, for its large amount of vegetation. It has several tourist attractions such as the famous Choroní town, monuments, museums, and parks like the Henri Pittier National Park.

By plane
Maracay doesn't have its own commercial airport (although it has two air military bases), but the visitor can approach it by plane using the Maiquetía's Simón Bolívar Airport and the nearer Valencia's International Airport Arturo Michelena. From both airports the traveler can take a licensed taxi to Maracay (the most expensive although the safest option), or make his way through the unorganized Venezuelan public transport system to the main buses terminals in Caracas or Valencia (La Bandera and The Big Low Center, respectively), and then take a bus to Maracay (the cheapest option). Take official authorized taxis: there are some reports of tourists that have been robbed at gun-point by unlicensed taxi drivers, that usually charge less than their official counterparts.

By car
From Caracas to Maracay you should drive 108 km west on the ARC highway (Autopista Regional del Centro), this trip usually may take you about 60 to 80 minutes, but at rush-hour (17:00-20:00) you can take that long just trying to exit Caracas. Usually after passing the Charallave-Santa Teresa exit (Caracas' suburbs at 32 km distance) the traffic tends to go easier. Try to avoid driving in the Caracas-Maracay direction on Friday afternoon, because this is the period where the highway tends to be more crowded by people trying to leave Caracas for the weekends.

From Valencia to Maracay you should drive about 40 km east on the same ARC highway. This trip usually may take you about 30 to 40 minutes, but at rush-hour (17:00-20:00) it make take you two hours to reach Maracay. Usually after passing the Guacara toll post the traffic tends to go easier.

To enter Maracay from the ARC highway you should take one of the three exits: La Encrucijada (which takes you to the Maracay's suburbs: Cagua, Turmero, Villa de Cura, etc.), Palo Negro (Maracay east) and Tapa Tapa (Maracay west). If you're coming from Caracas, you will find La Encrucija exit first, and the Tapa Tapa exit last; if you're coming from Valencia, the order is inverse.

Get around
One or two hours from Maracay you can find several beautiful tropical beaches, including Cata, Choroni, Cuyagua, El Playon, etc. The roads to these beaches wind through the dense mountainous cloudforest of the Henri Pittier National Park. The roads, especially to Choroni, are very narrow and windy and extreme caution should be taken if driving your own vehicle. Public transportation is easily available although can be nerve-racking: buses leave from Maracay's bus terminal and taxis can also be hired. The beaches are generally very busy on weekends.

See

 * Plaza Bolivar shady trees in the middle of town
 * Plaza Girardot, honouring the U.S. volunteers who were killed by the Spaniards in 1806
 * Museo Aeronautico, near Plaza Bolivar, one of the best aeronautic museums in South America. Particular interesting is its collection of vintage helicopters.

Do
Usually the tourists don't spend much time in Maracay, using it as point to buy supplies before traveling north to the attractive beaches of Cata, Choroní, Cuyagua, etc. (collectively called the Aragua beaches). You can travel to these beaches taking a bus in the terminal located at Ave. Constitucion with Ave. Fuerza Aereas. Try to avoid traveling during the Venezuelan high seasons: Carnival, the Holy Week and the Christmas season (from December 23rd to January 2nd), as you may find hard to find a bus or a hotel. During workdays these beaches tend to be empty.

Buy

There are some great shopping centers if you love shopping:
 * Parque Aragua at Avenida Fuerzas Aéreas with Avenida Bolivar (There is also a Calle Bolivar near C.C Hiper Jumbo) in Urbanizacion Parque Aragua
 * C.C Hiper Jumbo at Avenida Fuerzas Aéreas with Avenida Jose Casanova Godoy. This is my personal favorite.
 * C.C Global at Avenida Bolivar with Calle 12 in Barrio Independencia
 * Las Americas at Avenida Las Delicias with Calle Soublette/Avenida Andres Bello
 * Centro Comercial Maracay on Avenida Miranda 200 m from Calle Mariño. Avenida Miranda is one way.

Eat
Many good restaurants can be found along the Las Delicias avenue. Some cheap eats are found in the area of the market near Plaza Bicentenario.

Budget

 * Hotel Sao Vicente, Avenida Bolivar (near Plaza Bicentenario).
 * Hotel Mara, Calle Mariño, singles from 65 Bs.F.
 * Hotel Florida, Calle Soublette.
 * Hotel Las Americas, Calle Lopez Aveleda.
 * Hotel Guayana, Ave Bolivar, near Plaza Bicentenario.

Go next

 * Choroní
 * Caracas - by car

title: Maracay