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Travel in developing countries

Travel in low-income countries can be challenging to people used to the higher-income world. Infrastructure for transport, electricity, water, communication and money transfer might be deficient, and there may be problems with food safety, health care, and sanitation. Poverty might induce begging, scams and crime. In some places corruption is also a problem.

Prepare
"I have a neighbor who knows 200 types of wine.... I only know two types of wine – red and white. But my neighbor only knows two types of countries – industrialized and developing. And I know 200."

- Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health

Money
The concern regarding exchange rates and that (hard) cash is the preferred and sometimes only option of payment is especially true for developing countries. In some less-developed countries, the local currency may be so weak or so inflated that foreign currency (such as U.S. dollars) is used in larger transactions.

Many poor countries are high-fraud areas; don't be surprised if an attempt to use a payment card, make a VoIP call or access a password-protected website which always worked fine in your own country suddenly gets flagged as suspicious by your home providers just because you tried to get access while travelling. Countries with widespread poverty, weak enforcement of criminal laws or ongoing corruption attract all manner of fraud. Contact your card issuers and the operators of any service you intend to rely upon while abroad, so that they know that you are travelling and can tell you if certain countries are blocked due to fraud and abuse. Carry a non-toll-free number for your bank or credit card company. 1-800 and similar "toll free" numbers are typically valid only in a specific home country: they won't be useful in a developing country if you need to resolve a problem with blocked funds or to report a lost or stolen card.

Electricity
Research the voltage and plug configuration before travelling with plug-in devices. It is rather frustrating to arrive and find that your most expensive item, some piece of electronics, cannot be recharged or used. "Universal" adapters with plugs for every conceivable outlet on earth are handy, but they tend to be heavy and expensive so if you know where you're going they're overkill – and adapters are not enough when voltage or frequency do not match your device.

Developing countries tend to have power failures more often than high income places. While Germany on the one hand has 15 minutes of power outage per year, some less developed places may have at least an hour without electricity per week. Also when there is power, there may be brownouts (lower voltage) and power spikes. Don't count on electricity "just working", bring patience and a flashlight. In some places, power is even switched on only for certain periods of time; check before you go, and in such locations, consider accommodation with their own generator or solar panels (usually equipped with batteries for the night but don't count on it), if available.

The quality of power supply can vary widely within a country. While an outage of a few hours in the capital may make headlines, more rural dwellers can only laugh as they read the ridiculously capital-centric newspaper's coverage by candlelight, themselves having such outages daily.

For some places, it would be a fine idea to get a surge protector to keep your electronics safe from voltage fluctuations. In most places, experienced travelers simply don't rely on electronics and wisely leave them at home, knowing that carrying expensive devices only paints a target on their backs for pickpockets or petty street thieves.

Vaccines and medications

Many countries will deny entry without proof of appropriate vaccinations. In particular, a number of Central and Western African countries and French Guiana require all incoming tourists to be vaccinated with yellow fever vaccination. Refer to Yellow fever for more information.

Ideally, visit a travel clinic at least two months before departure to plan any vaccinations or prescriptions you may need (see Stay healthy below for more info). These doctors specialize in travel medicine and can give you advice that is more specific to your travels than a generalist physician, who will likely know little more about local conditions than what's on their national health websites. Still, any doctor is better than none.

See our article on the COVID-19 pandemic for general information about vaccination requirements for that disease, and consult the governments of destination countries for specifics.

Travel insurance
Although travel insurance should be purchased regardless of where you travel, it is especially important when travelling to developing countries, especially since the cost of dealing with emergencies can add up quickly, In particular, since medical facilities in developing countries are often not up to the standards of more developed ones, you can likely get a better standard of care by being evacuated home, or at the very least to a more developed country by air. As medical evacuation flights are very costly, you should definitely ensure that your travel insurance policy covers this.

Visas
The availability of visas ranges from "no visa needed" or "visa on arrival for (almost) all high-income countries" to "tourists are a nuisance to our glorious leader". While much has improved since the fall of the Soviet Union, there are still corners of the world where letters of invitation are needed or an arm and a leg are charged just for the application and visas are routinely denied for no other reason than "We don't like your face" (which is how third-world citizens are often treated in the western world). Some developing countries may also be in different stages of conflict with other countries in the region or developed countries far away, resulting in visa trouble.

IATA (the International Air Transport Association) provides a database which is usually up to date and is the way most airlines judge whether you need a visa prior to boarding. If you lack a visa the database says you need, you will be denied boarding. You cannot directly access that database, but IATA have a travel information web page which covers vaccination requirements and customs rules as well as visas.

Many airlines and some travel agents can also provide visa information, often based on the IATA database. Sites such as Project Visa or Visa Hunter also have databases of visa information for each country. However - mostly for legal reasons - none of these sources including IATA provide any guarantee for their information, so double checking with the embassy or embassies in question is a good idea if there is any doubt.

Not all overland or river border crossings are open or intended for citizens of third countries (i.e. a crossing between two countries may be able to handle citizens of those countries, but not citizens of any other country) and even those that are may not routinely provide visas on arrival, which may make your trip needlessly complicated. If you can, find out in advance what's the case and ask multiple sources. Try to get the answer in writing from as official a source as you can, which not only ensures smooth travel but will reduce the risk of being asked for a bribe.

There are two schools of thought for getting visas: one says to obtain visas as far in advance if possible, so you can buffer for unexpected delays, while the other says to obtain as close to your destination as possible, where you can get your visa rapidly and with less hassle as it's a more standard procedure. Ideally you can combine them by starting your trip at a "visa hub" city where you can get visas for nearly all neighboring countries (but some countries insist you get the visa at some specific place, depending on your home country). Some examples by region include:

 * Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Kyiv (Ukraine)
 * South-East Asia: Bangkok (Thailand) and Singapore
 * Southern Africa: Pretoria and Cape Town, (South Africa)
 * Latin America and the Caribbean: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington DC in the United States; and Ottawa in Canada.

You can also obtain visas for almost any country in the world in Washington D.C., Tokyo, Beijing, Moscow and Western European capitals including London, Brussels, Berlin and Paris. You can also mail your visa application and passport to the nearest embassy or consulate (use registered mail). However, applications done this way tend to be time-consuming and expensive.

Mental preparation
If traveling in a developing country for the first time – or in a new part of the world – don't underestimate the potential culture shock. Many a stable, capable traveler has been overcome by the newness of developing world travel, where many little cultural adjustments can add up quickly. Especially in your initial days, consider splurging on Western-style and -quality hotels, food, and services to help acclimatize.

It may help to think in terms of "rupees" and "whoopies". The terms originated with a two-year-old who could not pronounce rupees, and called them "whoopies". The parents decided that their travel budget included some of each, and that the distinction was important. When the tourist restaurant has an expensive lunch and you walk down the street to a cafe full of locals and eat basically the same meal for a third the price, you are saving rupees. Good move. However, when it is hot, noisy, dusty, and there are beggars everywhere, and you take refuge in an air-conditioned restaurant even though it serves bad lamb-burgers for twice the cost of the tourist restaurant's lunch, you are spending whoopies. Enjoy the cool and don't worry much about the cost.

Often a good escape is the buffet breakfast or lunch at a good hotel. Many of these are very good and some superb. These are generally outrageously priced by local standards, but often quite reasonable by Western standards.

Immigration troubles
If you are arriving at an international border, immigration officials may actively solicit bribes, particularly preying on tourists from richer countries. Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam are such hot-spots. Use of violence against tourists who refuse to pay for bribe is not unheard of.

The following advice may be useful:
 * Make sure that you are aware of legitimate charges that border crossing entails (either at exit or entry) and get a receipt for them if possible.
 * Make sure you bring all required documents when crossing the border, as it is a common pretext for immigration officials to claim that there are problems with your documents before they solicit a bribe.
 * Consider using major border crossings (such as the capital's airport) instead of small border crossings.
 * Avoid entering at night, as sleepy tourists are better prey of corrupt officials, and fewer people passing through means fewer witnesses.
 * If the officials insist for a bribe:
 * Pretend that you cannot understand their request, as some officials may soon realize that it is too time-consuming.
 * Arguing with the officials based on law is largely futile, and may probably provoke the officials. Threatening to lodge a complaint to your country's diplomatic missions may make the situation better or worse depending on the circumstances.
 * If you are brought to another separate room, be prepared that the officials may be at best preparing for a protracted war, and at worst, preparing for physical violence. Observe the officials, and prepare for the fact that you may be forced to pay a bribe.
 * If possible, memorize the name and/or staff number of the official, as it helps filing complaint to your country's diplomatic missions and/or local anti-corruption agencies.
 * Lastly, if you are not demanded a bribe, don't try to actively bribe the officials. Not only may your act encourage further corruption and cause more trouble to future tourists, but you may also commit an offense in both your country and the destination — most countries have laws to prosecute those who are involved in corruption regardless of territorial jurisdiction.

Arrival
Some of the following is also advisable in some high income countries, but is often doubly valid in developing countries.

In many places any obvious tourist or newcomer will be swamped with offers of guides, hotels, and taxi services. It's important to look like you know what you're doing, and not be forced into accepting an offer just because you arrived unprepared.

In many places, it is better to avoid the people yelling "taxi?" inside the airport or train station; they are often touting for or driving unlicensed meter-less taxis. Furthermore, they often make their money by taking you to specific hotels, which give them a referral fee. You are better off taking the airport bus or going outside and looking for a real taxi with a license and often a meter. In some countries (Peru, Mexico, Colombia, etc) the real licensed taxis are only allowed to wait within a certain taxi rank, with a ticket seller or dispatcher there or inside the terminal building. You buy a ticket from the dispatcher or ticket seller and then hand the ticket to the driver at the taxi rank. If there is safe reliable public transit, it's often worth it to familiarize yourself with it and avoid the taxi altogether.

One way to avoid the crush, especially in India, is to use a local agent for booking accommodation or internal travel in advance. When you arrive at your destination the local agent will be waiting with your name on a notice and they will have a driver to take you to your hotel. It might cost a little bit more but it beats walking out of an air terminal at midnight after a long flight, into pandemonium.

A good arrival checklist for these situations includes all the tips for Arriving in a new city plus:

 * A plan. Know what you're going to do before you arrive. No matter how much you want to get off the stuffy bus or out of the crowded airport, you don't want to find yourself pondering your guidebook in the middle of a crowd of touts and hawkers. Everyone will insist on taking you to this guest-house or that hotel. Looking like you already have a goal and a plan (even if you don't) is your first line of defense against the rain of business cards and brochures. If traveling with friends, a good strategy is to leave the luggage with part of the group at a nearby restaurant or cafe while the other half gathers information on what's available. This gives everyone the excuse 'we are waiting for our friends' and will relieve some of the pressure. If you are traveling alone, just insist that you are meeting a friend who already has a room for both of you. As a last resort, don't hesitate to just ignore any especially insistent 'guides' or 'friends'. They will leave you alone, eventually. Sometimes just briskly walking through the crowd like you know where you are going, will do the trick. That is of course especially helpful if you do.
 * Knowledge of costs. Have some idea of what a taxi into town should cost (in the local currency), and enough language (or a piece of paper and pen) to negotiate it. Expect to be charged more than the locals, but at least this way you should get the right number of 0's. If arriving by plane, just ask someone on the flight. And of course, always negotiate the price ahead of time, before entering the vehicle.
 * Knowledge of alternatives While some developing countries don't have much public transport to speak of and taking it is usually not advisable for all but the most daring travellers, there are other places (especially big cities) with remarkably good public transport, especially to/from the main airport and/or bus or train station connecting to the city center respectively. Some public transport systems are a bit complicated or require a card or coupons for payment. Familiarize yourself with the local quirks and get a map of the system as soon as possible (they are sometimes available online, but even a city as big as Managua has none whatsoever). Be sure to have an idea of the situation on the ground before heading out. If public transport isn't an option or you just prefer a cab, familiarize yourself with the look of official cabs and modes of payment. Sometimes an airport taxi has to be paid with a voucher that you can only buy in the airport, sometimes there are "city" and "airport" taxis, both legal official and safe but only the airport taxis allowed into the immediate airport area and thus much more expensive. In general "unofficial" taxis are best avoided and you should have at least a general idea what a legitimate taxi looks like. (e.g. license in the windshield, a specific color, the word "taxi" on the roof or a variety of other markers)

Get a local data SIM card

Many low income countries "skipped" landline telephones, but readily embraced mobile phones, meaning mobile networks are often surprisingly reliable. When traveling in a developing country, get at least one local SIM card with data allowance. In most cases, this should be the first task after arrival. Almost all international airports have options available. Websites like the Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki have an abundance of information for almost all countries. Sometimes it is less hassle (and also reduces the chance of theft) to just buy a cheap "burner" phone with a pre-existing SIM card built-in.

Always having access to the internet is vital tool for comfort and safety. You can communicate your location and information in seconds, have map and translation access, and a huge amount of information from other travelers which came before you. Wikivoyage is the best example. If you find yourself in need of urgent help, an internet connection or an emergency broadcast message from a local mobile operator might make a difference.

If you or one of your travel partners want to omit mobile internet out of conviction, think twice if this is a good idea. You can always turn off mobile data, if you desire "to be free from all that technical stuff" or make phone battery last longer. Make sure to download an offline map of the region for navigation, because internet in some locations can be very spotty and unreliable.

Get around
Infrastructure in developing countries is generally not up to the standards of more developed countries. Visitors should plan more time to cover the same distance. Safety can also be an issue, particularly if air or sea travel is involved. Rail travel might be slower than buses or entirely unavailable if a network built in the colonial era was not properly maintained or updated since then.

Some remote inland locations may only be feasibly reachable by boat or air travel (possibly bush planes), with a corresponding increase in cost, hassle and time to get there.

Do some research before you go.

While sometimes the government subsidizes surface (and even air) transport, lack of competition can drive prices significantly.

Why is the one-hour hop on a Cessna $200 one-way? Perhaps the alternative is an old bus that takes at least 24 hours and may or may not break down on the dirt roads that get you there. In places like Cuba there are essentially two travel networks, one for people with hard currency and one for those without. While the former is often outrageously priced by local standards, the price may be reasonable to a western wallet if the perks (air conditioning, faster travel speeds, newer vehicles) are worth the extra cost.

On the other hand, you will most likely interact less with locals and get less of a feel for what living in one of these countries is actually like.

In some cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City, there are large and well-known taxi companies which are generally reliable, and with drivers that are more likely to be honest; it is worth doing some research to find out what those companies are, and to only take taxis from those companies when you are there. Other cities, such as Bangkok or Beijing, may not have those large taxi companies, but you can minimise your risk of getting scammed by avoiding the taxis parked outside hotels or tourist attractions, and instead flagging down a taxi cruising down the street, or catching one at a taxi stand used mainly by locals.

In some parts of the world - especially the post-Soviet world - shared taxis provide a (relatively) safe and efficient means to get between cities for a reasonable cost. These aren't really "taxis" so much as they are private vehicles that wait until the car is full before embarking on their journey, but they will often drop you off right at the doors to your destination. A general rule is if the locals are using it, it's safe enough for you. Some drivers will (try to) charge you as a foreigner a slightly higher price; most will quote you the same cost as they're charging other people in the car. They may also offer you a higher price (usually 4x the low price) for the full car. This is preferred by some travellers as you don't have to wait for people to fill the car up (which may take upwards of hours depending on your destination) and you don't have to share the vehicle with strangers. Shared taxis will queue in specific parking lots, usually near bus or train stations, and drivers will yell out their destinations and costs.

The major downsides to shared taxis are their unregulated nature and the need to have a relatively strong command of the local or colonial language in order to bargain with the drivers. But in some places, like extremely mountainous Tajikistan, shared taxis are the way to get between cities.

Talk
Try acquiring some knowledge of the local language. Yes, you can probably get by on just English in most of the world, but even the ability to say "hello", "please", "thank you", "excuse me", and so on in the local language goes a long way. "Leave me alone" and "don't touch me" aren't far behind. Numbers, "how much does it cost," and "too expensive" are also quite useful.

In several countries, especially in former British or American colonies, you can often get by with just English. For example in India or the Philippines, nearly every educated person speaks some English and many are fluent. Even many of the less educated have some English, at least recognize some simple words and phrases. In such situations, it is possible to travel using simple English – basic words and phrases. The key is to use just such common words and phrases, and learn to pronounce them in a more local (or locally comprehensible) accent.

For long trips in a region, consider learning a regional language if there is one. For example, Russian is widely used in Central Asia where many countries were once part of the Soviet Union. It is easier to learn a bit of Russian than to tackle all the local languages — Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen, Kazakh, Kyrgyz — and may be almost as useful. French plays a similar role for parts of Africa, Spanish and/or Portuguese in Latin America. For very basic communication a pidgin of Spanish and Portuguese is often understood by native speakers of both languages if you speak slow enough and use simple, clearly enunciated sentences. Your chances are better when using Spanish with Portuguese-speakers than the other way round. For English speakers Russian, French or Spanish may be easier to learn than the local languages.

All other things being equal, the age of a person (young adults often speak foreign languages better than old people), the urban or rural character of a destination and its general economic situation are good predictors of foreign language proficiency. For example, many young people in Costa Rica speak some English, whereas only a small subsection of the urban youth does in Western Nicaragua, a much poorer region.

Sleep
Do not sleep on a mattress or pad on the ground in areas where you do not know the local fauna. If you are going to camp out, bring a camp cot or hammock to keep you away from snakes, scorpions and such. Use mosquito nets around your bed in countries where mosquitoes carry malaria, dengue or yellow fever.

In some countries there is more or less explicitly a distinction between hotels aimed at locals and hotels aimed at foreigners. While sometimes the distinction is mostly price, location and the ability of staff to speak English, in some cases you really should avoid the hotels aimed at locals, especially if they rent rooms by the hour.

Stay safe
If you are from the developed world, your income is likely enormous in relation to that of many people in some developing countries. The UN estimates that nearly a billion people live on under US$2 a day. If you wander into their territory waving around a camera whose price exceeds local annual income, expect a reaction. Even your backpack, boots, watch and clothes may each cost a few months' local income. If you insist on using these items, consider altering them to (1) make them look dirty or rusted, and (2) reduce their potential resale value. Do you still have your old worn-down backpack around? Can you use a cheap secondary phone for routine needs and leave your more expensive smartphone for when you really need it?

In addition, ethnic stereotypes and perceptions may affect how locals view you. For example, Chinese travellers may be stereotyped as wealthy businesspersons who habitually deposit and use large sum of cash, which makes Chinese more prone to burglary and corrupt officials.

Reactions vary, but be prepared to deal with:
 * aggressive sales tactics and being charged more than locals, see Bargaining;
 * police and other government officers requesting bribes, see Authority trouble and Corruption and bribery;
 * various scams aimed at tourists, see Common scams;
 * thieves, see Pickpockets;
 * beggars, including children being exploited by adults as street beggars, see Begging;
 * violent crimes, such as armed robbery and snatch theft, particularly in big cities like Caracas, Johannesburg and São Paulo.

Take precautions, but do not get paranoid about it. Of course some people want your money, but don't let that spoil a trip.

In parts of Asia and Latin America, aggressive dogs are another concern.

If travelling in a country that is experiencing widespread violence, such as a civil war, you need to take many extra precautions, see War zone safety.

Police
One unfortunate fact of life is that police corruption is likely to be more of an issue the less developed a country is. As such, you should not expect much help from the police if you have been a victim of crime, as criminals often bribe police officers to avoid arrest. You should still make a police report as the police report would generally be required for you to make an insurance claim on the value of any items stolen.

It is also not uncommon for police officers in developing countries to ask for bribes, especially with regards to traffic offenses, crossing borders, problems with documents and the like.

Stay healthy

Developing countries pose health hazards. Many have poor sanitation, poor health care and a hot climate that allows various diseases practically unknown in temperate Western countries to propagate. Quite a few have stray or feral dogs and cats, and some have exceptional numbers of rats, which may spread diseases.

Many countries have immunization requirements for certain diseases (such as yellow fever). See a doctor with experience in travel medicine, or visit a specialist clinic, at least 8 weeks before your planned departure. This gives enough time for the vaccinations. It is also a good idea to ensure you do not have any major ailments before travelling, as access to good medical care in the event of an emergency is often limited in developing countries.

Hepatitis is common in many developing countries and can be spread through contaminated water. Effective vaccines are available for Hepatitis A and B, but not for Hepatitis C. Consult with your travel medicine specialist about whether you should get these vaccines.

Although rabies is endemic in many developing countries and feral dogs may increase the risk, rabies vaccines are awkward, usually unnecessary, and should only be considered if you are going to do things that heighten your risk (such as working with animals). If you think you want the vaccine, talk to a professional with an understanding of your situation.

Malaria remains a problem in many developing countries. Malaria existed in Europe until at least World War II; mosquitoes may carry malaria even in cold climates. Also yellow fever and dengue are carried by mosquitoes. The malaria mosquitoes are active mostly at night, those that carry dengue mostly in the day. Generally the best prevention against mosquito transmitted diseases is not to get bitten by mosquitoes in the first place. Covered skin will be bitten less often, so wear long trousers and long-sleeve shirts or pullovers if you can. Mosquito nets are an effective and cheap way to protect yourself at night.

AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases are poorly controlled in many developing countries. If there is any chance you will have sex with anyone except a long-term partner, carry condoms.

Contaminated drinking water is one of the leading sources of health problems for travelers. Check country listings for your destinations for details of hazards there, and for availability of bottled water or alternatives. Consider carrying a means of purifying water, portable filters are useful and inexpensive. A good filter takes out everything down to 0.2 micron, all bacteria and many viruses. Boiling or ultraviolet (UV) radiation may be even more effective, depending on what you want to get rid of, but those require equipment (like a stove) that you might not have in your lodging. Iodine tablets are widely used. Consult a doctor with knowledge of the area you are visiting.

Inorganic water contaminants, such as insecticides or heavy metals, are a different problem and cannot be dealt with by the usual sterilization methods. Check our destination articles and government health warnings to see if these will be an acute problem – usually the health effects are from long-term exposure.

Carry a diarrhea medicine; you are almost certain to need it at some point. Loperamide is an inexpensive and effective generic, available in most of the world. For many destinations, sun screen and mosquito repellent are also essential. Carrying your own anti-bacterial soap and hand wipes can be a useful precaution. For some journeys, a full first aid kit is advisable.

Your diet will change somewhat to suit unfamiliar foods and you may lose nutrients due to various illnesses. Using one-a-day multivitamin tablets is a sensible precaution. To greatly reduce your risk of food-related problems remember this rule for fruits and vegetables: peel it, wash it, boil it or reject it (though be careful, too, about the safety of any water used to wash a vegetable).

Packing
For travel in developing countries, you may need to carry things you would not need nearer home:
 * A sarong is useful as a sheet, beach blanket, towel, and of course, sarong wrap.
 * A luggage lock: expedition shops and airports sell these. Or if backpacking, consider a 3D flexible lock that wraps around your entire pack.
 * Money belt or passport pouch for your valuables. See pickpockets for more detail.
 * A little flashlight designed to hang on a keychain
 * Guidebook, phrasebook or Wikivoyage printouts (and a memory stick with the pages you did not print): these can be very helpful, and the more unfamiliar your destination is, the more useful they are. Don't count on finding consistent Internet access once you arrive.
 * Map: often these can be bought cheaply in the destination country, but you should bring your own for countries such as China where you cannot expect to read the locally-printed map.
 * Toilet paper: keep a roll or wad of paper in your luggage and a good wad in an easily accessible spot. Public toilets and guest-house toilets will often not provide any. If you're short on space, remove the cardboard tube and flatten the roll. Keeping it in a large zip-lock bag is another good idea.
 * Food: trail mix, granola bars or other sports snacks travel well. They can be very handy when airport food is ridiculously expensive, when nothing nearby looks sanitary, or when everything is closed for two days because of some festival or strike.
 * Medication, including personal supplies of medications that you are taking

Budget travellers will also need:
 * A sleep sheet (sheet sewn into a bag): the cheaper hostels do not provide bedding.
 * A towel: Hotels and hostels may not provide one, or not clean ones. In cold weather areas, drying off quickly is much more important than on a tropical island. Making room in your pack for a good towel can keep you healthy and happy. Bath and beauty shops sell small super-absorbent towels for drying hair, but they work just as well for general use, and dry quicker than regular cotton.  To save space, go with the smallest size you're comfortable with.
 * A padlock: some hotels don't have door locks, but give you a padlock with which to close the door of your room. People who work at the hotel almost certainly have duplicate keys for that lock. Using your own lock is more secure.
 * A rubber doorstop: works wonders if you don't have a padlock.
 * A universal rubber plug, for use in sinks and tubs where no plug is provided.
 * A clothesline

You might also need:
 * Sewing kit
 * duct tape (to save space, consider wrapping a few feet around a large marker or Sharpie, instead of bringing a whole roll)
 * pocket knife (only in checked baggage of course)
 * lighter or a waterproof container with matches (plastic photographic film boxes are perfect) (most airport restrictions prohibit the carrying of matches onboard)

title: Travel in developing countries


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Tips for women travellers

Women who travel — especially solo women travellers — often enjoy some particular benefits. However, they also encounter some particular challenges and risks. This article contains some general tips concerning safety, health and travel practicalities that are of special interest to women. Tips for women at individual destinations (such as, say, appropriate dress when visiting a temple, especially safety issues) are addressed in those articles.

Of course, other articles such as Pickpockets, Common scams and Tips for travel in developing countries have advice that, while not specific to female travellers, does apply to them.

Making friends

Man or woman, solo, couple or group; making new friends en route is always fun. As a woman, especially when travelling solo, investing a bit of effort into finding like-minded people may not only make for a memorable exchange of stories, but can make exploring feel a bit safer. Especially in places you know or feel to be risky, mingle. Looking for fellow (solo) travellers? Head for a hostel rather than a large, anonymous hotel. Take a local cooking or language course. Join an organized day tour to a nearby attraction. Don't be shy about starting a conversation with other (solo) travellers; one of you has to be the one to start it.

Of course, remain vigilant and don't give out your hotel name or room number to strangers you just met on the streets. Be especially wary of locals who single you out asking for help or wasting no time to invite you to parties or their home. Keep in mind that smart thugs know not to dress the part, and petty crimes are often enough carried out by children, mothers and other people you wouldn't suspect.

Stay healthy
For the most part, precautions to stay healthy apply to men and women alike, but there are a few health issues women travellers should be particularly aware of.

Unfortunately, urinary tract infections (also known as bladder infections or cystitis) are a common issue among women. A simple infection is easy enough to treat, but can develop into a harder to treat infection of the kidneys (known as pyelonephritis). Keep in mind that cystitis can be made worse by dehydration, so make sure to keep up your fluid intake when you experience any symptoms. Common symptoms include a strong urge to urinate without much urine being produced, a burning sensation when urinating and strong-smelling or cloudy urine. Healthy women who catch symptoms early may be able to manage the infection by drinking a lot, but if symptoms don't start to diminish in 24 hours, it's wise to seek medical attention. If you are prone to bladder infections, and know how to recognize it, discuss with your doctor if it's wise to take a simple course of antibiotics with you.

Contraception

 * While it's usually best and easiest to follow your usual contraceptive measures, you might find it hard to obtain the contraception of your choice (or in some countries, any contraception at all!) en route. In conservative parts of the world, women or even unmarried couples may encounter resistance when trying to get doctor's prescriptions and supplies, while in other places it might just not be available. Inform yourself beforehand and consider taking adequate supplies from home if possible. With hormonal contraceptives, keep storage instructions in mind when travelling to regions where it gets hot or freezing cold. Take them with you in the original packaging with a copy of your prescription. Women who need to visit a doctor regularly for a dose, such as women who receive contraceptive hormone injections, might consider switching contraceptive methods for a long trip, or might want to make arrangements before leaving home.
 * Oral contraceptives may lose their effectiveness if you become ill and vomit or have diarrhea. Time zone changes may also make it difficult to take each dose 24 hours after the last dose. You need to use a backup contraceptive measure, such as condoms, for 7 days after any interruption in effectiveness, which means either a late or missed pill or illness that might have affected the absorption. Check the information packet that comes with your pills for details of exactly what affects the absorption, and bring condoms from home for areas where they may be hard to find or may lack in quality. Hormonal contraceptives that are delivered at a constant dose, such as by injection, by implant or by vaginal ring, are not affected by illness or time zone changes.
 * If you're travelling for a long time, contraceptive injections (effective for about 3 months), hormone releasing implants (effective for about 3 to 5 years) or intrauterine devices (effective for about 5 to 10 years) are worth considering. Keep in mind that all of these require a medical professional to apply them.

If you want to change your contraceptive for your trip, do so well in advance — not only because you'll need to make the relevant doctor's appointments, but also because switching contraceptives can cause some temporary irregularities in effectiveness and in your menstruation.

If you do not want to get pregnant and your contraceptives might have failed, "morning after pills" may be unavailable or require bureaucracy. If you are considering an abortion, you might want to travel home, to be able to get the emotional support, especially if the laws where you come from make it easy to obtain. An abortion locally may require procedures you don't want to deal with, or it may be unavailable. Laws have been changing both ways, for example with some U.S. states getting much more restrictive in 2022.

Pregnancy

There are a number of health issues that women who are planning to travel while pregnant should consider, and discuss with their doctor or health provider as needed.

Vaccines and medications may harm the child in the womb, which means you may need alternative approaches and perhaps should avoid some destinations. There are illnesses, such as Zika and Malaria, that may be dangerous to the child in themselves. Pregnancy may increase the inherent dangers of some types of transport, such as flying, and activities, such as SCUBA diving.

There is always a risk of complications, miscarriage or premature childbirth. Are there appropriate facilities available? Do your insurance cover the costs? In the case of childbirth, there are issues about getting required documents, including visa and passport for the child – and there may be non-obvious effects on the child's citizenship(s).

Stay safe
Every year, millions of women set out to travel the world, with a companion or alone. While the great majority experiences little or no serious threats, and while the choice of destination can make a huge difference, the risk of unwanted attention and sexual assault is always significantly higher for women travellers than it is for men. Also, women are often considered easier targets for bag snatching, robberies and other crimes. A bit of extra preparation, tips and awareness can go a long way in making you feel at ease and staying safe while travelling.

Being scared takes all the fun out of travelling, and it doesn't help in making good decisions either. Don't be embarrassed to take some extra precautions, even when there's probably no reason to, if they make you feel safer. While you shouldn't be scared, it's good to always be aware of your surroundings and to act accordingly.
 * Trust your instincts and put safety first when your gut tells you something is wrong. When approached by strangers and you somehow feel threatened, don't worry about being rude. Also, don't be afraid to be loud or make a fuss when you are somehow targeted. Harassing solo females is social taboo in most countries and drawing attention from the people around you can save you from a range of unpleasant situations.
 * Count on some extra budget for safer transportation. Reading up on your next destination and knowing what the common scams are is a good idea for men and women alike. Especially as a solo female traveller, however, grabbing a taxi instead of wandering through a bad neighbourhood or a dark alley is sometimes the best choice, and you might want to be careful to use one from a reputable company rather than an unregistered one. When planning your trip, make sure budget will not keep you from choosing the safer option if you want it. If at all possible, avoid arriving at new places at night. In a sleeper train with multiple beds in a compartment, opt for the upper berth. It is sometimes possible to ask to share a compartment with other women or a family. Keep in mind that smaller more expensive compartments may give more privacy, but they're not always safer, as there's no crowd around to keep bad things from happening.
 * Dress appropriately and mind your body language. Often enough women travellers underestimate the impact proper dress can have. In many countries, it's a sign of respect which will make it easier to connect with local women and make it more likely for strangers to help when you need it. In some places a dress code is even mandated by law or strongly enforced local custom. Being dressed immodestly makes you a more likely target of unwanted attention and harassment. Be aware that physical contact or even simple gestures that may be perfectly normal at home can be interpreted as something quite different in some conservative countries. Err on the side of caution and keep your distance with strange men.

Cope
Gynopedia is an open resource wiki for sexual, reproductive and women's health care, with related information for several countries and cities, including laws and customs and where to buy different products.

Menstruation
Pack enough supplies of your usual menstruation product (tampons or pads), particularly if you are going to a less developed country where they might not be available easily. Tampons are especially hard to come by in some places. Modern pharmacies in large cities are often your best bet. If you still have trouble finding what you need, discretely asking female pharmacy staff will usually help.

If you use any pain killers for cramps, take them along after checking their legality at the destination. If crossing international borders, leave them in their original packaging so that customs can determine what they are.

In some interpretations of some religions, menstruating women are "impure" and might be expected to stay away from some social contexts. If this is the case where you are travelling, be discreet and consider obeying the rules for visiting religious sites.

For women doing extended travel in areas where obtaining and disposing of normal menstrual products is annoying, reusable menstrual products might be a useful alternative to consider. The primary products in this category are the suction cups: the silicone Diva Cup and the rubber Keeper. These are non-absorbent, reusable and do not even need to be rinsed before re-insertion every time. They are also great for the environment.

Some women travellers might consider using the contraceptive pill to postpone or skip a period. Extended cycle pills (one period every three months, rather than every 28 days) are approved for use in some countries, however normal monophasic pills can be used to skip periods as well, by skipping the pill-free period or the different coloured sugar placebo pills. Discuss this use with your prescribing doctor.

Hair removal
Waxing is a popular and often relatively cheap method in developing countries where this is the primary form of removal. When seeking cheap locations in countries with substantial Indian minorities, try to inquire about a "Little India" in major cities. This is a part of town where most of the shops, including salons, are owned and shopped at by Indian people, where waxing can sometimes be considerably cheaper.

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

title: Tips for women travellers


text:
Tiradentes

Tiradentes is one of the smallest yet best preserved colonial towns in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais. It has a population of about 6000 and boasts some fine examples of 300-year old buildings, like the impressive gold-filled Matriz church. It is also well-known amongst food lovers for its food festival in August and its many good regional and modern restaurants.

Get in
Tiradentes is 14 km from São João del Rei, 215 km from Belo Horizonte, 325 km from Rio de Janeiro and 483 from São Paulo.

By bus
There are about 10 buses a day from (and to) São João del Rei (8 on weekends). The bus station (Rodoviária) is located near the São Francisco de Paula church at Praça Silva Jardim. Tel: (32) 3355-1100. There are no ticket booths, pay onboard.

By train
On weekends, the maria-fumaça (steam train) leaves the neighbouring city of São João del Rei twice a day (10:00 and 15:00). The 35-minute trip is a nice way to get into town in full "vintage" style.

Get around
Cars are allowed to circulate, but given the compact size of the old town, slowly walking around is by far the best way to see and feel the place. The irregular ancient pavement may not be quite friendly to those with locomotion disabilities, though.

See
Buildings from times long gone and the cobblestone streets give Tiradentes a very special feeling. Its main attractions include:

Do

 * Small Carriage tours leave the Largo das Forras square and the train station to visit the main attractions in the old town. The 1-hour ride costs R$ 15 and carries up to 4 persons.
 * Trekking in the nearby mountains of Serra de São José.
 * Cultural and gastronomic festival in August

Buy
There are many sweets and crafts shops around town. Most of the crafts are actually made by people living at the Bichinho district, separated from town by a narrow, 7-km-long dust road. Go there if you want to get cheaper prices buy from the artists directly, but be prepared to gold-dig a little bit.

Drink
There are several bars in and around the Largo das Forras square. Bottles of fine Brazilian cachaça can be bought in many shops scattered around town.

Sleep
There are several choices of pousadas in Tiradentes, ranging from simple, basic pensions to nice comfortable inns housed in historic buildings. Many hotels can also be found outside the old town and in nearby rural areas.

The city is a very popular weekend and holiday destination, so it's advisable to book in advance during those peak periods. New Year, Carnaval and Holy Week are particularly busy. Check the calendar of Brazilian holidays for precise dates. The food festival in August is also considered high season.

Many people choose to sleep at nearby São João del Rei, a larger and less touristy city.

Go next
There are buses to São Joao del Rei nearly every 40 minutes, departing from the bus station.

title: Tiradentes


text:
Tirana

Tirana (Albanian: Tiranë) is the bustling and relatively modernised capital of Albania. It is the most important economic, financial, political and trade centre in the country. The city was announced as the European Youth Capital for 2022. Tourists often find the city charming, with both cosmopolitan and small town feelings, and a lively night life.

Understand
Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, a native feudal lord from Mullet, established the city in 1614. His first constructions were a mosque, a bakery and a hamam or Turkish bath. On 8 February 1920, Tirana was made the temporary capital by the Congress of Lushnje, and it was proclaimed the permanent capital on 31 December 1925.

Today, Tirana suffers from pollution problems mainly due to the rapid increase in cars in the city and continuous construction. Long gone are the days when Tirana used to be subject to power outages almost daily and this made Tirana a noisy city as the lack of power and lack of traffic lights had cars navigating by honking their horns. The situation has dramatically improved regarding power outages. Tirana is undergoing a major renovation from its totalitarian days. Many of the ugly dull buildings have been repainted (including many crossings), but a lot of work outside of center is still to be done. English is the second language of many younger population, with many older residents speaking Italian.

The main business and entertainment area (not by coincidence) has become "The Block" (Blloku), which is the area where in the past, the communist leaders used to live under strict protection. Tirana is a youthful and lively city of 528,000 people (2024) resonating constant energy. Locals prefer to hang out at the many cafes and main parks. A popular retreat is by cable car to Mount Dajti where one can get a panoramic view of the city from above.

Albanians are very hospitable towards foreigners, despite media frequently portraying them unfairly as thieves and mobsters. Tirana is very approachable if you're the adventurous type. Crime is rarely, if ever, directed towards foreigners and costs are very low by regional standards. The worst experience you may have is with the erratic driving style of Albanians.

By plane

Buses connect the airport to Tirana, Durres, Shkoder and Fier.

By bus
Tirana has several bus terminals, depending on where their buses go or come from:

In the following the times to leave Tirana from this terminal (as of Oct 2021). Return frequencies will be similar, but times will be different.

Northbound connections (left side of the terminal):
 * {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! Platform !! Destination !! Times
 * 1 || Laç || 05:30; 06:00; 06:30; 07:00; 07:30; 08:00; 08:30; 09:00; 09:30; 10:00; 10:30; 11:00; 11:30; 12:00; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00; 16:30; 17:00; 17:30; 18:00; 18:30; 19:00
 * 2 || Shkodër || 05:00; 06:00; 06:30; 07:00; 07:30; 08:00; 08:30; 09:00; 09:30; 10:00; 10:30; 11:00; 11:30; 12:00; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00; 16:30; 17:00; 17:30; 18:00
 * 3 || Peshkopi || 05:00; 05:30; 06:00; 06:30; 07:00; 07:30; 08:00; 08:30; 09:00; 10:00; 10:40; 11:20; 12:30; 12:40; 13:20; 14:00; 14:40; 15:20; 16:00; 16:40
 * 4 || Fushë Krujë (Kamza) || 05:00; 05:30; 06:00; 06:30; 07:00; 07:30; 08:30; 09:00; 09:30; 10:00; 10:30; 11:00; 11:30; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:30; 17:00; 17:30; 18:00
 * 5 || Burrel || 06:00; 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 13:00; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00
 * 6 || Kukës || 06:00; 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 13:00; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00; 18:00; 19:00
 * 7a || Bajram Curri (Qafa E Malit) || 08:00; 10:00; 10:30; 11:00
 * 7b || Bajram Curri (Koman) || 05:00; 10:30
 * 8 || Fushë Krujë (Rinas) || 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 13:00; 14:00; 17:00
 * 9 || Lezhë || 06:00; 06:20; 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 12:30; 13:00; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00; 18:00; 19:00
 * 10 || Rrëshen || 06:00; 07:30; 09:00; 10:30; 11:00; 12:00; 13:00; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00; 18:00
 * 11 || Bajram Curri (Kosova) || 05:30; 06:00; 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 14:00; 14:30; 15:30
 * 12 || Bulqizë || 06:00; 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:30; 13:30; 14:30; 16:00; 17:00
 * 13 || Krujë || 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 13:30; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00; 18:00
 * 14 || Pukë || 05:00; 06:00; 07:00; 10:00; 11:00; 11:45; 13:00; 14:00; 16:00
 * 15 || Fushë Arrëz || 05:00; 05:30; 06:00; 07:40; 08:10; 12:00; 14:00
 * 16 || Krumë || 06:30; 07:30; 08:30; 09:30; 12:30; 14:30; 16:00; 17:00
 * 17 || Vau Dejës || 07:00; 10:00; 17:00
 * 18 || Koplik || 06:30; 07:15; 12:00; 13:00
 * 19 || Klos || 05:30; 08:00; 12:00; 14:00
 * }
 * 10 || Rrëshen || 06:00; 07:30; 09:00; 10:30; 11:00; 12:00; 13:00; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00; 18:00
 * 11 || Bajram Curri (Kosova) || 05:30; 06:00; 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 14:00; 14:30; 15:30
 * 12 || Bulqizë || 06:00; 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:30; 13:30; 14:30; 16:00; 17:00
 * 13 || Krujë || 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 13:30; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00; 18:00
 * 14 || Pukë || 05:00; 06:00; 07:00; 10:00; 11:00; 11:45; 13:00; 14:00; 16:00
 * 15 || Fushë Arrëz || 05:00; 05:30; 06:00; 07:40; 08:10; 12:00; 14:00
 * 16 || Krumë || 06:30; 07:30; 08:30; 09:30; 12:30; 14:30; 16:00; 17:00
 * 17 || Vau Dejës || 07:00; 10:00; 17:00
 * 18 || Koplik || 06:30; 07:15; 12:00; 13:00
 * 19 || Klos || 05:30; 08:00; 12:00; 14:00
 * }
 * 16 || Krumë || 06:30; 07:30; 08:30; 09:30; 12:30; 14:30; 16:00; 17:00
 * 17 || Vau Dejës || 07:00; 10:00; 17:00
 * 18 || Koplik || 06:30; 07:15; 12:00; 13:00
 * 19 || Klos || 05:30; 08:00; 12:00; 14:00
 * }
 * 18 || Koplik || 06:30; 07:15; 12:00; 13:00
 * 19 || Klos || 05:30; 08:00; 12:00; 14:00
 * }
 * }

Southbound connections (right side of the terminal):
 * {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! Platform !! Destination !! Times
 * 1 || Kavajë || 07:00; 08:30; 10:00; 12:00; 13:30; 14:00; 15:00; 17:00
 * 2 || Durrës || 06:00; 06:30; 07:00; 07:30; 08:00; 08:30; 08:45; 09:00; 09:20; 09:40; 10:10; 10:30; 10:50; 11:10; 11:30; 11:50; 12:10; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:15; 15:30; 16:00; 16:20; 16:40; 17:00; 17:20; 17:40; 18:00; 18:30; 19:00; 19:30; 19:45; 20:00; 20:30; 21:00; 21:15
 * 3 || Rrogozhinë || 06:30; 07:30; 08:30; 09:30; 10:30; 12:00; 13:00; 14:00; 15:00; 17:00
 * 4 || Manëz || 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00
 * 5 || Himarë || 05:30; 07:30; 08:30; 12:30; 13:00; 18:00
 * 6 || Shijaku || 07:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 12:45; 13:30; 14:15; 15:00; 15:45; 16:30; 17:15; 18:00
 * 7 || Divjakë || 06:00; 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:30; 13:10; 14:45
 * 8 || Sukth || 06:20; 07:00; 07:30; 08:00; 08:30; 09:30; 10:30; 11:30; 12:30; 13:00; 14:00; 15:30; 16:30; 18:30; 20:30
 * 9 || Fier || 05:00; 05:30; 05:55; 06:20; 06:45; 07:10; 07:35; 08:00; 08:25; 08:50; 09:15; 09:40; 10:05; 10:30; 11:00; 11:30; 12:00; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00; 16:30; 17:00; 17:30; 18:00; 18:30; 19:30
 * 10 || Berat || 05:40; 06:30; 07:15; 07:45; 08:15; 08:50; 09:20; 09:50; 10:20; 11:00; 11 :30; 12:00; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00; 16:30; 17:00; 17:30
 * 11 || Gjirokastër || 05:00; 06:45; 08:00; 09:00; 10:00; 11:00; 12:00; 13:00; 14:30; 15:30; 17:30; 18:30; 20:30
 * 12 || Lushnjë || 05:40; 06:10; 06:40; 07:10; 07:40; 08:10; 08:40; 09:10; 09:40; 10:10; 10:45; 11:30; 12:00; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:45; 15:30; 16:15
 * 13 || Vlorë || 05:00; 05:30; 05:55; 06:20; 06:45; 07:10; 07:35; 08:00; 08:25; 08:50; 09:15; 09:40; 1 0:05; 10:30; 11:00; 11:30; 12:00; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00; 16:30; 17:00; 17:30
 * 14 || Sarandë / Bregdet || 06:15; 21:00
 * 15 || Memaliaj || 07:15; 08:15; 14:00; 15:00; 16:45; 17:45
 * 16 || Përmet || 05:30; 06:30; 07:30; 08:15; 09:00; 11:30; 12:30; 14:00; 15:30; 17:00
 * 17 || Ballsh || 06:15; 07:45; 12:00; 13:00; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00
 * 18 || Libohovë || 05:45; 13:00
 * 18 || Këlcyrë || 12:00; 15:05
 * 19 || Kuçovë || 06:45; 09:00; 10:45; 11:45; 12:45; 13:45; 14:30; 15:15; 16:15; 17:15
 * 20 || Sarandë || 05:30; 07:30; 08:30; 09:45; 12:30; 14:15; 16:00; 22:00
 * 21 || Patos || 04:45; 07:45; 10:40; 11:00; 11:40; 12:40; 13:40; 14:00; 14:40; 15:40
 * 21 || Selenicë || 12:15; 14:15
 * 22 || Tepelenë || 07:00; 11:00; 13:00; 14:00
 * 23 || Delvinë || 07:30; 10:30; 13:00; 14:50
 * 24 || Dropull || 04:30; 07:00; 13:45; 18:00
 * 25 || Fratar || 14:30; 16:00
 * 26 || Peqin || 06:45; 13:00
 * 26 || Konispol || 11:00
 * 27 || Poliçan || 07:05; 10:35; 12:15; 14:00
 * 28 || Orikum || 10:00
 * 28 || Roskovec || 12:15; 14:15; 15:15
 * 29 || Cërrik || 13:50
 * 30 || Skrapar || 06:00; 11:10; 13:00; 14:30; 16:10
 * }
 * 18 || Libohovë || 05:45; 13:00
 * 18 || Këlcyrë || 12:00; 15:05
 * 19 || Kuçovë || 06:45; 09:00; 10:45; 11:45; 12:45; 13:45; 14:30; 15:15; 16:15; 17:15
 * 20 || Sarandë || 05:30; 07:30; 08:30; 09:45; 12:30; 14:15; 16:00; 22:00
 * 21 || Patos || 04:45; 07:45; 10:40; 11:00; 11:40; 12:40; 13:40; 14:00; 14:40; 15:40
 * 21 || Selenicë || 12:15; 14:15
 * 22 || Tepelenë || 07:00; 11:00; 13:00; 14:00
 * 23 || Delvinë || 07:30; 10:30; 13:00; 14:50
 * 24 || Dropull || 04:30; 07:00; 13:45; 18:00
 * 25 || Fratar || 14:30; 16:00
 * 26 || Peqin || 06:45; 13:00
 * 26 || Konispol || 11:00
 * 27 || Poliçan || 07:05; 10:35; 12:15; 14:00
 * 28 || Orikum || 10:00
 * 28 || Roskovec || 12:15; 14:15; 15:15
 * 29 || Cërrik || 13:50
 * 30 || Skrapar || 06:00; 11:10; 13:00; 14:30; 16:10
 * }
 * 25 || Fratar || 14:30; 16:00
 * 26 || Peqin || 06:45; 13:00
 * 26 || Konispol || 11:00
 * 27 || Poliçan || 07:05; 10:35; 12:15; 14:00
 * 28 || Orikum || 10:00
 * 28 || Roskovec || 12:15; 14:15; 15:15
 * 29 || Cërrik || 13:50
 * 30 || Skrapar || 06:00; 11:10; 13:00; 14:30; 16:10
 * }
 * 28 || Roskovec || 12:15; 14:15; 15:15
 * 29 || Cërrik || 13:50
 * 30 || Skrapar || 06:00; 11:10; 13:00; 14:30; 16:10
 * }
 * 30 || Skrapar || 06:00; 11:10; 13:00; 14:30; 16:10
 * }
 * }

Southeastern connections:
 * {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! Platform !! Destination !! Times
 * 1 || Elbasan (different companies) || 05:45–19:45 (hourly), 09:30, 12:30, 16:00, 20:00 & 06:00, 06:30, 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 08:45, 09:00, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:15, 14:30, 15:00, 15:15, 15:30, 16:00, 19:45, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30
 * 1 || Belsh || 13:00
 * 1 || Cërrik || 13:00
 * 1 || Gramsh || 07:00, 09:00, 13:00, 15:00
 * 2 || Librazhd || 12:15, 14:00, 16:00
 * 3 || Përrenjas || 13:00, 14:00
 * 4 || Pogradec || 06:30, 08:30, 09:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30
 * 5 || Korçë || 05:45, 06:30, 07:15, 08:00, 08:45, 09:30, 10:15, 11:00, 11:45, 12:30, 13:15, 14:00, 14:45, 15:30, 16:15, 17:00
 * 5 || Ersekë || 06:00, 10:00, 14:30
 * 5 || Leskovik || 13:00
 * 6 || Bilisht || 06:30, 07:00, 11:30, 14:30
 * }
 * 4 || Pogradec || 06:30, 08:30, 09:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30
 * 5 || Korçë || 05:45, 06:30, 07:15, 08:00, 08:45, 09:30, 10:15, 11:00, 11:45, 12:30, 13:15, 14:00, 14:45, 15:30, 16:15, 17:00
 * 5 || Ersekë || 06:00, 10:00, 14:30
 * 5 || Leskovik || 13:00
 * 6 || Bilisht || 06:30, 07:00, 11:30, 14:30
 * }
 * 5 || Leskovik || 13:00
 * 6 || Bilisht || 06:30, 07:00, 11:30, 14:30
 * }
 * 6 || Bilisht || 06:30, 07:00, 11:30, 14:30
 * }

 * Bus times (to) as of October 2021 include:
 * Thessaloniki – 04:00 (Liko & Kosta Tours), 05:00, 08.30 (Alpar, Alvavel), 07:00 (Start Travel, uneven days) ... €40
 * Skopje – 08:00, 09:00, 13:00, 19:00, 21:00 (Dajani Tours), 08:00, 09:00, 19:00, 21:00 (Start Travel), 08:00, 19:00 (Drita/Deva Tours), 09:00, 21:00 (Hak Bus, cheapest) ... €15-20
 * Checkout this schedule for a hopefully more reliable schedule on international connections.
 * Checkout this schedule for a hopefully more reliable schedule on international connections.

Buses and furgons (minibuses) are generally the best method for travelling within Albania, but they are not in the best of shape. There are few bus companies; many are operated by individual drivers. Bus lines have schedules and drivers are supposed to leave when it's time, but sometimes they may leave earlier or later, depending on how full they are. So, arrive sufficiently ahead of time.

A good website to find the latest bus times is gjirafa.com. Prices are indicative and each bus (driver) should have a proper stack of tickets with him where you can identify the right price.

International
Buses can be used to reach Tirana from other cities in Albania and internationally. There is daily bus service from Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, Athens (Greece) and multiple services per day to Pristina, Kosovo (€10, 4½ hr). Schedules change frequently so check the latest info in your place of departure.

From North Macedonia, buses come from Skopje, Ohrid and Struga. Definite departure times from Skopje Bus Terminal are 09:00 and 21:00 (as of Oct 2021), ден600.

From Montenegro, take a bus or taxi to Ulcinj, then take a bus or taxi to Shkodër in Albania, crossing the border at Muriqan. Buses leave Shkodër frequently for Tirana.

Daily buses also leave from Kotor to Tirana directly at 09:00 and every other day in summer at 10:40 (via Budva, Podgarica, Shkodër but without changing buses).

By taxi
To calculate and book your journey you can use the Taxi Trip Calculator by MerrTaxi Tirana, which is the biggest taxi company in Albania, operates 24/7 in the capital city and they always use meter. To call a taxi use the national toll-free phone number, or the international phone number. Also there are private companies which offer good offers, like Blue Taxi Tirana

Your hotel can also arrange a taxi to the border but it is usually more expensive. For example, a taxi from Tirana to the Macedonian border, a distance of 110 km (70 miles), will take 2½ hours and cost about 9,000 lek with MerrTaxi Tirana. A metered Macedonian taxi from the border to Struga is €10 and to Ohrid about €16 (1,000 denars) but you might get it for less if you haggle. The trip takes 15 min to Struga and 25 min to Ohrid (July 2018). Passport control will take about 30 min.

Another traveling alternative is by Mobile App. VrapOn Taxi Albania is a Uber-like App in Albania that makes your trip to the city safer. Through VrapOn you save time and money, book a ride in advance, no need to explain your destination, track your taxi location in real time etc. The app is the best solution to go from Tirana Airport to Tirana city center or to other cities of Albania.

Get around

There are no metros or online taxis, like Uber, available in Tirana. Feet, buses and taxis are the only options to get around in the city if you do not have private transportation.

On foot
The city centre is small enough to be explored through walking. Walking is a rewarding experience, but beware that there is no continuity in sidewalk width, construction material or condition. Sidewalks frequently end abruptly, have large holes or are very narrow. Pay attention while walking or you may end up spraining your ankle or falling in a hole. Street names are subject to change, so locals rarely know them. It is advised to learn a to navigate via landmarks instead of addresses or street names. You can orient yourself using the Lana River and "Dëshmorët e Kombit" street, which roughly bisects the central part of Tirana into four sections. At this intersection of the Lana River and Dëshmorët e Kombit is very recognizable "Pyramid" and "Taiwan Center".

By bus
Public transportation in Tirana consists of a number of intra-city bus lines. A single trip costs 40 lek, there are only single tickets available as of 2023, and tickets are sold in the bus by a conductor. Buses marked Green Line - Unaze are for the ring road and travel in a loop around the city centre. Though, not all Green Line buses are for Unaze. There are also lines serving suburban shopping centres.

A useful web and Android application regarding Tirana's public transportation such as lines, directions, times and costs can be found at GetJar.

For bus routes consult OpenStreetMap, which is used by this travel guide and by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz. Bus lines on the webpage of the city.

By bicycle
There are combined bus and bike lanes on some main streets. However, cycling in the street can be quite dangerous as lanes are narrow or occupied by parked vehicles (but car drivers have become more careful during the last years). There are bike-only lanes however on Skanderbeg Square, Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard and on sidewalks along Lana River and Kavaja Street.

For all other bike equipment or repair, Rruga Qemal Stafa is Tirana's unofficial "bike street" with lots of little, inexpensive bike shops.

By taxi
A ride across town should cost 400 lek during the day, 600 lek at night. Negotiate a price before entering. Official taxis have a list with fare prices inside the vehicle. During the day flag-fall starts at 250 lek and 300 lek during the night or holidays.

 * merrTAXI offers authorized taxi reservation:
 * GreenTaxi offers very competitive rates and has a fleet of e-cars:
 * Blue Taxi, another option:
 * Speed Taxi: This taxi company is also a good taxi company which has taxi fare meters, so you are sure that they won't charge you a random price. Speed Taxi's number is:
 * VrapOn Taxi Albania is a Uber-like mobile App in Albania that makes your trip to the city safer. Through the app you save time and money, see prices in advance, and travel smoothly to your destination. Download the app here.
 * VrapOn Taxi Albania is a Uber-like mobile App in Albania that makes your trip to the city safer. Through the app you save time and money, see prices in advance, and travel smoothly to your destination. Download the app here.

These latter taxi companies do not differ much in price in downtown Tirana. However, the airport is a different story, and you can get price quotes that differ by 50% easily (1,000–2,500 lek).

Most informal taxis or irregular ones do not use the taximeter. You can negotiate the price before entering the cab, or ask them to use the taximeter and save money.

By car
Parking is a major problem. Driving offers a unique experience in Tirana for those willing to brave it. Driving aggressively and seizing opportunities will help you get around at normal pace. Timid and passive drivers should avoid driving in Tirana as they will likely be frustrated.

The city still misses road signs with directions (for example how to get out of the city). In case you have troubles just ask people (don't show them a map because Albanians are not used to seeing maps and even policemen don't know how to handle a street map.) Also, keep in mind that the word "car" sounds identical to the Albanian word for "penis" so do not be surprised if you get stared at if you say it. "Auto" or the Albanian word, "makina" are suitable stand-ins.

Car rentals in Albania are available from multi-national firms such as Hertz, Avis and Europcar, and can be booked online. However, local companies often have cheaper rates, examples include Eagle Rent, Noshi Rent-a-Car and Albarent—some have a website where you can do the reservation. It is best to always verify their ratings with Google Maps before deciding.

Holy places

Museums

 * As of March 15, 2024, this museum will be closed for renovations until March 15, 2028.

Landmarks

Do

Go for a walk in the evening along the main streets or at one of the several parks and sit for a coffee or drink. Take part in the vibrant nightlife by visiting one of the numerous nightclubs. If you are adventurous and brave enough, try the peculiar experience of driving in the city's streets by renting a car, or rent a bicycle from a bike renting station. You can also cruise the city with a limousine or venture out in the picturesque suburbs either south or northeast/west of Tirana.

 * A "free" walking tour starting daily at 10:00 (10:00 and 18:00 during the summer period) in front of Tirana's Opera house is a good start to discover the city and learn more about its history, art and daily life.

Below are some venturing suggestions:

Sports and events

 * Football – The city has two teams playing soccer in Kategoria Superiore, the top tier. KF Tirana play at Selman Stërmasi Stadium, capacity 9500, southwest side of city centre. FK Parizani play at Arena Kombëtare, capacity 22,500. This is also known as Air Albania Stadium and hosts the national team's home games. It's southeast corner of city centre towards the Grand Park.
 * Summer Day celebrations in Mid-March, and Independence Day festivities on November 28.

Money
There are plenty of ATMs accepting Cirrus/Maestro and Visa around the city. They charge 500–1,400 lek (abi, UnionBank vs. otpbank) per withdrawal with international cards.

ProCredit Bank on Bulevardi Zogu I north of Skanderbeg dispenses euros and charging €5 for it.

Exchange bureaus are abundant around the city. The ones at also exchange odd currencies like BAM—just ask the guys standing around there or head straight into the exchange office.

Markets
Locals open-air markets are available in most quarters of the city, and vegetable and fruits are often sold just around the next corner. Proper markets, which sell all sorts of things, tend to be more busy before noon and are barely open late—vegetable and fruits stands are an exception. In the following the larger markets in Tirana:

Shopping

Eat
Food is generally inexpensive, even in the more upscale places. The Italian influence is everywhere and most places will offer pizza and/or pasta along more elaborate dishes. A good rule of thumb is that the priciest or fanciest places rarely are the best ones, particularly in the Blloku. Notable dishes that exemplify the local cuisine include fërgesë (baked vegetables and cheese) and tavë dheu (fërgesë with the addition of liver).

Budget
Small shops and roadside vendors throughout the city sell foods such as sufllaqe, doner and gjiro for less than 200 lek. Also try the local speciality, byrek.

Mid-range

Drink
Blloku is the main nightlife spot in the city.

Converse, Charls, Steel Wings (Bikers club), Unit, Mos Fli are clubs in Blloku frequented by die hard rock and metal fans.

Mid-range

Splurge

Stay safe
You should take some precautions when walking around the city. The main advice is to simply watch your step. Although many parts of the city are maintained, there remain holes and worn-down street parts. Cars also seem to drive more recklessly than in most European cities, and assume a right-of-way, so care is needed in crossing the street. Not even a green light is always a guarantee of safety! Try to see when the locals cross the street and cross with them.

Embassies

 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇮🇷 Iran
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * North Macedonia
 * 🇵🇱 Poland
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next

 * Zall-Bastar – For hiking near Bovilla Lake and a hot sprint near Perkola village. The bus runs from the Myslym Keta bus stop in the northeast of the city, the latter which of can be reached by L7 or L15. About 100 lek to Zall-Bastar.
 * Shkodër – Fourth largest city in Albania, close to Montenegro's border.
 * Albanian Alps
 * Gjirokastra – Famous for its mulberry raki.
 * Berat – City of the thousand windows with old Turkish buildings and a fortress.
 * Saranda – Ferry to Corfu.
 * Përmet – An interesting town with popular thermal springs nearby.
 * Krujë - A fascinating historical town close to Tirana

There are also many direct connections to nearby countries, like Prizren, Pristina, Skopje, Athens and Podgorica.

By air
Tirana has ultra-low-cost flights to some European countries and to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. (updated May 2022)

title: Tirana


text:
Tiraspol

Tiraspol (Russian: Тирасполь; Ukrainian: Тираспіль) is the capital and largest city in Transnistria.

Understand
Tyras (Τύρας) is said to have been founded about 600 BC, as a colony of the Greek city Miletus, some 10 km from the mouth of the Tiras River (Dniester). It was refounded in 1792 by Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov on behest of empress Catherine the Great, as a border fortress on conquered land from the Ottoman Empire. The city's central square features the equestrian statue of Suvorov. Tiraspol was the capital of the Moldavian ASSR from 1929 until 1940.

Tiraspol is landlocked, and largely closed off from the outside world, due to a lack of transcontinental infrastructure. There is neither an airport nor a seaport in Transnistria. The nearest international airport is in neighbouring Moldova.

The present city has relatively modern infrastructure. The state-run bus service is a simple, fairly accessible method of transportation operating at peak hours during the day, made up of trolleybuses and maxi taxis (the latter cost 3.95 rubles), you pay on board. Night-time operations were halted due to an increase in criminal drug trafficking, which became rampant on the bus system during the mid-1990s. Subsequent reforms by ex-President Smirnov and other officials enabled the bus system to remain open for at least the better part of the day, restoring a much needed public service to the Transnistrian population.

The local sewer system and electrical grid are state-of-the-art, adapted from models based in western Europe. The Transnistrian basic infrastructure was built in the mid-1990s with the profits gained after the war of independence in 1992.

By bus
There are bus and maxi-taxi services from Chișinău every 30 min through most of the day. They leave from the northeast corner of the Chișinău Autogara (at Tighins St.). Buy your ticket at the Cada de Peron window on the platform, not inside the station. (2 hr 20 min, 57.00 Moldovan lei in July 2024).

There are also regular services from Bendery, Odesa and other Ukrainian and Moldovan cities. The main bus/train station is about 1 km from the city centre and has clearly posted schedules.

The Tiraspol bus/train station does not have a luggage depot.

There is a bank/exchange office, which is closed on Sunday. And no, you cannot pay for the toilet in the station with Moldovan lei.

By train
A daily train operated by Ukrainian Railways connects Tiraspol with Chisinau and Odesa. As of 2021, the schedule is as follows;

From Chisinau departure 7:09 - arrival Tiraspol 8:24, arrival Odesa 10:55

From Odesa departure 18:36 - arrival Tiraspol 21:07, arrival Chisinau 22:33

When starting in Ukraine the tickets can be reserved (but must be collected at the train station) through the Ukrainian Railways booking page. There is only a Ukrainian border control at Kuchurgan station where you get your Ukrainian exit stamp. Your passport will not be stamped by Moldovan officials nor by Transnistria.

When boarding in Chisinau tickets can be purchased on the train itself after passing a quick passport inspection in the station hall.

Regardless of where you arrived from, when you get to Tiraspol you must go inside the station hall to the window and ask for registration - likely a border guard will have seen you disembark and point you there. The officer will ask for duration and address of your stay and provide a visa for that time period. This process is free.

Get around
You will mostly be happy to get around on foot.

By bus
Easyway journey planner helps to find routes and schedules.

Tiraspol has an efficient trolleybus system, which is shared with the nearby city Bender. Trolleybus no. 19 connects the two towns. They run at an interval of 15-20 minutes from 05:30 until 21:00, and cost 2.8 Transnistrian Rubles. Tickets are sold on the bus by a conductor.

Most bus stops are clearly recognisable and indicate the buses that stop there, along with their interval (how many minutes between two buses) and their operating hours.

Many of the trolleybuses are from the 60s or 70s Soviet era but are kept in perfectly working order, with a fresh coat of paint on the outside, and surprisingly comfortable spring-loaded leather benches on the inside. Some new partially low-floor trolleybuses are also gradually being introduced to the system.

Besides trolleybuses there are also marshrutkas (minivans) which have less comfort but are more frequent and go everywhere in the city the trolleybuses don't reach.

Marshrutka no. 20 between Tiraspol and Bender plies the same route as the trolleybus, if you want to trade comfort for speed.

See
You might enjoy a visit to the main street with its parliamentary building boasting a relatively new Lenin statue. Opposite, a T-34 tank from the Great Patriotic War era forms part of a monument which also contains soil from the pivotal battle of Stalingrad.

You can see most of what there is to see in Tiraspol by walking along 25 October, the main street. There are several nice parks in the city, including the Culture Park near the university. This has abundant trees and a mixture of abandoned and enthusiastically used amusement park rides, and is a good place for people-watching. Most of the big monuments are at the south end of the city, about 2 km from the Palace of Soviets. It is also worth taking a small detour off the Main Street and going down to the Dniester river, where locals tend to gather in the summer.

Do

 * Visit the Soviet monuments that remain in Tiraspol. You may also want to visit the local drama theatre and local museums (closed Mondays) near the centre of the city. There are cheap boat tours on the Dniester which take about 30 minutes; just board the boat, the guide will collect the money after the ship departs (25 rubles).
 * Iceskating - near where the mashrutkas from the Ukrainian border arrive is an ice rink. 65 rubles.
 * Sheriff Casino - inside the Russia Hotel
 * A point of interest is that although there are no foreign embassies in Transnistria, both South Ossetia and Abkhazia have representative offices in Tiraspol and Russia itself has a consulate.
 * The information office on the Main Street has friendly, English-speaking staff. It also doubles as what is apparently the state's only souvenir shop, offering a range of postcards, shot glasses and other goods.
 * Watch football: FC Sheriff Tiraspol play soccer in Divizia Națională, Moldova's top tier. They often do well and qualify for European tournaments. The Sheriff Stadium (capacity 12,700) is 3 km west of city centre.

Money
In order to purchase goods, services or souvenirs in Tiraspol, or in any Transnistrian locale you must exchange your outside currency into Transnistrian rubles. The Transnistrian central bank sets their own exchange rate and prints their own money, so the number of rubles you will get on any given day for your euros or U.S. dollars varies significantly from week to week. Currency exchanges are everywhere, including inside many popular stores, and will change most local and major currencies. Some exchange booths will ask for your passport.

In November 2019, some travellers reported that they paid with Visa credit card in the Bendery Fortress Cafe and the CityClub Hotel without a problem. The charge was in Transnistrian rubles at time of payment but the card was actually charged in Russian rubles.

Shopping

Drink
The famous Transnistrian 'Kvint' vodka and cognac can be purchased at several liquor stores throughout the city, as well as the Kvint factory (the latter being an attraction in itself). The vodka is approximately US$3/litre.

There are many shops and markets to purchase local food, drink and their famous Transnistrian brandy, Kvint. Kvint's factory is at ul. Lenin, 38 (+373 533 9-61-70), and it has several shops around town. Transnistria is also known for a vodka drink commonly referred to as a "smirnovka" - appropriately named after president Igor Smirnov.

Further along the river in the city centre are a handful of bars and restaurants which usually are open until about midnight.

There are several large and modern discos in the centre. They are usually open until late, seven days a week. Tourists are rare and the few English-speakers that might be around are often very happy to communicate with foreigners.

Sleep
In some hotels hot water and showers are not standard. They often cost extra on top of the price of a basic room, although often no more than a few dollars on top of the base price.

A cheaper alternative to staying in a hotel is to rent a private apartment.

Connect
Orange Moldova gives around 2 bars of 3G signal in most of Tiraspol as it's still relatively close to Moldova proper, however the further away you go and inside buildings the signal can become weaker or entirely nonexistent. Don't rely on this.

Many restaurants now have free password-protected wifi available, ask the staff and they will gladly help you out.

There are public wifi hotspots at various central locations in Tiraspol operated by Interdnestrcom called IDC Wi-Fi however it's limited to 30 minutes per day at slow speed, and the premium packages cannot be purchased with international payment cards.

Beyond Transnistria

 * Chișinău – The last bus leaves at 19:30 from the main bus/train station (the timetable shown at the station with scheduled services beyond 19:30 is wrong) (July 2024). The bus timetable can be found at this website: by selecting "AB тирасполь" from the drop-down menu, choosing the departure date, and looking at the times for "Тирасполь - Кишинев". A taxi from the city centre to there costs 50 rubles (39 if you speak Russian without an accent). Bus tickets to Chișinău have to be bought inside the bus station, and not from the driver. There is an exchange office at the station. If you miss the last bus, you can take a taxi to anywhere in Chișinău for US$30.

 * Kyiv – A bus leaves around 16:30. After that, there is no scheduled transport to Ukraine; you might get lucky with a maxi-taxi, but do not count on it.

 * Odesa – A train leaves in the morning at 08:27. There is also a bus to Odesa which leaves about 14:00. It should be booked earlier in the day if possible as it will only take as many passengers as can be seated and, as it starts from Bendery, it can already be quite full when it arrives at the train-station in Tiraspol. Tickets for the bus can be booked in the train-station, and the bus leaves from outside it.
 * Or head to the Ukraine border first with any bus and continue from there. If you get to the bus/train station too late, a taxi to Odesa will cost about US$50: a lot in local terms, but 125 km for US$50 is a bargain by western standards, and is a lot less hassle than finding a place to sleep and getting an extension on your visa. Or just head to Chișinău, stay there and leave for Ukraine the next day.

 * Ukraine border – You could catch the Kyiv bus and ask the driver nicely if he lets you get out at the Ukrainian border where you can catch another onwards bus. You may also go to the Ukraine border by the bus that goes to Pervomajsk—it has no railway station, but has a bus station near the Park of Victory [park Pobedy in Russian] and swimming pool. Cross the border and take another bus in the direction you need. Besides, it's a bit cheaper.

title: Tiraspol


text:
Tiree

Tiree (Gaelic Tiriodh) is the westernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. It's about 12 miles long by 3 miles wide, with a population of 653 in 2011. It's low-lying and relatively fertile - the name means "land of corn". Like other Hebridean islands it briefly flourished in the 19th century when kelp was valuable, but suffered the usual decline of poverty and forced depopulation. Civil unrest was so bad here in 1886 that the government sent a warship, but the uprising ended peaceably and the Marines showed the islanders how their terrain was ideal for golf.

There isn't a tourist office, but see Discover Tiree and Tiree Community Development Trust for local info.

Get in
is the landing point for Calmac ferries from Oban, which take four hours. Apr-Oct they sail daily, Nov-March daily except Wednesday and Friday. They often call at Coll on the way, so these two islands are easily combined on a trip. On Wednesdays Apr-Oct the ferry continues to Barra.

Until end of March 2025, a return fare from Oban is £135.90 for a car, £24.90 per adult including the driver, and £12.60 per child aged 5-15. A “Hopscotch” ticket visiting Tiree plus Coll is about £3 more, a better deal than buying separate tickets. Pedal bikes go free.

Get around
The island is big enough to make it worth bringing a car. It's fairly flat with quiet roads, good for exploring by bicycle. Attractions around Scarinish are easily reached on foot.

Car hire is available from Toraz (aka Tiree Sea Tours, +44 7788 810623) or Tiree Car Hire (+44 1879 220555). John Kennedy Transport hire buses of various sizes for group travel. There is no taxi, but the ring-n-ride minibus runs M-Sa 7AM-6PM, with late services on Tuesday. Phone +44 1879 220419 to book a journey between 1 hour and 1 week in advance. Priority is given to ferry connections.

Bike hire is available from Tiree Fitness. They're based at Sandaig west side of the island but can drop off and pick up elsewhere, and are open all year. They also organise the half- and ultra-marathon, see below.

See

 * An Turas (meaning "the journey") is an art installation by the ferry jetty, completed in 2003. It's a long corridor ending in a glass booth with a view over Gott Bay. It's open all hours, so you can use it as a shelter waiting for the ferry. They somehow never briefed the artists to include an ATM and coffee machine.
 * Kirkapol chapels, both ruined, are by Tiree Lodge Hotel, across the bay from the ferry pier. The smaller is 13th century, the larger is 14th.
 * Pudding houses are a unique Tiree hybrid. The traditional Highland "black house" (tigh dhu) was squalid, with no chimney, and livestock sharing the soot-stained interior. They were replaced in the 18th and 19th centuries by more hygienic "white houses". For some reason on Tiree, soot-blackened masonry was set into white mortar, creating a spotted or pudding effect. Some are ruinous but several remain in use.
 * is a stumpy early medieval cross in the graveyard at Soroby. Another of similar date has been re-used as a grave slab.
 * might not be what its ancient occupants called it. They dwelt in Dùn na Cleite, a hilltop redoubt, above a gully leading to a pebble beach.
 * is a headland with the scrappy remains of the early medieval St Patrick's Chapel. There are sea caves and a natural arch on the rugged coast.
 * might not be what its ancient occupants called it. They dwelt in Dùn na Cleite, a hilltop redoubt, above a gully leading to a pebble beach.
 * is a headland with the scrappy remains of the early medieval St Patrick's Chapel. There are sea caves and a natural arch on the rugged coast.
 * is a grassy knoll with a prehistoric fort, probably Iron Age. Not much left on the surface, through erosion and stone-robbing, but there's a burial chamber beneath.
 * is one of the best beaches, exposed to the Atlantic so it's for watersports rather than gentle paddling.
 * is a hefty granite erratic boulder, 1.8 m tall and 3.4 m by 2.4 m broad. It's a few yards above the highwater mark on the beach 2 miles east of Balephetrish (which itself has a dun, but damaged by modern quarrying). Follow the shore track past the wind turbines, then follow arrows through 3 gates, then quarter of a mile past a small loch, to find the stone by an even smaller loch. Throw a cobble at the boulder to hear it ring: the crystalline interior of the stone is under tension, and resonates when struck. Cup-and-ring engravings indicate prehistoric admiration of the phenomenon, but hacking bits off (please don't) releases the tension so the fragment goes "dead".
 * is a broch half a mile beyond the end of the lane through Vaul. Habitation here goes back to 5th century BC, but some time in the 1st century AD it was fortified into a circular tower, and lived in until mid-third century. The tower ruin is about 2 m high and accessible free 24 hours. Artefacts from across the Roman world were found in the 1960s and are now in the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow. You can continue southwest along the beach to the Ringing Stone.

Do

 * offer water sports: surfing, windsurfing, kiting, kayaking and sand yachting. Their shop is at Cornaig, by Loch Bhasapol at the northwest corner of the island, and this is the rendezvous point for activities which rove with sea conditions. They also host the Tiree Windsurfing Competition in October.
 * Tiree pony trekking centre is on the coast south of the airfield.
 * Tiree Music Festival is held in July on An Talla beach, 2 miles west of Scaranish beside the airfield. The next is 12-14 July 2024.
 * Running: the half-marathon and 10-km race are in May; there isn't a full marathon. The ultramarathon of 35 miles is next run on Su 8 Sept 2024.
 * Basking sharks congregate in early summer in the Sound of Gunna, the narrow straits separating Tiree from Coll. Shark-watching trips run from Oban and Coll; none go regularly from Tiree but you might be able to negotiate this locally.
 * Basking sharks congregate in early summer in the Sound of Gunna, the narrow straits separating Tiree from Coll. Shark-watching trips run from Oban and Coll; none go regularly from Tiree but you might be able to negotiate this locally.

Buy

 * Coop Food in Scarinish is open daily 7AM-10PM. It's facing the hotel.
 * Bank: the RBS next to the Coop is open Tu-Th 10AM-2:30PM. No ATM.
 * Fuel: a self-service filling station by Crossapol Post Office was expected to open in summer 2022. There is no e-charge point, and Maclennan's Garage by the ferry pier has closed down. If you have at least half a tank when you board the ferry at Oban, that will be enough to get around Tiree, Coll and back to Oban.
 * Fuel: a self-service filling station by Crossapol Post Office was expected to open in summer 2022. There is no e-charge point, and Maclennan's Garage by the ferry pier has closed down. If you have at least half a tank when you board the ferry at Oban, that will be enough to get around Tiree, Coll and back to Oban.

Eat

 * The Calf is a mobile fast food takeaway in Scarinish village car park, hours erratic.
 * Cafaigh Carrieanne's is a cafe at the ferry pier.
 * The Calf is a mobile fast food takeaway in Scarinish village car park, hours erratic.
 * Cafaigh Carrieanne's is a cafe at the ferry pier.

Drink

 * "... some of the islanders were lacking morals and were idle because of their fondness and intemperance..." — so in 1802 the Duke of Argyll prohibited distilling on Tiree

 * Bun Dubh brewery is part of Ceabhar Restaurant in Sandaig.
 * Tiree Tea is a range of tea bags developed on the island. The shop is at Ceolas on the east tip.

Sleep

 * Wild camping is allowed free throughout the island, so long as you follow the Outdoor Access Code. Much of the island is farmland, so watch out for grazing livestock.
 * Self-catering cottages are dotted about. They include Rockvale on the north coast, which is no longer a B&B.
 * Self-catering cottages are dotted about. They include Rockvale on the north coast, which is no longer a B&B.
 * Self-catering cottages are dotted about. They include Rockvale on the north coast, which is no longer a B&B.
 * Self-catering cottages are dotted about. They include Rockvale on the north coast, which is no longer a B&B.
 * Self-catering cottages are dotted about. They include Rockvale on the north coast, which is no longer a B&B.
 * Self-catering cottages are dotted about. They include Rockvale on the north coast, which is no longer a B&B.

Connect
As of June 2022, there is 4G from EE across most of the island, but no signal from other carriers. 5G has not reached Tiree.

Go next

 * Coll is where the ferry calls on the way from Oban most days of the week, and it's usually visited in combination with Tiree.
 * Barra can be reached by a direct ferry one day a week. It's bleak and stony compared to fertile Tiree, and doesn't take long to explore. It's at the south end of the Outer Hebrides chain of islands with ferry links all the way north to Lewis.
 * Oban is the mainland port, with access to the rest of Scotland, though by public transport you may have to double-back via Glasgow.

title: Tiree


text:
Tiritiri Matangi Island

Tiritiri Matangi is an island and nature reserve in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland in New Zealand. It is 30 km NE of Auckland and 4 km from Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

Understand
Tiritiri Matangi is one of only two scientific reserves in New Zealand that are open to the public. It has been created as a predator-free sanctuary to enable endangered species to thrive.

There are 78 species of birds that have been seen on or near Tiritiri Matangi. These include little spotted kiwi, takahe, kokako, stitchbird, tui, saddleback, North Island robin, brown teal, bellbird and fantail. The island is a highlight for birdwatchers.

The island is 220 hectares in area. Farming destroyed most of the native bush during the last century. Since being placed under the care of the Department of Conservation, volunteers have planted between 250,000 and 300,000 trees which have forested about 60% of the island. The other 40% remains as grassland for the takahe. (The takahe was presumed to be extinct until it was "rediscovered" in the Murchison Mountains of Fiordland in 1948.)

The island is rubbish free. Take out what you bring in. There are no dustbins. There are toilets on the ferry, at the shop/lighthouse and at Hobb's Beach on the island. Smoking is not allowed except at the wharf and the lighthouse. Take the butts home with you. Animals are not allowed.

There is a limit of 150 visitors a day. At busy times of year, the island ferry can be "sold out" and it is best to book a week ahead.

Remember a hat, sunblock, some warm clothes and a rain jacket. Binoculars are useful for bird viewing.

Get in
Get there by Explore ferry, 75 minutes from Auckland or 20 minutes from Gulf Harbour on Whangaparaoa Peninsula. The ferry departs W-F at 9AM from Auckland and 9:50AM from Gulf Harbour Marina. It departs Sa Su at 8:30AM from Auckland, and 9:25AM from Gulf Harbour. It departs Tiri to return M-F at 2:40PM, Sa Su at 4PM. The cost is $95 per adult and $50 per child from Auckland or Gulf Harbour. Bookings are essential. Sailings are subject to weather conditions.

There is an optional guided walk that lasts an hour and costs $10 for adults and $2.50 for children – this must be purchased at the time of making your ferry reservation.

Hauraki Adventures can also drop you off there.

See
The stunning views over the gulf, plant and bird life and the lighthouse (which still functions). Dolphins, stingrays and orca are often seen near the wharf.

Do

 * There are a number of walks, which range up to 4–5 hours. A brochure that includes a detailed map can be purchased for $1 from the shop, the Fuller's ferry ticket office or en route on the ferry.

Buy
A shop near the lighthouse sells souvenirs, cold drinks and complimentary tea and coffee, but no food. It accepts cash or credit cards but EFTPOS is not available. All profits support the conservation effort.

Eat
Bring your own. All food must be packed in sealed boxes (e.g. lunch box). No plastic bags. This is to keep the island rodent free.

Go next

 * Return to Auckland
 * Great Barrier Island
 * Waiheke Island

title: Tiritiri Matangi Island