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Palolem

Palolem is a village in South Goa, India.

Understand
Palolem is one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Goa. It is a natural bay surrounded by lofty headlands on either sides, resulting in a calm, idyllic sea with a gently sloping bed which allows you to walk up to 100 m out from the beach.

Palolem is located at almost the southern end of Goa and is thus far from the more crowded places. This is in a way both an advantage and a disadvantage. For those seeking quiet and solitude, Palolem and the other beaches around it fulfill that need very well. But for those who need a noisy, vibrant place, it can be quite disconcerting.

Over the last few years, though, there has been a fair increase in tourists. One reason for this could be the film The Bourne Supremacy which had a scene filmed here. During the peak season, the place can become quite crowded with backpackers, travelling groups and the attendant businesses.

Unfortunately Palolem has been saturated by travellers, hawkers and over priced sellers: it is sometimes difficult to walk up the beach at high tide due to the restaurants jutting into the cresting waves and you will certainly be asked about your plans for dinner a few times.

Get in
The easiest way to get to Palolem is to take the train or fly to Margao (locally known as Madgaon) and pay for a Government approved fixed-price taxi to Palolem. Fixed-price taxis are available from the train station and from Goa Dabolim Airport (GOI) (₹2500 as of March 2024) at Vasco da Gama.

Alternatively, Canacona is Palolem's nearest train station, approximately 5 minutes drive away, but for shorter journeys from other parts of India it is almost always better to arrive by bus due to the remoteness of the train station from Palolem beach. There are AC Volvo buses from Bangalore that stops at Canacona Chaudi bus stop. Travellers can take an auto from there to Palolem beach or nearby hotels, which are mostly 10-15 minutes ride. As Palolem is not a large area, auto/taxi drivers usually know all the hotels. Just tell them the name and they will take you. Auto drivers usually charge around ₹100 from the Canacona Chaudi bus stop to the beach or hotel.

Backpackers may also take a State Transport bus from Margao Bus Stand to Canacona or Palolem. It takes around 90 minutes. If you alight at Canacona bus station, you can take an auto-rickshaw or taxi to Palolem Beach which is only about 3 km. The journey by bus is comfortable and the route is a scenic one too. However do keep in mind that local buses in Goa are not air-conditioned and at times quite dusty. It is possible to walk from the bus station to Palolem, but might not be the ideal option on a hot sunny day.

Get around
Palolem is quite small, so easy to explore on foot. Scooters and bicycles are available for hire on the main street or near the beach. Bicycles may not be available during off seasons. High end bikes like Royal Enfields can also be rented along with the other options. As of May 2016, Scooters cost ₹300 per day and you usually have to return it by 9AM. They will ask for an original ID card, something other than your driver's license, to rent you the bike. Something you will definitely go back for.

Taxis and auto-rickshaws are also readily available on the main street or though a travel agency. Day trips can be booked through agencies. Autos cost a minimum of ₹80 for local rides. Taxis can easily go above ₹150 for a 1+ km ride.

See
Cotigao wildlife sanctuary is a good day trip from Palolem. You can also ride along the narrow but beautiful coastal road northwards to visit Agonda beach and still further north Cabo da Rama (a ruined fort on a cliff).

Beach
Take a walk to Butterfly Island, which is to your right on entering the beach. You can walk along the beach and across some rocks during low tide and reach the island, during high tide water covers and makes it impossible to walk across. The island has a network of trails to explore and the more adventurous can traverse the rocks on the periphery of the island. Make sure you carry your water bottle and be careful, people have injured themselves walking over these rocks.

Further on to the right is Butterfly Beach. You'll need a boat to get there but worth a trip for a change of scenery. It has a very steep beach, so deep that you can dive in from the waters edge if you time your dive correctly.

Further on still is Honeymoon Beach, a small strip of beach which generally brings you total seclusion. These islands are usually visited by couples who want get away from the prying eyes of tourists.

Spend a day in Agonda 20 km north of Palolem, very quiet beach. Further north there is an old fort (Cap de Rama) and beautiful views as you drive over the hills.

The best time for a boat ride to these islands is either in the morning at 07:00 or in the evening around 17:00 when you can see the setting sun from the boat. You need to bargain with the boatsman to get a good deal, there are quite a few running these boats and it would be best to talk to 3-4 before agreeing. A good price is ₹700-₹800 for an hour long ride.

Activities
Palolem is a small beach town but do take long walks. Carry a torch if walking along the beach at night. If you happen to be there on a full moon night, its quite an experience strolling on the beach on a full moon night with the islands clearly visible in the moon light, you will find people partying late into the night up to 02:00 - 03:00 in the morning. Immediately to the south of Palolem, which gets busier every season, is the beautiful Columb Bay where you can stay in a comfortable yet eco friendly complex. Just beyond is Patnem beach which used to be much quieter than Palolem but has a few guest houses and beach shacks.

From Palolem you can find some outdoor sport as :
 * Scuba diving (near Palolem Guest house)
 * Canyoning and trekking tour (book at Casa Fiesta restaurant)
 * Rent self-paddle sea kayak boat (in samson's kiosk)

Other activities

 * Take a boat trip to see Dolphins, best time is sunset and sunrise, great boat crew near the Church on the right hand side.
 * Take a boat ride in the river joining the sea on northern side of the Palolem beach.
 * Walk the beach at night with a torch and you'll be amazed by crabs running away from you.
 * Day trip to Dudhsagar Falls (Sea of Milk) which are in the top 100 highest falls in the world.
 * Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
 * A visit to the spice farms.
 * A day trip to Karwar. The drive is nice, though hot during the day. Just before entering Karwar town, the Kali Bridge offers awesome views of the idyllic Karwar Beach, especially from a "Fort" in ruins (actually a recreation point, possibly developed by local municipality. This spot is on the north end of the bridge and has flight of stairs going almost 15.2 m.
 * Take a fishing boat ride with local fishermen

 * Yoga Classes - In a colourful Yoga Space Kranti Yoga Ashtanga Vinyasa has a drop-in-class every morning (09:00) and afternoon (16:00) see signs from the Beach for Kranti Ashtanga Yoga behind Cuba Bar or from Brown Bread Restaurant. Kranti (the teacher) is knowledgeable and has a charismatic personality his classes are not for the fainthearted but you may be exhilarated afterwards.

Buy
If you are a shopaholic this is perhaps not the best place, but there are great crafts people on the beaches (stone carvers, instrument makers etc.). Be very firm but polite if you don't want their wares:they are much more polite and civilised than sellers on other Indian beaches.

There are far too many beach sellers. Your best bet is to compare their prices with what the shops are charging, generally the shops are cheaper. There are also many beggars, some are regulars who follow the tourist season and the tourists around, but giving ₹10 or ₹20 to an old woman will not kill you.

On the beach front and inland there are many wonderful little music shops, spice shops and garment shops. The hippy influence over the years means that they can let you chill out and choose rather than trying to hard sell you from the second you enter the shop. Some of the shops are now owned by westerners offering western labels at cheap but fixed prices.

There are no ATMs near the beach in Palolem. There is one that is 2 km away from the main stretch of restaurants and shops that the rickshaw drivers will take you to at a heightened charge (try to get ₹40 there and back, but you may have to pay ₹60 or ₹70). More shops, a Saturday market and several ATMs are a 10-minute drive away in the local town, Chaudi.

Eat
Some people are under the misapprehension that most of the food in Palolem is quite westernised. However, most places serve both "international" food and Indian - so you have the choice. There are great curries and rotis/nan/chippati/rice almost everywhere and these are great and very cheap to live on. Being more sensitive to local needs and choosing local brands is more environmentally sound, means that you help the local economy more as your money doesn't just go on exports, halves the cost of your stay and give you a more Indian experience. The chef's idea of a Western dish may be slightly different than yours in some of the restaurants.

Local trade is mainly tourism and fishing, so your fish dinner is certainly from the sea. A good fish main course usually starts from ₹300.

 * Fernandes, just past the church on the right hand side of the beach, great Indian food and tandoori plus fairly cheap and fresh fish, a favourite for old regulars.
 * Palolem Beach Resort: curries in Palolem tend to be quite lacklustre, but the Palolem Beach Resort does a great paneer butter masala and chana masala with garlic naan and rice. Chicken is great here too. The service is really poor and most of the focus is on foreign tourists, best avoided. The food quality is OL and portion size is quite generous. One of the few places on the beach where there is a proper restaurant and clean washrooms and a proper kitchen. They also have a large wall mounted TV, which mostly plays football to cater to western tastes.
 * Cool Breeze - a jazz café that is quite popular with the locals, great food.
 * Sameer Restaurant - good breakfasts. It's on the beach, so fantastic views of the ocean.

Drink
There are many places along the beach serving alcohol and are usually your best bet if you want to mingle and meet new people. Try the Sameer Restaurant or Café del Mar which are supposed to be quite happening. There are two places on the main road with cable so you can watch football.

Also Cuba bar on the main road just before you take a left towards the beach plays good music, has a pool table and great atmosphere.

The days of partys in Palolem are over now but there a few things happening at night, ask people. For a different experience try the Headphone Party at the Alpha Bar on W Th.

Budget
Outside of New Year period, basic accommodation (rooms/shacks) should cost ₹200-₹500 (₹200 for a very basic local-style room in October). Nice rooms with TV, etc. easily can go for around ₹1000 or even more (often depending more on owner's ambitions than on room quality). If you're looking for the better value, try next beaches to the south (Colomb, Patnem) or even Agonda 10 km to the north.

There are plenty of beach shacks along Palolem Beach, not much point in booking as many of them don't answer the phone/take bookings. Usually your best bet is just to turn up and cross your fingers. Bear in mind that a local law prohibits permanent structures on the beach, so from May to October the shacks are supposed to come down (although this does not always happen!). Shacks should be 100% free of crawling insects. At Xmas and New Year it can get very busy and room rates are high, expect to pay a minimum of ₹500/700. The left hand side of the beach tends to be quieter with the right hand side where the bars / nightlife are. Cressida does good live music on Wednesdays. Local touts would gherao you once you hit the parking area, you can take there services, they would show you the shacks, bargain hard with them. Most of the average cost shacks would cost about ₹500-700 (Nov 2011 prices) and are very basic, do check before you pay that it has clean bed sheets, and running water and the room has been cleaned up. Most of the shacks would have a mosquito net, however no a/c or hot water would be available in the room.

Don't forget to bargain for the prices of the beach huts - the more temporary it looks, the cheaper it's supposed to be. San Francisco is one such place where a good shack above the restaurant can be had for ₹500 a night while a shack further inside the San Francisco enclosure is ₹300-400 a night. The owner is very friendly, a family man, and protective of his foreigner guests. I remember that the waiters were also nice, to both Indians and foreigners alike and respected everyone's privacy. The only nit to pick here was the full course meal, but then you can drink here and move to a place like Draupadi - near the beach's main entrance from the road - for food.

 * Palolem Guest House is a nice place to stay if you don't like the beach shack concept. Neat and clean rooms are available from ₹600-1200 per night. It had a bedbug problem in 2009.
 * Virgin Beach resort which is just opposite the Om Sai guest house is a decent place to stay with budget accommodation available.
 * Le-Grand residency is opposite the turn to Palolem beach. The rooms are decent however there is some noise as the buses to Margao are parked just outside the hotel (opposite end).
 *  The Palm Trees Patnem is right in the middle of Patnem. 3 minutes walking distance to the white sand beach. The resort is eco friendly and rooms are quite big, clean and decorated very nicely. The price changes around ₹1500 per night. The owners are very friendly and helpful with anything you would need.
 * Luke's Residence is the posh accommodation. Though it is almost 2 km off the beach on the road towards Patnem beach. (ahead of Cleopatra resorts).
 * Fernandes there are two on the right hand side (owned by brothers) and both offer good clean accommodation in some of the best beach huts on the beach.
 * Neptune's Point stands a bit aside of the beach (on its left side) on a rocky ground. There are wooden huts with cold showers, beds, big balconies, and with views over the beach. The price - ₹850 per hut per night.
 * Sundowner at the north end of the beach, is a nice place to stay, if you enjoy peace and quiet. During high tide getting to the beach might be difficult but the resort's staff are very kind, and will offer you a ride by boat. Prices from ₹600, depending on the season.
 * Ordo Sounsar close to Sundowner, also enjoys peace and tranquillity, but has the advantage of easy access when the tide is high, having its own bamboo bridge. Friendly Goan hosts, local Goan food in the restaurant, and the beach's best G & T's at the bar.
 * Allegra Cheap rooms, and friendly staff. However very basic, but located right on the beach behind the Hare Krishna Hare Rama Restaurant.
 * Home is cited by the major travel guides as a friendly, hospitable resort on Patnem beach, near Palolem. In fact, its owners are extremely disorganised and unpleasant; double-booking guests during peak season and refusing to acknowledge their mistakes, leaving would-be guests with no accommodation during the busiest time of year. Steer well clear.
 * Home is cited by the major travel guides as a friendly, hospitable resort on Patnem beach, near Palolem. In fact, its owners are extremely disorganised and unpleasant; double-booking guests during peak season and refusing to acknowledge their mistakes, leaving would-be guests with no accommodation during the busiest time of year. Steer well clear.

Stay safe
Palolem is a very safe place - the main risk you face is not wanting to leave.

One thing to bear in mind is the dog situation - Palolem is home to a multitude of stray and semi-stray dogs which can become very aggressive if you try to cross their territory. They very rarely bite, but can be quite frightening especially in packs. The beach dogs are not generally aggressive and the main problems they present are fleas and mange, but the dogs on the back roads away from the beach can be noisy and peevish. Many dogs in Goa are badly treated by their owners, and some have no owners at all. Please do not harm the dogs of Goa, but be aware that they can be a nuisance.

There were also people selling mehndi (similar to henna) carelessly mixed with cheaper chemicals.

Go next
The local train station is Canacona is less than 5 minutes drive from Palolem. It's very quiet with not many trains.

If you want more choice, get a taxi to Margao where you can link up with all the main lines. If you have a little extra time and you want to save money, take the local buses. Dirt cheap, respectful locals and careful drivers. For a taxi ride that would cost you ₹1000 upwards (depending on what the cabbie thinks he can make off of you), you could get there for ₹17!

Don't miss the chance to haggle with flashy yellow plate cars. These are taxis heading to the Airport. (Though all yellow plate cars are taxis, the flashy ones usually head to the airport. These are either returning or heading to pick a prebooking. Haggle hard and you may settle for under ₹500, though only during the day. As the sun goes down, the price goes up, which is normal for all facilities.

If you are interested in exploring nearby places, like the Patnem beach 2-3 km away, rent a bicycle. Better yet, rent a scooter or motorcycle for about ₹300-500 per day and explore the area even more conveniently.

A little quieter (and more expensive) than Palolem is Agonda, a 15-minute autorickshaw trip north.

 * Ponda
 * Canacona

title: Palolem


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Palomino

Palomino is in the Costa Norte (Colombia) region of Colombia.

Understand
Palomino is a town with a special character. The beauty of the town are the houses on the main street, the river and the mountains. It is also considered a site of high cultural value. Palomino is a strategic point to enjoy a unique landscape in Colombia and the world. While it might have been an unknown destination a few years ago, the masses have discovered Palomino. During Christmas/New year High season expect to have a lot of company and massive competition for accommodation.

In Palomino can see the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Meanwhile your stay in Palomino, you may encounter Indians and fishermen doing their daily work. You can find the indigenous groups down to Palomino for sale and purchase products. This also makes it an interesting destination for people who want to see the customs of the indigenous cultures of the Sierra Nevada.

As of October 2021 Palomino has become a destination of somewhat alternative backpackers.

Get in
As of Feb 2021, there are no ATMs in Palomino, so you may want to bring cash.

You can arrive by public transport (bus, minibus and taxi) or private car. You should take the main highway of the Caribbean via Santa Marta - Riohacha. Palomino is located at kilometer 72.

From Santa Marta you can go:
 * From the Terminal de Transporte. Prices are COP$17,000–29,000 (Sept 2021). The serving intercity bus companies are for example Expreso Brasilia, Unitransco and Rapido Ochoa. You can ask if your desired departure is with air con. The approximate travel time is 1 hour 45 minutes.
 * From the Plaza de Mercado. These are the medium sized white buses. You can enter and exit them anywhere on the route. From Santa Marta to Palomino is COP$10,000 (Sept 2021) and without air con. They run every 15 min and depart from both Santa Marta and Palomino until around 18:00. If you want to enter the bus in Santa Marta en route, it goes from the Plaza de Mercado on Calle 11, then Carrera 16 and then along the Avenida del Libertador.

From Riochacha and Barranquilla buses depart from the respective Terminal for around COP$23,000 (Sept 2021) or COP$48,000 (Sept 2021) respectively.

Do

 * Tubing on the river Palomino
 * Surfing and bodyboarding
 * Ecological walk into the heart of the Sierra Nevada
 * Visit to indigenous communities as Seiviaka, Gumake, Kasakumake among others.
 * Relax in a hammock overlooking the sea.
 * See the snow-capped mountain top at the western town exit or at the bridge over the River Palomino. It's mostly snowy in the early morning at 5 and 6 o'clock.

The beach in Palomino itself is mostly gone. Walking up the Carrera 6, there is a small accessible beach.

You need to take Carrera 8 for a bigger variety of beaches. From there you can have a somewhat adventurous walk to the Rio San Salvador. The river is famous for its virginity and exotic wildlife.

There is also a small beach at the mouth of the Rio Palomino. You can get there by tubing down the river or by walking along the Carrera 1. Take care of the strong currents where the river flows into the Caribbean sea.

Buy
There is no ATM in Palomino (Feb 2021). In Mingueo 20 km east there is a Bancolombia with ATM. You can make a round-trip with a Mototaxi for COP$10,000 (Feb 2021) or with a taxi.

As of Oct 2021 the meat quality in the small shops is not that good. On the Highway 90 is a butcher's shop.

Eat
In the center along the Carrera 6, there are restaurants with dishes from COP$10,000 (Oct 2021).

On the Highway 90 is a

On Carrera 6 you find empanadas and cheese sticks for COP$2,000 (Oct 2021).

A good amount of street food you find in the evening along the Highway 90 between Carrera 2 and 7. It's for the usual Colombian prices, for example empanadas and cheese sticks for COP$1,000 (Oct 2021). The street food is especially good at They are in front of the Tienda Punto Frio until 22:00.

On the Highway 90 is a They serve: • Salchipapas from COP$7,000 (Oct 2021) • hamburgers from COP$9,000 (Oct 2021) • hot dogs from COP$5,000 (Oct 2021) • a whole pizza from COP$10,000 (Oct 2021) • and more. They have a menu card with prices, so it's easier to choose. It's open until 22:30.

On the Highway 90 you can find a One slice is for COP$1,500-2,000 (Oct 2021). They also have a very good cheese braid for COP$2,000 (Oct 2021).

Sleep
The tourism infrastructure is being rapidly developed to meet the demands of the high season crowds, so you should be able to find plenty hostels offering cabanas, rooms and hammocks along the road to the beach.

Along the ocean road

Go next
Hostels and private rooms are available in all these places:

 * Riohacha – a town at the beach and surrounded by a desert. 90km in the east.
 * Tayrona National Park — an unspoilt natural paradise of jungle, birds, ocean, and absolutely gorgeous beaches.
 * On the Highway 90 that goes south of the national park, you can stay in El Zaino, Calabazo, Los Naranjos and Las Tinajas. No entry fee is needed along the highway and in the villages there.
 * Santa Marta
 * Taganga - a backpacker and hippie haven in a one-time peaceful little fishing village
 * Minca – less hot as it's 580m above sea level towards the mountain top Cuchilla San Lorenzo
 * Guachaca – less touristy and at a river 32km in the west. The beaches near Guachaca are still intact.
 * Buritaca also at a river 25km in the west.
 * Dibulla 36km and Camarones 72km in the east

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

title: Palomino


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Palos de la Frontera

Palos de la Frontera is a town of 11,000 people (2019) in Andalucia, Spain.

Probably most important for Palos is that Christopher Columbus developed his plans here and started his discovery with support of the people in Palos. The town built ships and most of the sailor accompanying Columbus came from this town. See also Voyages of Columbus.

Understand
The main crops are strawberries and strawberry, the olive , the peach and Triticale.

Get in
The town lies about 14 km from the provincial capital, Huelva, 9 km from the neighbouring city of Moguer, and a few kilometers from the beaches of Mazagón.

See

 * Wharf of the Caravels (Muelle de las Carabelas) is a museum showing replicas of the boats Columbus used.
 * The church of San Jorge, of Mudejar Gothic style, with a Mudejar door called that of "the bride and groom". Inside you can see a 13th-century alabaster image with the figure of Saint Anne, a 17th-century Tuscan ceramic altarpiece  and some 16th  century Renaissance frescoes. In this Church the Royal Provision was read, which ordered Diego Rodríguez Prieto and other residents of the town of Palos, to have two caravels prepared to leave with Christopher Columbus.
 * The Puerto de Palos was the port from which the discovery expedition departed on August 3, 1492, led by Christopher Columbus in command of the caravel Santa María and the caravels Pinta and Niña.
 * The castle. Next to the church, on a head, we find the remains of the Palos castle, which have been the subject of archaeological interventions on several occasions.
 * The Martín Alonso Pinzón House Museum, where you can admire navigation tools, paintings and maps related to the Columbian deed; visits are made by appointment at the Town Hall.
 * La Fontanilla. Leaving Palos you reach La Fontanilla. From the Puerta de los Novios of the Church of San Jorge, one accessed the Fontanilla, next to which was the historic Pier from which the discovery expedition departed, and which was the public fountain of Palos, protected by a square temple of bricks built in the 13th-century and in the Mudejar style, where, according to tradition, the Santa María, la Niña and la Pinta ships were supplied with water.
 * Calzadilla Pier. Small pier built to commemorate the IV Centenary of the Discovery of America and which was restored at the end of the 20th century. From this place the historical expedition of the Plus Ultra departed on January 22, 1926, and that made the route Palos de la Frontera - Buenos Aires. Upon their return on April 5, 1926, the crew was received by King Alfonso XIII.
 * The statue of Martín Alonso Pinzón, captain and owner of this town and protagonist of the feat of Discovery.
 * La Rabida: On the road to Huelva is La Rábida, where you will find the Franciscan monastery of La Rábida. The monastery is the place where Columbus's trip was forged. Erected in the 14th - 15th centuries, the Gothic - Mudejar church stands out for its artistic interest in which you can admire a crucified and the Virgin of Miracles, from the 15th century, in front of which Columbus and the sailors who carried out the company prayed discoverer. Also noteworthy are the rooms decorated with frescoes by Daniel Vázquez Díaz, the cloister and the museum, where many objects commemorating the Discovery of America are preserved. It is 2000 m² in size and has an irregular plan. The monastery has undergone modifications throughout the more than 500 years of its history, especially as a result of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. Christopher Columbus stayed in this monastery for years before leaving for the New World. The monastery was declared a National Monument in 1856. It also deserved the declaration of the First Historical Monument of the Hispanic peoples.
 * Replica of "The Three Caravels" at the Dock of the Caravels in Palos.
 * Monument to the Discoverers is reached by an avenue in which all the shields of the Ibero-American countries are shown, made in tiles. Nearby we find the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Park, with native and American species. Also in this environment is the International University of Andalusia, Sede Iberoamericana Santa Maria de la Rabida, the Iberoamerican Forum, modern and multipurpose building as a palace of congresses, concerts and shows, El Muelle de la Carabelas, opposite, a permanent exhibition place, where we can relive the American adventure and you can visit the replicas of the caravels that were made for the celebration of the V Centenary. Downstream we find the Muelle de la Reina, where, through Icarus, the first flight between Spain and America is commemorated, that of the Plus Ultra seaplane.

Do

 * Mazagon. On the coast you can visit the beaches of Mazagón, a Parador de Turismo and the Puerto Deportivo with modern facilities.
 * Patron saint festivities of San Jorge Mártir . On April 23, the feast of the local patron is celebrated. This holy martyr is the patron of the city since the founding of the parish that bears the same name. On that day a solemn religious function is celebrated in the morning and in the afternoon the procession with the image of the patron saint takes place.
 * On August 15, the day of the Assumption of Mary, the feast of N.ª S.ª de los Milagros is celebrated, where after the solemn Eucharistic Function on the morning of that day, the great procession of the patron saint takes place. the main streets of the city during the evening.
 * Pilgrimage of N.ª S.ª de los Milagros. The last weekend of August the pilgrimage of the patron is celebrated in the place of La Rábida, with the typical Andalusian color of this type of celebrations around the figure of the Virgin Mary.
 * The dates of the departure of the caravels are commemorated, on August 3, the return of the caravels, on March 15, the Discovery of America, on October 12, and the departure of the Plus Ultra, on January 22.
 * Medieval Discovery Fair: Around March 15 (local day of Martín Alonso Pinzón), the Medieval Discovery Fair is held, turning the town into a typical 15th-century town. This fair is usually held the weekend after March 15.

Buy
Throughout the city you can find different samples of crafts, both local and from the province.

Eat
The geographical location of Palos de la Frontera allows it to have high-quality products, as diverse as seafood (white prawns, prawns or crayfish) and Iberian ham, as well as an excellent range of Huelva County wines. As typical dishes, those made with fish such as mackerel with tomato or cuttlefish with potatoes stand out, as well as other typical dishes such as "beans enzapatás". But the product of special relevance is the strawberry, which has become the economic engine of the town. Also notable are its pastries which highlight the hornazos of almonds and citron.

title: Palos de la Frontera


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Palos Verdes

The Palos Verdes Peninsula rises above the South Bay of Los Angeles County. It's an oasis of greenery in a Los Angeles region dominated by concrete and asphalt; it features horse trails, ocean cliffs, tidepools, Eucalyptus trees, and nature walks.

Understand
The Palos Verdes Peninsula was once part of enormous ranchos owned by Dominguez and Sepulveda. "Palos Verdes" is a Spanish phrase that roughly means "green stalks" or "green wood". A New York investment syndicate led by banker Frank Vanderlip bought the entire Peninsula sight-unseen from George Bixby reportedly for $1.5-2 million. For Vanderlip, a man with vision and money, such an enormous piece of undeveloped land along the Pacific, so close to Los Angeles, must have been a "no-brainer". Development began in the Malaga Cove area in the 1920s. Vanderlip hired the famous Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm (sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Manhattan's Central Park), to help design and plan the communities. To this day all of the Palos Verdes towns have very strong architecture and development committees that tightly regulate building. The cities' collective efforts have been exceptionally effective in preserving open space and avoiding overdevelopment.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula is made up of four municipalities. Rolling Hills is a private, gated community restricted to residents and guests that, because of its location at the top the hills of the Peninsula, enjoys spectacular ocean and city views. Surrounding it is Rolling Hills Estates, a city of 8,000 residents known for preserving its unique rural environment and laced with more than 25 miles of equestrian trails. Along the coast is Rancho Palos Verdes, known for spectacular ocean views of the South Bay and Catalina Island, and Palos Verdes Estates, which has the ambiance of a Mediterranean town, with clay tile roofed villas enjoying spectacular ocean and city views. The city streets are sometimes blocked by flocks of beautiful wild peacocks that inhabit the hillsides.

Get in
From Pacific Coast Highway take Palos Verdes Boulevard south into the western side of the Peninsula, or Hawthorne Boulevard to the top of the hill and down to the ocean. On the east end of the Peninsula, take Palos Verdes Drive East down to the Portuguese Bend area.

The LA Metro operates route 344 from the Harbor Gateway Transit Center, which can be reached from Downtown Los Angeles via the Silver Line (route 910), in about two hours plus waiting time for the transfer and subject to traffic.

Get around
Sight seeing in Palos Verdes truly requires driving. The Palos Verdes Peninsula Transit Authority operates PVP Transit with five routes that connect into the Peninsula Center.

See
The best way to see Palos Verdes is to drive along beautiful Palos Verdes Drive. This is one of the finest drives in the United States and tops the list of things to do. Palos Verdes Drive West and South are the highlights, a seaside "yellow brick road" that traces the cliffs, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. Palos Verdes Drive(s) (north, west, east, and south) encircle the Peninsula. The "center" of Palos Verdes consists of several upscale residential neighborhoods (only a few of which are gated), and while beautiful, are not exactly a tourist destination.

The best place to start a tour of Palos Verdes is on Palos Verdes Drive West travelling southbound from the intersection with Palos Verdes Drive North.

 * Malaga Cove (on Palos Verdes Drive West) is home to a charming shopping plaza and library that feature beautiful Spanish Renaissance architecture. The plaza, library, and original homes were built starting in the late 1920s. Park in the Plaza. The fountain statue of Neptune is a copy of a famous statue in Bologna, Italy. The library is one block uphill behind the plaza's south side. The road south along the coast takes you through beautiful Mediterranean style homes that cling to steep cliffs.
 * Lunada Bay is the next village (not a formal city) in Palos Verdes Estates. Lunada Bay also boasts a lovely fountain and a tiny, charming commercial district.
 * Lunada Bay is the next village (not a formal city) in Palos Verdes Estates. Lunada Bay also boasts a lovely fountain and a tiny, charming commercial district.

 * Portuguese Bend has been suffering massive land slippage. You will notice the bumpy road which is repaved every few weeks. The land in this area has moved more than 400 feet seaward, and continues to creep toward the ocean. A building moratorium exists in many areas. Several homes in the worst lanslide areas continue to be occupied, with the homeowners leveling their homes by the use of hydraulic jacks. A great blessing from the land movement has been the preservation of more than 1,000 acres as open space. This area is one of the largest natural spaces along the ocean in Southern California and offers fabulous hiking and biking trails with spectacular Ocean Views. The Palos Verdes Land Conservancy, a volunteer group of local residents, has worked tirelessly to fund raise and make arrangements to acquire much of this acreage.
 * Ocean Trails/Trump Golf Course. Before Donald Trump bought the course, the 18th hole fell into the ocean. "The Donald" reportedly spent $27 million to buy the Ocean Trails property in 2002 and then plowed an additional $61 million into the tricky and complicated engineering work required to re-stabilize the land under the 18th hole. In spite of all this some local geologists still predict a repeat. With his typical and comical grandiosity, the self-promoter declares the course even better than Pebble Beach. Nonetheless, the course is lovely, has hosted an LPGA tournament, has an ocean view from every hole, and offers a great Sunday brunch. It also holds the distinction of being the only US club in the Trump chain that's open to the public.
 * Hiking and Equestrian Trails - there are many great nature trails around PV. The geology and plants are similar to the Channel Islands.
 * Old General Store at the corner of Palos Verdes Drive North and Rolling Hills Road. Built in the early 1930s, the classic ranch building seems misplaced as if from the pages of a Norman Rockwell painting. The building houses an excellent sandwich shop (Kelly's Corner), an equestrian supply store, and a one man post office stop right out of the old west.
 * Old General Store at the corner of Palos Verdes Drive North and Rolling Hills Road. Built in the early 1930s, the classic ranch building seems misplaced as if from the pages of a Norman Rockwell painting. The building houses an excellent sandwich shop (Kelly's Corner), an equestrian supply store, and a one man post office stop right out of the old west.

Do

 * Tidepools along the cliffs are fun to walk along. There's even a rusting wreck of an old ship at the North Point of Lunada Bay.  In 1961, a Greek freighter carrying grain (the "Dominator") ran aground.  The water that poured in through the torn hull swelled the grain, and it split the boat in half. Coordinates are  33°46′26″N, 118°25′42″W.
 * Parks: Chandler Park, Clovercliff Park, Del Cerro Park, Eastview Park, Ernie Howlett Park, Hesse Park, Highridge Park, Martingale Trailhead Park, Point Vicente Interpretive Center, Rancho Palos Verdes Park, Ryan Park, South Coast Botanic Gardens (the Water-wise Garden, Herb Garden, English Rose Garden, and Garden of the Senses are some popular theme gardens here), and Vanderlip Park.
 * Hiking along the many nature trails, and along the Pacific Ocean is fun. Bluff Cove via Shipwreck Trail and the Smuggler's Cove Hike are two good options.  The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy conducts nature walks every month (+1 310-373-0202).
 * Horseback riding along the many horse trails. Facilities in Palos Verdes: Chandler Park, Dapplegray Park, Empty Saddle Club, Palos Verdes Stables, Portuguese Bend Riding Club, and Rolling Hills Estates Stables. +1 310 567-3582.
 * Tennis in Palos Verdes: Ernie Howlett Park (+1 310-541-4585), Jack Kramer Club (+1 310-326-4404), Palos Verdes Tennis Club (+1 310-373-6326), and Peninsula Racquet Club (+1 310-541-2523).
 * The peninsula has five golf courses:

Buy

 * There's an upscale mall called the Promenade on the Peninsula off Silver Spur Road.
 * Malaga Cove Plaza is a small, charming shopping plaza near the intersection of Palos Verdes Drive West and Palos Verdes Drive North. Malaga Cove's Italian architecture is quite beautiful, having been used as a setting for many commercials, since the tile roofs, fountains, and greenery have a remarkable Mediterranean feel.  The large Neptune statue in the fountain is imported from Italy. Stop in at the market for cold drinks and fantastic food. The weekends bring a large flow of cyclists through Malaga Cove.
 * A Farmers' Market operates each Sunday from 9AM - 1PM, in the Peninsula Center Shopping Center off Silver Spur Road near the intersection with Hawthorne Blvd.

Drink

 * Trump National Golf Club - The view is to-die-for at what was once the gorgeous Ocean Trails Club House and has been refurbished in typical Trump fashion.
 * Trump National Golf Club - The view is to-die-for at what was once the gorgeous Ocean Trails Club House and has been refurbished in typical Trump fashion.
 * Trump National Golf Club - The view is to-die-for at what was once the gorgeous Ocean Trails Club House and has been refurbished in typical Trump fashion.

Go next
While it feels worlds away from busy city life, Palos Verdes is less than 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Allow at least 1.5 hours for this drive during rush hour, and consider taking Pacific Coast Highway or other side roads to avoid heavy freeway traffic.

 * - A drive down Palos Verdes Drive South to 25th St. will take you into San Pedro. From there you can hop a ferry to Catalina Island or continue on to Los Angeles and Long Beach.
 * - The largest city in the South Bay. Home to several popular malls including the historic Del Amo Fashion Center.

title: Palos Verdes


text:
Palouse (Washington)

The Palouse is a region that covers parts of southeastern Washington and north-central Idaho, with some definitions also including parts of northeastern Oregon.

This page only covers the Washington portion of the Palouse region. For pages that cover other parts of the Palouse, see North Central Idaho and Eastern Oregon.

Cities

 * — largest city in eastern Washington, second largest in the state and third-largest in the Pacific Northwest Region; county seat of Spokane County and home to Gonzaga University and Whitworth University
 * a separate suburban city east of Spokane.
 * — home of Eastern Washington University

 * — county seat of Whitman County
 * — largest city in Whitman County and home of Washington State University

 * — county seat of Columbia County
 * — county seat of Garfield County
 * — county seat of Asotin County

Other destinations

 * - Since time immemorial, the Nimiipuu or Nez Perce have lived among the rivers, canyons and prairies of the inland northwest
 * — Once thriving, now a ghost town. It was built by the McGregor Company based on the sheep-raising industry. In Whitman County, on the Palouse River just south of Highway 26, between Washtucna and Pampa.

Understand
For our purposes, the Palouse consists of Spokane, Whitman, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin counties. Portions of adjacent North Central Idaho are often included in the broader region.

By plane
Spokane International Airport, located in the region, offers air service to some cities in the western US: see the Spokane article for details. Other airports with commercial air service near this region include Walla Walla, Pasco and Pullman. The nearest major international airports are Seattle-Tacoma International Airport or Portland International Airport, but they are 5-6 hours away by car. A connecting flight is recommended.

By train
Amtrak's Empire Builder stops at Spokane: this is the only train service to this region.

By car
Major east-west routes through this region are I-90 through Spokane and US-12 through the southern areas. US-195 is a major north-south route:
 * I-90.svg US 395.svg I-90 and US-395 run concurrently from Spokane to Ritzville. US Hwy 395 goes from Ritzville to Tri-cities and serves as the 'western edge' of Palouse country through Othello.
 * US 12.svg US-12 serves as the main east-west highway between Walla Walla to Lewiston, Idaho. It goes through Starbuck, Dayton and Pomeroy in southeastern Washington.
 * US 195.svg US-95 serves as the main north-south highway through the Palouse country. It runs from I-90 west of Spokane and winds its way down towards Lewiston, Idaho.
 * OR 3.svg to WA-129.svg OR-3 begins in Enterprise, Oregon. It winds it way through the Wenaha National Forest to Asotin, south of Lewiston, as WA-129.
 * WA-26.svg & WA-272.svg WA-26 begins from Exit 137 of I-90, west of the Columbia River, west of Ellensburg, to Colfax via Othello. Travelers coming from Seattle to WSU in Pullman (or anywhere in Whitman County) typically come through this way as a short cut. WA-272 continues east from Colfax to the town of Palouse near the Idaho border.

See

 * The Snake River Canyon carries the Snake River through the Palouse from Lewiston, Idaho, through an arc northwest then southwest, and finally empties it into the Columbia River at Burbank, near Pasco. The most popular site is just SW of Pullman near Lower Granite Dam. However, you cannot follow the river by car any further downstream. Due to the extensive backtracking that would be required, most people are only able to view one section of the canyon per road trip.

Coffee
Coffee is hugely popular all across the Pacific Northwest including the Palouse area. Look for small road side espresso stands even in small towns.

Beer
Like the rest of Washington State, microbreweries and beer in general is hugely popular, and the area has many to offer for beer enthusiasts. Some brews can only be found in local stores or bars (some notable brewers don't even bottle their product). Ask your servers for local beer recommendations and search out regional microbrews in stores.

Go next

 * Walla Walla Often thought of as part of the Palouse region. However, the western boundary of the county is on the Columbia River.

title: Palouse (Washington)


text:
Palu

Palu is the capital of Central Sulawesi province in Indonesia.

Understand
Palu has seen strife from Dutch colonial activity, the CIA, sectarian division, and nature. Yet it is a tenacious community sitting at the end of Palu Bay.

By plane

The so-called "official" prepaid airport taxis, which look more like private vehicles, charge rather steep (considering the short distance) Rp75,000 fixed fare to the city center (March 2016). City taxis are only allowed to drop off passengers in the airport, and the minimum fare for passengers going to the airport is Rp55,000 rather than regular 20,000 (the meter will probably display only Rp30,000 to 40,000 on arrival).

Get around
Taxis in Palu are normally not hailed on the street but are called by phone. The phone numbers of the two larger companies are +62 (451) 455455 (MMU) and +62 (451) 456789 (Taksi Utama). The taxis are metered, but the minimum fare, which will be charged even if the meter shows a lesser amount, is Rp20,000 (March 2016), except for trips to the airport where a higher limit applies. The dispatchers (and drivers) most likely speak little to no English, but most hotels will be happy to call a metered taxi for you if you ask them.

Blue minibuses (angkot) are plying the city roads during the daytime and approximately till 10 pm. A shared ride normally costs Rp5,000 per passenger (March 2016), the driver will vary his route based on where his current passengers are going, so the same trip will likely be done using a different route each time. If catching an empty angkot. make sure the driver understands you just want a shared ride, not a charter (which will likely cost much more, or even more than a taxi, especially if you didn't fix the price beforehand). As this may be problematic for a foreigner not speaking at least some Bahasa Indonesia, catch another angkot (preferably one with many passengers), call a taxi, or just walking, if in doubt.

Eat
Try local food, kaledo, spicy and savory beef leg soup.

Go next

 * Ampana, from which daily ferries depart for the Togian Islands.
 * Lore Lindu National Park, a protected area of forest. The national park is designated as part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. In addition to its rich wildlife, the park also contains megaliths dating from before 1300 AD.

title: Palu


text:
Paluma

Paluma is a very small village 60 km north of Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Understand
If you want to escape the hot, humid weather of Townsville, go up to Paluma, which is in the Mount Spec ranges of Thuringowa's heritage-listed Wet Tropics.

Get in
To get in by car, take the bitumen road from the Bruce Highway all the way to Paluma. The view is spectacular as you wind your way up to the 1000 metres above sea level where Paluma is located.

Do

 * Swim. Half-way up the mountain is the Little Crystal Creek gorge where you can swim in the water pools. Toilets and change rooms are provided so bring a towel!
 * Rain forest walks.
 * Historical town walks.
 * Paluma Pottery.
 * Flooded Gums. Drive past Paluma along the stretch of bitumen road and see the magnificent Flooded Gum's forest.

Buy

 * Pottery.

title: Paluma


text:
Pamirs

The Pamir mountains, or Pamirs or Pamir Knot, is a large region of high ground at the junction of several other mountain ranges of which the best-known is the Himalayas. The terrain is difficult and the population sparse. There are several mountains over 7,000 m (higher than anything outside the Greater Himalaya region) and some large glaciers.

This article covers only the part of the range in Tajikistan, officially the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. However, the Pamir range extends across borders; see Northeast Afghanistan and Northwest Pakistan for the parts in other countries. The Ferghana Valley region of Kyrgyzstan runs along the northern edge of the Pamirs and one end of the Pamir Highway is the Krygyz town of Osh. Nearby regions with relatively flat land and denser population are the area around Kashgar (China) to the east, the Ferghana Valley (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan]) to the north, and Bactria (Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan) to the west. The main route of the historic Silk Road ran from Kashgar through a pass just north of the Pamirs into the Ferghana Valley and through it to Samarkand. Central Afghanistan is to the south, with the Hindu Kush range (a spur off the Pamirs) as its northern boundary.

The Pamir River starts in the Pamirs and leads down to Bactria where it joins several other tributaries to form one of the region's greatest rivers, now called the Amu Darya but known in ancient times as the Oxus. Further north, in the Ferghana Valley, other rivers that start in the Pamirs combine to form the Syr Daria, known in ancient times as the Jaxartes.

Alexander the Great stopped at the edge of the Pamirs; he took Transoxania (north of the Oxus) and the Jaxartes became his northern border. The Mongol Empire also took nearby areas but did not much intrude into the mountains. The Persian Empire and later the Russian Empire, however, did take control in these mountains as well as nearby lowlands. The British Raj nibbled at the southern edge, taking parts of the range that are now in Pakistan.

Cities
The region has no big cities; the largest town is Khorugh with a population around 30,000.

 * — on the Pamir Highway surrounded by a large crater lake of the same name
 * — a very remote town in beautiful surroundings
 * — "Ali's curse" is reputed to have been spoken by the prophet's son-in-law Ali on a journey through the area because of the harsh climate and penetrating winds there
 * — a small village on the Parmir Highway between Ishkashim and the Military Post Khargush towards Murgab
 * — a town of 7,700 people on the Afghan border, joined by bridge to an Afghan town of the same name
 * — a town in a steep river valley surrounded by the Pamir mountains that offers hiking and mountain climbing
 * — an important overnight rest stop 168 km from Kulob and 235 km from Khorugh, it has several hostels, and is almost entirely surrounded by the Pamir Mountains

Other destinations
The Pamir Mountains are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
 * Pamirsky National Park
 * The is a long narrow bit of Afghan territory extending across the southern part of the Pamir range.
 * Pamirsky National Park
 * The is a long narrow bit of Afghan territory extending across the southern part of the Pamir range.
 * The is a long narrow bit of Afghan territory extending across the southern part of the Pamir range.

Understand
The Pamirs are home to a diverse makeup of Indo-Iranian peoples. The two most common ethnicities/groupings you're likely to come across are the Pamiris and the Badakhshanis (with some overlap depending on the source). All of the region's groups are related to their neighboring Tajik and Afghan peoples, but many identify only as "Tajik" or "Afghan" in the sense that their passport is issued by Tajikistan or Afghanistan. Calling these peoples "Tajik" or "Afghan" is equivalent to calling a Buryat "Russian" or a Navajo person "American" - while correct in the political sense, it might be offensive to someone who views themselves as Pamiri/Badakhshani first.

As elsewhere in Central Asia, most people in the area are Muslim. Unlike most of their neighbours, many in this region are followers of the Ismaili branch of the faith. Pamiri Ismailis will often describe themselves as more "free" than other branches of Islam, and indeed attitudes are noticeably less conservative than in Dushanbe. The Aga Khan heads one branch of the Ismalis, centered in India, and is among the world's richest men. He is held in high regard by Pamiris and has done a huge amount to help the region; schooling and healthcare in Khorugh for example are often of a higher standard than in Dushanbe, and generous international scholarships are provided for Ismaili children. During the Tajik Civil War (1992-97), aid from the Aga Khan Foundation was practically the only thing keeping the Tajik region of the Pamirs afloat.

This is one of the areas described in the books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools. These books describe the work of the Central Asian Institute and of Greg Mortensen, the mountain-climber turned school builder. These books are highly recommended and are largely responsible for his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Because of the difficult terrain of the region, the Pamirs are sparsely populated and follow rivers or the eponymous pamirs - literally mountain plateaus. The Tajik portion of the region, for example, makes up 41% of the country's area but only 3% of its population. Most people in the region survive as herders or subsistence farmers.

As "empty" as this region may seem, it has been at the crossroads of history more than perhaps most of the world. Until later iterations of what is called the "Persian Empire" first conquered the region, the Pamirs had served as the outermost limit on numerous different empires, including Alexander's Macedonia, the Mongol Empire (which controlled the region in name), and Imperial China. Marco Polo is said to have journeyed through the Pamirs on his way to China/Mongolia, and during the 1800s British and Russian spy-diplomats scoured the region in attempts to claim the most land before formal colonial borders were drawn.

Talk
There are several Pamiri languages, all related to Persian. Persian — either the Tajik dialect or the Dari variant of Afghanistan — is also widely spoken and serves as a lingua franca.

The region was part of the Soviet Union and Russian is the most commonly spoken language not native to the region.

Get in
A special permit is required to enter the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (short GBAO, which covers all of the Tajik part of Pamir) (Nov 2022). It costs US$20 and is available online (for nationals of countries eligible for the e-visa) or in Dushanbe OVIR for about 70 somoni. It is not available on arrival, if you are asked to pay for a "permit" when crossing the internal border, this is a blatant bribe. You could take a flight from Dushanbe to Khorog. There is a 14-seater flight every morning to Khorog, but its departure depends on weather conditions and the number of passengers. Tickets to the flight are sold a day in advance at the Dushanbe airport.

From Khorog you can hitch on a fuel tanker or truck on its way back to Kyrgyzstan, or hire your own vehicle from Khorog. It is also possible to get an occasional shared van to Murghab and from there to Osh. Most days will also see a jeep or shared taxi head towards Ishkashim. Lorries and fuel tankers in the Pamirs are mind-numbingly slow, hitching the M41 is not a game for the impatient or the time-pressed. The first vehicle with space will usually give you a ride, but as with many places in the former Soviet Union, you are expected to pay for the ride. It can take anywhere from 2 hours to 2 days to get a ride. There many only be 2 or 3 vehicles going in your direction each day.

The is the only border crossing between China and Tajikistan. Although the pass is officially open for nationals of all countries, travelers repeatedly reported they were not able to cross through the borders. The Chinese side is downhill 14 km away, right next to the Karakorum Highway.

The Wakhan Corridor is an old trade route leading across the southern edge of the Pamirs from Afghanistan to China. However, it was never a major route because the terrain is difficult and the hill tribes can be. Since it is all in Afghan territory, it is almost certainly too dangerous for travel today.

Get around
There are some typical arranged itineraries:

 * 5d/4n road trip from Osh to Dushanbe (including the Wakhan Valley) or vice versa (which is by far the better option, if you are prone to altitude sickness)
 * 4d/3n road trip from Osh to Dushanbe via Mardzh (not including the Wakhan Valley, going along the classical Pamir Highway instead).
 * since there are regular Tajik-Kyrgyz border clashes (and therefore the border may be closed as it was in Oct 2022), a good way is to stay on the Tajik side and do a 9d/8n trip from Dushanbe to Khorog, and from there going round counter-clockwise (via Ischkaschim, Langar, Ali Chur, Bulunkul and back to Khorog)

These trips can also be done by public transport, which may take a few days more. The routes are also frequently used by cyclists, organised or independently.

Example for a typical 5-day/4-night trip from Dushanbe to Osh:
 * Day 1: Dushanbe - Khalaikum, 400 km
 * Day 2: Khalaikum - Khorog (altitude 2000 m), 250 km
 * Day 3: Khorog - Langar (altitude 3000 m), 300 km
 * Day 4: Langar - Murghab (altitude 3600 m), 310 km
 * Day 5: Murghab - Osh, 360 km

A six-day tour may add a stop in remote Ali Chur.

An alternative example for a slightly longer 10d/9n trip from Dushanbe to Dushanbe (staying in Tajikistan):
 * Day 1: Dushanbe - Khalaikum (340 km)
 * Day 2: Kahalikum - Khorog (altitute 2000 m), 260 km
 * Day 3: Khorog - Langar (altitude 3000 m), 217km (Gam Chashma hot springs, Yamchun Fortress, Yamg Museum, Wakhan Corridor)
 * Day 4: Hiking from Langar to Pik Engels basecamp (from 2900m up to 3900m)
 * Day 5: Langar - Ali Chur (altitude 4000 m, very cold place) (passing by Panorama Trail to Hausibek's viewpoint at 4800m), 120 km
 * Day 6: Hiking or other activities (Yaksafari/Marco Polo spotting)
 * Day 7: Ali Chur - Bulunkul (altitude 3700 m) (Geyser, hot springs, walking along Yashikul lake), 40 km
 * Day 8: Bulunkul - Khorog via M41 (hot springs in Jelondy) 200km
 * Day 9: Khorog - Dushanbe (600 km) can be done in one day, but quite rough as the roads are pretty bad (as of Nov 2022)

If you have more time, you may add a stop in Murgab.

This trip was 1,600€ in Nov 2022 (organised with PECTA, food/accommodation/tips excluded). However, 860€ of this was spent just for the transfer from Dushanbe to Khorog (both ways). You can cut the cost for this part of the journey considerably by using public transport such as marshrutka or shared taxi. It will be way less comfortable (and potentially safe), but also an interesting experience.

See
Traditional houses in the Pamirs are known locally as Chid. The basic structure hasn't changed much in more than 2,500 years. To visitors, unless they understand the history, they're just dirty, smoky hovels. The roofs are flat so that yak droppings can be dried up there and then used for fuel. The Soviets discouraged the Pamiri Ismailis from building mosques and many homes have a kind of shrine that is reminiscent of Zoroastrian practices. In older Chid, ask them to show you the pillar that represents the prophet Mohamed (Khasitan-Shokhsutun), just to the left as you enter and made of juniper wood.
 * Lake Karakol - A crater lake near the Kyrgyz and Chinese border; it is frozen half the year
 * Khorog
 * Lots of mountains
 * Murghab's very small bazaar
 * Weekly Ishkashim Afghan Bazaar

Do

 * View the wild life like the Marco Polo Sheep.
 * Mountain climbing.
 * Hiking and trekking.
 * Skiing.
 * Be part of a very expensive tour group. (Or travel on the cheap and hitch-hike.)
 * Sit and enjoy the silence and views.

Eat
Rice, eggs, snacks, yak butter, bread, mutton, Pamiri tea (sheer-chai), freshly made warm bread (non).

Drink
Tea, surprisingly good coffee, and vodka. Yak milk.

Sleep
There are a number of homestays in most villages on the Pamir highway. They are usually in homes built in traditional Pamiri style. They are made with wood, with five pillars, a sky light and richly decorated with carpets. You are ensured great hospitality and simple but delicious meals.

Travel guides typically suggest 15,000 som per person per night as an average for these homestays, but 20,000 is closer to the mark. (Oct 2022)

Most homestays shut down during winter (ca. November-March). Ask around to find someone who opens up.

 * Zong Village - Homestay of Mavluda. 130,000 som per person per night including dinner and breakfast.

 * Alichur - Ask for the English teacher, meet her family, and you decide how much money to leave behind. Alternatively, there is Cafe & Hoste Marco Polo homestay which also runs Cafe Goldenfish right next to it at the Eastern end of the village. Also offers activities such as Yak Safari or Marco Polo spotting.

 * Bulunkul - Either Homestay of Nisso or Orsu (another teacher).

Stay safe
A zealous policeman in Murghab may want to register you with the police or complain if you were taking photos. This isn't a problem, registration should be known well enough simply getting to the area.

There is some risk of altitude sickness.

Go next
One end of the Pamir Highway is at Osh, from where you easily reach anywhere in the Ferghana Valley. The other is at Dushanbe, from where you easily reach anywhere in Bactria. Beyond those, anywhere in Central Asia is possible; the most interesting destination that is nearby and reasonably safe is Samarkand.

There is the border crossing at Kulma Pass into China open year round, officially open now also for foreign nationals - but have wads of US dollars handy to facilitate your passage.

 * Wakhan Corridor - a beautiful detour from the Pamirs

title: Pamirs


text:
Pampa

Pampa is the second largest city in the High Plains region of the Texas Panhandle. Pampa hosts the Top o' Texas Rodeo each year in July, which brings competitors from Texas and the surrounding states to Gray County. The White Deer Land Company Museum, which showcases ranching exhibits, is in downtown Pampa. In 2020, it was home to 17,000 people.

Get in

 * US-60 connects to Pampa from Amarillo, about an hour to the west/southwest, and from Canadian to the east.
 * TX-70 connects with Perryton to the north, and has important connections to the south with I-40 near Groom (30 minutes), and with US-287 at Clarendon, for those coming from the Wichita Falls or Dallas-Fort Worth areas.
 * TX-152 leads into town from the northwest, from Borger (30 minutes), Dumas (75 minutes) or Dalhart

Get around
There is really no public transportation here, so you will need a car. Should you somehow find yourself here without one, there is one call taxi service:

Buy
Pampa has a number of crafts and antiques shops. For basic necessities, United supermarket on north Hobart is the main grocery store in town. There is also a Wal-mart Supercenter on the north end of Perryton Parkway.

Go next

 * Black Kettle National Grassland, northeast about 55 miles on Texas highway 60 (Look for the turnoff about 10 miles beyond Canadian). Part of Cibola National Forest. While most of this park is in Oklahoma, this separate 576-acre park includes Lake Marvin, providing a beautiful relaxation spot for any Panhandle traveller who misses seeing lots of trees.
 * McClellan Creek National Grassland, 18 miles to the south on highway 70, 580 497 2143. Part of Cibola National Forest, this park has passable campground facilities and RV hook-ups, and offers fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities. Be cautious of rattlesnakes.
 * Lake Meredith, at Fritch, has good boating facilities and is a popular fishing spot.
 * Perryton, north of highway 60, has a museum with exhibits on the Panhandle Plains Villagers of pre-colonization times.
 * Square House Museum, in Panhandle, 30 minutes west on Highway 60.

title: Pampa


text:
Pampanga

Pampanga is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines.

Regions
The province is divided into three parts. Western Pampanga includes the municipalities of Mabalacat, Porac, Floridablanca, and the highly urbanized city of Angeles. Central Pampanga consists of the municipalities of Magalang, Arayat, Mexico, Santa Ana, Bacolor, Santa Rita, Guagua, Lubao, Sasmuan, and the component city of San Fernando. Eastern Pampanga is composed of the municipalities of Candaba, San Luis, Santo Tomas, San Simon, Minalin, Apalit, Macabebe, and Masantol.

Cities
Pampanga is divided into 3 cities and 19 municipalities administratively, but many are too small to be handled in this guide. Some of the most prominent locations are:

 * — provincial capital, known for its parols (star-shaped Christmas lanterns) and its Lenten rites involving a realistic reenactment of Jesus' crucifixion
 * — economic center, with a lively nightlife scene; our guide for this city includes Mabalacat, as it has Clark Freeport and the airport
 * — a town heavily affected by the mudflows from Mount Pinatubo
 * — the traditional commercial center of the area
 * — a municipality at the foothills of Mount Pinatubo
 * — a municipality at the foothills of Mount Pinatubo

Angeles is considered independent from the province, but is part of Pampanga geographically and culturally.

Other destinations

 * — A grouping of municipalities approximately east of the Pampanga River.
 * — Composed of the municipalities/towns of Bacolor, Floridablanca, Guagua, Lubao, Porac, Sasmuan, and Santa Rita.
 * - Dormant volcano, noted for its 1991 eruption that caused destruction throughout the province as well as global temperature drops
 * - Dormant volcano, noted for its 1991 eruption that caused destruction throughout the province as well as global temperature drops

Understand
Pampanga's name is derived from the Kapampangan word pampang ("riverbank"). The province is mostly flat, crossed by the eponymous Pampanga River.

Pampanga does have its colorful history, from Spanish colonization to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. Pampanga used to cover largest area of the Central Luzon region during Spanish times. Founded in 1571 by royal decree, it included all of present-day Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Aurora, and parts of Quezon, Tarlac, and Zambales. The province led the Philippine Revolution between 1896 and 1898, and its role is commemorated in the Philippine flag. Pampanga is worst affected by the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, that buried parts of the province under ash and lahar.

By plane
Clark International Airport in Angeles has flights to most domestic and international destinations, and is more convenient than Ninoy Aquino International Airport to the south. Clark Airport is well served by low cost carriers.

By bus
There are many buses passing through Pampanga, mostly headed for Ilocos, Bataan and Zambales. Most buses will stop at the major cities of Angeles or San Fernando, both having central bus stations (though some companies serving San Fernando still have their own dedicated terminals).

Talk
People in Pampanga speak Kapampangan. It looks like a divergent dialect of Tagalog to the unfamiliar, but it is more closely related to the indigenous languages in Zambales than to Tagalog. English and Tagalog is well understood. Tagalog is generally spoken in areas bordering Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Bataan. Native Kapampangans, however, generally speak in Tagalog to outsiders, and Kapampangan publications and signage is hard to find, except in Angeles, where it has been made an official language alongside English and Tagalog, and signs in Kapampangan are increasingly used.

See

 * Angeles City is a thriving city often compared to the Philippine capital and largest city, Manila. The city is a booming nightlife center and tourist destination, while the adjoining Clark Freeport Zone is the site of world-class resorts, casinos, duty-free shops, and beautifully landscaped golf courses. Its capital, Balibago, is especially known for its bars and nightclubs, thus tagged the "Entertainment Capital of Central Luzon."
 * City of San Fernando is known for its giant lanterns and it annually holds a "Giant Lantern Festival" in December. Among legions of Catholics, it is known for its annual re-enactment of Christ's "Crucifixion on Good Friday".  Also, "Hilaga Philippines" is found here. It is a tourism village where the wealth, character, and culture of the four northern regions of Luzon are pooled to provide every visitor the virtual experience of a visit to the north.
 * Mabalacat has an airfield where the first attacks by kamikaze suicide pilots were launched on 20 October 1944. Commanded by Vice-Admiral Takjuro Ohnishi, it was an attempt to destroy hundreds of ships of the Allied forces in the Pacific Ocean, killing thousands of US sailors and soldiers. "The Memorial and Kamikaze Peace Shrine" marks the site of the old runway and it is frequently visited by tourists, especially Japanese.
 * Porac is known for its natural sites such as the Dara and Miyamit Falls, as well as the Porac Highlands. It is equally popular for being a lahar-stricken town brought about by the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption and subsequent flooding of rivers with lahar (a mixture of rainwater and volcanic ash and outfall) that severely eroded river banks and destroyed bridges and low-lying areas. Trekking through Porac is a way to reach Mount Pinatubo's peak, a seven-hour slog to the slopes of Mount Pinatubo via the Pasig-Potrero River in Barangay Mancatian while traversing fast streams, prolific waterfalls, and fantastic lahar landscapes.
 * Arayat is known for its majestic Mt. Arayat and a natural park complete with exquisite swimming pools, spa, recreational halls, and picnic huts. One would be delighted to experience the cool breeze and natural spring water that falls from the mountain. Have an optional tour of "Mt. Arayat National Park" for a short mountain climb and swimming in natural pools.
 * Candaba is known for its "Bird Watching Tour," the staging and wintering area for thousands of birds from October-April of every year and it offers the only organized bird watching tour in the region. It serves as a bird sanctuary and a haven for migratory birds, such as egrets and wild ducks during winter in China. Indigenous ones like the rare salaksak and batala are to be seen as well. Aside from bird watching, cruise down the province's river of life, the Pampanga River.
 * Guagua takes its pride for having Pampanga's most beautiful church, the Betis Church, which is a fascinating work of architecture with its classic altar in antique-carved design and decor blending with religious frescoes reminiscent of neoclassical works of European art. Built in 1754, this church has impressive paintings on its ceiling and walls with fine sculpture and paintings in gold dust.

Eat
Cultivated freshwater fish are a major product of Candaba. There are no restaurants in Candaba that serve them, although you can buy them at the public market and cook at home. Tilapia, mudfish or bulig, native and African catfish, kanduli, carp, and gourami can be bought fresh in the public market.

Don't forget the local buro (fermented rice and fish mixture) which goes well with the fish. A typical buro platter consists of buro sauteed with garlic and onion, roasted bulig, and fresh mustard leaves. Must-buys too are the freshwater prawns, and occasional lotus stalks which can be sauteed in garlic, onion, and tamarind sauce.

Ducks are also a big industry in the area, and their ebun buru, or salted eggs, have a delicate taste and are less salty. Eat with rice and tomatoes.

There is also an afternoon stall at the public market where you can buy ready-to-eat fried quail, which goes well with beer or wine.

Foodies looking for game bird dishes will be disappointed to know that the municipal government has banned the hunting of wild birds in the municipality.

title: Pampanga


text:
Pampas

The Pampas is a region in central Argentina bordered in the north by the Chaco region, in the northeast by the Mesopotamia region, in the east by the La Plata River (separating it from Uruguay), in the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south by the Patagonia region, in the west by the Cuyo region, and in the northwest by the Andean Northwest region.

title: Pampas


text:
Pampatar

Pampatar is a city on Margarita Island. The Castillo de San Carlos de Borromeo on the waterfront in the center of town. Constructed entirely of coral, the fort, built by the Spanish in 1662 after the original was destroyed by the Dutch. In the center of town is the Iglesia Santísimo Cristo or Iglesia del Cristo del Buen viaje, which features a bell tower with an outside staircase — an architectural oddity found on several churches on Isla Margarita.

Get in
Pampatar is about a 40-minute drive from Margarita's Santiago Marino International Airport, via a fast highway.

It is 12 km from La Asunción and 9 km from Porlamar.

Car rental
Car rentals are available in Porlamar as well as in other parts of the island including at the airport and Playa El Yaque. Ensure that you thoroughly check the credentials of any rental agencies and ensure that they are licensed, have readily accessible office and an office contact number. Also ensure that you fully check the vehicle for any pre-existing damage including all lower body panels, the roof, and all window glass, before you sign the contract with any rental provider.

Learn
Learn Spanish, or pick up the first words necessary to get around while on the island.

title: Pampatar


text:
Pamphylia

Pamphylia (Turkish: Pamfilya) is a region along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. It has long sandy beaches, water sports, Roman ruins, museums and lots of hotels, so it's a popular region all-round for holidays.

Towns

 * is the transport hub and main city.
 * resort is all about golf.
 * is a town near Aspendos.
 * has broad waterfalls.
 * beach resort has extensive and well-preserved Roman ruins.
 * beach resort has a fine citadel.

Other destinations

 * is an ancient city in the mountains, with an amphitheatre and rock-cut tombs.

Understand
When the ancient Greeks called this region πάμφυλος - "mingling of many peoples" - they brilliantly foresaw the arrival of jets bearing Scandinavians, Brits, Irish, Germans, Russians and every other European nation. The attractions then and now are similar: Pamphylia has a long coastal plain, unusual in Turkey, fronted by a sandy beach. In fair weather you could draw up a sailing vessel almost anywhere on the strand, but the coast is exposed with stiff breezes and you needed a harbour cove or creek for overnight shelter. Better still if it had shore guns to repel pirates. Antalya is the large port at the west end of the plain, Alanya is at the east end with a stout citadel; then on either side the mountains close in.

Antalya grew to become the modern provincial capital and was the chief ancient city, but has been repeatedly built over - enough remains in its museums and old streets to attest its importance. Aspendos and Side were shattered by earthquakes but not built over, so those are major visitor attractions.

The mountains were a barrier to transport from inland regions, and even now there is no motorway connection and no railway. (The bonus from this was few invading armies or smokestack industry.) The game changer from the 1980s was the boom in commercial aviation and Turkish tourism, and the coast became encrusted by high-rise hotels for package holidaymakers. These are often outstanding value, it's a buyer's market, so even independent-minded travellers should consider taking a package and using it as a springboard to explore.

Get in
Antalya Airport on the south edge of that city is the commonest point of arrival, as it has many budget flights from across Europe, plus connections from Istanbul (IST and SAW), Ankara, and other Turkish cities.

Gazipaşa–Alanya Airport is 40 km southeast of Alanya and has flights from Istanbul and Ankara, plus a few budget carriers from Europe.

This region has no railway, but buses connect with the YHT high speed trains at Konya, and run to Antalya and Alanya.

Buses run frequently round the clock from Istanbul to Antalya.

This region is not on the motorway network. From Istanbul to Antalya the recommended route is via Bursa, Eskişehir, Afyonkarahisar and Isparta. For Alanya stay on the motorway past Ankara then go via Konya.

Get around
Highway D400 crosses the region east-west, a few km back from shore. Local buses and dolmuşes shuttle along the Antalya-Alanya corridor, the long-distance bus lines don't sell tickets for short hops along this stretch.

You need an Antalyakart for public transport within Antalya metropolis. Buy it on arrival at the airport or main bus station.

The large towns have car hire companies, which may act as franchises for the international chains.

Hitching is no fun along the main transport corridor, you'll encounter indifference or hostility.

See

 * Roman ruins: the ancient cities long pre-date the Romans, but were re-built and embellished in that era, so those are the ruins you see nowadays. Fine examples are Aspendos near Serik, Side, and Termessos in the mountains to the west.
 * Museums: several towns display local antiquities, but the best (and one of Turkey's largest) is in Antalya.
 * Mosques are of traditional design, but many are modern retro-builds.

Do

 * Beaches are sandy all along this coast. The breeze is strong by afternoon so swim early, windsurf later.
 * Scuba diving is typically Med, with limited marine life but well suited to novices. Surfacing in the caves at Alanya is a spooky experience.
 * Golf: Belek has several courses, and hotels offer stay & play packages.
 * Football: both Antalya and Alanya play soccer in Süper Lig, the top tier.
 * Lycian Way long-distance hiking trail has its east terminus at Geyikbayırı in the hills west of Antalya, and its west terminus near Fethiye.

Eat
Turkish, Turkish, Turkish, you may struggle to find variety. The hotel buffets serve blander fare to their international clientele.

Drink
Antalya and Alanya have enough visiting topers to support free-standing pubs. Most cafes and restaurants serve alcohol.

Go next

 * Lycia to the west has a rugged coastline with small coves and harbours, and no big resorts until you approach Fethiye.
 * The Cilician Mountains east have a similar rugged coast and pine-clad mountains. They're thinly populated and see few tourists.
 * Lakes District north across the Taurus Mountains is scenic but off the beaten path.
 * Northern Cyprus southeast has a summer ferry from Alanya to Kyrenia, with a year-round ferry from Tasucu and flights from Antalya.

title: Pamphylia


text:
Pamplona

Pamplona (Basque: Iruña) is a city in Navarra, Spain. It is most famous world-wide for its San Fermín festival, held each year from July 6-14. San Fermín festival includes the legendary "Running of the Bulls", which features the daily bullrun or "Encierro" in Spanish. Pamplona is a beautiful green city and ranks the highest in environment and recycling cities in Spain & Europe. There are many interesting things to do and explore in Pamplona for a traveler as it is the first main city on the route of St. James (Camino de Santiago). It is a city with beautiful parks, historical buildings, medieval city walls and a river running through it too. The city is home of two universities: the public Universidad Pública de Navarra, and the private Universidad de Navarra, and two campuses in different but close parts of the city.

By train
Daily trains from and to Madrid, Barcelona, Vitoria, Galicia, Asturias, Zaragoza, Burgos. Also routes to other towns in the region of Navara like Tafalla or Tudela are available. Urban buses connect the train station and the city centre.

By car
Hire a car and drive from Madrid 4 hr, Barcelona 4 hr, Biarritz 1.5 hr, San Sebastián 1 hr, Bilbao 2 hr, Zaragoza 2 hr, Logroño 1 hr.

Underground parking is widely available.

By bus
The cheapest way to get in Pamplona. Several daily services from Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastián, Bilbao, Vitoria, Zaragoza, Logroño and many other cities. Almost all towns and villages of the region are daily connected to its Capital City, Pamplona, by bus. This is a very good option if you don't have a car but want to visit places like the Castle in Olite, the Romanesque art of Estella or the old streets and Cathedral of Tudela, just for instance.

Get around
Pamplona offers to very different faces to the visitor: while in San Fermín festival, the city is driven by music, drinking and the incredible number of people celebrating and packing the streets. People from all over the World "pay tribute" to San Fermín by having fun, and for the more adventurous, run in front of six bulls at 08:00. If you want to see the bullrun from the street, you must be in the spot at least two hours in advance to secure yourself some good sights of the event.

The rest of the year, Pamplona is a tranquil and yet vibrant place full things to do. It is indeed a great place to walk the streets and parks. Food and wine is also a big part of the navarrese culture, so make sure you taste some local specialties.

See

 * Aside from the evening bullfights, at 11:00 some mornings during San Fermin, there is a chance to enter the bullring for free, and watch student bullfighters hone their craft. Pamplona's bullring is the second largest in Spain. To gain free access to tha main event in the bullring after the bullrun is to run at the last segment of the bullrun to gain access to the bullring for free.
 * July 5 is becoming an extra day of fun, as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has a "running of the nudes" to protest the bullfights. No-one is totally naked, though, as it's against the law.
 * Plaza de Toros, the bullring and end point of the encierro, is still used for bullfights. The stadium was built in 1922 and holds over 19,000 people.
 * Pamplona Cathedral: Pamplona's gothic cathedral was constructed during the 14th and 15th centuries. The church has a neoclassical façade completed by Ventura Rodriguez in 1783. The cathedral is listed as one of the most important religious buildings in Spain. There is a museum next to the cathedral which has exhibits on the history and architecture of the building.
 * Pamplona Cathedral: Pamplona's gothic cathedral was constructed during the 14th and 15th centuries. The church has a neoclassical façade completed by Ventura Rodriguez in 1783. The cathedral is listed as one of the most important religious buildings in Spain. There is a museum next to the cathedral which has exhibits on the history and architecture of the building.

Do
This event is only a little less controversial than the Faroe Islands' Grindadrap - some see it as tradition and cultural heritage, some as animal cruelty one should not support.
 * Sanfermines, the Festival of San Fermín, is held city-wide July 6-14. It begins with the txupinazo, a rocket fired from the City Hall balcony at noon on the 6th. A large street party ensues that night and for the rest of the week. The best-known feature is the encierro (running of the bulls) every subsequent day at 08:00 (not on the 6th since the festival only starts at noon). Six bulls run through town centre towards the bullring; the adventurous and foolhardy run in front of them. If you want to run with the bulls, then arrive at the track for 07:30. Police will eject you if you are drunk, also runners are not allowed to carry a camera.
 * Football: CA Osasuna play soccer in La Liga, Spain's top tier. Their home ground Estadio El Sadar (capacity 23,500) is 1.5 km south of city centre.

Learn
San Fermin has a nightly fireworks show. Each night a different company (many international) competes for a prize. This happens nightly near the ciudadela or fortress, former citadel to defend the city and nowadays the biggest park of all.

Pamplona has many old palaces, most of them in the heart of the city. One of them, on the outskirts of town in Gorraiz used to belong to Sir Lancelot (of King Arthur fame). He received this palace upon marrying a Spaniard. The palace has a nice upper class bar and restaurant, and an excellent wine cellar below.

Work
English teaching is the main source of income for many tourists who come and eventually fall in love with Pamplona. In Sanfermines, many tourists end up working for some hostels to get free lodging. They may be soliciting fellow tourists to get a room in the hostel where they are lodged or giving out pamphlets to tourists.

Buy
You can buy good wine, Patxaran, ham, and tins of peppers the best are from Lodosa, and of course asparagus from Navarra. Presents can be bought on every corner, like small bulls, red & white clothes, and festival T-shirts. Also you can find the Shop of Kukuxumusu at the beginning of Estafeta Street.

In Old Town you will find kiosks throughout selling Navarrese handicrafts.

Eat
Outside Sanfermines day, many eateries close at 15:30. Dinner is served up from 21:00 There is plenty of restaurants in the old city, from budget menús del día for lunch to more expensive and renowned venues. Navarra's cuisine stands out for the quality of its vegetables, e.g. asparagus, artichokes, piquillo red peppers. Plus, visitors can always try typical Spanish dishes.

In Pamplona, tapas are called "pintxos", and in contrast with other places in the south of Spain do not come free of charge with drinks. However, most of these "pintxos" are small-sized nouvelle cuisine dishes, so it is really worth to try. Remember that going out to a bar to have a drink and some "pintxos" is pretty much a social event, and there is not a settled time for it. Normally, the same bars that offer "pintxos" prepare menús del día and dinner at Spanish lunch and dinner time.

Drink
In Pamplona you can find good wine from Navarra, try it! it's really good. You can order it in every bar as "tinto" (red wine) or as "clarete" or "rosado" (rose wine). Besides there's a liquor called "Patxaran" that should be tried.

You should also make sure you try the Sangria. It's a red wine punch, usually with some fruit, red wine, and some honey to sweeten. The alcoholic content can vary greatly from place to place.

Calle San Nicolas, Calle Estafeta, and Calle de Jarauta are all lined with different bars, pubs, and bodegas. Most do not have signs so feel free to wander around in and out of these places.

Budget

 * Many sleep in the open for free in the parks throughout Pamplona.
 * The El Molino campground is nearby Pamplona. It has campsites, cabins and rooms.  Definitely requires booking during San Fermín festival.  Is about 25 min from the center of Pamplona and there are standard €40 per shuttle rides, and there are always others around keen to share.
 * A good camp close to Pamplona is Lizarra at Estella. Approx. 1/2 away by coach. Has bar, restaurant, shop, showers, & pool.
 * Camp in Tali Mendi, Zarautz (on the coast) Approx. 1hr 15 minutes away by coach. Few hundred metres from the beach.
 * A good option is to have a room in one of the makeshift hostals on Calle Estafeta (a segment where the bulls run and where the fun is located). Always bargain for a terrace when asking for the price. Price range between €30 and €100 per night.

Splurge

Stay safe

 * Watch out for the bulls!
 * There is quite a lot of pickpockets at sanfermines time, experts at spotting visitors, so try to be careful, do not leave things unattended. Suspect from those gypsies that just want to talk to you or do palm reading.
 * At San Fermines do not wear flip-flops or sandals, as streets are quite filthy and there can be broken glass pieces on the ground. Traditionally locals wear white t's and pants, a red neckerchief and some kind of red scarf round their waist. You can buy this outfit at street shops and mingle with the crowd.

Connect
As of June 2022, Pamplona has 4G from MasMovil/Yoigo, and 5G from Movistar, Orange and Vodafone.

Go next

 * San Sebastian / Donostia is a charming old port on the Basque coast.
 * Zaragoza has an impressive cathedral and a moorish palace.

title: Pamplona


text:
Pamporovo

Pamorovo is the site of a ski resort in the Rhodope mountain range in Bulgaria. The nearby mountain Snejanke is 1926 m above sea level. Pamporovo is the southernmost ski-resort in Europe.

Get in
Pamporovo is about 2 hours away from Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second biggest city. Access to the resort town is gained through a series of windy mountainous roads.

Get around
Pamporovo is relatively small and many places of interest are within walking distance of one another. Mini buses and coaches are organised during the winter by the surrounding hotels to get to and from the ski centre. They usually operate several times in the morning and evening. Buses to the town centre from the ski centre are also available throughout the afternoon. There are a substantial amount of taxis in the town for getting around at night.

See
The view from ski slopes of Mount Snejanke is spectacular. The tower on top of the mountain stands another 110 m providing an even better view. On clear days you can see as far as the Greek coast.

Do
Skiing is Pamporovo's main attraction. During the skiing season the ski centre and slopes at Mount Snejanke are open from 8:30AM to 4:30PM.

Snowmobiles are available for supervised use at night on the mountain when the snow fall is adequate.

An authentic Bulgarian folk feast is served in a nearby restaurant. Lamb is spit roasted and served while traditional Bulgarian music is played accompanied by traditional dance.

Buy
The town has a small supermarket located in the centre. There are also various shops all centred in the same area. Jewelers, souvenir and clothing shops are to name a few.

Pamporovo has several shops specifically catering for ski gear and ski related paraphernalia.

Eat
The town has enough restaurants with decent quality food so that you won't go hungry.

There are numerous cafés and places to eat on the mountain slopes itself so it's easy to find food for lunch or a snack when skiing.

Drink
The water in Pamporovo is quite pure. It flows down from glacial ice in the surrounding mountain range. If you're not used to the water it may cause an upset stomach, due to the mineral content.

Sleep
Hotels seem to be the only place available for sleeping. The town has enough hotels of different status for anyone looking for a place to stay.If you want to rent an apartment there are plenty to choose from and are available all year round.

title: Pamporovo