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Guam

Guam (Chamorro: Guåhån) is an island in the western Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. An unincorporated territory of the United States of America, Guam gets most of its visitors from East Asia, especially Japan.

Villages
There are no cities on Guam with a population over 50,000 people, but each village represents an individual jurisdiction, all of which have mayors and limited autonomy within the central government. The largest population concentration is in the northern and central parts of the island, since the south is fairly lightly populated (the northernmost part of the island, however, is mostly owned by the US military).

Around 120,000 of the island's population of approximately 160,000 live in the northern and central parts of the island (including the villages of Tumon, Hagåtña, Dededo, Barrigada, Tamuning and Agana Heights).

 * (Agana) - the capital (pop. 1,100)
 * - where most tourists head, on the central west of the island (part of Tamuning)
 * - The most populous on Guam. (pop. 42,980)
 * - Guam's third-most populous city and most industrial. (pop. 18,012)
 * - Home to the University of Guam. (pop. 13,313)
 * - Village in the Jungles of Southern Guam. (pop. 3,215)

Other destinations

 * - former battlefields, gun emplacements, trenches, and historic structures all serve as silent reminders of the bloody World War II battles that ensued on Guam. While the park is known for its historical resources, the warm climate, sandy beaches, and turquoise waters attract visitors and residents. See Pacific War for background.
 * - wildlife refuge which protects Ritidian Point, the northernmost point of Guam.

Understand
Guam is the largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago. While it shares strong linguistic and cultural similarities with the remaining islands of the archipelago, it is politically distinct: Guam is an unincorporated territory of the United States of America, while the remaining islands of the archipelago comprise the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Guam and the CNMI are among thousands of islands in the Oceania subregion of Micronesia, which consists of the island nations of Belau (Palau), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati (which has cultural affinities with Polynesia and Micronesia), the Marshall Islands, and several remote islands designated as the U.S.-administered islands of the Central Pacific.

History
Guam is thought to have been inhabited by people since about 4000 BC, when it was discovered by Southeast Asians, the distant ancestors of the local Chamorro people. Owing to a lack of written records, not much is known about the early Chamorro society, but the latte stones — a type of structure dating from that period — dot the island (and others in the Marianas). It's not certain how a Neolithic people with no knowledge of metals ever cut these stones, but they were most likely used as supports for the houses of the privileged class. Similarities between the latte stones and some wooden structures in the Philippines and Indonesia have been pointed out, and more imaginative minds might even see resemblances with the moai of Easter Island far to the east.

The first European contact came in 1521, with the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on his famed circumnavigation of the world, sponsored by Spain. Having no counterpart of the western concept of "ownership" in their culture, curious Chamorro canoed out to Magellan's ship, relieving it of whatever they could get their hands on. As a result, Magellan named the islands Islas de los Ladrones, "islands of the thieves."

Spain claimed the island in 1565 and Christianity arrived soon after. Guam became one of the most favorable harbors in the trans-Pacific maritime routes, serving as a common port-of-call for the ocean-going galleons between Mexico and the Philippines, both major possessions of the global Spanish Empire then. It was around this time that the modern Chamorro culture started to take shape, when intermarriages between the locals, Filipinos, and the Spaniards were common.

Guam was ceded to the U.S. by Spain in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. Captured by Japan and its army in 1941, it was retaken by the U.S. after an occupation lasting three years, during which locals were often treated brutally as defeated enemies.

In 1950, Guam was elevated to the status of an organized territory, and all locals were granted American citizenship. In the 1960s, there was even briefly a discussion of forging all American possessions out in the Western Pacific (which included Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as now-independent Palau, Micronesia, and Marshall Islands) into a full-fledged U.S. state centered in Guam, the largest and most populous island of all between Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Hawaii. However, this proposal was quickly dismissed by the Guamese, mainly due to their mistrust of their Chamorro brethren on the Northern Marianas, who loyally served the Japanese during the occupation of Guam (Northern Marianas had been a Japanese possession between World War I and the end of World War II, hence the Chamorro of Guam and the Chamorro of the Northern Marianas were on opposing sides).

As Guam is the westernmost point in the Pacific Ocean to fall within U.S. territory (so far west it's in the Eastern Hemisphere), the military installations on the island are some of the more strategically important U.S. bases in the Western Pacific.

Economy
The economy depends on U.S. military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total U.S. grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. However, Guam tourism is branching out to attract people from other Asian countries such as South Korea and China. Most food and industrial goods are imported. The possibility of a large military buildup has generated a lot of interest in increasing the tourist facilities on the island.

Climate
Guam enjoys a tropical marine climate: generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds. The dry season runs from January to June, the rainy season from July to December, though with little seasonal temperature variation. During the rains, squalls are common, though destructive typhoons are rare.

Talk
English and Chamorro are the official languages of Guam. Persons employed in the tourist industry will typically have a working knowledge of Japanese.

Get in
The entry requirements for Guam are largely the same as those for the U.S, and nationals of all countries not needing a visa to enter the U.S. do not need a visa to enter Guam, although they may require an ESTA travel authorization. Foreign citizens may enter Guam using one of three options: If you are using the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program, which applies in both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, you do not need to apply for a travel authorization prior to going. The Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program includes eight U.S.-VWP countries (Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Kingdom) plus Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Foreign citizens using the U.S.-VWP may stay 90 days, while citizens using the Guam-CNMI VWP may stay for 45 days. Mainland Chinese and Macau citizens in possession of a machine-readable passport, completed Form I-736 (Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Information form) and Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) may enter the CNMI only visa-free for up to 45 days, but not Guam, which still requires a visa in advance. Citizens of non-VWP countries must apply for a U.S. visa at any U.S. embassy.
 * 1) the U.S. Visa Waiver Program,
 * 2) the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program or
 * 3) a valid U.S. visa.

Citizens of Canada do not require ESTA, Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program, or a U.S. visa to visit Guam for tourism or business for up to 6 months.

By plane

The main airline serving Guam is United Airlines, which offers non-stop service to Honolulu and Tokyo with onward connections from either airport to Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington-Dulles. It also offers non-stop flights from Guam to most major cities in Japan, Hong Kong, Palau, Manila and Cebu in the Philippines, and many of the Federated States of Micronesia.

All other service to Guam is through East Asia on JAL (serving Tokyo only, as of Jan 2024), Jeju Air (Seoul), Jin Air (Seoul), Korean Air (Seoul), China Airlines (Taipei), Eva Air (Taipei) and Philippine Airlines (Manila). If you're departing from the mainland U.S., U.S. law prohibits the use of a foreign carrier to fly from the mainland U.S. to Guam, even on two separate tickets, so if you're transiting East Asia you should make sure that at least one segment of your journey is on a U.S. airline or leave at least 72 hours at your transit airport. From traveler reports, this is the minimum when transiting Seoul to avoid being denied boarding for the onward flight.

By boat
There is no regular ferry service to Guam, but cruise ships stop on various itineraries, generally as part of a Pacific crossing or world circumnavigation.

By car
Driving is fairly simple and similar to the mainland US. The main route on the island is Marine Corps Drive/Guam Route 1 (better known as Marine Drive). On main roads in Guam, expect congestion around rush hour; however, such delays, which rarely exceed 30 minutes, are not as bad as the traffic congestion experienced in larger cities stateside and around the world. Many people purchase vehicles described as "Guam Bombs" which are older vehicles that are great to get around in and affordable, though these are becoming less and less common as more people are buying newer cars.
 * Traffic safety: Island-wide, the speed limit is . However, be careful and defensive while driving as it is common to see vehicles moving at far greater speeds, driving through red lights, tailgating, and cutting through traffic without signaling. The per-capita rate of traffic accidents far exceeds stateside rates (the U.S. national average is 19 crashes per 1,000 people, while Guam has 41 crashes per 1,000 people). Additionally, many of the older roads were paved using coral aggregate, causing them to be excessively slippery in rain. While these roads are slowly being replaced, they still exist - primarily in the southern part of the island - and can cause a vehicle to spin out even when driving under the speed limit; take caution.

By bus
Buses are available, through both private companies and the governmentally operated Guam Regional Transit Authority (GRTA). GRTA buses run island-wide, but are slow, difficult to navigate, and often unreliable. Limited operating hours mean that you may wait an hour or more for a GRTA bus, and connections to other bus lines may also incur equally long wait times. Private companies, however, operate their own trolley-style buses through the main tourist areas of Tumon (including all the major hotels) and loop through Micronesia Mall, K-Mart, Agana Mall, and Guam Premier Outlets.

By bike
Bicycling is most common in the Tumon tourist area, and, to a lesser extent, the length of the Hagåtña-Tamuning beachfront sidewalk. Bicycles are available for rent through most hotels and a number of local businesses. While bicycling is possible in other areas of the island, it is not common due to potholes, erratic driving, stray dogs, rainy weather, and hilly regions (in the southern part of the island). Due to these reasons, it is not recommended that one ride a bike outside of the Tumon and Hagåtña-Tamuning area unless they are experienced and skilled.

On foot
Walking is most common in the central business districts of Hagåtña and Tumon. Walking elsewhere around the island is uncommon due to heat, dangerous vehicular traffic, and the lack of sidewalks. Within villages, however, it is common to walk short distances between households, and to small villages stores, churches, mayoral offices, and other community meeting places.

See

 * Tumon is the center of tourism on Guam. Attractions include beaches that are also wildlife reserves, a large aquarium, and various shows similar to the ones in Las Vegas.
 * The coral reef surrounding Guam together with its underwater channels.

Do

 * Diving in Guam – there are many shore and boat dive sites, mostly along the western coast of the island. The main dive shops catering to English speakers are MDA and Axe Murderer Tours. Signature dives include Blue Hole, an advanced dive through a reef chimney to the recreational depth maximum; and the wrecks of the SMS Cormoran II and Tokai Maru in Apra Harbor, thought to be the only place on Earth where wrecks from the First and Second World Wars touch.

Money
Guam uses the U.S. dollar ("$", ISO currency code: USD). It is divided into 100 cents.

Shopping
There are many retail outlets in Guam, including DFS (Duty Free Shoppers) which operates several stores in hotels, a large "Galleria," and a store in the Guam Airport. Further, visitors to Guam will note some of the same shopping opportunities available in the United States. Although there is no Wal-Mart, there is a large K-Mart that does a very high volume of business. Indeed, visitors who are used to the voided cavernous K-Marts in the U.S. may be surprised to find that they can barely squeeze through the aisles of the Guam K-Mart.

The Tumon Bay area has many duty-free shopping outlets and boutiques catering to Japanese tourists. Among these are boutiques selling Bvlgari, Chanel, Cartier, Dior, Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, and more.

For U.S. citizens, Guam offers greatly increased customs exemptions coupled with duty and tax free importation of goods. However, take care with the prices offered in stores. A lot of merchandise has been shipped a very great distance at no small cost.

Eat
Despite its small population Guam has a range of restaurants, including Ya Mon's Jamaican Grill (locally owned & soon-to-be franchised), Hard Rock Cafe, Tony Romas and Chili's are in a building next the Guam Premier Outlets. Major hotels and restaurants serve continental meals and ethnic dishes.

Fresh seafood is bountiful. Fresh fish, octopus, and crab are either grilled or baked with vegetables or fruit, sashimi, and in other ways unique to the Pacific.

Travellers who venture further will find Chamorro, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, Mexican, and European restaurants, each with its own distinct ambiance. Chamorro Village offers a great variety of choices for local chamorro food, especially Wednesday nights. Of course, American fast food chains, such as Wendy's, Burger King, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers, Pizza Hut, Winchells Donuts and Dominos are common.

Locals pride themselves in barbecuing and it is a frequent event in Guam. Families and friends often get together and for BBQs, so if you visit ask about BBQs. It's a good chance you'll get invited!

Sleep

The main tourist area is around Tumon Bay, which has a number of high-rise hotels and resorts similar to Waikiki Beach. Cheaper accommodations exist near the airport, especially around the village of Harmon. Be aware that Harmon hotels tend to be on the seedier side since Harmon is a mixed industrial/residential neighborhood. Many of the flights scheduled through Guam to other locations (especially in Asia) often require an overnight layover, so plan ahead. Some hotels offer airport pickup, as taxis can be quite expensive.

Learn
The University of Guam provides higher education opportunities for students on Guam, as well as providing higher education for much of Micronesia. The UOG is in Mangilao, on the central eastern side of Guam. Students can earn various undergraduate degrees and several programs offer degrees at the Masters level. Two of the better known Masters-level programs are the (1) Environmental Science Program, focusing on Agricultural sciences through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Hydrology and Water Resources through the Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific (WERI); and (2) the Marine Laboratory, which focuses on marine biology and other environmental subjects.

Work
The largest employers are the government of Guam and United Airlines, followed by a large duty-free retail firm (DFS Guam), the U.S. Federal Government, the hotel industry and services sectors. Guam has two large military bases and several smaller military installations that employ many people. The only U.S. Air Force base is Andersen Air Force Base on the northern tip of the island. Naval Station Guam is a large U.S. Navy station on the west-central part of the island near the village Agat.

Stay safe
For Emergencies Call 911.

Observe caution when engaged in water activities on Guam, as in any coastal area, as currents can be swift and unpredictable, depending on the season. NWS Guam issues a twice-daily Surf Zone Forecast which includes a forecast of expected rip current conditions on all beaches. During the rainy season (from about August until March), water can pool unevenly on road surfaces. Pooling of rain water can lead to flooding of roads in the southern half of Guam, which does not have sewer drainage built under the road surfaces. Furthermore, many roads are in disrepair and potholes are frequent, which can easily blow out tires. Violent crime is fairly low, but property crime tends to be high, so safeguard valuables in vehicles. Rental cars have stickers and can be targeted by thieves. Guam is in a major earthquake zone, and these occur every few years. That said, there have been few casualties to date.

Stay healthy
The civilian Guam Memorial Hospital is in Tamuning, in the Central Region. If you have access to military bases, there's a Naval Hospital.

Tap water is potable in Guam.

Hiking and swimming raises risk of contracting leptospirosis. Without treatment, leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, trouble breathing, and death. It can take 2-20 days for symptoms to present from time of contraction. A few cases of leptospirosis are reported on Guam annually.

Respect
The Chamorro people, also known as the Chamoro or Chamoru, are indigenous to Guam. They possess a culture that mixes Asian, Spanish, and American cultures, and in general the people are gregarious and welcoming to visitors. Observe common courtesies and tend to err on the modest side, especially with clothing. Other cultures found in Guam include those from the Philippines, Japan, China, Korea, and other countries.

The Chamorro population is predominantly but not exclusively Catholic, with Protestantism also popular. On Guam, rosaries take the place of large formal gatherings to remember those who have passed away, and such congregations can occur for up to 20 years after someone has passed.

Telephones
Guam participates in the North American Numbering Plan and the area code is (671). Mandatory 10-digit dialing is in effect, so calls must be dialed in the full 10-digit domestic format including area code, 671.

None of the major U.S. networks (AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile) have coverage in Guam. Telephone service is instead operated by locally-operated carriers Docomo Pacific, GTA, and IT&E. As of Dec 2020, Docomo Pacific has 5G while all three carriers have 4G and 3G service. Guam will be treated like an international country and you will be subject to roaming fees! As of Jan 2024, visitor SIMs are available from Docomo Pacific ($25 for 7 GB, unlimited local calls and texts, and 15 international minutes) and IT&E ($20 for 4 days or $30 for 8 days of unlimited local calls/SMS/data and $10 of international call credit). If those are not flexible enough for your needs, there are prepaid plans with varying lengths and data allowances.

If you are using a U.S. mainland carrier, check with your carrier to see if your plan will also cover roaming costs while in Guam. T-Mobile offers unlimited text and data (usually at 2G speeds) on most post-paid plans while AT&T and Verizon will make you pay to roam in Guam on a day-by-day basis or with pay-per-use rates. Going in the reverse direction, if you are planning on continuing to the mainland US after Guam, you will either be charged heavily for roaming (Docomo Pacific charges $10/day for data, $0.30 per minute, and $0.10 per SMS sent) or blocked altogether (IT&E, GTA).

Post office
Guam uses the U.S. Postal Service with zip codes 96910-96915; 96921 and 96929-96932 and a state code of "GU". Postage between Guam, the United States, Puerto Rico and overseas U.S. military & diplomatic installations (APO, FPO, DPO addresses) are the same domestic rates as it would be within Guam. However, international mail sent to Guam, especially if sent from the Asia-Pacific area, is best addressed to "Guam" as the destination country (as opposed to "USA") to avoid a long detour through North America, almost half the world away — literally.

Consulates

 * [[Image:Flag of Japan.svg|20px]]
 * Flag of South Korea.svg
 * Flag of Micronesia.svg
 * Flag of New Zealand.svg
 * Flag of Palau.svg
 * Flag of the Philippines.svg

Go next

 * Federated States of Micronesia
 * Hawaii
 * Japan
 * Northern Mariana Islands
 * Palau
 * Philippines
 * South Korea

title: Guam


text:
Guamote

Guamote is a city in Ecuador.

Understand
The county of Guamote is situated halfway the “Avenue of the Volcanoes”, at 50 km south of Riobamba. Together with the other 9 counties, it is part of the province of Chimborazo and covers a surface of 1223 km² or 18.9% of the provincial territory, of which Guamote is the second in size. The county of Guamote consists of three parishes: Guamote, Cebadas and Palmira.

The language of the indigenous is Kichwa. The majority of the indigenous are bilingual (Kichwa-Spanish).

90% of the population are Kichwa descendants of the Puruha-tribe; the remainder are white or mestizo. Lots of mestizos who lived in the village have crossed the frontiers to Spain and the USA to improve their economic situation. Instead, some indigenous families have come to live in the village.

The main activity is agriculture. The most cultivated crops are potatoes, beans and barley. The Thursday market is one of the most important indigenous markets of Ecuador and reflects the dynamism of commerce. During the last decade, lots of family-run micro-enterprises have been founded for handicrafts and industrialization of cattle and fish.

Climate and topography
The county has a varied topography because of the Central and West Andean Mountains. The major part of the territory consists of slopes, one of the major causes of erosion, between 2.600 and 4.500 masl, with an average temperature of 13.7°C. There are two seasons: winter (rain) and summer (warm, dry and windy).

By bus
From Riobamba 45 minutes travel, buses every 20 minutes from Guamote. These local busses bring you to the railway station in the centre of the village.

Interprovincial buses leave you at the Panamerican Highway from which you have a five minute walk up to the village. From Quito 45 hours travel, buses approx every hour. From Cuenca 5 hours travel, buses approx every hour.

By train
On the Devil's Nose route every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

Get around
As the village is very small, everything is done by foot. Going to the community's is rather large distance. You can hire a car at the railway station that will bring you where ever you want to go.

See

 * Beautiful indigenous market on Thursday
 * Lakes of Atillo
 * Indigenous community
 * Stunning and unknown views over various volcanos: Altar, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Sangay, Carihuairazo.

Do

 * Horseback riding
 * Mountain Biking
 * Trekking
 * Train Nariz del Diablo also known as Devil's Nose

A non-profit organisation, Inti Sisa, that offers workshops for the local people, offers interesting touristical services in the region. They have the expertise for guiding you to the nicest and most interesting places in the region. Their guesthouse is very nice and well served meals. Meanwhile the money gained with tourism is 100 percent invested in their education centre.

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

title: Guamote


text:
Gua Musang

Gua Musang is a small town deep in the jungles of central Kelantan. It's good place to break the cross-peninsula haul and has some nice limestone formations and caves to explore.

By train
Gua Musang is on the Jungle Railway, which run from the junction at Gemas northwards to Kota Bharu and Tumpat. Daytime trains run between Tumpat and Singapore via Gua Musang. Several trains per day run northwards to Tumpat, the first is at 05:00, the last at 16:20. Southbound, during the day only the 10.50 AM train to Singapore heads further south than Kuala Lipis, which itself is served by two daily local trains, at 8.50 AM and 7 PM.

Two nightly sleepers head to Kuala Lumpur at 22:30 and Singapore at 00:25. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays there is a more comfortable option for Singapore: the Malayan Tiger Train, which runs as far as Johor Bahru (five minutes from Singapore) at 21:10.

''Times correct as of Jan. 2012. Note that times are liable to change, consult KTM, the Malaysian rail operator, for current timetables''.

By bus
Buses from Kuala Lumpur run via Kuala Lipis to Gua Musang; from Kota Bahru they run through Kuala Krai to Gua Musang.

Private tour companies operate shuttle services from the Cameron Highlands for RM 40-50. Inquire in Tanah Rata.

By car
Once only accessible by train, Gua Musang is now at the hub of several roads that run north to Kota Bahru, south to Kuala Lipis and Pahang and west across the Cameron Highlands to Simpang Pulai and Perak (near Ipoh).

Get around
The old town is small and easily covered on foot. Development is spreading away from the old centre, making the newer parts of town only within walking distance for the committed pedestrian. Bukit Gua Musang can also be reached on foot. There is not much for the tourist in the new town, except a supermarket. Taxis or bike rental may be arranged for accessing more far-flung places.

See

 * Trees and rocks. This jungle town has interesting rock outcrops like in Guilin or Yangshuo. Though they are much fewer, they do not lack size.

 * Pulai - Chinese temple in Pulai, which is purportedly 400 years old. Pulai is an early gold mine town, and a historical Chinese village.

Do

 * Rock climbing - Gua Musang is surrounded by limestone hills and caves, which can provide entertainment for cavers and rock climbers. The area is bolted with 30 routes from 5b to 7a, though there is no equipment hire in the town so trips will have to be prepared for elsewhere.
 * Climb Gua Musang - Make your way to Muse Ecopark. In between the ecopark and Gua Musang is a path that will take you to the track. Along the way you will pass through a huge cave, traversing from one side of the limestone mountain to the other. Especially good for sunrise and sunset, though you must bring a torch to be able to get through the cave and come down the mountain after sunset. From the top you can see in all directions around Gua Musang town. This path is well defined with ropes and ladders to help you up the difficult parts that can be slippery when wet. This isn't for the faint of heart with some steep ascents, slippery slopes and a pitch black passage through the cave but it is very rewarding. You may also see some Dusky Langurs on your way up. Muse Ecopark also offer this walk with a guide for 35RM, but it is easy enough to do by yourself if you are fit. Find the path that goes between the ecopark and the mountain, below their pool, follow it around the back of the kampung and then start your ascent.
 * Climb Gua Musang - Make your way to Muse Ecopark. In between the ecopark and Gua Musang is a path that will take you to the track. Along the way you will pass through a huge cave, traversing from one side of the limestone mountain to the other. Especially good for sunrise and sunset, though you must bring a torch to be able to get through the cave and come down the mountain after sunset. From the top you can see in all directions around Gua Musang town. This path is well defined with ropes and ladders to help you up the difficult parts that can be slippery when wet. This isn't for the faint of heart with some steep ascents, slippery slopes and a pitch black passage through the cave but it is very rewarding. You may also see some Dusky Langurs on your way up. Muse Ecopark also offer this walk with a guide for 35RM, but it is easy enough to do by yourself if you are fit. Find the path that goes between the ecopark and the mountain, below their pool, follow it around the back of the kampung and then start your ascent.

Buy
Nothing special to buy here; however you can buy some local fruits, like durian, rambutans, mangosteen, mango etc. Maybank and CIMB have ATMs.

Drink
There is beer. On the right hand side of the main street from the station, in the Chinese-run mini-market. Look out for a glass-doored fridge with a suspiciously blanked out bottom shelf. What lies behind the card but glorious cold (not to mention expensive) Tiger and Calsberg. RM 7.80 for a small can.

Fresh coconut water has also been reported to be procurable.

Sleep
There's several options. Most have WiFi. Notable options include:

There are also several hotels with prices around RM50-70 on the strip along the main road south of the main intersection, around the 7-11 and GM Shopping Centre.

Go next

 * Kuala Krai, Kelantan
 * Kota Bahru, Kelantan
 * Cameron Highland, Perak
 * Kuala Lipis, Pahang
 * Dabong, Kelantan

title: Gua Musang


text:
Guanabo

Guanabo is a small seaside town in Havana Province, just east of Playas De Este and Santa Maria del Mar, around 30-40 km east of Havana. The beach apparently is not the nicest, however the town is relatively typically Cuban, there are many casas particulares and some nice restaurants.

Get in
Take Bus 400 from Havana for 0.40 CUP. It stops near the train station. Alternatively you can take a taxi for 20 CUC

Do

 * Polyclinico Guanabo - Their little hospital, downtown. Go and donate your vitamins, aspirin or other extra meds. If you are sick, go for excellent care. The staff are very devoted. For information on donation of medical supplies, see Not Just Tourists . Excellent cause!!!

Eat

 * Piccolo - Pizza in wood-fired stove. Quirky, rustic decor, very homey. Excellent service. Small 'Zoo' on grounds.
 * Maeda - on Calle Québec, a few streets south of downtown. Clean, nice food. Excellent mixed grill.

Sleep
There are many casa particular. Just ask around!

Go next
If you are not into the hotel scene and want to see the real Cuba, Guanabo is the place to go. There is a bus to Havana, and also a train (2km south of town) in season. This is the electric 'Hershey Train', worth seeing for train buffs.

For the hotel scene, Santa Maria del Mar is 6km west.

title: Guanabo


text:
Guanacaste

Guanacaste is a province in Costa Rica. This region is covered by dry tropical forest, which makes it popular among tourists looking to escape the humidity found in most of Central America. There are many all inclusive resorts in this area, served by an international airport in Liberia.

Cities

 * — Guanacaste's main city, home to the international airport
 * - main city on the Nicoya Peninsula, easy access to beach areas and national parks

Other destinations
The Area de Conservación Guanacaste is a UNESCO World Heritage site that encompasses a large area of the Guanacaste province, including several national parks.

 * - limestone caverns with cave tours and surface hiking trails
 * - national park centered on a volcano with surrounding tropical dry forests and bubbling mud pits
 * - large national park that is part of the Guanacaste conservation area, the park has 10 discrete ecosystems, it was the site of an historic battle in 1856 and a historical museum is in the park
 * - inactive volcano with four peaks and two craters, source of 3 rivers, the Rio Celestun is popular for its waterfalls and other-worldly blue waters
 * - national park created in 1989 to provide a wildlife corridor between the tropical dry forest and the rainforest

Understand
For a plethora of information about Guanacaste, visit the online resource centre for the province.

Tropical Dry Forest
Guanacaste covers the majority of the territory of Northern Pacific region, whose climatic conditions of a season with no rainfall, warmness and blue sky has been created the Tropical Dry Forest, a forest of plants and animals adapted to the drought from December to May. This is the habitat of the Howler Monkey, the Black Iguana, the White-throated Magpie-Jay and the Turquoise-browed Motmot.

By boat
To access Guanacaste's beaches from San José, a ferry can be taken from Puntarenas to Naranjo on the other side of the Golfo de Nicoya. From there, a long ride on poor pavement can take you to any number of great beaches. Ferries leave Puntarenas at 6:30 am, 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 5:30 pm. The fare is US$1.50 for a person or US$24 for a car.

By car
Skip the ferry and instead take the Puente de la Amistad (literally "Bridge of the Friendship"). It's about four hours to most Guanacaste beaches from San José by car, a little bit more by bus.

Get around
Many tourists like Tamarindo, Coco, Samara and Carrillo beaches. Samara is the home of a lively beach scene while Carrillo is a more family oriented community and home to one of the most beautiful resorts in the world, Las Ventanas del Mar. Other fantastic beaches are: Cuajiniquil, Ocotal, Pan de Azucar, Potrero, Flamingo, Brasilito, Conchal, Langosta, Avellana, Junquillal, Manzanillo, Ostinal, and Nosara. Samara, Tamarindo, Coco or Carrillo are most visited by tourists, and can be crowded.

The beach resort and residential community Hacienda Pinilla, which stretches along of Pacific coastline, has six beaches: Playa Mansita; Playa Bonita; Playa Bajo Grande; Playa Robalo; Playa Avellanas; and Playa Langosta, a beach awarded the Blue Flag for the beauty and purity of the water and the superior services offered.

Guanacaste offers so much more than beaches, like national parks (everything from wetlands to savannahs to volcanoes) and not to forget a fantastic view.

See
This region offers a wide variety of activities, such as world class surfing and sport fishing along with volcano tours and horse country. It is famous for its fine and vibrant fiestas. Guanacaste is a tropical desert and you will see a great change of seasons here from the hot and dry to the wet and windy. It makes this part of Costa Rica so desirable with tourists and expats alike.

Do
Guanacaste has everything an adventurous traveler would want to do while on vacation. There are beaches, volcanoes, cloud forests, jungles, rivers, and waterfalls, where you can participate in a vast assortment of adventure and activities: whitewater rafting, canopy/zip line tours, horseback riding, deep sea fishing, crocodile tours, snorkeling, scuba diving, ATV/motorcycle/off-road tours, mountain biking, rock climbing, turtle nesting tours, sailing, volcano tours, tubing, horseback riding, canyoneering, trekking, surfing lessons and surf tours. One of the top attractions is Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, famous for its abundant volcanic activity and diverse wild life. Sportfishing in Costa Rica is legendary, and many fishing charters operate from ports in the Guanacaste, like Playa Flamingo, Playa Coco and Playa Tamarindo. Naturally fed hot springs relax and invite. And world-class golf has arrived in Guanacaste as well, with the arrival of the Four Seasons, Paradisus Playa Conchal and Hacienda Pinilla resorts. Scuba dive the Catalina Islands or snorkel Playa Conchal and see the abundance of sea life that Costa Rica has to offer.

Guanacaste's beaches are famous as surfing destinations and have been since Playa Negra was featured in the movie Endless Summer II. The surf breaks in Playa Negra and Tamarindo in northwest Guanacaste have made that area a magnet for visitors and investors alike. Despite the region's wild popularity, there is still plenty of surf spots for you to discover. Guided surf tours are available for anyone looking to explore the Guanacaste waves. Guanacaste Province has a variety of surfing spots for all levels of ability, from beginner to pro. The long peeling point breaks, peaky beach breaks and hollow reef breaks and consistent swell make this area of Costa Rica a surfer's paradise.

Eat
Gallo Pinto (literally 'spotted rooster') is the national dish of rice and beans. You haven't visited Costa Rica till you've had it - with breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Drink
Local cervezas (beers) are Imperial and Pilsen. Both are worth a try! There is also Rock Ice (regular, lemon and ginseng) and Bavaria (regular, dark and light).

Stay safe
A "safe" area, but don't leave anything valuable in your car. Obey all speed limits posted. Fines can be as much as a US$1000.

Go next
Just south of Guanacaste along the Pacific Coast is the surfer's paradise of the Nicoya Peninsula.

title: Guanacaste


text:
Guanaja

Guanaja is one of the Bay Islands off the northern coast of Honduras. It is about 70 km (43 mi) off the north coast of Honduras, and 12 km (7.5 mi) from the island of Roatan.

Understand
One of the cays off Guanaja, also called Guanaja or Bonacca or Low Cay (or just simply, The Cay), is near the main island, and contains most of the approximately 5,500 people who live in Guanaja (2015). The other two main settlements on Guanaja are Mangrove Bight and Savannah Bight. Smaller settlements includes Pelican Reef, East End and North East Bight.

It is inhabited by the Caracol people, an English-speaking people who have been established in Northern Honduras (specifically, the Bay Islands) since the early 19th century and are mainly of European British-Caribbean descent. Caracol is a Spanish term that means conch, snail or shell, and relates the people of the Bay Islands to their unique environment and their seafaring culture.

English is the first language of all native islanders regardless of race, and Spanish is spoken second, whereas mainland Honduras is primarily Spanish-speaking.

The primary source of income for the islanders is fishing and shrimping. Tourism is confined to a handful of small resorts that cater to divers, snorkellers and adventure travellers. The island's warm, clear waters support an extensive coral reef that is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and second only to the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia.

The residents of Guanaja have a different culture, so each important date in the year should be highlighted; for example, on September 15 (independence from Honduras), October 31 (Halloween), December 25 (Christmas) etc. What they call Old Junk or Junkanoo (old garbage) is a group of people in masks wearing old rags even up to palm trees and running through the streets of El Cayo or The Key they consider it something very fun to be part of their culture and something that has been done for years.

Get in
There are flights from the Honduran mainland town of La Ceiba and a twice-weekly ferry from Trujillo. Along with private boats and charter planes, there are now flights from Roatan to Guanaja daily.

Get around
While there is one road, from Mangrove Bight to Savannah Bight, the most common means of transportation are boats.

There are some cars and small motorcycles for rent, but the road is only two miles long.

Do

 * Hike to the top of the island, where you can clearly see the coast line (on a clear day) as well as getting the full perspective of the entire island and surrounding reef.
 * There is a beautiful nature hike to the waterfall on the north side of the island.

 * See also

title: Guanaja


text:
Guanajuato

Guanajuato is a city in the Bajio region of central Mexico and is the capital city of the state bearing the same name. It is 390 km (about 250 miles) northwest of Mexico City. The name of the city means "Place of Frogs" in the local indigenous language and therefore the frog is the city's official pet.

Guanajuato is a beautiful mountain colonial town. Many tourists and locals consider this city to be the most beautiful in Mexico. It used to be a major silver mining town, and many of the mines are still active. The city is built on very hilly ground, so virtually every point in the city is on a slant. The city has a network of underground tunnels that serve as roads making this place unique in the world. In 2020, it was home to 195,000 people.

Understand
Unlike other Mexican cities that have an exact date of foundation, Guanajuato was the result of miner camping sites after silver veins were discovered between 1540 and 1558 and that eventually lead to a larger settlement. In 1558 a big silver vein was discovered in Guanajuato and produced nearly a third of all silver in the world by the next 250 years. The city was granted its city status in 1741 by Spanish King Philip V. Mining brought wealth to this town that spread towards its architecture and lifestyle.

The historic town of Guanajuato and adjacent mines were granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1987. The city is a major point on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (also a ). The city has been ranked by several travel magazines as one of the top travel destinations in the world.

By plane

Most flights offered are domestic, with limited international services to and from the U.S. Scheduled flights are available with:
 * Aeromexico & Aeromexico Connect Mexico City, Atlanta
 * American Airlines Dallas Ft Worth.
 * Mexicana Mexico City–AIFA
 * United/United Express Houston
 * Viva Aerobus Cancún, Chicago–O'Hare, Ciudad Juárez, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston–Intercontinental, Mérida, Monterrey, San Antonio, Tijuana
 * Volaris Cancún, Chicago–Midway, Chicago–O'Hare, Fresno, Hermosillo, Los Angeles, Mazatlán, Mérida, Mexicali, Oakland, Puerto Vallarta, Sacramento, San Jose (CA), San José del Cabo, Tijuana, Tuxtla Gutiérrez

Alternatively if you're flying from Europe, Canada, Caribbean or South America you can fly through Mexico City located 319 km to the southeast and take a bus or a flight from there. Primera Plus operates direct buses from Mexico City's airport to Queretaro where passengers transfer to another bus to continue to Guanajuato City or to San Miguel de Allende.

Public transport to downtown Guanajuato from the Airport

As of January 2024, there are no buses from the airport itself to Guanajuato city, only to Leon. You can take a bus into Leon, then catch another one to Guanajuato, but this is rather indirect. There's a ticket window and waiting room in a small building just outside of the airport terminal, which you'll see to your right when you exit into the parking lot.

Alternatively you can take other buses passing by the highway which may be cheaper but are slower:

Step 1 : exit the airport, cross the large parking lot and exit through the front gate, here you will see a huge highway about 200 meters ahead and several ramps. Just keep to the right and walk to the large highway running parallel to the airport. Once there turn right and start walking along the highway for about 200 meters more, until you reach a green colored pedestrian overpass. Cross the overpass and about 50 meters in front of the stairs as you go down, there is a purple-colored little unmarked bus stop. Wait here for the bus going to "Silao".

Step 2 : catch the local bus to Silao (M$8-10). It will take you to Silao bus station in about 10 minutes.

Step 3 : At the Silao bus station buy a ticket to Guanajuato on Primera Plus (M$29 (pesos). That bus will take you to Guanajuato bus station in about 20-30 minutes.

Step 4 : The bus station is 7 km from downtown. Exit the terminal and catch the local bus to Guanajuato Center for M$7 (Dec 2021). This bus will go through many tunnels and you will have no idea where to get off unless you ask someone. They will drop you off in a tunnel near an exit and you will need to walk a bit to downtown from there. This trip could take anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on traffic. Enjoy the trip!

Taking a taxi or rideshare to Guanajuato from the Airport

As of January 2024, Uber and Didi drivers are not allowed to pick up from the airport, and this is enforced by the police - you may find that some will risk it, but don't be surprised if they soon get pulled over and ordered to take you back. Regular taxis are booked at a window inside the arrivals area of the airport terminal - expect to pay M$500-600 for a ride into the historic center of Guanajuato.

By bus
Intercity bus service in Mexico is quite reliable and comfortable. Several lines serve Guanajuato including Primera Plus. Buses have air conditioning (except some "economy" ones), and often show movies and have refreshments.

(Central de Autobuses) Inside the building is an ATM of Libertad, which charges you only M$17 (Dec 2021) for a withdrawal. To the city centre you can take a local bus (Centro-Central) for M$7 (Dec 2021) or taxi for about M$70 (Dec 2021).

To Guanajuato go buses from San Miguel de Allende (1 hour), Guadalajara (3 hours), Mexico City Norte (5 hours), Celaya, Morelia, Querétaro, Zacatecas and other locations. The central bus station is in the southwestern part of town, at Km 7 of the Carretera de Cuota Silao-Guanajuato (Hwy 110D) in Colonia Ejido la Yerbabuena. The following bus lines offer services into and out of Guanajuato:

From Guadalajara go Primera Plus for M$500 (Feb 2023) and ETN for M$560 (Feb 2023). Prices can vary by time of day. You get the 10% discount when you book online instead of buying your ticket at the ticket booth.

From León goes Unebus for M$62 (Dec 2021) and Primera Plus for about M$100 (Feb 2023).

Tunnels

One of the unique features of the city is its extensive tunnel network. The first tunnels were constructed during the Spanish colonial period to for flood control, with additional tunnels built in the late 1800s. After dam construction was completed in the 1960s, many tunnels were converted to roadways to speed up car traffic. The last tunnel to be built was around 1990. The tunnels are an integral part of Guanajuato's transportation infrastructure, increasing the carrying capacity of the city's street network while reducing traffic on city streets. Using the tunnels is unavoidable if you spend any time at all exploring the city.

City buses run along the tunnels and is safe to take them, embarking and disembarking at designated underground stops. Taxis and ubers will also stop to let you off in the tunnels, expecting that you will use the designated walkways and stairways to pop up on the surface at your destination.

Walking in the tunnels near Centro (downtown) is safe, though it can be a bit unnerving for visitors unused to such a system. Most locals use the tunnels as shortcuts when convenient, but generally prefer walking on surface streets. Guanajuato has a large number of pedestrian-only surface streets, made possible by shifting vehicular traffic below the surface.

If you're driving, take into account that the tunnels are one way only, so taking the wrong tunnel may result in making a big tour around all the city. Occasionally, a tunnel will be closed for an underground street festival (such as during the Cervantino festival).

Tunnels include:
 * El Barretero - Runs west-east, southeast of the city and connecting the neighborhood near Presa de la Olla.
 * La Galereña - Runs north-south, south of the city and is an exit of the city.
 * El Minero - Runs east-west, in Centro.
 * Tunel Noroeste Ponciano Aguilar - Runs east to west, northeast of the city.
 * Tunel de los Angeles - Runs west to east, south of the city and is an exit of the city.
 * Santa Fe - Runs east to west, northwest of the city.
 * Miguel Hidalgo - The longest of all tunnels. Runs west to east, across the city.
 * Tamazuca - The only two-way tunnel and the shortest also. Runs north to south and vice versa, west of the city.

By foot
Guanajuato is not very big and you can walk to most places, so a car is really not necessary.

By bus
Buses, called urbanos, are operated by the Sistema Coordinado de Transporte de Guanajuato, and run from 07:00-22:00 daily for a flat rate of M$7 (Dec 2021) for a single ride without transfer. You pay to the driver when entering the bus and you get change. There is no public transport card.

You can join the local buses only at bus stops. In this article in the 'Get In' section on the map you see the bus stops. In OsmAnd or Mapy.cz you see the bus stops and the direction of the one way street. Google maps and many similar apps show tunnels as city streets. If you can't find a street that your app says is there, look for a nearby stairway heading into the tunnels.

There is no schedule or route map; destinations are marked or painted on the windshield. In general buses heading from east to west travel above ground along Avenida Benito Juarez, while buses heading in the opposite direction travel underground in Túnel Miguel Hidalgo. The stairways descending from the street lead to underground bus stops and are safe to use.

By e-hailing
Didi and Cabify are not available and Uber covers the city with a few cars (Dec 2021).

By taxi
A taxi to any destination within central Guanajuato should cost about M$50 (Dec 2021). Taxis do not use meters and the price should be confirmed first.

By tourist trolley
A trolley-like bus makes sightseeing tours of the city departing from Plaza de la Paz in the Centro, next to the Basilica of our Lady of Guanajuato. The rides lasts 1½ hours. There is a tour guide in Spanish only. It's a great way to get to know the city. . Expect to pay 100-150 Pesos.

By car
Driving a car is not the best way to get to know Guanajuato; however, if you plan to get in and out of the city then you will need to use the underground roads or tunnels. Make sure to park your car in your hotel, as most offer free shuttles to the city; otherwise, park your car in a lot (estacionamiento).

Mines

Sport and outdoor activities

 * . Climb to the top of the mountain that overlooks Guanajuato. To the trail goes a bus from the centro. It has the destination Pipila on the windscreen and stops for example in front of the KFC. The trail is the final stop of the bus. In OsmAnd or Mapy.cz are two trails shown: The one in the east is way more comfortable. On the trail is the To there it takes about half an hour. OsmAnd or Mapy.cz shows a long trail from the cave to the mountain top. You can also take a shortcut that begins behind the cave with concrete steps. On the mountain top is an amazing view of the city and the nature of the region.
 * There are nice tracks to exercise for example Nieto Pina located going towards the Pipila from los Mineros.
 * . Climb to the top of the mountain that overlooks Guanajuato. To the trail goes a bus from the centro. It has the destination Pipila on the windscreen and stops for example in front of the KFC. The trail is the final stop of the bus. In OsmAnd or Mapy.cz are two trails shown: The one in the east is way more comfortable. On the trail is the To there it takes about half an hour. OsmAnd or Mapy.cz shows a long trail from the cave to the mountain top. You can also take a shortcut that begins behind the cave with concrete steps. On the mountain top is an amazing view of the city and the nature of the region.
 * There are nice tracks to exercise for example Nieto Pina located going towards the Pipila from los Mineros.
 * There are nice tracks to exercise for example Nieto Pina located going towards the Pipila from los Mineros.

Buy
You can find ATMs from several banks around the city center. For buying fruits and vegetables, go to a fruteria. Not all fruterias are shown on online maps such as Google Maps – just ask a local if there is one around.

Chain stores

 * Convenience stores For buying small groceries, Oxxos, Extras and other minimarkets are dotted about all of the place. is a slightly larger minimarket also located downtown (el centro).

 * If you are looking more for handmade crafts and more touristy stuff, take a bus to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away from Guanajuato. There is a large open-air artisan market there.
 * If you'd like to purchase handmade ceramics, take the roughly one-hour bus ride to Dolores Hidalgo.
 * If you are looking more for handmade crafts and more touristy stuff, take a bus to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away from Guanajuato. There is a large open-air artisan market there.
 * If you'd like to purchase handmade ceramics, take the roughly one-hour bus ride to Dolores Hidalgo.
 * If you are looking more for handmade crafts and more touristy stuff, take a bus to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away from Guanajuato. There is a large open-air artisan market there.
 * If you'd like to purchase handmade ceramics, take the roughly one-hour bus ride to Dolores Hidalgo.

Eat
In Guanajuato a popular local dish is "miner's enchiladas" (enchiladas mineras), served almost everywhere.

Splurge

 * Restaurante Teresita, Paseo de la Presa de la Olla 76, +52 473 731 2182, reservaciones@villamariacristina.com
 * Restaurante Teresita, Paseo de la Presa de la Olla 76, +52 473 731 2182, reservaciones@villamariacristina.com
 * Restaurante Teresita, Paseo de la Presa de la Olla 76, +52 473 731 2182, reservaciones@villamariacristina.com

Drink
The nightlife is very active in Guanajuato, especially on weekends. Look for people passing out flyers during the day for drink specials and sometimes free drink coupons. If you walk around the city center, you'll find plenty to do – music spills out of the bars and clubs into the streets and many establishments have outdoor areas.

To start the night off, stop by one of the little cafes in the Jardín, for dinner and drinks and mariachi band ambiance. It is a great place to people watch. And definitely try Sol – a popular Mexican beer similar to Corona.

Stay safe
Guanajuato is a really safe city – police are always around, and people are very friendly to tourists. Most of the city is safe during daylight hours, and as long as you stay in the downtown area, walking around alone or in small groups at night is safe as well. (Anyplace you'd want to go out at night is downtown.) The rougher neighborhoods are on the slopes of the eastern side of the city, as well as in the vicinity of the Pípila monument. Generally the city is far safer than the average American college campus and doesn't have much crime directed at tourists.

There is however one caveat: do not ever go running or walking around the Panorámica (the beautiful road around the edge of the city in the mountains) in the evening or early mornings. Many rapes, assaults, and muggings of foreigners have occurred in this area and some of the victims were out running with friends. Groups of men may be OK, but even several women together will not be safe. It is, however, safe to run in the city in the early mornings and there are a number of gyms where you can pay by the class. (Several of the foreign exchange programs have apartments on or near the Panorámica and those houses often have large parties. In the populated areas it's fine at all hours, but since it's a loop with a nice view of the city, many foreigners decide to run around it at dawn and parts of it are much more isolated.)

To the east

 * Dolores Hidalgo – 55 km
 * San Miguel de Allende – 80 km
 * Querétaro – 150 km

To the west

 * León – 60 km. "The Shoes Capital". The shoes and boots are inexpensive and of very good quality.
 * Guadalajara – 270 km

title: Guanajuato


text:
Guanajuato (state)

Guanajuato is a state in the Bajío region of Mexico. It is a region of varied terrains including mountainous areas in the east, the Bajio in the south, and an area that is part of Mexico's central plains (altiplano). The state has numerous rivers and lakes and volcanoes that are part of Mexico's volcano belt. The colonial era mining cities are among the most scenic in Mexico.

Regions
Guanajuato is divided into 5 geographical zones:

 * El Bajio
 * Los Altos
 * Sierra Gorda
 * Sierra Central
 * Los Valles Abajeños

Cities

 * — a beautiful mountain colonial town and UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * — Famous for its production of a milk candy called cajeta
 * — the city where Mexico's fight for independence started in 1810
 * — strawberry capital of the world, industrial capital of the Bajio
 * — colonial village with historic haciendas, natural areas and a peaceful vibe
 * — biggest city of the state, a modern and commercial city that is the financial center of Guanajuato
 * — home to a large textile industry
 * — the birthplace of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the "Father of the Mexican Nation"
 * — home of one of the largest refineries of Latin America
 * — small colonial city with a number of festivals, including La Marquesada featuring a running of the bulls (as in Pamplona, Spain)
 * — a charming UNESCO World Heritage Site that has become a tourist destination, an art colony, and a retirement community for Americans, Canadians, and Europeans

Other destinations

 * – A small town 15 minutes from Leon. Known as the Hat Capital of the World! The cowboy hat you might buy in Texas is made here. You can find any type of hat – from the latest fashion hats for men to the working mans best friend to the elaborate hats worn buy the beloved mariachi. It has a quaint center of town (zocalo), a half-way decent hotel is on one side and on another, in front of the town hall (palacio municipal), an ice cream shop is famous for its vanilla ice pops filled with cajeta (caramel).
 * and  – Two chichimeca archaeological sites making part of the "Tradición él Bajío".
 * – Archaeological site of a 7th century Otomi observatory with 7 pyramids

Itineraries

 * Camino Real de Tierra Adentro is a historic route through Bajio and Northern Mexico and the southwestern U.S. state of New Mexico. The route is a.

Understand
Guanajuato is between the arid north of the country and the lusher south. It was settled by the Spanish in the 1520s due to mineral deposits found around the city of Guanajuato, but areas such as the Bajío region also became important for agriculture and livestock. Mining and agriculture were the mainstays of the state's economy, but have since been eclipsed by the secondary sector. Guanajuato has particularly seen growth in the automotive industry.

The name Guanajuato comes from Purépecha kuanhasï juáta (or in older orthography "quanax huato"), which means “frog hill”.

Pre-Hispanic history
The area has been inhabited for at least 2800 years by various indigenous cultures. Some of the oldest remnants of human occupation were from the Chupícuario civilization, dating from about 800 BC to 300 BC. The Chupicuario were spread through much of the Bajio region and were associated with the Toltec city of Tula. When Tula collapsed, so too did most of the Chupicuario settlements.

Nomadic Chichimeca groups moved into the region after the decline of the Chupicuario with areas that were settled by Otomi groups. The region was dominated by the Aztec in the late 15th century. Western areas (including the city of Guanajuato) were held or influenced by Purhepecha and were not part of the Aztec Empire.

Colonial history
During the colonial expansion of the 16th century, Guanajuato saw its first Spanish missions in 1522 with further missions throughout the 1520s and 1530s. During this period, haciendas found it difficult to enslave local indigenous populations, necessitating the importation of African slaves or slaves from other parts of Mexico. Eventually, Guanajuato had some of the most prouctive mines of the Bajio region and towns grew in wealth throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.

Get in
Guanajuato's highways directly connect to three of Mexico's ten major highways (Mexico City-Nuevo Laredo, Querétaro-Ciudad Juárez and Manzanillo-Tampico).

The Guanajuato International Airport, formerly the Bajío International Airport, is in the municipality of Silao between the cities of Silao and León. The airport serves many domestic and international destinations. The airport in Celaya serves domestic destinations.

Get around
Guanajuato is easiest to get around with either a car or by bus.

The state is crossed by several major highways leading north toward San Luis Potosi and beyond, west toward Guadalajara, and south toward Mexico City. Some modern toll roads cut travel time and are well-maintained.

Bus is usually the preferred method of travel in the state. Guanajuato is a fairly small state with several mid-size to large cities that have large central bus stations. The main regional bus stations include Guanajuato, León, Celaya, and Irapuato. Regional bus lines provide connecting service from these bus stations to smaller towns throughout the state.

See
The three main cities for tourism are the capital city of Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende and Dolores Hidalgo. Guanajuato is visited for its colonial architecture and its role in Mexico's history, especially during the War of Independence. Similarly, San Miguel has cultural and historical value. Both have been designated World Heritage Sites. Although not a World Heritage Site, Dolores Hidalgo is particularly important as the site as it is where Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gave the cry called "El Grito" which began the War of Independence.

The state has set up tourist routes such as the Ruta de Independencia, Ruta de Aventura (Aventure Route), Ruta Arqueológica (Archeological Route), Ruta de los Conventos (Monastery Route) and Ruta Artesanal (Handcrafts Route). The Ruta de la Independencia or Independence Route comprises ten municipalities through which the insurgent army under Miguel Hidalgo passed. These include San Miguel de Allende, Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, León, Irapuato, Pénjamo, Salamanca, Celaya, Salvatierra and Acámbaro. In preparation for the Bicentennial of Mexico's independence, the state rehabilitated and marked the sites in which the significant historic events occurred in each of these locations.

The Ruta de Aventura connects ghost towns and abandoned mines with natural areas for hiking, mountain biking and ATV as well as other extreme sports such as paragliding. One of the ghost towns is Mineral de Pozos in the northeast of the state. The town still has its cobblestone streets with names such as Relámpago (lightning), Estrellas (stars) and Flores (Flowers). The houses here are abandoned, many in ruins and none with roofs. The town reached its height during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it was called Ciudad Porfirio Díaz, but the mines later gave out and the population left. In 1982, the town was declared a Historic Monument Zone. Although no one lives there, tourism keeps a few businesses alive around the main square such as the Pozos cantina, which exhibits photographs and other memorabilia on its walls. Outside the town is the Santa Brigida mine which sustained the town until it gave out. It is marked by three large ovens with tall pyramid roofs. These were constructed by the Jesuits to work ore from the mine.

The Ruta Arqueológica (Archeological Route) links the two pre-Hispanic sites of Plazuelas and Peralta which are open to visitors with two others which are scheduled to be opened in the future: La Virgen de la Cañada in San Miguel de Allende and El Cóporo in Ocampo.

The Ruta de los Conventos or Monastery Route is concentrated in the south of the state, where a number of large religious complexes were built in the early colonial period for evangelization purposes. The Agustino de San Pablo Church and Monastery is located in Yuriria founded by the Augustinians who arrived from Michoacán in the 16th century. It is a monumental fortress-like construction designed by Friar Diego de Chávez y Alvarado and Pedro del Toro and constructed in an area with relatively little population. The monastery became a center from which missionaries would be trained and then sent forth and its size and battlements helped to protect it from Chichimeca attacks. The church retains its original function and Plateresque facade, but the monastery area has been converted into a museum. The Las Capucinas Church and Convent is in Salvatierra and is one of only three complexes built for nuns in the entire state during the colonial period. It has a fortress like appearance and its construction is attributed to Joaquin de Heredia, of the San Carlos Academy. During the Porfirio Díaz presidency, the convent was used as a Civil Hospital and later as a school, which still remains with the name of Colegio José María Morelos. The San Francisco Church and Monastery is in Acámbaro and built between 1734 and 1743. Its facade is Baroque of light pink stone. Inside, the church contains one of the most notable main altars in the Bajio region. It is Neoclassical built of gray and pink stone with gilded details, with an image of the Virgen María Refugio de Pecadores (Virgin Mary Refuge of Sinners), which is replica of an image in Zacatecas.

The Ruta Artesanal (Handcrafts Route) connects a number of municipalities which specialize in one or more handcrafted items, including food. These include Acámbaro, noted for its bread, Coroneo for its wool items and Tarancuaro for ceramics.

The state is home to several historically important cities, especially those along the Bicentennial Route, which retraces the path of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla's insurgent army at the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. This route begins at Dolores Hidalgo, and passes through the Sanctuary of Atotonilco, San Miguel de Allende, Celaya, and the capital of Guanajuato. Other important cities in the state include León, and Irapuato.

Do
The state has many water parks and thermal springs converted into water parks. Some of these include El Trébol, Villa Gasco and Comanjilla near León, Caldera Abasolo near Irapuato and Abasolo and Los Arcos and Agua Caliente near Celaya.

The annual Festival Internacional Cervantino takes place in the city of Guanajuato and some other affiliated venues in the state. The event sponsors a large number of artistic and cultural events with artists invited from Mexico and other parts of the world. The festival hosts events such as opera, theater productions, film showings, art exhibitions, academic conferences and talks, concerts and dance recitals. The performances occur in 70 different venues over most of the month of October. In addition to the major events in venues, artists such as dancers, clowns and more, give small and sometimes impromptu shows on the streets, sidewalks and small plazas that are located in the city. Because of this, the event brings many visitors to the city who wander the streets, visiting the many sights of the city. During the event, hotel occupancy rates are as high as 98%.

A parallel event is the Festival International Cervantino Callejero. This event includes hundreds of performances with social themes.

The Festival Internacional de Cine Expresión en Corto is one of the most important cinematographic events in the country. Most events associated with the festival take place in the city of Guanajuato and San Miguel Allende and awards prizes in various categories including commercials. The showing of films is sometimes in unusual locations such as one of Guanajuato's tunnels under the city or in the municipal cemetery at midnight.

The International Balloon Festival takes place each November near the city of León. It's a spectacular sight to see hundreds of hot air balloons take to the sky as the sun rises.

Eat
Many of the dishes that are traditionally eaten in Guanajuato are regional variations of dishes known in other parts such as carnitas, tamales, birria and pozole. A version of the enchilada is called the enchilada minero (miners’ enchilada), which is a tortilla fried in lard and then filled with chicken and covered with a sauce made with guajillo chili peppers, a ranchero cheese and chopped potatoes and carrots. A movement to update many of these dishes, keeping to traditional ingredients, is called "Guanajuato fusion". This is most popular in upscale restaurants in San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato and can include dishes such as tuna with chili peppers and duck with mesquite honey.

The state is better known as the producer of a number of food products such as cajeta, bread, candy, and ice cream. The best-known food product is cajeta, a soft, spreadable sweet product made with goat's milk, sugar, and flavorings. The best known place for this is Celaya. The cajeta can be flavored with vanilla, coconut, strawberry, and others; it is eaten with a spoon from the container, spread on bread, or made into candies. Another typical sweet in the state is called charamuscas. It is made with piloncillo, which is melted to form shapes. In the city of Guanajuato, one can find charamuscas in the shape of mummies. Alfeñique refers to glass sugar based candies used to form figures and is most popular for Day of the Dead. Chilacayote is a candy made from a type of melon of the same name, which is prepared by soaking pieces of the fruit in sugar solution. Handmade ice cream is a specialty of Dolores Hidalgo, made with all natural ingredients, often using recipes passed down for generations. While ice cream and ices are made in other parts of the state, these stand out because of the many unusual flavors offered such as beer, pulque, chile relleno, even shrimp and mole. The Franciscans taught the indigenous how to work with wheat and bake bread. Because there had already been a tradition of kneading clay for pottery, the kneading and baking of wheat bread became established quickly, adapting the original recipes to local tastes. The best known breads are those from Acámbaro, especially the type called "pan grande". Other well-known types are pan ranchero, tallado, pan huevo and pan leche. The first indigenous master baker in Guanajuato was Abraham de Silva Cuín, who, in 1526, began to make breads in unique forms and flavors.

Drink
Tequila, aguardiente, colonche, mezcal and atole are among the most popular drinks in Guanajuato.

Stay safe
Guanajuato is not a particularly dangerous state and cities like Guanajuato and Leon are quite safe. Of course, common sense should prevail, including taking precautions to secure your belongings, avoid traveling with valuables, etc. There have been some issues with crime and kidnappings in Irapuato and Celaya.

Go next

 * Queretaro
 * San Luis Potosi
 * Jalisco
 * Aguascalientes (state)

title: Guanajuato (state)


text:
Guangdong

Guangdong (广东; Gwóngdūng in Cantonese; Guǎngdōng in Mandarin) in South China is the country's most populous province, and one of the richest. A global center for manufacturing and trade, Guangdong has a long history connecting China with the outside world, with maritime trade going back centuries, borders with Hong Kong and Macau, and as the ancestral homeland of many overseas Chinese. And it's not just big cities and historic sites: the province also has beautiful mountains, idyllic villages, popular beaches, and world-famous cuisine.

If Guangdong were a country, then as of 2012 its population of 104 million would make it 12th in the world (after Mexico, ahead of the Philippines) and its GDP of $850 billion would be 16th (after South Korea, ahead of Indonesia). Both population and GDP are still growing.

In the era of tea clippers, both Guangdong and its capital Guangzhou were often referred to on maps and in spoken English as Canton. This usage continues today but to a much lesser extent with the transliterated Chinese name being used instead. Other versions no longer used include Kwangtung. The food and language of the area are still known as Cantonese.

Cities

 * (广州) - the capital of the province, largest city, economic and cultural center
 * (潮州) - main center of Teochew culture, known for great food and the beautiful Guangji Bridge
 * (梅州) - main center of Hakka culture, and ancestral homeland of many overseas Hakkas
 * (清远) - popular for its white-water rafting and hot springs.
 * (韶关) - visited for the forest and mountains that surround it, and home to the Yao ethnic minority
 * (深圳) - the "Silicon Valley of China", a boom town on the border with Hong Kong
 * (台山) - homeland of the first Chinese immigrants to the United States and Canada, and an easy daytrip distance from the Kaiping Diaolou.
 * (湛江) - in the west, near Hainan, known for its French colonial architecture.
 * (中山) - Hometown of the revolutionary father of modern China, Sun Yat-sen

Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou are Special Economic Zones (SEZs) where various government programs encourage investment.

Other destinations

 * , near Shaoguan, reddish mountains with striking shapes, including rock formations shaped like certain sexual characteristics
 * – A small town famous for its mixture of western and eastern style castle-like dwellings built by overseas Chinese and the setting for the popular Chinese film "Let the Bullets Fly" (让子弹飞).

Understand
The area that is now Guangdong was once inhabited by non-Chinese ethnic groups collectively known as the Baiyue. The region was first conquered by the Qin Dynasty from 221-214 BC, but would become the independent Nanyue Kingdom in 204 BC following the fall of the Qin Dynasty. The Nanyue Kingdom had a Chinese king, but the majority of the population was Baiyue. The Nanyue Kingdom was conquered by the Han Dynasty in 111 BC, and the Baiyue people were gradually assimilated into the Han Chinese.

Guangdong borders the South China Sea and surrounds Hong Kong and Macau, both of which were administered as part of the province before being colonised. Though far from Beijing and sometimes seen as a provincial backwater, Guangdong has always been an active center of industry and trade; it was a major terminus of the Maritime Silk Road and also important in the era of tea clippers. It has also always been different from Northern China in some ways; there is a Guangdong saying that "The mountains are high and the Emperor is far away."

The province's economy improved dramatically after Deng Xiaoping initiated economic reforms in 1978. Home to three of the country's Special Economic Zones (marked "SEZ" below, see List of Chinese provinces and regions for an explanation) and to a burgeoning manufacturing industry, Guangdong is now China's richest province and accounts for about a third of all of China's exports. Many people from Hong Kong, as well as many overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia and Western countries have invested heavily in the province due to close family, cultural and linguistic ties. The two main economic hubs of Shenzhen and Guangzhou saw their GDPs surpass that of Hong Kong in 2018 and 2019 respectively, marking important milestones in the economic development of the province.

The major cities in Guangdong have been magnets for migrant workers from poor inland provinces since the 1980s. In many cities this has led to problems with petty crime and homelessness. It also means that Mandarin is increasingly widely spoken and many taxi drivers or service staff are more conversant in Mandarin than Cantonese.

Many ethnic Chinese in Western countries and Southeast Asia can trace their ancestry to Guangdong. The Chinese food most familiar to Westerners is basically Cantonese cooking, albeit sometimes adapted for the customers' tastes.

Guangdong has a subtropical climate. Annual rainfall averages 1500-2000 millimeters and temperature averages 19C - 26C. Summers are hot and wet and there may be typhoons. The best time to visit Guangdong is in the Spring or Autumn.

Talk
Mandarin is widely spoken (almost universally so by educated people, especially in areas like Shenzhen which have been built through migration from all across China). However, the historic and main language of the province is Cantonese. Cantonese people are extremely proud and protective of their language (this applies in Hong Kong as well) and they all continue to use it widely despite efforts at Mandarinization. Cantonese itself is more closely related to the language of the great Tang Dynasty than the more modern (circa Yuan Dynasty) Mandarin. Cantonese people worldwide tend to refer to themselves as "Tong Yan" (People of the Tang in Cantonese) rather than Han, the standard appellation for ethnic Chinese.

Cantonese also has dialectal variations, and the varieties of Cantonese spoken in different cities have their own local quirks, though the Guangzhou dialect is taken to be the prestige dialect, and is understood throughout Cantonese-speaking areas. Some dialects are closely related but have low mutual intelligibility with standard Cantonese; perhaps the most notable one is Taishanese, spoken in Taishan, Kaiping and the surrounding areas. Another example is the Yangjiang dialect.

In the Chaoshan region, a language called Teochew (the native pronunciation of Chaozhou) is spoken. Teochew is not mutually intelligible with Cantonese or Mandarin, but is partially mutually intelligible with Minnan, which is spoken in neighbouring South Fujian and in Taiwan. Certain parts of the province, especially the border areas, are also home to Hakka communities whose Hakka dialect is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin or Teochew and only slightly with Cantonese.

As a result of being non-native speakers, people from Guangdong often have strong accents when speaking Mandarin. For instance, people often mispronounce the Mandarin "sh" as "s", "ch" as "c" and "zh" as "z". Among native Teochew speakers, the "n" final of Mandarin is often mispronounced as "ng", and the "f" initial of Mandarin is often mispronounced as "h".

As with elsewhere in China, English is not widely spoken, though airline and high-end hotel staff in the major cities will usually have a basic grasp of English, and Guangzhou and Shenzhen are home to numerous foreigner-friendly bars and restaurants with English-speaking staff due to their large expatriate populations.

Get in
Guangdong has a special visa-free scheme. Citizens of all countries that maintain diplomatic relations with the PRC may visit the cities of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Guangzhou, Foshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou and Shantou for up to 144 hours (6 days) provided they join an approved group tour from Hong Kong or Macau, and do not travel beyond those ten cities.

There are several large modern airports in the region: Guangzhou is the main hub of China Southern Airlines and one of China's main intercontinental hubs, serving a wide array of international flights to every inhabited continent except South America. The airports in Shenzhen and Shantou  also serve a limited number of international flights to other Asian countries. Many other cities also have an airport, but these cater almost entirely for domestic Chinese flights. Alternatively, travellers can consider flying into Hong Kong or Macau and crossing the border by land or ferry. If are flying into Hong Kong, you can catch a ferry directly from the airport to Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou or Zhongshan without needing to pass through Hong Kong immigration. See Hong Kong International Airport for more details.

The area is also well connected to the rest of China by road and rail.

There are also many ports, mainly container ports handling massive freight traffic (2.4 million tons in 2003), but with some passenger services. In particular, there are ferries (mostly fast hydrofoils) connecting Hong Kong and Macau with the neighboring Guangdong cities Shenzhen and Zhuhai, and some even run upriver to Guangzhou. See the city articles for details.

Citizens of 54 countries who are in transit to a third country can visit Guangdong visa-free for up to 144 hours (6 days) if you enter at the airports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Shantou. All you need is your passport (valid for at least three months) and proof of onward travel (to a third country or region outside mainland China—not the one you entered Guangdong from) from one of Guangdong's ports (land border crossings, sea ports, or airports). This is available for citizens of Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

If you are entering directly from Hong Kong or Macau, special visa-on-arrival schemes are available for those visiting only Shenzhen or Zhuhai provided you do not travel beyond the respective city boundaries. See the respective city articles for details.

Get around
As elsewhere in China, there is an extensive rail network; Guangzhou is one of the major hubs. Rail is the main means of inter-city travel for the Chinese themselves, and many visitors travel that way as well. The system now includes fast bullet trains on some routes; unless your budget is very tight, these are the best way to go — fast, clean and comfortable.

All the major cities have airports with good domestic connections; some have international connections as well. See the individual city articles for details.

Guangdong boasts the longest and densest expressway network in China, and other highways are also extensive, much of it of good condition. Buses go almost anywhere, somewhat cheaper than the trains. See the China article for more. Driving is also possible, but often problematic; see Driving in China.

Most of the public transit systems in the province accept the multi-purpose Lingnan Pass - Yang Cheng Tong (岭南通-羊城通) stored value card. It's accepted all over the province except in Shenzhen. The card costs ¥50, which includes an ¥18 deposit and a starting balance of ¥32. You can purchase and recharge the cards in many places, including metro customer service counters and some convenience stores. Returning your card at the end of the trip can be done at any Yang Cheng Tong service center.

See
These are some tourists' hot spots when they visit Guangdong:
 * Baiyun Hill in Guangzhou
 * Xiangjiang Wildlife Park in Guangzhou
 * Overseas Chinese Town in Shenzhen
 * Guanlan Golf Course in Shenzhen
 * Yuanming New Park in Zhuhai
 * Dr. Sun Yat-sen's birthplace in Zhongshan
 * Star Lake in Zhaoqing
 * Mount Sijiao in Foshan
 * Mount Danxia in Shaoguan, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List
 * Qingxin Hot Springs in Qingyuan
 * Hailing Island's Dajiao Bay in Yangjiang
 * Nanling national forest park in Shaoguan

Do

 * Go rafting in Qingyuan
 * Explore Shenzhen's enormous electronics markets
 * Walk along the seashore in Zhuhai
 * Relax on the beach in Yangjiang or Huizhou
 * Go hiking on the province's many beautiful mountains, especially in Northern Guangdong
 * Go bungee jumping at Guangzhou's Baiyun Mountain

Eat
Cantonese cuisine (粤菜, yuè cài) is well known around the world, in one form or another, as the source of much overseas Chinese cuisine. Not too spicy, with fresh ingredients and a wide variety of meats (influenced by Guangzhou's history as an international trading hub). Particularly well known is dim sum (点心, diǎnxīn), where diners eat a variety of small bite-sized portions of food served in small steamer baskets or on small plates, and siu mei (烧味), which includes dishes such as roast duck (烧鸭), crispy-skin pork belly (烧肉), barbecued pork (叉烧) and soy sauce chicken (豉油鸡). Shunde is known as the culinary capital of Guangdong due to the fact that many world-class Cantonese chefs were born and trained there. Different cities also have their own local specialities. For instance, Dongguan is known for its Chinese sausages (腊肠), Qingyuan and Zhanjiang are known for their chicken, Zhuhai is known for its seafood, and Zhaoqing is known for its rice dumplings (裹蒸粽).

The Hakka and Teochew people have their own distinctive cuisines. Hakka cuisine is known for several signature dishes such as lei cha (擂茶), salt-baked chicken (盐焗鸡), stuffed tofu (酿豆腐), braised pork belly with preserved mustard (梅菜扣肉), and braised pork belly with taro (芋头扣肉). Teochew cuisine is known for seafood and for vegetarian dishes, and is in many ways more similar to South Fujian cuisine than to Cantonese cuisine. Famous examples of Teochew dishes include braised goose (卤鹅), cold crab (冻蟹), pork jelly (猪脚冻) and fish balls (鱼丸).

Guangdong has many restaurants, with Guangzhou in particular having a reputation as a diner's paradise. Other than sit-down restaurants, bustling night markets provide an eclectic mix of inexpensive finger foods, snacks, and delicacies. These markets are filled with shops and food carts integrating the eating and window-shopping experiences. Night markets are usually very crowded with both tourists and locals.

At some restaurants, when you sit down, your table may be given a large plastic bowl and hot water or tea, which you're supposed to use to rinse your dishes and chopsticks before you eat. Rinsing isn't really necessary (the dishes are already clean), but maybe it gives people peace of mind. If each place setting includes both a plate and a small bowl, eat from the bowl and use the plate to discard unwanted scraps.

Drink
Guangdong is known for herbal tea (凉茶 liángchá). You can find sweet herbal tea drinks at supermarkets and convenience stores – look for the popular brands 王老吉 Wánglǎojí and 加多宝 Jiāduōbǎo. Or you can get the traditional, very bitter stuff at little shops where people buy it as a cold remedy.

Unlike in northern China, heavy drinking is not part of the local culture in Guangdong. That said, alcohol is widely available, and beer drinking is relatively common. It is not difficult to find famous types of baijiu such as Maotai and Wuliangye, and there is also locally-produced baijiu if you are interested. As Shenzhen and Guangzhou are home to large Western expatriate communities, European wines and liquors can also be found, though you will be paying a steep premium for them.

Stay safe
The major cities of Guangdong have a problem with pickpocketing, and anyone who does not look Chinese is a prime target. For some info on defenses, see pickpockets.

Go next
A route West from Guangdong into areas with lower prices and colourful minority ethnic groups is covered in Hong Kong to Kunming overland. Extensions of that route into other areas with similar characteristics are described at Yunnan tourist trail and Overland to Tibet.

Nearby places include the major tourist area around Guilin (on the Hong Kong to Kunming route), the beach resorts of Hainan, the unique semi-autonomous cities of Hong Kong and Macau, and the whole of Fujian province which includes several world heritage sites and the lively city of Xiamen.

title: Guangdong


text:
Guangfu

Guangfu (光復 Guāngfù in Mandarin, Fata'an in Amis; previously called 馬太鞍 Mǎtài'ān) is a city in Hualien County.

Understand
Guangfu is a very small and not touristy town, and is worth considering for a quiet day or overnight trip. Although it is small, it is a beautiful and friendly area, and ideal to visit if you want to "get away from it all" for a bit.

By train

Taking the train is probably the easiest way.

Get around
Guangfu is a small town, so you can walk to most places from anywhere in about 20-30 minutes. However, if you're staying, check with your bed and breakfast host to see how they can help you. They may be willing to pick you up at the train station, help orient you by map, and lend you bikes to do your own exploring.

On foot
If you have a map it is possible to walk to most places in Guangfu, as long as you have some time and patience. A good tourist map exists, so check at a tourist information center in Hualien for maps with GuangFu town and its main sites on it. (If you are staying at a bed and breakfast your host will most likely supply you with a map.)

By bicycle
Biking is probably one of the best way to see Guangfu's main sites. Check with your bed and breakfast to see if they will provide a bike for you.

By scooter
Scooter rental may be available, but you will probably need someone to arrange if for you (your bed and breakfast should be willing to help).

title: Guangfu


text:
Guangxi

Guangxi  (广西; Gwóngsāi in Cantonese, Guǎngxī in Mandarin) is a relatively poor but highly scenic area in southern China. It is known as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, because of its large Zhuang minority population.

Guangxi is in South China, west of Guangdong Province (Canton); 'xi' and 'dong' are 'west' and 'east' in Chinese. It has a significant coastline on the South China Sea, (Beibu Gulf). It shares many characteristics of its poorer sister to the north, Guizhou, due to its mainly rural nature and large minority populations.

Cities

 * (南宁) — provincial capital, gateway to Vietnam
 * (桂林) — popular tourist destination, gateway to beautiful karst landscapes
 * (阳朔) — famous scenic town with karst mountains, accessible from Guilin
 * (龙胜) — home of the famed "Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces"
 * (北海) — Coastal city with a beach and cheap food
 * (桂平) — home of Xishan tea and Longtan National Forest Park
 * (柳州) — major industrial city with beautiful karst countryside
 * (崇左)
 * (德天)

Other destinations

 * (程阳) — idyllic Zhuang villages, famous for their wind water bridge (风雨桥)
 * (兴坪) — ancient town on the Li River between Guilin and Yangshuo
 * (涠洲岛) — volcanic island
 * (涠洲岛) — volcanic island
 * (涠洲岛) — volcanic island

Understand
Guangxi is in the far south of China and traversed by mountain ranges, and has often been on the frontier of Chinese civilization throughout history. It has been traditionally influenced by its neighbor Guangdong and the variety of minority ethnic groups native to the region's mountains. In fact, the name "Guang" shared with Guangdong literally means expanse, with Guangxi forming the western part of this region. Due to this geographic isolation, Guangxi has thus been very different from Northern China in many ways.

Talk
Guangxi is linguistically diverse. Standard Mandarin is spoken by nearly all, but bahk wá, a dialect of Cantonese, is spoken as the local native language in most of eastern and southern Guangxi. Due to historical associations and cultural influence from nearby Guangdong, standard Cantonese is also spoken and understood in these parts of the province, and by many locals in the major tourist centers of Guilin and Yangshuo and is the local language of Wuzhou. Certain communities in the north of Guangxi speak the Pinghua variant of Chinese, which is remotely related to Cantonese and therefore not mutually intelligible with it.

Some of the many minority groups still speak their own tongues as well. As the Zhuang are the largest minority group and have been granted autonomy in this part of China, Zhuang is a co-official language in addition to Mandarin in Guangxi. Bilingual signs in Chinese and Zhuang can be found on public buildings and notices. The three island of Wanwei, Wutou and Shanxin are home to the Jing ethnic group, whose native language is a dialect of Vietnamese.

Get in
Guangxi has a special visa exemption scheme for citizens of ASEAN countries, who may visit Guilin, Yangshuo and Longsheng for up to 144 hours (6 days) without a visa provided they join an approved group tour, enter and leave mainland China via Guilin Liangjiang International Airport, and do not travel beyond the three cities.

Despite its seemingly remote location from the rest of China, Guangxi is well connected to the rest of the country by air, road and rail.

Several rail lines traverse the region, with major train stations at Guilin and Nanning. The Nanning–Kunming Railway provides connections to provinces north of Guangxi and Vietnam to the south. Trains serving Guangdong stop at railway stations in Guilin and Liuzhou.

The largest airports in the province are Nanning Wuxu International Airport and Guilin Liangjiang International Airport, while smaller airports providing domestic Chinese flights are also found at Baise, Beihai and Wuzhou.

See
Guangxi's reputation as a scenic area is due to the numerous karst mountains which dot the region's landscape. The best views of this scenery can be found in Guilin and Yangshuo, where the Li River flows between the towering mountains and has inspired countless Chinese painters over the course of history.

Eat
Guangxi is known for its rice noodles (粉; fěn in Mandarin, fán in Cantonese). Each city has its own specialty. Prices vary between ¥6–15.

One of Guanxi's more infamous dishes is dog meat, often associated with the city of Yulin where an annual but non-traditional dog meat festival in held in June. The meat is prepared in a variety of ways including being a component in hotpot or stir-fried. The treatment of dogs shipped to the festival for consumption has drawn domestic and international criticism.

Drink
Locally produced wines made from fruit or flowers can be found in markets or restaurants. Also, given its proximity to Vietnam, Vietnamese coffee beans can be easily obtained at supermarkets or already brewed and ready to order in cafés in Nanning.

Go next
You can go overland to Vietnam by train or road from Nanning. There is a consulate in Nanning so you can pick up a visa there. Tickets for these trips are on sale in Yangshuo.

There is a train from Nanning to Kunming through impressive mountain scenery.

title: Guangxi