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Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is the site of an ancient Inca city, high in the Andes of Peru. At 2,430 metres (8,000 ft) above sea level, this is often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”, is one of the most familiar symbols of the Incan Empire, and is one of the most famous and spectacular sets of ruins in the world.

History
These remarkable ruins were rediscovered by the scientific world in 1911 by the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham, who was led to the site by locals. Perched dramatically 1000ft above the Urubamba river, Machu Picchu is a. It is also the end point of the most popular hike in South America, the Inca Trail.

The story of Machu Picchu is quite a remarkable one; it is still unknown exactly what the site was in terms of its place in Inca life. Current researchers tend to believe that Machu Picchu was a country resort for elite Incas. At any given time, there were not more than 750 people living at Machu Picchu, with far fewer than that during the rainy season. The Incas started building it around AD 1430 but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a hundred years later at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.

One thing that is clear is that it was a remarkably well hidden place, and well protected. Located far up in the mountains of Peru, visitors had to travel up long valleys littered with Inca check points and watch towers. Remarkably, the Spanish conquistadors missed the site. However, many people are said to have knowledge of the ancient city as it was referred to in some text found in the 20th century. However, it was not until Bingham that Machu Picchu was scientifically discovered. He was on a trip sponsored by the Yale University, actually looking for the last Inca capital, which was at Vilcabamba, which Bingham also rediscovered but overlooked in favor of the more impressive Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In September 2007, Peru and Yale University reached an agreement regarding the return of artifacts which Hiram Bingham had removed from Machu Picchu in the early twentieth century. Since it was not plundered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas, it is especially important as a cultural site and is considered a sacred place.

Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu.

Climate
Daytime highs are quite constant around the year, but the nighttime lows are much more pronounced during the Southern Hemisphere winter. As is common in the tropics, most of the yearly rain falls during the rainy season which in Machu Picchu is October to April. Due to the altitude, extremely hot temperatures that one may expect this close to the Equator are absent. However these two factors contribute to very high levels of UV-radiation (nearby Cuzco actually has the highest average level of UV-radiation in the world for any major city) so do take precautions. its mostly between 12 and 27 °C.

Flora and fauna
Both are abundant and varied. Typical plant life in the historic reserve of Machupicchu includes pisonayes, q'eofias, alisos, puya palm trees, ferns and more than 90 species of orchids.

The fauna in the reserve includes the spectacled bear, cock-of-the-rocks or "tunqui", tankas, wildcats and an impressive variety of butterflies and insects unique in the region.

The lay of the land, the natural surroundings and the strategic location of Machu Picchu lend this monument a fusion of beauty, harmony and balance between the work of the ancient Peruvians and the whims of nature.

Get in
Visitors to Machu Picchu typically either hike the Inca Trail or leave by rail from Cuzco or Ollantaytambo, either on a day trip, or overnighting in Aguas Calientes. The only ways to get to Aguas Calientes are by train or on foot — no roads go there.

Overnighting allows you to visit the park early or late in the day and avoid the worst of the crowds, and on sunny days, gives you a nice window of reprieve from the beating sun. The wet season in Peru is from November (often only really taking off in December) until the end of March, so then it is best to include a few extra days for flexibly dealing with delays.

From Aguas Calientes, there are two ways to reach the ruins: by bus or walking (free steep hike), as described below.

Depending on when you arrive, the site may be quite crowded or nearly deserted. The busiest periods are in the dry season (June–August), with the slowest being in February, the height of the rainy season, when the Inca Trail is closed. Most visitors arrive on package tours and are in the park between 10:00 and 14:00.

To access the site, you must have both a bus ticket (unless you plan on hiking) and ticket for Machu Picchu - which are available on in advance from the official website or from the ticket offices in Cusco and Aguas Calientes. Machu Picchu tickets are not sold at the entrance gate and are limited to 2500 per day, with entrance to Huayna Picchu being further limited to 400.

It is obligatory to bring your passport to enter Machu Picchu. Even if your ticket is on your national id card, the officer will still ask for your passport.

By bus from Aguas Calientes
If arriving by train into Aguas Calientes, walk out of the and keep going roughly straight through the warren of handicraft stalls and over a foot bridge to the. Frequent busses leave to the ruins (US$12 each way (Jan 2024), US$24 round-trip for adult foreigners) starting at 05:30. Bus tickets can be bought in two along Avenida Hermanos Ayar, payment in cash or MasterCard, Visa, AMEX, UnionPay. You will need to show an ID/passport when buying a bus ticket.

There's often a queue to the buses, so if you're intent on being on the first one up, you should arrive at least 90 minutes early. The journey takes around 30 minutes to slowly wind around the switchbacks and up to the park. Buses depart when full, which typically means they run quite regularly. At popular times, there may be a lengthy queue for the busses, so plan the return trip accordingly in order not to miss train departures.

By foot from Aguas Calientes
From Aguas Calientes to get to the ruins themselves it is also possible to walk along a route similar to the one that the buses run, which will take about 1½–2 hours up, and around an hour back down. This route is mainly stairs, connecting the switchbacks that the buses take. It is a strenuous and long hike but is very rewarding, recommended to start around 05:00 when the gate at the foot opens, to make it to the top before sunrise. The descent is fairly easy, just take care when the steps are wet. Keep alert for the bus drivers that rarely brake for pedestrians.

By foot via the Inca Trail
Hiking the is a great way to arrive as you first see the city through the Sun Gate (instead of arriving from below as you do from Aguas Calientes). The four-day and two-day hikes are controlled by the government. Travelers should be fit enough to walk for days and sleep in tents. Every traveler must travel with a tour agency because of the rules and regulations of entering the park. The Peruvian government has imposed a 500-person pass limit per day on Inca Trail traffic. Passes sell out far in advance, particularly for the high season.

There are also other options available for hiking to Machu Picchu. Both of these alternatives can be booked a couple days in advance when you arrive in Cuzco and can be much cheaper options and good ways to stay away from the crowds before getting to Machu Picchu.

The is a 5-day trek through the Salkantay Mountain Pass. It is possible to do this trek without an organized tour. The scenery is amazing and if you go in the rainy season you will be rewarded with dozens of waterfalls. Though, at the same time, you will be wet for the most part anyways.

Accommodation and transport until reaching Machu Picchu costs about US$150 (Jan 2024) when going it alone. Expect organized tours to charge a premium. Do your research in Cuzco and pick the tour company you feel most comfortable with. Some groups will offer slightly more (sleeping bag included, etc.) than others.

The is an agency tour. The three day trek that begins with a drive to the top of a mountain and then a bike ride down to the bottom. A full day of hiking follows the next day to Aguas Calientes.

The "backdoor" route used is also an option for independent travelers wishing to go it alone. Minivans and busses are cheap (S/15-30) from "Terminal Santiago" in Cusco and take you to either Santa Maria or Santa Teresa. Santa Maria is further away from Aguas Calientes than Santa Teresa but is a nice option for those wishing to hike an alternative Inca trail used locally. The walk takes you through the mountains and tiny villages, even people's farms and offers impressive views of the valley. You can end up in Santa Teresa the same day and there are villages, such as Huacayupana and Quellomayo en route which offer an alternative view of local life and accommodation if you don't make it to Santa Teresa that day. Walking on from here to Santa Teresa is along the river (May - November) and by road during rainy season, although it is advisable to get advice before taking this route between December and April due to severe weather. From Santa Teresa to Hidroelectrica is a 25-minute taxi or minibus ride and from here you can walk the 2- to 3-hour flattish trek to Aguas Calientes which is one of the nicest parts of the journey.

Additionally, many local tour operators have since opened up alternate trekking options that allow for similar trekking opportunities in the area. Most visit other Inca ruins, not as well excavated, and finish with the train trip up to see Machu Picchu at the end. One such option is the Choquequirao Trek, which starts in Cacharo and ends in Los Loros or the Cachiccata Trek which starts in Racca and ends in Cachiccata.

Fees and permits
Online tickets are available at the government website and from ticket offices in and. As of Jan 2024, tickets are only available for purchase one week in advance.

Tickets are divided into 5 Circuits. The ticket you buy will be for only one of these circuits. To see all of Machu Picchu, you will need to buy multiple tickets at a price of S/152 (Jan 2024) each. A reduced price of S/77 (Jan 2024) is available for students with an ISIC card or minors. Citizens of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia or Colombia pay S/112 (Jan 2024). When preparing your budget, do not forget to include train tickets and bus tickets, and perhaps food at the site.

 * Circuit 1 visits the upper terraces and parts of the lower city.
 * Circuit 2 extends circuit 1 further into the lower city.
 * Circuit 3 skips the upper terraces.
 * Circuit 4 extends circuit 3 further into the lower city.
 * Circuit 5 if you have very little time.

Several add-ons are available for a given circuit, which must be booked when purchasing your ticket.

 * Huayna Picchu Mountain can be booked with Circuit 4. Total cost is S/200 (Jan 2024). It's possible to extend the hike to visit the Moon Temple and Great Cave.
 * Machu Picchu Mountain can be booked with Circuit 3. Total cost is S/200 (Jan 2024)
 * Inca Bridge can be booked with Circuits 1 or 2. No extra cost.

Be sure to bring your passport, as it is requested upon entry. Some travelers have been able to enter with other forms of ID. There is a popular stamp booth as you exit where you can prove to your friends you've been there, though in many countries it is illegal to mark your own passport.

Only small packs are allowed in the park (20x35x40cm), but there is a luggage storage at the entrance for S/5 (Jan 2024). Note that it is not allowed to bring food into Machu Picchu. If your pack is checked, any food you carry may be confiscated.

There are no toilets within the site, but they are available right outside the entrance and are clean and well maintained. They cost S/2 (Jan 2024).

Get around

There are no vehicles of any kind in the park, so bring some comfortable walking shoes, especially if you plan to do any of the hikes such as Huayna Picchu. No walking sticks are allowed in the main area, except for visitors who have difficulty walking; however, they are allowed on Huayna Picchu, where they help significantly with the climb, especially down. The main ruins are fairly compact and easily walk-able.

Many of the paths are one-way, so be careful – you can easily find yourself missing a spot you wanted to see or forced into the exit accidentally.

Mobility-disabled visitors can arrange wheelchair/accessible tours via private tour groups, and see a substantial portion of the site.

See
All the views from above, but be sure before you do it that there are no clouds (early in the morning is always cloudy, it is recommended to do it at noon).

Take your time walking around the site, there are many places to see and explore. Although it is not required, taking a guided tour does provide a deeper insight into the ancient city, its uses, and information on the geography of it. As of Mar 2018, a 2-hr guided tour is S/200, but can be negotiated down depending on how busy the site is. If you wish to save money, you can team up with other tourists who would like to have a guided tour. As a cheaper alternative to a guide, there are several apps providing virtual audio tours of the site.

Relatively little is known about the history and uses of the ruins, and some of the stories told by the guides are based on little more than imaginative hearsay.

 * (Inti Punku) – if you've just arrived via the Inca Trail, this will be your first experience of the ruins. Others can backtrack from the ruins along the trail and up the hill. From here you can see back down each valley offering excellent views, if it is cloudy you cannot appreciate the view (avoid doing it or just wait for a clearance). It's a fairly strenuous hike (probably 1-1½ hours each way) but well worth it.
 * – Near the summit of the main city, the stonework on the temple is incredible. Look closely and you will see that there are a variety of stone walls throughout the city. Most are rough stones held together with mud, the common stone walls found throughout the world. But many buildings or parts of buildings are done with the more distinctive and impressive closely-fit stonework. The temple is the absolute pinnacle of this technology. Observe it from the side, descending the stone staircase in the main plaza.
 * – A stone carved so that on certain days, at dawn, the sun makes a certain shadow, thus working as a sun dial. From Quechua: Inti = sun, huatana = to take, grab: thus grabbing (measuring) the sun. (pronounce 'intiwatana'). While most early risers view the sunrise from the watchtower, the Intihuatana offers the best vistas, and you'll have it all to yourself.
 * – A temple, including some stones arranged in a way that kind of looks like a condor with wings outstretched, with a prison complex behind it – look closely: between the wings of the condor is a chamber with grooves cut in the stone to secure manacles, a walkway behind where a torturer may walk to whip the prisoner's backs, and a scary looking pit to let the blood of prisoners drain. Clearly the condor was a symbol of cruel justice, but a sanitized version is told for the benefit of tourists.
 * – As a testament to Inca workmanship, these 500-year-old spring-fed fountains still function to this day. It is speculated that these provided drinking water to the city or were for ritual bath purposes.
 * – A temple, including some stones arranged in a way that kind of looks like a condor with wings outstretched, with a prison complex behind it – look closely: between the wings of the condor is a chamber with grooves cut in the stone to secure manacles, a walkway behind where a torturer may walk to whip the prisoner's backs, and a scary looking pit to let the blood of prisoners drain. Clearly the condor was a symbol of cruel justice, but a sanitized version is told for the benefit of tourists.
 * – As a testament to Inca workmanship, these 500-year-old spring-fed fountains still function to this day. It is speculated that these provided drinking water to the city or were for ritual bath purposes.

Do

If you got some energy in you, there are a few great hikes involving a bit of legwork. Do make sure that you've taken the time to acclimate to the elevation either in Cuzco or Aguas Calientes for a couple days before exerting yourself too much, especially on Huayna Picchu.
 * Note: trail is closed as of Jan 2024 with no set re-opening date. For serious hikers who have the time and energy and long for a sparkle of solitude, from Huayna Picchu you can continue on an extra hike to the (Templo de la Luna), which is built into the side of a cave, and the nearby  (Gran Caverna), where women would come to pray to Pachamama (Mother Earth). This hike is one of your best bets for getting away from Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu crowds: both sites are much quieter than Machu Picchu and allow you to see Inca architecture at its finest without feeling like you're drowning in other tourists. This longer hike, which goes in a loop and is much more tiring but no more challenging than the regular hike to the peak and back, takes about twice as long: a total of about four hours (three if you're a fast hiker), versus about two hours just to the peak and back. It's a long walk and adventurous hike involving two ladders. Some may find that the sites aren't really rewarding, but unexpected wildlife can be seen (wild spectacled bears have been reported). This hike is also quite interesting because partway through you leave behind the mountain terrain and enter a more conventional forest. The caves can be reached by hiking down the trail from the peak of Huayna Picchu (which includes some semi-harrowing but fun near-vertical descents). Your hike back up from the temples will then be exhausting. Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks for this long hike.

 * – This is the mountain on which Machu Picchu is located and you can walk to the summit south of the ruins (3040m - Machu Picchu is at around 2,400-2,600m, Macchu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes) is at around 2,000m). Like Wayna Picchu you will have spectacular views, and it will cost you less. It used to have no entrance fee, but as of November 2017, tickets have to be purchased up front, just like for the site itself. Tickets can be purchased in advance, for one of two groups: 07:00-08:00 or 09:00-10:00. The path to Machu Picchu Mountain can be found along the path to the Sun Gate. Machu Picchu Mountain is among the least visited sites at Machu Picchu, which will give you the opportunity to get away from the tourist crowds. For the round trip you should plan on 2½-3 hours. Bring lots of water, as the hike is strenuous. You are not officially allowed to bring food, but may regret not having some snacks. Expect a hike similar to the one from Macchu Picchu Pueblo to the site in style, but longer, and with steeper steps. The trail is spectacular, even if you don't reach the summit.

 * . Historically there were two paths into Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail is one of the paths, the other is through the Inca Bridge. This bridge (logs/drawbridge) is built across a sheer cliff which would control access to the city. The walk to the Inca Bridge is short and can be found to the south west of Machu Picchu.

Eat and drink
You are not allowed to bring any food into the park, and must check it in at the luggage storage at the entrance. In practice, however, bags are rarely searched, and most people have no problem getting a bottle of water and some snacks in with them, which you'll definitely want, especially if you're planning to stray from the central set of ruins. Buy these beforehand, as they're much more expensive at the site itself. Don't even think of leaving a shred of trash behind you. If you are thinking of walking from 06:00 to 17:00, you will need at least 1.5 litres of water.

Once in the site, there are no food or drinks for sale, though it is possible to leave and return.

Sleep
Because this is a protected park, further construction in the area is nearly impossible. Thus, there is only one very expensive hotel at the site itself. Almost everyone who wants to overnight near Machu Picchu books a hotel in nearby Aguas Calientes.

Go next
Back to town (in order of size and distance):
 * Aguas Calientes – if spending the night or want a bath or another hike
 * Ollantaytambo
 * Cusco

In the area:
 * Sacred Valley
 * Inca Highlands

Further afield:
 * Kuelap, Amazonas, Northeast Peru – largest pre-Inca ruins in South America
 * Tiwanaku, Bolivia – similar stonework, from a different civilization

title: Machu Picchu


text:
Machynlleth

Machynlleth is a town in Mid Wales, generally referred to locally as "Mach". For visitors, it offers a range of activities such as mountain biking trails, and the visitor centre at the Centre for Alternative Technology.

Understand
This market town 9f 2,200 people (2011) was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and was the "ancient capital of Wales"; there is an exhibition on Owain where the parliament building once stood.

Since the founding of the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in 1973, the town has acted as a magnet for people interested in an alternative lifestyle. It has developed a thriving Bohemian community and is at the centre of a network of organic farming settlements.

By train

 * is connected to Aberystwyth, Birmingham and Shrewsbury by rail, there are, on average, 14 scheduled services per week day.

By bus

 * Bus number 701 connects Aberystwyth with Carmarthen, Swansea and Cardiff.
 * Bus number 702 runs from Aberystwyth to Llandudno and stops in Machynlleth.

By car

 * From South Wales and South-west England. M4 to end (near Swansea), A48 to Carmarthen, A484 to Cardigan and A487 to Aberystwyth and Machynlleth. Alternatively take the A470 from Cardiff to Cemaes Road and then the A489 to Machynlleth.
 * From the English Midlands and North. M54 to end (near Shrewsbury), A458 to Dinas Mawddwy then A470 to Cemaes Road and A489 to Machynlleth.

Buy
Every Wednesday since it was granted a royal charter in 1291 Machynlleth town centre has played host to a street market. Still well worth a browse - even if you don't buy anything the bustling atmosphere is an attraction in itself.

Early Closing day in Machynlleth is Thursday, when most shops do not open after lunchtime.

Handicrafts

There are also a number of craft shops in the nearby village of Corris

Go next

 * The popular seaside resort of Aberdyfi, with its yacht harbour and championship golf links, is 10 miles (16 km) to the west, accessible by the A493 road or by Cambrian Line trains.
 * Only 4 miles beyond Aberdyfi is Tywyn, home of the Talyllyn Railway. If you are travelling by car then on the return journey to Machynlleth, take a left turn off the road just 1 mile south of Tywyn, to pass through the picturesque Happy Valley. The road rejoins the A493 at the village of Cwrt.
 * Corris, just a few miles away on the Dolgellau road, is a pretty former slate-mining village and a focus for arts and crafts. There is a pottery in the village, and a variety of different shops and workshops at the purpose-built Corris Craft Centre, next to the main road on the hillside overlooking the village, which has ample car parking. The interactive visitor attractions of King Arthur's Labyrinth and the Bards Quest are accessed from the Craft Centre site. Corris is also home to the narrow-gauge Corris Railway and museum.

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

title: Machynlleth


text:
Mackay

Mackay is a tropical city on the eastern coast of the Australian state of Queensland, some 900 km north of the state capital Brisbane.

By plane
Qantas and Jetstar have frequent flights from Brisbane. Qantaslink flies to Cairns, Townsville, and Rockhampton.

By train
Queensland Rail serves Mackay via its Spirit of Queensland service between Brisbane and Cairns that operates five times per week.

By car
The Bruce Highway is the coastal highway between Brisbane and Cairns and passes through Mackay. The Peak Downs Highway runs from Clermont North-East to terminate in Mackay.

By boat
Mackay has an extensive marina which is often the first stop for those exploring the whitsunday islands but no regular passenger ferries run at this time.

By bus
Greyhound buslines have regular services from Brisbane stopping at the airport and in Mackay itself on the way to Carins. Mackay Transit Coaches operates from North Mackay to South Mackay. The area with the best service coverage is Mackay CBD.

Get around
Limited bus services run in the Mackay region. Cars can be hired from the airport.

Taxis are available from major shopping centres and individuals can call the service to be picked up from a specified destination.

Bicycles (push bikes) are a good fit for city transportation. Projects are ongoing to expand current bicycle routes, one long route exists from West of the city to the Canelands shopping area.

See

 * Harbour Beach and The Marina
 * Eungella National Park
 * Cape Hillsborough National Park
 * The Whitsunday Islands
 * Mackay Regional Botanical Gardens
 * Artspace Mackay
 * Historical Farleigh Mill - tours run daily (Monday to Friday) during the sugar season: July - November

Work
The main industries of Mackay are coal mining and Sugar Cane, Mackay being the "Sugar Capital of Australia". Many use Mackay as a stopping point for lucrative mining work in the Bowen Basin of central Queensland.

Buy
Mackay has two major shopping centres

Mount Pleasant (affectionately known by locals as "Mount P") contains major retailers such as
 * Mount Pleasant Greenfields located on the Corner Phillip Street and the Bruce Highway
 * K Mart
 * Woolworths
 * Coles

Greenfields is a shopping precinct located across the road from Mount Pleasant. Occupants include:

 * Silly Sollys
 * Spotlight
 * Sams Warehouse
 * Clark Rubber
 * Autobarn
 * World Gym
 * Birch Carroll and Coyle Cinema's

Caneland Central is undergoing expansion, it is located on Mangrove Road and includes major retailers such as
 * Target
 * Big W
 * Woolworths
 * Coles
 * Myer
 * Action
 * Best and Less
 * City Beach
 * Rush Surfwear
 * Mathers Shoes
 * Spend Less Shoes
 * Vodafone
 * Crazy Johns
 * Telstra
 * Optus
 * EB Games
 * Tarocash

Eat
Try the eateries at the Marina overlooking the boats - loverly cool breeziest. Mid range prices.

title: Mackay


text:
Mackinac Area

The Mackinac Area is the northernmost part of Northern Michigan, just south of the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge to St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula.

Cities

 * — Known for its Venetian Festival, Applefest, beaches, shopping, and sailing.
 * — A small, charming town, with daily ferry trips to Mackinac Island.
 * — A small, charming town, with daily ferry trips to Mackinac Island.
 * — A small, charming town, with daily ferry trips to Mackinac Island.
 * — A small, charming town, with daily ferry trips to Mackinac Island.

Other destinations

 * is a fairly small island with several hotels, restaurants, and opportunities for a vacation.
 * is between Lakes Michigan and Huron.

Understand
The region has a bit of a problem with consistency in spelling and pronunciation. The Straits, Bridge, and Island are all spelled "Mackinac" but pronounced "Mackinaw"; with the final "c" left silent. The Village of Mackinaw City and the Coast Guard cutter named after it are pronounced the same way, but are also spelled that way. (The "Mich" is pronounced "Mish", just like in the name of the state; at least that's consistent.)

The regional names are consistent, considering the local Indians (various tribes) had their way of pronouncing and area, and the French and English had their way of spelling what they heard from the Indian pronunciations. Michigan remains very historic in this sense. It has kept the spellings and pronunciations as were originally given by Indian, French and English.

Get around
Don’t worry about vehicles. You’ll be accompanied by horses and bicycles instead! Highway M-185, also known as Lake Shore Boulevard, is the only highway in the nation where vehicles are prohibited, except for emergencies.

On foot
If you decide to make your way around the coast of Mackinac Island, walking will take approximately 2.5-4 hours without stopping.

By bike
You can also bring your own bicycle or rent one from one of the many local bicycle shops. It will take you approximately 1 hour to bike without stopping.

title: Mackinac Area


text:
Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island is a resort island in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Understand
Mackinac Island is famous for its colonial to Victorian-era character and for being in the Straits of Mackinac, connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The name of the island is pronounced "MAK-in-aw".

Mackinac Island is really three different travel destinations: Grand Mackinac, the posh and expensive resort exemplified by the Grand Hotel; Fudgie Mackinac, the popular historical and shopping experience of the throngs arriving by ferry; and Active Mackinac, the bicycling, horse-riding, paddling, and hiking opportunity. These aren't 100% exclusive of each other, but your experience of the island will vary substantially depending on which you are there for.

The island once had the world's second national park; Mackinac National Park. However, as the land was then given to the state, it lost its national park status.

History
First inhabitated by the Ojibwe tribe and then settled by Europeans in the mid-1600s, the village of Mackinac was incorporated in 1817 and served as the seat for the territorial county of Michilimackinac by 1818 and as the seat of Mackinac County from 1849-1882. The territorial county of Michilimackinac covered much of what is now Michigan. Fort Mackinac housed the central government for the Northern Frontier after the American Revolution. By the end of the War of 1812, the Island figured prominently in the governing and early development of the Northwest Territory.

Get in
The primary method of reaching the island is by commercial ferryboat from one of the two mainland ports: Mackinaw City on the Lower Peninsula, and St. Ignace on the Upper Peninsula.

There are two commercial ferryboat lines that provide service from both ports. Both offer frequent service from early morning through the evening, at comparable rates.

 * Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry
 * Star Line Hydro-Jet Ferry

There is also a small airline serving Mackinac Island:
 * Fresh Air Aviation

Ferry service is regular and no reservations are needed from May through October. After November 1,Star Line/Mackinac Ferry Company serves the island until the ice moves in for the winter, usually in mid-January. Islanders fly back and forth to St. Ignace via Fresh Air Aviation.

Get around
In keeping with the island's pre-20th-century flavor, no personal motorized vehicles are allowed on Mackinac Island. The primary methods of transportation are via bicycles, horse-drawn carriages, saddle horses and by foot. Most of the historic and cultural sights on Mackinac lie within 1 mile of the ferry docks, so getting around is easy. There are electric scooters for persons with disabilities available and adult strollers.

Many visitors take the Mackinac Island Carriage Tour official tour of the town and Mackinac Island State Park. Two or three team horse hitchs carry island visitors to visit Arch Rock, Fort Mackinac and the Surrey Hills carriage museum in the Island's interior.

Many prefer to bicycle while on the Island and tourists may bring their own bikes to the Island for an extra ferryboat fee. Rental bikes are also available by the hour, half and full day. When you hear that Mackinac has no motor vehicles, you might imagine it as some kind of bicyclist's paradise, but that's not quite true. During the busy tourist season the village is cluttered with rented bicycles, mostly operated by people who are not regular cyclists.

See
All three of Mackinac Island's foremost sights were built during the late 1800s or are interpreted as if you are visiting them in that period. These sights form key elements in the total-immersion nature of Victorian culture and iconography on Mackinac Island.

The central "village" (the entire island has a 2010 census population of 492) consists of only two streets, Main Street and Market Street. Most of both streets are lined with shops that depend on the seasonal tourist trade. Main Street has good examples of vernacular false-front commercial architecture of the late 1800s. Many Market Street buildings are even earlier, built during the fur-trade boom of the War of 1812 period. The village is tightly-clustered on the southern end of the island.

On a steep bluff above Main Street is Fort Mackinac. Although the stone walls of the fort were raised by the British Army in 1780-81 in a failed attempt to keep the American "rebels" from gaining control of Michigan, most of the frame buildings inside the fort were built in the 1800s. The Mackinac Island State Park interprets the fort to its life in the 1880s. An admission fee is charged. There are excellent views of the village, Mackinac Bridge, and nearby shipping channel from the fort's walls.

Halfway up another steep hill to the north-west is the Grand Hotel, a substantial 1884 summer "palace" offering upscale accommodation. Visitors often find the hotel, with its record-length front porch, to be an attractive place to appreciate a relatively complete pre-World War I environment. The 1980 Christopher Reeve movie Somewhere in Time is set and was filmed here. An admission fee is charged to non-guests.

The stores, fort, and hotel are open in the late spring, summer, and fall, and closed in the winter and early spring. Most of Mackinac Island's visitors come to the Island between the Lilac Festival (early June) and Labor Day. While the ice is thick enough (typically January and February), an ice bridge marked by Christmas trees allows snowmobiles to travel between the island and nearby St. Ignace on the mainland.

Do
Mackinac Island's ban on motor vehicles has created a unique style of participatory recreation, accessible to year-round residents and visitors alike. A wide variety of footpaths and saddle-horse trails snake through the interior of Mackinac Island. Several of these trails have been in use for at least 150 years. Most Islanders get from place to place by bicycle or horse-drawn carriage, and welcome visitors who do the same thing.

Thousands of tourists bring their own bikes to Mackinac Island each year. All three ferryboat lines welcome bikes, although they charge a supplemental fare for them. M-185, known locally as Main Street, is the 8-mile, relatively flat paved trail around the island and a favorite destination. Bicycles can also be rented by the hour, and prices start about $5 an hour for a single speed bike with a basket.

The largest horse and buggy livery in the world is Mackinac Island Carriage Tours who provides a horse-drawn ride along a set route through the interior of the Island.

The Grand Hotel provides guests with horse-drawn carriage service from the ferry docks to the hotel via their horse-drawn omnibus for a fee.

Regular horse-drawn taxis are available 24/7 to take visitors to hotels, restaurants and homes for a fee. The island is broken into several zones and taxi fare starts around $5 per person each way. Taxis will not wait so its important to be ready for pick up.

Visitors can also rent saddle horses or drive your own buggies by the hour via Cindy's Riding Stable and Jack's Livery Stable. Private tours with a driver are also available from Gough's Livery and Mackinac Island Carriage Tours.

Mackinac Island Carriage Tour Company offers great tour packages an excellent way to see the island hitting the major things to see including Fort Mackinac, Wings of Mackinac, Arch Rock and also offers a last stop at the Grand Hotel.

For an interesting view of the islands history, ghost stories, and legends, take an easy paced walking tour with Haunts of Mackinac and their Haunted History Tours. Haunts of Mackinac Tours are an entertaining and informative way to spend your evening on Mackinac Island.

 * Three 9-hole golf courses have been carved out of the interior of the island. On Grand Hotel property is the Grand Nine and up island is the second nine-hole course called the Woods. Horse drawn carriages move golfers between the two courses and there are golf carts available while on each course. Wawashkamo is a Scottish links course and one of the oldest golf courses in the country. Created in the late 1800s, this is the closest to Scotland any one could hope for.

All three ferry boat lines also offer private charter services.

Fishing is great in the straits region and there are several charter fishing companies.

Eat
During the 1800s, Mackinac Island was a center of the Great Lakes fishing trade, with shoals of lake trout and whitefish pulled out of the Straits of Mackinac and re-shipped to urban markets. Although the island's Arnold Line Dock and adjacent Coal Dock were built in part to serve fish shippers and remain in active use to this day, commercial fishing has ceased on Mackinac Island.

Since the 1880s, Mackinac candymakers have made and sold fudge to visitors. These days, there are five fudge companies on the island: Joann's, May's, Murdick's, the Murray Hotel, and Ryba's. Much of the fudge sold on Mackinac Island is made with traditional ingredients and in fealty to the traditional labor-intensive process for making this confectionwhich involves oxidizing, or paddling the fudge on a slab of marble. During the process, the cooked fudge slowly cools and hardens into a loaf-shaped, semi-circular log.

Drink
Mackinac Island has more than 30 licensed locations where alcohol is sold. While alcohol has been consumed here in large quantities since the fur-trading era, many licenses are held by restaurants and bars operating inside the summer hotels. A few drinking places of special interest are:

Sleep
In addition to the legendary Grand Hotel, there are 40 other places to lay your head on the island. Hotels, historic inns, apartments, bed-and-breakfasts, condos and Victorian era cottages are available.

Stay safe
Because of its unique horse-and-bicycle culture, the island is a relatively safe place for families to walk on the sidewalks and bike on streets and roads. Remember that although private motor vehicles are not allowed on the island, streets are still streets and ordinary traffic laws still apply. Living in a horse town is not familiar to most folks in the 21st century, so remember that horses always have the right of way.

The island's unusual brecciated geology has produced a series of hills and bluffs that are beautiful and great to photograph. Maps are available and getting around on a private buggy or bicycle proves most convenient.

Stay healthy
The climate on Mackinac Island has been considered a healing place for centuries and quite comfortable as the winds keep moving in all directions, blowing out the allergens and insects.

Go next
Because of its position, Mackinac is a popular stop for those traveling from the Upper Peninsula to destinations in the Lower Peninsula, and (more commonly) vice versa.

title: Mackinac Island


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Mackinaw City

Mackinaw City is a city of 800 people (2018) in the Mackinac Area at the tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It's the southern terminus of the 5-mile Mackinac Bridge.

By car
From the Upper Peninsula, you have to cross the Mackinac Bridge, via St. Ignace. The "Mighty Mac" (a certain burger vendor objects to another nickname) is 5 miles long and at its highest, 200 feet from the surface of the Straits of Mackinac. The toll is $1.25/axle for passenger vehicles (that's $2.50 for a car or motorcycle), $2/axle for motor homes, and $3/axle for anything else. The drive can be a little intimidating, but only two vehicles have gone over the edge in its half century of use: one a lightweight Yugo caught by very high winds, the other an SUV in a suicide; both were speeding. If you're uncomfortable driving across, a bridge authority employee will happily drive your vehicle for you (including motorcycles--they love Harleys). Just ask the toll collector. The bridge closes to traffic when the winds exceed 65 mph, but is otherwise open all the time.

The car ferry service that connected the two peninsulas before the Bridge was built is no longer available.

By bus
Indian Trails offers daily bus service to and from Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Chicago, Milwaukee, Escanaba, Houghton-Hancock, and Duluth.

By plane
Pellston Regional Airport offers daily flights to and from Detroit and Alpena. Shuttle service to Mackinaw City is provided by Mackinaw Shuttle, and reservations are required.

By other means
Although pedestrians, bicycles, and snowmobiles are not permitted on the Mackinac Bridge, the bridge authority will take you across, for $2 per person and per bicycle, or (8AM-8PM only) $10 for each snowmobile and rider.

Mackinaw City is connected to Pellston, Alanson, and Petoskey via the Petoskey to Mackinaw trail.

Get around
Without your own vehicle your options are really limited as there is no public transportation. Of course, the town is quite small, and pretty much all tourist attractions are within walking distance.

Do

 * This is the ideal jump-off point for trips throughout not only the tip of the Lower Peninsula but a large area of the Upper Peninsula is within an hour or two drive time from Mackinaw City. There are shops spread all around town that for the most part offer the standard tourist fare, nothing too extravagant.
 * We can't let the fudge shop go without being mentioned as this seems to be the Straits area's largest export. Partake of the free samples and when you find the one that you like buy it. To say that one is better than the other is going to lead to countless and eventually futile edits so lets leave it at that.
 * Day two would be the day for the trip to Mackinac Island via one of the many transit companies available to you. More history waits for you there all over Mackinac Island. Also once again there is fudge to be had, the fudge shops there realized some years ago that by installing exhaust fans over the front door to the shop they could entice more prospective customers into the shop. Be warned that since the primary mode of transport for goods and people on Mackinac Island is the horse there is usually also a far amount of "spent horse fuel" about so this can indeed make an interesting combination of odors. The island does maintain a fleet of hardy souls that follow behind the horses to try and keep the streets clean. Given the number of horses and the number of scoopers they do an admirable job. You can walk, bicycle or take a carriage tour of the island to get around. Those that are used to horseback riding can visit a livery and rent a carriage if you wish. History abounds as they say, enjoy the day and watch were you step.
 * On day three it's time to go to the Upper Peninsula to so some sight seeing. The Soo Locks are about one hour past the bridge on I-75. The city is actually called Sault Sainte Marie, and to confuse things just a bit there is one on each side of the border there in the U.S. and Canada. The Soo Locks enable the shipping that transits the Great Lakes access to Lake Superior when traveling in the upbound direction and the materials from the shipping ports of Lake Superior access to the rest of the world without being off loaded at the St. Marys River where the elevation between Lake Superior and Lake Huron change. Stop at the locks and watch the ships go by, to those of you from elsewhere in the world they are ships, you will find that most native born Michigan residents call them "boats" and the ocean going vessels plying the lakes are "salties". Just as a fun fact a "saltie" is required to take on a lake pilot when entering the Great Lakes. Head west from the Soo over to Whitefish Bay and take in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum there and amble to Taquamenon Falls to finish the day. A stop in Newberry on the way back to Mackinaw City for dinner and then back to your base in Mackinaw City.
 * Lets face it by day 4 you need a vacation. You may have a hotel with a pool or one on the beach, kick back and take it easy. If no beach or pool Mackinaw City does have a Municipal Beach, take Central Avenue west out of town make one left turn and if you don't stop you will end up in the water. Continue along the lake and it will take you to Wilderness State Park one of the most popular in the state. There are beaches there along with hiking trails if you still want to do some discovery. A daily or annual permit is required to enter the park, a few dollars for a day or at this time $24 annually.
 * You can fish off of the breakwall downtown, which is accessible from the Straits State Harbor.
 * There is a water park in Mackinaw City if you prefer more of the creature comforts.

Buy
Things to buy abound in the area. As you will see it is the usual assortment of imported souvenirs made outside of the U.S. with a "souvenir of:" stamp on it.

Eat
Dining of all kinds are available from peanut butter and jelly to surf and turf. Prices range from moderate to expensive. You will find everything from a small diner just west of I-75 on Central Avenue to fine dining with a fairly decent wine list.
 * Big Stone Bay Fishery just south of town on Stimson Road. Fresh lake perch, this place ships fresh fish to dining establishments throughout the U.S.
 * Big Stone Bay Fishery just south of town on Stimson Road. Fresh lake perch, this place ships fresh fish to dining establishments throughout the U.S.

Sleep

 * There are probably well over one hundred hotels, motels and combinations of motels with cabins in the immediate Mackinaw City area. As rule closer to the Mackinaw Bridge or Lakes Michigan or Huron is more costly. The farther from town the less costly and fewer amenities. The farther away from peak season the less costly.

Camping

 * For those of you that enjoy camping there are quite a few private campgrounds in the area as well as one of Michigan's most popular state parks.
 * At well over 8,000 acres with over 200 campsites Wilderness State Park has been one of the most popular parks in the state for many years. They offer camping for everything from pup tents to motor home in one of three campgrounds East or West Lakeshore or the Pines campgrounds. There are hiking trails that take you through a number of areas in the park.
 * There is another state park just over the bridge, Straits State Park and a couple of more South of the Straits in the Cheboygan area.
 * Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping has views of Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island on one mile of shoreline on the Straits of Mackinac with 600 camp sites for everything from large RVs down to small tents. Beautiful summer lakefront cabin and cottage rentals situated over 200 acres.

title: Mackinaw City


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Mackworth Island

Mackworth Island is a 100-acre (40-hectare) bird sanctuary near Portland, Maine, USA. It is also home to the Baxter School for the Deaf.

Climate
The island, like many other small islands, can be extremely windy even when the mainland is not.

Get in
Admission to the island is free but hours are limited to daylight. Stop at the booth and tell the gatekeeper you want to use the walking trail, then take the first right to park.

Fees and permits
$3.00 for Maine residents

$4.00 for non-residents

title: Mackworth Island


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Macomb

There is more than one place called Macomb:

United States of America

 * Macomb (Illinois) — A town in Illinois.
 * Macomb (Michigan) — A township in Michigan.
 * Macomb County — A county in Michigan.
 * Macomb (Missouri) — A town in Missouri.
 * Macomb (New York) — A town in New York (state).
 * Macomb (Oklahoma) — A town in Oklahoma.

title: Macomb


text:
Macomb (Illinois)

Macomb is a city in Illinois.

By train
Amtrak has a station at 120 East Calhoun Street. Illinois Service stops at the station.

By bus
Go West provides bus service. +1 309 575-3333

See

 * Western Illinois Museum
 * Western Illinois Museum
 * Western Illinois Museum
 * Western Illinois Museum

title: Macomb (Illinois)


text:
Macomb County

Macomb County is in Southeast Michigan.

Do

 * - located in Shelby Township

title: Macomb County


text:
Macon

There is more than one place called Macon.

France

 * Mâcon – A city in the Burgundy region of France

United States of America

 * Macon (Georgia) — A city in the Classic Heartland of Georgia.
 * Macon (Missouri) — A town in Missouri

title: Macon


text:
Mâcon

Mâcon is a city with a population of 36,000 in the south of the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in France.

By car
From A6 coming from Paris or Lyon, get off at Mâcon Nord or Mâcon Sud.

By train
There are two train stations: Mâcon-Ville in the centre for local trains (and slow trains from farther away) and Mâcon-Loché about 10 km outside of town for the TGV from Lyon and Paris.

Get around
There are a couple of bus lines, but the small size of the central area makes it easier to get around on foot.

For cars, traffic is a problem on the main roads out of town only when people are getting off of work. Parking in town can be a problem as all lots are metered and often full.

Do
Drive outside of town and visit one of the many wineries that make burgundy wine or drive about 20 min south and visit the Beaujolais wineries which make much more (and much better) wines than just Beaujolais Nouveau.

Buy
In the pedestrian area in the centre there are many shops, mostly clothing, but also toys, food, home decor, etc.

Eat
You can pretty much find pretty anything you want despite the town small size: classic French cuisine (at any price range), Chinese or Indian, fast food or day-long meals.

Budget

Any of the numerous kebab places serving up gyros and various other sandwiches for around.

Drink
Choose from any of the bars on the quais (along the river) as they are almost the same: medium prices, hip atmosphere, and the main road only a couple feet away.

For something different, try the Traboule(back in an alley on the pedestrian street), somewhat like a British pub. Nice selection of beers on tap and a grungy atmosphere to go with them.

You can also try the Maison de Bois, a café/restaurant in an old wooden building on the pedestrian street.

In the summer go for the little hut like bar on the paved "Esplande Lamartine" along the river, no table service and plastic cups, but one of the cheapest in town and nothing beats sipping a nice drink on a chaise longue in the summer heat as the river slowly moves along.

Of course you can also head out of town during the day and hit up one of the many local wine producers for some white or red Burgundy or Beaujolais.

Sleep
There are a couple of hotels in town, or you can try further out for cheap lodgings like Formula One.

Taizé

 * . An ecumenical monastic order welcoming people seeking a retreat. A large community of visiting youth, families and people of all ages, in addition to the brothers and sisters.

title: Mâcon


text:
Macon (Georgia)

Macon is a city in Georgia's Classic Heartland.

Understand
Macon is the center of a metropolitan area that contains around 400,000 people and encompasses the nearby city of Warner Robins. The downtown area of Macon has antebellum homes, cathedrals, and other historic buildings that were built in the past by Macon's elite, including the Woodruff House, the Hay House, and the Cannonball House.

Macon is one of several cities to hold a cherry blossom celebration in springtime, although Macon stands out because it has a particularly large number of trees throughout the city. With over 275,000 Yoshino cherry trees, Macon calls itself the "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World."

By car
From the north: Drive south on I-75. To reach the main downtown area of Macon, take exit 164, turn left at the end of the exit ramp, then drive along Forsyth St. a short distance into the main downtown area.

From the south: Drive north on I-75. To reach the main downtown area of Macon, take exit exit 164, turn right at the end of the exit ramp, then drive along Forsyth St. a short distance into the main downtown area.

From the east: Drive west on I-16. To reach the main downtown area of Macon, take exit 1B, turn right at the end of the exit ramp, then drive along the 2nd St. bridge over the Ocmulgee River into the main downtown area.

From the west: There are no interstates that travel directly into Macon from the west. However, there are many state highways that you can use. The best route will depend on where you're traveling from; consult a road atlas.

By bus
Greyhound, America's largest bus carrier, can connect you to many other major cities in the southern United States region. It does not offer service to the smaller cities and towns near Macon, including Warner Robins. is on 65 Spring St, northwest of downtown.

By train
There are no commuter trains that travel directly to Macon. However, Atlanta's Amtrak station offers bus service to Macon.

By plane
The Middle Georgia Regional Airport has several car rental service stations; see below in the "Get around" section for more information.

Many visitors choose to fly into Atlanta's much larger Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 80 miles north and then drive or take shuttle service from Atlanta to Macon.

By foot
The downtown area is reasonably compact, and most travelers can probably explore this area on foot. However, traveling to other sites outside the downtown area will require an automobile.

By bus
The Macon Transit Authority operates a bus service throughout the city. The routes map will show you which bus route to take, and the bus schedule will explain when to arrive at the bus stop. In general, a bus arrives at each stop every 30-40 minutes. You must pay the bus fare when you board the bus; the regular fare is $1.25. If you will be transferring to a second bus route in order to reach your final destination, notify the bus driver when you pay your $1.25 fare; each transfer costs $0.50. When the bus is within one or two blocks of your destination, pull the yellow cord inside the bus to signal to the driver that you want to stop.

By car
Touring Macon by car is perhaps the best way to see the city, especially if you plan to visit sites far from the main downtown area, such as the Ocmulgee Indian Mounds or the Museum of Arts and Sciences.

There are several car rental services in Macon:

Do

There are special events that are held at specific times:

 * First Friday. The first Friday night of every month in the downtown area. Festival-like atmosphere with music and streetside shops. Downtown bars sell beer at cheap prices.
 * First Friday. The first Friday night of every month in the downtown area. Festival-like atmosphere with music and streetside shops. Downtown bars sell beer at cheap prices.
 * First Friday. The first Friday night of every month in the downtown area. Festival-like atmosphere with music and streetside shops. Downtown bars sell beer at cheap prices.

Cultural activities:

Sleep

 * Numerous chain hotels at Arkwright Rd Exit off I-75, and Eisenhower Pkwy Exit off I-475.
 * Numerous chain hotels at Arkwright Rd Exit off I-75, and Eisenhower Pkwy Exit off I-475.
 * Numerous chain hotels at Arkwright Rd Exit off I-75, and Eisenhower Pkwy Exit off I-475.
 * Numerous chain hotels at Arkwright Rd Exit off I-75, and Eisenhower Pkwy Exit off I-475.
 * Numerous chain hotels at Arkwright Rd Exit off I-75, and Eisenhower Pkwy Exit off I-475.

Consulates

 * 🇩🇰 Denmark

Go next

 * Savannah -- 166 mi E.
 * Warner Robins -- 18 mi S. Home to Robins Air Force Base and the Museum of Aviation.  Free Admission.
 * Milledgeville -- 31 mi NE. Georgia's state capital until 1868.
 * Fort Valley/Byron -- 26 mi S. Pick your own peaches at one of Peach County's numerous peach orchards.
 * Lake Tobesofkee -- 10 mi W. Macon's closest outdoor recreation area.
 * Perry -- 29 mi S. Home to the Georgia National Fair each October.
 * Andersonville -- app. 30 mi S. Historic Civil War prison.

title: Macon (Georgia)


text:
Macquarie Island

Macquarie Island or Macca as it is affectionately known, is a Subantarctic island in the Southern Ocean, part of Tasmania. Like Heard Island and McDonald Islands (and the largely unrecognised Australian Antarctic Territory), Macquarie Island is a part of the Australian Antarctic Program, but it's not administered by the Australian Antarctic Division.

Understand
Macquarie Island is home to a large variety of wildlife, including thousands of seals and millions of penguins, and has been designated a World Heritage site. It is a Tasmanian State Reserve and is managed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. It is Australia's Subantarctic jewel.

Macquarie Island is about 1500 km south-southeast of mainland Tasmania and around 1200 km north of Antarctica. The Australian Antarctic Division research station is located at the northern end of the island. The island is 5 km wide at its widest point and 34 km long. The island's total area is about 128 km².

Cold, wet and windy, the average winter temperature is about 3°C and the average summer temperature is 7°C. It is your classic, cold, bleak, windswept, Subantarctic island.

The island has a population of about 40 researchers and support staff during the summer. The population drops to about 20 during the winter.

Visitor information

 * Park website

Get in
All access to the island is managed by Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife and permits are required before any landing on the island. Visitors have to be completely self-sufficient as fuel, water and food supplies are limited due to the remote location.

By air
There is no airstrip on Macquarie Island but two concrete helipads exist on the isthmus. No fuel is available on the island. There is a non-directional radio beacon (NDB) approximately 500 m south of the helipads on 392Khz with morse ID VJM. Pilots need to avoid low flying near any of the penguin rookeries on the island to minimise disturbance to the animals, particularly during summer.

By boat
A number of companies offer trips to Macquarie Island. Usually it is a stop-over on the way to Antarctica for vessels departing from Australia or New Zealand. A strong constitution for travellers is recommended as sea sickness may be an issue for some - the Southern Ocean can have some of the roughest seas in the world. It usually takes 3 to 4 days to make the crossing from either Bluff in NZ or Hobart in Tasmania. There are no port facilities at Macca so visitors will be put ashore on small boats like Naiads or Zodiacs. Expect to get your feet wet. Weather conditions may sometimes make landings frustratingly impossible though. The usual landing location for visitors is at Landing Beach on the eastern side of the isthmus about 300m south of the station: there is a marked channel with entrance leads that carries about a meter of water at low tide. Caution needs to be taken at all beach landings on the island as there are numerous rock outcrops and a near continuous offshore kelp forest. Skippers need to also consider minimising the impact on wildlife of any landings.

Companies offering cruises to Antarctica via Macquarie Island and other Sub-Antarctic islands include:

 * Quark Expeditions.
 * Aurora Expeditions.
 * Heritage Expeditions.

Get around
There are several walking tracks around the island including an Overland Track that runs the full length of the island. Walkers need to be prepared for rapid changes in weather conditions at all times and carry a handheld VHF radio. To limit environmental degradation some raised board walks have been introduced at landing locations such as Sandy Bay and The Isthmus for visitors, who are escorted by a Tasmanian park ranger. Quaking bogs exist on the island, particularly on the west coast and have marked tracks but are not suitable for people heavier than 100kg due to the risk of breaking through the surface layer of vegetation. Zodiac inflatable boats are used to put visitors ashore at accessible locations for all excursions. Landings are normally monitored by the Tasmanian park rangers.

Vehicles are not used on the island except for the isthmus area around the station.

See
A number of seal species are present including the Southern Elephant seal and the New Zealand Fur seal. Most of the bird life is represented on the island by four species of penguin: king, royal, gentoo and rockhopper penguins. Other birds include petrels, skua, albatross and ducks. Introduced animals, such as feral cats, rabbits, mice and rats have contributed to the decline of native animals however eradication and control measures have been implemented that have gradually eliminated the feral animals.

The large penguin rookeries are an incredible sight. The king penguins congregate in their hundreds of thousands on the beaches, standing shoulder to shoulder only reluctantly moving to make way for the huge elephant seals sliding and jerking in their impressive way to and from the sea. Just in land from the beach the royal penguins roost in congregations that can almost overload the senses with an unforgettable smell and noise. Skuas, predatory birds, opportunistically try and pick off the chicks and weak. Other skuas and petrels can be found picking and tearing at the carcasses of dead seals.

The huge elephant seals, some weighing in at 1,000kg or more, wallow together on the beach in their dozens. Male juveniles will play fight, that is, they will rear back on their tails and then crash together in what is more of a head slap than a head butt. This is all in preparation for when they are adults and will have to fight each other for the right to mate with a harem of females. Adult males have an average weight of 2,000kg and can weigh up to 4,000kg. They can also be up to in length.

Buy
Australian Antarctic Territory stamps are available for sale at the research station. Postcards and letters can also be left at the station to be mailed and postmarked with the Macquarie Island postmark. Macquarie Island and Australian Antarctic Division memorabilia like T-shirts, fridge magnets & caps are also sometimes available for sale.

Passports can also be stamped with a Macquarie Island stamp.

Eat
The research station's mess building will occasionally provide snacks to visitors like muffins, sandwiches, pizza, tea and coffee. Due to the risk of introducing avian diseases to the local wildlife, the landing of poultry and poultry products is strictly controlled.

Drink
The research station has a bar in the mess building. A bizarre, yet strangely tasty, distilled concoction made from old cans of fruit will be, on the rare occasions it is even available, offered to visitors in the bar. Beer home brewing facilities exist at the station and homebrew kits are available with the annual resupply. Most years there is a winter wine club with wines supplied by the expeditioners.

Sleep
It is unlikely you would be able to stay on the island during a visit as you would be expected to sleep on the vessel you arrived on. Most visits last 1 to 2 days. Staff and researchers have access to a network of field huts around the island at places of interest: Timber framed huts exist at Green Gorge, Bauer Bay and Hurd Point. Pre-fabricated fibreglass huts are located at Brother's Point and Waterfall Bay. These huts are suitable for occupancy up to a full summer season where required and there are a number of refuges and shelters the can be used in emergencies or for occasional overnight stays scattered around remoter parts of the island.

Work
It would help if you were an employee of Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service or the Australian Antarctic Division and were posted to the island when a position came available. Nearly all the inhabitants are engaged in the scientific research undertaken on the island or tradespeople such as carpenters, cooks and electricians, to support the station.

Respect
There are hundreds of thousands of seals and millions of penguins and other sea birds that make their home on the island. Visitors are required to stay five metres from the wildlife. However penguins are inquisitive little guys and will waddle over to you to check you out. Visitors should also stay on designated trails.

Stay safe
See the article on the Subantarctic Islands.

title: Macquarie Island


text:
Macroom

Macroom (Maigh Chromtha) is a market town in County Cork, southwest Ireland. It stands halfway between Cork and Killarney at a point where the fertile Lee valley gives way to rugged uplands, and the road starts its climb over to County Kerry. Macroom has seen plenty of conflict, as shown by several tower houses and by the castle in town centre, the last major upheaval being the Anglo-Irish and Irish civil war of 1919-22. It's nowadays a quiet place, with a population in 2016 of 3,765.

Get in
Expressway Bus 40 trundles right across Ireland from Rosslare (for ferries from Britain) via Wexford, Waterford, Dungarvan, Youghal, Midleton and Cork to Macroom, continuing to Killarney, Farranfore (for Kerry Airport) and Tralee. From Cork it takes an hour and from Killarney 50 min; this section runs hourly M-Sa and every 2 hours Sunday.

By road follow N22 which links Cork, Killarney and Tralee.

Get around
You need a car to get around this scattered rural area.

See

 * : the best of it is the gatehouse on the main street. This looks like a Victorian cod-medieval invention but actually dates to 1450, though it's much restored and now holds offices. Pass through the gate (it's a public road) and the Desmesne beyond is just parkland and modern buildings, but there's the shell of the castle keep — you see it just as well from the bridge on the main street.
 * , 2 km southwest of Macroom, was one of the last primordial oak forests in Europe. In 1954 it was mostly destroyed by logging and flooding when the River Lee was dammed for a hydro-electric power scheme. It's now an extensive wetland, haunted by thousands of tree stumps and abandoned fields and farm buildings. Coarse fishing is permitted, but pike may not be taken.
 * is a sturdy 14th-century turret 4 km west of town. Carrigaphooca Stone Circle 200 m east is likely Bronze Age, circa 1000 BC; only three stones remain upright in the 5-m circle. Castle and circle are on private land and you can't see much from the wooded highway.
 * marks the spot where "Ireland's lost leader" was killed on 22 Aug 1922 in an ambush at the tail-end of the Irish Civil War. See Clonakilty, Collins' birthplace, for the backstory.
 * , 10 km north of town, is a megalithic complex from around 1500 BC. There's a stone circle and a nearby wedge tomb. Millstreet Country Park 1 km east has gone out business.
 * Gougane Barra: see Bantry for this early Christian site in the hills 30 km west.
 * Gougane Barra: see Bantry for this early Christian site in the hills 30 km west.

Do

 * Macroom Community Leisure Centre is just inside the castle gates. It's open M-F 9AM-10PM, Sa 9AM-6PM.
 * Macroom Golf Club is along the riverbank south side of town. White tees 5594 m, par 71, visitor round €30-40.
 * Derrynasaggart Mountains are the range west of town on the Cork / Kerry boundary. There are various hikes and climbs: the highest is Mullaghanish at 649 m, with radio and TV masts on the summit.

Buy

 * Aldi is the main supermarket, open M-F 9AM-10PM, Sa Su 9AM-0PM.
 * Farmers' Market is held in The Square on Tuesday 9AM-2PM.
 * There are ATMs outside the Bank of Ireland and the TSB.

Eat

 * Macroom Oatmeal is a distinctive local stone-ground meal, produced at Walton's Mill.
 * Castle View Chinese is open daily 4-11PM.
 * Mizzoni's Pizza is open daily 4:30-10:30PM.
 * Castle View Chinese is open daily 4-11PM.
 * Mizzoni's Pizza is open daily 4:30-10:30PM.

Drink

 * Others in town centre are Murray's and JC Murphy's, with Mary Anne's north up Masseytown Rd.
 * Top of Coom claims to be Ireland's highest pub. It's in the hills on the Cork / Kerry boundary along a lane to Kenmare, open M-Th 5-10:30PM, F-Su noon-10:30PM.
 * Others in town centre are Murray's and JC Murphy's, with Mary Anne's north up Masseytown Rd.
 * Top of Coom claims to be Ireland's highest pub. It's in the hills on the Cork / Kerry boundary along a lane to Kenmare, open M-Th 5-10:30PM, F-Su noon-10:30PM.
 * Top of Coom claims to be Ireland's highest pub. It's in the hills on the Cork / Kerry boundary along a lane to Kenmare, open M-Th 5-10:30PM, F-Su noon-10:30PM.

Sleep

 * There are no campsites or caravan parks hereabouts.

Connect
As of March 2023, Macroom and its approach roads have 4G from Eir, and 5G from Three and Vodafone.

Go next

 * Bantry to the west is a good base for exploring Cork's three peninsulas: Mizen Head, Sheep's Head and Beara.
 * Killarney northwest brings you to the scenic Ring of Kerry.
 * Cork is the lively city to the east. With your own car, you can also cut across country to Blarney.

title: Macroom


text:
Macuto

Macuto is a city in the state of La Guaira in Central Venezuela. Macuto is some 10 km from the airport and the adjoining state capital of La Guaira. Since Macuto is served by public buses and the "por Puesto" private jitneys from Caracas, the quiet weekday beaches will become crowded with many Caracenos on weekends. Sidewalk vendors and restaurants, ice-cream shops and horses for hire are popular. The seaside promenade is a nice place to walk or jog. A few museums are also nearby.

title: Macuto


text:
Madaba

Madaba  is a small town in central Jordan located south of the capital Amman on the King's Highway, some 10 km from Hesban.

Understand
A town with a long history, Madaba is best known as the location of the "Madaba Map", a 6th-century mosaic depiction of Jerusalem and many parts of the Holy Land.

In biblical times the city was part of the Moab Kingdom. After having been conquered by the Persians and after a devastating earthquake in 746 A.D., the city was left alone and remained mostly abandoned until 1890, when the reconstruction of a Greek Orthodox church revealed the famous mosaic.

Madaba with about 80,000 inhabitants is approximately 10% Christian (Catholics & Greek Orthodox). Much of the traveller and pilgrim infrastructure is run by the Franciscans. For the Bedouins living around the area, Madaba is an important market place.

Get in
The city is 25 km from Queen Alia International Airport and 35-40 km from the Dead Sea, potentially making it the ideal place to start or end your trip to Jordan.

By bus

Madaba is about 1 hr from Amman. Buses from Amman's Tabarbour Station cost 1.20 JD (Oct 2018). Also, there are frequent minibuses from the 7th circle in Amman (1 JD)—they come from the center direction and take a turn south onto the airport road, directly after which you will find the bus stop.

You can also get buses from the Mahatta bus station, and minibuses from the Muhajireen bus station near the Jordan Museum (0.65 JD) which enter Madaba from the west rather than from Airport Rd.

By taxi
A taxi is a good option, especially if you're in a group. The cost depends on your bargaining abilities but it can go from 8-12 JD. Or you go by meter, which is about 12 JD. from northern Amman. Service taxis leave from Airport Rd near 7th Circle and cost 2 JD per person.

Because Madaba is close to Amman, Uber is available throughout town, including at Mount Nebo. The Uber price from the airport to Madaba city centre was around 6 JD as of Feb 2019.

By car
The very centre of town has narrow, crowded streets, but just a few hundred metres away, you can find wide roads with plenty of parking.

Get around
Madaba is a very small city, so one can easily get around by on foot, although a taxi from downtown to the bus station is a good idea (1-2 JD). Taxis traveling within the city do not use the taxi meter but operate at a standard fare of 1 JD per trip. Make sure you agree on this price with the driver before hopping on. Uber is also available inside the city. Very good option for a ride to Mt. Nebo (around 5 JD from Madaba center) (Feb 2019).

In the city

Do
Not much except for visiting the places mentioned before and climbing the bell tower of Saint John Shrine.

Buy
Very good quality and cheap rugs. There are places where you can have them made on order if you have the time to wait for them. Excellent mosaics and great Dead Sea products.

Eat
There are many little falafel and kebab places, some better than others.

 * Ayola's – A great coffee shop that welcomes tourists. They have very good sandwiches and excellent fruit shakes. It is the place to ask for a sheesha and people watch.
 * Chili Ways – Newly opened. Offers decent hamburgers and fast-food at very reasonable prices.
 * King Mesha restaurant – Offers lovely ambiance, friendly service and delicious food for very reasonable prices. It is very near the Madaba Archaeological Park and the museum.
 * Ayola's – A great coffee shop that welcomes tourists. They have very good sandwiches and excellent fruit shakes. It is the place to ask for a sheesha and people watch.
 * Chili Ways – Newly opened. Offers decent hamburgers and fast-food at very reasonable prices.
 * King Mesha restaurant – Offers lovely ambiance, friendly service and delicious food for very reasonable prices. It is very near the Madaba Archaeological Park and the museum.

Drink
Alcohol is widely available and there are a lot of liquor shops in town. If you are travelling to Wadi Rum and prefer wine during evening in the Bedouin camp, buy alcohol here as it is only available in the luxury hotels and camps in Wadi Rum, which most likely will be very far off - not many camps are close to each other.

Go next
Most local buses going north or south should stop at the bus station in the east of town.

 * Amman — if you stayed in Madaba over night coming from the airport.
 * Dead Sea — besides Petra the most famous tourist attraction in Jordan.
 * Kerak — site of a once-mighty Crusader castle.
 * — great nature reserve famous for its impressive canyons. Read more here. Limited access in winter.
 * Dana Nature Reserve — stay in a local village within the Nature Reserve, and enjoy unforgettable hiking in an offshoot of the Great Rift.
 * Petra — The most famous sight in Jordan. A touristic (=pricey) bus leaves every day from outside the Mariam Hotel for the trip to Wadi Musa (near Petra) via the scenic King's Highway, with stops at Wadi Mujib and Kerak.
 * Wadi Rum — a stunning desert valley in southern Jordan, lies about an hour south of Petra.

title: Madaba