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Manila/Tondo and San Nicolas

Tondo is a large, culturally diverse district of Manila. Being near to Binondo, many Filipino-Chinese roam around this area, and also have different kinds of businesses situated in this area. Food tripping in this area would be a great idea due to the abundant number of Chinese food stalls and restaurants lying in this area.

The average traveller can be easily taken away by the constant bustle and haggle in Divisoria, Manila's major bargain market. Tondo is more of the shopping center for bargain hunters; a walk or a pedicab ride will allow you to see the true face of the district. Another way of experiencing Tondo is touring slums, rather not for the faint of heart with the district's reputation for gangs and grit, but a local guide will help you get around and meet locals.

Understand
Slums, poverty and gangs is the first impression of Tondo by many people, and that's why this part of Manila is perhaps off-the-beaten-path, except for the Divisoria market popular with bargain hunters. The lack of historical sites of tourist importance also adds to the problem, but trying to dig down a bit can lead you to hidden spots.

Tondo has a population of over 655,000 people (as of 2020) in of land, making this district the densest in Manila; it is also reputed as one of the world's most densely populated neighborhoods. The population density is well reflected by the scarcity of high-density housing for poorer residents. The income gap is also well illustrated: most locals live on simple houses or low-density apartments, while mid-class people inhabit the towering condominiums that represent the district's ongoing gentrification.

Tondo's ethnic composition and culture are diverse, and waves of immigration creates the district's distinctive cultural blend. Southeastern Tondo and Divisoria is a northern extension of Binondo, so find many Filipino Chinese businesses and schools around. Anywhere, you will find Visayans, Ilocanos, Kapampangan, and other native ethnic groups. Muslim Filipinos are rather a tiny minority.

 * "I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila, and the life there is poor and very sad. And I've always taught to myself to look for the beauty of it and look in the beauty of the faces of the children and to be grateful." — Catriona Gray (Miss Universe 2018)

History
Tondo was the center of the namesake kingdom, the Kingdom of Tondo, one of the pre-Hispanic polities found in historical finds. The old polities fell to the Spanish colonizers, and Tondo became a Spanish overseas province, until its dissolution, where Tondo's northern halves became part of Bulacan and Rizal. Tondo became a center for Filipino revolutionaries, and is home to Andres Bonifacio who led the Philippine Revolution from 1896 and 1897, where he was executed by order of his archrival, Emilio Aguinaldo. American colonization followed the Revolution, but Tondo is almost reduced to ruins during the Japanese occupation.

The beginning of Tondo's reputation as a giant slum and a crime-ridden district of Manila is rooted on postwar rebuilding. As people from the poorer provinces migrated to Manila for better jobs, the district is lacking adequate housing and services for the increasing migrant population, and as a result, many resorted to squatting and crime, and gangs like those led by Asiong Salonga (aka "Hari ng Tondo" or the "Manila Kingpin") are formed. Funds from the World Bank used to improve living conditions has caused skyrocketing land prices, so Manila's government decided to legalize the slums in the 1970s. Since then, while high-rise condominiums and giant multistory shopping malls are leading the district's gentrification, Tondo still has its reputation for poverty and gang activity, and many of the original slums still exist.

By train
The Philippine National Railways' main terminal and headquarters, is at the Tutuban area. Most visitors from southern Metro Manila will come by train, and the station leads into Divisoria. The original train station is found where the Tutuban mall complex stands.

Trains from Bicol Region arrive at Tutuban-PNR Station, but service is suspended indefinitely as of 2017. Metro Commuter Line trains to and from Muntinlupa, Malabon and Calamba trains begin service at 5AM and ends at 8PM, but trains can get stuffy on morning, noon, and evening rush hours. Pickpockets also lurk on the trains, so wear backpacks at the front and avoid placing valuables on rear pockets.

The nearest LRT stations are LRT Line 2 (LRT-2) Recto station, and LRT Line 1 (LRT-1) Blumentritt station. An LRT-2 extension to Divisoria is proposed, but for now, going to Tondo through the LRT will involve a transfer to a jeepney bound for Divisoria.

By jeepney
Jeepneys, both classic and modern, connect Tondo with the rest of Manila, as well as other cities in Metro Manila. Routes converge around Divisoria, near Tondo's historic center.

Within Manila:
 * Divisoria-Quiapo: Connects the commercial center of Quiapo via Recto Avenue. Fare: regardless of boarding point. Route used to be served by electric tricycles between 2016 and 2019.

Outside Manila:
 * Gasak-Divisoria: Route starts at Malabon, passing through Navotas and northern parts of Tondo like Balut, Vitas, and Gagalangin. Route operated by modern, air-conditioned jeepneys as of 2020. Fare:.

Get around
Primary ways of getting around Tondo and San Nicolas is by jeepney, tricycle or pedicab, or on foot. Bus service is limited to Road 10, which separates the districts from the Port of Manila. You can walk, but this is not advisable if you're alone.

Car travel is not advisable. Parking is mostly available only around Tutuban Mall; on-street parking is nearly nowhere to find, and there's the risk from smash-and-grab thieves and delinquent youths. Streets are more often than not narrow, and the otherwise wide Road 10 do get congested with trucks coming in and out of the port.

Slum tours

Tondo is one of the few places to offer tours of its sprawling slums. The Smokey Mountain tenement which was a landfill that now houses apartments serving as residences for some of Manila's urban poor. The slum tourism industry is not formally organized; just ask a local to serve as your guide to get around, meet locals and see the everyday life in houses, schools, shops, and local food stops. Touring alone is inadvisable, as you are just exposed to the constant threat of street thugs finding their next victim.

Santo Niño de Tondo Festival
Tondo holds a feast dedicated to the Santo Niño (Holy Child) every third week of January. Festivities are centered on Tondo Church, which hosts an image of the Santo Niño. The peak of the festivities happen on the Lakbayaw Dance Festival, where local dance schools compete in the rattling sound of drums and brass music. The festivities draws people around Manila, and some non-locals and a few foreigners as well.

Work
There are many non-government organizations working to improve living conditions in the slums, and volunteer work is a viable work option if you plan to stay in Tondo for the long term.

Stay safe
Tondo has a sketchy reputation for violent crime; locals may tell you that Tondo is the gang capital of the Philippines. While the old days of the Hari ng Tondo (King of Tondo) are long gone, criminal rings continue to jostle for dominance in many residential areas with police raids and street brawls (rambol), and local politicians, mostly barangay officials, have fell victim in the crossfire. Never get into a narrow alley without knowing where to go, and watch out for those street vagabonds that may impulsively approach you, and at worse, beat you; that's where kursonada comes to play. It is also easy to get lost into gang turf; find the nearest police or barangay tanod (watcher) outpost to find your way out.

The Divisoria area can be dangerous for the unwary traveller. Women travellers must be more cautious; jewelry like earrings are frequent magnets for thieves, and some homeless children are involved in these crimes. Crowded pasilyos (corridors) inside the malls can be havens for pickpockets and gropers.

Go next
Binondo is just next door, if you are tired of wandering and window shopping in Divisoria.

title: Manila/Tondo and San Nicolas


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Manipur

Manipur (Manipuri: ꯀꯪꯂꯩꯄꯥꯛ, Kangleipak) is a North-Eastern Indian state, rich in history, culture and natural beauty. Ancient Manipur was one of Asia's oldest human civilisations. It was known for the arts, language, philosophy, politics and sports. Besides its cultural heritage, the blue mountains and the bowl like central plain draw many tourists from far away. Loktak lake, home to the world's only floating national park, is known as the "Mirror of Manipur".

Manipur is also known as "Switzerland of the East", "Jewel of India" and "Maid of the Mountains". Besides these, it is also called "Gateway to South East Asia" for its strategic location in India connecting with the South East Asian countries. Other than Manipur, there is no well developed land route in India to connect with the ASEAN nations.

Manipur has been at the crossroads of Asian economic and cultural exchange for more than 2,500 years, connecting the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia to Southeast Asia, East Asia, Siberia, regions in the Arctic, Micronesia and Polynesia. This strategic geographical location enables the migration of people, cultures and religions, to and from all sides.

Regions
Manipur has mountainous and plain regions with countless islands spread over the Loktak lake in the middle of the central bowl like plain.

Manipur is broadly divided into plain districts (Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Jiribam, Kakching, Thoubal) and hill districts (Chandel, Churachandpur, Kamjong, Sadar Hills/Kangpokpi, Noney, Pherzawl, Senapati, Tamenglong, Tengnoupal, Ukhrul).

Cities
Major cities include:
 * — the metropolis and the largest city of Manipur state, most of the archaeological and historical sites are concentrated here
 * — housing the first Hindu temple built in Manipur - Bishnu Temple (Vishnu Temple)
 * — declared the cleanest city in North East India by the Indian government, the region with the highest literacy rate in Manipur, the highest level of grain production in Manipur and thus, the sobriquets "Rice Bowl of Manipur" or "Granary of Manipur"
 * — Capital city of the Western Imphal Division
 * — Known as the "Cradle of Manipuri culture", this region has a lion's share with the granary of the diverse Manipuri culture
 * — India's only developed place to the Trilateral Highway aka Asian Superhighway towards Thailand and other ASEAN nations
 * — Capital city of the Eastern Imphal Division
 * — best known for the Anglo-Manipuri War Memorial Complex (aka, Khongjom War Memorial Complex), the largest in North East India

Other destinations

 * — the world's only floating national park, because of decomposed plant materials and part of the Loktak Lake ecosystem. It provides the natural habitat for the endangered Eld's deer or brow-antlered deer (Sangai deer). It is an annual destination place for many migratory birds, including the Siberian cranes, during winter. It is also home to a variety of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

 * — housing a 2000-year-old fireplace still burning in a protected sacred site

 * — Also called Shirui National Park, this park near Ukhrul is the world's only wild habitat for the Shirui lily (Lilium macklineae), and also has tigers, leopards and a variety of rare bird species such as the Blyth's tragopan. The Shirui peak during monsoon season is covered with the blooms of the exotic lily.

 * — the largest island in Manipur and one of the most common boating adventure zones in Manipur, the world's only floating national park, Keibul Lamjao National Park is also under its jurisdiction but outside the main island

 * — This sanctuary hosts the unique and vibrant biodiversity of the Indo-Myanmar region because of its strategic location in the juncture of the two major geographical zones.

 * — a small town adjacent to Sirohi National Park. It's also the home of the Tangkhul Nagas and the administrative headquarters of the Ukhrul district.

Understand

Manipur is bordered by Assam in the west, Nagaland in the north, Myanmar (Burma) in the east, and Mizoram in the south.

The state is a melting pot of different cultures and languages. In Manipur, people are legally classified as non-tribal groups and tribal groups. All the non-Meiteis are considered tribals, giving governmental privileges in every sectors. The Meitei people (popularly called Manipuri speaking people) comprise the vast majority of the population, although there is a sizeable population of the Nagas (the largest minority group) and other various tribal groups. Tribesmen communities are native to the hill districts while the Meiteis are mainly predominant in the central plain and other valleys, including Jiribam and Moreh. Hinduism and Christianity are the dominant religions in the state. Sanamahism is the only ancient religion indigenous to Manipur. After a long suppression of three consecutive centuries, it is reviving and is the fastest growing religion in Manipur.

Manipur has long connected the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia, enabling the migration of various cultures and languages to and from the two regions, and the state is credited for introducing the sport of polo to Europeans.

As with several states in North-Eastern India, Manipur has faced a violent, often brutal, insurgency. The parallel rise of the Naga insurgency in the hill districts and the fact that there are elements of ethnic and tribal nationalism in the insurgent movement have made the situation very complex.

Although the worst of the violence may have come to an end with many rebel groups having since surrendered peacefully to the Indian government, some issues caused by the insurgency still persist.

Talk
Meitei (popularly called Manipuri) is the official state language and is the native language of the vast majority of the population, although an English speaking visitor will not encounter significant language problems. English is the second most widely studied and understood language next to Meitei, followed by the local tribal languages. At least some basic knowledge of English can be expected from almost most of the population in the tourism industry and public transport services. However, learning a few Meitei terms, like "hello", "how are you" and "thank you" will be warmly welcomed.

Some people in Manipur can communicate in Hindi similar to its neighbouring states, but nearly everyone in Manipur is better in communicating in English over Hindi and locals too prefer communicating in English over Hindi.

Get in
If you are an Indian citizen but don't reside in Manipur, you need to apply for an "inner line permit" (ILP) upon arrival in Manipur. Foreign travellers also need to register with the police when they enter, but do not officially require any kind of permit. If entering by land along the main road from Nagaland, there's an obvious ILP counter next to the border gate at Mao. The place for foreigners to register is also well-marked, but is located just a bit farther down the road at the big police station in Mao village.

By plane
Imphal Airport is the largest in Manipur, second largest and the third busiest in North East India. Several airlines transport passengers from Manipur and other places. AirAsia India serves transportation from Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata. Air India has flights to Aizawl, Delhi, Dimapur, Guwahati and Kolkata. Alliance Air serves transportation from Dimapur and Guwahati. IndiGo serves transportation from Agartala, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata and Shillong.

By road

Manipur can be entered by roadways from any of its land neighbours. From Myanmar, Assam and Nagaland, there are international highways, national highways and inter-state highways to Manipur. From Myanmar, Manipur can be entered through Moreh, the Indo-Myanmar border commercial hub. From the eastern side (Myanmar), the most popular route to Manipur is the Indo-Myanmar Highways (Imphal-Moreh Highway). From the western side via Assam, the most popular route to Manipur is the Imphal-Jiribam Highway. From the northern side via Nagaland, the most popular route to Manipur is the Imphal-Dimapur highway, which crosses the state border at a place called Mao Gate.

By bus
There are daily bus departures from Kohima to Imphal, leaving only at 7:30AM. The bus sometimes fills up, and no advance bookings are accepted, so you should arrive half and hour to an hour early to get your ticket.

By sumo
Another way to get from Kohima to Imphal is to take a sumo from P.R. Hill neighborhood in Kohima to Khuzama village, near the Manipur border, then another sumo from Khuzama taxi stand to Mao Gate at the border, then another from the taxi stand inside Mao village (just past the police station, left at the fork in the road). This, of course, is both slower and more expensive than taking a bus, but is a workable backup plan if you aren't able to get the bus.

By train
Indian Railways connect Manipur with the rest of country's regions through Jiribam. As of 2022, the world's tallest railway bridge is under construction in Noney district of Manipur.

By bus
Inter district buses and inter city buses are good options for domestic travel across Manipur, both plain and hill districts. The Inter State Bus Terminus in Imphal is the meeting point of every bus services in Manipur.

By car
Exploring Manipur by car can be an awesome experience, allowing you to explore the incredibly scenic and varied terrains of the Manipur's central plain, surrounding hills and mountains, river valleys and lake islands, at your satisfaction. Most roads are well-marked and well-maintained due to the rapid expansion and the improvement of the international highways, national highways, inter-state highways and intra-state highways in Manipur. Road signs in Meitei (Manipuri) are usually repeated with the respective English language translations or Latin-Roman script transliterations.

By boat
Getting around the islands (human inhabited as well as non-human inhabited) of the Loktak Lake in the central bowl like plain of Manipur, is usually done with boat rides. Boats of various types are available. Motor boats, canoes, fishing boats, kayaks, house boats, rowboats, sailing boats are some of the common types of boats travellers usually choose. One of the most popular boatyards is in the shoreline foothills of the Sendra hillock in Thanga (outside the Thanga main island but under its geopolitical jurisdiction). Others are almost all the shoreline peripheral regions of the Loktak Lake, especially [hanga and Moirang. A home on Loktak Lake Moirang Manipur India.jpg Hundreds of buoyant restaurants and hotels are floating around the Loktak Lake, giving services to the travellers. Staying one or two nights at these floating lodges is a unique experience for people who are fleeing from noisy city life.

See
Few Asian provinces can pride themselves on a heritage as important to oriental civilization as Manipur. A range of the classical historic landmarks remind one of the days when the great Meitei rulers and authors made their mark on the development of culture, literature and sports.

Cultural heritage
The world's oldest Polo Ground is the Imphal Polo Ground (Manipuri: Mapal Kangjeibung) in Imphal. Its earliest record of existence dates back to 15th century BC (3500 years ago).

Manipur was declared by the Guinness World Records in 1991 to be the birthplace of polo: "Polo can be traced to origins in Manipur state c. 3100 BC, when it was played as Sagol Kangjei." , the world's only women run market, is in Imphal]] Ima Keithel (literally, Mothers' Market) is the world's only market run exclusively by women. The Government of Manipur has announced that the male shopkeepers are illegal inside the market complex. The existence of this unique market dates back to medieval times. The market has 3 major complexes with altogether holding a capacity of around 5000-6000 vendors. The Manipuri Raas Leela is one of the 8 classical dance forms of India. It draws the attention of numerous culture enthusiasts around the globe.

Natural beauty

 * Loktak Lake — known for its circular floating biomasses (Manipuri: phumdi), on top of which is Keibul Lamjao National Park, the world's only floating national park. This is the last and the only natural habitat for the Manipur variety of brow-antlered deer (Cervus eldi eldi), also known as the sangai or "dancing deer". It is in Thanga jurisdiction (not inside the Thanga main island).
 * Sirohi National Park in Ukhrul — it is the world's only habitat for the Shirui lily (Lilium macklineae).
 * Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary — this sanctuary hosts the unique and vibrant biodiversity of the Indo-Myanmar region because of its strategic location in the juncture of the two major geographical zones.

Do

 * Backpacking, bikepacking, bushwalking, camping, fastpacking, hiking, hillwalking, mountaineering, rambling, tramping and trekking are some of the most common outdoor activities adventure lovers usually do in the mountains, hills, hillocks and woodlands of Manipur.
 * Canoeing, fishing, house boating, kayaking, motor boat riding, pontoon boating, rowing are some of the most common activities adventure lovers usually do in the lakes and the rivers of Manipur.
 * Plogging is becoming more common nowadays in Manipur. Many plogging events have attracted numerous participants. Besides normal regular ploggings, these are done at the massive levels on special days, like Earth Day (April 22), World Environment Day (June 5), etc.

Eat
Manipuri cuisine is a blend of indigenous traditions and outside influences. Mainland India have left significant impacts on modern Manipuri cuisine. The traditional Meitei diet is very oriental, espousing fish, grains, herbs and vegetables native to the Asian biome. Rice is a staple food. Being highly dependent on the Loktak Lake, the Meiteis incorporate plenty of aquatic food into their diet, especially fish. Manipur is also a remarkable producer and consumer of fish, pork and chicken. Wines are legally allowed for tribes but not for the Meiteis (excluding Chakpa castes) since they are legally not tribes.
 * Chamthong or Kangshoi is a stew preparation of any seasonal vegetables with coarsely chopped onions, maroi, ginger and salt, topped with ngari, fried fish pieces (optional) and water. It's soupy in nature and is eaten with rice.
 * Eromba- Vegetables and potatoes boiled with a lot of red chillies or Umorok with ngari (fermented fish), dry fish and mashed together.
 * Morok metpa is a coarse-paste prepared with green or dry red chillies. They should be boiled with ngari in a pan and then it should be mashed with salt; fried fish pieces can also be added to it. chopped onions and coriander leaves should be added to it and mixed. Other dishes are- kang-hou (various vegetables fried dry in oil with traditional spices), paknam (fish cake), nga-thongba (fish curry), ooti, pakora thongba, chagem pomba, keli chana, alu kangmet (boiled potato mashed with fried red chilli and salt and dressed with mustard oil), sana thongba which is prepared with paneer in Manipuri style, a-nganba (steam vegetables, such as pumpkin, sweet pea, carrots, and French beans).
 * Singju is a salad prepared with finely chopped cabbage, onions, lotus stems, tree beans, coriander leaves, sinju pan, ginger, heibi mana and lots of seasonal vegetables mixed with ngari. Boiled kidney beans are optional and the dish is seasoned with red chilli flakes, salted to taste, with red roasted sesame powder and roasted chick peas powder.
 * Umorok – literally ‘tree chilli’ u=tree; morok = chilli. It is garnished with maroi (maroi namakpi, maroi nakuppi, awa phadigom, mayang-ton, toning-khok tilhou, coriander leaves).

Tea and coffee
In Manipur, tea is more popularly consumed as compared to coffee. Tea is readily available in almost all the hotels but you can't expect the same thing for coffee. Both drinks are not native to Manipur. So, there are no Manipuri terms for these drinks. The common Indian term "Chaa" (not "Chai") is used to refer to tea and for coffee, it's the same pronunciation - "Kofee".

Alcoholic beverages
The Manipuri collective term for all liquors like alcohol, beer, wine, etc. is "Yu" ("Yoo"). It's common among the tribal people of the hills of Manipur. Among the majority Meitei tribal, it's not legally allowed. However, the Chakpa caste inside the Meitei ethnicity is an exception. The Chakpa dominated areas like Andro, Kakching, Khurkhul, Sekmai, etc. have some of the most famous breweries in Manipur. In some Chakpa villages, the term "wanglei" (/waang-lei/) is used instead of the general term "Yu" ("Yoo").

Pineapple and orange juices
Manipur is extremely famous for the production of pineapple and orange juices. These fruits are produced in bulk from the hill districts and the hilly areas of the plain districts. Notably, pineapple is the state fruit of Manipur. Pineapple and orange juices manufactured in Manipur are annually exported to foreign nations, including Japan. The Manipuri terms for pineapple and orange are "kihom" (/kee-hom/) and "komla" (/kom-laa/) respectively. Among the fruit festivals organised in Manipur, pineapple festivals and orange festivals are the most popular ones.

Stay safe
Large-scale riots broke out throughout Manipur between the Meitei people and Kuki people in May 2023. The military was authorised to shoot and kill any rioters along with applying regular riot-control weapons. Stay away from protests, monitor local media, and follow instructions from local authorities. Christians and Hindus are also advised to keep a low profile, since rioters may associate those religious identities with their respective enemy groups.

Manipur has distinct valley people (plain people) and hill people (mountain people). The Meitei people (Manipuri-speaking people) are the predominant as well as the largest ethnicity and live in the central plain of Manipur. The non-Meiteis are regarded as the tribesmen communities (Nagas, Kukis, Zomi/Chin) that live in the surrounding hills. The Zomi/Chin would like to be united in an independent state with their tribespeople in Myanmar. There are multiple competing tribal militias that extort money from their countrymen, block roads, and occasionally erupt into warfare/killing.

The Imphal Valley (also called the Manipur Plain) is generally safe (see the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office website and similar sites), but hilly areas should be visited only on the basis of good local information, and the word 'disturbed' means no-go.

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

title: Manipur


text:
Manisa

Manisa is a city in the Central Aegean region of Turkey, on the slopes of Mount Spil or Sipylus 65 km northeast of Izmir. It's modern and industrial but has many old mosques. In 2021 Manisa province had a population of 1,456,626, with 257,993 in Yunusemre the district covering most of the city.

Understand
The original Magnesia is the Greek region of Thessaly. Its inhabitants moved here in 190 BC and founded the city of Magnesia ad Sipylum, specifying the mountain to distinguish it from their older settlement of Magnesia on the Maeander to the south. It was built over the ruins of the Hittite city of Tantalus, in a defensible position on the mountainside, with a good water supply and fertile plains around. The local soils have mineral ores, hence the name of magnesia or periclase (MgO / Mg(OH)2) and of magnesium the metal extracted from it. They also have natural lodestones, used for early compasses hence "magnet", but these are iron ores and magnesium is only weakly magnetic.

The city's foundation was marked by a nearby battle, when Scipio crushed the Seleucid forces of Antiochus III and brought the region under Roman control. Loyal cities were rewarded, and Magnesia remained important right through the Byzantine period — indeed it was for a time the capital-in-exile. It fell to the Ottomans in 1390: they embellished it and used it as a training ground for their princes to learn the art of imperial administration.

Magnesia sprawled out from its mountainside core onto the plain, and (like Izmir / Smyrna) was a cosmopolitan merchant city until the early 20th century, when inter-ethnic violence grew. After Turkey was defeated in the First World War, Greece invaded, but Turkey countered in what became the War of Independence. In 1922 retreating Greek forces carried out a scorched-earth policy, destroying the town almost completely. It was renamed Manisa in 1927 and is nowadays a modern industrial town, but its mosques have been restored.

By plane
Izmir is the nearest airport. It has daily flights from Istanbul, Ankara and other Turkish cities, and occasionally from international destinations.

By bus
Buses from Istanbul towards Izmir call at Manisa, taking 6 hr 30 min via Bursa and Balıkesir, for a fare in 2022 of 450 TL. They run hourly or better. Operators include Metro Turizm and Flixbus; the Pamukkale buses fly past on the motorway and don't call here.

There is a very frequent bus and dolmuş service between Izmir and Manisa, taking 35 min. Take a local bus, inter-city bus companies won't sell tickets for this short hop.

is the station for inter-city buses, 2 km north of the centre at the junction of D565 and the ring road.

for local buses is on Mimar Sinan Bvd northwest side of town centre.

By train
There are four trains a day from Izmir Basmane, taking 90 min, and continuing to Konya, or to Soma and Balıkesir then either north to Bandırma (for ferries to Istanbul) or east to Kütahya, Eskişehir and Ankara.

The overnight train from Ankara is İzmir Mavi Treni (Blue Train), departing at 21:00 to reach Eskişehir at midnight, Manisa at 09:00 and Izmir at 10:30.

Ege Ekspresi (Aegean Express) is a daytime train from Eskişehir (which has YHT trains from Istanbul, Ankara and Konya). It departs at noon to reach Manisa at 21:00 and Izmir at 22:40.

17 Eylül Ekpresi (17th of September Express) leaves Bandırma at 16:00, so you can connect by ferry same-day from Istanbul. It reaches Manisa at 20:30 and Izmir at 22:00.

Konya Mavi Treni leaves Konya at 19:00 and runs via Afyon and Uşak to reach Manisa at 06:00 and Izmir at 07:30.

The regional train between Izmir, Manisa, Salihli and Alaşehir remains suspended in 2022.

See Turkish State Railways TCDD for timetables, fares and online tickets.

The is 500 m northeast of town centre.

By road
Manisa stands on the historic Istanbul to Izmir road. You approach from the north on O-5 toll motorway, or the old road E881. O-5 nowadays bypasses some distance from Manisa, avoiding the mountain, so you need to exit south of Akhisar onto D565 and follow this into town. Stay on it southwest to continue into Izmir.

Get around
The central sights are easy to walk around, as are those on the hill (such Weeping Rock) 1 km south of downtown. Town buses ply the main streets. A dozen lines run out to the inter-city bus station, which on timetables is shown as Yeni (New) Garaj or Terminal.

See

 * Medical History Museum west side of Sultan Mosque is entered from 2502 Sk. It's open daily 09:00-17:00, free.
 * Archaeological Museum in the Muradiye soup kitchen remains closed in 2022.
 * off Çarşı Bvd is a 15th century market hall. In 2022 it's being converted into a wedding venue, so it's lost its bazaar atmosphere.
 * off Çarşı Bvd are traditional Turkish baths, built in 1574 and fed by mountain springs. They're still in use but dilapidated, and you'd probably feel more in need of a bath after visiting than before.
 * is the fragmentary remains of the ancient city fortifications, an acropolis on the hillside. They've been wrecked and patched up so many times.
 * Ulu Cami (old or great mosque) 100 m north of the castle was built in 1367. It's closed for restoration in 2022.
 * Gülgün Hatun Mosque and Hamam have been restored on Cumludere Cd 100 m north of the viewpoint for Weeping Rock.
 * (Ağlayan Kaya) is a rock formation south edge of town at the end of Cumludere Cd. It resembles a face, and groundwater seeps from its "eyes". In legend this is Niobe, who got uppity so the gods killed 14 of her children then turned her to stone. One child survived but turned green with the trauma, and was thus named Chloris.
 * or Spil (Spil Dağı) is the 1513 m mountain south of town. It's a popular weekend retreat for locals, with forests, wild tulips, herds of wild horses and beautiful scenery. In winter it often has snow. Its upper slopes are a national park, Spil Dağı Millî Parkı. You can drive almost to the summit, then park and hike up the lane for the last km.
 * is the goddess carved into the cliff face along D250. She was an Anatolian deity, variously depicted as a plump earth-mother, a matronly civic protector, or a wild-child arriving in a lion-powered chariot with music and wine spilling out onto her weirdo companions. In the Roman era she was re-imported here as a goddess of Troy, but this particular carving is Hittite, say 1500 BC. She's 8 m tall but crumbling and her head has cleaved: "wow, what a party."
 * Gülgün Hatun Mosque and Hamam have been restored on Cumludere Cd 100 m north of the viewpoint for Weeping Rock.
 * (Ağlayan Kaya) is a rock formation south edge of town at the end of Cumludere Cd. It resembles a face, and groundwater seeps from its "eyes". In legend this is Niobe, who got uppity so the gods killed 14 of her children then turned her to stone. One child survived but turned green with the trauma, and was thus named Chloris.
 * or Spil (Spil Dağı) is the 1513 m mountain south of town. It's a popular weekend retreat for locals, with forests, wild tulips, herds of wild horses and beautiful scenery. In winter it often has snow. Its upper slopes are a national park, Spil Dağı Millî Parkı. You can drive almost to the summit, then park and hike up the lane for the last km.
 * is the goddess carved into the cliff face along D250. She was an Anatolian deity, variously depicted as a plump earth-mother, a matronly civic protector, or a wild-child arriving in a lion-powered chariot with music and wine spilling out onto her weirdo companions. In the Roman era she was re-imported here as a goddess of Troy, but this particular carving is Hittite, say 1500 BC. She's 8 m tall but crumbling and her head has cleaved: "wow, what a party."

Do

 * Turkish baths are available in several spots. The waters are not geothermal or sulphurous, yet you may need to hold your nose.
 * Football: Manisaspor were relegated in 2022 and now play soccer in TFF Second League, the country's third tier. Their home ground 19 May Stadium (capacity 16,600) is 2 km northeast of town centre along Akhisar Cd.
 * Fitness: in legend, Sisyphus was king of Ephyra and often killed guests and travellers to his palace. This earned him poor online reviews, especially from almighty Zeus, but Sisyphus reckoned he could outsmart the gods and on a couple of occasions did so. When he died and came to the underworld, he was assigned forever to roll a boulder up a mountain, whereupon it rolled right back. Scholars long described this as a futile, literally soul-destroying task, but Albert Camus (1913-1960) was the first to see the funny side. Sisyphus had invented fitness centres! Legend does not say which mountain, but this city is associated with Tantalus who was also given a futile punishment, see Drink. Appropriately, Manisa has a couple of dozen gyms: near town centre are Press Box, Best, UltFit Life Kadın, Victoria Gym, Ekol and Onur Park. None mention a pool.

Buy

 * Lots of small supermarkets, usually open daily 08:00-22:00. Migros is the main chain.
 * Banks and ATMs line 8 Eylül Cd, which runs east-west through town centre.

Eat
Eating places cluster around Konuk Cd, the spine of old town. They include Hatçe Ana Mantı Salonu, Menekşe Kasap Lokantası, Şafak Kebap, Beyoğlu, Taş Fabrika, Manisaspor Kebapçısı and Gülcemal.

Drink

 * In town centre are Sardes, Dergah and Afitap.
 * Tantalus is the mythical figure who gives his name to "tantalised": he was punished in the underworld by having water always just out of his reach, and low-hanging fruit that always eluded his grasp. He may have a historical basis as a Hittite ruler of Tantalus, the city which preceded Sipylus on the site of Manisa. The cafe-bar of his punishment was in a ravine beneath Hades. According to Iliad, if you dropped an anvil from heaven, it would take nine days to reach earth then another nine days to plummet into the ravine - imprecise directions, but they help narrow it down.

Connect
Manisa and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of July 2022, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Sardis or Sart was the capital city of Lydia, and has extensive Graeco-Roman ruins. It's 62 km east of Manisa, and best done as a day-trip as it has little accommodation or other visitor amenities.
 * Izmir is the lively modern city on the coast, third largest in Turkey. It has few antiquities standing but several museums and other attractions.
 * Istanbul to Izmir is an itinerary across this region, with one branch swinging through Sardis and Manisa.

title: Manisa


text:
Manistee

Manistee is located on the shores of Lake Michigan in the northwestern lower peninsula of Michigan, about 65 miles south of Traverse City. Manistee offers small town charm with beautiful beaches, great fishing, and the Manistee National Forest. For vacationers Manistee has a lot to offer but it may be more notable for what it doesn't: large crowds, high prices, heavy traffic and tacky tourist traps.

Get in

 * Most visitors to Manistee will arrive by car from US 31 that runs north and south through town or via M-55 that ends just north of town at US 31.
 * For boaters there is a municipal marina with easy access from Lake Michigan.
 * You can fly in from Chicago Midway Airport via North Country Sky to Manistee's Blacker Airport.

See

 * You can tour the town on one of the trolley buses that depart from the Dial-a-Ride on Memorial Drive just north of the Manistee River. The drivers offer some history of the town including the claim that Manistee had more millionaires per capita than anywhere in the U.S. in the late 1800s. The tour passes by some of the old Victorian style homes that housed the lumber barons years ago.

Do

 * The Riverwalk offers a wonderful way to take in Manistee. It runs along the south side of the river from US 31 all the way to Lake Michigan, about a mile and a half altogether.  If you're lucky you'll see a 700 foot lake freighter slowly making its way through the narrow river channel on its way from Lake Michigan to Manistee Lake.
 * You can take a nice walk along the beach and walk to the tip of the lighthouse. The beach sand is very nice and on the side of the lighthouse you can usually see some nice fish since the water is so clear.
 * Go Fish! Manistee offers great fishing from fly fishing in the Manistee River to small catches in Manistee Lake to the big King Salmon in Lake Michigan.  Dozens of charter boats are available at Fish Manistee
 * Golf at nearby courses including Manistee National, Arcadia Bluffs, Manistee Golf and Country Club, The Heathlands, and County Highlands.
 * Golf at nearby courses including Manistee National, Arcadia Bluffs, Manistee Golf and Country Club, The Heathlands, and County Highlands.

Events

 * Manistee National Forest Festival is Manistee's biggest annual event. Enjoy a huge variety of events including a flea market, carnival, entertainment, arts and crafts fair, fireworks over Lake Michigan, and a parade on July 4.
 * Port City Festival is every year on the weekend after Labor Day. Enjoy the scenic Riverwalk, entertainment, food, antique car show, arts & crafts fair, historic building tours, special exhibits and more.
 * Victorian Sleigh Bell Weekend is the first weekend of December. Enjoy an old time Christmas parade and events.  The parade has no motor vehicles, everything is pulled with horses.  It includes 2 huge Christmas trees that make there was down River Street.

Buy
Shop downtown on River Street at the many boutique stores, department store, or antique stores.

Eat
Local eats include the Bluefish Kitchen + Bar, The Glenwood north of Manistee overlooking Portage Lake and River Street Station for good pub grub.

Chain restaurants in Manistee include Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and A&W.

Drink
There are many bars in Manistee, ranging from River Street Station to neighborhood pubs such as Stu's. Those are just two of many bars in and near Manistee.

title: Manistee


text:
Manistique

Manistique is a city in Upper Peninsula of the state of Michigan.

Do

 * Snowmobiling
 * Snowmobiling

title: Manistique


text:
Manitoba

Manitoba is a province in the Prairies of Canada. It is well known for its agriculture, culture and history. Visitors come for the fishing and other outdoor activities, although there are several historical sites worth visiting.

Cities

 * — with over half of the province's population, Winnipeg is its metropolis, with museums, galleries, a mix of cultures, and many historical sites
 * — the province's second largest city
 * — the polar bear capital of the world
 * — it's named after the heir to the French throne, but a quarter of the population speaks Ukrainian
 * — a mining town with a sense of humour: it was named after a character in a novel
 * — visit the Mennonite Heritage Village
 * — its early 18th-century French fort is a must for history buffs, and the crossing of Canada's two transcontinental railways draws train fans
 * — the bustling metropolis of the North (population 13,000)
 * — explore the town's Mennonite heritage

Other destinations

 * — 12-m-high dunes and kilometres of warm sand beach
 * — beautiful 13-m-high waterfalls accessible from the parking lot
 * — three different ecosystems converge in the area: grasslands, upland boreal and eastern deciduous forests
 * – Canada's only mixed world heritage site

Understand
The province has 1.3 million inhabitants, half of them in Winnipeg, the capital. One-tenth of the population belongs to the First Nations (Indigenous) peoples.

It has a widely varied landscape, from arctic tundra and the Hudson Bay coastline in the north, to dense boreal forest and prairie farmland in the central and southern regions.

History
Indigenous peoples have inhabited what is now Manitoba for thousands of years. In the early 17th century, European fur traders began arriving in the area and establishing settlements along the Nelson, Assiniboine, and Red rivers, and on the Hudson Bay shoreline. Great Britain secured control of the region in 1673, and created a territory named Rupert's Land which was placed under the control of the Hudson's Bay Company. Rupert's Land, which covered all of present-day Manitoba, developed significant settlements of Indigenous and Métis people in the Red River Colony.

In 1869, negotiations with the Government of Canada for the creation of the province of Manitoba commenced. During the negotiations, several factors led to an armed uprising of the Métis people against the Government of Canada, a conflict known as the Red River Rebellion. The resolution of the rebellion and further negotiations led to Manitoba becoming the fifth province to join Canadian Confederation, when the Parliament of Canada passed the Manitoba Act on July 15, 1870.

Climate
Manitoba has an extreme continental climate. Because of the generally flat landscape, it is exposed to cold Arctic high-pressure air masses from the northwest during January and February. In the summer, air masses sometimes come out of the Southern United States, as warm humid air is drawn northward from the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures exceed 30 °C (86 °F) frequently in the summer, and the combination of heat and humidity can bring the humidex value to the mid-40s. Within Canada, Manitoba has the clearest skies year round, and ranked second for clearest skies in the summer and for the sunniest province in the winter and spring.

Southern Manitoba (including the city of Winnipeg), falls into the humid continental climate zone. This area is cold and windy in the winter and often has blizzards because of the open landscape. Summers are warm with a moderate length. This region is the most humid area in the prairie provinces, with moderate precipitation. Southwestern Manitoba is drier and more prone to droughts than other parts of southern Manitoba. This area is cold and windy in the winter and has frequent blizzards due to the openness of the Canadian Prairie landscape. Summers are generally warm to hot, with low to moderate humidity.

Southern parts of the province just north of Tornado Alley, experience tornadoes, with 16 confirmed touchdowns in 2016.

The province's northern sections (including the city of Thompson) fall in the Subarctic climate zone. This region features long and extremely cold winters and brief, warm summers with little precipitation. Overnight temperatures as low as −40 °C (−40 °F) occur on several days each winter.

Tourist information

 * Travel Manitoba website

Talk
English is the predominant language. French is also spoken in Winnipeg and other parts of the province but is slowly disappearing. Ukrainian, Polish, German, Filipino (primarily Tagalog), Icelandic, and First Nations languages (Cree and Ojibway) are also spoken in local circles.

By bus

 * Direct services between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay.

 * Operates a route between Winnipeg and Sioux Lookout. Same day connection available between Sioux Lookout to Thunder Bay.

By plane
International travellers coming by plane to Manitoba will arrive in the international airport in Winnipeg. Smaller cities usually have domestic-only air service.

 * Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport,.

By train

 * Routes operating in Manitoba:
 * The Canadian transcontinental train makes six stops in Manitoba, with the primary hub in Winnipeg. Major cities outside Manitoba on this route are Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Toronto.
 * Operating primarily in Manitoba and partly in eastern Saskatchewan is the Winnipeg-Churchill train, which travels to the Northern Manitoba town of Churchill on the shores of Hudson Bay.

Within Canada
Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) runs for 519 km (322 miles) through southern Manitoba and Winnipeg. The Trans-Canada Highway connects westbound from Ottawa and eastbound from Regina. Nearly the entire route in the Prairies is a divided 4-lane roadway. It is also the only road that crosses the Ontario–Manitoba border.

Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) terminates at its junction with Highway 1 west of Portage la Prairie. The highway is an east-west highway travelling from British Columbia along a route significantly more north than Highway 1. Eastbound travel on Highway 16 includes from Edmonton and Saskatoon.

From the United States
Interstate 29 in North Dakota connects to Manitoba Highway 75 at the Pembina ND-Emerson MB border. From Minnesota, traffic on U.S. Route 75 will need to detour slightly west to the I-29 border crossing, as the Noyes MN-Emerson MB crossing on US 75 is closed. Route 59 is an alternative, though most of it is only a two-lane highway.

On foot
There is relatively little within walking distance of Manitoba's borders; this is sparsely-populated rural prairie and bitterly cold in winter (-20°C is not uncommon). The largest of these tiny border villages is Emerson (population 600), which is 8 km (5 miles) centre-to-centre from Pembina, North Dakota.

By car
Like most of Canada's provinces, Manitoba is large, so a car or any other road vehicle is probably the most convenient way to get around Winnipeg and all areas in the province.

By train
VIA Rail runs an intraprovincial service from Winnipeg Union Station to Churchill in the far north, three trains weekly. The complete 1700 km journey takes 37 hours. A branch line from The Pas continues northwest to Pukatawagan twice weekly.

Historical sites
There are many historical sites and ruins found in Manitoba from the fur trade era of Canada.

Learn about the life in the past by visiting the Lower Fort Garry Historic Site found in the Interlake region that shows how life was like in the 1800s.

Another place to visit is the remains of the St. Boniface Cathedral in Winnipeg which was burned down now another church is placed inside the cathedral ruins.

The Forks National Historic Site is a place where people have been meeting for around 6000 years. The Forks is the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, Winnipeg's founding place. There are many different activities to do at the Forks like shopping at the Forks Market, the Johnson Terminal. Skating on river paths is a popular activity during winter. The Forks is a beautiful place in the heart of the city that includes things like parks,gardens, sculptures, shops, and restaurants. The site is a model for urban renewal and waterfront development.

Another great place to visit in Winnipeg is the Exchange District in downtown Winnipeg, the Exchange District is well known for its well preserved and stunning turn of the century architecture telling the story of Winnipeg's amazing history. The Exchange District is now a days well known for its trendy boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and cool theatres. The Exchange District holds many festivals including The Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

Museums and galleries

Winnipeg has the spectacular Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which opened in 2014 as the first museum focused on human rights. The city is also home to the Manitoba Museum, the Winnipec Art Gallery, and many other cultural institutions. Smaller cities innthe province typically gave smaller, regional museums and galleries.

Wildlife and gardens
The International Peace Garden found on the Canada-US border near Bossivain in Western region is a beautiful place that celebrates the peace between Canada and US. Oak Hammock Marsh found in the Interlake region is a nature reserve where you can see many different type of birds including the Canada goose and the Snowy Owl. Riding Mountain National Park is an excellent area to see large wild mammals and many species of birds in their natural habitat.

Bear watching
Churchill is known for its Polar Bears and Riding Mountain National Park and adjacent Prairie Mountain area for its abundant population of Black Bears that vary in color from blond, cinnamon and chocolate to black.

Fishing
During the summer time there are many fishing areas found in Manitoba like in Lockport found in the Interlake region is an example where you can see many fishermen around the Red River. During the winter time you can experience ice fishing where people can rent huts to go ice fishing in.

The Prairie Mountain region has world-class trout lakes.

Festivals
There are many festivals in different regions of Manitoba.

Some of the best known festivals celebrated in this region is the Folklorama festival found all over Winnipeg.

The Winnipeg Fringe Festival is a popular festival that takes place in Winnipeg's Exchange District.

Another popular festival in Winnipeg is the Festival du Voyageur during February at Fort Gibraltar.

The Corn and Apple festival found in Morden found in the Pembina Valley region which sells some of its delicious Morden sweet corn and apple cider.

Beaches
There are also many inland beaches found throughout the province. Some of the well known beaches are Grand Beach and Winnipeg Beach in the Interlake region that are along Lake Winnipeg. Lake Winnipeg is the world's 11th-largest lake.

Winter activities
During the winter time there are many activities available like tobogganing on some of the toboggan slide like the one found in Kildonan Park in Winnipeg. Skating on the river paths including skating on world's longest skating trail on the Assiniboine and Red Rivers, and other skating trails in Winnipeg. Snowmobiling throughout the province is a fun way to get around.

Always check the weather report prior to going out in winter. Temperatures can reach as low as from late December to early March, presenting significant dangers for anyone who is unprepared.

Buy
An 8% provincial sales tax is added to most retail products sold in Manitoba, in addition to the 5% federal value added tax.

Eat
Enjoy the fine grain products such as the different varieties of bread offered in the different communities and restaurants. Manitoba also is known for producing the best pork products in the world, including back bacon. A popular dish in Manitoba are perogies.

Drink
The drinking age is 18 - younger than most other provinces in Canada. Manitoba is also the home of Crown Royal in Gimli.

The tap water in most communities is quite delicious, as far as water goes, though in some locales, where wells are used to supply the municipal water system, there is a pronounced mineral taste. The provincial capital of Winnipeg has an aftertaste to its water, though it does not settle-out solids like, say the water in Regina, Saskatchewan. Manitoba is known as one of the wettest provinces, and has in excess of 100,000 lakes.

Sleep
Those interested in meeting people and learning about Manitoba rural culture could stay at a B&B or a farm.

Study
Manitoba is home to many excellent educational institutions, offering a wide range of study options.

Universities

 * University of Manitoba,, located in Winnipeg, is the largest university in Manitoba. It offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in various fields such as Arts, Engineering, Law, Medicine, and Business.
 * University of Winnipeg,, also located in Winnipeg, offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in various fields such as Arts, Business and Economics, Education, and Science.
 * Brandon University,, located in Brandon, offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in various fields such as Arts, Education, Music, and Science.

Colleges and Technical Institutes

 * Red River College,, located in Winnipeg, is Manitoba's largest institute of applied learning and research, offering diploma, certificate, and apprenticeship programs in various fields such as Business, Health Sciences, Trades, and Technology.
 * Assiniboine Community College,, located in Brandon, offers diploma and certificate programs in various fields such as Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, and Trades.

Language Schools

 * Heartland International English School,, located in Winnipeg, offers English language training for international students.
 * International College of Manitoba,, located in Winnipeg, offers programs for international students to improve their English language proficiency and to prepare for university studies in Canada.

Other

 * Canadian Mennonite University,, located in Winnipeg, is a Christian university offering undergraduate degree programs in various fields such as Arts, Business, Music, and Social Science.
 * Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology,, located in Winnipeg, offers certificate and diploma programs in various trades such as Automotive Technology, Construction Trades, and Information Technology.

Weather
Winters in Manitoba are harsh, and the relative lack of moderating effects by oceans and its relative flatness makes most of the province exposed to weather extremes. Parts of Manitoba near lakes are prone to lake effect snow. Summers are another story, with the possibility of high humidity when the warm air from the Gulf of Mexico in the south blows through the province.

West Nile Virus
There have been some cases of West Nile Virus in the province it is recommended that you do the following things:
 * Reduce the number of hours you spend outside especially during dusk and dawn
 * Use mosquito repellent
 * Wear light coloured and loose fitting clothing

Go next

 * Neighbouring provinces of Saskatchewan and Ontario, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories
 * The state of North Dakota
 * Travel on the Trans-Canada Highway

title: Manitoba


text:
Manitoulin Island

Manitoulin Island is large island in northern Lake Huron in the province of Ontario. It is the largest freshwater island in the world. 12,600 people live permanently on the island.

History
In 1952 archeologist Thomas E. Lee discovered Sheguiandah on the island, a prehistoric site. During excavation, he found artifacts of the Paleo-Indian and Archaic periods, dating at least to 10,000 BCE and possibly to 30,000 years ago. Additional studies were undertaken by a team he led from the National Museum of Canada in succeeding years. Popular interest in the finds was so high that it contributed to Ontario's passing legislation in 1953 to protect its archeological sites.

A team performed excavations again in the early 1990s, applying new methods of analysis from botany and other scientific disciplines. They concluded the site was at least 9500 years old, making it one of the most significant in Ontario.

Manitoulin means spirit island in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language). The island is considered sacred by the Native Anishinaabe people, who identify as the "People of the Three Fires." This loose confederation is made up of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi tribes.

The North Channel was part of the route used by the French colonial voyageurs and coureurs des bois to reach Lake Superior. The first known European to settle on the island was Father Joseph Poncet, a French Jesuit, who set up a mission near Wiikwemkoong in 1648. The Jesuits called the island "Isle de Ste-Marie". The endemic Eurasian infectious disease carried by the visitors had a devastating effect on the island's population, as most Natives had no natural immunity to the new diseases. They suffered so many deaths in the ensuing epidemics of smallpox, measles and other diseases, that their societies were disrupted.

In addition, the Five Nations of the Iroquois began raiding the island and area to try to control the fur trade with the French. As part of what was called the Beaver Wars, the Iroquois drove the Anishinaabe people from the island by 1650. According to Anishinaabe oral tradition, to purify the island from disease, the people burned their settlements as they left. The island was mostly uninhabited for nearly 150 years.

Native people (Odawa, Ojibwe, Potawatomi) began to return to the island following the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States. They ceded the island to the British Crown in 1836; the government set aside the land as a refuge for Natives. In 1838 Jean-Baptiste Proulx re-established a Roman Catholic mission. The Jesuits took over the mission in 1845.

In 1862, the government opened up the island to settlement by non-Native people by the Manitoulin Island treaty. As the Wikwemikong chief did not accept this treaty, his people's reserve was held back from being offered for development. That reserve remains unceded. On August 7, 1975 the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve reasserted their claim to sovereignty over the islands off the east end of Manitoulin Island, declaring, "Wikwemikong Band has jurisdiction over its reservation lands and surrounding waters."

The province erected an Ontario Historical Plaque on the grounds of the Assiginack Museum to commemorate the Manitoulin Treaties' role in Ontario's history.

Get in
The swing bridge at Little Current, at the northeastern tip of the island, connects Manitoulin to Ontario's highway network. From there, it is a little less than 2 hours by car to Sudbury and almost six hours by car to Toronto.

From mid-May to mid-October,a ferry called the MS Chi-Cheemaun travels from Tobermory to the village of South Baymouth, at the southeastern tip of the island.

Get around
There are lots of cyclists on the island but there are no trail systems (Trans Canada Trail). Please ensure that safety procedures are taken as you will have to share the road with cars. There are extensive back roads that are quieter and less traveled than the main highway roads.

Do
There is some great hiking on Manitoulin Island the most famous of which is the Cup and Saucer Hiking Trail. Don’t miss out on the spectacular views at McLean’s Mountain Lookout and the Mississagi Lighthouse trail. Bridal Veil Falls and Trail has a picnic area that features huge millstones once used in the Kagawong gristmill. There is also the oddly named Mounted Animal Trail.

Numerous festivals, museums, special events and Pow Wows take place each year such as the Haweater Weekend in Little Current and the Wikwemikong Cultural Festival & Pow Wow, which features international Native Dance competitions, as well as local arts and crafts. The Great Spirit Circle Trail hosts walks where you can discover local plant species and their uses. Join the story telling at the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation.

title: Manitoulin Island


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Manitou Springs

Manitou Springs is a small resort town just west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was founded as a tourist destination and also became known for its mineral springs. But its greatest claim to fame is being the gateway to Pikes Peak.

Since the 1970s Manitou Springs has become known as an artist's colony, although tourism is still a very important part of Manitou's atmosphere. It is directly at the base of Pikes Peak and surrounded by mountains (including Pike National Forest) on three sides.

Understand

 * Manitou Springs tourism website

Get in
Manitou Springs is about 4 miles west of Colorado Springs by way of U.S. Highway 24.

By plane
The Colorado Springs Airport is served by eight airlines.

By car
From downtown Colorado Springs or I-25, take U.S. Highway 24 west, and take the Manitou Springs exit. Or go west on Colorado Avenue (24 business) and you'll drive right through the center of Manitou Springs.

By bus
There is daily bus service from downtown Colorado Springs.

Get around
Manitou Springs is a great town for a walking or bicycle tour. Nearly all of the shops, galleries, bars and restaurants are on or just off the main street, which is Manitou Avenue. Stop by the Chamber of Commerce at the east end of town (Manitou Avenue and Mayfair) to pick up walking tour maps.

Do
Walking is an excellent way to see Manitou. The town is also close to many great hiking/running/biking trails. Garden of the Gods abuts Manitou on the northwest side and has many hiking trails. Barr Trail is the longest trail, although it is virtually straight up (and down). The Intemann Trail skirts Manitou's south side, running from the Iron Springs (near the Cog Railway)ending at the old cemetery. Red Rock Canyon (on the east side of Manitou) is similar to Garden of the Gods (it is a geological extension with similar sandstone slabs) and has a well-designed trail system that has become quite popular since opening in 2006. Waldo Canyon is a nice loop about 2 miles west of Manitou along Highway 24.

Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak is a nearby mountain. Dubbed America's Mountain, it's not for the faint-of-heart - the mountain's summit is just over 14,000 feet (4302 m).

There are three ways to reach the summit: drive, ride the cog railway , or hike via the 12.6-mile-long Barr Trail.

Driving costs $15/adult with quantity discounts, though the high altitude can be quite punishing on a car. However, it gets much quieter between trips of cog rail tourists. Driving also gives plenty of opportunities to stop to admire breathtaking views, taking pictures of marmots and pikas (the local fauna), or using the facilities at any of several stops on the way up. Plus, the Pikes Peak Highway is just fun for people who like to drive! Trips can be spoiled by overheated engines or hot brakes on the verge of failing if the car is driven poorly. Avoid these pitfalls by using the proper gear for ascent/descent.

The Pikes Peak Cog Railroad (the cog train to the top of America's Mountain) costs $30/adult, and saves wear and tear on your car. It also allows you to sit back and enjoy the train conductor/tour guide's witty banter and lame puns as he/she explains the sights and points out native plant and animal life. Cog rail allows 30-40 minutes at the peak before descent.

Finally, if you are acclimated to the altitude, the hike to the summit is pleasant (but very strenuous) and can be done in a day. The Barr Trail ascends from the east side and is 12.6 miles (20 km) long. You can also arrange to stay at Barr Camp for a night and break up the hike.

Take a jacket - it can be quite cool at the 14,110 foot summit of Pikes Peak even in the middle of the summer. Do not consume caffeine or alcohol prior to the trip. The change in altitude is very sudden and stimulants may exacerbate the effects. Drink lots of water... and then drink more. A visit requires several hours to make sure you can sit, relax, eat, drink water, and breathe deeply to avoid altitude sickness.

At the top spend plenty of time taking pictures, shopping for souvenirs, and just sitting on the rocks on the northern edge and enjoy the view.

In early July every year, there's a "race for the clouds" during which the Pikes Peak Highway is shut down and high-performance cars, trucks, and motorcycles race to the summit, watched by a large and enthusiastic audience.

Buy
A wide range of stores including clothing boutiques, candy shops, antique stores, Indian jewelry and unique shops such as the Hemp Store & organic grocery store.

Eat
Manitou has many restaurants from ranging in style from funky to fancy. A few are:

Drink
There are many taverns and local hang-outs. A few are:

Sleep
Accommodations range from small mom-and-pop motels to national chains to the Cliff House, an historic grand hotel that has been restored to her former beauty.

Go next

 * Woodland Park

title: Manitou Springs


text:
Manitowoc

Manitowoc is a city in Wisconsin.

By car
Interstate 43 from Green Bay and Milwaukee, US-10 from Appleton and Ludington (via car ferry, see below), and US-151 from Fond du Lac.

Sleep

 * AmericInn by Wyndham Manitowoc, 5020 Hecker Rd. Nor much going on activity-wise here other than an indoor pool, hot tub, and gym, but the breakfast is complimentary. +1 920-320-1306. $98 (Sep 2022)

title: Manitowoc


text:
Manizales

Manizales is the capital of the Department of Caldas in Colombia's Zona Cafetera. The city has a real European, small city feel to it, like being in Switzerland or the Alps.

Understand
Manizales has a population of 434,000 (2018), and is at the western end of the Andes mountains. It is best known for being at the heart of coffee production in the region. Manizales is a beautiful university city, famous throughout Colombia for its numerous private and public universities. So students can be seen everywhere, either walking to classes along Avenidas Santander or Parallela, or sitting in the myriad cafes along Avenida Santander after class while chatting with friends and watching others strolling along the avenue. The city has a very young and vibrant atmosphere and good nightlife in the Zona Rosa. In winter season it rains a lot (almost every day, but not for too long), but you can find very dry days in the summer. In this city it's easy to see why the Spanish would choose locations high up for establishing cities, and why the later colonists from Medellin and Antioquia who founded this city chose this relatively high location to mount a new city 150 years ago. The climate is moderate and very healthy, nothing like the humidity and heat you'll find in valleys down below!

The city is also famous for having 8 separate micro-climates, depending on which elevation and barrio you're in. For example, it's possible in just 10 minutes to go from a spot that's cool and foggy (for ex. the Chipre district that is higher up and overlooking the valley floor below) to one that is warm and balmy (like La Linda district).

By plane
Taxis are regulated, reasonably priced and safe from the airport. A taxi ride from the airport to the center takes approximately 20 minutes, and can cost US$5.

By bus
is a modern facility next to the lower cable car station. The cable car can take you to the city centre for COP$2300 (great views). Collectivos to Chinchina cost COP$4600 per person and take about 40 minutes.

 * Cali: COP$30,000, 5 hours
 * Bogotá: COP$77,000, 8 hours (Expresso Bolivariano)
 * Medellín: COP$38,000, 5 hours
 * Pereira: COP$11,000, 1 hr 15 min every 15 minutes with a minibus
 * Armenia: COP$17,000, 2 hr 15 min every 15 minutes with a minibus

Some common bus companies in Colombia that are found in this Terminal are:
 * Expreso Bolivariano Expreso Bolivariano- This company has one of the most extensive networks. Some international destinations as well.
 * Coomotor Mostly destinations in Southern Colombia

A metrocable station next to the bus station connects it with the center and the municipality of Vilamaria. One way ticket costs COP$2300.

Get around

By cable car

There are two operating cable-car lines, both meeting at the main bus station. The first line goes to the city center and the second goes to the suburb of Villamaría, to the south. A third line is under construction and is set to open in 2024. It will serve the El Cable entertainment area at the eastern edge of the city as well as the stadium and the main bus station. This method of transportation offers spectacular views of the different barrios. One way tickets cost COP$2,700 (as of Jan 2024).

By bus

There is an extensive network of buses running around Manizales connecting most parts of the city, the 3-mile-long main Avenida Santander, including the numerous neighborhoods (barrios) and surrounding barrios, use caution when visiting lower-income barrios (as you should have in any other city). The cost for a one-way trip is COP$2,500 (as of Jan 2024). Types of buses range from large buses to smaller vans, and Willys jeeps are also available for side trips to outlying areas including local mountains and valley floors, prices vary depending on destination, but are cheap.

By taxi

Taxis are relatively cheap, make sure the meter is on. Some taxi drivers are dishonest and try to take advantage of foreigners. For example, they may use standing charges while waiting or take circuitous routes to your destination. Some don't have meters, so ask for cost in advance. If you stop along your route, the driver will reset the meter for a new fare, with you paying the sum of all the fares once you reach your final destination. It's possible to negotiate as well, but standard daytime fare is COP$2,200, and higher after 8PM and weekends, holidays, when it's COP$2,500.

See

Chipre is a district in the west of Manizales with Manizales' highest altitude. On top of a hill you find a beautiful park called 'Los Colonializadores' with some human-sized sculptures from 2002, representing the colonists who set up Manizales. The same hill serves as viewpoint as well, where you can overlook the city and beautiful coffee rich valleys down below. The view is 360 degrees, and to east, north and south are views of city that's nestled up against the western side of central Cordillera (Colombia, in the western part of country, is basically divided into sections by three large, wide mountain ranges) and to west are views of the valleys, rivers and coffee plantations down below which contain the famous coffee cities of Chinchina and Palastina (where a new, modern international airport is now under construction).

300 m away is Parque Observatorio de Chipre where you can find a watchtower to enjoy a beautiful view over the city of Manizales as well. This watchtower costs entrance fee, however.

The city has two main plazas, Plaza Bolivar and Parque Caldas. Parque Caldas is a place for the local people to sit and to chat with friends, or to shop and to watch others in afternoon and evening. During the day you always find people selling street food, sweets or balloons. On the East side of Parque Caldas you find the Basílica Menor Inmaculada Concepción, a church, constructed in 1921. Don't miss the beautiful wooden interior and the daylight shining in through the skylights. The church is very popular among the locals.

Plaza Bolivar contains the State Government of Caldas administration buildings, as Manizales city is also the seat of Caldas state. On the other side of the plaza stands the impressive, beautiful Cathedral of Manizales, built by people of the city. It's massive size is impressive and famous for it's elaborate gold canopy and beautiful, large stained-glass windows. The cathedral is also the third tallest in Latin America, at 113 meters. Many people visit this plaza during trips to city center to conduct personal or municipal business, as this area contains most of important government and banking buildings, and is oldest part of city.

Villamaria is a suburb of Manizales, located in the south. It has a nice market square, a relaxed atmosphere and is worth a visit. If you go there, make sure to take the Cable car all the way from Station Fundadores to Villamaria to get spectacular views over Manizales and Villamaria from a bird's-eye perspective.

The city has a large eco-park called Los Yarumos, named after a large tree species, Yarumo. It contains beautiful views overlooking the city and affords views of mountains and a volcano encircling the city above. There are many hiking trails and nature walks, and city just completed a new indoor ice skating rink, which has a great music system! Also, there is also a large conference center and restaurants.

The Universidad de Caldas has many museums (Natural History, Art, and Archeology) and a botanical garden.

Do
The city has a municipal auditorium and theatres where you can attend concerts, operas, and listen to symphonic music. There are lots of night clubs, discos, and bars that serve up lively house, trance, rock, salsa, and tango music.

The Zona Rosa is where most of night clubs, discos, restaurants and coffee bars are located, and 'Luker Plaza' is city's newest, ultra modern commercial development. It is also the safest and most exclusive area of town. Next to it is 'Cable Plaza', the city's hottest new entertainment destination. It houses a 5-floor state of the art shopping and entertainment center, housing an upscale luxury supermarket, expensive fast food restaurants, and the latest Hollywood movies.

The city offers an exciting nightlife along the main avenue Santander, where you will find many of best discos and restaurants, but there is another smaller in upscale residential neighborhood located in south part of city, called Batallon and Milan. On weekends, starting on Thursday night, this is where many of younger crowd and students like to gather. There are many fast food restaurants in this area also.

The city is also home to famous football (soccer) club, 'Once Caldas', who won the South American Championship 'Copa Libertadores'. Viewing football is a very important activity here and Once fans pack the 40,000-seat stadium to cheer for their team.

If you are a football fan you will appreciate the dedication of fans and large, beautiful stadium that sits in center of Palogrande, one of best neighborhoods in Manizales, and close to many universities.

Then there is the famous mountains surrounding the city called 'El Nevado Ruiz', with its three volcanic formations. Early in morning is best time to view it as clouds then move in a make viewing difficult, but if you get up early you won't be disappointed. The mountains contain glaciers and it snows a lot up on mountain, where the temperature can be chilly and cold, but the solitude and peace you'll experience up on mountain make all the inconvenience and difficulty in reaching it, worth it.

Another nice place, but very different one is Santagueda which is about 40 minutes from Manizales. There you will find estates of warm land, the temperature is from 23 to 28 °C for which they are many places to enjoy the sun and swimming pool. The most popular part is "la fonda" where people of all the ages enjoy the weather while drinking a beer or any type of liquor, especially the unmatured brandy Crystal (aguardiente Cristal) or the old Rum of Caldas (Ron viejo de Caldas). To come to Santagueda you can take a jeep from terminal, this alone trip costs COP$7,000.

Also, the region is famous in Colombia for its hot springs and resorts such as 'Termales del Otoño', 'Termales Tierra Viva' and 'Termales del Santa Rosa' and 'Termales del Nevado'. Each contains not only hot pool where the public gather to soak and relax, but many levels of hotel accommodation. All stay opened until late evening. The first two are located in the village of Gallinazo and can be reached by bus. The white and orange "Gran Caldas" buses going to Gallinazo (look for that name on the signs in the front window) originate from the city center and can be hailed along Avenida Kevin Ángel. They can drop you directly at the Termales. The 'Termales del Santa Rosa' lower and upper locations, as does the hot springs at 'Termales del Nevado.' At both locales, the upper pools are closer to water source and so have hotter water, but water temperature also fluctuates depending on which season it is, winter or summer. Worth seeing is the 'Termales del Santa Rosa' Hotel, it is a four-star hotel and very nice if you can afford the COP$150,000 price (per person), however, included is all meals and entry fees to pools, as well as use of private, exclusive wading pools. Also, both sites at Santa Rosa have incredible, breathtaking waterfalls that are lit with multi-colored lights, visiting at night is best, or if you have time, stay all day as price of entry is for all day!

Eat
The traditional food comes from Antioquia, the region to northwest and famous for the city of Medellin. Lunch-time meals usually consist of a soup made from plantain (a variety of green bananas), followed by a plate of rice and selection of fried pork, beef, or chicken, with small cabbage salad in vinegar dressing. To drink there is a natural juice drink made from mango, or if you are adventurous, try one of native fruit flavors, they are delicious but hard to pronounce. This will usually be followed by a coffee. Sometimes, you might be offered a dessert called mazamorra, which is corn and milk with local sugar, called 'panela'. They also use panella and water in making coffee that can make the coffee exceptionally sweet. Unless you are a fan of sugary tasting coffee, ask for coffee made from plain water.

The water quality here is excellent (Manizales' water is on the top 10 of best quality drinking waters in the world). It is very pure and possible to drink straight from the tap (not true in all parts of Colombia).

If you're visiting the 'Los Nevados' Natural Park ask for 'aguapanela con queso' while going there. It's a hot beverage made of sugar cane served with cheese. Also look for cheese icecream, chorizos from Santa Rosa and obleas.

Drink

 * Pit Stop Bar (same directions as the Pit Stop Hostel in the Sleep section of this page). This bar is below the Pit Stop Hostel and is beautifully decorated with reclaimed old Spanish Colonial style windows and doors for a spectacular entrance. Bar is also equipped with a DJ booth and DJ equipment which features local DJ talent in the area.  Pit Stop also has two huge flat screen TVs with show European and American sporting events.  Nightly drink specials.  Call ahead to find out if we can find your particular hard-to-get sporting event at + 57 310-597-1214 or just come and mingle with other foreigners on the backpacking trail.
 * Bar C (taxidrivers should know to find it). Nice place to dance the night away on a mix of electronic and local music (CrossOver). It has a nice view over Manizales and is open until 5AM. Beautiful people.
 * POP Bar Very good place, has mixed music as BarC but it is located in a more accessible location (in the Rose Zone), and it closes earlier (2AM).
 * Paramo Coctales Bar in the "El Cable" sector. Frozen cocktails with tropical flavor. In Paramo you can see all the night life of the zone whilst drinking.
 * Cross Over Music Bar C, Vertigo, Britania, Mango Biche. Moliendo cafe, La Bombonera.
 * Salsa Music Salomon, Son Salome

Go next

 * Nevado del Ruiz (in Los Nevados National Park) — It's possible to hike to the snowline at 5200 m of this volcano. You can take a lechero to the park entrance (Las Brisas, COP$58,000 for non-Columbians) and from there walk all the way with a guide. There are also organized tours which take you to 4800 m to hike only the last few hundred meters and visit a thermal afterwards. Alternatively, you may consider renting a car (from COP$100,000 per day) and drive up to the 4800-m point (El Refugio) and walk from there. The road is in a decent enough condition to allow Twingos and such-like to safely complete the tour. Do not forget to bring sunscreen and warm clothes.
 * Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco — Permission is required to visit this cloudforest park. From the park entrance it is a 4-km walk through the park to Fundación Ecológico Gabriel Arango Restrepo. It is possible to see 'Anteojos' bears there and hundreds of hummingbirds sipping sugarwater at the 'finca'. A few hundred meters further is a mirador with views over Manizales.
 * Ecoparque los Yarumos — This is a rain forest. Los Yarumos offers several things such as, a walk along an ecological footpath and spectacular views of a forest reserve inside Manizales City. It is possible to see 26 species of birds and different types of flowers and trees. It is also possible to undertake extreme sports; rock scaling with a cave, canopy, aerial cable, rappel. As well, every day they have concerts outdoors, cinema functions, nice viewpoints of the city, lecture rooms, environment library and natural history museum.
 * Ecoparque los Alcázares
 * Chinchina — This city is called the "Colombian coffee heart". It's possible to visit or stay at a coffee 'finca'. It's 30 minutes by bus from Manizales (COP$4600 with Autolujo bus company)
 * Villamaria — Known as the Colombian Garden due to the variety of its flowers and the fertility of its soil. The Roble Hill; this is a natural observatory, covered with pine trees and with nearby waterfalls that can be visited. It´s more or less a 2½-hour walk through the forest until you reach the waterfalls.

Stay safe
The city center and areas around the bus terminal are not safe at night. Visitors should be careful during the day; it is relatively safe then with many good sites. Avoid the area after sunset.

The safety of bus travel in Colombia has been greatly improved, but you should not travel to areas of unrest, and travel only during the day. Do not carry large amounts of cash with you as robberies occur along some routes.

title: Manizales


text:
Manjeri

Manjeri is a city in Malabar, Kerala. Its population is 97,000.

Get in
Manjeri is accessible by road from Kozhikode and Palakkad.

Get around
Autorikshaws, taxis and minibuses are available.

Drink

 * Picnic Bar, court road.

Go next

 * Malampuzha Gardens.
 * Malappuram
 * Mysore
 * Ooty

title: Manjeri


text:
Mankato

Mankato (pronounced man-KAY-toh) is a city in Minnesota, USA, that exudes a college presence with several centers of higher learning, including Minnesota State University. A somewhat colorful community, it was home to Sinclair Lewis and the literary characters Betsy and Tacy, and such public figures as Ron Johnson and Mike Lindell, though his pillow store is no longer there. Then, it was also the site of a darker event, the execution of 38 individuals in 1862 following the Dakota uprising, even in the midst of the Civil War. President Lincoln reduced the number of executions which had been far higher, trying to find a balance.

Get in
Land to Air Express or Landline ground transport from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP).

See

 * Betsy Tacy Society, 332 Center St. If you were a fan of the Betsy Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace, you will probably take a shine to this museum about the stories that were set in Mankato. However it's only open Saturdays from 1-3PM..

Parks

 * Minneopa State Park, 54497 Gadwall Rd. A state park featuring a waterfall and trails and bison herd in the Minnesota River Valley. Features a windmill, nature center, and campground too.
 * Sibley Park, 900 Mound Ave. Mankato's largest city park, located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers. Features 2 playgrounds, baseball fields, a sledding hill, flower gardens, a small zoo (summer only), and paved walking trails. Every year between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, Sibley park is host to the popular Kiwanis Holiday Lights show.

Do

 * Attend the Wacipi Pow wow in September at Land of Memories Park, 100 Amos Owen Ln. You can also camp and canoe here along the Minnesota River in season.
 * Hike or cross country ski/snowshoe through hardwoods and watersheds at Red Jacket Valley Park, 19950 State Hwy 66. Daily 8AM-10PM.
 * Ski, sled, or mountain bike at Mount Kato Ski Area, 20461 State Hwy 66.

Learn

 * Bethany Lutheran College
 * Minnesota State University
 * Rasmussen College
 * South Central College

Eat

 * El Mazatlan, on Madison Avenue. Good Mexican food. Dos Equis on tap.
 * Happy Chef Restaurant, 51646 US-169. You can get your greasy spoon fix here with hash browns and omelets in the morning or country fried steak for lunch. Also featuring cinnamon roll pancakes. Don't forget to say hi to the Happy Chef statue in the parking lot on the way out. Daily 6AM-2PM. +1 507-388-2953
 * Happy Chef Restaurant, 51646 US-169. You can get your greasy spoon fix here with hash browns and omelets in the morning or country fried steak for lunch. Also featuring cinnamon roll pancakes. Don't forget to say hi to the Happy Chef statue in the parking lot on the way out. Daily 6AM-2PM. +1 507-388-2953
 * Happy Chef Restaurant, 51646 US-169. You can get your greasy spoon fix here with hash browns and omelets in the morning or country fried steak for lunch. Also featuring cinnamon roll pancakes. Don't forget to say hi to the Happy Chef statue in the parking lot on the way out. Daily 6AM-2PM. +1 507-388-2953

Sleep

 * Motel 6 Mankato, 1731 Premier Dr. One of those new generation Motel 6s that almost looks like it could be a clean room at a semiconductor facility, it is so minimalist. +1 507-345-6666

 * AmericInn by Wyndham Mankato Event Center, 240 Stadium Rd. Indoor pool, breakfast. +1 507-345-8011

title: Mankato


text:
Mannadi

Mannadi is a village in the Central Travancore region near Adoor which is at a distance of 13 kilometres in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, India. It was here that Veluthampy Dalawa the Diwan of erstwhile Travancore Kingdom committed suicide at the Mannadi Bhagavathy Temple.

Get in
Mannadi is 45 km from Kollam and 13 km from Adoor.

Nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.

Get around
Adoor is the nearest town and from there buses to every nook and corner of Kerala is available.

See
Mannadi Bhagavathi temple is very famous. It is an ancient temple with some stone sculptures. The most important festival of this temple is “Uchabali”, which falls in February/March. Kerala Institute of Folklore and Folkarts.

Do
Visit the Mannadi Bhagavathy Temple.

Buy
Purchases can be made at Adoor the nearest town.

Eat
Eating and Dining can be had at Adoor before traveling to Mannadi.

Sleep
Adoor the nearest town has some lodges and hotels where accommodation can be had at decent rates.

title: Mannadi