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Chongqing

Chongqing (重庆; Chóngqìng, formerly spelled Chungking) is fast becoming the most economically important city in the interior West China, with an urban population of around 8.8 million. In addition to the central urban area, the municipality of Chongqing also includes some 80,000 km² (31,000 sq mi) of the neighboring countryside and smaller towns, with approximately 30 million people altogether.

Chongqing is also the launching point for scenic boat trips down the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges Dam. The spectacular Buddhist Dazu Rock Carvings are three hours west of Chongqing City in the outlying Chongqing Municipality and are listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chongqing is notorious for its hot and humid weather. The air quality, winter or summer, can be challenging to people with respiratory problems due to massive amounts of smog. Chongqing has been ranked by the World Bank as one of the most polluted cities in the world.

Understand

Chongqing is one of the four municipalities in China, the cities that are not part of a province but report directly to the national government; it is the only municipality that is not on the east coast, (the others are Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin). It was historically a part of Sichuan province, and is culturally and linguistically considered to be part of it.

During World War II, Chongqing served as the temporary capital of China after Nanjing fell to the Japanese. Despite being heavily bombed, Chongqing was successfully defended by the Chinese forces and avoided occupation for the duration of the war.

Chongqing urban area (covered in this article) consists of the following nine districts: Yuzhong, Dadukou, Jiangbei, Shapingba, Jiulongpo, Nan'an, Banan, Yubei, and Beibei.

By plane

 * Terminal 1 - Closed for renovation. The re-opening date has not been announced.
 * Terminal 2 - Serves four domestic airlines: China West Air, China Express Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and China Spring Airlines. Metro Line 3 and Line 10 connects this terminal to downtown Chongqing. Bus service is also available from the ground level of the terminal. Taxi to downtown Chongqing costs about ¥80.
 * Terminal 3 - Serves domestic airlines and international airlines, connecting Chongqing to major international cities. Metro Line 10 runs through the transportation hub of T3. There is free airport shuttle service between T3 and T2, which takes approximately 15 minutes for each trip.
 * Terminal 3 - Serves domestic airlines and international airlines, connecting Chongqing to major international cities. Metro Line 10 runs through the transportation hub of T3. There is free airport shuttle service between T3 and T2, which takes approximately 15 minutes for each trip.

There are several ways to get from the airport to the city:
 * Chongqing Metro Line 3 connects the airport to the city centre. The station is accessible from both terminals.
 * The Airport shuttle bus departs from the ground level of Terminal 2 to in central Chongqing. There are two stops, so when you stand in line, look carefully.
 * A taxi to downtown Chongqing would cost about ¥40-80.

By train
There are three major train stations in Chongqing:

High speed trains (G series) link to Chongqing North Station to Beijing in about 12 hours, and to Chengdu in about 1½ hours. In addition, there are slow trains that take about twice as long.

The longest railway trip from Chongqing is from Harbin to Chongqing North, a 48-hour, 3,535-km ride. The price of hard ticket is ¥344 and hard berth is ¥599.

Most train tickets can be purchased through the help of the hotel your are staying. The tickets are then delivered to the hotel for you to pick up.

By bus
Long distance buses travel to Chongqing from almost anywhere. There are numerous buses into Chongqing, most notably is the hourly service to and from Chengdu, Nanchong, and Xi'an. From the west Chengdu is 2½ hours and to the east Wanzhou is 3 hours, both on good highways and good buses. Avoid the "sleeper" buses as they must be the most uncomfortable way to travel ever invented.

Get around
The metro and bus systems are advised as the best forms of transportation and are very cheap and efficient.

By metro
The first section of Chongqing's rapid transit system opened in 2005. Since then, major expansions have now linked major railway stations, major shopping districts and the airport, with more extensions under construction. Announcements are made both in Mandarin and English. No smoking is allowed and all services are air-conditioned, which is a reason alone to board one from between April to September! Don't forget your electronic ticket card to get out of the station. If you overshoot your stop, go to the service counter and add value to your card.

Chaotianmen to Jiandingpo, east-west heavy rail metro line. Handy for visiting Ciqikou, Jiefangbei, or Chaotianmen.

Jiaochangkou to Yudong, monorail line. Convenient for visiting the Zoo, Stilwell Museum, Jiefangbei, Jiulongpo, Peoples Hall and Three Gorges Museum.

Yudong to Jiangbei Airport Terminal 2, monorail line running north-south. Convenient for Chongqing North Railway Station, Guanyinxiao, Chongqing Central Railway Station, EXPO Garden Center, NanPing, and airport.

Jiazhoulu to shichuan, pass Chongqing North Railway Station North Square.

Jiangjin to yuegangdadao,Access to areas outside central Chongqing (Jiangjin District)

Beibei to Chayuan, north-south subway line thru Yuzhong district (near Jeifangbei) in central Chongqing.

Wangiazhaug to Lanhualu, north-south via airport.

环线（Loop line） Through the core area of Chongqing central city,can transfer to all other subway lines at stops on this line. Convenient for visiting the:Chongqingxi Railway Station,South Square of Chongqingbei Railway Station.

By bus
Buses are frequent and cheap, but unless you can read Chinese you have to know where they are going and choose the right number bus going in the right direction. If you are going to one of the city centres in Chongqing city, simply ask each bus if they go there. There are four city centres, so be sure you know the name of the place you want to go to:

 * (Sandplains) NW part of town and is an academic and university centre
 * (Northplace) which includes Paradise Walk shopping center - There are two bus stations near the pedestrian street (Guanyinxiao).
 * (Southernplains)
 * , the primary centre of Chongqing, contains a pedestrian mall with a major shopping and entertainment centre and a series of supertall skyscrapers around the Jeifangbei monument. There are two bus stations in Jiefangbei, south and west of the monument.

By taxi
Taxis in Chongqing are bright yellow small sized Suzuki sedans. They are relatively cheap (starting at ¥8 and ¥1.8/km, ¥8.9 and ¥2.25/km after midnight) and can be easily found 24 hours a day. Few drivers speak anything but Chinese, so you must know where you are going. Either have your destination written for you in Chinese, learn how to say it, or be able to direct the driver. A good way to use taxis is to gather cards from hotels, then simply show the driver the one you want to go to or is nearest to your destination.

Caution: Empty taxis are hard to find on extremely hot days. It is advisable to seek alternative transportation or stay indoors. This is because most taxis have A/C running, thus requiring more frequent natural gas refills. There aren't enough natural gas stations around and the pump pressure is frequently inadequate, so many taxis will be stranded lining up for gas.

By bike
Biking is the worst way to get around Chongqing. The mountains are difficult to climb, it is very easy to get lost (due to the many hills and valleys and the two rivers), and it is incredibly dangerous to bike on city streets. However, if you visit the University city of Chongqing, you can take a bike or an electric bike at there.

See
Chongqing has the largest population in West China and is the focus of China's "Go West" development strategy. As a result, it is a very lively and rapidly modernizing city, although it does get a bit too hectic most of the time. On the surface, the city appears rough around the edges and a bit gritty and thus there may appear to be not much to do in the daytime, but further investigation will uncover a city with truly its own character and a number of interesting sites actually worth looking into.

Streets and architecture

Most of Foreigner Street(美心洋人街） facilities have been demolished and it is closed to the public. The project moved to Fuling District in Chongqing（涪陵区）.
 * Hongyadong.jpg
 * Laifushi.jpg
 * Laifushi.jpg
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 * Laifushi.jpg

Political heritage
Chongqing served as the capital of the Republic of China for seven years during the late 1930s and early 1940s during the Anti-Japanese War (World War II). It was also the site of important events during the Chinese Civil War (ended 1950). With this political history comes a number of historic sights which are worth visiting.

Cruises

 * Liangjing passage boat (两江小渡,), address: Chongqing Hongyadong Wharf (重庆洪崖洞码头). Time: 8:00am–18:00pm. A trip from Chaotianmen to Danzishi which cost about 6 min. Cost of a boat ticket: ¥10.
 * Liangjing passage boat (两江小渡,), address: Chongqing Hongyadong Wharf (重庆洪崖洞码头). Time: 8:00am–18:00pm. A trip from Chaotianmen to Danzishi which cost about 6 min. Cost of a boat ticket: ¥10.
 * Liangjing passage boat (两江小渡,), address: Chongqing Hongyadong Wharf (重庆洪崖洞码头). Time: 8:00am–18:00pm. A trip from Chaotianmen to Danzishi which cost about 6 min. Cost of a boat ticket: ¥10.

Hot springs
Chongqing is recognised as a renowned area for hot springs. There are dozens of options ranging from large complexes with their own hotels, ornate gardens and spa treatments, to smaller community based hot springs. Northern Hot Springs Park, Tianci Hot Springs and Southern Hot Springs Park are the largest of these facilities. There are special tourist buses available to these sites.

Food

 * Preserved Dried Beef (Niu Rou Gan)
 * Spicy Fine Beef Threads (Deng Ying Niu Rou)
 * Curiously Flavoured Horsebean (Guai Wei Hu Dou)
 * Pulverous Nuby Peach (He chuang Tao Pian)
 * Hot Pot (Chongqing huo guo)
 * Noodle (Chongqing XiaoMian, in addition there's also Dan-Dan Mian)
 * Hemp flowers (Ciqikou Chengchangyin Mahua)
 * Fuling pickle (Fuling Zhacai）
 * Jianghu cuisine（Geleshan Spicy Chicken）
 * Fengdu spicy chicken nuggets
 * Jiangjin rice candy

Local food
Chongqing is a harbor city and with this comes what is called dockside culture (matou wenhua). This culture is blamed for a lot of things from cursing profusely to... Hot Pot. While many great restaurants abound in the city, memorable dining is best along Nanbin Lu with incredible night views back across the Yangtze River with the Jeifangbei city skyline lit-up. Here are some examples of the city's many offerings.

Hot pot
Hot Pot (火锅 huǒguō, lit.: firepot) is one of Chongqing's claims to fame. In cities across China, one can find hot pot restaurants, but only Chongqing people can really stand a real hot pot, so if you want authenticity, get it while you can in Chongqing.

When ordering hot pot you have a choice between three kinds. First, the spicy version called red soup (hong tang). Then there is one without any spices. This is basically a bone soup, and it is tasty. To get this, simply ask for "yuán wèi" or tell them "wǒ bú yào là" which means "I don't want the spicy stuff!" Finally there is a compromise with Yuan Yang Hot Pot (Yuan Yang Huo Guo), which is basically a pot split down the middle with the spicy stuff on one side and the mild on the other.

For those who like spicy but do not like it too spicy, it is possible to order red soup without the jolt (wei la hong tang). It is a nice mild experience.

For those who can not speak Chinese, it would be best to grab a Chinese friend to take you, though be warned, if your friend is a man you'll have to put up with a lot of drinking, if you're a man too you'll be expected to smoke more than you normally would, and some of the things they go slipping into the pot might not be your cup of tea. You will also have to be aware that you will be fed with a lot of dishes from your Chinese friends because they like to see your bowl is full of food. You might feel a little uncomfortable being fed like a child, but that is the way Chinese people show concern and enthusiasm towards their friends, especially when eating hot pot.

Suggested dishes at nicer restaurants

 * Twice cooked spicy pork slices 回锅肉 (huiguorou)
 * Fish slices in sour and spicy pickled vegetable soup 酸菜鱼 (suancaiyu)
 * Fried pork fillet slices in sweet and sour sauce 糖醋里脊 (tangculiji)
 * Steamed fatty pork with preserved vegetables (shaobai)
 * Fish flavoured aubergine 鱼香茄子 (yuxiangqiezi)
 * Onions and parsleys in spicy mustard (laohucai)
 * Fish with tofu (doufuyu)
 * Fish flavoured pork shreads 鱼香肉丝 (yuxiangrousi)
 * Chinese bouilli (hongshaorou)
 * Gongpao Chicken (gongpaojiding)
 * Black agaric and pork slice stir-fries (muerroupian)
 * Pork/beef slices in hot and spicy soup 水煮肉片 (shuizhuroupian) (very spicy)
 * Numbing and spicy tofu 麻婆豆腐 (mapodoufu) (spicy)

Suggested dishes at noodle shops
All dishes served in the noodle shops can be either spicy flavoured or plain flavoured.
 * Noodle with no toppings (Chongqing xiaomian) ¥7.0
 * Beef noodle (niuroumian) ¥18.0
 * Cold noodle (liangmian) ¥5.0
 * Rice/soybean pudding slices (liangfen'r (fer)) ¥5.0
 * Szechuan dumplings (hundun (T'sao sou)) ¥12.0

Western food
There are many "Western restaurants", but it is very difficult to find any real western food in them. Many smallish restaurants will have a reasonable stab at spaghetti bolognaise, and some will have menus in "Chinglish" and even pictures of dishes. However as an exception, you can find quite nice fusion dishes (ranging from Japanese Sushi and Tempura to American Sirloin Steak).

Drink
There are many bars in Chongqing, but most are underpopulated. Generally the local bottled beer is ¥10, and the variety includes several local beers and even Guinness (expensive) on occasions. If you go to one of the small restaurants to eat, you can buy bottles of local beer at ¥3 upwards.

As a warning, some bars have adopted a less pleasant method to send pretty girls to accompany and entertain you, and then ask for huge additional sums when you leave. Take care.

Sleep
There are hundreds of hotels all over the city ranging from dormitary style for ¥30 per night, through three star equivalent hotels for ¥150, up to the numerous top western hotels for ¥600-2000 per night, and many more are being added and are under construction. Most hotels are rarely fully booked. You can always check the room before you commit.

Go next

 * Qijiang

title: Chongqing


text:
Chongzuo

Chongzuo (崇左 Chóngzuǒ) is a city in Central Guangxi.

Understand
Chongzuo is among the Karst mountains, and near rivers and sugar cane fields. It is home to one of China's largest Zhuang populations.

By bus
There is a regular bus service to Nanning (¥48), Pingxiang, and Longzhou.

By train
Chongzuo is approximately in the middle of the railway line between Nanning and Pingxiang with two to three trains each day from each of the cities and a travel time of around 1hr 40min.

Get around
You can find most things you need in the area near the bus station. Local buses are ¥2 and can take you to the train station or the Leaning Pagoda. 3-wheeler taxis abound, a ride from the bus to the train station is ¥3.

Eat
There are various small restaurants around the bus station, offering rice noodles (the regional specialty is 老友面, lǎoyǒumiàn) as well as ready-made dishes to point at.

To reach a large food market, walk to the right when you exit the bus station, about 200 m past the intersection under a large blue roof.

Drink
Zhuang Ethnic Rice Wine (壮族米酒): Rice wine is a traditional beverage in the Guangxi region, and Zhuang Ethnic Rice Wine is likely a traditional rice wine brewed by the local Zhuang ethnic group, offering a unique flavor.

Bitter Gourd Juice (苦瓜汁): In some parts of Guangxi, especially in tropical climates, people often consume bitter gourd juice. Bitter gourd is believed to have heat-clearing and detoxifying properties, making bitter gourd juice a refreshing and thirst-quenching beverage.

Guangxi Longan Sugar Water (广西龙眼糖水): Longan Sugar Water is a traditional sweet dessert in Guangxi, made by simmering fresh longan fruit with rock sugar and water, presenting a delightful and sweet taste.

Guangxi Sour Plum Soup (广西酸梅汤): Sour Plum Soup is a refreshing and thirst-quenching beverage made from sour plums and rock sugar. It is a common choice for cooling down in the hot summer months.

Sleep
There are several cheap hotels near the bus station, offering simple but clean and spacious rooms from ¥50.

Go next

 * Nanning - to the east
 * Baise - to the north
 * Fangchenggang - to the south
 * Pingxiang - to the west by train

Outside of China:
 * Lang Son - Vietnam to the west (via Dong Dang

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

title: Chongzuo


text:
Choquequirao

Choquequirao is a large Inca ruin in Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru. Much less visited than its more famous cousin Machu Picchu, it is only accessible by a strenuous two-day trek.

Understand

It's a two-day hike to Choquequirao from Cachora or Huanipaca. Guides and mules for the trip may be found in Cachora. Cachora is the most popular starting point for travellers who want to see the amazing newly-rediscovered Incan site, Choquequirao. Most people go in and out from Cachora as this is the best maintained and serviced trail. There are several places to buy water, Inca Kola and simple dishes of soup, eggs or potatoes along the journey. Another option is to continue onto Santa Teresa (La Convención) or Machu Picchu, but you'll need plenty of food. Hiring a donkey or mule is advised.

There are generally only a few tourists each day entering Choquequirao, the park workers are quite helpful in giving directions. The park is quite difficult to navigate with some paths somewhat overgrown. Much of the site is rebuilt: many original large stones have crumbled into smaller pieces, and in places it is easy to identify which sections are original work and which are reconstructed. In the main plaza, concrete beams have been used on one of the buildings. In other places, crumbling ruins are marked with numbers, so if they should fall, they will be able to be reconstructed.

Landscape
Steep, rugged mountains.

Flora and fauna
Coral Snakes, Tarantulas.

Climate
Due to the altitude, it's hot in the sun and cold at night, sometimes below 0°C. The air is dry on north side of the mountains, humid on the south sides and in cloud forest.

Get in
There are three trails leading to Choquequirao, one from Cachora, Huanipaca and one from Yanama. To reach Cachora or Huanipaca, take the bus from Cusco to Abancay and get off at Ramal - the turn off for Cachora or Huanipaca (just past Saywite), the roads leading to these towns are about 2 km apart. There are at least 3 bus companies that leave for Abancay from Cusco's Terminal Terrestre, but timetables are not usually online. As of July 2011 Breddes buses leave at 05:00, 06:00, 10:00, 13:00 and 20:00. Buy your ticket directly from a bus company, the price should be around S/15 (June 2019). Get off the bus at Ramal, and from there you need to take a taxi or walk down the hill from the main road to the town you intend to hike from. Taxis often wait for the people from the bus, except on Sunday when you might have to wait an hour, or after 21:00. A ride from Ramal to Cachora costs around S/10 (soles).

For the Huanipaca and Yamana trails, steep sections make hiking the only option, but the trail from Cachora can be done either on foot or horseback. If you speak a bit of Spanish you should have no trouble finding an arriero (mule driver) and one or more mules or horses in Cachora. Just ask your taxi driver when you get a lift in, or ask at any of the shops in the main Plaza del Armas. Expect to pay at least S/25 per day for an arriero, and S/25 per day per horse. Asking rates will probably start at S/30 per horse/arriero per day but the price can be negotiated. A minimum of 4 days hire is applicable.

The trail from Huanipaca is shorter, steeper and lacks the amenities that the trail from Cachora offers. The trail from Cachora has several sources of drinkable water, campsites, showers, toilets and at least one place where you can buy Inca Kola. Hiking in from Yanama you would need to start in Mollepata, Santa Teresa or Machu Picchu Pueblo, these are very long and difficult hikes. If you want to do the 8-day Machu Picchu - Cachora hike it is probably easier to do it in reverse as you will find arrieros much more easily and cheaply in Cachora than at the Machu Picchu end. In either case you will probably need to pay for a return journey for the arriero and mule hire, not just the one way.

At Chicon Expeditions (in the main plaza in Cusco), a package including entrance fees, good equipment, licensed English-speaking guide, transportation with bus, train, mules and driver, cook and food US$430 per person.

Two-day trek from Cachora
Day One - Start out early from Cachora to make it to camp before nightfall and take in all the views as the sun goes down over the Andean valley. The first day is around a seven-hour hike and 1,500-m elevation change down the mountain. There are multiple campsites, all well-marked, with running water and bathrooms. The tap water is siphoned from streams coming from lakes and glaciers on the Choquequirao side of the Apurimac River.

Day Two - Finish the hike down the valley to the river to the Playa Rosalina campsite, if you haven't already done so, and you'll reach the fabulous amenities that include a much-needed cold shower. The bridge to walk across the river is complete as of June 2019, so you will not need to use the cable car that has now been disassembled. Get ready for an intense hike up the other side. After 11:00 the sun can make this hike very difficult, with one hiker reporting a walking speed of 500 m per hour, compared to the usual 4 km per hour on relatively flat ground. You will pass 3 potential campsites (Santa Rosa Baja, Santa Rosa Alta, and the small village of Marampata). About 1,800 m up, Choquequirao awaits. It is possible to hike at night, when the air is much cooler; the path is easy to follow.

If you are short on time or don't want to walk the road, take a taxi, S/30, (2019) from Cachora to the at the end of the road to save about 11 km. The road is very dusty and exposed, so taking a taxi or combi is recommended. Be sure to use bug spray as the mosquitoes and sand flies are relentless, especially near the river and in the humid, shaded areas of the north faces.

One-day trek from Huanipaca
Day One - Start walking early in the morning from "El Carmen" road tip, Tambobamba zone, Huanipaca. You will arrive at Apurimac river (Playa San Ignacio) in 3 hours (7.4 km). Near there you can see the small cataract photographed by Bingham during his expedition on 1909. Crossing San Ignacio hanging bridge (at 1460 m above sea level) you will have to travel 8 km up (about 4 hours) to arrive at Choquequirao campsite, at 2900 m asl. You can buy the entrance ticket at the same campsite (S/60); camping is for free. Everyone will tell you there is no food on the trail, but you can get a cooked meal at Hacienda San Ignacio, about 2.5 km from the river on the Huanipaca side. There are several water sources on the Huanipaca side, so bring your filter. The Choquequirao campsite has no food so you will need to go to Marampata to get any. An alternate start/end to the Huanipaca route which is shorter and steeper is from Kiuñalla, and there are colectivos that can take you out there.

Fees and permits
There is a S/60 fee (2019) that employees of Culture Ministry will collect from those that arrive through Cachora at the checkpoint at the Capuliyoc Mirador or at the Choquequirao campsite, for those that get in through Huanipaca.

Get around
Total time with a 15-kg pack, no guide, no mules: 5 days. Excellent scenery and a great alternative to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

With a mule carrying your pack and a good level of fitness it is possible to do this hike in 3 days. This involves hiking the 25 km to Santa Rosa on the first day, the 7 km to the site on day 2, with perhaps 4-5 hours on site, then doing the 7 km back down to Santa Rosa, and finally hiking the 25 km from Santa Rosa back out on day 3. The Association of Arrieros in Cachora don´t like arrieros doing it in 3 days, and will fine them S/30 if they catch them, so those confident in their fitness and wanting to do it in 3 days should probably tip their arriero at least this amount, and pay for 4 days hire which is considered the minimum.

You will need at least one full day at the site, it is difficult to navigate and the chances are your body will be aching. If you skip the lower terraces, your visit can be between 3-6 hours. Carry as little as possible, hike in the cool of the night, and drink from the streams rather than carrying liters of water. It is recommended that water be treated with iodine pills, UV light, or a water filter before consumption. These things are far lighter than bottles of water.

Talk
The locals are helpful but only speak Spanish and/or Quechua. The site is an active digging site, there are archaeologists working there, some of whom are American.

Do
Trek

Buy
There are several tiny (one-family) settlements at campsites along the way selling cooked food, snacks, beer, bottled water and soft drinks, unless you plan on carrying a lot of water just drink from the taps - it usually comes from small mountain rivers, so treatment makes sense but you may choose to take the risk.

Eat
There are (very simple but filling) cooked meals available at Chiquisca, Santa Rosa and Marampata. A plate of food or bowl of soup will cost you about S/3. These locations also sell soft drinks, snacks, and the ubiquitous chicha.

A local entrepreneur has wisely opened a shop with Gatorade and snacks about 10 minutes before you find another shop. Apologize to the nice lady for having already bought your snacks at the first store. Just past a gate is the top and you are rewarded with the first views of the Incan site and a nice bench to eat lunch at. Hike another hour or so and stake out your campsite. Explore the lower site that day and then see the rest of the sites on the following day. Unless you are in great shape, the relaxing day of exploring the site is necessary and must be done to truly enjoy the site. In every campsite along the way locals have set up shop, so you can buy water, soda, rice, snacks, eggs and fruit.

Drink
Fresh water from the mountain streams. You may want to filter or purify.

Sleep
Camping is not the only option. There are accommodation options in Marampata campsite with beds and showers. S/20 per night. This means that if you hike fast, you can reach the campsite in 1 day without needing a tent. There are few options in Chiquisca for bedrooms. Some agencies book the bedrooms and meals for you in advance and you do the walking by yourself.

Lodging
Tent. Bring your own or hire in Cachora - there are several locations renting tents, sleeping bags and sleeping rolls. Look for 'Carpo Alquilo' signs or ask, if you speak Spanish.

Camping
You can camp near the entrance of the ruins or at several sites nearby and there are designated campsites on the way to the ruins. The main campsites are state of the art with flush toilet with doors, cold water shower, benches, and a kitchen area. There are campsites at the following locations:

Backcountry
No permits are needed.

Stay safe
This is an isolated area but the trail is well maintained and easy to follow and people travel along it most days.

In August 2011, remnants of the Shining Path armed with rifles, machine guns and rocket launchers robbed a group of German and American tourists and ordered them to hand over their food, cameras and other equipment. Nobody was hurt.

Go next
There are three trails out from Choquequirao. They go to Cachora, Huanipaca and Yanama. From Yanama its possible to continue hiking onwards to Machu Picchu, Santa Teresa (Peru) or Mollepata.

Instead of walking the same way back, an easier way out is to go to Huanipaca: Within 5-6 hours if you are traveling light enough (2 hours down to the river, 3 hr uphill) you can reach the hotel "Villa Los Loros" (rooms S/100), which is 17 km along the road from Huanipaca, has a good Italian restaurant and free camping spots. From there you can order a taxi (S/40) to Huanipaca and from there take acshared taxi or bus back to Cusco. Another option is to take the steeper, shorter path to Kiuñalla, where you can get a bed, hot shower (but no towel), tea and soup for S/10. At 04:00 a colectivo leaves Kiuñalla for Huanipaca and on to Abancay. With a heavier bag and some soreness from the Cachora hike, it can take around 12 hours to get to Kiuñalla, or from first light to last light. At that pace, Hacienda San Ignacio can be reached at about midday, and for S/10 you can get your standard cooked trail meal with tea. Also note that the trail signs on the Huanipaca side tend to cater to those entering Choquequirao, not leaving, so keep an eye out for the backside of signs if you hiked in from Cachora.

title: Choquequirao


text:
Chora

There are several places called Chora.

 * Chora (Afghanistan) — a district of Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan
 * Chora (Greece) — a town on the island of Alonissos, Greece

title: Chora


text:
Chorley

Chorley is a town in Lancashire, England, in the West Pennine Moors.

Chorley describes itself as "Lancashire's Market Town". The markets take place most days, and continue to attract shoppers from around the local area. Chorley Borough, surrounding the town, includes many charming rural villages, and contrasting types of countryside.

Understand
10 miles north-west of Bolton, south-west of Blackburn and 6 miles north of Wigan. Preston is 10 miles north of Chorley, and Manchester is 30 miles south-east of Chorley. To the east of the town, the terrain rises up into the West Pennine Moors. Relatively low altitude, but still a remote landscape. The terrain to the west of the town could not be more different, with the flat, fertile West Lancashire Mosslands stretching away to the coast at Southport

By train
enjoys direct train connections to Manchester Airport, Manchester City Centre, Preston, Blackpool, Lancaster and Windermere. Change at Manchester Piccadilly or Preston for express services to the rest of the country.

By car
Chorley is easily accessed from junction 8 on the M61 or junction 27 of the M6. The A6 runs through the town centre while the A49 runs parallel a short distance to the West.

By plane
Direct trains from Manchester Airport in around 50 minutes or a 30-minute drive.

Trains via Manchester to Liverpool John Lennon Airport in around 2 hours or a 50-minute drive.

Get around
You need wheels for the scattered attractions.

Eat

Connect
All major phone networks offer 5G in built-up areas, with the surrounding countryside benefitting from near-ubiquitous 4G service.

Go next

 * Manchester or Liverpool for big city attractions, or north into the Lake District.

title: Chorley


text:
Choroní

Choroní is a popular beach destination in Aragua state in Central Venezuela.

Understand
Although Choroní is generally known as one of Venezuela's best Caribbean beaches, the hamlet itself actually sits slightly inland, boasting some fine colonial houses around a quiet central plaza. Instead, it is the neighbouring fishing village of Puerto Colombia just beyond Choroni where the palm tree-lined beaches lie and most accommodation is found. Framed by the tropical rain forest of Parque Henri Pitier, the beaches around Puerto Colombia are some of the most stunningly beautiful in the country.

Get in
From Maracay, buses leave the terminal every couple of hours for Choroní (more at weekends), wending through the dense mountainous cloudforest of the Henri Pittier National Park. The 45-km road is very narrow and full of hairpin bends - at some points the bus has to stop and reverse a few yards in order to negotiate the bend in two manoeuvers. It is not a journey for the faint-hearted. The alternative - taxis - is little better as drivers race into blind bends with little concern for oncoming traffic. Driving your own vehicle may be preferred but extreme caution is needed on the roads. The journey is about 2 hours by bus from Maracay or 1.5 hours by car.

Get around
The size and small streets of Puerto Colombia mean cars are best left at the posada. Everywhere can be reached on foot. To reach the most beautiful beaches you need to hire a small boat, or "lancha." Cepe (30 minutes away) or Chuao (20 minutes) are popular options.

Do

 * Tambores, or drums, on the seafront at weekends is the focus for nighttime entertainment, with local youths performing rhythmic dances to the beat of the hollowed out drums.
 * Tambores, or drums, on the seafront at weekends is the focus for nighttime entertainment, with local youths performing rhythmic dances to the beat of the hollowed out drums.

Eat
Fried fish with fried plantain on the side (tostones) is a must at any beach resort in Venezuela. Finger-lickin' good.

Drink
Guarapita - a powerful local concoction made from rum, passion fruit juice and other good ingredients. Dangerously easy to drink.

Go next

 * Small boats leave from the malecón taking tourists out to the nearby beach at Cepe, about 30 mins from Puerto Colombia. Each boat takes about 10 people.
 * Chuao is also accessible by boat from Pto Colombia. The colonial village itself is 5 km inland from the beach area but worth a visit to see where some of Venezuela's best cacao comes from. Chuao also has a lively devil dancing celebration on Corpus Cristi.

title: Choroní


text:
Choshi

Chōshi (銚子) is a city in Chiba Prefecture. Its fishery port is one of the largest in Japan in terms of amount of fish caught.

Understand
Choshi City Tourism Association has an office in JR Choshi station and maintains a Japanese only guide site.

By train
is the terminus of the JR Sōbu Main Line from Tōkyō and Chiba via Narutō, and also is the terminus of some trains on the JR Narita Line from Chiba via Narita and Katori.

Limited express Shiosai (しおさい) trains from Tōkyō on the Sōbu Main Line cost ¥3,510 for an unreserved seat or ¥3,820 for a reserved seat, and take about 1 hr 40 min for the whole trip. The last Shiosai leaving Chōshi at 18:40 does not stop at Tōkyō Station, but terminates in Shinjuku at 20:42. Missing this will require taking several local trains, most likely transferring at Chiba. The entire trip by local train costs ¥2,210, but takes about 2½ hours.

All services mentioned above are fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass and the JR East Pass.

By bus
There is Intercity Express bus leaving from from Tokyo Station Yaesu Bus Terminal. One-way costs ¥2,210 and takes 2 hours and 20 mins.

By car
From the Tokyo area, you can take Keiyou Highway or Bayshore route to Miyanogi junction. Then take East Kanto Expressway for 45 mins to Itako interchange and drive on National Road 124 to Choshi. Alternatively, at Miyanogi junction, drive on Keiyou Highway for 10 mins to Chiba East interchange and change to Chiba Tougane Highway, drive for 35 mins and exit at the Yokoshibahikari interchange for National Road 126. Drive on National Road 126 for 50 mins to reach Choshi. Both routes take about 1 hour 35 mins from Miyanogi junction.

Get around

 * Train: The Chōshi Electric Railway Line travels from Chōshi Station, connecting with JR, to Tokawa Station, near the easternmost point in Chiba Prefecture. Fares are distance based, ranging from ¥180 to ¥350. Day pass is ¥700. (Prices as of July 2023.) Suica and PASMO cards are not accepted on Chōshi Electric Railway Line. Train runs once an hour in each direction.
 * Bicycle: From the main exit of Choshi Station straight ahead approx 300 m on the left. It costs ¥735 all day for renting one bicycle.
 * Car: Free parking is available at Inuboh station (15 parking spots) and Tokawa station (5 parking spots).

Do
Choshi is the starting point of the great Pacific Cycling Road spanning six prefectures to Wakayama.

Eat
Fresh fish. Sushi or sashimi rice bowl.

Go next

 * Asahi
 * Tonnosho
 * Katori
 * Sosa
 * Yokoshibahikari
 * Sammu
 * Kamisu
 * Itako
 * Kashima

title: Choshi


text:
Chota

Chota is a city of 47,000 people (2017). It is the capital of Chota province in the Department of Cajamarca. It is considered the Bullfighting Capital of Northern Peru.

Understand
It lies at 2,388 m (7,835 ft) above sea level on the Acunta plateau, on the eastern slope of the Andes. The city is bounded on three sides by rivers of the westernmost Amazon basin: to the north is the San Mateo, to the east the Colpamayo. Both flow broadly westward into the Rio Chotano, which forms Chota's south-western boundary.

Climate
The city generally has a temperate climate. It has a mild winter and a hot and rainy summer from November to April.

By bus
There are frequent buses from Chiclayo and Cajamarca. There are daily flights from Lima to Trujillo, Cajamarca & Chiclayo.

By car
Chota is 150 km north of Cajamarca on the Longitudinal de la Sierra Highway (PE-3N), a partially paved road, about 3½ hours.

It can also be reached from Chiclayo. Chota is 215 km east on an asphalt road (PE-06 A and PE-3N), about four hours by car.

By plane
The closest airport is the Mayor General FAP Armando Revoredo Iglesias Airport, which serves the city of Cajamarca and has daily service with regular flights.

Get around
Urban transport The most used public vehicle in the city is the mototaxi or motocarro. It is an economical means of transport and many units serve the entire city and even some nearby towns. There are also rural buses and vans that take you to the nearest villages, but they are very rare.

See
"El Vizcaíno" de Chota is the second largest bull ring in Peru.

Do

 * The main festival of the city is the San Juan Bautista festival. It starts on June 13 with the triumphal entry in a procession, bearing to June 24 as the central day. The activities that are carried out are:
 * The identity of the chotanos day, held on 22 June, which pays tribute to José Manuel Silva and Anaximando Becerra Vega Mateola, independence hero and poet respectively. Both are famous people of Chota.
 * The festival of Sanjuanpampa, held at the farm of Corepuquio where festivals and concerts on 23 and 24 of June are performed. Also held here cultural events, typical dishes, dances, Paso horse contests, bullfights, motocross and soccer, but in daytime hours.
 * The election of the beauty "Flor de Chota", where ladies compete from all the villages and towns of the district of Chota. It takes place in two phases: qualifying and the grand final on 23 and 24 June respectively.
 * On the days 25, 26 and 27 of June, bullfights are held with international cartel in the famous Plaza de toros El Vizcaino, the second largest in Peru after the Plaza de toros de Acho in Lima.

Eat
Typical dishes include corn, potatoes, peas, cheese, pork, guinea pig, doughnuts, cream & sugar.

title: Chota


text:
Chowchilla

Chowchilla is a city in Madera County in California's San Joaquin Valley.

By car
Chowchilla is west of California State Route 99 near State Route 233.

See

 * Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County, 19450 Ave 21 1/2. Pleistocene period fossil displays, like dinos. F-Su 10AM-4PM. +1 559-665-7107

Go next
San Jose- 152 West to 101 North. About 2 hours away with no traffic.

San Francisco- 152 West to 5 North to 580 West to 80 West. About 3 to 4 hours away.

Sacramento- 99 North. About 2 hours away.

Los Angeles- 99 South to 5 South. About 4 to 5 1/2 hours away.

title: Chowchilla


text:
Christchurch

Christchurch (Māori: Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the second most-populous urban area in the country. As well as having the most attractions of any place in the South Island, it's the major international entry point for visiting the rest of the island. It is on the east coast of the South Island, and is the centre of the Canterbury region.

Christchurch is rebuilding after an earthquake in February 2011 that severely damaged it. The city is back in business and open to visitors; you will encounter construction sites, roadworks and vacant land (often used as temporary car parks) as you travel around.

Understand
Christchurch is located on the Canterbury plains on the eastern coast of the South Island, just north of Banks Peninsula. The city has a population of 385,000 (2023), increasing to 520,000 people when including its communing zone. Whether Christchurch or Wellington is New Zealand's the second-largest urban area is debatable and depends on where people draw the boundaries; However, the boundaries as used by Statistics New Zealand clearly gives Chistchurch the title in all measures.

Christchurch has a rich English heritage. This especially shows in the older buildings, especially in the cultural precinct along Worcester Boulevard (which is open from the Avon River towards the west), where most heritage buildings remain. The Avon River flows through the central city and disrupts the regular rectangular layout of the city streets.

Christchurch is known as the Garden City, a well-deserved name. Looking from a few floors up, one is struck by the number of trees that grow like a forest throughout the suburbs.

History
The Canterbury Association was established in London in 1848, with the intent of settling English emigrants in what was to become Christchurch and the Canterbury region. The city's name was chosen on 27 March 1848, named after the Christ Church college at the University of Oxford. The first settlers arrived in the future Christchurch in December 1850. Christchurch was declared a city in 1856, New Zealand's first. Construction began on the landmark ChristChurch Cathedral in 1864; the cathedral was completed and consecrated in 1881.

The Port Hills, which separated Christchuch from the deepwater port of Lyttelton, proved to be an obstacle in the early days, with goods requiring transshipment onto smaller ships that could use the shallow port at Ferrymead, or carried on horseback across the hills. The separation was the impetus for New Zealand's first railway, opening in 1863 from central Christchurch to Ferrymead in 1863 and then to Lyttelton once the 2.6-km Lyttelton Rail Tunnel under the Port Hills was completed in 1867. Nearly a century later in 1964, the rail tunnel was supplemented by the 2.0-km Lyttelton Road Tunnel, which held the title of New Zealand's longest road tunnel until the Waterview tunnels in Auckland opened in 2017.

At 4:35AM on Saturday, 4 September 2010, the city and region was hit by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake, located 10 km deep and 40 km west of the city centre. Parts of the city were damaged, but there were no fatalities. However, 5½ months later, at 12:51PM on Tuesday, 22 February 2011, a magnitude 6.3 aftershock struck 10 km south of the city centre at 5 km deep. Already damaged buildings collapsed, killing 185 people, 115 of which resulted from the six-storey Canterbury Television building collapsing and catching fire. Many other central city buildings, old and new, were damaged beyond repair and were subsequently demolished. The landmark ChristChurch Cathedral lost its spire tower and most of its western facade. Liquefaction severely affected the eastern suburbs, resulting in 10,000 homes having to be abandoned due to land damage (the "residential red zone"). Some residents moved out of the city after the quake – many moved out to the Waimakariri and Selwyn Districts north and south of the city respectively, and some moved to other areas in Canterbury and further afield.

A very hip scene has developed in some of the suburbs close to the centre, and many 'gapfiller' projects (as part of the earthquake recovery) are stunning. In 2013, Lonely Planet declared post-earthquake Christchurch as one of the top 10 travel destinations in the world.

In March 2019, an Australian man with white-supremacist views carried out a terrorist attack on two mosques in the city, killing 51 people in the deadliest mass shooting in modern New Zealand history. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The attacks resulted in a significant tightening of gun laws in New Zealand.

Climate
Like the rest of New Zealand, Christchurch has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, mild to warm summers, cool winters, and rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year. The city is the driest of New Zealand's major cities with only 630 mm of rain per year, half of what Auckland and Wellington receive. This is due to the city being in the lee of the Southern Alps, which blocks the moist westerly winds off the Tasman Sea and causes the moisture to fall back as rain on the West Coast. The Southern Alps also causes a hot and strong foehn wind, locally known as the "Nor'wester", to blow across Christchurch and the Canterbury plains. The Nor'wester is most pronounced in summer and can cause temperatures in Christchurch to soar over. Christchurch occasionally receives snow during winter; on average one significant snowfall occurs in the city every 1 to 3 years.

Visitor information

 * Official website

By plane

 * There are two regular public bus services from the airport to the city centre. The number 29 bus travels via Fendalton, while the number 3 bus travels via the University of Canterbury and Riccarton. The 30-min trip costs $4.00 (or $2.00 with a Metrocard) and between the two routes buses operate every 15-30 minutes during the day, 7 days a week. A door-to-door shuttle service to all parts of Christchurch is available; the price to the city centre is $24 for the first person and $5 for each additional person travelling to the same destination. Taxi stands (about $45-65 to the city centre) and rental car parks are close to the terminal building.

 * If you have a few hours to spare and no heavy luggage, you can walk to the airport. There is a footpath alongside Fendalton Road/Memorial Avenue all the way to the airport and the 8 km walk through residential neighbourhoods is quite pleasant.

By car
Christchurch lies at the intersection of State Highways 1 and 73. State Highways 1, 74 and 76 form a ring road through the outer suburbs of the city.

From the Upper South Island, follow State Highway 1 southbound through Waipara, Amberley, Woodend and Kaiapoi to approach Christchurch from the north.

From the West Coast, follow State Highway 73 over Arthur's Pass and via Darfield and West Melton to approach Christchurch from the west. Alternatively, you can follow State Highway 7 over the Lewis Pass, meeting State Highway 1 at Waipara and approaching Christchurch from the north.

From the Lower South Island, follow State Highway 1 northbound through Ashburton and Rolleston to approach Christchurch from the south-west.

Typical distances and non-stop travel times to Christchurch are:
 * Picton – 340 km, 6 hr (via Kaikoura); 480 km, 7 hr (via Lewis Pass)
 * Blenheim – 310 km, 5 hr 30 min (via Kaikoura); 450 km, 6 hr 30 min (via Lewis Pass)
 * Nelson – 420 km, 6 hr (via Lewis Pass)
 * Greymouth – 240 km, 3 hr 15 min
 * Timaru – 170 km, 2 hr 15 min
 * Dunedin – 360 km, 4 hr 30 min
 * Queenstown – 480 km, 6 hr
 * Invercargill – 570 km, 7 hr

By bus
National operator InterCity provide multiple daily connections to destinations throughout the South Island. There are daily bus services to and from Picton to the north, Dunedin, Queenstown and Aoraki / Mt Cook to the south, and the West Coast (Greymouth, Hokitika). The bus stop is outside the Bus Interchange on Lichfield Street, and there is an Intercity office inside the Interchange. Newmans Coach Lines buses (to Tekapo/Queenstown) depart from outside Canterbury Museum in Rolleston Ave, nearest the Worcester Boulevard intersection.

Smaller shuttle operators also operate from Christchurch:
 * East West Coaches run shuttle buses from Westport via the Lewis Pass, and via Greymouth and the Arthur's Pass. The bus stops at the Canterbury Museum, Rolleston Ave.

By train

 * The TranzAlpine can take you coast-to-coast between Christchurch and Greymouth, a town on the West Coast. This scenic train journey can be done as a day trip. The train departs from Christchurch daily at 8:15AM, arriving at Greymouth at 12:45PM, then leaves Greymouth at 1:45PM, getting back to Christchurch at 6:05PM. During the trip you’ll see the fields of the Canterbury Plains, followed by spectacular gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River. The train then climbs into the Southern Alps before descending through lush beech rain forest to Greymouth.

 * The Coastal Pacific runs between Picton and Christchurch. At Picton the Coastal Pacific connects with the Cook Strait ferries from Wellington in the North Island. The train departs Christchurch at 7AM and arrives in Picton at 1:15PM, connecting with the 2PM ferry to Wellington. The 9AM ferry from Wellington connects with the train departing Picton at 2:15PM and arriving in Christchurch at 8:30PM. Canterbury Shuttles pick-ups for the Coastal Pacific are 6-6:30AM.

Get around
Christchurch is mostly flat with a grid-pattern layout, so navigation by road is generally simple. The central city is contained by the "four avenues": Bealey Ave in the north, Fitzgerald Ave in the east, Deans Ave in the west, and Moorhouse Ave in the south. Watch out for one-way streets and bus-and-taxi-only intersections in the central city.

By bike
Many people get around on bicycles, and special-purpose bicycle lanes have been added to many streets to help promote cycling. The city is more bike-friendly than many other New Zealand cities and almost all Australian cities. The Central City also has a uniform 30 km/h limit on all streets, which means that it is mostly safe to cycle even on the main street. Drivers in general are also a bit friendlier toward cyclists compared to other cities in the region.

By car
Parking in the city uses a pay and display system and costs $2.60/hour. You can pay with coins, credit card (Visa, MasterCard or AmEx) or with a mobile phone text message (the latter two attract a 50c surcharge) then display the ticket with the expiry time visible on the kerbside dash. Rental cars are available. Most depots are on the airport side of town, with just a few near the CBD.

By tram
The city has a small heritage tram loop, best regarded as an attraction rather than a transport system due to its small size of coverage, high price ($35 day pass for adults, free for children), limited hours, and odd choice of route (it is faster to walk in most instances).

By bus
The city bus service is called Metro. Buses interconnect through the on Lichfield St, just east of Colombo St. A standard cash bus fare within the city is $4 or $2 with a Metrocard. The Metrocard costs $5 and needs to be topped up with a minimum of $5, its purchase will then cost you $10. By using the card you will travel for free the same day after paying two trips, and a maximum cost of $16 per week. Services cover the whole city and areas of interest for a visitor that lie outside the central city, such as Sumner and New Brighton beaches, Lyttelton, and the Gondola.

The core bus network has four cross-city routes and a circular route through the inner suburbs. Buses on these routes run every 15 minutes during the day, seven days a week. The four cross-city routes converge at the Bus Interchange.
 * Route 1 - Runs north–south between Belfast and Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). Every other service continues north of Belfast to Kaiapoi and Rangiora, and every other service continues south of PMH to Cashmere. Connects with Orbiter at Northlands (north) and PMH (south).
 * Route 3 - Runs northwest–southeast between the Airport or Sheffield Crescent (alternating services) and Sumner. Connects with Orbiter at University of Canterbury and Westfield Riccarton.
 * Route 5 - Runs west–east between Hornby and New Brighton. Every other service continues west of Hornby to Rolleston. Connects with the Orbiter at Westfield Riccarton (west) and Eastgate Mall (east).
 * Route 7 - Runs south-west-northeast between Halswell and Queenspark. Connects with Orbiter at The Palms Mall.
 * The Orbiter (Or, green) - Runs a circular route through the inner suburbs, starting and ending at Eastgate.

In some areas buses may be infrequent, particularly at the weekend, when there may only be one or two buses per hour.

By scooter

 * Lime and Beam electric scooters can be hired by the minute using a phone app. They do not come with safety equipment such as helmets. Pedestrians may need to watch out for inexperienced riders.

Earthquake tourism
Tours of affected sites are available. Visitors can also make their own way to sites of particular significance such as:

Parks, gardens and memorial sites

Do

 * Cricket:
 * Golf: Clearwater GC is part of Peppers Resort on the riverside north of town.
 * Golf: Clearwater GC is part of Peppers Resort on the riverside north of town.
 * Golf: Clearwater GC is part of Peppers Resort on the riverside north of town.
 * Golf: Clearwater GC is part of Peppers Resort on the riverside north of town.
 * Golf: Clearwater GC is part of Peppers Resort on the riverside north of town.
 * Golf: Clearwater GC is part of Peppers Resort on the riverside north of town.

Festivals

See the Christchurch City Council website for a directory of smaller events.

Buy

The famous Container Mall, a temporary replacement for the earthquake-damaged City Mall, closed in Jan 2018.
 * Suburban malls include:
 * Suburban malls include:
 * Suburban malls include:
 * Suburban malls include:
 * Suburban malls include:

Self-prepared
Fruit and vegetable shops offer locally grown high quality fresh produce for prices often much cheaper than supermarkets.
 * Supermarkets

 * Other

Budget
Fish'n'chips is the cheapest meal out.

The Asian district is mainly in the Riccarton/Upper Riccarton area. Church Corner is often considered the unofficial 'Chinatown'. It has Chinese supermarkets, all kinds of Asian restaurants and more. There are many Korean restaurants there, and in the shopping precinct near Westfield Riccarton. KOSCO, a Korean supermarket, has several branches in Christchurch, including one in Riccarton.

Drink

 * If you fancy a short drive or bus ride (approx. 15 minutes from city centre), go to The Wunderbar in Lyttelton. It has a small room for gigs and is popular with artists. The Monster Bar (downstairs, next door) is an excellent Yakitori restaurant and bar though smaller and with more of a focus on DJs.
 * If you fancy a short drive or bus ride (approx. 15 minutes from city centre), go to The Wunderbar in Lyttelton. It has a small room for gigs and is popular with artists. The Monster Bar (downstairs, next door) is an excellent Yakitori restaurant and bar though smaller and with more of a focus on DJs.
 * If you fancy a short drive or bus ride (approx. 15 minutes from city centre), go to The Wunderbar in Lyttelton. It has a small room for gigs and is popular with artists. The Monster Bar (downstairs, next door) is an excellent Yakitori restaurant and bar though smaller and with more of a focus on DJs.
 * If you fancy a short drive or bus ride (approx. 15 minutes from city centre), go to The Wunderbar in Lyttelton. It has a small room for gigs and is popular with artists. The Monster Bar (downstairs, next door) is an excellent Yakitori restaurant and bar though smaller and with more of a focus on DJs.
 * If you fancy a short drive or bus ride (approx. 15 minutes from city centre), go to The Wunderbar in Lyttelton. It has a small room for gigs and is popular with artists. The Monster Bar (downstairs, next door) is an excellent Yakitori restaurant and bar though smaller and with more of a focus on DJs.
 * If you fancy a short drive or bus ride (approx. 15 minutes from city centre), go to The Wunderbar in Lyttelton. It has a small room for gigs and is popular with artists. The Monster Bar (downstairs, next door) is an excellent Yakitori restaurant and bar though smaller and with more of a focus on DJs.

Sleep
Following the earthquakes, some major hotels were demolished. This reduction in supply and the increased demand due to construction work means that accommodation in Christchurch is a little more expensive than other cities in New Zealand.

Backpackers are safe, clean, cheap and cheerful. The cheapest option is a share/dorm room usually costing around $30 per night. Most offer single rooms, twin and double rooms and shared rooms. The standard of backpackers is very good in New Zealand.

Motels are a notch up. Low end around $79 per night. There are also many good quality B&Bs in Christchurch and surrounding district.

Apartments
For travellers who want to stay a month or longer, there are a number of furnished flats for rent advertised in the papers. A local company called Urban Rooms has furnished rentals specifically for travellers, ranging from rooms in a shared house to self-contained flats with garages.

Stay safe
Christchurch has a problem with smog during the winter, but only at night. Although conditions have improved over the years due to the intervention of the city council, take care venturing out on calm frosty evenings if you have a breathing-related medical condition.

While violent crime is relatively rare, some people do have a tendency towards aggression when drunk, as in most cities. Linwood is one of the lower socio-economic area of Christchurch, and is rougher than some other neighborhoods, but is still considered safe. As in any city, take care late at night, especially on Friday and Saturdays, as levels of intoxication can lead to unwanted attention or unprovoked violence. Avoid dark alleyways and confrontations and, if in doubt, make haste to a populated area and call the police (dial 111).

Aftershocks from the 2010-11 earthquakes have long since subsided. There is still a risk of another major earthquake rocking Christchurch, but the chances are comparable to any other New Zealand city.

Consulates

 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇨🇾 Cyprus

Go next
As a major gateway to the South Island, Christchurch is often the starting or finishing point for touring the rest of the island.

Greater Christchurch
The Greater Christchurch area covers the Banks Peninsula southeast of Christchurch and the lowland areas of the Waimakariri and Selywn district, approximately in a 50 km radius of central Christchurch.

 * Lyttelton, the port town just over the Port Hills from the city, is accessible by car/bus through the tunnel, or by the scenic Port Hills route via the seaside suburb of Sumner. (The road from Sumner over Evans Pass to Lyttelton is closed because of earthquake damage; the epicenter of the 2011 earthquake was close to the surface here.) Although only 15 km (9 mi) from the central city, Lyttelton feels like another world entirely, with its cafes, bars, shops and locals, its ever-busy port, its stunning hilly backdrop and beautiful harbour. But because of the 2011 earthquake damage, Lyttelton is no longer the port of call for cruise ships visiting Christchurch; it has been shifted to Akaroa.
 * Banks Peninsula is on the edge of the city, and offers a quieter beauty than the Alps, but quite lovely. At its southern end of the peninsula is Akaroa – beautiful, quaint and packed with good eateries. Try out the "Swim with the Dolphins in the sea" trip.

Further afield

 * Arthur's Pass National Park for a bush getaway, a fantastic train journey and on to the West Coast, containing the Glacier Region, Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks), Greymouth and Hokitika with its Wild Foods Festival
 * Hanmer Springs to soak in the hot pools and then via the Lewis Pass to Nelson for sun, wine, art and the beaches of the Abel Tasman NP
 * Kaikoura for crayfish and whale watching, on the way visiting Waipara, the newest wine region
 * Timaru and on to Otago
 * Queenstown for high-octane pre-packaged adventure tourism and stunning scenery

title: Christchurch


text:
Christchurch (England)

Christchurch is a town in Dorset, famed for its millennium-old priory, from which the town derives its name.

Get in
Christchurch is next to Bournemouth and on the edge of the New Forest.

By car
Via the M3 and M25 Motorways.

By train
is 90 minutes from London Waterloo. South West Trains provide the service to Weymouth.

Get around

 * MoreBus
 * United taxis

Do

 * Take a boat or ferry on the river, visit the harbour with great views of the Isle of Wight.
 * Stompin' on the Quomps is a jazz festival on the quay, next held 5 Aug 2023.
 * Stompin' on the Quomps is a jazz festival on the quay, next held 5 Aug 2023.

Buy

 * Farmer's Market on the weekend.

Eat
A number of good restaurants in the middle of town near the Priory.

Noisy Lobster on Avon Beach serves good seafood M-Th 11:30-23:00, F-Su 09:00-23:00.

Drink
High Street contains two Grade II listed public houses: Ye Olde George Inne, once a coach house, and the Ship Inn which has the oldest licence in Christchurch. A known haunt of smugglers, the Ship Inn's history can be traced back to 1688. At the end of High Street is Church Street which contains Church Hatch, a Grade II* listed Georgian residence. Once the home of Sir Owen Tudor Burne, it was saved from demolition in 1929 by public appeal. Ye Olde Eight Bells, a Grade II listed gift shop in Church Street, was once another alehouse frequented by smugglers and central to a number of local legends.

Go next
Good location for day trips to the New Forest, Lymington and Beaulieu.

title: Christchurch (England)


text:
Christiansburg

Christiansburg is a city in Southwest Virginia.

By car
Christiansburg sits along Interstate 81.

title: Christiansburg


text:
Christiansted

Christiansted is a town on the island of Saint Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Christiansted was the capital of the Danish West Indies from 1755 to 1871 and is a charming town with distinctive Danish architecture.

Get in

 * Island Lynx Ferry +1 340 713-5969. The ferry runs between the Marine Terminal at Gallows Bay and the Marine Terminal at Charlotte Amalie (next to the Seaplane Terminal) on St. Thomas. Arrive at least 45 minutes prior to departure. Rates (2006): Adults: $44 one-way, $78 roundtrip. Senior (over 60): $41.50 one-way, $73 roundtrip. Children 2-11: $39 one-way, $68 roundtrip. Children under 2 years old: $4 one-way, $8 roundtrip.

Do

 * Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve - The park is a living museum where nature and history blend. It was set aside to preserve, protect, and tell the story of its rich contributions to the nation’s natural and cultural heritage
 * Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve - The park is a living museum where nature and history blend. It was set aside to preserve, protect, and tell the story of its rich contributions to the nation’s natural and cultural heritage
 * Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve - The park is a living museum where nature and history blend. It was set aside to preserve, protect, and tell the story of its rich contributions to the nation’s natural and cultural heritage
 * Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve - The park is a living museum where nature and history blend. It was set aside to preserve, protect, and tell the story of its rich contributions to the nation’s natural and cultural heritage

Buy
St. Croix is rich with artists. Christiansted is home to many galleries including Island Boy Designs owned by jewelry designer Whealan Massciott (Kenny Chesney is a fan), the Maria Henle Gallery and many more. A stroll around town will reveal these and many more treasures.

Eat

If you want to catch what you eat, go fishing with Carl Holley. His boat, Mokojumbie, ties up on the docks near Rumrunners. He supplies many restaurants with fresh fish daily.

Go next

 * Frederiksted – on the western end of the island

title: Christiansted


text:
Christmas

 * For travel during the Christmas holiday season, see Christmas and New Year travel

Christmas is a small town in Orange County, central Florida. It is located just off State Road 50, 20 miles east of Orlando en route to Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville.

History
Christmas was founded on Christmas Day of 1837 as a fort during the Second Seminole War, but most of the historic sites date to the early 20th century as the town grew due to settlement of eastern Orange County. The old town has been well-preserved but has chosen to remain off the beaten path and lacks chain restaurants, hotels or facilities, leading most visitors to commute from surrounding cities.

The town's proximity to the St. Johns River, a few miles to the east, and its adjacent wetlands have led to the creation of conservation and wildlife areas. The most notable of these is Orlando Wetlands Park, a natural filtration wetland which is known for its wildlife viewing opportunities.

Get in
The access road by car to the town is FL-50, which approaches the town from both sides. The historic downtown area is near Fort Christmas Rd, which turns to the north of the highway.

Sleep
Further options for lodging can be found about half an hour away in Orlando or Titusville.

Go next

 * Greater Orlando via FL-50 to the west
 * The St Johns River and the Space Coast via FL-50 to the east

title: Christmas


text:
Christmas Island

Christmas Island (Chinese: 圣诞岛领地; Malay: Wilayah Pulau Krismas) is one of the islands of the Indian Ocean in Southeast Asia. It is south of Indonesia and some 1,550 km northwest of Australia, of which it is a territory. It was home to about 1,800 people in 2016, a mix of Straits Chinese, Malay, Australian and other ethnic groups.

Together with the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island is a part of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories.

Understand
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The island was first administered as part of the Straits Settlements, and then as part of the colony of Singapore. Sovereignty was transferred to Australia in October 1958 and since then, almost two-thirds of the island has been protected as a national park (and one that's managed by the federal government).

The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, which now looks unlikely to proceed after funding was withdrawn.

Orientation
Christmas Island rises to a central plateau of stands of rainforest. Its 80-km coastline is an almost continuous sea cliff up to high, with a few shallow bays of small sand and coral shingle beaches. The largest of these forms the island's only port, Flying Fish Cove, which is also called "The Settlement". Other settled areas, all in the northeast, are Poon Saan, Silver City, Drumsite and Kampong.

Climate
The island has a tropical climate in which heat and humidity are moderated by trade winds. Temperatures vary little throughout the year. The highest temperature is usually around 29 °C (84 °F) in March and April, while the lowest temperature is 23 °C (73 °F) and occurs in August. There is a dry season from July to October with only occasional showers. The wet season is between November and June, and includes monsoons, with downpours of rain at random times of the day. Tropical cyclones also occur in the wet season, bringing very strong winds, rain and enormous seas.

Landscape

Steep cliffs along the coast rise abruptly to the central plateau. Rain forest covers most of the island, with small areas of the island under rehabilitation from mining. There are sandy to rocky beaches scattered along the coastline of the island, separated by steep limestone cliffs.

Talk
As the island is a territory of Australia, English is the most common language spoken, but not the only one. Many older residents speak Malay or a Chinese dialect as a first language. However, unlike the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, all signs are in English.

Get in
As Christmas Island is a territory of Australia, make sure you meet the entry requirements for Australia.

By boat

There is no passenger chartered boat services to Christmas Island; however, Flying Fish Cove is frequented by yachts and cruise ships as a stop off.

Get around

Walk, ride, or hire a car (you may want a 4WD or SUV). You can hitch-hike around the settled areas of island, as most locals are happy to give a ride to visitors.

See
/>Caution is advised when venturing past the bathing pool on to the rocky outcrops, as large freak waves have known to swamp the rocky outcrops. Beware, lest you meet the same fate as Lily!Located in the 'snout of the dog' eastern part of the island, this beach can be accessed by normal 2 wheel drive vehicles. Gazebos and BBQ facilities are available.
 * Lily Beach: Named after a girl who was swept off the rocks at the beach never to be found. The beach comprises a sandy area running down to a bathing pool, which is separated from the open ocean by rocky basalt/limestone outcrops. The pool is constantly fed sea water from the gullies leading to the ocean and the whitewash generated from the waves hitting the cliffs and outcrop.<br
 * Lily Beach: Named after a girl who was swept off the rocks at the beach never to be found. The beach comprises a sandy area running down to a bathing pool, which is separated from the open ocean by rocky basalt/limestone outcrops. The pool is constantly fed sea water from the gullies leading to the ocean and the whitewash generated from the waves hitting the cliffs and outcrop.<br
 * Blowhole Viewing Walkway (25555709742).jpg
 * Territory Day Park Lookout
 * South Point
 * Greta Beach
 * Anderson Dale
 * Grotto
 * West White Beach
 * Ethel Beach
 * Waterfall Bay
 * Grotto
 * West White Beach
 * Ethel Beach
 * Waterfall Bay

Cultural and historical attractions

 * Administrators House known locally as "Buck House"
 * Historical World War II Artillery Bunker past the Buck House

Red crabs
A trip to Christmas Island is never complete without seeing the iconic red crabs which can be found within the park's forests. Each year they migrate to the coast to breed; the beginning of the wet season (usually in October or November) allows the crabs to increase their activity and stimulates their annual migration.

Do

 * View the spectacular world-famous Christmas Island Red Crab Migration during the months of December–February.
 * Diving or snorkeling off the 'Drop Off' at Flying Fish Cove
 * Take a guided tour
 * Whale shark watching
 * Game Fishing on chartered boat
 * Rock Fishing
 * Caving (warning: seek local advice before setting out to any caves)
 * 4-wheel driving, known locally as "bush bashing".
 * Mountain biking
 * Relax by the beach or on the patio with a cold beer
 * Duty-Free cheap drinks at numerous bars and taverns on the island
 * Historical trail self tours
 * Hiking

Buy
Being an external territory of Australia, the official currency of Christmas island is the Australian dollar.

The island has "duty free" status, and shop prices for perfume and alcohol are very low compared to the Australian mainland (see shopping in Australia).

Eat

There are several restaurants on Christmas Island serving Western and Asian cuisine.

Drink
As Christmas Island is duty-free, alcohol is usually lower priced than the Australian mainland. Some of the bars and taverns are:
 * Tracks at Drumsite
 * Golden Bosun
 * Pool Hall at Poon Saan
 * Rumah Tinngi at Gaze Road Settlement

Sleep
Most possibilities for accommodation are in Settlement, not far from Flying Fish Cov. One is in an area called Poon Saan and another is located in the National Park at North West Point.

List of accommodation available:
 * The Cabin
 * Captain's Last Resort
 * Divers Villa
 * Hibiscus House
 * Mango Tree Lodge
 * The Retreat
 * Rumah Biru Cottage
 * Roundabout Retreat
 * Seaspray Villa
 * Sunset
 * VQ3 Lodge

For further details, bookings or enquiries visit the Christmas Island Tourism Association website.

Work
It is difficult for non-locals to find employment on Christmas Island. The largest employers on the island are the small scale phosphate mining and federal or local government. The most common way of obtaining employment on Christmas Island for non-locals is to check government positions advertised at Apsjobs. There are occasionally postings for teachers on several years contract from Australia.

Stay safe
The island is safe all times of the day in the populated areas, locals usually leave their houses and car unlocked. There are no poisonous or dangerous animals (even insects) on the island.

The most likely danger is large waves on cliffs and coastal waters during the monsoon season (October–February).

There are occasional sightings of reef and hammerhead sharks off the coast near the 'drop offs' (underwater coastal shelf which drops off into the ocean depths, usually 5–30 m offshore); however, no shark attacks have ever been reported on Christmas Island.

Some 4-wheel drive tracks are steep and slippery during the wet season; caution is advised when driving in national parks areas. Many tracks are 4-wheel drive only, in particular Dolly Beach track and Dales and Blow Holes National Park areas. 4-wheel driving experience is required when venturing into these areas.

It is recommended that you bring a local or get local advice before heading off to any unpopulated national park areas.

Stay healthy
Wear loose fitting clothing suitable for humid tropical climates. A hat and sunscreen is recommended if you're intending to be under the sun at the beach or fishing.

Bring water with you, as in humid environments you will tend to perspire more than normal.

Mosquito repellent should be brought on trips to rain forest areas. There is no malaria on the island.

There are rare occurrences of Hepatitis A & B. However there is no particular vaccination required when visiting the island.

Respect
Nudity is not permitted at beaches; normal beachwear applies.

It's good manners to wave back if waved at by locals when driving.

Respect Ramadan. Restaurants and other facilities remain open for non-Muslims, but the eating area may be behind curtains.

Go next
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands northwest of Christmas Island has weekly connecting flights that take about 1 hour.

One can also take a charter flight to Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur.

title: Christmas Island


text:
Chubu

Chūbu (中部) is the central region of Japan's Honshu island, located at the border between West Japan and East Japan. There are many high-altitude mountains, such as Mount Fuji and the Japanese Alps. The food culture is different for each region.

Understand
Chubu means "middle region", reflecting its position straddling the two Japanese poles of Kansai and Kanto. Often ignored by foreign tourists, many of Chubu's best attractions are in the mountains, particularly Mount Fuji and the Japanese Alps.

Tourist Information
[https://en.go-centraljapan.jp/ Go! Central Japan] is a bilingual (English/Japanese) tourist guide site for the Chubu region, focusing on topics spanning more than one prefecture.

Prefectures
The Chūbu region covers a large and geographically diverse area of Honshū, which leads to it generally being divided into three distinct subregions: Tōkai, Kōshin'etsu, and Hokuriku.

Tōkai (東海)
"East Sea" area, on the southern Pacific coast

Hokuriku (北陸)
"North Land" area, the northwest part of the Chubu region

Kōshin'etsu (甲信越)
The eastern part of the Chubu region. The name is a kanji abbreviation of old province names: 甲斐 (kai = Yamanashi), 信濃 (shinano = Nagano) and 越後 (echigo = Niigata)

Cities

 * - Chubu's largest city by far
 * - Castle ruins and historical gardens in this under-visited city
 * - stylish historic city
 * - famous for its historic castle
 * - Japan's winter sports capital
 * - Major port city on the northern coast
 * - Medium sized city dating back to the Nara period
 * - attractively preserved town and a good starting point for trips to the Japan Alps
 * - Former castle town and centre for traditional medicine

Other destinations

 * - one of Japan's Three Famous Hot Springs
 * - Area with hotsprings and beaches near Tokyo
 * - Beautiful mountainous resort that's closed in the winter
 * - Valley with well-preserved post-towns
 * - the world's most photographed mountain with great views from the Fuji Five Lakes
 * - 5 remote hamlets full of stunning scenery and some of Japan's best hot springs
 * - place of exile home to gold mines and the yearly Earth Celebration
 * - a well-preserved historic village and World Heritage Site
 * - popular ski and hot spring resort, the setting of Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata, a Nobel laureate.

Talk
There are many people who speak in each dialect in this area. For example, some Niigata people use ra instead of standard copula da such as ～raro instead of ～daro ("isn't it?"). Shizuoka people use ～dara instead of ～daro. In Ishikawa and Toyama, people use dara as an abuse word meaning "idiot".

By plane
Chubu Centrair International Airport, Japan's third major international gateway, is located on an artificial island 30 minutes south from Nagoya. Most larger cities around the region have airports, but they generally only serve domestic flights.

By train
True to the name, the Tokaido Shinkansen bisects the southern Tokai region and connects Shizuoka and Aichi with Tokyo and Kyoto by High-speed rail. Nagano, Toyama, Kanazawa and Fukui can be reached from Tokyo by the Hokuriku Shinkansen. If accessing Niigata prefecture from Tokyo the Joetsu Shinkansen is your best bet. A couple non-bullet trains can be used to access Chubu. The most common non-shinkansen route is on the Thunderbird, limited express train connecting Osaka and Kyoto to Hokuriku Shinkansen terminus Tsuruga. If coming from Ise, Kintetsu Railway connects Ise with Nagoya by limited express train in 80 minutes. The Kumano region is connected with Nagoya by the Nanki limited express train. If accessing Niigata from the north the Uetsu line, connecting Niigata and Akita is your best bet.

By ferry
A car ferry operated by Shin Nihonkai Ferry connects Tsuruga and Niigata to Akita in Tohoku and Tomakomai in Hokkaido runs once a week, along with that they also operate a ferry connecting Niigata to Otaru just east of Sapporo. Taiheiyo ferry connects Nagoya with Sendai and Tomakomai. Long Distance Journeys by ferry are much less efficient than the shinkansen and all of these routes take more than 18 hours however one may find them more comfortable and enjoyable than a train. Smaller ferries connect Toba in Mie prefecture with Tahara on the Atsumi Peninuesla. Tsu is also connected with Chubu Centrair International Airport by direct ferry. For those shorter routes the ferries are usually faster due to the indirect route that must be taken to travel overland and the slower trains in these areas. Ferries operate 4 times a day between Atami in Shizouka Prefecture and Izu Oshima, the largest of the Izu Islands.

By bus
For budget-conscious travellers, long-distance buses can function as cheaper alternative to trains and provide overnight accommodation for longer journeys to Chubu. Willer Express and Jr buses are the largest long-distance bus companies. The JR pass is not available on long-distance buses, but Willer Express offers a Japan Bus Pass that lasts for 3, 5 or 7 non-consecutive days. All major cities are served by long-distance buses from Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. Kanazawa, Toyama and Niigata also are served by direct buses from Sendai. Nagoya is the city in the region best connected by long-distance buses, these buses connect cities like Matsuyama, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Izumo and Sendai directly with Nagoya.

By train
Like the rest of Japan trains are the primary method of travel around Chubu. There are three Shinkansen routes in Chubu, the Tokaido Shinkansen connects Aichi and Shizuoka, the Joetsu Shinkansen provides access to Niigata but the Hokuriku Shinkansen is probably the most useful for travelling around Chubu as it connects Nagano to Kanazawa via Toyama. One should be aware that the Hokuriku Shinkansen's faster class, the Kagayaki requires reservations. The most useful non shinkansen route for travelling around Chubu is probably the Takayama main line which connects Nagoya to Toyama bisecting the region and serving Takayama, Gero and other tourist attractions. The largest private rail company in Chubu is Meitetsu who operates trains around Nagoya to various destinations such as Nagoya's Airport and Inuyama.

By ferry
The main use of ferries in the Chubu region is access to Sado island, boats depart every three hours from Niigata to Ryotsu Port on the islands eastern side, from Joetsu boats depart to Ogi port on the western side of the Island twice daily. All ferries to Sado are operated by Sado Kisen. Also in Niigata prefecture, Awashima is connected to Murakami. Shin Nihonkai Ferry offers a car ferry from Tsuruga to Niigata (and continues to Akita and Hokkaido). There are also many ferries around the Izu Peninsula, Suruga ferries connects Shizouka and Toi and Tokai Kisen connects Atami to Itō and Inatori.

World heritage sites

 * Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace - Part of the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining, Izunokuni
 * Shirakawa-go and Gokayama - old farm houses that have been preserved, Shirakawa-go is the largest of the villages. Gokayama actually consists of two separate villages, Ainokura and Suganuma in Nanto, Toyama
 * Mount Fuji While the mountain itself is included, the site is actually registered as a "cultural" listing consisting of more than 20 sites, including each of the Sengen Shrines around the mountain.

Original castles
The Chubu region is home to 3 of the 12 original castles remaining in the country.
 * Inuyama Castle Designated a National Treasure and one of the oldest castles in the nation
 * Maruoka Castle Located in Sakai, it's a famous cherry blossom spot
 * Matsumoto Castle An impressive black castle that sits in Matsumoto to the backdrop of the Japan Alps

Reconstructed castles

 * Nagoya Castle, Nagoya
 * Okazaki Castle, Okazaki
 * Kakegawa Castle, Kakegawa
 * Hamamatsu Castle, Hamamatsu
 * Gifu Castle, Gifu
 * Ogaki Castle, Ogaki
 * Gujo Hachiman Castle, Gujo
 * Echizen Ono Castle, Ono
 * Toyama Castle, Toyama
 * Takada Castle, Joetsu
 * Shibata Castle, Shibata

Castle ruins

 * Iwamura Castle, Ena
 * Fukui Castle, Fukui
 * Takaoka Castle, Takaoka
 * Takato Castle, Ina
 * Kasugayama Castle, Joetsu

Gardens

 * Kenrokuen Garden - One of the official Top 3 gardens in the nation, it has been a favorite for decades. (Kanazawa)
 * Yokokan Garden - Part of the Matsudaira Clan's second home (Fukui)
 * Shimizuen Garden (Shibata)
 * Shiratori Garden - An oft-forgotten gem in the region's largest city (Nagoya)

Temples

 * Zenkōji National Treasure, Nagano
 * Eiheiji a quiet mountain temple where visitors can meditate Eiheiji
 * Natadera a secluded temple in Komatsu
 * Eihoji A National Treasure with a scenic garden (Tajimi)

Shrines
Sengen Shrines are shrines associated with Mount Fuji, and although there are Sengen Shrines outside of the Chubu area, the top are only here in Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture around the mountain.

 * Atsuta Shrine, home to one of Japan's three Imperial Regalia Nagoya
 * Togakushi Shrine in Nagano
 * Toyokawa Inari Shrine, one of that top Inari shrines Toyokawa
 * Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, Shizuoka

Museums
Chubu is home to many of Japan's top museums, most notable is Kanazawa's 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, the most visited museum in Japan but the D.T. Suzuki Museum and the Kaga Honda Museum are are also worthwhile museums in Kanazawa. As the largest city in the region Nagoya has many museums mostly relating to its industrial history, the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology tells the story of Toyota's growth into the largest car company on earth and SCMAGLEV and Railway Park is one of Japan's top railway museums. The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum in Katsuyama is the largest dinosaur museum in Japan and a must-visit for any dino lover. The remote Chiune Sugihara Memorial Hall in Yaotsu commemorates Sugihara Chiune and the story of how he saved hundreds of Jews from the Holocaust.

Do

 * Winter sports - in the winter, cold, dry air from the Asian continent meets moist Pacific air, the result is a large amount of snow that falls in the Koshin'etsu district, also known as Snow Country (雪国 Yukiguni), since it receives some of the heaviest snowfall in Japan. This makes Chubu Japan's undisputed winter sports capital with attractions like Nagano, site of the 1998 Winter Olympics, and Yuzawa, easily reached from Tokyo.
 * Hiking - the Japan Alps have some great hiking. Mount Fuji in Shizuoka is a symbol of Japan and a popular tourist attraction, both for viewing and climbing.

Amusement parks
Chubu has a couple amusement parks but they are mostly centred around Nagoya, Legoland Japan serves as Nagoya's biggest theme park, despite not falling in Chubu Nagashima Spa Land serves as a popular day-trip from Nagoya and is home to the Steel Dragon 2000, the longest rollercoaster in the world. Chubu's most visited amusement park is Fuji-Q Highland in Fujiyoshida and one can view Mt. Fuji while riding a rollercoaster there. Most medium-sized cities will have their own amusement park and the theming can vary wildly from park to park.

Onsens
Chubu has a wide variety of Onsens ranging from Onsens in the mountains of the Japanese Alps to those found in multi-story bathouses. The most famous Onsen in Chubu is probably Yamanouchi where the hot-springs are not meant for humans but for monkeys instead, there is Shibu Onsen near the Monkey Park where humans can Bathe. The Japan alps is full of onsens with the Oku-hida region providing stunning views of the Japan Alps from an onsen. The fuji five lakes are perhaps the best place to view Mt. Fuji from an onsen yet it is overshadowed by Hakone in Kanto. There are also many urban onsen resorts like Gero Onsen, one of Japan's top 3 onsens and Kaga Onsen outside of Kanazawa.

Eat
Chubu's regions all have their local specialities, with the coastal regions specializing in seafood while the inland prefectures are renowned for their meat such as Hida Beef in Takayama, Jibuni (治部煮), duck stew in Kanazawa or Inago no Tsukudami  (いなごの佃煮), grasshoppers grilled with sweet soy sauce in Nagano. Niigata is known for its high quality, Koshihikari rice. Some of the better known seafood dishes of the region are Hotaru ika (蛍烏賊. lit. "firefly squid") found in Toyama and Sushi is a staple of Kanazawa. Most areas in Chubu will have their speciality noodle, Nagano is famous for Togakushi Soba, one of Japan's top 3 sobas and Fukui specializes in Oroshi Soba. Yamanashi specializes in Udon, the two most famous style of udon in Yamanashi are Yoshida no Udon and Houtou, a stewed udon (though locals consider it a dumpling). Aichi is famous for its red miso which is placed on everything from Katsu to Udon, Okazaki outside of Nagoya produces Hatchō miso (八丁味噌) which was once served to Japan's emperors. Due to the large numbers of Ryokans in the region, high-class cuisine can be found in most towns, and they are also the best place to experience a traditional Japanese breakfast. In smaller towns a ryokan may be one of your only options for food.

Drink
Chubu is sake country and Niigata, renowned for its koshihikari rice, produces some of the best in the country including famous labels like Kubota (久保田), Koshinokanbai (越乃寒梅) and Hakkaisan (八海山). Nagano has over 80 sake breweries and Miyamanishiki rice which was first grown in Nagano now is the third most common type of rice for sake production. Tea is also popular in the region with Shizouka producing more the half of Japan's green tea, Kakegawa serves as the centre of tea in Shizouka. Despite not producing much tea, the traditional tea ceremony has long been integral to the culture of Ishikawa with it existing in the region since 1666 and Kanazawa's Higashi Chaya district has many operating teahouses. Like in most Japanese regions vending machines are common in Chubu and one can find a variety of Sodas in them. Major cities like Kanazawa and Nagoya will have many nightlife options but nightlife will be lacking in rural areas.

Go next

 * Kansai
 * Kanto
 * Tohoku

title: Chubu


text:
Chubu Centrair International Airport

Chubu Centrair International Airport (中部国際空港 Chūbu Kokusai Kūkō, ) occupies an artificial island 30 minutes south from Nagoya.

Understand
Japan's third major international gateway after Narita and Kansai, Centrair prides itself on offering seamless interchange between international and domestic flights, making this a good option if you are heading elsewhere in Japan.

The layout is easy to navigate and understand, with one side of the terminal (the left as one enters from the street) for international flights and the other side for domestic flights.

Flights

 * Asia:
 * China: Beijing, Tianjin, Wuhan, Changchun, Shenyang, Qingdao, Shanghai, Xian, Changsha, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Kunming, Hohhot, Hefei, Dalian, Zhengzhou, Sijiazhuang, Hong Kong, Harbin
 * Taiwan: Taipei
 * South Korea: Seoul, Pusan
 * Thailand: Bangkok
 * Singapore: Singapore
 * Vietnam: Hanoi
 * Philippines: Manila, Cebu
 * United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi
 * Guam
 * Europe:
 * Finnair: Helsinki
 * Lufthansa: Frankfurt Airport
 * USA:
 * Delta: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
 * Japan Airlines: Honolulu.
 * Domestic:
 * Hokkaido: Sapporo, Asahikawa, Obihiro, Hakodate, Kushiro, Memanbetsu
 * Tohoku: Akita, Sendai
 * Kanto: Tokyo (Haneda), Narita
 * Chubu: Niigata
 * Shikoku: Kochi, Matsuyama
 * Kyushu: Fukuoka, Oita, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima
 * Okinawa: Naha, Ishigaki

Ground transportation
For most visitors the train is the fastest, cheapest and most convenient method of access.

All transportation means are available from the Access Plaza next to the main terminal. You can take your luggage cart all the way from the arrival or departure lobby to the train and bus platforms.

By train
The Meitetsu Airport Line (名鉄空港線) connects the airport via Jingumae and Kanayama to Nagoya station. From here, you can transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen line, and to a multitude of other train lines for connections throughout the Chubu region. Some trains continue directly onward to Gifu and Inuyama. A change of trains at Jingū-mae Station (near Atsuta Shrine) will bring you east to Toyohashi.

The μSKY (μ pronounced myuu) rapid limited express (快速特急 kaisoku-tokkyu) runs twice per hour and makes the trip to Nagoya in as little as 28 minutes (with stops at Jingū-mae and Kanayama) at a cost of ¥1230 (¥870 basic fare + ¥360 reserved seat fare). The regular limited express (特急 tokkyu) operates with both reserved and un-reserved seating, and is just slightly slower than the μSKY. Regular commuter trains also operate, making more stops and taking much longer; these cost ¥870 to reach Nagoya.

μSKY trains only have reserved seats, and have compartments at the end of each car to store heavy luggage. On other trains, there isn't much room for baggage and the inside of the train compartments tend to become very congested as you get closer to Nagoya (even more so during the rush hour).

If you are planning to use the Japan Rail Pass, you can exchange your rail pass voucher at the Central Japan Travel Center just outside of the International Arrivals Hall (open daily 09:00-20:30). The Rail Pass, however, does not cover travel from the airport to Nagoya - you will have to pay to use the Meitetsu Railway. Alternatively, the exchange can be made in Nagoya Station at the Japan Rail Pass Exchange Corner from 10:00 to 19:00, or at the regular ticket counter at other times. If you wish to purchase a Japan Rail Pass once you arrive in Japan, you must travel out of the airport and purchase the pass at Nagoya Station.

By bus
The bus may also be an option, particularly if you have heavy luggage and don't want to deal with train transfers. Take the elevator from access plaza to level 1. Ticket machines are available in the bus terminal working in Japanese and English, do however only accept cash payment.

 * Platform 1 - to Shizuoka, Gifu and Nagano
 * buses to Chino, Hamamatsu, Minowa, Matsumoto, Nagano, Nakatsugawa, Numazu
 * Platform 2 - to Mie, Fukui and Kyoto
 * buses to Kuwana, Fukui, Nabari, Toba (via ferry), Yokkaichi, Kyoto
 * Platform 3 - to Nagoya Station
 * buses to JR Nagoya Station (Shinkansen side), Nagoya Marriott Hotel
 * Platform 4 - to Sakae district and other in Nagoya
 * buses to Nagoya Tokyu Hotel, Hilton Nagoya, Westin Nagoya Castle, Nagoya Kanko Hotel, Fujigaoka
 * Platform 5 - for eastern Aichi (Mikawa)
 * buses to Akaike, Ishigami, Okazaki, Toyohashi, Toyota, Ueta
 * Platform 6 - for eastern Aichi (Mikawa/Chita)
 * buses to Chita Handa, Chiryu, Kariya, Kowa, Mikawa-Anjo, Nishio

By boat
Tsu Airport Line ferries connect directly from the airport to Tsu, and at 40 minutes one-way (¥2400) are your fastest option for going towards Ise and Wakayama.

Ise-Bay Ferry shuttles between nearby Tokoname Port (transfer by bus) and the pearl town of Toba, further down the coast.

By taxi
The taxi stand is on the 1st floor of Access Plaza. A taxi to Nagoya station, over 40 km away, will cost around ¥15,000-16,000.

By car
Car rental is available on the 1st floor of the Access Plaza, past the bus stops.

A toll road links Centrair and the mainland, and the airport has 4000 parking spaces. Parking is free for 30 min but costs ¥300/hour for 5 hours, or ¥1500 per day (¥1000/day after the 5th day).

Get around
The airport is simply and efficiently laid out, most areas flowing into and out of a central hub called the Access Plaza making it easy walking to all areas. A ramp from the plaza leads up to Departures, while another ramp connects with Arrivals. The rail station is at one end of the plaza, while the high-speed ferry and hotels area accessed via a walkway on the same level. The bus station is underneath, accessed via an elevator.

Wait
If you've got time to kill, head up to the 4th floor Skytown (elevators beyond the check-in area), designed specifically for this purpose. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, boutiques and even a spa. It is split into unique areas on either side: One side features stores with a western and European theme, while the other side has a traditional Japanese look. They are on the respective sides of the terminal as the international and domestic flights. The Skytown is landside before security/immigration, and the facilities on the airside are rather limited.

 * Skydeck is an outdoor observation deck providing a good exterior view of the boarding gates, the landing strip and beyond to the sea. At nighttime you can sometimes enjoy a special light show up here.
 * Skydeck is an outdoor observation deck providing a good exterior view of the boarding gates, the landing strip and beyond to the sea. At nighttime you can sometimes enjoy a special light show up here.

Eat and drink
Food and drink prices at the airport are expensive - even by Japanese standards. Expect single meals (such as curry and rice with a side order of thinly sliced cabbage) to cost you around ¥1300. It's worth it to drop into a convenience store before arrival and pick up a few sandwiches, bento box lunches, drinks, and beer.

The best places to eat are on the 4th floor Skytown, head into the streets for Japanese restaurants. For cheaper options there is a Subway on the 2nd floor arrival lobby (land side) and convenience stores in the Access Plaza (FamilyMart) and 1st floor Welcome Garden (Lawson).

Buy
ATMs for cash withdrawals are located at various locations throughout the airport. Machines that accept international ATM cards are Japan Post (Welcome Garden, First Floor) and AEON Bank (Departure Lobby outside security, Third Floor). Note that most travelers with a Maestro-issued EMV chip card (i.e. IC, chip-and-pin) can only use the AEON Bank ATM, as the Japan Post ATM will not accept these kinds of cards.

Currency Exchange locations are available in the Access Plaza, and in the arrival and departure lobbies.

Most of the shops, for buying those gifts you failed to get while in Japan, are on the 4th floor Skytown, but there are also some on the 3rd floor departure lobby including classic tourist trinkets and speciality food items. Best to do your last minute shopping before security as air side are only a few duty free and luxury good stores.

Connect

 * Free wi-fi is available in the departure area, although you are expected to give an email address to register.
 * Wi-fi access to the Internet is available on the first three floors of the airport; however, it is not complimentary. Wi-fi access which is offered is contracted by the following Internet providers: Flet's Spot, Hotspot, Mobile Point, and Mzone. Rates can vary from ¥10.5 per minute (Mobile Point) to ¥525 a day (Mzone) or more.  There are only a few locations within the airport to plug-in your laptop device to recharge your batteries, the main exception being a few "business corners" and "computer desks" after international security check in.
 * NTT DOCOMO is on the third floor of the airport (international departures) for those needing to rent a cell phone on a short term basis. There's two service counters: one for customers who made reservations from overseas via the Internet (located near the escalator at the DOCOMO World counter), and the other counter (located nearby the luggage delivery service) is for renters applying upon their arrival in Japan.  Daily rental rates generally are better if reservations are made in advance ¥525 versus ¥735.   This price does not include the cost of calls or text messages, which is approximately ¥100 per minute for calls made domestically.  Hours of operation are from 07:30 to 21:00 daily.

Cope
If minor medical attention is needed, a clinic open during airport hours is available on the second floor of the airport.

Sleep
There are three full-service hotels on the airport grounds.

Go next

 * Tokoname - Known for pottery of Tokoname-Yaki.

title: Chubu Centrair International Airport