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Namibia

Namibia, in Southern Africa, boasts remarkable natural attractions such as the Namib Desert, the Fish River Canyon Park, Etosha National Park and the Kalahari desert. Thanks to both a wealth of indigenous cultures and a tumultuous colonial history, its people speak nine different languages, including some of the Khoisan languages which include the 'clicks' that present an enigma to most native English speakers. It is also one of the few places outside Central Europe where German, although not official, remains a commonly spoken language, while Afrikaans, shared with its southern neighbour, is also prevalent.

Blending German, Afrikaner, Herero and other indigenous heritage in its modern cities, unique desert landscapes, rich wildlife and a relatively high standard of living, resulting in part from abundant natural resources (for example, Namibia produces the world's highest-quality gem diamonds), Namibia is today a peaceful country, welcoming to visitors and offering unforgettable experiences.

Cities

 * —Namibia's capital and largest city
 * , capital of Omaheke
 * , capital of the Zambezi region in the Caprivi Strip
 * , capital of ǁKaras
 * —colonial-era German coastal town, with the ghost town of Kolmanskop nearby
 * , the capital of Hardap
 * —capital of Kunene Region and an ideal starting point for stocking up before venturing further into Kaokoland
 * , capital of Erongo and a mecca for Namibians on holiday
 * , capital of Erongo and a mecca for Namibians on holiday

Other destinations

 * — The highest mountain in Namibia at 2,573 m.
 * — stunning desert landscapes
 * — Abundant wildlife in the "big white place"
 * — one of the largest canyons in the world.
 * — home to the Himba tribe, desert elephants, desert lions, Epupa Waterfalls and many more attractions in this northwestern corner of the country.
 * — The northern coastal part of the Namib desert, named for the dozens of ships that were beached in the thick fog that is frequent where the desert meets the Atlantic.
 * — The most popular entry point for people wanting to visit the Namib desert.
 * — the Matterhorn of Namibia.
 * — Another good place to watch wildlife.

History
Namibia was inhabited by San people until about 1,000 years ago. If you have the rare opportunity to talk to a San (most do not speak English), do not call them Bushmen, that's considered derogatory. Due to the Bantu migration, Ovambo people and Ovaherero people moved into northern and central Namibia. In the South the Damara people established themselves; it is unclear where they came from. About 200 years ago the Oorlam people moved in from the South. Then the Oorlam and the Herero clashed. Namibia was colonized by Germany in the late 19th century. Colonial control was established by private interests before the German Reich itself got involved as Bismarck was rather skeptical of colonial endeavors. German business and colonial interests, among them Adolf Lüderitz, tried to co-opt local rulers into their schemes and to that end signed treaties of varying honesty and even-handedness. One treaty famously mentioned a strip of land from the coast several "miles" inland to be handed over to the colonizers. What the treaty failed to mention was that the British miles of roughly 1.6 km wasn't what the Germans meant - they insisted upon much larger "Prussian miles" that were obscure even then and entirely unknown to the locals.

Conflict broke out, but the colonizers had the better weapons and backing from Berlin so the locals stood no chance. By 1884 "Deutsch Südwestafrika" had officially become a colony and unlike Germany's other colonies, it did attract significant settlement from the mother country, soon leading to serious debates in the Reichstag about the "problem" of "mixed" descendants of settlers and locals. Another problem were local uprisings and when the Herero rose up in 1904 the Germans under general Lothar von Trotha responded with an amount of genocidal cruelty that shocked even contemporary advocates of colonialism. Von Trotha issued an order to shoot down unarmed civilians including women and children and had them driven into the desert. Low estimates put the death toll at 40,000 but numbers as high as 70,000 have been put forth for this first genocide perpetrated by Germany. Both descendants of von Trotha and the German government have since asked for forgiveness but no formal restitution was ever paid. At the start of World War I, only 30 years after they arrived, much of Namibia (then called South West Africa) was in German possession.

During World War I, Africa also became a front but by 1915 Namibia had fallen to the Entente. It was administered by South Africa under a League of Nations mandate after World War I, and as if it were a province of South Africa after World War II. The South-West African People's Organization (SWAPO) launched a guerrilla war for independence in 1966 and gained independence in 1990. Namibia is in many ways quite similar to South Africa. Since it was ruled under the apartheid system, Namibia also has many of the problems resulting from that system.

Culture
Namibia shares many similarities with its neighbours, particularly with South Africa, and if you're used to travelling in the region, Namibia should be a seamless transition from the latter. However, there are some subtle differences. For example, in South Africa a black South African may choose to speak English rather than Afrikaans (as a political choice) whereas among Namibia's mixed-race population (who call themselves 'coloured' in Namibia and South Africa) Afrikaans is a proud part of their culture, and many people still speak German. Overlooking these differences isn't going to cause offence, but they're handy to know.

The public holidays in Namibia are: If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, many businesses will give the previous, or the following, day off, and be closed.

Tourist information

 * Visit Namibia website

Visas
Tourists may enter Namibia for up to 90 days.

Foreign nationals from the following countries/territories will get a visa on arrival without prior application: Angola, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Cuba, Denmark, Eswatini, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Citizens not from the above countries need to apply for a visa from the Namibian consulate in their country of origin or the

To apply for a visa from a Namibian embassy or consulate, you will need a visa application form (this is one from the Namibian High Comission in London), a document confirming your address in Namibia (such as a hotel booking), a passport with three blank pages and a colour passport photo.

If you require a visa to enter Namibia, you might be able to apply for one at a British embassy, high commission, or consulate in the country where you legally reside if there is no Namibian diplomatic post. See the UK government website about applying for Commonwealth visas. British diplomatic posts charge £50 to process a Namibian visa application and an extra £70 if the authorities in Namibia require the visa application to be referred to them. The authorities in Namibia can also decide to charge an additional fee if they correspond with you directly.

All visitors require a passport valid for at least 6 months after date of entry into Namibia.

You need a return or onward air or bus ticket when you fly to Namibia; if you don't have one the airline will not take you there. You can book a Intercape bus ticket online. Intercape have buses from Namibia to South Africa and Zambia.

They will not let you in if you don't have an address where you are going, so be sure to have one.

Always verify the dates stamped into your passport, because there have been cases where corrupt officers stamp wrong dates to fine people for overstaying when they leave, and these fines are huge.

By plane
Hosea Kutako International Airport, located 45 minutes east of Windhoek, is the main entry point for air traffic. Since the demise of Air Namibia in 2021, connections have been limited. The only flight from Europe is carried out by Eurowings Discover from Frankfurt. Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines offer connections through Doha and Addis Ababa respectively. South African Airways and Airlink operate flights to and from South Africa, TAAG Angola Airlines operates flights to Luanda.

By car
There are 9 commonly used border posts with neighbouring countries:

Zambia

Each foreign-registered vehicle entering Namibia should pay a CBC or entry fee and obtain the corresponding permit and tax invoice at a Road Fund Administration (RFA) office at Namibia's border posts. The amount to pay for a small passenger car is N$ 308. Information can be obtained from the RFA website. This charge will usually be refunded by car rental companies which utilise South-African registered vehicles to be operated in Namibia.

By international bus
The most convenient international bus services into Namibia run from Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Johannesburg and Gaborone.

 * Intercape Mainliner have buses from Windhoek to Victoria Falls, Capetown, and the Angola border.
 * Monnakgotla travel have a bus two times a week from Windhoek Namibia to Gaborone Botswana.
 * Insight Luxury Coaches have a bus two times a week from Windhoek to Livingstone Zambia. fares are from N$450. which is less than the fare with Intercape

By train
The regular overnight train from Upington in South Africa to Windhoek, operated by TransNamib, was discontinued and remains out of operation as of July 2023.

Legal issues
Travellers are expected to produce identification if police, health inspectors or customs officials stop them. A current passport or drivers license will do. Namibia is very concerned about child trafficking. When travelling with children you need to carry their full birth certificate to prove they are yours. When only one parent is travelling, a consent letter from the other parent (alternatively a death certificate) is required, even if you are married or have sole custody.

There is a veterinary demarkation between northern Namibia and the rest of the country, at approximately the latitude of Etosha. Check Wikipedia for details. No meat may be taken from north of the line southwards. You will nevertheless be checked both ways, nobody knows why.

By train
The national railway company of Namibia, TransNamib, does not operate any scheduled passenger services as of July 2023.

Other rail services operating in the country are:

By car
Despite the vast distances in Namibia, most people get around by land, and not air. Namibia's primary routes (A and B roads) are tarred, and secondary routes (roads designated C or MR) are well-graded gravel. Many D roads are just about passable with a sedan, while F (farm) roads usually are not. An all-terrain vehicle is not necessary to reach the major tourist destinations except Kaokoland. However, if the country gets good rains—December or January, about once every 7 years—all bets are off.

Driving at night is very dangerous because there is a lot of wildlife on the roads. Traffic drives on the left. Namibian roads eat tires and chip windscreens. Always check your spare and inspect your tires often. If someone overtakes you on a gravel road, drive as far left as possible and slow down to avoid being hit by flying stones. The road edges can be soft, so take care.

Service stations can be a fair distance from each other, so it pays to get a map showing where they are located to plan your trip. If you are on the back roads of Namibia, it's always wise to stop and top-off your tank when you see a service station. Most service stations in towns accept credit cards, and many have ATMs available. However, in the countryside you might have to pay cash. A small tip for the attendant pumping your gasoline of N$3-5 is quite common - and you need to make this in cash. It is also necessary to carry food and water, in case you get stuck with a breakdown. On lesser travelled roads it can take days (!) for another vehicle to pass through.

Namibia has some of the worst road accident statistics in the world per head of population. The speed limit on tarred roads is 120 km/h but few drivers adhere to it. There is an unbelievable amount of head-on collisions due to overtaking at unsuitable spots. Self-driving tourists "score" mostly in the 'no other party involved' accident category, losing control of their cars for no apparent reason but speed. Driving on dirt roads is unlike any other driving experience that Europeans or North Americans can gain at home, and the 100 km/h speed limit does not mean you should, or even can, drive safely at that speed. This farmer overtaking you at breakneck speed knows every rock and every puddle on this road, has a better suitable car, and likely a few hundred thousand kilometers of experience on his belt.

Namibians often estimate the time to drive between places according to their own vast experience driving quickly on dirt (untarred) roads. Add a third and you will arrive alive with kidneys intact!

Before you reserve a car let the rental company send you a copy of its rental agreement. Most of them have many (and sometimes absolutely ridiculous) restrictions. Take your time to compare them according to your needs. Small damage to tires, windscreens, and the vehicle front is almost unavoidable on gravel roads. The rental company will charge you for that, or will try to sell expensive add-ons to the contract. When picking up your car, check that the spare wheel is of the same type as the regular wheels, and that the tools for changing it are complete. Consider comprehensive travel insurance from your home country that may cover all damage.

Blood alcohol limit in Namibia is 0.08.

By taxi
There are two types of taxi services in Namibia: shared taxis and dedicated taxis, often called "radio taxis" or "call-a cab". The shared taxis have a license restricting their movement, either to within a town, or between a set of towns. Taxi fares of shared taxis are regulated by government and cannot be bargained on. However, taxi drivers might nevertheless overcharge tourists who do not know what the standard fares are. Radio taxis have no such restriction but charge between 5 and 10 times for the same ride.

Shared taxis are seldom roadworthy - any car in Namibia must pass the roadworthy test only upon change of ownership. It is not uncommon to see bonnets tied by steel wire, emergency spare tyres, broken screens, and the like. Drivers habitually jump red lights (in Namibia: "robots") and stop signs and will let passengers embark wherever they find them, including on highways and in the middle of an intersection. Be considerate to other drivers by not waving at a taxi where it is not safe to stop.

It is quite easy to get around towns by long-distance shared taxis. They are fast, sometimes scarily so, and they are cheap. Just ask around to find out where the taxi rank is (sometimes there are several taxi ranks, each one with departures to different areas of the country). None of these will take you to tourist destinations, though, as those are almost always away from the larger settlements. For taxis that operate within a town it is expected that you, instead of waving at them, point into the direction you wish to travel.

A lot of companies offer affordable shuttle services between most towns like Windhoek, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Tsumeb, Otjiwarongo etc. These services are perfectly safe but more expensive than taxis.

By tour
Several tour companies operate in Namibia. Each is unique in services offered but most operate with safety in mind.

 * Okutembuka Safaris. A company that specialises in private guided day tours, multi-day tours or self-drive safaris.

Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is uncommon in Namibia. While it is possible to get a hike from one town to another, the typical "See" and "Do" activities are out in the countryside. For whatever reason, most Namibians have never visited any of their tourism establishments, never seen a wild animal larger than a baboon, and never stayed in tourist accommodation. Only other tourists will go there, and they often have no space in their cars or no willingness to give you a lift. Even worse than to go from a town to a landmark, is going from one landmark to the next. Namibia as a whole is very much off the beaten track, very sparsely populated, and has very little traffic overall. You might stand days at Sossusvlei hitchhiking to the Naukluft. Let's hope you brought water and food. If you finally get a hike, the driver will typically ask for a contribution to his petrol expenses, so it is not even for free.

Talk
Major Indigenous languages include Oshiwambo, Otjiherero, Damara/Nama, various San languages, Rukwangali, and Silozi.

English is the official language and is widely spoken. However, the majority of older Namibians (those educated before independence) speak English only as a third language; therefore, the standard is fairly poor. English is more widely spoken in the north, as it was adopted as a medium of instruction earlier than in the south. Older Namibians in the South are more likely to speak Afrikaans or German.

Afrikaans is spoken by many and is the first language of the Coloureds as well as the Afrikaners. English is spoken as a first language by the remaining English families, and German is spoken by the Namibians of German descent, who tend to be in Windhoek, Swakopmund and various farms scattered through the country. German is one of the leading commercial languages as well. Portuguese is spoken by immigrants from Angola.

There are a few English words with specific local meaning.
 * There is a (huge) difference between African and Afrikaner: Africans are people that consider their roots to be in Africa. Most black people will call themselves Africans, and some white and mixed-race folk as well. Afrikaners are the descendants of Dutch-speaking European immigrants who arrived from the 17th century onwards. Their dialect evolved over time into what is now called Afrikaans.
 * Coloured is not a euphemism of "black", but rather mixed race individuals; see below.
 * Shanty towns or townships are called locations or informal areas, the latter meaning that the suburb is not proclaimed and has likely no electricity or sewerage system. Do not refer to them as slums, as that would be offensive. Besides, there are many wealthy residents that stay in the location by choice. Local adolescents will refer to their townships as ghettos—apply your own judgment as to whether you are young enough and hip enough not to be misunderstood.
 * Fuel for your car is bought at a petrol station as is the case in most Commonwealth countries. If you ask for gas you'll be sent to the next camping outfitter or welding shop instead.
 * Traffic lights are robots, so if a traffic sign comes up saying "robots ahead" it is not an alien invasion.

See

Namibia is a land of astounding natural beauty. To truly appreciate the country, you need to get out in the countryside, either on a tour or by renting a car, and take in the deserts, the mountains, the villages and everything else that Namibia has to offer.

One of its most dominant features, and the one for which the country is named, is the Namib Desert, which stretches for nearly 1000 km along the Atlantic coast. One of the oldest deserts in the world, its sand takes on a distinctive rust colour, with the desert having some of the highest sand dunes in the world. Sossusvlei is the most accessible part of the desert and is a magical place with its towering dunes that shift hues as the sun rises and sets. Further south, near the South African border, is Fish River Canyon, one of the largest canyons in the world. Stretching for 160 km, it is reaches 27 km across at its widest and nearly 550 m down at its deepest. In the north of the country is the empty and mostly inaccessible Skeleton Coast National Park. It is a seemingly barren expanse of stone and sand famous for its fog and the number of shipwrecks along the coast. Namibia still has plenty of African wildlife to see and is one of the countries where all of the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo) can be seen in the wild. There are also some local subspecies, such as desert lions, desert elephants and the Hartmann's mountain zebra, which are adapted to the harsh desert climate. Grazing animals like gemsbok, ostrich and springbok are also common. Namibia's national parks are an excellent starting point and one of the most famous is Etosha National Park in the north. The park surrounds the Etosha salt pan, which attracts animals, particularly in the drier winter months, because it is a source of water in a very dry land. Other notable spots to view wildlife are Waterberg Plateau Park, the parks of the Caprivi and the remote Kaokoland.

Namibia has a German influence from colonial times that is retained in some of its buildings. Windhoek has a number of interesting buildings like the Christuskirche, the train station and the castle-like Heinitzburg Hotel. Lüderitz is a colonial era town with distinctive German Imperial and Art Nouveau styles. Nearby is the abandoned mining town of Kolmanskop. Once a thriving center for diamonds, the miners moved on and the sand dunes have moved in, but tours are still available.

Do
When planning your tour, consider that many attractions require a permit but not all of them sell it on-site. Most visitors pass through Windhoek at the start of their tour; Obtain the necessary permits here. The major permit issuers are the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET, Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda St, Windhoek), the National Heritage Council (NHC, 52 Robert Mugabe Avenue, Windhoek), and Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR, Gathemann Building, Independence Avenue, Windhoek).
 * Go on safari. Explore landscape and wildlife by car. For many of the wild animals you do not need to visit a national park. Just leave the major highways, and you will bump into (not literally, hopefully) giraffe, ostrich, kudu, oryx, springbok, baboon, and much more.
 * Relax. Namibia is not about ticking off boxes on laundry lists of things to see. Instead book a hut or pitch a tent in one of the many breathtakingly beautiful places, occupy a chair outside, and enjoy landscape, wildlife, sunsets, and the night sky.
 * Go on a 4x4 tour. See our Off-roading in Namibia article.
 * Explore ghost towns of the diamond rush around the coastal town of Lüderitz
 * Fly with a hot-air balloon across the dunes at Sossusvlei
 * Ride a sandboard or a quadbike through the dunes in the coastal area around Walvis Bay and Swakopmund
 * Explore the rich culture by visiting an indigenous community of the San (Tsumkwe), the Ovahimba (Kaokoland), the Ovaherero (Omaheke) or the Damara (Erongo). There are commercial options, called "Living Village" or "Living Museum", or you do it on your own by hiring a guide and follow their advice.

Money

The currency of the country is the Namibian dollar, denoted by the symbol "$" or "N$" (ISO currency code: NAD). It is divided into 100 cents. Unlike elsewhere in Africa you cannot pay anything in US dollars or euro.

Coins of Namibia are issued in denominations of 5, 10 and 50 cents, N$1, N$5 and N$10. Banknotes of Namibia are issued in denominations of N$10, N$20, N$50, N$100 and N$200. There is also a N$30 note, but is worth more as a collector's piece than as a circulating piece.

Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa and Eswatini (Swaziland) form the Southern African Common Monetary Area (CMA) through which each country's currency is pegged 1:1 to the South African Rand (ZAR). The Namibian dollar and South African rand are legal tender in Namibia though change will usually be given in Namibian dollars.

Banks in Namibia will convert Namibian dollars for South African rand and vice versa without charge or paperwork. Since any bank or currency exchange outside Namibia (including other members of the Common Monetary Area) will charge a substantial service fee to change currency, it is advisable to make use of a Namibian Bank before leaving the country.

You should carry proof (for example, ATM receipts) that money you are taking out of the country is money that you brought into the country in the first place.

Current official exchange rates are available from the Namibian Central Bank

Automated teller machines are available in all towns. "Town" in Namibia is defined as "being independently governed", and not by size. Some towns thus are really small. Most villages do not feature an ATM. Be also advised that not everything on the Namibian map is a settlement. "Red drum" in Kunene Region is just that, a red drum, and "Sossusvlei" is a clay pan, not a village. And has no ATM, of course. It is best to use only teller machines that are manned by a security guard in uniform. Always be careful to make sure no one is watching you enter your PIN, and be vigilant about typical scams (e.g. machines that seem to eat your card and won't give it back after you enter the PIN).

The cross-border money transfer facilities are limited and expensive, with one of the poorest currency buying-and-selling rates, because the government does not want the money to be sent out of the country. There are only a few Western Union Money Transfer offices in Namibia.

Shopping
Prices in shops are fixed, but prices in open markets or from street vendors are open to bargain.

When going on a self-drive tour, stock up on groceries while you are in Windhoek, or whenever you pass a town. Obtaining vegetables, coffee, butter, honey, even eggs, milk or bread, can be a struggle out in the countryside. The only items you'll get almost everywhere are canned food, pasta, oil and tea.

Souvenirs
In most towns you will be approached by many locals to buy souvenirs, when this happens a 'no thanks' will usually suffice and they will leave you alone. It is common to haggle. Try to buy as much as possible from small shops instead of bigger ones—it's the best way to help the poor local population. Please do not buy high-quality ware like mobile phones or safari gear from mobile vendors. They often trade in contraband, and obtaining such goods may get you into trouble.

Typical souvenirs from Namibia are:
 * Amarula: a liquor made from the nuts of the Makalani tree. There are several brands, and all major liquor shops store it. Around 150 N$ (January 2024)
 * Arts and crafts are sold in all towns where tourists might come through, typically in the city centres and in designated areas at town entrances. Some are made on site like the wooden sculptures at the entrances of Okahandja, the jewellery in the centre of Opuwo, and the sheep and goat skins sold along the B1 road between Mariental and Keetmanshoop. Some are imported from other African countries: Most of the stone sculptures are Shona art and come from Zimbabwe, textiles come from South Africa, Tanzania or Kenya, wooden masks also are not Namibian. Don't worry too much about aircraft luggage if you buy a larger item, as airlines flying to Namibia will make an effort to transport it without extra charge.
 * You will likely be approached to buy keychains made from makalani nuts — tiny coconuts of about 4 cm diameter with African animals carved in the brown shells. They do make nice souvenirs. Vendors will ask tourists' names and immediately start carving them in the nuts to press you to buy them. If you don't intend to buy one, you might consider not telling your name. The sellers can become pesky, especially if they appear in groups close to popular tourist destinations. 40-50 N$ (September 2023)
 * Veldskoene (shoes from hides, alternatively shoes for the savannah, depending on translation): The traditional footwear of the Khoisan, still manufactured largely by hand, in South Africa and Namibia, and worn by many locals. Due to the use of antelope or seal leather they are very soft and will slowly adapt to any form of foot, buy a size smaller than usual. Depending on the make they can also be featherlight. Unfortunately they are not looking very good, but Namibians couldn't care less. The most sturdy veldskoene come with soles made from car tyres; You will not walk through them in a lifetime! This type can be bought from a semi-industrialised South African company ("Strassbergers") in all agricultural suppliers (Agra, Agrimark, Metro) but also from street vendors who have someone in the family to make them by hand. You can order veldskoene to be custom-made at the beginning of your holidays, for instance in Windhoek's Post Street Mall, and pick them up before you head home again. 500-800 N$ (January 2024)

Diamonds
Namibia is home to some of the most productive diamond mines in the world, and since all mines are owned by a government-de Beers partnership, prices in Namibia are generally quite lower than in the Western world, where monopolies control the prices. Most large towns in Namibia have stores that sell diamonds.

Possession of uncut diamonds is illegal in Namibia and carries lengthy jail terms. Any attempt to sell them to you is likely a rip-off, anyway.

Eat
Namibians have a very high intake of meat, and a low intake of vegetables. This has to do with the semi-arid climate; agriculture almost exclusively is cattle, sheep, and goat farming while edible plants only grow when irrigated. As a result, meat is good, cheap, and plentiful, while fruits and vegetables tend to be expensive as a lot of produce is imported from neighbouring states. A very popular way to eat and socialise is the braai, a mixed wood-fired barbecue with lots of alcoholic drinks. Every campsite, every lodge, and every domestic home has pre-installed braai facilities.

In the coastal towns seafood is fresh and inexpensive. Make sure you try the local specialities kingklip and sole. Hake is also available and cheap. Restaurants will often offer line fish or angel fish which is simply what the fishermen managed to haul out from the sea—do ask what kind of fish it is before ordering. Inland, fish is also served in restaurants but how fresh it is is a matter of luck. Of course it has been frozen during the transport across the Namib Desert; if you don't like that then order something else.

All towns have supermarkets with all standard products, although most fruits and vegetables are imported and therefore rather expensive. Shops in villages will have very little fresh produce. Even if they have cold storage it will mostly be used for drinks. Far away from bigger towns tomatoes, onions, potatoes and apples is all you can hope for, and mostly not at once. Also buying meat can be a challenge unless you are prepared to take the whole animal. Travellers usually take along mobile fridges, or at least several coolboxes, to complement the restricted offer. Cooler boxes are so ubiquitous that there is a local viral video about them.

Of the local food specialities these are the ones you should try. You get them on any open market and in some specialised restaurants:
 * Kapana: Grilled beef strips as a snack. If you don't like it spicy, say so, otherwise it will be very hot.
 * Biltong and droewors: spiced and marinated dried meat, in its original form or as sausage. Perfect snack for long overland drives.
 * Goat meat: Stewed or grilled, very rich flavour, you pay per piece. So before you have picked your pieces you will not be told a price.
 * Matangara: Beef (sometimes goat) tripes in a tangy sauce, can be hot. Matangara is so popular that you can buy it pre-cooked in the supermarket.
 * Maize or Mahangu (pearl millet) pap: Types of porridge, the national staple food. Only suitable for meals with sauce; On its own it doesn't go down well.
 * Junkies or vetkoek: Dough dumplings fried in oil, as a staple for meat, or sweet
 * Rosterbrood: dough rolls baked on the braai, very rich and slightly sweet. The perfect side for grilled meat
 * Wild spinach (omboga): Flavourful spinach that grows as a weed in mahangu fields. As all food from the North it is invariably full of sand, and no amount of rinsing will remove it because the sand is inside the leaves. With a bit of practice you can chew it the correct way by leaving a small gap between your rows of teeth.

As a tourist you won't have the chance to prepare a potjie, stewed food from a cast-iron pot prepared over open fire. It takes forever, the pot is heavy and awkward to transport, and a good potjie requires a lot of experience. But lodges and some restaurants offer it, and if you are invited privately, your host will be happy to make a potjie for the occasion.

Vegetarians and vegans can have a challenging time in Namibia. While you may have to explain your diet in restaurants, the average place will make an effort to accomodate you. With the exception of Windhoek, Swakopmund, and high end lodges you won't find anything that is purposefully vegetarian.

Windhoek and Swakopmund also have a variety of world cuisines now. There are Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican and other restaurants.

Drink
Namibia's nightclubs are always happening and always open late (pretty much until the last person leaves). They are only located in bigger cities. The local version of a bar is the shebeen, a formal or informal structure with a counter for alcohol sale, a TV, a slot machine, and often a pool table. Drinks in shebeens are very cheap, and there are a lot of them, but most are situated in the townships. The flagship beer of Namibia is Windhoek Lager, an easy-drinking filtered beer, brewed by resident German master brewers.

The sale of alcohol for take-away is not allowed between Saturday 13:00 and Monday morning; all holidays count as Sundays. That means in supermarkets, which usually are open every day, the fridges with alcoholic drinks will be padlocked during this period. In informal areas (townships, shebeens, or remote villages) this rule is seldom enforced.

Oshikundu or Ontaku is a traditional Namibian beer-like drink made from fermented millet and sold in markets and at street stalls.

Among travellers various Shandies are popular because they cool you down on a hot summer day. They all contain Angostura, and therefore a trace of alcohol, but not enough to cloud the mind. The original recipe is subject to debate, but often Rock Shandy will be lemonade plus soda water, and Malawi Shandy ginger ale plus soda water, all on a copious amount of ice cubes, and with a dash of Angostura. Make sure you try one when it is hot.

Camping
Namibians love camping and the outdoors. Near every tourist attraction you will find several camp sites, from very simple, communally run places on sand that just have water and a dry toilet (about 100 N$ per person) to private park-like settings with lush grass, power sockets and a sink per camping spot, shade, and private WCs (about 200 N$ per person). In the national parks there are places without any amenities where you even have to bring water. These often need a 4x4 to get to, and you have to buy a permit in advance which is more expensive than staying at the best camp sites in the country. The chance to get caught without a permit is small but if they get you they will impose a 7.800 N$ fine—per person! If you spot a nice place to camp next to the road, check if there is a fence. If there's a fence then that's a farm. Farms are private properties. Don't enter a farm without notifying the farmer and asking for permission. Wild camping is allowed (but not very safe, luxurious or pleasant) on the side of the road between the banks and the farm fence, or in the areas that are neither commercial farms nor protected areas.

Backpackers
There are a few dormitories and hostels, but only in the older and larger towns. Neither hitchhiking nor backpacking are very common among tourists.

Lodges
Every tourism establishment that thinks it offers quality will call itself a lodge. It means that besides a roof over your head there are additional offerings like a restaurant, a pool, game drives, sports activities, hunting, and more. Originally far away from urban centres, even ordinary B&Bs will have the name 'lodge' today. As a rule, if a lodge also offers a campsite, it is not ridiculously expensive. Apparently the wealthy do not like to mingle too much with dusty people pitching tents.
 * 1) The traditional lodges are for tourists with deep pockets. Their prices typically include all meals, a game drive, sundowner excursion with drinks, entertainment by local cultural groups, and so on. Many offer supreme privacy and luxury. These lodges, see Serra Cafema for an example, will tell their rates only upon request and charge anything between 3,000 N$ and 15,000 N$ pppn—The more inaccessible the higher the price, with the most expensive places those to which there is not even a 4x4 track, and a fly-in the only option.
 * 2) The new lodges are those accommodation establishments that want to offer more than a bed and a breakfast. While indeed a bit more expensive than a B&B, many are worth visiting and do return value. Expect to pay between 800 N$ and 2,500 N$ pppn, activities not included. For an example, see Okambara Elephant Lodge or Erindi Old Traders' Lodge.

Prices are often quoted per-person rather than per-room. Of course you'll find a double room cheaper per person than single occupancy.

Work
It is extremely difficult for foreigners to get work permits in Namibia. With about 30% unemployment, the government is not enthusiastic about letting people in who would take jobs from Namibians. All semi-skilled and unskilled positions must be unconditionally filled by local Namibians. A work permit is necessary for all sorts of work, not just permanent employment. Delivering a talk at a conference, appearing in court representing a client, fixing a car for a rental company, volunteering in any capacity, treating people or animals without pay, or consulting, are all work and require one. Estimate at least 3 months of paperwork to get a work permit.

An employee's salary is normally paid in Namibian dollars and income tax (maximum rate is 37% and is based on different income slabs) is deducted by the employer. The capital city of Windhoek is one of the least expensive places in the world for expatriates to live.

Stay safe
Namibia is a peaceful country and is not involved in any wars. Since the end of the Angolan civil war in May 2002, the violence that spilled over into northeastern Namibia is no longer an issue. Namibia is, however, a country with extreme income disparities. A middle manager easily earns twenty times the salary of a cleaner, and a third of the workforce is unemployed. As a tourist you're inevitably seen as stinking rich, and a prime target for thieves.

Namibia has a relatively high crime rate, particularly sexual abuse, general violence after alcohol abuse, and theft. Be careful on or right after pay day, the last day of the month, when there will be more drunk people than anyway usual. Travellers should have no problem visiting the townships, but do not go there on your own, or after dark. In Windhoek you can book township tours where you will be taken to the most interesting places, but that's not the same as going there yourself and see that there are people living there like you and me.

For foreigners, it is not prudent to walk or ride taxis alone after sunset. Pickpockets can be a problem. No local will carry a bag while walking, and for thieves the bag is the token to make out who is a tourist and who isn't. Stuff all possessions into your trousers' pockets. If you rent a car, insist that the owner (rental company) of the car is clearly visible with stickers or as car paint. In the event of carjacking there is no easier way to relax the attitude of the robbers than pointing out that the car isn't yours. Besides, as pretty much all rented cars have hidden communication devices, no carjacker in his right mind will take one from a rental company.

Most reported robberies take place just outside of the city centre. The police report that taxi drivers are often involved: they spot vulnerable tourists and coordinate by cell phoning. Take these warnings in context; if you are alert and take some common sense precautions, you should have no problems. Never be specific when asked where you stay; "in town" or "at some B&B" is sufficient for all good-faith conversations and doesn't disclose your intended route.

Namibia has a serious problem with driving under the influence of alcohol. The problem is aggravated because most people consider it no problem. When driving or walking on weekend evenings, be especially alert. The person in a car (the more expensive the better) is more important, and has the right of way. This specifically includes zebra crossings and green pedestrian traffic lights—even expats and fellow tourists will not stop for someone on foot in order not to confuse local drivers.

Stay healthy
The HIV infection rate in Namibia is around 17%, which is lower than before but is still the leading cause of death in the country.

Namibia's medical system is modern and capable of attending to whatever needs you may have. Staff are well trained and so HIV transmission in hospitals is not an issue. This applies to government and private hospitals alike, though line-ups are often shorter at private hospitals, and there have been cases of incorrect diagnosis in government hospitals. Should you become a victim of violence, private doctors and hospitals will send you away. The reason is that staff treating you will be summoned as witnesses to subsequent court cases without compensation, and lose valuable working time. In state hospitals, where productivity is not an issue, you will be treated at almost no charge. Thereafter do consult a private practice to confirm diagnosis and treatment. All private medical facilities expect cash or credit card in advance, no matter if or where you are insured. A visit to the doctor will be about 500 N$, for a night in hospital you'll have to deposit at least 10,000 N$.

The northern part of Namibia is in a malaria-risk zone, so consult a doctor before leaving, and take appropriate malaria precautions when travelling in these areas.

Ensure you are well stocked with water when journeying through the hot and sparsely populated country. On main roads take along at least 2 liters of potable water per person. In lesser travelled areas, 5 litres per person are the absolute minimum. If your car breaks down it can take days (!) for someone else to pass through. Namibia's water supply is usually safe to drink, except where labelled otherwise. Campsites next to rivers often get their water directly from the river. This water is clean but still disturbs some stomachs. Windhoek has the oldest direct water reclamation plant in the world. "Direct" means toilet-to-tap in one go, and many Windhoekers are uncomfortable with that and only drink bottled water. However, the water is completely safe, it just doesn't taste very good.

Having said all this, make sure you consult a physician specializing in health issues of Southern Africa, as well as things like the Centre for Disease Control web page. Make sure you satisfy yourself of the safety of anything you're getting into.

Respect
Namibians are very proud of their nation. It is a well developed country (albeit still economically developing) with modern amenities and technologies. Namibians have been exposed to a surprisingly wide variety of peoples during the United Nations supervising of the elections, as well as from various volunteer organizations. As in many African countries, the further away you come from the more curiosity you are going to attract.

It is customary when greeting someone to ask them how they're doing. It's a simple exchange where each person asks "How are you?" (or the informal version "Howzit?"—"Sharp, bro") and responds with a correspondingly short answer "Good, yourself?", and then proceed with whatever your business is about. It's a good idea to say this at tourist info booths, in markets, when getting into taxis and even in shops in Windhoek (though it's normally not said in some of the bigger stores in the malls).

Dress
Shorts and trousers are worn by Namibians, so no one is offended if tourists dress in that style, too. Generally a dress that is overly safari-like is only appropriate if you are indeed on safari. Everywhere else it will earn you anything from mild smiles to outright laughter, not to mention that such attire screams "tourist". Black Namibians are sometimes dressed very formally, also outside working hours, while some white Namibians are the exact opposite. So on one hand you may see patrons in a shebeen donning dinner dress or black suit while on the other, managers or owners of fairly large businesses walking about with shorts and thick, knee-high socks, to prevent snakes from biting their lower legs, even in the capital where there are few snakes.

For festivities and church service everyone is dressed formally or traditionally. The traditional dresses of the women originate from the early colonial era and can look funny and out of place today. Don't laugh, culture is very important in Namibia.

Race
Race is a common part of Namibian discourse and Namibians refer to the race of others more frequently than travellers may expect. Because of apartheid, race is an issue in many spheres of life, so it comes up a lot. In spite of this, the various races do get along well in Namibia, and it is fairly uncommon to find racial tensions flaring. Even the various past conflicts were about cattle and land, not race.

Those who are more accustomed to North American racial terminology should understand that words that are familiar to them have different meanings in Namibia and South Africa, and the rules for what terms are polite or not are different. If in doubt, call everyone 'Namibians'.
 * Coloured is a term for people of mixed ancestry, those with a skin colour between white and black. Don't call a black person 'coloured' in Namibia, as it may imply a whitewashing of one's ethnic identity.
 * Baster (bastard) is the term for the coloured people at Rehoboth. They are proud to be Basters, but don't call anyone else (particularly other coloureds) that way.
 * Black are Namibians of solely, or mostly, African ancestry—those with darker skin, though some may have complexions similar to those of 'coloured Namibians'. It is not a derogatory term. African people in Namibia are proud to be black.
 * White are the descendents of various European immigrants. Some have lived in Africa for centuries, others recently entered. While it is generally not problematic to call someone 'white', there is a certain undertone of 'You do not belong here'.
 * There is now also a sizeable Chinese community in Namibia, about 2% of the population. Namibians normally refer to anyone visibly Asian as "Chinese" including Japanese, Korean, Kazakh, Vietnamese, or any of the other myriad of Asian ethnicities which are not Chinese. You may try to explain the racial differences, however, your three weeks of holidays will likely not be sufficient time to convince most Namibians to drop the habit.

Gay and lesbian travellers
Namibians have an ambivalent attitude towards gays and lesbians. Sexual intercourse between men is illegal, and there are no laws supporting LGBT rights. In the early 2000s there were a few incidents of discrimination, harassment and violence, along the statement that homosexuality is "un-African". The current situation is more like "leave them alone". The so-called Sodomy Law has never been enforced. As not many Namibians discuss sexuality with strangers, outing yourself for no apparent reason will be perceived as odd. When booking a room together it may be wise not to disclose that you are married.

On the other hand, homosexuality is really common, and in many bars you'll find same-sex couples. Showing affection in public is generally rare and happens only in bars and nightclubs when people are drunk. Everywhere else it is expected that it happens in private, even more so for same-sex couples.

By phone
Namibia's country code is 264. Each city or region has a two-digit area code. When calling long distance within Namibia, prefix the area code with a '0'. There are still a few pay phone booths around the country but they are no longer maintained. When making an international call from a phone booth, bring plenty of coins. Such calls are still expensive in Namibia, and it requires some dexterity to stuff coins in fast enough to not be cut off.

By mobile phone
Mobile phones are very common in Namibia. There are two cell phone providers in Namibia, MTC and Telecom. Overall, MTC offers better coverage for tourists. Coverage is complete in all towns and on the major highways. On minor roads and in the countryside you won't have reception, despite both providers advertising near-complete coverage. All major tourist destinations are covered by MTC. Telecom has better coverage in villages that are not on tourist routes. If you are travelling near the borders, be aware that the foreign towers are usually stronger, and your phone will connect to these, causing additional charges.

A new SIM card costs N$10 or less and has N$5 of credit on it. Unlike in South Africa you don't need a passport to register them (January 2020) but the legislation to make this compulsory is coming soon. Bundles are available at N$30-50 and give several hundred SMSs, 100 call minutes or more, and 1-10 GiB of data. These bulk options, called "Away" for MTC and "Jiva" for Telecom, are very common and a lot cheaper than pure data packages. However, they all expire after a week.

MTC SIM cards need to be activated by phoning or texting to them. Data usage needs to be activated in an official outlet of the provider, only available in larger towns and at the airport. Recharge vouchers are available everywhere for MTC. Only few vendors stock Telecom vouchers, buy them in advance with the SIM card. When recharging, 15% tax is deducted; a N$30 voucher will give you N$26.09 credit, not N$30.

By Wi-Fi
The international airport and virtually every restaurant, bar, B&B and camp site provide free Wi-Fi. However, not all of Namibia is covered by mobile towers. Far away from both major highways (A and B roads) and larger settlements, there is no reception. The tourist establishments in these remote areas have themselves no Internet access, and can thus not provide it to you. Some fill the coverage gap by providing satellite Internet, but this is by no means guaranteed.

Voice over IP
Voice over IP is illegal in Namibia. Private persons will not be prosecuted for it, but there have been some prosecutions for people selling the service. You will not find shops offering cheap international calls, and you will not be allowed to Skype or similar from an Internet Cafe.

Go next
The nearby nations of South Africa, Botswana and Angola are three obvious places to consider going next.

title: Namibia


text:
Namib-Naukluft National Park

Namib-Naukluft National Park spans a large area along the coast of Namibia. Its southern part is in the ǁKaras region, its northern part in Erongo, and the main part is in Hardap. The western part of it, the Namib Sand Sea, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand
The Namib-Naukluft is one of the oldest protected areas in Namibia, having been established in 1907. The park today covers a huge area of nearly 50,000 km². It is Africa's largest and the world's 4th largest nature reserve.

Much of the park is inaccessible to humans, partly because there are no roads, partly because access is forbidden. The impassable areas can be explored only by air.

History
Protection of the area dates back to colonial times. In 1907 the Germans proclaimed three nature reserves, one of them the Namib-Naukluft National Park. Its borders were the Swakop River and the Kuiseb River. The park was continuously expanded over the years until it reached its current boundaries in 1986. Touristic development only started in the late 1970s, though.

The evidence of Stone Age life in the  Kuiseb  River dates back to 200 000 years. Other archaeological finds indicate that  the area was used by semi-nomadic communities when rain provided enough grazing for animals. The Topnaar people still  live along the Kuiseb River inside the park and were guaranteed rights of residence by Queen Victoria more than a century ago.

Get in

 * from drive on the C26 towards Windhoek, the road will cross the park.
 * from drive the B4 inlands and turn northwards at Aus

Fees and permits
Except for using the public roads that cross it you need a permit to enter the park. You can buy it only at a Ministry of Environment and Tourism office which are often co-located at outlets of Namibia Wildlife Resorts. There are offices in Windhoek (corner of Bismarck Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue) and Swakopmund (Uhland Street). Within the park there are offices at Sesriem and at the Naukluft Camp, both listed below.

It costs 80 N$ per person (Namibians 10-30 N$ depending on destination within the park, neighboring countries' residents 60 N$), children u16 free, and 10 N$ per car to enter the park. "Entering" means turning off from any C or D road in the park onto an unnumbered road, or using any D road towards Gobabeb. There are clearly visible plinths on any turnoff that requires a permit.
 * Entrance fee

If you stay over at one of the small camp sites in the park you also need a permit. Prices are higher than on private camp sites.
 * Camping fee

Get around
The major attractions can be reached by gravel roads in various states of maintenance. A 4x4 is not necessary for crossing the park on C-roads but is more comfortable and safer to drive in. To drive on some of the D-roads in a sedan you need strong nerves. Expect sandy patches, river crossings without bridges, steep ascents and descents, closed farm gates, and the like. For "roads" without official designation you'll need an all-terrain vehicle.

Inaccessible parts of the park can be explored by air. The park has several airstrips. Bookings for panoramic flights can be made in the coastal towns of Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, and Lüderitz, but not in the park itself.

See

 * , a bay and a lagoon south of Walvis Bay. Home to large bird colonies, most famously flamingoes. The track starts from Walvis Bay, tours can be booked in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. These tours are done in specialised vehicles, for instance 4x4 quad bikes, to allow for driving across the dune field. To drive the track yourself without guide is challenging; A 4x4 is needed to navigate the sand, and any ordinary 4x4 will be too heavy to drive across the dunes, leaving the beach as the only path to the harbour. When driving along the beach, just before you arrive at Sandwich Bay, the passage is very narrow for a few kilometres. Here the dunes reach the shoreline. This part of the track is impassable during high tide, or when the Sea is rough. Check the timing of the tides, and consider that you still have to drive back. You should not continue driving if the waves reach the track: While it is somewhat safe to drive over the wet sand even if it is slightly submerged, any stop will erode the sand under the tyres within seconds. Yours wouldn't be the first vehicle to disappear into the Atlantic, and no insurance pays for this stupidity! Of course also never park your car close to the water when the tide is rising, and bring food and sleeping bags in case the track conditions have changed on your way back.
 * , a bay and a lagoon south of Walvis Bay. Home to large bird colonies, most famously flamingoes. The track starts from Walvis Bay, tours can be booked in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. These tours are done in specialised vehicles, for instance 4x4 quad bikes, to allow for driving across the dune field. To drive the track yourself without guide is challenging; A 4x4 is needed to navigate the sand, and any ordinary 4x4 will be too heavy to drive across the dunes, leaving the beach as the only path to the harbour. When driving along the beach, just before you arrive at Sandwich Bay, the passage is very narrow for a few kilometres. Here the dunes reach the shoreline. This part of the track is impassable during high tide, or when the Sea is rough. Check the timing of the tides, and consider that you still have to drive back. You should not continue driving if the waves reach the track: While it is somewhat safe to drive over the wet sand even if it is slightly submerged, any stop will erode the sand under the tyres within seconds. Yours wouldn't be the first vehicle to disappear into the Atlantic, and no insurance pays for this stupidity! Of course also never park your car close to the water when the tide is rising, and bring food and sleeping bags in case the track conditions have changed on your way back.
 * , a bay and a lagoon south of Walvis Bay. Home to large bird colonies, most famously flamingoes. The track starts from Walvis Bay, tours can be booked in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. These tours are done in specialised vehicles, for instance 4x4 quad bikes, to allow for driving across the dune field. To drive the track yourself without guide is challenging; A 4x4 is needed to navigate the sand, and any ordinary 4x4 will be too heavy to drive across the dunes, leaving the beach as the only path to the harbour. When driving along the beach, just before you arrive at Sandwich Bay, the passage is very narrow for a few kilometres. Here the dunes reach the shoreline. This part of the track is impassable during high tide, or when the Sea is rough. Check the timing of the tides, and consider that you still have to drive back. You should not continue driving if the waves reach the track: While it is somewhat safe to drive over the wet sand even if it is slightly submerged, any stop will erode the sand under the tyres within seconds. Yours wouldn't be the first vehicle to disappear into the Atlantic, and no insurance pays for this stupidity! Of course also never park your car close to the water when the tide is rising, and bring food and sleeping bags in case the track conditions have changed on your way back.

Do

 * Hiking trails: There are hundreds of scenic hikes in this park, and every accommodation recommends a few of them. Three of the best-known trails start off at the Naukluft Camp listed below where you will also get a simple map. The three-hour and the one-day hike require no special preparation. There is also an 8-day hike (with a shortcut after 4 days) for which you will need a special permit, a doctor's letter, and a booking confirmation from Namibia Wildlife Resorts.
 * At Solitaire you can book and go on a ride in a hot-air balloon. On the many days without wind, though, this simply means rising up a few hundred feet, enjoying the view, having a glass of Champagne, and landing on the exact spot where you started. Around N$ 4,500 per person, December 2019.

Buy
Getting supplies in the park can be difficult. It is a very sparsely populated area. You'll find petrol stations and/or general dealers here:

Camping
There are many camp sites in the park, some so small that only one group can stay over. You need a permit to drive to them as well as a permit to stay overnight. With the exception of the sites listed here, you will only find a long-drop toilet and a few refuse bins there, but no water or electricity.
 * Within the National Park

The larger sites with more infrastructure are:

On the edge of the park there are several private camp sites:
 * Outside the National Park

Stay safe
The park is notorious for its many car accidents, almost exclusively involving tourists, almost always due to speed, and often in combination with burst tyres. While the speed limit is 100 km/h on gravel roads, there is hardly any stretch of road where it is safe to drive that fast. To drive safely on badly maintained gravel:
 * 1) Don't overload the car. Many pickup vehicles with full camping gear, particularly from car rental companies, are overloaded even without any passengers in them. Check the rear spring blades, they need to be in u-form (bend upwards), not flat.
 * 2) Reduce tyre pressure so that all tyres form pockets that are just noticeable. This gives a lot more traction on gravel, makes bursting a tyre a lot less likely, and it extends the life span of the tyres, too. Once you are back on tar, don't forget to inflate them again.
 * 3) Avoid all sharp stones, including those hidden by loose sand. To achieve this, drive in the existing tracks, not in the loose heaps left behind by the street grader, and not in the middlemannetjie, the heap between the tracks. In well-established tracks the sharp edges of the rocks have been smoothed by the vehicles in front of you, that's why. If there are loose rocks on the track itself, quite common in the Naukluft, slow down. How far down? So that a burst front tyre doesn't make you overturn the car, and that is not much speed.
 * 4) Avoid collisions with animals by driving slowly, not by steering abruptly, or by breaking hard. Emergency breaking does not work on gravel, and a hard pull on the steering wheel will roll the car.
 * 5) Exercise extra caution on freshly graded stretches. The street grader will have uprooted plants, turned stones around so that the sharp tip now faces up, or filled holes with loose sand. If the only track on the road is much wider that that of your vehicle, meaning that you are the first car behind the grader, slow down to about 40 km/h.

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

title: Namib-Naukluft National Park


text:
Nampa

Nampa is Idaho's second largest city with a population of approximately 80,000. It is located in the Treasure Valley of Southwest Idaho.

By car
Nampa is located on Interstate 84 West between Caldwell and Meridian. It is about 20 miles west of Boise on I-84. It is about 40 miles east of Ontario, Oregon on I-84.

By bus
Greyhound operates long-distance buses to Nampa. You can catch the connecting 52 Valley Ride bus to the Nampa Downtown Inn in the morning. Take the 53 bus to the Greyhound Stop from downtown. If you arrive at night, you will need to take a taxi to go downtown.

By plane
There is a small municipal airport in Nampa, but the closest place to catch large commercial flights is the Boise Airport (BOI).

Get around
Nampa does not have much in the way of public transit, but the historic downtown area is very walkable.

Valley Ride has several routes that serve the city and some shopping centers outside. Buses run between 6:30AM and 7PM, Monday through Friday. Be aware that buses run every hour or two depending on the time of day.

Buy
Downtown Nampa also has a variety of other small shops and businesses.

Connect
The local paper in Nampa is the Idaho Press-Tribune.

Go next

 * Lake Lowell and the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge - an 11,000 acre wildlife refuge, excellent for birding

title: Nampa


text:
Nampula

Nampula is the capital of Nampula Province in Northern Mozambique, surrounded by plains and rocky outcrops. The city is connected by plane (LAM) to Maputo; it hosts the regional market and is well supplied with shops, banks, hotels and restaurants.

By train
A daily (except Monday) train departs Cuamba (not far from the Malawi border) for Nampula. The train departs at 05:00 and takes 10-12 hours to reach Nampula.

By bus
Minibuses (chapas) from Ilha de Mocambique (Mozambique Island) depart between 03:00 and 05:00 (3-4 hours). Later, you can take a chapa/truck to Monapo, from where regular chapas connect to Nampula. The bus station is located some 5 minutes from the train station, on the way to the airport.

There are big buses going from Nampula to Beira.

By car
All of the following can be located just outside the airport.

Eat
The Copacabana in front of the Tropical Hotel is recommended. Good seafood. Cold beer and wines. Picturesque settings. You'll find your NGO guys/ladies from all over the world there!

The Restaurant of Tropical Hotel is also good, but less choices than the Copacabana.

Avoid the Girassol hotel restaurant at all costs! The food there is warmed up and it's a festival of soggy fries in glassy sauces. Despite the referred unforeseen, Girassol hotel restaurant still is one of the best restaurants in town, with a good breakfast, Sunday lunch and dessert buffet. Definitely shouldn't avoid it!

The Sporting is a good place to eat if it's not raining: nice tables set outside and separated by neat little hedges. Great place to watch sport events on a telly.

Budget

 * Pensao Parque, Ave Paulo Samuel Kankhombe (close to the Residencia Monte Carlo), similar rooms.
 * Pensao Parque, Ave Paulo Samuel Kankhombe (close to the Residencia Monte Carlo), similar rooms.
 * Pensao Parque, Ave Paulo Samuel Kankhombe (close to the Residencia Monte Carlo), similar rooms.

Connect
English (and some Portuguese) language radio transmissions are available from BBC World Service on 88.3MHz.

Go next
Nampula is the staging post for journeys further north (towards the Tanzania border) or west (towards Malawi). The only passenger railway service in the Country connects the town with Cuamba near the Malawi border.

The train to Cuamba departs Nampula daily (except Mondays) at 05:00. The journey takes 10-12 hours. Tickets must be bought the day before from a small window at the train station, between 14:00 and 17:00. The service is quick, friendly and fares are posted on the window. Apparently, you can also buy tickets on the day of departure from the same window (but this is not confirmed).

There is a 3rd class (all days) and a 2nd class (on alternate days - from Nampula on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday). There is no 1st class anymore. The 3rd class cars are simple wooden (hard) benches of 2-3 people providing for a 'real' African experience. It is not bad though, at least if you have a seat. A ticket of neither class guarantees you any seat.

The boarding of the train starts at 04:00, but in order to have even a slightest chance of getting a seat, be at the gates well before 03:00. Even then you will notice two long queues - one male and one female. The guards open the gates at 04:00 and only allow passengers with tickets. Rush to the closest car to claim a seat.

Males and females usually board separate cars, but it's more a convention than a law. Later in the journey the become mixed. If you're a solo female or a female party, queue with other women and travel in a female car. The opposite should apply to males and male parties. If your party is mixed, have females queue with females (the female queue could be shorter and move faster), then have them claim seats for all of you in a male car. Traveling males do not carry as much produce as females, and certainly no screaming babies. One thing to avoid is the first car, since the fumes from the engine are literally breathtaking.

There is no dining car, but the train company employees roam around and sell soft drinks and biscuits. Prices are low. The train also stops every several minutes, where people at stations sell all variety of food: fruit, snacks, chicken, drinks, etc. It's still wise to carry some snacks and water, though.

The whole train has no lighting (so carry a flashlight for winter departures), toilets are vomit-inciting holes in the deck, and external doors tend to be missing as well. Other than that it's a safe way of traveling.

Once in Cuamba, minibuses depart from the train station to Mandimba (on the Malawi border), Lichinga and others.

title: Nampula


text:
Namshan

Namshan is a village in Northern Shan State in Myanmar. Namshan is in the area where the Golden Palaung people live.

Understand
With a lousy road and a sleepy village look, Namshan may appear to have always been a sleepy backwater but, not so long ago it was the capital of the Shan State of Tawngpeng (Taungbaing). The region, and its capital, have declined economically since the abolition of the Sao Pha in 1952.

By road
A rough ride from Hsipaw on a very bad road (avoidable during the rainy season) is the only way to get to this village. The easiest is to ride pillion on a motorcycle (available in Hsipaw). The occasional truck that makes the journey may let you hitch a ride for a small fee.

Pickups go from Hsipaw to Namshan daily for 6,000 kyat per person (2012). It takes 6 hours to drive the 80 km. Ask at Mr Kid if you are staying there (Mr Charles apparently will tell you the only way to get there is to take a tour with his guesthouse).

Get around
The town is small and walkable, not that there is any other form of transport available.

See

 * The Sao Pha palace

Do
Trekking, either from Namshan to Hsipaw (possible without a guide, ask for map at guesthouse) or in the mountains around Namshan with a guide. Both are excellent, with beautiful scenery and villages. The price for a guide is very reasonable.

Eat
There are 3 restaurants in the village, at least one Chinese and one Burmese. These close quite early in the evening. The tea is some of the best in Myanmar.

Sleep
There is only one lodging in the village that accepts foreign nationals (not clear if it is licensed to do so). US$1-2 for a bed and blankets in a shared room. It is unlikely that you'll have to share the room though. Rooms are available for 3,500 kyat per person (Jun 2012).

Stay safe
See the warning in the Myanmar article.

Connect
None with the outside world. There may be a phone service for domestic call but, if there is one, it is not at all evident.

Go next
Namshan is pretty much the end of the road for legal travel. You can return to either Hsipaw or Kyaukme from here.

title: Namshan


text:
Namur

Namur's location at the head of the Ardennes has made it a popular tourist centre. The town's most prominent sight is the Citadel of Namur, now demilitarised and open to the public. Namur also has a distinctive 18th-century cathedral dedicated to Saint Aubain and a belfry classified by UNESCO as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France which are listed as a World Heritage Site. It has a casino in its southern district on the left bank of the Meuse.

Understand
Namur is the capital of Wallonia, the French-speaking southern part of Belgium, and is the capital of the province with the same name, Namur. In 2024, the city has about 114,000 inhabitants.

History
Namur has been an important trading settlement since Celtic times, straddling east–west and north–south trade routes across the Ardennes, and the Romans established a permanent presence under direction of Julius Caesar. The settlement flourished during the Middle Ages, when the Merovingians built a castle on the rocky spur overlooking the town at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse.

In 1262, Namur was conquered by the Count of Flanders, and sold to Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy in 1421. After Namur became part of the Spanish Netherlands in the 1640s, the castle was considerably strengthened and grew into the present day Citadel. The fortifications proved inadequate to repel the invasion of Louis XIV of France in 1692, leading to the capturing of the town and its annexation to France. The French occupation force started reinforcing the citadel, but were unable to finish it by the time Willian II of Orange-Nassau conquered the city three years later. Control of the city changed ownership a few times through treaties with the Spanish Netherlands and the Austrian House of Habsburg. In 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht was signed, transferring control over the city to the Austrians, while reserving the Dutch the right to garrison in the citadel. It was rebuilt under their tenure in the following years.

France invaded the region again in 1794, annexing Namur a second time, until the Congress of Vienna in 1815 incorporated Namur into the United Kingdom of the Netherlands after the death of Napoleon. When Belgium gained independence in 1830 following the Belgian Revolution, Namur once again became an important garrison city for the newly formed government. The citadel was rebuilt yet again in 1887.

When the First World War broke out in 1914, the citadel made Namur a primary military target, and on 21 August of that year the German air force bombarded the town without warning. The Germans, seeking to use the Meuse valley as a route into France, sought to secure the citadel at all costs. Despite the citadel being billed as virtually impregnable, the overwhelming German force captured the citadel after three days of intense fighting, and Namur remained under German control for the rest of the war. The city suffered a similar fate during the Second World War when it ended up at the frontline of the defending Allies against the Axis invasion force. It played a role in the Battle of the Ardennes at the outbreak of the war in 1940, and again in the decisive Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Namur sustained heavy damage during both conflicts.

When federal Belgium broke apart into its three regions, the Walloon Region, the Flanders Region and the Brussels Capital Region, Namur was chosen to be the capital of the Walloon Region and the seat of its executive and parliament. It was finally declared the official capital of Wallonia in 1986, despite it being considerably smaller than Liège or Charleroi.

As a result of its favorable location in the Walloon Region and the Benelux, Namur remains an important industrial and commercial centre in the Walloon Region. Its most important industries are machinery production and metal works, leather goods, and porcelain.

Orientation
The city stands at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers, and straddles three different regions, with Condroz the most well known of them. It is located to the west of Charleroi and south-east of Brussels. It includes also the neighborhood of Beez, known for its limestone quarry with world class calcite crystals, Jambes as a local event center, and Marche-les-Dames where the corpse of King Albert I was found after his climbing accident in 1934.

Climate
The climate of Namur is, as with most of the Sambre and Meuse region, quite humid. Expect rain in any season, but particularly in spring and autumn. Do not count on a sunny morning for a day with outdoor activities, as weather may turn quickly. Having a raincoat or umbrella along is recommended. Temperatures typically range from 5°C to 20°C most of the year, with low peaks down to -15°C in winter, and highs up to 35°C in summer.

By train
Namur is located 60 km south-east of Belgium's capital city, Brussels. It can be reached by train from Brussels (about 50 minutes with an intercity train from Brussels Schuman), on the direct line from Brussels (Midi, Centrale, Nord, Schuman or Luxembourg) to Dinant or Luxembourg. Get off at or. Both stations are operated by the Walloon branch of the Belgian national railway company NMBS, which translates to SNCB in French.

The intercity train Basel-Brussels also stops in Namur.

By boat
Namur is accessible by boat, the Meuse comes from France and the Samber flows through Namur, where the two rivers meet.

By bus
has several connections to Namur. A direct coach service between Paris and Namur takes 5.30 hours for approximately €20. Namur can also be reached from Aachen in about 2 hours for €7. Other connecting cities are Augsburg, Basel, Bern, Besançon, Bonn, Bordeaux, Budapest, Calais, Colmar, Cologne, Dijon, Freiburg, Grenoble, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Koblenz, Lausanne, Le Mans, Lissabon, London, Ludwigshafen, Lyon, Madrid, Milano, Mannheim, Munich, Nantes, Nürnberg, Orléans, Prague, Strasbourg, Stuttgart and Toulouse.

Get around
The layout of the city is complex and navigation is not easy, a detailed map is highly recommended. OpenStreetMap has moderate coverage of Namur.

By foot
Namur is not really a big city and is perfect to discover on foot. With good hiking shoes, light gear and favorable weather it is the most interesting, cheapest and most pleasant option. The roads ascending the citadel are covered by cobblestones, so hiking up is the best budget option. Many areas in the historic center are reserved for pedestrians, and sidewalks are available almost everywhere. Several pedestrian bridges cross the Meuse and Sambre.

By bike
Cycling is gaining popularity among the locals, but is still limited due to the number of cobbled streets. On the other hand, many one-way streets are "except bicycles", so cyclists enjoy special privileges. Bikes can be rented at next to the SNCB railway station. For trips returning to the railway station, the service provided by the SNCB offers train travelers to explore the city, but bikes must be returned to the same station.

By public transport
The public transport network is operated by the Walloon bus company TEC. Tickets can be purchased from kiosks, or directly from bus drivers where they are only marginally more expensive. Do not expect bus drivers to converse fluently in English, so having your destination written out on a piece of paper may help to avoid confusion.

See

Do

 * Hire a bicycle and cycle up and through the Citadel. There is also a network of mountain bike itineraries beginning and ending in Namur, but the signage, which is very good at the beginning, with large coloured arrows painted on the road, suddenly vanishes without explanation.
 * A tour company in nearby Dinant (Les Kayaks Bleus) organises river kayaking trips. It would probably be possible to paddle downstream all the way to Holland and the North Sea.
 * There are public swimming pools in Salzinnes, Saint-Servais and Jambes.

Buy

Namur lacks a proper shopping mall. The inner city supermarkets are one and one (smaller).

Other supermarkets are and  in Jambes and another  and  in Salzinnes among others. Major shopping streets stretch from the Namur train station to Rue de Fer and Rue de l'Ange where you will find normal fashion outlets like H&M, Newlook, Zara, Kim Pie, Cool Cats, O' Appels, Charles Vogele Switzerland, Esprit, JBC, C& A, Women's secret, ICL Paris IV, Di, Camaieu among others.

Go next

 * Brussels — the national capital
 * Charleroi — the Detroit of Wallonia with a rich industrial history
 * Namur might also be your gateway to the Ardennes and Luxembourg.

title: Namur


text:
Namur (province)

Namur (Namen in Dutch) is a province in the Wallonia region of Belgium.

Cities

 * - the provincial (and regional) capital
 * - its belfry is a.
 * Rochefort with nearby Han-Sur-Lesse. Both have beautiful caves and stunning nature.
 * - its belfry is a.
 * Rochefort with nearby Han-Sur-Lesse. Both have beautiful caves and stunning nature.
 * - its belfry is a.
 * Rochefort with nearby Han-Sur-Lesse. Both have beautiful caves and stunning nature.
 * Rochefort with nearby Han-Sur-Lesse. Both have beautiful caves and stunning nature.

By train
There are frequent trains from Brussels to many destinations in Namur.

By car
You can drive into Namur from the rest of Belgium and from France. Because both countries are members of the Schengen treaty, there are no border controls.

By Public transport
There are trains all across Namur, and buses from most train stations.

By car
It is relatively easy to driva across Namur. As in the rest of Belgium, be aware of poor road conditions, though.

See

 * In the forest outside Brûly-de-Pesche you find a small World War II bunker area. This was the Command centre of Adolf Hitler during the 1940 offensive against France.

Do

 * Domein van de Grotten van Han (Domain of the Han Caves) A combination of beautiful and big caves and a wildlife reserve. for children aged 4-11 years and  for anyone above 11 years old. A multi-day visit is recommended.
 * Domein van de Grotten van Han (Domain of the Han Caves) A combination of beautiful and big caves and a wildlife reserve. for children aged 4-11 years and  for anyone above 11 years old. A multi-day visit is recommended.

Drink
Tap water is safe to drink.

Stay safe
All of Belgium is a safe country, including Namur. Use your common sense and you'll be fine.

Go next

 * The rest of Belgium is an obvious choice, especially the Ardennes, where most of Namur is located.
 * The small but beautiful country of Luxembourg if you're interested in castles and nature.
 * Go north towards the Dutch province of Limburg with stunning landscapes with rolling hills, castles and ancient, abandoned mines.

title: Namur (province)


text:
Nan

Nan (น่าน) is a town in the remote valley of the Nan River in the Northern River Valleys region of Northern Thailand, bordering Laos. The area is heavily forested with arable land used mainly for agriculture. It is an ancient city steeped in history with its long association with the Lanna Thai culture and the Sukhothai kingdom.

Although Nan is often overlooked by foreign tourists, don't let that discourage you from visiting. In fact, if you're seeking an authentic Thai experience, Nan is the perfect place to be.

Understand
Nan, a lesser-known region of Thailand, has a rich history that dates back centuries. It was once an autonomous kingdom that had limited contact with the outside world. Interestingly, the name "Nan" is also used to describe moon-faced children with buck teeth who are considered annoying in Thailand.

History
Archaeological evidence shows that prehistoric people inhabited the area, but it was not until the mid-14th century that several small meuangs (city-states) united to form Nanthaburi on the Nan River. This was around the same time that the Lan Xang (Million Elephants) kingdom was established in Laos and Luang Prabang was created. Nanthaburi, associated with the powerful Sukhothai kingdom, was given the title Wara Nakhon and played a significant role in the development of early Thai nationalism.

By the late 14th century, Nan had become one of the nine northern Thai-Lao principalities that formed Lan Na Thai, which is now known as Lanna. The city-state flourished under the name Chiang Klang (Middle City) in the 15th century. It was so named because of its location between Chiang Mai (New City) and Chiang Thong (Golden City, which is now Luang Prabang).

In 1558, the Burmese invaded and took control of the kingdom. They deported many of the inhabitants to Burma as slaves, and the city was completely deserted. It was not until 1786 that western Thailand was reclaimed from the Burmese, and the local dynasty regained sovereignty over Nan. However, it remained semi-autonomous until 1931 when it finally accepted the full dominion of Bangkok.

Visitors to contemporary Nan can still see parts of the old city wall and several early wats that date back to the Lanna period. The city's wats are unique and influenced by both Lanna and Tai Lü architecture. The Tai Lü people brought this architectural style from Xishuangbanna in China, where they originated from.

Orientation
The city spreads out along around 4 km, between the airport at the north end of town and the bus station at the south end, but its historical and commercial centre is more compact. Its area follows roughly a north-south orientation, along the right bank of the River Nan. The two main axes of the town, more or less parallel, are Sumonthewarat Rd (the easternmost and the closest to the river) and the Mahayot Rd. The city's main monuments are located at the junction of the three parallel axes: Pha Kong Rd (west), Mahayot Rd (middle), and Sumonthewarat Rd (east) and Suriyapong Rd which is perpendicular to them. As for the main shops, they can be found along the Sumonthewarat Rd and its perpendicular, Anantaworattidet Rd.

In the town, three bridges connect the right bank to the left bank of the River Nan: the southernmost, the Sriboonruang Bridge, the middle one, the Pattana Paknue Bridge, under which are held the boat races, and the northernmost, the Nakorn Nan Pattana Bridge.

Get in
Nan is connected by plane and by bus to the rest of the country.

By plane

 * Thai Smile connects to Nan from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), Greater Bangkok.
 * Air Asia connects to Nan from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang Airport (DMK).l

By train
The train station serving Nan is Den Chai in Phrae Province, 145 km from Nan. From the train station, take a songthaew parked in front of the station to Phrae bus station, about 30 min. Then catch a bus to Nan. There is also bus service directly to Nan from Den Chai. But you need to go to Den Chai bus station to take the bus.

By bus
The best way to get to Nan is by bus. Download the Green Bus app for easy booking and schedule inquiries. Green bus is the sole bus company servicing Nan in the north.

 * From Bangkok: Buses to and from Bangkok take between 10 and 13 hours, according to the type of bus.
 * From Chiang Mai: 6–7 hours.
 * From Chiang Rai: 5–6 hours @ 09:30 from the Old Bus Station in Chiang Rai, 164 baht.
 * From Phrae: 2 hours
 * From Phitsanulok: 5 hours @ 11:00 and 16:30
 * From Laos: Bus from Pakbeng via Muang Ngeun, 6-8 hours including border crossing (Feb 2024).

By car
One of the most efficient ways to get around the city is by car. The roads in Nan are typically spacious, well-maintained, and kept clean, making for a comfortable and smooth driving experience.

By motorcycle
Nan’s charm is undeniable, but the best part is the region and nature around the province, so renting a motorbike is recommended.

There are a few places nearby the bus station. Ask around to find a motorbike.

Prices in Nan tend to be a bit higher than other regions. This is due to the isolation and lack of tourist infrastructure. Expect to pay 250-300 baht per day (compared to 150-200 in Pai or Chiang Mai).

Two other places are:

 * Hill Tribe House, 430/1 Sumondhevaraj Rd, Nai Weing (on the far side of Nan River, but you can just call and they come and collect you), . Do a "Nan Riding and Camping Tour". You can also just rent a motorcycle. They have only 125cc bikes.
 * Ultimate Adventure, 77/1-2 Mahawong Rd. Has Honda Dreams 110cc (250 baht/day), Kawasaki D-Tracker 125cc (500 baht/day), and Kawasaki KlX 250cc (800 baht/day). All bikes are new.

See
According to the Bangkok Post, the top two attractions are Doi Samer Dao and Wat Phumin, a temple with many local art masterpieces.

Events

 * Namatsakan Phrathat Beng Sakat Fair (งานนมัสการพระธาตุเบ็งสกัด) is organized on the full night of the 4th northern lunar month (around January).
 * Hok Peng Waisa Mahathat Chae Haeng Fair (งานประเพณี "หกเป็งไหว้สามหาธาตุแช่แห้ง") takes place on the full moon night of the 6th northern lunar month or the 4th central lunar month (around the end of February–March). Sky rockets are fired as an offering to the Buddha.
 * Namatsakan Phrathat Khao Noi Fair (งานประเพณีนมัสการพระธาตุเขาน้อย) takes place on the full moon night of the 8th northern lunar month or the 6th central lunar month (around May). In the festival, there is a ceremony paying respect to Phrathat Khao Noi and sky rockets are fired as an offering to the Buddha.
 * Namatsakan Song Nam Phrachao Thongthip Fair (งานประเพณีนมัสการสรงน้ำพระเจ้าทองทิพย์) at Wat Suan Tan during the Songkran festival on 12–15 April.
 * Tan Kuai Salak, Hae Khua Tan or Khrua Than Festival (งานตานก๋วยสลาก หรืองานแห่คัวตาน หรือ ครัวทาน) Than Salak or Kuai Salak is an ancient tradition created in the Buddha's time. For the northern people, it is considered as a major local merit making ceremony possessing local uniqueness. Monks are invited to receive the offerings by drawing lots.
 * Tan Kuai Salak, Hae Khua Tan or Khrua Than Festival (งานตานก๋วยสลาก หรืองานแห่คัวตาน หรือ ครัวทาน) Than Salak or Kuai Salak is an ancient tradition created in the Buddha's time. For the northern people, it is considered as a major local merit making ceremony possessing local uniqueness. Monks are invited to receive the offerings by drawing lots.

Motorbiking
The top activity in Nan is motorbiking around the area. There are numerous national parks and tons of nature. As always, side roads are safer (and more interesting) than highways so try to stick to those. In general, road conditions are excellent and far fewer drivers are on the roads than other regions.

There is an excellent loop accessible from Nan called the Bo Kluea loop. It is a stunning and empty circuit that could be a day trip, but recommended 2/3 days to allow yourself to stop and take all the wonderful pictures you can.

Buy
Banks with ATMs can be found all over town, notably at Sumonthewarat Rd, Anantaworrattidet Rd and Sumon Thevarat Rd.

Handicrafts
Good buys include local textiles, especially the Thai Lu weaving styles. Typical Thai Lu fabrics feature red and black designs on white cotton in floral, geometric and animal designs and also indigo and red on white. The lai naam lai (flowing-water design) shows stepped patterns representing streams, rivers and waterfalls. Other excellent quality textiles are the local Hmong appliqué and the Mien embroidery. Thin grass-and-bamboo baskets and mats and Hmong silverware are also available.

Nan is noted for making musical instruments which include the saloh (สะล้อ), a violin-like instrument, and the sung (ซึง), similar to a guitar. They are used in bands which can still be heard in certain restaurants.

Silverware, wood carving and hilltribe handicraft

The leading agricultural produce is the Som Si Thong (golden orange) (ส้มสีทอง) which are of the same species as oranges of the central region. Because of climatic differences, the local version is golden-skinned and more aromatic. They are in season in December.

Stay safe
Nan is a remarkably safe city, making it an ideal destination for travellers who prioritise safety and security.

Go next
If you plan on staying in Thailand or South East Asia for long, here are a few options to consider:

 * Laos: Since Nan is close to the border with Laos, crossing over to Laos is an excellent option for travelers. The nearest border crossing is Huai Kon, which is about 2 hours from Nan by car. From there, travellers can explore the stunning UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang or head further south to Vang Vieng or the capital city of Vientiane. Make sure that your paperwork is in order before crossing over to Laos; the immigration regulations of Laos are much different than those of Thailand.
 * Chiang Mai: the cultural hub of Northern Thailand, is about a 5-hour drive away from Nan.
 * Sukhothai: an ancient city. Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.