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Samoa

Samoa is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, part of Polynesia. It is an archipelago of 10 islands with ancient cultures, dramatic landscapes, and a variety of activities to do, such as snorkelling in Samoa's vibrant coral gardens.

The country has two main islands, which have narrow coastal plains with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in the interior. There are also smaller inhabited islands, and even uninhabited islands that you can visit by boat on day trips.

Cities

 * - Slightly run down, laid-back town with some good hotels. Good shopping, restaurants, bars and a public market.

Understand
The main islands are the result of countless volcanic eruptions, leaving easily visible volcanic cones all over both islands. None of the volcanoes are active, but small earthquakes often rock the island, reminding people of the volcanoes' presence. In September 2009 the south coast of Upolu Island was hit by a devastating tsunami, with much loss of life.

The last volcanic eruption was in 1911, on Savaii. The eerie, lifeless lava fields that remain from this event can be visited easily, since the only sealed road on Savai'i goes right through the middle.

Both islands are almost entirely covered by lush vegetation, although almost none of it is the original rainforest that covered the island before humans arrived. Most of the land area is given over to farms or semi-cultivated forest, providing food and cash crops for the locals. Since Samoa has been inhabited for over three thousand years, the cultivated lands around villages can often seem like deepest, darkest jungle.

The population is around 205,000 in 2021, but many more Samoans live outside the country, particularly in New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

Climate
The climate is tropical with a rainy (and tropical cyclone) season from October to March and a dry season from May to October. The country has an average annual temperature of 26.5°C. This makes Samoa an ideal winter holiday destination for tourists living in the southern hemisphere.

History
Samoans arrived from Southeast Asia around 1500-1000 BC. The oldest known site of human occupation dates back to that time and is at Mulifanua on Upolu island.

In 1830 missionaries from the London Missionary Society, notably John Williams, arrived and Samoa rapidly embraced Christianity. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes referred to as Mormons) has constructed several sizeable churches.

By the end of the 19th century Samoans had developed a reputation for being warlike, as fights had taken place between them and the British, Germans and Americans, who wanted to use Samoa as a refuelling station for coal-fired shipping and whaling and for commodities. On the island of 'Upolu German firms monopolised copra and cocoa bean production, while the United States formed alliances with local chieftains, mainly on the islands to the east, which were later annexed to the USA as American Samoa and have not been granted independence. Britain also sent troops to protect business interests. Germany, America and Britain supplied arms and training to warring Samoans, stoking tribal battles. All three sent warships into Apia harbour when, fortunately for Samoa, a large storm in 1889 damaged or destroyed the warships, ending the conflict.

An important arrival was Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish author, who travelled to the South Pacific for his health and settled in Samoa in the early 1890s. His house at Vailima in Upolu and his grave on the hill above it can be visited. Stevenson was known as "Tusitala" (teller of tales) and this name lives on in one of Apia's hotels.

In the early 1900s an independence movement began on the island of Savai'i. Known as the Mau a Pule this had widespread support throughout the country by the late 1920s. Supporters wore a Mau uniform of a navy blue lavalava with a white stripe, which was later banned by the colonial administration. On 28 December 1929 the New Zealand military fired on a peaceful Mau procession, killing 11 Samoans. New Zealand had occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa on behalf of the British at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. As part of the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I, Western Samoa was awarded to the United Kingdom, with New Zealand continuing to administer the islands on behalf of the British until 1962, when they became the first Polynesian nation in the 20th century to re-establish independence. The country dropped the "Western" (which distinguished it from American Samoa) from its name in 1997. It celebrates Independence Day on 1 June.

To promote closer ties with Australia & New Zealand, Samoa's largest trading partners, driving switched from the right to the left side of the road in September 2009. It was the first country to switch sides in many years, although its small size made things less chaotic. Then, in December 2011, Samoa switched sides of the International Date Line by moving from the east side (UTC -11) to the west side (UTC +13). The move was to help businesses with ties to New Zealand which only shared 3 working days a week (Monday in NZ was Sunday in Samoa & Friday in Samoa was Saturday in NZ).

Government
Samoa is a republic governed by an elected council, or fono. Local government is by village. Each extended family has a chief, or Matai, and decisions are taken by the village fono, consisting of all of the matai.

The legal system is based on a combination of English common law and local customs.

Economy
The economy of Samoa is dependent on family remittances from overseas, development aid, and exports, in that order. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labour force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring nonu fruit, coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Attempts to develop agriculture have been affected by cyclones and by a major blight disease to the country's staple root crop, taro, which is only now being overcome.

The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem, due to both local overfishing and severe overfishing by Japanese factory trawlers. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 16% of GDP; about 85,000 tourists visited the islands in 2000. The 19th and 20th seasons of Survivor were filmed on Upolu in 2009 & 2010.

The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, foreign debt is stable and inflation is low.

Culture
Samoa is an island nation brimmed with culture, history and tradition. Fa'a Samoa, a traditional custom, literally means the "Samoan Way" and thrives in part of social policy.

Tourist information
The Samoa Tourism Authority manages information centres offering maps, brochures and other information for tourists.

Talk
The official languages are Samoan and English.

Samoan is the native language of most of the population. English is widely understood and spoken in the capital Apia as well as many tourist resorts. However, it is less commonly understood in the villages, so learning a few words of Samoan will help you get by and allow you to build a rapport with the locals.

Entry requirements
Citizens of all countries may visit Samoa without a visa for up to 60 days provided they have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months on their date of entry, an onward or return ticket out of Samoa and a bank statement with proof of sufficient funds to cover their stay. They must also never have been deported from any country, and must not have any serious health issues.

By plane

 * The main international airport, Faleolo, is approximately a 45-minute drive from Apia. There are several banks at the airport and changing money on arrival is no problem, even though many flights arrive at inconvenient times. Most of the major hotels provide a transfer service on request, often free of charge. There are abundant taxis, and local buses during daytime. If you want to use the local bus, head straight to the main road and go where the locals wait. Ignore taxi-drivers who will want to make you believe there are no local buses.
 * Air New Zealand provides six flights per week from Auckland.
 * Fiji Airways has three flights a week from Nadi in Fiji, and one a week from Honolulu.
 * QANTAS
 * Virgin Australia

If flights permit, try to arrive in daylight. From above, the lagoon is a stunning aquamarine colour. The ride between the airport and Apia is also very attractive.

Note that shops and restaurants close early and most hotels do not offer 24-hour room service. So if you arrive late at night still hungry after airline food it might be a good idea to pick up something at the airport.

By boat
There is a weekly ferry from Pago Pago in neighbouring American Samoa.

A twice-monthly service by the MV Tokelau connects Apia Harbour with Tokelau.

Depending on the season, people sail their yachts to Samoa and dock at Apia. There are good facilities close to the main port, with 60 berths offering electricity, fresh water and 24-hour security. Visiting boats must arrive in Apia and should contact the Samoa Port Authority at least two days before ETA to arrange necessary clearances on arrival. Permission is required to sail elsewhere in Samoa.

Ports and harbours include Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa. Container ships and cruise liners dock at Apia Harbour, but many smaller fishing boats and village boats use the smaller docks.

By taxi
Generally your best bet. They are cheap and plentiful. The Samoa Tourism Authority, to be found in front of the Government office complex on Beach Road, Apia, has a price list for Apia. Do agree on a price ahead of time; if they think you look rich they may try to overcharge you. You can get one for a whole day for about the same price as a rental car.

By car
Traffic in Samoa drives on the left. Samoa changed from driving on the right-hand side of the road in 2009. Since then there has been an avalanche of cheap, reconditioned cars from Japan and traffic jams, previously unknown, are now common in the capital, Apia. Even on the roads outside the capital traffic tends to move slowly, due to the cautious and inexperienced drivers and to the numerous speed bumps.

As international driving licences are not accepted you need to obtain a temporary local licence. These are easy to get from the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) office at the airport or in Apia, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Apia or direct from a number of car rental firms. The cost is WST$21 and it is valid for one month. Details on car rental firms are provided on the pages on Upolu and Savaii.

By scooter
As per cars above, international driving licences are not accepted you need to obtain a temporary local licence. These are easy to get from the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) office at the airport or in Apia, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Apia or direct from a number of car rental firms. The cost is WST$21 and it is valid for one month. Details on scooter rental firms are provided on the pages on Upolu and Savaii.

By bus
Buses are cheap and a ride on one will be a memorable experience. Buses on Upolu fan out from two locations in Apia, close to the main market and behind the flea market. On Savaii, all routes begin near the ferry wharf at Salelologa.

By bike
Possible and quite enjoyable but 'Upolu has a few fairly steep and hilly sections and the cross island roads are about 7km steep uphill to their crests. Savai'i has only 2 or 3 small steep sections (around the western end).

See
This is just a summary of what to see. Consult Apia, Savaii and Upolu for more detailed information.

 * National Parks. There are several national parks in both Upolu and Savaii. These offer tropical vegetation, numerous birds and some interesting lakes. Falealupo Rainforest Preserve on Savaii has a short canopy walkway and you can sleep in the trees. Lake Lanoto'o National Park on Upolu has a fascinating lake where introduced goldfish thrive and grow to amazing sizes. At O le Pupu Pue National Park you can find Togigoiga Waterfalls, the Ma Tree and the Coastal Lava Cliff Walk.

 * Waterfalls. The inland areas of Savaii and Upolu have some spectacular waterfalls, some with 100m drops. Those on Upolu are a bit more accessible. Papase'ea Sliding Rocks on Upolu have only a slight drop but the vegetation on the falls permits an interesting slide into the pool below.
 *  Blowholes. Savaii has some spectacular blowholes caused by the sea forcing water up through tubes in volcanic rocks.
 * Caves. There are interesting caves on both islands.
 * Lava Fields. Parts of Savaii are covered by lava rock, following various eruptions by Mt. Matavanu. There is a large lava field at the end of the O le Pupu Pue National Park Coastal Lava Cliff walk and also some interesting cave like formations at the To Sua Ocean Trench.
 * Villages. Although Western-style buildings are gaining in popularity, traditional Samoan fales are still found everywhere. These are of an oval or circular shape with wooden posts holding up a domed roof. There are no walls, although blinds can be lowered to give privacy. The village is very important to Samoan culture and there are strict rules governing the way village societies function.
 * Beaches. Samoa has miles and miles of beautiful and empty beaches. There is a range of accommodation, from simple beach fales to luxurious resorts. Beaches invariably belong to the nearest village and the villages often request a small fee for their use.
 * Museums. Samoa was home to the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson for the last five years of his life. His home, just outside Apia, is now a museum. The Museum of Samoa in Apia is also well worth a visit.
 * Kilikiti. This is the local version of cricket and is very popular in Samoan villages among both men and women. The principle of the game is the same as cricket but the rules vary considerably and there seems to be considerable flexibility in their interpretation. The most obvious differences are the bat and the fact that balls are bowled from each end alternately rather than employing the six-ball overs of cricket. Kilikiti is played on concrete pitches on village greens, and is accompanied by lots of noise and considerable enthusiasm.

Do
Below is just an indication of things to do in Samoa. For more detailed information, see Upolu, Savaii and Apia.

 * A Samoan Tattoo. This traditional art form is very much a part of the Samoan culture. There are different designs for women and men; in the case of men the tattoo can cover half the body. Beware that the tattooing process can be very painful, but if you think you can take the pain ask at your hotel or guest house for advice on local tattoo artists.
 * Get married. Samoa is a popular place to get married and spend your honeymoon. Several hotels and resorts offer special packages on their web sites and they will make all the arrangements.
 * Golf. Golf is very popular in Samoa. There is even a suggestion that the Daylight Saving Time was intruduced primarily so that executives could get in a round of golf after work before it got dark! All courses are on Upolu. Two are close to Apia, one near the airport and a nine-hole course is found on the south coast.
 * Diving. Scuba diving is a relatively new activity in Samoa. Both Upolu and Savai'i have great dive spots, with around 900 fish species and 200 types of coral. There are dive companies operating on both islands.
 * Fishing. Samoa is a popular fishing destination. Fish in the local waters include blue and black marlin, sailfish, yellowfin, and the giant trevally. Most charter companies operate out of Apia harbour.

Money
The currency is the Samoan tālā, denoted as "WS$, "T", "ST" or "SAT" (ISO currency code: WST). 1 tālā consists of 100 sene.

Coins come in denominations of 10-, 20 and 50 sene, 1 and 2 tālā. Banknotes come in denominations of 5-, 10-, 20-, 50 and 100 tālā. There is also a 60 tālā banknote, but it is worth more as a collector's piece than as circulating currency.

Local laws make it illegal to carry out business in a foreign currency. Changing money is relatively easy.

Shopping
Business hours are from 09:00 to 17:00 on Mondays to Fridays and on Saturday mornings. Some supermarkets are beginning to open on Sundays as well. If you are feeling hungry at night, then bakers' shops open late to sell fresh-baked bread.

Samoa is relatively inexpensive for western visitors. Haggling is not customary and is in fact considered rude. Tipping is not practiced or expected in Samoa.

Eat
Eating is an extremely important part of Samoan life, as the size of many Samoans may suggest. They often take food with them when they travel. Samoan food is not highly spiced or seasoned. It uses ingredients that are relatively unfamiliar to most Westerners, such as breadfruit, taro (or talo), taro leaves, cooked green bananas and raw fish.
 * Umu. The umu is the traditional method used for cooking. A fire is built and stones placed on it. When the fire is down to the embers the ingredients, such as green bananas, breadfruit, taro, fish, palusami and pork are placed on the stones. It is then covered with banana leaves and left to cook.
 *  Oka is the way Samoans prepare raw fish. It consists of small bits of fish that are marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, coconut cream, salt and finely chopped onions.
 * Palusami is made from taro leaves and coconut cream. The coconut cream, onions and some taro are wrapped in whole taro leaves and cooked in an umu. Well cooked, this can be unforgettable and you should not leave Samoa without trying it.
 * Corned beef. Samoa rapidly adopted this import and it is widely used as an accompaniment to Umus and other dishes.

Unfortunately it is difficult to find these delicacies, maybe partly because western food is more “cool”, partly because the average tourists want to eat what they eat at home. The usual things you get are more or less good imitations of western-style or Chinese food. The market in Apia is a good place if you want to try some of the local stuff. It's also a good idea to stock up on fruit there before heading anywhere on the islands.

Most restaurants are casual and not too expensive. Places to eat are listed in the pages for Upolu, Apia and Savaii. Outside of Apia, most of the best places are associated with hotels or resorts.

Drink
No significant gathering in Samoa, whether official or for pleasure, is complete without the 'Ava (or kava) ceremony at the beginning. Kava's scientific name is Piper methysticum, which means intoxicating pepper. The roots of the plant are used to produce a mildly narcotic drink that is passed around meetings following strict rules. However, you do not need to participate in a Samoan cultural event to try it. On some days it can be purchased at Apia's central market (marketi fou).

The local beer is Vailima beer. It's cheap and you can buy it everywhere.

Non-alcoholic beverages and bottled water are available in all roadside stores. Coke, Fanta and Sprite are available in 750 ml glass bottles for about WS$4. You will need a bottle opener for these if you want to take them with you to drink later; otherwise stores will have a bottle opener available. Bottled water is available in a range of sizes.

Alcohol is plentiful in the bars. There's not that much in most stores and it tends to be expensive. Le Well near the market in Apia (ask any taxi driver) has a good range at the best prices. For heavy drinkers, the cheapest liquor is generally vodka in large (1.75 L) plastic bottles. This may be bought from supermarkets and bottle shops and is also available in smaller 750 ml bottles for about WS$25. Imported wines are generally very expensive, although not as expensive as in the restaurants.

There are lots of smaller bars and night spots to check out. Also every hotel has a bar as do most of the restaurants.

Sleep

Beach fales are an enjoyable and inexpensive way to stay in Samoa. A list can be obtained from the Samoa Tourism Authority (info@samoa.travel), but the best way to know where to stay is to ask other travelers. Samoa is not very big and tourism is limited, so you will bump into the same people once in a while making it easy to exchange information.

With the explosion in accommodation it is now less necessary for those wanting to visit the remoter parts of Samoa, particularly Savaii, to stay in villages, which was fairly common in the past. However, this is still possible. If you want to stay in, or even just visit, a village it is important to remember not to offend local culture. See Respect, below.

There is also a good range of resorts, hotels and guest houses in Samoa. Accommodations are listed under Apia, Upolu and Savaii. Please do not list them here.

Learn

 * University of the South Pacific, Apia
 * National University of Samoa

Stay safe
Samoa is a generally safe destination. Crime rates are low and people are very helpful and friendly. Items do, sometimes, get stolen. With sensible precautions, however, the threat of this happening should be minimal.

Free roaming dogs can be a safety problem in the capital Apia. The Government of Samoa (GoS) passed the Canine Control Act in 2013 as an initial step toward addressing dog management. Most dogs won't see you as a threat, and will ignore you, if you ignore them. Pretending to pick up a rock will usually scare them away.

Stay healthy
Samoa is a malaria-free zone. However, there are occasional outbreaks of dengue fever and (since 2014) chikungunya, so precautions should be taken such as using mosquito nets and insect repellent. Note that the mosquito that transmits dengue normally bites during the day.

Drink bottled water. It's cheap and readily available.

There are no known poisonous animals or insects on land, although centipedes can give you a very painful bite. In the water beware of purple cone shells, sea urchins, fire coral, etc. If not using fins, wearing footwear while snorkelling is highly recommended.

Some travellers have reported a violent allergic reaction to the ceremonial drink kava. Symptoms include a very obvious rash and swelling to the neck and face area, sweating and discomfort. Medical attention should be sought immediately and a prescription for Prednisolone usually does the trick. It takes from 12 to 24 hours for the effects to noticeably subside.

There are two hospitals in Apia and one on Savaii at Tuasivi, a couple of miles north of the ferry wharf at Salelologa.

Respect
Samoa is very religious, with most of the population following the Anglican denomination. This means that Sunday is generally respected as a holy day and most shops and businesses are closed. You should not walk through villages on Sundays.

Many villages have a prayer curfew in place at sundown. This normally lasts around half an hour. You should be careful to avoid walking through villages at this time to avoid causing offence.

Samoan culture is governed by strict protocols and etiquette. Although allowances are made for foreigners, it is wise to avoid revealing clothing and to comply with village rules which are enforced by the village matai (chiefs), although Apia is quite relaxed in these traditions.

Women going topless is taboo, and they should only wear swimwear at the beach. Shorts should be knee length. Shirts should be worn when not at the beach. A lavalava (sarong) is nearly always acceptable attire.

Other simple things, such as removing shoes before entering a house (or, for that matter, budget accommodation), should be observed.

The main island of Upolu is known as the "modern" island, where most northern coast villages are quite relaxed with the old strict traditions, whilst Savai'i is the more traditional island, but has become more relaxed. But nude bathing is definitely taboo.

Connect
Samoa has an adequate telephone system with international calling. Some villages have public phones that require a pre-paid phone card.

Samoa.ws, ipasifika.net and Lesamoa are the Internet service providers. There are several public Internet access points in Apia, where fast, reliable access can be had for around WS$12 (US$4) per hour. There are a couple of internet cafes on Savaii. If planning to stay in remote parts of Upolu or Savaii and you cannot survive without your daily internet fix then check in advance with the hotel to make sure it has wifi. Most don't.

The CSL cafe across the road from McDonald's in Apia has a fast internet connection for around WS$5 per 30 min. You can also buy credit there (WS$15 for 1 h / WS$70 for 10 h) to use your laptop at wifi lavaspots at various locations around town and even on Savaii. The lavaspot connection and download speed is very good. Some hotels sell the same WiFi credit at higher prices than at CSL.

Go next
For those with plenty of time and a real sense of adventure, take the fortnightly boat to Tokelau.

title: Samoa


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Samoa (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called Samoa:

Oceania

 * American Samoa - an unincorporated territory of the United States of America, comprising a group of islands just east of Samoa

 * Samoa (Independent State of Samoa) - the country, comprising a group of islands previously known as Western Samoa and before that German Samoa

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

title: Samoa (disambiguation)


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Samoan phrasebook

Samoan (gagana Sāmoa) is a Polynesian language mainly spoken in Samoa and American Samoa. Samoan is a Polynesian language, and has many cognates with other Polynesian languages such as Māori, Tongan, and Hawaiian

Vowels

 * A : ah
 * E : eh
 * I : aye
 * O : oh
 * U : oo

All vowels are pronounced individually. Thus "ai" is not pronounced "eye" but "ah-aye". The use of the apostrophe in spelling of words, e.g. in Samoa's second island of Savai'i, emphasises this point.

Consonants
14 consonant sounds written with a phonetic alphabet.

Note in particular that "g" is pronounced "ng" as in Singapore or ping-pong (not like in finger). Thus the capital of American Samoa, Pago Pago, is pronounced "Pahngo Pahngo."

Basics

 * Hello. : Talofa. ("Greetings" is a closer translation.)
 * Hello. (Informal) : Malo.
 * How are you? : 'O a mai oe?
 * Fine, thank you. : Manuia, fa'afetai.
 * What is your name? : (Formal:) O ai lou suafa? (Informal:) O ai lou igoa?
 * My name is ______ . : O lo'u igoa o ______.
 * Nice to meet you. : . ( )
 * Please. : Fa'amolemole. ( )
 * Thank you. : Fa'afetai. ( )
 * You're welcome. : Fa'afetai fo'i.
 * Yes. : Ioe
 * No. : Leai.
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : Fa'amolemole.
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : Tulou.
 * I'm sorry. :.
 * Goodbye : Tofa soifua.
 * Goodbye (informal) : Fa.
 * See you later : Toe feloa'i. ( )
 * I can't speak Samoan [well]. : [ ]. ( [ ])
 * Do you speak English? : ? ( ?)
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? : ? ( ?)
 * Help! : Fesoasoani ! ( !)
 * Look out! : ! ( !)
 * Good morning. : Manuia le aso. ( )
 * Good evening. : Manuia le afiafi. ( )
 * Good night. : Manuia le po. ( )
 * Good night (to sleep) : . ( )
 * I don't understand. : Ou te le malamalama.
 * Where is the toilet? : ?

Numbers

 * 1 : tasi
 * 2 : lua
 * 3 : tolu
 * 4 : fa
 * 5 : lima
 * 6 : ono
 * 7 : fitu
 * 8 : valu
 * 9 : iva
 * 10 : sefulu
 * 11 : sefulu-tasi
 * 12 : sefulu-lua
 * 13 : sefulu-tolu
 * 14 : sefulu-fa
 * 15 : sefulu-lima
 * 16 : sefulu-ono
 * 17 : sefulu-fitu
 * 18 : sefulu-valu
 * 19 : sefulu-iva
 * 20 : lua-sefulu
 * 21 : lua-sefulu-tasi
 * 22 : lua-sefulu-lua
 * 23 : lua-sefulu-tolu, (etc.)
 * 30 : tolu-sefulu
 * 40 : fa-sefulu
 * 50 : lima-sefulu, (etc.)
 * 100 : selau, tasi-selau
 * 200 : lua-selau
 * 300 : tolu-selau, (etc.)
 * 1000 : afe, tasi-afe
 * 2000 : lua-afe
 * 2300 : lua-afe-tolu-selau
 * 2310 : lua-afe-tolu-selau-sefulu
 * 2315 : lua-afe-tolu-selau-sefulu-lima
 * million : miliona, tasi-miliona.

Days

 * Sunday : Aso Sa
 * Monday : Aso Gafua
 * Tuesday : Aso Lua
 * Wednesday : Aso Lulu
 * Thursday : Aso Tofi
 * Friday : Aso Faraile
 * Saturday : Aso To'ana'i

Months

 * January : Ianuari
 * February : Fepuari
 * March : Mati
 * April : Aperila
 * May : Me
 * June : Iuni
 * July : Iulai
 * August : Auguso
 * September : Setema
 * October : Oketopa
 * November : Novema
 * December : Tesema

Colors

 * color : lanu
 * black : uliuli
 * blue : lanumoana
 * brown : enaena
 * green : lanumeamata
 * orange : lanumoli
 * pink : piniki
 * purple : viole, mumu pa'auli
 * red : mumu, lanu ula
 * white : pa'epa'e, sina
 * yellow : samasama

Transportation

 * Stop here please : Taofi i, fa'amolemole.

title: Samoan phrasebook


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Samobor

Samobor is 25 km west of Zagreb, Croatia. The town had a population of 37,633, as of the 2011 census.

Understand

Samobor is a picturesque medieval town with well preserved old lore and long tourist tradition. The prevailing architecture is that of the Baroque period. The town is also reputed to be the place where the best "kremšnite" - one of Croatia's best known cakes - are made.

By car
Samobor is a short 20 minute drive from the Zagreb city center. Take the A3 towards the Slovenian border.

By bus
Samobor is accessible by bus from Zagreb. Buses leave approximately every 15 minutes from Črnomerec terminal and every 30 minutes from Autobusni kolodvor (main bus station) and Ljubljanica terminal.

By train
A train link is planned to be reconnected to Samobor by 2026. The last passenger train arrived in Samobor on December 31, 1979.

Go next

 * Zagreb
 * Ljubljana, Slovenia

title: Samobor


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Samoëns

Samoëns pronounced (saa-mwans) is a commune of the Haute-Savoie département in France.

The town of Samoëns is in the Vallée du Giffre in the French Alps and carries the designation of a "ville fleurie", meaning its gardens and public greenery are particularly good. It is a popular summer destination as well as the site of a ski resort that departs from a new lift at the edge of town linking up to Samoëns 1600 also known as the Plateau de Saix, this resort is part of the larger five town Grand Massif which includes Flaine and Morillon.

Get in
The nearest major airport is the international airport in Geneva, located about 45 minutes away by car and serviced by most major airlines as well as some discount carriers.

The European high-speed train, the TGV, can also take you from most major cities in Europe to its terminal in Geneva or a connector train from the terminal at Annecy can take you all the way to Cluses.

The SAT bus can be taken from Geneva or Cluses into the valley and will drop you off at multiple small towns including Samoëns along the way.

Get around
Taxis in this part of the France are very scarce, so if you truly value your mobility, a car is a necessity in the winter months. During the summer, given the size of the town, one could easily get by with a bicycle.

See
Rated as one of the most beautiful national parks in France, Cirque du Fer-a-Cheval is a short drive away. On a clear summer day, do not miss the views of the Massif de Mt. Blanc from the top of the Col De Joux Plan, or the Cascade Du Rouget near Sixt.

Do
For the adventurous vacationer summer activities include: White water rafting, kayaking, para gliding, mountain biking at the local ski areas, hiking at the Cirque du Fer-A Cheval, cycling many of the Tour De France routes that criss-cross the valley, the "Indiana Park" or ropes course, mountain-climbing and 4-wheeling. For the less adventurous vacationer there are a number of out door cafes, bars, a weekly market, restaurants, a public pool and water slide, as well as many parks.

During the winter months this valley and the Haute Savoie in general are at the heart of the French skiing experience, Samoëns links up to the Grande Massif ski area with its more than 100 lifts and wide variety of terrain.

Budget

 * A la Jaÿsinia - This bakery and coffee shop specializes in rich pastries, cakes, and tarts; they also serve coffee and tea in their salon.
 * Pizzeria-snack du Giffre - Off the central square behind next to the post office is this small snack bar/take out spot, they sell mostly lunch items and take-away pizza.

Splurge

 * Muscade et Basilic - A modern twist on traditional Savoyard dishes.
 * Le Monde à l'Envers - Probably Samoens' most highly rated restaurant. Creative French cuisine.
 * Le Bois de Lune - Varied French cuisine.
 * Le Bois de Lune - Varied French cuisine.

Drink
Samoens is not well known for its nightlife but there is actually plenty to be found for those who go looking.
 * Coveys Irish Pub on the edge of town serves good draft beer and has a lively, cosy atmosphere.
 * Guanacao bar is another lively nightspot worth checking out.

Mid-Price

 * L'Edelweiss - Chalet hotel facing south, with a fine view out over the valley. Very peaceful. Warm family atmosphere. Private shuttles to and from town. Double room: €60

Splurge

 * Les Glaciers - Ideal location in the heart of the town, with a wide range of equipment and amenities at your disposal. Double room with full board: €90 to 135
 * Les Glaciers - Ideal location in the heart of the town, with a wide range of equipment and amenities at your disposal. Double room with full board: €90 to 135

Go next
It is short drive out of Samoëns to both the Portes du Soleil ski area and the lovely towns of Morzine and Les Gets, a further drive in the opposite direction will send you towards Cluses and the A40 lead you to that most famous of all French mountain towns Chamonix.

title: Samoëns


text:
Samogitian phrasebook

Samogitian (žemaitiu ruoda, žemaitiu kalba, or žemaitiu rokundais) is spoken in the Samogitian region of Lithuania. The language, which is considered a dialect by Lithuanian linguists, is closely related to Standard Lithuanian.

Dialects
There are three region dialects, which are mutually intelligible. The following phrasebook is based on the dialect spoken in Telšiai, or a Dounininkai dialect. Western dialect is almost extinct.

A few examples:

Basics

 * Hello. : Laba dėina.
 * Hello. (informal) : Svēkė.
 * How are you? : Kāp laikuotėis?
 * Fine, thank you. : Gerā, diekou.
 * What is your name? : Kāp tavė vadėn?/Kuoks tava vards?
 * My name is ______ . :Mon vards ī _____ .
 * Nice to meet you. :Maluonē susipažintė
 * Please. :Prašau
 * Thank you. :Diekou.
 * You're welcome. :Prašuom.
 * Yes. :Je.
 * No. :Ne.
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) :Agė
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) :Atsėprašau
 * I'm sorry. : Atsėprašau
 * Goodbye : Vėsa gera.
 * Goodbye (informal) : Baibai.
 * I can't speak Samogitian [well]. : [ ].Aš nelaba rukounuos žemaitėška.
 * Do you speak English? :A rukoujys angliška?
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? :A čia y kas rukoujas angliška?
 * Help! :Padiekėt
 * Look out! :Ag sauguokis
 * Good morning. :Lab ryta
 * Good evening. :Lab dein
 * Good night. :Lab vakar
 * Good night (to sleep) : Saldiū sapnū.
 * I don't understand. : Nasopronto.
 * Where is the toilet? :Kam y tūliks?

Problems

 * Leave me alone. :Palėk muni vein pati
 * Don't touch me! :Nekušynk monės
 * I'll call the police. :Skombinu puolicėje
 * Police! :Puolicėjė!
 * Stop! Thief! :Stuok! Vagis!
 * I need your help. :Mon rek tava pagalbas
 * It's an emergency. :Čia laba skube y
 * I'm lost. :Pasiklydau
 * I lost my bag. :Pametiau tašė
 * I lost my wallet. :Pametiau pinigėnė
 * I'm sick. :Susirgau
 * I've been injured. :Monėm sužeidė
 * I need a doctor. :Mon rek daktara
 * Can I use your phone? :A galiu tava tilifuonu pasinauduot?

Numbers

 * 1 : vėins
 * 2 : do
 * 3 : trīs
 * 4 : ketorė
 * 5 : pėnkė
 * 6 : šešė
 * 7 : septīnė
 * 8 : aštounė
 * 9 : devīnė
 * 10 : dešim
 * 11 : vėinioulėka
 * 12 : dvīlėka
 * 13 : trīlėka
 * 14 : ketorioulėka
 * 15 : pėnkiuolėka
 * 16 : šešiuolėka
 * 17 : septīnioulėka
 * 18 : aštouniuolėka
 * 19 : devīniuolėka
 * 20 : dvėdešim
 * 21 : ( )
 * 22 : ( )
 * 23 : ( )
 * 30 : ( )
 * 40 : ( )
 * 50 : ( )
 * 60 : ( )
 * 70 : ( )
 * 80 : ( )
 * 90 : ( )
 * 100 : ( )
 * 200 : ( )
 * 300 : ( )
 * 1,000 : tūkstontis
 * 2,000 :do tūkstonte
 * 1,000,000 :milijuons
 * 1,000,000,000 :milijards
 * 1,000,000,000,000 :per daug nūliu čia jau
 * number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : Nomeris ( )
 * half :posė
 * less :mažiau
 * more :daugiau

Time

 * now :daba
 * later :vėliau
 * before :priš tas
 * morning :ryts
 * afternoon :deina
 * evening :vakars
 * night :naktės

Clock time

 * one o'clock AM : ( )
 * two o'clock AM : ( )
 * noon : Puokaitis ( )
 * one o'clock PM : ( )
 * two o'clock PM : ( )
 * midnight : ( )

Duration

 * _____ minute(s) :......minotė(minočiu)
 * _____ hour(s) :...... adīna
 * _____ day(s) :......deina(deinų)
 * _____ week(s) : ( )nedielė
 * _____ month(s) : ( )mienou
 * _____ year(s) : ( ) metā

Days

 * today :šėndėin
 * yesterday : vakar
 * tomorrow : rītuo
 * this week :tuo nedielė
 * last week :anuo nediele
 * next week :kėta nediele
 * Sunday : Sekmadėinis
 * Monday : Pėrmadėinis
 * Tuesday :ontradeinis
 * Wednesday :trečiadeinis
 * Thursday :ketvirtadeinis
 * Friday :pėnktadeinis
 * Saturday :šeštadeinis

Months

 * January : sausės
 * February : vasaris
 * March : kuovs
 * April : balondis
 * May : gegožė
 * June : bėrželis
 * July : lėipa
 * August : rogpjūtis
 * September : siejė/rogsiejis
 * October : spalis
 * November : lapkrėtis
 * December : groudis

Colors

 * black : jouda
 * white : balta
 * gray :pėlka
 * red :rauduona
 * blue :mielina
 * yellow :geltuona
 * green :žalė
 * orange :orandžinė/morkinė
 * purple :violetinė
 * brown :roda

Bus and train

 * How much is a ticket to _____? : ( )
 * One ticket to _____, please. : ( )
 * Where does this train/bus go? : ( )
 * Where is the train/bus to _____? : ( )
 * Does this train/bus stop in _____? : ( )
 * When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : ( )
 * When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : ( )

Directions

 * How do I get to _____ ? : ( )
 * ...the train station? : ( )
 * ...the bus station? : ( )
 * ...the airport? : ( )
 * ...downtown? : ( )
 * ...the youth hostel? : ( )
 * ...the _____ hotel? : ( )
 * ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ( )
 * Where are there a lot of... : Kor īr/katruo vėituo īr daug...
 * ...hotels? : vėišbotiu
 * ...restaurants? : restuoranu
 * ...bars? : barū
 * ...sites to see? : paveiziet vėitū
 * Can you show me on the map? :A gali paruodyt žemielapy?
 * street :gatvė
 * Turn left. :sok i kairė
 * Turn right. :sok i dešin
 * left :kairie
 * right :dešinie
 * straight ahead :teise prieš akis
 * towards the _____ : ( )
 * past the _____ : ( )
 * before the _____ : ( )
 * Watch for the _____. : ( )
 * intersection : ( )
 * north :šiaurė
 * south :peita
 * east :ryta
 * west :vakara
 * uphill :į kalna
 * downhill :žemyn kalna

Taxi

 * Taxi! : Taksi! (Tak-sih!)
 * Take me to _____, please. :Nuvežk monėm i _____
 * How much does it cost to get to _____? :Keik kainoun patektė i _____?
 * Take me there, please. :Nuvežk monėm ten, prašau.

Lodging

 * Do you have any rooms available? : ( )A y laisvų kombarių?
 * How much is a room for one person/two people? : ( )
 * Does the room come with... : ( )
 * ...bedsheets? : ( )
 * ...a bathroom? : ( )
 * ...a telephone? : Tilipuons ( )
 * ...a TV? : ( )
 * May I see the room first? : ( )
 * Do you have anything quieter? : ( )
 * ...bigger? : ( )
 * ...cleaner? : ( )
 * ...cheaper? : ( )
 * OK, I'll take it. : ( )
 * I will stay for _____ night(s). : ( )
 * Can you suggest another hotel? : ( )
 * Do you have a safe? : ( )
 * ...lockers? : ( )
 * Is breakfast/supper included? : ( )
 * What time is breakfast/supper? : ( )
 * Please clean my room. : ( )
 * Can you wake me at _____? : ( )
 * I want to check out. : ( )

Money

 * Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : ( )
 * Do you accept British pounds? : ( )
 * Do you accept euros? : ( )
 * Do you accept credit cards? : ( )
 * Can you change money for me? : ( )
 * Where can I get money changed? : ( )
 * Can you change a traveler's check for me? : ( )
 * Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : ( )
 * What is the exchange rate? : ( )
 * Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : ( )

Eating

 * A table for one person/two people, please. : ( )
 * Can I look at the menu, please? : ( )
 * Can I look in the kitchen? : ( )
 * Is there a house specialty? : ( )
 * Is there a local specialty? : ( )
 * I'm a vegetarian. : aš vegetars (m), aš vegetarė (f)
 * I don't eat pork. : nevalgau kiaulis
 * I don't eat beef. : ( )
 * I only eat kosher food. : nevalgaus kuosis
 * Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) : ( )
 * fixed-price meal : ( )
 * a la carte : ( )
 * breakfast : ( )
 * lunch : ( )
 * tea (meal) : ( )
 * supper : ( )
 * I want _____. : Nuorietiuo
 * I want a dish containing _____. : ( )
 * chicken : Vėšta ( )
 * beef : ( )
 * fish : Žovis ( ) or žovs
 * ham : ( )
 * sausage :dešra
 * cheese :sūris
 * eggs :kiauše
 * salad :saluotas
 * (fresh) vegetables :  ( )
 * (fresh) fruit : ( )
 * bread :douna
 * toast : ( )
 * noodles : ( )
 * rice :ryže
 * beans : ( )popas
 * May I have a glass of _____? : ( )A galio gaut skleinīčė ———- ?
 * May I have a cup of _____? : ( )
 * May I have a bottle of _____? : ( )
 * coffee : Kava (ka-vah)
 * tea (drink) : Erbeta ( )
 * juice : Soltės ( )
 * (bubbly) water : ( )
 * (still) water : ( )
 * beer : Alos ( )
 * red/white wine : ( )
 * May I have some _____? : ( )
 * salt : ( )
 * black pepper : ( )
 * butter : ( )
 * Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): ( )
 * I'm finished. : ( )
 * It was delicious. : ( )Bov laba skane.
 * Please clear the plates. : ( )Nurink turielkas.
 * The check, please. : ( )

Bars

 * Do you serve alcohol? : ( )
 * Is there table service? : ( )
 * A beer/two beers, please. : ( )
 * A glass of red/white wine, please. : ( )
 * A pint, please. : ( )
 * A bottle, please. : ( )
 * _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. : ( )
 * whiskey : ( )
 * vodka : Varielka ( )
 * rum : ( )
 * water : Ondou ( ) or Vondou
 * club soda : ( )
 * tonic water : ( )
 * orange juice : ( )
 * Coke (soda) : ( )
 * Do you have any bar snacks? : ( )
 * One more, please. : ( )
 * Another round, please. : ( )
 * When is closing time? : ( )
 * Cheers! : ( )

Shopping

 * Do you have this in my size? : ( )
 * How much is this? : ( )
 * That's too expensive. : ( )
 * Would you take _____? : ( )
 * expensive : ( )
 * cheap : ( )
 * I can't afford it. : ( )
 * I don't want it. : ( )
 * You're cheating me. : ( )
 * I'm not interested. : (..)
 * OK, I'll take it. : ( )
 * Can I have a bag? : ( )
 * Do you ship (overseas)? : ( )
 * I need... : ( )
 * ...toothpaste. : ( )
 * ...a toothbrush. : ( )
 * ...tampons. : . ( )
 * ...soap. : ( )
 * ...shampoo. : ( )
 * ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : ( )
 * ...cold medicine. : ( )
 * ...stomach medicine. : ... ( )
 * ...a razor. : ( )
 * ...an umbrella. : ( )
 * ...sunblock lotion. : ( )
 * ...a postcard. : ( )
 * ...postage stamps. : ( )
 * ...batteries. : ( )
 * ...writing paper. : ( )
 * ...a pen. : ( )
 * ...English-language books. : ( )
 * ...English-language magazines. : ( )
 * ...an English-language newspaper. : ( )
 * ...an English-English dictionary. : ( )

Driving

 * I want to rent a car. : ( )
 * Can I get insurance? : ( )
 * stop (on a street sign) : ( )
 * one way : ( )
 * yield : ( )
 * no parking : ( )
 * speed limit : ( )
 * gas (petrol) station : ( )
 * petrol : ( )
 * diesel : ( )

Authority

 * I haven't done anything wrong. : Nėika bluoga napridėrbau.
 * It was a misunderstanding. : ( )
 * Where are you taking me? : ( )
 * Am I under arrest? : ( )
 * I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : ( )
 * I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : ( )
 * I want to talk to a lawyer. : ( )
 * Can I just pay a fine now? : ( )

title: Samogitian phrasebook


text:
Samokov

Samokov (Bulgarian: Самоков, pronounced SAH-mo-kov) is a town in Central Western Bulgaria, under the slopes of the Rila mountain, south-east of the capital Sofia. It's the gateway to the mountain & ski resorts of Borovets and Malyovitsa nearby, and a minor tourist destination of its own.

Understand

With a population of about 24,000 (2021), Samokov is the center of Samokov Municipality, which is a part of Sofia Province (Oblast). The ski resort of Borovets is up in the mountain, to the south-east.

Samokov lies in the Samokov Hollow, a high-altitude valley between the mountains of Plana to the north and Rila to the south. Right next to Samkov, on it eastern side, rises the relatively lower Shipochan ridge ( above sea level), a part of Western (Ihtimanska) Sredna Gora. The Iskar river - the longest river that runs entirely in Bulgaria - passes through Samokov in an almost perfectly straight line, south to north, before flowing into the largest artificial reservoir in the country, the Iskar Reservoir ( north of Samokov). Samokov's center and oldest parts are on the east bank of the river; the west bank has newer neighbourhoods and industrial objects.

Samokov's name hints to its distant past as a town of iron-workers and craftsmen - it refers to the large water-powered trip hammers that were used to crush iron ore from the surrounding mountains and then forge the refined iron into bars for trade (translated literally, samo-kov means something like "self-[moving] forger"). You can see a few of the huge hammer-heads and a scale model in the local history museum, and there's also a full-scale reconstruction of such a forge in a local park.

Zahari Zograf
Zahari Hristov or Hristovich (1810-1853) is one of the most celebrated icon-painters of the Bulgarian Revival period (the epithet "zograf" refers to his profession, from the Greek zográfos). He was born and died in Samokov, and both his father and his older brother were also painters of icons, part of an art movement later dubbed the "Samokov School" by scholars. Zahari Zograf's work can be seen in a number of churches and monasteries in Bulgaria (including the Rila Monastery, a, and the Transfiguration Monastery in Veliko Tarnovo), as well as in the Great Lavra and the Zograf (Zographou) Monastery on Mount Athos in Greece. He's also considered one of the founders of Bulgarian secular painting, as he also made pictures with non-religious subjects, including several portraits and self-portraits.

By bus
There are multiple buses daily between Sofia and Samokov, but they start at the tiny and not very tourist-friendly Bus Station South (signs are in Bulgarian, the staff doesn't speak English). The line is served by a number of small private companies, so intervals between buses can be as short as half an hour. Travel time is around an hour, depending on traffic.

By car
From the north (Sofia): head east from the city centre on the large Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd. In the city outskirts, after passing through the large junction that leads to the airport, look on the south (right) side for an exit with signs to Samokov and Borovets. Follow Samokovsko Shose Rd south-east. On crossing the Sofia Ring Road it turns into National Road 82, which will take you to Samokov after passing by Lake Pancherevo and the Iskar Reservoir. Drive carefully - it's a mountain road and rockfalls are possible. Distance is about, but it may take an hour depending on traffic and how carefully you drive.

From the east (Plovdiv and Pazardzhik): if you are in Plovdiv, your options are either Motorway A1 (Trakia), or the old National Road 8 which also passes directly through Pazardzhik - both lead to Sofia via Ihtiman (Ихтиман, from Plovdiv). If you chose Road 8, you will face another choice when you reach the small mountain town of Kostenets (Костенец, from Plovdiv) - you can either proceed north to Ihtiman, or get off onto the high-altitude Road 82 to Borovets and Samokov. In Ihtiman, the other option is Road 822, which runs at a lower elevation, merging into Road 82 north of Samokov.

From the west (incl. North Macedonia and Serbia): Road 62 connects Kyustendil to Samokov (, passing through Dupnitsa and its junction with Motorway A3 (Struma), which also provides connection to the south (Blagoevgrad, Sandanski and Greece).

Get around
It's not a large town, so moving on foot is perfectly viable. There's only one urban bus line (№1), and both its schedule and route are somewhat irregular (page in Bulgarian on the Municipality website, it runs Monday-Saturday).

See
The town itself is attractive in and around its centre but there's a few ugly tenement blocks that remind you of the communist past. The town is nicely isolated from the surrounding villages which include Dospei, Reliovo, Rayovo, Shipochene, Beli Iskar, Govedatsi and the spa village of Belchin Banya.

 * Chitalishte-Monument Otets Paisiy (right in front of the museum) - the building was built between 1919 and 1923 to house the town's chitalishte (reading room/library/community centre), but also as a war memorial for the soldiers from Samokov and the surrounding villages who fell in the Balkan Wars and the First World War. The main facade is decorated with militaristic sculptures (eagles and medieval warriors), on two of the sides there are large slabs listing the names of the fallen in the specific battles. The name ("Father Pah-ih-see") refers to the monk Paisius of Hilendar, whose Slavo-Bulgarian History marked the beginning of the Bulgarian National Revival.
 * Monument to Chakar Voyvoda (on the southern side of the chitalishte) - 19th century leader (voyvoda) of a band of haiduti (outlaws/guerilla fighters against the Ottomans) who operated in the Rila Mountain
 * West of the chitalishte, across the street is the Large Cheshma - an Ottoman drinking fountain dated to 1662. A masonry cube decorated with stone carvings, with a spout on each of the four sides. It still works.
 * Zahari Zograf Square - Samokov's main pedestrian square, surrounded by a somewhat confusing set of pedestrian streets and alleys. There's a number of monuments and the buildings of several institutions, including the Municipality.
 * Fountain
 * Monument to the Opalchentsi (Bulgarian volunteers who took part in the Liberation War - the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878).
 * Monument to Samokov's Garrison (south of the fountain) - a pair of Soviet-made artillery guns
 * Chadar Cheshma (Umbrella Fountain) - west of the mosque, a fancy Ottoman drinking fountain in the shape of an umbrella or mushroom, decorated with the same style of floral frescoes as the mosque
 * On the south side of the Bus Station, there's a small water cascade with a sculpture of a mountain goat
 * Tourist Garden Park (Bistritsa Park) - western side of Road 82 on its southern exit out of town. There's a large photo-friendly SAMOKOV sign, various playgrounds, restaurants decorated in traditional style, an open-air stage, etc.
 * Chadar Cheshma (Umbrella Fountain) - west of the mosque, a fancy Ottoman drinking fountain in the shape of an umbrella or mushroom, decorated with the same style of floral frescoes as the mosque
 * On the south side of the Bus Station, there's a small water cascade with a sculpture of a mountain goat
 * Tourist Garden Park (Bistritsa Park) - western side of Road 82 on its southern exit out of town. There's a large photo-friendly SAMOKOV sign, various playgrounds, restaurants decorated in traditional style, an open-air stage, etc.
 * Tourist Garden Park (Bistritsa Park) - western side of Road 82 on its southern exit out of town. There's a large photo-friendly SAMOKOV sign, various playgrounds, restaurants decorated in traditional style, an open-air stage, etc.
 * Tourist Garden Park (Bistritsa Park) - western side of Road 82 on its southern exit out of town. There's a large photo-friendly SAMOKOV sign, various playgrounds, restaurants decorated in traditional style, an open-air stage, etc.

Do

 * Motocross Circuit
 * Ski
 * Fishing, boating and other lake-related activities on the Iskar Reservoir
 * Play golf in Ihtiman

Hiking
Borovets is the starting point of one of the routes to Rila's highest peak, Musala ( above sea level), which is also the highest peak in Bulgaria and on the Balkans.

Buy
A daily fresh produce market and a big monday market selling clothing, hardware, bric a brac, hooky watches and designer gear are well worth going to.

Eat
The town is well served with restaurants serving traditional Bulgarian cuisine such as Kavarma which is a delicious mildly spicy meat stew with peppers and onions.

Sleep
There are a few hotels and other lodgings in Samokov itself, but the real hotel concentration is in Borovets and the other resort villages up in the mountain.

Belchin
Belchin (Белчин) is a village east of Samokov, notable for its hot springs and the ruins of a fortress. It can be reached via Road 62 - the exit is on the north side, east of Samokov, roughly halfway between Samokov and the mountain/spa resort Sapareva Banya. Alternatively, Belchin can be reached directly from Sofia - take Road 181 up the slopes of Vitosha, to Bistritsa (Бистрица), then follow the same road south through a number of villages. After Popovyane (Поповяне), the road will change number to 6205. Shortly before it merges into Road 62, there's a crossroads - Belchin is to the west. There's also a thrice-daily local bus from Samokov, starting at the bus station.
 * Right next to the parking lot is the St. Petka Church, built in the 16th century. Half-abandoned, it was restored in the 2000s.
 * Right next to the parking lot is the St. Petka Church, built in the 16th century. Half-abandoned, it was restored in the 2000s.

Go next

 * If you wish to continue exploring Rila Mountain, there's a number of towns, villages and resorts surrounding its slopes:
 * To the west: the spa and mountain resort of Sapareva Banya (starting point to the Seven Lakes of Rila), then Dupnitsa, and then to the south, Blagoevgrad. The latter two both offer transport options to the Rila Monastery, a.
 * To the east: the small town of Kostenets, then at Belovo you can take a shortcut south to Yundula, Yakoruda and the Razlog-Bansko valley between Rila, Pirin and the Rhodopes.
 * Further away:
 * To the north: the capital Sofia
 * To the east: through Ihtiman or Kostenets, Pazardzhik, little Septemvri (starting point of the Rhodopes narrow gauge railway), and ancient Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria.
 * To the west: through Dupnitsa, Kyustendil ("Bulgaria's orchard") and North Macedonia (Kriva Palanka) or Serbia (Podunavlje).

title: Samokov


text:
Samos

Samos is an island in the North Aegean Sea and one of the East Aegean Islands. Its capital is the town of Samos, formerly known as Vathi. The Samians still call their capital Vathi instead of Samos. If you need oral directions ask for Vathi, but if you look on the map or at the road signs, you should look for Samos. In this guide the name Vathi is used for the capital of the island.

The island lies very close to the Turkish mainland (the Mycale Strait, the channel that separates the island from the Dilek Peninsula of Asia Minor, is less than 2 km across) and is a popular stopping off point for travellers between the two countries as it lies on the route between Athens and Izmir. Tourist season in Samos, when you can expect much higher prices, begins the first week of May.

History
Samos has been inhabited since the 4th millennium BC; its history is both long and interesting. The earliest inhabitants were Pelasgian tribes, before the invasion of what became the classical Greeks.

The first mythological king of Samos was Ancaeus, a hero of the Argonautic Expedition who, following an oracle of Delphi, colonized the island with Arcadians and other Achaeans. Ancaeus build the first wooden temple and placed in it the golden status of goddess Hera. According to mythology, Hera was born on the banks of the river Imvras and was the protector of Samos.

Around the 11th century BC another Greek tribe, the Ionians, came to dominate the island.

During the reign of Polycrates (546 - 522 BC) Samos reached its pinnacle. Polycrates built a fleet of one hundred penteconters (known as Samainas), strengthened the army, expanded city’s fortifications and founded colonies, establishing naval supremacy in the Aegean Sea. Samos’s strength and the imposing temple of Hera attracted relationships and gifts from all the kingdoms of the known world.

After Polycrates' death, Samos was taken by the Persians. In 499 BC Samos joined the general revolt of the Ionian city-states against Persia, which failed with heavy consequences for the Greeks of the East. Then came the Persian Wars, with the battles of Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis and Plataea, during which Samos was already enslaved to the Persians. On the same day of the battle of Plataea, was also carried out the naval landing of Mycale (479 BC) in which, Samians were both the instigators of the battle and the fathers of the victory, averting the Persian threat forever.

Then the Delian League was founded where Samos participated in able parity with Athens due to its naval supremacy. This supremacy annoyed Athens which, for an insignificant cause, organized an expedition led by Pericles against the Samians who, after a protracted siege, were forced to capitulate. The Athenians imposed forcibly a democratic regime and from then on, violent confrontations started between the oligarchs and democrats which lasted for generations, weakened Samos and led to a gradual decline. Plans and efforts for dominance of Athenians, Spartans, Macedonians, Hellenistic kingdoms and Rome, included also Samos for its excellent port and its position.

The new order came with the gradual dominance of Rome in the second century BC, the inclusion of Samians into the subjugated of Roman Empire, the moving of cultural treasures of Samos to Rome and the transfer of island's defense to the will of a central sway which in many crunches was absent.

From the 4th century AD, Samos was incorporated into Byzantium becoming the seat of the namesake theme, named also "theme of the sailors" as it served chiefly to provide ships and troops for the Byzantine navy.

Following the disruption of the empire by the 4th Crusade in 1204 (Frankokratia), the island was attributed to the dominance of Genoa and the economic exploitation of Maona which was the first historical colonial trading company. Under the ruling of Genoa, the island was hard hit by several attacks and sacks by invaders and pirates, mainly Saracens. Genoese, unable to cope with piracy decided in 1475 to quit the island and retire in Chios. The coastline of the island devastated and the inhabitants either migrated to adjacent islands or pulled off in mountain areas by establishing settlements that were (and still are) not visible from the sea. As a result, travelers, navigators and pirates believed that the island was completely abandoned.

In 1562, the corsair nicknamed Occhiali, a Calabrian renegade to the service of Turkish navy, prompted by his helmsman Nikolaos Sarakinis, asked from the Sultan to take Samos as fief for the services he had offered, with the proviso that only Christians would be allowed to re-inhabit the island. Special privileges were also to be conceded and especially a kind of self-government under the rule of the Sultan. The Sultan accepted, considering perhaps that the island was uninhabited and therefore useless in terms of taxes. Some years later, when the Sultan demanded to take the colonization records to Constantinople, the ship that carried them sank into the sea. Many descendants of migrated Samians returned to the island. The privileges attracted also settlers from other parts of Greece and especially unsubdued remains of Byzantine soldiers who were constantly displaced, with their families, towards any territories were still free.

In 1821 the island participated in the Greek revolution but when the independence of Greek state was recognized in 1830, according to the treaty establishing the Greek State, Samos was not included within the limits of Greece. Instead, it was declared as an autonomous Principality tributary to the Sultan.

Finally in 1912 following a last revolution, the union of Samos with Greece was inflicted. Economy and social life of the island, begun flourishing again, and today, despite the destruction due to forest fires which happen almost every year, it remains green and inviting.

By boat
The principal port of Samos is at Vathi, also called Samos. The other two ports are Karlovassi and Pythagorion. Ferries from Piraeus and the Cyclades usually stop at both Vathi and Karlovassi. There's a daily overnight ferry, the 'Nissos Mykonos' to Karlovassi and Vathy from Athens (Piraeus port), Syros, Mykonos and Ikaria.

At Samos town (Vathy) there are two places ships dock, which are 3km apart and takes about 30 minutes by foot. One is the "Samos Ferriboat dock" on the west of the harbour, which domestic ferries dock (Blue Star etc). On the east side of the harbour is the "Vathy Port" which contains customs controls and is where ferries to and from Turkey dock.

Hydrofoils to the Dodecanese islands depart regularly from Vathi and Pythagorion.

There are foot-passenger ferries daily Apr-Oct from Kuşadası in Turkey operated by Meander Travel. These leave around 09:00 for a one-hour sailing to Vathi and return around 17:00, so a day-trip is possible from Kuşadası to Samos but not the reverse. In 2022 a day-trip is €36 adult and an open return is €47. Hellenic Seaways and Dodekanisos Seaways no longer longer sail this route. See Turkey for entry requirements at Kuşadası.

Mooring facilities
Every port is suitable for yacht berthing, however Vathi and Karlovassi are getting swell when north winds blow while Vathi is exposed to the strong southern winds. Apart of Pythagorion port itself which provides good shelter at any weather, the bay where Pythagorion port locates provides good shelter from the prevailing summer north winds and is suitable for staying on anchor (the muddy bottom provides excellent holding). Also, Samos Marina located eastern of Pythagorion in a walking distance of 900 m (0.5 mi), provides good all-round shelter.

By plane

Airlines/destinations:
 * Austrian Airlines seasonally flies from Vienna.
 * Blue Panorama Airlines seasonally flies from Bologna
 * Condor seasonally flies from Berlin–Schönefeld, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hannover, Munich, Stuttgart
 * Corendon Airlines seasonally flies from Amsterdam
 * Edelweiss Air seasonally flies from Zurich
 * Eurowings seasonally flies from Dusseldorf and Vienna
 * Neos seasonally flies from Milan–Malpensa and Verona
 * Olympic Air flies from Athens and Thessaloniki.
 * Sky Express flies from Athens, Chios, Lemnos, Mytilene, Rhodes, and Thessaloniki
 * SmartWings flies seasonally from Prague
 * Swiss International Airlines Zurich
 * Transavia flies seasonally from Amsterdam
 * TUI Airways flies seasonally from Amsterdam, Brussels, London-Gatwick
 * Volotea seasonally flies from Venice

Flights arrive near the old capital of Pythagorion.

Get around
The island has buses although these will not operate on some public holidays e.g. May 1st. There are numerous rental agencies near the port in the city of Samos which rent out cars, motorbikes, scooters and quadbikes. Many of these are open late and so it is possible to rent a motorbike from early morning until 21:00 or 22:00 for €10 per day. With your own transport, you can explore much of the island in a day or two. There are also taxis.

The main town of Samos can easily be explored on foot although there are some steep roads/steps away from the sea front as the town reaches the foot of the hills.

The archaeological sites around Pythagorion can be explored on foot or by bike. Also, the airport is walkable from Pythagorion town.

See
Most archaeological sites and museum are closed on Tuesdays.

Ancient engineering
As Herodotus described, three of the greatest engineering feats in the Greek world were achieved in Samos during the 6th century BC.:

Other archaeological sites

Old Monasteries

Architecture
The island's highland villages maintained satisfactorily their architectural character. From the coastal villages, Pythagorion and Kokkari maintain in full their architectural tradition as it is protected. Vathi, although a modern city, has some interesting buildings, concerning history and architecture, like the Samian Parliament. At the square near Vathi waterfront there is the "Lion" marble monument, more than 2 meters high, which is an exact replica of the lion of Amphipolis and the other lions built by Philip II of Macedon. Some other villages worth visiting are the old town of Karlovassi, Marathokampos, Platanos and Ampelos, where you can find a path through the mountain with some nice views and great small waterfalls.

Festivities
There are numerous festivities in the island’s villages held all over the year, especially in the summer. These are either religious fairs or fests related to local food or beverage products, like the Mitilini fried dough (tiganita) fest or Pythagorion fishermen fest. Their religious or local character is accompanied by traditional food, music and dances that last until the early hours. There are also three pan-Samian festivities which are organized in August as follows:

Swimming and sunbathing
There are beaches, both sandy and shingle, all around the coast so swimming and sunbathing are popular activities. The water is very clear but cold up until May.

Walking and hiking
There are innumerable places of exceptional beauty at the beaches and on the mountains of Samos, including cultural heritage places. Many of these are easy to access and there are a lot printed guides at souvenir shops in many languages with the help of which one can reach these places.

Watersports
There are watersport facilities in the beaches of Potokaki, Kokkari, Votsalakia and Mycale.

Yachting
Either from the ancient port of Pythagorion or from the adjacent modern marina, there are many options for a sailing itinerary depending on the time available. One direction is the westbound sailing tour that includes the islands of Ikaria, Fourni and Thimena, as well as several beaches of Samos which are only accessible from sea or from steep trails. The other direction is toward the numerous islands to the south, up to Patmos, up to Kos, or even up to Rhodes.

Daily sea excursions
Swimming in the crystal clear waters of inaccessible Aegean beaches is a captivating and unique experience. Traditional Greek sailboats (kaiki) and other kinds of boats organize daily excursions where there is plenty of time for sunbathing, swimming and photography. In certain excursions food is provided, cooked by the crew. Tickets can be bought from the previous evening or even the same morning if there is availability.
 * Depart from Pythagorion to Tsopela beach or Samiopoula islet.
 * Depart from Karlovassi to Megalo Seitani beach which has been declared a Special Protection Area for the seal Monachus monachus.

Buy
Wine is the main product of the island. The famous muscat wine is exported all over the world. The sweet Samos Vin Doux, a muscat wine, is a very popular dessert wine. Have one after diner and you will probably take some bottles home. Being a sweet wine one must drink carefully. Superior qualities are the Nectar and the Anthemis, the last being aged for five years before bottling.

Eat

 * The Garden restaurant serves good value Greek and western food and is very close to the centre of Samos. It's on, Manolis Kalomiris Road, the second street back from the sea front and is well-signposted. The restaurant is outdoors under vine leaves with a fountain and some songbirds and traditional Greek music to add atmosphere. Children will enjoy being photographed on the concrete donkey in the corner too. The Greek Salad for two is good value at €6 and a generous glass of wine is the cheapest drink on the menu at €1.50.
 * The seafront has a range of restaurants with typical Greek fare as well as pizzeria.

Drink
Although the town of Vathy is the capital of the island, there's no doubt that Karlovasi town is the place to be when it comes to drinking and partying. And that's because of the almost 2,000 students that study in the university there - especially during the winter. You can find a big variety of cafes, taverns, bars and clubs there.

Also, if you want to find a place to "dance the night away", in Greece people go to night clubs usually after 02:00.

 * There are numerous places to get a drink along the seafront and these get very busy in the evenings.
 * The main square of the town has open air cafes where you can get a coffee and enjoy the sun.

Sleep
Off season (i.e. Oct-May) you can bargain rooms down to as little as €20 for a double.

Go next
Ferries to other Greek islands are numerous including many to Piraeus (for Athens). Usually, there's an overnight ferry leaving at 22:30 and arriving in Piraeus 9 hours later via Ikaria and Mykonos. Prices for Piraeus start at €42.50 on the comfortable Hellenic Seaways boats. Travel agents clustered around Samos port can sell you tickets.

Take the ferry to Kusadasi in Turkey and admire the ancient monuments of Ephesus, one of the major and best preserved Greco-Roman sites in Turkey,

title: Samos


text:
Samothrace

Samothraki (population: 2,859 in 2011) is a small island that is basically the conical tip of a mountain rising out of the sea.

Understand
The island was a sanctuary from the Bronze Age to Roman times. There are two main towns; Kamariotissa and Chora. Between them, they provide most of the facilities one small town would normally have. Among young domestic visitors, the island is an especially famous camping spot, with a youthful vibe with people staying and partying together on the pebble beaches. The island is surprisingly lush and green for an Aegean Island, due to the rainfall caused by the central mount 'fengari'. The goat population (estimated at approx 100,000) outnumbers the inhabitants by 33 goats to every person.

Because the land rises steeply out of the sea, there are not many large beaches with the possible exception of the beach known as 'Fat Sand' which is located at the far end of the island from the main centers.

Samothraki is an ideal place for a rural retreat, it is very unsophisticated and lacks almost all tourist infrastructure. There is no nightlife, except during the annual music festival. The inhabitants are extremely warm, friendly people who will go out of their way to make you feel welcome.

Get in
Samothrace has no air service. Zante Ferries sail once or twice a day from Alexandroupolis, taking just under two hours. An adult foot passenger is €9 each way and cars are carried. There is no ferry from Kavala or other nearby islands.

Ferries land at in town centre. Sailing boats can also dock in the harbour here.

Get around
There are buses connecting the different locations but it is advisable to rent a car or motorbike in Kamariotissa because its very time consuming to reach most places by public transport. In the summer buses runs every second hour connecting important locations such as the port with Chora, Therma, and the camping grounds.

The island is usually referred to as a hitchhiker friendly place. For solo travellers especially it is relatively easy to hitchhike. Especially between the camping ground and Therma. However, it is not advisable to count on hitching a ride longer than that.

See

Beaches

There are many more beautiful beaches to explore. Since most of them are coarse gravel beaches, you should take umbrellas and beach loungers, or camping chairs. Lying down on a pebble beach with only a towel is uncomfortable.

Do

 * Swim in the waterfalls and pools of the river Fonias, affectionately called 'the murderer' "Phonias" (Greek: Φονιάς) (avoid it when it might rain for obvious reasons). There are more pools upstream if someone is willing to do some climbing.
 * Visit the hot spring/baths at Loutra.
 * Swim at the sea. There are 2 excellent beaches, in the west and east end of the island. The road running across the island is ending on both of them.
 * Visit the Sanctuary of the Great Gods and the Ancient City

Buy

 * Some goat bells.

Eat
Almost anywhere, the food is delicious with a hint of the hot peppers used in northeastern Greece. Goat meat is especially good in Samothraki and is offered in many restaurants. A variety of small restaurants are available in all locations. The choice is greatest in Kamariotissa, Chora and Therma.

Sleep
Most of the accommodations are listed in the well-known Internet booking portals with prices and ratings. Because of the departure times of the ferries, it may be advantageous to stay in Kamariotissa. In addition, there are the most restaurants to go out in the evening. Also popular is the place Therma, because of its beautiful location. The area around Therma is also a popular meeting place of young people camping in the woods or campgrounds and indulging in a kind of later hippie culture. You can get rooms in one of the many small pensions but only few larger hotel complexes are on the island. The biggest ones are:

Outside of hotels, you have three options.
 * 1 Camp. There are 2 campings, both run by the municipality. Close to Therma is the biggest campsite where it is free of charge and has public bathrooms and showers as well as small cafe. Rough camping outside of designated areas such as near the river is common but have in mind that it is illegal. The local police does raids every now and then.
 * 2 Rent an apartment or house (best done beforehand but possible by asking in a bar or cafe.
 * 3 Stay in a domatia, best done by asking someone when you get there. For those unfamiliar with Greek accommodation, domatia are rented rooms, sometimes adjoining locals' houses, sometimes in separate buildings. A word of warning, the accommodation in the delightful old town or Chora is fairly limited and one woman called Chrisoula seems to have appointed herself unofficial co-ordinator of accommodation. She has two rooms that are small but cosy and are worth the cost, if you want more than two, beware offers of a third or fourth they will be on her sofas in her small living room. You will know her if she comes to greet you as you enter the town.

Cash
It can be difficult to find an ATM on the island, so make sure you have enough for your stay. As of August 2020, many places accept credit cards, but most still don't.

Go next

 * Unless you have your own boat, the ferry back to Alexandroupolis on the mainland is your only option.

title: Samothrace


text:
Samraong

Samraong is the capital of Oddar Meanchay Province in North-western Cambodia.

Understand
Samraong is a regional hub that travellers in northwest Cambodia will pass through or use as a base. It is the Cambodian town nearest the O'Smach/Chong Chom border crossing with Thailand. The town in small and nondescript. Notable reference points are the tall, grey Acleda Bank building on the main street and, to its south, the market.

Get in
Hwy 68 is now paved and runs from the O'Smach/Chong Chom border crossing, about 35 km north of Samraong, via Hwy 6 at Kralanh, which is near Siem Reap.

Unpaved Hwy 56 runs west to the temples of Banteay Chhmar and then continues south to Sisophon. The journey is pretty good in the dry season and respectable speed can be obtained. In the wet season travelling may be much slower, particularly closer to Samraong.

The road east to Anlong Veng is paved.

Paramount Angkor Transport serves the town with buses to Phnom Penh via Sisophon, Battambang and Pursat. It also runs buses to Siem Reap and O'Smach town (less than 1 km from the border). The company's office is about 50 m north of Acleda Bank.

Shared taxis to any of the nearby towns can be arranged near the market.

Get around
See the town on foot. Motodops are willing to drive to the border for about US$10 after haggling.

See
The town offers little except a glimpse of provincial Cambodian life.

 * Heading north on the main street one will come across a pagoda, which is of modern construction, but pretty and set in a traditional square moat.
 * Slightly further north is a lake, which can provide activities such as loafing and swimming for those who don't need sterile water and chlorine.

Do
Recover from or prepare for the onslaught of back-country travel: laundry, Internet and ATM are available.

Buy
Acleda Bank has an ATM. The market is the shopping hub.

Eat
The usual Khmer stuff. Try the market.

Drink
Plenty of Cambodian beers available. Visitors should try the local palm wine known as "flaming victory ".

Sleep
There are several guesthouses and hotels on the main street near Acleda Bank. Quality is good and prices are low.

Connect
There is an Internet cafe on the main street next to the bus office. US$0.75/hr.

Go next

 * Thailand is accessible at the O'Smach/Chong Chom border crossing. The drive towards Thailand becomes very scenic as the road ascends the Dangrek Mountains. At the border, between the two countries' immigration offices, are a couple of casino hotels. Visas are issued at this border, make sure you only pay US$20 for a Cambodian tourist visa. Touts will try to convince you to pay more. On the Cambodian side, O'Smach town, a collection of attap huts and dirt streets, is less than 1 km down the hill from the immigration offices. It hosts at least three (bricks and mortar) guesthouses for anyone arriving late and not being able to make onward transport. It also has a market with cafes and a branch of Acleda Bank (no ATM). Paramount Angkor Transport operates buses to Samraong and beyond from O'Smach town, look for the attap hut with bus advertisements on the highway at the turning to the town. On the Thai side, minibuses run from Chong Chom to Surin (60 baht).
 * The Banteay Chhmar temple complex, a remote site home to some extremely quiet Angkorian ruins is 50 km west. It can be accessed from Samraong via Hwy 56.

title: Samraong


text:
Samsø

Samsø is an island in central Denmark, between the big island of Zealand and the mainland Jutland peninsula.

Understand
Nationally, Samsø's main claim to fame is that the first potatoes of the year hail from the island. It has more garnered international attention because the heat and energy used on the island is exclusively produced from renewable sources.

By plane
While it is possible to take a taxi flight from Roskilde Airport to the island's small airfield, the vast majority of travelers take one of the island's two ferries.

Get around
Samsø is ideal for bikes. Bring your own or rent one. You can also drive your own car around to most places, as most roads are paved and of a good quality. Samsø has a network of bus routes too.

See

Do
Although cars are allowed and public transportation by bus is available, Samsø is ideal for a bike ride. It allows you to take in the nature and countryside much better, do small side trips and get some fresh air in your system.

Samsø is great for surf fishing. The coast is varied and you can change location easily on an island the size of Samsø, so you should have a good chance of catching a nice fish. Trout, mullet and flatfish are common, great for garfish in May-June.

Soak some sun, play or swim at the beach. Nearly everywhere you go, the beaches are good and accessible. Go to the Stavns Fjord laguna on the northwest coast. Besides the beautiful scenery here, the shallow waters and sandy beaches north (Mårup strand) and west (Sælvig strand), makes for a very good and child friendly beach experience in the summer. Go on a seal safari from Langør with the old wooden fishing boat M/S Tunø in the summer.

Pick up some fresh produce from the farmers. The groceries are displayed in front of many farms, when they are in season. You just pay for what you pick up and it is good quality. Strawberries, potatoes, onions, leeks, carrots, green peas, you name it. Some sell local honey, pickles or jams as well.

Eat
With plenty of fresh local produce, good dedicated cooks and a broad interest in organic farming and experimentation, Samsø offers many good to excellent dining opportunities. Cafés and restaurants are to be found all across the island.

Ballen has the most restaurants:

Sleep
There are plenty of options for a place to stay on Samsø, but the island is a popular destination in the summer, so you might not always get what you hoped for.

Stay safe
It is fairly easy for you to stay safe on Samsø, but be aware of your surroundings and take care of the environment and the bird life here. A few areas are closed to human traffic when the birds are breeding and nest their eggs, as many species are nesting on the ground. Keep your dogs on a leash and don't let your pets run wild. Don't start a fire outside of carefully marked fireplaces. If you go by car, drive carefully and be aware of both bikers and hikers, as the roads are often narrow.

Go next

 * Depending on how you got to Samsø in first place, you can either take the ferry to Zealand (Kalundborg) in the east or to Jutland (Hou south of Aarhus) in the west.

title: Samsø


text:
Samsun

Samsun, in the Central Karadeniz region of Turkey, is the largest city on the Turkish Black Sea coast.

Understand
Samsun has a special place in the republican history of Turkey, as this is where the republic's founder, Kemal Atatürk, set foot to start the War of Independence in 1919.

Orientation
Samsun is a long sprawling city which extends along the coast towards the Kızılırmak ("Red River") delta to the west and the Yeşilırmak ("Green River") delta to the east.

In the city center and close to the seashore is the city's main square, Cumhuriyet Meydanı, north and south of which are Kazımpaşa Caddesi and Cumhuriyet Caddesi.

The city has grown fast: land has been reclaimed from the sea and many apartment blocks and shopping malls have been built. Industry is tending to move (or be moved) east, further away from the city center and towards the airport.

Climate
Samsun has a rather warm oceanic climate, like most of the eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey. Summers are warm and showery, although Samsun generally avoids the heaviest of the rainfall during this time. Transitional seasons are pleasant, while winters are cool and wet. Snow is relatively uncommon for the Black Sea coast, but can sometimes fall.

By bus
There are frequent and reasonably priced buses to Ankara and eastwards along the Black Sea coast to Trabzon and beyond.

By train
The Hattı train runs once a day from Sivas, which has fast trains from Ankara, and slow trains from the east of Turkey. Trains each way set off around 08:30 and take 8 hours via Amasya and Havza. One other train leaves Amasya early morning and takes 3 hours to Samsun, returning late afternoon - this is shown on the regional or Bölgesel part of TCDD timetables, while the Hattı is a mainline or Anahat train.

The first couple of hours out of Samsun are a slow scenic winding wooded climb crossing and recrossing the small Mert River.

This line was closed for years for track upgrading, with the promise of speedy journeys once the work was complete. Passenger services resumed in April 2023 but are as slow as ever; it's not clear if further work on the line is in hand to improve this.

(Samsun Garı) is central, next to the harbour.

Get around
The city has a network of trams, buses, dolmuşes, and taxis.

The city travelcard is called Samkart and can be bought at the main tram stops and some shops. It can be used on buses or trams but not dolmuş.

Frequent trams run along the city parallel to the coast, between 19 Mayis University and the stadium, and the tramway may be extended to the airport. Only the main tram stations sell travelcards or tokens.

There are four numbered Dolmuş routes within the city and they are much more frequent than buses - you can always ask the driver details on where to get off, etc. There are also larger dolmuş with higher fares for destinations a little outside the city.

On foot
Vehicles rarely stop at the pedestrian crossings without lights.

By bike
The central seafront is very easy and pleasant to cycle along as is the Mert River, but there is no connection between the riverside and seaside cycle paths. There is also a separated bike path to Tekkeköy, but again it does not connect to any other bike path. There are private bike rental shops, mainly in Atakum. Bicycles cannot taken on a tram during peak hours (06:00-09:30 and 16:00-19:30).

By scooter
There are Binbin stand up dockless scooters for rent near and along the seafront. Probably safest to stick to the seafront cycle path, but even there beware as even small faults in the surfacing can bump the tiny wheels.

Do

 * Sea front — Good for walking or cycling, or you can take a ride in a horse drawn carriage.
 * Boat trip. A trip along the coast which takes 2 hours, on a boat named Samsunum ("my Samsun").

Beaches
Atakum Beach is long, free and sandy and has nice cafes across the small road from the beach, however there is little shade. Children and weak swimmers should beware of the variable depth, especially when there are big waves with rip currents possible, and check whether there is a rope in the sea and a lifeguard on duty.

Fener Beach is women only, has a small daily charge and is suitable for small children in that the water is shallow, it has shade and showers and is sheltered from waves. It is open 08:00-18:00 in summer. Access by public transport involves crossing a busy road, so unless you are staying at the Sheraton you may prefer to take a taxi if you have small children.

Bandırma Beach and Mert Beach are closed as of 2020.

Parks
In summer locals love to barbecue in the big parks and drink tea from samovars.

Theater

 * Arts. If you are interested in arts, you will find a thing or two that you might like. There is a very large and interesting opera building with very cheap weekly shows.

Sports

 * Go Karting. There is a go kart course in Batıpark (West Park)
 * Fishing. The Black Sea is rich in fish varieties.
 * Horse riding. There is a center just before Ondokuz Mayis University going out of town.
 * Paintball. There is a paintball ground in the locality known as Körfez, somewhat far from city centre.
 * Wakeboarding. In summer water skiers are towed around by an overhead circuit, near Dogupark (East Park)

Events

 * Festivals. Two festivals are celebrated annually in the city. Some competitions are held during the Bike Festival. On the other hand, concerts of popular singers are to be found during the Festival of OMÜ (Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi). Both festivals are usually celebrated around the end of June.

Nearby geothermal spas
Not being in an earthquake zone, there are no geothermal spas in the city itself. But if you are coming from or going to Ankara or Boğazkale on your own wheels, a relaxing journey break or overnight stopover is possible in Amasya Province or Samsun Province. There are a couple of spas and some hamams clustered in the same area in the town of Havza http://havza.gov.tr/havzada-bulunan-termal-tesisler-ve-kaplica-isletmeleri

Buy
If you are a walker or cyclist heading onwards towards villages with fierce unruly dogs you can buy pepper spray in hunting shops here: let us know if it works.

There are plenty of modern hospitals if you need a quicker or cheaper op than you can get at home. Many doctors and dentists are women if that is important for you, but not all have good English.

Eat
Pide is one of Samsun's delicious 'events' and has four different types available Kapalı, peynirli-yumurtalı (cheese&egg), pastırmalı-yumurtalı (spicy bacon&egg) and sucuklu-yumurtalı (Turkish wurst&egg) although there are some further varieties also possible such as spinach, and kavurmalı.

The local people all eat pide every Sunday almost ritualistically. These pides are totally unique to the city, so don't expect to find them anywhere else.

Fried anchovies are delicious in winter.

Drink
Tea: always but not only after anchovies. If you find the tea too strong then "çay açık olsun" is the phrase you need.

If arriving by air internationally (direct, or via Istanbul and you have not yet cleared customs) you will need to walk across to the terminal on your right to collect your baggage, and buy duty-free alcohol if you wish.

Sleep
There are some hotels close to the beach, for example Hotel Serra.

Budget
You can "couchsurf" or there are plenty of small hotels near Ataturk Park (get off your bus or tram at Cumhuriyet Meydan). Or try the "öğretmenevi".

Splurge
Sheraton or Hotel Amisos.

Internet

 * Wi-Fi at the airport is slower than the local tortoises.

Go next

 * Kızılırmak Delta bird reserve Kızılırmak (literally "red river", due to its colour). The delta is great for birdwatching.
 * Kızılırmak Delta bird reserve Kızılırmak (literally "red river", due to its colour). The delta is great for birdwatching.
 * Kızılırmak Delta bird reserve Kızılırmak (literally "red river", due to its colour). The delta is great for birdwatching.
 * Kızılırmak Delta bird reserve Kızılırmak (literally "red river", due to its colour). The delta is great for birdwatching.
 * Kızılırmak Delta bird reserve Kızılırmak (literally "red river", due to its colour). The delta is great for birdwatching.
 * Kızılırmak Delta bird reserve Kızılırmak (literally "red river", due to its colour). The delta is great for birdwatching.
 * Kızılırmak Delta bird reserve Kızılırmak (literally "red river", due to its colour). The delta is great for birdwatching.

title: Samsun


text:
Samtskhe-Javakheti

Samtskhe-Javakheti is a region of Georgia, which borders Northern Armenia to the south.

Cities and towns

 * – A spa town during the Czarist era, and home to a Soviet-built astrophysical observatory, the western gateway to the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
 * – The capital and largest city has an impressive restored castle, a nice weekend bazaar and is a good base for exploring nearby Sapara Monastery and Vardzia
 * – A small Armenian city (the largest in the region) and the center of Javakheti
 * – A small town with three castles and the central entrance to the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
 * – Famous for its Borjomi mineral water, national park, and summer palace of the Romanov Dynasty, the eastern entrance to the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
 * – A popular winter ski resort
 * – A large Armenian town

Understand
Samtskhe-Javakheti used to be known as Meskheti, for its Meskhi Georgian tribes. The region is especially dry and mountainous south of Borjomi (which is still as green and wet as anywhere in Imereti). Javakheti, the southeastern portion of the region around Akhalkalaki, sees a bit of political ferment, since the vast majority of its residents are ethnically Armenian and demand greater autonomy and language rights. Unlike in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, however, the political situation here does not translate into any danger for a visitor; it is rather just an extra reason why Javakheti is an interesting destination.

Visitors should make Vardzia their number one travel priority (and stop along the way at Khertvisi Castle). but those with some extra time to explore would be foolish not to haul themselves up the bumpy mountain road to see the treasure that is Sapara Monastery. Borjomi is another great destination, but is far easier to visit than the rest of the regional attractions, as it is located very close to the main highway going between Tbilisi and Kutaisi.

Talk
In the southeast of the region around Akhalkalaki, Armenian is widely spoken, even more so than Georgian. But in the rest of the region, Georgian language speakers predominate. Russian is also widely spoken, especially by older generations.

Get around
Marshrutkas are generally the best when travelling south of Akhaltsikhe, as they seem to handle the bumpy dirt roads better than the Soviet built taxis.

For connections in the southern part of the region, Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda and even Gyumri (Armenia), checkout Akhaltsikhe. Also, there are three marshrutkas from Didube Station in Tbilisi to Akhalkalaki: at 10:00, 12:00, and 18:00, but it's not clear which route they take (via Borjomi or direct).

See
Besides the famous Vardzia (a 12th-century cave monastery and city carved out of a cliff overlooking a river gorge), there are Upper Vardzia, Khertvisi Castle and Vanis Kvabebi (another cave monastery) closeby. See all the information at the Vardzia article.

Furthermore, near Akhaltsikhe do not miss the interesting Sapara Monastery.

Do
Going deeper into the Vardzia valley, there seem to be some nice hiking opportunities going up from the valley. Also, the closeby monasteries of Akhaltsikhe invite for hiking and camping.

Check out the thermal bath near Aspindza:

... and on the way to Vardzia:

Eat
If you are looking to sample some Armenian cuisine, Akhalkalaki is home to some authentic-as-it-gets cheap Armenian cafes.

Stay safe
Samtskhe-Javakheti is a quite safe region of Georgia. Probably the biggest danger to a visitor is the risk of falling off various cultural monuments—there are no guard rails to speak of. But common sense and a natural fear of heights should keep you safe.

Go next

 * Georgia's secondary road link with Turkey passes through Akhaltsikhe, and it is fairly easy to catch a marshrutka or hire a taxi going to the Vale-Posof border crossing from Akhaltsikhe's bus station.
 * There is also a seldom-traveled road (part of European route E691) heads south from Akhaltsilke, through Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda towards Gyumri, in Northern Armenia. Foreigners traveling this route will give the bored customs officials a big surprise.

title: Samtskhe-Javakheti


text:
Samui South Coast

The South Coast is an area on Ko Samui.

Understand
The South Coast of Ko Samui lacks the glamour, beauty, and amenities of other areas of Samui. It is home to the small beaches of Ban Hua Thanon, Na Khai, Laem Sor, Bang Kao and Thong Krut. These beaches are not as grand or beautiful as more popular beaches elsewhere on the island. Aside from the small fishing village of Hua Thanon, the South Coast of Samui is an agricultural area. Facilities down here cater for locals more than tourists. Once off the few main roads, this part of Koh Samui gets very rural, very quickly, which will suit you if you want peace and quiet on one of the world's most famous and busiest tropical holiday islands.

Get in
While Samui's first port was located on the south coast, today this area is the hardest to get to on the island. This is because it is far away from the airport and other ports.

Go next

 * Bang Rak
 * Bophut
 * Chaweng
 * Choeng Mon
 * Laem Yai
 * Lamai
 * Mae Nam
 * Nathon

title: Samui South Coast


text:
Samut Prakan

Samut Prakan (Thai: สมุทรปราการ) is a town in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region in Thailand.

Understand
Samut Prakan, also known as Pak Nam, is 29 km south of Bangkok, near where the Chao Phraya River flows into the Gulf of Thailand. The town dates from the Ayutthaya period and has plenty of historical and cultural sites.

By plane
People flying into Bangkok unknowingly arrive in Samut Prakan since is located there.

If you do not want to take a metered taxi or the airport rail link, the BMTA bus 553 runs from the airport 05:00-22.00 using the route Suvarnabhumi Airport - Kingkaew Rd - Wat Salud (Bangna - Trad) - Ramkhamhaeng 2 - Srinakarin Rd - Theparak Intersection – Crocodile Farm – Samut Prakan (Pak nam). Fare 32 baht.

By car
You can use the old Sukhumvit Rd and also Hwy 303 to get here from Bangkok. The distance is only 29 km.

By bus
Consult the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) web site for full details.

Air conditioned buses (of the BMTA)
 * Line No. 502 (Sam Rong - Pak Khlong Talat)
 * Line No. 506 (Pak Kret - Phra Pradaeng)
 * Line No. 507 (Sam Rong - Tha Phra)
 * Line No. 508 (Pak Nam - Tha Ratchaworadit)
 * Line No. 511 (Pak Nam - Pratunam-Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd (Khao San)-Southern Bus Terminal 'Sai Tai')
 * Line No. 513 (Rangsit - Pu Chao Saming Phrai)
 * Line No. 523 (Sam Rong Thewet via Expressway)
 * Line No. 525 (Pak Nam - Tha Chang)
 * Line No. 102 (Pak Nam - Chong Nonsee)
 * Line No. 126 (Nonthaburi - Sam Rong)
 * Line No. 129 (Thang Duan - Kasetsart University - Sam Rong)
 * Line No. 142 (Wat Lau - Samut Prakan)
 * Line No. 145 (Suan Chatuchak - Samut Prakan)

Non-air conditioned buses
 * Line No. 2 (Sam Rong - Pak Khlong Talad)
 * Line No. 6 (Phra Pradaeng - Bang Lamphu)
 * Line No. 13 (Rangsit - Phu Chao Saming Phrai)
 * Line No. 20 (Pom Phra Chun- Tha Nam Din Daeng)
 * Line No. 23 (Sam Rong Thewet via Expressway)
 * Line No. 25 (Pak Nam - Tha Chang)
 * Line No. 45 (Sam Rong - Ratchaprasong)
 * Line No. 82 (Phra Pradaeng - Bang Lamphu)
 * Line No. 102 (Pak Nam - Chong Nonsi)
 * Line No. 116 (Samrong - Sathorn)
 * Line No. 129 (Kasetsart University - Sam Rong via Expressway)
 * Line No. 138 (Chatuchak - Phra Pradaeng via Expressway)
 * Line No. 145 (Suan Chatuchak - Pak Nam)

Get around
Several BMTA bus and van lines run through Samut Prakan. Metered taxis work the same way as in Bangkok.

See

No photography or video recording for commercial purposes unless you have permission from the Public Relations Department of the museum.

Sleep
Many visitors use the province to stay the night close to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

title: Samut Prakan