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Ramsgate

Ramsgate is a seaside town in Kent close to Dover and Canterbury. Ramsgate's heyday has long since passed, in common with many seaside towns, but it has a rich history, stunning views and architecture, and a vibrant cafe culture that surprises many who visit the town.

Understand
Ramsgate forms part of the Isle of Thanet and is closely associated with its neighbouring towns of Broadstairs and Margate. The town's heyday was the Regency and Victorian eras when the well-heeled would holiday in the town, savouring its genteel culture. Nowadays the town remains a popular destination and has much to offer visitors.

Ramsgate exists in an area that has been crucial to British history. Just down the road at Richborough is the site of the Claudian Invasion of 43 AD and evidence of Roman settlement in Ramsgate was found in the 19th century. Viking chieftains Hengist and Horsa landed at Ebbsfleet in Pegwell Bay in 449 AD and were given the Isle of Thanet by Vortigern as thanks for their help in the first stages of the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain. In 597 AD, St Augustine landed at Ebbsfleet on his mission to convert Britain to Christianity and later became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1483, Ramsgate was adopted as a limb of Sandwich and by association, a member of the Cinque Ports Confederation. Ramsgate developed as a result of growing trade and prosperity in the 17th century. Throughout the 18th century many elegant Georgian townhouses, Nelson and Wellington Crescents on the east and west cliffs, and many small squares were built. Ramsgate was a fashionable place to stay in Regency times and became the haunt of many writers, artists and philanthropists.

A harbour was built in the town was as a result of the 1703 Great Storm. It wasn't until King George IV used the town as his departure point for a trip to Hanover in 1821 that the 'Royal' title was bestowed, after the King became so impressed by his welcome to the town. During the Napoleonic Wars, Ramsgate was a garrison town with thousands of troops going back and forth to various battles. In both the world wars, Ramsgate was one of the first places in Britain to be bombed by the Germans. During the 1940 Dunkirk Evacuation, the town acted as the central port for the rescue of the troops from France.

Ramsgate's harbour is still a working one with the advent of the Thanet Wind Farm. It still has a small fishing community, busy slipways and a port offering cross-channel ferry routes to the continent.

By train

All train services to and from Ramsgate are operated by Southeastern. There is also information on the National Rail website. From London you can reach Ramsgate from St Pancras (at a higher fare), Victoria or Charing Cross. There are also services from the Medway Towns, Ashford International, Canterbury West and Dover Priory.

Note that the station is quite far from the seafront and the return walk is uphill.

By coach
National Express coaches run from Victoria Coach Station and are typically somewhat cheaper than the railway. However, the journey time is around 3 hours since there is no direct non-stop coach service to Thanet. Services terminate in the Harbour. National Express tickets can be bought online, or from Toni's Newsagents in King Street.

By plane
The nearest major international airports are at London Gatwick (approx 84 mi/135 km) and London Heathrow  (approx 104 mi/168 km).

By bus
Regular buses run by Stagecoach offer easy access to most parts of the Isle of Thanet. The Thanet Loop service (on average every 10 minutes from Ramsgate Harbour) is the most reliable and its route takes in the harbour, the train station, Westwood Shopping Centre and the other towns of Thanet. The Thanet Star service visits the more suburban parts of Ramsgate and Thanet. Regular buses serve the city of Canterbury (services 8 and 9), but the Thanet Breeze service to and from Canterbury does not extend to Ramsgate - it only goes as far as Broadstairs.

By foot
This is a very walkable seaside town and its neighbouring towns include Margate and Broadstairs.

By taxi
There are several taxi firms within Ramsgate and the Isle of Thanet including Chauffeur Taxis, United Cars (incorporating Star Cars, Deelux Cars and Ramsgate Cars), Central Cars  and Invicta Cars. Airport Connections offers luxury car and minibus connections to Kent International Airport.

See

 * The Viking Ship "Hugin". Found next to the village of Cliffsend in Pegwell Bay, on the A256 Sandwich road, this replica of Hengist and Horsa's ship sailed from Denmark to Thanet in 1949 to celebrate the 1,500th anniversary of their landing on the isle. On the lane between Cliffsend and Sevenscore is a Celtic Cross erected in 1884 to commemorate St Augustine's first sermon in Kent.
 * Ebbsfleet. The site of two important events in British history: the 449AD landing of Hengist and Horsa, generally considered to be the start of the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain and the landing of St Augustine on his mission from Rome to convert Kent and Britain to Christianity. Follow the A256 to the Ebbsfleet Lane turning.
 * Minster Abbey. Founded in the 7th century, the ancient Benedictine Minster Abbey in the village of Minster is still run by nuns. The monastic buildings and gardens are open from May to September (2:45PM to 4PM) and year-round (Saturdays 11AM to noon). Hospitality packages are offered for conferences and retreats.
 * The Viking Ship "Hugin". Found next to the village of Cliffsend in Pegwell Bay, on the A256 Sandwich road, this replica of Hengist and Horsa's ship sailed from Denmark to Thanet in 1949 to celebrate the 1,500th anniversary of their landing on the isle. On the lane between Cliffsend and Sevenscore is a Celtic Cross erected in 1884 to commemorate St Augustine's first sermon in Kent.
 * Ebbsfleet. The site of two important events in British history: the 449AD landing of Hengist and Horsa, generally considered to be the start of the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain and the landing of St Augustine on his mission from Rome to convert Kent and Britain to Christianity. Follow the A256 to the Ebbsfleet Lane turning.
 * Minster Abbey. Founded in the 7th century, the ancient Benedictine Minster Abbey in the village of Minster is still run by nuns. The monastic buildings and gardens are open from May to September (2:45PM to 4PM) and year-round (Saturdays 11AM to noon). Hospitality packages are offered for conferences and retreats.
 * The Viking Ship "Hugin". Found next to the village of Cliffsend in Pegwell Bay, on the A256 Sandwich road, this replica of Hengist and Horsa's ship sailed from Denmark to Thanet in 1949 to celebrate the 1,500th anniversary of their landing on the isle. On the lane between Cliffsend and Sevenscore is a Celtic Cross erected in 1884 to commemorate St Augustine's first sermon in Kent.
 * Ebbsfleet. The site of two important events in British history: the 449AD landing of Hengist and Horsa, generally considered to be the start of the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain and the landing of St Augustine on his mission from Rome to convert Kent and Britain to Christianity. Follow the A256 to the Ebbsfleet Lane turning.
 * Minster Abbey. Founded in the 7th century, the ancient Benedictine Minster Abbey in the village of Minster is still run by nuns. The monastic buildings and gardens are open from May to September (2:45PM to 4PM) and year-round (Saturdays 11AM to noon). Hospitality packages are offered for conferences and retreats.
 * The Viking Ship "Hugin". Found next to the village of Cliffsend in Pegwell Bay, on the A256 Sandwich road, this replica of Hengist and Horsa's ship sailed from Denmark to Thanet in 1949 to celebrate the 1,500th anniversary of their landing on the isle. On the lane between Cliffsend and Sevenscore is a Celtic Cross erected in 1884 to commemorate St Augustine's first sermon in Kent.
 * Ebbsfleet. The site of two important events in British history: the 449AD landing of Hengist and Horsa, generally considered to be the start of the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain and the landing of St Augustine on his mission from Rome to convert Kent and Britain to Christianity. Follow the A256 to the Ebbsfleet Lane turning.
 * Minster Abbey. Founded in the 7th century, the ancient Benedictine Minster Abbey in the village of Minster is still run by nuns. The monastic buildings and gardens are open from May to September (2:45PM to 4PM) and year-round (Saturdays 11AM to noon). Hospitality packages are offered for conferences and retreats.

Do
There are lots of things to do in Ramsgate such as walking, water sports, land-based fun and cycling. Take a stroll around Ramsgate's Royal Harbour and enjoy the thriving cafe culture alongside the marina.

 * The Main Sands. Ramsgate's Main Sands were awarded an environmental Blue Flag award for its cleanliness (in 2010) and can be less crowded than the more popular beaches at Margate and Broadstairs. There is also a smaller, more secluded beach along the Western Undercliff (Royal Esplanade).
 * Ramsgate Week. A prestigious international sailing regatta run by the Royal Temple Yacht Club, Ramsgate Week incorporates the IRC regional yachting championship and coastal series into a week full of fun events for all the family (July).
 * Seaside Shuffle. Ramsgate's own jazz festival: 3 days of music events at different venues across the town in the middle of July.
 * Ramsgate International Film & TV Festival. An annual celebration of film-making with the aim of creating a one-stop media community. Films are given special screenings at venues across the town.(June).
 * Granville Theatre and Cinema. With a cinema screen showing the latest movies, The Granville also offers a range of professional and amateur stage productions and runs regular workshops and other community events. Located on the Eastcliff (Victoria Parade).
 * Bucket and Spade Run. Vintage cars take a leisurely drive along the East Kent coast from Faversham to Government Acre in Ramsgate (June).
 * The Ramsgate Market. The market is held in the town centre weekly on Fridays and Saturdays.
 * Walking and cycling. Ramsgate forms part of the Viking Coastal Trail which showcases Thanet's coastal beauty and uniqueness. The walk along the coast between Ramsgate and Broadstairs is very enjoyable, especially in the summer when such a walk can take in rockpooling, a quick paddle in the sea and an ice-cream bought from one of the small cafes along the way - although make sure that you watch the rising tide: unwary sightseers can easily be cut off by the sea along this stretch. When the tide is in, walk to Broadstairs along the top of the cliff, through King George VI Park and down into Dumpton Gap. A walk along the western clifftops can be interesting in both an aesthetic and historic sense. There are spectacular views of the harbour from the cliffs near the port and further towards Pegwell you pass The Grange, Augustus Welby Pugin's unique Gothic house built in 1845. If you persevere down into the small village of Pegwell, there are two public houses that offer panoramic views of the adjacent Pegwell Bay.
 * The Sea Searcher The Sea Searcher is a small pleasure boat that offers regular trips around the harbour and seal-watching jaunts over to the nearby Pegwell Bay and visits to the Offshore Wind Farm. The booking hut is in front of the Maritime Museum (Harbour Parade). Alternatively, there is also a powerboat company that offers several trips in the local area.
 * The Boating Pool. This family-based attraction has a restaurant, playground, boating pool, amusements and an art gallery. Situated on the Westcliff (Royal Esplanade).
 * Blue Plaque Hunting. There are blue plaques dotted around the town dedicated to such famous people as Karl Marx, the Duke of Wellington, barrister and former Solicitor-General Sir William Garrow, author Wilkie Collins, actor John le Mesurier, writer John Gibson Lockhart and social reformer Elizabeth Fry.
 * Ramsgate FC. The local football team is a member of the Ryman League Division 1 (South) and plays its games at the Southwood Stadium (Prices Avenue).
 * Westwood Cross. The Westwood Cross shopping centre incorporates high street names, supermarkets, a multiplex cinema, a gym and a bingo hall. The Thanet Loop bus stops at Westwood and there are ample car parking spaces.
 * Blue Plaque Hunting. There are blue plaques dotted around the town dedicated to such famous people as Karl Marx, the Duke of Wellington, barrister and former Solicitor-General Sir William Garrow, author Wilkie Collins, actor John le Mesurier, writer John Gibson Lockhart and social reformer Elizabeth Fry.
 * Ramsgate FC. The local football team is a member of the Ryman League Division 1 (South) and plays its games at the Southwood Stadium (Prices Avenue).
 * Westwood Cross. The Westwood Cross shopping centre incorporates high street names, supermarkets, a multiplex cinema, a gym and a bingo hall. The Thanet Loop bus stops at Westwood and there are ample car parking spaces.

Buy

 * Ramsgate Town Centre. Ramsgate town centre has most of the usual shops you would expect to find plus a few local stores of interest. More than most town centres, Ramsgate has a lot of charity shops and cafes that are dotted around Harbour Street, York Street and the High Street.
 *  Westwood Cross. Between Ramsgate and Margate is the Westwood Cross Shopping Centre. Westwood has a range of big-name clothes stores including Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Burtons, TK Maxx and Next plus lots of cafes and bars to sit in and reflect on what you’ve bought. Here also can be found the big supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda.

Eat
Ramsgate offers some of the best dining in the South East of England, with several well-regarded restaurants situated around the picturesque harbour including the renowned Surin Restaurant, Alexandra Ristorante and young businesses such as Eddie Gilberts and Age & Sons which have built up formidable reputations in a very short amount of time.

 * Surin (Harbour Street; ) is a UK top-5 Thai restaurant as recommended by the Good Food Guide, The Independent and Guardian newspapers and Time Out magazine. Or, try Siam's Kitchen (Albion Hill) or Saffron (Harbour Street)
 * Alexandra Ristorante (Harbour Parade; ) is an Italian restaurant that was established in 1987 and is very popular locally. Run by Maria and Luciano, the restaurant offers authentic and contemporary Italian fare. As a result of the restaurant's overhaul, thanks to its starring role in an episode of the Channel 5 programme The Restaurant Inspector, the Alexandra was nominated in the 2010 Kent Best Restaurant Awards.
 * Eddie Gilbert's (King Street; ) is a fishmonger business that doubles as a gourmet fish and chip shop, boasting a Michelin-trained chef and freshly-caught local produce. The restaurant has been reviewed favourably by The Observer, The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Times and Country Life magazine. Eddie Gilberts is a member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
 * Age & Sons (Charlotte Court; ). Situated in a wine warehouse that dates back to 1804, Age & Sons is run by the Leigh family and in its short existence has been a runner-up in the 2009 Independent Food and Drink Awards and was the recipient of a Bib Gourmand from Michelin. The restaurant boasts an extensive wine list and reasonably priced three-course meals.
 * Alternatives include the Oak Hotel (Harbour Parade), The Churchill Tavern (The Paragon), The Royal (Military Road) and The Sovereign (Harbour Street).
 * Peter's Fish Factory (Harbour Parade) offers traditional seaside fish and chips in a location close to the beach and marina.
 * The China Garden restaurant (High Street) offers an a la carte menu and inexpensive evening buffets.
 * Corby's Tea Rooms (York Street) is a popular establishment near the harbour that offers speciality teas and coffees, cream teas and various snacks.

Most of the usual chain restaurants and fast food outlets can be found in Ramsgate including McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Express (Harbour Parade). The nearest Burger King is at the Westwood Shopping Centre.

Drink

 * The Churchill Tavern (The Paragon). An excellent place to try several traditional real ales. With commanding views over the harbour and port, the tavern often holds beer and cider festivals as well as regular music events and offers a selection of meals and snacks.
 * Miles Cafe Culture (Harbour Parade; ). A coffee house that has enviable views across the adjacent Marina, Miles remains an atmospheric, enjoyable place to while away a few hours and its pavement tables are rarely empty. Snacks are served as well.
 * Pubs. Across Ramsgate are many public houses of varying quality. If you want the feel of a traditional pub warts and all in the middle of Ramsgate try places like the Red Lion (King Street) or the Horse and Groom (Charlotte Court). Elsewhere, the Montefiore Arms (Trinity Place) is popular with real ale drinkers who favour a well-kept pint of beer and was voted pub of the year in 2009 and 2011 by the Thanet branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.
 * The Royal (Military Road) is the local nightspot and offers regular theme nights as well as DJs, karaoke and live bands in rotation.
 * Gadds' Ramsgate Brewery. Founded in 2002 in the Belgian Bar, Gadds' Ramsgate Brewery is a thriving small local brewery now found in its own premises on the Pysons Road Industrial Estate. Look out for its beers in selected local pubs. Amongst those pubs that have served Gadds' beers are the Red Lion (King Street), The Port and Anchor (Albion Hill), The Churchill Tavern (The Paragon) and the Artillery Arms (Westcliff Road).
 * Rokka. Another popular nightspot along Harbour Parade, this bar and restaurant offers theme nights and DJs, and an extensive range of food and drink.

Hotels
There are a host of hotels in Ramsgate including

B&Bs and guest houses
On a smaller scale, the traditional B&B is well-represented in Ramsgate and, whilst they vary in quality and size, they should not be underestimated. Many are well-run, established guest houses which offer cheap, competitive prices and some still cook an evening meal as well as the included breakfast.

Self-catering
Durlock Lodge in Minster offers a self-catering cottage and studio as well as guest rooms in a countryside location close to Minster railway station.

Connect
As of Jan 2021, Ramsgate has 4G with all UK carriers. 5G has not reached this area.

Email:
 * The Ramsgate Tourist Information office is in the Town Council building in the old Customs House on Harbour Parade.
 * Thanet District Council's Tourism Service:

 * For more on Thanet tourism:
 * For more on Ramsgate marina:

Go next

 * London. London is, when using the high speed rail service, 1 hr 20 min away. On slower trains, the journey will take around two hours.
 * Canterbury. Easily reached by bus or train, the ancient cathedral city of Canterbury is the hub of East Kent. The cathedral is, along with St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's Church, a designated World Heritage Site. Other sights include the Marlowe Theatre and the Canterbury Tales, an interactive visitor attraction that takes you through scenes from Chaucer's famous book. Canterbury is also a great place to shop and has many attractive cafes, restaurants and pubs. Howletts Zoo is nearby at Bekesbourne. Trains take 20–25 minutes and leave Ramsgate twice-hourly whilst buses leave Ramsgate Harbour hourly.
 * Dover. Another place within easy reach is Dover which boasts the eponymous castle as its main feature. Dominating the town, visiting the castle and the wartime tunnels underneath it can take a day up. Dover is also the main port in South-east England with cross-channel ferry services to Calais, Boulogne and Oostende. If you start early enough, it is possible to use Ramsgate as the starting point for a trip to Dover and a quick hop across the channel. The train is the easiest option to get to Dover since most bus services require a change in Sandwich. Trains take 30 minutes and run hourly.
 * Broadstairs. Sometime home of Charles Dickens, Broadstairs is a beautiful, quaint, virtually unchanged little seaside town with a hugely popular beach in Viking Bay. Easily reached via the Thanet Loop bus service.
 * Margate. Boisterous Margate offers sand, sea, amusements and the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery. Easily reached via the Thanet Loop bus service.
 * Sandwich. The medieval Cinque Port town of Sandwich is close to Ramsgate and sits next to Sandwich Bay, where there is an RSPB-run nature reserve. You can also join the 160-mile Saxon Shore Way at Sandwich, the route of which stretches right along the South East coast from Hastings in East Sussex to Gravesend in North Kent. Buses are hourly from Leopold Street and travel through Pegwell Bay. Trains take around 10 minutes (hourly service).
 * Deal. Deal is an old fishing town famous for its pier, the Timeball Tower, Deal Castle and Walmer Castle, official residence of the Warden of the Cinque Ports. Trains take around 15 minutes (hourly service).
 * Minster. For the Kent International Airport. In Minster village itself is Minster Abbey. Regular bus services are run by Stagecoach and Eastonways.
 * Manston. For the Spitfire and Hurricane Museum.
 * Pegwell Bay. A Kent Wildlife Trust nature reserve within walking and cycling distance of Ramsgate.
 * Whitstable. The small fishing town of Whitstable offers quaint and historic shops, pubs and restaurants.
 * Folkestone. Folkestone is a traditional port town on the edges of the Romney Marsh area.

title: Ramsgate


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Ramstein

Ramstein is a city of 8,000 people (2019) in Germany that is home to the famed nearby Ramstein Air Base.

Get in
Many people coming to Ramstein will be American personnel or NATO personnel. Likely, this could be via military flights to the Ramstein Airforce Base. On Ramstein AFB, there is the Ramstein Passenger Terminal, which all passengers to Ramstein will see.

Go next

 * Kaiserslautern

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

title: Ramstein


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Ranaghat

Ranaghat is a small town along the river Churni in the southeast region of West Bengal. The name Ranaghat comes from the name of a Dakat Rana. This is the great character of Vande Mataram by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.

Get in
There are local trains available from Sealdah Station in Kolkata to reach Ranaghat junction station. Ranaghat Local, Shantipur Local, Krishnanagar Local and Lalgola passengers are available and take around 2 hrs. to reach Ranaghat. Few express trains stop in Ranaghat station.

Buses are also available from Kolkata. National Highway no 34 passes through Ranaghat (Pramanik stoppage)

See
A river bridge on Churni river connecting Kalinarayanpur and the station in a height of 40 ft is a lovely place Kalinarayanpur having river Churni on one side and majestic greeneries on other side is fascinating.

title: Ranaghat


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Ranakpur

Ranakpur is in Rajasthan in the Western India.

Get in
From Jodhpur, take a train to Falna station (₹250) and get a taxi to Ranakpur (~₹350).

From Udaipur, Ranakpur is reachable, by car or bus ($95 from Udaipur Central bus station, counter #6), with direct buses at 8:30am and 9:30am for the best times (~3 hrs). Make sure to get to bus station at least 20 minutes early, to fight crowds and get ticket on time, as bus may leave early as well. For the return trip, there is a bus every 30-45 minutes.

Distances:
 * From Falna: 30km
 * From Udaipur: 90km
 * From Jodhpur: 160km

Get around
Ranakpur is a small village, and there are no rickshaws or taxis touting to take you around. Near the Ranakpur temple, you can hire a private car to take you to hotels in and around the village. Most tourists make Ranakpur a stop on a day trip from Udaipur, although there are a number of nice hotels nearby.

See
The Ranakpur Temple is one of the most famous Jain temples and dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar (enlightened human) of our time cycle, Adinath (aka Lord Rishabha). This temple is also called the Chaumukha Temple due to the four faced idol of the god Adinath. It represents the quest in life along the four dimensions which are the key tenets of Jainism. It is a very big temple (ceiling around 7m high), made up of white marble, offers sculptures of same quality but different type than Dilwara, but is beautiful from the outside, too. It has more than a thousand columns none of which are alike.

Nearby, there are two smaller temples built after two other Jain Tirthankars, Neminath and Parsvanath. There is also a small temple built near the main temple for the Hindu Sun God, Surya.

The cost is 300 rupees for non Indians (100 ticket + 200 mandatory audio guide).

Do

 * Jeep Safari or nature hike through the Ranakpur valley or the nearby Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
 * Horseback Safari through the Aravalli Mountains, the Ranakpur Valley and the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

Eat
Try the cheap lunch offerings at the temple. It costs ₹35 for a serving and will be prepared in Jain traditions (without onion, garlic, potato). Their daal is delicious.

Sleep

 * You can get a room in the temple premises for ₹200 a night. The rooms, which were constructed for temple devotees, are spartan but have attached toilet/bathrooms. Hot water for bathing is available in the morning. A breakfast thali is available for ₹15. The temple has a right to refuse you a room, so it's best to present yourself in a humble manner and willing to learn more about Jainism. Hindus should have no problem in getting a room.
 * You can get a room in the temple premises for ₹200 a night. The rooms, which were constructed for temple devotees, are spartan but have attached toilet/bathrooms. Hot water for bathing is available in the morning. A breakfast thali is available for ₹15. The temple has a right to refuse you a room, so it's best to present yourself in a humble manner and willing to learn more about Jainism. Hindus should have no problem in getting a room.

Go next
A local bus to Udaipur stops right outside the Ranakpur temple every hour and costs ₹85. The journey back to Udaipur takes around 3 hours.

You may go by bus to Mount Abu, a relaxing, peaceful hill resort. A nice place to rest and hike. A bus goes every 30 minutes to Sandera, from there busses leave to Mt. Abu or Abu Road (27km downhill from Mt. Abu, around ₹200 for uphill taxi).

title: Ranakpur


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Ranau

Ranau is located in Sabah, Malaysian part of Borneo.

Understand
Ranau is associated with the infamous and tragic Death Marches which occurred at the end of WWII in 1945. Over 2500 Australian and British POWs died at Sandakan and on the forced death marches to Ranau.

Get in
Ranau is accessible by road and is approximately 2 hours by car from Kota Kinabalu.

See

 * Ranau War Memorial, a cairn erected at the end of the Sandakan-Ranau death marches. 5km from Ranau town. It is located down a driveway on the main road and not well signposted.

Do

 * Sungai Moroli Fish Spa is located next to the Tea Garden. It is a community venture, in which you walk into a river armed with fish food, and allow some very big fish to nibble at your toes for 15 minutes. Not as relaxing as a posh fish spa in Europe, but interesting, nonetheless. Not for the faint-hearted or thin-skinned!
 * Sungai Moroli Fish Spa is located next to the Tea Garden. It is a community venture, in which you walk into a river armed with fish food, and allow some very big fish to nibble at your toes for 15 minutes. Not as relaxing as a posh fish spa in Europe, but interesting, nonetheless. Not for the faint-hearted or thin-skinned!

Buy
Ranau is a small dusty road junction of a small township servicing the local community. So you as a tourist can eat and wander around the small Tamu (market) the ride away. The Tamu has a good supply of local produce. All the fruit was available at a deep fry kedai (Stall/shop) We had fried banana, extremely hot. There was a "touristy" stall but it was dusty and dirty but cheap!

Eat
Open air local eateries are available in the township. Be prepared to sit on plastic chairs inside or on the outside walkway.

Drink
Menarik teh (pulled tea) is really tea flavoured liquid held up high and poured in to a lower glass. Beware the tea and coffee is served VERY sweet with a lot of sugar, so ask first or say "tiada gula"( without sugar) when ordering, pay before leaving.
 * Beer is available at restaurants but may not be written on the menu.
 * Traditional local alcoholic drinks include bahar (coconut sap liquor), montoku (rice wine) and lihing (sweet rice wine).

Sleep
An assortment of accommodation options exist between Mount Kinabalu Park turn off and the township of Ranau, mostly situated on the main road.

Go next

 * Kundasang War Memorial is a short distance (10 mins) from Ranau.
 * Mount Kinabalu Park is located approximately 20 km from Ranau.
 * Poring Hot Spring is a short distance (20 mins) from Ranau.

title: Ranau


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Rancagua

Rancagua is a city in the O'Higgins Region. It is somewhat of a tourist destination, though largely because of the vineyards that have been developed in the surrounding area. Rancagua also offers sports centers and easy access to smaller villages and towns.

Understand
The city sits on the shore of Cachapoal River about 85 km south of Santiago.

The city has a population of approximately 230,000 (2012). It is the capital of the VI Region of Chile. For most of the 20th century the principal economic activities of the region were (and in large part still are) the extraction and manufacturing of copper (El Teniente mine), and agriculture.

The main economic activities range from mining, tourism, agriculture, timber, food production and services to minor industrial activities. The city also serves as the administrative and legal center of the region.

Together with Machalí and Gultro, it forms the Rancagua conurbation. After Curicó, Talca and Concepción, it is one of the most important and densely populated cities of the south central zone of Chile.

This area is known as the "huaso province" after the name of the Chilean cowboy, the huaso. The population is a mixture of both European (including Argentine immigrants) and indigenous races and cultures. The region has a homogeneous culture known as Chileanidad and a mestizo influence is evident.

Rancagua and the Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Region was settled by Spaniards (notably Andalusian, Basque, Aragonese and Navarrese) and other Europeans. French and Italian families established agriculture, including the important wine industry: the Wine Route is one of the main tourist attractions of the Colchagua valley. Breweries can be found as well, the legacy of German and Swiss immigration. Livestock development and herding was especially influenced by British, Greek and Yugoslavian settlers.

Because the city is relatively close to Santiago, there has led to a growing urban influence in the local culture. Rancagua is fast becoming a suburb of Santiago's upper-class professional workforce.

There is a running joke among Chileans that Rancagua "does not exist", owing to its perceived blandness.

Climate
Summers are generally extremely dry, with cool mornings and hot afternoons, while winters are mild with cold mornings and occasional periods of heavy rainfall that averages around 510 millimetres or 20 inches each year – almost all of which occurs during a handful of storms between May and August. In some years there can be a little snow.

By train
The Metrotren from Estación Central in Santiago costs 2200-2400 pesos one-way. Service is scheduled to facilitate travel to Santiago, so most of the departures are early in the morning or late in the afternoon (around 18:00). Departures from Rancagua can take you back north towards Santiago or south towards San Fernando. Prices vary according to destination.

By car
Rancagua is 90 km from Santiago by Panamericana (Ruta 5). Two road tolls run between the cities but only the major one, Angostura, is needed (2700 pesos). Keep the ticket to get a free pass in the first six hours on any minor toll booth, including the ones to access Rancagua.

By bus

 * Terminal O'higgins, Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'higgins 0484, 1.5 km north from the city center. Most buses arrive and depart from this bus station when coming from the north. When coming from the south, and especially if it's early in the morning or late at night, buses stop at "Paradero Rancagua Sur" (Manuel Montt 1140) 2 km south of the bus station.

 * Terminal Turbus, O'carrol 1175, 1 km west from the city center. Private bus station of Turbus company where most of their buses operate. Be careful because some buses of this company depart and arrive at Terminal O'higgins, so check in advance in your ticket if its says "O'carrol" or "O'higgins". Departures to Santiago, Concepción, Viña del Mar, Valparaiso.

From Santiago, the main bus terminal is at Metro Station Universidad de Santiago. Competition among the private bus companies makes for very frequent departures to Rancagua. Cost is CLP$1500-2500.

Get around
Rancagua's transportation: For inter-regional transportation, the same model of "Micros" and "Colectivos" applies but with different color (green and yellow respectively), but most of them depart from the "Rodoviario" inter-urban terminal and differ in rates.
 * Several urban bus lines painted red ("Micros") with stops all over the city, about 480 pesos.
 * Several set-route shared-taxi lines painted black ("Colectivos") that span the whole city, about 650 pesos.
 * Sparse but growing Uber community.

See

 * Paseo Independencia - The city's commercial backbone is also a nice pedestrian avenue to eat, shop, and stroll. Beware however during the Christmas holidays, when the atmosphere gets dense and pickpockets become ambitious.
 * Plaza de los Héroes - Located at the east terminus of the Paseo Independencia, this central plaza is a nice place to relax anytime. Avoid gypsies who will literally tease the cash out of your pockets.
 * Teatro Regional Rancagua - The Regional Theater of Rancagua has established itself as the space of culture and arts in the O'Higgins Region, with more than 356 shows, 210 thousand spectators, 96 free shows and 8 opera shows.
 * Casa de la Cultura - Cultural centre and mini-museum, offers open to the public cultural activities all year long.
 * Casa del Arte - Professional national theatre company, hosts the Open Air Theatre Festival every January.

Do

 * Enjoy Rancagua's nightlife in a variety of nightclubs, restaurants and pubs located all around the city, and primarily at Diego de Almagro street (side road to Panamericana). Notable places:
 * Playa del Carmen, four room multi-stile dance-club.
 * Moka Club, nightclub with regularly 1980s and 90s themed nights.
 * Punta del Este, urban and international music scene.
 * Golden Rockbar, rock-themed pub/bar with local (and national) bands live shows every weekend.
 * Acqua Diva, LGBT disco.
 * Cabala and Pasion, bar-restaurants with karaoke nights.
 * Visit Sun Monticello Grand Casino, 20 minutes north from Rancagua at Panamericana Km. 57. An integral fun project for the whole family, which includes the largest game room in Chile and the most complete entertainment offer, with 10 gourmet restaurants, a 5-star hotel, spa, electronic games and mechanics, Suka Club and a Conference Center capable of receiving up to 1,800 people.
 * Visit Las Termas de Cauquenes and enjoy a nice thermal bath from naturally hot springwaters. Located 31 km east of Rancagua, the surrounding area also offers pretty trails for easy hiking.
 * Visit Anakena Wines vineyard, part of the world-famous Chilean Wine Route, 20 minutes south from Rancagua at Requínoa.
 * Reserva Nacional Río Los Cipreses is a national park east of the city, towards the Andes. Great for overnight camping. You won't be able to get in after the 18:00 closing time.
 * Take a tour of the now defunct mining town of Sewell  (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site), right on top of El Teniente, the largest underground copper mine in the world. Private tour agencies can take you to the town, the mine, and back. They only let vehicles manufactured after 2001 in.
 * Visit Parque Safari Chile and observe free roaming lions up-close, besides their herbivore-only safari and petting zoo.
 * Go to a division 1 football match as the O'Higgins Football Club calls Rancagua its home.

Eat
A very traditional dessert from Rancagua and the whole region is Torta Pompadour (Pompadour Cake). It's a mille-feuille cake with whipped cream and bannana essense. You can buy it and slice in almost every bakery in the city or as a dessert in a restaurant.

Budget

 * Pasteleria Tokio near the intersection of Independencia and Rubio (it's on Rubio) offers exquisite pastries at a great price.
 * Club Social at Cáceres 486 provides decent, full, seemingly home-cooked meals with soft drink and dessert for 2,000 pesos.

Mid-range

 * Mini Restaurant in Olivar, across Cachapoal bridge, is a family restaurant best known for their big and tasty servings (usually one serving feeds two people).

Splurge

 * Reina Victoria on Paseo Independencia is a pricey but fine bakery, ice cream and coffee shop.
 * El Gordo Sabe at Diego de Almagro street (side road to Panamericana) is a reasonably priced all-you-can-eat buffet.
 * Emporio de la Rosa inside Plaza América at Einstein Av. is an ice cream parlor worth the price.
 * Delicia China at Miguel Ramirez Av. is an oriental themed, high class restaurant with top service.
 * Torino Ristorante at Panamericana service road is a high class restaurant best known for their Italian cuisine and homegrown fresh oysters.

Stay safe
As mentioned above, beware of pickpockets in the city center.

Go next
The city is surrounded by quaint and peaceful pueblitos.

 * Doñihue, about 35 km west of Rancagua is well known for its arts and crafts, especially the dying art of handmade silk-based chamantos.
 * Pokey mountain and the "Punta Alta" offer formidable hikes and breathtaking views of the region. Ask around town to find the trail base.
 * Pichilemu, 180 km west of Rancagua, one of the best places in the world for surf.

title: Rancagua


text:
Ranchi

Ranchi is the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand.

Understand
Ranchi is on the Chotanagpur plateau, at a height of 650 m (2,140) feet above sea level. The entire area is generally covered with red soil. Extensive forests around Ranchi are home to bears, sambar, chital, nilgai and hares. Summer afternoons are hot but evenings and nights are cool and enjoyable (maximum 40°C, min 16°C). It is cool/cold in winter (maximum 25°C and minimum 0°C). Annual rainfall is 1530 mm.

Ranchi has gained fame for being the hometown of cricket superstar M.S. Dhoni, who played from 2004 to 2020.

Language
Languages spoken are Hindi, Bhojpuri, Bengali, Maithili, Sadri, Oraon, Mundari and some dialects. English is not a common language. Even if it is not understood at a place, people are willing to help around with interpretation.

By plane

 * AirAsia India operates daily from Bangalore and Delhi
 * Air India operates a daily flight from Delhi.
 * Alliance Air operates daily from Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda, Raipur and Kolkata.
 * Go Air operates daily from Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai.
 * IndiGo operates daily from Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai and Patna.
 * Vistara operates daily from Delhi.
 * Vistara operates daily from Delhi.

By rail
Ranchi is connected by rail to important places all over the country. Hatia is a station next to Ranchi and serves as terminus for many of the trains. Given below are some of the convenient trains. The first number is for the train from Ranchi and second for the train to Ranchi.

By road
Ranchi is well connected by a network of roads with all the neighbouring cities and towns. The distance from some important locations are as follows: Bokaro 110 km, Dhanbad 170 km, Jamshedpur 140 km, Chaibasa 130 km, Hazaribagh 100 km, Gaya 220 km, Patna 340 km, Barhi (on NH 2 Grand Trunk Road) 136 km, Rourkela 250 km, Kolkata 415 km. Bus connections are available from almost all cities and towns in the area.

You can travel from Simdega, Chaibasa, Jamudag, Lohardaga and other places using Lily Travels Delux bus service from Ranchi City.

Get around
Hired cars, autorickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available for local transportation. Ranchi like a number of other cities in North India, has a concept of share auto. The share autos operate along fixed routes and take in as many passengers as physically possible. Fares vary depending upon the route. City buses also ply on designated routes for most of hours.

Stay safe
Do not be carried away by media coverage of stray incidents. Those desirous of travelling out of town, particularly at night, should check with local people, say the hotel management, about the law and order situation in a particular area. However, it is not advisable to venture out late in the evening/ night even in unknown localities of the city unless one is fully aware of that area.

In case of a healthcare emergency, ambulance can be sought from Orchid Medical Centre (https://www.orchidmedcentre.com) by calling 9117100100.

For any eye care needs, consult on of the best teams of eye doctors in ranchi, jharkhand at iris eye hospital (https://iriseyecare.in/)

Go next

 * Bodhgaya – 200 km from Ranchi, Place of Budha Enlightenment. Bus/train available to Gaya
 * Bokaro Steel City- 128 km from Ranchi, one of the best planned cities in the country and an industrial giant city surrounded by greenery and well layout infrastructure.
 * Dassam Falls - about 40 km on Ranchi Jamshedpur Road, near Taimara village, on Kanchi river, the water falls from a height of about 144 feet.
 * Hirni Falls – about 90 km on the Ranchi Chakradharpur Road.
 * Hundru Falls – about 28 km from Ranchi, on Subarnarekha River, the water falls from a height of 320 feet.
 * Jonha Falls - also known as Gautmadhara falls, about 18 km, it is approachable by road and from Gautamdhara railway station on the Ranchi-Muri section.
 * Netarhat – 144 km from Ranchi, the ‘Queen of Chotanagpur’ at a height of 3622 feet above sea level.
 * Patna – 350 km from Ranchi, AC deluxe buses available from ITDC Ranchi Ashoka, BSTDC/JSTDC Birsa Vihar main Road.
 * Pahari Mandir – Situated at an altitude of 2140 feet from the sea level. There is a temple of God Shiva at the top of the hill from where the whole city can be seen.
 * Rajrappa Falls - about 65 km from Ranchi, also Chhinamasta temple. One has to go to Ramgarh (on the Ranchi-Hazaribagh Road) and then take the road to Bokaro. The falls are at the confluence of the river Damodar and Bhera.
 * Sun Temple – Situated about 39 km from Ranchi on the way to Dassam Falls. Private buses or jeeps available from Khadgarha bus stand.
 * Tagore Hills – Situated at Morhabadi. It is about 300 feet high and about 3 km from Elbert Ekka Chowk.It is said number of books were written by Rabindranath Tagore on the top of the hill. It is panoramic view from the top pf the hill. A great part of Ranchi can be seen from this place.
 * Deori Mandir -

title: Ranchi


text:
Rancho Cordova

Rancho Cordova is in Sacramento County in California.

Get in
U.S. Highway 50 passes through Rancho Cordova allowing access from Sacramento to the west and Reno to the east.

Go next
South Lake Tahoe- 50 East. About 2 hours away.

Sacramento- 50 West. About 10 to 30 minutes away.

title: Rancho Cordova


text:
Rancho Cucamonga

Rancho Cucamonga is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.

Understand
Rancho Cucamonga is a city founded in 1977. It is made up of 3 districts called Cucamonga, in the south, Etiwanda, in the north east, and Alta Loma, in the north west. Sometimes these areas will be referred to as independent and sometimes the three areas will be lumped together under the umbrella of "Rancho Cucamonga." Locals may refer to the whole area as just "Cucamonga" or, more commonly, just "Rancho."

By car
There are several ways to get in to Rancho Cucamonga. If you are driving, the east and west highways include Route 66 (here named Foothill Blvd) and Baseline. Most of the main north and south bound streets run several cities south, on up to the base of the San Gabriel mountains. Interstate 15 runs north and south along the eastern border, I-10 runs east-west on the south side and the 210 freeway passes through northern Rancho Cucamonga, also known as Alta Loma.

By train
MetroLink runs hourly trains through Rancho Cucamonga on its San Bernardino Line between Union Station in central Los Angeles and San Bernardino.

By plane
There is Ontario Airport, which is located just south of Rancho Cucamonga. Burbank Airport, known as Bob Hope Airport, is located about 52 miles west.

By bus
The local OmniTrans bus system has regular hours and routes through most of the city, but bear in mind that services are aimed at commuters. Departures during evenings and weekends are greatly reduced.

By bicycle
There is a bike/pedestrian path that passes through much of the town. Much of the trail is paved and painted and fairly well maintained. If followed to its extremes, this path can take you from the western side to the eastern and back.

See
Victoria Gardens, a planned mall, is regarded as a downtown district and features a cinema, a food court, restaurants, and activities.

Do
Throughout the summer the city of Rancho Cucamonga offers free movies in public parks. The movies start around sundown and are sometimes preceded by a performance by a local band. The locations and times have been known to change. Check local websites for most current times and venues.

There are many parks scattered throughout the city. The parks usually contain the usual playground-type equipment. Some parks have larger sporting arenas. Redhill Park, at Carnelian and Baseline, has multiple sports fields, an amphitheater, and a man-made lake being the home to ducks and turtles.

Buy
The stretch of Foothill Blvd. through Rancho Cucamonga has most of the big retail stores you would want, from Best Buy to Target to The Men's Warehouse. Also, many "mom and pop" stores can be found through Rancho Cucamonga. Dr. Strange Records, for example, can be found here with a large selection of punk music that might be hard to find offline.

title: Rancho Cucamonga


text:
Rancho Mirage

Rancho Mirage is a city of 18,500 (2019) in Riverside County in the Desert region of California.

title: Rancho Mirage


text:
Randers

Randers is a city in East Jutland. It is located at the mouth of the Gudenå river, the largest and longest river in Denmark.

Get in
It is next to the E45, the main north-south motorway in Jutland, so getting in by car is an easy option. Randers is well served by regional buses (blue) and train. It is possible enter Randers from the seaside, by the fjord, but only if you travel in your own boat.

Get around
The central train station and the bus terminal are in the city center on the northern shores of the Gudenå River. Most of the town can be reached within a 30-minute walk from these places and as the inner city is home to most of the attractions, and larger parts of it pedestrianized anyway, walking is a recommended form of transportation. If you plan to visit more outlying places such as the Memphis Mansion for example, it would be a good idea to rent a city-bike or take a local bus.

City-bikes for tourists and visitors can be picked up for free at five spots in the inner city, including the central station and the bus terminal. The city-bikes are quite good quality bikes, but requires a rather large deposit and a special instruction when using foreign credit cards.

Randers has a local network of buses (yellow) and taxi cabs is also an option.

See

The Museum of Cultural History and the Museum of Art are in the same building.

Do

 * Football: Randers FC play soccer in Superliga, Denmark's top tier. Their home ground is Cepheus Park (capacity 10,300) 1 km northwest of city centre.
 * Underværket is a culture centre on Stemannsgade, a couple of blocks east of town centre.
 * Randers Festuge is a cultural and sports event in August. The next is 12-20 Aug 2022.

Eat
There is a good selection of restaurants and eateries in Randers. Most places have take-away options.

Traditional Danish
Danish-style cuisine of various kinds can be had at many places across Randers, but most places are not dogmatic about it and has often been inspired by other cooking styles and also serve other kinds of foods; see the general list for examples. Some places that seems to have specialized in traditional Danish dishes, and offering a fair selection, includes

Cafés
Several cafés offers quality burgers, sandwiches, salads and brunch and some places also a number of hot dishes.

Kro
Kro is a Danish-style inn. Usually situated in the countryside, these places are held in higher regard than the typical English inns and usually offers good food and overnight stays for the general public. Perfect for a quick getaway.

Drink
A lot of the action takes place around Storegade in the central pedestrianised parts, but not exclusively.

Go next

 * Experience Naturepark Randers Fjord. The town of Randers is located at the bottom of a 30 km long brackish fjord and the whole area is a Nature Park. If you want inspiration for what to do in and around Randers Fjord, or perhaps take part in arranged events and activities, visit one of the following stations:
 * Randers Naturcenter. This station is located close to the town center, south of the railway station, and at the banks of the Gudenå river.
 * Kyst og Fjordcenteret. A naturecenter concerned with the whole of Randers Fjord area with a total of four stations across the region. Canoeing, outdoor living, angling, hiking with local guides, and more.

 * Visit Mariager, a quaint romantic old village at the coast of Mariager Fjord about 20 km north of Randers.
 * Hobro
 * Vikingcenter Fyrkat. Fyrkat is the name of a large circular Viking fortress built in 980. There is a Viking-center at the site with several events and activities. Fyrkat is located northwest of Randers, and near Hobro, and is an important historic and archaeological site.
 * Fussingø

title: Randers


text:
Randolph

There is more than one place called Randolph:

United States of America

 * Randolph (Massachusetts) - A town in Massachusetts.
 * Randolph (New Jersey) - A town in New Jersey.
 * Randolph (New York) - A town in New York.
 * Randolph (Ohio) - A town in Ohio.

title: Randolph


text:
Randolph (New Jersey)

Randolph is in Morris County, New Jersey, 40 miles from New York City.

Understand
Randolph's population has a population of 25,000 people (2019) that is half rural and half suburban. Randolph Township is approximately 22 square miles. There are five main sections in Randolph: Center Grove, Fernbrook, Ironia, Mount Freedom, and Shongum.

By car
Traveling by car is generally the best way to get into Randolph.

From New York City and points east: Take the Lincoln Tunnel (no toll leaving NYC) via 495 to Route 3 West. Take Route 3 for 10 Miles until it merges with US Highway 46 West. Take 46 for 4 miles to Interstate 80 West for 11 miles and follow signs for I-287 South. Take 287 South for 3 miles and exit onto Route 10 West. Take Route 10 West for 7 miles. This will take you to Route 10 & Millbrook Road, the East/West center of Randolph.

From Pennsylvania and points west: Take Interstate 80 East over the Delaware Water Gap (toll). Continue on 80 East for approximately 30 miles. Exit onto Route 46. Proceed on Route 46 about 1 mile. Bear right onto Route 10 East. Take Route 10 East for 6 Miles. This will take you to Route 10 & Millbrook Road, the East/West center of Randolph.

From Delaware and points south: Take the NJ Turnpike North approximately 87 miles to Exit 10 (Edison Twp). Take Route 287 North for 34 miles. Take Exit 39 (Dover) onto Route 10 West for 8 miles. This will take you to Route 10 & Millbrook Road, the East/West center of Randolph.

By plane
There is an airport in Morristown, a neighboring town. However, Morristown airport services private jets only. The closest mainstream airport is Newark airport, from there you can catch a cab to Randolph.

By car
The primary way to get around is by car. In order to get to many of the places in town, you must cross major roads. Many other forms of transportation would be unsafe and useless.

By bike
Walking is not recommended; most of the main streets do not have sidewalks. However, many do have bike lanes. In the early spring and summer a lot of people chose to get around by biking.

Do

 * A driving range (Open 7 days a week, 7AM till 10PM (weather permitting) ).
 * A mini golf course: ($6.00 per person,Children under age 12 $5.00 per person). The mini-golf course has a safari theme and even has two waterfalls.
 * Batting Cages: Open M-F 3PM until 10PM, Sa Su holidays and school vacations noon until dark.
 * BB Grill Restaurant: Open 7 days a week, 6:30AM till 10PM for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 * Mt Freedom golf has occasional laser light mini golf nights.
 * A driving range (Open 7 days a week, 7AM till 10PM (weather permitting) ).
 * A mini golf course: ($6.00 per person,Children under age 12 $5.00 per person). The mini-golf course has a safari theme and even has two waterfalls.
 * Batting Cages: Open M-F 3PM until 10PM, Sa Su holidays and school vacations noon until dark.
 * BB Grill Restaurant: Open 7 days a week, 6:30AM till 10PM for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 * Mt Freedom golf has occasional laser light mini golf nights.

Drink
Randolph is not known primarily for its bars. However, there are a few places to get a good drink.

Sleep
There are no lodgings of any type in Randolph, but lodging is available in the neighboring towns of Morristown, Parsippany and Rockaway.

East and west
State Highway 10 bisects the Northern quarter of the town while Sussex Tpke (a county road) runs along the southern border. Taking Rout 10 East about 7 miles will lead to Interstate 287, and West 8 miles will connect with State Route 46 and Interstate 80. Taking Sussex Tpke 6 miles to the East leads to Morristown – the county seat, and also a center for specialty shopping and services, restaurants, a teaching hospital, significant business (law firms, pharmaceuticals, larger hotels, world HQ for Honeywell, etc). Taking Sussex Tpke West 4 miles feeds out onto Route 10 in the neighboring town of Roxbury.

North and south
Various local roads cut through town, with Millbrook Ave as the main North/South Route (halfway between Route 10 and Sussex Tpke is the township municipal building, police station and high school.

title: Randolph (New Jersey)


text:
Rangamati

Rangamati is a popular town in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh.

Get in
You can come to Rangamati by bus from Chittagong there is two direct bus services. One is Paharika which starts from Chittagong at 8AM to 8PM and from Rangamati at 8AM to 8:50PM in every one hour interval and takes around 3 hours. The Paharika Bus fare is 120tk (As of June 2015) and you can get the tickets from Muradpur, Oxygen Mor. Another bus service is BRTC which is the only A/C service to Rangamati. Fare is 130tk and ticket can be bought from BRTC counter near Bottali railway station. There are lots of Local Bus towards Rangamati from the same Oxegen but those buses stops at any point where there is passenger which overloads the bus all-times and takes 4~5 hours journey. There are a few direct buses from the capital Dhaka. These buses are not air-conditioned. There are some local buses from the nearby districts.

You can also drive into Rangamati from Chittagong. From Chittagong a winding 77 km road amidst green fields and hills will take you to Rangamati. Alternatively, it is also connected by water way allowing travel by boat.

Foreigners are required to register while entering Rangamati.

Get around
The only transport within the town is three wheeler taxis (Green CNGs). You can either reserve the taxi or travel based on shared basis. You can always find taxis on your destination and fare is 30tk~100tk based on distance if you reserve it. On a shared taxi the fare is 12 tk~30 tk based on distance.

See
The Chakma King's residence and nearby monastery.

The Parjatan sites - motel, hanging bridge etc.

Kaptai Lake - Peda Ting Ting resort, Shubolong, Chakma Villages

There is a new private resort and park named Tuk Tuk Eco village which also provides lodging in natural wooden made banglows hanging on hills within forest where you can enjoy fantastic natural scenery. The room rent is 1200tk. They have a restaurant where you can enjoy the natural beauty while taking your meal. Most of the boat man avoid this place but this is one of the most scenic place to visit. You can directly come to this place by shared engine boat with only 10~15 tk fare.

Do
Take a boat ride to the Kaptai lake. You can either go to Kaptai or to shuvolong. The boat ride is very scenic.

title: Rangamati


text:
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is near Srirangapatna, Mandya District, Karnataka, India.

Understand
Ranganathittu covers an area of less than 1 km², but the bird population density is very high. The most common birds in the sanctuary are painted storks, spoon bills, white ibises, egrets, herons and partridges. Most of the birds stay on tiny islands within the river, which you can approach by boat. However, the river is also home to a few crocodiles, so don't jump in for a swim!

The best times to visit are from March to May.

History
Ranganathittu attained the status of a bird sanctuary in 1940, courtesy of the visions of India's noted ornithologist. Dr. Salim Ali. who, during his survey of the birds of Mysore, advocated for the establishment of such a sanctuary.

Landscape
Ranganthittu is on the river Cauvery, about 13 km away from Mysore. The part that visitors are allowed to see is a slow section of the river, with many little islands which form nesting sites for sorts of migratory birds. Low hanging branches, small rocks with crocodiles sunning themselves are easily found, so don't be surprised if you look around to see a crocodile within arm's reach. This sanctuary is well maintained with tiled footpaths and photogenic niches in the small space.

Flora and fauna
Some of the birds seen at Ranganthittu are the white Ibis, cormorants, egrets, herons, river terns and darters. In addition, the place is also home to a large number of crocodiles.

Climate
The climate is pleasant throughout the year, except being a little hot in April and May.

Get in

 * 120 km (74.6 miles) from Bangalore on Bangalore - Mysore Road
 * 10 km (6.2 miles) from Mysore

Nearest airport: Bangalore.

The drive from Bangalore is approximately 130 km, and takes a couple of hours at the most, thanks to the four lane highway. Driving from Mysore is much nearer, about 13 km. If you are driving from Bangalore, look out for a small right turn after Srirangapatna. The park opens at 9AM and closes at 4PM.

Fees and permits
The park charges a small entry fee, and the boat ride is also a charged service. For a half hour leisurely tour of the river you get charged ₹2200 for a whole boat. Mass rides are also available at much cheaper rates, though these are charged per person. The fees below were valid in July 2011 but may be subject to change:

Entry fee: Indians – ₹50, foreigners – ₹300 (plus ₹300 to admit your car, outside parking is not possible as the road to the sanctuary is narrow)

Boat-ride tickets: Indians – ₹50, foreigners – ₹300

Ranganathittu is on the river Cauvery, about 13 km away from Mysore. The part that visitors are allowed to see is a slow section of the river.

See
The local fauna:

Birds
Many little islands in the river form nesting sites for sorts of migratory birds. Low hanging branches, allow for easy visibility. Nearly 180 birds have been recorded here over the years. Some of the birds seen at Ranganathittu include the white Ibis, cormorants, egrets, herons, river terns, and darters. There is a machan (an elevated wooden platform where you can sit and watch wildlife) at the end of the walkway which offers close up views of the nesting sites.

Crocodiles
It is also home to a large number of marsh crocodiles. Small rocks with crocodiles sunning themselves are easily found, so don't be surprised if you look around to see a crocodile within arm's reach.

Do

 * Take a boat ride. Weekends can be very crowded and you may have a long wait. The boat rides start start at 8:30AM. The best time to view the birds is at dawn and dusk. Otherwise the only thing you can do is watch birds from the shore, which will require a really good pair of binoculars. If you do the boat ride, you can get really close to the birds and the nests. If you are lucky, you get to see a nest with baby birds at eye level.

Eat
There is a small cafe at Ranganthittu, and Mysore is always close by. A canteen at the sanctuary sells tea, coffee and snacks like Masala Dosai. The canteen is set up in a beautiful way.

Drink
No drinking or smoking allowed in the park.

Sleep
There is no lodging at the park itself, but you can stay in Srirangapatna, a few kilometres away, or better yet, Mysore.

Stay safe
Beware of crocodiles in the river.

Respect
The sanctuary is suffering from a plastic problem. Please avoid leaving any plastic bags. They not only make the place look untidy, but can be deadly to the wildlife.

Go next

 * Mandya
 * Mysore
 * Mangalore
 * Kodagu
 * Nanjangud
 * T. Narsipur
 * Hassan

title: Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary


text:
Rangat

Rangat is in North and Middle Andaman, a thoroughly uninteresting dustbowl from which the ferry leaves for Havelock. The only beach nearby was unfortunately washed away by the tsunami and all that remains is stones. Apart from that the only thing to keep you here is the transport connections.

By bus
There is a bus service (210 km) from Port Blair via Baratang.

By ferry
A ferry runs Rangat to Long Island to Havelock to Neil to Port Blair daily except Saturday. The jetty is quite a way from town, take a autorickshaw (₹50)

Get around
Autorickshaws are available.

See
Panchavati water fall and beach Amkunj beach Betapur beach Cutbert Bay Beach (20 km.) away from Rangat bazaar/jetty) is a turtle nesting ground (December to February).

Government owned Guest house Hawksbill Nest is near to the Cutbert bay beach and Turtle sanctuary

Buy
Nothing local to purchase.

Drink
There are a couple of bars near the UK Nest guesthouse.

title: Rangat


text:
Rangeley

Rangeley is a city in Maine with a population of 1,200 in 2012. Rangeley is the center of the Rangeley Lakes Region, a resort area in Franklin County. It includes the villages of Oquossoc, Haines Landing and South Rangeley

Get in
The ride into Rangeley is not too bad, but coming from the south (lower New England), can be a little frustrating. From the Maine Turnpike, it is necessary to take the Rt. 4 exit. Up until this point, the ride is fine. The ride up Rt. 4 is roughly two hours into Rangeley and has some hilly, windy roads.

Get around
To get around, you can drive use the snowmobile trails as a means of transportation. There is no public transportation, as it is a very small town.

See

The mountain ranges that can be seen from the heart of Rangeley are simply breath-taking. Among the mountains, Saddleback is the most well known, and it is the mountain that people ski on. Another well-known mountain that can be seen is Sugerloaf Mountain. Rangeley Lake is a very large lake, spanning roughly ten miles long in the longest section, is a great site as well.

Do
One of thing things that Rangeley is famous for is its snowmobile trails. There are hundreds of miles of available to snowmobile on, with great attractions along the way. There are many restaurants accessible right from the trails, and there are many great "picture perfect" sights along the way. In the winter, the lake freezes up and can be snowmobiled on as well.

Buy
and small trinkets.

Sleep
Many owners of lakefront cabins in the Rangeley area use them as vacation homes and choose to rent them to visitors when not in use. These cabins can be an exceptional value and offer many of the amenities of home and convenient access to water recreation.

Go next
The only time that you should worry about getting out of Rangeley is during snowstorms. Traveling down Rt. 4 in the snow can be very frightening. However traffic is never really a huge concern. Be careful of the huge logging trucks as they travel very fast!

title: Rangeley


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Rangia

Rangia or Rangiya (Assamese: ৰঙিয়া Rāṅiẏā rahng-ih-ah) is a city of 96,000 people (2017) in Assam, not far from the Bhutanese border. Rangia is also known my multiple names, including as the City of Colors, Plantation Valley of Assam, Transportation Hub of Assam, Gateway to the Indo-Bhutan Border. The Baralia River flows through the heart of the city, Rangia is also the sub-district and divisional headquarters of North-East Frontier Railway.

Get in
It is 52 km from the state headquarters Dispur Guwahati and 39 km from Jalukbari.

National Highway 27 runs through the heart of the town.

Rangiya is important transit point in the region, nearly all trains halts at Rangiya Junction railway station. It is a junction of the New Bongaigaon–Guwahati section of Barauni–Guwahati line. It is one of the divisional headquarters of Northeast Frontier Railway. The Rangiya–Murkongselek line connects the state to Arunachal Pradesh.

Stay healthy
There are several private hospitals in Rangiya and 2 government hospitals.

title: Rangia


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Rangiroa

Rangiroa is an island in the Tuamotu archipelago in French Polynesia. It is the second largest atoll in the world.

Main villages
There are two "villages", Avatoru and Tiputa, both in the very narrow inhabited zone in the northern area of the atoll. Avatoru is on the same motu as the airport; however, you will need to take a boat to get to Tiputa.

Talk
French is the official language, and Tahitian is also spoken, but the majority of tourist-related activities will be able to cater to English speakers.

Polynesians appreciate any effort in trying to speak their language. The words below are the ones you might recognize during a conversation:

 * Aita = no
 * E = yes
 * Fare = house
 * Ia ora na = Good Morning or Hello
 * Ma'a = food
 * Maeva = welcome
 * Maita'i? = How are you?
 * Mauruuru = Thank you
 * Nana = Goodbye or See you later
 * Manuaia = Cheers or Toast!
 * Pape = water
 * Tama'a = Let's eat

Get in
Air Tahiti flies into Rangiroa from various Polynesia islands such as Bora Bora, Papeete, Fakarava etc. Rangiroa Airport is located at the main motu of Avatoru, near the village and near most hotels and pensions. The airport has an Air Tahiti agency, snack bar, souvenir boutique and public restrooms.

Get around
Most travelers stay at Avatoru motu (Tiputa motu is only accessible by boat). Not much point renting a car, it is probably best to hire a bicycle, there is only one main road on Avatoru after all, and it is just a few kilometers long!

You will need someone with a boat to bring you to the outer motus.

See
Silvertip (and sometimes hammerhead) sharks can be found in the Avatoru Pass dive site.

Tiputa Pass is great for reef sharks (and also possibly hammerhead and tiger), dolphins (sometimes they come and play with you!), eagle rays, manta rays, barracudas, tunas, Napoleons, and many other smaller colourful fishes!

On the boat ride to and from dive sites at Tiputa Pass, you might even see dolphins jumping out of the water playing with the waves.

Do

 * Scuba Diving is breathtakingly fabulous in and around the Tiputa pass, with dolphins, sharks, manta rays, turtles... Coral and "small animals" lovers may be disappointed, but for the "big thrills", Rangiroa delivers. The drift dive riding the current flowing from or to the lagoon through the pass is an absolute must-do. Drift snorkeling is a great adventure.  At any time there are manta rays that go through the pass.
 * There are several dive shops, all on the main motu. You can for instance try TopDive, Six Passengers or Raie Manta Club. The Kia Ora hotel has its own TopDive shop.
 * The tour to the Blue Lagoon is also a great trip. It takes about an hour from the Kia Ora to get to it, but is an amazing sight.  There is not much in the way of coral to see, but there were plenty of blacktip reef sharks (over 40 have been spotted by one party of visitors).  Most of the sharks are small, but it is quite an experience when you are not expecting them.
 * There's also a Pearl Farm that offers free guided tours during the week. They explain their production of the cultured Tahitian pearl. Their boutique can also be found inside their site, Gauguin's Pearl.

Eat
There are only a handful of places where you can grab something to eat on the island. Do not expect 5-star gourmet food; however, you can give a try at the following places:
 * Snack Rio, near the airport, with some very decent local food besides the takeaway pizzas.
 * Te Mao Lounge Bar can offer nice events, with local groups who play music
 * Cafe Obelix. A truck restaurant. Very decent local food and kindly ruled by their owners

Drink
Like other similar small and sleepy atolls of the Toamutos, there is no night life. The locals maximise the sunshine hours by getting up before 6AM and retiring early when the sun has set.

Sleep
There are only two "large" hotels, the luxurious Kia Ora and the comfortable Novotel. Besides those hotels, there are several smaller family-run pensions, for instance Les Relais de Josephine.

One of the cheapest family-run pensions would be Pension Loyna (http://membres.lycos.fr/pensionloyna/us/main-us.htm). Loyna is very friendly and helpful, provides free bicycle rental, knows everyone else in the island, and cooks delicious meals!

Stay safe
Although there are (plenty of) sharks in the area, some of which often come very close to the shore, they are for the most part harmless.

Go next
Tikehau is only a few km away on the map, but counting taking off and landing, it takes 20 minutes to get from Rangiroa to its closest Tuamotu neighbor.

title: Rangiroa


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Rangkasbitung

Rangkasbitung is a city in Banten province, in the Western Java region of Indonesia.

Understand
Rangkasbitung is the capital of the regency of Lebak. While most of the regency consists of jungle and very small villages, the area in the north (including Rangkasbitung) is more urbanised, being only about 20 km west of the edge of the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area (although Rangkasbitung is about 80 km from Central Jakarta).

By train
is on the railway between Jakarta and the port of Merak in the west. The station is served by the green line of Jakarta's commuter train network (KA Commuter Jabodetabek), which runs from Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta, via South Tangerang. There are also six trains in the other direction, to Serang, Old Banten, Cilegon, and Merak.

By car
Rangkasbitung is not connected to the toll road network. The easiest way to get to the city from Jakarta is by taking the Jakarta-Merak toll road until exit Balaraja Barat (West Balaraja). From there, take the trunk road south to the town of Cikuya, and from there west to Rangkasbitung. Without traffic, the drive from Jakarta takes less than two hours. However, due to traffic congestion this is usually up to 3 hours.

From the port of Merak in the west, take the toll road towards Jakarta and exit at Serang Timur (East Serang). From there, follow the trunk road south to Pandeglang and then east to Rangkasbitung.

By bus
Rangkasbitung is served by the on the western side of the city. Buses connect Rangkasbitung to other cities in the province (including Serang, Merak, Pandeglang, Labuan and Tangerang), several bus terminals in Jakarta, as well as Bekasi and Bandung.

See

 * The area south of Rangkasbitung consists mainly of jungle with small villages. In this area also the Baduy people live. The Baduy are a traditional Sundanese community, that has not had much contact with the outside world, and does not use modern technology (although this may be starting to change). The villages in the centre of the Baduy area (Baduy Dalam or Inner Baduy) are off limits for outsiders (especially foreigners), but the surrounding area (Baduy Luar or Outer Baduy) can be visited. This however requires several hours of trekking. To get to the entrance of the Baduy area, take an elf (minibus) from the Mandala bus terminal or the railway station to the village of Ciboleger (about 2 hours, Rp20,000). It is also possible to visit the Baduy area by organised tour (this is usually a three-day tour), which includes pickup from your hotel in Rangkasbitung (or even from a hotel in Jakarta).
 * The area south of Rangkasbitung consists mainly of jungle with small villages. In this area also the Baduy people live. The Baduy are a traditional Sundanese community, that has not had much contact with the outside world, and does not use modern technology (although this may be starting to change). The villages in the centre of the Baduy area (Baduy Dalam or Inner Baduy) are off limits for outsiders (especially foreigners), but the surrounding area (Baduy Luar or Outer Baduy) can be visited. This however requires several hours of trekking. To get to the entrance of the Baduy area, take an elf (minibus) from the Mandala bus terminal or the railway station to the village of Ciboleger (about 2 hours, Rp20,000). It is also possible to visit the Baduy area by organised tour (this is usually a three-day tour), which includes pickup from your hotel in Rangkasbitung (or even from a hotel in Jakarta).
 * The area south of Rangkasbitung consists mainly of jungle with small villages. In this area also the Baduy people live. The Baduy are a traditional Sundanese community, that has not had much contact with the outside world, and does not use modern technology (although this may be starting to change). The villages in the centre of the Baduy area (Baduy Dalam or Inner Baduy) are off limits for outsiders (especially foreigners), but the surrounding area (Baduy Luar or Outer Baduy) can be visited. This however requires several hours of trekking. To get to the entrance of the Baduy area, take an elf (minibus) from the Mandala bus terminal or the railway station to the village of Ciboleger (about 2 hours, Rp20,000). It is also possible to visit the Baduy area by organised tour (this is usually a three-day tour), which includes pickup from your hotel in Rangkasbitung (or even from a hotel in Jakarta).

Go next

 * Ujung Kulon — national park on the southwestern tip of Java, known for the Javan rhinoceros.
 * Labuan — the nearest town on the western coast, with a fish market.

title: Rangkasbitung


text:
Rangpur

There is more than one place called Rangpur:

Bangladesh

 * Rangpur Division - one of the eight divisions of Bangladesh.
 * Rangpur (Bangladesh) - capital of Rangpur Division.

Pakistan

 * Rangpur (Pakistan) - A town in Punjab (Pakistan)

title: Rangpur


text:
Rangpur Division

Rangpur Division is the newest division in Bangladesh, splitting from the Rajshahi Division on 25 January 2010. But it is certainly not the newest tourist hotspot. Outside the capital, Rangpur Division is fairly devoid of attractions and touristy activities. However, don't be disenchanted, as Rangpur is the place to absorb the true Bangladeshi lifestyle, learning of local traditions and culture that have lasted for generations.

Cities

 * - the capital of the division
 * - location of Kantanagar Temple
 * - location of Kantanagar Temple

Talk
Bengali is spoken widely, but the local dialect Rangpuri is also widely spoken throughout the populace. English is spoken by many in the larger towns and cities.

See
There are many palaces and British-era buildings in the Division's capital.

The locals are very friendly and welcoming. Evergreen villages ornamented by brook and canal, with spacious fields of paddy, potato, sugarcane can be visited.

title: Rangpur Division


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Rangsit

Rangsit (รังสิต) is an exurb about 40 km north of Bangkok.

Understand

Effectively a suburb of Bangkok, Rangsit is directly north of Bangkok on Phahonyothin Rd, 20 km from Don Mueang Airport.

By train
Rangsit is the northern terminus of the SRT Red commuter line from Bang Sue. Most northbound long-distance trains also stop here.

By bus
Local buses 29, 34, 39, 59, 95, 504, 510 and 522 will get you from Bangkok to Rangsit Future Park (8 baht in the basic non air-con buses, 18-22 baht for air-con). You can catch most of these from the bus stop next to BTS Mo Chit station. The journey takes 30–60 minutes depending on the traffic and bus (the orange 5xx services are faster).

Nearly all central, north and northeast-bound long-distance buses stop next to Major Bowl Shopping Centre, Which is right next to Future Park Shopping Mall as a hub from Rangsit in or out of the main city of Bangkok, and often almost half the bus gets off. And with reason: it's still another hour from here to the city, so this is an excellent place to hop out, stretch your legs, and get a decent meal.

By taxi
A taxi to central Bangkok will cost at least 300 baht. Always insist on using the meter. In the midnight hours a "service charge" may be required, but one shouldn't have to pay over 50 baht extra.

Taxis to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport approximately cost 380 baht, Although the touts outside will try and get you to pay 1,000-1,500 baht, wait in the taxi line outside the airport and you should be fine.

See

Do

 * Golf: several courses are in this area, for instance Bangkok GC have two.
 * Golf: several courses are in this area, for instance Bangkok GC have two.

Learn
Rangsit hosts over a dozen higher education institutes, including:

title: Rangsit


text:
Ranikhet

Ranikhet is a 1830-metre-high hill station in Uttarakhand, India.

It is a cantonment town, home to the highly decorated Kumaon Regiment and Naga Regiment of Indian Armed forces.

By road
Well connected by road with all major towns of Kumaon hills and nearby districts.

The main road into Ranikhet is NH87 climbing up from Kathgodam, 85km in the South. Instead of the main highway passing near Nainital, you may consider the more scenic route through Bhimtal (slightly shorter, not as well maintained in patches). The last stretch through the pine forests after Khairna Bridge is spectacular.

Almora - 44 km to the East, via the temple town of Jageshwar

Nainital - 61 km

Kathgodam - 85 km Taxis are available from Kathgodam railway station. They charge around ₹250-₹300. Government Buses of UK Road transport are available from Bus stand, 3 km down the Railway station. The bus journey takes around 4 hours.

Pithoragarh (in Pithoragarh district, East Uttarakhand) - 161 km

Delhi - 350km (about 8 hours) by car. 12-14 hours by bus.

By plane
Nearest airport is Pant Nagar, 112 km. rather meager service.

By train
Nearest railhead is Kathgodam, 85 km and Ramnagar 96 km

Get around
Ranikhet is on several levels. Walking is the preferred mode for exploring the shortcuts between one motorable road to the next one. There are SUVs that run between villages, and also buses.

The main market and mall area is on the middle reaches, going on to Gingarikhal from which one road goes sharply down to Gagas en route to the major temple at Dwarahat. Further East on the Almora road is the army golf course, with pines all around.

The cantonment area occupies the upper reaches going to Chaubatia top to the South. To the west is the junction at Ganiatoli, from where one can go to Ramgarh via Tarikhet and the small scenic village of Sauni.

In clear weather from Nov to April (or after it has rained) you can see the majestic Nanda Devi range from most places in Ranikhet.

For maps, and other tips (oriented towards bicycle touring) see http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/bicycling/ranikhet/.

Do

 * Spend a few hours in the mall. Explore the sharp paths going up and down, the public gardens just above the bus stand, the small stalls selling chow mein, samosa, ram-miThai and endless cups of chAy.
 * Go to the golf course. Take your photo. The people around will tell how Bollywood movies such as Raja Hindustani have been shot here.
 * Walking up towards Chaubatiya from Somnath Dwar (the eastern end of the mall), stop at the handloom tweed factory set up by the army in the back of an old church. You can usually hear the looms from the road. Continuing up (by car?), you reach the Jhula devi Temple at the gate to the cantt. Near the top you can drink fresh malta juice.  Return via the highway and Ganiatoli.

Buy
Check out the handloom/tweed setup in the old church, just opposite Mankameshwar temple near Nar Singh ground. You can see the weavers working rapidly(and noisily), and buy their stuff at the store in front. Most of these workers are war widows.

Eat
Try the local sweet dish called 'Bal Mithai' - it's a chocolate color milk reduction cut in cubes with fluffy white sugar ball coating on it. Another version of it without sugar ball coating known as Chocolate is also available.

Drink
Buransh juice - A tangy drink made from mountain Rohoderon flowers.

Sleep
There are a number of upscale resorts on the road to the golf course and beyond, all the way up to Shitlakhet.

title: Ranikhet


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Raniya

Raniya (or Ranya) is a town of 258,000 people (2020) in Sulemania Governorate of Iraqi Kurdistan, surrounded by mountains, rivers, and Lake Dukan. It is known as the “Intifada Gate”, because Rania was the starting point for the Kurdish uprising in northern Iraq against the regime of Saddam Hussein on March 5, 1991.

Get in
Ranita is 100 km east of Erbil along Highways 18 and 32.

See

 * The shore of the Derbendi
 * Reşemêrg spring
 * Kwerakani spring
 * Central mosque
 * Ranyae's main bazaar
 * Girdedême hill
 * Bêtwate

title: Raniya


text:
Ranjangaon

Ranjangaon is a village in Shirur Taluka of Pune District in Western Maharashtra. It is famous for Mahaganapati Temple which is one of the 8 Ashtavinayak temples.

Get in
Ranjangaon is on Pune Ahemadnagar Highway.

title: Ranjangaon


text:
Rannoch Moor

Rannoch Moor is an expanse of boggy moorland to the west of Loch Rannoch in Perth and Kinross, covering 50 square miles (130 km²). Parts of it lie in other regions but the focus of this page is its remote centre, devoid of fields, dwellings or public roads. Its western edge is crossed by A82 from Crianlarich to Glencoe ski centre and village, a busy main highway, so from the traveller's perspective that area is very different and isn't described here.

Understand

 * Sure by Tummel and Loch Rannoch and Lochaber I will go, By heather tracks wi' heaven in their wiles . . .
 * - "The Road to the Isles", composed by Pipe Major John McLellan in 1917, and gleefully spoofed for a century since

Glaciers ground their way across Britain and Ireland 25,000 years ago, creating U-shaped valleys that filled with a ribbon of lakes. They mostly melted 14,000 years ago but Rannoch Moor was one area where a vast block of ice long persisted, and for another 3000 years the land was tundra. It then warmed and attracted vegetation, wildlife and human settlers. The earth's crust is still rebounding from the weight of ice, rising here by 3 mm a year.

In Gaelic Raineach or Raithneach means bracken, so Rannoch is well named. The moor is a boggy plateau at the head of the Tummel river catchment, which drains east into the Tay. In spite of the song, this was never the main Road to the Isles, just muddy cattle trails for drovers to bring their herds to market in Aberfeldy and Perth. You'd only head for Skye this way if you were Bonnie Prince Charlie or Alan Breck fleeing across the heath from the vengeful Redcoats. Indeed that Jacobite conflict marked the end of a centuries-old life of subsistence farming, transhumance and feudal land tenure. The landscape you see today is largely an 18th- and 19th-century creation. Native mixed forest was replaced by commercial conifers, bogs were drained, and small farms were swept away for sheep and cattle grazing. The uplands became carpeted by bracken and heather, which supported deer and grouse to be shot at, and sporting rights were the new cash crop. The Victorians romanticised the Highlands and the railway crossed the moor from 1894 — this is still the easiest access to this road-free terrain.

The moor is recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest but is not designated as a Park, so its land use is largely determined by its managers. The southern tract at the head of Loch Rannoch is managed by Scottish National Heritage, the northern tract is owned by Corrour Estate — that's Lisbet Rausing, heir to the Tetrapak millions. Both are seeking to undo the damage of commercial forestry and drainage, and restore a more diverse sustainable habitat. In an era that responds to "green" much as Victorians thrilled to the tartan, that's surely good business.

Get in
The nearest airport is Glasgow. Aircraft typically approach over the Campsie Hills: look right, far north, past Ben Lomond to a dark wet low splodge of cloud. That's where you're heading, let's hope your waterproofs made the transfer in London or Amsterdam.

This desolate moor has two railway stations, as this was how Victorian gentlemen arrived with all their tackle and tweeds. Three trains run daily from Glasgow Queen St via Dumbarton Central, Helensburgh Upper, Arrochar & Tarbet, Crianlarich (where coaches for Oban are detached) and Bridge of Orchy, taking 2 hr 30 min to  and another 15 min to. They continue to Spean Bridge and Fort William, for connections to Glenfinnan, Mallaig and ferries to Skye. A walk-up single from Glasgow is £30; you'll be wanting a return. A day-trip gives you six hours to explore.

The Caledonian Highland Sleeper runs Su-F from London Euston around 9PM, dividing in the small hours for Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. This third portion bypasses Glasgow to join the line at Dumbarton and reach Rannoch and Corrour towards 9AM. The southbound service picks up around 9PM to reach Euston for 8AM. You could also take the Lowland Sleeper from Euston to Glasgow then a daytime train.

Neither railway station is troubled by congested approaches, parking restrictions or an eczema of retail outlets, Both are unstaffed island platforms, with no ticket machines or toilets, and very quiet once your train has rumbled away into the drizzle. Rannoch Station has a tearoom, Corrour (the UK network's highest at 1340 ft, or 408 m) has the Station House B&B and is a one mile hike from the hostel.

There was once even a third station, Gorton, isolated on the moor 9 miles south of Rannoch. It was really just a signal box and passing loop on the single track but from 1938-1960 it was an unlikely schoolhouse: an old carriage was placed on the platform to serve the local children, and the teacher rode up each morning from Bridge of Orchy.

The principal road access to the moor, as far as there is any, is B8019 which leaves A9 at Pitlochry to head west past Loch Tummel, joining B846 over the hills from Aberfeldy and continuing upriver to Kinloch Rannoch, which has an EV charge point. The road runs north side of Loch Rannoch and onward to dead-end at Rannoch Station. There are also loop roads south bank of Lochs Tummel and Rannoch: both are typical southside Highland roads, twisty and narrow, as this side of any loch is north-facing and has poor farming and little habitation.

Corrour has no public road at all, so no point enquiring about the buses, though 15 miles of track winds up from A86 in the Spean Valley. It's suitable for 4WD but visitor vehicles are not permitted, hikers and cyclists are welcome. On the western fringes of the moor, A82 heads over from Glasgow and Crianlarich to descend towards Glencoe. Buses to Fort William fly along it but have no scheduled stops until the ski slopes.

Elizabeth Yule Bus 82 runs three times M-Sa from Pitlochry via Strathtummel to Kinloch Rannoch (50 min), plus M-F Bus 887 runs once from Pitlochry via Blair Atholl. They don't carry bikes, and there is no public transport west of Kinloch Rannoch; see below for Dial-a-Taxi.

Get around
The public road up the Tummel valley ends at Rannoch station. Corrour has private tracks suitable for walking or off-road bikes, but these wind north to the A86 in Spean Valley with no connection to Rannoch station.

Don't use the railway as a footpath, you're trespassing and might get squished.

Dial-a-Bus is an on-demand service between Kinloch Rannoch and Rannoch station, which needs to be booked 24 hours ahead. They carry bicycles and fares are much the same as for standard buses, with concessionary bus passes accepted. It didn't run in 2021.

See

 * is the first body of water you pass after leaving the Tay valley. Queen's View was popularised by Victoria, but she'd be surprised by the view today: the loch has more than doubled in length to 7 miles, as its outflow was dammed in 1950 and the water level raised by 15 ft for the Faskally hydroelectric scheme. The stone arch bridge at the head of the loch was part of General Wade's military road building in 1734. The lochside is scenic but will seem very genteel and pastoral by contrast when you return from Rannoch.
 * Dunalastair Water is the shallow reservoir next to the road from Tummel Bridge to Kinloch Rannoch.
 * starts just west of Kinloch Rannoch village and is nine miles long, and it too had its level raised. That submerged two crannogs — prehistoric islet dwellings — at its west end, but one islet is still marked by a tower, a 19th-century folly.
 * Loch Eigheach Gaur Reservoir is next west then the road dead ends at Rannoch station. Loch Laidon stretches beyond.
 * Loch Ossian is the 3-mile loch between the hostel at Corrour and the estate lodge and cottages. A track follows both sides of it: try to run around it within one hour. And you can tell when you're getting close to an upmarket Highland property by the riot of escaped rhododendrons: come late May or early June to catch them in bloom.

Do

 * Swish at midges though much good it will do you. They're too small and numerous to swat, but a large waving handkerchief may discourage them from biting your face. All the Highlands have midges in summer, but you know you're in the west when you're assailed by Culicoides impunctatus, the Great West Highland Mudge. Rain and bug repellents don't much trouble them, but they don't like cold or wind.
 * is the area's signature ascent, the Fuji-like conical Munro of 1083 m (3553 ft). The usual route is from Braes of Foss along the lane from Aberfeldy.
 * at 935 m (3068 ft) is reached by the track from the Youth Hostel along the north loch shore, then uphill on the path to Loch Treig, then strike out across the heather. Say 3 hr 30 min there and back.
 * at 1036 m (3234 ft) can be reached by continuing north from Beinn na Lap. Go further over Stob Coire Sgriodain (979 m, 3212 ft) to reach Tulloch railway station, preferably in time for the evening train home. This bags you three Munroes but is a long slog, and Chno Dearg is usually approached from Fersit above Tulloch.
 * or William's Peak is the one looming west of Corrour station. At 909 m (2982 ft) it's a Corbett, just 18 feet short of qualifying as a Munro.
 * at 1148 m (3766 ft) is far from roads or dwellings, so it's a two-day expedition with an overnight bivvy. It could form part of a trek between Corrour and Dalwhinnie stations. The approach from Corrour is the shorter, but from Dalwhinnie is the preferred Long Leachas route also taking in Beinn Bheòil.
 * Fishing: the lochs have brown trout (season 15 Mar-6 Oct), pike, charr and perch. Salmon are rare and may not be taken. Lough Ossian is part of Corrour Estate, buy permits from the Estate Office, the Hostel or the Station House. Loch Rannoch Conservation regulates Lochs Tummel and Rannoch and the upper river, and you can buy their permits online.
 * Boat hire can be arranged from the above.
 * Film: the lonely treeless moor is often a film or TV location. Examples include Outlander, Trainspotting, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Being Human, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Rob Roy. If you want to make an arty promotional video for whisky or craft gin, this is the place.

Buy
Very little! There is no shop at Corrour or Rannoch Station. There's a small shop and post office at Kinloch Rannoch.

Eat & drink

 * See Sleep for the restaurants at Rannoch and Corrour stations, reservations essential for non-residents.

Sleep

 * Tummel Valley Holiday Park has static caravans and cabins. It's on B8019 at the head of Loch Tummel.
 * Corrour Lodge among the cottages is a remarkable modern building. It was completed in 2004 to replace Old Corrour Lodge, built in 1896 but destroyed by fire in 1942. That in turn had replaced Corrour Old Lodge, which to avoid confusion is better thought of as "Even Older Corrour Lodge". The new lodge, reckoned to cost £20 million, was designed by Moshe Safdie and is of Portuguese granite, steel and glass. It's sometimes available as a very upmarket holiday let.
 * See Glencoe for Kingshouse Hotel near the ski slopes at the head of that glen, with hiking access to the western moor.
 * Corrour Lodge among the cottages is a remarkable modern building. It was completed in 2004 to replace Old Corrour Lodge, built in 1896 but destroyed by fire in 1942. That in turn had replaced Corrour Old Lodge, which to avoid confusion is better thought of as "Even Older Corrour Lodge". The new lodge, reckoned to cost £20 million, was designed by Moshe Safdie and is of Portuguese granite, steel and glass. It's sometimes available as a very upmarket holiday let.
 * See Glencoe for Kingshouse Hotel near the ski slopes at the head of that glen, with hiking access to the western moor.
 * Corrour Lodge among the cottages is a remarkable modern building. It was completed in 2004 to replace Old Corrour Lodge, built in 1896 but destroyed by fire in 1942. That in turn had replaced Corrour Old Lodge, which to avoid confusion is better thought of as "Even Older Corrour Lodge". The new lodge, reckoned to cost £20 million, was designed by Moshe Safdie and is of Portuguese granite, steel and glass. It's sometimes available as a very upmarket holiday let.
 * See Glencoe for Kingshouse Hotel near the ski slopes at the head of that glen, with hiking access to the western moor.
 * Corrour Lodge among the cottages is a remarkable modern building. It was completed in 2004 to replace Old Corrour Lodge, built in 1896 but destroyed by fire in 1942. That in turn had replaced Corrour Old Lodge, which to avoid confusion is better thought of as "Even Older Corrour Lodge". The new lodge, reckoned to cost £20 million, was designed by Moshe Safdie and is of Portuguese granite, steel and glass. It's sometimes available as a very upmarket holiday let.
 * See Glencoe for Kingshouse Hotel near the ski slopes at the head of that glen, with hiking access to the western moor.
 * Corrour Lodge among the cottages is a remarkable modern building. It was completed in 2004 to replace Old Corrour Lodge, built in 1896 but destroyed by fire in 1942. That in turn had replaced Corrour Old Lodge, which to avoid confusion is better thought of as "Even Older Corrour Lodge". The new lodge, reckoned to cost £20 million, was designed by Moshe Safdie and is of Portuguese granite, steel and glass. It's sometimes available as a very upmarket holiday let.
 * See Glencoe for Kingshouse Hotel near the ski slopes at the head of that glen, with hiking access to the western moor.

Stay safe
Loch Rannoch is only at an elevation of 204 m, but the treeless plateau of Rannoch Moor to the west can be wet and windswept any time of year. Mist or sleet can set in suddenly so you need to be sure of your navigation on indistinct muddy trails. There is no mobile signal away from the public road, and the train home won't wait for stragglers. And when the sun comes out, so do the midges.

Connect
Good luck with that. Finish any important calls before leaving A9 at Pitlochry. As of July 2023, Tummel Bridge and Kinloch Rannoch have a scratchy basic mobile signal from EE and Vodafone. There's nothing west of A9 from Three or O2.

Go next

 * By road return east into the Tay valley, and either turn south for Pitlochry, Birnam and Perth, or north to Blair Atholl and over Drumochter Pass to Aviemore in the Spey valley.
 * The train takes you south to Crianlarich (for Oban) and Glasgow, or north to Fort William.

title: Rannoch Moor