text:
Nijmegen

Nijmegen lays claims to the title of oldest city in the Netherlands, and has indeed a long history and still lots of interesting heritage to enjoy today. World-famous among hiking enthusiasts, the city annually hosts the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen. It's the largest multi-day walking event in the world and comes with a range of festivities. Attracting over 42,000 participants and over a million visitors, including many international ones, the event celebrated the 100th edition in 2016. Nijmegen is the largest city in the province of Gelderland and well known for its left-wing politics and its large student population.

Understand
With about 160,000 inhabitants, Nijmegen is a relatively large city in the southeast of the Netherlands. It's the main town in the Arnhem-Nijmegen metropolitan area (pop. 736,000 in 2011) and a major stronghold of the Dutch socialist and 'green' parties.

History
The town's written history goes back to the first century BC, when a Roman military settlement was established at this place. The local hill provide good views over the surrounding valleys and the rivers Rhine and Waal that pass by here. A village grew around the Roman stronghold. In the year 98 it gained Roman city rights. After the Roman Empire crumbled, the area became part of the Frankish lands. The town grew as its trade activities via the river Waal flourished.

In the 12th century, Henry VI, the later Holy Roman Emperor was born in Nijmegen but it was his son, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, who granted city rights in 1230. Some 17 years later, the city and the surrounding lands were used as collateral for a loan from the Guelders, that would never be repaid. As a result, Nijmegen is part of the province of Gelderland still today.

As modern warfare rendered traditional fortifications as good as useless, the city walls were finally demolished. The city had already expanded massively by that time, with far too many souls living packed inside the city walls. And it kept developing further. A university was established in 1927 and in 1936 the reportedly largest bridge in Europe of that time was constructed for car passage over the river.

In 1944, the city centre sustained massive damage when it was bombed by the Americans by mistake, as pilots thought they were attacking the German city of Kleve. Shortly after, it was the scene of severe battle during Operation Market Garden. When the city was finally liberated, most of its historic heritage was gone or damaged. Rebuilding efforts and city planning in the following decades included further destruction of some of the remaining structures. The fine collection of monuments today is therefore only a small glimpse of Nijmegen's rich history.

Tourist information

 * Nijmegen Tourism website

By plane
Airport Weeze , located 45 km southeast of town just across the border with Germany, between the villages of Weeze (Germany) and Nieuw-Bergen (Netherlands) (the airport itself is in Germany). Although Ryanair (the sole airline serving the airport) and the airport advertise it as Düsseldorf-Weeze, Düsseldorf is not anywhere near the airport. The city of Düsseldorf is 100 km (60 miles) to the southeast of the airport, making Nijmegen the only major city close to the airport. Weeze serves about 30 destinations, most of them seasonal, across Europe and Northern Africa.

The only form of public transportation nonstop to Nijmegen is a taxivan you have to reserve in advance and will set you back €16 one-way. For timetabling see or call. Quick tip: If your plane lands shortly before the bus is scheduled to leave give them a quick call on the tarmac and they will wait for you.

For the more adventurous traveller, it's possible to get to Nijmegen by city bus to the Weeze railway station, then take a train into Kleve, where you can get a bus into Nijmegen. This will take about 75 minutes and costs €5.90-7.60 (one-way).

Another option is to just hitch. There's a major freeway not far from the airport, connecting Düsseldorf with Nijmegen. This can take as little as 30–45 minutes if you're lucky, and 4–6 hours if you're not.

Eindhoven Airport. 60 km (35 miles) to the southwest of Nijmegen. From the airport you take bus 401 to Eindhoven Central Station and then a train to 's Hertogenbosch (which is the same as Den Bosch). In 's Hertogenbosch, change trains and take the train to Nijmegen. This journey will take you approximately 90 minutes by public transportation. When driving yourself, take the A326 feeder motorway to the A50, (Zwolle-Eindhoven) which skirts the west of the metropolitan area to the Eindhoven ring road (A58/A2) Airport exit is exit 29 on the A2.

Flughafen Düsseldorf. 110 km (65 miles) southeast. About one-third the size of Amsterdam-Schiphol, but with plenty of international connections, including to the USA, and gets served by all the major airlines in Europe. Although it doesn't get nearly as many flights as Amsterdam does, it's cheaper, doesn't have nearly as many congestion problems, and generally much less hassle at the airport itself. Major inconvenience here is the lack of a good public transportation link to the Nijmegen area; you either need to take bus 58 to Kleve, and change there for a regional train to Düsseldorf Hbf, where you can take S1 to Flughafen terminal or take the train to Venlo, and change there for Düsseldorf Hbf. Both options take about 2,5–3 hours one way, since it'll be taking commuter trains all the way. When driving there this airport should be the obvious choice though. A73 to Knooppunt Rijkevoort, then follow the signs to the A77 which changes to A57 when it passes the German line. By Kreuz Meerbusch take motorway A44 to exit 31 which is right by the terminal. Expect a 75-minute drive, although it can be done in 50–55 minutes if there's little traffic, because 2/3rds of the route is on the German Autobahn.

Amsterdam-Schiphol airport. The largest airport in the Netherlands, and the fifth largest in Europe. 135 km (85 miles) to the northwest. Train takes about an hour and a half, and will cost €17.50 one way. You do not have to change trains for Nijmegen, there are direct trains to and from Schiphol twice an hour on weekdays, although if you miss one you can catch a train to Utrecht 15 minutes later and change there. Schiphol airport gets served by most major carriers, and has in excess of 100 flights to the United States alone per day. When driving; A73 to Knooppunt Ewijk, A50 to Knooppunt Valburg, A15 westbound to Knooppunt Deil, A2 northbound to Knooppunt Holendrecht, A9 westbound to Knooppunt Badhoevedorp, and finally A4 southbound to exit 2, Schiphol airport. Expect this to take anywhere from 75 minutes to over three hours, depending on traffic. the route will take you through both the Utrecht and the Amsterdam metropolitan areas, both infamous for their traffic jams.

By train
The Dutch Railways, (Nederlandse Spoorwegen, NS) serve Nijmegen from all parts of the Netherlands non-stop. There are 4 trains an hour to Utrecht, 2 of which continue to Amsterdam and Den Helder. At Utrecht, you can change on trains to Schiphol Airport or Rotterdam and The Hague. 4 trains per hour depart for Zutphen of which 2 continue to Deventer and Zwolle (with connections to Leeuwarden and Groningen in Zwolle). Furthermore, 2 trains per hour connect to Tilburg-Breda-Roosendaal (with connections in Breda to Rotterdam/The Hague, and in Roosendaal to Antwerp/Brussels).

The neighboring cities of Arnhem and 's-Hertogenbosch are served by commuter trains: 4 trains per hour leave for 's-Hertogenbosch and 6 trains per hour for Arnhem. On this last connection, there are up to 10 trains per hour between Nijmegen and Arnhem during rush hour. The full adult fare on this line is €4.90 one way (March 2024).

Veolia Limburg runs 4 commuter trains an hour to Nijmegen Heyendaal, Molenhoek (nearby Malden), the town of Cuijk and further to Venray. Two of these trains continue all the way to Roermond.

By bus
Flixbus serves the town.

Nijmegen is connected to the German cities (and railway stations) of Kleve and Emmerich by the regional bus line SB58. The Deutschlandticket is valid to and from Nijmegen on this bus line. When looking for a ride from anywhere in North Rhine-Westphalia/Germany to Nijmegen, use the DB app or website and select "local/regional transport only". And type in a stopover in "Landesgrenze, Kranenburg" (without any length of stay). That takes care, that no Dutch trains between Arnhem and Nijmegen are displayed, which you cannot use with the Deutschlandticket.

By car
The A73 connects Nijmegen with Venlo, the A77/A57 leads to the German Rhineland. The A15 runs between Nijmegen and Rotterdam and the A50 (Eindhoven-Zwolle) skims the western edge of the metropolitan area. There are many feeder highways connecting these freeways to the city. From Amsterdam one would take the A2 southbound to intersection (knooppunt) Deil, and take the A15 eastbound to Nijmegen from there. Avoid visiting the city by car during the Four Days Walking March, as roads tend to be blocked and circulation is even worse than normal. Also, you may find almost no available parking anywhere near the centre of the city.

By thumb
Nijmegen is probably one of the easiest places in the Netherlands to hitch from. The best spot is just south of the Waal Bridge, on the northbound lane leading to the bridge. You will see a sign saying 'liftershalte' here. This means it's an official hitching spot. Usually it takes anywhere up to 30 minutes to get a ride.

By bike
Nijmegen has exceptionally good cycle links. The RijnWaalpad is a cycle high way connecting Nijmegen and Arnhem. There are also two Dutch national cycle routes that come through Nijmegen: the LF12 and the LF3-3. In Millingen the LF3-3 connects with the Rhine Cycle Route (EuroVelo 15), giving Nijmegen a good cycle connection with Germany, France and Switzerland.

Get around
The city bus company, Breng, connects every neighbourhood in Nijmegen to the city center. Breng runs buses into the suburbs as well as a few towns outside of the metropolitan area.

Forget about using your car unless you're absolutely sure of your driving skills: the city can get clogged up during rush-hour because 6 main roads end up at an infamous roundabout in the middle of the town. Beside this, parking is relatively expensive. Nijmegen is very bike-friendly, and the old downtown area is compact (every place in the downtown area can be reached within 20 minutes from the Central Station by foot) Commuter trains serve the neighbourhoods of Lent, Dukenburg and Heyendaal (the campus area), as well as the nearby town of Wijchen.

See
Nijmegen is widely considered to be the oldest city in the Netherlands, celebrating her 2000th birthday in 2005. Not a whole lot of very old buildings are left in town: first the Americans carpet-bombed it in February 1944, later the Germans shelled it for about 5 months after the liberation in September 1944, and finally there were a lot of very rigorous city planners in the 1950s, 60s and 70s who finished what the Americans and Germans started.

There are still a few noteworthy sights, however. Valkhof hill downtown features a Carolingian chapel (eight, ninth century AD) and a small remainder of an imperial castle that was demolished in 1798. From Valkhof hill walk west through the Burchtstraat. Here you will see, on your left hand, the fifteenth century town hall. If you've finished admiring its exterior (there's nothing of note inside) continue walking west to the Grote Markt (Great Market) on the north side is a sixteenth-century weighing hall that now serves as a restaurant. To the left is the Blauwe Hand, the oldest bar in a town that boasts the most pubs per square feet than any other town in the Netherlands. On the west side you will see the entrance to the St. Stevenskerk courtyard. Enter it. On the left is a fifteenth-century Latin school. On the right stands the thirteenth century St. Stevenskerk, the interior of which was destroyed during the Dutch revolution of the sixteenth century. To the north of the church is a series of small seventeenth-century houses that now serve as trinket shops.

Although the city centre was heavily bombed during the war, the old neighbourhoods around the centre were not, and are nice to stroll around. Most interesting are the neighbourhoods east and south of the centre. Bottendaal, a five-minute walk from the train station, has a nice vibe, a few good pubs (try De Kluizenaar and Maxim, listed below) and a park (Thiemen Park).

Do

 * Football: NEC Nijmegen play soccer in Eredivisie, the country's top tier. Their home ground Goffertstadion (capacity 12,500) is 3 km southwest of city centre.
 * Nijmeegse Vierdaagse/Zomerfeesten (Four Day Marches and the Summer Festival) in July is the biggest event in the entire Netherlands and according to the organisers the largest walking event in the world. The Four Day Marches draw about 45,000 people alone, walking 30, 40 or 50 km (depending on age and sex) per day for four days in the Nijmegen area. The Summer Festival lasts for 10 days, starting the Friday before the marches start, continuing all the way to the Sunday after the Marches. For these 10 days, the entire downtown area is one big festival with concerts everywhere, even more beer stands and 1.5-1.7 million people partying or trying to get some sleep because they have to walk another 30 miles the next morning.
 * Participating in the marches costs €50 and you'll need to register well in advance. In 2014, registration will open in February and anyone interested should follow the organisation's website closely around that time. In 2013, registration closed after only a few days because the maximum number of participants was surpassed. You'll likely have to train to ensure you're physically fit for the challenge. Also make sure to check local weather predictions. Dutch summers are usually mild, with average temperatures in July around 20°C and monthly precipitation around 80mm. Dutch weather is however notoriously changeable. In 2006, a heat wave caused widespread dehydration and two people died from hyperthermia. The marches were cancelled after the first day.
 * Participating in the marches costs €50 and you'll need to register well in advance. In 2014, registration will open in February and anyone interested should follow the organisation's website closely around that time. In 2013, registration closed after only a few days because the maximum number of participants was surpassed. You'll likely have to train to ensure you're physically fit for the challenge. Also make sure to check local weather predictions. Dutch summers are usually mild, with average temperatures in July around 20°C and monthly precipitation around 80mm. Dutch weather is however notoriously changeable. In 2006, a heat wave caused widespread dehydration and two people died from hyperthermia. The marches were cancelled after the first day.

Spring

 * Carnaval Six weeks before Easter is Carnaval. People dress up in funny costumes and drink. There are parades in every town & village. To the south of Nijmegen Carnaval gets celebrated more, and if you like this kind of thing, go to Maastricht, Den Bosch or Kerkrade instead.
 * Dag van het Levenslied Every year in May there's a traditional Dutch folk festival in the Valkhofpark. Don't expect Dylan though, The type of music is comparable to the German schlager music as the lyrics are usually about shitty stuff in your life. Again: Lots of drinking!
 * Roze Meifeesten Also in May, this is the annual Gay and Lesbian festival in downtown.

Summer

 * Heavy Metal festival Traditionally, there's a one-day Heavy Metal festival in the Goffertpark, 3 km SW of the Central Station. Usually it's called Fields of Rock, Dynamo Open Air or Ozzfest, but they all get organized by the same company anyway. Usually draws 15-25,000 people depending on city regulations.
 * Other festivals In some years, a one-day festival, called Rockin' Park, is organized in the Goffertpark. The line-up usually consists of various national and international rock acts. Another festival is the Arrow Rock Festival, featuring several (older) national and international rock acts. Also, the Goffertpark is often used for large once only concerts of prominent bands (often with numerous support acts) such as the Rolling Stones, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead and Coldplay.

Fall

 * Nijmeegse Kermis The oldest street carnival in the Netherlands, dates back to 1272. Usually lasts a week and a half, and there are a lot of attractions, traditional ones like the Ferris Wheel and the Merry go-'round, Bumpercars, but also modern stuff like a Bungy-Jump.
 * Zevenheuvelenloop An annual 15 km (9 mi) run around Nijmegen and its surrounding hills. (Hence the name Zevenheuvelen - which means "Seven Hills" in Dutch.)

Buy
If you like a day of shopping, you'll surely enjoy this city. It's considered one of the top shopping destinations in the country, for its cosy old centre, many cafés, car-free shopping zone and of course the wide range of stores and boutiques. Over 400 shops are available in the city centre alone. The modernized Marikenstraat and Moenenstraat are full of large chain stores, including the usual department and fashion stores.

The smaller streets leading to the car-free centre are called the Ringstraten, and are packed with smaller boutiques, giftstores, speciality stores and independent home decoration shops. Good examples include the Hezelstraat (said to be the oldest shopping street in the country), the Van Welderenstraat and the Tweede Walstraat. For design boutiques, try the Houstraat.

Stores are usually open between 09:00 and 17:30, many also until 18:00. Thursday is so-called shopping evening, with most shops open till 21:00 and as in the rest of the country, most places close at 17:00 on Saturdays. Every first Sunday of the month, the city centre opens between 12:00 and 17:00.

There are general markets in the centre every Monday and Saturday.

Eat
If you love pizza, you'll find yourself well-catered for. Many pizza-restaurants are specialized in take-away/delivery, but there are several nice options if you'd like to sit down. Most of the establishments also offer other Italian dishes.

Budget
Being a student town (roughly 21,000 students in a population of 160,000) there are plenty of relatively cheap restaurants ("eetcafés") to be found. Look for them in the Van Welderenstraat and on Kelfkensbos. Fast Food is also widely available in the city center, with numerous snackbars often offering traditional Dutch snacks, but also Turkish dishes.

In the city centre, the supermarkets of Coop, Albert Heijn, Jumbo City, Plus and Spar City have fresh baked goods.

Splurge
If your budget allows it, there's also plenty of opportunity for luxury dining. Het Lemke in the Lange Hezelstraat offers high quality French cuisine, though it might be a little bit too experimental for some. More up market dining can be found along the Waal river. From the casino, walk west past the terraces and into the old downtown. For up market dining near the university.

Finally, for more classic French style cuisine in a historic ambiance, try Belvedere – the tower. (Please note that for the moment, the Belvedere is only open to groups with a reservation, due to a lack of cooking staff.). If you're into that sort of thing, in 2008 the Michelin guide awarded a Bib Gourmand to Het Savarijn, Vesters (Groesbeeksedwarsweg 307a).

Drink
Downtown Nijmegen and the neighborhoods just next to it are positively swarming with pubs and cafés. Some notable ones:

 * In De Blaauwe Hand, Grote Markt. The oldest pub in Nijmegen. Very, very picturesque.
 * Local beers in an amazing setting: picturesque monument "De Commanderie van St. Jan".
 * Local beers in an amazing setting: picturesque monument "De Commanderie van St. Jan".

 * Universiteitscafe Piecken, Studentencomplex Hoogeveldt, university campus. This bar, owned by students, is the homeplace for all the local and the international students in Nijmegen. Visit the website to see if there is a party or other activities.
 * St. Anneke, St. Annastraat. Of interest primarily if you're staying in Hotel Catharina as it's right across the street but even then you'd be wise to walk a little (50 m) further to Frowijn on the corner of the Pontanusstraat as that has a much nicer terrace.
 * Mets, Grotestraat. The premier gay and lesbian hangout.
 * Kollektief kafee de Bijstand. Van Welderenstraat. This is where the local activist scene congregates. Wednesday night is cheap vodka night. All profit goes to charity.
 * Odessa (Sint Anthoniusplaats) is a reasonable and fairly cheap restaurant, but on Mondays it functions as a Jazz bar that attracts lots of foreign students.
 * Chaps (Gay Leather Bar) is a reasonable and fairly priced pub with interesting socks-only and jack-off parties. Only for men that are interested in the same sex.
 * Bascafe, Fuik, Tweekeerbellen, Drie gezusters, Heidi's Ski Hut for students
 * Fuik, Irish Pub for football
 * Fuik, Irish Pub for football

Sleep
Nijmegen has many hotels, although budget options are remarkably limited. The opposite is true for high-end lodging. Finding a place to sleep during the summer festival and the four day's marches is absolutely impossible. Everything will be booked full months in advance. To give you an idea; during these days the population of Nijmegen swells from 160,000 to 1,800,000. It goes to the extent of people needing accommodation because they're walking the marches being taken into private people's homes and sleeping in sporting arena's. However, during the festival many trains and buses run around the clock, giving the opportunity to find a place to stay outside the city.

Connect
As of July 2022, Nijmegen has 5G from all Dutch carriers.

Cycling
The surrounding area of Nijmegen is unique in that it has to offer almost every landscape type available in the Netherlands. Rent a bicycle and start exploring the river landscape of the Ooijpolder to the northeast, the forested hills around Groesbeek to the east, the drier heath landscape to the south or, if you insist, the typically Dutch flat lowlands to the west.

There are many ready-made cycle routes you can try:
 * Nijmegen Cycle Route - Exploring the head of the Rhine Delta. Distance: 46 or 34 km.

Places of interest
If you're interested in cities, pay a visit to Hertogenbosch or Zutphen (both between 30 min and 45 min by train) which have city centres far better preserved than that of Nijmegen.

 * During World War II, the 82nd Airborne Division landed near Groesbeek as part of Operation Market Garden. Groesbeek has one of Canada's war cemeteries, called Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery. The cemetery is a short drive out of Groesbeek.
 * The Africa Museum, in Berg en Dal, has an indoors and outdoors section and specializes in African cultures. On most summer days, they organize all kinds of workshops.
 * Museumpark Orientalis, in the Heilig Landstichting, provides a contemporary view of the three religions that have played a decisive role in establishing the identity of present-day Europe: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

title: Nijmegen


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Nikaho

Nikaho (にかほ市, before 2003 仁賀保市; nikaho-shi) is a city in south western Akita prefecture.

Understand

The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

Get in
Nikaho is directly south of Yurihonjo, and from there it's accessible by train, bus, or car.

Go next

 * Take a quick trip to Yurihonjo, just to the north.
 * Climb Mt. Chokai, a popular hiking destination.
 * See the Buddhist temple complex Dewa Sanzan, two hours to the south in Tsuruoka
 * Akita
 * Katagami
 * Gojome
 * Yuza
 * Sakata
 * Shonai

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

title: Nikaho


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Nikšić

Nikšić is the second largest city in Montenegro. In Nikšić proper there are a few sites to see but most of the really interesting places are located on the way to or from the city (such as the Ostrog Monastery).

Understand
Nikšić is a quiet, low-key industrial town that will hardly be on any visitor's itinerary, unless one happens to know someone living or have business matters there. However, it can make for a pleasant stop-over for a day, especially when coming from the very touristy coast further south. Have lunch at one of the restaurants at the main town square, and watch locals chatting the day away while enjoying Nikšićko beer.

Free maps of the city, containing a lot of useful information, are available at the entrance of the bus station.

On foot
The city centre is small and most points of interest are close by.

By taxi
If you don't have your own transport and want to visit Krupačko Jezero or other places far from the centre, taxis are available. It's unlikely that drivers speak English.

Buy
Around the city centre, there are a few clothing shops and – strangely – not less than six or seven shops selling only sneakers. A somewhat bigger congregation of different stores can be found in a small next to the main square.

Drink
One of the most popular beers in Montenegro, Nikšićko beer, is brewed in Nikšić. It can be a good choice compared to more expensive imported beers.

Around the city centre, you can find many shabby-looking bars that seem to be popular with elderly local residents.

Connect
Most restaurants offer free WiFi for patrons.

Go next

 * Kotor is one of the country's most famous destinations; getting there takes two hours by road.
 * Podgorica, Montenegro's capital, is mostly modern but with a small old quarter.
 * Trebinje in Herzegovina is just an hour away, across the border.

title: Nikšić


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Nikel

Nikel (Ни́кель) is a small town in Murmansk Oblast close to the Norwegian border.

Understand
Nikel is a small industrial town a few kilometres away from the Norwegian border with just over 12,000 souls living and working here, down from 21,000 in Soviet times. As the town's name hint, Nikel owes its existence to the vast quantities of nickel that have been mined nearby since the 1930s. Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel (cf Norilsk) owns the mines and operates a huge smelter plant just outside the town, where a large part of the population finds employment. The smelter is one of the world's biggest emitters of sulfur dioxide affecting the environment and people living nearby, including those on the other side of the borders. Emissions and the future of the Nikel smelter continues to engage both the Norwegian government and the general population.

Visa requirements have been eased in the last few years in the border area which has led to a large increase of visitors from Norway, mostly interested in cheap gasoline but in the process driving a small boom economy.

By bus
Buses connect with the regional capital Murmansk up to six times a day taking 3½ hours. A single ticket costs about ₽500. Also, the daily bus to Murmansk from Kirkenes, across the border in Norway, makes a stopover in Nikel, tickets are about 300 kr.

By rail
Regional trains linking Nikel with the rest of Kola have been cut since early 2014. The is to the north of the city.

Do
Visit Art Centre Вторая Школа (second school, https://the2school.com/), a new centre with an international outlook bringing together society and the arts. The welcoming staff would be happy to show you around, and speak English, Norwegian, Russian and German. They are likely have events you could join.

Buy
A majority of foreign visitors, almost exclusive from Norway, comes to Nikel for buying cheap gasoline. Prices here are less than half of those across the border.

title: Nikel


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Nikko

Nikkō (日光) is a town of 76,000 people (2021) to the north of Tokyo, in Tochigi Prefecture. Attractions include the mausoleum of shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu (Nikkō Tōshō-gū) and that of his grandson Iemitsu (Iemitsu-byō Taiyū-in), and the Futarasan Shrine, which dates to the year 767 AD. There are also many famous hot springs (onsen) in the area. Elevations range from 200 to 2,000 m.

Understand

Nikko is a hugely popular tourist destination, but most visitors day-trip from Tokyo and never venture beyond a few tourist hot spots near the station. However, the "city" covers a quarter of Tochigi prefecture, much of it mountainous and remote, and there are countless hot springs, hiking trails and less-known sights to be seen if you venture even slightly off the beaten track. The area's many mountains and waterfalls have made it an important source of hydroelectric power, and it has also been used for mining copper, aluminum and concrete.

History
The first temple in Nikkō was founded more than 1,200 years ago along the shores of the Daiya River. However, in 1616, the dying Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had unified Japan and moved to capital to Edo (present-day Tokyo), made it known that his final wish was for his successors to "Build a small shrine in Nikko and enshrine me as the God. I will be the guardian of peace keeping in Japan." As a result, Nikkō became home of the mausoleums of two Tokugawa Shoguns, Tokugawa Ieyasu and his grandson, Tokugawa Iemitsu, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Unlike most Japanese temples and shrines, the buildings here are extremely gaudy and ornate, with multicolored carvings and plenty of gold leaf, and show heavy Chinese influence. Some sense of dignity is restored by a magnificent forest of over 13,000 cedar trees, covering the entire area.

However, for all of the grandeur the shoguns could muster, they're now over-shadowed in the eyes of many visitors by a trio of small wooden carvings on a stable wall: the famous three wise monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil and say no evil.

Orientation
The actual town of Nikko lies on the southern side of Nikko City, along the Daiya River. To the west, about an hour away by bus, are Lake Chuzenji and the Kegon Falls, also known as Oku-Nikkō (奥日光, "Inner Nikko"). The twin hot spring towns of Kinugawa, home of the Edo Wonderland Historical Theme Park, and Kawaji are an hour north by train along the Kinugawa River and covered separately. Nikkō National Park (日光国立公園) covers a large chunk of the northern side, sprawling across into Tochigi and Fukushima as well.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a guide site in English, Nikko Official Guide.

By train
Nikko has two major train stations:, served by Japan Railways (JR), and , appropriately served by the private Tōbu railway. The train stations are separated by only a few minutes walk and are around 2 km from Toshogu Shrine.

If heading from Tokyo like most others, deciding how to reach Nikko depends on your budget, and whether or not you have any sort of regional or national JR Rail Pass.

By Tobu Railway from Asakusa
Tobu Railway operates frequent service to Nikko from their terminal at Asakusa Station, which is connected to the Toei Asakusa and Tokyo Metro Ginza subway lines. Conventional commuter services take around 2 hr 30 min - 3 hr depending on the time of day and cost ¥1360, with several transfers required. A more convenient way to travel to Nikko is on one of Tobu's direct limited express services, which take 2 hours and are operated with either the older SPACIA trains or the newer Revaty trains. Services depart every 30-60 minutes, costing ¥2700 for the SPACIA or ¥2800 for the Revaty. All services stop at the station for Tokyo SkyTree.

The limited express trains that offer direct service to Nikko are called Kegon; there are also Kinu trains that you can use, but you'll need to change to a short local service at Shimo-Imaichi to reach Nikko.

Tobu offers a few travel passes for foreign tourists that wish to visit Nikko and surrounding areas. Passes for foreign tourists can be purchased online through Tobu's website, or in person at the Tobu tourist information desk at Asakusa station. The passes do not include admission to the world heritage shrines and temples.

 * Nikko Pass - World Heritage Area: ¥2000 for 2 days. This pass includes unlimited train travel between Tobu-Nikko, Shimo-Imaichi and Kinugawa Onsen, unlimited travel on Tobu buses between Tobu-Nikko and the world heritage sites, and discounted admission to attractions in Nikko and Kinugawa.
 * Nikko Pass - All Area: a 4-day pass costing ¥4520 from mid-April to November, and ¥4150 at other times. In addition to the features of the World Heritage Pass, the All Area pass includes unlimited bus travel from Nikko to Lake Chuzenji, Yumoto Onsen and Kirifuri Falls.

There are two more passes available to everyone, not just foreign tourists:
 * Marugoto Nikko Free Pass: ¥4150-4520 for 4 days. This pass includes unlimited train travel between Shimo-Imaichi and Tobu-Nikko, and unlimited bus travel from Nikko to the world heritage sites, Lake Chuzenji, Yumoto Onsen and Kirifuri Falls.
 * Marugoto Nikko Kinugawa Free Pass: ¥5630-6150 for 4 days. In addition to the features of the Marugoto Nikko Free Pass, this pass includes unlimited train travel between Shimo-Imaichi and Kinugawa, and unlimited bus travel on routes in the Kinugawa area.

Included in these passes is one round-trip from the Asakusa area on standard commuter trains. You can purchase separate reservation tickets for the direct limited express services on either the SPACIA (¥1340 each way) or the Revaty (¥1440 each way). A 20% discount is given on these tickets when purchased with a pass.

By JR from Tokyo Station
You can reach Nikko from Tokyo Station in around 2 hours by taking the Tohoku Shinkansen to Utsunomiya and changing to the JR Nikko Line. Since the one-way fare starts from ¥5060 unreserved, this travel option makes more sense for holders of the Japan Rail Pass or one of JR East's regional passes including the Tokyo Wide Pass.

By JR/Tobu from Shinjuku/Ikebukuro
JR and Tobu operate joint limited express trains a few times a day from Shinjuku and Ikebukuro stations that operate to Tobu-Nikko in 2 hours at a cost of ¥4000. One service operates directly to Nikko, while the others operate to Kinugawa and require a train change at Shimo-Imaichi. Regional JR East passes, including the Tokyo Wide Pass, fully cover this journey. Holders of the national Japan Rail Pass must pay a surcharge for the portion of the trip on Tobu tracks, in which case it may be easier to just take the JR to either Tokyo or Omiya to connect to the shinkansen.

By bus
Tohoku Express Bus operates one daily round-trip service from Tokyo Station, reaching Tobu-Nikko station in 3 hr. The trip costs ¥2500 one way or ¥4000 round trip. The bus from Tokyo leaves at 07:50, and the return trip from Tobu-Nikko leaves at 16:00.

There is also a twice-daily bus service from Yokohama station, which is the same bus that serves Nikko from Haneda Airport (4 hours, ¥3300).

Get around
The JR and Tobu stations have Tourist Information Centers open during daytime hours. Both stations are about 2 km to the west of the shrine area.

To reach the shrines, you can take a Tobu Bus (bus stop 2C just outside the Tobu Nikko train station, bus fare included in Tobu's World Heritage Pass, about a 6-minute bus ride to the UNESCO World Heritage area), or you can get up close and personal with the neighborhood and use your own two feet, following the pedestrian signs along the main road (Route 119). Getting off at bus stops 81–85 on the Tobu 2C bus line will get you to the shrine and temple area. Halfway between the stations and shrines, there is another Tourist Information Center (591 Gokomachi area; ) where you ca get maps, ask questions (some English spoken), use the Internet (¥100/30 minutes), and quench your thirst with water from a small, ladle-drawn waterfall. Also if it is raining, they very happily lend out umbrellas and you are able to drop these off on the way back. Allow about a half-hour or so to walk from the train station to the shrine entrance.

The JR station has various tourist bus passes for the Nikko area from the JR ticket office. As an example, a ¥2000 ticket will get you 2 days of unlimited rides to and back from the Chuzenji onsen area lake area, which is discounted from the posted fares. The back of the ticket includes a helpful map showing the numbered stops and where the ticket if valid.

See

 * After two flights of steps you will reach the Sacred Stable, housing a white horse. The most famous symbol here is the carving of the three wise monkeys (see infobox), a part of a curious series of carvings about the life cycle of a monkey, from giddy childhood to fearful old age. Nearby, you can also find an interesting approximation of an elephant, carved by an artist who had clearly never seen one.
 * After two flights of steps you will reach the Sacred Stable, housing a white horse. The most famous symbol here is the carving of the three wise monkeys (see infobox), a part of a curious series of carvings about the life cycle of a monkey, from giddy childhood to fearful old age. Nearby, you can also find an interesting approximation of an elephant, carved by an artist who had clearly never seen one.

There are a few other sites near the temple area:

Lake Chuzenji-area attractions
The Lake Chuzenji-area can be reached by taking bus #1 or #2 from the Nikko or Tobu-Nikko train stations and remaining on the bus past the temple area. The journey takes approximately 1 hour.
 * Akechidaira View Point (Bus stop #23) - You can take a cable car (¥730 9AM-4PM) to a viewpoint of Mount Nantaisan, Kegon Falls, and Lake Chuzenji.
 * Lake Chuzenji - (Bus stop #26) - The highest lake in Japan, this lake has cool temperatures in the summer and is surrounded by summer villas of the rich. Sightseeing boats (hourly, 09:30-15:30; winter: 10:30-14:30) offer spectacular views.
 * Chuzen-ji temple is a 700-m walk south from the red Buddhist gate along route 250.
 * An additional 700-m walk will bring you to the former ambassador villas for Britain and Italy. The properties have now been returned to Japan and converted to memorial parks with beautiful views of the lake. Admission to both for ¥300 includes a self guided tour of the building including the history of properties and notable figures. Traditional English tea service also available.
 * Ryuzu Falls (Bus stop #35) - A cascade down rocky steps. In spring, this waterfall is surrounded by azalea flowers and in autumn, it is surrounded by lush colorful foliage.
 * Odashirogahara Plateau (Bus stop #36) - An area of wetlands surrounded by Mongolian oak groves. Famous for a lone birch tree known as the Lady of Odashirogahara
 * Senjogahara Plateau (Bus stop #38) - Wetlands with a wooden raised path for hiking (2 hours, circular trail). Beautiful flowers.
 * Yudaki Falls (Bus stop #40) - A 70-m cascade flowing from Lake Yunoko. There is a view point at the basin of the falls.
 * Lake Yunoko (Bus stop #41) - A pretty lake surrounded by a hiking trail (1 hour).
 * Lake Yunoko (Bus stop #41) - A pretty lake surrounded by a hiking trail (1 hour).

Do

 * National Route 120 heads from the center of town into the park, passing Mt. Nantai and Lake Chuzenji (中禅寺湖 Chuzenji-ko) on its way to the Senjogahara Plateau, where the gods of Mt. Nantai and Mt. Akagi are said to have battled for possession of Lake Chuzenji - with several animal and insect transformations and archery experts involved in Mt. Nantai's eventual victory. There's a 6.3-km walking course on the plateau; allow a little over two and a half hours. Lake Chuzenji is surrounded by hiking trails ranging from 4.6 km (1½ hours) to 19.7 km (6 hours), and also has rowing and motor boat facilities in the warm season. The area is sometimes called Oku-Nikko (奥日光 Oku-Nikko), meaning "Inner Nikko".
 * Route 120 then crosses over the Yukawa River and passing the Yudaki Falls, Lake Yunoko and the Yumoto spa and ski slopes to the northwest of the city, eventually reaching Mt. Shirane and Lakes Kirikomi and Karikomi, which have their own walking courses.
 * Once inside the park, special "low-pollution hybrid" buses run from a depot at Akanuma, near the Yukawa River and the Ryuzu Falls, to the nature preserve at Senjugahama, on the western shores of Lake Chuzenji. Parking is free at Akanuma, but the road to Senjugahama is closed to all other vehicles.
 * A short walk south from the center of town will get you on a strenuous but rewarding hiking trail to the summit of Mt. Nakimushi (鳴虫山 Nakimushiyama). Allow a few hours for a return trip.
 * Adventurous hikers might want to take the city bus to Matō, down National Route 122 in the far southwestern corner of Nikko city territory, in order to hike to Akagane Shinsui Koen (Copper Hydro Park), billed as Japan's Grand Canyon, as pollution has killed all the trees and left the valley bare. The infamous Ashio copper mine was located nearby. (See Kiryu for details.)
 * Adventurous hikers might want to take the city bus to Matō, down National Route 122 in the far southwestern corner of Nikko city territory, in order to hike to Akagane Shinsui Koen (Copper Hydro Park), billed as Japan's Grand Canyon, as pollution has killed all the trees and left the valley bare. The infamous Ashio copper mine was located nearby. (See Kiryu for details.)

Buy
Aside from the usual good luck charms at the shrines and souvenir shops selling phone straps of Hello Kitty in local dress, there are several interesting secondhand shops along Hippari Dako selling used kimono, antiques and knick knacks.

Popular souvenirs from Nikkō include:
 * yuba (ゆば), the 'skin' that forms on top when making tofu; better eaten fresh, see
 * tamarizuke (たまり漬け), vegetables pickled in tamari soy sauce

Oddly, Western-style cheesecake and kasutera pastries are also popular despite having no obvious historical or cultural connection to Nikkō.

Eat
Yuba (ゆば), the 'skin' that forms on top when making tofu, seems to be everywhere in Nikko. Even if you're not a fan of tofu, it tastes pretty good, especially with soba (buckwheat noodles in a soup broth). Yuba is also one of the most typical edible omiyage from Nikko.

Drink
There is a small alcohol shop across from the station that is run by an old couple and has an interesting selection of world beers.

Sleep
Nikko can be covered in a busy day trip from Tokyo, but it's also a good place to spend the night, especially in a traditional Japanese ryokan guesthouse. The shrines are quite atmospheric early in the morning and at dusk, when the tour buses are not around.

Budget
There are several campsites in Nikko, although only Narusawa (+81 288-54-3374) and Ogurayama (+81 288-54-2478) are open year-round; several others run from April to mid-November or July to August.

Splurge
There are quite a few upmarket hot spring ryokan around Nikkō, but many are a considerable distance from town.

Go next

 * Kirifuri Highlands — waterfalls, hiking and skiing
 * Kinugawa — hot springs and the offbeat Tobu World Square/Edo Wonderland theme parks
 * Nasushiobara
 * Yumoto — hot spring resort perched by another lake (yudaki-falls), 30 minutes deeper into the hills.
 * Those with an interest in pottery or steam locomotives may enjoy Mashiko on the way back to Tokyo.
 * Utsunomiya
 * Kanuma
 * Tochigi
 * Minamiaizu

title: Nikko


text:
Nikolaevsk-on-Amur

Nikolayevsk-on-Amur (Russian: Никол'аевск-на-Амуре, neeh-koh-LAH-yeffsk nah ah-MOOH-reh) is a town in the Russian Far East, the industrial center of Khabarovsk Krai. The city is interesting for its complicated history. It was a capital of the Russian Far East in the 19th century.

Understand
It is the oldest port city in the east of Russia, and the administrative center of the Nikolaevsky district of the Khabarovsk Territory.

The town's population is 25,000 people.

Get in
By plane or big-wheel jeep from Khabarovsk.

By plane
The local airport UHNN (UHNN), accepts aircraft up to the second class inclusive, helicopters of all types. The operator of the airport is Khabarovsk Airlines. 8 flights a week from Khabarovsk, and there are flights from Ayan, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Nelkan, Okhotsk, Herpuchi, Chumikan.

By bus
Khabarovsk - De-Kastri - Nikolaevsk-on-Amur (to Podgorny). Daily. Travel time is about 20 hours.

By car
Highway 08A-10 Selikhino - Nikolaevsk-on-Amur. It starts from the right turn of the 08A-1 Khabarovsk - Komsomolsk-on-Amur highway at 339 km. The length of the road is about 597 km, the surface is mainly unpaved. The road is passable all year round for all types of transport (excluding specific bad weather and natural disasters).

The city is on the left bank of the Amur, there is no bridge across the river, so to enter the city (or exit), you will have to use a river ferry plying through the Amur (Podgornoye village).

By ship
In the summer, from May 25 to October 1, the Meteor hydrofoil operates along the route: Komsomolsk-on-Amur - Nikolaevsk-on-Amur.

See

 * Nikolaev-on-Amur Municipal Museum of Local Lore, ul. 27A.
 * Center of national culture of indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, ul. Sovetskaya 69

There are several dozen different monuments around the city, reflecting the difficult history of the city.

Sleep

 * Hotel North, ul. Siberian 117 (Lenin square). (Jan 2018)
 * Hotel Julia, ul. Soviet 113. (Jan 2018)

title: Nikolaevsk-on-Amur


text:
Nilambur

Nilambur is a town in Kerala in India.

By plane
The nearest airport is at Kozhikode. Take an auto to Kondotty from where you will get express buses to Nilambur. Alternatively, you can hire a taxi to Nilambur.

By train
Only slow trains (Passengers) are available from Shornur as Nilambur is not on the main line. Departures from Shornur: 5:30AM, 7AM, 9:20AM, noon, 2:40PM, 5:10PM, 7:30PM. Duration 90 minutes.

By bus
Buses are available from Manjeri, Palakkad and Kozhikode and Gudalur in Tamil Nadu.

By road
Ooty - 100 km, Manjeri - 24 km, Malappuram - 40 km, Karippur Airport-45 km, Kozhikode - 72 km, Thrissur - 120 km, Kochi - 210 km, Mysore - 158 km, Sulthan Bathery - 80 km

Get around

 * The New Bus Station is called Jawaharlal Nehru Bus Station
 * The old bus station is at Chandakkunnu, 2 km away.
 * Buses charge ₹8 for 3 km and Auto Rikshaws charge ₹15 for every km. Air Conditioned jeeps are available for ₹1,000 on a daily contract.

See

 * Bio Resources Park with butterfly park is also near by.
 * Bio Resources Park with butterfly park is also near by.

Buy
Teak souvenirs are available in the fancy shops of Nilambur.

Eat

 * Devi Palace, Veg Hotel on VK Road.
 * Devi Palace, Veg Hotel on VK Road.

Sleep

 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.
 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.
 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.
 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.
 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.
 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.
 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.
 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.
 * Nilambur Tourist Home, Main Road, Budget stay.

Go next

 * Coimbatore, 160 km
 * Gudalur, Hill station, 49 km
 * Kozhikode, 65 km
 * Malampuzha Gardens, 159 km
 * Meppadi hills, 82 km
 * Mysore, 155 km
 * Ooty, 97 km

title: Nilambur


text:
Niland

Niland is a small town near the Salton Sea.

Get in
Niland is located on California Highway 111 about 40 miles (64 km) north of Interstate 8 in Calexico and 58 miles (93 km) south of Interstate 10 in Indio.

Eat
There is a Mexican restaurant and a grocery store.

Go next

 * Slab City - Located a few miles northeast of Niland, Slab City is a remote corner of the desert built on the foundations (slabs) of the former World War II US Marine Camp Dunlap. It is home to permanent and itinerant residents consisting of snow birds, artists, military veterans, anarchists, neo-libertarians and others living in motorhomes and camping trailers who have formed an informal off-grid community.  Salvation Mountain, a brightly colored religious artwork that covers an entire hillside, is the most prominent of many artistic works that visitors will encounter while driving through the area.

title: Niland


text:
Niles (Illinois)

Niles is a city of 30,912 (2020) in Illinois.

By taxi

 * Flash Cab, 7501 N Milwaukee Ave # 109, +1 847 647-8777

Sleep

 * Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chicago North Shore - Niles, 7247 N Waukegan Rd, +1 847-588-1900.

title: Niles (Illinois)


text:
Niles (Michigan)

Niles is a city of 11,000 people (2019) in West Michigan. Niles lies on the banks of the St. Joseph River, at the site of the French Fort St. Joseph, which was built in 1697 to protect the Jesuit Mission established in 1691. Between 1820 and 1865, Niles was an integral part of the Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape from as far south as New Orleans through the Heartland, and eventually into Canada.

Understand
After 1761, it was held by the British and was captured on May 25, 1763, by Native Americans during Pontiac's Rebellion. The British retook the fort but it was not re-garrisoned and served as a trading post. During the American Revolutionary War, the fort was held for a short time by a Spanish force. The occupation of the fort by the four nations of France, Britain, Spain, and the United States has earned Niles the nickname City of Four Flags.

The town of Niles was settled in 1827. The town was named after Hezekiah Niles, editor of the Niles Register, a Baltimore newspaper.

By car
U.S. Highways 12 and 31.

By train

 * Routes serving Niles:
 * Wolverine Service operates several times daily between Pontiac and Chicago including stops along the way in Troy, Royal Oak, Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles, and New Buffalo.
 * Blue Water operates daily between Port Huron and Chicago including stops in Flint, East Lansing, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles, and New Buffalo.
 * Blue Water operates daily between Port Huron and Chicago including stops in Flint, East Lansing, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles, and New Buffalo.

See

title: Niles (Michigan)


text:
Nimbin

Nimbin is a village in northern New South Wales, 30 km from Lismore and an hour's drive from Byron Bay.

Nimbin is a centre of alternative lifestyle and culture and is a Sister City to Woodstock, USA. The Aquarius Festival of 1973 revived a dying dairying village first settled by Europeans in 1840s. The new settlers of the 1970s, called Hippies, set up environmentally friendly businesses, cottage arts and crafts and introduced alternative living, including communes. Communes were founded and granted their own title in law, Multiple Occupancy, which was a first in New South Wales. The village is very much open for tourism, especially eco-tourism, and has some shops and cafes that play off the alternative, hippie image.

After visiting the village, though, you may think that it is more about selling marijuana, than exploring alternative lifestyles. You are unlikely to get hassled much though. If you look like you might be in the market, you will get an offer, and if you refuse, you will politely be left alone.

Get in
Nimbin is accessible via the Nimbin Road from Lismore or Kyogle Road and Blue Knob Road from Murwillumbah. It is a popular day trip from Byron Bay.

Get around
Walk, the environment and atmosphere is best spent walking. Nimbin is not a large community and therefore any other transport is unnecessary.

See

Alternative lifestyle shops and cafés.

Do

 * Markets - 4th and 5th Sunday of the month.

Buy
Nimbin is widely known as a hub of cannabis culture. However, recreational cannabis remains illegal in NSW and police regularly crack down on sales.

 * Nimbin Craft Gallery

 * Perceptio Bookstore

 * BringaBong

 * Happy High Herbs

Eat

Drink
Nimbin Hotel & Backpackers - live music every weekend, restaurant with affordable meals.

Nimbin Bush Theatre - old cinema, wood fired pizzas, beer, wine and spirits.

Sleep
Farm accommodation, backpackers retreats and bed & breakfast.

There is a YHA there, with views towards Mt Warning. Mt Warning is believed to be the first point on the Australian mainland to see the sun rise each day.

Stay safe
Cannabis may be openly sold and somewhat tolerated in Nimbin however it is illegal under New South Wales law, you may be subjected to penalties if caught by authorities with possession of or public consumption of cannabis. Authorities may set up roadside patrols on traffic routes out of Nimbin. You may be pulled over by police, and it is easy to purchase enough cannibis in Nimbin to get you into trouble if you are caught. You can also be tested at the roadside for driving under the influence of cannabis.

The nature of the town means that it isn't as innocent as many other New South Wales country towns of its size. Tourists have been the victims of assaults in Nimbin. Take care behind the hemp museum (Rainbow Lane).

If you attend the annual Mardis Gras, there will likely be a high police presence, including lots of drug and alcohol tests on the roads.

title: Nimbin


text:
Nimule

Nimule is a remote place in South Sudan. You won't find traditional hotels or tourist areas. It's a small town in an out-of-the-way district. There are many refugee camps still functioning, and endless despair to match the infinite huts full of people.

Get in
From Kampala: To get in Nimule take the bus from Kampala to Juba. Nile Coach runs a daily service from Kampala (near Gateway bus in the city centre), departing at 03:00 with an overnight stop in Yumbe, arriving in Nimule the next morning. A second option is to take a bus to Gulu and arrange further transport to Nimule from there, but because of flooding in northern Uganda the road between Gulu and Nimule is terrible.

From Juba: Take the Juba to Kampala Nile Coach or a local minibus (4-6 hours). The Juba to Nimule portion takes 3-4 hours, but is improving with the USAID reconstruction and paving of the road. When paving is complete, the bus may take 2½-3 hours.

The Nimule to Kampala portion is largely unchanged: 8 hours or more southbound and 10-12 hours northbound (because of delays at the border.)

Get around
Bodaboda motortaxi

Drink
Uganda's beers and spirits are the tradition of the day. South Sudanese forces enjoy good refreshment from imported drinks: soft drinks like Coca Cola and Pepsi, mango fruit juice and packaged milk.

Sleep

 * Unity Lodge, 200 meters from the border. The place is OK, the manager is a bit strange, he may want to check your luggage for weapons.
 * Juba Lodge, in the town center. Some like the place better than Unity lodge, friendly staff and food available.
 * Horizon Guest Houst, at the main road just outside Nimule city and just before Paradise hotel. You pay 100 SSP for one room (2 persons) including breakfast. It is a clean bed with mosquito net, bathroom is fine (not too good), fans, power from around 19:00 until 01:00. The manager is friendly. Tel: +211995092533.
 * Horizon Guest View Hotel: On the Nimule-Juba road, north of downtown Nimule. Self-contained bath. Electricity and water provided from sundown to 23:00. Well kept, secure, about US$50 per night for a double bed.

Another adjacent to Horizon View: similar to Horizon View.

Go next

 * Uganda

title: Nimule


text:
Nimule National Park

Nimule National Park is in Eastern Equatoria of South Sudan.

Understand
Nimule National Park is in the extreme south of the country on the border with Uganda. The White Nile forms the eastern border of the park for c.48 km. Beyond it, on the eastern bank, there is a buffer zone, bounded by the Assua river to the north and by the Juba-Nimule road to the east. The Kayu river flows through the park from the Uganda border to the White Nile. The topography is hilly and most of the park is covered with savanna woodland of Acacia spp., Balanites aegyptiaca and Combretum aculeatum. Riverine woodland, found along permanent and seasonal watercourses, is composed principally of Acacia sieberiana and Borassus aethiopium. The site is contiguous with two IBAs in Uganda; Mount Kei Forest Reserve (UG022) and Mount Otzi Forest Reserve (UG023).

Get in
Can be reached by Swamp Airboat operated by www.bahr-el-jebel-safaris.com.
 * At your own you can do: Arriving from Juba just before Nimule there is a sign at your right. Go in there after 300 m you find after 300 m a house, which is the headquarter. If nobody is there just ask the neighbour. They will help you find out.

Fees and permits
For a one-day permit it cost you UD$70. You can use your permit in Juba, but also at the Headquarters at Nimule National Park. If you arrange it well you can see the permit as 24 hours. You can do a couple of hours in the afternoon of your first day and the second day a full day for on day permit.

Arriving from Juba there is a sign just before Nimule. Drive into it and at the first house on your right wait, or ask assistance at the next house. They help you out.

Do
Make a boat trip (cost approx 150 SSP) to see hippos and walk with the ranger into the park for as long as you want. You see elephants, hippos, warthog, Ugandan Kob, Baboon, Vervet monkey, Goliath Heron. It is possible to enter the park without 4x4 or car. It is good to take one full day for it. Better you come one day earlier arrange the trip for the day after.
 * You can take the bus to Nimule. Step out at the sign, walk to the headquarters (300 m), arrange a boat with the ranger(walk 1 km) and the journey starts. Journey is: seeing hippos on the boat, see elephants, walk for 2-6 hours around with the ranger in the park and possibly see a local village. This is a full day!
 * See the falls and rapids. These big rapids are amazing! It is quite far to walk (1.5 hr), but by car easy to see.
 * Check all animals from the hill. This is also possible for walking. After the headquarters take the first right and walk with the ranger to the first hill (+100 m) along the Nile. You have an astonishing view from the top of it. You can see hippos, elephants, etc. But a binocular is good to have.

title: Nimule National Park


text:
Nine-County Region

Nine-County is the central 9-county area of Indiana, comprising the greater Indianapolis metropolitan area.

Northern
Boone, Hamilton, and Madison counties:
 * including Arcadia, Atlanta and Sheridan
 * including Arcadia, Atlanta and Sheridan
 * including Arcadia, Atlanta and Sheridan

Central
Hendricks, Marion, and Hancock counties:

Southern
Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties:

By car
This is the area where "Crossroads of America" really comes into play. Numerous interstates and highways swarm into this area. I-65N from the northwest, I-74 from the west, I-70 from the southwest, I-65S from the south, I-74S from the southeast, I-70E from the east, and I-69N from the northeast. To the southwest, Indiana 37 is in the last stages of being converted to I-69S. Indianapolis has a loop called I-465.

By bus

 * Greyhound
 * Anderson - Economy Inn, 2400 S. Scatterfield Rd. +1 765 642-3931
 * Indianapolis - 350 S. Illinois St. +1 317 267-3076
 * Megabus, +1-877-G02-MEGA. A super cheap way to travel by bus that was brought from Europe to the Midwest. Clean, friendly travel option. The earlier you book your trip the cheaper it is. Pickup/drop off at the IndyGo bus shelter at 200 E Washington St (north side of Washington between Delaware and Alabama Sts) in Downtown Indianapolis.
 * Burlington Trailways 1 800 992-4618. Offers bus service throughout the Midwest. Pickup/drop off in Indianapolis.

By plane

 * Indianapolis International Airport
 * Alexandria Airport 1577 E. 900 N. +1 765 724-7060
 * Anderson Municipal 282 Airport Rd. +1 765 648-6293
 *  Eagle Creek Aviation Services 4101 Dandy Trail. +1 800 4TP-E331.

By train

 * Amtrak 350 S. Illinois St., Indianapolis..

See
Almost all of the big sights are in Indianapolis, but also keep an eye out for sights in less-known towns, like those related to the Hoosier Poet, James Riley in Greenfield, the historical Grover Museum in Shelbyville, and the SullivanMunce Cultural Center in Zionsville. The biggest attraction of the region outside Indy, though, is Conner Prairie in Fishers, a huge outdoor living history museum full of actors in period costumes, exhibits, events, etc.

Festivals and events
To hit the big festivals, don't miss:

 * Late June Pennsy Trail Art & Bluegrass Festival Pennsy Trail between Center St & Riley Ave., Greenfield +1 317 462-2877. [ Juried fine art and craftws fair in downtown Greenfield benefiting local non-profits. Shop for art and enjoy great food and regional bluegrass music.
 * Mid-Late July Hendricks County Fair County Fairgrounds. +1 317 745-9260. Join thousands of residences celebrating the summer at the county fair. 4-H sponsors it, with contests in all areas - food, crafts, art and animals. Live music, midway, food food food and the legendary demolition derby.
 * Early-Mid August Indiana State Fair State Fairgrounds. The biggest summer event in the state. A trip to Indiana isn't complete without a trip to the fair. Animals, crafts, art, rides, dancing, education, environmentalism, Hoosier Pride and FOOD!! I go at least 2-3 times within the two week period. They also have live music and concerts. Prairie Home Companion comes every other year.
 * Early October Riley Festival Downtown Greenfield. +1 317 462-2141. Greenfield celebrates the life of James Whitcomb Riley, Indiana's favorite poet, with a huge festival. Activities are endless. One of the largest craft fairs in the state, pumpkin contest, live music, art show, parade, 5k run and walk, antique sale, theatre performances, and countless other activities. Oh, don't forget the food and the duck race.
 * Early-Mid October Heartland Apple Festival 2304 E. Main St, Danville. +1 317 745-4876. Celebrate your love for apples and fall at Beasley's Orchard. Pick pumpkins and apples, hayrides, arts & craft fair, apple pie contest, and live music provided by regional bluegrass and country musicians. And the food..ohhhh the food! Apple butter and biscuits, bratwursts, ribeyes, apple dumplings, porkburgers, caramel apples and don't forget a cup of cider.
 * Mid-Late October Pumpkinfest The Country Market, 5 miles north of Zionsville on SR 421. The festival celebrates all things pumpkin and fall. All crops are grown within a 5 mile radius - pick your pumpkin on a hayride, run through the corn maze, eat some kettle corn too. They have a market there that sells local foods (great brownies) and homegrown honey. You can also rock out to some amazing local Bluegrass. Avoid the tenderloins, enjoy the kettlecorn. $5 per person.

title: Nine-County Region


text:
Ninety Mile Beach

Ninety Mile Beach is a long beach (actually 58 miles or 93 km long) in the Far Far North of New Zealand. Legally a road, it is used for sightseeing trips to Cape Reinga, and the high dunes at Te Paki are used for sandboarding.

Understand

Ninety Mile Beach stretches from Ahipara Bay in the south near Kaitaia to Scott Point near Cape Reinga at the northern end. It got its name from an estimate used by early farmers when bringing their cattle to market – they figured they could drive their livestock 30 miles (48 km) a day and it would take them three days to make the trip from the top to the bottom of the beach. Thus the ninety mile name.

The beach is legally a road and, when the tide permits, it can be driven for its entire length by appropriate 4WD vehicles. Once clear of the village of Ahipara, you can count on one hand the number of man-made structures on the entire length of the beach.

There is extensive forestry situated beyond and eastward of the primary dune line. This adds to the beauty and mystery of the beach. In addition, a large herd of wild horses, estimated at over 300 head, live in the forest and can oftimes be seen, not only in their forested habitat, but on the beach as well.

Close to its northern end, the shallow Te Paki Stream joins the beach. The stream may be traversed by appropriate vehicles. At the far end of the stream is an extensive and very beautiful sand dune system. Visitors often climb the steep sand hills or toboggan down them.

Some refer to Ninety Mile Beach as the "mother of all beaches". Once one experiences it, it's easy to see why.

Get in
The easiest place to drive onto the beach is at Waipapakauri, towards the southern end, but north of Kaitaia. Other places to drive onto the beach are, from the south, Ahipara (at the southern end), Hukatere Hill and Te Paki Stream. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for some of these.

Get around
Daily sightseeing tours are operated by many companies and include sandboarding at Te Paki Stream and a visit to Cape Reinga. The tours depart from two locations: Paihia/Kerikeri or further north at Kaitaia/Ahipara/Awanui. The tours departing from the Kaitaia region will be cheaper:

 * Departing Paihia
 * Fullers GreatSights Bay of Islands
 * Intercity

 * Departing Kaitaia
 * Harrisons Cape Runner

title: Ninety Mile Beach


text:
Ningbo

Ningbo  (宁波 Níngbō) is a port city in Zhejiang province, a thriving prosperous city and a popular tourist destination.

Understand

Ningbo lies on the south edge of the populous Yangtze Delta region and faces the East China Sea to the east. It has two main mountains within the prefecture boundaries, Siming Mountain and Tiantai Mountain. The Yuyao, Fenghua and Yongjiang rivers flow through the city area.

Nearby Mount Putuo is an island with a major Buddhist temple on it that has been declared a national park and attracts both pilgrims and tourists.

The people of Ningbo have throughout their history had a deep affinity for the ocean. Two thousand years ago, Xu Fu, a necromancer of the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BCE), led a fleet from here, thus becoming the first to commence China's exchanges with other countries. In the early 20th century "Hong-band" tailors from Ningbo traveled extensively throughout China making their living.

Portuguese sailors reached the Ningbo area in the first half of the 16th century. For a while, the city was the easternmost point of Asia known to Europeans. Portuguese attempts to establish a trading colony in the area failed, after which they turned their attention to Macau.

After the Opium Wars in the 19th century, China was forced to open five Treaty Ports for foreign trade, including Ningbo. The others were Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou and Shanghai. As in all the other Treaty Ports, this brought a boom in Ningbo.

The Hangzhou Bay Bridge, completed in 2007 to link the municipalities of Ningpo and Shanghai, has increased foreign investment and economic integration between Ningbo and Shanghai.

Ningbo is not only a very important port city but also the engine of the economy on the east coast of China. Ningbo started foreign trade in the 7th century and has since become a major exporter of electrical products, textiles, food, and industrial tools in China today.

Climate
Ningbo enjoys a subtropical monsoon climate featuring high relative humidity and distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid, so plan outdoor activities for early morning or evening. July is the hottest month (average daily temperature 29 °C) and January the coldest (4 °C). The annual precipitation averages 1,300–1,400 mm.

Downtown districts

 * Haishu 海曙区
 * Jiangbei 江北区
 * Yinzhou 鄞州区

Outer districts
Outer districts include Cixi 慈溪, Yuyao 余姚, Zhenhai 镇海区, Beilun 北仑区, Fenghua 奉化区, Ninghai 宁海县 and Xiangshan 象山.

By train
From Hangzhou there are frequent high-speed "D" and "G" trains from Hangzhou East Station (杭州东站) to Ningbo Railway Station, taking 1-1½ hours. Perhaps another dozen "K", "T", and "Z" trains travel to Ningo from Hangzhou or Hangzhou East Station daily, taking as long as 3½ hours. The high-speed line from Hangzhou through Ningbo continues through Wenzhou, Fuzhou, and Xiamen to Shenzhen, and there are several high-speed ("D") sleeper trains each evening from Shanghai via Ningbo to Shenzhen and Guangzhou (although most do not stop at Ningbo on the return journey).

From Shanghai there are frequent high speed trains to Ningbo via Hangzhou East Station. Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station 上海虹桥站 is the main high-speed railway station in Shanghai. Shanghai South Station 上海南站 also has trains to Ningbo.

By plane

The main international hub for the region is Pudong Airport in Shanghai; there are direct buses to Ningbo. The closest major international airport to Ningbo is Hangzhou; the most convenient is probably Shanghai Hongqiao since it is integrated with Hongqiao Railway Station, which has fast trains to Ningbo. All have many domestic flights and some international connections.

Get around
Ningbo is so much bigger than the small downtown area, staying downtown can fill a few days but it's just like any major city. To really see some jaw dropping parts of Ningbo, you have to adventure into the outer districts. There are breathtaking mountain ranges steeped in a deep and meaningful history that has been relatively undisturbed.

 * Metro: Like many Chinese cities, Ningbo is rapidly expanding its Metro system. Line  with 29 stations opened in early 2014. Line  with 27 stations opened in 2015. Line  with 15 stations opened in mid 2019. Lines with 25 stations opened in 2020, and  with 22 stations opened in 2021.
 * Taxis are ¥10 for the first 3 km plus ¥2 fuel tax.
 * Buses are ¥1 (¥2 with air conditioning).
 * Rental cars: Are available at Ningbo Lishe International Airport.
 * Motor bikes: Although Downtown Ningbo does not permit motorbikes a bike can be rented outside of downtown and can make an enjoyable way of reaching the outer districts.

Historical sites and monuments

Religious sites

Museums and galleries

Zoos and aquariums

Old towns

Parks and nature

Buy
As a foreigner, you can exchange your money at all major banks. A maybe wiser alternative is to use your foreign debit card. International ATMs (Plus/Maestro) can give about ¥2,500 out of each ATM at every transaction, up to a total maximum of ¥5,000 each day depending on your bank, which should be sufficient. International ATMs can be found all over the place and often have an English language option available before you insert your card.

Markets

Department store

Supermarkets

 * Sanfo is the leading outdoor gear stores in China and their store in Ningbo is located at 1227-1229 Baizhang Dong Lu, Jiangdong District

 * n

Western food

 * O'Reilly's (爱尔兰酒吧). 46-9 North Caihong Rd near the Portman Plaza (市江东区彩虹北路46-9号, 波特曼大街上). Steaks, burgers, appetizers, all day breakfast, and low priced sub sandwiches (¥25/6 inch; yen;35/12 inch). Beer selection is good, and although the imported beers are a bit pricey, before 20:00 most draft beers are buy one get one free, and after 20:00 buy two get one free. Waitresses speak excellent English and Chinese.

 * n

 * n

Japanese food

Chinese food
Ningbo's local seafood style is called "Yong cuisine".

 * TianXiang YuanKongZhong ShiShang CanTing (Revolving Restaurant), 35/F, 181 Zhongshan Dong Road. They are open most of the day, but evening is best. They close at 21:00, so go at least before 19:00. Book in advance if you want a window seat. Reservation Telephone: 0574-8725-7177 – 0. Two of you can eat a basic meal for about ¥100-200, though if you want to splurge and try out the delicacies on their rather large menu, be prepared to pay more.

 * Ba Yu Xiaozhan (巴渝小栈). 30 Jicao St. (宁波市箕漕街30号). A nondescript Sichuanese restaurant with excellent and affordable food. Grilled fish, Kungpao Chicken, and other spicy cuisine. Fairly clean with modest interior. Located near Baizhang Road, and within walking distance from the Portman/Sheraton.

Splurge

 * Waitan Huiguan (外灘会馆), Waimalu (外马路) 17. Ningbo. Reservations: 5 74 – 87 35-16 38, Fx: -13 38, 87 35 09 38.  Clean Teppanyaki place.  Their pricing is also somewhat spectacular - a dinner for two relieves you of about ¥1,200. Nevertheless, the food is quite well prepared. Service was also quite attentive.

Drink
Beer at cheaper restaurants is quite weak and bland, and often not very cold. Foreign and more expensive Chinese restaurants have export-quality Tsingdao and European or Japanese beers.

All over Ningbo many bars often have happy hour specials with buy-one-get-one until 20:00 or buy-two-get-one after 20:00 on select beers, just ask before you order. In the Lao Wai Tan area there are many bars yet they're always empty and over priced as the competition is fierce. Home to Le Cargo the late night sleazy disco that normally end up in a fight and the police being called.

There are a few bars by the side of the Sheraton attract the new business men in town who like to rub shoulders and tell each other the stories they've read in the China guide books, or start offering each other shares in an idea! before running back to safety of their hotels. You will also find some foreign students trying to cross over into business around here too.

Business men at one time or another will trade from the outer district of Beilun. Many bars have been springing up to cater to them before they make the short trip back to downtown, alternatively next to every bar area you can find a cheap hotel if you don't have a driver and fancy a few more drinks.

If you're staying in a hotel get a business card or two before leaving the hotel so you can always get a taxi home by showing the card to your driver no matter how late it is!

Bars

 * "The Office", in Lao Waitan. Where all the foreigners go nowadays. Taco Tuesdays ¥100 for all you can eat tacos. Tons of other specials, good food. Always someone to talk to.

 * n

Beilun Bars

Cafes

Night clubs

Stay healthy

 * Vogue Dentists - 1F, Portman Tower, 48 Caihong Bei Lu 彩虹北路48号波特曼大厦1楼 Tel:0574-8737-8333

Budget

Mid-range

Go next

 * Mount Putuo
 * Zhoushan
 * Fenghua
 * Ninghai
 * Xiangshan
 * Tiantaishan
 * Taizhou
 * Wenzhou

title: Ningbo


text:
Ningxia

Ningxia (宁夏 Níngxià) is an autonomous region in Northwest China.

Cities

 * - capital of the region
 * - has a huge statue of Maitreya Buddha
 * - home of the 108 Dagobas (pagodas)
 * - Helan Shan and Shahu Lake
 * - trapped between the desert and the Yellow River
 * - center of Chinese Muslims, Chinese Hui Cultural Park
 * Tongxin - one of the oldest mosques, Ming dynasty

Other destinations

 * - Tombs from the lost Western Xia kingdom

Understand
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, established in 1958, is bordered by Inner Mongolia to the north and west, Shaanxi to the east and Gansu to the south. Chinese provinces and regions has an explanation of the term "Autonomous Region".

The region is mostly mountains and plains with little truly fertile land. Chinese Muslims, called the Hui, make up 1/3 of the population of the region.

Around 1000 AD, the Tangut kingdom of Western Xia was centered in Ningxia, and often in conflict with the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties. In 189 years the throne changed hands ten times. Eventually it was overrun by the Mongols and absorbed into the Chinese empire of its day. Marco Polo visited it at around that time.

Get in
Yinchuan Hedong International Airport

See
The Great Wall of China within Ningxia has the following wall sections:

 * The Eastern Ningxia Wall - Hongshan Castle and Water Cave Gully (Shui Dong Gou)
 * The Northern Ningxia Wall - in the area of Helan Shan
 * The Western Ningxia Wall - Zhenbeibu and Sanguankou

Eat
1. Sheng cuan noodles (生汆面)

Drink
One of the better cups of tea offered in this region is the "eight treasures tea" (八宝茶). It yields (not surprisingly) eight ingredients. Sugar lumps, wolfberries, tea leaves.

title: Ningxia


text:
Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh is a city in North Vietnam with population of 160,000 people (2014).

Understand
Ninh Binh is famous for the nearby karst scenery and the village of Tam Coc. There isn't much to do around, apart from drinking beer with the locals, but it is useful as a base for the surrounding countryside.

Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is a inscribed as a mixed natural and cultural property, a spectacular limestone karst landscape. The archeological remains found in caves trace human presence since 30,000 years. Part of the heritage is Hoa Lu, the old capital of Vietnam.

By taxi
Taxis from Hanoi cost USD48.

Taxis from Noi Bai international airport cost USD70, a 2-hour journey.

By bus
There are regular buses from Hanoi's southern bus terminal (Giap Bat) that leave every 15 min (or whenever full) 70,000 dong (June 2016). Journey time is 1½-2½ hr depending on traffic. Buy a ticket in the ticket hall or you will likely have to pay more than 70,000 dong.

Open tour buses will drop passengers off upon request but Ninh Binh is not a regular stop. Most open tour buses from Hanoi will arrive at 21:30. Tour buses from Hue arrive between 04:00 and 06:00, depending on the company.

By train
Ninh Binh is a station for northbound and southbound trains.

Daytime southbound trains to Dong Hoi and Hue (23:00 arrival) depart at 11:21 and can be enjoyed in 2nd class seats rather than sleepers for those looking to avoid overnight journeys and long-haul buses.

By car
Guesthouses may provide organised tours by car for USD20 per day. Taxis are also common and not different from the ones in Hanoi or Saigon, although a little cheaper.

By motorbike
A motorbike is the best way to view Ninh Binh and the surrounding area. A motorbike can be rented for about 100,000 dong per day, a motorcycle driver/guide to take you around the sites for about USD10-20 a day.

The roads in general are quite well maintained and not overly busy, but the junctions, just like everywhere else in Vietnam, can be dangerous. Renting your own motorbike is possible but not without risk.

By bicycle
Cycling is a good option for visiting nearby sights. Guesthouses hire out bicycles for about 40,000 dong/day. There is a country road (mountain bike is recommended) that connects Hoa Lu and Tam Coc.

On foot
The town of Ninh Binh is quite small and walkable. However, most of the interesting sights are outside the city.

See
There are three main spots, where people board boat tours: Trang An, Tam Coc and Vân Long. Tam Coc being the most famous and therefore crowded of them.

Tam Coc area
9 km south of Ninh Binh, along Hwy 1. It's an easy bicycle ride from Ninh Binh, with no hills
 * The area around Tam Coc is equally beautiful, and is best viewed from the back of a motorbike or by bicycle. There is also a temple atop one of the hills which provides incredible views.
 * The area around Tam Coc is equally beautiful, and is best viewed from the back of a motorbike or by bicycle. There is also a temple atop one of the hills which provides incredible views.

Van Long area

 * Beautiful Hoa Son, Tien caves and Van Trinh Grotto can be visited nearby.
 * Beautiful Hoa Son, Tien caves and Van Trinh Grotto can be visited nearby.
 * Beautiful Hoa Son, Tien caves and Van Trinh Grotto can be visited nearby.

Further afield

Buy
There is a fresh fruit market next to the main market across the bridge.

Eat
Mountain goat (de nui) meat is a local speciality, often eaten with fried rice (com chien). Another local speciality is com chay, which is the burnt rice off the bottom of the pot, served with pork. Duck is featured in many restaurants.

The area near the train station has become a mini-backpacker area, and there are 4-5 backpacker cafes there with English menus and tourist prices (40,000-70,000 dong; coffee 15,000-20,000 dong). The three most popular restaurants are called "Good Food", "Cheap Good Food" and "Fast Food Cheap" (all on Hoang Hoa Tham).

Drink
There are plenty of bia hoi sellers along the river in the late afternoon and evenings. One glass usually costs 5,000 dong. Plenty of places sell a sugar cane drink with ice for about 5,000 dong.

Sleep
There are a number of cheap hotels just outside the train station and next to the bus station. Other hotels are located near the city centre. As there is nothing to see in city, either area is suitable. The area near the train station has become a mini-backpacker district, complete with travel agents, touts, overpriced drinks and English-menu restaurants. While it is also possible to stay near the wharf for the Tam Coc ferry, it is not recommended as the quality of the hotels and in particular the restaurants is very low.

Stay safe
Tips for Tam Coc boat excursion:
 * When leaving your motorbike at the departure point, beware of thieves (such as removing a mirror while the motorbike is parked, then selling it back to you for 100,000 dong). Look for official parking areas to avoid such scams.
 * When you catch the boat from the harbour, try not to board a boat that is loaded with boxes at departure. The boxes are filled with handicrafts and are intended for you to buy. During the return trip the rowers might suddenly turn from friendly rowers to pushy sellers. Don't ruin your experience by allowing this. Demand a rower or boat without handicraft and souvenir boxes.

Go next

 * Hanoi
 * Ha Long Bay

title: Ninh Binh


text:
Ninohe

Ninohe (二戸) is a city in Iwate.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a bilingual guide site.

Go next

 * Ichinohe
 * Hachimantai
 * Kunohe
 * Karumai
 * Sannohe
 * Takko
 * Kazuno
 * Nanbu
 * Hachinohe

title: Ninohe


text:
Niokolo-Koba

Niokolo Koba is a national park in the Tambacounda Region of in south eastern Senegal near the Guinea border. It's been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Understand
The park lies in an upland region through which the upper stretch of the Gambia River flows, towards the northwestern border of Guinea.

Flora
Most of the park is woodland savannah and semi-arid Soudanese forest, with large areas of wooded wetlands and seasonal wetlands. The park contains over 1500 species of plants and 78% of the gallery forest in Senegal.

Fauna
The national park is known for its wildlife. The government of Senegal estimates the park contains 20 species of amphibians, 60 species of fish, 38 species of reptiles (of which four are tortoises). There are some 80 mammal species. These included (as of 2005) an estimated 11,000 buffaloes, 6,000 hippopotamuses, 400 western giant eland, 50 elephants, 120 lions, 150 chimpanzees, 3,000 waterbuck, 2,000 common duiker, an unknown number of red colobus (Colobus badius rufomitratus) and a few rare African leopards and West African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus manguensis), although the dogs were thought to have been wiped out throughout the rest of the country.

Other mammals include roan antelope, Guinea baboon, green monkey, patas monkey, warthog.

Around 330 species of birds have been sighted in the park, notably the Arabian bustard, black crowned crane, Abyssinian ground hornbill, martial eagle, bateleur, and white-faced duck.

There are also reptiles such as three species of crocodiles, and four species of tortoises.

Get in
It is served by Niokolo-Koba Airport, an unpaved airstrip.

Lodging
There are several lodges along the Gambia River, offering excellent views.

title: Niokolo-Koba


text:
Niort

Niort is a city in Deux-Sèvres, a department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of western France.

title: Niort


text:
Nioumachoua

Nioumachoua is the second-largest town in Moheli. In the south of the island, it is the base to explore Moheli Natural Park.

By bus
There is a regular bus service from Fomboni. Buses start running at 7AM from the market, one way ticket costs FC750 and it takes around two hours.

Buses departing from Nioumachoua leave at 5AM, it is important to reserve you seat with the driver the day before. All buses departing from Nioumachoua have Fomboni as final destination, but they can drive from east or west road. The west road is longer than the east road, but it is in much better conditions.

Travelling from Nioumachoua to Itsamia by bus is tricky. The easiest is travelling back to the capital, Fomboni, and then taking a new bus or shared taxi to Itsamia (shared taxis to Itsamia cost FC500). It can happen that no taxi driver wants to drive to Itsamia, as it is far away. In this case take a taxi to Wanani or Kangani. Wanani is just 12 km to Itsamia, 9 km Kangani-Itsamia, from here try to catch a taxi, hitchhike or just walk. Another option is taking the bus back to Fomboni but stopping in Wanani (12 km far from Itsamia). From here you can try to catch a taxi, hitchhike or walk. There are not many cars to hitchhike, but the few that are around take passengers easily.

By shared taxi
Shared taxis from Fomboni to Nioumachoua run all day long. Take in consideration that due to the fuel shortage and the conditions of the road finding a taxi to travel between the cities in the south can be difficult and expensive (up to FC12,500). Otherwise in Nioumachoua there are a couple of private cars that for a price will take wherever you wish. Take in consideration that the fuel is expensive, so private cars are expensive as well. By November 2018 one litre of fuel costs FC1,000.

By motorbike
If you are based in Nioumachoua a very good option is renting a motorbike for yourself. Renting a motorbike costs FC7,500 per day.

By rented car
Renting a car without driver is very difficult, it cost FC20,000 per day. But the real problem is to convince someone to rent you a car, locals don't trust a lot on tourist's skills in these roads.

By boat
You can travel to other cities in the coast with fisherman boats, every trip may cost more than FC10,000 depending on how far you wanna go. Prices might look a bit expensive, but fuel is expensive.

See

 * Whale watching from July to October
 * Coral reefs and inhabited isles
 * Fishing on the reef with local fishermen
 * Livingstone bats (giant fruit eating bats endemic on Moheli)
 * Boating, sailing, canoes and kayaks, bikes
 * Hiking in coastal and primary rain forest
 * Civets (small wild leopard type cats)
 * Bird Watching (endemic species!)
 * Traditional villages
 * Local artisanal (carpets from sisal, potteries, embroideries)

Do
For every activity at the Natural Park a fee of FC2.500 is required. Importantly, the fee permission is paid per person just once as it lasts for three months.

Go next

 * Itsamia is a beautiful villa at the eastern point of the island, where green turtles come to bury their eggs.
 * Oualla 1 and Oualla 2 used to be the same village, but in the 90s a massive inundation forced the inhabitants of Oualla 1 to leave behind their homes and resettle themselves in a nearby area, since then called Oualla 2. The most protective people of Oualla 1 stayed during he flown, meanwhile the ones who left founded the new city stayed until today. In such way the families of Oualla split up in two. Oualla is the main base to explore the rainforest in search of the famous Livingston bats, one can stay in the communitary bungalows of Oualla 1. By November 2018 the bungalows of Oualla 2 were closed do to restoration.

title: Nioumachoua


text:
Nipigon

Nipigon is a township of 1,500 people (2021) on the north shore of Lake Superior in Northern Ontario.

Understand
Nipigon is a small village on an isolated section of Trans-Canada Highway which follows the sparsely-populated north shore of Lake Superior between Thunder Bay and Sault Sainte Marie (Ontario). There is little population and few services outside the few villages on this lengthy stretch of highway. The local economy of Nipigon Township depends primarily on forest products, fishing, and tourism. Multiply Forest Products, a hundred-worker sawmill which was the largest employer in Nipigon, burned to the ground on February 6, 2007.

Nipigon's population declined by over 25% between 1991 and 2011.

Nipigon is a departure point for fishing excursions onto Lake Superior, the Nipigon River system and Lake Nipigon. Common fish varieties include Atlantic salmon, lake trout, speckled trout, rainbow trout, walleye, northern pike, bass, and perch.

In Jan 2016, the Nipigon River Bridge, the first cable-stayed bridge in Ontario, failed weeks after it opened. Traffic was rerouted through the United States, and road transportation between eastern and western Canada was not possible for a period of 17 hours. A pair of two-lane cable-stayed bridges opened in Nov 2018.

By car

 * Nipigon is serviced by the Highways 11 and 17, which travel between Nipigon and Thunder Bay combined into a single road, and is the only road connecting eastern and western Canada. Both Highways 11 and 17 are part of the Trans-Canada Highway. The stretch between Nipigon and Thunder Bay is designated the Terry Fox Courage Highway.  Just east of Nipigon, Highway 11 and 17 split into separate roads, going to different areas until re-merging briefly within North Bay.

By train

 * There is no passenger rail service. VIA Rail'sThe Canadian stops in Longlac, about 200km northeast of Nipigon, connecting from Toronto and Winnipeg.

By bus

 * Operates the following routes to Nipigon:
 * Between Thunder Bay and Longlac including stops in Nipigon and Geraldton. Travel time to Kenora from Thunder Bay is 1.25 hours, from Geraldton is 2.25 hours, and from Longlac is 2.75 hours.
 * Between Thunder Bay and White River including stops in Nipigon, Schreiber, Terrace Bay, and Marathon. Travel time to Kenora from Thunder Bay is 1.25 hours, from Marathon is 2.5 hours, and from White River is 4 hours.
 * Operates a bus route multiple days per week between Thunder Bay and Sault Sainte Marie including stops in Red Rock, Nipigon, Schreiber, Terrace Bay, Marathon, White River, and Wawa. Travel time to Nipigon from Thunder Bay is 1.75 hours, From Marathon is 2.5 hours, from White River is 3.75 hours, from Wawa is 5.25 hours, and from Sault Sainte Marie is 8 hours.

Buy
A limited selection is available in the village, including a grocer (Zechner's), hardware (Home Hardware and Canadian Tire), auto towing and repair; there is a discount store (the Bargain Shop) and a second-hand store for clothing and general merchandise.

Drink
Beer and spirits are available for takeaway from the Beer Store and the LCBO.

Connect

Bell and TBayTel provide limited 3G (UMTS/HSPA) coverage on the Trans-Canada Highway. There is no Rogers coverage and no GSM.

Lake Nipigon
The lake is approximately 40 km (25 mi) north of Nipigon village on Hwy 11.

title: Nipigon


text:
Nipomo

Nipomo is a census designated place in San Luis Obispo County, California.

By plane
The closest commercial airports are San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria. The Santa Barbara Airport is 90 miles to the south. Major airports are in the Los Angeles area, or San Francisco Bay Area where you will have more travel options.

By car
Nipomo is on Highway 101, south of San Luis Obispo.

By train
Nearest train stations are in the nearby cities of Guadalupe and Grover Beach.

Go next

 * Santa Maria - Seven miles south of Nipomo, Santa Maria is the largest city in Santa Barbara County, and is probably best known as the original home of barbecue tri-tip, now referred to as Santa Maria style barbecue. The area is also one of the state's largest wine-producing regions, and has been a filming location for films ranging from The Ten Commandments to Pirates of the Caribbean.

title: Nipomo


text:
Nippani

Nipani  is a city in northwestern Karnataka, India.

Get in
Nipani is connected with many cities such as Belgaum, Hubli, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune by bus.

Get around
Near Nipani there are many places to visit. A few of them are Mallikarjun temple adi, Samadhi math, Stavnidhi temple, Ramling, Laxmi temple Bolewadi, Ashok nagar, Junaa Vaada, Janatha lake. Again at outskirts of Nipani there are many places to visit. A day out in Nipani is really useful. Nipani is famous for its tobacco growing lands. The tobacco grown in and around Nipani is a must for making biris.

Eat
There are plenty of food options. One very famous side dish is bhaji.

title: Nippani


text:
Nirmal

Nirmal is a city in Telangana in India, 74 km down south of Adilabad on the NH7 highway. It's well known for its wooden toys and paintings. There is a fort in this town too. Nirmal is one of the political capital city for Adilabad district.

Understand
Nirmal is embedded amidst the Sahaydri mountain range offering a pleasant ambience surrounded by hills and forests thus creating a vulnerable climate throughout the year. Folklores say that Nirmal was renamed after a village headman and a chieftain Neema Naik who manufactured weapons of war. He also encouraged craftsmanship of his workers thereby helping the growth and promotion of art of the wood engraving. Nirmal, always enjoyed the patronage of the ruling nobility.The Nizams of Hyderabad were very much inclined towards the ecstatic wooden engravings and craftsmanship.>

Buy
Paintings and Toys and Bell Metal Craft

Go next

 * Karnataka
 * Hampi
 * Badami
 * Bidar
 * Bijapur
 * Mantralayam
 * Ballari

title: Nirmal


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Niseko

Niseko (ニセコ) is a town and ski resort on the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan.

Understand
Niseko is an increasingly popular destination for powder hungry skiers and boarders, and nearly alone among Japan's ski resorts is drawing increasing numbers of overseas visitors year-on-year as well. Niseko is highly favored by Australians, and by Asian tourists. The resort boasts four ski areas: Hanazono, Hirafu, Niseko Village (formerly Higashiyama) and Annupuri. Most activity is centered on the village of Hirafu, approximately 20 minutes from the main town and administrative centre in the area, Kutchan.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a bilingual guide site.

By plane
The nearest airport to Niseko is Sapporo's New Chitose Airport, which receives flights from all over Japan and from some international destinations.

There are direct international flights from most neighboring countries. If you come from further far away often Nagoya (Chubu) or Seoul are most convenient transfers.

By bus
During winter months, numerous limousine bus services are provided to various ski resorts in Niseko at a cost of ¥1900-2300 each way. In addition, two public bus lines run buses from New Chitose Airport to Hirafu. Both operate on a regular timetable during the ski season, with the Chuo Bus having 5 trips each way daily while Donan Buses have 4 each way.

Times are subject to change from season to season, but each can be contacted by phone (Chuo-Bus +81 11 231 0500, and Donan-Bus +81 123 465701). In the 2017/18 season, the cost of a one-way ticket is ¥2600 and a return is ¥4500 (50% less for children). The trip takes 3½ - 4 hours, depending on the road conditions. This is an excellent way to see the countryside, the snow covered farm lands and the quaint houses.

In the 2011/12 season both bus lines offer a discounted return ticket including a strongly discounted one-day ski pass.

By train
Reaching Niseko from Sapporo by train is a lengthy affair, requiring a transfer of trains at Otaru, and perhaps a long wait as well; local trains between Otaru and Niseko run about every 1.5 hours. But, if it's between December and March, and you decide to leave Sapporo at around 8:00 or 12:30, you can get to Niseko on a direct train. The limited express train, appropriately named the Niseko Ski-Express, makes the run in 2 hours at a cost of ¥4560. Return Ski-Express trains depart from Niseko at 10:00 and 16:00. There is no charge for this train with the Japan Rail Pass.

If you're staying near Hirafu, the best option is to take trains to Kutchan (with a transfer at Otaru; ¥2100), then ride a local bus to Hirafu (about ¥400, 20 minutes).

Get around
In winter (Dec - early Apr) the Niseko United Shuttle runs between the four resorts. The route runs in a line from Annupuri to Hanazono, with multiple stops at each of the four resorts. Operates roughly 08:00-16:40, with extended hours until 19:40 in peak season (mid Dec to mid March). Travel time from one end to the other is about 1 hour, with departures every 40-60 minutes. Free with an All-Mountain Day pass or season pass, 1 point with an All-Mountain Point pass, and charges a fee otherwise.

Skiers and snowboarders can move between areas by ascending to the upper lifts and traversing the mountain. Although a little difficult to follow on the map, there are specific paths for traversing between areas. This sometimes requires a little bit of walking uphill, but the distances are short enough that it's not a problem, and it will be much faster than waiting for the shuttle. However, the upper lifts needed to accomplish this may be closed due to weather, and even when open, the winds at the top of the mountain can be fierce.

Eat
The diversity and quality of Niseko's cuisine scene is part of its appeal as a travel destination. Eating out will definitely be one of the highlights of your visit to Hokkaido. Local specialities include potatoes and seafood. There are also a large number of restaurants that specialize in Italian, Korean, Indonesian, Thai, Nepalese and other ethnic foods. Families on a budget will also be pleased with the variety of outlets offering quality meals at affordable prices.

For smaller restaurants, it's best to reserve in advance (up to 1-2 days before, if you can plan that far ahead). Otherwise, the wait at the door may be 1-2 hours at some places.

Drink
There is an active night life in Niseko, even on weekdays, with plenty of live music, hopping pubs and a good collection bars and small clubs with both resident and visiting DJs and a wide variety of live music most weekends. International acts, like the ever-popular "NoJazz" and the Australian Chamber Orchestra featured in the annual Winter Music Festival add a bit of sophistication to the entertainment offerings and round out the varied night-life scene. While many try to get a good nights' sleep and catch the fresh powder in the morning, for night-owls, party animals and music-lovers there is plenty to do, and a plethora of quirky and fun places to enjoy a drink or three and some great tunes.

Sleep
Niseko has transformed from a sleepy village into one of the hottest ski and outdoor recreation resorts in the world. Significant investment from Australia and SE Asia have seen a dramatic increase in western-style apartments and chalets becoming available. Japanese investment in the region is also on the increase.

The Niseko ski experience is extremely good value when compared to other major ski resorts. Accommodation options range from shared facilities to ultra luxury, fully self-contained chalets and wonderful boutique hotels. There are also 'pensions' or lodges that cater for groups and individuals.

Go next

 * Kutchan
 * Makkari
 * Rankoshi
 * Kuromatsumai
 * Iwanai
 * Kyowa
 * Niki
 * Yoichi
 * Otaru

title: Niseko