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Paje

Paje is a village in Zanzibar in Tanzania. It is on the east coast of Zanzibar (or actually Unguga) island.

Understand
Paje is a village of approximately 500 people on the coast of Zanzibar. It has good conditions for kitesurfing and retains an authentic and chilled-out beach atmosphere (fewer beach boys and merchants on the beach). Paje is experiencing a boom in tourism as more tourists come to kitesurf (the first kitesurfing school was built in 2012). Despite this, Paje is extremely safe and one can appreciate Zanzibar's natural beauty by walking on the beach at midnight in total safety.

Paje's beach can be tide-dependent - at low tide, one may need to walk almost a kilometer to reach the water, while at high tide the beach may disappear in places. These extremes usually only happen once a month, dependent on the moon.

There is an ATM in Paje, operated by Barclays PLC, near the petrol station. Only the largest hotels/restaurants accept credit cards.

Get in
Taking a minibus from airport takes 1 hour and costs approximately US$60. Just when you leave airport, taxi or minibus will cost much less - around US$40. Shared shuttles can be booked for US$10 and provide all the comforts of a taxi at a reduced price (book here). The local bus transportation (named dala-dala) is much cheaper - Tsh 1500, and not much slower, but surely less comfortable. Use a taxi or minibus and you can enjoy sightseeing and air condition, but use dala-dala, if you want to chat with local people and get many interesting suggestions for trips or destination!

As Paje is a village more than 5 km long, it is better to tell the driver the name of hotel where you plan to stay or a closer direction. If you have not decided for a certain accommodation yet, do not rely on drivers decision - he will drive directly to most expensive hotel. Or hop off on the crossroad in Paje (actually a roundabout with a big red supermarket nearby) and you can walk only about 100 m to the beach.

Get around
The village can be explored by foot. The village is widespread from about 1 km south (Bwejuu) on 5km strip to the south (Jambiani). You can drive here from Stone Town in 30-40 minutes by car or motorbike, or take dala-dala Nr. 309. The whole village can be reached by foot, or you can make a visit around by bicycle or by taxi (around US$1.30 per person sharing). Most roads in Paje are not suitable for cars, as they are only dusty tracks actually.

See
Sleepy fishermens village is situated on a beautiful strip of seashore. It is an important crossroad - main road from Stone Town (direction Kitogani) is divided in two direction directly in Paje. Either you can drive to the north to Bwejuu (turn left) or continue to the south (turn right) to Jambiani and Makunduchi. You can find small shops and two supermarkets near this cross road. Further inside the village you can find more small shops, where you can buy souvenirs, especially vivid coloured paintings in Zanzibarian style and various coconut products.

Paje is built in traditional Swahili style, so you can make short trips through long dusty "streets" and enjoy local cordial atmosphere. You will meet dozens of children asking for "caramella" (sweets) or biscuits. Local people usually spend the whole day in their usual work - gathering seaweed, making ropes of coconut fibers or repairing or building boats (dhows). If you want to take photos, please be kind and ask before you take a shoot. For many locals this is a pleasant source of income.

As Paje is famous kitesurfing centre, most tourists are either keen on kitesurfing here or they have possibility to learn basics of this popular sport. Windy weather conditions are not only good for kitesurfing, but also a pleasant natural air conditioning. Zanzibar weather as strongly influenced by monsoons, so tourist are advised to watch weather forecast before planning their trip!

Evenings on shore of Paje are dedicated to football. Local boys, men, and tourists meet every evening for serious game. And for a couple of drinks for all participants right after the match, regardless of goals or winners.

If lazy atmosphere of Paje makes you sick, you can make long trips along the shore - in 1 hour you can reach Jambiani or Bwejuu (but hot sun makes you tired in 10 minutes, so be aware of sun burning!) If you want to make serious trip, you can rent a bike, scooter or motorcycle - rental offices are in many resorts or ask touts (locals who enjoy offering any service, from luggage transport through fishing trips to snorkeling and dolphin safaris - as their only knowledge is poor English, but as long as they gain your interest, they "subcontract" other local people to these services for modest budget with large profit).

A traditional dancing performance is held at the Cristal Resort most Tuesday nights. Ndame Beach Lodge has a Masai show every Friday night. Booking is essential.

Do
Learn kiteboarding at one of the 7 kiteboarding schools - compare prices, all schools are less than 1 km apart from each other.

Swim in the lukewarm water when the tide is in, or walk to the coral reef (be careful of incoming tide, watch locals for right timing)

Scuba diving is also possible in Paje - try Buccaneer Diving.

Make a trip to the famous The Rock restaurant in Michamvi (~Tsh 40,000 return taxi trip, or rent a Vespa for US$25/day). Best combined with Blue Lagoon Snorkelling trip.

Buy
In the middle of the beach is stalls selling paintings by local artists.

Near the main T-junction is a shop (Supa Duka) selling a small selection of wine and food. Contrary to all the signs, they do not accept credit cards.

Eat
There are a number of hotels and restaurants with decent meals starting at US$7. Local food starting at US$5, pasta and pizza US$5-10, but local restaurants tend to prepare all meals in less European and more African way

Generally, tourists are advised to taste local Zanzibarian meals, as these are usually much more tasty and price is lower than for "European" meals.

Zanzibar cuisine is one of the best in the whole African territory. You can trace Indian, Arabic and African roots in most dishes. Most meals are prepared with dozens of local spices, but the results are not too spicy and therefore suitable also for small children or people with health issues.

In most hotels you can find small restaurants, with almost the same offer consisting of seafood, local dishes, but always including "tourist menu", pasta, pizza, chicken or lamb dishes. Special daily menu (mostly fish) is written on the chalkboards in front of them and prepared for budget price. Spectrum of these meals depend on what fishermen have caught on that day.

If you prefer traditional European meals, you should expect a little different taste, as local cooks had never tasted these meals as prepared from European cooks.

Drink
If you walk down the beach (north to south, from Paje to Jambiani), you can find many small bars, starting with Twisted Palms, Ndame Beach Lodge, Jambo Beach Bungalows, Dhow Inn, Paje by Night, Teddys Place, Kilima Kidogo, etc.

Local bars are open usually 10AM-10PM. During night parties, sleepy bars change to noisy places crowded with tourist. Ones friendly refreshing facility can change to disturbing problems (Teddy's place holds a party most Wednesday nights. Unfortunately the loud music may keep guests of nearby lodges awake.)

Regular parties:
 * Sundays at Vuvuzela
 * Wednesdays at New Teddy's Place
 * Thursdays at Demani Lodge
 * Fridays at Jambo Beach Bungalows
 * monthly themed parties at Paje by Night

Alcoholic beverages

These bars offer African beer (mostly Kilimanjaro or Safari, the latter is stronger and the former weaker), some wine and variety of local and imported distillates (whisky, vodka, rum, etc.) Prices are not high (TSh 4000-5000 for a beer). Alcoholic beverages can cause serious problems when combined with direct sun and high temperatures so it is advised to drink also a lot of non-alcoholic drinks.

Non-alcoholic drinks

Freshly squeeze juices are a must. Pineapple, orange or papaya juices are hundred times better than the best juice in Europe or the USA. After your first couple of drinks, you will never drink juice in your country without remembering what you drank in Zanzibar!

Sleep

title: Paje


text:
Paju

Paju  (ko: 파주시, Paju-Si) is a city in Gyeonggi-do Province in South Korea, northwest of the capital city, Seoul.

Understand

Paju-Si is known as a historical city with a rich background of past events, even some dating back to the ancient era. Today, Paju-Si is a growing city with the population of almost 500,000 (2022). It is quite close to the DMZ, which is on the border with North Korea.

By car
Paju is a 90-minute drive from Seoul. There are car rentals available in Korea (for instance at the Incheon International Airport and Seoul), where cars can be rented for an unlimited time.

By bus
From the Hapjeong Station, take bus No. 2200. The bus should take passengers to Odusan Unification Observatory, where passengers should get off at the entry. The first bus leaves Seoul at 07:50, while the last bus leaves at 23:00 for Gyeonggi. This bus ride will take 45 minutes, and will bring passengers straight to Gyeonggi, where Paju city is.

By Taxi

 * You can take a taxi at the taxi stand. The taxi stand is usually near the bus stop.

 * As of July 2023, the basic fare for regular taxis is ₩4,800 (₩5,800 at night), with a surcharge of ₩100 applied according to time and distance. (The basic fare is up to 1.6 km (1 mi), plus ₩100 per 135 m.)

By train
From Seoul, take the Gyeongui line to Geuchom Station - the ride takes about one hour. From there, take a local bus, either number 2 or 3. The bus ride should only take 30 minutes. The trip altogether should take ninety minutes. The train and bus rides will take you straight to Gyeonggi, where Paju city is.

By plane
South Korea's main airport, Incheon International Airport, is close to Paju.

Get around
Although there are no restrictions on visits to the city of Paju, access to the areas to the north towards the DMZ may be restricted.

Do

Eat
Paju-Si is full of restaurants for the residents, visitors and travelers. The restaurants vary from traditional Korean to Japanese, Chinese and even some famous Western food chains such as McDonalds.

Sleep
Paju-Si offers a large selection for their tourists to pick from in the city. There are hotels available for all kinds of tourists – tourists looking for the cheapest rooms (budget), a decent and comfortable hotel room (mid-range) or the most luxurious hotel (splurge).

Go next

 * Seoul
 * The Korean Demilitarized Zone

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

title: Paju


text:
Pak Bara

Pak Bara is a city on the southern Andaman coast of Thailand. It primarily serves as a transport hub for tourists.

Understand
Pak Bara is the main ferry hub for Ko Lipe, with ferries running all year. The reality is that it's a crappy little town.

Get in
Pak Bara is 237 km south of Krabi, 59 km from Satun, 123 km from Trang, 124 km from Hat Yai (the nearest train station).

By boat
Boats run to Ko Bulon, Ko Lipe (two hours), Ko Tarutao (30 min).

By bus
Minibuses run to the closest cities, including Hat Yai (2 hr), Trang (2 hr), and Krabi (4 hr).

Get around
Travellers come to Pak Bara for one reason: its ferry port. Admission to the pier just to look around will cost you 20 baht (good for five days). There is no ferry ticket office at the pier. All tickets are sold by vendors in the vicinity of the pier. Just walking around near the pier ensures that you will be approached by a ticket-seller. Every agency sells tickets for the same price. There is an additional small charge (around 40 baht) just to enter the pier. Previously slow ferries ran to the islands, but they have been entirely replaced by expensive speedboats. The following times are indicative only. Speedboat services run mostly in the morning.

Speedboat to/from Ko Lipe

 * Departures from Pak Bara at 11.30, 15:30. Travel time, 90 min. Fare approximately 650 baht one-way, 1,200 baht return (open)

Speedboat to/from Ko Tarutao

 * Departures from Pak Bara at 11:30. Travel time, 30 min. Fare is 600 baht one-way.

Speedboat to/from Ko Bulone

 * Departure from Pak Bara at 12:30. Travel time, 1 hr. Fare is 600 baht one-way, 800 baht return.

When you arrive back at the pier in Pak Bara, there will be minivans waiting to take travelers to onward destinations such as Trang, Krabi, Phuket, Hat Yai. Vans leave within 30-60 minutes of each boat's arrival in Pak Bara. A typical fare is 400 baht to Krabi.

Buy
There are several ATMs in Pak Bara in the vicinity of the pier.

Drink
Most travellers will arrive in Pak Bara after a lengthy bus trip and overnight until their ferry the next morning to an off-shore island. Fatigued, hungry, and thirsty, they will look for a place for a meal and possibly a beer. Too bad. There are next to no restaurants open in the evening near the ferry pier. The nearest are several hundred metres up the road to La Nguu. All of them are Muslim restaurants. They do not serve beer, nor do they permit you to bring beer purchased from the 7-Eleven that, mercifully, is near the pier. A better plan may be to stay in the larger town of La Nguu, 10 km distant, overnight and make your way to the ferry in the morning (first high-season speedboat is at 09:30).

Go next

 * Ko Lipe
 * Ko Tarutao

title: Pak Bara


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Pakbeng

Pakbeng is a small village in Bakeo Province, Northern Laos. The two-day boat between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang has to stop for the night, and a number of guesthouses have been set up to cater to passing tourists.

Understand
This small village lies half-way between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang, perched high on the banks of the Mekong river. To call Pakbeng sleepy is an understatement. It's quiet to the point of being dead. Still there are sufficient restaurants for one pleasant night.

24-hour electricity has arrived in Pakbeng, but you'll still find most of the town is shut down by 22:00. What Pakbeng does have to offer is a good night's sleep and sunset views over a particularly scenic stretch of the Mekong.

Get in
Most visitors will have to stop here overnight on the slow-boat trip to/from Luang Prabang. It's also possible to arrive by speedboat en route to the north. It's much less comfortable than the slow boat, but you will arrive before the slow boat so you have the option of choosing a guesthouse and showering with no lines/queues. You also get to see the town as the only Westerner. Another possibility is to reach the place by bus. This is a rough and long option.

By boat
The boat landing is at the end of Rte 2 on the Mekong. Slow boats leave in the morning in both directions. They depart when full but expect to start at around 09:00. Arrive early to get one of the better seats (as far away from the loud engine as possible). The in-bound boat normally arrives at about 17:00, but this is Laos, so this is a guideline. Laos transportation goes when the driver can be bothered. It's best just to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. And have a beer, of course.

Slow boat transport ("express boats")
Slow boats are long and narrow with a large, loud engine. They are family-run. You will usually find a snack bar behind the sitting area and toilets further down the boat. Further down the boat the family's private area.
 * As of May 2017, it costs 110,000 kip for the upstream ride for foreigners. Apparently the downstream price is the same. In Pakbeng you can buy your ticket on the boat as they will come around just before departure to check for tickets. The boat schedule is variable as the boat will stop on the way to drop off or pickup villagers.
 * Upstream slow boat trips to Huay Xai depart each morning at around 08:30. The trip takes about 9 hours with arrival in Huay Xay around 17:30-18:00 which usually makes it too late for passengers to make the border crossing to Chiang Khong, Thailand the same day.
 * Downstream slow boat trips to Luang Prabang depart each morning at around 09:00 from Pakbeng. The trip takes about 8 hours with arrival at the boat landing 10 km upstream of Luang Prabang around 16:00. A tuk-tuk to the center will cost around 20,000 kip. The downstream trip is about 2 hours faster but the upstream boats depart earlier so the arrival times at PakBeng are about the same.
 * Buying tickets : there is no need to book ahead a 2-day ticket all the way to Luang Prabang in Huay Xay. You are better off just buying a ticket to Pakbeng (110,000 kip) and buy the next ticket to Luang Prabang when you get on the boat in Pakbeng (105,000 kip).

Speedboat transport
If you choose to travel on the speedboat (a light canoe with a very powerful engine), a crash helmet and life-jacket should be provided. It is also recommended that you make your bags as waterproof or water-resistant as possible and wear a rain jacket. The boat can generate quite a bit of spray, plus any showers you might encounter along the way will sting like needles against any exposed skin. On sunny days, sunscreen is invaluable as there is no roof or shade on these speed machines. The journey to Huay Xai can be reduced to as few as 4 hours in the wet season, with a lunch stop at Pak Beng. However, some consider this means of transportation less safe, especially in the dry season. Earplugs are strongly recommended. Those who are concerned about creating as little environmental impact as possible may want avoid speedboats, as they are heavier polluters than the slower options. Travel agents in Luang Prabang will sell the tickets for 320,000-370,000 kip. You will need a minivan to take you the 10 km north to the fast boat pier in Luang Prabang.

By bus
Pick-ups make the trip to Udom Xai around 07:00 and leave at the northern end of town on Rte 2.

A bus for Muang Xay leaves around 09:00 at the bus station.

A bus leaves at 12:00 from Muang Ngeun (near the Thai-Lao border), costs 30,000 kip, and takes 1½ hours.

Get around
There are only a few streets, so walk around. Most of the guesthouses are along the first 50 m of the main street as you head up the riverbank.

With the roads and particularly the rocky riverbank just above the boat landing being very steep, it might seem tempting to accept an offer for someone to carry your bag for you. Ensure that if you do, you agree on the size of the tip beforehand.

See
There is nothing much to see except the Mekong and rural Laos. A couple of local wats may interest the obsessive temple enthusiast.

Do
Find a bed, eat something and sleep.

A local guide named Mana offers treks, with a sleepover in a hilltribe village. Ask for him in Pak Beng.

Buy
Pakbeng is remote and offers very little in the way of shopping, but if you're about to spend the rest of the day on a boat it would be a good idea to pick up snacks from the row of market stalls that line the main road in the morning.

Eat
Several guesthouses and some restaurants offer food, but don't expect anything special. There's an Indian restaurant with decent curries along the main street, called "Hassan". The friendly manager will also package meals for consumption on the slow boat. Be careful while paying though, he might tend to give you back too little or hand you unusable (too old, broken) dollar notes. (Never accept a banknote that's torn. It's unusable!)

The most popular restaurant is Sabaidee, nice view on the Mekong, the food is good and the owner speaks English and French. Only it is often super full, try going early at 18:00 or around 21:00.

Locals set up small sandwich stands along the road to the waterfront each morning. You can buy basic sandwiches of bread and Laughing Cow cheese. If not, ask your guesthouse to provide you with a packed lunch, as you are going to be in for a 9-hour boat ride without meals. Some boats do have some food and drinks for sale too.

There are several bakeries on the main road near the pier, the food and coffee quality is generally very low. By far the best (that is, passable) is the one in front of the Monsavanh Guesthouse.

Drink
Standard beer options are available from guest houses, at inflated prices. To ensure a good nights sleep, try the local "lao-lao bong"—water poured over fermented rice and slipped through a straw.

Drugs: everyone's selling in Pakbeng, and they happily double their profits by scamming you. After having sold you drugs, someone will appear with a police badge, and ask for a hefty bribe in exchange for not taking you in.

Sleep
Standards are low at this village near-the-end-of-the-world. Just look around as things change fast. The guesthouses in Pakbeng are all along the main street, just hundred metres away from the boat dock area. A room with shared bath will cost about US$3, while an en suite bath will cost an extra US$1-2 (rooms can mostly be paid in Thai baht and Lao kip as well). There might be places where you can get a room for US$2, but you'll have to search long and bargain hard. Considering hot water: make sure that your bathroom has an individual electric boiler, as there are guesthouses with central boilers that only provide a certain amount of hot water for the whole guesthouse on a first-come first-served basis.

Touts are prevalent in Pakbeng, and you will be bothered. However, these touts are very laid back, especially compared to Thailand. If you are after a really cheap option, it is possible to get a mattress and a mosquito net under a veranda for about US$0.50. Just watch out for monkeys.

It is possible, but not necessary to book accommodation in Pakbeng in advance, as there are plenty of guesthouses and almost all visitors stay only one night.

The exception to this rule is if you're looking for something a little more upmarket, in which case you have only two choices.

Stay safe
Pakbeng is in the Golden Triangle, and in the midst of one of the world's drugs production areas. From the moment you set your foot in Pakbeng, you will be offered weed, opium, cocaine and amphetamines. The latter usually Burmese in origin. If you are stupid enough to buy anything, a common scam is to be approached soon after by someone with a fake police badge, who apparently will turn you in to the police if you don't pay, usually, US$20-50. It cannot be said often enough; when in Asia, stay away from drugs.

Go next
Huay Xai and Luang Prabang by boat are the normal destinations for anyone leaving Pakbeng. It is possible also to go by bus to Muang Xay. As of February 2024 it is also possibile to travel to Nan in Thailand via Muang Ngeun. There is a bus leaving from the bus station between 12:00 and 14:00 (the bus is coming from Muang Xay and is always late) to reach Muang Ngeun in about 2 hours, 130,000 kip. After the Laos border it is mandatory to take a tuk tuk (20 baht) to reach the Thai border (about 1 km away). Just after the Thai border there is a bus stop, a local red and white big bus runs about every hour until 3 pm, 130 baht-3.5 hours to Nan. Easier but more expensive is to hire a tuk tuk in Pakbeng for 800,000-1,200,000 kip depending on how many passengers. In about 1 hour the tuk tuk will take you directly to the Laos border and not like the bus to the Muang Ngeun bus terminal, which is 4 km away from the border - a tuk tuk can cost some 100-200,000 kip, you can't really bargain very much.

title: Pakbeng


text:
Pakhal Lake

Pakhal Lake is a man-made lake in the Pakhal sanctuary in Telangana, a state in Southern India. The lake was excavated during the reign of Ganapati Deva. Set around the lake is the Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary spread over an area of 900 sq km. The sanctuary is home to the tiger, leopard, panther and sambhar. A large number of migratory birds arrive in winter at the lake, making it the best season to visit the sanctuary.

Get in
From Hyderabad by road is 130 km. You can reach Warangal by train then, there are direct buses available. Pakhal is 50 km from Warangal, but you can take a bus to Narsampet to which bus service is frequent.

Get around
Narsampet to Pakhal auto services available. Pakhal Lake is 10 km from Narsampet town.

See
There are no arrangements for a safari and you may be lucky to see any wild animals other than monkeys.

Do
Nothing but relax....

Sit back, relax and watch the birds around, try to figure out what animal sound you are hearing and which direction the wind is flowing and water is getting push.

Eat
There is a small shop selling some beverages and biscuits. The shop people also prepare non veg food as per order.

Drink
Here you can find a toddy(kallu) called giraka thalla kallu.

Sleep
There no arrangements to reside. You have to travel 40 km to Hanumakonda for lodging.

title: Pakhal Lake