text:
Patacancha

Patacancha is a traditional Quechua village in Cusco, Peru, located not far from Ollantaytambo.

Understand
For a large part, life here hasn't changed much over the past century and ancient Quechua community traditions are still part of daily life. Weaving, farming and raising cattle are among the main activities you'll find. Take into account that it can be a bit challenging to visit the village independently, as very little Spanish is spoken and public transportation is limited.

Get in
On early Wednesday and Friday mornings (usually around 6am) combis leave from the Ollantaytamb. Alternatively, if you're not afraid of a good hike, you can go to Patacalle and hike the 4 to 5 hours up to the village. Drivers are often willing to take you for a few soles, but there's no guarantee that you'll encounter any cars on your way.

Get around
The way to get around the village is just on foot.

See
The village, its inhabitants and their handicrafts are what you come here for. Keep in mind that they allow you into their community, so try to be respectful, also when taking pictures.

Do
There are guided tours in English available, offered by the Ollantaytambo-based NGO Awamaki. Typically, such a tour lasts half a day and includes lots of information, a visit to a traditional Quechua house, demonstrations of the weaving process and a visit to the NGO's cooperative weaving centre. Depending on the group size, such a tour will set you back as much as US$50 or even US$65 when lunch is included, but all benefits go to the NGO's projects. Upon request, weaving lessons and even home stays can be arranged.

Buy
Walking through the village, local women will likely approach you with all kinds of merchandise. Much of it is just general stuff which they've bought in Ollantaytamb. Of course locally woven and naturally dyed fabrics are available and that's the souvenir you should be looking out for.

Go next

 * Ollantaytambo

title: Patacancha


text:
Patagonia (Argentina)

Patagonia is a region in southern Argentina.

Cities
The most important cities and towns from north to south:

Western Patagonia

 * – The largest city in Patagonia and the cultural centre of the Upper Río Negro valley, a modern city with good river beaches, about 260,000 inhabitants.
 * – A lake side town opposite from Bariloche with access to National Park Los Arrayanes and the 12-km trail to the famous Bosque Arrayanes.
 * – A picturesque village with Swiss origins near Bariloche.
 * – A busy tourist destination and ski resort with 100,000 inhabitants, located in a stunningly beautiful landscape in the Southern Andes at the shore of the Nahuel Huapi lake inside the Lake District with many popular national parks nearby.
 * – A small hippie town (founded in the 1970s) in a mountainous valley about 120 km (75 mi) south of Bariloche. There's a twice weekly outdoor flea market, and nearby are many decent hiking opportunities, like Lago Puelo.
 * – In the North-West of Chubut, a ski resort with about 40,000 inhabitants and a popular steam train.
 * – The traditional center of Welsh settlement in Patagonia, with tea rooms, souvenirs, and the whole nine yards
 * – A town along Ruta 40, that suffers from strong winds and mostly closed shops during the day. Not much to see. The detour from Ruta 40 makes sense if you want to avoid some kilometers of unpaved road and get fuel (25 and 29 are paved and there's an YPF station that accepts credit cards).
 * – Often called the capital of trekking, an impressive and inexpensive must-see town bordered by glaciers of the surrounding Parque National Los Glaciares with the popular Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Toro, as well as the largest glacier of Argentinia, the Viedma Glacier.
 * – A popular and very touristy destination with access to the famous Perito Moreno Glacier, though a little over-commercialised and not much hiking.

Eastern Patagonia

 * – The capital of the Río Negro Province in the east with the El Cóndor beach resort, along Ruta 3 between Bahía Blanca and Las Grutas.
 * – A spa on the coast of Río Negro known internationally for its colony of burrowing parrots, one of the largest in the world.
 * – A port city with the popular Las Grutas beach resort town, as well as the picturesque Playa Las Conchillas and Playa Piedras Coloradas nearby.
 * – A desert town with nice beaches, about 150 km north of Puerto Madryn.
 * – A tranquil city and gateway to the Valdes Peninsula nature reserve and the penguin colony Punta Tombo, with a good beach and a well known diving destination; about 100,000 inhabitants.
 * – Gateway to the region with an airport, south of Puerto Madryn and close to Valdes Peninsula.
 * – At the Atlantic coast, a busy city located between colourful hills and beaches, with about 200,000 inhabitants and Argentina's petrol industry centre.
 * – At the east coast, notable as the winter camp for Magellan's round the world expedition.
 * – South-east before Tierra del Fuego, travelling hub to reach Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego.

Other destinations

 * – Near Puerto Madryn, an important nature reserve at the Atlantic coast (whales, sea lions, dolphins, penguins) which was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

 * – In the South-West, with the Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate, as well as Mount Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre and the Viedma Glacier near El Chaltén.

The Lake District near San Martin de los Andes, Villa la Angostura, San Carlos de Bariloche, El Bolsón, and Esquel (from north to south):
 * – A world-heritage national park
 * – A world-heritage national park
 * – A world-heritage national park
 * – A world-heritage national park
 * – A world-heritage national park

Understand
The region is bordered in the north by the Cuyo and Pampas regions, by Chile's part of Patagonia in the west and by the Atlantic Ocean in the east. South of it lies the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, the Land of Fire.

Geography
The enormous terrain is divided into two sub-regions. The West, with the southern Andes, is a green and humid area with woods, beautiful lakes and glaciers in the southern part. Here, most major tourist attractions like the Nahuel Huapí and the Los Glaciares National parks are located, and there are also South America's premier ski resorts. It is an outdoor sports paradise, with many options for walking, trekking, mountain-biking, paragliding and rafting. In the North, a transition region to the dryer Central Andes, the beautiful Pehuén or Araucaria woods can be visited. The climate of this region is relatively cool and rainy, but much sunnier than the Chilean side of the Andes. Above an altitude of 1000 m, snow is common in winter.

The East, with the Meseta, is a rough and windy steppe landscape that covers around 80% of the area. Its most well-known attractions are the beaches of Río Negro province, with the warmest water temperatures in Argentina, and the nature reserve on Valdés Peninsula in Chubut province. There are little known but very beautiful areas like the Chubut river valley, the colourful petrified woods and the enormous lakes around Sarmiento, the Chocón and Piedra del Águila reservoirs in Neuquén and the bays and mountains surrounding Comodoro Rivadavia. The climate is temperate, with surprisingly hot summers in the North and more temperate temperatures in Santa Cruz, cool to cold winters with almost no snowfall and many windy days, above all in spring.

Culture
Patagonia was one of the last regions of Argentina to be colonized by Europeans; though the all of the coast was visited by Magellan's circumnavigation already in 1520. Most cities date from the early 20th century. Mainly in the Andean region, rural indigenous people from the Mapuche nation still preserve their traditions, although their language is barely spoken today. From time to time there are conflicts between indigenous settlers and land owners, but tourists are usually not affected.

In some areas, traditions of immigrant groups had a strong influence on architecture, cuisine and festivals. Among people of European origin, besides from Italians and Spaniards making up the majority of the Argentine population, the most important groups are the Welsh in Chubut province, the English in Río Gallegos and the Germans in the area around Bariloche. Neuquén hosts a strong community of Chilean origin, and Comodoro Rivadavia is home to a large immigrant group from Bolivia.

Read

 * Patagonia: A Cultural History, by Chris Moss – An overview of the indigenous narratives, travel writing, literary works and films of Patagonia.

By plane
The biggest airports in the region are the Bariloche and the Neuquén airport, with flights to several Argentine destinations. For the Atlantic region, the Trelew airport, near Puerto Madryn and Comodoro Rivadavia  offer the best connections.

El Calafate is served by Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aerochaco, LADE Airlines, and LAN Argentina. Also Río Gallegos has an airport, this airport is served by Aerolíneas Argentinas, LAN Chile and LAN Argentina.

By car

National Route 40 borders the Patagonian Andes from north to south, connects the region with Mendoza province and is a major tourist route. Chilean Route 255 (this road comes out from Route 9) crosses into Argentina becoming Route 3, the most important connection of the Atlantic coast, connecting it with Buenos Aires and other major Central Argentine cities. More routes in this region include the east-west connections Route 22, 23, 25 and 26 and Provincial Route 5 in Santa Cruz, connecting Río Gallegos and the Los Glaciares area.

By bus
In Argentina many travellers usually travel by long distance buses. These trips are much more longer than travel by plane, but can be much cheaper, too. For example travel from Buenos Aires to Neuquén takes about 16 hours, but by plane the trip takes about 2 hr. Check this the Argentinian bus company's website for example, to check prices or schedules. It is recommended to buy the ticket two or three days before the trip (at least) to get a better price for it.

By bus
The best connections are alongside Ruta Nacional 3 at the Eastern side of Patagonia. In the South Andes, there are pretty good short- and mid-distance connections, but there is no line going directly from the northern part around Bariloche to Los Glaciares.

Beware that in the summer buses are often full, you should book some days in advance (above all around Christmas, New Year, January 15 and January 31).

By train
There is a fairly well-maintained night train service connecting Viedma, San Antonio Oeste and Bariloche. All other long-distance passenger service are suspended.

By thumb
Once you are sufficiently south in Argentina and Chile it is easy and safe to hitch-hike. Save money on bus travel and hitchhike your way up and down Ruta 40 or Ruta 3. However, a tent is advisable due to the large distances, lack of budget accommodation and sometimes rare traffic. If you don't have a tent, try to start hitchhiking really early in the morning so you don't arrive after nightfall. New places seem much more interesting and welcoming in the daytime. Always have a backup plan, the weather in Patagonia can be strenuous.

Most often you will be picked up by truck drivers that are bored and are trying to stay awake; they usually want to talk. As a woman, try not to fall asleep when hitch-hiking and be careful, even if it is Patagonia.

See

 * Near Puerto Madryn are the penguin colonies of Punta Tombo and Camarones.

Also, along the main routes on the east and west coast the following interesting sights can be found:

Do

 * View the Patagonian Ice Sheet from an airplane or nearby mountain.

Eat
In Patagonia, there are plenty of unique and delicious things to eat. As in all of Argentina, beef is important, but particular to the area is the cordero, lamb, which is of a unique flavor (supposedly because the Patagonian lamb eats a mixture of herbs found only in Patagonia) especially when grilled in the typical parrilla (grill).

 * Dulce de leche – Similar to caramel and made by adding sugar to milk and cooking it, is used on nearly all desserts, including facturas (pastries eaten for breakfast or tea, or to accompany mate, filled with dulce de leche, dulce de membrillo, crema pastelera, roquefort, or many other things), alfajores (traditional cookies that consist of tiny biscuits stuck together), and many other Argentine desserts.

Drink

 * Mate (pronounced MAH-tay) – A bitter tea, is drunk very frequently. Adding sugar is not rare because of its bitter taste. Other things are commonly added, including milk, sugar, lemon or orange rinds and cinnamon sticks.

Go next

 * Chile – Many people cross between Chile and Argentina in Patagonia, or even go back and forth depending on the sights and travel options.
 * Tierra del Fuego – The very south of Argentina, though if you travel overland you still need to travel through Chile.

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

title: Patagonia (Argentina)


text:
Dr. Ambedkar Nagar

Dr. Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow) is a town in Western Madhya Pradesh.

Understand
Patalpani is a locality near the city of Mhow.

Go next

 * Indore

title: Dr. Ambedkar Nagar


text:
Patan

Patan, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, is one of the largest cities in Nepal and is located just across the Bagmati river from Kathmandu. Confusingly, it is also known as Lalitpur, both names deriving from the Sanskrit "Lalitapattan". Like its larger neighbour, Patan also boasts a Durbar Square full of temples, statues, and palaces and, in addition, has the must-see attraction of Patan Museum. As a traditional centre of handicrafts, Patan is a great place to purchase jewellery, Buddha statues  and masks.

Get in
Note: Nepal Buses & Micro buses are not very good for handicapped people or the faint of heart. The people are very friendly, but the vehicles are very old & rough.
 * Micro Bus from Ratnapark in Kathmandu (15 rps, 10 rps for students/volunteers with a Nepalese ID card).
 * Taxis are a more expensive option 200-350 rps (~3-5 USD).
 * Buses. Catch a blue or green bus on Kathmandu's Ring Road (loops around Kathmandu Valley) for 15 to 20 rps. Tell the cashier/attendant that you want to go to Patan. He'll let you know when you get there. It's only a 15 min walk to Patan Dubar Square from Ring Road.
 * Walk. It is quite straightforward to walk from Thamel to Patan in about 90 minutes with many things to see along the way. There are a couple of bridges providing access from Kathmandu to Patan so a good city map would be an asset.

Get around

 * The city and its sites are best seen on foot.
 * Taxis, minibuses, and tuk tuks are widely available.

Durbar Square
Durbar Square is the Palace Square of Patan. Approaching the square from the south side you have the palace on your right and a series of temples on your left. Admission to the area for tourists is Rs 1000 (March 2023).You should pay this at a booth at the south end of Durbar Square or at another entrance to the area further to the north. It is also your entry ticket to the museum (no extra cost). You will likely be approached by various square workers if your entrance ticket isn't visible. If you plan repeated visits and will be in Nepal for some time, get the ticket booth attendant to endorse your entrance ticket for a longer period. You will likely have to show your passport and entry visa. There is a confusing array of temples and other interesting items on the left-hand side of the square. Again, walking from the south end of the square, you pass:
 * Two smaller temples dedicated to Vishnu, dating back to 1590 and 1652.
 * A stone temple to Krishna, considered to be a masterpiece, with some amazing stonework. Note the Garuda on the pillar in front, which has eyes of crystal.
 * Two smaller temples dedicated to Vishnu, dating back to 1590 and 1652.
 * A stone temple to Krishna, considered to be a masterpiece, with some amazing stonework. Note the Garuda on the pillar in front, which has eyes of crystal.
 * Two smaller temples dedicated to Vishnu, dating back to 1590 and 1652.
 * A stone temple to Krishna, considered to be a masterpiece, with some amazing stonework. Note the Garuda on the pillar in front, which has eyes of crystal.
 * Two smaller temples dedicated to Vishnu, dating back to 1590 and 1652.
 * A stone temple to Krishna, considered to be a masterpiece, with some amazing stonework. Note the Garuda on the pillar in front, which has eyes of crystal.
 * A stone temple to Krishna, considered to be a masterpiece, with some amazing stonework. Note the Garuda on the pillar in front, which has eyes of crystal.

Do
Just wander around keeping your eyes open for all the amazing sights.

Learn

 * Satyananda Yoga Centre, Ganesh Marga, Shankhamul, New Baneswar (a 15 minutes walk from Patan Durbar Square). Group and individual courses. Yoga Camps.

Others

 * Wooden and metal handicrafts. There are many metalworking shops near Durbar Square.
 * Thanka, or traditional paintings.
 * Pilgrims Books on the right-hand side of Sahid Sukra Marg as it climbs the hill after crossing the Bagmati river (opposite the Himalaya Hotel) has an amazing selection of books on Nepal and Kathmandu, on Buddhism, Hinduism and many other religions, as well as a good selection of novels in English. Several small rooms of souvenirs. Search out the oddities, such as a Kama Sutra colouring book, strangely sold next to children's colouring books.
 * Saraswati further up the road from Pilgrims, has more academic books. Ekta, turn left in Jawalakhel chowk, has academic text books, and a good selection of novels.
 * Saraswati further up the road from Pilgrims, has more academic books. Ekta, turn left in Jawalakhel chowk, has academic text books, and a good selection of novels.

Eat

 * Cafe de Patan. A pleasant, centrally located restaurant and cafe (see 'sleep' section)
 * Patan Museum Cafe
 * Downtown. One of the best value restaurants in Patan. Excellent food.
 * LaSoon. A small restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating set in a nice garden and serving a mixed menu with daily specials. Try the La Soon Plate or the La Soon Platter, one of which is vegetarian. They also do nice chocolate brownies. It's good value and well worth a visit.
 * Summit Hotel. Good on a Friday night as they have a barbecue by the pool.
 * Manny's Eatery & Tapas Bar - good food and ambience. Located inside the "Shaligram Village" in Jawalakhel.
 * There's a popular street in Jhamsikhel past the fire brigade which is host to numerous restaurants, popular with expatriates and locals. It's informally known as "Jhamel", a take on the more touristy Thamel, but much more chilled out.
 * Manny's Eatery & Tapas Bar - good food and ambience. Located inside the "Shaligram Village" in Jawalakhel.
 * There's a popular street in Jhamsikhel past the fire brigade which is host to numerous restaurants, popular with expatriates and locals. It's informally known as "Jhamel", a take on the more touristy Thamel, but much more chilled out.
 * Manny's Eatery & Tapas Bar - good food and ambience. Located inside the "Shaligram Village" in Jawalakhel.
 * There's a popular street in Jhamsikhel past the fire brigade which is host to numerous restaurants, popular with expatriates and locals. It's informally known as "Jhamel", a take on the more touristy Thamel, but much more chilled out.
 * Manny's Eatery & Tapas Bar - good food and ambience. Located inside the "Shaligram Village" in Jawalakhel.
 * There's a popular street in Jhamsikhel past the fire brigade which is host to numerous restaurants, popular with expatriates and locals. It's informally known as "Jhamel", a take on the more touristy Thamel, but much more chilled out.
 * Manny's Eatery & Tapas Bar - good food and ambience. Located inside the "Shaligram Village" in Jawalakhel.
 * There's a popular street in Jhamsikhel past the fire brigade which is host to numerous restaurants, popular with expatriates and locals. It's informally known as "Jhamel", a take on the more touristy Thamel, but much more chilled out.

Drink
There are plenty of choices like Manny's to have a good drink in Patan. The popular Jhamsikhel and Jawalakhel areas have various good bars with good music.

Sleep
While most tourists stay in hotels in Kathmandu city centre when in the Valley, mainly concentrated in the tourist catchment area of Thamel and its vicinity, Patan which is 4 km from Thamel is fast becoming an area of preference for those in the know looking for more space and less chaos. Many of the expatriate communities live in the Patan area as the INGO's like the UN, DFID, GTZ are located there. The Swiss and Norwegian Embassies are also in Patan.

Mid-range

 * Shaligram Hotel & Apartments. Past the national zoo on the right hand side before the Embassy of Switzerland. url:http://www.shaligramhotel.com/". Lovely for short or long stays. The Manny's Eatery and Tapas Bar and Nirvana Wellness Centre are outside.
 * Shaligram Hotel & Apartments. Past the national zoo on the right hand side before the Embassy of Switzerland. url:http://www.shaligramhotel.com/". Lovely for short or long stays. The Manny's Eatery and Tapas Bar and Nirvana Wellness Centre are outside.
 * Shaligram Hotel & Apartments. Past the national zoo on the right hand side before the Embassy of Switzerland. url:http://www.shaligramhotel.com/". Lovely for short or long stays. The Manny's Eatery and Tapas Bar and Nirvana Wellness Centre are outside.
 * Shaligram Hotel & Apartments. Past the national zoo on the right hand side before the Embassy of Switzerland. url:http://www.shaligramhotel.com/". Lovely for short or long stays. The Manny's Eatery and Tapas Bar and Nirvana Wellness Centre are outside.
 * Shaligram Hotel & Apartments. Past the national zoo on the right hand side before the Embassy of Switzerland. url:http://www.shaligramhotel.com/". Lovely for short or long stays. The Manny's Eatery and Tapas Bar and Nirvana Wellness Centre are outside.
 * Shaligram Hotel & Apartments. Past the national zoo on the right hand side before the Embassy of Switzerland. url:http://www.shaligramhotel.com/". Lovely for short or long stays. The Manny's Eatery and Tapas Bar and Nirvana Wellness Centre are outside.
 * Shaligram Hotel & Apartments. Past the national zoo on the right hand side before the Embassy of Switzerland. url:http://www.shaligramhotel.com/". Lovely for short or long stays. The Manny's Eatery and Tapas Bar and Nirvana Wellness Centre are outside.
 * Shaligram Hotel & Apartments. Past the national zoo on the right hand side before the Embassy of Switzerland. url:http://www.shaligramhotel.com/". Lovely for short or long stays. The Manny's Eatery and Tapas Bar and Nirvana Wellness Centre are outside.

title: Patan


text:
Patapsco Valley State Park

Patapsco Valley State Park is in Central Maryland.

Understand
Patapsco Valley is easily the largest park (save the narrow Rock Creek National Park) in the densely populated section of the country between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. As such, it is quite popular with day-trippers and campers alike seeking to escape the suburban sprawl for a while, and to explore its natural and historic sights.

Get in
The park is just west of the Baltimore Beltway, and the principal road in the area is US-40, the Baltimore National Pike, which cuts right through the park. The main visitor center is at 8020 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City.

Fees and permits
Day use during the main season is $2 for Maryland residents; $3 for out-of-staters.

Sleep
Call +1-888-432-2267 for reservations, which are often necessary in nice weather, given the lack of camping opportunities in this densely populated section of the state.

Camping
Tent and cabin camping are possible in designated campsites; the former costs $10/night and the latter $20. Separate from these campsites are sites for RV camping, with full hookups for $25.

Go next
The park is just north of Ellicott City—worth a visit for its old Main Street, with its historic attractions and fine dining.

title: Patapsco Valley State Park


text:
Patensie

Patensie is a small town in the Gamtoos River Valley in the Eastern Cape province, near Humansdorp. The town exists mostly to support the citrus farms surrounding it, but with the stunning views in the valley, proximity to the nature reserves and many game farms, it is also offers a lot of opportunities for tourism.

Understand
Patensie is in a citrus-producing area on the edge of the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve (part of the Cape Floral Region world heritage site) and the Stinkhoutberg Nature Reserve.

By car
Follow the N2 West from Port Elizabeth (about 70 km) or the N2 East from Garden Route and take the Humansdorp turnoff (R330). Follow the R330 to Hankey and then the R331 to Patensie.

The R330 and R331 are tarred roads in very good condition, but if you intend to explore further into Baviaanskloof, a 4x4 is advisable.

By plane
The nearest domestic airport is Port Elizabeth Airport, approximately 110 km away, the nearest international airport is Cape Town International Airport, approximately 600 km away.

Get around
The town is very small and most of the attractions you would want to see will be in the surrounding areas, you really need a hired car in order to explore.

The R330 and R331 into Patensie and most of the surrounding roads are in very good condition and a normal car is all you will need. If however, you want to explore further into Baviaanskloof a 4x4 is recommended as many of the roads in the reserve are gravel and some roads may not be driveable with a normal car. This is especially true for the road between Combrink's pass and Sandvlakte. for an update on the condition of the road.

See
The Gamtoos valley offers many stunning views and rock formations. Best way is to take a slow drive and explore the surrounding area.

Go next
Further inland along the R331 is the Paul Sauer dam and the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve. The dam can be accessed with a normal car as it is all tar road except for the last 4 km that is well graded gravel. A 4x4 is a must to enjoy the Baviaanskloof.

 * The beaches and surf at St Francis and Jeffreys Bay is less than 50 km away.
 * The Tsitsikamma National Park.
 * Visit Hankey and final resting place of Sarah Baartman.
 * Visit Hankey and final resting place of Sarah Baartman.

title: Patensie


text:
Paternoster

Paternoster is a small, traditional fishing village turned holiday destination. It is located on the northern shores of a small cape, Cape Columbine, on the west coast of South Africa.

By car
Follow the R27 north from Cape Town for about 120 km. Take the R45 turnoff west to Vredenburg. Drive through Vredenburg and keep on the R45 until you reach Paternoster.

By bus
Elwierda Bus Company (+27 21 418-4673) runs a daily service from Cape Town to Vredenburg. Some accommodation establishments, such as the Beach Camp in Cape Columbine Nature Reserve, will be happy to collect you in Vredenburg.

Get around
There is only one entrance to Paternoster at the four-way stop. Getting around within Paternoster can be done by foot. All shops, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and the wine lounge are within walking distance of each other.

The Old Town stretches about 1 kilometre from the four-way stop to Gaatjie Restaurant.

Eat
The west coast of South Africa, and in particular Paternoster, is well known for good quality crayfish.

Go next

 * Visit the West Coast Fossil Park close to Langebaan

title: Paternoster


text:
Pateros (Washington)

Pateros is a city in the North Cascades region of Washington State. It gains its name from the town of the same name in the Philippines.

title: Pateros (Washington)


text:
Paterson

Paterson is New Jersey's third largest city (about 155,000 inhabitants as of 2022), and hosts a great attraction: the Great Falls, which are very extensive and second only to Niagara Falls in terms of volume of water in waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Paterson is 12 miles away from Manhattan. It is an ethnically diverse city that houses large Hispanic, Arab, Italian-American, African American and Bengali communities. South Paterson is home to one of the nation's largest Arab communities.

Understand
Paterson was the nation's first planned industrial city. It was established in 1791. The Paterson falls were a key element in the success of Paterson as the industrial leader of the nation during this time. The 77-foot falls' power was harnessed and provided power for the many industries in Paterson. Paterson was a rich city and enjoyed success throughout the late 1700s, 1800s and early 1900s (up until the 1950s). Paterson was nicknamed the silk city for its dominant role in the production in silk during the mid 1800s.

The city began to decline during the 1960s and 1970s was due to several factors. Many industries during this time began moving to the Midwest, and at the same time, many African Americans were moving into the city from the south. Factories were closing at the same time African Americans moved in looking for employment. Many white residents began leaving the city due to the declining economy. The opening of malls in nearby Paramus and Wayne also took away significant business from the city's downtown shopping district.

With a crippled economy and high unemployment rate, Paterson was becoming a ghetto. During the 1980s, crime increased significantly in the city. Crime rates dropped in the 1990s, but still remain high. There are many efforts underway to help revive the city. Despite the city's bad reputation, high crime rates, and poverty, there are a lot of places to go and things to do in this city. The city is very diverse and contains a very high population of Hispanics of all nationalities, African Americans, Italian Americans, South Asians and Arabs. There are numerous parks, ethnic places to eat, shop, hang out, and see.

Neighborhoods
This city has a number of distinctive neighborhoods:

Great Falls District This is the district in which the Great Falls and Paterson Museum is located. This section is just west of Downtown and is near I-80. Though the area fell on to hard times as jobs from the mills moved out, there are many plans to revive the area and some redevelopment has already taken place as of 2023.

Downtown Paterson is the main commercial area of the city. The Paterson Bus Station is on Broadway. The Paterson Train Station is on Market St. Through this isn't the shopping mecca that it once was, many people still flock to the Downtown Area to buy clothes, items, and various goods. Paterson City Hall, The Passaic County Court House Annex, and various buildings are architectural landmarks that are relics of Paterson's Golden Age. There is a Little Italy subsection on and near Cianci St. That have many Italian shops, clubs, and food store. Also, a "Little Lima" subsection is on Market St., just west of City Hall. It is home to one of the largest Peruvian sections in the nation. There are many Peruvian restaurants that serve ceviche (Peruvian sushi) and chifa (Chinese Peruvian food) on market. The City Center mall opened in 2008.

EastSide Park in the city's 3rd Ward, EastSide Park is known for its mansions and colonial style homes. The eponymous park is where many Patersonians come to enjoy the nature and large homes that were once home to Paterson's rich and political leaders. This area was once home to many Jewish families. There is still a massive synagogue on E. 33rd St. that is a landmark in the city.

Manor Section is a quiet tree line area of Paterson, that is located near Eastside Park. North of Broadway and Southwest of McLean Blvd. (Route 20). This is in the city's 3rd Ward.

South Paterson in the city's 6th ward, is just south of 1-80 and North of the city of Clifton. This is a thriving Arab area that is said to be home to the second largest percentage of Arab population in the country, behind Dearborn, Michigan, which is how the district got its nickname, Little Ramallah. Many restaurants that offer falafel, gyros, pitas, and many other types of Arab cuisine. Shops, and retail stores are located on Main Street. There is also a large Spanish population in that area along Main Street, and Railroad Ave. St. Joseph's Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the state, is on Main St.

LakeView in the city's 6th ward is a quiet, middle class area that is east of South Paterson and south of the Eastside. Paterson's Farmers Market, one of the largest in New Jersey, is on and near Railroad Ave. It is an area where residents and visitors alike buy fresh produce and meat from the many shops and markets.

Hillcrest, in the 2nd ward, is a middle class to lower middle-class area near Totowa, NJ. Union Ave., and Chamberland Ave., are main streets for this area. West Side Park is in this area.

People's Park, near 21st Ave (South of Market St. North of 23rd Ave), is a major Spanish and Italian neighborhood. Restaurants, shops and all types of business are in this section. One can enjoy Columbian, Peruvian, Dominican, or Italian foods by walking down or near 21st Ave.

Wrigley Park is a mostly African-American section that is known to many Patersonians as "Fourth Ward". It is one of the poorest areas in Paterson. Broadway, Madison Ave, 12th Ave, Hamilton Ave, have been known to be not safe at times, crime and drugs are known are frequent through out this section. It is still one of the most dangerous sections of an already quite dangerous city.

Sandy Hill, in the city's 5th ward, is a mostly Dominican section of Paterson. Le Fe Restaurant is one of the most popular through out the city.

North Side is a mostly African-American and Latino section. The North Side suffers from the same effects as Wrigley Park. This section has many hills that offer views of Manhattan on a clear sunny day. This area is in the city's 1st Ward.

Totowa Section, on and near Union Ave., near the North Side, is a mostly Spanish area with a rising Bengali population. Shops and restaurants are located on Union Ave. This section is in the city's 1st and 2nd ward.

Stoney Road, near the falls and downtown, is Paterson's most south-west section. It is home to the Lou Costello Pool which is packed during the summer. Also, Pennington Park and Hayden Heights. Murry Ave, and McBride Ave, are main streets in this section. This area retains a strong Italian presence. This section is in the city's 2nd Ward.

Riverside, one of Paterson's largest section by area, is bounded by the Passaic River which separates the city from Fair Lawn and Hawthorne. This area can go from being quiet and middle class, to urban and industrial in some parts. Madison Ave is the main street for this area. This area is home to many Spanish and African-Americans. As well as a sizable white community. This area is in the city's 3rd and 4th Ward.

EastSide is another large area of Paterson. Mostly made up of smaller districts (Wrigly Park, Sandy Hill or parts of Riverside, and Eastside Park "Eastside"). Eastside is a section to itself north of South Paterson and Lakeview, east of downtown and west of the Passaic River. This is mostly a working class to middle class section of the city.

By car
Paterson is easily accessible via Route 80 and Route 4 in New Jersey.

By train
The Main Line run by NJ Transit has a stop in Paterson.

By bus and jitney
There are jitneys (a type of van) that run along Route 4 from the Port Authority George Washington Bridge terminal in Upper Manhattan, and there are also New Jersey Transit buses from the main Port Authority terminal near Times Square.

Get around
Paterson is a small city in area: it is only 8 square miles, but it has more than 150,000 residents. There are many bus lines that come frequently enough that you can travel from the city without a car.

Paterson is a major transit hub for Passaic County, and North Jersey. New Jersey Transit provide bus routes into and out of the city. Route 161, 190, and 171 provide service from Paterson to New York City. Route 72, provides service from Paterson to Newark's Penn Station. Also,route 74 702,703,704,707,712,722, (742 Sat Only), 744, 746, and 748 provide service throughout the city.

There are many dollar bus vans that provide express service from Paterson to Clifton, Passaic, Union City, and Times Square in Manhattan. You can ride these buses going down Main St. These buses also ride down Broadway. They provide service to Garden State Plaza, and GWB Bus Terminal in Upper Manhattan.

Paterson also has a train station on Market St., in the Downtown Area. You can take a train to Hoboken or Suffern, NY.

Having a car can be more convenient, though parking in some parts of the city is difficult.

See

In addition, Paterson has some beautiful mill buildings near the falls that are in various states of repair or disrepair. Some have been repurposed as residential or office buildings, a Christian school, a silk store and so forth; some are undergoing renovation and conversion as of 2023; and others are in ruins, waiting for someone to restore their facades and turn them into something profitable. There are also various other pretty buildings that help make up Paterson's skyline, including several churches, the former Custom House, the central Post Office, and a sizable and distinctive City Hall with a prominent tower.

Do
There are also many night clubs in Paterson catering to the hip hop and Latino communities. Though some of these clubs run illegally. It is best to stay with legitimate clubs in Downtown Paterson.

Buy
You can get many cheap items in Paterson. Paterson has many discount clothing stores.

Eat
There are many Dominican, Peruvian, Italian, Puerto Rican, Arab, & African restaurants in Paterson.

Sleep
There are not that many hotels in Paterson. It is better to visit Paterson by day, or sleep over in a motel near Paterson.

Stay safe
Though Paterson has a reputation of being a crime-ridden city, it is not all doom and gloom as many suburbanites would suggest. In fact, Paterson's crime rate is comparable to that of mid-sized Midwestern cities, such as Grand Rapids, Michigan. That said, one should exercise ordinary caution when visiting the city. Most of the crime in Paterson is in certain sections: Wrigley Park (4th Ward), Northside, and parts of Riverside, Totowa Section and Sandy Hill. It is best to avoid drug areas such as the 4th Ward or Northside. Most crime in Paterson is said to be drug related. Areas such as Downtown, Eastside Park, the Manor Section, and the Falls District have little to no crime, but it is still wise to keep a watchful eye and call the police if you feel threatened.

Go next
Wayne and Paramus are nearby. Paramus features many malls including three mega malls and is home to the Garden State Plaza, the second largest mall in the New York Metropolitan Area. The four major Paramus malls: the Garden State Plaza, the Bergen Mall, the Paramus Park Mall, and the Fashion Center as well as the smaller shopping plazas are all closed on Sundays.

title: Paterson


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Pathanamthitta

Pathanamthitta is a country-side town in Kerala in Southern India. The town also serves as district headquarters for district that shares the same name. Pathanamthitta is famous for its large rubber plantations, lumber mills and wood industries. The town is known as Pilgrim capital of Kerala, due to its proximity to Kerala's largest Hindu Pilgrimage center- Sabarimala which attracts more than 50 million devotees around the year, making it largest pilgrim center in the world. Apart from Hindu pilgrimage, Pathanamthitta also hosts annual Maramon Convention, the largest Christian convention of Asia.

Understand
Pathanamthitta is a countryside town in laps of Western ghats. The town was formed when ten Nair feudal families settled near Achankovil river. Soon several families settled here, considering the fertile soil, ideal for rice farming.

The Syro-Malabar Church made its strong foothold here, with several missionaries activities. The missionaries brought in rubber plantations, which attract large number of Christian immigrants from other parts of Kerala, to own their own large tracts of land for rubber plantations.

Pathanamthitta is also famous for its thriving Hindu culture, particularly strongholds of Nair caste. The presence of numerous small principalities headed by Nair feudal lords, brought attention of Maharaja Marthanada Varma of Travancore in 18th century to annex these principalities to form a strong Nair army. The town rose into major Hindu pilgrimage center, when a small Hindu hill top shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, became one of the Royal temples of Travancore. Ever since 20th century, the popularity of shrine reached world-wide, which resulted in attracted millions of pilgrims. After Indian Independence, the town became part of Kerala and made as 12th district of Kerala.

Lush rain forests around the town, brought several lumber-mills to the region, propelling its regional growth. Punalur Paper Mills and Forest Industries of Travancore, were two major large scale industries that started employing people in large number. Presence of several missionaries schools and colleges, helped the locals to gain better higher education and professional training, which propelled a large number to migrate to US and western countries. The town thus is known as NRI (Non-Resident Indians) hub of Kerala.

Speak
Malayalam is the main language spoken by locals. The town's proximity to Tamil Nadu, has brought several Tamil laborers and migrants here, due to which Tamil is widely spoken and understood here. As the town has one of the largest number of convent schools and colleges in Kerala, English is widely understood and spoken. Due to presence of Sabarimala which attracts large crowds from all over India, many locals are trained to understand and speak elementary Kannada, Telugu and Hindi. Most of the signages in the town are written in all 4 languages of South India, apart from English and Hindi for the same purpose.

Climate
The town is located in laps of Western ghats range, thereby receives one of the heaviest rainfall in Kerala. It rains almost 9 months in a year. Summers are comparatively mild.and nights are colder. Fogs are common in early mornings during months of December and January.

Tourist information
The tourist season starts from September to April. The Sabarimala Mandala Pilgrimage starts from November 16th onwards, which lasts till mid of January, creating a massive influx of pilgrims all over India and from other parts of world. Special arrangements such as additional buses, trains and tourist centers are opened by various agencies to cater the pilgrimage tourists. Its better to check with Kerala Tourism Office or District Tourist Office to plan your trip.

 * District Tourist Office : +91-(0)468-232-2657
 * KTDC Tourist Reception : +91-(0)468-232-6409
 * DTPC Tourism Cell : +91-(0)468-222-9952

Kerala Police maintains special tourist offices, during Mandalam Pilgrimage season. The Police Tourist Office maintains a dedicated website and mobile support assistance.

By plane
Cochin International Airport 142 km, or Thiruvananthapuram International airport at 113 km. Direct flights there from the Middle East, Singapore, Maldives, Europe and Sri Lanka. An airport is planned at Aranmula, 55 km from Sabarimala shrine, to connect temple town with other parts of India and seasonal international flight.

Alternatively reach major international gateway airports at Chennai (Madras), Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, or other Indian cities and then by train.

By helicopter
Cochin Airport has started scheduled copter services from the Airport Helipad to Nilakkal Helipad, operated by Bharat Airways Helicopters.

By train
Pathanamthitta do not have any railway station inside the town. The nearest railway stations are Thiruvalla railway station is 30 km away and Chengannur railway station is 26 km away. During Sabarimala pilgrimage season, special trains ply connecting Chengannur and Thiruvalla from other parts of India. Special trains will carry images of Lord Ayyappa and marked as Sabarimala Special (SS). A major Sabari-Rail line project is under construction, planned to create a Sabarimala temple railway station. Chengannur and Thiruvalla Rail stations are well connected with regular buses to Pathanamthitta, right from the arrival gate at every 2 minutes.

By bus
The state-run KSRTC and private luxury bus operators connect Pathanamthitta from other cities. There are daily direct bus services from Mumbai, Chennai & Bangalore. Frequent buses are available from cities like Kottayam, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Coimbatore, Mangalore & Madurai. KSRTC operates chain services during Mandala pilgrimage time and on every 1st and 2nd day of Malayalam months to cater pilgrim crowds to Sabarimala. Karnataka STC and Tamil Nadu SETC also operates special services during pilgrimage season. But expect heavy congestion during pilgrimage season. Luxury buses also operate, though its not as common other non-A/c services.

By road
To reach Pathanamthitta by road:
 * Kochi - Alappuzha - Changanassery - Tiruvalla - Pathanamthitta
 * Thiruvananthapuram - Kottarakkara - Adoor - Kaipattoor - Pathanamthitta
 * Munnar / Thekkadi - Kanjirappally - Erumeli - Ranni - Pathanamthitta
 * Thenkasi - Punalur - Konni - Pathanamthitta

Pathanamthitta is well connected to other cities Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore through Kochi (NH-17), Bangalore, Chennai and Coimbatore through Thrissur (NH-47).

Get around

 * Bus - local bus service system is very efficient in Pathanamthitta and is the most economical way to commute.
 * Autorickshaw - this is cheap way of transportation facility between attractions. Beware, the auto drivers may charge you much higher if they think you are not native to the place.
 * Taxi - both Local taxis and Tourist Taxis are available at cheap rates. Share taxis are also common, to cater pilgrims.
 * Car - there are many Car rental companies offering cars with drivers or self drive.

Sabarimala Temple
The prime attraction of Pathanamthitta is the Great Temple of Lord Ayyappa. The temple is dedicated Lord Dharmashastha or popularly known as Ayyappan.

Legends
Myths recall that Lord Ayyappa is born as son of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, to destroy Demoness Mahashi who gained a boon that she could be killed only in hands a son born to two male gods. Lord Shiva, who was determined to destroy the ruthless Mahashi decided to call support of Lord Vishnu, who appeared before Shiva in a female form known as Mohini (enchantress) and a son was born to them, after their divine union. The baby was left in the forests of Pathanamthitta, only to be adopted by a native ruler- the King of Pandalam (a nearby principality). The young prince in his late teens soon happened to meet the demoness during a hunting and after a duel, killed her, thus accomplishing his mission. Prince Ayyappa decided to renounce world pleasures and live as a hectic in deep yogic meditation in the forests. On his father's demand, he allowed his subjects to meet him only for 41 days in a year, blessing anyone who treks the dense forest and meet him after take severe ascetic lifestyle.

Structure
The temple is situated on a hilltop at an altitude of 468 m above mean sea level, and is surrounded by mountains and dense forests. Temples exist in each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala. While functional and intact temples exist at many places in the surrounding areas like Nilackal, Kalaketi, and Karimala, remnants of old temples survive to this day on remaining hills. Devotees must climb the mountains range to reach the temple. For this, pilgrims trek 4.5 km route into dense forest path, leaving all vehicles at Nilakkal parking station. For handicapped pilgrims, doli service (palanquins) are available. The main temple is better known as Sannidhanam (Sacred Abode), constructed on top of a raised platform. 18 golden steps lead to temple shrine, each step considered sacred with reference to each Hindu Veda and other scriptures.

2 temples are located at ground floor, one dedicated to Lord Ganesh and another for Goddess. A giant fire pit is situated on left side 18 golden steps, where devotees need to burn their coconuts as a token burning their sins.

The temple is open for 41 days from November 16th or 17th (1st day of Vrishicka Month of Malayalam Calendar) and goes till mid of January. The grand festivities of Makara Sankrathi marks the end of Mandala pilgrimage. Apart from this pilgrimage season, the temple opens for all 1st and 2nd day for Malayalam Month. For tourists, the second option is more ideal than Mandala pilgrimage, considering the heavy rush.

Main pujas and offerings
The main pujas are on opening and closing days of Mandalam Pilgrimage as well as on Makara Sankrathi day, which attended by maximum number of pilgrims. The 10 day annual festival also coincide with Mandalam pilgrimage. Apart from special day pujas, 4 pujas are considered highly sacred which is conducted on daily basis. The Usha Puja (Morning Puja), Ucha Puja (Afternoon Puja), Abishekam (pouring libations) and Padi Puja (special pujas conducted on 18 holy steps at closure of temple in night). The temple is also famous for lighting maximum camphors as a token of devotion.

The main offering sacred to lord is Abishekams. Neyyu-Abishekams (Ghee Pouring) is highly sacred and ghee brought by all devotees in their Irumudi Kettus will be used to do. Likewise in evenings Pushabishekam (Flower pourings) as well as Bhasma Absihekam (ash pourings) will be conducted, which all be distributed among devotees. Another common offerings are Appam (a sweet dumplings) as well as Aravana (a thick sweet black dessert made of jaggery) which most of devotees buy.

Free food is distributed among devotees during all pilgrimage seasons, by various organizations and governmental agency.

Pilgrimage centres
Pathanamthitta is the Pilgrimage Capital of Kerala, which attracts millions of both Hindu and Christian Devotees. Apart from Sabarimala, the town and its nearby villages houses more than 6 dozen famous temples and churches, many are of international fame. Some of the prominent are;

Eat
There are a lot of small hotels and eateries which dot the landscape of Pathanamthitta town. A few posh Christian hotels restaurants can be found town, serving alcohol and typical Syrian Christian foods.

Sleep
There are numerous hotels in Pathanamthitta town. However only a few splurge and moderate accommodation are available, as most of pilgrim tourists are required to refrain from luxurious accommodations. However its quite easy to find a budget accommodation, as there are numerous to cater. Most of them offers only basic amenities, as pilgrims are required to keep basic ascetic lifestyle.

title: Pathanamthitta


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Pathankot

Pathankot is a city and district in the Indian state of Punjab.

Understand
Pathankot is used as a gateway for Chamba and Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh and for various locations in Jammu and Kashmir like Jammu City Mansar Lake, Srinagar, Udhampur, Holy Cave at Amarnath, Patni Top and Holy Cave of Mata Vashino Devi (Katra) 155 km away from Pathankot.

By train

It is the nearest mainline railhead for Dharamsala (though the Kangra Valley Railway stops within 20 km of Dharamsala). Two mainlines head south: one to Amritsar (2 hr) and one to Delhi (8 hr). All north-bound services to Jammu (2 hr) pass through, with cantonment the main station for Jammu trains; it is 4 km from the main station and is smaller with limited facilities.

By bus

Public HRTC buses to Dharamsala take 3-4 hr twisting and turning hours and cost ₹200, while buses to Amritsar take 3 hr and cost the same. Dalhousie, a famous destination for honeymoon couples, is 80 km from Pathankot.

Pathankot is situated at the entry point of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The famous Hindu Pilgrimage Vaishno devi is just 160 km from Pathankot. From Chandigarh it's just 6 hours. It is well connected with bus services from Punjab roadways, Haryana Roadways, Himachal Roadways and J&K transport.

Get around
You can take an auto rickshaw or a bicycle rickshaw at cheap rates. You can reach at any part of Pathankot by spending just ₹5 or a maximum of ₹10. These are quite the safest modes of transport in Patahnkot.

See
Pathankot is surrounded by both the Shivalik range, part of what makes up the foothills of The Himalayas, and the river Chakki. There are some old temples like Kali Mata Mandir, Mandir Aashapurni, Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, and Bhagwan Shiri Satya Sai Baba's Mandir at the northern part of town in the village Manwal. There are also beautiful British-era churches on Mission Road, huge Gurudwaras (Sikh temples) and a very ancient mosque right in the middle of downtown Pathankot, mixing all the colorful cultures of India.

There is a beautiful view of the river Ravi from "Pari Baagh" Madhupur.

 * Jugial Township – 15 km (approx) from Pathankot. This place has greenery all around and one Laxmi Narayan Mandir which is the biggest among the nearby areas.
 * Jugial Township – 15 km (approx) from Pathankot. This place has greenery all around and one Laxmi Narayan Mandir which is the biggest among the nearby areas.
 * Jugial Township – 15 km (approx) from Pathankot. This place has greenery all around and one Laxmi Narayan Mandir which is the biggest among the nearby areas.
 * Jugial Township – 15 km (approx) from Pathankot. This place has greenery all around and one Laxmi Narayan Mandir which is the biggest among the nearby areas.

The famous road/colony that forms the heart of city are 'mission road ', 'Model Town', Jodhamal colony, 'green heaven colony' and 'Patel chownk' road. Famous temples are Ashapurni mandir, Kali mata ka mandir, Shani Dev mandir, Raghunath Mandir in Mirpur Colony (Model Town), Hanuman Mandir near railway station, Ramlila ground. Also, devotees visit CNI church, Peer baba on Patel Chownk. Now new localities are coming up like 'Victoria Estate' and place near 'Doji Raam ki Nursery'. The residential land is decreasing day by day in its vicinity apart from famous 'Victoria Estate', land near 'Doji Raam ki Nursery' that are close to Shahpur Chownk and 'Green Heaven Colony'.

Do

 * Kangra Valley Railway – Take a scenic and slow trip up to Kangra near Dharamsala, or the whole way to Jogindernagar (164 km)
 * If you want to have some kind of adventures then you can hire bikes from Pathankot and go to nature's lap by enjoying the Himalayas.
 * There are lot of tour and travels near the bus stand and railway station area.

Buy
Pathankot was once famous for the timber trade with fine varieties of deodar, pine, fir and spruce being brought in from the far flung forests of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

 * Mission Road – At this place you can find all the branded showrooms for shoes and clothes (Diesel, Benetton, Cantabill, Flying Machine, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, etc.).
 * Sujanpur Market – If you want to purchase clothes at cheap and best rates, this is the place. People from Himachal, J&K came to this bazaar for shopping. Famous shops include " Bhatia Cloth House". People used to visit this market to shop for weddings. Also famous for utensils.
 * Chandi Chowk – Here you can find all the shops including branded showrooms. "Ghorkhas" are one of the oldest showroom of Pathankot and people still love to visit this shop. The "City Plaza" opposite the main post office has emerged as a major destination for all the fashion lovers of the city.

You can buy pure and semi pure pashmina shawls from here because of its closeness to two important pashmina manufacturing states Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. It's also famous for its crockery factory.

A very good collection of computer related accessories can be found here; you can easily get everything for computers which you can even find easily in New Delhi. Visit Shri Ram Datamatics, LIC Building, Dalhousie Road, Pathankot.

Eat
You can get excellent North Indian delicacies round the clock. A few of the renowned restaurants of the city are Hotel Venice, Hotel Woodland, Moti Mahal, Unite Hotel, Hotel Pathankot.

 * There are huge gardens of mango, litchi etc. You will find "dusheri mango" gardens fully loaded in the months of April. The flavour of mangoes will make you crazy for them. Litchi gardens for which pathankot is famous are full with red coloured fruit in months of May. Don't miss the chance to eat this by directly plucking from tree

You can also go for walk in evening towards Dalhousie Road and find many things to eat in lowest prices among the Pathankot you will find South Indian dishes like dosa, idli. Northern, Punjabi naan shole, fast food on famous prince da dhaba you will also find non veg, ice cream and lots more and you will enjoy your evening a lot.

You can also visit "Sanjha Chulla" on NH One from Pathankot To Jammu Raod near bridge number 3. It is very famous and for its food. They serve "Sahi Panner, Dal Makhani, mix veg, Channa Masala and many more. Above all, try their "Kheer". Two people can eat good food for only ₹100. This may be among the cheapest and tastiest food in the area.

If you are diehard fan of non veg, then a must visit is "Chan ka Dhaba and Baba Ka Dhaba" at Dalhausie Road Pathankot. You will get lot of variety of chicken and mutton dishes. Specialty: Mutton Tikka, chicken Tikka, mutton curry and Tandoori chicken and mutton Champ.

If you love sweets, you can visit 'Shhani di Hatti', 'Banarsi Di Hatti' (Banarsi's Shop), famous for a sweet called Palang-tod, meaning one which can break (tod) a bed (palang), basically a milk cake or PGT. The shop has been making it for more than 70 years. Also BIkaner Sweets is a good choice.

Must Try: Very old and very famous for "Burfi". If you are in Pathankot, then don't forget to eat "Khaare Kho ki Burfi". Just ask for "Khaara Khu" and people will guide you to get there.

Also, there are famous puris with chana and lassi for breakfast, and the famous bakery shops of Saini bakers and A-One bakers.

If you get bored with all spicy and fast food and want to have some home like food prepared with pure desi ghee at very reasonable prices, then you can go to "Chamba Dhabha" at Post office chowk. Don't go with the name of "Dhabha" (basically this is the one of the oldest hotels of Pathankot). Here you can really enjoy the taste of Himachal as all the cooks and staff have roots from Chamba.

If you're just passing through Pathankot and want to have anything from a quick munch to a splurge, stopover at:

Drink
This city is famous for lichis. You can eat the fruit or ask for lichi juice. In seasons other than summer when you cannot get fresh Lichi, ask for packaged lichi juice. Many big companies like package it.

Sleep
There are no budget options in this city except for the station rooms. So, it is better not to get stuck here on your way through. Just in case you do, you might be better off taking a quick bus to Amritsar and staying there.

Stay safe
Pathankot is by and large a very safe place. Violent crime is almost unheard of, although it's important to keep an eye on your belongings in public, as petty theft can occur at Railway stations. Do report any such activity to the police. Keep away from the touts. Most part of Pathankot City is covered by Army camps.

Heavy traffic and congestion at Gandhi Chowk and Dhangu Road Railway Crossing.

These days the traffic and transport situation in Pathankot has become very pathetic and getting daily deteriorated and dangerous due to increasing number of vehicles, 2, 3 and 4 wheelers, and indisciplined and careless driving of the citizens. People hardly follow traffic signals, lanes, no entries etc. The vehicles don't care for pedestrians crossing the roads. The enforcement of traffic laws by the traffic police is very rarely seen, unlike Delhi or other major cities. The road conditions are also very bad at some locations, especially during rainy seasons.

Drivers, both 2 and 4 wheelers, Army vehicles, normally do not follow one ways and drive from the wrong side of a divided road, even on highways. Crossing a busy street is always a nightmare. However, the link roads are good indeed.

Go next
One can stop over in Pathankot en route to Dharamshala (100 km), Dalhousie (70 km), Amritsar (108 km), Palampur (100 km), Chamba (100 km), Jammu (100 km), Hoshiarpur (100 km), Kangra (100 km), and Jalandhar (108 km) all in different directions from Pathankot.

Make sure you visit Dalhousie in winter (after 25th December) you can catch some real snow. Moreover, when you visit Dalhousie, don't forget to make your trip to Khajjiar. No wonder they call it an Indian Switzerland (try balloon riding, paragliding for kids, horse riding, taking a picture in their traditional dress, and dining at the restaurants.) To get your adrenaline flow, drive from Khagiar to Chamba; the narrow roads with breathtaking views will make your adrenaline flow for sure.

For religious trips like Jwalaji (130 km), Chintpurni (130 km), Pathankot becoms an ideal place to rest before heading to the hill route the next morning. A Grand Ranjit Sagar Dam (earthen Dam made of mud and not concrete) is a 100-km-long water reservoir. This is the latest tourist spot of Pathankot and is in "Must Visit". Chinmayya Temple (Swami Chinmayya Nand) is also on the way to Yol Camp (100 km). This is the place where the German Soldiers (POW) were kept in confinement after the Second World War by the British.

title: Pathankot


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Pathein

Pathein or Bassein (Burmese ပုသိမ်မြို့) is a city (pop. 315,600 as of 2004) and the capital of Ayeyarwady Division in Myanmar.

Understand
Lying at the western edge of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River delta, on the Pathein (Ngawan) River 190 km west of Yangon, Pathein is accessible to large vessels and despite its distance from the ocean, it is the most important delta port outside of Yangon. It is also the terminus of a branch of the main railway line. The city is a rice milling and export centre.

The city's name may derive from Pathi (Burmese word for "Muslim"), due to the large population of Arab and Indian traders. The name was corrupted to Bassein during the British colonial period. The British built a fort and established a garrison in 1826, after the First Anglo-Burmese War.

Pathein is now a peaceful little town with a scenic waterfront, many Buddhist temples, and Pathein umbrella workshops. The colourful handmade umbrellas made in Pathein are famous in Myanmar.

Although once part of the Mon kingdom, Pathein has few ethnic Mon residents today. There are sizable minorities of Karen and Rakhine.

By bus
Most pickups and smaller buses will drop of people at the from where it can be hard to find onward travel, e.g. north or to the beaches. If you do not want to stay in Pathein, take a motorbike (2,000 kyat) or pickup (1,000 kyat) out of the city to the bigger, from where it should be easy to catch onward travel. Equally, if you are dropped of at the latter, take a motorbike or pickup into the city.

 * Yangon – There are regular bus services from Dagon Ayar Highway Bus Station in the far northwest of Yangon. The trip takes around 5 hours, including a 30-minute break for tea and snacks. Tickets cost around 3,700 kyat per person. It is probably cheaper to buy a ticket to Pathein and then further to Chaung Tha or Ngwe Saung, in case you want to go there. Try the Shwe Mingala bus company.
 * Chaung Tha & Ngwe Saung – There are regular buses and pickups into Pathein, taking 1½-2 hr for about 3,500 kyat. Private taxis are around 30,000 kyat.
 * Ngapali – You have to take a bus from Thandwe bus station to Yangon and get off at Ngathaingchaung with the large bridge, from where you have to catch another bus or pickup to Pathein. The trip from Ngathaingchaung to Pathein takes about 3 hr for 1,500 kyat in a non-air-con bus. However, the trip from Ngapali to Ngathaingchaung can take up to 8 hr, so start early enough.
 * Pyay – The bus leaves at 06:30, takes about 10 hr and costs 6-10,000 kyat.

By train
The train to Pathein starts from either (100 km from Pyay) or Hinthada. Hence, coming from Pyay, you first have to take a local transport or a boat to one of the two cities.

By boat
As the roads have improved, there is no longer a ferry service to Pathein from Yangon.

Get around
The town is small enough that you can see much of the town on foot. Motorbike taxis are also readily available and the standard fare for a trip is 1,000 kyat (which however seems a little excessive).

A local ferry can take you to the Karen village across the river.

See

 * There are a number of small umbrella workshops, which have been operating for more than 200 years. The umbrellas are hand painted and are very cheap to buy (a few US dollars each). The waterproofing for the umbrellas must dry in the sun for several days, though, so there is little to see here during the rainy season, but they will show you the shop.

Eat

 * Beer garden with food for 2,000-4,000 kyat, overlooking the river.
 * Teashops are everywhere and easy to find. A cup of tea is 300 kyat, a plate of noodle salad is 800.
 * Beer garden with food for 2,000-4,000 kyat, overlooking the river.
 * Teashops are everywhere and easy to find. A cup of tea is 300 kyat, a plate of noodle salad is 800.
 * Beer garden with food for 2,000-4,000 kyat, overlooking the river.
 * Teashops are everywhere and easy to find. A cup of tea is 300 kyat, a plate of noodle salad is 800.

Bus
Most buses for distant destinations leave from the Highway Bus Station, otherwise try the City Bus Station (see ).

 * Chaung Tha & Ngwe Saung – Famous for its beaches. Pickups and buses take 1½ hr and cost about 3,500 kyat. Private taxis are around 30,000 kyat. The beach at Ngwe Saung is nice, but the locals that drive along them with their motorbike to offer transport and tours to tourists are a little off-putting. Do not expect many backpackers or many budget options.
 * Ngapali – The same (regarding accommodation) can be said about Ngapali, but you might want to spend some time in one of the comfortable resorts there if you are not on your own. To get there, take a bus to Ngathaingchaung, which takes 3 hr, starts at 09:30 and costs 1,500 kyat from the Highway Bus Station. There are smaller pickups from the just west of Paradise Hotel between Zay Chaung St and Myay Nu Rd that bring people to the Highway Bus Station for the Ngathaingchaung bus. In Ngathaingchaung, walk across the large bridge and about 300 m west until the end of the city, from where you can catch a direct AC bus to Ngapali. There are many passing by from Yangon, just hail at them. The second half of the trip toward the coast and along it are very exhausting due to the very bad and windy rood that sometimes only fits the bus itself. Expect to arrive between 19:00 and 21:00, and make sure you booked a hotel. There is no tourist accommodation available in Thandwe at the highway, only in Taungup, another 85 km north.
 * Pyay – Famous for the nearby and ancient Pyu city. Mostly early morning buses. 10 hr, 6-10,000 kyat.
 * Yangon – About 7 buses a day. 5 hr. 3,500-5,000 kyat.

Train
The is in the eastern/southeastern part of the city. There is a train to Hinthada at 05:30, which takes about 6 hr and costs 2,000 kyat for upper class. Also Kyankin, the last stop near Pyay, is served from Pathein.

title: Pathein


text:
Pathum Thani

Pathum Thani (ปทุมธานี) is a city in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region in Thailand.

Understand
Pathum Thani has been a residential area for not less than 300 years since the reign of King Narai the Great of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. In 1659, Mang Nanthamit gathered the Mon families in Martaban town to migrate from the Burmese war, and asked for protection from King Narai the Great. The king allowed the Mon families to settle in Sam Khok village, and the Sam Khok community has continuously developed. Then, during the reign of King Taksin the Great of Thon Buri, the Mons migrated from Burma to ask for the king’s protection for a second time. The king also allowed them to settle in Sam Khok. The last migration of the Mons was during the reign of King Rama II. It was a major migration from Martaban town to Thailand called "Mon Yai". The king allowed some of the Mons to settle at Sam Khok village as well. Therefore, from being a small-sized community, "Sam Khok village" has later become "Sam Khok town".

King Rama II took care and assisted the Mons in Sam Khok. In the eleventh lunar month in 1815, the king visited Sam Khok town and resided at the pavilion by the left side of the Chao Phraya River, opposite Sam Khok town, creating an overwhelming feeling among the Mons. A large number of the Mons often visited and offered lotuses to the king, creating great satisfaction for him. As a result, the king gave the new name for Sam Khok town as "Prathum Thani' (town of lotus) on the 23 August 1815. It was considered as the beginning of Prathum Thani town.

In 1918, King Rama VI transformed the word Mueang (town) to Changwat (province) and also changed its spelling from “Prathum Thani” to “Pathum Thani”. In 1932, King Rama VII ordered the merging of Thanyaburi province into Pathum Thani province.

Since the period that King Rama II gave the name to Pathum Thani, the province has continuously been prosperous with arts and culture, as well as, other identities which the people of Pathum Thani are proud of. It is also a very flourishing peripheral province. The centre of Pathum Thani is 46 kilometres north of Bangkok, covering an area of 1,565 square kilometres.

By car
From Bangkok, motorists can travel by using 3 routes to Pathum Thani as follows:
 * 1) Bangkok – Bang Khen – Rangsit - Pathum Thani.
 * 2) Bangkok – Nonthaburi – Pak Kret - Pathum Thani.
 * 3) Bangkok – Bang Yai – Bang Bua Thong – Lat Lum Kaeo – Pathum Thani.
 * 4) Bangkok – Take the Bang Pa-in – Pak Kret Expressway to exit at Bang Phun and turn left into the Rangsit – Pathum Thani route (Highway No. 346).

By bus
There are several buses from Bangkok to Rangsit district of Pathum Thani. The 29, 39, 59, 503, 510, and 555 bus lines pass Future Park shopping centre.

Several specified buses of 29, 39 and 510 go past Bangkok University and Thammasat University (their Rangsit campuses). Their destination signs are written only in Thai. You can ask other passengers if the bus passing is going to the universities.

Bus 555 connects with the new international airport. It departs from the front of Major Cineplex Rangsit

By train
There are regional trains from Bangkok to Ayuttaya (Bang-Pa-In) and Lop Buri which stop at Lak Hok, Rangsit, Chiang Rak and Thammasat station. But you must check time table before. Services north- and southbound run in intervals ob about 90 mins. - ordinary train fares to Bangkok are 9 baht. All trains on the northern and northeastern route pass through the province. Rangsit being the only major station with a stationmaster's office and advance ticket sales on all Thai routes. Express trains don't stop at the minor stations.

Get around
Pathum Thani is still a part of Greater Bangkok and hence the famous Bangkok's taxis can be found everywhere. The major hubs of the city is Pathum Thani City's downtown bus station.

Pathum Thani City still has an abundance of pedal powered rickshaws at your service, riverboat transportation on the Chao Phaya is often only limited to cross-river transits by ferry.

Eat
Pathum Thani is a province located on the alluvial plain of the Chao Phraya River. Therefore, there are many rice fields. It is also a planting location of vegetables supplied for fresh markets in town and the two gigantic central markets of the country; namely, Si Mum Mueang Market and Talad Thai. It is a centre of various kinds of fruits such as tangerines, mangoes, bananas, durians, lychees, longans, and mangosteens, as well as, other products of natural plants such as palmyra fruit and lotus calyx.

In addition to the agricultural produce, the municipality market and that by the river at Wat San Chao offer various kinds of delicious dishes of Pathum Thani. The famous ones are noodles; Khanom Kuichai stuffed with vegetable, taro, and bamboo shoots, fried shredded pork and beef, and various kinds of Thai desserts which can be purchased as souvenirs.

The most well-known food of Pathum Thani that should be tasted is boat noodle which is sold everywhere, especially along the Rangsit – Nakhon Nayok route, while the city usually offers their famous dishes such as Kung Ten – jumping prawn - and grilled fish.

Go next
Rangsit is not far east, and is a city of the future—including hypermodern shopping malls and technology institutes.

title: Pathum Thani


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Patiala

Patiala is a city in Punjab, India. Patiala is a lively city known for its production of handcrafted goods. The juttis, traditional embroidered shoes for women and men alike, are exported all over the world to the Punjabi diaspora.

Understand
Patiala is a nice city, rich in cultural heritage. Its history dates back to the middle of the 18th century, when Baba Ala Singh established a princely state in the Malwa region of Punjab. In 1763 Ala Singh built the fort known as Qila Mubaraka which was his permanent seat until his death two years later. Under his successors, the kingdom expanded and the fort continued to be a residence of the royal family. During the Anglo-Sikh wars, the rulers of Patiala were an ally of the British. As a result of their "meritorious services", the British granted them the title of Maharajas. In the aftermath of the Indian Independence Act, Patiala's last ruler signed an accession to the Indian Union. The city is also called a CM City (CM means Chief Minister). Patiala was a part of PEPSU (PEPSU means Patiala and East Punjab States Union), and many Government of Punjab offices, as well as head corporate offices, are in Patiala rather than Punjab's capital Chandigarh. So, you can also say Patiala is a mini-capital of Punjab State.

As elsewhere in Punjab, November marks the disappearance of the monsoon. Sunny skies prevail till mid February. Daytime temperatures are comfortable. This is undoubtedly one of the best times to visit.

By plane
The nearest airport is Chandigarh from where you can either take bus or taxi. Taxi may charge around ₹800 to ₹1000. You have to bargain really hard to get the right price.

By train
Although there is a at Patiala, but the city is not very well connected by rail because it doesn't fall on the main line. Delhi Bathinda intercity is the best train for Patiala. However there is "Dadar Amritsar express" coming from Mumbai and a few intercity trains.

The nearest well connected Railway station is Ambala (UMB). There are many trains coming from all parts of India up to Ambala. From Ambala you can hire a taxi or come by bus. Distance is 60 km. The taxi driver may charge around ₹800 to ₹1000.

By bus
If you are coming from Delhi it is 260 km distance, and you can find direct buses from ISBT after every hour. There are also deluxe buses available, charging ₹240 per head. The bus journey from Delhi takes 6 hrs. You can also take a taxi, but charges will be really high, to the tune of ₹3500-4500.

There are regular buses from Chandigarh every hour direct to Patiala.

See

Eat

title: Patiala


text:
Patmos

Patmos (Greek: Πάτμος) is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea, one of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex.

Cities

 * (Χώρα) – a small hill settlement built around the ancient and beautiful fortified monastery, and wonderful narrow streets
 * (Γρικος)
 * (Κάμπος)
 * (Πάτμος)
 * (Πλάκα) – where you will find cafes and the post office
 * (Σκάλα) – the only commercial port, again a small town/village with a central square

Other destinations
There are also many lovely small beaches and coves, some with cafes and sunbeds, some without. The monastery has a small, but wonderful museum. There is also the cave of St. John, where St. John wrote the Apocalypse. This site also has a wonderful open air theatre where most Septembers there is a lovely festival of religious music - concerts are free and take place at night.

Understand
Patmos is one of the most religious Greek Islands because it is where Saint John the Divine had its revelation and wrote the Apocalypse. Many orthodox people still come to the island on pilgrimage - hence the coachloads of people heading up to the cave where St. John wrote.

Get in
There is no airport.

By boat
By Blue Star Ferries boat from Piraeus – if flying into Athens. Or by Dodekanisos Seaways boat from Samos (if flying into Samos, or coming from the Northern Dodecanese). Or from Rhodes/Kos islands on the Rhodes-Pireaus route. All ferries/hydrofoils dock at Skala.

There is a new marina for yachts in the Skala port area.

Get around
Hire cars, bikes, mopeds, taxis are all available for hire in Skala.

There's an about hourly bus service between the Skala harbour and Chora, where the monastery is. There is also a bus service that runs between Skala and Campos/Kampos (you will see it spelt both ways) and between Skala/Chora/Grikou. You will find the bus timetable stuck up on the bus stop. Worth asking if it is running today, although it is usually very punctual. Often photocopies are also left for visitors to take, to make sure they don't miss the bus!

Taxis will usually charge both ways if they come out to collect you. Patmos is also good for walking - in cooler months, or if you can cope with the high summer temperatures (remembering it is a very hilly island). Recommended is the hike down from Chora to Skala, taking the footpaths and visiting the Cave of the Apocalypse half way.

See
The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The small space that overlooks the sea 'behind' the Monastery of St. John - very quiet and peaceful (please keep it that way), the sunset from the spot on the road out from Skala to Kampos, Psilli Amos (sandy beach). The views from almost anywhere in Chora.

Small boats do day trips to psilli amos, and to the nearby islands for swimming and lunch.

Eat
Bread, pastries, sweetmeats, 'spoon desserts', grilled fish, meat, yogurt, honey, stuffed peppers, all the usual Greek foods - olive oil...

Wonderful restaurant on Lampi beach (n.b. please do not take the stones, in the last ten years so many have been taken there are now very few of the wonderful and special coloured stones left on the beach). They grow much of their own produce behind the restaurant. try the aubergine start special.

Wonderful restaurant also in the boat yard - ask the taxi drivers!

Lovely old-style taverna at the bottom of the path leading to psilli amos.

Pantheon in Chora - great grilled octopus, and a lovely place to sit outside.

Many other good places to eat.

There is a fish-van that sells in the morning in the plaka/square in Skala and in the square in Kampos.

There is also a fruit and veg van likewise. Fish is expensive as the area is over fished - the whole of the Mediterranean is, sadly. But it is fresh. The vegetables can be wonderful - fruit too - amazing watermelon and melons...

Drink
mountain tea. available all over greece. grows here and elsewhere wild.

wine - there are some really delicious white wines that drink well cold - seek them out! it isn't all retsina. promise.

Stay safe
Patmos is a very safe island.

title: Patmos


text:
Patna

Patna (Hindi: पटना Patnā) is the capital of Bihar and the second largest metropolis in eastern India.

Understand
The ancient name of Patna was "Pataliputra" and it was the capital of the Maurya and Gupta empires. With a glorious period of history spanning a thousand years (500 BCE–400 CE), Pataliputra is where India's first major kingdoms rose and fell.

Patna is on three sacred rivers, the Ganges, the Sone and the Poonpun. The city has a glorious past and is now a bustling up-and-coming metropolis. Legend has it that a sanctified Ganga had watched with reverence as a hallowed Buddha blessed this place to be a realm of great Kings and their Empires. Belonging to the blue family of cities with a royal heritage, it is the land where the greatest emperors of India walked, and where the greatest saints chose to preach. Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru was born here. For anyone with a taste for history and religion, this place flies high.

Ajastshatru, second of the Magadh Kings, built a fort at Pataligram on the banks of the Ganges river. This later became the famous Mauryan metropolis of Pataliputra and was ruled by Chandragupta Maurya, his son Bindusara and his grandson Asoka, acclaimed for the spread of Buddhism across India. Following the fall of the Maurya Empire, the next powerful empire to have its capital in Pataliputra was the Gupta Empire, which reached its zenith under the rule of Chandra Gupta I (not to be confused with Chandragupta Maurya), his son Samudra Gupta and his grandson Chandra Gupta II. Other emperors who ruled from Pataliputra were the Pala Kings, Shershah Suri (16th century) and Azimush-Shan (18th century), the grandson of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who renamed it Azeemabad. Vestiges of this ancient city can be seen at Kumhrar, Bhikhnapahari, Agamkuan, Bulandi Bag etc.

Today, it is apparent that Bihar and Patna have seen better days. Bihar is one of the poorest states of India, and for the first-time foreigner visitor Patna will look a chaotic, noisy city with many signs of poverty even near the city centre. This may change soon, since it has become one of the fastest growing cities of India. With real estate booming at a dizzying pace, shopping malls, theatres, new businesses, food joints it carries the seed for a lively city life, and a tourist haven-to-be. It is an important business and education centre of eastern India. More significantly, it is a gateway to the Buddhist and Jain pilgrim centres of Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Keshariya and Pawapuri. The growing city of Patna is a great place to visit and a great place to live in.

Lying along the banks of the Ganges River, Patna is surrounded by important religious centres for the Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains. This city has been home to two great religions, Buddhism and Jainism, and myriad dynasties from ancient to modern times.

By train
(PNBE) is on Howrah–Delhi main line.

Trains from Nepal border area (Gorakhpur and Raxaul) as well as some from Delhi, Varanasi and the North-East arrive at, located on the other side of the Ganges. Although the distance from Patna Junction station is mere 11km, including 6 km on one of India's longest river bridge, you should prepare for 40 minutes to up to 2-hour ride in the bad traffic. There are prepaid and shared taxis/rickshaws available throughout the day between two stations. Shared rickshaws (₹30) leave from south side of Patna Junction.

Long-distance trains arrive from many other major cities including Lucknow, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Vadodara, Surat, Nagpur, Pune, Raipur, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ranchi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore, Hyderabad, Goa, Mangalore, Kozhikode and Kochi.

Some express trains to Patna Junction include:

 * From Bangalore: Sanghmitra Express
 * From Howrah: Danapur Express, Garib Rath Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, Lal Quila Express, Rajdhani Express (via Patna), Udyan Abha Toofan Express, Vande Bharat Express, Vibhuti Express
 * From Mumbai: Mumbai CSMT–Rajendra Nagar Patna Express, Mumbai LTT–Patna Rajendra Nagar Express
 * From New Delhi: Garib Rath Express, Howrah Rajdhani Express, Lal Quila Express, Magadh Express, Rajendra Nagar Tejas Rajdhani Express, Sampark Kranti Express, Sharamjeevi Express, Udyan Abha Toofan Express, Vikramshila Express
 * From Ranchi: Hatia Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, Vande Bharat Express
 * From Varanasi: Kashi Jan Shatabdi Express, Mathura Express, Vibhuti Express

By car
Patna is connected by road with all major cities of the country via (National Highway 30, 31 & 19). Here is the list of destinations by distance from Patna: BodhGaya (130 km), Muzaffarpur (80 km) Rajgir (103 km), Vaishali (40 km), Kolkata (535 km), Varanasi (300 km), Delhi (988 km), Ranchi (350km), Jamshedpur (470 km), Kathmandu (373 km), Siliguri (380 km), Darjeeling (430km), Nalanda (90 km).

BSTDC (Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation) offers deluxe bus/car rental services for the following destinations: Bodhgaya, Ranchi, Rajgir, Pawapuri, Nalanda & Vaishali,

On the other hand, the Inter-State Bus Terminus at Bankipore (Near Gandhi Maidan) and Mithapur, Luxury buses are available to the Nepal border (Raxaul/Birganj), Gaya, Siliguri, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Purnia etc.

Get around
There are a few car rental companies available in Patna. But foreign travellers who have not driven in India may find driving the roads in Patna and Bihar a bit stressful due to the poor road conditions and the constant heavy traffic, although the road conditions have improved.

By auto rickshaw
Shared 'Tempo' as they are called are the easiest and cheapest way to get around in Patna. Fare is normally in the range of ₹5-15 and drivers rarely try to charge more. However, in case you are trying to reserve an auto, it would be better to know the distance well in advance because that is not the preferred means of transportation for the locals and it would mean being charged exorbitant rates.

By bus
Though public transport is non existent there are a few buses plying on the main routes. Prices are generally 20-30% lesser than Tempos. However, they are less comfortable.However, after many trials throughout the decade, bsrtc runs multiple buses on all major routes inside and outside the city including neighbouring satellite towns like hajipur, bihta, biharsharif.Buses originate from the iconic gandhi maidan, and most of them visit the main railway station, patna jn.

See

Religious sites

 * situated about 60 km from gandhi maidan.
 * 1⃣5⃣ Badi Patandevi in old part of the city badi Patandevi temple along with choti Patandevi temple is said to be the reason the city was named Patna.
 * situated about 60 km from gandhi maidan.
 * 1⃣5⃣ Badi Patandevi in old part of the city badi Patandevi temple along with choti Patandevi temple is said to be the reason the city was named Patna.

Do
You can go on excursions to the various religious and historical places in and around Patna. Do not miss a boat ride on the mighty Ganges river. When in Patna, try food typical to the region such as pua-pittha, tilkut, chiwra, makhana, the famed sattu or the farmer's staple, litti chokha, and the famous paan.

 * Revolving Restaurant Patna can now boast of a revolving restaurant, the biggest of its kind in the country, situated atop the tallest tower in the city on the 18th floor of Biscomaun Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan. Based on the German technique, the 5HP motor that revolves the restaurant can be fixed to take one revolution in 45, 60 or 90 minutes.
 * Take a boat-ride in the Ganges., near Gandhi ghat
 * Revolving Restaurant Patna can now boast of a revolving restaurant, the biggest of its kind in the country, situated atop the tallest tower in the city on the 18th floor of Biscomaun Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan. Based on the German technique, the 5HP motor that revolves the restaurant can be fixed to take one revolution in 45, 60 or 90 minutes.
 * Take a boat-ride in the Ganges., near Gandhi ghat
 * Revolving Restaurant Patna can now boast of a revolving restaurant, the biggest of its kind in the country, situated atop the tallest tower in the city on the 18th floor of Biscomaun Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan. Based on the German technique, the 5HP motor that revolves the restaurant can be fixed to take one revolution in 45, 60 or 90 minutes.
 * Take a boat-ride in the Ganges., near Gandhi ghat

Buy
Madhubani Paintings can be bought from emporiums at Mauyra Lok, a shopping center located on "Dak- Bunglow" road. You can visit many malls around Frazer road/Dak Bunglow Crossing such as Vishal Mega Mart, Maurya Lok Complex and Patna Market on Ashok Rajpath, Hathwa Market, Bari Path & Alankar Palace and other shopping arcades near Boring Road Crossing

Relatively new malls include Patna Central Mall and P&M Mall Patliputra Kurji Road, Patliputra.

What

 * Anarsa is one of the finest sweet delicacies of Bihar. It has rice flour shell with khoya filling, with white til in the upper shell.
 * Chaat - Though chaat is a very popular snack item throughout India, the special thing about 'Patna Chaat' is its authentic tamarind flavor, as opposed to the sweet and salty Delhi Chaat. Take the opportunity to relish "samosa chaat" or "tikki chaat".
 * Dahi Chura Chini, which is a mixture of curd, beaten rice and sugar, is the favourite food in North Bihar, especially in the Mithila region!
 * Litti chokha is a local specialty. Litti is a primarily ball-shaped stuffed preparation, and the shape of the ball varies depending on the preparation. With a shell made of wheat flour, the taste of litti very much depends on the filling, which includes gram flour and a combination of condiments and spices. Chokha a preparation of smoked eggplant/brinjal or tomato, accompanies litti. The smoked tomato or eggplant is mashed and dressed with coriander leaves, shredded green chilies and mustard oil, which gives a distinct flavor to the chokha.
 * Makhana is soft fruit grown in water. It is light fried and with little salt it serves the purpose of light snacks.
 * Sweets, especially Peda and Kalakand, which are preparations of condensed milk from Sudha Dairy Parlours. The sweets must be consumed within 7 days.
 * Tilkut, Khaja are other delicacies of Bihar

Restaurants

 * Mainland China, Patna Central Mall, Frazer Road
 * Mcdonald's, East Gandhi Maidan
 * Bansi Vihar, Near Dak Bunglow Crossing
 * China Garden, Frazer Road
 * Cloud 9, Boring Road

There are three cheap and good Indian restaurants just as you come out of the north train station overpass. The one in the middle has English menus.

Sweets Parlours

 * Cake Palace, New Dak Bunglow Road
 * Cozy Confectioners, Keshav Palace, Bailey Road
 * Kwality Sweets, Boring Road
 * Lucknow Sweets, Dak Bunglow Crossing
 * Maner Sweets, Maurya Lok Complex, New Dak Bungalow Road
 * Sweet Home, Alankar Palace, Boring Road
 * Sweet Garden, Keshav Palace, Bailey Road

Drink
Sattu-pani is among the popular drinks, lassi made of curd, dry fruits & sugar.

 * Country Club International, Patliputra Colony
 * Mamta Anarkali, Near Dak Bunglow Crossing
 * Mamta Residency, Near Dak Bunglow Crossing
 * Oasis, Boring Road
 * The Purple Lounge, SP Verma Road
 * The Velocity, Nnear Dak Bunglow Crossing
 * The Velocity, Nnear Dak Bunglow Crossing

Sleep
Patna is a growing business city, and as such hotels tend to be overpriced for the room provided. It also means that many hotels are full most nights, giving little incentive to improve facilities.

Budget

 * Country Club International, Patliputra colony
 * Heritage Regency, White House, Budh Marg, Near Bhumi Bikash Bank. 0.5 km from Railway Station.
 * Hotel Adarsh, near Patna Junction (Railway Station)
 * Hotel Akash, Frazer Road
 * Hotel Anand Regency, near Patna Junction (Railway Station)
 * Hotel Clark Inn, Jamal Road
 * Hotel Magadh, Bhatacharya Road-Naya Tola crossing
 * Hotel Marina, Frazer Road
 * Hotel Mayur, Frazer Road
 * Hotel Nand, Bhatacharya Road-Naya Tola crossing
 * Hotel New Akash, Frazer Road
 * Hotel President, Frazer Road
 * Hotel Vijay Shree Deluxe, Exhibition Road, very average looking rooms start from ₹2750 a night.
 * Maharaja Inn, Station Road, Rajendra Path
 * Mamta Regency, Frazer Road
 * Marwari Awas Grih, Dakbunglow Crossing

Other budget accommodation can be found on the road leading from the train station down towards the Mithapur bus stand. Very basic rooms start at ₹400.

Mid-range

 * Hotel Kautilya Vihar, R Block
 * Hotel Samrat International Dak Bunglow Crossing
 * Hotel Satkar International, Frazer Road
 * Hotel Rajasthan, Frazer Road
 * Hotel Republic, Exhibition Road
 * Hotel Windsor, Exhibition Road Crossing

Splurge

 * Hotel Panache, South Gandhi Maidan
 * Hotel Gargee Grand, Exhibition Road (near Big Bazaar)
 * Hotel Ashoka, Birchand Patel Path (near IT Office)
 * Hotel Chanakya, R Block
 * Hotel Maurya, South Gandhi Maidan - Landmark of Patna
 * Hotel Lemon Tree Premier, Exhibition road

Stay safe
There have been reports that British citizens are being discriminated against in Patna. Hotel staff may claim to have no vacancy whenever they see a guest with British passport, and direct you to the most expensive hotels in the city instead.

Go next

 * Bodh Gaya, - The place where Buddha achieved enlightenment
 * Buddhist Bodh circuit: Bodhgaya - Nalanda - Rajgir - Patna - Vaishali - Kesaria.
 * Deo - City of the Sun Temple.
 * Deoghar - A town containing a famous Babadham temple. It is 200 km from Patna By Railway (drop at Jasidih Junction on Patna Howrah Main Line) in Jharkhand State
 * Nalanda - Location of an ancient university with a nearby museum.
 * Pawapuri - The Place of Nirvana (Bhagwan Mahabir) - A holy site for the Jains.
 * Kesariya - Perhaps the oldest Shanti Stupa, it is situated in East Champaran District (Motihari), 170 km from Patna.
 * Munger - A small town on the bank of Ganga famous for Yoga.
 * Nepal and Raxaul - Buses are available to Raxaul and Jogbani at the Nepali border, where you can hop on a bus to Kathmandu and Pokhra. These buses leave at about 07:00 from the Mithapur bus stop 3 km south of the train station. They don't leave at night during summer (tourist off season). The roads going north out of town are particularly bad - sit as far forward in the bus as you can!
 * Rajgir - The place Vishwa Shanti Shutpa you can joy on Areial Ropeway, You can enjoy Venuvana (Beautiful Garden)
 * Ranchi
 * Vaishali - A town on Bank of Ganga famous for its banana, Buddhist temple and handicrafts

title: Patna


text:
Patnitop

Patnitop is a small hill-station town in the Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir, far away from the military tension in the Kashmir Valley.

Origin of the name Patnitop is a distortion of the original name of "Patan Da Talab", meaning "Pond of the Princess". In olden times a pond existed in the meadows and the king's princess often used to have her bath there. Part of the pond still exists near the youth hostel. The British probably couldn't get the name correct in their revenue records, and over the years it changed from "Patan Da Talab" to Patnitop.

By share taxi
Patnitop is well connected to Jammu city and Srinagar by national highway and can be reached by a local bus or taxi. Share taxis are available from Ghantaghar near Lal Chowk in Old Srinagar. One-way fare from Srinagar to Patnitop is ₹150 (2008) and the journey is completed in 5-6 hours.

The journey from Jammu takes approximately 2-3 hours and costs ₹100 per person in a shared Sumo.

By train
The nearest rail station to Patnitop is Udhampur, which has two trains per day that arrive from New Delhi. The best train is the 2446 Sampark Kranti Express that starts from New Delhi and reaches Udhampur at 8AM. From Udhampur, you can take a bus to Patnitop, which reaches there in an hour. Udhampur is connected to a small station called Chakki bank which is very close to Pathankot station. Pathankot is directly connected to New Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta.

Get around
Most of Patnitop can be seen around on foot. You can even hire ponies or taxis for longer distances.

See

 * Trek to Sudh Mahadev temple, is a 15-km, 5-hour moderate (Swiss Alpine Club grade - T2) trek. The trek starts at Hotel Green Top, Patnitop and ends at Sudh Mahadev, 20 km from Chennai town on the Chenani - Mantalai road. Sudh Mahadev temple is believed to be 2800 years old. This temple is one of the oldest Shiva temples in Jammu & Kashmir. In the temple premises, there stands a Trident (Trishul) that in the local dialect is called 'Gaja'. The sacred Trident has inscriptions in an ancient manuscript that are yet undeciphered. The trekking trail is rocky for most part and requires hiking shoes. The trail passes through Chamunda Mata temple (2788 metres) on Shivgarh ridge which affords some mesmerising views over the Mantalai valley. Along the trail are nesting spots for Himalayan vultures. These colossal birds may weigh between 8–12 kilograms and they may achieve a wingspan between 8.4 and 10.2 feet. Whiteouts are frequent on Shivgarh ridge at midday and its better to make an early start.
 * Trek to Sudh Mahadev temple, is a 15-km, 5-hour moderate (Swiss Alpine Club grade - T2) trek. The trek starts at Hotel Green Top, Patnitop and ends at Sudh Mahadev, 20 km from Chennai town on the Chenani - Mantalai road. Sudh Mahadev temple is believed to be 2800 years old. This temple is one of the oldest Shiva temples in Jammu & Kashmir. In the temple premises, there stands a Trident (Trishul) that in the local dialect is called 'Gaja'. The sacred Trident has inscriptions in an ancient manuscript that are yet undeciphered. The trekking trail is rocky for most part and requires hiking shoes. The trail passes through Chamunda Mata temple (2788 metres) on Shivgarh ridge which affords some mesmerising views over the Mantalai valley. Along the trail are nesting spots for Himalayan vultures. These colossal birds may weigh between 8–12 kilograms and they may achieve a wingspan between 8.4 and 10.2 feet. Whiteouts are frequent on Shivgarh ridge at midday and its better to make an early start.
 * Trek to Sudh Mahadev temple, is a 15-km, 5-hour moderate (Swiss Alpine Club grade - T2) trek. The trek starts at Hotel Green Top, Patnitop and ends at Sudh Mahadev, 20 km from Chennai town on the Chenani - Mantalai road. Sudh Mahadev temple is believed to be 2800 years old. This temple is one of the oldest Shiva temples in Jammu & Kashmir. In the temple premises, there stands a Trident (Trishul) that in the local dialect is called 'Gaja'. The sacred Trident has inscriptions in an ancient manuscript that are yet undeciphered. The trekking trail is rocky for most part and requires hiking shoes. The trail passes through Chamunda Mata temple (2788 metres) on Shivgarh ridge which affords some mesmerising views over the Mantalai valley. Along the trail are nesting spots for Himalayan vultures. These colossal birds may weigh between 8–12 kilograms and they may achieve a wingspan between 8.4 and 10.2 feet. Whiteouts are frequent on Shivgarh ridge at midday and its better to make an early start.

Do

 * Go for a small excursion in the hill.
 * Take a taxi to Nathatop and enjoy the snow covered peaks. For the more adventurous ones, Nathatop is a 14-km trek (one-way) and offers great views enroute.
 * There are various picnic spots in Patnitop which can be enquired about from the locals.

Drink

 * There is a small liquor shop in Patnitop which serves almost all kinds of alcoholic beverages.

Sleep
Various budget and mid-range hotels are available in Patnitop. There are also tourist huts by J&K Tourism.

Go next

 * Udhampur

title: Patnitop