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Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg is a federal state (Bundesland) in Germany. Its world famous Black Forest and the celebrated, romantic city of Heidelberg are top tourist destinations within Germany and Central Europe, but there is much more to see.

Baden-Württemberg is part of the southern German-speaking world where dialect and tradition remain strong. It shares many traditions with its neighbours in Alsace, France to the west and in Switzerland and Vorarlberg, (Austria) to the south. It's also much more rural and bucolic than central and northern Germany; this makes it a popular destination for visiting natural spas with supposed curative properties or going on long hikes in its many old-growth forests.

Alternative spellings of the Land's name are Baden-Wuerttemberg and Baden-Wurttemberg.

Cities

 * - the green capital with its world-class opera house the Staatstheater, city castle and famous gallery of modern art
 * - the romantic student city with its famed castle, Germany's oldest University and scenic setting at the opening of the Neckar valley into the Rhine valley is an absolute must for most tourists
 * - the "Jewel of the Black Forest" is a laid-back, beautiful university city which enjoys one of the sunniest and warmest climates among German cities
 * - on the border with Switzerland at Lake Constance
 * - spa town built on thermal springs at the edge of the Black Forest
 * - a fan-shaped city towards the beautiful Karlsruhe palace
 * - the Calvinist city with the world's tallest church
 * - the "Squared City" is almost unique in Germany in being a planned, rectilinear city and has one of the most important theatres (the National Theatre)
 * - the "gate to the Swabian Mountains". One of the biggest cities, powerful in trading, manufacturing and education amidst of a beautiful landscape.
 * - beautiful university town with crooked half-timbered houses in a charming historical city centre

Other destinations

 * – a route with vineyards and several attractive towns between Darmstadt and Heidelberg
 * Upper Swabia (Oberschwaben) also known as the Westallgäu area of Allgäu

Understand

Among the West-German states, Baden-Württemberg is one of the youngest, having been founded in 1952 through a unification of administrative areas that, until the end of WWI in 1919, had been mostly covered by the kingdom of Württemberg, the grand-duchy of Baden and the Hohenzollern lands that belonged to Prussia. The consequence of this—and that's the important bit a traveller should know—is that there are now two tribes living together in the state: Badener in the west and Schwaben in the east. Both speak different dialects (see below) and share a love-hate relationship towards each other that's nurtured with a lot of humour. For what unites both tribes and the rest of the people living here is a pride for "their" Baden-Württemberg and what they have made of it since its creation, that's surprising for Germans from up north. Since 1999, the state has been advertising itself all over Germany with the slogan "We can do everything—except speak Standard German." (Wir können alles, außer Hochdeutsch), a tongue-in-cheek play on the infamous dialects (see below).

And indeed, Baden-Württemberg is doing quite well in terms of economics compared to other places in Germany. It boasts the lowest unemployment rate among all states, some of the best universities in Germany, a GDP per capita that rivals Switzerland and is the only German state that still has a higher birth than death rate. The European Statistics Office (Eurostat) has called Baden-Württemberg the "high-tech central of Europe". And, famously, the percentage of people owning their own home is by far the highest in Germany—which aligns well with the cliché of the Eigenheim obsessed people from Swabia. The Swabiand stereotypical creed is Schaffe, schaffe, Häusle baue—"Work, work, and build a little house".

The main reason for all those superlatives lies deeply in the history of the land: Although nowadays there are about as many Catholics as Protestants and believers of other denominations living in Baden-Württemberg (and a third group of comparable size without religious faith), during the reformation South-West Germany was strongly influenced by the schools of Martin Luther, John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli, which left behind a society with moral values circling around hard work, self-control and the general motto "God helps those who help themselves".

Hence the country that was once dirt poor, having to struggle with hard winters and frequent famines, today is plastered with high technology companies. The most important sectors are mechanical engineering (most famously Robert Bosch), Chemistry, Biotechnology and, above all, motor vehicles. The state is also where the car was invented, at least according to the locals. And while there may be other claimants, this state has the Bertha Benz Memorial Route and a pharmacy on the route where she stopped to get gas can legitimately be called "the first gas station". Daimler and Porsche were founded and still have their headquarters around Stuttgart; Audi, Volkswagen and others have large plants in the state. If you count the small and medium-sized suppliers, every other employee in Baden-Württemberg is working for the car industry, directly or indirectly. As Max Weber, a philosopher at Heidelberg University said, around here, it's "Capitalism as it was meant to be".

With that said, Baden-Württemberg has become one of Europe's most politically "Green" regions, as Green politicians perform exceptionally well there. In fact, Stuttgart was one of the first German cities to have a Green mayor.

Talk
While every region in Germany has its own Germanic "dialect" in addition to Standard German (Hochdeutsch) Baden-Württemberg (together with parts of Bavaria and Saxony), is among those regions where the "dialect" is actually the native language of the near-majority of the population (except in the north).

The traditional "dialect" in most of the state is Alemannic (Alemannisch) which is by far the main language in German-speaking Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Vorarlberg in Austria, as well as being spoken natively by many in western Bavaria and as a minority language in Alsace in eastern France. As it is divided into numerous local dialects and has its own written language, it is very disputed as to whether it is a dialect or in fact a separate language. More and more people understandably state the latter. Ultimately, the old Yiddish adage applies - a language is a dialect with an army and a navy.

The exact proportion between native speakers of Standard German and Alemannic is unclear; however in general more Alemannic speakers are found in rural areas than in say, Stuttgart, where Standard German nowadays seems to be the more common mother tongue.

Kurpfälzisch is the traditional language in the north of the state (i.e. the region surrounding Mannheim and Heidelberg) but standard German is what dominates in most places. That said, it is still spoken by many people in the rural areas.

As good as all Alemannic-speakers are fluent in Standard German and many also in English, even in rural areas, but also tend to be surprisingly proud of their "dialect" and learning a few words or phrases in it might in fact not be the most foolish thing to do. Although native Standard German-speakers are a majority in many cities, you still will encounter plenty of native Alemannic-speakers as well, some of whom might in fact be uneasy about speaking Standard German (mostly rural elders).

All in all though, language is not a major barrier, and even a monolingual English-speaker should have no difficulty truly enjoying this sunny part of Germany.

As the state borders France, it may be possible to come across people who speak basic French, especially along the border.

By plane
Frankfurt airport, the busiest airport in mainland Europe, although not in Baden-Württemberg, is well within reach by train (90 min. from FRA to Stuttgart main station via the high-speed ICE connection). For most "traditional" airlines and many German charter airlines, a train ticket from FRA can be booked together with the flight for a reduced price or even for free. See rail air alliances for details. Low-fare airlines offer services to the local airports of Karlsruhe-Baden Baden and Friedrichshafen.

Travellers beware: "Frankfurt Hahn", the big hub for low-fare airlines, should not be confused with FRA. In stark contrast, it has no train station and is in a rather remote location. It is possible to get from Hahn into Baden-Württemberg rather conveniently, but it definitely takes a lot longer and is much more hassle than from FRA.

For the southern part of Baden-Württemberg, the airports in Zurich, Switzerland, and the EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse on French territory are convenient, too. Another option is Memmingen which is deceptively marketed as being close to Munich, while in actuality it is much closer to southern Baden Württemberg than to Munich.

By train
All major cities are well connected through the Deutsche Bahn (DB) rail system. Ulm, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Heidelberg, Stuttgart and Freiburg even have ICE connections (slick, comfortable, white high speed trains travelling at up to 250km/h). Tickets can be booked via the Deutsche Bahn website.

Baden-Württemberg (as well as some other regions in Germany) offers a special regional train ticket (in this case, the Baden-Württemberg-Ticket). It's valid from 9AM-3AM on weekdays and midnight until 3AM on weekends. A second class ticket for one person was priced at €24 (with each extra additional passenger just €6). First class tickets cost €32 with each extra additional passenger €14. These prices are valid if you buy the ticket at a machine or in the Internet. An additional charge of €2 is added if you buy the ticket at a service centre. The ticket can be used on all regional trains within Baden-Württemberg except InterCity (IC), InterCityExpress (ICE), EuroCity (EC) and some special trains as well as on almost all public buses and for all vehicles of the transport associations within Baden-Württemberg. The same ticket also entitles for travel to selected cities outside the state such as Basel and Kreuzlingen in Switzerland, Würzburg and Lindau in the neighboring state of Bavaria.

By bus
The long-distance bus market is exploding in Germany, since a new law was passed in 2013. There are dozens of daily services from most major cities, which are often significantly cheaper than trains. Most buses offer amenities like Wi-Fi and power outlets and some can even transport bicycles.

By train and bus
Baden-Württemberg has an excellent rail network, serving even quite remote areas. Especially rural villages are served by buses which generally leave from main train stations in larger towns and cities. Buses are quite frequent near big cities, but especially on weekend in rural areas there are only 2–4 bus connections a day. All connections can be checked at this website.

If you're travelling within Baden-Württemberg, you can purchase the Baden-Württemberg-Ticket, which will give you all-day travel in regional trains (categories S, RB, RE and IRE) within Baden-Württemberg and also to some cities closely beyond the state's boundaries, like Basel, Lindau and Würzburg. You can use it for trains of all operators, and most of local buses and city transport. On working days the ticket is valid 09:00-03:00 the following day. On weekends it is valid the entire day. It is sold on most ticket vending machines within the region. These are the variants of Baden-Württemberg-Ticket:

 * Baden-Württemberg-Ticket ( for single traveller, + for each additional traveller, up to five total travellers)
 * Baden-Württemberg-Ticket Nacht ("Night", +  for each additional traveller) -- for groups of up to five people, valid from 6PM to 6AM the following day (7AM if the following day is weekend or public holiday)
 * There also is a first-class variant, starting at.

For general information about Länder-Tickets see Rail travel in Germany.

Regional offers
For the Stuttgart Metropolitan Region ("Metropolregion Stuttgart"), which covers nearly half of Baden-Württemberg's territory and much of what can be practically be reached on a day trip from Stuttgart, the Metropolticket is a slightly cheaper day ticket than the Baden-Württemberg-Ticket: for the first traveller,  extra for additional travellers, up to five total travellers. The allowed times of day are the same as for the Baden-Württemberg-Ticket. They also are sold at most ticket vending machines within the region.

Not to be confused with the Stuttgart Metropolitan Region, the Stuttgart Region ("Region Stuttgart") covers a smaller area of roughly around the centre of Stuttgart and offers tickets at still lower prices valid within their region. See Stuttgart Region.

There are about 20 distinct local transport authorities ("Verkehrsverbünde", Map) all over the state, offering tickets valid for both their respective regional trains and buses.

By car
Of course you can always use your car. If you are travelling in the Black Forest or the Swabian Alb during winter, bring snow chains as some smaller roads may not see snow ploughs frequently enough. When travelling on the Autobahn, the same precautions as everywhere on German high speed roads apply: If you're not willing (and prepared) to drive consistently at or above the official reference speed of, stay on the right. Move to the right if that lane is vacant for a stretch long enough to safely use it, use your common sense, don't drive faster than you can think.

High culture

 * Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet-Aula-2012-Heidelberg-798.jpg is the location of Germany's oldest university]]
 * UlmbeiNacht.jpg]]
 * UlmbeiNacht.jpg]]

Do

 * With the abundance of hills, low mountains, picturesque valleys and forests, as well as quite evenly dispersed hospitable settlements, Baden-Württemberg is among the best places in Europe to go hiking
 * If you prefer travelling by car, you may want to follow the Bertha Benz Memorial Route, and visit the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums in Stuttgart
 * Enjoy the beautiful Lake Constance by getting on a boat or ship in the Bodensee Region
 * ...or fly a Zeppelin in Friedrichshafen!
 * Go skiing on Feldberg surrounded by the gorgeous Black Forest.
 * Go skiing on Feldberg surrounded by the gorgeous Black Forest.

Eat

Stay safe
Baden-Württemberg is one of the safest regions in Germany. In large cities like Mannheim and especially Stuttgart, be aware of theft. Other regions are safe and you can travel alone without any problems. Even walking alone late at night is no problem. When out hiking and trekking have a map and take proper clothing. The forests are thick and dark and surprisingly rural considering the population density of Central Europe. Whilst walking in forests, you should be aware of ticks as they carry Lyme disease. Take extra care and if you see a tick you should brush it off immediately and seek medical advice if a noticeable bite occurs.

Go next

 * France is only a short drive away.
 * You could go south into the Alps of Switzerland and Austria.
 * Go to Bavaria to experience the rest of southern Germany.

title: Baden-Württemberg


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Bad Fallingbostel

Bad Fallingbostel is the county town (Kreisstadt) of Soltau-Fallingbostel in the state of Lower Saxony. It is a recognised state-recognised spa town, hence the prefix "Bad".

The moorlands of the Lüneburg Heath are a beautiful place to visit. It offers some of the most beautiful places to hike, walk, or cycle around Lower Saxony, a brilliant way to see the Lüneburg Health. Bad Fallingbostel also has the old German farmhouse known as Hof der Heidmark and many of the town's timber framed houses are still here.

Understand
Bad Fallingbostel lies within the Lüneburg Heath region, a popular holiday and excursion area for the great North German cities of Hanover, Hamburg and Bremen. It has close ties to Walsrode, a few miles to the west. There is a British Army base in Bad Fallingbostel. In 2020, it was home to 12,000 people.

During World War II it was the site of two POW camps, Stalag XIB and Stalag 357.

History
Bad Fallingbostel is an interesting town with quite a bit of history. The old church of St. Dionysis is an interesting site to see, as is the monument to Heinrich von Quintus Icilius; a 19th-century politician who helped create one of the first savings banks in Hanover. The villages are over a thousand years old, although documented mentioning occurred only at later times. The main town Fallingbostel celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 1993. In the year 993 Fallingbostel was mentioned in writing for the first time. Kaiser Otto III. set the border between the bishoprics Hildesheim and Minden. In this document Fallingbostel is referred to as "Vastulingeburstalle". This name means "place to live of Vastulo or of the Vastulingers". Dorfmark was first mentioned in documents which are dated to the time around 968. In one of those documents from the year 1006 these place is called "Thormarca". That name is interpreted: Thor = to the, marca = border, forest-cooperative, market-cooperative

In World War II, Bad Fallingbostel was the site of POW camps Stalag XIB, XID, and 357 (Stalag XIC was the Bergen Belsen camp only about a half hour away). More than 30,000 Soviet prisoners were buried here before the camp was liberated in 1945. After the war, the camp was used as an internment camp for National Socialists; it's now all part of the Fallingbostel Military Museum. World War II history has found its way in town in another way, it's the final resting place of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, a high ranking general who served four years in prison for war crimes before going off to become a military advisor for the British. Interestingly enough, the 19th century writer (journalist, conservationist, historian) Hermann Löns is also buried here. He died long before the start of the 2nd World War, but his nationalistic writings caught the attention of the Nazis and Adolf Hitler ordered his body exhumed and reburied here.

Bad Fallingbostel is a small beautiful town with a lot of history. But if history is not your thing then there are plenty of sites and attractions around Fallingbostel that would be of interest.

Geography
Bad Fallingbostel lies on the Böhme river in the southern part of the Lüneburg Heath between Soltau and Walsrode in the Heidmark. In the vicinity is the large military training area of Bergen-Hohne, which is utilised by the Bundeswehr and by NATO forces, as well as Fallingbostel Station, a large barracks for the British Forces in Germany.

By car
Bad Fallingbostel lies next to the A7 motorway between Hamburg and Hanover and has its own motorway exit.

By plane
Bad Fallingbostel is central to the main airports in the region, Bremen, Hannover and Hamburg. All of these airports have flights from the main cities in the UK (Such as the London airports, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Manchester) and also from the main cities in Europe (Such as Paris, Venice and Moscow)

 * Bremen Airport, near Bremen is about 82km from Fallingbostel and estimated time travel is 50 minutes (depending on traffic). From Bremen Airport, head southeast on Flughafenallee and onto Flughafendamm. Follow it left to where it becomes Cornelius-Edzard-Straße and turn right onto B6 (Neuenlander Str.). Take the A1 exit toward Osnabrück/Oldenburg and keep left until you can merge onto the A1. Take exit 53 (Bremer Kreuz) and merge onto A27 toward Hannover/Achim, then take exit 27 for B209 toward Walsrode/Rethem and stay on B209, following the signs for Bad Fallingbostel. Continue onto Düshorner Str./L163 and follow it into town.
 * Hanover Airport, near Hanover is only a short trip to Bad Fallingbostel. To drive from Hannover airport to Bad Fallingbostel will take you about 30 minutes (depending on traffic). If driving from there, head northeast toward and turn right onto Flughafenstraße/K324, then turn left onto Wagenzeller Str./L190. Turn left to merge onto A352, keep left, and take the exit toward A7. Take exit 47 (Bad Fallingbostel) toward Oerbke. Keep right at the fork and merge onto B209. Then turn right onto Düshorner Str./L163, and follow it into town.
 * Hamburg Airport, near Hamburg is another main airport not too far from Fallingbostel. To drive from Hamburg Airport to Bad Fallingbostel will take you around 1 hour 15 minutes (depending on traffic). If driving, head south and take the left exit onto Zeppelinstraße/B433, and from there, a slight right to merge onto Krohnstieg/B433. Continue to follow B433 and then take Oldesloer Str./B432 and merge onto A7 via the ramp to Hannover/Bremen/Husum/Heide. Take exit 47 and turn right onto Deiler Weg/B209 (signs for Nienburg/Walsrode/Bad Fallingbostel), continue to follow B209. Turn right onto Düshorner Str./L163 and follow it into town.

By train
Bad Fallingbostel has two railway stations - Bad Fallingbostel and Dorfmark - on the Heath Railway from Hanover to Soltau, from both stations you can travel to a number of destinations, these include Soltau, Walsrode, Bremen, Hamburg and Hannover. There are ticket offers available. The Lander-Ticket offers unlimited travel for a whole day within a certain region. Travel can be on any day of the week within one of the German states. The ticket can be used on all local trains (Regional Express, Regional Bahn, S-Bahn) and several other transport systems. The package price starts from €29 for up to 5 people travelling together or for parents (or one parent) travelling with any number of children under the age of 15.

If your looking for savings for weekend travelling then get the Schönes Wochenende Ticket. It is one of the best ticket offers for tourists of all ages. The ticket is valid for up to 5 people travelling together and for parents travelling with their children aged 14 or younger. The ticket is only valid on either Saturday or Sunday (one day only) between midnight and 03:00 the following day. Tickets are €39.(Oct 2011)

You can purchase tickets on DB website or at the station from the ticket machine which is by the platform. The machine can be translated into English.

By bus
There are several bus routes that travel in and around Bad Fallingbostel.

By taxi
There is a taxi rank at the Bad Fallingbostel train station. There are a few taxi companies in Fallingbostel and their prices vary, but are not overall expensive. Here are some useful taxi telephone numbers and information: -

 * Eddy's Taxi. +49 5051 6655. They provide a 24-hour service and have transport for up to 6 passengers.
 * Taxi abs. +49 5051 66 66. They provide a 24-hour service. Airport transportation and have transport that seats up to 8 people.

Do

 * Historical Walks There are a number of informative walks in and around Bad Fallingbostel with a varied distances.

Events
Join in the fun at the annual Wine Festival at Whitsun weekend or the Beach Festival in August in Dorfmark!

Drink

There are more bars and clubs are in Walsrode, the next town from Bad Fallingbostel, about 10-15 minute drive away.

Connect

 * Telefiji Dushorner Str. An internet/telephone shop with a number of computers and telephones which the public can use. They also have printers, so if you need to print boarding passes etc., it's a great place to go.

Go next

 * Walsrode
 * Soltau
 * Hamburg
 * Bremen
 * Hanover
 * Bremen
 * Hanover

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

title: Bad Fallingbostel


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Bad Gandersheim

Bad Gandersheim is a town in South Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is full of character and is made up of many half-timbered houses. Bad Gandersheim has established itself as Lower Saxony's largest professional summer theatre festival.

Understand
Its origins date back to 852, the town's first abbey church (Stiftskirche) was started in 856. A mineral spring was discovered in 1240 and this led to Pope Gregory IX asking for the building of the Holy Spirit Hospital. In about 1330 the Duke of Brunswick built a castle which today is used as the magistrates' court and young offenders correctional facility.

As in the Middle Ages so again today two historic trade and pilgrimage routes meet each other in bad Gandersheim, running from north to south and from east to west.

In the late 19th century, the city began to become known for the curative powers of its mineral springs and in 1932 it received the official right to call itself a spa town, thus 'Bad' Gandersheim, on account of these springs.

In the summer of 1926 there was a three-day "Roswitha Memorial Celebration in 1000-year old Gandersheim". This was the first time the medieval author was used as a symbolic figure for the city. Similar celebrations took place in 1930 and 1933; these had clear national-socialistic themes — 'German Culture' versus 'Jewish-Communist Decadence'.

In 1952, the city celebrated the 1100-year jubilee of the founding of the monastery by Liudolf. A history play "The Song of Gandersheim" was presented on the market square.

The summer festival Gandersheimer Domfestspiele, was started in 1959 and has taken place yearly on the plaza in front of the Stiftskirche since that date. In 2019, its productions were attended by approximately 60,000 theatre visitors.

By plane
Hannover Airport 99 km (1 hr 10 min by car).

By car
Bad Gandersheim is located just off the A7 in the foothills of the Harz close to Osterode.

From the north: Take exit 67-Seesen/Harz for B248 toward Seesen/Osterode/Clausthal-Zellerfeld/Bad Gandersheim/B64. Turn right onto Autobahnmeisterei/B243/B248. Turn right onto B64 for 7 km Take the exit toward Bad Gandersheim-Ost.

From the south: Take A7 towards Hamburg/Hannover. Take exit 68-Echte for B445 toward Bad Gandersheim/Kreiensen/Kalefeld. Turn right onto B445 for 10 km Continue onto Northeimer Straße. Follow signs for Bad Gandersheim.

By train
Bad Gandersheim has a railway station with good connections from other Harz locations and many areas of Germany. For further information on a train from your starting destination go to www.bahn.de.

By bike
Bad Gandersheim is found on the "R1" (European remote bikeway Calais - St. Petersburg) and the D Route 3 and the "cycle path of art" (from Sarstedt to bad Gandersheim). In addition, the city offers cyclists friendly accommodations, lots of information about wheel remote paths, as well as themed trips.

By horse-drawn carriage
For something completely different why not try a horse drawn carriage trip through the countryside. It is available for groups of four to five people. Also gift vouchers are available. Appointment: Telephone +49 5382 58200 or +49 170 2043658 (mobile)

Go next

 * Osterode - This near by town has a variety of things to offer from historic buildings, the Knights Museum and the ruins of St. Jacobi Scholosskirche to  Aqualand an indoor and outdoor swimming centre.
 * Bad Grund - This small town has everything to offer from an Arboretum and Clock Museum to an indoor bowling alley, tennis courts and mini golf.  You can also experience cave therapy and mud baths!  In the winter you can ice skate and ski in the surrounding countryside.
 * Goslar - This picturesque town is well worth a day trip.  Its romantic palace, the beautiful old timber frame buildings, churches and the museums give you plenty to see.  There is also a good collection of shops and cafes around the main market square and the opportunity to explore by horse and carriage.  At night the light from the Rathuas' stained glass windows illuminate the town square. 11 km outside of town there is  UNESCO Welkulturerbe Rammelsberg a world heritage site.  This 1000-year-old mine now houses four museums.
 * Hildesheim
 * Alfeld
 * Einbeck

title: Bad Gandersheim


text:
Bad Harzburg

Bad Harzburg is a town in the Harz Mountains of central Germany.

Understand
Bad Harzburg is a small spa town nestled in the foothills on the northern edge of the Harz. It is named after a former imperial castle, the Harzburg, which used to stand proud on the heights above the town, but is now a ruin with just a few walls and ramparts remaining. The town itself caters largely for residents taking the "cure" as well as tourists - especially ramblers and cyclists - visiting the Harz. As a result, the centre is a pedestrian zone with small shops and timber-framed houses, surrounded by sprawling suburbs - a mix of impressive timber-framed residences and functional modern buildings.

Bad Harzburg is a great base for exploring the northern Harz. There is an 80-year old cable car to the Harzburg above the town called the Harzbergbahn. Once on the top, there is a network of easy walking trails and numerous sights within striking distance including the Lynx Enclosure near the Rabenklippe crags and several outstanding viewing points over the surrounding area.

By car
The best place to park is the huge free car park on the B 4 just south of the town. From there it is about 5 minutes walk to the information centre and the foot of the cable car and another 5 minutes walk into town through the spa park. There is parking outside the information centre, but it is fee-paying and visitors are limited to a maximum of 4 hours.

By train
Bad Harzburg is served by regional trains from Hildesheim and Hanover

Get around
The pedestrian precinct is an easy stroll.

Buy

 * Brockentorte ("Brocken Gateau") - the delicious Harz equivalent of Black Forest Gateau!

Go next

 * Goslar
 * Salzgitter
 * Wernigerode
 * Clausthal-Zellerfeld

title: Bad Harzburg


text:
Bad Homburg

Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, commonly referred to as Bad Homburg, is a spa town just outside Frankfurt in Hesse, Germany. With a sizeable castle and old town, the thermal springs and a casino frequented by kings, as well as its present highest per capita wealth in all of Germany, the city adopted an apt motto Champagnerluft und Tradition ("champagne air and tradition"). Despite its many attractions, the town is perhaps most known globally as the origin of the homburg hat.

Understand
The town was only formally recognized as a spa in 1912, which allowed it to use the prefix "Bad", therefore for most of its history it was known as just Homburg. Historic research has proven for the town to have been in existence since the late 12th century. It has been a minor noble residence and market town for most of its history, until mineral springs were discovered in the 19th century and spa facilities along with a casino were built in the 1840s. It was actually the casino in Homburg that served as direct inspiration for the casino in Monte Carlo, which the Monegasque Prince ordered to be built "in the German style".

Homburg's popularity with the rich and famous drew the German Imperial family to declare the city its summer residence and invite numerous relatives, including Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Edward left lasting influence on men's fashion with his innovative dress choices, one of them being a simple and versatile felt hat, which he first acquired in Homburg. Thereafter it became known after the town's name.

Arguably, the main attraction in Bad Homburg is its Kurpark, a large park near the centre of the city within which are many mineral water fountains and monuments. The Kurpark roughly runs parallel to Louisenstraße, a long pedestrian mall lined with shops and a few nearby attractions such as the Landgrave Castle. One should consider walking through the Kurpark in one direction and along Louisenstraße in the other.

By train
Bad Homburg sees no long-distance traffic - getting there in general requires taking a local train or light rail from Frankfurt or its immediate surroundings. There are two stations in Bad Homburg on two separate railways:

The RMV website has schedules. For 2-5 people travelling together on a day trip from Frankfurt, the RMV group day ticket (Gruppentageskarte) is more economical and more convenient that using single trip tickets.

By car
The town is north west of the A5 - A661 interchange.

Get around
Bad Homburg has a well-developed network of 24 bus lines stopping at 130 stops. Pretty much all of them stop at the railway station (Bahnhof) and by the Kurhaus, with the exception of three-digit lines (245, 260, 261), which only serve the Bahnhof and not the Kurhaus. Lines 1, 4, 5, 11 and 260 also serve the Gonzenheim U-Bahn station.

Bad Homburg is part of the Rhein-Mein Verkehrsverbund transport association, which provides for unified fare structure and ticketing system. Getting about Bad Homburg only requires tickets for Stufe 1 (first stage - the cheapest).

Kurpark
Kurpark (also called Bad Homburg Central Park) is a large park in the center of the city with mineral springs, the Kaiser-Wilhelm Bath, a small golf course, the Spielbank Casino, two Siamese pavilions, the Russian Chapel, Tennis courts, a big pond and a garden for blind people. There are occasional classical concerts near Wandel Hall at the eastern end of "Brunnenallee" (Avenue of Fountains).

Other Parks

 * and located in the city forest west of Dornholzhausen; large game reserve with deer.
 * and located in the city forest west of Dornholzhausen; large game reserve with deer.
 * and located in the city forest west of Dornholzhausen; large game reserve with deer.
 * and located in the city forest west of Dornholzhausen; large game reserve with deer.

Do

Buy
Bad Homburg has a shopping district along Louisenstraße, a pedestrian mall about 700 metres long.

Go next

 * Frankfurt, Germany's financial capital.

title: Bad Homburg


text:
Bad Honnef

Bad Honnef is a spa town in the end of the Middle Rhine Valley in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia state between Königswinter and Linz an Rhein. To the north it lies on the slopes of the Drachenfels mountain (Dragons's Rock), part of the Siebengebirge.

By train
The nearest bigger railway stations to Bad Honnef are in Bonn, Cologne and Siegburg, but Bad Honnef also has its own railway station. It can by reached from Cologne by a regional train going to Koblenz. But make sure that your train is travelling on the right side of the Rhine, not via Bonn Hbf on the left, and that your train stops in Bad Honnef.

By Regionalbahn or Stadtbahn
From these stations you have to travel by Regionalbahn, Regional-Express or Stadtbahn. Long distance trains end im Bad Honnef. From Siegburg or Bonn you take the tram 66.

You need a train going to Königswinter or Bad Honnef. From Cologne you can either take a Regional-Express or S-Bahn to Siegburg or Bonn or take the Stadtbahn that is directly going to Bad Honnef. Mostly, these are trains from Cologne to Koblenz but only those on the Rhine's right side. You must look for trains passing Deutz, (the airport of Cologne), Troisdorf and Bonn-Beuel. Trains travelling to Koblenz via Bonn Hbf and Remagen won't bring you here.

By boat
By boat, you can reach Bad Honnef with the tourist boats on the Rhine and by ferry from Rolandseck, but this is not useful only if you live in Bonn.

Go next

 * Bonn – Is a half hour Stadtbahn ride from Königswinter.
 * Cologne – Is easy to get to by train from Königswinter's train station.
 * Königswinter
 * Middle Rhine Valley
 * Unkel is a town several minutes by Regional-Bahn from Bad Honnef. The town is noted for its charm, river boat cruises, and as being home to two German chancellors after World War II.
 * Linz am Rhein
 * Neuwied
 * Koblenz – Is easily accessible from Königswinter, however, the ride is a bit long by train.
 * Eifel

title: Bad Honnef


text:
Bad Kreuznach

Bad Kreuznach is a spa town on the river Nahe located in the Rhineland-Palatinate region (Rheinland-Pfalz) of Germany and is the center of the Nahe wine region. With a lengthy history as a center for baths and spas, Bad Kreuznach is where the region's best restaurants and hotels are.

By train
There are a number of regional lines providing connect to the town from Saarbrücken, Neunkirchen (Saarland), Idar-Oberstein, Mainz, Kaiserslautern and Bingen. In the summer this is also the excursion train Nahetal-Express from Wiesbaden.

By car
From the A 60 just south of Bingen, take the B 41 toward Bad Sobernheim.

Go next

 * Idar Oberstein
 * Bad Münster am Stein
 * Bingen
 * Ingelheim
 * Bacharach
 * Bad Sobernheim
 * Gensingen

title: Bad Kreuznach


text:
Badlands

The Badlands is a region in the USA that includes western South Dakota and North Dakota marked by rugged terrain and formations that resemble a science fiction landscape of another world. These rock formations take on the shapes of domes, twisted canyons and slanted walls, often striped in different colors.

Cities

 * , North Dakota
 * , North Dakota
 * , North Dakota
 * , South Dakota
 * , South Dakota
 * , South Dakota
 * , South Dakota
 * , South Dakota
 * , South Dakota

Other destinations

 * , covering about 242,000 acres, is located in southwestern South Dakota. The park contains the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. The most endangered land mammal in North America, the black footed ferret, was re-introduced to the 64,000-acres Badlands Wilderness Area. The park also contains the world's richest fossil beds from the Oligocene epoch, dating back around 20-35 million years. The park hosts approximately a million visitors each year.

Understand
During the youth of the Rocky Mountains, about 60 million years ago, large number of streams carried eroded soil, rock and other materials eastward from the range. These materials were deposited on the vast lowlands which are today called the Great Plains. Dense vegetation grew in these lowlands, then fell into swamps, and was later buried by new layers of sediments. Millions of years later, this plant material turned into lignite coal. Some of the plant life became petrified, and we can find large amounts of exposed petrified wood in the badlands. While sediments continued to be deposited, more streams cut down through the soft rock layers, carving the variety of mesas, buttes, rock formations, pinnacles, spires and valleys are the features of the badlands seen today.

While the badlands terrain may appear to be barren, there is a great variety of wildlife and plant life here. The minimal annual precipitation feeds the grasses and wildflowers of the badlands. The brilliant colors of the blooms add to the palette of grays, browns, reds, ochres and greens of the land. The wildlife includes nearly two hundred species of birds, deer, prairie dogs, elk and bison.

title: Badlands


text:
Badlands (North Dakota)

The Badlands are a region of the US state of North Dakota. The Badlands are located in the southwest portion of the state. The area is dry today, but in the past, rivers carved out stunning rock features that stand today. It must truly be seen to be believed.

Understand
Badlands are unique formations resulting from millions of years of sedimentary buildup and erosion.

Do

 * Drive through the Badlands on US Highway 85. The area is sparsely populated and in the summer months gets extremely hot. Fill up your gas tank, check your coolant levels, and pack plenty of water for yourself. Start in Dickinson rather than Williston so the sun won't be in your eyes as well. Notable sights on this drive are: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Little Missouri National Grasslands, Watford City and the Missouri River.
 * Fishing. Buffalo Gap Dam, 2 miles southeast of Buffalo Gap (I94 exit 18) for trout, largemouth bass, and bluegill. Camels Hump Dam, immediately northeast of Sentinel Butte (I94 exit 10) for trout, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Odland Dam, 7 miles north of Beach for pike, perch, and bluegill.
 * Hunting: prime area for mule deer. See map.

Eat
Rocky Mountan Oysters are cattle or buffalo testicles that are breaded and deep-fried. While many people enjoy this delicacy, locals enjoy tricking visitors into eating without disclosing the nature of the food.

Go next

 * Montana

title: Badlands (North Dakota)


text:
Badlands and Black Hills

The Badlands and Black Hills are part of South Dakota.

Cities

 * — Deadwood's Twin City, home to the Historic Homesake Gold Mine
 * — Headquarters of the Oglala Indian Reservation.
 * — Deadwood's Twin City, home to the Historic Homesake Gold Mine
 * — Headquarters of the Oglala Indian Reservation.
 * — Deadwood's Twin City, home to the Historic Homesake Gold Mine
 * — Headquarters of the Oglala Indian Reservation.
 * — Headquarters of the Oglala Indian Reservation.

Understand
This beautiful region of South Dakota consists of two parts, as its name implies: the Badlands, with canyons and rugged terrain; and the Black Hills, a mountain range with forests and the famous Mount Rushmore.

By plane
From the sky, you will likely have only one viable option for a point of entry: Rapid City Regional Airport. Flights arrive regularly from Denver, Chicago, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis, as well as a twice weekly nonstop from Las Vegas.

By car
Without a car, you won't go far. I-90 is the sole interstate in the region, running east-west, skirting Black Hills NF and Badlands NP to the north, and passing through Rapid City. It goes on to Sioux Falls in the east, and west to Wyoming to connect with I-25, which leads south to Denver.

See
The main sights are indisputably the cyclopean sculptures at Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the embryonic Crazy Horse Memorial, both of which are close to Custer. Wind and Jewel Caves, as well as Badlands National Park are also well worth a visit. But if you are here to just snap photos of a few main attractions, you are going to miss the point. This is beautiful, big, wild country, and to appreciate it, you'll need to spend days driving or hiking around to take in the glorious scenery, gawk at wildlife, wonder at the night stars, and enjoy the fresh, clean air.

Do

 * Drive through "Bear Country USA", a "drive-through zoo" containing many animals you otherwise would not want to be in proximity to.
 * Hike or at least check out the incredible Badlands.
 * Ride down Highway 16, off of which are conveniently located many of the area's numerous attractions.
 * Tour the local highways, which can be very scenic in nature.
 * Visit and enjoy Evan's Plunge in Hot Springs, a mini-water park fed by hot springs.
 * Visit the area's most famous attraction, Mount Rushmore.
 * Visit the Mammoth Site
 * Watch the Old West Shoot-out in Hill City

Sleep
Circle View Ranch offers a unique view. Their 3,000-acre ranch is 6 miles from Badlands National Park.

Go next
You're not far from some interesting, less visited places across state borders. Devil's Tower National Monument is just west in Wyoming and Teddy Roosevelt National Park is just north in North Dakota. And if Badlands National Park and the North Dakota Badlands just don't slake that deep, deep thirst of yours for poor quality lands, you could point your car northwest towards the thematically significant Alberta Badlands.

title: Badlands and Black Hills


text:
Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park is a national park that is in southwestern South Dakota. This park is marked by rugged terrain and formations that resemble a science fiction landscape of another world. These rock formations take on the shapes of domes, twisted canyons and slanted walls, often striped in different colors. The formations contrast sharply with the rolling hills and prairies in which they stand.

In addition to the rock formations, the park contains the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. The most endangered land mammal in North America, the black footed ferret, was re-introduced to the 64,000 acres Badlands Wilderness Area. The park also contains some of the world's richest fossil beds from the Oligocene epoch, dating back around 20-35 million years.

There are other badlands areas elsewhere in the US and in Canada.

Natural history
During the youth of the Rocky Mountains, about 60 million years ago, large number of streams carried eroded soil, rock and other materials eastward from the range. These materials were deposited on the vast lowlands which are today called the Great Plains. Dense vegetation grew in these lowlands, then fell into swamps, and was later buried by new layers of sediments. Millions of years later, this plant material turned into lignite coal. Some of the plant life became petrified, and we can find large amounts of exposed petrified wood in the badlands. While sediments continued to be deposited, more streams cut down through the soft rock layers, carving the variety of mesas, buttes, rock formations, pinnacles, spires and valleys are the features of the badlands seen today.

Human history
For eleven thousand years humans used the area for hunting. They hunted bison, rabbits, and other animals.

Fossils hunters arrived after the 1840s. Trappers traveling from Fort Pierre to Fort Laramie collected fossils. One fossil ended up being described in the American Journal of Science. Within decades new species were being discovered.

Homesteaders arrived at the end of the 19th century and the US government removed the natives from their land. This culminated in the massacre at Wounded Knee, which is approximately 45 miles south of the park in the Pine Ridge Reservation.

The Dust Bowl of the 1930s prompted many homesteaders to move elsewhere. Some who stayed are still there today.

The United States Air Force took possession of more than 340,000 acres of the Pine Ridge Reservation and about 340 acres of what was then Badlands National Monument and used it extensively between 1942 and 1945 as a gunnery range. This is now the Stronghold unit of the park and is co-managed with the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Unexploded ordnance remains in the area.

Flora and fauna
While the badlands terrain may appear to be barren, there is a great variety of wildlife and plant life here. The minimal annual precipitation feeds the grasses and wildflowers of the badlands. The brilliant colors of the blooms add to the palette of grays, browns, reds, ochres and greens of the land. The wildlife includes nearly two hundred species of birds, (mule and white tail) deer, prairie dogs, pronghorn, big horn sheep, and bison. Other mammals in the park include bats, rabbits, and coyotes. The park has reintroduced the black footed ferret, the most endangered land mammal in North America, to the Sage Creek Wilderness area. Reptiles and amphibians include frogs, toads, and snakes.

Non-native species of plants
Dozens of non-native species of plants have been brought by settlers through deliberate or accidental means. The park is actively working to remove the non-native plants and restore the prairie to its original condition.

Climate
The park is windy. Summers are hot and winters are cold.

Winter begins in November, although blizzards in late October may occur. High temperatures around 40°F (4.4°C) with lows below 0°F (-18°C) and high winds creating much lower windchill. Snow is likely and blizzards are possible.

March is difficult. Temperatures may fluctuate dramatically within a few hours. Blizzards are still possible, and so is 60°F (15.5°C) weather.

Spring begins in April. With snow melting and April rains, the park is very wet. The unpaved roads can be difficult or impossible to pass and trails may be slippery and unpleasant. Temperatures at night is typically below freezing. The park receives most of its rain between April and June. Showers may be brief or last for days.

July is hot and dry. Daytime temperatures can surpass 90°F (32°C).

August is the hottest when temperatures can break 100°F (38°C). Evenings are about 75°F (24°C).

In September the temperatures begin to cool off in the second half of the month.

October is much cooler although a few days may break 80°F (27°C).

Geology
The badlands are formed by water and wind erosion, losing about an inch (2.54 centimeters) a year. About five millions years ago the land uplifted and triggered the erosion processes that created the badlands.

Paleontology
The fossils found in the park date from The Age of Mammals, including ancestors of the modern day rhinoceros, horse, dog, and others. Fossilized sea shells and turtle shells have also been found in the park. There are no dinosaur fossils in the park.

Approximately 30 million years ago the area was warmer and lush. Many mammals roamed the area and died in floods and quickly buried in sediment, providing an abundance of vertebrate fossils.

Digging and/or moving fossils or artifacts from their locations in the ground is prohibited by Federal law. Offenders are subject to heavy fines and possibly jail.

Visitor information

 * Park website

Fire
The park's goal of maintaining the prairie ecosystem requires using fire. Park visitors, however, should not start any fires anywhere in the park.

By car
The park is about 50 miles southeast of Rapid City on South Dakota State Route 44.

Interstate 90 exits 131 (Interior) and 110 (Wall) provide access to the park via State Route 240.

By plane
Rapid City Regional Airport is served by five airlines with nonstop service to Minneapolis, Denver, Chicago, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City. There are also seasonal direct flights to Charlotte and Orlando. Onsite car rental services are available.

By bus
Greyhound serves Rapid City.

Fees and permits
Entrance Fees as of 2020 are:

 * $15 Individual (Hiking, Bicycling, etc.)
 * $25 Motorcycle
 * $30 Private Vehicle
 * $50 Commercial Van, 7 to 15 passenger capacity
 * $60 Commercial Minibus, 16 to 25 passenger capacity
 * $150 Commercial Motorcoach, 26 or more passenger capacity

Members of the Oglala Sioux tribe can buy the 7-day pass at half price.

Get around
Commercial Vehicles should contact (605) 433-5361 for rates.

Dogs and other pets are allowed in the park but only in developed areas such as campgrounds, parking lots, and along the roads. Leashes are required and must not be longer than 6 feet (1.8 meters). Pets are not allowed on the hiking trails. Dogs and other pets are not allowed in the Badlands Wilderness Area.

By car
The Badlands Loop Road is the main road and the only paved road in the park. The speed limit is 45 miles per hour (72 km per hour) unless otherwise posted. Seat belts are required at all times. Do not pull off the road onto the grass but do pull off to allow traffic to pass; however, only pull off where there is sufficient space for your vehicle. Pedestrians have right of way.

By bicycle
Bicycles are allowed only on designated roads (paved, gravel, and dirt) within the park. Off road bicycling, bicycling in the backcountry, or bicycling on hiking trails is prohibited. Bicycle racks are located at the Cedar Pass Lodge and some trailheads. Remember to carry enough water and wear appropriate clothing and sun protection. Be sure to check road conditions, especially gravel and dirt roads. Be alert when riding on all roads.

By horse
A part of the Sage Creek Campground is designated for horses. However, no water is suitable for human consumption and horses unaccustomed to badlands water likely will not drink. Bring one gallon per person per day of water and five gallons per horse per day. Feed must be pellets or weed free hay; contact park staff for details. Hitching posts available and horses are not allowed to run free. Picket pins should be moved frequently to prevent overgrazing. Maximum stay is fourteen nights. There are no horse trails.

Overlooks
The Badlands Loop Road offers many overlooks with parking lots. Restroom facilities are located at a few overlooks.

A small overlook of the Red Shirt Table is located south of the village Red Shirt on the Pine Ridge Reservation on Highway BIA 41. This is approximately 30 miles outside of Hermosa, and provides a great view and hike for those who wish to see the Stronghold Unit of the Badlands, which may be ideal for those staying in the Black Hills or Custer State Park who may not be able to travel through the official loop.

Do
Always carry water. Keep your distance from wildlife, especially bison. If your presence causes a change in behavior, then you are too close.

Refer to the Stay Safe section for more details about exploring the park.

'''Digging and/or moving fossils or artifacts from their locations in the ground is prohibited by Federal law. Offenders are subject to heavy fines and possibly jail.''' If you find some fossils or artifacts, note all details, and then stop by the Cedar Pass Contact Station and make a report.

Picnic areas
Picnic tables are located near the Cedar Pass Campground. There are also picnic areas at the Journey Overlook and on Conata Road. As usual, no water is available and fires are strictly prohibited.

Amphitheater
Located in the Cedar Pass Campground near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. In the summer months, park rangers give a 40-minute presentation on an aspect of the park.

Drink
Water is available at the visitor centers and in the campground April 15 - October 15, weather dependent.

Camping
There are two campgrounds within the Badlands NP.

Backcountry
Backpackers can camp anywhere in the park that is at least one half mile from the road. Open fires are not permitted within the park. All backpackers are urged to stop at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, to better plan your trip and to alert the Park Service rangers to your presence.

Stay safe

 * Weather. Badlands NP visitors must come prepared for the weather. Temperatures can exceed 100°F (38°C) in the summer, while winter temperatures can dip below 0°F (-18°C). Temperatures fluctuate through the day, sometimes widely. Thunderstorms and blizzards can come up suddenly.
 * Exposure. Carry plenty of water (1 gallon per person per day), a hat, appropriate sunscreen, and sunglasses. Also consider that the park can be very windy.
 * Wildlife. The animals in the park are less of a threat to visitors who pay them the proper respect. However, ending up on the wrong end of a bison can mean a hospital stay or death for the park visitor.  Visitors should also be wary of the poisonous (but seldom deadly) prairie rattlesnakes, a subspecies of the rattlesnake.
 * Prickly pear cactus. These small cacti hide in the prairie grass. Wear shoes with thick soles and watch you step. If their flowers are blooming, they are easier to spot.
 * Water. There is no potable water in the park except at the visitor centers. Boiling, filtering, or treating with chemicals does not make the water drinkable.
 * Getting lost. The vast areas of the park off the established trails or out of the designated areas can become very confusing. Good map reading and land navigation skills required.
 * Unexploded ordnance. The Stronghold unit has any number of unexploded bombs and shells left over from the 1940s when the United States Air Force used the land as a gunnery range. When exploring the area keep an eye out. Do not touch any unexploded ordnance. Note the location and notify park rangers as soon as possible.

Go next
Nearby towns include:

 * Interior is located 2 miles west of the park on Highway 44. Services and facilities include a post office, grocery store, gas stations, and auto service year round.
 * Wall is 30 miles northwest of park headquarters using the Badlands Loop Road or exit 110 on I-90. Motels, banking, pharmacy, medical clinic, gas, restaurants, and most services are available. The famous Wall Drug store is located here as well.
 * Rapid City is located 75 miles west of the park headquarters.

Nearby monuments and parks in South Dakota include:

 * The Crazy Horse Memorial. A massive sculpture that is still being built on the side of a mountain to honor a famous Native chief.
 * Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The faces of four famous American presidents carved into the side of a mountain.
 * Custer State Park. Home to a large herd of bison as well as other wildlife. Scenic drives.
 * Jewel Cave National Monument. Jewel Cave is the second longest known cave in the world.
 * Wind Cave National Park.
 * Black Hills National Forest.

Driving west into Wyoming, sites include:

 * Devils Tower National Monument. America's first national monument, this massive volcanic core was featured in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".
 * Yellowstone National Park. America's first national park.
 * Grand Teton National Park. Home to massive and craggy mountains.

title: Badlands National Park


text:
Badlapur

Badlapur is a city in the North Konkan region of Maharashtra. Initially, it was a group of 4 villages of Katrap, Kulgaon, Badlapur and Manjarli, and the actual "Badlapur" village is approximately 10 km from the main city centre. However, due to advancement and urban development, it is now officially recognised as a city by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

Understand
Over a period of time, Badlapur has transformed into a major residential area, comprising various communities and people of different social classes. Badlapur is typically known to Mumbai people as a weekend picnic spot, as it hosts two major dams, and a few waterfalls appear during the monsoon.

Its proximity to Mumbai has transformed Badlapur into one of the major residential zones in the area. Although it is approximately 70 km from Mumbai's main city, its quiet surroundings, proximity to beautiful natural environments and somewhat cool temperatures made it a place liked by many.

Get in
Badlapur is well connected with Mumbai, Pune and Bhiwandi through rail and road networks. The nearest airport is Mumbai International Airport (approx. 65 km). The nearest railhead is Kalyan, which is a junction that connects to all parts of India. The best way to get in is by local trains (EMU) which ply round the clock between Badlapur and Mumbai.

Get around
Services of three-wheeler autorickshaws and online cabs are available. These are very affordable and the best way to get around faster. However, many people though like to walk around the city, as you won't easily tire there, due to its clean air.

See

 * Badlapur Fort
 * Barvi Dam
 * Barrage Dam
 * Shanti Sagar Water Park & Resort
 * Rainy Resort Water Park
 * Satsang Vihar
 * Matheran (20 km)
 * Bhoj Dam & Resorts

Temples

 * Kondeshwar - Kondeshwar has a beautiful waterfall along with a pond. There is a temple of Lord Shiva and hence the name Kondeshwar. Kondeshwar is remotely located away from the noise and urban pollution, with the nearest village located about 20/25 minutes by walk. Though Kondeshwar is a very beautiful place to be during a monsoon period, there have been many accidents and fatalities due to unsafe swimming practices by people who have very less knowledge of the crevices under the water. Many people have died due to the turbulence of the waterfall and they were taken inside the crevices from where it is very difficult to come out due to the heavy force of water.
 * Gajanan Maharaj Temple – Kanhor - Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj Temple – Kanhor is among the well-known religious places located in a serene & scenic place. The temple is situated just outside of Badlapur village on a small hillock surrounded by fields and greenery all around. The enchanting natural beauty around the temple is another attraction for the devotees who visit the temple.
 * Moolgaon – Khandoba Temple - The temple of Lord Khandoba is located in Moolgaon, a small village, around 4 Miles (6 km) from Badlapur Railway station. From the temple, you can see the panoramic view of Badlapur, Kulgaon and Vangani. The best time to visit this place is around September to November.

Do

 * Swim at your leisure in Ulhas River or be safe at numerous water parks.
 * Take a stroll around the city and enjoy street food.

Eat
There are many good hotels & food joints around which serve traditional Indian food. Don't miss "vada Pau" on roadside stalls.

Drink
There are many bars around serving wine and other alcohol. Try "Moha Wine" if you happen to visit during winter.

Budget

 * Rajhans Lodge . ₹250 per night.

Mid-range

 * Bhoj Resort  ₹300-₹500 per person for stay including many facilities

Splurge

 * Rainy Resort. ₹900 per night.

Go next
To Matheran, Pune or Mumbai.

title: Badlapur


text:
Bad Mergentheim

Bad Mergentheim is a city in Baden Württemberg, Germany.

By plane

 * Frankfurt Airport - The nearest intercontinental airport.
 * Stuttgart - for European 'EU-domestic' flights.
 * Nürnberg - for European 'EU-domestic' flights.

By train
Bad Mergentheim sees regional train services along the Wertheim to Crailsheim line.

Get around
Walking will get you from one end of town to the other in about 15-30 min.
 * Walking

The best way to get around in the area is obviously by car.
 * Driving

In the spring and summer, biking is also highly recommended. There are a lot of bike lanes and special bike roads with no cars.
 * Cycling

From Rothenburg ob der Tauber you can start a popular bicycle tour by the "Lovely Tauber valley" (also "Charming Tauber valley"), about Weikersheim, Bad Mergentheim, Lauda and Tauberbischofsheim, till you reach just 100 km removed Wertheim. Recommended daily stages of the route "Charming Tauber Valley":
 * 1st day's stage - Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Weikersheim (or Bad Mergentheim)
 * 2nd day's stage - (Weikersheim via) Bad Mergentheim to Tauberbischofsheim
 * 3rd day's stage - Tauberbischofsheim to Wertheim

Drink
In Bad Mergentheim you will find not too many possibilities to get drunken. But you will have the chance at Frankies´s diner or at the Klotzbücher restaurant (to eat there something is not really advisable).

Starlight Coffee at Kirchstraße is nice for some hot java.

Go next
Outside of Bad Mergentheim you will find a nice village called Markelsheim with many nice restaurant with a pretty good drink voucher: Weinstube Schurk, Weinstube Lochner.

In Markelsheim at each corner and in each street you will find many wine bars. In summer in Markelsheim there are at every weekend any other parties, esp. wine parties. Don´t miss them!

Next Cities:
 * Tauberbischofsheim
 * Wertheim
 * Rothenburg ob der Tauber
 * Würzburg

title: Bad Mergentheim


text:
Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler

Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler is a combined-town in Rhineland-Palatinate. As the name suggests, it is made up of two towns: the spa town of Bad Neuenahr, and the picturesque old town of Ahrweiler. Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler is one of the largest towns in the red-wine producing Ahr Valley.

By train
The town is accessible by a local stopping service (Regional Bahn) which runs along the Ahr Valley, connecting it with Bonn and Remagen. There are three stations, depending on which bit you want to visit: in Bad Neuenahr, and Ahrweiler & Ahrweiler-Markt in Ahrweiler.

By road
Exits 30 and 31 of the A61.

Get around
The towns are small enough to see on foot, and it's a pleasant 40-minute walk along the river from the centre of one to the other. Alternatively, a bike path runs along the river or there are buses.

See

Bad Neuenahr:
 * thermal bath
 * and Casino

City gates in Ahrweiler:

Do

 * Walk in the hills among the vineyards; try a section of the Red Wine Walking Route (Rotweinwanderweg).
 * Relax in the heated pools of the thermal baths
 * Explore Ahrweiler's medieval streets
 * Visit the excavated Roman villa near Ahrweiler

Eat

 * Zwiebelkuchen ("onion cake") is a speciality of wine-growing areas and is the perfect accompaniment to Federweißer (see below)

Drink
The whole Ahr valley is famous for its shale vineyards, typically producing Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder, red) and Riesling (white) wines. Local varieties are available anywhere where drinks are served.
 * Federweißer is a very sweet white wine made from the first grapes of the harvest. Federroter is the red equivalent.

Go next

 * Dernau red wine village
 * Bad Münstereifel
 * Bonn

title: Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler


text:
Badplaas

Badplaas is a town in South Africa. Also known as eManzana, its history is closely tied to its spring pools.

title: Badplaas


text:
Bad Reichenhall

Bad Reichenhall is a spa town in the Bavarian Alps in Germany, near Salzburg, Austria. Bad Reichenhall has a population of 18,500 (2020).

Understand
Bad Reichenhall ("Bad" has nothing to do with the English word "bad"; it is a cognate of the word "bath") is a mid-sized spa-town that has a spa tradition dating back to the 19th century. It is also a household name throughout the German-speaking world for salt production, and a salt brand is named after the city.

By plane
The closest airports are in Salzburg and Munich Airport.

By car
From Munich and Salzburg go to A8 autobahn.

Get around
Transportation is typically by car, bus or walking. City transit consist of 3 bus routes. Routes #1 and #2 go through the town to relatively remote outskirts like Thumsee (remember that "remote" means "mile away" for this town). Route #4 is CityBus and circles the town. There's no route #3. All buses stop at Railway station (Hauptbahnhof) and Rathausplatz.

See
Beautifully tended parks and historical sights make this alpine town one of the most precious jewels of Bavaria.

Adventure

 * Mountain climbing
 * Bungee jumping
 * Bungee jumping

Water

 * Rafting

For Swimming, there is a large choice of attractive heated outdoor and indoor pools, as well as beaches on the banks of crystal-clear mountain lakes. Pools in Bad Reichenhall:

Bikes
The spa zone boasts 50 km of biking trails, the Berchtesgaden Land district some 500 km! What an invitation to undertake one of many varied bicycle excursions! Among the favorites of the area are Thumsee Lake, Saalach Lake, along Saalach River, around Mount Untersberg and many more. The tourist office's activity program includes free guided biking tours.
 * Bike rental. Aral fuel station (Loferer Straße 28 - 29 on the B20 near Bad Reichenhall) rents bicycles at the following rates: touring bike €7.50/day; mountain bike with suspension fork €12.50/day; full-suspension mountain bike €17.50/day; 24-hour service; 10% discount with the Visitor's Card; free crash helmet.
 * Bike rental. Aral fuel station (Loferer Straße 28 - 29 on the B20 near Bad Reichenhall) rents bicycles at the following rates: touring bike €7.50/day; mountain bike with suspension fork €12.50/day; full-suspension mountain bike €17.50/day; 24-hour service; 10% discount with the Visitor's Card; free crash helmet.

Winter

 * Downhill skiing - Bad Reichenhall makes for an ideal base from which to ski the slopes of the Berchtesgaden and Salzburg areas. Berchtesgaden is easy to reach by car or public transportation. Salzburg is but a short drive away and within an hour you can reach famous ski areas such as Flachau, Zauchensee, Filzmoos, Saalfelden or the Dachstein-Tauern area. Information and reduced rate passes can be obtained from the Bad Reichenhall tourist information office Tel.: +49 8651 606 0.
 * Sledding - A natural sled run (750 m) can be found in Bayerisch Gmain starting at Bergkurgarten. Two-seater sleds can be rented for free by presenting the Visitor's Card to the information centre at Bayerisch Gmain. The run is illuminated at night till 22:00. Tel.: +49 8651 606 401.
 * Ice-skating - If weather permits, ice-skating is possible on Lake Thumsee.
 * Snowshoe hiking - Experience Bad Reichenhall's glittering winter landscape on a snowshoe trek to the summit of Mount Predigtstuhl. Spectacular vistas are your reward. Information and booking: Josef Posch, Tel.: +49 8651 4009 or +49 171 737 0893.
 * Ice-curling - Tu 14:00-19:00 at Bayerisch Gmain's sports and leisure center.

Other

 * Hiking
 * High-wire rig
 * Canyoning
 * Cave exploring
 * Golf - 10 golf courses and one driving-range (Marzoll) within a radius of 45 km in the vicinity of Bad Reichenhall and Bayerisch Gmain. Some of the greens offer breathtaking views of mountains and lakes as well.
 * Driving-Range (Schloßberghof, Marzoll) Tel.: +49 8651 7005-41.

Buy

 * There is an elegant pedestrian area boasting 330 exclusive shops.

Drink

 * You can find some bars in the pedestrian plaza.
 * If you like to go to clubs, you have to go to Salzburg or Munich.

Mid-range

 * It's also possible to spend your vacation on a farm.
 * It's also possible to spend your vacation on a farm.
 * It's also possible to spend your vacation on a farm.

Go next

 * Berchtesgaden
 * Salzburg
 * Munich

title: Bad Reichenhall


text:
Badrinath

Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Badrinath is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage.

Understand
Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an elevation of 3,133 m. The holy shrine here is the Badrinath Temple dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu. The temple is stated to be of Vedic origin and over the years has undergone many renovations.

Climate
The area experiences a cool and chilly climate all through the year. May to June and again from September to October are the best period to visit. Winter is severe and snowfall is common. The monsoon period from July to mid September is best avoided for your journey as landslides and road blocks are quite common.

Get in
Only a 50 km from the India-China (Tibet) border, Badrinath is generally a 10-hr journey from either Kedarnath, the site that precedes it in the Char Dham circuit, or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains.

Many people prefer to reach Badrinath shrine starting early morning from Joshimath have darshan of Lord Vishnu and return to Joshimath by evening to avoid any altitude problems.

One can visit the last Indian village Mana during the visit of the temple which is around 4 km from the temple and easily accessible by the roads.

By bus
There are regular buses operating to Badrinath from Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh, especially in the early morning from the latter two.

Reserve your seat here:

By car
There are certain timings to visit Badrinath by car/bike after opening of the temple, as routes are narrow from Pandukeshwar on some places. As of 2018, roads are open 8AM–8PM. There is a checkpost near Pandukeshwar, around 23 km from Joshimath (a good place for a journey break). So check the timings before start your journey.

Get around
The temple is open only May–October and the dates are announced through the media.

Buy
Ancient coins, wool, Ayurvedic medicine, holy books, counterfeit electronic goods from China, sacred threads, seashells, temple requirements, aarti booklets, colourful beads and bracelets.

Eat
Indian and only vegetarian food. Non vegetarian foods are not allowed on this pilgrimage route beyond Rishikesh. There are several eateries around the temple some of which have decent eating atmosphere. Do not expect luxury as all business here are seasonal. All shops remains closed after the yatra season is over.

Drink
No alcohol permitted, but (illegal) marijuana, etc., is widely available.

Sleep
Lots of hotels and ashrams, and three GMVN Tourist Rest with inexpensive dorms exist.

If you are low on cash you can always stay in an ashram; food is also provided by ashrams. If you are adventurous you can bring along your tents and camp here.

There are some locals who can also provide you ready-made tents to stay.

Hotel Narayan Palace, near the bus stand, and Sarovar Portico are luxury hotels with a reasonable tariff.

Go next

 * Ghangaria – Just south, it's the gateway to the Hemkunt pilgrimage site and the Valley of Flowers.
 * Auli – One of India's best ski resorts, just south of Joshimath.
 * Kedarnath – Relatively close, considering you are already in this area. It is one of the four Char Dham Yatra Hindu pilgrim centers, at 3,400 m, which you need to hike at least 16 km to.
 * Nainital – Back towards the valley but not Rishikesh, one of the most popular hill stations of India, famous for its lake. But the bus connection might be painful.

title: Badrinath


text:
Bad Säckingen

Bad Säckingen is a magnificent little city located in the very southern part of Germany. For tourists, it is ideally located at the southern end of the Black Forest and Switzerland is just a few minutes walk away, crossing over the lovely old wooden bridge. Nearby attractions include Basel, Freiburg and Konstanz.

The town is also known as the town of the trumpeter, due to the book by Joseph Victor von Scheffel, "Der Trompeter von Säkkingen".

Get in
The place can easily be reached by car as well as public transport.

By car

 * from the north: Travel on the Autobahn A5 to Basel, then follow the A98 and B34 east
 * from the south: Follow the signs to either Basel or Zurich. Then travel to Stein in Switzerland and cross over the new bridge.
 * from the west: From Basel follow the A98 and B34
 * from the east: From Waldshut follow the A98 and B34 westwards

By train
There is a big intercity train station in Basel which can be reached easily from most major cities in the western part of Germany. Be sure to switch trains at Basel Badischer Bahnhof (not at Basel SBB). From there you can catch connecting trains to Bad Säckingen that run on a regular basis. Coming from the east (e.g. from Munich), you can usually travel via Ulm (possibly changing trains in Singen or Ravensburg). From Ulm on it will usually be a local train, but be prepared to watch some nice scenery on your way to Bad Säckingen. Make sure to sit on the left side (in running direction) of the train, so you can have a nice view of the river Rhine. Check for up to date fare information at DB.

By plane
Conveniently located airports are Basel/Mulhouse and Zurich.

Get around
Being a small city, you can reach most main attractions in the inner city by foot. Renting a bicycle might be a good idea to venture into the lovely suburbs like Wallbach or Obersäckingen, that can be reached in a few minutes. There are also public buses running to the suburbs. Furthermore, there is a local bus, the city-bus.

See
The main attractions are all conveniently located in the city centre. You should definitely have a look at the St. Fridolinsmuenster, the old Wooden Bridge, and the romantic Trompeterschloss in a nice park.

Do

 * Walk to the lovely Bergesee
 * Swim at the Aqualon

There are a couple of nice restaurants around town. However, regarding late-night entertainment, the city has not much to offer.

Events

 * Brückenfest
 * Shrovetide

Buy
You can buy 'Rheinkiesel', sweets looking like small stones from the Rhine, at bakeries in town. There you can also get sweets with an image of the Trompeter von Saeckingen on it, which give a nice souvenir.

Eat
There are lots of nice little restaurants next to the central square of town, the Muensterplatz, next to the St. Fridolins-Muenster. There are also some other places spread out across the city.

Drink
At most restaurants you can also just have a drink and many have a bar, where you can relax while sipping on one of the great local beers.

Sleep
For a listing of hotels, pensions and bed & breakfasts, visit the town tourist website

Stay safe
Note that crossing the Covered Wooden Bridge (and thus the border to or from Switzerland) at night is only allowed if you have accommodation in Bad Säckingen or a nearby town or village.

Go next

 * Rheinfelden
 * Laufenburg

Day trips
Nearby attractions, that can be visited easily in a day if you base yourself in Saeckingen are: Basel, Konstanz, Zurich, Alsace, Schaffhausen with the Rheinfall, Triberg and Freiburg.

title: Bad Säckingen


text:
Bad Schandau

Bad Schandau is a spa town in Saxony, Germany.

Get in
Bad Schandau is served by the Elbe valley rail line connecting Dresden and Prague and therefore the two hourly Eurocity train stops there. There are also hourly S-Bahn train services from Dresden, which are slower but more frequent and accept regional travel passes. The main Bad Schandau railway station is some distance from the historic town centre and on the opposite side of the Elbe, and is linked to it by a half-hourly ferry or less-frequent and less direct bus services. Krippen railway station is almost opposite the historic town centre and is also linked to it by a ferry, but has a less frequent rail service.

By train
Long-distance EuroCity trains between Berlin and Prague call here, with a few trains per day continuing to Bratislava and Budapest, at least for the foreseeable future until at new bypass tunnel is scheduled to be completed in the early 2030s. Additionally, regional line from Meißen via Dresden runs at the least once every hour. Bad Schandau is three stations away from the line's terminus, Schöna. Czech regional trainss from Decin also call here.

By plane
From Prague airport take the bus to the main station and from there the Eurocity

From Dresden airport take the S-Bahn to the main station and from there either the Eurocity or S-Bahn

From Leipzig/Halle airport take the S-Bahn to Leipzig then regional train or IC(E) to Dresden main station and from there the S-Bahn

From Wroclaw airport take the train to Dresden main station and from there the S-Bahn

By boat
During the summer season there are touristic steam boats from/to Dresden and several other places along the Elbe. They take longer than the train ride and are more expensive, but the views of the river and the Elbe valley are spectacular

Get around
All information about public transport is available at the homepage of the Public transport authority Upper Elbe (VVO).

Go next

 * Königstein with its 16th-century mountain fortress, one of the biggest in Europe (7 km to the west, 3 minutes by train)
 * Rathen with its mountain theatre and the spectacular Bastei rock formation (8 km to the northeast, 9 minutes by train)
 * Děčín, Czech Republic (23 km to the south, 27 minutes by train)

title: Bad Schandau


text:
Badulla

Badulla is the capital city of Uva Province, in Sri Lanka.

Eat
You will find just a few local restaurants.

Go next

 * Ella by train to see the great nature and 360 deg. circle in Demodara along the way
 * Tangalle, Matara, Galle with the bus at 6:30AM from the bus terminal.
 * Tangalle, Matara, Galle with the bus at 6:30AM from the bus terminal.

title: Badulla


text:
Baekdu Mountains

The Baekdu Mountains or Paektu Mountain (Korean: 백두산맥) are a range in the northern part of North Korea spanning the provinces of Ryanggang and Chagang that are of huge symbolic importance to many Koreans.

An easier (and less restricted) option to visit this area is to go to visit the Changbaishan National Nature Reserve on the Chinese side of the border.

Other destinations

 * Myohyangsan

Understand
This region takes it name from the Baekdu mountain range (also known as the Changbai Mountains) which spans both provinces as well as the Manchu province of China. The area is highly mountainous with many peaks exceeding 2,000 m. The highest peak is Mount Baekdu which is one of the most popular visitor destinations in North Korea, and also what many Koreans consider their mythic origin. The region shares a long border with China, partly formed by the Yalu River and Tumen Rivers. While Chagang is rich in mineral resources Ryangang, to the west, is one of the poorest provinces.

Get in
Air Koryo has regular charter flights to Samjiyon (삼지연군), for tours to Mount Baekdu and, thanks to tourism, they are a fairly frequent occurrence. There is a combined military and civilian airport in Kangye, since it's also connected to Pyongyang by a road and a railway serves a transportation hub for the western part of the region.

Get around
The only regional transport you're likely to be able to use is a government provided bus at the airport in Samjiyon.

Stay safe
Mount Baekdu is an active volcano that last erupted in 1903. Experts believe that the volcano will erupt every 100 years or so, and therefore it is due for another one soon.

title: Baekdu Mountains


text:
Bafatá

Bafatá is a city in Guinea-Bissau.

Get in
Easily reached from Bissau - a two hour drive on a good road. Plenty of sept-places.

About one hours' drive from Gabú - also on a good road.

The "paragem" (bus station) is a bit far away from the old colonial centre. It's a shorter walk if you get off at the Amilcar Cabral Monument and walk downhill to the river

From Buba, take a direct bus or change at Retunda De Bambadinca. This should take around 3500 CAF, luggage included (2023).

Get around
There is a

See

 * The picturesque
 * Monuments for Amilcar Cabral and the house where Amilcar Cabral was born.
 * Cobble-stone streets and boys in donkey carts.
 * Boys fishing on the river bank or from dugout canoes.

Buy
There are at least two banks, located at the main (asphalt) road in the city center.

Eat
There are a few restaurants in town, ask around about where to find them, people are most helpful.

Drink
Bar Kasumai in central Bafata (next to the old Church) serves imported beers and soft drinks late into the night. Basic meals are available here. African atmosphere.

Sleep

 * Hotel Maimuna Cape, located on the main street in central Bafata (turn left at the main intersection as you arrive from Bissau) has a few basic rooms with fan and shower. Electricity is supplied from the hotel's power generator from 7PM to 5AM only. Bucket showers. No food.
 * Hotel Maimuna Cape, located on the main street in central Bafata (turn left at the main intersection as you arrive from Bissau) has a few basic rooms with fan and shower. Electricity is supplied from the hotel's power generator from 7PM to 5AM only. Bucket showers. No food.

Connect
Bafata is covered by the three mobile phone networks of Guinea-Bissau.

Go next
Gabú

title: Bafatá


text:
Baffin Island

Baffin Island (Inuktitut: ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ, Qikiqtaaluk) is an island in Nunavut, Canada. It's the world's fifth largest island. It is larger in area than Spain, but has a population of only 13,000 people (2016). It lies to the west of Greenland, across the Baffin Bay.

Cities

 * — the capital of Nunavut Territory
 * — the starting point for trekkers departing for the Akshayuk Pass in Auyuittuq National Park
 * — one of Canada's "Jewels of the North": one of the most picturesque communities with mountain ranges viewable from all directions; icebergs are most often accessible from the community within walking distance or a short snowmobile ride in winter

Other destinations

 * — scenic fjords, glaciated mountains, rushing rivers, huge glaciers, and the Penny Ice Cap
 * Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park, near Iqaluit, had some excellent tundra scenery, hiking trails, and good fishing.
 * Qaummaarviit Territorial Park, off the coast to the south of Iqaluit, preserves a 750-year-old campsite of the Thule culture.

History
It was named by English colonists after English explorer William Baffin. Historians believe it is likely that Pre-Columbian Norse explorers from Greenland and Iceland knew of the island. They believe it is the site of Helluland, referred to in the Icelandic sagas.

Baffin Island has been inhabited for over 3,000 years by ancestors of the Inuit, who have lived on the island for the last thousand years. In late 985 or 986, Bjarni Herjólfsson, sailing from Iceland to Viking settlements in Greenland, was blown off course and sighted land southwest of Greenland. Bjarni appears to be the first European to see Baffin Island, and the first European to see North America beyond Greenland. About 15 years later that the Norse Greenlanders, led by Leif Erikson, a son of Erik the Red, started exploring new areas around the year 1000. Baffin Island is thought to be Helluland, and the archaeological site at Tanfield Valley is thought to have been a trading post.

Wildlife
Baffin Island has both year-round and summer visitor wildlife. On land, examples of year-round wildlife are barren-ground caribou, polar bear, Arctic fox, Arctic hare, lemming and Arctic wolf.

Barren-ground caribou herds migrate in a limited range from northern Baffin Island down to the southern part in winter, even to the Frobisher Bay peninsula, next to Resolution Island, then migrating back north in the summer. Arctic hares are found throughout Baffin Island. Their fur is pure white in winter and moults to a scruffy dark grey in summer. Lemmings are also found throughout the island and are a major food source for Arctic foxes, Arctic wolves and the snowy owl.

Polar bears can be found all along the coast of Baffin Island but are most prevalent where the sea ice takes the form of pack ice, where their major food sources—ringed seals (jar seal) and bearded seals—live.

Arctic foxes can usually be found where polar bears venture on the fast ice close to land in their search for seals. Arctic foxes are scavengers and often follow polar bears to get their leavings. The Arctic wolf and the Baffin Island wolf are also year-round residents of Baffin Island.

Nesting birds are summer land visitors to Baffin Island. Baffin Island is one of the major nesting destinations from the Eastern and Mid-West flyways for many species of migrating birds. Waterfowl include Canada goose, snow goose and brant goose (brent goose). Shore birds include the phalarope, various waders (commonly called sandpipers), murres including Brünnich's guillemot, and plovers. Three gull species also nest on Baffin Island: glaucous gull, herring gull and ivory gull. Long-range travellers include the Arctic tern, which migrates from Antarctica every spring. The varieties of water birds that nest here include coots, loons, mallards, and many other duck species.[citation needed]

In the water (and under the ice), the main year-round species is the ringed seal. In winter, it makes a number of breathing holes in the ice, up to 2.4 m (8 ft) thick. It visits each one often to keep the hole open and free from ice. Water species that visit Baffin Island in the summer are:
 * Harp seals (or saddle-backed seals), which migrate from major breeding grounds off the coast of Labrador and the southeast coast of Greenland to Baffin Island for the summer.
 * Walruses, which do not migrate far off land in the winter. They merely follow the "fast ice", or ice that is solidly attached to land, and stay ahead of it as the ice hardens further and further out to sea. When the ice melts, they move in to land and can be found basking on rocks close to shore. One of the largest walrus herds can be found in the Foxe Basin on the western side of Baffin Island.
 * Beluga or white whales migrate along the coast of Baffin Island; some head north to the feeding grounds in the Davis Strait between Greenland and Baffin Island, or into the Hudson Strait or any of the bays and estuaries in between. They can often be found very close to shore (100 m [330 ft] or less).
 * Narwhals, which are known for the males' long, spiralling single tusk, can also be found along the coast of Baffin Island in the summer. They also can be often found close to the shoreline, gracefully pointing their tusks skyward as they come up for air.
 * The bowhead whale is found throughout the Arctic range. One group of bowhead whales is known to migrate to the Foxe Basin, a bay on the western side of Baffin Island.

Climate
Baffin Island lies in the path of a generally northerly airflow all year round, so, like much of northeastern Canada, it has an extremely cold climate. This brings very long, cold winters and foggy, cloudy summers, which have helped to add to the remoteness of the island. Spring thaw arrives much later than normal for a position straddling the Arctic Circle: around early June at Iqaluit in the south-east but around early- to mid-July on the north coast where glaciers run right down to sea level. Snow, even heavy snow, can occur at any time of the year, although it is least likely in July and early August.

Sea ice surrounds the island for most of the year and only disappears completely from the north coast for short, unpredictable periods from mid- to late June until the end of September.

Polar nights and midnight sun
Most of Baffin Island lies north of the Arctic Circle: all communities from Pangnirtung northwards have polar night in winter and midnight sun in summer. The eastern community of Clyde River has twilight instead of night from April 26 until May 13, continuous sunlight for 2½ months from May 14 to July 28, then twilight instead of night from July 29 until August 16. This gives the community just over 3½ months without true night. In the winter, the sun sets on November 22 and does not rise again until January 19 of the next year. Pond Inlet has civil twilight from December 16 to December 26. However, there is twilight for at least 4 hours per day, unlike places such as Eureka.

Get around
In the smaller communities (less than 3,000), ATVs and trucks are used during the short summer (when there is no snow).

In the winter, snowmobiles are the main way of getting around. Dog sleds are also used but owning and maintaining a dog team can be a very costly endeavour. Getting to and from the different communities can only be done by air; there are no roads linking the different population centres in the territory.

See
Home to Auyuittuq National Park, which features remarkable arctic scenery, midnight sun in the summer, hiking trails, and wildlife. Inuit carvings/art are available.

You can take guided dog sled tours, and sleep in an igloo.

The Northern Lights can often be seen, though it depends on both season and weather. Perhaps surprisingly, the display is generally better on the southern end of the island rather than further north, because the south is on the oval where the lights are most intense.

The capital, Iqaluit, has a few buildings of interest: the territorial legislature, a museum, and an igloo-shaped Anglican Church.

Do
Guided excursions around the island and Arctic expeditions further afield organized by outfitters (there are several in Iqaluit) are the principal way of seeing Nunavut's truly great outdoors. Summer activities include trekking, and boat and fishing tours in Frobisher Bay. In the winter months, dog-sledding journeys are an excellent way to get out and explore the landscape.

The Itijjagiaq Trail, part of the Trans Canada Trail system, runs 177 km from Iqaluit and Kimmirut. It does not connect to other parts of the Trans Canada Trail. One branch heads north for several kilometres, while the other begins with a navigable water trail about 25 km across Frobisher Bay to the Katannilik Territorial Park on Meta Incognita Peninsula.

Stay safe
The cold weather and dangerous animals articles have advice which will be relevant to many travellers in the Arctic.

There is no 9-1-1 emergency number in Nunavut. Use the local seven-digit numbers to reach individual emergency services in each community.

title: Baffin Island


text:
Bafoussam

Bafoussam is the capital of the West Region, in Northwest Highlands, Cameroon.

Understand
Bafoussam isn't the most clean, picturesque, or polite city in Cameroon, but because of Cameroon's hierarchical organization, it has a central location in the Grand West. It is a major hub for Bamiléké culture, especially French Bamiléké culture.

Get in
Bafoussam is located at the intersection of roads going to Douala, Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Foumban (and from there, the West Adamawa), and the road to Dschang is only a short ways away.

Agences
Most cities have cars going to Bafoussam. In Yaoundé, Binam ("the setting sun" in the local mother tongue) is well-reputed, but you can also try Merveilles, General, or any random car that seems to be going to Bafoussam. Most agences hire "loaders" to find passengers and to load their baggage, and that these loaders can be very aggressive! Keep a firm grip on your bags and respond firmly with a polite "Non, merci" or just "Merci" to anyone who wants to tell you where to go.

Get around
All within-Bafoussam travel is provided by taxis or moto-taxis. Most destinations will tell you "what to say" to a taxi. Taxis are cheap; you can get halfway across Bafoussam for 100 FCFA.

"Downtown" Bafoussam is located at the Rond Point Biao, or Marché A. From here there are the three roads, one going north (to carrefour Dschang and Bamenda; cars at Marché B), one going south (which forks into a road going to Bafang, Melong, and Douala, and another going to Bangangte, Bafia, and Yaoundé; cars at the Gare Routière), and one going west (which passes through Foumbot and Foumban before making its way into the West Adamawa; cars available at Carrefour Total).

Buy
There are two major supermarchés in Bafoussam: Le Point Plus, located at Rond Point Biao, and Sim-Delices, located on the south side of Bafoussam (tell a taxi Sim-Delices; it's across from the PMUC building). Marchés A and B are mostly unremarkable, with your normal collection of local groceries, Chinese-imported goods, and African fabric.

Eat
Like most Cameroonian cities, there are vendors walking around selling munchies like peanuts ("ground nuts"), slices of coconut, beignets, or cookies. There are also some vendors with "carts" selling fresh fruit like slices of pineapple or papaya. Keep an eye out for spaghetti omelette carts (visible because of their stack of egg crates). They're cheap (500 FCFA for three eggs and spaghetti in bread) and nutritious.

If none of those options appeal to you, you can also check out the supermarkets/bakeries, which sometimes have "sandwiches" or other pre-made food. In particular the Boulangerie du Peuple has a pretty good (no-cheese, no-meat) "pizza" for 400 FCFA per "slice". Sim-Delice sells both bread and cold cuts and you can ask them to assemble the two if you like.

Akwa is the name of a quartier which is right next to Rond Point Biao, and there are often women there braising fish, chicken, or soya (beef brochettes). There is also a long building made of an old shipping container, painted the colors and motifs of Jadida Butter. It has been "divided" into a series of "greasy spoon" type spaces where individual chefs prepare omelettes and salads.

Drink
Bars can be found everywhere. Notable ones include:

title: Bafoussam


text:
Baga

Baga is in the state of Goa, on the west coast of India. To many people Baga is an extension of the adjoining town of Calangute and nobody seems to be sure where one ends and the other begins. Calangute (and the area around it, Sinquerim, Baga, Candolim) in the northern section of central Goa is where tourism all started  for Goa. From the late 1960s, this was the spot where the flower-children descended.

By plane
For international travellers Goa's airport is Dabolim airport, to the south, at Vasco, approximately one hour's drive away by taxi. The closest railway station to the airport is at Margao. There are buses from Panaji and other cities to Baga and Calangute, which are close to each other. From Dabolim airport to the beach (distance - almost 40 km), you will have to get by buses with at least two transfers. It will be more convenient to hire a taxi according to the meter, given the low cost of passenger transportation. The most popular is “Goa taxi”.

By rail
The nearest railway station is Thivim. A large number of trains pass through the station "Thivim" from different cities of India, including Madgaon, Dadar and Vasco. You will need to cover another 20 km from the station. This can be done by taxi, hitchhiking or buses with transfers.

Get around
Getting around Baga is very easy on foot but be careful of the chaotic traffic and wandering cows though. There is a wide range of taxis and rickshaws easily available. Buses from Calungute are ₹5.

See
Baga's attraction is in its world famous beach. For families with children, Baga is perfect: there are no waves, the entrance to the water is shallow, and lifeguards monitor the safety of tourist. Large numbers of tourists come to Baga Beach, especially on weekends.

Interesting sights to visit include Portuguese forts at Aguada and Chapora.

Do
Enjoy a relaxing day on the beach. Can get busy at weekends and holidays.

Buy
As well as the usual range of tourist souvenirs, there are many shops selling made to measure suits and clothing at a fraction of western prices. Many leatherware shops offering made to measure jackets and luggage also available. Glasses also very cheap at the opticians in the centre of the adjoining town of Calangute. Mackies Saturday Night Bazaar is a great place for bargain hunting and music, whilst nearby Anjuna's flea market is great for a spot of haggling, and worth a visit.

Rama's Bookshop at the Calangute junction on the road leading off to Baga offers second-hand books in a dozen European languages. You even get fifty percent back on returning the read book.

Eat
A wide range from budget options to a full multi-course feast. Many interesting and cheap places along the Baga Road leading to Calangute, together with some better quality establishments. Many shacks situated on the beach offering a good choice of reasonably priced food all day from breakfast to evening meals. Some also offer occasional barbeque nights with freshly caught seafood.

 * Brito's - Known for its mix meat platter, this place serves Continental cuisine. The desserts offered are quite good.
 * Casa Portuguese
 * The Cavala Seaside Resort, Baga Road hosts a superb barbeque night with entertainment which is always popular.
 * Christie's Cafe La Musica - is a place to relax on Bean Bags & Futons drinking beer after a swim at the beach. The Thai Food and the late night barbeque for veggie and seafood lovers is its speciality.
 * Fiesta is a classy, expensive Italian restaurant that is well worth a splurge. Good food, good ambience and attentive service make it a good bet for a special occasion. Shame the cocktails are so small though!
 * J & A's Little Italy, across the Baga River along Baga Creek Road. Serving superb Italian food in a relaxing atmosphere.
 * Lario's Beach Shack, situated at the top end of the beach.
 * Mooncrest - on the road to the beach.
 * Lario's Beach Shack, situated at the top end of the beach.
 * Mooncrest - on the road to the beach.

Drink
All the restaurants and beach shacks above offer a range of locally produced spirits and beers at reasonable cost. Popular local brands include Kings and Kingfisher lager.

Sleep
Accommodation ranges from budget priced backpacker style rooms to hire. There is a range of mid range hotels around town together with larger establishments catering for the package tourist in outlying areas of Arpora and Calangute.

Go next
Baga is a great place for visiting Goa's many attractions. There are numerous agents around town offering visits to Old Goa (the capital city of the state); the second largest waterfalls in India; or to spend the night in a mud hut in the jungle and wash an elephant. Trips are available to secluded beaches (ask any taxi driver). Excursions lasting several days can also be arranged to out of state attractions such as Mumbai - the home of Bollywood; the Taj Mahal and Delhi.

title: Baga