text:
Kon Tum

Kon Tum is the capital of Kontum Province in Vietnam's Central Highlands.

Understand
Kontum is a relaxed little town with few sights. What nevertheless puts it on the map of interesting places in Vietnam are the surrounding minority villages, including settlements of the Sedang, Bahnar, Jarai, Gieh Trieng and Rengao ethnic groups. Each village has a rong, a huge and impressive communal house where the villagers gather for special occasions. Strangely enough, French Catholics missionaries were quite successful in this remote part of the country, converting some of the minorities and leaving churches behind.

Get in
Kontum is on Hwy 14, the inland road parallel to ever-congested Hwy 1. In an effort to transfer traffic from that route to here, the road has been upgraded, so the place is now easily reached. Northbound to Da Nang it runs along the northern part of the famous Ho Chi Minh Trail, winding through some of the roughest mountainous jungle terrain in the country.

By bus
Kontum's bus station is on the north side of town, just off the highway.

Buses arrive here from every coastal city between Da Nang and Nha Trang, while the neighbouring towns of Pleiku and Dac To are en route from Dalat/Buon Ma Thuot to Da Nang and thus see some through traffic.

The local buses are dangerous as they race each other down the mountains in order to collect the passengers (and their fares) first, and can overfill the minivan to as much as double its capacity.

From Da Nang: The "high quality" bus from Da Nang to Kon Tum is more comfortable and does not overfill seats, however still provides a dangerous trip due to high speeds and little concern for other vehicles.

From Plei ki: Buses from Plei Ku arrive in Kon Tum to a parking lot in Nguyen Hue st between Le Hong Phon St and 1A Hoang Van Thu St.

From Huế: A single bus leaves from Huế leave 20:00 and arrive at 06:00 (sleeper). Approximately 250,000 dong.

See

Do
Kontum's major draw are the villages of the indigenous hill-tribes (called montagnards by the French). It is recommended you go with a guide, since he or she will be able to communicate in the minority language and keep you from inadvertently breaking taboos.

Eat
There is the usual selection of hole-in-the-wall restaurants or street side stalls, mainly on Tran Phu, around the market and on the road running parallel to the river.

On the northern parallel to Tran Phu (Phan Chu Trinh?), just a few houses from the corner with Phan Dinh Phung, there is a small vegetarian restaurant (an chay). They serve excellent faux-meat with dishes described as tuna, chicken, crab, and the like.

Drink
All over town you'll find beautiful garden cafes to while away the hours.

Stay healthy
The Central Highlands are a high-risk region for malaria. Wear long trousers and shirt sleeves after dusk.

Go next

 * Da Nang — The fifth-largest city in Vietnam. Famous to tourists for its beaches, early Champa history, and convenience as a base for exploring Hội An and Mỹ Sơn. 300 km (185 mi) north of Quy Nhon.
 * Hoi An — A well-preserved 15th–19th-century trading port popular among foreign tourists and honoured as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. 290 km (180 mi) north of Quy Nhon.
 * Pleiku — City off the beaten track that does not revolve around tourism.
 * Quy Nhon — The inexpensive and tourist-free alternative to Da Nang, yet off many people's radar and therefore still a tranquil and authentic, lively and pleasant city with a much (among the locals) hyped beach, half way between Nha Trang and Hoi An.

To Laos via Bo Y border crossing.

From Kon tum you can get to Attapeu or Pakse in Laos with a bus that leaves from Pleiku. Details about schedules and right bus stop can be had from Kon Tum Tourist.

More adventurous travellers can get a local bus to Ngoc Hoi and a moto ride to the border (about 20 km from Ngoc Hoi). On the Lao side you might have to hitch a ride to Attapeu (120 km). In Oct 2007, there wasn't any public transport here. Be warned that traffic on road going from Bo Y border crossing to Attapeu is sparse and there aren't any villages until only 30–40 km before Attapeu.

title: Kon Tum


text:
Konya

Konya is a city in Central Anatolia in Turkey, known as the city of "whirling dervishes" and for its outstanding Seljuk architecture. In 2021 Konya metropolis had a population of 2,277,017, the sixth largest in Turkey, but the area of most interest is compact.

Understand
Konya has been inhabited at least since 3000 BC: cultures we know of include the Hittites, Sea Peoples (the Philistines of Canaan), Phrygians, Cimmerians, Greeks, Romans and Persians. In 47 AD St Paul and his followers were run out of town in Antioch and began preaching here, with the same result. But Konya is best known as the capital of the Sultanate of Rum, established in the late 11th century in former Byzantine territory. The poet and Sufi thinker Rumi settled in the early 13th century. The city's heritage thus stems from this Selçuk golden age. From 1420 it was ruled by the Ottomans, though briefly occupied by the Khedive of Egypt in 1832 and by the Italians in 1919, as part of a short-lived attempt to establish a colony in southwestern Asia Minor during the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire post-World War I.

The town lies on a flat agricultural plain, so food, textiles and leather were its early industries. In the 20th and 21st centuries came automobiles, tool and machinery manufacturing, casting, paints, chemicals, construction materials, paper and packaging. The population doubled from about one million in 1960 to two million in 2000 as Konya drew in labour from elsewhere. In 1975 Selçuk University was founded here, and trade including tourism was boosted in 2011 when the high speed railway arrived. It has a large air base, so it stands on the front line of NATO defences, with several cockpits of war within 30 minutes flying time.

Konya retains the air of an Anatolian provincial town with a conservative outlook. The plus for visitors is to be left in peace, without the continual hassles of Istanbul, however few locals speak English or any other foreign language. There's the occasional shark taxi driver or trader but most people are hospitable. The conservative dress, such as women using headscarves, is especially noticeable if you've just come from one of the Med beach resorts. Sauntering around the mosques and streets in beach shorts is like wearing a big sign: "I'm a know-nothing tourist, please rip me off."

The climate is typical of inland Turkey, a continental cycle of hot and arid then biting cold and snow. Summers are hot, and dry except in June, but with the city at 1016 m elevation, nights can be chilly.

Winters are grey with frequent light snow, which lingers since daytime temperatures are near freezing, and during some nights can dip towards -18°C.

Spring and autumn are cool to mild, with chilly to cold nights. Autumn is mostly dry while spring brings heavy showers and thunderstorms, sometimes violent.

Get in

 * "Come, come, whoever you are.
 * Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving — it doesn't matter,
 * Ours is not a caravan of despair.
 * Come, even if you have broken your vow a hundred times,
 * Come, come again, come." — Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī

By plane

Getting there and away:

Havaş buses run downtown via the bus terminal (which is on the tram line). They take 40 min and in 2022 cost 16 TL. They only run three times a day to connect with the Istanbul flights. City buses don't come into the airport, but buses 34, 54 and 111 pass within 500 m on Highway D715.

By train

Destinations:

Konya has YHT fast trains from Istanbul and Ankara. There are four per day from Istanbul via Eskişehir, taking 4 hr 45 min; the fare (as of 2022) is 201 TL economy, 302 TL business. From Ankara five trains per day take 1 hr 45 min, economy 67 TL, business 101 TL. Three trains continue east to Karaman (50 min), which has buses to Silifke for the Cyprus ferry.

Toros Express runs daily from Adana, taking 6 hr 30 min via Karaman and a dozen other small places. Konya Mavi takes 12 hours overnight from Izmir Basmane station via Manisa and Afyon, departing Izmir at 20:00 and returning at 19:00.

By bus

Buses from Istanbul run every 1–2 hr and take 11 hr, for a fare in 2022 of 420 TL. From Ankara they are hourly, take 4 hr, 130 TL. From Antalya is 6 hr, from Göreme in Cappadocia is 3 hr 30 min, from Izmir is 7 hr 30 min and from Adana is 5 hr.

By road
Konya is 3 hr from Ankara, 10 hr (660 km) from Istanbul, 7 hr from İzmir, and 3½ hr from Antalya.

By thumb
Trick is to be far enough out to clear local traffic, but with inter-city traffic still able to stop for you. Towards Ankara be on D715 near the Science Museum. South for Karaman and the coast try D715 around Çilenti - several town buses (such as the hourly #26 for Alakova) run this far out. But for Antalya, get off as soon as the big intersection comes up, taking D696.

On foot
The Sufi Trail is a partly marked, 800-km hiking and cycling trail from Istanbul (with a ferry connection) through Yalova, İznik, Osmaneli, Bilecik, Söğüt, Eskişehir, Seyitgazi, Emirdağ, Akşehir, and Sille to Konya, with way-stops at various Sufi shrines and other ancient sites. It loosely follows one of the Ottoman Hajj pilgrimage routes, and can be taken in about 40 days on foot or two weeks by bicycle.

Get around
Walk the central district, most sites are within 1 km or so.

Trams run 06:00 to midnight. Line 1 runs north-south from Selçuk University via the bus terminal and Selçuklu YHT station to Zafer / Alaaddin Hill in city centre. Line 2 runs east-west from Alifbey via the Mevlana Cultural Centre and Mevlana Cd to Zafer / Alaadin Hill. They loop the hill then head back out.

Trams and public buses don't take cash, you need a KonyaKart (previously called ElKart). Buy it at the bus or railway station and many tram stops, and top up at convenience stores, tram stops, and on the town official mobile app (Android, iOS). In 2023 the non-seasonal KonyaKart costs 5.00 TL and each journey (scan on boarding) costs 4.50 TL.

ATUS is the municipal transport website. It's only in Turkish.

KonyaRay is a metro railway in planning but as of 2022 construction has not begun.

See

 * Selimiye Mosque in the plaza outside Mevlana Museum is an elegant classic Ottoman building completed in 1567.
 * Kapu Mosque and Aziziye Mosque are ornate buildings a block south of Mevlana Cd.
 * The graveyard southwest side of the Cultural Centre contains Mevlana disciples and other notables.
 * Koyunoğlu Müzesi is a small display within the city library, 200 m southwest of the Cultural Centre.
 * is an artificial knoll raised by Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat at the zenith of Seljuk power. Today it's a small park at the focus of the city tramways, so the trams gyrate around it as if in homage to the dervishes then rattle back out to the suburbs. Upon it stands Alâeddin Mosque (open daily 08:00-23:00) - the crafty Sultan expunged credits to its earlier contributors, a lesson in leadership that the hapless Aladdin of western pantomime tradition might heed. He and at least seven other sultans are buried in the two mausoleums. The mosque was restored from 2014. North flank of the hill are the scraps of a Seljuk palace protected by a concrete umbrella. This was built maybe 50 years before the mosque by Kılıçarslan II, whose main legacy was to set his 11 sons and 3 daughters at war with himself and each other, to the delight of the invading Crusaders.
 * Atatürk House is 200 m southwest of Alaaddin Hill on, you guessed it, Atatürk Cd. It's a free museum with photos and memorabilia of modern Turkey's founder, open daily 09:00-17:00.KonyaSeljukPalace.jpg
 * Sırçalı Medrese 100 m south of Alaaddin Hill was built in 1242. It has rich tile work and is a museum of gravestones, but remains closed in 2022.
 * Sahib-i Ata Mosque next to the museum was completed in 1283. The medrese has been refurbished as a Museum of Seljuk Arts (Sahip Ata Vakıflar Eserleri Müzesi).
 * 4 km southwest of the centre is the mausoleum of Âteşbâz-ı Velî (d 1285), a holy man and contemporary of Rumi Mevlana.
 * is an unusual mosque with wooden columns and ceiling. Tavus Baba is in the mausoleum outside, a Sufi mystic about whom nothing is known.
 * Meram creek northeast side of Tavusbaba tomb has other old mosques and hamams, and is a popular picnic spot. "Meram" is also the name of an entire province, the southwest city quadrant for many km out, so don't let the taxi drivers carry you far away.
 * is a small Japanese-style park north on D300.
 * 11 km northwest of downtown is a well-preserved Greek village. The main sight is the Church of Michael the Archangel, also known as Aya Elenia after its patroness Helena, mother of emperor Constantine the Great. In 327 she stayed hereabouts while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Inscriptions within are in Karamanlidika, a Turkish dialect written in Greek letters. The different ethnic and religious communities here co-existed peacefully for centuries, nevertheless the Greeks were deported after 1923 and went to Halkidiki. There are many other churches carved into the soft rock, in variable states of repair, and a small museum. Şeytan Köprüsü ("Satan's Bridge") spans a sinister chasm. A dam 500 m further up the valley has created a reservoir lake and it's now a picnic spot.
 * 4 km southwest of the centre is the mausoleum of Âteşbâz-ı Velî (d 1285), a holy man and contemporary of Rumi Mevlana.
 * is an unusual mosque with wooden columns and ceiling. Tavus Baba is in the mausoleum outside, a Sufi mystic about whom nothing is known.
 * Meram creek northeast side of Tavusbaba tomb has other old mosques and hamams, and is a popular picnic spot. "Meram" is also the name of an entire province, the southwest city quadrant for many km out, so don't let the taxi drivers carry you far away.
 * is a small Japanese-style park north on D300.
 * 11 km northwest of downtown is a well-preserved Greek village. The main sight is the Church of Michael the Archangel, also known as Aya Elenia after its patroness Helena, mother of emperor Constantine the Great. In 327 she stayed hereabouts while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Inscriptions within are in Karamanlidika, a Turkish dialect written in Greek letters. The different ethnic and religious communities here co-existed peacefully for centuries, nevertheless the Greeks were deported after 1923 and went to Halkidiki. There are many other churches carved into the soft rock, in variable states of repair, and a small museum. Şeytan Köprüsü ("Satan's Bridge") spans a sinister chasm. A dam 500 m further up the valley has created a reservoir lake and it's now a picnic spot.
 * 11 km northwest of downtown is a well-preserved Greek village. The main sight is the Church of Michael the Archangel, also known as Aya Elenia after its patroness Helena, mother of emperor Constantine the Great. In 327 she stayed hereabouts while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Inscriptions within are in Karamanlidika, a Turkish dialect written in Greek letters. The different ethnic and religious communities here co-existed peacefully for centuries, nevertheless the Greeks were deported after 1923 and went to Halkidiki. There are many other churches carved into the soft rock, in variable states of repair, and a small museum. Şeytan Köprüsü ("Satan's Bridge") spans a sinister chasm. A dam 500 m further up the valley has created a reservoir lake and it's now a picnic spot.
 * 11 km northwest of downtown is a well-preserved Greek village. The main sight is the Church of Michael the Archangel, also known as Aya Elenia after its patroness Helena, mother of emperor Constantine the Great. In 327 she stayed hereabouts while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Inscriptions within are in Karamanlidika, a Turkish dialect written in Greek letters. The different ethnic and religious communities here co-existed peacefully for centuries, nevertheless the Greeks were deported after 1923 and went to Halkidiki. There are many other churches carved into the soft rock, in variable states of repair, and a small museum. Şeytan Köprüsü ("Satan's Bridge") spans a sinister chasm. A dam 500 m further up the valley has created a reservoir lake and it's now a picnic spot.

Do

 * Mystic Music Festival celebrates global music similar to the Mevlana mystic tradition. The next is probably 21-29 Sept 2023, tbc.
 * Football: Konyaspor play soccer in Süper Lig, the country's top tier. Their home ground is the multi-purpose Konya Büyükşehir (meaning "Metropolitan") Stadium, capacity 42,000 all seated, 5 km north of city centre. Internationals are occasionally played here. The stadium design is supposed to indicate the Mevlana dervishes, or bicycle spokes (the architects were a bit vague on this), but it's more like a millipede from Andromeda.
 * Lunapark is a funfair on Beyhkim Cd 8 km north of the centre.
 * Lunapark is a funfair on Beyhkim Cd 8 km north of the centre.

Buy

 * Small stores are about 1 km out from Alaaddin Hill.
 * Kulesite is a mall on Kule Cd towards the YHT railway station.
 * M1 Tepe is 5 km north of the centre on Dr Halil Ürün Cd.

Eat

 * Local cuisine centres on wheat/bread and mutton. That's one in the eye for Mevlana, himself a strict vegan. Etliekmek is a very long thin pizza with meat or cheese, as if the delivery rider had lost an argument with a steamroller. Tandır kebap is soft and juicy lamb meat slowly cooked in a wood-fired oven. Okra soup (bamya çorbası) is baby okra and chunks of meat cooked in sweet-sour pomegranate molasses.
 * Local snacks and desserts include gevrek, stubby baguettes with butter, sesame and fennel seeds, and Konya sarması, crunchy rolls filled with whipped cream.
 * Konya Mutfağı Mevlana next door persistently tries to rip off tourists.
 * Safran is within Hotel Think, next door again at 67 Mevlana Cd. Pricey but good ambience and cuisine.
 * Osmanlı Döner is behind Seljuk Hotel near Alaaddin Hill, open M-Sa 07:00-20:30.
 * Osmanlı Döner is behind Seljuk Hotel near Alaaddin Hill, open M-Sa 07:00-20:30.
 * Osmanlı Döner is behind Seljuk Hotel near Alaaddin Hill, open M-Sa 07:00-20:30.
 * Osmanlı Döner is behind Seljuk Hotel near Alaaddin Hill, open M-Sa 07:00-20:30.
 * Osmanlı Döner is behind Seljuk Hotel near Alaaddin Hill, open M-Sa 07:00-20:30.

Drink

 * Some cafes serve beer, but Konya is conservative and lacks bars and nightlife.

Connect
Konya has 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Dec 2022, 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

 * Çatalhöyük – 1 hour's drive away from Konya, this archeologically hugely important prehistoric site is one of the earliest and most well preserved human settlements discovered.
 * Akşehir – A pretty little town in the northwest of Konya province, which was home of the Hoca, a Sufi sage famous for his folk wit. The city holds a Hoca festival in July.
 * Aksaray – A laid-back city and great hub for the surrounding attractions near Güzelyurt, or like Tuz Gölü ("Salt Lake"), the second largest lake in Turkey is becoming a popular day trip from the Cappadocian towns, to wade across it shallow waters and to take a few pictures of its vivid, dreamlike views.
 * Cappadocia – 3 hours east is a must-see unworldly landscape.
 * Karaman – Has a medieval centre. It's a stop-off on the way to Adana, and you change here for transport to the coast, for ferries to Cyprus.

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

title: Konya


text:
Konye Urgench

Konye Urgench (Turkmen: Köneürgenç and also written Konye-Urgench, Old Urgench, or Urganj) is a city in Dashoguz Province, Turkmenistan. The former capital of the historically-important region of Khwarezmia, today Konye Urgench is an impressive collection of ruins that haven't been restored. Its proximity to the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan border and to Khiva results in Konye Urgench being the first (or last) thing many travelers see when visiting Turkmenistan.

Understand
The town was called Gurganch from the 10th century CE onward and is now called Konye Urgench (Old Urgench), as the inhabitants moved to modern Urgench in Uzbekistan in the 17th century. While the exact date of the city's founding is unknown, historical records indicated that it existed in some scope before 712, which is when Arab forces conquered it. The city emerged at a strategic point along the central Eurasian trade routes: here, the east-west Xi'an-Constantinople route (the main "Silk Road") intersected with the north-south Volga-Persia route (along which travelers like Ibn Fadlan visited the Russians and Volga Bulgars). When Konye Urgench was at its height, the Amu Darya river flowed into the Caspian Sea; one of the reasons the city was eventually abandoned was due to the river shifting to the Aral Sea in the 16th century.

Around the year 1000 CE the Emir Mamun unified the region of Khwarezmia, and Konye Urgench was made its capital. Khwarezmia was a powerful and strategically important region during the Middle Ages, and many important scholars from the Islamic Golden Age called Konye Urgench their home. Indeed, al-Khwarizmi, the founder/inventer of algebra, lived and taught in Konye Urgench (although it's unknown still if he made the discovery at the university in Konye Urgench or while he was at Baghdad). Konye Urgench became one of the centers of the Islamic world and was called "the heart of Islam" and "the capital of thousand wise men". Great scholars as al-Biruni (Abu Reikhan Biruni) and Avicenna (Abu Ali Ibn Sina) lived here.

In the early 13th century, the caliph of Khwarezmia, Mohammad Shah II, made what is perhaps the greatest and most influential diplomatic blunder in history, when he ordered the murder of Chinggis Khan's envoys. In response, the Khan sacked the city, razing it to the ground in one of the most disastrous massacres in history, before spending the next few months chasing the Shah further south into the Persian world before the Shah's eventual death. Nearly the entire population of Konye Urgench's Iranian population was wiped out during the massacre, paving the way for various Turkic peoples to migrate into the city. Chief among these peoples were the sedentary Uzbeks, but the city's role as a geographic hub meant that the nomadic Turkmens also began to settle in and around the city.

After its conquest by the Mongols in the 13th century, the city became an important trade center again. The Arabic traveler of the 1300s, Ibn Battuta, described Konye Urgench as "the biggest among the Turkish cities with broad streets and splendid bazaars". The main part of the magnificent monuments in Konye Urgench were built during the reign of Kutlug Timur and his wife Turabek Khanym. Konye Urgench suffered another devastating destruction at the hands of Timur (also called Tamurlane), who was upset that the Silk Road routes were bypassing his capital of Samarkand in favor of Konye Urgench. So, to redirect the flow of commerce, he ordered the city destroyed.

In the post-Timurid years, the city was largely abandoned, with the Turkmen opting to settle in new constructions just outside the old city. When the Amu Darya changed its course in the 16th century, the population moved to the modern city of Urgench, and Konye Urgench was left to both the sands of time and the sands of the Karakum.

Konye Urgench was declared a in 2005. Unlike practically every other Silk Road town in Central Asia, Konye Urgench has been deliberately not restored. The only restorations at the site are those needed to keep the buildings from collapsing. That means that (with the exception of the yellow bricks used in the structural restorations) what you see is entirely original, including the tilework on and in the domes.

By plane
Turkmenistan Airlines operates several daily flights from Ashgabat to Dashoguz.

By bus or taxi
There are frequent buses and marschrutki from Ashgabat (US$4, 10 to 12 hours) and from Dashogus (US$0.50, 2 hours). Taxis from Ashgabat cost about US$6 per seat or US$24 for the whole car, from Dashogus US$0.75 per seat or US$3.50 for the whole car. The bus station is outside town, near the Gürgenc Hotel. From there you will need a taxi to the town centre.

By car
Konye Urgench is about 100 km from Dashoguz and 480 km from Ashgabat.

Get around
There is no public transport in Konye Urgench. The sights of Konye Urgench are spread over the town. A taxi to the most distant monuments (Turabeg Khanym Mausoleum, Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum, Kyrk Molla and Il-Arslan Mausoleum) and back will cost about US$2 including waiting time.

See

 * Nedjameddin Kubra Mausoleum was built in the 14th century. It is considered as the holiest place in Konye Urgench. Nedjameddin Kubra lived in the 12th/13th centuries. He was born in Khiva and became a famous religious teacher known as 'designer of saints'. He left several treatises on mystic experiences, founded an important Sufic order and was killed by the Mongols.
 * Konye Urgench Museum in the modern Dash mosque (US$1, W-M 08:00-13:90, 14:00-16:00). Some rooms contain ethnographic exhibits including a pottery workshop and carpet looms.

The most interesting monuments are on both sides the Ashgabat road about 1 km south of the town. Admission is US$1, camera US$0.70, open from 08:00 to 18:00.

 * Turabeg Khanym Mausoleum is one of Central Asia's most beautiful buildings. It was built in the 14th century by Kutlug Timur for his wife Turabeg Khanum. Its portal with a height of 21 m and a breadth of 14 m is richly decorated with majolicas. The central building measuring about 100 m² is also ornamented with colourful tiles. The interior of the dome (height: 20 m) shows 365 stars symbolizing the days of the year, 12 open and 12 closed arches symbolize the hours of day and night, 12 bigger arches symbolize the 12 months and 4 big windows the four seasons.
 * Kutlug Timur Minaret was begun in the 11th century and finished in the 14th century unter Kutlug Timur. It was the minaret of the main mosque in Konye Urgench. With a height of 60 m, it is the highest minaret in Central Asia. The minaret is divided by 18 belts with an ornament and 3 belts with Kufi inscriptions.
 * Sultan Tekish Mausoleum is the mausoleum of Sultan Tekish, shah of Khorezm in the 12th century, who conquered a huge territory from the Aral Sea the Persian Gulf and from what is today Iran to the Pamir. This mausoleum is one of the few monuments in Konye Urgench surviving from pre-Mongol times. The dome was richly decorated with blue tiles and geometrical patterns. The mausoleum was 30 m high and serves as a lighthouse in the desert and as a symbol of authority (as it stood high above ordinary houses).
 * Kerk Mollah (Hill of the 40 mullahs) is one of the best known places of pilgrimage in Turkmenistan.
 * Il-Arshan Mausoleum is Konye Urgench's oldest surviving monument. It contains the grave of Il Arslan, the father of Sultan Tekish. The dome in the form of a tent and the facade of the monument with a pattern of bricks are the first of this type and were the prototype for similar buildings in Samarkand.

Do
Wander around the ruins and explore the history of one of the world's historic cultural capitals.

Buy
Aside from some small souvenir stands near the Turabeg Khanym Mausoleum and the Nedjameddin Kubra Mausoleum, there are no stores near the sites. Stores within the surrounding town are of little interest to the traveler, as they are the types of stores one would find in any human settlement (grocery stores, appliance stores, etc.).

Sleep

There is no comfortable hotel in Konye Urgench. It is better to stay overnight at Dashoguz.

Many tourists continue to the Darwaza gas crater and spend the night in a yurt camp in the desert. It's a 5 hour drive over an incredibly torn-up and pothole-y road between Konye Urgench and Darwaza.

Respect
The city is both figuratively and literally a graveyard. After the two great destructions, the Turkmen who moved into the area buried their dead within the site (which is one reason it was preserved). Many of these graves have been removed and moved elsewhere, but many remain. Treat the area with some reverence; stay on the paved paths.

As many of the remaining buildings were themselves built as tombs or mausolea, there are many Turkmen and Uzbek pilgrims who come to the site to pray. If you enter a tomb, be quiet or keep noises to a minimum, especially if someone is there praying.

By plane
Turkmenistan Airlines operates several daily flights from Dashoguz to Ashgabat.

By bus or taxi
The bus station is outside town, near the Gürgenc Hotel. You will need a taxi from the town centre to the bus station.

There are frequent buses and marschrutki to Ashgabat (US$4, 10 to 12 hours) and to Dashoguz (US$0.50, 2 hours). Taxis to Ashgabat cost about US$6 per seat or US$24 for the whole car, to Dashoguz US$0.75 per seat or US$3.50 for the whole car.

title: Konye Urgench


text:
Kootenay National Park

Kootenay National Park is in the East Kootenays region of British Columbia, Canada. It is one component of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site. The park includes parts of the Kootenay and Park mountain ranges, the Kootenay River and the entirety of the Vermilion River.

Understand
Kootenay National Park covers an area of 1,406 km² (543 sq mi), which is almost the size of Greater London.

While the park is open all year, the major tourist season lasts from June to September. Most campgrounds are open from early May to late September, while limited winter camping is available only at the Dolly Varden campground.

History
Archaeological evidence suggests humans have been either travelling through, or temporarily residing in, the area for about 10,000 years. Pictographs found in the hot spring caves indicate that it was the Ktunaxa people who first made more permanent use of the area, particularly the hot springs, several hundred years ago.

European fur traders and trappers passed through, as did George Simpson in 1841, through what would later be named Simpson Pass, during his circumnavigation of the world. Likewise, James Sinclair led Red River colonists westward and Pierre-Jean De Smet traveled eastward, through the area. The Palliser expedition used the Vermilion Pass in 1858 and reported to British government its potential as a transportation route.

On the Columbia River side, an early homesteader included the hot spring that would later become Radium Hot Springs in his land claim in the 1880s, but it was Roland Stuart and his business partner H.A. Pearse who were successful in acquiring the 160 acres around the springs in 1890 as a provincial crown grant. While they intended on bottling the spring water, its remote location prevented such development and Stuart offered to sell the property in 1909 to the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for $3000. Though the offer was not accepted, railway engineer Robert Randolph Bruce recognized the potential for a road through the area and advocated for it in 1910 with CPR president Thomas Shaughnessy and Premier Richard McBride, as a commercial link for the province to Calgary and eastern Canada. The federal government agreed to build a road from Banff to the park boundary at the provincial border at the Vermilion Pass, while the provincial government, with some funds from the CPR, would build a road from Windermere to the border. However, the BC government under-estimated its cost, found itself over-budget and its work was suspended in 1913, while the federal government completed their portion in November 1914.

To get the British Columbia section completed, Bruce travelled to Ottawa to pitch the idea that they designate the western end of the route, through the Rockies Mountains, a national park so that road could be funded as a park improvement. With the popularity of Banff National Park made the Commissioner of the Parks Branch, James Bernard Harkin, and officials of the Minister of Interior were receptive to expanding the park system there. In May 1916 Minister William James Roche began negotiations, and the subsequent Minister of the Interior agreed with the provincial counterparts to the Banff-Windermere Agreement, that the federal government would complete the road within 4 years of the end of war, and maintain it thereafter, in exchange for the agreed upon land to be used for park purposes and a resolution to jurisdictional matters in the other federal parks in BC. The agreement was signed on March 12, 1919, and the federal government took ownership of the land in July 1919. By Order in Council 1920-0827 on April 21, 1920, the Kootenay National Park was created. The federal government repaired the provincial portion and completed the remainder, completed for public opening by June 1923.

Landscape
While the Vermillion River is completely contained within the park, the Kootenay River has its headwaters just outside the park boundary, flowing through the park into the Rocky Mountain Trench, eventually joining the Columbia River. It ranges in elevation from 918 m (3,012 ft) at the southwestern park entrance, to 3,424 m (11,234 ft) at Deltaform Mountain.

The park is centred on the 94 km stretch of the Highway 93, from Radium Hot Springs to the provincial border at the Vermillion Pass. The park's size and shape are the result of the federal-provincial agreement to get the road constructed. Consequently, despite the northwest-southeast trending range and valley systems, the park cuts through several mountain ranges and river valleys. The park's southwestern entrance, near Radium Hot Springs and the Sinclair Canyon, is the only part of the park within Southern Rocky Mountain Trench. As the highway follows Sinclair Creek, which drains westward towards the Columbia River, the park enters the Kootenay Ranges, which include Mount Berland and the western and southern faces of Mount Kindersley of the Brisco Range and Redstreak Mountain and Mount Sinclair of the Stanford Range. The eastern side of Mount Sinclair faces the valley of the Kootenay River; that and the remainder of the park drains to the Kootenay River which does eventually empty into the Columbia River but not until well outside the park and crossing the American-Canadian border twice. The park then covers a ~27 km stretch of the Kootenay River valley including the flanking mountain faces of Mount Kindersley and the Mitchell Range and Vermillion Range of the western portion of the Park Ranges. At the bridge over Kootenay River, the road and park divert northward to follow the Vermillion River upstream through the pass between Mount Wardle of the Vermillion Range and Spar Mountain of the Mitchell Range. As the park bends northward here, it expands to include more of the Kootenay River valley, including Dolly Varden Creek, Lost Creek, and Whitetail Creek. With the Mount Assiniboine Park just over the mountains to the southeast, the road and park divert northwestward again once into the valley of the Vermillion River, near where it converges with the Simpson River. After this, the park consists of the remainder of the Vermillion River drainage basin, with the Banff National Park at the Continental Divide to the north at the Ball Range and the Bow Range, the Yoho National Park to the northwest, and the peaks of the Vermillion Range to the southwest. A small portion of the Ottertail River, which drains into the Yoho National Park, is also included the northwestern end of the park, though the remainder of that border is the dividing line between the Vermillion River and the Kicking Horse River

There are only a few, small lakes in the park, most of which occur in the Vermillion River drainage basin and occur at high altitude in cirques or hanging valleys, which is typical for the Main Ranges. The Floe, Kaufmann and Talc lakes occur here, while the Dog, Olive and Cobb lakes occur in the Kootenay River basin and have more pond-like characteristics such as shallow depth and slower flow.

Flora
The Montane Spruce biogeoclimatic zone of the park's lower elevations contain forests of mostly Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, western larch, trembling poplar, and western redcedar. The shrub layer mostly include soapberry, kinnikinnick, western showy aster, dwarf bilberry, twinflower, pinegrass, Canadian bunchberry, littleleaf huckleberry, Rocky Mountain maple, alder, mountain huckleberry, oval-leaf blueberry, meadow horsetail, Devil's club, as well as common and rocky mountain juniper.

In the higher subalpine elevations, the Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir biogeoclimatic zone takes over with its dominant tree species of Engelmann spruce, white spruce, subalpine fir and subalpine larch, begin to take over at higher elevations. Heathers, arctic willow, cinquefoils, moss campion, and mountain avens are the dominant vegetation in the alpine areas.

Forest fires that affected the park, exemplified by the large fires of 1968 and 2017 and the very large fire of 2003 in the Vermillion area, feature pioneering vegetation like fireweed and lodgepole pine.

An emerging drier climate, and forest fires, are resulting in the Interior Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone expanding into the park, with its more dominant Douglas fir, ponderosa pine and rocky mountain juniper tree stands.

Fauna
A wildlife survey found 242 species of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

The largest species are the ungulates, such as the bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, red deer, white-tailed deer, mule deer, though there are also black bears and grizzly bears that also live in the park. Coyotes and martens are the only widespread and common carnivores in the park, though bobcats and cougars live in the southern regions. Timber wolves, lynxes, wolverines, minks, fishers, badgers, river otters, skunks and long and short-tailed weasels have also been identified but are not common. The most common non-carnivorous mammal species living in the park are the snowshoe hare, red-backed vole, deer mouse, red squirrel and Columbian ground squirrel.

Most bird species only use the park as their summer grounds or part of their migration route; only 32 species live solely in the park. Some of the most common birds include the boreal owl, yellow-rumped warbler, golden-crowned kinglet, common yellowthroat, American robin, spotted sandpiper, chipping sparrow, two-barred crossbill, rufous hummingbird, water pipit. Other bird species that may be observed include the common loon, grey and Steller's jays, Canada and snow geese, Trumpeter and Tundra swans.

The three reptiles identified were the rubber boa, common garter snake and western terrestrial garter snake.

Climate
The park experiences a continental macroclimate which is characterized by brief, cool summers and long snowy winters, but is generally drier than the areas to the west due to the Kootenay Ranges capturing moisture. Similarly, the park's mountain ranges intercept moisture that would otherwise fall on the other side of the Continental Divide, making the Banff National Park drier. Combined with the Continental Divide protecting it from the brunt of the arctic air flow, the park experiences a more mild climate than Banff.

Visitor information
Contact the park office:
 * Park website
 * Mid-May to mid-October or email kootenay.info@pc.gc.ca@undefined.
 * Year-round toll-free or email information@pc.gc.ca@undefined.

Get in
Highway 93 South runs through the centre of Kootenay National Park and is the only major route into the park. It’s accessible via Highway 1, the Trans-Canada, from Banff, Alberta approximately 40 kilometres to the east, or via Highway 95 at Radium Hot Springs, B.C. Full amenities are available in the village of Radium Hot Springs, just outside the park’s west entrance.

By car
Highway 93 South (also called the Banff-Windermere Highway) runs 94 km through the centre of the park. It is the only major route and can be accessed from Banff National Park to the east and Radium Hot Springs to the west. Vehicle rentals are available in Invermere, B.C. as well as in Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta.

By bus
Vancouver and Calgary have regular bus service to the nearby towns of Golden, BC and Banff, AB. There is no public transportation in Kootenay National Park. Most people travel in a personal vehicle inside the park.

By air
Calgary and Vancouver are the closest airports serviced by major national and international carriers. Connections may be made to Cranbrook, 145 km south of Radium Hot Springs, B.C. Airport shuttles from Calgary, Alberta are available to Lake Louise and Banff near the park's east entrance.

Fees and permits
All visitors stopping in the park (even just for lunch or to enjoy the view) require a park permit. No pass is required if driving straight through.

Daily admission fee (2024):
 * Adult	$11.00
 * Senior	$9.50
 * Youth and children under 18 free
 * Family/group	$22.00

Fishing permit valid at Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho national parks (2024):
 * Daily	$13.50
 * Annual	$46.25

Get around
Highway 93 is the main road in Kootenay, going from Lake Louise at the north end of Kootenay National Park to the Village of Radium Hot Springs at the south end.

See
The park's main attractions include Radium Hot Springs, the Paint Pots, Sinclair Canyon, Marble Canyon, and Olive Lake. The hot springs offer a hot springs pool ranging from 35 to 47 °C (95 to 117 °F). Just outside the park's southwestern entrance is the town of Radium Hot Springs. The town is named for the odourless hot springs located just inside the park boundary. The park's northeastern entrance, connects to Castle Junction in Banff National Park and the Trans-Canada Highway via Vermillion Pass, a mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta/British Columbia border, at an elevation of 1,651 metres (5,416').

Because of the relatively small width of the park (8 km on each side of the highway), many of the park's attractions are situated near the road. Numa Falls is a short drive south of Marble Canyon and is accessible directly by Highway 93 which cuts through the park.

 * Kootenay Park Lodge (hotel), see Sleep section below.
 * Kootenay Park Lodge (hotel), see Sleep section below.
 * Kootenay Park Lodge (hotel), see Sleep section below.
 * Kootenay Park Lodge (hotel), see Sleep section below.

Hiking and camping
The Rockwall trail is a multi-day hike along the limestone cliff eastern escarpment of the Vermilion Range that continues into the Yoho National Park. There are several connections to the trail from the highway, including the 10.7-km Floe Creek trail to Floe Lake campground and the 6-km Numa Creek trail to the Numa Falls campground. There is another trailhead at the Paint Pots that follows Ochre Creek with forks to the 7-km Tumbling Creek trail and the 9-km Helmet Creek trail, both of which have campgrounds. Beyond Helmut Falls the Rockwall trail continues through Goodsir Pass into the Yoho National Park. Other multi-day backcountry hikes include the Tokumun Creek trail to Fay Hut and Neil Colgan Hut, the Simpson River trail into the Mount Assiniboine Park, the Hawk Creek trail through Ball Pass into the Banff National Park, the Verdant trail from the Vermillion crossing to Banff National Park via the Honeymoon Pass and the Redearth Pass.

Day hikes with nearby campgrounds include trails on Redstreak Mountain and along Redstreak Creek, the Dog Lake trail from the McLeod Meadows campground, and the Marble Canyon to Paint Pots trail from the Marble Canyon campground. Other day hikes, of various difficulty levels, include trails to Olive Lake, to Cobb Lake, the Kindersley/Sinclair loop, the Tokumun Creek trail from Marble Canyon to Kaufmann Lake, the Kimpton Creek trail, the Hector Gorge trail, the Verendrye Creek from the Vermillion Crossing, and the Stanley Creek trail. The Dolly Varden trail along the Dolly Varden Creek (the fish was later identified as bull trout, not Dolly Varden trout) permits cycling and has a campground open when the McLeod Meadows campground closes (e.g. available for winter camping).

Eat
Eateries can be found in the nearby town of Radium Hot Springs.

Lodging
Numerous accommodations options are also available in Radium Hot Springs, adjacent to the southwest end of the park.

Camping
There are four front country camp sites.

Camping fees per night (2024):
 * Unserviced $24.00-30.50
 * Serviced $36.00-42.50
 * o-TEN-tik glamping tents: $133.25

Backcountry
Backcountry use and camping permit valid at Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho national parks (2024):
 * Overnight, per adult 18 and over 	$13.50
 * Reservation	$11.50
 * Fire permit, per day $11.00

Go next

 * Banff National Park located northeast of the Kootenay National Park.
 * Hike to the adjacent Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, which does not have road access.

title: Kootenay National Park


text:
Kootenays

Kootenays is a large region in British Columbia. This area begins at the Alberta border and extends west to the Monashee range of the Columbia Mountains. The area is famed for its laid-back lifestyle and endless outdoor adventure opportunities.

Cities

 * — the Kootenays' largest city
 * — "The Queen City" of the Kootenays, renowned for its tourism, culture and outdoor activities
 * — summer and winter mountain playground
 * — gateway to the Rockies
 * — Russian links provided by the Doukhobor sect and a Russian Orthodox chapel
 * — home of one of the world's largest operational zinc smelters
 * — world-renowned kayaking, mountain-biking, and skiing
 * — produced gold mines and gold-medal skiers
 * — a vast plain in otherwise mountainous country
 * — quaint European styled chalet village

Other destinations

 * — home of Rogers Pass
 * — camping on Christina Lake
 * — it still has a glacier and has great hiking in summer and awesome skiing in winter
 * — includes parts of the Kootenay and Park mountain ranges, the Kootenay River and the entirety of the Vermilion River
 * — a place of lakes, glaciers, mountain peaks, and alpine meadows
 * — alpine meadows
 * — you don't have to be a Viking to know this is heaven
 * — explore the scenic beauty of Canada's second National Park

Understand
The name is derived from the Ktunaxa First Nation's quthni, meaning "to travel by water", and indeed this is how the region was explored before the railway arrived. Exploration by river and lake, and commerce facilitated by the large sternwheelers that plied the many large lakes emphasize this point. Virtually untouched until the gold and silver rushes of the mid-1800s, a few settlers who fell in love with the area remained after the fortunes faded, and provided the roots for the communities as they exist today.

In the early days of British Columbia the Kootenays were geographically isolated from the rest of the province. The Canadian Pacific Railway built the Kettle Valley Railway to link the area to Vancouver, and also to waylay any plans of US annexation, an area the Kootenays had stronger physical ties to at the time. The Crowsnest Highway which bisects the region was completed in 1949, further solidifying the link to the rest of the province. The Kootenays are comprised of several roughly north-south mountain ranges and the valleys between. From east to west there are the Rocky Mountains, Purcell Mountains, and the Selkirk and Monashee ranges of the Columbia Mountains. There are also several very large lakes in this area, the largest of which were formed by hydroelectric dams. Lake Koocanusa, which gets its clever name for the fact it stretches across the international border, was formed by the Libby Dam in Idaho. Kootenay Lake which is about 100 km long with a 35-km western extension to the town of Nelson is a natural lake, though the southern floodplains were diked to reclaim agricultural land. Arrow Lake, (which is divided into north and south portions at the Needles-Fauquier ferry) is almost 200 km long, stretching from Revelstoke to Castlegar. It was formed by the Keenlyside Dam.

Today, this area is comprised of many small towns, and as with most of British Columbia, this area favors travellers looking for natural beauty and outdoor adventure, rather than cosmopolitan cities. It is particularly renowned for alpine skiing, due to the large amounts of snow the area receives, with several large lift-accessed resorts and a booming cat skiing industry.

The climate is generally warm and sunny in the summer, and cold and snowy in the winter. Winter driving conditions can be treacherous at times, so do take caution.

Talk
The de facto language in this area is English. It might be possible to get official services in French. Signage is bilingual in national parks.

Airports within this region with scheduled commercial flights

 * Castlegar (Canadian Rockies International Airport - )
 * Cranbrook (West Kootenay Regional Airport - )
 * Trail Regional Airport

Castlegar's and Cranbrook's airport at the main airports in the region with flights to Vancouver and Calgary. Castlegar and Trail serve the West Kootenays and Cranbrook serves the East Kootenays. For larger airports, travel to Calgary, Alberta or Spokane, Washington.

By bus

 * Routes include:
 * Between Kaslo and Vancouver with stops in Balfour, Nelson, Castlegar, Christina Lake, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Rock Creek, Osoyoos, Keremeos, Princeton, Manning Provincial Park, Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley, and New Westminster. Operates two trips per week per direction.
 * Between Calgary and Kaslo with stops in Okotoks, High River, Claresholm, Fort Macleod, Pincher Creek, Sparwood, Fernie, Cranbrook, Creston, Salmo, Nelson, and Balfour. Operates one trip per week per direction.

By boat
Ferries in this region:

By car
There are two major east-west highways that the pass through the Kootenays:

 * Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) travels east from Vancouver and west from Calgary, passing through the Kootenays towns of Golden and Revelstoke. This is the more northern of the two highways,
 * Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway) travels east from Hope via Osoyoos and west from Lethbridge, passing through the Kootenays towns of Castlegar, Creston, Cranbrook, Fernie, Grand Forks, and Salmo. This highway travels near the border with the United States.

There are several highways that enter the Kootenays heading north from the United States:

 * From Washington state by:
 * Highway 395 (Washington) / Highway 22 (BC), connecting Spokane via Colville with Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway) about 18 km east of Grand Forks.
 * From Idaho by:
 * Highway 95 connecting Coeur d'Alene via Bonners Ferry to Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway) for travel to Cranbrook.
 * From Montana by:
 * Highway 93 connecting Missoula via Kalispell to Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway) for travel to Fernie.

Get around
The only practical method for touring this area is by road. Car rentals will be available in all major cities. The area is served by an extensive highway network. Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway) is the major east-west route, traversing the area from the Alberta border to the Okanagan. Highway 6 links the area to the North Okanagan in Vernon, and the Trans-Canada Highway passes through this area from Revelstoke to the Alberta border. North-south routes include Highway 23 which links Revelstoke to Highway 6 in Nakusp, and Highway 95 which links Golden to Cranbrook, and the US border farther south.

By public transit
BC Transit operates the following bus transit systems in the region:

 * Boundary (Grand Forks and Greenwood) - unlike the other systems, this system requires phone reservation
 * Columbia Valley (Fairmont Hot Springs, Invermere, and Radium Hot Springs)
 * Cranbrook
 * Creston
 * Elk Valley (Elkford, Fernie, Sparwood)
 * Kimberley
 * Revelstoke
 * West Kootenay (Balfour, Castlegar, Nelson, Rossland, Slocan, and Trail)

See

 * Rogers Pass between Revelstoke and Golden is not to be missed. It receives an incredible 10 m of snow each winter. Located in Glacier National Park.
 * A visit to one of the many Hydroelectric Dams in the area can be fascinating and educational.
 * A darker side of Canada's history is examined at the Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre, which preserves the stories of the more than 20,000 Japanese-Canadians interned here during the second World War. Located in New Denver.
 * Fort Steele is preserved as an 1890s pioneer boomtown. Just north of Cranbrook.
 * Rossland's Le Roi Gold Mine and Rossland Museum tell the story of the Kootenay gold rush.
 * The Burgess Shale Fossils, Yoho National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site that showcases the world's finest Cambrian-aged fossils of soft-bodied marine organisms.

Do

 * Go skiing or snowboarding at Whitewater (Nelson), Red Mountain (Rossland), Fernie Alpine, Kimberley Alpine, Panorama (Invermere), Fairmont, (Fairmont Hot Springs), Kicking Horse, (Golden), or Powder Springs (Revelstoke).
 * The area's many provincial and national parks provide no end of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking, mountain biking, and fishing are all popular pastimes in this region.
 * Snowmobiling is a popular winter recreation, especially in the Revelstoke area, where competitions and hill-climbs are organized.

Eat
As with most areas in Canada, there is no real specialty or localized cuisine. It is possible to find food from almost any ethnic background in most communities.

Drink
One of Canada's favourite beers Kokanee is brewed exclusively in Creston. It would be remiss to visit the area and not try a bottle. There are tours of the brewery available as well. Many cities in the Kootenays have small breweries in town, including Nelson.

Stay safe

 * When skiing or hiking in the backcountry there is always a danger of avalanches. The Canadian Avalanche Association has advisories for this region on their website.

Go next

 * There are nine international border crossings in this region between Canada and the United States. Not all are open 24 hours, enquire locally. In some cases, the busiest crossings are closed overnight, and a less-used one is open 24 hours so that motorists won't have to detour by more than one border crossing location.
 * The sun and fun of the Okanagan is due west.

title: Kootenays


text:
Kopaonik National Park

Kopaonik National Park  is in Serbia.

Understand
Kopaonik (Serbian: Копаоник) is the biggest mountain range in Serbia, located in the southern part of the country. The highest peak of Kopaonik, Pančić's Peak, is 2,017 metres above sea level. Kopaonik was declared a national park in 1981. The area of the Kopaonik National Park is 118.1 km². The tourist resort on the Kopaonik mountain includes hotels, rest houses, ski lifts, excellent ski slopes and many other tourist facilities.

History
Kopaonik has a rich historical heritage. The area was an important mining center during medieval times with many Saxons operating in the area as miners. During those days there was an intensive trade with Ragusa (Dubrovnik). Besides old churches and monasteries, several medieval and pre-medieval fortresses built by Serbian dynasties that ruled the area can be found on Kopaonik. The nearest Serbian medieval castle is Maglič. Also, the monastery of Studenica is fairly close.

Transportation
Kopaonik National Park is 230 km away from Belgrade. It is well connected with the main transport routes in Serbia. The central part of Kopaonik with the tourist center and ski slopes is linked with the Ibar Highway by a modern tarmac road. The nearest airport is in Nis.

Landscape
The Kopaonik mountain range is characterised by extraordinary natural beauty with vast expanses of grassland, picturesque forests composed of a wide variety of tree species, beauty spots and deep river gorges.

Flora and fauna
Deciduous forests and native coniferous woodland make up most of the forested land on Kopaonik. The flora is characterized by a large number of autochthonous plant species like the Balkan beech, fir, spruce, yew, several kinds of maple, pine and oak. The fauna is also diverse but its concentration varies, depending on the quality of the habitat. Kopanonik has many species of birds, such rock partridge, scops owl, red-backed shrike, and the wood lark. Soil erosion poses no threat as there is no logging and deforestation in the park.

On foot
If you plan to go hiking, it is advisable to buy a map of the area. They are sold in the souvenir shops and cost around €3.

Drink

 * When you order black tea in Kopaonik, Earl Grey will be served; there's no plain black tea most of the time--no matter how simple or splurge is the restaurant.

Stay safe
There should be no safety concerns.

title: Kopaonik National Park


text:
Kopeng

Kopeng is a small town in Central Java. It provides access Mount Merbabu National Park, which has hiking and mountaineering opportunities. There is also an adventure park offer ropes courses, ATVing, and other activities.

Understand
Kopeng is a mountainous town (1500 m above sea level).

Get in
The easiest way is from Salatiga, about 12 km away, through a steep road. There is a minibus going from Salatiga to Kopeng and further destinations (maybe as far as Magelang). The minibus goes from Pasar Sapi intersection in Salatiga.

Get around
Kopeng covers a small area and therefore quite walkable. Some people choose to hire and ride a horse (with the "guide") for a leisurely "tour".

Buy
You may buy fresh vegetables and fruits also flowers in the local market.

Also food souvenir like getuk/gethuk waluh is made from local pumpkin.

Eat
Many food stalls around Kopeng serve Indonesian food.

Sleep
There are numerous villas for rent. Before checking in, find out whether the villa that you choose has hot showers or not, as the temperature tends to be freezing cold at night (and cool at midday).

Connect
The area code is 0298 (same as Salatiga).

Go next

 * Salatiga, about 15-20 minutes away by car
 * Semarang about 1 hour away by car
 * Magelang

title: Kopeng


text:
Koper

Koper (Italian: Capodistria) is Slovenia's only commercial port and one of its oldest towns with a very rich history.

Understand
Koper, the oldest town in Slovenia, developed on a rocky island with the Roman name Capris. Out of the three Slovenian coast cities (Koper, Izola, Piran), Koper has experienced the most numerous layout modifications. The reasons for that also need to be sought in the changes of various reigns and states, all of which marked the city with their specific traits and names. Koper was called Capris in Roman times, in the times of the pope Gregory I (599) Insula Capraria (“goat island”), Iustinopolis under the Byzantine Empire (between mid 6th and 8th centuries) and Caput Histriae (‘head of Istria’) by the Aquileia Patriarchs. The Venetians rendered that name into the Italian form, Capodistria. The Slovenian equivalent of the name is Koper.

The longest reign over the city was that of the Venetian Republic (1279-1797), when Koper experienced economic (trade, salt production) and cultural prosperity (painting, music). The Venetian period is still echoed by the city architecture; despite numerous modern interventions, it has preserved its medieval character, with the city of Koper being a member of the European Association of Medieval Cities. In the Middle Ages, Koper was an island surrounded by walls and connected with the mainland with a wood bridge in the direction of Škocjan. It was protected by a mighty fortress – Lion Castle, and surrounded by vast saltpans. Koper’s importance began to diminish in the 18th century, when Trieste was proclaimed a free port, which ended with the downfall of the Venetian Republic.

In the period from the 19th century to the First World War (i.e. from the Napoleonic Empire 1806-1813 to the Hapsburg Monarchy 1813-1918), Koper experienced numerous changes in the economic and social development. This period was marked by the reduction of the saltpans, which were entirely abandoned in 1912, and the changing layout of the city, which began to lose its island character. In 1825, a second road connection with the mainland was constructed (Semedela Road) followed by the coastal road in the middle 19th century, a sea connection with Trieste-Poreč and the railway connection Trieste-Poreč in 1902.

Under the Italian Empire, Koper entirely lost its island character by means of the draining of the deserted saltpans.

The time after the Second World War brought further changes. Until the final determination of the border with Italy through the signing of the London Memorandum in 1954, when it became part of former Yugoslavia, Koper was part of Zone B administered by the Yugoslav national Army, first belonging to the Julian March and from September 1947 to the neutral state called the Free Trieste Territory (FTT). As part of Yugoslavia, Koper experienced profound changes in its national structure. This also brought about new architectural interventions both in the city centre and its surroundings, especially in terms of huge development with the construction of the port.

Today, Koper is both a commercial and tourist city, continuing to develop its offer in terms of seaside resorts, nautical tourism, sports and shopping. It has also become a University City.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Trieste ( - 64 km), with Pula ( - 102 km), Ljubljana ( - 124 km), and Venice airports (, - about 174 km) as options. A company named GoOpti provides a shared shuttle transfer from Venice and Ljubljana (and their airports) with dynamic pricing based on time of booking, typically between €25-50. The Trieste airport is not close to Trieste, but there are frequent train connections between them. Flixbus also provides scheduled service from Venice airport.

By car
Koper has easy highway connections from Ljubljana and Trieste. There are no regular border immigration checks between Slovenia, Croatia and Italy, Croatia became a member of the Schengen agreement in January 2023.

Beware of the need for a Vinjeta (highway toll sticker) before driving on Slovenian highways! There is a fuel station immediately at the border where you can purchase one. Controllers are often stationed exactly after that station to issue heavy fines to violators.

Parking rules are enforced in the city, but some public lots are free on weekends and after-hours. If you get a traffic fine and do not have a European bank account to pay it, any Slovenian post office can make the money transfer for you for a very small fee.

By rideshare
A locally-created website and app named Prevoz is the most widely used ride sharing site within Slovenia. The typical fare to Ljubljana is €5 from the in the center. This is often the fastest and least expensive way to travel to Koper from other parts of Slovenia.

From Trieste
The direct bus services to Trieste operate between 3 and 6 times a day, costing about €3-5 depending on the bus company. As of November 2019, the fixed price on Arriva is €3.30. The drivers can sell tickets on the bus but sometimes prefer if you pre-purchase it in the station. The journey takes between 20 and 40 minutes.

The very cheapest way to get between Koper and Trieste is to take an inter-urban bus to Škofije at the Slovene border (€0.80), walk ten minutes on a path under the highway to Bricocenter in Muggia, and take Trieste city bus no. 20 to the centre (€1.30). Use of Google Maps is recommended to follow your drive for the first time, and the Slovene buses are infrequent. Trieste city buses do not sell tickets on the bus, but they can be purchased with the nationwide Italian "MyCicero" app (Android/Apple), or at locations in Trieste. Make sure your ticket is validated/stamped after boarding.

By intercity bus
There are different stops:

 * . Flixbus operates here from/to Sarajevo.
 * used for some inter-urban services and GoOpti airport shuttles. Flixbus operates here from/to Pula.

Koper has bus connections with Ljubljana, Trieste, other Slovenian seaside towns, and Croatia. There are three scheduled inter-city bus companies: FlixBus and Črnja tours provide frequent international service, and Arriva white/blue buses provide domestic bus service along the Slovene coast with some international routes including Trieste. Nomago sometimes provides some regional inter-city services.

See the warning under 'Taxi' about drivers overcharging at the bus/train station.

By suburban bus
The local city administration (in Slovenian) maintains a list of timetables and a map of the suburban bus lines to nearby villages in the Koper district up to the Italian border. These routes should cost €0.80 per ride.

There are also hourly buses from Ljubljana listed at the Ljubljana bus station with many stops on the way.

By train
The national railway company Slovenske železnice operates 5-6 daily trains from Ljubljana (2 h) and Maribor (4½ h). (Železniška postaja Koper) is close to the bus station and is about 1 km south the Muda Gate to the old city. There is no longer any direct train service to Trieste, but trains run a lazy route to Ljubljana a few times per day. See Slovenian Railways. Sometimes, the train station sells discount tickets in person to cities as far away as Vienna and Munich at prices not available online (around €30).

See the warning under 'Taxi' about drivers overcharging at the bus/train station.

By Taxi
In general, Slovene taxis are less expensive than Italian taxis. They are permitted to pick you up (or drop you off) in Trieste if you order them (about €20-25). Cammeo has a nice English-language app which helps with language barriers. Pick-ups from Trieste might need to be requested over the phone.

Beware of taxis waiting at the bus/train station. The usual price within Koper is about €3, but the taxi drivers waiting at the station sometimes attempt to charge more than twice that even if you speak Slovene. If you have too much luggage to walk, call a local taxi to get a fair price.

On foot
Koper's Old City can easily be covered on foot.

By bus
There are a number local buses that can take you from the main bus station to the old city centre or the newer urban and industrial area.

Local city bus services are provided by red Arriva buses and cost €0.80 paid by bus cards available at the tourist office and a kiosk at the main bus station. Other buses are available to surrounding areas (see Get In).

By taxi
Taxis within the Koper district typically cost a flat €3. See listings above.

By bicycle
The slovenian coast has an excellent network of bicycle roads. Bicycles can be rented in a few places in Koper :

 * The tourist office on Tito square has 2 bikes

Talk
Slovenian and Italian are the official languages of the city, spoken by everyone. In addition to these two, Croatian/Bosnian/Serbian is widely understood. English is also spoken by the majority of the people.

See
Koper old town

Koper's main sight of interest is the Venetian-era old city, of which the main structures and squares have been fully renovated and restored. The main square (Tito square) is one of the nicest Venetian type squares in the Mediterranean. The centre of the old city is Tito Square (Titov trg), an austere piazza surrounded by The Praetorian Palace, Loggia, Cathedral of the Assumption, Campanile, Foresteria and Armeria. From here, the cobbled Čevljarska ulica leads south to the Prešeren square with the De Ponte fountain and the old town entrance Muda gate, Kidričeva ulica leads west to the Marina, the old salt warehouse named Taverna and the Carpaccio square.

Koper Hinterland

 * Church of the Holy Trinity, Hrastovlje The church boasts beautiful frescoes, an extraordinary achievement of Medieval iconography. The most famous is the depiction of the Dance of Death.
 * Defence tower, Podpeč This 11th century, defence tower is a popular tourist sight and one of the most enchanting beauty spots in Slovenian Istria.
 * Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve Stretching out over 122 ha, this is the largest brackish wetland in Slovenia. The area is home to countless birds and other animal species, such as Istrian cattle (boškarin) and Camargue horses.
 * Church of St. Roch and St. Sebastian, Boršt According to some sources, the church dates back to the 13th century. It is decorated with fragments of Medieval frescoes and inscriptions in the Glagolitic alphabet.
 * The Benko house, Črni Kal The Benko house is believed to be the oldest farmer’s house in Slovenia. It was built in 1489 by the masters Andrej and Benko of Sočerga.
 * Coat-of-arms of the De’Cani family, Dekani The name Dekani is linked to the noble Cani family, also known as De’Cani, which originates from the town of Sulmone in Abruzzi, Italy. According to some sources, the De’Cani family owned the village as long ago as the 15th century, as there is a coat-of-arms of the Cani family with the date 1479 on the building at no. 185.
 * Church of St. Nicholas, Gračišče Next to this late 18th century church, there is a white stone bell tower with a built-in stone plaque bearing an inscription in the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabet that reads: “I call the living, I mourn the dead.”
 * Village architecture, Abitanti The fascinating architectural features of the protected buildings in Abitanti testify to the fact that this was once a very rich village.
 * Church of St. Michael, Tinjan Positioned on the edge of the village, the church building has a Baroque front; the entrance is through the large bell tower. The stone plaque built into the portal shows Christ on the Cross and the date 1704.
 * The Krkavče Stone, Krkavče Believed by some to be 3000 years old, the stone is the oldest sight in the village. It is tall; on two sides, it features a carved image of what is probably a pagan deity.
 * The Dragonja valley At 29 km long, the Dragonja is the longest river in Slovenian Istria. The river valley is well known for its diversity of plant and animal life. Today, it is a nature park popular with hikers, cyclists and nature enthusiasts.
 * Marežganska Kanava, Marezige A beautifully preserved stone farmer's house and the main venue of the Refosco Festival and St. Martin's Day celebrations. There are three vines growing outside Kanava: Refosco, Malvasia and Žametovka, a descendant of the world’s oldest vine in Lent, Maribor.
 * The Bardinc House, Lopar The building houses a local ethnology and history exhibition with a preserved farmer’s kitchen, fireplace and wine cellar.
 * Rock shelters (“The Ears of Istria”) and natural bridge, Sočerga Above Sočerga, nature has carved out some beautiful rock shelters, also known as “The Ears of Istria”. The panoramic trail leads past three rock shelters to a natural bridge with a  stone arch.
 * Slavnik, Podgorje high, the hill of Slavnik is situated near the village of Podgorje. The summit of Slavnik offers beautiful views, with the Adriatic Sea, Italian Dolomites, Carnic and Julian Alps, Karavanks and even the Kamnik–Savinja Alps visible in clear weather.
 * Strmec Castle, Socerb The Strmec Castle sits on top of a Karst cliff above the village. It was built in the 13th century on the foundations of an Illyrian settlement. Today, the castle is one of the most magnificent beauty spots in Slovenian Istria.
 * Sacred Cave, Socerb According to a legend, the Sveta jama or Sacred Cave was the dwelling of St. Servulus, a Trieste martyr and saint who lived in the 3rd century. The front part of the cave with a natural stone altar still houses a church today – the only underground church in Slovenia.
 * Church of the Immaculate Mother of God, village square and stone window, Šmarje The church was built in the village square in the 11th century. It was expanded and renovated in the 13th century. There is a bell tower next to the church with a built-in 9th-century stone window, the remnant of an older church that once stood in the same spot.
 * The Supot waterfall and views The waterfall is at its fullest in the rainy season. The macadam road towards the Dragonja also leads past a smaer waterfall with a beautiful pool. Slap Supot, Koštabona IMG 9524.jpg
 * Mediterranean herb garden, Manžan The Mediterranean herb garden at the Butul farm in Manžan is a unique experience. Walking through the garden is educational and relaxing at the same time. Cooking and herbal workshops can be organised by agreement.

Do
There is a public beach in the sea just west of the marina.

Football: FC Koper play soccer in PrvaLiga, the top tier. Their home ground is Bonifika (capacity 4000), 500 m south of town centre.

Bonifika sports complex also has basketball, a running track and tennis courts.

Near the industrial area of the of Koper (very close to the city centre), there is a natural park called Škocjanki zatok''', which is a perfect place for enjoying the flora and fauna of this natural resort.

The path along the shore to Izola and Piran lends itself very well to skating, cycling or just going for a walk and enjoying the view over the water.

Rent a bike, ride to Piran and back. It can be done in one day.

Buy
There are several shopping centres, for example: Planet Tuš Shopping Centre, Mercator, Supernova and SPAR. There is also a big department store called Zeleni park where you will also find OVS store. In the city centre there are numerous offers.

Eat

Koper has many taverns and restaurants, snack bars and local smaller taverns offering local food and wine, pizzerias, traditional Osmicas (farmers offering home made food and wine), sweetshops and tourist farms with traditional home made Istrian food.

When in Koper, do not leave without trying some typical Istrian goodies and other typical Istrian products. Also, you should definitely try some local olive oil from local oil providers. Istrian olive oil is reputed to have many positive effects on the body.

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Drink
In Koper you will find a variety of bars and pubs with a various offer of styles and drinks, bigger and smaller wine cellars with rich local wine offerings.

Wine cellars

Go next
The rest of Slovenia's short coastline is easily accessible from Koper. Public bus service is available every 20-30 minutes to:

 * Izola
 * Piran
 * Portoroz

title: Koper