text:
Banchory

Banchory is a town in Aberdeenshire, with a population in 2016 of 7560. It's in the scenic Dee valley 18 miles (25 km) west of Aberdeen, and its main visitor attraction is Crathes Castle. It's also a good base for visiting Balmoral Castle and Cairngorms National Park.

Get in
See Aberdeen for air, rail and road inter-city transport.

Stagecoach Bluebird Bus 201 runs from Aberdeen Union Square every 30 min to Crathes Castle and Banchory (50 min). Alternate buses continue up the Dee Valley to Ballater and Balmoral Castle, and every couple of hours they reach Braemar.

Get around
The Aberdeen-Braemar bus connects the valley along A93, but you need a car to explore the area.

Stagecoach Bus 205 makes an hourly figure-of-eight around the village.

See

 * St Ternan Parish Church was built in 1825. Two cross-slabs in the churchyard are all that remains of the ancient monastery.
 * is a wooded hill topped by a monument to General William Burnett who fought with Wellington. It may be possible to climb to the viewing platform.
 * Castle Fraser: See Westhill for this and several stone circles north of Drumoak.
 * is not so much a folly as an up-yours: it was built to celebrate victory in a law suit in 1824. At stake was not just land ownership but the Earldom of Peterborough. It's reached by a lane that crosses the Dee by a scenic bridge: in 2021 it is closed to vehicles and it's not known whether access to the tower is permitted.
 * Castle Fraser: See Westhill for this and several stone circles north of Drumoak.
 * is not so much a folly as an up-yours: it was built to celebrate victory in a law suit in 1824. At stake was not just land ownership but the Earldom of Peterborough. It's reached by a lane that crosses the Dee by a scenic bridge: in 2021 it is closed to vehicles and it's not known whether access to the tower is permitted.
 * is not so much a folly as an up-yours: it was built to celebrate victory in a law suit in 1824. At stake was not just land ownership but the Earldom of Peterborough. It's reached by a lane that crosses the Dee by a scenic bridge: in 2021 it is closed to vehicles and it's not known whether access to the tower is permitted.

Do

 * Deeside Way is a walking and cycling path from Aberdeen to Ballater along the trackbed of that railway. See Aberdeen for the first section from the city to Keith's Tower (above) in Drumoak. The next section flanks A93 west through Crathes to Banchory, 7 miles. The third section leaves the railway to follow the ridge south side of the river to Aboyne, 13 miles. See Ballater for the final stretch.
 * Golf: Banchory GC is in the village beside the river. Inchmarlo a mile further west is a 9-hole course and driving range.
 * Banchory Sports Village on Provost Webster Rd has a gym and small pool.
 * Deeside Gliding Club is based at Aboyne Airfield, Dinnet AB34 5LB, 12 miles west of Banchory.
 * Banchory Agricultural Show is in July on Bellfield Park, with the next on Sa 27 July 2024.
 * Aboyne Highland Games are held in that village in early August, with the next on Sa 3 Aug 2024.
 * Grampian Forest Rally in mid-August is for cars along the forest trails of Fetteresso and Drumtochty, with the start, finish and rally admin at Milton of Crathes.
 * Aboyne Highland Games are held in that village in early August, with the next on Sa 3 Aug 2024.
 * Grampian Forest Rally in mid-August is for cars along the forest trails of Fetteresso and Drumtochty, with the start, finish and rally admin at Milton of Crathes.

Buy
Tesco east end of the village is open M-Sa 7AM-11PM, Su 8AM-10PM and has a filling station. There's also Morrison's and Scotmid in Banchory.

The Farmers Market is held in Banchory at Bellfield Park on the third Saturday of the month 09:00-13:00.

There's also one on the fourth Saturday of the month 10:00-14:00 at Church Green, Ballater, and another every Wednesday 10AM-2PM at Platform 22, Torphins.

Eat

 * The Derbar at 75 High St serves Indian food Tu-Su 4-11PM.
 * Mamma Mia at 18 Dee St is open W Th noon-8PM, F Sa 11AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM.
 * Raemoir Garden Centre has a cafe open daily 10AM-4PM.
 * Raemoir Garden Centre has a cafe open daily 10AM-4PM.

Drink

 * There isn't a stand-alone pub, see restaurants and hotels.
 * Distillery: Dark Matter on Burn O'Bennie Rd produce spiced rum. No tours.

Sleep

 * Silverbank Caravan Site a mile east of town has tourer pitches but no campsite, and Banchory Lodge in the village is just for static caravan lets, no tourers.
 * Raemoir House 3 miles north is nowadays an event venue and doesn't run as a hotel or restaurant.
 * Raemoir House 3 miles north is nowadays an event venue and doesn't run as a hotel or restaurant.
 * Raemoir House 3 miles north is nowadays an event venue and doesn't run as a hotel or restaurant.
 * Raemoir House 3 miles north is nowadays an event venue and doesn't run as a hotel or restaurant.
 * Raemoir House 3 miles north is nowadays an event venue and doesn't run as a hotel or restaurant.

Connect
As of Sep 2021, Banchory and the approach road from Aberdeen have 4G from EE, O2 and Three, but a very patchy signal from Vodafone. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

 * Aberdeen is the transport hub and grey granite city to the east.
 * Ballater higher up the valley is near Balmoral Castle.
 * Braemar is gateway to the east side of Cairngorms National Park; then the road winds over the bleak hills into Glenshee.
 * Stonehaven is a small harbour with a castle teetering on the cliffs.

title: Banchory


text:
Bancroft

There's more than one place called Bancroft:

Canada

 * Bancroft (Ontario), a small town 100km north of Belleville (Ontario)

United Kingdom

 * Bancroft (England) - a neighbourhood in Milton Keynes

United States of America

 * Bancroft (Maine) - a very small town in northern Maine

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

title: Bancroft


text:
Banda Aceh

Banda Aceh is the capital of the Indonesian province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra. It was also the capital for the Sultanate of Aceh upon its foundation in the late 15th century. Banda Aceh, at the tip of Sumatra, has long been a strategic, transportation and trading hub in the eastern Indian Ocean, and was a major port in trade between the region, India and Arabia.

Understand
Around 150,000 people were killed in Banda Aceh in the Tsunami of 26 December 2004. Some parts of the city became permanently submerged. Many aid agencies have been present since then to help rebuild.

The long conflict between the Acehnese independence movement (GAM) and the Indonesian army (TNI) has been solved for the time being by the peace agreement on 15 August 2005. The peace process has been quite smooth since. In 2006 the province held its first direct and democratic local elections. In 2007 the first democratically elected Governor, Irwandi Yusuf, was inaugurated.

Climate
Banda Aceh has a tropical rainforest climate, with near constant average temperatures. The city's annual average temperature is 27 °C. However, the city experiences wetter and drier seasons, with June through August being the driest months of the year. Banda Aceh does not have a true dry season month where an average of less than 60 mm of precipitation falls. On average, the city experiences a little less than 2000 mm of precipitation annually.

Get in
Foreigners no longer require a travel permit (Surat Jalan) to enter Aceh, but an Indonesian visa is required. It is possible to get a 30-day Visa-on-Arrival at Banda Aceh Airport. The embassy in Kuala Lumpur can sometimes process the visa in the same day if you complete all the paperwork before noon, though this is supposed to apply only to Malaysian residents.

By bus
There are non-stop night buses, with travel times ranging from 9–13 hours - from Medan to Banda Aceh. Major bus companies such as PMTOH, Pelangi, Kurnia and Pusaka have offices on Jl. Gajah Mada, Medan. Price ranges from Rp 110,000 in a regular-sized-seat bus to Rp 200,000 in a wide-seat bus.

Mini-buses can also take you to Banda Aceh from the Medan area, but journeys are generally longer. Prices are a bit cheaper than the coaches. It is also possible to travel over from Medan to Banda Aceh via Kutacane and Takengon. This will be 20 hr in total.

By plane

Airlines fly daily between Banda Aceh and either Medan, a 1-hr trip, Jakarta, a 2-hr-40-min trip, or Singapore, nearly 4 hr.

 * AirAsia, Kuala Lumpur. Daily flights.
 * Firefly, Penang, Malaysia's community airline now flies from Penang to Banda Aceh every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
 * Garuda Indonesia, Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta, Medan, 3 daily flights from Jakarta and two daily flights from Medan. The Jakarta-Banda Aceh direct flight on Garuda takes 2 hr 40 min on a Boeing 737, although it is often changed to stopover at Medan without warning. Seasonal to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season
 * Lion Air, Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta, Medan. They have two daily flights from Jakarta and one from Medan.
 * SMAC, Blang Pidie, Meulaboh, Simelue, Takengon, Tapaktuan. Flies daily from Medan to Nias Island and Simeulue Island.
 * Sriwijaya Air, Medan
 * Susi Air, Meulaboh

There is no longer a bus serving the airport. The only way to town area is by airport taxi, which is fixed at Rp 100,000 (2019). The taxi counter is on the extreme left once you exit the arrival gate.

Visa
Visa formalities at this airport are similar to those of other Indonesian immigration gateways.
 * Visa On Arrival (VOA) service is available at Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport.

By boat
The closest big (international) ferry terminal is Belawan Port, close to Medan. It receives vessels originating from Batam, Indonesia (a common route when coming from Singapore). The ferry from Penang is no longer operating. From Ulhee-lhee, the port of Banda Aceh you can go to Pulau Weh and to Pulau Aceh.

Get around
The main methods of getting around are becak (motorbike taxis) and labi-labi (public minibus). Due to the sudden influx of money post-tsunami, locals have gotten used to overcharging, but now stabilisation has returned. Example becak fares are: Airport - Grand Mosque: Rp 50,000; Bus Terminal - Grand Mosque: Rp 8,000; Grand Mosque - Penayong: Rp 5,000. Inside the city, generally Rp 10,000 should do it. One knowledgeable and friendly local becak driver is Little John. He speaks good English (and Japanese), asks for fair prices and can arrange motorbike rent for you beforehand if you're heading to Sabang island (asking price is Rp. 100000 / 24 hours). Contact him before your trip on Whatsapp - +6281360231339.

Tsunami tour
It is possible to go on a "Tsunami Tour" as there are many boats still inland and other monuments devoted to the devastating day in 2004.

 * Apung 1 ship, a 2,600-ton vessel that was swept 2 km inland. Now it is a tourist attraction.
 * Apung 1 ship, a 2,600-ton vessel that was swept 2 km inland. Now it is a tourist attraction.
 * Apung 1 ship, a 2,600-ton vessel that was swept 2 km inland. Now it is a tourist attraction.
 * Apung 1 ship, a 2,600-ton vessel that was swept 2 km inland. Now it is a tourist attraction.

Work
There are approximately 65 NGOs operating in Banda Aceh; however, they generally do not recruit non-Indonesians locally. These NGOs include various UN and EU agencies, USNS, Care, Americare, Islamic Relief, International Federation Of Red Cross and Red Crescent, Australian Red Cross, Turkish Red Crescent, Kuwaiti Red Crescent, French Red Cross, IMC, IOM, WHO, Japan International Cooperation System, Habitat, Medecins sans frontières, Japan Platform, USAID. AT the peak of the post-Tsunami aid effort there were 850 NGOs, but many of these were non-Muslim religious organisations and their permits were not extended by the Indonesian government.

Markets

 * Suzuya Supermarket complete supermarket available in several areas in banda aceh
 * Pasar Atjeh shopping center located beside the Baiturrahman Great Mosque

There are interesting fish, meat and vegetable markets in the centre of town. There are also some small souvenir shops selling various local items.

Mall
The Plaza Aceh mall is in the city centre of Banda Aceh. The mall has over 100 stores with foodcourt, supermarket and clothing stores.

Eat
The Acehnese breakfast staple is nasi gurih, rice cooked in coconut milk, sold in coffee shops everywhere. Food stalls and Padang restaurants are open across the undamaged part of town, and fruit carts are ubiquitous.

 * Shidqi Cafe, Jl. Malikul Saleh, Lamlagang, (on the left side of the Red Crescent Hospital), . Naturalis Cafe.
 * Imperial Kitchen, Jl Teuku Umar. High quality Chinese restaurant.
 * Country Steakhouse, Jl Sri Ratu Safiatuddin 46D. Steaks, hamburgers, salads; western style food.
 * Banda Seafood Restaurant, Jl Panglima Polem 125, (near the Kartika Hotel). Fine chicken, meat and vegetable dishes.
 * Big Top, (across the road from Warung Ibu Pocut). Chinese and Indonesian dishes.
 * Tower Coffee, (previously Putra Jaya), Jl Tgk Haji Abdullah Ujung Rimba No 14, (off Jl Muhammad near Masjid Baiturrahman). Panang style dining in nice A/C atmosphere with some English-speaking waiters.
 * Niagara Cafe, Jl Hasandek 8-9. Has every fruit juice imaginable and a satay stand outside.
 * Sultan Hotel, has a popular cafe, while the chef at the hotel’s Koetaradja Restaurant boldly tries his hand at a Sultan Burger.
 * Niagara Cafe, Jl Hasandek 8-9. Has every fruit juice imaginable and a satay stand outside.
 * Sultan Hotel, has a popular cafe, while the chef at the hotel’s Koetaradja Restaurant boldly tries his hand at a Sultan Burger.
 * Sultan Hotel, has a popular cafe, while the chef at the hotel’s Koetaradja Restaurant boldly tries his hand at a Sultan Burger.
 * Sultan Hotel, has a popular cafe, while the chef at the hotel’s Koetaradja Restaurant boldly tries his hand at a Sultan Burger.

There are some nice coffee houses with soothing rice paddy views around Ulee Kareng, along Jl Tengku Iskander on the town’s western outskirts.

Three fast food chain restaurants may be found in the centre, A&W, KFC and Pizza Hut.

Drink
Drinking alcohol is not allowed. Coffee-drinking is the main activity.

Stay safe
As with all travelling common sense and a good attitude is all you need to get along in this small city. However there are some points to keep in mind. Although Banda Aceh is nowadays safer than most European cities it is still best to not go out alone after 22:00. Because Sharia law is enforced, drinking alcohol is not permitted, although it is still possible. Infractions upon the locally perceived interpretations of Sharia law may result in arrest by the Sharia police with physical punishment and public ridicule imposed upon an offending Muslim. Muslim women should normally wear headscarves in public areas. Western-style swimsuits are not advisable except in Sabang. Pick-pocket activity is rare but do be aware and observant in crowded places.

Go next

 * Lhoknga and Lampuuk, beautiful beaches 17 km west of the city, great for surfing or just relaxing on the beach.
 * Pulau Weh is a neighbouring island, with the city of Sabang and some of Indonesia's finest diving.

title: Banda Aceh


text:
Banda Islands

The Banda Islands (Kepulauan Banda) are an archipelago in South Maluku (Moluccas), Indonesia.

Understand
Once known as the Spice Islands, an epithet also applied to the entire Maluku area, the Bandas were famous as a source of spices, especially nutmeg (buah pala). First colonized by the Portuguese, the Dutch soon wrested control of the islands and fought the Spice Wars with the British. In the Treaty of Breda in 1667, the British agreed to withdraw and gave up Pulau Run to the Dutch, partly in exchange for one small island on the other side of the world: New Amsterdam, now better known as Manhattan.

Since 2017, the local government is arranging a yearly 'Banda Folks Festival' in the month of November. Accommodation booking will be very tough for this period, and the past couple of years there were violent disagreement over the competitions results.

There is a traditional boat race in Banda called Manggurebe Belang has been held every year.

Get in
The Bandas were really off the beaten track, but transport offers (from Ambon) are increasing and making it easier to access these islands. Flight or boat cancellations are very frequent, and therefore you should only go to Banda Islands while having plenty of time (i.e. not having a visa expiring soon, or booked flights). Transport offers and schedules are highly subject to changes, so check schedule when arriving in Ambon.

By plane
The Banda Islands are served by the small (or Banda Neira, ). SAM Air serves the flight to Banda Neira. It uses a very small propeller plane (12 people capacity). You may book the ticket from the agent in Ambon.

In addition, since there are regular airlines (Wings and Garuda) flying between Kei islands and Ambon, going to/from Ambon through Karel Sadsuitubun Airport in the Kei Islands can also be an option, if everything else is cancelled.

By boat

 * A fast boat (6 hours) goes from Ambon (Tulehu Harbour) to Banda Neira twice a week, on Tuesday and Saturday. The boat returns the next day from Banda to Ambon and costs Rp 410,000 as of Feb 2016. Note that the fast boat can be cancelled if the weather is bad! For example, there was no service in January 2017.
 * PELNI's ship runs twice monthly from Ambon, stops in Banda Neira, and continues to Kei Islands. Though uncomfortable and inconvenient, this is the cheapest option. The regular PELNI ship KM. Nggapulu and KM. Pangrango serve the passenger to Bandaneira. Check the schedule at the PELNI office in Ambon or by the PELNI app.

Get around
Getting around on Bandaneira is either by foot, ojek (motorbike taxi) or becak (cycle rickshaw). The furthermost village in the north is a 45-minute walk. However, most places of interest to tourists (airport, harbour, market, colonial houses, Pelni office) are within quicker walking distance or within the town of Banda Neira.

Other Banda islands (Ai, Run, Banda Besar, Hatta) can be by accessed by public boat on the Southwest of the Neira Island (near the market). There is no fixed inter-island system, as you will be tagging along with the locals. If you ask different locals, you will get different information. In general, there is one boat per day from each island. Boat to Hatta Island sometime is going every two days. The boats arrive in the Neira Island the morning to buy things in the market, and then return to the other Banda Islands around 11:00-12:00 after they are done with shopping or until their boat is filled with passengers. The rate is about Rp30,000-50,000 depending on destinations and boat owners (as of Oct 2018). Public boats do not run on Fridays. All boats can be cancelled randomly for various reasons.

Chartered boats can be used to reach other islands. Day trips by chartered boats: Pulau Hatta Rp600,000/day; Pulau Pisang + Batu Kapal Rp350,000/day; half-day tour to the Lava Stream north of Gunung Api Rp120,000.

See
When you come to the spice island, you have to visit nutmeg plantations in Banda Besar or Run Island. Besides that, you may see a lot of historical sites in Banda Neira, structures from Dutch colonization, also buildings during the struggle for Indonesian independence, the stars are Fort Belgica and Mohammad Hatta Exile House.

Buy
There is an ATM in the Banda Neira that accepts MasterCard and Visa. It doesn't have the Visa logo on the ATM but it works. The local BRI branch will not change any money. You might be able to change US dollars to rupiah at some guesthouses and shops, at an unfavorable rate. Therefore, come prepared and bring sufficient cash from Ambon or Tual.

Eat
Typical Bandanese cuisine includes:

 * Grilled fish (ikan bakar) of barracuda and tuna, served in guesthouses and rumah makan (restaurants). However, you might need to inform the guesthouse if you intend to eat there. Most rumah makan do not store fish as freezers are uncommon and fresh fish can be bought every morning. Therefore you might need to order fish one day in advance or join the chef to the market and buy the fish yourself.
 * Nutmeg products: Nutmeg jam (available in guesthouses and small stores in Banda Neira) and Manisan Pala (candied nutmeg).
 * Dishes use nutmeg: Sambal Pala (nutmeg sambal) and Ikan Kuah Asam Pala or famous as ikan kuah pala Banda (fish in nutmeg sour soup). The fish soup dish without using turmeric, is different from ikan kuah kuning.
 * Fishball (bakso ikan), similar to regular meatballs (bakso).
 * Kue manto, fish roll doused with thick coconut milk and sprinkled with celery and fried shallot.

Popular places to eat:

Drink
The availability of alcoholic drinks in Banda Neira is a bit limited. Some guesthouses have chilled beer (Rp35,000-50,000 per big bottle of Bintang) and fresh fruit juices (Rp15,000).

Local drinks

 * Jus Pala, a juice made from nutmeg.
 * Kopi Pala, a nutmeg coffee drink.
 * Sirup Pala, a nutmeg syrup drink.

Sleep
There are numerous guesthouses in Banda Islands. For the details, see each island page.

Stay safe
Bandaneira is generally a safe place for tourists, however there are reports of pickpocketing at the ferry terminal or in the Pelni ferry (especially during boarding and disembarkation). The jostle upon arrival of the big Pelni boat is an ideal place to remove the wallet out of your pocket or to cut your money belt. Pay attention and store your valuables safely!

Indonesian ferries have generally low safety standards. In particular, overloaded small boats, for example to Pulau Ai, might be hazardous during rough seas.

All islands are relatively isolated, and you can not find even simple medications on Pulau Ai or Hatta. Dengue fever is common there.

Connect
Guesthouses have good free Wi-Fi. Only Telkomsel is operating in Banda Islands (XL ceased operation in the islands around 2016). Mobile phone reception, including data, is better on Neira Island. Top-ups can be bought in Neira Island. Reception on Pulau Ai is only available at the jetty. Data will not work on Pulau Ai. (as of Oct 2018).

Go next

 * Ambon: back to the Gateway of Maluku. If you want to fly to Ambon, you can only buy a ticket in Banda. Get the agent's phone number from your accommodation as it sometimes changes (as of Oct 2018).
 * Kai Islands: other gorgeous islands, go there with the PELNI ship.

title: Banda Islands


text:
Bandar Abbas

Bandar Abbas (or Bandar-e Abbas) is a city in Hormozgān.

Understand
Bandar Abbas is a port town and many of its residents come from other parts of Iran for work. It is inadvisable to swim in the sea as it is polluted. The original inhabitants of Bander Abbas are known as Banduris and can often be spotted for their colourful clothing and burqas. Most of the city shuts down between 14:00 and 18:00, as it is too hot to do anything but the mildest activities.

By plane
There are domestic flights to Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashad and Tehran, and an International connection to Dubai.

By train
There are daily trains from Tehran and Mashhad, with trains running from Isfahan every second day.

By bus
There are buses to and from Tehran, Kerman, Shiraz and others. The bus terminal is on the east side of the city around 5 km out by the coast and is signposted in English from the edge of the city.

By boat
Travelling by boat is common in the Strait of Hormuz as distances are short and there are numerous islands. There are several weekly international ferries from Sharjah, an hour north of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, run by Valfajr Shipping Company. Also, National Ferries Company runs ferries from Khasab, the Omani enclave located at the tip of Musandam Peninsula. Daily local ferries connects with the nearby islands of Hormuz and Qeshm.

Being a major freight port, freighter travel to Bandar Abbas from Pakistan and India might be a possible alternative.

See
Bandar isn’t blessed with a lot of must-see sights – actually, none – but it’s not totally devoid of flavour. The lively bazaar rambles its way across two blocks just back from the seafront, and is probably the most colourful part of town. A seafront promenade leads east and has an evening flea market. At its end, the busy fish market is full of charismatic old salts happy to pose for pictures with their catch. Work on the huge mosque a few metres east of the bazaar seems to have restarted despite local concerns that the engineering is not good enough for a major earthquake zone.

 * Cultural Museum of Handicrafts

Budget

 * Mema Pazir Bouali, US$15 for 4 beds, $11 for a double
 * Kowsar Hotel, $37 for a twin room

Budgeteers (solo travellers in particular) won't have an easy time in Bandar. Be prepared to spend big, or head elsewhere.

Go next
Qeshm Island is a nice island just a thirty minute boat ride away.

Minab has a lively bazaar.

title: Bandar Abbas


text:
Bandarawela

Bandarawela is a city in Sri Lanka.

By bus
Regular to Nuwara Eliya via Welimada, to Haputale, to Colombo (6 hours), Galle

By train
5 trains per day travel to the end of the line at Badulla (LKR 80/40 2nd class / 3rd class) departing at 06:00, 12:50, 14:48, 16:27, 17:58 taking 1.5 hours.

4 trains per day travel to Colombo (LKR 480/305 2nd class / 3rd class) departing at 7:14, 9:57, 11:45, 19:42 taking 8-9 hours.

Guest houses

 * Himalie Guest House, Badulla Road, Bindunuwewa, Tel.057-2222362.

Go next

 * Nuwara Eliya, 50 km
 * Badulla, 28 km.

title: Bandarawela


text:
Bandarban District

Bandarban Hill District is the most remote and least populated district in Bangladesh. The lure of the tallest peaks of Bangladesh, treks through virgin forests and chance to meet more than 15 tribes of the region up close is growing both among Bangladeshis and tourists from other countries. Since the insurgency ceased in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (a cluster that includes all three hill districts of Bangladesh) it has opened up for tourists more than a decade back, though some of the western tourist guides may still describe the area as a major security risk.

Cities

Bandarban has only one town that approaches anything near a city - the Bandarban town. The rest of the area is divided into 7 upazilas, which are in turn divided into varying numbers of unions. Each union is a cluster of paras and villages.

 * Bandarban Town: Bandarban Sadar, Rajvila, Kuhalong, Sualok, Tankabati
 * Thanchi: Thanchi, Bolipara, Remakree, Tindu
 * Lama: Lama, Aziznagar, Fashiakhali, Gozalia, Rupasipara, Soroi,
 * Nikhongchhari: Nikhongchhari, Baishari, Dochari, Ghumdhum
 * Alikadam: Alikadam, Choykhong
 * Rowangchhari: Rowangchhari, Alekhong, Noapatang, Taracha
 * Ruma: Ruma. Galengga, Pyndu, Remakree Pranksha

Understand
It is governed by a Hill Council under the Bangladesh government, headed by the King of Mong Circle. The current monarch, His Highness King Aung Shue Prue Chowdhury, is the 15th to sit on the throne. The front hall (Raj Durbar) of the Royal Palace is open to visitors, provided that appropriate behavior is maintained. Interestingly the 13th Royal Family claims the current Family to be usurpers to the throne.

Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Chramma are major religions along with many pagan faiths.

The best place for information are the Press Club (phone: +880 (0) 361 62549), the Tribal Cultural Institute (phone: +880 (0) 361 62424), the office of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, the government-owned tourism company and the office of Guide Tours, the largest privately owned tourism company, at Hill Side Resort.

Bandarban, a 4,479 km2 wide area with a population of 292,900 (2003 est.) inside Bangladesh is bordered by Cox's Bazaar, Chittagong, Rangamati and Khagrachari. On the other side of the 129 kilometre international border lies Myanmar provinces of Chin and Arakan.

Landscape

The three highest peak of Bangladesh - Tahjindong (1280 m, also known as bijoy), Mowdok Mual (1052 m), and Keokradong (883 m) - are in Bandarban district, as well as Raikhiang Lake, the highest lake in Bangladesh. Chimbuk peak and Boga Lake are two more highly noted features of the district. Though most Bangladesh sources cite Keokradong as the highest peak in the country, but Tazing Dong (sometimes spelled as Tahjingdong, and also known as Bijoy) lying further east is recognized both by government and expert sources as a taller peak. Measurements taken by English adventurer Ginge Fullen shows that an officially unnamed peak near the Myanmar border (locally known as Mowdok Mual) is the highest point in Bangladesh. A team from Nature Adventure Club took part in an expedition in the Mowdok Range and agreed with the Ginge Fullens statement. They got the height of this peak as 1,063 m with GPS accuracy of 3 m. The unnamed summit is known as 'Saka Haphong' to the local Tripura tribes.

The following is a list of mountain ranges in the area and the tallest peaks of each range:
 * Muranja (also known as Meranja) range (Basitaung, 664 m)
 * Wayla range (most of this range is in Myanmar)
 * Chimbook range (Tindu, 898 m)
 * Batimain range (Batitaung, 526 m)
 * Politai range (Keokradang, 884 m; Ramiu Taung 921 m)
 * Saichal-Mowdok range (Bilaisari, 669 m; Mowdok Mual 1,003 m)
 * Saichal range (Waibung 808 m; Rang Tlang, 958 m; Mowdok Tlang, 905 m)
 * Wailatong and Tambang ranges

The River Sangu (also known as Sangpo or Shankha), the only river born inside Bangladesh territory, runs through Bandarban. The other rivers in the district are Matamuhuri and Bakkhali. Parts of Kaptai Lake, the biggest lake in, Bangladesh fall under the area.

History
In the early days of 15th century, Arakanese kingdom expended its territories to the Chittagong area of Bengal. After the victory of Arakan on Burma's Pegu kingdom in 1599 AD, the Arakanese king Mong Raja Gree appointed a Prince of Pegu as the governor of newly established Bohmong Htaung (Circle) by giving the title of "Bohmong" Raja. That area was mostly populated by the Arakanese descendants and ruled by the Burmese (Myanmar) noble descendants who started to call themselves in Arakanese language as Marma. Marma is an archaic Arakanese pronunciation for Myanmar. As the population of the Bohmong Htaung were of Arakanese descandants, these Myanmar-descendants Bohmong chiefs (Rajas) of the ruling class took the titles in Arakanese and speak a dialect of the Arakanese language.

Bandarban Hill District was once called Bohmong Htaung since the Arakanese rule. Once Bohmong Htaung was ruled by Bohmong Rajas who were the subordinates to the Arakanese kings. Ancestors of the present Bohmong dynasty were the successor of the Pegu King of Burma under the Arakan's rule in Chittagong. In 1614, King Mong Kha Maung, the king of Arakan appointed Maung Saw Pru as Governor of Chittagong who in 1620 repulsed the Portuguese invasion with great valour. As a consequence, Arakanese king, Mong Kha Maung adorned Maung Saw Pru with a title of Bohmong meaning Great General. After the death of Maung Saw Pru two successors retained Bohmong title. During the time of Bohmong Hari Gneo in 1710, Arakanese King Canda Wizaya recaptured Chittagong from the Mughals. Bohmong Hari Gneo helped King Canda Wizaya in recapturing Chittagong and as a mark of gratitude the later conferred on Bohmong Hari Gneo the grand title of Bohmong Gree which means great Commander in Chief.

During the British Raj, it was declared as the Bohmong circle with limited autonomy. The Mizokaba or the Mizo uprise in the mid 19th century was major catalyst for re-settlement of the tribes in the area. During World War II the area saw the presence of a formidable British military presence that came to stand against a Japanese invasion. The tribes of these hills held the reputation of unyielding rebellion throughout history. When India, Pakistan and Mynamar went independent from the Raj, the leaders of the tribes people decided unsuccessfully to become a part of Mynamar, then known as Burma. During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 to gain independence from Pakistan, the leaders again sought unsuccessfully to remain a part of Pakistan.

In the late 1970s, a policy of forced settlement of Bengalis into the hills led to a hill tribe insurgency led by Shanti Bahini, the military wing of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti. There have been attempts to create division among tribal cultural lines between the Chakmas, who led Shantibanhini, and the Mrus, by creating an anti-Shantibanhini militia out of them. Now, after the peace treaty, Bandarban stands as a locally governed ethnic region together with the two other hill districts. Representation of numerous tribes of the district in the Hill Council is still under dispute.

People
There are more than fifteen ethnic minorities living in the district besides the Bengalis, including: the Marma, the Arakanese descendants and Arakanese (Rakhine), who are also known as Magh, Mru (also known as Mro or Murong), Bawm, Khyang, Tripuri (also known as Tipra or Tipperah), Mizo (also known as Lushei), Khumi, Chak, Kuki, Chakma and Tenchungya, who are closely related, Reang (also known as Riyang), Uchoi (also known as Usui) and Pankho.

The Mru, also known as Murong, who are famous for their music and dance. The Mru in major numbers have converted to Khrama (or Crama), the youngest religion in Bangladesh that prohibits much of their old ways. They are assumed to be the original inhabitants of Bandarban. The Bawm are another major tribe here. Now converted almost totally to Christianity they have taken full advantage of the church to become the most educated people in the district. The Marma are Arakanese descendants of Myanmar by origin and Buddhists by religion, and are the second largest tribe in the hill districts of Bangladesh. The Khumi live in the remotest parts of the district, and the group is thought to include yet unexplored and unclassified tribes.

These ethnic groups are again divided in hundreds of clans and sects, principally dominated by four religious threads - Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and a number of pagan faiths. All these clans and groups are clustered into two major ethnic families, namely the hill people and the valley people. Since the Kaptai dam flooded the valley creating to Kaptai lake, the valley people have started to live on hill tops along the hill people.

Bengali settlers, coming in with the forced settlements in 1979, and Rohingya refugees, displaced across the Myanmar border since 1992, have become two major ethnic groups. But, there are a number of Bengali families who claim to have settled earlier than some of the tribes.

Festivals

 * Raj Punnyah: It is ceremonial rite of paying tribute and taxes (khazna) to the king of Bohmang circle, happening in mid February since 1885. The three day festival at the royal palace features the king meeting his subjects in full regalia, accompanied by a ceremonial guard, and receiving tributes.
 * Sangrai: The biggest festival of the Marma tribesmen, akin to Boisabi of the Tripuris and Biju of the Chakmas. In mid-April, this celebration of the new year falls around the same time as Bengali Naba Barsha and Assamese Bihu. Apart frm the songs and dances Sangrai is marked by the water festival and magic charm competitions. Water festival is a game of splashing water from two sides of a marked arena by unmarried boys and girls on each other. It is said that splashing water is a way of declaring a love interest. Non-Marma people can't usually take part in the game.

Talk
Bangla (official); Marma, Bawm and Mru (local)

By bus
There are three ways to get to Bandarban. The easiest is a direct bus ride from Dhaka which takes 6 hours. The few services available are Dolphin at Kalabagan, Unique service, Shyamoli Paribahan at Gabtali, Asad gate, Fakirerpul, Kamlapur, Saydabad and S Alam at Kamalapur. On the high tourist season it is advisable to buy tickets in advance.

There are a few services available that offer a bus ride from Chittagong which takes 2 hours (the most available is Purbani at Bahaddarhaat). To reach Chittagong from Dhaka there are three options - taking a flight, a bus (Sohag is undoubtedly the best service, available at Kalabagan and Mahakhali) or a train from Kamalapur (Turna Nishitha, Mahanagar Godhuli and Subarna).

From Cox's Bazar, it is a 3-hour bus ride (the most available is Purbani at Laaldighi). To reach Cox's Bazaar from Dhaka it is possible take either a 10-hour bus ride (Sohag is the best) or a flight. From Chittagong it is 4-hour bus ride (apart from Dolphin, Purbani is the most available).

Purbani Bus Service, Phone:01820412800 (Chittagong), 0361-62508 (Bandarban)

It is possible to get to Bandarban directly from Rangamati by way of Chandraghona, but the perilous route is not advisable at all.

By car
Car rented from Chittagong, readily available from Bangladesh Enterprise (phone: +880 (0) 31 670512) at Chandgao, Al-Amin Enterprise (phone: +880 (0) 31 720600) or Alam Enterprise (phone: +880 (0) 31 714566) at Hazi Para in Agrabad, Bismilla Fashion (phone: +880 (0) 31 612749) at Reazuddin Bazar or Samara Fashions (phone: +880 (0) 31 615925) at Azimir Super Market at Monim Road, would take anyone to Bandarban. Though it is possible to rent a car at Dhaka to go all the way to Bandarban, it is not advisable in any way. Plainland drivers are generally lousy in the hills and they don't know the locality at all. It would be prudent to hire a driver who comes from Bandarban.

By Jeep
Jeep, Land Rover, Land Cruser are available in Bandarban Jeep station - which all are under Bandarban Jeep-Microbus Owners Association. They will say all the fares are fixed but you will find lot of scope to bargain. Auto (locally called CNG) are also available which are not that safe.

Small Jeep (5 seat) and Large Jeep (8 seat). Before rent any Jeep must need to check whither they have the spare wheel or not. In sunny day tyre puncture is very common due to the high temperature of road. Some local driver of Jeep cell no are +8801860300418 (Mr. Jashim), +880184149091 (Mr. Kalam),+8801817721077 (Mr. Pintu, Very clever but honest) All driver are honest and caring.

Get around
Inside the town, which can be easily covered on feet, the most available mode of transport in the rickshaw. For places out of town there are three-wheeler taxis near the Traffic Mor (circle or intersection), four-wheel drive vehicles for hire near Hotel Green Hill, and a rent-a-car station near Hotel Hill Bird. There also are the regular public transit system of ancient four-wheel-drive vehicles, known locally as Chander Gari (meaning the Moon Car) available Ruma and Rowangchhari Bus Stations, as well as near the Sonali Bank. Major road routes are Chimbuk-Ruma, Bandarban-Rowangchhari-Ruma, Aziznagar-Gojalia-Lama, Khanhat-Dhopachhari-Bandarban, Bandarban-Chimbuk-Thanchi-Alikadam-Baishari-Dhundhum, and Chimbuk-Tangkabati-Baro Aoulia. It is also possible to travel by native boats by the river Sangu, from either the Bazaar Ghat or the Kyaw Ching Ghat.

See

 * Buddha Dhatu Jadi. The largest Buddhist temple in Bangladesh, located in Balaghata, 4 km from the town, is one excellent place to visit locally known as 'Swarna Mandir'. This Theravada Buddhist temple. set atop a 60-meter hill, is made completely in the style of South-East Asia and houses a sacred relic and the second largest statue of Buddha in Bangladesh.
 * Shoilo Propat, Meghla and Nilachal. The waterfall named Shoilo Propat at Milanchari, 4 km from the town on the road to Thanchi, is also excellent site maintained by Bangladesh Parjatan, the national tourism promotion corporation. The Parjatan Motel is not a small thing at all. It has a huge three-storey building on a high place. The room rent here a little high compared to other places The site maintained by the District Administration is Meghla, 4 km from the town on the road to Keranihat, which features a mini-safari-park, a zoo, and a hanging bridge. The District Administration has also developed the Nilachal tourist site near Meghla, in Tigerpara
 * Raj Vihar and Ujanipara Vihar.The numerous Buddhist temples, known as kyang in local toungue, and vihars in the town include the highly notable the Rajvihar (royal Monastery) at Jadipara. The monastery at Ujanipara, known as Ujanipara Vihar, is also a major place of interest.
 * Chimbuk Hill and Tribal Villages. Chimbuk is one of the tallest peaks in Bangladesh and lies some 14 km from the town. Bawm villages around Chimbuk and Mru villages a little further off are also lie within a day's journey from the town.

 * Nil Giri and Thanchi. Nilgiri is one of the tallest peaks and beautiful place in Bangladesh and lies some 46 km from the town. there is beautiful resort in the top of the mountain maintain by the Bangladesh Army. Booking to be done through army officer. There are three well furnished cottages ranging from Tk 4000–7000. There are also three tents having 4 beds each@2000 per tent. Foreign tourist will be restricted there. there is restaurant, helipad,
 * Other Places. Prantik Lake, Jibannagar and Kyachlong Lake are some more places of interest.

Do

 * Cruise on River Sangu. One highly admired activity here is a boat trip in a sampan (a double oared boat with a blunt aft and a flat bottom) or a regular boat down the River Sangu. The trip can vary from a 1-hour trip, including a stop-over to take tea, to a whole day cruise including stop-overs to have food.You will find people working on river with bamboos. The river is not very deep in the dry season. Many times your boat might get stuck with the soil under the river.
 * Take a Guided Tour. The only available regular guided tour package, offered by Bengal Tours & Guide Tours, takes tourists through Buddha Dhatu Jadi, Meghla, Shoilo Propat, Raj Vihar and Ujanipara Vihar, two tribal villages, Chimbuk Hill and a couple of more sites. An irregular guided tour package by Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation takes tourists to Nilachal and Meghla, the artificially created government owned "tourist attractions" generally shunned by serious travelers.

Hiking
A hike to either Keokaradong (883 m) or Tahjindong (967 m), the two tallest peak is an exhilarating experience. On the side of both the peaks reside the remotest tribes-people of Bangladesh - the Khumi and the Kuki. Boga Lake, one of the two highest lakes in Bangladesh lie directly on the trek, while the other one, the Raikhiang Lake lies only a little off the way.

Buy
There is an abundance of Burmese, Thai and Chinese trinkets and textiles in town. But, the best buy is definitely the products of local handloom - cloth fabric, shawls, blankets and more - as well as products of bamboo, cane and wood - baskets, flutes, hats, mask and more. Prices are amazingly low, and textile qualities are amazingly high, with exotic and geometric designs. Only the machine-made textiles from Myanmar (called Burma here) have floral or fire patterns.

Markets

 * Master Shopping Complex and Burmese Market: Full of Thai, Chinese & Burmese products. This market is always busy with throngs of buyers, sellers and onlookers. Marma shopkeepers, mostly women, are easy to deal with, and may provide information on the place and the people.
 * Bonolota Textile and Rangamati Textile: These shops at the Traffic Mor sells handloom products from Rangamati, another area of the Hill Tratcs, here. Since the Chakma people are very different from the Marma, Bawm and Mru people of Bandarban, the products may bring a fresh break.
 * The BSCIC Shop: Various handloom and cottage products. It is the sales center for the cottage industry development project of Bangladesh government.
 * Shoilo Propat: Shawls, blankets and baskets made by the Bawm people are sold by them by the side of the waterfall. And here you can buy those product in most competitive price.
 * Farukpara: Flutes, hats, pitchers and other stuff made by the Bawm people are sold in little shop crammed full with exotic and wonderful products. Bargaining while sipping on a cup of tea is a wonderful activity here.
 * Marmabazaar: All the local food and textile products, as well as wet grocery vendors selling fresh hill produces. Look for Nappi, a local delicacy, to take home here. But, don't forget to pack it tight when carrying. This market bustles with activity in the earl morning, with tribes-people coming down the hills to sell vegetables of every color, as well as roots, tubers, fruits, berries and nuts.

Dress
Both the Bandarban Bazaar and the Marma Bazaar sell, hawk and peddle an incredible number of floral-patterned Burmese cloths that are used to make dresses in Marma style. A thicket of tailoring shops line the streets of both markets to cater to buyers of these cloths. It is a fun activity for women to buy cloth and take it to a tailoring shop. Custom fit Thami (sarong) and Angi (Blouse) are tailored in a day.

Budget
There are good restaurants in Bandarban Bazaar where local cuisine can be sampled, which is mostly too hot for unaccustomed palates.

Mid-range
The best places to eat are Khaoa Daoa (a Muslim restaurant, meaning they serve beef) and Adarsha Bhaatghar (a Hindu restaurant, meaning they don't serve beef).

Splurge
Chinese or Continental food, though available and expensive by local standards, is of poor quality here. Check with Ree Song Song in the town or Kyank Ching at Parzatan Motel Megla.

Local delicacies
The local tribespeople consider almost everything that walks, flies or swims as food, so with a little luck it is possible to sample dog meat, and even dried snakes or deer meat (both are protected species in Bangladesh). Nappi, a semi-dried fish-paste with powerful flavor, is one of the top delicacies. Most of the hotels in Bandarban do not have any restaurant attached.

Drink
Though there are no designated bars or pubs, alcoholic drinks are widely available due to the culture of the tribes-people. A local rice wine called Arraa is a potent drink. It is often flavored with stone-apples, pineapples and elachi. It is best drunk with coconut juice. Ching Rey is a beer made from the first brew of Arraa. Tea is a fairly common drink in the daytime, and available at plentiful hot tea shops. Tea here is served with thin milk and salt instead of sugar.

There is no formal nightlife here. But, if you stay outside the town, it may be possible to sit at a gathering of tribal village fold for a little music and lot of drinking.

Connect
361 is the area code for Bandarban. For further details see Bangladesh.

The telecom watchdog, Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC), has permitted Rankstel and QC Telecom, two privately owned phone companies, to provide telular (Fixed Wireless Transceiver based phones) services in Bandarban, which is about the equal to connections provided by Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), the government owned monopoly on fixed-line telephone service, and are far more available.

There are a couple of cybercafes that offer internet services. But, since they are not connected to the information superhighway via submarine cables, the connections are pretty slow, often dipping below 0.4kbit/s. These usually remain open from 11AM to 8PM.

Postal codes for Bandarban are - 4600 (Bandarban Sadar), 4630 (Thanchi), 4641 (Lama), 4660 (Nikhongchhari), 4650 (Alikadam), 4610 (Rowangchhari), and 4620 (Ruma). The surface mail is notoriously slow and undependable. There also is a possibility of mail from foreign nationals getting opened and checked by civil or military authorities.

Stay safe
As malaria is a major health threat in the region, malaria prophylaxis is highly advisable. Avloquin and Malacide are two popular local brands of the drug, obtainable from major Dhaka, Chittagong or Bandarban drugstores that are known as a "pharmacy" in Bangladesh. Incidentally, Bandaraban District Hospital has arguably the best treatment and research facilities for malarial treatment in Bangladesh.

Stay healthy
Drinking water often comes from hillside streams. Therefore, insist upon water from tube wells, or carry your own supply of water or water purification tablets. Halotab is the popular local brand of purification tablets. Bandarban pharmacies may not have any in stock, so it is advisable to purchase some in Dhaka or Chittagong beforehand.

Emergency Services

 * Bandaban District Hospital Phone: +880 (0) 361 62544
 * Matree Sadan and Shishu Kalyan Kendra Phone: +880 (0) 361 62591
 * Bandarban Police Station
 * Bandarban Cantonment Phone (exchange): +880 (0) 361 62266/62284/62285/62290

Cope
There are a few laundries (local name) in the town, but no dry cleaning. These wash your clothes by the river. Photoprocessing is easy, as there are quite a few shops at Marmabazaar. The photoprocessing experience can become an exciting experience if you try a shop that has photo studio attached.

Go next

 * Rangamati - wrapped in hills and a massive serene lake
 * Cox's Bazaar - proud of having the longest beach in the world

title: Bandarban District


text:
Bandarban Town

Bandarban Town is in Bandarban Hill District, in the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh.

Bandarban Hill District is the remotest and least populated district in Bangladesh. The lure of the tallest peaks of Bangladesh, treks through virgin forests and chance to meet more than 15 tribes of the region up close is growing both among Bangladeshis and tourists from other countries. A nearly 52 km² hill-town housing about 32,000 people, of which the majority are Marma. There is a Tribal Cultural Institute here, which features a library and a museum. The town also features Bandarban Town Hospital (offering the best medical service in the district), the District Public Library, Bandarban Government College, the District Stadium, banashri, the solitary movie theatre, the royal cemetery, and, of course, the Royal Palace (two of them since the 11th and 13th royal lines both claim the throne). Apart from the numerous kyangs and mosques, there is a temple dedicated to Kali, the most revered goddess of Hindus is Bangladesh, as well as a centre maintained by ISKON.

By bus
There are three ways to get to Bandarban. The easiest is a direct bus ride from Dhaka which takes 6 hours. The few services available are Dolphin at Kalabagan, Unique service, Shyamoli Paribahan at Gabtali, Asad gate, Fakirerpul, Kamlapur, Saydabad and S Alam at Kamalapur. On the high tourist season it is advisable to buy tickets in advance. AC and Non AC both type of bus are available. Generally AC and non AC bus running in this road are Hino 1JAC-40/36 seat capacity so during summer season using AC bus but winter Non AC bus might not be the wrong choice to save money. Non AC unique paribahan is the best in this road. Unique paribahan Gabtali counter 02 9002710 There are a few services available that offer a bus ride from Chittagong which takes 2 hours (the most available is Purbani at Bahaddarhaat).

From Cox's Bazar, it is a 3-hour busride (the most available is Purbani at Laaldighi). Purbani Bus Srvice, Phone:01820412800 (Chittagong), 0361-62508 (Bandarban)

It is possible to get to Bandarban directly from Rangamati by way of Chandraghona, but the perilous route is not advisable at all.

By car
Car rented from Chittagong, readily available from Bangladesh Enterprise (phone: +880 (0) 31 670512) at Chandgao, Al-Amin Enterprise (phone: +880 (0) 31 720600) or Alam Enterprise (phone: +880 (0) 31 714566) at Hazi Para in Agrabad, Bismilla Fashion (phone: +880 (0) 31 612749) at Reazuddin Bazar or Samara Fashions (phone: +880 (0) 31 615925) at Azimir Super Market at Monim Road, would take anyone to Bandarban. Though it is possible to rent a car at Dhaka to go all the way to Bandarban, it is not advisable in any way. Plainland drivers are generally lousy in the hills and they don't know the locality at all. It would be prudent to hire a driver who comes from Bandarban. Road mirror are there beside the sharp curve which driver need to look before crossing the curve.

By Jeep
Jeeps, Land Rovers and Land Cruisers are available in Bandarban Jeep station, under the Bandarban Jeep-Microbus Owners Association. They will say all the fares are fixed on the basis of route, but you will find lot of scope to bargain. Autos (locally called CNG) are also available, but they are not very safe.

Before renting any Jeeps, check whether they have spare wheels or not. On sunny days, tyre punctures are very common due to high road temperatures.

Some local Jeep drivers' cell numbers are: +8801860300418 (Mr. Jashim), +880184149091 (Mr. Kalam), +8801817721077 (Mr. Pintu, very clever but honest). All of these drivers are honest and caring.

See

 * Nilgiri resort
 * Meghla Parzatan Complex
 * Chimbuk
 * Neelachal Parzatan Complex
 * Boga lake
 * Tajingdong
 * Nafkhum

Sleep
With a little luck, it is possible to stay at one of the numerous government rest houses, especially in quiet seasons. The most notable is the District Circuit House, followed by Hill Top Rest House, maintained by the District Administration, and the Forest Department rest House. Department of Roads and Highways have two rest houses of fair standards - one near Chimbuk, the other near the circuit house. But, these can not be booked in advance, unless the traveler is on government business or a government guest or employee.

Budget
In Bandarban Town, there are numerous inexpensive hotels, all of which are at Bandarban Bazaar, the market district of the town. The most prominent are:

title: Bandarban Town


text:
Bandar Baru Bangi

Bandar Baru Bangi is a township in Selangor.

Get in
Connected by the North-South Highway (PLUS) and trunkroads and highways (SILK) from neighbouring Kajang.

Buy
There are various clothing, fashion, and electronic shops and indoor stalls in the dilapidated Warta Mall (there are also several chemists located on the ground floor) and Kompleks PKNS which feature mostly Muslim-themed wear. Both malls are about 20 to 30 minutes walk from the Hotel Equatorial Bangi.

Eat
The shoplot developments in and around the township have various dining outlets and also local eateries such as Mamak stalls and mobile cendol and rojak vendors. In the older section of the township, outdoor food courts are also popular and satay can generally be found easily. Tom yam, seafood, and 'sup gearbox' stalls can be found on a major road connecting the township to the SILK Highway

Drink
As the township consists mostly of Malay-Muslims, there are no entertainment outlets serving alcohol and is generally a 'dry' area except at the Hotel Equatorial Bangi.

title: Bandar Baru Bangi


text:
Bandar Lampung

Bandar Lampung is the capital city of Lampung province in the south of Sumatra island, Indonesia.

Understand
Bandar Lampung is a conglomeration of two former municipalities occupying the frontage beside Lampung Bay: Tanjungkarang and Telukbetung. If you had been here in 1883, you could have watched (and heard) Krakatoa blow its top in the Sunda Strait, but that might not have been that euphoric given that over 36,000 people in the region died. As capital of Lampung province and the major center of commerce for the southern end of Sumatra, Bandar Lampung has cultivated a diverse array of commercial interests that incorporate agriculture and industry, including coal. While the cityscape can look a bit dun and like it's in a state of development, Bandar Lampung does have a first-rate university in Lampung University.

Also, of particular note to tourism is its proximity to Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, which is one of the rare homes of the Sumatran elephant and Sumatran tiger.

By plane

From the airport you can take a prepaid taxi to Bandar Lampung city centre. There is a taxi counter which lists the various destinations with the prepaid rates.

By bus
Buses from Jakarta are regular and travelling time is about 7 hours. One of the best known services is run by DAMRI who depart from Jakarta's main train station, Gambir Complex and Tanjungkarang train station. Tickets are available from their service desk.

By boat
First you need to get to Merak Port in Banten province which takes about 1.5 hours from Jakarta. Ferries operate around the clock from Merak to Bakauheni. Ferries can carry up to 20 vehicles and 200 passengers at one time and take 1.5 to 2 hours to cross the Sunda Strait. From Bakauheni to Bandar Lampung will take about 90 minutes by car, or longer by bus. The ticket can be bought via Ferizy's website.

Speedboats also ply the route but during daylight hours only.

Get around
Getting around in Bandar Lampung is easy and relatively inexpensive because it is a small city. Traveling between the 2 main areas, (Tanjungkarang to Teluk Betung) will only take about 30–40 minutes by car.

By Angkutan Kota
Angkutan Kota or abbreviated as Angkot or Oplet is actually a car, usually either a Daihatsu Carry or Toyota Kijang, with the interior re-designed to give more space for passengers to seat. By doing this, an Angkot can carry up to 11 people at a time. Angkot is used as a mode of transportation in most of the cities in Indonesia. Different routes can be easily recognized from the color of the car. You may not want to bring anything valuable when traveling by angkot because pickpockets are very common. When you are ready to get off, you can tell the driver "Stop Kiri" which means stop at the left side.

By ojek
Ojek or motorbike taxi is the omnipresent mode of transport here as it is in many Indonesian cities. Although a little more expensive than Angkot, it gives the advantage of a totally personal conveyance. You can find ojeks at most of the main street crossings in the city. An ojek can be hired for a single destination journey or for a full day. As always, don't forget to bargain the price.

By Bus Rapid Transit system
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a newly developed bus transportation system in Bandar Lampung. The buses is still quite new and the fare is relatively cheap, only about US $0.30/trip. Sometimes buses stop in some available sideroad bus stops, but while other bus stops are being built, buses usually stop at roadside walkways that have been labeled as BRT Stop. Some corridors of Bandar Lampung BRT include: Rajabasa-Sukaraja (a main terminal for buses), Korpri-Sukaraja, Kemiling-Sukaraja, Tanjungkarang-Ir. Sutami, Rajabasa-Citra Garden (a housing block), and Panjang-Citra Garden.

Do
Hop on one of the traditional boat in Pasir Putih Beach and visit one or more small islands in Lampung Bay.The beach can be reached within 30 minutes from the city centre and the distance to the islands ranges from 5 minute boat ride to hours. The clean white sands and quiet island (most visitors here are local people who only come on weekends) make the islands a good location for you to relax and get fresh air. The sea is blue and green in some part. You don't need to check out from your hotel, because you can come in the morning and ask the boat operator to pick you up in the afternoon.

Buy
Lampung has a special traditional-made cloth, called "Kain Tapis". There are various patterns of the Kain Tapis that can be bought in some souvenir shops located in the inner part of the town. These souvenir shops also sell other souvenirs such as unique accessories, miniatures, and many more. Instead of traditional souvenirs, there are also some modernized shopping arcades, such as Central Plaza, Mal Kartini, Mal Lampung, and Chandra Superstore.

Daily needs are quite easy to buy. Some supermarkets like Hypermart, Chandra Supermarket, and Giant, offer various quality and range of household and daily items.

Traditional markets are also spread over Bandar Lampung city, for instance: Pasar Tugu, Pasar Gudang Lelang, and Pasar Kangkung. These markets commonly sell raw food materials, such as raw noodles, raw fish and raw meat. Some indoor stalls sell household equipments, such as brooms, mops, buckets, etc.

There are also some speciality stores, such as stationery stores, D. I. Y. stores, and many more.

Budget
Pempek (made from tapioca flour and fish) in Bandar Lampung is one of the best in the country. It originates from Palembang, South Sumatra.You can get it from street vendors or restaurants. It is served with dark sweet and sour sauce, for which you can opt for hot (more chilli) or not hot.

Kemplang is a kind of fish cracker served with hot sauce (similar to pempek sauce but thicker).

Keripik (chips) - banana, pineapple and jackfruit chips are must-buys when visiting.

Nasi Padang (Padangese rice) from Padang in West Sumatra is quite common in Bandar Lampung. They are cheap and can be considered as a wise choice to fulfill hungry stomachs.

Mid-range
Mid-range restaurants can be found everywhere around Bandar Lampung town. Usually, they sell a la carte main dishes with rice. Mid-range restaurants in Bandar Lampung are also budget-friendly since some of the meals available are also not too expensive.

Splurge
In Bandar Lampung, costful and luxury restaurants are available in luxury hotels like Novotel, Sheraton, etc. There are also independent splurge restaurants such as Golden Dragon Restaurant. Various kinds of food starting with appetizers, entrees, to desserts are available with medium-high range of prices. These restaurants offer rather big portions of food, so consider the amount of your orders.

Drink
There is a laid back bar at the top of a hill overlooking the city called Beer and Chips. It offers the best views of Bandar Lampung and reasonably priced beers.

Budget
Hotel Arinas - Jl. Raden Intan No 35 B. Ph: 0721-266778 Grand Anugerah Hotel - Jl. Raden Intan No 132. Ph: +62 721 266999

Hotel Kurnia Perdana - Jl. Raden Intan No 114. Ph: 0721-262030

Hotel Andalas - Jl. Raden Intan No 89. Ph: 0721-263432

Go next
You could try Pahawang Island for some premier snorkeling, Anak Krakatau for a chance to say you've been to Krakatoa, or Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park for tiger and elephant encounters.

title: Bandar Lampung


text:
Bandar Seri Begawan

Bandar Seri Begawan, also known as BSB or just Bandar, is the capital of Brunei.

Understand
Bandar Seri Begawan is a modern city with wide streets and palace buildings. For its history, it was once a Malay fishing village and has been on the Brunei River in which people lived in riverside dwellings and was subject to attacks by pirates, the Portuguese and the Spaniards.

Get in
See Brunei for Brunei's entry requirements.

By plane
is the main airport in Brunei. See Brunei for airline details.

Ground transportation
A taxi from the airport to the city centre takes 20 minutes and costs around $25. Some hotels may provide transport between airport and hotel for free or for a cheaper price. A covered walk down to the end of the car park away from the Terminal (turn left when exiting from Arrivals) leads to a bus stop for Purple buses to the city centre during the day ($2).

By car
All main roads in Brunei (save for those in isolated Temburong Districts) lead to Bandar Seri Begawan. The main road into/out of Bandar Seri Begawan connects to the coastal road to/from the Sarawak border via Tutong, Seria and Kuala Belait. Other main roads lead to Muara and Kuala Lurah where there is a border crossing into the Limbang division of Sarawak. Take this road if you are driving to Temburong but you will have to go through two sets of immigration checkpoints - at Kuala Lurah (Tedungan on the Sarawak side) and Puni (Pandaruan on the Sarawak side) - before you reach the district administrative center, Bangar.

By bus
where most local and long-distance buses leave from and arrive is at Jalan Cator in the city centre. It occupies the ground level of a multistory carpark. Map of Brunei public bus routes.
 * From Seria: Regular buses leave for Seria (where you can change buses to Kuala Belait) that leave from the main bus terminal. They usually display the departure time on the windscreen. Journey time is about one hour and the fare is $6 one way. Going the other way, there are buses from Kuala Belait to Seria ($1) where you can change to another bus for Bandar Seri Begawan ($6).
 * From Kuala Lurah: Local minibuses run from the bus terminal right up to the Kuala Lurah checkpoint throughout the day. Journey is about half hour and fare is $1 one way. At Kuala Lurah, walk across the border and either catch a bus or taxi into Limbang.
 * From Miri: There are no direct buses between Miri and BSB. Travel from Miri to BSB requires transport, taxi/Grab, from Miri to the Malaysian border crossing, walking the border crossing, then a further taxi into Kuala Belait. From here you catch a bus to Seria then change to another bus to get to BSB. The bus from Kuala Belait to Seria and then Seria to BSB are local buses, quite cheap and quite slow. It is recommended to do this trip earlier in the day. (2023).
 * From Kota Kinabalu: There is one bus per day, arriving and departing at the waterfront near the main bus terminal. The bus to KK leaves at 08:00, but get there at 07:30 to buy the ticket. It takes 6–8 hours and costs $45 (2019).

By boat
The main ferry terminal in Brunei is the at Muara. The ferry terminal has currency exchange, a small souvenir shop, and a cafe.

There are about five daily ferries to Labuan (the first one departs at 08:30, while the last at 16:30), journey lasts from 45 minutes to two hours depending on the boat. It's best to arrive an hour early to buy tickets; boarding starts half an hour before departure. The ferry costs $15 + terminal tax $2 (2019). With a change of boats in Labuan you can even make it to Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) in a day (see Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land). The same applies to Lawas and Sundar (both in Sarawak) accessing which requires changing boats in Labuan. Serasa terminal is 25 km from Bandar Seri Begawan and also in quite a distance from Muara town.

Getting there: The ferry terminal is quite a distance from Muara town where the container port is. The terminal is about 25 km from Bandar Seri Begawan. Buses to Muara depart from the Bandar Seri Begawan bus terminal in Jalan Cator, first bus departs at 06:30. There are two possible options: the first is to catch a shuttle express bus that goes directly to the ferry terminal and costs $2, departs roughly every 2 hours. The second option is a regular bus #37, #38, or #39 to Pekan Muara (the end of the line), where you can transfer to #33 that will go to Serasa Ferry Terminal, price is $1 including transfer. Altogether, it can take as much as two hours to get from the bus terminal to the ferry terminal. Or you can just take a tour van or taxi.

From Bangar. Speedboats leave for Bangar in Temburong District from the jetty near the foodstalls at Jalan Residency just over the bridge across Sungai Kianggeh to the east of the city centre. Regular boats run between Bandar and Bangar throughout the day.

Get around
Try to pick up the official map of Brunei Darussalam, as it is easy to read and the public bus lines are easy to follow. The people of Brunei are very helpful to visitors, so don't be surprised after a few minutes of conversation they offer a ride to one of the attractions, as they know how much easier it is to drive there than get there any other way.

Downtown is quite small and can be easily navigated on foot. At several intersections there are walking maps of the Heritage Trail which includes the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Tamu Kianggeh (Kianggeh Market), and the Royal Regalia Museum.

By bus
Public minibuses are the cheapest way to travel in the city. They start service at 06:00 but end quite early (at about 18:00). They run roughly every 20–40 minutes from 06:00 to 18:00, but there's no strict schedule. Most of the bus routes begin and end service at the bus terminal on Jalan Cator downtown. Routes are numbered and the buses are different colors depending on the route. They cost $1 regardless of distance ($0.50 for children); the fare is normally collected by a conductor but may also be collected by the driver. They have designated stops but also stop anywhere along the route to drop or pick up passengers (so if you want to stop, just indicate it to the conductor on the bus, and the same thing if you want to get on). The buses are actually more like large vans which can seat about 20 people at the most, and are generally clean and comfortable to ride. Main bus routes include bus service 01 (Circle Line) and 20 (Business Centres Line). The detailed routes of the bus services are written on a board placed on the front window of the buses and are also drawn on the information board at the Jalan Cator terminal.

By tour van
Try asking the counter tickets for a tour van to drive you around Brunei and bring you to the places. Discuss the price first before you agree to board the van.

By taxi
It's almost impossible to hail a taxi outside of airport, so it's better to arrange a one via hotel or call a taxi service. Taxi services:. Airport Taxi Service:.

By ride hailing
The main ride-hailing app in Brunei is Dart.

By water taxi
You can hail a few water taxis at almost any dock but the most popular place to find one is on the waterfront downtown. They are great fun to ride in, and they're also a useful way to get to the Water Village and to some of the city's outlying neighbourhoods. Drivers also give tours to see proboscis monkeys and the Water Village; see below for details.

By foot
Downtown BSB is small and easy to get around on foot. There are more sidewalks than in cities in neighboring Sarawak. Be careful of the pedestrian traffic lights – most of them stay red and don't change even if you press the button, so instead time your crossing by paying attention to the traffic lights for cars.

Drivers in Bandar are fairly polite to pedestrians – they usually wait when they see pedestrians in the crosswalk, especially downtown.

See
Don't expect to find much tasteful and stunning architecture like you would normally find in Southeast Asia. Here, most of the buildings are just plain and box-shaped. However, an interesting twist to the billboards around here, is that the "Jawi" (Arabicized Malay writing) are prevalent among them. Sometimes, foreign names are translated literally, e.g. "Pizza Hut" to "Pondok Pizza".

 * After visiting the Brunei Museum, walk along the road toward BSB to visit two tombs: the first is the Tomb of Sharif Ali, the third sultan of Brunei. The green sign by the road is written entirely in Arabic lettering. Further down the road is the Tomb of Sultan Bolkiah, the fifth sultan of Brunei. Both tombs are in easy walking distance from the Museum.
 * After visiting the Brunei Museum, walk along the road toward BSB to visit two tombs: the first is the Tomb of Sharif Ali, the third sultan of Brunei. The green sign by the road is written entirely in Arabic lettering. Further down the road is the Tomb of Sultan Bolkiah, the fifth sultan of Brunei. Both tombs are in easy walking distance from the Museum.
 * After visiting the Brunei Museum, walk along the road toward BSB to visit two tombs: the first is the Tomb of Sharif Ali, the third sultan of Brunei. The green sign by the road is written entirely in Arabic lettering. Further down the road is the Tomb of Sultan Bolkiah, the fifth sultan of Brunei. Both tombs are in easy walking distance from the Museum.
 * After visiting the Brunei Museum, walk along the road toward BSB to visit two tombs: the first is the Tomb of Sharif Ali, the third sultan of Brunei. The green sign by the road is written entirely in Arabic lettering. Further down the road is the Tomb of Sultan Bolkiah, the fifth sultan of Brunei. Both tombs are in easy walking distance from the Museum.
 * After visiting the Brunei Museum, walk along the road toward BSB to visit two tombs: the first is the Tomb of Sharif Ali, the third sultan of Brunei. The green sign by the road is written entirely in Arabic lettering. Further down the road is the Tomb of Sultan Bolkiah, the fifth sultan of Brunei. Both tombs are in easy walking distance from the Museum.

Jerudong
Small market town with population of 21,000, 24 km west of Bandar Seri Begawan.

Muara
Small town on the north-eastern tip of Brunei where the country's only deep-water port is located.

Serasa
Another small town with population around 10,000 people close to Muara.

Meet the sultan
Every year, for three days at the end of Ramadan, the sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, opens his palace (Istana Nurul Iman) to the public. This event is primarily intended for the citizens of Brunei to meet their sultan, but foreigners are welcome too. Prepare to queue up for hours; even the queue for security alone takes over an hour. In the palace, free meals are distributed amongst all visitors; there is a wide choice. You can then queue up again in order to meet the sultan himself. You won't have the opportunity to exchange more than a handshake and a few words with him, but it's still a unique opportunity to meet a head of state.

Unfortunately, the sultan only meets men. Fortunately though, women can meet his wife, Queen Saleha, in similar arrangements on the same three days.

Buy
Several currency exchange places can be found downtown.

Eat

 * Gerai Makan, on the waterfront in the southeastern corner of the city, just across a bridge. Here there are a number of outdoor restaurants serving cheap and tasty fare. It's a great place to relax and soak in the local atmosphere. Great views of stilt villages and water taxis speeding back and forth.
 * PGS Cafe, near the Palm Garden at Kiulap. Charges buffet dining at $6 per head in a pleasant air-conditioned restaurant.
 * Gerai Makan, on the waterfront in the southeastern corner of the city, just across a bridge. Here there are a number of outdoor restaurants serving cheap and tasty fare. It's a great place to relax and soak in the local atmosphere. Great views of stilt villages and water taxis speeding back and forth.
 * PGS Cafe, near the Palm Garden at Kiulap. Charges buffet dining at $6 per head in a pleasant air-conditioned restaurant.

There are plenty of small local Kedai Kopi (coffee shops) in town that sell simple, cheap and tasty food and are frequented by locals.

Drink
Nope.

Sleep
Most hotels in Bandar Seri Begawan are in the middle to higher price range.

Stay safe
Crime is very uncommon in this tightly controlled small country.

Embassies and High Commissions

 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia
 * 🇺🇸 United States

In Brunei

 * Bangar
 * Ulu Temburong National Park (see Bangar) has many day tours from BSB from $125-185:
 * http://www.freme.com/product/ulu-temburong-national-park-day-tour-2/
 * http://www.bruneitourism.com/brunei-atta-12
 * https://bruneiborneo.com/package/bwn-15-ulu-temburong-national-park-day-trip
 * Tutong
 * Seria
 * Kuala Belait — second largest city in Brunei

Sarawak

 * Miri
 * Limbang
 * Lawas

Sabah

 * Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (see Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by Land)

title: Bandar Seri Begawan


text:
Bandar Torkaman

Bandar Torkaman is a town in the Caspian Sea region of Iran.

Understand
The population of this town in northwestern Iran, by the Caspian Sea, is mostly fishermen and farmers, with some government employees as well. 70% of the population speak Turken; others speak Kazakh or Farsi. The predominant religion is Islam.

Places to see include the "miankale" wetland and peninsula, the "naharkhoran" forest, and the carpet sellers' bazaar, which is held on Mondays. Whereas in other cities staid black clothing is common, in this town, people wear bright, colourful dresses. Caviar is exported to Europe from this city.

Get in
From Imam Khomeini airport:

By airplane: take the shuttle bus to Mehrabad, which has flights hither (usually around 08:00 and 18:00).

By train: at 19:00 you can go by taxi or shuttle bus to the 2nd "shahed" station, take off, then walk 1 minute to the metro station and take off at "shoosh" station and take a taxi to "Meidan E Rah Ahan", the "railway station square". The taxi will not cost you more than US$0.50 train to "gorgan". Departing at 19:00, take the first class train (about US$3); you will spend almost 11 hours in the train, so you can get enough sleep and rest on train. Leave the train one station before the last station.

By bus: there are buses from "Terminal E Shargh" (which means "bus station for eastern cities"), if you get there before 14:00 you can get a bus straight to Bandar Torkaman from company number 1 or 2, but after 14:00 you have take the "gorgan" bus.

title: Bandar Torkaman


text:
Band-e Amir National Park

Band-e Amir National Park (Persian: بند امیر) is the first national park of Afghanistan. It is a stunning group of turquoise lakes in the Eastern zone of the country, in Bamyan Province. It sits high in the Hindu Kush at an altitude of 2900m, and in 2013 about 6,000 local tourists visit the site each year. The area is protected by a small number of park rangers and most of the landmines are cleared.

Get in
Very remote and desolate, they are most easily visited from Bamiyan. Shared minivans leave in the high season on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning and cost 150 Af. Otherwise take a minivan towards Yakawlang (200 Af) and get off at the turn-off to the lakes. From there it's a 3-hour hot walk... bring some water.

Private hire minivans are also available (3 hours) and should cost 2000-2500 Af, but you will have to bargain very hard for this price. You could also negotiate an overnight stay into the price for a little extra. Don't be shy to ask them to stop for pics en route to the lakes, the scenery is stunning.

All services at the lakes close up around mid-November and reopen around March.

Get around
Walking is pretty much the only way to get around the area once you arrive, unless you were to befriend the owner of a donkey or horse.

See
There are 5 lakes, all worth seeing and in close proximity.

If possible (and provided that you've stayed the night) try to be up on the road at the top of Band-e Haibat at sunrise (in October the ideal time was 06:00) for some great views and, if the water is calm, some gorgeous reflections of the surrounding mountains in the lake.

A trail from behind Hotel de Reves leads up the hill, and a 20-minute walk brings you to some stunning views of 2 more of the lakes.

The small mosque-like tomb of Amir looks over Band-e Haibat, and unfortunately there are 5 tacky swan peddle boats available for rent here... a good opportunity to ruin the beautiful reflections in the lake.

Behind the tomb of Amir is a women's beach, with a hut built half into the water, allowing women to enjoy a bath in the lake covered from curious views. Taking a bath in the lake is said to cure from diseases (though a lot of rubbish in and around the lake may lead one to fear the opposite).

Buy
At the parking lot near Band-e Haibat some booths are set up, selling some basics, with a very minimal selection... a few biscuits, some batteries, and maybe some mango juice packets.

Eat and sleep
Band-e Haibat is a teahouse and the only place to sleep and eat. A mat on the floor costs 100 Af/person, and meals are 120-150 Af. They also have 3 very basic dirty rooms in a building next door, ambitiously named Hotel de Reves (dream hotel). While you can have a more private room here, it's also just mats on the floor, and also 100 Af/person; most people prefer the much warmer main room at Dir. Often the local people will also huddle here on colder nights in a group, which is warmer than their private houses.

Camping – The adventurer among the visitors may use the public tent space near the only public toilet around. Sometimes tents are available to rent.

Drink
Bottled water is not available, but there is a fresh-water spring which should be fine to drink from (bring your own bottle, and take it with you when you leave). Dir Hotel can provide you with endless pots of green tea (5 Af).

Stay safe
Land mines used to be prevalent around this area, especially along the road that leads in from Bamiyan. Most have been cleared, but to be safe anyway, stick to well-worn paths, and don't stray more than a couple of feet from the main access road.

Go next

 * Bamiyan – site of the destroyed Buddhas
 * Yakawlang – the likely next stop if you're heading west/south towards Jam and Herat

title: Band-e Amir National Park