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Tortola

Tortola is the capital island of the British Virgin Islands and Road Town is the capital city. There's not a lot to see, although the original architecture of little wooden houses housing some interesting shops, cafes and an art gallery or two and Cockroach Hall built on a huge rock on Main Street is not be missed. There are many spectacular white-sand beaches along the north shore

Understand

Tortola is 60 mi (96 km) east of Puerto Rico and 22 mi (35 km) east of Saint Thomas. The island is about 10 mi (16 km) long and 3 mi (4.8 km) wide.

English is universally spoken throughout the British Virgin Islands. Those who work with tourists will speak quite clearly, but older natives have a thick and distinctive West Indian accent that, when spoken quickly, can be very difficult to understand. Because of the influence of British culture, a stronger emphasis is placed on politeness and decorum. It is generally expected to begin any conversation with a "Good morning," or whatever time of day is applicable; the common American English habit of simply beginning a conversation without salutation is considered aggressive and even rude.

 * BVI Tourism website

By plane
Air travel is the usual way to access the BVI, however, long-distance direct flights are not available, and you must transit one of the four Caribbean gateways; San Juan, St. Thomas , Antigua and Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin. Connections are readily available through commuter airline operations on the lower end, if your schedule allows.

Private charter flights are unnecessary as there are several reliable airlines serving Beef Island.

Air charter companies, like Fly BVI and Aeroshares Charter, LLC are popular. These charter flights get you to your destination directly, without transfers or water shuttles. They will also be there if your arriving flight is delayed for any reason.

By boat
Tortola is also visited by cruise ships. Virtually all dock at a large pier near the entrance to the inner harbor at Road Town, with fairly easy walking into town.

The Tortola Ferry moves between Tortola and St. Thomas. In actuality, there is a group of several different ferry companies that provide service between the two islands. These ferries are what connects the people of the British Virgin Islands with the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ferries link the city of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas with either Road Town or the West End of Tortola.

The ferry is one of the more popular ways to reach Tortola from the U.S. because Americans can reach Tortola via only one direct flight and then a short ferry ride. This will no doubt save the traveller several hundred dollars, since a second flight would not be necessary.

You can catch one of the ferries, almost anytime of day. After 5PM most of the services are shut down for the evening. The ride lasts about 50 min depending on the weather. The scenery is well worth the price of the ride.

Costs

 * One-way ranges from US$25-$30 for adults, US$19-$25 for children
 * Round-trip ranges from US$45-$52 for adults, US$30-$42 for children

Times

Vary greatly between companies. Some of the companies even alternate their schedules between themselves and another company. For a current list take a look at this page's ferry schedule.

Tips

Many find it easier to buy two one-way tickets from different companies instead of one round-trip ticket with the same company. Since ferries from different companies are coming and going constantly, you should be able to catch a ferry at any time during the day. Frequently a company will be convenient upon arrival, but not upon departure. Just check the schedule to find out if this will be the case for you, if not then by all means, buy the round-trip ticket and save.

Get around
Many affluent visitors will take a charter boat trip from one of several marinas to some of the best places, as many smaller and less-inhabited islands offer mooring and amenities. While charter-boat tourism makes up the bulk of travel to the British Virgin Islands, there are many beautiful places throughout the four main islands that are easily accessible.

Car rental
There are many small independent car hire companies, all with relatively comparable rates. Prices start from US$50, as demand is usually high. Driving in the BVI can be challenging, as many winding mountain roads and cliffs, washed-out roads, and roaming livestock compound the difficulty for some drivers of driving on the left side of the road. Many roads have large "speed bumps", many of which are not clearly marked by road signs or road paint. Road signs may be confusing or non-existent. Take solace in that this is an island and it is practically impossible to become totally lost. Locals will always help direct you. Driving can be a good way to see the entire island of Tortola at your own pace.

Taxi tour
Another way to see the island is to organise a readily available taxi 'tour'. Taxis are abundant on Tortola, and so long as you use a legitimate taxi association driver prices will generally allow you to travel anywhere you wish but for less than the cost of renting a car. Always ensure that you thoroughly confirm the fare charge before you get into the taxi.

Taxi fares are regulated for each of the islands and taxi tariffs are published online by the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board.

By bus
"Buses" in Tortola refers to full-sized passenger vans, or large modified open-air pickup trucks with bench seating and a canvas top: these are known locally as "safaris". Travelling by bus can be less expensive than having a taxi to oneself, and is often an option when traveling from the airport to Road Town, or from town to either end of the island.

By thumb
Hitch-hiking is still fairly common in Tortola during the daytime, as crime is fairly uncommon. Rather than the American "thumb" technique, Tortolan hitch-hikers will point with the index finger from an arm extended in the direction they wish to travel. Pickup trucks will often stop to allow riders in the back, and many drivers on this still-personable and friendly island will stop to give a ride.

Day sails
To those who do not have their own yachts, there are day sails to some of the more popular BVI locations.

See

Often overlooked are some of the island's interesting historical ruins, including "The Dungeon" (originally named Dojon, a Spanish fort dating from the 1700s) and the "African Church" (officially, St Phillips, a church for African slaves freed by the Royal Navy and dumped on Tortola, and reportedly the first free black church in the Americas). Although not as impressive as the larger colonial-era ruins in Saint Kitts and Puerto Rico, they still make a nice change of pace.

For those tired of heat and sun, a stroll around the National Park in the rain forest at the top of Mount Sage offers a cooler alternative. The going is not hard, but the paths can be rough, and the elderly or infirm may want to consider whether to brave the paths.

Road Town
Road Town is the capital of the British Virgin Islands.

 * Botanic Gardens
 * Folk History Museum on Main Street

Beaches
From the eastern end of Tortola, Beef Island, to the west end, there are many spectacular white-sand beaches along the north shore. Most deepen very gradually and have light surf, allowing for very leisurely swimming. However, some beaches do have heavier surf and undertow, so it is always wise to ask someone, or observe any signs, before swimming. The list below does not encompass all the beaches, but rather points out some of the most popular and easily accessible ones.

 * Long Bay, Beef Island is just minutes from the airport, a long, curved stretch of beach that is one of the more secluded and little-used beaches. There are no amenities available.
 * Lambert Bay is a very long beach, with moderate surf, and less clear water than several other beaches. There are two well-sign posted roads, one for the hotel and one for the beach. The hotel is very welcoming of lunch and dinner guests.
 * Josiah's Bay is a surfer's beach popular with natives as well. It's another good-sized beach with heavy surf when in season, and a strong undertow at the corners of the beach. However, many swimmers enjoy this beach, and the waves, simply by swimming away from the corners of the beach and at a safe depth. The beach extends very gradually, allowing swimmers to range far from the shore. There are two bar/restaurants at Josiah's Bay. The Grape Tree offers excellent food at moderate prices, and the larger bar, with a large stock of alcoholic beverages, offers food as well. Neither are fine dining establishments but rather casual beach bars.
 * Brewer's Bay is the only non-white sand beach on the island. The sand is a dark gold. The bay offers snorkeling opportunities in calm weather, but because of the runoff routes from the mountains, the water is often murky after even moderate rain. Development around the island has circumvented nature's natural filtration systems, such as salt ponds, and as a result most beaches are not attractive after heavy rains because of runoff from roads that zig and zag up the mountainsides, and home development sites cut harshly into the sides of the mountains as well. That said, Brewer's Bay is an excellent place to go if you want good snorkeling right off the beach, decent food, friendly locals, reasonably warm water (late April), and some peace and quiet. Watching the pelicans diving into the watch for fish is fascinating, but can be a little unnerving when they plunge in near where you are snorkelling. These pelicans and other predators (nothing scary) are after the large schools of small "feeder fish," which will let you swim along in their midst. If you take some bread or bagels with you in a plastic bag, the smaller fish will almost eat right out of your hand. A taxi from Road Town was only US$28 each way (US$7 each if you share a ride with 3 others). The drivers are happy to narrate what you are passing and will stop high above the harbor for a nice scenic photo opportunity. [[Image:Brewers Bay.jpg|thumb|Brewer's Bay, Tortola, BVI]]
 * Cane Garden Bay is the most popular, populous, and touristy of the beaches available. Boats moor here, and on the nearly 3/4 mi length there are five restaurants, one bar and two vendors.  It is also the only beach where there is a supermarket nearby. Live music is common.  You will find it a Myett's (happy hour), Elms and Quito's, where local guitar legend Quito Rhymer often plays. There are two parts to this beach. One half, before Quito's dock, has no bars or restaurants and so mostly deserted.  Cane Garden Bay is "ground zero" for all cruise ships.  That means it will be crowded when cruise ships are in the bay.  If you want to go the beach, go early so you can get a decent spot.  Also, you want to arrive before many of the "vendors" that place chairs and lounges in the best locations and then rent you the chair.  Cane Garden Bay, like all beaches in the BVIs, are public and you have just as much right as the chair rental vendors.  Also, if you are anchored with your sailboat, be aware that Cane Garden Bay has had a number of dinghy thefts.  In March 2010, one sailor was confronted at knifepoint when he tried to stop the theft of his dinghy.
 * Apple Bay is a surf and party area, and does not offer much in the way of swimming. It is here that you will find the "Bomba Shack," a main party site for the island's full moon parties. During these parties the street is often flooded with native and tourist party-goers, and hallucinogenic mushrooms, which are legal to possess and use in the BVI, are readily available. Users should state a preference for fresh, live mushrooms if available. Apple Bay and Josiah's Bay are the two surfing areas of the island.  There are several good restaurants here, Sugar Mill (fine dining), Coco Plum, Sebastian's and Bomba's.  On Fridays there are fish frys under the two huge banyan trees.
 * Long Bay - West End Not to be confused with Long Bay - Beef Island, this beach at the western end of the island is easily accessible, very large, and has good swimming and moderate surf. There are several restaurants and bars, however, they sit back from the beach rather than spill onto it, as in Cane Garden Bay.
 * Smuggler's Cove Difficult to access but worth the effort, Smuggler's Cove lies at the extreme western tip of Tortola. Accessible by narrow and bumpy dirt roads, this is a small oasis used mostly by expatriate workers who reside in Tortola. There is a restaurant and bar and several small stands selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Try to get to the beach early to get a choice spot.  There are three vendors who set up beach chairs in some of the best spots. All three vendors offer good and drinks. Generally, they offer these chairs free as long as people are willing to spend some money on food or drinks.
 * Brandywine Bay is a man-made beach, one of the only on the island's south shore. It is generally not used by locals or tourists, as natural beaches abound.

Do
Tortola has many of the things you would expect from one of the Virgin Islands like scuba diving, boating and fishing:

It also has a host of other great things to do like:

 * The Sage Mountain Park - lots of hiking and the tallest mountain in the US and British Virgin Islands. There are remnants of primary rain forest near the peak.
 * Dolphin Discovery Swimming with dolphins is a chance to encounter these highly intelligent and friendly marine mammals which will fascinate and amaze you. However, you might note that the dolphins are enclosed in a very small area and often swim up to the barrier to the open sea and remain there.
 * The Callwood Rum Distillery - A historic rum manufacturer in Cane Garden Bay. This is a great place to visit and is lots of fun.
 * Fort Recovery - This was built in 1648 by a Dutch colonist.
 * Joseph Reynold O'Neal Botanic Gardens - Beautiful gardens with a great representation of the islands vegetation.
 * The Baths on Virgin Gorda, also part of the British Virgin Islands.
 * Yachting - Tortola has world renowned sailing conditions. The island is the epicenter of the Caribbean yachting community.

With favourable trade winds and near perfect weather, Tortola has become one of the more popular sailing destinations in the world. Every year thousands of visitors raise anchor from Tortola traversing all over the Virgin Islands. Their experience levels range from the professional all the way to the novice (land-lover). Don't think that sailing is just for high rollers, many charter boat companies offer boats for rent as low as US$200 per day in the low season.

Many people fly in to Tortola just to hop on a yacht and spend their entire vacation on the vessel. These people will often sail to some of the smaller neighbouring islands in search of an uninhabited island where they can have the beach all to themselves. Others set sail to enjoy the great snorkelling or fishing. Anegada is a popular destination because of its bountiful coral reefs. At night there are plenty of moorings (anchorage balls) available in the larger bays.

If you're a novice and entertaining the thought of taking the boat out for the day, don't worry. There are classes available for beginners at just about every marina. If you don't have that kind of time, just hire a captain for the day. They usually only cost about US$150 per day. Many times you can hire a cook for the day for about the same price.

This is not an island for the lover of malls or entertainment complexes. If you're not offshore partying on a yacht, you could be lying on a beach meditating on the beautiful turquoise waters, or scuba or snorkelling looking at the corals and tropical fish, or maybe you're onshore partying at a bar.

Drink
Alcohol is immensely popular in the BVI, both beer and island cocktails, most notably rum. For beer, dark beers are rare. Red Stripe and Carib are the local beers, and other popular beers you'd expect to see are available as well. Roadside stands offer ice-cold beer for two or three dollars each, and bars offer beer at a comparable price to what you'd pay in an average-guy bar in the U.S. Rum Punch and Painkillers are two popular drinks. It is not at all unusual to chat up strangers and both buy and receive drinks. Remember to say "Cheers."

Restrictions on alcohol are very light. Bars usually stay open as long as business is booming, frequently about 03:00 on weekends. It is acceptable to leave a bar with your beer, and if you know the bar well, not too unusual to walk in with one, either. Smoking is absolutely taboo in every business and public area in the BVI and cigarettes, though sold in the supermarkets are kept in locked cabinets. Drinking and driving is not actually illegal, but if you are involved in an accident you can be prosecuted for careless driving (on account of intoxication). Police generally do not stop cars until they have crashed, if you are found to be drunk you will be prosecuted for it, and if you were to injure or kill someone you could potentially face a long period of imprisonment; just because drinking and driving is not illegal doesn't mean that it is not stupid.

The roads on the island are at best "basic". Roads that have straightaways have large speed bumps and many of the speed bumps are not clearly marked. Many of the roads through the island have a width for no more than one and a half cars and are in a state of disrepair with numerous hairpin bends and grazing livestock. These are not roads that you want to face with any level of intoxication.

 * Le Cabanon, casually known as "The Cab." An excellent bar with a great crowd in the heart of Road Town, the Cab has great, friendly bartenders, and a clientele composed mostly of ex-pat workers and tourists. Revellery here is par for the course from Thursday to Saturday night.
 * The Royal BVI Yacht Club, just west of town. This is mostly frequented by English ex-pats rather than the local populace and hosts races and the local rugby club. The Club hosts different nights, with taco, sushi, trivia among them.

Other good bars and party spots: Bomba Shack in Apple Bay, The Bat Cave near Village Cay in Road Town(hot nightclub), Myett's and Quito's in Cane Garden Bay. In Road Town: the Virgin Queen is a sports bar and serves pizzas, Pussers, next door to Le Cabanon offers wild happy hours, ladies' nights and its own blend of rum and rum-based drinks and also draught beer (sometimes). To the east of the island is the Last Resort (fusion dining and an interesting, eclectic cabaret on weekend nights) on a small islet off Trellis Bay in the East End (there is a free water taxi).

Learn

 * H.Lavity Stoutt Community College

Work
A work permit is needed for foreigners to work on the island. Work permits are only issued when no locally qualified applicant is available.

Buy
The US dollar (US$) is the official currency. Credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted.

 * Books on the BVI, its flora and fauna (not much, but there are small boa constrictors, mongooses, lizards and the smallest gecko in the world). The best place to buy them is at Serendipity Bookshop which is the largest and most fully-stocked bookstore on the island.  Upstairs is an espresso bar and internet cafe with free wi-fi and paintings by local artists.  On Main Street in Road Town.
 * Locally-made souvenirs at Bamboushay which sells handmade pottery in a little wooden house on Main Street and has a pottery in Nanny Cay where you can visit and even try your hand at making some china yourself.
 * Unique BVI stamps at the Philatelic Bureau attached to the Post Office on Main Street.
 * Some tradition may be served by visiting Pusser's General Store, on the waterfront southwest side of Road Town, within sight of the cruise ship pier. Through the English tavern in front, they sell souvenirs and Pusser's Blue Label Rum, ostensibly made with the same recipe used by the British Royal Navy for centuries.
 * T-shirts and sculpture by Aragorn Dick-Read in his studio on Trellis Bay at the east of the island.

Road Town

 * Serendipity Bookshop, Main Street. The largest and most fully-stocked bookstore on the island. Upstairs is an espresso bar and internet cafe with free wi-fi and paintings by local artists.
 * Bamboushay, Main Street. Sells handmade pottery in a little wooden house and has a pottery in Nanny Cay where you can visit and even try your hand at making some pottery.
 * Philatelic Bureau attached to the Post Office on Main Street. Unique BVI stamps.
 * Bobby's, Riteway and One Mart, all good supermarkets for food and the obligatory souvenir bottle of rum and Cuban cigar.
 * Pusser's Outpost (General Store), facing the water west of downtown, the "store" is behind/through an English pub. It offers logo merchandise, and signature rum noted not so much for its quality but for its recipe as the "grog" for the British Royal Navy for some 400 years.
 * In the Cruise Ship Vendors' Market and the Craft Market, the goods are imported from Miami, St Martin and Panama and very little, if anything, is locally-made.

Supermarkets

 * Food and the obligatory souvenir bottle of rum and Cuban cigar at Bobby's, Riteway and One Mart, all good supermarkets in Road Town.
 * In the Cruise Ship Vendors' Market and the Craft Market, the goods are imported from Miami, St. Martin and Panama and very little, if anything, is locally-made.

Budget

 * Crandall's, main road west of Road Town, serving Johnny Cakes and Patties. Very popular with local Tortolans. Open Monday to Friday 05:30 to 17:00
 * Roti Palace, Main Street in Road Town, offers roti (Indian flat bread) wrapped around various curries from vegetable to goat.
 * Capriccio's, on the Waterfront in Road Town. A proper Italian cafe with pizzas and daily pasta specials.
 * The Road Town Bakery, Main Street offers sandwiches and really fantastic pastries. There are only a couple of tables outside here so its primarily take-away.
 * Serendipity Bookshop Cafe, in an old West Indian house on Main Street. Offers espresso, paninis, wraps and has internet access.
 * Indigo Moods, near the Roundabout. Offers vegan fare, including tofu in different ways served plated or in a roti.

Outside of Road Town, there is Palm's Delight in Carrot Bay also the very strange North Shore Shell Museum which has home-grown soursop daiquiris, good barbeque and a very large number of shells although not much variety in them. In Cane Garden Bay, Stanley's serves burgers and chicken at a budget price and lobster at quite a bit more. The Camp Ground in Brewer's Bay has a very limited menu, but its not expensive. Cruzin's, also in Carrot Bay, has a wonderful island-style atmosphere and great food on the inexpensive side (cruzins.com).

Mid-range

 * Pussers on Frenchman's Cay caters to a sailing and local crowd. Its far superior for eating to its sister restaurant in Road Town.

In Road Town and its environs, Nexus, Village Cay Marina, the Pub, and Le Cabanon have good but unremarkable food at mid-range prices. Le Cabanon and Village Cay Marina are more popular as loud and fun bars.

Myetts in Cane Garden Bay has good food a really great bar with the best bartenders in Cane Garden Bay, and some say the best "happy hour" values in Cane Garden Bay, right on the beach with great views. Happy hour usually includes live entertainment with some local artists, and artists from the USA and Canada.

Elms in Cane Garden Bay has very good food, on the beach with good views and excellent Caribbean barbecue on Fridays and Sundays. Live entertainment at dinner on Fridays's and Sundays.

Stanleys in Cane Garden Bay is on the beach, and has good food and a great place to hang out for hours, especially in the afternoon.

BannaKeet on Windy Hill in Carrot Bay has hands down the very best sunset views on Tortola. Great bar and great food. Live entertainment on Wednesdays and Fridays provided by the 12 string guitar and vocals of the well-known local artist Rubin Chinnery.

The Jolly Roger in the West End has very good food and is located right on the water. It has a great Caribbean barbecue every night and lots of good musical acts.

Peg Legs in Nanny Cay has good food and is popular with expats.

Splurge
If US$200 for two for a meal with wine is what you are looking for, then try these places.

 * Secret Garden in Josiah's Bay in a beautiful garden, Suzanne serves some of the best food in the Caribbean.
 * Brandywine Bay Restaurant above the Bay is a beautiful place in a fabulous location.
 * Sugar Mill restaurant in Little Apple Bay, part of beautiful hotel.
 * Oscar's, on Frenchman's Cay. Taken over by owners of "Dove" and renamed "Watermark" it has now been taken over again by Paul Spicer.

Drink

 * Le Cabanon, casually known as "The Cab." An excellent bar with a great crowd in the heart of Road Town, the Cab has great, friendly bartenders, and a clientele composed mostly of ex-pat workers and tourists. Revelry here is par for the course from Thursday to Saturday night.
 * The Royal BVI Yacht Club, just west of town. This is mostly frequented by English ex-pats and hosts races and the local rugby club.

Splurge

 * McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas, Representing a wide range of villas in West End, Cane Garden Bay, Belmont, Havers Hill, Beef Island, Greenbank Estate. . +1-800-537-6246 or +1 340 776-0635
 * McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas, Representing a wide range of villas in West End, Cane Garden Bay, Belmont, Havers Hill, Beef Island, Greenbank Estate. . +1-800-537-6246 or +1 340 776-0635
 * McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas, Representing a wide range of villas in West End, Cane Garden Bay, Belmont, Havers Hill, Beef Island, Greenbank Estate. . +1-800-537-6246 or +1 340 776-0635
 * McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas, Representing a wide range of villas in West End, Cane Garden Bay, Belmont, Havers Hill, Beef Island, Greenbank Estate. . +1-800-537-6246 or +1 340 776-0635
 * McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas, Representing a wide range of villas in West End, Cane Garden Bay, Belmont, Havers Hill, Beef Island, Greenbank Estate. . +1-800-537-6246 or +1 340 776-0635
 * McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas, Representing a wide range of villas in West End, Cane Garden Bay, Belmont, Havers Hill, Beef Island, Greenbank Estate. . +1-800-537-6246 or +1 340 776-0635

Connect

 * The police emergency number is 999 or 911.
 * The BVI's have several local phone companies (Lime, C&W Boatphone, Digicell) providing island mobile phone service. USA-based mobile phones connect to this servicea, but it will cost up to $5 per min in roaming charges. To avoid this use a local land line phone that permits you to use "USA Direct", (+1-800-872-2881) which has considerably lower per minute charges for calls to the USA. If you have a computer or mobile phone that can access wi-fi, most bars, restaurants and resorts have free Internet so you can use VOIP such as Skype or Google voice for inexpensive "phone calls" anywhere in the world. If you have a US-based carrier and it is available in the US Virgin Islands, another trick is to find a location that faces St. Thomas or St John, USVI (west end of Tortola or locations where St Thomas or St John is in sight). There is a good chance you can pick up your US carrier on your phone and avoid the BVI's local carrier's roaming charges. You may have to manually force your phone search and register with your US carrier.

Drugs

 * Marijuana is very frowned upon by authorities, so much so that immigration and visitation by Rastafarians was once regulated by legislation in the BVI. Being caught with even a small personal amount of marijuana will almost certainly lead to a stiff fine of around US$1,000 and instant deportation.
 * Mushrooms (hallucinogenic inducing varieties) are legal in the British Virgin Islands. The native species grows in the hills and is available after rains, which occur throughout the year. Mushrooms and mushroom teas are sold at full moon parties at Bomba Shack in Capoon's Bay and the mushrooms are available from casual purveyors at various bars. This is one experience you have to be in the right place for: do not ask people where you can buy mushrooms, it won't get you a result.

Stings and bites
Like many Caribbean islands, Tortola has its share of critters that bite and annoy. Bring a plentiful supply of insect repellent to keep the sand fleas and mosquitoes at bay. If you are going to be staying in a "villa", understand that many villas are not as always adequately screened as they are in the United States. Consider bringing some light mosquito netting. If you need mosquito netting when you are on Tortola, try Arawak Designs at Prospect Reef. Nothing in the BVI can give you a fatal bate (not even if you are a child), but a sting from a scorpion can hurt like the dickens.

Also in common with the Caribbean generally, the BVI suffers occasional outbreaks of Dengue fever, which is a mosquito borne illness. Although not fatal, it can be very uncomfortable. As with all such things, prevention is better than cure. If you are told that there has been an outbreak of Dengue, be vigilant about applying mosquito repellant and sleeping under a net or in air conditioning.

Certain species of reef fish in the BVI are susceptible to a virulent type of disease called Ciguatera, which makes them extremely toxic to eat. Fish served in a restaurant will be fine, but unless you are really, really sure, don't eat any fish you have caught yourself without checking with someone knowledgeable. Barracuda are particularly prone, and should never be eaten in the BVI.

Environmental issues
Tortola is one of the premier destinations for bareboat sailing charters. However, in the BVI, sailboats are not required to have holding tanks for sewage storage, as they are in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Instead, each boat pumps its raw sewage into the surrounding water. There are rules against flushing the head (toilet) in a marina, but it appears to be unenforceable.

Road Town collects its sewage and pumps it without further treatment into the Sir Francis Drake Channel, several hundred yards offshore.

Toilet paper is not allowed to be flushed from boats. Instead, used toilet paper must be disposed of in the bin next to the toilet.

Go next

 * Ferries sail to Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and to St. John and Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands many times daily. Also available is a once a week ferry to Anegada, the only coral island in the BVI.  Several airlines operate daily flights to all the islands of the Caribbean between Trinidad and Puerto Rico.

title: Tortola


text:
Tortuga (Haiti)

Tortuga (French: Île de la Tortue) is an island just north of the Haitian mainland.

Understand
The island was named "tortuga" (Spanish for turtle) by Christopher Columbus, who discovered it during one of his voyages. It soon after became a haven for pirates. It fell outside the jurisdiction of the East India Trade Company and Royal Navy, so anarchy and unruliness became the norm. It was featured in the modern-day film, Pirates of the Caribbean.

Talk
You won't have problems finding English-speaking people here. Communication is very easy on the island compared to the rest of the country.

Get in
There are boats from nearby Port-de-Paix to Basse-Terre, a coastal fishing port on the island. Transport is then possible to the nearby local capital via a little dinghy that brings you to a set of moored sailboats that set sail to the island when full. Foreigners (identified as anyone with white skin) pay more for passage.

If you want to visit the island on a day trip, go as early as possible.

Get around
Public transport is done by motorbikes. The prices can be a bit funny. Lots of negotiating might be required. You might see one car but there are no taxis. To get to the other side of the island is too steep for motorbikes, so you can go with them to a certain point, and then walk from there. There are no more motorbikes after the last sailboat arrival, or after dark.

See
The island has pristine beaches, which you will probably have all to yourself. Along with this, there are a few public buildings including churches and a school.

Eat
You can find shacks. There might be a proper restaurant in one of the hotels up on the hill.

Drink
Not much of a nightlife on Tortuga: the island basically closes down between sunset and sunrise.

The few bars on the island feature local and imported beer as well as hard liquor, but the stock is very limited. If they don't have what you're looking for, you can ask them to get it for you from the mainland. Most of the time you will end up paying in advance and then waiting a few hours till the next boat leaves and comes back.

Sleep
There are about three hotels, powered by generators which may or may not have fuel at any given time. Don't expect your room to have a ceiling fan, a working air conditioner, or even running water.

Connect
There is no electricity on the island. The little stores have solar panels (one normally), so at the bar there might be music and one light bulb lit up. However, cell phone reception (with data!) is available. Just don't expect to be able to charge your battery.

Stay safe
Unfortunately, the island has not departed from its old pirate days. It is still known as a hotspot for smuggling to America, and a number of drug lords live in huge mansions overlooking the ocean.

Go next

 * Haiti mainland

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

title: Tortuga (Haiti)


text:
Tortuguero

Tortuguero is a village in the North East of the province Limón about 80 km north of the Caribbean city Limón in Costa Rica. It is the entrance of Tortuguero National Park which is one of the most popular parks of Costa Rica.

History
The village of Tortuguero was founded in 1930 when a Colombian family settled in the area. The exploitation of the rainforest around Tortuguero began in 1940. In order to facilitate the transport of the timber canals were dug. Today there is little of primary forest left in the area. The largest part of the vegetation consists of secondary forest. In 1975 the national park was created to protect the area. As a consequence, a growing number of sea turtles nested on the long beach of Tortuguero. Tourism is the main source of income for the inhabitants of Tortuguero. The park has an area of of which  in the Atlantic ocean.

Landscape
Sandbanks form the coastal area as a result of sedimentation. The low-lying areas are exposed to short-term flooding by heavy rains causing lakes, grass marshes and wooded swamps of brackish water. Small tides, of about 40 cm height, also affect the coastal zone. Rivers and streams that have emerged in the hinterland flow through the park to a depth of 3 m. The lakes in the northern part of the reserve are fed by the Colorado River. The very high humidity of the tropical forests is caused by extreme rainfall and humid winds from the Caribbean. It is cloudy on more than 330 days per year.

Flora and fauna
In Tortuguero are about 400 tree species and 2,000 plant species. The largest and oldest trees are the almond trees (Dipteryx panamensis). The wood of these trees is so hard that termites do not eat it and it is heavier than water. The almond tree is an important food source. In these trees nestle the rare buffon macaws (Ara ambigua), of which about 30 pairs are breeding here. The riparian vegetation is dominated by fig, mimosa, legumes of the pea family (Leguminosae, Pterocarpus officinalis, Prioria copaiifera) and Raphia palms. Many vines hang like curtains along the banks, such as the velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens).

About half of all bird species in Costa Rica (350) live here. The jaguar, puma, ocelot, tapir, manatee, peccary and many other mammals, including several species of bats, possums, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates live in this area. In Tortuguero three special monkey species are found: the mantled howler, the white-headed capuchin and the Central American spider monkey. The latter is most threatened for extinction. It lives here as it needs food from forest with a great diversity of plants. Other mammals, such as coatis, sloths and raccoons are seen here even as they prefer young secondary forest. There are seven species of sea turtles on earth of which 5 come to Costa Rica and 4 to Tortuguero to lay their eggs. All species are threatened with extinction. Several thousands of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) come from June to October to lay their eggs. The average female lays 110 eggs which have an incubation period of 2 months. The few that survive return to Tortuguero after 25 to 50 years.

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), which can grow to more than 2 m, comes between February and June. This big sea turtle has a less hard shell than other sea turtles. The shell consists of small bone chips and is coated with a substance which is reminiscent of leather. The leatherback turtle is a diver and eats jellyfish. Plastic bags are their downfall, because they confuse it with jellyfish. Approximately 100 females come to Tortuguero. Other important breeding areas are Playa Grande (Pacific) and Manzanillo (Caribbean) in Costa Rica.

Climate
The lowland rainforest of Tortuguero is the last remnant of the always humid Atlantic forest that once covered the entire Caribbean coast. In contrast to the coast of the Pacific Ocean there is no dry season but it rains throughout the year. A few months per year are relatively dry, such as September, October and February to April. The annual rainfall is about 3000 mm.

Get in
Tortuguero is one of the most remote places in Costa Rica and is only accessible by boat or plane. The major public road/river routes to get here are through Moín (close to Limón), La Pavona (north of Cariari) and Caño Blanco (accessible through Siquirres).

There is an inexpensive public bus/boat route that can be used to get from San Jose to Tortuguero. Take the ,09:00 direct bus from San Jose to Cariari, which leaves from the Gran Caribe bus terminal. The bus arrives at the long distance bus terminal in Cariari around 11:00. Sometimes the bus to La Pavona/La Suerte meets you there, but otherwise walk 5 blocks north to the local bus terminal and buy a bus ticket to La Pavona/La Suerte. This bus leaves at 11:30 and takes you to the river at La Pavona/La Suerte, where you transfer to a public boat that will reach Tortuguero around 15:00. Inside the restaurant is a ticket office where you must buy a ticket before boarding the boat. Use the restrooms here, as the boat trip can take up to 2 hours if the river is low.

To return, catch the 06:00, 11:30 or 15:00 public boat from Tortuguero and follow these directions in reverse. The total cost one-way should be around US$8: $2.40 for the bus to Cariari, $2 for the bus to La Pavona/La Suerte and $5.20 for the boat to Tortuguero. Beware of touts selling packaged trips along the way, who will tell you that the boats aren't running, the hotels are full, the route isn't safe, and so on -- anything to get you to buy into their "deals". Touts also meet the water taxi in Tortuguero and will offer to "help" you find a hotel.

The route to Tortuguero from the south is longer, but public boats still run. From Moín (a taxi ride from Limón) a boat leaves at 10am to Tortuguero, and costs about US$35.

A quicker but more expensive option is to fly into Tortuguero. Nature Air offer daily flights from San José, from Tobias Bolanos International Airport in Pavas at 06:15AM and arrives in Tortuguero at 06:45. The return flight arrives in Pavas at 07:20.

If you choose to stay at one of the lodges, land/water transportation to and from Tortuguero is usually included in the package rates.

Get around
The lodges are outside the village. If you are staying at the Mawamba Lodge you can walk; it's a 10-min walk. If staying at other lodges, a boat ride will be necessary. If the lodge does not offer transportation at the hour you want, you can have them call you a water taxi. One-way to the village will run about US$2-5 per person.

The village is small enough that you can easily walk anywhere.

There are no cars in Tortuguero.

See
Tortuguero National Park Turtle hatching and turtle egg laying

Do
As is often the case, there is a range of prices and quality for tours in Tortuguero. To be sure that you are getting a qualified guide, ask to see his/her ICT certification card. Only certified guides are allowed to conduct turtle tours. Don't run the risk of getting kicked off the beach and losing your money!

The main reason why most people travel to Tortuguero is to see turtles lay eggs on the beach. Turtle watching tours are offered by nearly everyone (it seems) during the egg-laying season, which spans April to May for leatherback turtles and July to October for green turtles. The tours leave in the evening and last 1-4 hours. Scouts find the turtles; you wait with your tour at the edge of the beach and are escorted to the right spot when a turtle is found along with all the other groups. This "turtle spotter program" is for the protection of the turtles themselves, and is 100% funded by sticker sales. Tourists are encouraged to buy a sticker for US$4, and as you are required to use the spotters rather than walk the beach with your guide, not buying a sticker is basically cheating. Although the likelihood of seeing at least one turtle is extremely high in season (late July to mid September), there's no guarantee or refund. You must be accompanied by a local guide to see the turtles.

During September and October many local "guides" will offer tourists the opportunity to "help" turtle nests hatch. If you would like to see baby turtles, you can walk the beach in the very early hours, but digging up nests or touching hatchlings can be detrimental to their survival. Rather than pay someone who is making a living off of potentially harming endangered species, walk south along the beach into the national park, and stay along the vegetation. Your chances of finding hatchlings are high at the right time of year, and you won't have to pay anyone.

The canals of Tortuguero gave the town its nickname of "Costa Rica's Amazon", and are a fantastic opportunity to see wildlife. Many guided boat tours leave Tortuguero and the surrounding lodges at 6AM to see the wildlife, jungle, and canals. Most of the lodges offer tours which use large boats with big motors and cannot get very far into the canals. A better option is a canoe tour. Canoes are basically silent and can go where the motorboats can't, allowing you to get away from the seemingly countless motorboat tours and see more of nature. Several people in the village offer canoe tours -- ask around.

Cerro Tortuguero has been closed by the National Park service due to overuse and habitat destruction. Many local guides will still offer tours, but be warned that by taking these tours you are not only violating park regulations but damaging a fragile ecosystem.

For hikers, Cerro Tortuguero is a small hill roughly 6 km north of the village, accessible only by boat. It's only 119 m high, but offers good views of the area. You can arrange a tour or charter a boat from the village, but it's also entirely feasible to go by yourself. The 11:30 water-taxi will drop you off at a small community near the base of the hill on its way to La Pavona, and will pick you up again around 14:30 when it returns to Tortuguero. The path to the top of the hill is not marked, so you may need to ask for directions.

You may also walk along the straight jungle path within the national park that runs parallel to the beach, with or without a guide. Just remember that you are in the jungle and that it gets dark early!

The area is not safe for swimming due to rough surf, strong currents, and sharks.

Buy
There are several small grocery stores and one hardware store in the village. There are also many shops that sell tourist merchandise (such as some beautiful hand carved wood). There is an internet cafe near the large pink souvenir shop and one near the main boat dock; the current rate is ~US$4 per hour. Prices in the village tend to be expensive due to the remote location.

Eat
As with the rest of Costa Rica, you will have lots of rice, chicken, and beans. Fresh fish may be available, ask around. For non-traditional food, your options are Wild Ginger or Budda Café.

Sleep
There are two hotels outside of the village that offer luxury options, such as TV, air conditioning, a-la-carte dining, and room service.

There are several resorts located outside of the village that offer all-included packages including tours, transportation from San Jose and all meals. Boats must be used to travel between the village and all the lodges, except for Mawamba Lodge which is a 15-minute walk from the village. Bring a flashlight if you plan to stay out past 5:30PM. They include:

There are several smaller hotels and hostels in the village itself. Reservations are recommended during the turtle-watching season. Bring a flashlight if staying in the village because power outages are common. These include:

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Go next
Travel to and from Tortuguero can be a challenge and there are many ways to do it:
 * US$7: public bus and boat through Cariari
 * US$34: public bus and boat through Limón
 * US$50 - 100: private transportation
 * Driving yourself (and taking a boat)
 * US$70-150: Flying
 * US$75 - 300: hotel package

title: Tortuguero


text:
Toruń

Toruń (Kashubian: Torń, German: Thorn) is a beautiful, medieval city in North-Western Poland, situated on the Vistula River. Its architecture was not hit by bombs during World War II, and as such represents one of the few examples of true Gothic architecture in Poland. It is still reasonably off the radars of most European travelers, so one can expect to have an amazing Polish experience here without the nightmares of a million and one Interrail travelers.

It has been one of the capitals of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, and was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998 and of the Pomeranian Voivodeship from 1921 to 1939. The city is located near the Geographic Center of Europe.

Toruń's medieval Old Town or Starówka is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Toruń is the birthplace of the world famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. The house where Copernicus was born and the chapel where he was christened are still standing in the city. From Middle Ages the town is known for its gingerbreads.

As of 2019, Toruń was home to 201,000 people.

By plane
The nearest airports that offer commercial flights are in (60 km) Bydgoszcz (low cost airlines across Europe), Poznań - Ławica airport (140 km, low cost airlines across Europe), Gdańsk - Lech Wałęsa airport (~180 km, low cost airlines across Europe, connected by motorway) and Warsaw - Okęcie airport - long haul airlines (230 km) - or Modlin airport.

By train
Polish State Railways operates train connections to Toruń from Warsaw, Poznań, Gdańsk, Łódź, Katowice and Olsztyn.

Toruń's main railway station is across the river Vistula from the city. To walk into town takes 35 minutes. A taxi into the old town will cost less than 20 zł. Alternatively, buses #22 and #27 run directly to the old town. These depart from both sides of the railway station; however, the kiosk for buying tickets is on the south side of the station. Take the bus two stops to Plac Rapackiego (You'll also notice the old town as you cross the bridge - it's the stop that immediately follows the bridge). You don't need an additional ticket for the bag, as long as you don't put it on the seats.

is another railway station which is smaller but much closer to the old town. Not all trains stop there, but if your train does then getting off at Toruń Miasto is the simplest solution.

By car
Highway runs between Toruń and Gdańsk - quick way (170 km). You can reach Łódź by highway (175 km). Warsaw can be reached via route 10 (220 km) or via +  motorways (260 km).

By bus
There are many bus connections to Toruń, and the is just a short walk from the Old Town. (see Poland::By bus).

Get around
Toruń's Old Town is small. Torun's public transportation system does not enter the Old Town. Walking around is your best option. During summertime it is possible to hire a pedicab.

Outside of the Old Town, there are plentiful buses and trams. There are more and more ticket machines in buses and trams. Still there is a small possibility that you will find one without a ticket machine, and will have to buy a ticket from the driver (they rarely speak English). You can also buy a ticket in one of the many kiosks (newspaper shops), but only for cash, unless you buy something more than a ticket. If ticket inspectors (always in plainclothes) board the bus with you, you may have only 10-30 seconds to stamp your ticket before the stamping machines are frozen. Don't assume that a jam-packed bus will prevent ticket inspectors from checking your ticket: they quite frequently force their way through crowded buses to check everyone's ticket, to maximise their chance of finding a ticketless traveller.

If you plan to use public transport, you can consider using a mobile ticket (Mobilet or SkyCash; even if the websites are in Polish, the apps fortunately have English language versions).

The operators have an English version of the timetable available, but better is to use the Jak Dojadę application. It is reliable and has up-do-date info in changes in timetables.

Best bet is to walk, or if you can speak Polish or have your destination written down. Taxis are quite cheap. To get further afield, cars can be hired for around 100 zł a day.

Do
A list of events, entertainment, culture in Toruń - updated daily (also in English) can be found online:

 * Check availability in advance on +48 566636617. During peak season you should book your visit beforehand unless you plan to show up on Sa Su. Open from 09:00 to 18:00 off-peak season (from January to the end of March) open from 10:00 to 18:00. There must be at least 5 people to start show, this condition does not apply at 16:00. Need more information? Phone the museum or e-mail them at muzeumpiernika@muzeumpiernika.pl
 * Ice hockey: TKH Toruń play in Polska Hokej Liga the top tier. Their home rink is Tor-Tor on Berna boulevard just north of city centre.
 * Ice hockey: TKH Toruń play in Polska Hokej Liga the top tier. Their home rink is Tor-Tor on Berna boulevard just north of city centre.
 * Ice hockey: TKH Toruń play in Polska Hokej Liga the top tier. Their home rink is Tor-Tor on Berna boulevard just north of city centre.
 * Ice hockey: TKH Toruń play in Polska Hokej Liga the top tier. Their home rink is Tor-Tor on Berna boulevard just north of city centre.

Buy
There are many shops, boutiques in old town selling clothes, souvenirs, jewellery, music, food, drinks, vegetables and fruits (on New Town market), etc.

Eat
At warm times of year Toruń's old town is full of street cafes, restaurants where you can eat or drink outdoors and enjoy the medieval atmosphere. Some cafés are located on the bank of river Vistula, and at least two are on boats on the river. Various dishes - traditional and fast food, drinks - beer, soft drinks and ice cream are offered there. If you are a football lover there are many street cafés where you can watch a game on TV while drinking good Polish beer.

Toruń is known for its gingerbread (Toruńskie Pierniki). You must try it.

Private rooms
If you would like to stay in one of the historic buildings in the old town, it is possible to rent a furnished apartment for the night from a local family. Go to the tourist information centre and ask them for a phone number, or have them call on your behalf if you don't speak Polish. It was less than 80 zł per night during the summer in 2010.

Go next

 * Warsaw
 * Gdańsk
 * Chełmno - beautiful well-preserved medieval town 40 km north from Toruń.
 * Chełmża - old small town with Gothic cathedral, situated by the lake. 15 km.
 * Golub-Dobrzyń - former Teutonic Knights' Castle, 40 km east from Toruń
 * Szafarnia - Frédéric Chopin museum, 45 km east from Toruń
 * Ciechocinek - famous Polish spa, with unique graduation towers, 25 km south from Toruń
 * Biskupin - archaeological reservation of the Lusatian Culture settlement (650-550 year BC), 90 km from Toruń
 * Poznań - city where Poland has started; with beautiful Old Square and Cathedral Island
 * Bydgoszcz - second capital of the Voivodeship, on the Brda river, with art nouveau architecture, opera house, and Brda waterfront, 50 km from Toruń

title: Toruń


text:
Torul

Torul is a town over the mountains south of Trabzon, on the inland side of the Zigana Pass in the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey.

Get in
Busses from Trabzon run every half hour and take about and hour and a half.

The Gumusavadi company does Trabzon-Torul in an hour and ten minutes for 7.00 TL

From Gumushane, you can take a dolmush for 3.50 TL

See

 * Karaca Cave (Karaca Mağarası)
 * Village of Gümüştuğ (Gümüştuğ Köyü)
 * Torul Castle (Torul Kalesi)
 * Torul Dam (Torul Barajı)
 * Lake Limni (Limmi Gölü)
 * Three Lakes (Üç Göller) (in Gümüştuğ)
 * Five Lakes (Beş Göller) (in Gümüştuğ)
 * Yılanlı Plateau (Yılanlı Yaylası) (in Gümüştuğ)

Buy
Local agricultural products include:

 * Pestil
 * Köme
 * Ballı Sarma (sweet dessert with pestil, honey and nuts )
 * Apple (Elma)
 * Apple tea (Elma Çayı)
 * Rose hip (Kuşburnu)
 * Rose hip tea (Kuş Burnu Çayı)
 * Home-made butter (Ev yapımı tereyağı)
 * Çökelik (a kind of cheese)
 * Deleme (a kind of cheese)
 * Rose-hip syrup (Kuşburnu pekmezi)
 * Mulberry syrup (Dut pekmezi)

Eat
Local delicacies include lamb chop (kuzu pirzola), and Turkish pizza with minced meat/cheese/yolk (kıymalı/peynirli/yumurtalı pide). If you are up in the villages don't forget to taste siron and trout (alabalık).

If you are in town on Monday or Friday, also taste lamb döner (kuzu döner), which is only available twice a week.

Sleep
The Kale Palace Hotel is near the bus station.

title: Torul


text:
Tory Island

Tory Island (Oileán Toraigh) is an island 11 km off the northwest coast of County Donegal, with a population of 119 in 2016: the community are Irish-speaking. It has scrappy remains of a monastery, but the main attraction is the remote scenery, with sea-cliffs swirling with birds.

Understand
In old Irish toraí meant "the hunted", indicating outlaws and bandits. After Cromwell broke royalist resistance in 17th century Ireland, the opposition were scattered and could only mount guerrilla or bandit attacks. "Tory" became a term of derision for royalist supporters, and especially for those supporting the catholic James II's right to the throne. It came to apply to the traditionalist, monarchy-supporting faction that in the 19th century formed the Tories of the Conservative Party. Ranged against them were the Whigs: "Whiggamores" were Scottish drovers, and that nickname was first applied to a radical Protestant faction. The political Whigs championed the supremacy of Parliament over monarchy, and detested catholicism.

It's possible that the island's name simply means "Torrs", cliffs or headlands, but those are too common on the Atlantic coast to be much use as a placename. So more likely Tory Island was named as a good-for-nothing place for hideaways and pirates, and indeed it saw the last stand of Irish rule against the English. The Gaels of Tyrconnell (Donegal) and Tyrone had repelled the Normans then the English Tudors until broken by the Nine Years' War of 1593 to 1603. Tudor reign then seemed assured, but in 1608 Sir Cahir O'Doherty rebelled and destroyed the city of Derry. He was killed in battle and his surviving forces fled to Tory Island, where they came under siege. Their end was hastened by "Pelham's Pardon", the concept that any rebel might surrender and have his life spared, so long as he killed at least one of his superior officers. Pretty soon they were all at each other's throats and the rebellion self-destructed. The crafty Pelham went on to be Chief Justice of Ireland but his pardon is seldom invoked nowadays in the courts. The lasting legacy was that Derry was re-built with stout city walls, and the Tudors re-doubled their efforts to colonise Ulster with loyal Protestants, and to drive out those accursed Irish.

The island relapsed into obscurity and was just a bystander in the 1798 rebellion, when the last French invasion flotilla and rebel leader Wolfe Tone were captured by the Royal Navy off the Donegal coast. The population dwindled and dwindled until in 1974 the government sought to evacuate the rest, after a storm cut communications and supplies for eight weeks. So many island communities had ended that way, but those of Tory Island fought to stay, campaigning for basics such as electricity and a continued ferry link. They survived to become a tourist destination.

Get in
Get here on the Tory Ferry, which is for foot passengers only and sails year-round from. There's normally a morning, mid-day and afternoon sailing, but times vary with the tides and daylight hours. The ferry has toilets, and indoor and outdoor seating. It's a 45 min crossing of the open Atlantic, so expect a swell. Fares as of Aug 2021 are adult return €25, student €15, child €10; RoI and Northern Ireland travel passes are valid, and cycles are carried.

Park free by the pier at Magheroarty. The village straggles along R247 and there's a cafe by the pier, and bar nearby. Mangan Tours run 2 or 3 times M-Sa from Letterkenny via Kilmacrennan, Termon, Creeslough, Dunfanaghy, Falcarragh and Gortahork to Magheroarty to connect with the ferry. (These buses don't use Letterkenny bus station, but start from the fish & chips shop just outside.) Local Link Bus 966 also runs once a day from Dungloe via Bunbeg to Magheroarty ferry pier.

The ferry operator (who also runs the "Blue Ferry" to Arranmore) knows the tides well in advance, but what about the weather and sea? Check with the website a day before.

Ferries to Tory Island no longer sail from Bunbeg, a much longer crossing, but freighters bring in heavy goods every week or two. Bunbeg is still the ferry port for Gola Island.

Tory Island is central on its south coast, in the main settlement of West Town.

The island also has a helipad but the helicopter service is reserved for urgent business, such as visits to or from the doctor. You are permitted to charter your own helicopter excursion.

Get around
Walk everywhere. The whole island is only 5 km long, traversed by a lane, with the main settlement in the middle. You can hire bicycles but hardly need them.

See

 * Tau Cross stands at the pier as a benediction to those arriving or setting out to sea. At 1.9 m high and carved from a single slab of mica slate, it's probably 12th century and from the monastery. "Tau" means a T-shaped crucifix, unusual in the west and most associated with the 3rd century St Anthony of Egypt - cue for all sorts of fanciful legends.
 * The Round Tower also by the pier is the main remnant of the monastery. Built of granite, it's dilapidated and truncated to 13 m, and you can't go in. Round Towers were church bell towers with no defensive purpose: most are 9th / 10th century but this one may be as early as 6th, which would make it one of the oldest surviving.
 * The House That Vanished obviously can't be marked on the map, but it too was next to the pier - where is it now? Neville Presho of County Down owned it as a holiday home but was away some months in New Zealand; when he returned in 1994, there it wasn't. Even spookier was the wall of silence and obfuscation he met: ooh don't know about that, ooh there was a great storm, ooh there were mysterious lights in the sky. (The tornado or Martians had rejected the bathtub, leaving it upturned on the beach.) Police and solicitor enquiries met the same omertà, and Presho was almost driven mad by a psychiatrist suggesting he was imagining the whole affair. Not until 2009 did a civil court affix liability upon an islander who just happened to own a mechanical digger.
 * or Dún Bhaloir is a redoubt on a narrow neck of land, almost isolated atop 100 m sea-cliffs and only accessible through an easily-defended gateway. It's perhaps Iron Age, circa 500 BC, but there's only a few embankments remaining and you come for the clifftop views. Balor in mythology was the Cyclops leader of the Fomorians, whose scorching eye destroyed his enemies, and several versions of the legend place his stronghold here. East side of the fort projects a serrated ridge An Eochair Mhór - the Big Key.
 * was built from 1828 and lit from 1832. It was automated in 1990 and remains in service, with a Differential GPS station incorporated.

Do

 * Report a rat: the island is free of rats, which is important to ground-nesting birds. It's too far offshore for rats to swim here, but there's always a risk from visiting boats. So if you think you see one, report it - a photo will help - but don't try to whack it yourself.

Buy

 * No store here. Bring what you need if self-catering.

Eat

 * The hotel does good meals.
 * The long-established Creggan Restaurant burnt down in 2015.
 * The long-established Creggan Restaurant burnt down in 2015.

Drink

 * An Club is the island bar.
 * Toast the Once and Future King: the island's community leader was traditionally dubbed the "King of Tory". The post was not hereditary, but conferred by popular assent, and its latest holder was Patsaí Dan Mag Ruaidhrí / Patsy Dan Rodgers (1944-2018). He led the 1970s resistance to evacuating the island, became its tireless ambassador, and for 20 years made a point of personally greeting arrivals. His were big shoes to fill, and the title has lain vacant since his death.

Connect
As of Aug 2021 Tory Island has no mobile signal; your accommodation may have wifi. You might manage a call at Magheroarty with Eir, but that area of mainland Donegal is equally devoid of signal.

Go next
Back to the mainland at Magheroarty is your only transport.

title: Tory Island


text:
Toshima

Toshima Island (利島) is a remote fishing village with one of the smallest populations of all the Izu Islands with only around 330 residents. The island is only 4.2 km² with 80% of it covered in Camellia forests.

Understand
The Toshima island is has only one small fishing village near the island's port and receives very few tourists all year round. There are few decent beaches and being covered in forest, travel between them is quite difficult unless walking. Between November and March the red Camellia flowers come into full bloom and may be the most popular time of year to visit. However even without these flowers there is still much to gain from the forests of this island, such as unique wildlife and the Saku Lily, which happens to be the largest lily in the world, is present in the summertime.

Get in
Ferries that head to Niijima Island will make a brief stop at Toshima, usually around 07:00. There is one other (much more expensive) way to travel to Toshima which is a 10-minute flight by a private helicopter from Oshima Island.

Getting out is the same way as getting in; catching the ferry off the island via the port at around 07:00 most mornings.

Get around
As the island is covered in forest, the only real way to get around is by walking, however as the island is small, this doesn't usually prove too difficult.

title: Toshima


text:
Tossa de Mar

Tossa de Mar is a town of 5,600 people (2018) in the Costa Brava region of Catalonia in Northeastern Spain. Its old town is the only example of a fortified medieval town still standing on the Catalan coast.

Understand
In medieval times and until the arrival of tourism, the local economy was mostly based on agricultural production, principally grapes and cork. There was a thriving export market of the latter (in the form of cork taps shipped to the Americas) during the 18th century and early 19th century.

Fishing has traditionally been a relatively minor contributor to the village's economy, although it has consistently provided an alternative source of income in times of economic crisis. A small fishing industry is still active as of 2005 and occupies a few members of local fishing families. Most of their catches are sold to local restaurants and in the fish markets in neighbouring Blanes and Sant Feliu de Guíxols.

Get in
Tossa de Mar is about 103 km north of Barcelona, 100 km south of the French border and southeast of Girona.

If not on a package deal, usually a Ryanair flight to Girona airport. From there a shuttle bus booked on the internet for €12-16 each way to the resort. Best to book a return trip and you have to phone them to confirm the day before leaving.A few shuttle buses will do all the more distant resorts first before ending up in Tossa de Mar. There is a wall phone for taxis at the Tourist Office next door to the bus station. Other telephones take cash or card.

By plane
The nearest airports are Barcelona El Prat Airport     and Girona Costa Brava

By car
The goes north and connects to, to access  the Mediterranean motorway to France in the north and Barcelona and the rest of Spain in the south.

Get around
The town is very easy to walk around and has a small village feel unlike its larger neighbours. Most of the town is flat and wheelchair friendly (but many hotels are not). There is a bus station with regular buses to Lloret de Mar (€1.30 and 15 minutes away) and Barcelona. From Lloret bus station you can get a bus to Blanes (which has a market on Monday). Always buy return tickets as queues can be very long. Lots of free car parking if you hire a car (2 places in town). The town has free parking within easy reach of the centre and does has some car ramps but they are moderate in size.

See
Parts of the town date from the 12th century. There are extensive walls of an old fort next to the beach and more remains with a small section of old houses nearby (the Vila Vella), some towers (which you cannot go inside of) and a working lighthouse on top of a hill. Do not drive up to the fort as the road is very narrow, has many bad turns and there is no parking at the top. A small history museum at the sea front and on top of the hill a light house museum (€3 each). There is the ruins of some old Roman villas a few minutes walk from the bus station (turn right) and a few old churches in town. There are two information bureaus in town (shut 2pm in off season), one next to the bus station and the other by the main beach where you can pick up free maps of the town with full information in a number of languages on the back. There are also a number of information boards about with important information and hotel locations on them. Thursday (morning) is market day.

Do
Some nice beaches. Sand is gravelly which is fine to walk and sit on and won't sand blast you if there is some wind. Public toilets at either end of the main beach as well as near a further beach. A blue and white tourist train (a motor vehicle disguised as a train pulling 3 carriages) does tours of the town. Another (green) train will take you up to the top of the fort if you don't feel like walking. A glass bottom boat which enables you to see fish and such and explores local grottoes. SCUBA and PADI diving: A number of shops around town to buy or hire cylinders and gear from as well as "diving schools" where you can dive with others.

Well worth checking out Splash Ocean Adventures on the main beach, it's a great little boat trip that also includes trying snorkeling. Some cyber cafes ranging from €2 to €3 an hour. Trips to nearby towns by bus or by boat as well as Barcelona. Local radio is 107.8 FM. There is a small bowling alley as well as a few slot machines on the Avda Costa Brava. Also a small crazy golf place nearby (Avda de la Palma). There are travel agents in town. This is more a family resort than Lloret, so quieter. The town is about as safe as they come and unusual for Mainland Europe, cars stop at crossings to let people cross. You can walk South out of the old town along the cliffs for lovely views. Also West up into the pine covered hills. Excellent bus services to North and South to gain access to further wonderful walking. The tourist information office is a very helpful source of walking information and maps.

Hiking
Try the “cami de ronda” which follows the coast.

The GR 92 long-distance walking route crosses the city.

Buy
All the things you can usually buy in Spain, souvenirs and such. Nothing cheap in the way of quality goods or tourist souvenirs but there are some €1 and up shops to buy small things you forgot or find you need. Out of school holidays, many shops shut from 13:30 till 16:30 then are open till around 20:00. Most shops that sell postcards also sell stamps with them. There is a post office on Ava de Ferran Agullo, just past Caprabo across the road, open till 14:30. English and other newspapers are available.

Good quality indeed is the silver shop of Tim and Kat handmade and not made in China, Made in Tossa de mar. Its a bit hidden but you will find it.

You can acquire money from the main Spanish banks as well as ATMs and exchange bureaus.

Eat
Authentic local food, burger and chips, pizza, Chinese, curry, cakes is available in the many restaurants. Generally the closer to the sea you get, the more the prices go up. If you do it yourself, the Maxi Dia and Caprabo supermarkets five minutes walk from the centre of town main street roundabout (Ava de la Catalunya and Ava de Ferran Agullo which both lead off of the roundabout) are the cheapest. Many tourists use Magatzems Palau which is by the centre of town roundabout but this shop is expensive.

Drink
You are spoilt for choice of drinking places with all the normal drinks. Try the La Luna bar in the old town (Vila Vella), just sit down relax and absorb the peace or do some people watching on the terraces on the Paseo del Mar, along the beach, with places like El Celler.

Sleep
Many hotels and hostels (most are small, often four floors high) dotted around town which can be booked on the internet. As the town is fairly compact, almost all are within easy walking distance of anywhere. The resort has the benefit of no noisy night clubs so you can get a good night's sleep. Check if you book an apartment that it is not in the surrounding hills and so you have a fair walk down and up between there and town. Hotel TVs usually have CNN, Eurosport and some foreign channels. Many will also have air-conditioning which is important in the hottest months. Local agencies do long apartment lets for a month or more.

Cope
The one main annoyance is that many young men and women have motorbikes and believe they have to rev them as much as possible for maximum acceleration (fairly slow) and maximum noise (a loud whine) when driving around town. There is one automated speed camera about a mile out of Tossa near the start of the long descent into town. The small streets in the centre of town can get very crowded in high season with people coming in by bus, coach and boat from other towns as well as constant tours of this historic town and even Spanish people going to the coast for a short break or a weekend away.

Connect
As of Jan 2024, Tossa de Mar has 5G from all Spanish carriers, with 4G on its approach highways.

Go next
Lloret de Mar and Blanes are easily reachable by coach or ferry. Barcelona is a good day-trip idea if you are staying in Tossa for a while, with coaches departing regularly from the town's coach station.

title: Tossa de Mar


text:
Tosu

Tosu (鳥栖) is a city in Saga prefecture on the Japanese island of Kyushu.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

By plane
The nearest airport is Fukuoka, which is about 40 minutes away by car. By public transport, the easiest way to reach Tosu is to take the Subway two stops to Hakata, and change there to the JR line.

Another good option is Saga Airport, which is quieter and slightly further away. Limousine taxis can be booked to Tosu, taking 1 hour 20 minutes and costing ¥1200; alternatively, take the bus to Saga Station and change there to the train to Tosu.

By train
Tosu Station stands at the junction of the JR Kagoshima and Nagasaki Main Lines. Shin-Tosu Station is the next stop along the Nagasaki Line, and also the city's station on the Kyūshū Shinkansen.

All Sakura and Tsubame trains stop at Shin-Tosu. There are usually two trains per hour to each of Hakata and Kumamoto, of which at least one continues to Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima-Chūō.

Times and prices of Shinkansen trains are typically as follows:

 * Hakata: 13 minutes, ¥2310
 * Kurume: 4 minutes, ¥1980
 * Kumamoto: 36 minutes, ¥3900
 * Kagoshima-Chūō: 1 hour 30 minutes, ¥10,120
 * Shin-Osaka: 3 hours, ¥16,310

Tosu station is served by a frequent service to Hakata, with three Rapid and Regional Rapid trains per hour taking between 30 and 35 minutes and costing ¥560. There are also usually two Limited Expresses per hour (Kamome, Midori, Huis Ten Bosch, Yufu, or Yufuin no Mori) which take 25 minutes and cost ¥1700.

Times and prices for other destinations from Tosu are as follows:

 * Kurume: 8 minutes, ¥230
 * Kumamoto: 1 hour 30 minutes, ¥1650
 * Saga (Limited Express): 20 minutes, ¥1280
 * Saga (local train): 30 minutes, ¥460
 * Nagasaki (Limited Express Kamome): 1 hour 30 minutes, ¥4230

There is a nimai-kippu which allows a day trip on the Shinkansen from Shin-Tosu to Hakata (or Yoshizuka) for ¥2260. Another nimai-kippu allows return travel within a month between Tosu and Hakata or Yoshizuka on a Limited Express for ¥1640.

JR services to Tosu and Shin-Tosu are covered by the Japan Rail Pass and JR Kyūshū's All Kyūshū Area Pass and Northern Kyūshū Area Pass.

See

 * Azumaya (Buses run eight times a day from Tosu Station to Azumabashi, taking 20 minutes and ¥250, from where it is 5 minutes walk). A natural pool along the Kawachi River, and a popular spot for swimming in the summer, surrounded by trees up to 600 years old.
 * Asahiyama Park (5 minutes walk from Shin-Tosu Station). Unsurprisingly, this hill was the site of a castle, in this case from 1334 to 1586, and was the site of a battle during the failed Saga Rebellion in 1874. Today, the 290 steps up to the top are part of the training regime of Sagan Tosu, the local football club. The markers on the way up include pictures of Totto-chan, the city's mascot, and Win-tosu, Sagan Tosu's mascot.
 * Kawachi Dam area (Buses run seven times a day from Tosu Station to Shimin-no-mori, taking 30 minutes and ¥330).
 * Saga Racecourse (Buses run 18 times a day from Tosu Station to Keibajō-mae, taking 20 minutes and ¥290).
 * Ochozu Waterfall

Do

 * Sagan Tosu professional soccer team

Go next

 * Yoshinogari
 * Kanzaki
 * Saga
 * Kurume
 * Kiyama
 * Ogori
 * Nakagawa
 * Chikushino
 * Fukuoka

title: Tosu


text:
Totnes

Totnes is a market town in the English Riviera and South Devon region of Devon. The village of Dartington is just outside Totnes, as is Dartington Hall.

Understand
The Dartington Hall Estate was purchased Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst in 1925. They wanted to create an "experimental" estate with forestry, farming and educational projects. This led to the opening of a school, a tweed mill, sawmills, a cider company and the famous Dartington glass works.

The school, which has now closed, used novel methods, similar to those used by A.S. Neill at Summerhill . Aldous Huxley's children went to Dartington Hall, some of the educational methods in his novel Island are based on the Dartington School.

See

 * Fore Street and High Street, both lined with Tudor period buildings.

Connect
As of Sept 2023, Totnes and its approach roads have 4G from O2 and Vodafone, and 5G from EE and Three.

Go next

 * Dartmouth
 * Kingsbridge
 * Salcombe

title: Totnes


text:
Tottori

Tottori (鳥取市 Tottori-shi) and its sand dunes are among the best reasons to visit western Japan. There's more to do than climbing and collecting seashells — hang-gliders, sandboards, and even camels await.

Understand

 * "It's useless. The sand can swallow up cities and countries, if it wants to."

Kobo Abe's existential meditation on sand and work, The Woman in the Dunes (砂の女, Suna no Onna), was published in 1964. Although the novel does not mention Tottori by name, it was a natural choice for the film adaptation of Abe's book. "There has never been sand photography like this (no, not even in Lawrence of Arabia)," said Roger Ebert, of the Oscar-nominated film.

You will, almost certainly, have a better visit than did the story's protagonist, Niki Junpei; come to collect insects, Junpei was fascinated by the patterns and movement of the sand, and missed the last train. Locals offered him lodging for the night, but the next morning, Junpei discovered that he was a prisoner at the bottom of a sandpit, which he and an unnamed woman must shovel out every day in order to keep the house and village from being swallowed in the endless, enigmatic movement of the sand.

The city is the industrial center of the prefecture, with several big electronics factories for companies like Sanyo. The fishing industry is also quite lively. There are also two universities, which attract agricultural students and researchers from other parts of Japan and a small number of foreign students. Although the number of foreign residents in Tottori is low, compared to other major cities in Japan, its 190,000 locals are certainly friendly — and thoroughly unlikely to strand you at the bottom of a sand pit.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site. Clicking on "Language" leads to Tottori Prefecture's multilingual guide site.

By plane
The nearest airports with regular international flights are Yonago and Okayama; however, travellers should also consider using Osaka-Kansai.

By train
Limited express trains to the east take you to Kansai. The train goes to Himeji, Akashi, Sannomiya, Osaka, and Kyoto. Other limited express trains to the west connect with Kurayoshi, Yonago, Matsue, Izumo-shi, Hamada, Masuda, and Shin-Yamaguchi. The Super Inaba limited express train runs south to Okayama. For budget travelers, it is possible to reach Tottori from Okayama in 4 hours and ¥2,590 using the Tsuyama and Imbi Lines.

On foot
The city center, between the train station and Mt. Kyusho, is easily navigable on foot. From downtown, a wide and pleasant greenbelt leads to the beach. Starting from JR Tottori Station, walk west about 5 blocks to find the river, Sendai-gawa. Head right when you find the path. The walk takes about 45 minutes. To get to the sand dunes, it is best to take the bus. Walking would take a few hours.

See

Outside the city center

Sand dunes
There's a lot to do at the sand dunes. Pay close attention to operating days and seasons, and make reservations before getting your heart set on a specific activity. For a vaguely Lawrence of Arabia experience, try a horse-drawn carriages ride.

Beaches
With the Sea of Japan as its northern border, Tottori has some excellent beaches.

Buy
Walking east from the station, you will find a string of small shops lining the main street to the right.

 * At the southeast corner of Sakaemachi, you will find a large two-story store in which everything for sale was made locally, including pottery, paper, clothing, dolls, and food.
 * At the southeast corner of Sakaemachi, you will find a large two-story store in which everything for sale was made locally, including pottery, paper, clothing, dolls, and food.

Eat
Tottori is most famous for its pears; cookies, cakes, and other sweets are made from them. Have a look at the omiyage shop in the train station, at the local handcraft shop two blocks up the main street, or in the basement floor of Maruyu. Another local specialty is shallots, grown in huge fields out near the sand dunes and pickled for appetizers.

Crab and white squid are the best of the local catch.

A number of popular chain restaurants can be found in the city center, such as Wara Wara (笑笑), Doma Doma (土間土間), and Shirokiya (白木屋).

Drink
To find the main drinking district, which is an area about 2 blocks by 3 blocks, walk about two blocks up the main street from the train station, take a right and go down about a block. There are plenty of izakaya and small pubs.

Go next

 * Iwami — Famous for the picturesque Uradome Beach
 * Misasa — Home to the mysterious cliff temple, Mitokusan Nageiredo and a nice hot spring.
 * Kurayoshi — Home to a well-preserved historic district.
 * Yurihama
 * Daisen — A great place for hiking in the warm months and skiing in the winter.
 * Wakasa — A nearby town with a nice ski resort.
 * Chizu
 * Tsuyama — One of the best places in the entire Chugoku region to view cherry blossoms in the spring and autumn leaves in the fall.
 * Okayama — Famous for its historic Kibi region, Momotaro, and Korakuen Garden, of Japan's top three gardens.
 * Many of Tottori prefecture's famous hot springs are easily accessible as day trips: Togo Hot Spring in Togo-cho, Shikano Hot Spring in Shikano-cho, Iwami Hot Spring,  Hamamura Hot Spring in Ketaka-cho, Sekigane Hot Spring in Sekigane-cho,  Hawai Hot Spring in Hawai-cho

title: Tottori


text:
Tottori (prefecture)

Tottori Prefecture (鳥取県 Tottori-ken) is in the western Chugoku region of the main Japanese island Honshu.

Understand
Tottori prefecture, together with Shimane prefecture is known as the San-in region, meaning "the shady side of the mountains". There is a mountain range separating these two prefectures from Hiroshima and Okayama, called Sanyo (the bright side) region, which means that the weather in San-in is drastically wetter than further to the south.

Tourist Information Site
The prefecture has an official multilingual Tourist Information site.

Cities

 * — The prefectural capital known for the Tottori Sand Dunes.
 * — A small town with a quaint retro shops and a well-preserved historic district.
 * — The town of Daisen is home to Mount Daisen, a famous location for climbing, hiking, and skiing. The famous Daisen Temple is also located here.
 * — Most famous for the Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Nageiredo, an old temple built on the side of a cliff. Nobody knows exactly how this temple was built, but it is a marvel to behold.
 * — A lovely city containing one of Japan's best Chinese gardens and Lake Togo.
 * — Westernmost city in Tottori and home of Mizuki Shigeru, creator of Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro.
 * — Home to Aoyama World, the museum honoring Gosho Aoyama, the creator of Detective Conan.
 * — Home to Aoyama World, the museum honoring Gosho Aoyama, the creator of Detective Conan.

By plane

 * Tottori Airport has three daily flights from Tokyo-Haneda with ANA, taking about 75 minutes.
 * Tottori Airport has three daily flights from Tokyo-Haneda with ANA, taking about 75 minutes.

By train
JR runs between Okayama and Tottori City, and between Yonago and Matsue and Izumo.

JR West offers several regional passes to visitors with foreign passports.

By bus

 * There is an express bus from Tokyo's Hamamatsu-cho to Tottori. The cost is about ¥10,200 one-way. Tel: 03-3743-0022.
 * The bus from Osaka to Tottori runs about 2 hours and 45 minutes, and costs about ¥7,500.

Eat
Local specialties include crab, squid, pears, melons, shallots, and sake.

Go next
Hyogo Prefecture borders Tottori to the east. Closest to Tottori are Toyooka City with the famous Kinosaki Hot Springs, the remains of Izushi Castle, and the interesting Japan-Mongolia Folk Museum. In Asago you can visit the Takeda Castle Ruins. Although they are ruins, they are well-preserved and the view is great. Further down in Hyogo Prefecture you'll find Himeji, famous for the spectacular Himeji Castle, the port city of Kobe.

Kyoto (prefecture) lies to the east on the other side of Hyogo. Although Kyoto City is rather far, Amanohashidate is quite close and easy to access from Tottori Prefecture. This city is famous as the site of one of Japan's Top 3. It is the view from Amanohashidate that is considered to be one of the top 3 views in Japan.

Okayama Prefecture holds Tottori up from the south. Tsuyama with the famous Kakuzan Park, Shurakuen Garden, and Joto Street is near the eastern region, while Niimi, famous for the Ikura Ravine and Maki Cave is near Western Tottori. Further south, you'll find the Kurashiki with its well-preserved historic district, Okayama which has one of Japan's Top 3, Korakuen Garden, and Takahashi, home to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, Japan's highest castle, as well as one of its only remaining original castles.

Shimane Prefecture stands beside Tottori on the Western border. The most famous sites are close to Tottori, so accessing them is quite convenient. Matsue is famous for Matsue Castle, one of Japan's few remaining original castles, and the Lafcadio Hearn Residence. The city of Izumo is home to the spectacular Izumo Shrine, the second most holy Shinto shrine in Japan. The Hinomisaki Lighthouse is also a famous icon of the city. Further out in the prefecture you'll find Tsuwano, where the last Christian martyrs were killed before ending the ban on Christianity and Oda's Iwami Ginzan, a World Heritage Site.

title: Tottori (prefecture)


text:
Toubakouta

Toubakouta is a city in Central Senegal and a great base for exploring the Sine-Saloum wetlands.

Get in
Toubakouta is on the main road between Kaolack and The Gambia. From Dakar, the best way to get there is to take a sept place to Ziguinchor and specify to the driver that you wish to get off at Toubakouta.

Get around
The area is well served by motor scooter taxis suitable for one or two people, usually for 500CFA. The town is small enough that the locals know every hotel and can take you there quickly.

Eat

 * Chez Baum

title: Toubakouta


text:
Toucheng

Toucheng (頭城; Tóu'chéng), also Tou-Cheng, is a township in northern Yilan County.

Understand
The township includes Guishan Island and Guiluan Island in the Philippine Sea. The Senkaku Islands, known in Mandarin as the Diaoyu Islands, are claimed as part of the township.

By car
Take Freeway No. 5 and exit at Toucheng interchange after leaving the Hsueshan Tunnel.

By train
Toucheng has more rail stations (three) than any other townships in Taiwan. Take the “North Railway Line” (北迴鐵路) toward Hualien (往花蓮) and get off at Toucheng station of from Northern Taiwan. Take the “North Railway Line” (北迴鐵路) toward Shulin (往樹林) and get off at Toucheng station if from Eastern Taiwan.

By bus
Take Capital Bus (首都客運) or Kamalan bus (葛瑪蘭客運) from Taipei to Yilan. It takes 45~60 minutes from Taipei to Jiaosi township. Once you arrive at Jiaosi station, you can take Kamalan shuttle bus (葛瑪蘭接駁車) or King Bus (國光客運) and transfer to Toucheng.

Get around
If you want to travel around Toucheng township, you can rent a bicycle or motorcycle from Jiaoxi station. It cost NT$ 300 for 24 hours a day. You can ride through Highway No. 2 to reach Toucheng township. King Bus (國光客運) also has many stops on the way from Jiaoxi to Toucheng and it cost NT$ 23.

title: Toucheng


text:
Toulon

Toulon is a medium-sized city (15th town of France) between Marseille and Nice. It is in the west of French Riviera and in the southeast of Provence.

Climate
Climate is typical of the South of France. The summers are relatively hot, with temperatures usually higher than 30 °C. June is a hot month but a sudden storm may occur every once in a while. July usually features hot temperatures and blue sky. August may be even hotter, but storms may begin to occur especially after the 15th of the month. Autumns are rainy. Storms will occur. Winters are dry. Temperatures don't usually drop sharply under 0 °C, but the wind factor causes a loss in Celsius degrees equal to one less degree per 10 km wind speed, thus with a wind blowing at 50 km/h 0°C will feel like minus 5°C.

Unlike many other towns of France, there is no big river which crosses this city. As a matter of fact, there are no big rivers in the whole department of Var. A few smaller ones in the city are: Rivière neuve, Le Las, L'Eygoutier also known as Rivière des amoureux (lover's river for a no apparent reason). All the other rivers are in tunnels under the town, and not visible.

Economy
The economy relies on the presence of a big French naval base that creates thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Tourism is also important. the town has up to 167,400 tourists every year

History
The history of Toulon dates back 3000 years. The Ligures settled here because of exceptional conditions:
 * a hill protects the center of the town from the Mistral, a strong wind which blows in the southeast of France (you will experience wind almost everyday).
 * on the south face of the hill, several sources gush out, which is exceptional in the so dry Provence. The name Toulon is linked to Telona, an ancient Ligurian goddess of sources.
 * the hill (named Faron, about 500 m high) enables one to view boats arriving from very far away, specially enemy boats. The name Faron cames from the Greek pharos (English: lighthouse) for this reason. At the top of Faron, there still is a military camp dedicated to communications with submarines.
 * the water of the port is very calm, because it is protected by a peninsula (Saint-Mandrier) that nearly closes the port as a lagoon. It was possible to watch boats entering the port from there.

For all these reasons, Toulon early became a town of military vocation. When the Romans invaded the Provence (Latin: provincia romana), they settled a military base and renamed the town Telo Martius, where martius recalls Mars, the Roman god of war.

During the Middle Ages, Provence was under the coup of lords, before being integrated into the French Kingdom in 1482. During the 18th century, Toulon became an important military port for France, were boats and sails were being built. A famous convict prison was built. During the French Revolution, Toulon gave support to the monarchy, but Bonaparte (later known as Napoleon I) took back the town. During World War II, Toulon was invaded on November 27, 1942. The seamen scuttled all the boats so that the Nazis couldn't use them. The town was freed by the Allied Forces on August 25, 1944.

By boat
Toulon is a large harbour and offers several ferries by Corsica Ferries to the ports in Corsica: Ajaccio, Bastia and L'Île-Rousse. Among the international routes there is a service to Civitavecchia (close to Rome). An advance booking is advised in all cases.

By car
The main roads are from east to west (and the opposite). There are highways from Nice (A57) and Marseille (A50). You'll have to pay a toll to go outside the suburbs of the town on these highways.

Get around
Metropolitan bus and ferry network is operated by Réseau Mistral.

Vieille Ville

Vieille Ville (old town) or Basse Ville (lower town) is a historical centre of the city. It is NE of the harbour. As it was built in the Middle Ages, it's a really a maze of narrow streets. A couple of bigger ones, Rue d'Alger and Cours Lafayette, are bordered by numerous shops and crowded every Saturday.

Haute Ville
Haute Ville (upper town) is located on the north of the historical center. The most of the buildings and squares there are in splendor of the late XIXth century style. The major part of Haute Ville was built under the guidance of Georges-Eugène Haussmann (aka "Baron Haussmann", who was later called to build Paris).

 * The railway station is 100 m northwest of the Place de la Liberté, also of 19th century style.
 * The railway station is 100 m northwest of the Place de la Liberté, also of 19th century style.
 * The railway station is 100 m northwest of the Place de la Liberté, also of 19th century style.

Museums and places of interest

 * The Boat-Museum named La Dives, pointe de la Mitre (+33 4 94 02 06 96), opened May to October. Before being a museum, this boat was dedicated to the transportation of tanks for a landing.
 * Take the cable car (French: téléphérique) to go to the Mont-Faron Hill. Téléphérique du Mont-Faron, boulevard Amiral Vence (or bus 40, stop at téléphérique), +33 4 94 92 68 25. It gives direct access to the Memorial Museum of landing in Provence.
 * Memorial Museum of landing in Provence (French: Musée-Mémorial du débarquement), top of Mont-Faron, +33 4 94 88 08 09.
 * Mont-Faron zoo (French: Zoo du Mont-Faron), +33 4 94 88 07 89. It is a center for wild beast reproduction.
 * Take the cable car (French: téléphérique) to go to the Mont-Faron Hill. Téléphérique du Mont-Faron, boulevard Amiral Vence (or bus 40, stop at téléphérique), +33 4 94 92 68 25. It gives direct access to the Memorial Museum of landing in Provence.
 * Memorial Museum of landing in Provence (French: Musée-Mémorial du débarquement), top of Mont-Faron, +33 4 94 88 08 09.
 * Mont-Faron zoo (French: Zoo du Mont-Faron), +33 4 94 88 07 89. It is a center for wild beast reproduction.

Parks

 * On the top of the Mont-Faron hill (500 m high), you'll be able to enjoy a birdseye view of the town . If you drive by car, the road is impressive. If you ride up by way of the cable car, the feeling is even more impressive. Several paths allow hikers to walk across the forest and go to/from the museums, the zoo, the cable car, etc.
 * Alexandre the 1st Garden (French: Jardin Alexandre Ier), at the west of the Municipal Library, garden opened with entertainment for young children, and a bandstand with casual concerts on Sundays.
 * Frédéric Mistral Garden (French: Jardin Frédéric Mistral), cours Frédéric Mistral, garden with collections of exotic species. Newlyweds often choose to go there to have their wedding photographs taken, on Saturday afternoons

Out of town
Fort de Brégançon — a summer residence of the President of France, which is located near the town of Bormes-les-Mimosas. Now it can be visited by a prior reservation.

Events

 * Jazz in Toulon, annual music festival.
 * On July 14th, Bastille Day is commemorated with a military march on the main boulevards. During the afternoon, there is usually an aircraft show that will be best seen from the beach and, at midnight, fireworks.
 * On August 15th, fireworks at the Saint Louis fort next to the beaches.

Beaches
The town features several beaches just south of the Mourillon quarter. They were set up in the 1950s to develop tourism. More beautiful beaches may be found elsewhere on the coast. In any location, you should be prepared to crowd on the beach. The beaches of Toulon are associated to a park with entertainment for children of all ages. At the east of the town, the Cap Brun and Anse Magaud beaches are more isolated, far less crowded, but more difficult to reach (need to climb a little).

 * Les Sablettes in la Seyne sur Mer.
 * L'Argentière, in the town of La Londe-les-Maures (30 km east of Toulon).
 * La Capte, near Hyères (15 km east of Toulon). The bottom is of pure sand (no seaweed) and the depth increases very very slowly.
 * St Cyr sur Mer some 20 km west of Toulon features a long sandy beach, perfect for families and kitesurfers. There too the seabed drops rather slowly, enabling one to reach way out into the water.

Sport

 * RC Toulon — A club with a proud history, the rouge et noir (red and black) are a major force in French and European rugby, thanks to a deep-pocketed owner (comic publisher and Toulon native Mourad Boudjellal). Toulon, who play at Stade Mayol in the heart of the city, have assembled an impressive array of international stars, and won an unprecedented three consecutive European club championship crowns from 2013 to 2015. Tickets may be hard to come by for some big matches, and the club plays one or two major matches a season at either Stade Vélodrome in Marseille or Allianz Riviera in Nice.

Learn

 * Toulon University (for science and technology)
 * University of law
 * Engineering schools ISITV
 * École Internationale de Design

Stay safe
Public hospitals:
 * Sainte-Anne hospital, 2 boulevard Sainte-Anne, +33 4 94 09 90 00, fax. +33 4 94 09 92 16.
 * Chalucet Hospital, rue Chalucet, +33 4 94 22 77 78.

Avoid walking alone at night in the historical centre of the town. Or remember to be nice to the people you may meet there. This is the "red" quarter of the town.

Go next

 * Néoules - a town to the north
 * Nice - eastern major city
 * Marseille - western major city
 * Îles d'Hyères - an archipelago on SE. Direct day trips by boat in July and August, otherwise see individual islands for regular connections.

title: Toulon