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Hastings (New Zealand)

Hastings is a city in Hawke's Bay, on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is one of two cities in Hawke's Bay, the other being nearby Napier. It was heavily damaged in the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, but because there were no fires much of it survived and is still visible in the city's downtown architecture. This contributed to the damage it did suffer makes Hastings the 'jewel' in the crown of the 'Napier' earthquake. This is mixed with Art Deco. Hastings has in the past been known has being an unattractive place to visit, but with the council's push for central business district redevelopment the city is returning to its previous splendour. It is the food-producing capital of New Zealand and has many different types of food. Its cuisine is unrivalled anywhere else. It also receives 2200 hours of sunshine a year, making it one of the sunniest places in New Zealand.

Understand
Hastings is a pleasant sun-drenched town in Hawke's Bay. It is in constant rivalry with Napier as Napier receives all the tourist attention. The information centre will provide bookings and advice on anything in Hastings. It can be found on the corner of Russell and Heretaunga Street East, opposite the fountain with the train track running through it. It is in the Westermans building and can be called on (06)873 0080. (06) is the calling code for toll calls from outside Hastings.

Hastings District Council governs a large part of Hawke's Bay south of the Wairoa district and north of the Central Hawke's Bay district. Close to the main urban area of Hastings is Havelock North, a trendy fast-growing village on the foothills of Te Mata peak, and Flaxmere, a satellite suburb. Clive, Bridge Pa and Whakatu are smaller satellite settlements.

By car

 * 2 hrs from Taupō on State Highway 5
 * 3 hrs from Taihape across the Taihape Road
 * 15 min from Napier on State Highway 2
 * 1.40 from Palmerston North on State Highway 2
 * 1.50 from Wairoa on State Highway 2
 * 4 hours from Wellington
 * State Highway 2 passes through Hastings at Omahu Road. On the way to Napier from Wellington follow the signs and turn right at the massive roundabout.
 * Alternatively, if coming from the south, continue northwards up the road through Pakipaki and you will enter Hastings at Eastbourne Street, 300m from the town centre
 * If travelling south from Napier, a very scenic route is Napier's Marine Parade (characterised by rows of Norfolk pines) past Awatoto with the gravel works and continue on the main road. You will get to Hastings after 20 minutes' driving.

By plane

 * Hawke's Bay Airport is at Napier. It only receives domestic flights, but from many locations in New Zealand. It is almost always open. Hastings is a 20-minute drive south on State Highway 2B.
 * Hastings also has the Bridge Pa aerodrome which has a runway capable of landing an Hercules, although no commercial aircraft operate from there. For further information contact: HB & East Coast Aero Club Bridge Pa Aerodrome, Hastings, ph 06 879 8466. If you are interested in aerial activities over Hawke's Bay consult 'do'

By bus

 * National bus operator InterCity provides daily services in and out of Hastings with connections throughout the North Island. Fares start from $1 and can be purchased online or via numerous local ticketing agents including the i-SITE information network. Services arrive and depart from the main Bus Shelter at 117 Russell St, opposite Subway,

Get around
Hastings is very flat, dry and not very windy, so muscle power is an excellent way to get around.
 * The Hastings CBD is very safe at daytime so walking around it is the best option
 * Cycling around Hastings and its environment is an excellent way to enjoy Hastings
 * The traffic is always good, so for places a bit further away driving is an option.

See

Because Hastings was destroyed in the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake along with Napier it was rebuilt in the stunning Art Deco style popular at the time. The town contains several excellent examples of this
 * The clock tower that contains the bells from the post office that collapsed during the quake. It chimes every hour on the hour
 * The main shopping street, Heretaunga Street, contains the bulk of the Art Deco architecture, so if your an enthusiast you can go past a walk down Heretaunga Street
 * The occasional art deco house scattered around town.

Located in the centre of the city are Hastings' iconic sheep. These sheep have, over time, migrated around the city.

Hastings has also had millions spent of redeveloping the CBD (central business district) so looks beautiful. Several major features are:
 * The new centre city fountain
 * The hand at the south end of Karamu Road outside the library
 * Olive trees planted along Heretaunga
 * Art works

Many more significant art works were designed at the local Cicada Works cooperative workshop at Whakatu
 * The grills around the fountain
 * The performing stage beside Westpac bank
 * The curved streetlights

Other things to see in Hastings include:
 * The unique train track that runs through the middle of the CBD
 * The apple trees in blossom
 * Hastings picks up the Hawke's Bay channel. Its channel 51. It can be a bit hard to receive clearly but with enough jiggering a set of bunny ear aerials will pick it up.
 * The Chinese gardens down Nelson Street are very nice. They can be found in Cornwall park with its large fountain. The gardens celebrate Hastings' partnership with its sister city, Guilian City in China

Wineries and vineyards
There are about 64 vineyards and wineries in the area around Hastings. Many of them have won international awards for their wine. Because the viticulture industry is so new to Hawke's Bay, most of the buildings and facilities are ultra-modern. The population of Havelock North frequents these locations so they are always busy and always competing, especially on quality, with the other wineries which may be no further away than across the road. Because of the unusually high density of wineries, there are many tours available. Some of the better known ones are listed here.

 * Craggy Range Vineyard, 253 Waimarama Rd, Havelock North, ph (06)873 0143. Ultra fancy winery. Very nice setting in the Tukituki valley between the Tukituki River and Te Mata Peak.
 * Ngatarawa Wines, 305 Ngatarawa Rd, Bridge Pa, ph +64 6 879 7603. You may already know this wine with its characteristic horse-head label.
 * Prenzel on the Bay, 180 Havelock North Rd, Havelock North, ph +64 6 870 8524. Although not strictly a winery, it still offers a delicious range of Schnapps, liqueurs and aux de vies as well as food to indulge yourself in.
 * Sileni Estates Winery, 2016 Maraekakaho Rd, Hastings, ph +64 6 879 8768. Has a restaurant, shop, cellar tours and can host conferences and functions.
 * Vidal Estate Winery, 913 St Aubyn St East, +64 6 876 8105. This winery is historic, one of the first to be established in Hawke's Bay. As the town expanded, it grew around the winery, leaving it in the middle of Hastings. It has a restaurant, sales, and can host functions.

Tours

 * Odyssey New Zealand, 219 Kenilworth Rd, ph 0508 ODYSSEY
 * Long Island Tours, 20 Reynolds Rd, Havelock North, ph +64 6 877 0977. Offers different types of tours for every taste, or type.

Beaches and rivers
Hawke's Bay's natural abundance is recognized by the regional council's logo: each ‘finger’ represents one of the 5 main rivers. It also has several golden sand beaches. These beaches and rivers are listed from north to south

 * Clive River is popular for its water sports including jet boating, kayaking and waka (Maori canoe) rides. No motorized craft are allowed further up the river than the bridge.
 * The Tukituki River is generally considered a safe place to take the kids swimming. The favourite spot is ‘Undercliff’ near Havelock North. It is within a 25-min cycle ride from Hastings city centre.
 * Haumoana beach has a lovely little seaside settlement. It is generally regarded as an unsafe place to swim, due to dangerous undertows from the many rivers that pour into the bay.
 * Te Awanga is another lovely beach settlement - but again, no swimming.
 * Clifton. The base from which to explore the Cape Kidnappers mainland gannet colony. It is largest mainland gannet colony in the world and has over 50,000 birds. It is important to check the tides before walking out there as the tide comes up to the cliffs, leaving you to be washed out to sea. There is a café that serves Rush Munroe’s ice cream and other café food. You can book tractor rides out to the gannet colony in the main part of town and there is always room at the Clifton motor camp for another camper van. It is in places not safe to swim at.
 * Ocean Beach is Hawke's Bay's premier beach. During the summer months (Nov–Feb) it has hundreds of beachgoers. Golden sand stretches for 10km in either direction from Reneika Point down to Waimarama beach. The sand is compact and even the heaviest 4x4 will have no trouble driving on it. It is a remarkably safe beach for swimming, but the current will carry you down the beach a little. During the busiest months, there are lifeguards who patrol a short stretch of beach near the settlement. There are no shops so you need to bring your own food. Ocean Beach will remain unspoiled for the foreseeable future; a plan in the early 2000s to develop it with a large holiday resort was stopped thanks to local resistance.
 * Waimarama Beach is another sandy beach, not quite as spectacular as Ocean Beach, but the citizens of the settlement still call it home. It is a very popular New Year's party beach, so if you go there on New Year's Eve, expect hundreds of drunken teenagers. It is safe to swim at. The island you can see is called ‘Bare Island’ because there is virtually no vegetation on it. It has a New Zealand fur seal colony on the side not visible from the beach. Waimarama has a store for supplies and takeaways.
 * Kairakau Beach has a small settlement. It is a long way out from the next nearest settlement, Elsthorpe.

Other

 * Te Mata peak offers outdoor activities. Cycling is an option with many cycle paths and the 30-minute walk to the massive redwoods is well worth it.
 * The A&P show at the Hawke's Bay show grounds on October 18
 * There are hot pools in the Kaweka Ranges somewhere in the vicinity of Sherenden, partway between Hastings and Taihape. Ask at the Information centre (corner of Heretaunga and Russell streets) for directions.
 * Golf: Cape Kidnappers GC is on the hills east of Te Awanga.
 * Golf: Cape Kidnappers GC is on the hills east of Te Awanga.

Buy

 * Hastings has wonderful shopping, and what cannot be found in the city can usually be found after a short trip into the environs. For example, up market clothing and boutique stores can be found in Havelock North, while industrial goods are found down the infamous Omahu Road (which is a continuation of Heretaunga Street)
 * Hastings has the longest strip of retail stores in New Zealand. This strip reaches from Warren Street in the east through to Jarvis Road in the west. It offers anything for sale from greenstone items through to tractors and fastfood and car parts. This strip is situated on Heretaunga Street, although it changes names several times along its length. You can buy almost anything you are looking for here.

Eat
Hastings, having a warm climate, produces a variety of food not found anywhere else in New Zealand. Much of this locally grown produce is turned into an even greater variety of quality products. This is recognised by Heinz-Watties, established in 1934, who uses large amounts of locally grown produce.

Breakfast

 * The Farmers Market Meets every Sunday morning in the A&P show grounds. The two dozen or so stalls sell and showcase the wealth and variety of food produced around Hastings. There is usually a stall or three selling coffee and breakfast burgers and other ready-to-eat food. Open from 8.30 until lunch time. It is recommended you get there early before all the good stuff is sold.

Lunch

 * Pernel Fruit World, having burned down a few years ago, was rebuilt better than ever. They endeavour to sell only the freshest fruit and despise having to use coolstores. Often the fruit sold in the shop was picked in the orchard behind the shop that same day. They have a small fruit themed café 1412 Pakowhai Rd.
 * BJ's Bakery has the best pies you will ever taste. It frequently wins four or five 'Best pie in New Zealand' awards at a hit. In fact it has a wall covered with about 30 of these awards. It's suggested you get there before lunch, though, because the nearby workers eat all the pies. 305 Karamu Rd Hastings. Ph (06) 878 8397. It is on Karamu Road but can be a bit hard to find as the main part of Karamu Rd ends at the library, but it does continue on the other side.

Snacks

 * Lantern Light Dairy on the corner of Willowpark and Grove roads sells more KoolsChicken and Chips. The chips must be tasted to be believed. The dairy sells 1.5 tons of chips a week, more than the town's KFC. Informally considered the tastiest chips in the Bay by the locals. 509 Grove Rd Hastings (on the way to Splash Planet).
 * Hastings is the 'Fruit Bowl of New Zealand'. This is because it is surrounded by an abundance of market gardens situated around the city on the Fertile Heretaunga Plains. If one is observant they can find several roadside stalls that operate on an honesty box system selling a wide variety of fruits and vegetables ranging from lemons to pumpkins to avocados. Pakowai Gardens on Pakowai road is a classic example of the vast horticultural wealth of Hastings.
 * Rush Munro's Ice Cream Gardens sells natural fruit ice creams. 704 Heretaunga St West.

Drink
The city is surrounded by wineries and vineyards so local wine is cheap and popular, among the higher classes of wines in the world the quality is so great, wines served at major parties and dinners associated with New Zealand are usually served with Hastings wine, including a dinner at the Queen's 80th Birthday. The towns water supply is pumped directly from the aquifer underneath the Heretaunga plains which the town is situated on. The only reason it doesn't receive an AA rating is because the council refuses to chlorinate the water as it is already crystal clear enough. This water is (obviously) used to produce the many different alcohols in the area.

 * Wholesale Liquor on Karamu Road, 410 Karamu St (opposite BP). Open until late (usually 11PM on Fridays, 10PM on other nights) it has the cheapest alcohol in town, possibly in all of Hawke's Bay. In fact on all significant nights the Mill Liquor Save beside it has no business while Wholesale's car park is full.
 * Wholesale Liquor on Karamu Road, 410 Karamu St (opposite BP). Open until late (usually 11PM on Fridays, 10PM on other nights) it has the cheapest alcohol in town, possibly in all of Hawke's Bay. In fact on all significant nights the Mill Liquor Save beside it has no business while Wholesale's car park is full.

Sleep
Hastings has lots of accommodation and motels. There are no upscale large chains operating in Hastings (i.e. The Hilton), but Hastings now has one international hotel, the Comfort Inn. Hastings does not use this as an excuse to be unwelcoming though and the range of independent small hotel operators are more welcoming and pleasant than one would expect from a large chain anyway. They offer a wide variety of accommodation experiences that can enhance your trip to Hastings. This is the best way to enjoy the Hastings atmosphere, as it immerses you in the rich culture of the people.

Go next
Hastings can be a base to explore the rest of Hawke's Bay. The city of Napier is close by and a trip to see the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers is an experience. For trendy shopping try Havelock North. Also try biking, hiking or driving to the top of Te Mata peak with stunning views all around the bay and to the central plateau, then hike, bike or hang-glide down the hill. Head south to Waipukurau.

title: Hastings (New Zealand)


text:
Hastings-on-Hudson

Hastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York.

By plane

 * Westchester County Airport, 240 Airport Road, White Plains, (airlines). The closest airport, about 25 minutes drive. Rental cars are available.
 * Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, . Another alternative to the congestion of the 3 major airports. Allegiant Air, American Eagle, and JetBlue operate flights from Florida and Philadelphia (Mar 2021).
 * Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport: The three major international airports in the New York City area offer service from just about anywhere. Westchester-based taxi and livery cars offer regular service to and from the three internationals from most areas of the county. New York City yellow cabs will take to you Westchester in a pinch, but the fares can be exorbitant. If staying in Westchester, ask if your hotel offers shuttle service. Rivertowns Taxi will pick you up from the airport for around $95-100.  Phone ahead to book.

By train

 * Metro-North Railroad - Hudson line. Express service between Hastings-on-Hudson station and New York City's Grand Central Terminal is about 25 minutes. Local rail service is available between other Metro-North commuter stations. Taxis are usually available at the arrival of trains from New York City. On all Metro-North trains on-board fares are subject to a stiff surcharge, so buy your tickets at the station or at the vending machines.
 * Amtrak. Long distance connections are available in New York City's Penn Station and at Metro-North's Yonkers and Croton-Harmon stations.

Hastings-on-Hudson is boat accessible.

By bus

 * Bee Line System. Westchester County's bus service provides access to White Plains and other locations in the county. Schedules and route maps are available on-line and at the Hastings-on-Hudson train station.

Get around

 * Rivertowns Taxi at 58 Main Street will get you from A to B, but it is easy and pleasurable to walk in and around Hastings and the other river towns of Dobbs Ferry and Irvington.
 * Around Town Taxi - . Fast and reliable serving the Rivertowns.

See

 * The Hudson River: This river can be seen from several parts of the town.
 * The Hudson River: This river can be seen from several parts of the town.
 * The Hudson River: This river can be seen from several parts of the town.

Stay safe
Dial 911 from any telephone for emergency police, medical, and fire services.

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

title: Hastings-on-Hudson


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Hatay

Hatay is a province in the southeastern part of Mediterranean Turkey, bordering Syria.

Cities

 * , also known as Antioch — the provincial capital is a riverside city with a great Archaeological Museum and is the hub for early Christian sites in the surrounding countryside
 * , also known as Alexandretta — the largest city of the province is a major Mediterranean port, with a pleasant palm-lined waterfront

Understand
Hatay is a geopolitical oddity: it is the only piece of land annexed by Turkey after its modern boundaries were defined in the Lausanne and Ankara Treaties of 1923 and 1926, respectively. From 1920, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I, the province came under French administration as part of the French Mandate of Syria and was then known as the Sandjak (county) of Alexandretta. However, a significant ethnic Turkish population remained. Perhaps in anticipation of Turkish support in the widely (and rightly) expected upcoming war, the French relinquished control in 1938 under Turkish pressure, and the area appeared on the maps as the independent State of Hatay, a name coined after the ancient Hittites by Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, to associate the area better with the Anatolian heartland — the Hittites had ruled the area for a long time, and the official stance of that time was that the new republic was the final form and the natural successor of a sequence of states founded in Anatolia, the Hittite Empire included. Following a plebiscite held the next year, it joined Turkey as Hatay Province. Since this happened before the Syrian independence in 1946, the Syrian government had no say in it and has refused to recognize this move to this day; the officially-sanctioned maps published in Syria continue to show Hatay as part of that country, often with dashed lines over the actual border implying some sort of "special administration". There's a local anecdote about how back in the day a Turkish shepherd had to cross the border in pursuit of his flock, and was detained by the Syrian authorities on illegal border crossing charges. He made his case that, per the official Syrian view, he was in Syria all the time, so couldn't be accused of any border crossing whatsoever, and was set free. (It might be just that he was on his lucky day, so don't ever try mimicking his experience.)

It's easy to point out Hatay on maps, even those zoomed out to show entire continents: due to its political history, Hatay is where the southern border of Turkey, which otherwise is roughly a line in an east-west direction, extends significantly southwards. The other geographical feature helpful in picking it out is that it's on the very northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, where the northern coast curves into the Middle Eastern shores stretching south (traditionally known as the Levant). So there are lots of beaches, mainly serving the locals, although the time-honoured centre, Antakya/Antioch, is inland.

Hatay takes pride in its multiculturalism: the native population is roughly divided in half between ethnic Turks and Arabs, the latter of whom in turn are divided into three main faith groups: Sunni Muslims, Alawites, and Eastern Orthodox Christians. The province is also home to Turkey's only remaining rural Armenian community (also one of the few anywhere outside Armenia), as well as a handful of Assyrians (Syriac Orthodox & Catholic) and Maronite Catholics (of Lebanese descent). Refugees from the ongoing Syrian Civil War are numbering up to a third of the native population. Therefore the local culture, cuisine in particular, forms a continuum between the rest of Turkey and the Middle East proper. There is also some architectural legacy from the French, particularly in Antakya and İskenderun.

Talk
Turkish is the dominant language throughout the province; locals often speak it with an accent. The Syrian dialect of Arabic is the native tongue for many, especially in the south.

By air
Domestic flights are available to Hatay Airport between Antakya and İskenderun, about 25 km north of the former and 45 km southeast of the latter. The nearest international airport is in Adana to the north.

By train
The only significant station within the province is in Iskenderun, which welcomes trains three times daily (morning, around noon, and evening) from Mersin via Tarsus and Adana.

By car
The main road connecting the province to the rest of Turkey is the toll motorway O-53. There are also secondary highways, some of which eventually reach the border posts on the Turkish-Syrian border.

By boat
The fast ferry services by HADO, affiliated with Hatay Metropolitan Municipality, from the port of Madenli south of İskenderun to Northern Cyprus were suspended after the earthquake; as of Jul 2023 there is no announced date for when they may resume. The ferry links with Israel and Egypt are geared towards trucks bypassing the conflicts in the Middle East and do not accept foot passengers.

Do
The bike path along the scenic coastal road from Arsuz to Çevlik is the longest uninterrupted cycle lane in Turkey.

Eat
Künefe is the most celebrated local treat — so much so that the building in which the national assembly of independent Hatay convened in Antakya housed a künefe speciality shop named Meclis ("parliament") for a time. This is the Hatay version of knafeh, a Middle Eastern dessert made of shredded pastry with a layer of cheese inside. Enjoy while still hot, when the cheese is melted into the rest of the ingredients.

Connect
The telephone code of the province is 326, which should be prefixed with 0 when calling from elsewhere in Turkey, or with +90 when calling from abroad.

Go next
With two border posts (with roads leading to either Aleppo or Latakia), Hatay is usually a jump-off for trips into Syria to the south and east (or was, before the civil war there began). The neighbouring Turkish regions of the Cilician Plains to the northwest and Southeastern Anatolia to the northeast share many cultural traits with Hatay.

title: Hatay


text:
Hateruma

Hateruma (波照間) is the southernmost populated island in Japan, and part of Okinawa's Yaeyama Islands.

Get in
Anei Kankō and Hateruma Kaiun together have four departures daily from Ishigaki harbor. If you buy a round-trip ticket, be sure to catch the same operator's boat on the way back. Travel time is 60 minutes.

Hateruma's airport is served by regular flights from Ishigaki (one roundtrip per day, restarted in Jan 2024).

Get around
There are no buses on Hateruma, so for trips beyond the village, rent a car, motorcycle, bicycle or moped. There are two places for car rentals: Hotel Oceans near the pier and Hoshi Rent-A-Car in the town center.

Drink
Hateruma's local specialty Awanami (泡波) makes its way from the distillery to the local stores only sporadically, and the islanders usually buy it all up within hours. So if you come across anything larger than the tiny 100 ml bottles, grab it.

title: Hateruma


text:
Hatfield

Hatfield is a town in the English county of Hertfordshire north of London. It is perhaps best known as the location of Hatfield House, an historic stately home with strong royal connections that include Queen Elizabeth I. It used to be the base of De Havilland Aircraft (which was taken over by British Aerospace), and it was at Hatfield that the Comet commercial jet airliner was produced. The former runway is now a commercial zone, with roads named after planes produced by De Havilland.

By road
The A1(M) built to motorway standards and runs under the Galleria centre. Come off at junction 3 (Hatfield University, A414) or junction 4 (Oldings Corner, A414) for the town centre, Hatfield House and the Galleria. The A414 goes to Hertford and Watford. The A1057 goes to St Albans. The A6129 goes to Welwyn Garden City. The A1000 goes to Potters Bar passing Brookmans Park.

By train
Services run by Great Northern operate to Hatfield station. Express services operating between London King's Cross and Cambridge call at Hatfield M-Sa every 30 minutes, Su every hour; these also serve Finsbury Park, Potters Bar Welwyn Garden City, and Stevenage. Stopping services also depart London Moorgate M-F every 20 minutes, Sa Su every 30 minutes, and call at a number of stations in North London, including Old Street, Highbury & Islington, and Finsbury Park.

By bus
Unō buses serve Hatfield from a number of London Underground and Overground stations:

 * 602 from Watford High Street, on the Overground line from Euston to Watford Junction;
 * 610 from Cockfosters, at the northern end of the Piccadilly line;
 * 614 from High Barnet, at the northern end of the Northern line;
 * 644 from Edgware, at the north-western end of the Northern line.

Pay by cash or contactless. Fares are not integrated with TfL, so you can't pay by Oyster and the zones don't apply.

Get around
Unō Buses which are operated by the university (they are pink and purple) serve the area and local community.

Just outside Hatfield

 * to the towards St Albans.

Go next
Interesting places nearby include Ayot St Lawrence, the former home of George Bernard Shaw.
 * To the north Welwyn Garden City, along the A1000.
 * To the east Hertford, the county town of Hertfordshire,  along the A414.
 * To the south Brookmans Park, along the A1000.
 * To the west St Albans, along the A414 or cycling/walking the Alban Way.

title: Hatfield


text:
Ha Tien

Ha Tien is a seaside town in Kien Giang Province in Southern Vietnam. It is at the west end of the Mekong Delta close to the Cambodian border. Although a tourist spot, it doesn't see many western visitors due to its remoteness.

By bus

There are buses from Ho Chi Minh City's Mien Tay terminal; Futa Buslines and Kumpho Samco Buslines operates modern coaches leaving HCMC regularly 06:30–23:00 (170,000 dong). The journey takes about 8 hours.

There are also buses from Can Tho and Chau Doc. The connection from Can Tho often requires a change in Rach Soi or Rach Gia from where it is about 1 hr.

From Cambodia
From Phnom Penh Champa Mekong Travel serves Ha Tien (US$12). The journey take 4½–6 hr. You will be required to change 3 buses (in Kampot and after the border crossing, the last two buses will be without air conditioning).

From Kampot you can take a bus or minibus to Ha Tien. Champa Mekonk runs Buses at 10:30, 13:30 and a later bus (US$8). On the Vietnamese site another minivan will wait for you to bring you to the office of the travel agency in Ha Tien just in the middle of the town center.

Whenever travelling the whole way to Ha Tien by bus (as in the latter two cases), the driver or a guy from the company will collect your passport before border crossing and do the process at both borders for you. He will carry it until all procedures end.

People that travel on their own may pass the border more quickly. It may make more sense to travel using local transport and tuk-tuks. To get to the border from Cambodia you can also ride a bus or van or hire a motorbike taxi from Kampot (US$8), Kep (US$5), or Kampong Trach (US$5). The road can vary in condition from paved and bumpy to packed dirt and bumpy, be prepared for a slightly white-knuckled ride depending on the daring nature of your driver and the road can also be very dusty in the dry season. Also, be aware that there seem to be Vietnamese drivers now waiting well inside the Cambodian side waiting to pickup (poach) prospective travellers to take them across the border into town. Your driver may stop here to talk with them and seem to suggest you go with them. A ride to town should be US$3-4 or less — it is only 7 km and the road is well paved on the Vietnamese side. If you can't agree on a price there, you can simply have your Cambodian driver take you to the border where you can cross over and have the drivers on the other side fight over you.

Get around
The centre of town is easily walkable with Tran Hau the main commercial street running along the seaside between the big bridge for road traffic (Cau To Chau) and the former pontoon bridge for pedestrians (Cau Phao, removed in early 2007).

Moto drivers are found at various strategic points all over town. Any journey in town is no more than 20,000 dong, e.g., to the ferry port, or bus station. To the border, 40–50,000 dong.

There are also two main metered taxi companies, the omnipresent Mai Linh, and Ha Tien Development Corp.

It is possible to rent motorbikes by the day (approximately US$6) or pedal cycles (approximately US$2) at several locations in town.

See
Get one of the tourist maps where the locations of the cave temples are indicated.

 * Chua Tam Bao is probably the best of the temples
 * Chua Giai Thoat
 * Tinh Xa Ngoc Ho

Plenty of small hidden Chinese temples, scattered all over town, often down small back streets. The Mac Cuu Family tombs, set on a sprawling hillside at the end of Mac Cuu Street. At the border with Cambodia (actually in Cambodia) are 6 casinos. Only one sizable one, the others smaller gambling dens featuring mainly Chinese games.

Beaches
Mui Nai is a seaside resort that has a tiny but sandy beach on offer (2,000 dong entrance fee).

Do

 * A nice and easy bicycle ride can be done by first going to Mui Nai then continuing along the Cambodian border until finally ending up in Ha Tien again. On the way there's a barrel-shaped hill with a temple inside (entrance: 2,000 dong).

Buy
There are several large markets in Ha Tien on the riverfront. Near the road bridge over the Dong Ho inlet is the fish, meat, and fruit market and also a large new covered market for clothes and household goods. In the evening there is a large night market, which springs up around the old market hall. This is in Tuan Phu Dat, which is opposite the Ha Tien floating restaurant on the Dong Ho inlet. Very cheap good quality clothing, also souvenirs and costume jewellery. Some food stalls in the old market hall also.

Eat

 * There's a cheap and delicious eatery (around 20,000 dong/dish) on 47 Mach Thien Tich halfway between Chi Lang and Mach Cuu. Look for the two woks on the sidewalk. An English menu is available. Try the stir fried squid with cucumber. Dinner only.
 * Along the waterway on Tran Hau there are numerous open air eateries serving various fresh seafood every night. Squid, snails, and other seafood/shellfish available here.
 * Pho 66 is a recommended pho place on the east side of town on To Chau just south of Chi Lang.

Sleep
There is no shortage of options for accommodation in this town. It seems that every other building is either a Khach San (hotel) or a Phong Tro (a place that has rooms to rent). The epicentre of sleeping options can be considered the area delimited by Tran Hau, Mach Thien Tich, and Chi Lang Streets.

Bao Tam near the central market has air-con/hot water rooms/TV for 170,000 dong. Very clean.

 * Hai Yen, 15 To Chau, has probably the best rooms in town for the price. The superior rooms (200,000 dong) are huge, have balcony and a good view onto Dam Dong Ho (the bay). From 150,000 dong.
 * Viet Toan, 74 Chi Lang, is one of the best budget places. The staff is very friendly and one of them even speaks some English. The rooms are decent and come with TV (lucky if you get anything in English though), fridge, private bathroom and fan or air-con. In 2017 the price for a fan room was 150,000 dong.

Cambodia
Crossing the border into Cambodia: as of May 2024, online e-Visas is not accepted at Prek Chak International Border Check Point, so you will have to pay US$35, for an on-arrival visa. Visa touts will ask for US$38 to expedite the process but it's no faster as you will still need to x-ray baggage and scan fingerprint at passport stamping booth. The health official next door may ask you for a US$1 fee, but again, just keep saying that you know there is no fee and he will also back down.

Travel agencies in Ha Tien including ones right by Ha Tien ferry port, can arrange minibus to Kampot for US$19. Process: Vietnam minivan takes you to Prek Chak border at which point you cross the border on foot, then on Cambodian side you switch to a Cambodian minivan the continue the journey, ending at Champa Mekong Travel and Tours agency on street 724 Kampot.

In Cambodia the most accessible places are:
 * Kep, Cambodia is the first town over the border in Cambodia. The quickest and easiest way to get there is by motorbike. It shouldn't cost more than US$6-7 to hire a motorbike that will take you to the border crossing, wait for you to get the paperwork and stamps, and then deliver you to the guesthouse of your choice in Kep; this will take about 1½ hours in total. The motorbike guy may try to take you to certain guesthouses where they get a commission. The other way to get to Kep is via minivan; you can buy the ticket at the Tourist Agency opposite Ha Tiên Mekong Travel (The street opposite the floating restaurant, alongside the Old Market Hall-which is now a mini-supermarket) for US$9 per person (Jan 2020). The minivan departs at 12:00 every day.
 * Kampot: it takes around 2 hours via motorbike. You can take a minivan - you can buy the ticket at the Tourist Agency at "Oasis Bar" for US$12 per person. The minivan departs at 12:00 every day. or Vintrip agency by the port.
 * Phnom Penh: to get here by bus will require one change of vehicle in Cambodia.

Vietnam

 * Phu Quoc — Ha Tien is one of the two ports that serve this island along with Rach Gia. Two ferry companies serve this route, Superdong and Phu Quoc Express which have about 6 departures daily, trip taking 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min, cost about 230,000 dong, arriving on Bai Vong port on Phu Quoc, at which point there are free electric buses going to the town (Duong Dong or Dương Đông). A large car ferry takes slightly longer than the small fast ferries, and berths in Phu Quoc in the NE corner. Costs 165,000 dong and 100,000 dong for a motorcycle. The boats are reasonably modern fast ferries.
 * Can Tho — The fare to Can Tho is 180,000 dong, distance 210 km.
 * Ho Chi Minh City — Kumpho Samco Buslines has frequent coaches going to Ho Chi Minh City (170,000 dong)

title: Ha Tien


text:
Hat Lek

Hat Lek (also spelt Haad Lek, Had Lek, Hadlek, Hatlek) is the location of the southern-most border crossing between Thailand and Cambodia. Its Cambodian counterpart is Cham Yeam, about 8 km from Koh Kong.

Hat Lek is the name of the border. The only things here are a few shacks selling food and drinks and possibly a guesthouse. If you're desperate for a break from border hassles, head 15 km further to Ban Khlong Yai, which has nice seafood but no beach.

Get in
The nearest decently connected Thai town is Trat 60 km away. Chantaburi, a major hub, is a further 50 km (1 hour) from Trat.

Minibuses connect the border with Trat, departing every 45 minutes between 06:00 and 18:00, taking between 1.5 and 2 hours, 140 baht (Dec. 2022). Minibuses need to have minimum 8 passengers before departure. A cheaper and more breezy option involves songthaews (pickup trucks that act as local buses). However, the journey to or from Trat may involve changing between songthaews in Ban Khlong Yai (80 baht), to another songthaews the remaining 15 km to the border (20 baht). Songthaew price rigging at the border on may put you off, with some unsavoury-looking character inflating the price and taking a cut from the fare before passing on a fraction of your money to the driver. If such an arrangement upsets you, head away from the immediate border area and try to negotiate directly with a passing driver.

There are also more sinister overpriced transport scams at the border if entering from Cambodia. Transfers to Trat costing 1,400 baht have been forced upon some unfortunate travellers. If someone prevents you from taking either a minibus or songthaew, walk away. If they persist, head away from the immediate border area, head up the hill for about 150 m to the police checkpoint and then pick up a songthaew or minibus from there.

From Bangkok
Buses serving Trat depart from either the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) or the Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit). Day-time direct 1st class buses from Ekamai (~240 baht) average a bit more than 5 hours, while the less frequent services from Mo Chit take a little less; late-night services are quicker still. While most 2nd class buses (188 baht, air-con) take a bit longer as they may make more stops and use slower and less direct routes. The midnight departure from Ekamai takes only 4.5 hours.

Do
Head across the border to Koh Kong, 8 km away. The border opens at 06:00 and closes at 22:00. The ferry to Sihanoukville from Koh Kong no longer runs. Onward travel from Koh Kong to Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh is by full-sized air conditioned bus which leaves from Street 3 at around 08:00 daily.

Daily transport runs between Ko Chang, Trat, and Hat Lek. 23/9 Moo 4 Klong Prao, Ko Chang, Trat. Tel: +66 81-7734221

See also the visa section of the Cambodia article

Buy
There are ATMs dispensing baht. Money changers abound.

title: Hat Lek


text:
Hatra

Hatra is a ruin in Northwestern Iraq. It has suffered damage at the hands of ISIS, though most of the buildings are reportedly still intact.

Get in
The city is 290 km northwest of Baghdad, and 110 km southwest of Mosul.

See
Most of these sites were looted by ISIS. It is unclear what remains of them.

 * Temple of Mrn
 * The Grand Temple
 * Walls of Hatra

Sleep
At the time of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq there was one inn, the Al Hadr Hotel, about from the Hatra ruins. Much has happened since then. Due to Hatra's isolated location, do not assume lodging to be available – the next city of any size may well be more than a hundred kilometres/miles away.

Stay safe
See the warning on the Syria article for information on the security situation.

title: Hatra


text:
Hatsukaichi

Hatsukaichi (廿日市) is a city in Hiroshima prefecture.

Tourist information sites

 * The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.
 * The city government has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated machine translation.

See

 * Itsukushima Shrine - a
 * Miyao Castle ruins
 * Marine Plaza Miyajima
 * Miyajima Natural Botanical Garden

Go next

 * Hiroshima
 * Otake
 * Iwakuni
 * Akiota
 * Yanai
 * Hirao
 * Kumano
 * Kaita

title: Hatsukaichi


text:
Hatta

Hatta is a town that is an exclave of the Emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located in the foothills of the Hajar Mountains. It is about an hour from Dubai. It is separated from the main part of the emirate by territory belonging to Sharjah (which is also part of the UAE), and Oman.

Hatta is best known as a heritage village.

Get in
About one hour by car, taxi or bus from Dubai –.

Get around
Local taxis are available around the clock for customer convenience although usually transportation can be provided through the hotel, depending on where you stay.

title: Hatta


text:
Hatteras

Hatteras is a village along the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

By car
From the north, take NC Highway 12 from Nags Head and follow it south. Hatteras Village will be the last village on Hatteras Island.

From Ocracoke Village, drive north on NC Highway 12 and take the ferry to Hatteras. When you disembark from the ferry you will be in Hatteras Village.

Get around
A car is best for getting from village to village, though a bicycle is fine for getting around within a village. There's no public transportation.

Do
Hatteras sits at the southern tip of Hatteras Island with the Atlantic Ocean to its south and the Pamlico Sound to its north. It's a great place for those who want to fish, surf, wander along the beach, or just sit and relax to the sound of the waves. Public access to the beaches are available at several locations including:

title: Hatteras


text:
Hattiesburg

Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, in the Gulf Coast region of Mississippi. It is best known for being the home of the University of Southern Mississippi.

By plane

The closest full service airports are in Gulfport about 1 hour 20 min on US-49, Jackson  about 1½ hours on US-49, Mobile  about 2 hours on US-98, and New Orleans  about 1 hour 45 min on I-59.

By car
Hattiesburg is at the midpoint of Interstate 59 that connects New Orleans and Meridian. Other major highways include US Route 49 to Jackson and Gulfport and US Route 98 to Mobile, Alabama.

By train
Amtrak serves Hattiesburg daily with the Crescent train between New York City and New Orleans.

Get around
Public transportation in Hattiesburg is largely undeveloped. The best way to get around is by car.

By bus
Hub City Transit  provides four fixed bus routes in the downtown area around the Amtrak station. Buses run every hour between 6AM and 6:30PM. The fare is 50 cents for adults, 25 cents for senior citizens and children 5 years to high school age. Route 1 travels between the Amtrak station and the hotels near I-59 and Hardy St. This bus stops at the University of Southern Mississippi and many restaurants along Hardy Street.

See
Historic Downtown Hattiesburg Come to downtown to enjoy the classic architecture. Many small cafes and restaurants, many have great lunch specials. There are several shops along front street. Try the depot coffee shop for great coffee in a great atmosphere, right across the street from the Historic Train Depot.

Do

 * Hattiesburg is the home of the University of Southern Mississippi with a vibrant campus that is home to approximately 16,000 students. The university offers doctoral programs and has extensive research programs, as well as offering undergraduate degree programs, plus has a rose garden. William Carey University has approximately 4,000 undergraduate students in a leafy campus just down Highway 49 from USM. Both universities offer sporting events and campus tours upon request.
 * Golf Hattiesburg is home to some of the finest golf courses of the South, and most of them are public. The Hattiesburg Country Club generally has the best facilities for short-term visitors.
 * Golf Hattiesburg is home to some of the finest golf courses of the South, and most of them are public. The Hattiesburg Country Club generally has the best facilities for short-term visitors.
 * Golf Hattiesburg is home to some of the finest golf courses of the South, and most of them are public. The Hattiesburg Country Club generally has the best facilities for short-term visitors.
 * Golf Hattiesburg is home to some of the finest golf courses of the South, and most of them are public. The Hattiesburg Country Club generally has the best facilities for short-term visitors.

Eat

 * Donanelle's, 4321 49 South. Steaks,Ribs,and Yellow-Fin Tuna. Great Atmosphere.
 * Donanelle's, 4321 49 South. Steaks,Ribs,and Yellow-Fin Tuna. Great Atmosphere.
 * Donanelle's, 4321 49 South. Steaks,Ribs,and Yellow-Fin Tuna. Great Atmosphere.
 * Donanelle's, 4321 49 South. Steaks,Ribs,and Yellow-Fin Tuna. Great Atmosphere.
 * Donanelle's, 4321 49 South. Steaks,Ribs,and Yellow-Fin Tuna. Great Atmosphere.

title: Hattiesburg


text:
Hat Yai

Hat Yai (หาดใหญ่; also Hatyai, Had Yai, Haad Yai) is the fifth largest city in Thailand, the largest city in southern Thailand, and is in Songkhla Province on the Southern Gulf Coast. It's a popular tourist spot for Singaporeans, Indonesians, and especially Malaysians, as well as for Thais from neighbouring provinces. It's best avoided if you are looking to get off the beaten path. Prices are relatively high in tourist areas. This place has comparatively few Western visitors. The city can be a stop for tourists on a journey to Southern Thailand's beaches and islands (such as Ko Lipe), or further south to Malaysia and Singapore.

Understand
Hat Yai used to be a small village known as Khok Sa-Met Choon. Its population has been growing since the railway station was built in 1924, which made it an important rail junction between southern Thailand and Malaysia.

Today, Hat Yai is the biggest city in southern Thailand. The population is around 157,000 in the city in 2019, and over 400,000 in the whole Hat Yai District. Hat Yai is bigger than the provincial capital of Mueang Songkhla, which is unusual for a Thai province. This means that Hat Yai is often mistaken as the capital of Songkhla province. It is 60 km from the Thailand-Malaysia border at Dannok and Padang Besar in Sadao district. Hat Yai has become a centre for business, education, transportation, tourism, and shopping in south Thailand due to the well-established connections by road, rail, and air. The city has been a melange of Thais, Chinese, and Malays for generations. Trade, manufacturing, and tourism contribute much to the city's economic prosperity.

The Southern Thai dialect is prominent, although Central Thai is used in offices and schools. Many older Thai-Chinese can speak a Chinese dialect called Teochew, while the Pattani Malay dialect, which is similar to the dialect of Malay spoken in Kelantan, is spoken by many of the ethnic Malays. English is spoken by some younger people.

Climate
It is either dry or wet season in Hat Yai. The dry season is from January to April, which is the hottest month of the year, and wet season is from May to December. Major flooding occasionally occurs in November or December.

Tourist information centre
You can pick up Hat Yai maps and brochures at the

There is a separate Tourist Assistance Centre at the corner of Odean Shopping Mall.

By plane

 * Taxis to the city can be found at the airport entrance. Drivers will ask around 250 baht. You also can use the airport limo service which costs 300 baht. Blue coloured songthaews run into town for 55 baht and can be found at the far end of the parking lot. The last songthaew leaves the airport at 18:00. There is a regular pink-coloured bus going to the city which they call a minivan (50 baht). When you leave the airport the ticket counter will be on the right near taxi counters. You can recognize it by a pink sign. The bus stop is right after the exit. It takes around 1 hour 15 minutes for the bus to reach the main bus station in Hat Yai so plan ahead if making a connection.
 * The currency exchange booth (Siam Commercial Bank) is on the first floor near the arrival hall, open daily 09:00-18:00. The staff of the limo/minibus booth will exchange ringgits or US dollars for you (or accept them for their service), but at a disadvantageous exchange rate.

 * Domestic flights: There are daily flights from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport by Thai Airways (operated by Thai Smile) and Thai VietJet. Hat Yai is also connected daily to Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport , by Nok Air, Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air. Thai AirAsia flies from Chiang Mai  and Kuala Lumpur . Thai Lion Air flies from Udon Thani . Bangkok Airways has a route from Phuket.

 * International flights: AirAsia operates daily flights from Kuala Lumpur . Scoot operates services from Singapore.

By train

 * From Bangkok: Five trains run daily from Bangkok. Inbound "Express" trains depart Bangkok at 14:45, 15:10, and 22:50 while the slower "Rapid" trains depart at 13:00 and 15:35. Outbound Express trains depart Hat Yai at 16:23, 18:10, and 18:45 while Rapid trains depart at 14:45 and 15:39. Trains go via Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Hua Hin, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phatthalung.
 * From Bangkok: Five trains run daily from Bangkok. Inbound "Express" trains depart Bangkok at 14:45, 15:10, and 22:50 while the slower "Rapid" trains depart at 13:00 and 15:35. Outbound Express trains depart Hat Yai at 16:23, 18:10, and 18:45 while Rapid trains depart at 14:45 and 15:39. Trains go via Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Hua Hin, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phatthalung.

 * A 3rd class ticket with reserved, upholstered seat sets you back 259 baht (Hat Yai-Bangkok) on "Rapid" trains and 339 baht for "Express" trains. A ticket for the 2nd class fan upper sleeper on the Rapid trains cost 605 baht. Upper sleeper beds are always slightly cheaper because they do not have a window. The 2nd class air-conditioned sleeper costs 825/1105 baht (upper/lower), 1st class air-conditioned sleeper costs 1794 baht. Buy tickets at the railway station. Surcharges are imposed if bought at travel agents or online.

 * From Sungai Kolok: Six trains run daily from Sungai Kolok. Inbound "Express" train from Sungai Kolok departs there at 14:20, "Rapid" trains at 11:30 and 14:55, and local trains at 06:30, 08:55, and 12:25. Outbound "Express" train departs Hat Yai at 07:35, "Rapid" trains at 06:30 and 06:45, and local trains at 07:55, 10:18, 13:12.
 * From Yala: Nine trains run daily from Yala. Inbound "Express" trains from Yala depart there at 14:55 and 16:09, "Rapid" trains at 12:35, 13:26 and 16:37, and local trains at 06:35, 08:28, 11:22, and 14:32. Outbound "Express" train departs Hat Yai at 07:35 and 12:50, "Rapid" trains at 06:30, 06:45, and 09:30, and local trains at 07:55, 10:18, 13:12, and 14:33.
 * From Malaysia: Train service between Hat Yai and Butterworth is frequent, punctual, and comfortable. Travel time is 4-5 hours including waiting time at the border and costs less than US$5 (200 baht or RM20) in total.

KTMB (Malaysian Railways) operates Komuter trains between Padang Besar and Butterworth, and ETS trains further south to Kuala Lumpur to Gemas. Komuter trains are non-reserved, air-conditioned trains with no toilet. Travel time is one hour 51 minutes and costs RM11.40 (approx 90 baht) for the 158 kilometres to Butterworth. ETS Gold/Platinum trains have all-reserved seating and travel up to 160 km/h. Refer to KTMB Berhad for ETS train booking, and KTM Jadual Train site for Komuter train schedule.

The new shuttle service began operating between Hat Yai and Padang Besar using Thai diesel A/C trains to connect with Malaysian ETS trains. The journey takes about 1 hour and costs 80 baht. The outbound trains leave Hat Yai twice daily at 07:30 and 13:05, and the inbound trains leave Padang Besar at 08:55 and 14:40 (Thai time). The ticket for these trains are sold one hour before departure and cannot be reserved advance, but don't worry they never sell out the ticket. For up-to date schedule refer to The State Railway of Thailand.

There is also one direct train from Bangkok. Special Express train number 46 leaves Padang Besar at 18:00 (Malaysian time) and arrives Bangkok at a 10:10 (Thai time), and train 45 leaves Bangkok at 15:10 (Thai time) and arrives at Padang Besar at 9:53 (Malaysian time). This train is only with second class A/C berth and costs 960/760 baht lower/upper berth. If you are in Malaysia it is advisable to book this train on-line directly at SRT website as KTMB (Malaysian railways) does not sell ticket for this train. It would be very expensive if you take this train just to Hat Yai (approx. 400 baht) as you need to buy a berth ticket.

Both Thai and Malaysian immigration inside the train station open one hour before departure of Thai trains.

Malaysian time is one hour ahead of Thai time (e.g. 12:00 in Thailand is 13:00 in Malaysia). When connecting trains in Padang Besar, be sure to check the departure time is in Malaysian or Thai. There is also no ATM or official currency exchange in Padang Besar station. It is advised to exchange enough money to buy the onward ticket before heading there.

If twice daily shuttle train to/from Hat Yai does not fit your schedule, take a local bus from clock tower in Hat Yai central (departs every hour on hour) or a minivan (departs when full) from Hat Yai bus terminal. It costs 43/50 baht and travel time is 1-1½ hour depending on traffic. The bus stops in front of Thai immigration complex, and you have to walk to the Malaysian immigration complex 600 m away. Mototaxis touts you for 100 baht/RM12 for the very short ride.

By car
Many Malaysians and Singaporeans drive to Hat Yai in their own vehicles. Like Malaysia and Singapore, Thailand drives on the left. Starting from immigration at Dannok, take Rte 4 straight to Hat Yai (60 km).

Parking in business areas such as Niphat Uthit Rd during office hours is not free. An officer in khaki uniform will give you a small ticket once you pay for the time-based fee (5 baht/hour). Be prepared with small change.

Petrol in Thailand is significantly more expensive than in Malaysia. Big petrol stations also function as rest stops, with minimarts, coffee shops, and food courts.

By bus and minivan
Buses go to all major towns in south Thailand and up to Bangkok. Depending on the route, different classes of bus are available. These range from local orange coloured buses without air conditioning to luxurious 24-seat coaches with toilets and reclining seats.

Buy tickets only from ticket counters. Do not allow yourself to be directed to agencies by touts (this includes tuk-tuk drivers in the bus station). You will pay more and most likely get a later time.

Minivans connect with all major locations in south Thailand from Hat Yai. Where they depart from depends on the destination, but the locals will be able to point you in the right direction. They are generally cheap and quicker than the buses but often overcrowded thus making them uncomfortable and dangerous.

From Bangkok
Air-con buses by The Transport Co. Ltd. (บริษัทขนส่งจำกัด (บขส), baw-kaw-saw) run between Bangkok's southern bus terminal (สายใต้, Sai Tai) and Hat Yai bus terminal daily. The distance is ~954 km and normally takes 12 hours.

 * 24 seat VIP bus (พิเศษ, phiset) costs 1,070 baht, departs from Bangkok at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, and 20:00. For the return, the departure is at 16:00, 17:00, and 18:00.
 * 32 seat Class 1 bus (ม1พ) costs 828 baht, departs from Bangkok and Hat Yai at 17:30.
 * 47 seat Class 2 bus (ม2) departs from Bangkok at 07:00, 17:00, and 21:45. Departs Hat Yai at 08:00, 15:30, and 17:00 for 535 baht.

Other scheduled, inter-provincial buses serve Hat Yai: Surat Thani, Phuket, Satun, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Krabi.

The bus to Songkhla goes past the clock tower along Phetkasem Rd (ถนนเพชรเกษม), at the intersection close to Montri 1 Rd (ถนนมนตรี 1).

From Malaysia

 * Kuala Lumpur: There are several Malaysian bus companies that go to KL, you can get tickets either at tour agents or from the bus company shop. Cost of ticket varies depending on company and time of departure. It's a 10-hour journey if you factor in waiting at immigration, a meal stop, and traffic when you arrive in Kuala Lumpur.

 * Penang: Scheduled air-conditioned minivans connect Hat Yai to Penang in Malaysia. There is no standard price, different agencies quote prices between 400 baht and 650 baht. Cathay Guesthouse, which is not far from train station, has probably the best rate set at 400 baht. Agencies near the bus terminal usually ask for 450-500 baht. Minivan times to Penang are 09:30, 12:30 and 15:30. Journey takes about 4-5 hours, depending on time spent at Sadao border.
 * Penang: Scheduled air-conditioned minivans connect Hat Yai to Penang in Malaysia. There is no standard price, different agencies quote prices between 400 baht and 650 baht. Cathay Guesthouse, which is not far from train station, has probably the best rate set at 400 baht. Agencies near the bus terminal usually ask for 450-500 baht. Minivan times to Penang are 09:30, 12:30 and 15:30. Journey takes about 4-5 hours, depending on time spent at Sadao border.

 * Minivans leave hourly during daylight on the full hour from Georgetown's Lebuh Chulia (Parking Lot of E & A Hotel) The fare is RM35-40, advance booking is recommended.

 * Ipoh: There is a daily bus from Ipoh at 12:30 going to Hat Yai, departing from the long-distance bus terminal. Cost: RM45.

Border crossings
There are three border crossings to choose from, all easily accessible from Hat Yai.

 * Dannok: Vans run from Hat Yai right up to the Thai immigration complex in Dannok in Sadao district. Journey time is about one hour and the fare is 55 baht. Vans leave Dannok in front of the 7-Eleven store on the left side of the street after leaving the immigration complex. The distance between the Thai and Malaysian immigration checkpoints is about 1 km, quite a distance to walk in the heat. You can take a motorcycle taxi between them. Bus and minivan to the border stop running around 18:00, so ask if there will be a return before boarding.
 * Padang Besar: Regular local buses (43 baht) depart from Hat Yai centre in front of clock tower, and minivans (50 baht) depart from Hat Yai's bus terminal for Padang Besar (only to the Thai side). Journey time is about 1½ hour. If you are crossing to Malaysia immediately, ask to be dropped off right at the gates of the Thai immigration complex before your enter town. If you are coming out from the immigration complex, just cross the road and wait for a bus or minivan beside the pedestrian overpass. Ignore touts insisting to take you to the bus stop in the town centre for 100 baht or so. Red local bus heading to the Hat Yai centre will stop at bus terminal and train station (but not on the other way leaving from Hat Yai centre).
 * Sungai Kolok: A minibus runs from Hat Yai bus terminal right up to the Thai immigration complex in Sungai Kolok by passing through the provinces Pattani and Narathiwat in about 4 hours for 180 baht. When considering this option, consult local advice on current security threats. Many travel advisories caution that this an area to avoid however violence as of October 2022 has completely died down.

From Singapore
There is a bus from Hat Yai at 13:00 arriving in Singapore at 05:00 on the day after. The cost is 900 baht leaving from Davis Tour in Hat Yai. However you can buy the ticket at easybook.com and redbus.my for MR85 (cheaper than in Davis Tour).

Get around
The city centre itself is quite compact and covers three parallel roads: Nipatuthit (นิพัทธ์อุทิศ) 1, 2 and 3 Rd, colloquially called Soi Nueng (ซอยหนี่ง, lit. "road one"), Soi Song (ซอยสอง, lit. "road two") and Soi Saam (ซอยสาม, lit. "road three"). It is practical to get around on foot, but getting to most attractions will require some kind of transportation.

By tuk-tuk or motorbike taxi
Tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis are abundant in Hat Yai. Fares should be negotiated beforehand and often can be overpriced, so haggle if possible. They are available from any hotel. A ride within the city costs 20-60 baht. Ask the person at reception to write down the Thai address for you and show it to the driver. Rides to places outside the town are negotiable. Shared taxis going outside town can be found at the old market.

By metered taxi
Metered taxi (known as "taxi meter") is a good option if you want air conditioner and don't like to haggle with tuk-tuks.

By songthaew

A Songthaew (สองแถว, lit. "two rows") is a modified light truck where passengers sit on benches in the covered tray area. Just like elsewhere in Thailand, they have fixed routes and fares, and can be stopped at any point along the route by pressing the buzzer. The routes are colour-coded and written on the vehicle in Thai.

 * Blue songthaew runs from Hat Yai International Airport, passing Tesco Lotus 2 (Hat Yai Nai), Hat Yai Minivan Station (Talat Kaset), the intersection near Kim Yong Market, the clock tower, the fountain roundabout, Big C Extra (Carrefour), Kho Hong T-junction (the road to Hat Yai Park), Tesco Lotus 1 (opposite Prince of Songkla University), Green Way Market, ASEAN Trade Market, ends at Hat Yai Bus Station, and runs the same route back to the airport. 10-30 baht.
 * Red/Maroon songthaew numbered 33 runs between the Bus Station and Koh Me, passing Diana, Kim Yong Market, the Clock Tower, BigC Extra (former Carrefour), Hatyai Park. Make sure it's numbered 33 since there are similarly-colored songthaews with different routes. The service ends around 18:00. 10 baht flat rate.
 * White songthaew runs between Hat Yai Nai - Hatyai Park - Kuan Lang, passing along the route Kim Yong Market, the Clock Tower, Big C Extra (Carrefour). 10 baht flat rate.

By car or motorbike

 * Car rental is available at the airport from Avis, Budget, and Master Car Rental (Sixt).
 * The Cathay Guesthouse rents motorbikes starting at 200 baht/day for semi-automatics. Malay and English spoken.
 * There's a place close to the Genting Hotel about 2 km east of the train station that rents motorbikes..
 * You can rent a motorbike or a scooter in some repair shops. For example, there is one at 47, Nipatuthit 1 Rd with an English-speaking owner who charges 250 baht per day. . Your passport will be needed as a deposit.

See

Outside the city

Learn

Buy
There are many Thai banks around the city, as well as Chinese money changers. Exchange rates from the latter for Malaysian ringgits may be significantly better than in the banks.

ATMs are abundant in Hat Yai, although most of them, as everywhere in Thailand, charge a 220-baht fee for foreign card transactions. Western Union can be found at Central Department Store's underground floor and on the 3rd fl. of CentralFestival.

Minimarts such as 7-Eleven are ubiquitous and open 24 hours. Good for a quick meal, stocking up food and personal items. Or head to Tops Market for more high-end groceries at Robinson Department Store, Central Department Store, or CentralFestival.

A variety of English-language books (travel guides, fiction, children's, cookery, Thailand interest) can be purchased at Asia Books shop inside the B2S on the second floor of CentralFestival.

Eat

Although not in the same league as Bangkok, there are a lot of different food options on offer in Hat Yai. Typical Thai street food is abundant. Big international chain restaurants have branches in town offering Japanese and Western food.

Restaurant chains are located mostly in shopping malls. International restaurant chains such as KFC, McDonald's, Sizzler, Pizza Hut, Dunkin' Donuts, Mister Donut, Swensen's, Dairy Queen, Starbucks. Local restaurant chains such as MK Restaurant (Thai-style sukiyaki), S&P, Black Canyon Coffee, Chester's Grill, The Pizza Company, Fuji Restaurant, Shabushi, Oishi Ramen. Food courts are also available in most of the shopping malls.

Owing to the ethnic diversity, you can find Thai, Chinese, and Malay (Muslim) food available throughout the city. Most restaurants offer a variety of Thai, Chinese and/or Western fusion cuisine.

Ethnic Chinese from Malaysia and Singapore make up the bulk of Hat Yai's tourists so many restaurants and hotels cater primarily to them. Just opposite Lee Gardens (next to the Regency Hotel) you will see a restaurant which spit-roasts suckling pigs every day. Large, open-air seafood restaurants are also popular with Chinese visitors and the quality of seafood available in Hat Yai is good. Some Chinese are vegetarians and the town has a good selection of small vegetarian restaurants that offer tofu and soy meat substitutes.

There is a large resident Muslim population and some visitors from Malaysia are also Muslim so finding halal food isn't a problem.

Food hawkers can be found all over the city. Some stay open until very late at night. Grabbing a bite in late night is not uncommon. A spot for a variety of night hawkers is at Suphasarnrangsan Rd around Wat Cheu Chang near Kim Yong Market. Other places are such as at Tanrattanakorn Rd called Talad Mai (ตลาดใหม่) and at Thung Sao 1 Rd. There are also a number of small roadside places to eat on Nipha Phakdi alley behind the Florida hotel.

A typical meal for one can start at as low as 50 baht for street food, 80 baht in general restaurants, and 120 baht in more upscale restaurants.

Japanese
There are lots of Japanese restaurants on the 4th floor of CentralFestival.

Sleep
Travel agents around town can nearly always give better rates for hotel rooms compared to dealing directly with the hotel. Hat Yai has an abundance of accommodation. Tourism in Hat Yai consists mainly of the weekend trade from Malaysia and Singapore. Accommodation can be found very easily mid-week but hotels in the centre of town tend to get booked up for the weekends and Malaysian and Singaporean public holidays. In the budget hotel you may well be asked if you want company. A shake of the head is all that is needed (up or down or from side-to-side is up to you). Don't be put off by the hotel because of it.

Stay safe
A series of bombings from 2006 to 2012 that specifically targeted restaurants and shopping centres popular with visitors (and locals) killed two tourists. Strict security measures (bag searches, metal detectors) are to be expected in most gathering places. As of October 2022 the town is no more dangerous than any other major city in Thailand.

To check water level during monsoon season, visit Hatyai City Climate. For air quality, visit Air4Thai.

Telephone
Hat Yai's area code is 074. To make a call to anywhere in Thailand, always add a preceding "0" to the fixed line/mobile number. For example, +66 74 123456 will be dialled locally as 074 123456.

The major telephone service providers are AIS, DTAC, and TrueMove. Thai prepaid SIM cards can be purchased in minimarts, mobile retailer shops, or telco service centers, all of which can be found on CentralFestival's 3rd floor. Domestic calls usually cost only about 1 baht/min depending on your prepaid plan.

Cope
The Chinese, Indonesian, and Malaysian consulates are in Mueang Songkhla, the capital district of Songkhla Province, 35 km from Hat Yai.

Go next

 * Bangkok - Thailand's bustling and vibrant capital city.
 * Chiang Mai - an artistic and cultural city in Northern Thailand; there are direct flights to Chiang Mai from Thai AirAsia.
 * Ko Lipe - There are 5 combined bus & speedboat services per day from Hat Yai Railway Station
 * Ko Tarutao - One combined bus and boat service each day leaves Hat Yai Railway Station for Pak Bara pier where a speedboat will take you to Ko Tarutao.
 * Ko Samui - Bangkok Airways used to fly direct: but Phantip travel runs a bus to Don Sak pier where ferries to the island can be boarded. Even though this bus takes 5 hours, it is quicker than flying to Bangkok and flying to Ko Samui from there.
 * Krabi - for beautiful islands such as Ko Lanta and Ko Phi Phi.
 * Phuket - world-renowned white sandy beaches and resorts. Direct flights available with Bangkok Airways.
 * Satun - for the ferry to Langkawi
 * Songkhla - a relaxed old seaside city only 35 km away with the famous mermaid statue. Recommended for a day trip for sightseeing, museums, beaches and excellent seafood. The Transport Company and minibuses ply this route.
 * Trang - for ferries to Ko Muk. Sri Trang Tour runs buses to Trang town for 254 baht. There are 3 departures per day and a travel time of 2 hours 15 minutes. Hat Yao ferry terminal is an hour outside Trang.

Border crossings

 * Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia's capital city. Take a short train ride to Padang Besar (1 hr), then switch to ETS high-speed train to KL (5-5.5 hr).
 * Langkawi - a beautiful duty-free island; can be reached via ferry from Satun.
 * Penang - visit Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A food paradise. The easiest way to reach Georgetown is by mini-van, but you can also use a combination of bus, train, and ferry. Mini-vans depart from 29 Prachathipat Road in Hat Yai and takes around 4 hours.

Visa run
If you need to extend your stay in Thailand for another 15 days, you can cross the border at Dannok, near Sadao. Getting there from the airport is easy and takes about 2 hours. From the terminal, walk straight out into the parking lot to the parking lot ring road. You can wait here for a light blue songthaew to take you into town and get dropped off at The Plaza for 13 baht. The ride takes about 20-30 minutes. You can also take an airport taxi into town. At The Plaza, you can find a van waiting just across from the TOT office, which makes regular trips to Dannok. If you can't find it, just say "Sadao" or "Dannok" to people till they point you the right way. The trip is 60 baht, and vans leave once they are full. The trip should take about 1 hour 30 minutes. It will drop you off near the border at Dannok and you can just walk to exit Thailand. You will be approached by motorcycle drivers who will offer to take you to the Malaysian side. Walking takes about 10 minutes, so it could be worth it to pay 20 baht each way if you are in a hurry. If you have time, a stop at the duty-free shop is worthwhile. Minivans returning to Hat Yai depart from outside the 7-Eleven in Dannok. Back-to back stamps are only allowed for a total stay of 90 days within any given 180 day period of time.

title: Hat Yai


text:
Haugastøl

Haugastøl is a village on the mountain plateau of Hardangervidda between the western and eastern part of Norway. Many people from Bergen have cabins here, and it is a popular spot for hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter.

Get in
Haugastøl is accessible by train by the Oslo–Bergen railway.

The Oslo-Bergen railway is operated by the Norwegian State Railways. If you buy your ticket online well in advance, fares may be as low as kr. 199 for a one-way ticket. For an additional fee of kr. 75 you may upgrade your ticket to NSB Komfort, the equivalent of first class, with better seats, free coffee and tea, power supply and a more quiet spot in the train.

There should be a special car accessible for people using a wheelchair on all trains between Oslo and Bergen. A reservation is recommended. The train staff will assist you to get the wheelchair on board.

The only road to Haugastøl is RV 7. If conditions are good, the trip takes about 3.5 hours from Bergen (including a 10-minute ferry). From Oslo, it will take 4.5 hours.

If you plan to drive to Haugastøl in the winter season, it is imperative that you are prepared for the journey. The conditions are harsh. Always keep a full tank of fuel, and keep warm clothes, food and drink in the car. Make sure your tires are good enough and suited for winter conditions (studded or non-studded winter tires, "all-year" tires is not enough), and that you have the sufficient skills for driving in snowy and cold conditions. Roads are often closed on short notice due to weather conditions. For advice on conditions and closed roads, call 175 in Norway or check the road reports from the Norwegian State road authorities.

Get around
The most common way to get around in Haugastøl is by foot or by bicycle. There is a distance of 1 km between Haugastøl Station and Haugastøl Turistcenter, which one has to walk when arriving by train.

Do
At Haugastøl one can start to a bike trip along the rallarvegen, the famous old navvies road next to the Bergen line, the railway line across the Hardangervidda. It takes about 27 rough kilometer to Finse, the railway station in the middle of the northern Hardangervidda, where only bikers, hikers or tourists via train will show up - or skiers during the long winter period.

Eat

 * - there is no other possibility for eating, sleeping, bike rental or take shelter in Haugastøl.

Sleep

 * One of the old navvy houses, 18 km west of Haugastøl on the old Navvy Road (Rallarvegen).
 * One of the old navvy houses, 18 km west of Haugastøl on the old Navvy Road (Rallarvegen).

title: Haugastøl


text:
Haugesund

Haugesund is a city in the county of Rogaland, in the West Norway region of Norway. The town offers a much wider range of goods and services than might be expected from a city of its size (approximately 37,000 inhabitants in 2020), due to its position as the definite centre of its relatively populous region. The historical village of Avaldsnes, sometimes known as Norway's birthplace, is 8.5 km south of Haugesund.

By plane

The airport is linked to the city by an airport bus which connects with most departures and arrivals except those in the early morning and late evening. Otherwise, car rentals and taxis are available.

Stavanger, two hours south of Haugesund, and Bergen, three hours north of Haugesund, have larger airports with more domestic and international connections. The lengthy drive, both including a ferry journey, may be worth it if you can avoid a flight connection.

By boat

The boat service in Haugesund goes to the islands of Røvær and Feøy, while a passenger and car ferry operates to the island of Utsira.

Cruise ships to Haugesund dock at the Garpeskjærskaien Quay, on the west side of Risøy island just southwest of the town center, which welcomed its first cruise ship in 2013. Free bus shuttle service from the pier to Our Savior's Church (Vår Frelsers Kirke) is provided, but the 800 m distance to the town center is also walkable.

By car
The main road connection to eastern Norway is via the E134 road over Haukeli; another option is along route 7 across Hardangervidda. Both these roads run across mountainous stretches and are prone to disruptions during the winter. During the winter season, bring food and warm clothing in case you get stranded.

The main north-south road along Norway's west coast is the E39 road that runs past Haugesund to the east, but there are several spurs that lead into the town. Because of fjords, the E39 route features a number of long undersea tunnels, and travelling to Stavanger or to Bergen both require a ferry crossing. Fortunately, the ferries are large and have a reasonably good frequency.

There are many parking lots and houses in Haugesund. Most of the parking is metered.

By bus
Nor-Way Bussekspress operate two express bus routes to Haugesund.
 * Kystbussen runs between Bergen and Stavanger, and most buses go via Haugesund. The frequency varies between a bus every hour and a bus every two hours.
 * Haukeliekspressen runs between Haugesund in the west and several cities in eastern Norway, including Oslo, Kongsberg, Notodden, Tønsberg, Sandefjord, Larvik, Porsgrunn and Skien. The buses run three times a day Sunday-Friday, and once on Saturdays.

On foot
The city center of Haugesund is compact; the streets are on a grid and easy to navigate by foot. The main north-south street is Haraldsgata, which is for pedestrian only from Skjoldavegen (north) to Åsbygata (south). The parallel street Sørhauggata is one way south, while Strandgata is one-way north. The two blocks of Torggata between Sørhauggata and Strandgata is also pedestrianized.

If you want to travel further out, there is a local (county) bus system. The tourist information centre is the (Strandgata 171, 5525), one block west of the main pedestrian street Haraldsgata at the northern end. They have a wide variety of free tourist brochures and schedules and also sell passes for the local bus system.

By bus
The local buses are managed by Kolumbus, which manages the buses for the entire Rogaland county. The bus routes for North Rogaland, which includes Haugesund, are available online. The main routes for the Haugesund region (lines 201, 202, and 210) run seven days a week, Mondays to Fridays between 06:00 and 00:00, Saturdays from 08:00 to 00:00, and Sundays from around 10:00-12:00 to 00:00. Other routes have more limited service.

The county of Rogaland is divided into five zones (Haugalandet, Ryfylke, Nord-Jæren, Jæren, Dalane), and tickets are based on how many zones you traverse. Haugesund and its surrounding municipalities are in the Haugalandet zone. Single-tickets within this zone cost kr 45 for adults, and kr 23 for children under 16 and seniors over 67, and allow a transfer of buses on the same ticket within a one-hour time limit. If several buses will be taken during the stay it may be cheaper to purchase a 24-hour ticket for kr 100, or a 7-day ticket for kr 310. In addition, there is a smaller local Haugesund zone, that covers Haugesund and only the mainland part of Karmøy. Within this local zone single tickets cost only kr 20 with transfer within an hour.

Tickets can be purchased with cash on the bus, but that carries a 20 kr surcharge per ticket. The option that is probably most useful to visitors is to download the app "Kolumbus Billett" onto a smartphone and link this with a debit or credit card. It can then be used to purchase a variety of different tickets. A final option is to purchase for 50 kr the "Kolumbus card", a credit card sized card that can be topped up with tickets or travel money. Both smartphone tickets from the app and Kolumbus card tickets may be scanned by ticket readers upon entering the bus. Ticket inspectors make random spot checks, and passengers without valid tickets are fined.

To get to the historical Avaldsnes, which is in the Haugalandet zone, take Bus no 209, 210 or X210 from Haugesund and ask the bus driver for Avaldsnes. The bus stops on the main road E134 heading south. When you get off the bus, take the underground walkway to cross under E134 and then follow the road to your left, Kong Augvaldsveg, heading east for about 10 minutes. Look for the landmark St. Olav's church at Avaldsnes.

By taxi
Taxis are operated by Haugesund Taxi (phone: 52 80 80 80) and Haugaland Taxi (phone: 52 81 81 81). Taxi ranks can be found at the Flotmyr bus station and in front of the Vår Frelsers church in the city centre. Taxis are rather expensive in Norway and even a short journey may easily cost over kr 150.

The islands of Røvær, Feøy, and Vibrandsøy can only be accessed by boat. In Haugesund, this route docks just south of the catamaran terminal. The ticket price is kr 27 to Vibrandsøy, kr 36 to Feøy, and kr 45 to Røvær.

By car
While it is possible to explore the city on foot, it may be beneficial to hire a car to see the surrounding area. Car hire is offered by Hertz, Avis and Europcar at the airport and at various locations in the city. It can be expensive to rent the car. Petrol (or bensin as it is called in Norwegian) is also expensive and road tolls must be paid on many roads. As a result, it may be worth renting a car for only part of your trip. For budget option, Rent-a-wreck also have a branch in Haugesund.

See

For thousands of years there have been human activities on Haugalandet, and the region is covered in traces of these people. Visit one of the many exciting, historic destinations!

Avaldsnes

 * About 8.5 km south of Haugesund. Kolumbus bus 209, 210 and X210 run from Haugesund to Avaldsnes.

The historical area of Avaldsnes is sometimes known as the birthplace of Norway.

 * Archaeological excavations The ground and sound at the old royal farm at Avaldsnes still hold secrets that can give us new knowledge about Norwegian and international history. Excavations have led to the discovery of traces of old buildings close to St. Olav’s Church. These findings might even prove to be remains of Harald Fairhair’s court, which he set up here following the battle of Hafrsfjord. Projects are in place to excavate more of the area in order to find out more about these important and exciting findings.
 * Flagghaugen Flagghaugen is a burial mound dating back to the third century AD. It is situated just north of St. Olav's Church. It used to be 43 meters in diameter and 5 meters high. The remaining parts can be seen just outside of the stone fence surrounding the church. A prince was buried here, and in the grave the richest gold finds from any grave in Scandinavia from the Later Roman Iron Age was found. Among the findings was a massive necklace made of 590 grams of pure gold. The prince is presented at the Nordvegen History Centre close by.
 * Rehaugene At the top of Karmøy, six imposing earthen burial mounds, which dominate the landscape, were built during the Bronze Age (1800 – 500 BC). There used to be many more burial mounds here, however, only six remain, and they are called the pyramids of the north. They were built as the final resting place for the powerful chiefs that lived at Avaldsnes. These burial mounds show that 3000 years ago Norway traded with communities as far away as Russia, Ireland and the Mediterranean.
 * Archaeological excavations The ground and sound at the old royal farm at Avaldsnes still hold secrets that can give us new knowledge about Norwegian and international history. Excavations have led to the discovery of traces of old buildings close to St. Olav’s Church. These findings might even prove to be remains of Harald Fairhair’s court, which he set up here following the battle of Hafrsfjord. Projects are in place to excavate more of the area in order to find out more about these important and exciting findings.
 * Flagghaugen Flagghaugen is a burial mound dating back to the third century AD. It is situated just north of St. Olav's Church. It used to be 43 meters in diameter and 5 meters high. The remaining parts can be seen just outside of the stone fence surrounding the church. A prince was buried here, and in the grave the richest gold finds from any grave in Scandinavia from the Later Roman Iron Age was found. Among the findings was a massive necklace made of 590 grams of pure gold. The prince is presented at the Nordvegen History Centre close by.
 * Rehaugene At the top of Karmøy, six imposing earthen burial mounds, which dominate the landscape, were built during the Bronze Age (1800 – 500 BC). There used to be many more burial mounds here, however, only six remain, and they are called the pyramids of the north. They were built as the final resting place for the powerful chiefs that lived at Avaldsnes. These burial mounds show that 3000 years ago Norway traded with communities as far away as Russia, Ireland and the Mediterranean.

Do

 * Fishing
 * Birdwatching
 * Play golf
 * Take a stroll along the piers
 * Swimming outdoors or in the indoor swimming pool in Haugesund
 * Climbing mountains, such as Steinsfjellet, 227 m.a.s.
 * Cycle the North Sea Cycle Route (Route 1)
 * Cycle the North Sea Cycle Route (Route 1)

Cultural festivals
In August Haugesund hosts the following annual festivals:

 * The Norwegian International Film Festival (the main film festival in Norway)
 * Sildajazz (one of the greatest jazz festivals in Norway) - listen to jazz and eat herring!

Buy
As the main center of the Haugaland region, Haugesund has several shopping opportunities, and you will find everything you need and more.

 * The larger shopping centres, and, are located some kilometres south of downtown but both are easily reachable by bus and have generous parking space. Oasen has about 70 stores and is located at Norheim in the Karmøy municipality. The Amanda centre also has about 70 stores and is located at Raglamyr in southeastern Haugesund. Apart from Amanda, the Raglamyr area is home to a number of warehouse-like stores for electronic merchandise as well as home equipment and furnishings.
 * The larger shopping centres, and, are located some kilometres south of downtown but both are easily reachable by bus and have generous parking space. Oasen has about 70 stores and is located at Norheim in the Karmøy municipality. The Amanda centre also has about 70 stores and is located at Raglamyr in southeastern Haugesund. Apart from Amanda, the Raglamyr area is home to a number of warehouse-like stores for electronic merchandise as well as home equipment and furnishings.
 * The larger shopping centres, and, are located some kilometres south of downtown but both are easily reachable by bus and have generous parking space. Oasen has about 70 stores and is located at Norheim in the Karmøy municipality. The Amanda centre also has about 70 stores and is located at Raglamyr in southeastern Haugesund. Apart from Amanda, the Raglamyr area is home to a number of warehouse-like stores for electronic merchandise as well as home equipment and furnishings.

Eat
There are many restaurants on the harbor.

Drink
There are several pubs and clubs in Haugesund. However like the rest of Norway these places only come alive on a weekend and late at night, in many cases after 22:00, most have pretty good live music and cater for all ages, the big drawback is the crippling price of alcohol, US$11 for Guinness, $10 for local lagers, and up to $20 for spirit and mixer. The staff are usually very friendly and all speak good English, in fact many staff speak 2-3 languages.

Sleep
There are several hotels in Haugesund. All of them are in the city centre unless otherwise noted There are also two hostels in the region, but both are located away from the city centre.

If you are coming with a caravan, there is also a camping ground just north of the city centre.

Go next
In addition to the two islands which make up part of the city centre (Risøy and Hasseløy), there are numerous islands off the coast of Haugesund which are popular destinations for day excursions, especially during the summer.
 * Karmøy is the largest and most populous of the islands. The island has large areas of open space, forests and farms, and is dotted with numerous picturesque towns such as Skudeneshavn. The municipality of Karmøy is larger than Haugesund, and several people commute daily between Karmøy and Haugesund. The connections are well developed with a road bridge and several buses every day.
 * Røvær is the most remote part of the Haugesund municipality, with 110 inhabitants. Connected by a boat route from Haugesund several time a day.
 * Feøy is an island between Karmøy and Utsira, and has a population of 40. Also connected by boat from Haugesund several times a day.
 * Utsira is an island located in the North Sea, and the smallest municipality in Norway in terms of population with 216 inhabitants. The island is connected with a ferry three or four times a day from the pier at Risøy in Haugesund, the journey time is 70 minutes.

title: Haugesund


text:
Haukeli

Haukeli  is a small mountain village in Vinje, Telemark. Haukeli is home to a wide range of services for visitors to the area. During winter, the Haukelifjell mountains are beautiful and wild. You will find everything from rugged mountains to sheltered birch forests, and its quite common to meet flocks of wild reindeer. If you are after peace and quiet, there are large areas where hardly anyone goes. Haukeli is also a gateway to the skiing trails to Hardangervidda.

Get in
You can take E-134 from Drammen (and Oslo) to Haugesund/Stavanger over Haukeli and see a beautiful mountain area. If you take the old road instead for the tunnel it would be a nice experience. There is a sign where you can drive. The road is slim so drive safe. You can find a turistinformation at Arbuvollen in Vågslid. Stop and get some information about the road alternativ.

Riksvei 9 (Norwegian National Road 9) from Kristiansand leads up the beautiful valley of Setesdal, then over high mountains.

Get around

 * By car (see above)
 * by skiing
 * by hiking

Do
Haukelifjell have a great skisenter Haukelifjell Skicenter that has a familyprofile. With 4 lifts and a magic carpet and lots of space off piste. There are lot of opportunities for rent of cabins and apartments in the middle of the skicenter. There is tourist information, a small grocery store and a booking office. The small mountain village Vågslid is one of the most snow guaranteed destinations in Norway. A unique location, protected by Haukelifjells amazing mountain chains, but at the same time close to the giant nature park Hardangervidda Website.

Buy
In Edland there are several shops, during summertime there are also many tents with local and non-local things to buy.

In Vågslid there is Arbuvollen Fjellbutikk that sells food, fishing card and lots of other things. There is also tourist information there and fast food.

Eat
Haukeliseter Fjellstue or Vågslidtun Hotel has a wonderful meny. Haukelifjell Ski Center has only fast food / cafe in Tyrvelidhallen.

Drink
After Ski at the ski center

Accommodation
There are several possibilities for accommodation in cabins or apartments near Haukeli. (Book in advance)

Vågslid
In Vågslid there is a lot of nice and modern apartments with ski in ski out. The view is magnificent and there is cross country tracks just a few meters from the apartments. This is a winter El Dorado!

Go next
}}

title: Haukeli


text:
Hauran

The Hauran is a volcanic plateau in southern Syria. It includes Damascus, the capital.

Cities

 * — the capital and oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.
 * — Small city sometimes called Little Venezuela due to the influx of affluent Venezuelan Syrian immigrants.
 * — summer resort and hill station
 * — an ancient city on the Jordanian border.
 * — an important destination for Shī‘a Muslim pilgrims containing the grave of Zaynab, granddaughter of Muhammad.
 * — home to a Greek Orthodox monastery believed to have been founded by Byzantine emperor Justinian I,
 * — home of the oldest church in Syria

Other destinations

 * — a Roman city in southern Syria close to the Jordan frontier noted for the use of black basalt stones and its well preserved theatre
 * — not a tourist site, but an active Christian monastery actively promoting Islamic/Christian dialogue. Welcomes Christians and followers of other religious traditions. It is 80 km north of Damascus.
 * — Former Roman city of Philippopolis.
 * — Small town and site of the former Roman city of Maximianopolis.
 * — Small town with several Roman archaeological sites.
 * - mountainous area on the Israeli border
 * — Former Roman city of Zenopolis with ruins of two Roman-Phoenician temples

Stay safe
This area is probably safer than the contested Syrian Desert and the Kurdish areas, as the rebels have been cleared from Hauran. However, the area does sometimes see rocket exchanges between Israel and Iran-backed forces in Syria.

title: Hauran


text:
Hausa phrasebook

Hausa (Yaren Hausa or Harshen Hausa) is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 80 million people, and as a second language by about 20 million more. Native speakers of Hausa are mostly to be found in northern Nigeria and in Niger (where it is an official language in the north), but the language is widely used as a lingua franca (similar to Wolof in Senegal) in a much larger swathe of West Africa. It is especially prevalent in the Northern Region of Ghana, commonly used by the Fulani herdsmen who originate from Nigeria.

Vowels

 * a : like 'a' in "cat"
 * e: like 'a' in "ache"
 * i : like 'y' in "fimily"
 * o : like 'o' in "Yolanda"
 * u : like 'u' in "bantu"

Consonants

 * b : like 'b' in "bat" but there is also an implosive or hook b, a sound not in English
 * c : like 'ch' in "child"
 * d : like 'd' in "dance" but there is also a hook d, a sound not in English
 * f : like 'f' in "few"
 * g : like 'g' in "growth"
 * h : like 'h' in "hole"
 * j : like 'j' in "jug"
 * k : like 'k' in "kiln" but there is also a hook k, a sound not in English
 * l : like 'l' in "leg"
 * m : like 'm' in "man"
 * n : like 'n' in "nice"
 * r : like 'r' in "rain"
 * s : like 's' in "silk"
 * t : like 't' in "tree"
 * w : like 'w' in "way"
 * y : like 'y' in "yoke" but there is also a hook y, a sound not in English
 * z : like 'z' in "zinc"

Basics

 * Hello. : Sannu, but the commonest polite greeting is Assalamu alaikum, Peace be upon you. Assalamu alaikum is a Muslim greeting, more commonly used by both men and women.
 * A gaishe ka (ki) or Ina gaishe ka (ki) Hello, or I greet you. Used as a more formal salutation, or if you find someone at hard at work.

 * How are you? :ا نا لافييا /Kana Lafiya (addressing males) or Kina lafiya (addressing females)?
 * Fine :Lafiya lau. (in health)
 * What is your name? : yaya sunan ka?
 * My name is ______ . : suna na _____.

 * You may do best to simply respond to friendly greetings as they come at you. Lafiya or lafiya lau  is nearly always a polite response.

 * Sannu da aiki (said to someone at work)
 * sannu kadai (hello back)

 * Sannu da zuwa (welcome, greetings on your arrival)
 * sannu kadai (hello back)

 * ina gajiya (how is the tiredness)
 * ba gajiya (fine, no tiredness)

 * ina dan uwa'en ka (ki) (how are your relatives, your family)
 * lafiya lau

 * Ina kwana (good morning, literally how did you sleep)
 * Lafiya

 * I do not speak Hausa (literally I do not hear Hausa) :Ba na jin Hausa

 * I do not understand :Ban gane ba

 * Nice to meet you. :Ina farin cikin haduwa da kai (an English greeting, not a Hausa one)
 * Please. :Don Allah
 * Thank you. :Na gode.
 * You're welcome. : barka da zuwa or sannu da zuwa (in the sense of welcoming someone)
 * Ba kome (in response to someone thanking you)

 * Yes. : A (sounded as letter 'a' but drawn out like 'ayyy' not 'ahhh')
 * No. : A'a (sounded as 'ah ah')
 * Please listen to me: (getting attention) : Don Allah ji mana
 * Excuse me please: (begging pardon) : Gafara Don Allah
 * I'm sorry. : Yi hak'uri
 * Goodbye : Sai an jima.
 * See you tomorrow: Sai Gobe
 * I can't speak 'Swedish' [well]. : Ba na jin harshen Swedish
 * Do you speak English? : Ka na jin harshen turanci kuwa?
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? :Akwai mai jin harshen turanci kusa?
 * Help! : Taimaka!
 * Look out! : A lura sosai!
 * Good morning. : Ina kwana?
 * Good evening. : Barka da yamma
 * Good night. : Allah ya ba mu alheri
 * Good night (to sleep) : Mu kwana lafiya
 * I don't understand. : Ban gane ba
 * Where is the toilet? : Ina makewayi ya ke?

In Daily Life

 * Let's go : Mu je
 * Let's go to the market : Mu tafi kasuwa
 * Let's go home : Mu tahi gida
 * Where are you going? : Ina za ka je? (Masculine), Ina za ki je(Feminine)
 * Small boy : 'yaro
 * farmer : mai noma
 * Where do you come from? : Daga ina ka zo? or ina ka zo daga?
 * House : Gida
 * Family : Iyali
 * Mosque : masallaci
 * What country do you come from? : Wani gari kafai to?
 * Come : zo or Zo nan (come here)
 * Wonderful : Mamaki
 * Where did you going? : ina ka na je
 * Do you understand (Hausa) : Kana jin harshen Hausa
 * Small Small : Ka'dan ka'dan
 * Is it good?* or It is good : yena da kyau? or tai kyau?
 * What is this? : Menene wan nan?
 * What are you doing? : Menene Ka na yi?
 * Okay, yes, you're welcome* : Too, Yoo *common in Ghana to use when speaking Hausa
 * I like you : Ina so'n ka (mas.) ina so'n ki (fem.)

In the Market

 * Good Market With you : Allah abiba kasuwa
 * Market : Kasuwa
 * How much? : Nawane
 * Can I buy some? : zan siya abu
 * Can I have some? : Nasu mu
 * Densay (Madera)? : Can I buy (Milk)
 * Last price? : Nawane gaskiya
 * Give me clean water to drink : Bani ruwa in sha
 * Drinkable water : Ruwan Shah
 * Food is delicious (Literally Food gets delicious) : Abinchin ku yana dadi
 * Rice : shinkafa
 * Beans : wake
 * tuwo : traditional meal
 * millet : hatsi
 * pasta : maka
 * onion : albasa

Other

 * Sannu: Hello
 * Na gode: Thank You
 * Ina jin yunwa: I'm Hungry
 * Ina son ruwa: I want water
 * Ko ba ha'ka ba? Is that not so?
 * Gaskiya? True?
 * Sai wata rana. Until another day (Goodbye)
 * Akwai labari? Is there any news?
 * Na ji dadi. I am pleased
 * Madallah! Excellent! (often used at the end of the greetings if all is well)
 * Na gaji. I am tired.

I na zaka(ki) je? Where do you want to go?

Bin iya yi ba. I don't know how to do it.

Zan tafi. I'm leaving.

Na gane. I understand.

A kwai abinchi? Is there food?

Na koshi. I'm full (after eating).

Me ka(kin) ce? What did you say?

Bari. Leave it.

Zauna. Sit down.

Ta fita. She has gone out.

Ya je aiki? He has gone to work?

Ka iya yi? Do you know how to do it?

Ina son mota dan Allah. I would like a car please.

Ina zan tsaya? Where would I stay?

Kana da Kudi? Do you have money?

Bani de kudi. I don't have money.

Ba na so. I don't like it.

Ina so. I like it.

Shanu Cattle

Zomo Hare

Rakumi Camel

Rakumin dadje Giraffe

Doki Horse

Dan doka Police

Kanna sha taba? '''Do you smoke? (lit; Do you drink cigarettes)'''

Kana/Kina shan giya? Do you(masculine/feminine) drink alcohol?

Sarki King

Aboki Friend

Zaki Lion

Giwa Elephant

Giwan Ruwa Nile perch (Lit: Elephant of the waters)

Bai kome It doesn't matter

Wasa Playing

Kadaka zo gobe Don't come tomorrow

Matar ka ta gudu. Your wife has run away.

Wuta fire/electricity What is your nationality? Kai ɗan wace ƙasa ne?

title: Hausa phrasebook


text:
Haute-Garonne

Haute-Garonne is in Occitanie.

Cities

 * — administrative capital and largest city, home to aircraft manufacturer Airbus
 * — Roman city with cathedral
 * — Roman city with cathedral

Get in
Toulouse has the largest airport.

title: Haute-Garonne


text:
Haute Guinee

Haute Guinee is a region of Guinea. It is composed of the Faranah and Kankan administrative regions of Guinea, and was home to about 3 million people in 2014.

Cities

 * — the second city of Guinea, after Conakry, on the road from Conakry to Bamako

Other destinations

 * — protects important tracts of forest and savannah

Understand
This region borders Mali and is distinctly drier than other parts of the country, sub-Sahelian in nature. It is home to the Malinke people and includes all of Kankan and Faranah provinces.

title: Haute Guinee