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Southern Armenia

Southern Armenia is in Armenia. Southern Armenia is full of tall mountain ranges, valleys, gorges and forests. One main highway takes you from top to bottom, with dramatic changes in elevation and scenery. The many types of attractions include hot springs and spas, dramatic cliffs and scenery, monasteries, caravansarys and fortresses, petroglyphs and Armenia's "Stonehenge", natural caves and cave cities, and Armenia's favorite wine region.

Regions
Southern Armenia is defined here as Syunik Province (the southernmost) and Vayots Dzor Province.

Cities
From north to south:
 * — a big center for wine production in Armenia
 * — a small town close to spectacular canyon and monastery in Noravank, the impressive Smbatabert Fortress/Tsakhats Kar Monastery area and the old silk road caravanserai of Selim
 * — a spa town where much of the country's mineral water comes from
 * — a good base for visiting Ughtasar mountain and thousands of petroglyphs on top of it
 * — the last major town in Armenia for travelers continuing to Karabakh and also entering point to Tatev
 * — it is famous for its monastery and reached by the longest cable car of the world, called Wings of Tatev
 * — the first land-art museum in Armenia
 * — not the most interesting town, but Vahanavank Monastery is nearby
 * — the crossing point into Iran

Understand
Most visitors do not venture past Goris and Tatev, so the very south is almost wholly undiscovered. Goris is the last town on the highway leading to Karabakh, so many visitors just pass through and don't enjoy what the area has to offer.

This whole part of the world is known for its hospitality, and the parts of Southern Armenia which see few tourists are even more so than others. Venture into a village for directions, and you can find yourself at the receiving end of a feast, homemade fruit oghi (vodka) being drunk and them making you spend the night. Refusing hospitality is often challenging, but don't bother as the experiences are sure to be memorable.

There is one main highway going through this region, which leads to Iran at the southern end. You'll see Iranian trucks coming and going, as well as a decent number of barbecue restaurants along the highway.

Talk
Aside from the universally spoken Eastern Armenian, Russian is almost universally spoken. English, French and German are languages that many have studied in school, but few have had a chance to practice. The youth are your best bet for English proficiency. Most signs are in Armenian and often in English and Russian as well.

Get in
Almost all of Southern Armenia's visitors drive down the highway from Yerevan. You can also enter from the Lake Sevan Region, or from Iran. Depending on your budget and your plans, you can enter by tour van, private taxi/van, shared taxi, rent a car, or take public transport - either a bus or a van (marshutni) that's heading to or past a town you want to get to. You can also try hitching. It's not as popular as it used to be, but it's still perfectly acceptable, although unaccompanied women might find themselves getting more attention than they'd like. The only major town not on the North-South highway is Jermuk, so catching a bus or van going directly there is your best bet, unless you really do want to hitchhike or try and find a taxi in one of the towns along the highway. Public transport is cheap, and often crowded. Have some smaller change on you and ask a fellow passenger the fare to have it ready.

Get around
Most tourists arrive in Southern Armenia on a tour van. You can also arrange a private tour with guide with most companies, or just negotiate with taxi drivers in Yerevan to take you around. A taxi might be cheaper than renting a car, and easier than driving one.

Getting around in the South can be tough with public transportation, unless you're sticking to the main highway. From there, taxis or hitching are your best bets. On the main highway, buses and vans are frequent, and as long as they're heading in the right direction (north/south) it's tough to go wrong.

If you're not depending on public transport, just have wherever you are staying arrange a cab for you for the day. Taxis are reasonably priced in Armenia and usually cost 100 dram/km. There are no car rental agencies in the south, although you can rent a car in Yerevan and drive down.

See

 * Noravank Monastery - Surrounded by brick red cliffs, and the famous church on top of a church design, Noravank is one of Armenia's most popular attractions. Access to the second story church is by rock steps jutting out of the facade. There are many intricate carvings on the churches and in the khachkars on the grounds.
 * Tatev Monastery - Notable even in a country known for stunning landscapes and architecture. The massive monastery complex is a continuation of a sheer cliff that drops below it for hundreds of meters. Once the seat of great wealth, this monastery controlled much of the surrounding countryside. It saw invasions, peasant rebellions and earthquakes. A severe earthquake in the 20th century caused great damage that was partially fixed during Soviet times. Now, it's still a spectacular site accessible by a long, bad road, which deters many visitors. At the foot of the cliffs you'll find Satan's Bridge (see below)
 * Satan's Bridge - At the foot of a sheer canyon with a river running along the bottom, this natural land bridge is called Satan's Bridge (Satanayi Kamurj) by locals. It has a carbonated spring, that you can drink from, along the side of the road, and if you go down a short trail you can swim in a spring fed pool. A tough climb down below the land bridge will reward you with stalactites, stalagmites, and little pools in a cavernous tunnel. Plenty of space around to camp and picnic.

 * Ughtasar Petroglyphs - The spectacular site is a valley with a lake, surrounded by mountain peaks on most sides. The valley is littered with massive boulders, some of which have one, two or even dozens of petroglyphs on them, totaling in the thousands, aged from the 5th to 2nd century BC. Patches of snow are found year round, and nights are very cold even in August. The site is only accessible in July-September, as it is above 4,000 meters in elevation. A visit to the remote, mountaintop site of the Ughtasar petroglyphs is a full day proposition. It is better to start the day in the area, rather than from Yerevan, since starting in Yerevan adds 5 hours (roundtrip) to an already very long trip (4-5 hours roundtrip not counting the time you spend at the site).
 * Selim Caravansary - A few meters from the top of a windy mountain pass leading to Lake Sevan, this old stop on the Silk Road affords spectacular views, and a feel for what it was like for the caravans in the old days.

 * Old Khndzoresk - A small cave city that was inhabited until the 1960s, Old Khdzoresk is in a beautiful, lush canyon below New Khndzoresk. The rock formations, ruins, and of course many caves which have be carved out by people over the centuries are fun to explore. Enjoy the blackberries and avoid the stinging nettles!
 * Shikahogh Reserve - One of Armenia's most pristine areas, Shikahogh now has the main north-south highway passing through it. But the forests are still beautiful, the wildlife plentiful, the views of Iran from the crests of the southern mountain range awesome, and Mtnadzor (Canyon of Darkness) is still completely wild and untouched.
 * Zorats Karer - Armenia's answer to Stonehenge, only thousands of years older. These standing rocks, a much cruder version of Stonehenge are also called Karahunj, and with kara meaning "of stone" in Armenian, the similarity in names suddenly becomes inexplicable. Just off the highway, it's a fun spot to stop and try and make out the patterns of the stones, and peek through the holes many of them have, perhaps for astrological observation? The massive stones in the centers of the circle are very ancient burial sites.
 * Areni Wine Country - Armenia is where the grape vine originated, with more varieties of wild grape vines than anywhere else in the world as proof. Areni is an ancient grape growing region, and the Areni grape sort, not found anywhere else in the world, is their speciality. Visit some of the wineries that are open for tourists.

 * Tsakhats Kar Monastery - Up in the mountains is the Monastery of Tsakhats Kar. A nice hike from the village below, or an offroad drive for those with a serious 4x4. Time seems to have forgotten this place, but you need not. It's across from Smbataberd (see below), and together they make a great outing.

 * Smbataberd Fortress - A serious natural fortification with a serious fortress on top. This narrow sheer cape is capped with one of Armenia's biggest fortresses. The views of the valley's are impressive and the sheer drop a bit scary. Impossible to imagine this fortress ever being taken by force.
 * Mozrov and Arjeri Caves - These rough caves, found very close to one another, were mapped during Soviet times, but there are no markers, no lights, no facilities, no decent road to them. Not many people know them well either, so finding a guide may be tough, but definitely necessary. Mozrov is only 700m long, but has the nicer formations. Arjeri cave, meaning bears cave, is a very extensive cave system, with some good formations, small pools of water, and both have bats.

Other sites
Smaller sites if you have the time or are in the area.
 * Aghudi Memorial
 * Arates Monastery
 * Gndevank Monastery
 * S. Sion Monastery
 * Spitakavor Monastery
 * Kotrats Caravansaray
 * Gladzor University ruins
 * Baghaberd Fortress
 * Zorats Church

Do

 * Hike - There's limitless great hiking in the whole area. From Sisian to Tatev (not on the highway), from Tatev to Kapan on the backroads, around Shikahogh Reserve, all around Yeghegnadzor, Noravank Canyon, in the Smbataberd-Arates-S. Sion valleys, and elsewhere. This includes sections of the Transcaucasian Trail.
 * Bike - Biking is a good way to get around the backroads of the region, and highways if you don't mind sharing the road with cars. The Tatev - Kapan backroad is a great one, and so is the area from Yeghegis to Herher.
 * Hotsprings/Spa - Visit the spa town of Jermuk, where much of the country's mineral water comes from. The town is full of Soviet hotels and sanatoriums, some of which have been renovated to high standards. The countryside at this very high elevation resort is worth the visit as well, with canyons, forest and wildlife to explore.

Eat
The main highway is sprinkled with barbecue places. Few have menus, although prices are usually reasonable and asking avoid any potential for problems in the end. The menus consist of barbecued chunks of meat (khorovats), kebabs, and whole vegetables with pig fat. Strained yogurt, olives, greens and lavash are also normally brought to the table.

For anything close to fast food outside the main towns you usually have to go to a grocery store for the ingredients to make a sandwich.

Drink
The specialty in this area wine in the Vayots Dzor state and mulberry vodka (tuti oghi) in Syunik. Home made fruit drinks (compote) are usually very nice.

Sleep
Budget options: many towns have old Soviet hotels which are cheap, sparse accommodations. The cleanliness and prices can vary greatly. As for a mid-range - there are quite a few choices at almost every city. And there is nowhere to splurge yet in Southern Armenia!

Stay safe
Don't hike very close to the border with Azerbaijan without checking first with villagers about safety. Most tourists will never get close to the border, but if you plan to, then find out what you need to know first.

Go next
You can get out of Southern Armenia by heading up to Central Armenia, heading east to Karabakh, or heading south to Iran. Again, buses and vans (marshutnis) heading north (to central Armenia) and south (to Iran) are fairly frequent. Some buses go all the way to Tehran. From Goris and points north, vans or taxis can be caught to Karabakh, and taxis to Yerevan can be caught from anywhere in the South, though going to a bus station might yield some fellow passengers to split a ride with.

title: Southern Armenia


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Southern Azerbaijan

Southern Azerbaijan is a region in Azerbaijan, which includes Agjabadi, Beylaqan, Kurdamir, Imishli, Saatli, Ujar, Zardab rayons as well as the parts of Agdam and Fuzuli rayons under Azerbaijani control.

Cities

 * – A huge modern-day ghost town, potentially coming back to live now being re-situated in Azerbaijan.
 * (Ağcabədi) – The capital of the homonymous region and the birthplace of Uzeyir Hajibeyov, the father of classical and opera in Azerbaijan.
 * (Beyləqan) – One of the oldest cities in Azerbaijan located in the triangle between the Kura and Aras rivers in the steppe Mil.
 * – A small southern town with several nearby 13/14th-century monasteries, and the former terminus of the Armenian Janapar Trail, but now part of Azerbaijan.
 * (İmişli) – The capital of the homonymous region, located in an area near the Aras River.
 * (Kürdəmir) – Located on one of the main Azerbaijani railway lines east-west, connecting the capital, Baku, with the rest of the country.
 * – The historic capital of Karabakh that used to be one of the cultural capitals of the Caucasus; has lots to see, although the town is largely in ruins from the war and is a shell of its former self
 * – The capital of the region of the same name. The founder of the first Azeri newspaper, Hasan bey Zardabi, lived here.

Other destinations

 * – Composed largely of Lake Ağgöl. Highly recommended by the internet.
 * – A vast lowland in central-southern Azerbaijan defined by the valleys of the Kura and Aras River.

Get in
The Southern Azerbaijan is along the main bus and train route between Baku and Georgia. The main cities along this route are Kurdamir and Ujar, which pose as hubs for the rest of the region.

Get around

 * Azerbaijan has a well developed bus system between the local city and village terminals.
 * Drivers are commonly friendly with backpackers and road trippers, so auto-stop is equally an option to travel within the region.
 * It has to be seen how the former Armenian occupied part becomes accessible and whether here mentioned and former sites of Nagorno-Karabakh can be visited.

See

 * Shusha (formerly part of Nagorno-Karabakh)
 * Ghazanchetsots Cathedral of the Holy Savior
 * City walls
 * Govharagha Mosque
 * Jtrtuz overlook of Karkar Canyon
 * Zontik Waterfall (1½-hr hike on the former Janapar Trail)

Stay safe
Southern Azerbaijan now extends into formerly Armenian occupied territory and it needs to be seen what this means for the safety and experience of tourists. Get yourself up-to-date information before heading into the former conflict region, especially to Shusha.

Go next

 * Baku Region in the north east. With the cosmopolitan Azerbaijani capital Baku, and famous for its mud volcanoes.
 * Sheki Region in the north. Gateway to the Azerbaijani Caucasus.
 * Ganja Region in the north west. Famous for the largest lake in Azerbaijan, the beautiful Ganja and the Naftalan petroleum spa resort.
 * Talysh Region in the south east.

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

title: Southern Azerbaijan


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Southern Barbados

Southern Barbados is one of the main tourist bases of Barbados. Starting just beyond the Garrison Savannah district of Bridgetown, the parish of Christ Church is a strip of hotels, bars and restaurants along Highway 7, one long traffic jam honking its way through Hastings, Worthing, Rockley, Saint Lawrence (the main party zone), Oistins and Silver Sands. This south-facing section of coast is good both for water-based activities and family bathing. East of the airport is Saint Philip parish: this has fewer hotels and amenities, the coast trends north-east and becomes rugged and the seas are stronger.

Understand

 * "A wild, mad, drunken fellow whose lewd and extravagant carriage made him infamous in the island"
 * - description of Austin, an early landowner and likely origin of the placename Oistins.

The west coast of Barbados is sheltered and had the first European settlements, the east coast is exposed with a dangerous lee shore. The south coast is something between, with a distinct transition at Oistins and South Point. Oistins became a fishing village, but was never a major port for long-distance shipping. In the late 20th century the area was boosted by the expansion of flights into Seawell, on the flat terrain a few miles inland - in 1976 this airport was renamed for Grantly Adams (1898-1971), first premier of Barbados. (Surely just a coincidence that in 1976 his son Tom Adams became Prime Minister.) Budget flights brought active holidaymakers who weren't content to sunbathe on a beach, and who wanted water sports such as wind-surfing. That market, plus short travel times to the airport and to Bridgetown, turned the southwest section of coast into the major tourist strip on Barbados.

Get in
is in this area, so travellers staying in the south of Barbados have short transfer rides. See Barbados for airport facilities and flight connections.

Highway 7 is the main road along which all public transport runs. Runs? - more often crawls, especially around commuter times, though they fly like hellbats whenever they see a clear stretch. Buses westbound are all going to Bridgetown with some continuing up the west coast as far as Speightstown. Buses eastbound are all going to Oistins with some continuing to Silver Sands and the airport, and a few beyond into Saint Philip.

Get around
And see Barbados for the different types of bus & minibus; it's a flat fare of B$3.50. Almost every third vehicle on Highway 7 is a minibus plying between Bridgetown and Oistins; they stop anywhere, even if you weren't hailing them to stop, with a tirra-lirra-lirra of horn to get your attention. (They will succeed in this whenever you try to sleep in your hotel.) Services beyond, north to Speightstown and east to the airport, are every ten minutes.

Private taxis start at B$2/km. These are the better option at night, and for anywhere off the main drag.

See

 * : see Bridgetown for this historic district a mile south of city centre. This was the 18th- and 19th-century military base, centred on the "Savannah", once the parade ground and sports fields, now the island's racetrack. Its chief attractions are the George Washington House, the Barbados Museum, and St Ann's Fort.
 * Mallalieu Motor Collection is a private enthusiast's collection of mostly mid-20th century classic motors, B$20. It's next to the Courtyard by Marriott.
 * in spite of the name is an attractive bay, beach and village along the southeast coast, one of the more unspoiled beaches on the island. It probably got its name because fishermen landed and gutted their fish here, leaving stinking heaps.
 * is nowadays a hard-hat construction site. Sam Lord (1778-1844) amassed a pirate fortune by pillaging local shipping, and built a mansion in Long Bay, Saint Philip. This was later turned into a swanky hotel, which went bust, and the money to redevelop it couldn't be raised. (Hard to imagine now, but mid-20th century banking rules actually forbade piracy and pillage.) The derelict building was gutted by fire in 2010. In 2017 the Wyndham Hotel group began rebuilding it, though this was hit by the covid travel slump and there's no word on when the new hotel might open.
 * Kitteridge Point is the east tip of the island. The coast to the north is exposed to the worst of the Atlantic weather. A three-mile strip of it is still within the southern parish of Saint Philip but in character is more like Central Eastern Barbados - see that page for features such as.

Do

 * Surfing: The southern coast is the best part of the island for surfing, wind surfing or kite surfing. West towards Maxwell is better for beginners whereas east towards Silver Sands suits those with more experience.
 * Scuba diving: the nearest dive shacks are clustered around Bridgetown but they pick up from the south-side hotels.
 * Foursquare Rum Distillery offer free self-guided tours. They're at Four Roads, Saint Philip, and open M-F.
 * Banks Brewery conduct tours daily at 10AM, noon and 2PM. They're on Newton Road Industrial Estate, off Tom Adams Highway 3 miles west of the airport.
 * Golf: Barbados Golf Club is a mile east of Oistins. White tees 6805 yards, par 72, visitor round B$200. Rockley Resort also has a golf course.
 * Cinema: Globe Drive-In is two miles northwest of Oistins. Olympus is a conventional cinema nearby within Sheraton Mall.

Buy

 * Supermarkets along the beach strip include Shopsmart Express at Worthing (daily 9AM-6PM), Dover Market at Dover Beach (daily 7AM-10PM), Massy in Oistins (M-Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 9AM-2PM) and Montrose also in Oistins (M-Sa 8AM-7PM, Su 9AM-2PM).

Drink
Astronomical numbers of bars along the main drag, no standout. More rum, anyone?

Sleep
Highway 7 along the south coast is lined with mid-scale to upmarket accommodation.

 * Pommarine Hotel, a couple of blocks back from Rockley Beach, is a 20-bedded hotel run as a training institute for the hospitality industry.
 * Pommarine Hotel, a couple of blocks back from Rockley Beach, is a 20-bedded hotel run as a training institute for the hospitality industry.

Go next

 * Bridgetown the capital has a pleasant riverfront promenade. Buses towards town run past Garrison Savannah.
 * Western Barbados has more sheltered beaches for kiddy-bathing.
 * Central Eastern Barbados on the exposed Atlantic coast is the most scenic and least developed region.

title: Southern Barbados


text:
Southern Benin

Southern Benin is the lowland region of Benin near the Atlantic Ocean.

Cities

 * - the largest city in the country
 * — a pretty lake village on stilts.
 * - the official capital
 * - the largest city in the country
 * — a pretty lake village on stilts.
 * - the official capital
 * - the official capital
 * - the official capital
 * - the official capital

Get in
Cadjehoun Airport

title: Southern Benin


text:
Southern Bukovina

Southern Bukovina is the part of historical Bukovina now in Romania. It consists of the Suceava county.

Cities

 * - Voroneț Monastery and Humor Monastery
 * - Voroneț Monastery and Humor Monastery
 * - Voroneț Monastery and Humor Monastery
 * - Voroneț Monastery and Humor Monastery

Understand
The region is famous for its Painted Monasteries - some of them listed as UNESCO world heritage sites.

See

 * Eight churches (seven in Bukovina) in the region make up the World Heritage site "Churches of Moldavia":

Go next
The road to Borsa (no. 18) is catastrophic. It is full with holes, so unless you really need to travel, choose another direction. For a distance of 25 km, you can go at the maximum of 20 km/hour. Also, with motorcycles you really need to choose another direction.

title: Southern Bukovina


text:
Southern California

Southern California is a megapolitan area in the southern region of the U.S. state of California. The large urban areas containing Los Angeles and San Diego stretch all along the coast from Ventura to the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego.

To the west of Southern California lies the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands. To the south is the international border between the United States and Mexico. Towards the Arizona state border in the east lies the Colorado Desert and the Colorado River, and towards the Nevada state border lies the Mojave Desert. Though there is no official definition for the northern boundary of Southern California, most include all the land south of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Tehachapi Mountains.

Southern California is a culturally diverse and well known area worldwide. Many tourists frequently travel to South Coast for its popular beaches, and to the eastern Desert for its dramatic open spaces. Southern California, along with the San Francisco Bay Area, is a major cultural and economic center for the State of California and beyond.

Regions
Southern California includes three major metropolitan areas, each of which have over 3 million people. The Los Angeles area has over 12 million inhabitants, the Riverside-San Bernardino area has over 4 million inhabitants, and the San Diego area has over 3 million inhabitants. The region is the nation's most populous region behind the urban seaboard of the Northeastern United States.

Southern California is most easily divisible by counties. The following counties are completely in the Southern California region:

Due to their vast size (San Bernardino County is larger than nine of the states in the U.S.) and varied topography, these counties are split among two different regions. The westernmost urban portions are considered part of Southern California and the eastern desert sections are part of Desert region.

Cities
Some of the major cities in the Southern California region include:

 * The Westside of Los Angeles County: Beverly Hills, Malibu, Venice Beach, and more
 * The Westside of Los Angeles County: Beverly Hills, Malibu, Venice Beach, and more
 * The Westside of Los Angeles County: Beverly Hills, Malibu, Venice Beach, and more
 * The Westside of Los Angeles County: Beverly Hills, Malibu, Venice Beach, and more
 * The Westside of Los Angeles County: Beverly Hills, Malibu, Venice Beach, and more

Urban Landscape. Southern California consists of a heavily developed urban environment, along with vast areas that have been left undeveloped. It is the second largest urbanized region in the United States, first being the Philadelphia/New York City/Boston Northeastern areas. These cities are considered dense, with major downtown populations and significant rail and transit systems, but much of Southern California is famous for its large, spread-out, suburban communities and use of automobiles and highways. The dominant areas are Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino, each of which is the center of its respective metropolitan area, composed of numerous smaller cities and communities.

Natural Landscape. Southern California consists of geologic, topographic, and natural ecosystem landscapes in a diverse setting, outnumbering other major regions across the state/country. The region spans from the Pacific Ocean islands, shorelines, beaches, and coastal plains, through the Peninsular Ranges with their peaks, into the large/small interior valleys, to the vast Deserts of California. Each year, the area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Nearly all of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0.

Other destinations
Southern California is home to numerous world-famous attractions including Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo, Legoland, and others.

Understand
Southern California is famous for the movie industry around LA (and if you explore a bit you are bound to find "exotic" locales from many a movie that were filmed in Southern California due to the proximity) and also for its sheer amount of freeways and highways. Southern Californians stereotypically spend most of their time when they meet each other talking about how horrible the traffic getting there was and how horrible the traffic getting back will be. Despite that its world class cities and suburbs continue to attract a wide variety of people from all over the country and abroad to live and vacation due to the pleasant climate and diverse landscapes with many natural and cultural attractions just a short (depending on congestion) drive away. Even though you can swim in the Pacific its cold currents make it somewhat less pleasant than you might think.

Talk
English is the official language of California and is the predominant language in Southern California. However, Spanish is also spoken by large Hispanic populations and it is not uncommon in Southern California to see store and street signs written in both English and Spanish. Armenian, Farsi, Chinese, Tagalog, Japanese, Hindi, Korean, Vietnamese, and Cambodian are also spoken by various immigrant groups.

By plane

 * Los Angeles International Airport, 1 World Way, . LAX is one of the major ports of entry for international flights to the United States as well as a major destination for domestic flights so it can be quite busy, especially around holidays. Nearly all major airlines as well as some smaller regional airlines fly into LAX. All of the major rental car agencies have a location near the airport with hundreds of cars available for rent.

The below are some of the smaller airports in the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan area with commercial flights, some of which may be closer to your final destination or point of origin and tend to be less busier than LAX. Most are served by domestic flights from other parts of the U.S. and a few international flights from Mexico and Canada:
 * Hollywood Burbank Airport (Bob Hope Airport), 2627 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, . Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, JSX, Southwest, Spirit, and United fly into this airport in the San Fernando Valley, northeast of Downtown L.A. Closer to Hollywood and the San Fernando.
 * Long Beach Airport, 4100 Donald Douglas Dr., Long Beach, . American, Delta, and JetBlue fly into this airport in southern Los Angeles County. West coast hub for JetBlue.
 * Ontario International Airport, 1940 East Moore Way, Ontario in the adjacent San Bernardino County, . Alaska, American, China Airlines, Delta, Southwest, United and Volaris serve this airport which is 37 mi (59 km) east of Downtown Los Angeles and just west of the I-10/I-15 junction, about a 40-minute drive without traffic. It is the closest airport to San Bernardino, Riverside, Joshua Tree and the Inland Empire
 * John Wayne Airport, 18601 Airport Way, Santa Ana in adjacent Orange County, . Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United, and WestJet serve this airport which is 40 mi (64 km) southeast of Downtown Los Angeles, about a 45-minute drive without traffic. Closest airport to Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm.
 * Van Nuys, 6461 Sherman Way, Van Nuys is a large public airport for general aviation and private VIP flights which may be ideal if you're flying in on your own private plane to avoid the crowds. Hollywood celebrities, politicians, and business executives are known to use this airport, which has convenience and anonymity.  The airport is 22 mi (36 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles towards the San Fernando Valley. Go Rental and National are closest to the airport for car rental but there are others nearby offering rental cars. For all others using commercial flights they provide additional parking at Van Nuys for LAX with the LAX FlyAway bus going into LAX.

Other southern California airports are in:
 * Palm Springs, 3400 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs . Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Sun Country, United, Virgin America & WestJet serve this airport which is 3 mi (5 km) east Downtown Palm Springs.  Because of the limited number of flights offered from other parts of the U.S. the airfare can be cheaper to fly into Ontario (the next closest  west), rent a car and drive over.
 * San Diego International Airport, 3225 N Harbor Dr, San Diego . Air Canada, Alaska, Allegiant, American, British Airways, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, Japan Airlines, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, United, & WestJet serve this airport which is 5 mi (8 km) north of Downtown San Diego, 5 - 20 min drive depending on traffic.
 * General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport in Tijuana, Carretera Aeropuerto S/N, Col Nueva Tijuana, Tijuana . Aeromexico, AeroCalifia, Viva Aerobus & Volaris serves this airport which is 6 mi (8 km) east of downtown Tijuana (Zona Centro & Zona Rio), just south of the border and 25 mi (42 km) south of downtown San Diego. There's also a second terminal just over the border fence in the American side with a pedestrian bridge connecting the main terminal and an airport bus terminal next to the main airline terminal.  If coming from Mexico it may be more advantageous to fly to Tijuana on a (Mexican) domestic flight and then cross into San Diego by ground transportation than on an international flight to San Diego, Los Angeles, or other cities north of the border.

By rail
Amtrak (for inner-Californian services branded as "Amtrak California") serves most major cities, some through a bus connection from the last station as there are not always rail connections Amtrak can use. It is usually not the cheapest or the fastest option for longer distances and has thus historically played only a marginal role outside of commuter service, but road congestion and the increasingly annoying manner air passengers are treated by airlines and TSA as well as rising costs of other modes of transport have made Amtrak and commuter railways more and more attractive.

Construction is underway for a new high speed service linking San Francisco and Los Angeles. The network is scheduled to open in phases with the full distance completed by the late 2020s.

By car
Southern California is perhaps the most car dependent region in the US if not the world. As such a car is usually the most convenient but sometimes also the only way to get around. However congestion is frequent and during rush hour freeways and highways become parking lots. If you can arrange it try driving in off-peak hours and getting a small group together to travel in the (usually less congested) car pool lane.

By bus
Most of the buses are routed with Los Angeles as the hub or core with frequent services from San Francisco Bay Area (via Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and/or Oxnard); Sacramento (via Modesto, Stockton, Merced and/or Bakersfield); Las Vegas (via Barstow, San Bernardino); Mexicali and Tijuana (via San Ysidro, San Diego, and/or Santa Ana) with multiple companies. There are also other buses originating from El Paso (via Phoenix & Tucson), Seattle, Salt Lake City, Chicago and New York that go contiguously to Los Angeles with minimal layover or transfers in between. See By bus under Getting in, in the Los Angeles, San Diego and the Tijuana articles for a list of bus companies serving Southern California.

Get around
Transportation in Southern California consists of public transit, rail transit, airports, shuttle services, highways, roads and bike paths.

By car
Most Southern Californians drive their personal cars to get around. Just listen to the morning and evening traffic reports and you'll get an idea of how many cars are driven in the area each and every day.

As such, a special vocabulary has developed surrounding the road system.
 * Rush hour - somewhat of a misleading name as the period lasts longer than one hour. Indicates the hours of 6AM-8AM and 5PM-7PM when the highest volume of commuters are on the road.
 * SigAlert - heard during a traffic report, indicates a long-lasting problem that closes one or more lanes.

Unlike many parts of the country, traffic reports often only cover accidents or unusual slowdowns - areas that are normally congested don't always rate a report. There are of course several smartphone apps that cover traffic; sigalert.com is one that's specific to Southern California.

The metropolitan regions of Southern California consist of many small cities that run into one another. It can be confusing and you can get lost very easily if you do not have a map, even with detailed directions. A Thomas Guide, which contains detailed maps of all neighborhoods, is a useful tool if you plan on doing any driving in Southern California. This book can be found in local stores and bookstores.

The freeways and highways are one of the major trademarks of the region. Extensive and complex freeway networks criss-cross the quickly-growing region, connecting urban centers with their suburbs, as well as the areas of urban sprawl between them. The major highways leading in and out of Southern California include Interstates 5, 8, 10, 15, 40, the Golden State, San Diego, Ocean Beach, Mission Valley, Santa Monica, Corona and Mojave Freeways.

Freeway system
The freeway naming conventions can be confusing to non-natives as a freeway will have multiple names depending on where in Southern California a particular section is located. When referring to a particular freeway by number, it is prefixed by the word "the". For example, Interstate 5 is referred to as "the 5" and State Route 91 is referred to as "the 91". Below is a basic guide to the various ways a particular freeway may be referenced.

 * I-5.svg Interstate 5 - the Golden State Freeway (northern portions) and the Santa Ana Freeway (southern portions of L.A. and in Orange County); San Diego Freeway in San Diego County.
 * I-8.svg - Mission Valley Freeway
 * I-10.svg Interstate 10 - the Santa Monica Freeway (western portions), the San Bernardino Freeway (eastern portions)
 * California 15.svg & I-15.svg - Escondido Freeway (southern portions); Temecula Valley Freeway in the Inland Empire. I-15 begins/ends as SR-15. It becomes I-15 north of its junction with I-8.
 * I-105.svg - the Century Freeway
 * I-110.svg - the Harbor Freeway
 * I-210.svg - the Foothill Freeway
 * I-405.svg - the San Diego Freeway
 * I-710.svg - the Long Beach freeway (southern portions), the Pasadena Freeway (northern portions)
 * I-805.svg - Jacob Dekema Freeway
 * US 101.svg - the Hollywood Freeway (eastern portions), the Ventura Freeway (western portions)
 * California 14.svg - the Antelope Valley Freeway
 * California 22.svg - Garden Grove Freeway
 * California 60.svg - Pomona Freeway
 * California 91.svg - the Artesia Freeway (western portions), the Riverside Freeway (eastern portions)
 * California 170.svg - the Hollywood Freeway (the 170 intersects with the 101 near Hollywood thus it shares its name with the 101.)

There are a few key locations that are referred to in traffic reports that may be unfamiliar to out-of-town visitors.

 * The Sepulveda Pass - refers to the 405 between Santa Monica and Van Nuys.
 * The El Toro Y (or Wye) - the intersection of the 5 and 405 near Irvine in Orange County.
 * The Orange Crush - the intersection of the 5, 22, and 57 in the city of Orange.
 * The Grapevine - the 5 as it climbs over the pass between the Los Angeles Basin and the Central Valley of California.
 * The Cajon Pass (pronounced cuh-hone) - the 15 as it climbs the pass between San Bernardino and the High Desert city of Victorville.

Public transit
Public Transportation in Southern California includes:
 * Coaster Train (commuter train between Oceanside and (downtown) San Diego)
 * Metrolink (Commuter trains across the greater Los Angeles Metropolitan area in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura Counties)
 * Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) (buses and light rail in around Los Angeles metropolitan area such as Los Angeles, East L.A., Burbank, Long Beach, Hollywood/W Hollywood, Santa Monica, Torrance, Culver City, Westwood, etc )
 * Foothill Transit (Buses in the San Gabriel Valley, in the eastern part of the greater Los Angeles area and west of the Los Angeles/San Bernardino County Line such as Alhambra, Asuza, Baldwin Park, Claremont, Chino Hills, El Monte, Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, Pasadena, Montclair, Pomona, Rowland Heights, etc. Limited to no Metro services in the San Gabriel Valley.
 * Gold Coast Transit (Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura and adjacent unincorporated areas of Ventura County)
 * Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) (Santa Ana, Anaheim, Irvine, etc in Orange County)
 * Omnitrans (San Bernardino, Ontario, Chino, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, etc., in southwestern San Bernardino County)
 * Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) (In and around Riverside in western Riverside County)
 * North County Transit District (light rail & buses between Carlsbad, Escondido, Encinitas, Oceanside, San Marcos, etc in northern San Diego County)
 * San Diego County MTS (SDMTS) (trolleys & buses in and around San Diego (proper), La Jolla, National City, Coronado, Chula Vista, San Ysidro, Imperial Beach, El Cajon, etc., in southern San Diego County)
 * Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTS) (Intercity travel between Ventura, Oxnard, Carpinteria, Camarillo, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, etc within Ventura County and into the neighboring Santa Barbara County)

The below are the private intercity buses which can be useful to go across longer distances such as from Los Angeles to San Bernardino, Long Beach, Anaheim, Indio or to San Diego and more locally such as between Long Beach, Anaheim and Santa Ana with no stops. The caveats are that they operate on less frequent schedules and cost more than the city or county buses (listed above) for short distance travel:

Within L.A. County and some of the other counties, the cities/municipalities operate their own bus transit systems within their respective areas and to adjacent areas such as:
 * Antelope Valley Transit (Lancaster, Palmdale & Newhall Metrolink Station in northern Los Angeles County. Area not serviced by Metro.)
 * Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica, LAX, Century City, Culver City, UCLA, Pacific Palisides, West Los Angeles, express service to downtown Los Angeles)
 * Culver City Bus (Culver City, Inglewood, Marina del Rey, UCLA, Westwood, Venice & LAX)
 * L.A. Dept of Transportation Transit (local neighborhood shuttles and express buses to/from downtown Los Angeles)
 * Long Beach (Long Beach, Lakewood & Signal Hill)
 * Montebello Transit (Montebello, East Los Angeles, Pico Riviera and Whittier)
 * Torrance Transit (Torrance, Redondo Beach, Long Beach, Carson, LAX, Express service to downtown Los Angeles)

There are numerous other smaller local transit systems throughout southern California that are county or city operated. See By bus or By Public Transportation under Getting around in the individual city/municipality article for additional listings.

Major hubs of transportation and logistics are planning major capital investments in Southern California over the next several years. They have the largest federal stimulus project in L.A. County: the Harry Bridges reconstruction project. This will be a big commitment consisting of 250 construction jobs for a $25-million project. They also just kicked off a six-year expansion to the China Shipping Terminal which will include new wharfs, new cranes, and about 4,000 jobs at full capacity.

Mass transit is available throughout the area, with many connecting together at shared stops. The regional commuter train,MetroLink, connects many of the outlying areas, where many commuters live, in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Riverside and Orange Counties to/from where they work. This train system comes in handy when you need to get from one area to another, even with its limited schedule.

By plane
While it is theoretically possible to get around Southern California by air, the cost prohibits all but the most affluent from doing so on private aircraft. The major airports in the area include the Los Angeles, John Wayne (Orange County), San Diego and Palm Springs International Airports. There are smaller regional airports in Burbank, Long Beach, El Centro in Imperial County and Ontario. Commercial flights are only available between San Diego and Los Angeles International with multiple airlines, and between Los Angeles and El Centro in Imperial County with Mokulele Airlines. Flights between San Diego and Los Angeles are usually as part of an onward ticket to another part of the U.S. or part of an international flight to/from San Diego via Los Angeles International Airport. See By air under Get in in the above.

By thumb
It is not worth trying. Cities are too close together and there are too many access points to the highway, making it nearly impossible to find someone going your way. Your best bets are the 101 north of Santa Barbara, the 5 north of Santa Clarita, or east until you escape the sprawling cityscape.

On foot
Though Los Angeles is known throughout the U.S. for suburban sprawl and car-dependent development, efforts to make it more walkable have had some success, and you can now feasibly walk to many points in SoCal that used to be only reachable by motorized vehicles.

See
Southern California is home to many motion picture, television, and recorded music companies. This region is home to the world's largest adult entertainment industry, which is primarily in the San Fernando Valley, and Hollywood (the center of the motion picture industry, at least in name). Headquartered in Southern California is Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Sony Pictures (Culver City), Universal Pictures (Universal City), Paramount Pictures (Hollywood), DreamWorks Pictures (Universal City), 20th Century Studios (Century City) and Warner Bros. (Burbank).

SoCal is home to many sports franchises and sports networks such as Fox Sports Net. Professional teams in the region include the Los Angeles Lakers (basketball), Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Dodgers (Baseball), Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks (Ice Hockey), Los Angeles Galaxy (Soccer), Los Angeles Chargers American Football and Los Angeles Rams. Southern California also is home to a number of popular NCAA (college) sports programs, such as the UCLA Bruins, the USC Trojans, and the San Diego State Aztecs.

 * Cabrillo National Monument - (San Diego) Climbing out of his boat and onto shore in 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo stepped into history as the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. In addition to telling the story of 16th century exploration, the park is home to a wealth of cultural and natural resources.

Do
Southern California is home to the movie studios of Hollywood, theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios, and beautiful beaches.

Eat
Most major cuisines can be found in the towns and cities of Southern California, with especially popular ones including Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Salvadoran, Korean, Indian, Pilipino, and Armenian, owing to the large numbers of immigrants from these regions to Southern California.

Mexican food is particularly prominent, with taco shops being a ubiquitous feature of SoCal's urban landscape and offering some uniquely regional takes on Mexican staples like burritos and tacos. Unlike the Mission burrito, brought to prominence up north in San Francisco and spread across the nation, regional burrito varieties in SoCal tend to eschew rice as a filler ingredient; Los Angeles burritos tend to use some combination of refried beans, meat, chili, and cheese, while San Diegans embrace the meat-packed carne asada burrito along with its variant, the California burrito, which includes French fries and cheese in addition to carne asada. A lot of overlap between these two styles exists and you're likely to find both throughout Southern California. Another local specialty is rolled tacos, which consist of beef or chicken tightly rolled into a corn tortilla and fried until crispy, then served with guacamole and shredded cheese piled on top.

Southern California is the birthplace of modern day American fast food, with many drive-thru chains such as McDonald's (now headquartered in the Chicago metropolitan area) getting their start in the L.A. region. One should not miss out on In-N-Out Burger, a predominantly California chain with multiple locations throughout the SoCal region serving burgers and milkshakes; the menu is pretty short and straightforward, but a "secret" menu allows you to customize by ordering "animal style" fries and burgers.

For a taste of locally-grown food, you can visit a farmers' market and rub shoulders with celebrity chefs and foodie insiders picking out the finest organic produce. You can also step into sleek restaurants serving innovative, ultra-fresh fusion cuisine. You can taste gelato made with locally produced chocolate and toasted hazelnuts, or handmade cheeses from local farms. Drive down a tree-lined lane to wineries in grand chateaus, or relaxed, family-run vineyards where the guy pouring and chatting in the tasting room is a world-class winemaker.

Stay safe

 * Crime can be high in certain parts of Southern California, particularly in parts of the Los Angeles area or parts of the Inland Empire area; however, the media tends to exaggerate this sometimes. Many areas are extremely good and safe, and Los Angeles, being a large diverse city, has many affluent, and middle-class areas, as well as struggling neighborhoods.
 * Some tourists may suffer respiratory problems due to the pollution in the air closer to Southern California's major metropolitan areas. Drink plenty of fluids and keep outdoors activities within the city to a minimum.
 * There are some animals you may want to be aware of in Southern California. There are rattlesnakes in the open spaces. It's not likely you will run into one, but if you do, they typically will not bother you if you don't bother them. Even so, it's best to always be alert while hiking. Mountain lions (also known as pumas, cougars, and catamounts) exist in National Parks and open spaces in Southern California. These cats are, however, shy and elusive. Although it has happened, you have very little chance of being attacked by one, let alone seeing one. Most hikers who have been hiking these areas their whole lives have never seen a mountain lion, but attacks do happen every few years or so. Make sure to always hike with another person, especially near dawn and dusk. Coyotes are common, but elusive, throughout Southern California mountains, even in relatively populated areas such as the Hollywood Hills. They pose little threat to humans but they will attack dogs and other domestic animals - if you have animals with you, be sure they are under your control and close by.
 * Bears are in the mountains of Southern California and they have been known to wander into the neighborhoods of SoCal cities, mainly the cities that border the vast mountains. It's not very common, but one should be on the lookout, again if walking at dawn or dusk, especially in the cities that border the mountains.

Go next

 * The California Desert, to the east
 * The Central Coast and San Joaquin Valley to the north
 * Baja California, in Mexico, to the south

title: Southern California


text:
Southern Chile

The Southern Chile region is south of central Chile, but not as far south as Patagonia.

Cities

 * — Chile's second largest city
 * — A town known for its natural environment, and the close-by Conguillío and Tolhuaca National Parks, and Malleco and Malalcahuello-Nalcas National Reserves.
 * — Especially Frutillar Bajo, a popular tourist destination due to its German history and nearby Osorno vulcano.
 * — A small town in Southern Chile, in the Northern Chilean Patagonia, 10 km from the Argentinian border.
 * — On the eastern shore of Villarrica Lake in the southeast of the region. Popular for hiking to the nearby Villarrica vulcano and Huerquehue National Park.
 * — Not that touristy, more a busy working city, but gateway for trips to the nearby Alerce Andino National Park and Hornopirén further south.
 * — Similar to Frutillar but larger
 * — The biggest city of the Araucanía
 * — A city bordering the Calle-Calle river
 * — A beach town on Villarrica lake, like Pucón but a much more laid-back and relaxing option to stay in the region.

Other destinations

 * — A national park with zones of dunes, Valdivian temperate rain forests, swamps, and peat bogs.
 * — A beautiful valley known for its granite domes and old-growth forests, attracting serious hikers with trails ranging from easy to challenging.
 * — An island 40 km off the coast, which is noted for numerous historic shipwrecks.
 * — On Chiloé Island

Understand
The Southern Chile region consists of the four local government regions of Araucanía, Biobío, Los Lagos (which includes Chiloé Island) and Los Ríos.

History
Before Spanish colonization, Southern Chile was populated by indigenous Mapuches from Toltén River northwards and by Huilliches south of the river, both groups are classified as Araucanian. The mountainous zones in the east were populated by Pehuenches Puelches. Until the Battle of Curalaba and the following Destruction of Seven Cities around 1600, the southern zone was part of the General Captaincy of Chile and Spanish Empire. After 1600, the Spanish settlements were destroyed or abandoned with the exception of Valdivia that was re-founded in 1645 with heavy fortifications. The zone between Valdivia and Chiloé was gradually incorporated into Chile by a series of agreements with local Huilliches and founding of settlements. By 1850, this process was culminated with the immigration of thousands of German immigrants to Valdivia, Osorno and Llanquihue. The zone north of Valdivia was incorporated into Chile in the 1880s during the occupation of the Araucania.

Talk
Spanish is widely spoken in all the region, but the southern people speak a bit slower than Santiaguinos. In the Araucanía region, the Mapudungun (the dialect spoken by Mapuche people) is used in rural communities, especially between elders.

German is widely spoken in the region because of German colonization, but mostly as a second or third language.

Go next

 * Patagonia

title: Southern Chile


text:
Southern Circuit

The Southern Circuit (道南 Dōnan) covers the western and central parts of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Cities

 * (函館市 Hakodate-shi) – the seat of the short-lived Ezo Republic
 * (北斗市 Hokuto-shi) – adjacent to Hakodate, terminus of the Hokkaido Shinkansen's first phase

Towns and villages

 * (松前町 Matsumae-chō)
 * (長万部町 Oshamambe-chō)
 * Shimamaki
 * Imakane
 * Setana
 * Yakumo
 * Otobe
 * Esashi
 * Mori
 * Shikabe
 * Nanae
 * Assabu
 * Shiriuchi
 * Fukushima
 * Kaminokuni
 * Okushiri

Other destinations

 * (大沼国定公園 Ōnuma Kokutei Kōen) - placid lakes and a steaming volcano

Get in
Hakodate is the main gateway, with trains north to Sapporo and south to Honshu, as well as ferry connections to Tohoku.

By train

 * JR Hokkaido Esashi line

By plane
Hakodate Airport

title: Southern Circuit


text:
Southern Coast (Andhra Pradesh)

The Southern Coast region of Andhra Pradesh in India consists of the districts of Bapatla, Guntur, Palnadu, Prakasam, Nellore, and Tirupati.

Cities

 * — the well-planned capital of Andhra Pradesh which covers the areas that have Buddhist sites
 * — the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh and home to many ancient and archaeological sites and temples
 * — a temple town with ancient temple of Lord Vedanarayana
 * — a combination of religion, nature, and history
 * (Sricity) — a commercial (business) city
 * — a barrier island at the opposite side of the Pulicat Lake, home to India's primary spaceport
 * — one of the ancient places of Hindu pilgrimage and the site of the ancient Lord Shiva temple
 * — known as spiritual capital of Andhra Pradesh; has a sacred temple on the Tirumala Hills
 * — known as spiritual capital of Andhra Pradesh; has a sacred temple on the Tirumala Hills
 * — known as spiritual capital of Andhra Pradesh; has a sacred temple on the Tirumala Hills
 * — known as spiritual capital of Andhra Pradesh; has a sacred temple on the Tirumala Hills

Other destinations

 * — the second largest brackish water lagoon in India after Chilika Lake
 * — a park and biosphere reserve noted for its many waterfalls
 * — also called Ubbalamadugu Falls

See
Guthikonda Bilam is a natural cave formation. The Cave is situated close to Karampudi, 38 km from Narasaraopet enroute from Hyderabad/Nagarjuna Sagar/Macherla.Guthikonda caves are located amidst dense forest. The environment here is serene and legend has it that many Rishis meditated here for centuries. The place is also popularly known as Dakshina Kasi. The famous Guthikonda Bilam is still a place of deep mystery attracting the intrepid and curious tourist to explore. It is unfortunate that not much popularity is given to this place. How to reach there : Just a kilometer before the Village Guthikonda there exists Krishna canal. Travel for 2 km On the Right Bank of the canal to the end and from there another km to walk to reach the place.

On the way to the Cave at foot to the Bilam one can see martyrs' memorial of People's War (Stupam). On the Stupam we can see Charu muzumdars picture.Further ahead the cave is surrounded by temples on the little hill.

The Cave has an entrance built with an arch and has electric lighting too. People who live in the temple beside guide you into the cave. At the summit there is water deep within the cave.

Go next

 * Northern Coast (Andhra Pradesh)

title: Southern Coast (Andhra Pradesh)


text:
South Fujian

South Fujian (闽南 mǐnnán) is a populous region in Fujian Province that has been doing foreign trade for centuries. It is the ancestral home for many overseas Chinese.

Although the city of Putian is not traditionally considered to be part of South Fujian due to the fact that a different dialect is spoken there, as it has more cultural similarity with South Fujian than East Fujian, we group it as part of South Fujian here on Wikivoyage.

Cities

 * , between Quanzhou and Fuzhou, birthplace of the popular sea goddess Mazu
 * was historically the great port of the region. The prefecture includes other towns:
 * , home of a famous tea
 * , an industrial suburb
 * , a walled town with beaches
 * , source of "blanc de chine" pottery
 * , right across the river from Quanzhou
 * , near Xiamen, many clothing factories
 * , booming Special Economic Zone and main economic center of the region, with its suburbs:
 * , a scenic island near downtown
 * , inland from Xiamen
 * , a windswept peninsula with beaches and interesting stone formations
 * , inland from Xiamen
 * , a windswept peninsula with beaches and interesting stone formations
 * , inland from Xiamen
 * , a windswept peninsula with beaches and interesting stone formations

Other destinations

 * , an island in Xiamen that had the consulates and merchants' homes in the era of tea clippers, and is now a major tourist area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand
This region has always been outward-looking. It has been doing foreign trade since the days of the Maritime Silk Road, when Quanzhou was one of China's most important ports. In the era of tea clippers, two of China's five treaty ports, Xiamen and Fuzhou, were in Fujian Province and Fuzhou shipped more tea than any other city. Today all those cities are prosperous and still much involved in international trade; Xiamen is a special economic zone with particularly fast development.

The region has also been a major source of immigrants. In particular, many overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and most Taiwanese are descended from people from this region.

The stone craft
The coastal counties of southern Fujian have long been known for extensive skilled use of local stone (granite) in construction. It typically comes cut into long narrow blocks, and is used to build not only houses and bridges, but all kind of auxiliary structures, including fences.

 * Houses. In the northern part of the region, a traditional stone building would have a flat roof build of the same stone blocks as the walls. You can see still see many such buildings in, for example, Hui'an County, especially within the walled city of Chongwu. In the southern part of the region (e.g. Zhangpu County), a traditional house is more likely to have an ornate gabled roof covered with tiles; the walls may be completely built of stone, or have the lower part build of stone combined with adobe above a certain point.
 * Bridges. An ancient trade route run all along Fujian's coast; as early as during the Song Dynasty, a number of magnificent bridges have been built at the points where the road crosses river's estuary, using supersized stone blocks for the bridge surface. The two well restored bridges worth seeing are the Luoyang Bridge (on the far east side of Quanzhou), and the Anping Bridge (about half-way between Quanzhou and Xiamen). The Shunji Bridge (near downtown Quanzhou) was severely altered during the Nationalist era, and has fallen apart since; some of its pillars still can be seen standing.
 * Walled cities. The city walls of the region's major cities, such as Quanzhou, have been demolished in the 20th century, with only a few isolated gate towers have been preserved (or rebuilt) as historic monuments. However, several small isolated wall towns have been preserved and restored. This includes the seaside Chongwu (one of the forts that was built to defend the coast from pirates in the late 14th century) and the two fortified villages (Zhaojiabao and Yi'ancheng) in the inland Huxi She Township (Zhangpu County, south of Zhangzhou)
 * Tulou. Unlike the more typical Fujian tulou found in the province's inland counties, a few tulous of the coastal Zhangpu County combine the use of rectangular granite stone blocks with adobe, to an interesting overall visual effect.
 * Statues. In some parts of the region (Hui'an County in particular), producing stone statues of all kinds for the national market has become an important industry, and roadsides have become sculptors' showrooms.

Talk
As in most areas of China, Mandarin is very widely spoken and English is not. However, many locals speak Mandarin with a thick local accent, which in Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou is very similar to the Taiwanese accent. People from Putian have their own distinctive accents.

Most of the area has Minnan (known as Hokkien in Southeast Asia, and Taiwanese in Taiwan) as the local language, but the region around Putian has its own Puxian dialect (known as Henghua in Southeast Asia), which is part of the same Min family of Chinese dialects but not mutually intelligible with Minnan. In some areas Hakka is also spoken.

Get in
Xiamen has the main airport of the region with connections to all major Chinese cities, quite a few elsewhere in Asia, and even flights to Amsterdam. See Xiamen for discussion.

Jinjiang (just across a river from Quanzhou) also has an airport with a number of domestic flights plus some international flights to other Asian cities.

There is a high-speed rail line running North-South near the coast with stops in the main cities of this area — Putian, Quanzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou. It connects north to Fuzhou and on toward Shanghai. Going south, it goes along the coast to Shantou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.

An additional high-speed line goes inland from Zhangzhou to Longyan. Since 2019, some high-speed trains go on a "Fujian loop" route, from Fuzhou along the coast to Xiamen and Zhangzhou, then inland to Longyan, and then returning to Fuzhou along the inland route, via Sanming and Nanping.

A fair number of conventional overnight trains run from Xiamen via Zhangzhou, Longyan, and Nanchang (Jiangxi Province) to various destinations throughout the country.

Ferries connect Xiamen and Quanzhou with the Taiwan-controlled island of Kinmen.

Get around
The high-speed rail line (see above) is now the most convenient way of getting between the major cities. There are also good highways, and busses that go more-or-less everywhere.

See

The region is known for Minnan-style architecture, which is can be distinguished from the traditional architecture of the rest of China by its "swallowtail roofs" (燕尾脊). Another distinguishing feature of Minnan-style architecture, particularly on temple buildings, is the use of porcelain shards to make colourful, intricate sculptures. This style of architecture is also prevalent in Taiwan, and can also be seen in overseas Chinese communities with large Minnan-speaking populations.

Itineraries

 * One possible route in the Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai overland itinerary goes through this area.

Eat
South Fujian cuisine places a strong emphasis on stews and braised meats, a feature it shares with the cuisine of neighboring Chaoshan. As the majority of Taiwanese are descended from migrants from this region, visitors will find many similarities between the local cuisine and Taiwanese cuisine. Putian has its own distinctive cuisine that differs significantly from that of Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou.

This is a coastal area: fishing and fish farming are important industries, and local cuisine emphasizes seafood. Specialties include abalone and eels, which are exported to Japan and to other areas of China in large quantities.

The larger cities, especially Xiamen, also have a range of restaurants serving various sorts of international cuisine.

Drink
The area produces a number of teas. Probably the best-known is an Oolong tea called tie guan yin from Anxi. This has been exported for centuries; it was the tea pitched overboard at the Boston Tea Party.

Stay safe
The general advice at China applies here.

The Taiwan-controlled island of Kinmen is near Xiamen; both governments consider the area sensitive and keep substantial military forces there, and travellers should not stray into military areas or do anything that might be taken as provocative. This is not nearly as big a deal as it once was — there has not been artillery fire across that strait since the 1970s, and there are now regular ferries between the two sites — but it is still worth considering.

In this area, typhoons are possible at any time May to November, with the highest risk in July and August.

Go next
Adjacent areas of Fujian are (with main tourist attractions shown in brackets):
 * Northern Coast (Fujian) (Fuzhou, provincial capital and historic city)
 * Inland Fujian (Mount Wuyi and Hakka Tulou, both on the UNESCO World Heritage List)
 * Kinmen (by ferry from Xiamen), then fly to Taiwan (short inexpensive flight)

It is also easy to head south into Guangdong province; Chaozhou and Shantou are nearby cities. The high-speed train is the fastest and most convenient way to go, but there is also good bus service.

title: South Fujian


text:
Southern Coast (Maine)

The Southern Coast is part of Maine. It is coextensive with York County.

Understand
South of Portland caters to day-trippers; north of Portland things mellow out a bit.

See

 * The beaches at York and Wells.

title: Southern Coast (Maine)


text:
Southern Coast (Peru)

The Southern Coast region of Peru is a barren steppe landscape that merges into the Atacama Desert in the south. There are numerous seaside resorts on the coast. It is comparatively well developed. Many roads are paved.

Paracas Reserve
The Paracas Peninsula is one of the greatest marine reserve of South America, located at the shores of the Pacific Ocean. A boat tour to the Ballestas Islands will be the perfect deal for those in search of marine life. Touring around these small islands, visitors may easy spot hundreds of birds, Humboldt penguins and dozens of sea lions, resting on the shores of the islands. In addition, visitors will also see a huge figure etched on the slope of a hill known by the locals as El Candelabro. Paracas was also home of one of the most important ancient civilizations in Peru, the Paracas culture. By exploring the Paracas National Park by land you will not only enjoy a gorgeous landscape, with unique rock formations, such as the famous Cathedral, but also will learn about the ancient people that lived there between the desert and the sea 2000 years ago.

Department of Ica
Ica is a beautiful city in the southern part of Peru, in the middle of a green valley surrounded by the desert. This wonderful city stands out thanks to its warm climate, gorgeous white sand dunes and to a mysterious lagoon, known by the locals as Huacachina. On this spot visitors may explore the surroundings of the lagoon or go for a ride with buggies out in the desert and practice one of the ultimate sports in our country “Sandboarding”.

This city also has one of the best museums of the country, the Regional Museum, which displays stunning relics and mummies bundles from the various cultures that flourished in the south of Peru, including the Paracas, Nazca, Wari and Inca culture. In addition, visitors may have a great time at one of the traditional vineyards in the countryside and learn how Peruvians prepare their delicious “Pisco Sour”.

Cities

 * — a UNESCO World Heritage site that embodies a rich mix of the indigenous and Spanish colonial cultures
 * — a town with good beaches and fresh seafood from the ocean and the river
 * — a city in the desert near the the Huacachina Lagoon, the only oasis in South America, surrounded by huge sand dunes where you can practice sandboarding
 * — famous for the Nazca Lines, a collection of long lines, geometrical figures, and giant drawings in the desert sand that have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list
 * — the main gateway between Peru and Chile

Other destinations

 * — home to various fauna like the guanay guano bird, the blue-footed booby, the tendril, the Humboldt penguin, fur seals and sea lions
 * — an oasis town in the middle of sand dunes.
 * National Reserve — Coastal desert and wildlife viewing.
 * San Fernando Reserve — The beautiful bay of San Fernando is about 70 km away from Nazca, at the shore of the Pacific Ocean, within the district of Marcona. This wonderful reserve shelters a great variety of sea birds and animals. Among the animals stand out the Humboldt penguins and sea lions. As to the birds, it is very common to see condors, boobies, cormorants, pelicans, Inca Terns and many others species. In addition to wildlife, visitors may also enjoy the unique natural beauty that stretches from beach to beach for many kilometers, offering different views of the bay as well as a peaceful atmosphere.

Get in
Rodríguez Ballón International Airport

title: Southern Coast (Peru)


text:
Southern Cook Islands

The Southern Cook Islands are a loose group of mostly volcanic, hilly islands and a few coral atolls.

Islands

 * Rarotonga - most visited island and the location of the capital
 * Aitutaki - the second major destination, with developed facilities.
 * Atiu - an inhabited coffee-growing island, with birdlife, beaches and caves, offers opportunity to access Takutea'
 * Mangaia - the most southern of the islands, inhabited, accessible by air, with accommodation.
 * Mauke - inhabited, with some accommodation, three flights a week.
 * Mitiaro - inhabited, with some accommodation, three flights a week.
 * Palmerston Island - tiny island, small population, interesting history, no air access.
 * Manuae - an uninhabited coral atoll, no air access, no accommodation.

Get around
Air Rarotonga offers scheduled services between the islands. Barges service the inhabited islands, but do not operate to a schedule. Charter flights are available.

Stay safe
There are no major hazards in the Cook Islands. There are no poisonous wild or marine life in the Cook Islands other than sharks in the far northern island groups. Crime is rare but does occur most likely in the form of petty theft. Police are contactable on the emergency number 999.

Go next
Northern Cook Islands

French Polynesia

title: Southern Cook Islands


text:
Southern Desert (Jordan)

The Southern Desert is a region of Jordan.

By plane
You can also fly into Israel via Ramon International Airport Eilat and then cross the border. While Jordan and Israel have enjoyed peaceful and at times even amiable relations since the 1990s, there is the possibility of visa trouble if you intend to visit other Arab countries. It's also wise to not mention your plans to visit Jordan to Israeli border officials unless specifically asked.

title: Southern Desert (Jordan)


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Southern Dominican Republic

The Southern Region is a region of the Dominican Republic.

Other destinations

 * - The only saltwater lake in the world inhabited by crocodiles
 * - The only saltwater lake in the world inhabited by crocodiles

Understand
The South is poorest region of the Dominican Republic, almost untouched by tourism and with very little economic development. Maybe this is the reason why it has managed to keep intact its impressive scenery and extremely diverse wildlife. The South contrasts greatly with the rest of the Dominican Republic because it is covered by deserts and savannas.

The most accessible town in the South is that of Barahona. If you seek to explore this region, you stay in one of the hotels at Barahona. The beaches at Barahona are very distinct from the others in the Dominican Republic: don't look for palm trees and white sand here! Instead, you will find a very exotic black sand, rugged mountains, cliffs and the lush green vegetation that covered the rest of the island's coasts before coconut and palm trees were brought by the Spanish colonizers. The beaches of Palmar de Ocoa offer a similar landscape. An intriguing spot at Barahona is the Polo Magn��tico or "Magnetic Pole": if you leave your car in a particular part of a hill, it will go up the hill, not down! Come and try it for yourself! (It all seems to be an optical illusion, not a strange supernatural magnetic force as it is often believed to be, but you should check it out, nonetheless!)

In the valley surrounded by the rugged, rocky and arid mountains of the provinces of Independencia and Neiba you will find the Lago Enriquillo, a salt-water lake below sea level that once belonged to the Caribbean Sea. The lake is filled with alligators, surreal-looking white, leaf-less trees, and pink flamingos, while being surrounded by an iguana-infested rocky desert. In these barren lands you can find the Dominican Republic's endemic rodent, only found in the island, known as the Solenodonte. There are always locals trying to take visitors to the Cabritos Island in the middle of the lake. The boat ride surrounded by alligators is also surreal, and once you get to the island, you will see the wall paintings of the first inhabitants of the island, the Tainos. Not far from here is another lagoon, the Laguna de Oviedo, with a very high content of sulfur, which is said to be very good for your skin. This lagoon features a similar wildlife, with pink flamingos, but without the scary alligators.

The rest of the South is as full of surprises. The presence Bauxite Mines has created quite a unique landscape in some areas of the south, in which the red earth contrasts greatly with the green vegetation. In the province of Independencia, close to Pedernales, you will find a unique spot: the Hoyo de Pelempito, one of the deepest natural depressions in the Western hemisphere, similar in a sense to Colorado's Grand Canyon. However, although it is surrounded by a rocky desert, the gorge itself is lush and green with pine trees and vegetation. There is an observatory by Pedernales from where the whole area can be admired.

However, the most impressive place in the province, and possibly in the whole island, is in the very secluded Bahia de las Aguilas or "Bay of the Eagles." To get there, you need to depart from the border town of Pedernales in the Independencia province, and take a boat ride to the bay, unless you have a very, very resilient jeep. Bahia de las Aguilas is one of the most beautiful beaches in the island, completely untouched by man, and filled with wild animals such as dauphins and manatees. The water is crystal clear, the savanna-like vegetation is very surreal, and the miles and miles of beach are usually empty. Dominicans have fought hard to preserve this area free of touristic development, as they see in Bahia de las Aguilas the best-kept "jewel" of their country. If you're adventurous enough to get there, you will never forget it.

title: Southern Dominican Republic


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Southerndown

Southerndown is a village in the Vale of Glamorgan. It is mostly known for its beach (officially named Dunraven bay), which is a popular tourist destination during the summer months and since 1972 has been designated a Heritage Coast and is part of the Southerndown Coast SSSI. When the tide is out there is an expanse of sand and pools.

During the summer, Southerndown Lifesaving Club use the beach as opposed to St Donat's Castle. It has a notable golf club, Southerndown Golf Club.

Get in

 * on the B4265 5 miles south of Bridgend.
 * bus 303 from Bridgend.

See
It has been used in the occasional TV production, including on Doctor Who: as Bad Wolf Bay in "Doomsday" and "Journey's End" and as the surface of the alien planet in "The Time of Angels" and "Flesh and Stone" and as the engine room of the ark ship in "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship". It also appeared in Merlin in the first season episode 'The Labyrinth of Gedref'. It was also featured in the Bob Dylan film Hearts of Fire, with Dylan looking out over the second beach down onto Rupert Everett.

Go next

 * Bridgend
 * Porthcawl

title: Southerndown


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Southern Ethiopia

Southern Ethiopia is the southern part of Ethiopia. Administratively, it comprising of most of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (also known simply as the SNNPR), as well as the southern parts of Oromia.

Cities

 * – the capital
 * – a small town with ancient sculptures and fossil beds, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site
 * – a small town in the south on the Kenyan border
 * - also known as Shashamane, known for its Rastafari community
 * - political and administrative center for newly formed South Ethiopia Regional State. Located in north of Lake Abaya.
 * – a small town in the south
 * – a small city on the shores of a large lake
 * - also known as Shashamane, known for its Rastafari community
 * - political and administrative center for newly formed South Ethiopia Regional State. Located in north of Lake Abaya.
 * – a small town in the south
 * – a small city on the shores of a large lake
 * – a small town in the south
 * – a small city on the shores of a large lake
 * – a small city on the shores of a large lake

Other destinations

 * – a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its hominid fossils, a tourist attraction for its tribal cultures
 * – a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its hominid fossils, a tourist attraction for its tribal cultures
 * – a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its hominid fossils, a tourist attraction for its tribal cultures
 * – a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its hominid fossils, a tourist attraction for its tribal cultures
 * – a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its hominid fossils, a tourist attraction for its tribal cultures

Understand
The Ethiopian part of the Great Rift Valley cuts through Southern Ethiopia, creating a savannah landscape similar to what most people have in mind when they picture East Africa, but very different from most of Ethiopia. All along this valley are lakes (from north to south: Ziway, Langano, Abijatta, Shalla, Awasa, Abaya, Chamo) and national parks with wildlife.

To the east of the valley are the Bale Mountains, offering hiking opportunities less touristy than those at their northern equivalent.

Talk
Gamo-Gofa-Dawro is spoken in parts of Southern Ethiopia.

title: Southern Ethiopia


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Southern Finland

Southern Finland (Etelä-Suomi, Södra Finland) lies by the coast of the Gulf of Finland, stretching into the lakeland of interior Finland. It is the most populous part of the country, including the urban sprawl around Helsinki.

Cities

 * (Helsingfors) and its neighbours Espoo (Esbo), Kauniainen (Grankulla) and Vantaa (Vanda)
 * (Hangö) is a recurring favourite with domestic holiday makers due to its nice beaches, climate and traveller-geared services.
 * (Hyvinge), with the Finnish Railway museum
 * (Tavastehus), has a medieval castle
 * , a port town on the road to Russia, with the Gulf of Finland National Park
 * (Lahtis), a fairly grim industrial town
 * (Villmanstrand), a port town by the lake Saimaa
 * (Borgå), a city with a very nice old town
 * contains the picturesque towns of Karis (Karjaa) and Ekenäs (Tammisaari) and also the vibrant village of Fiskars.

Talk
The Uusimaa coast is one of the regions with a big Swedish population. While most of the inland is monolingually Finnish, Swedish speakers are the majority or a big minority in many coastal towns and in much of the countryside near the coast.

Most Finns under the age of 50 speak at least basic and often fluent English, and some tourist-oriented services, especially in the capital region, are available in a range of other languages too. Russian is spoken at many businesses with significant Russian clientèle, mostly by the border and in Helsinki.

By airplane
Helsinki is the most important gateway both to Southern Finland and the rest of the country. There are flights from most large European cities and some destinations in Asia and North America by air. Also Lappeenranta in the east of Southern Finland has an airport, to where Ryanair flies from continental Europe.

By ferry
Ferries from Stockholm, Travemünde, Tallinn and St.Petersburg and international train and bus connections from Russia. Most cities in Finland have a direct train or bus to Helsinki.

By train and bus
Trains and buses from elsewhere in the country towards Helsinki also stop along the way in places e.g. Hämeenlinna, Lahti and Kouvola, but if you are coming from the other direction you very likely need to transfer in Helsinki.

By yacht
The coast is easily reachable from anywhere, and a lovely boating destination. As the region borders the Finnish Lakeland, several inland waterways connect from the north to lakes in the region. Saimaa, and thereby much of South Karelia, is reachable also from the sea, by the Saimaa Canal.

For entry from the Archipelago Sea, see Hanko to Uusikaupunki by boat. The leg from the Archipelago Sea to Helsinki is busy, because of boaters from the metropolitan area spending their holidays off Turku.

Get around

Between cities and major towns you can use trains (VR), while all towns are served by coaches (see timetables at Matkahuolto). For villages not on the main roads you may have to find special arrangements or use taxis.

Hitchhiking is uncommon but possible; be aware that some roads have very little traffic. If you chose smaller country roads, cycling is a possibility and you can camp wild according to the right to access (see that article).

Google Maps includes timetables of trains, long distance buses and local transport of many cities and towns. Other useful route planners are Matka.fi for trains and local buses and Matkahuolto Reittiopas for regional buses.

By taxi

 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Menevä

By boat
The coastal archipelagos and the lakes are very popular boating destinations, and the coast and interconnected lakes lend themselves also to getting around – by cruise, by boat or by canoe. Of the lakes, the Saimaa waterway system is reachable from the sea by the Saimaa Canal, and large enough for any ordinary yacht.

By bike
Several towns in the eastern part of the region (Hamina, Imatra, Kotka, Kouvola, Lappeenranta, Porvoo) use the Donkey Republic bike sharing app and bluetooth, Internet and GPS of your phone. As a member, in Finland for €9 or €18/month, borrowing a bike for less than an 1 hr or 12 hr, respectively, is free. Others pay €1/15 min, €1.50/hr, €4/5 hr, €12/24 hr. Membership must be registered according to your (read: your card's) home country; most countries in western Europe have the system (and USA: one town).

See

 * Suomenlinna fortress on an island just outside Helsinki.
 * The early 19th century architecture in Central Helsinki.
 * The old town of Finland's second oldest city, Porvoo.
 * Bengtskär lighthouse by boat from Hanko.
 * Imatra rapids, the first major tourist attraction in Finland (now free-flowing occasionally).
 * Häme Castle in Hämeenlinna and Raseborg Castle in Snappertuna.
 * Verla Groundwood and Board Mill in Jaala, Kouvola; a former paper factory that now is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 * The Finnish Aviation Museum in Vantaa.
 * The Radio Hill in Lahti with its long wave masts from the 1920s.

Do

 * Have a fun day at the amusement parks Linnanmäki in Helsinki, Tykkimäki in Kouvola and Puuhamaa in Janakkala, or at the Serena Water Park in Espoo.
 * Cruise along Saimaa Canal from Lappeenranta.
 * Enjoy a concert in the Sibelius hall in Lahti.
 * Travel from Helsinki to Porvoo in an old coastal steamer or from Kerava to Porvoo in a 1960s lättähattu train.
 * Visit the limestone cave of Torhola in Lohja.
 * Hike along the Salpa trail in Kymenlaakso.
 * Shop until you drop at Itis, the largest shopping centre in Northern Europe.
 * Walk around in the Aulanko nature park in Hämeenlinna.
 * Drive along the King's road, by bike or car.

Go next
Southern Finland is well connected to the rest of the country by train, bus or plane and you can drive from Helsinki to most parts of Finland in one day. Of course you can also make a daytrip from Helsinki to Tallinn by ferry.

title: Southern Finland


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Southern Greenland

The Southern coast of Greenland is jokingly nicknamed "Sineriak Bananeqarfik" (Banana Coast) by the locals. Still far from a tropical paradise, this is the region which experiences the least extreme temperatures. Be warned, though, it can still get bitterly cold.

The area is characterized by its fjords and mountains; flowering plants, fertile lands and sheep farms side by side with floating icebergs and glaciers.

Temperatures are usually between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius in summer, and between -10 and 0 degrees Celsius in winter.

Other destinations

 * – home to Greenland's only forest

By plane
Air Greenland has daily flights from Kangerlussuaq and from Nuuk and a weekly (two in the summer) direct flight from Copenhagen. There are daily connections with Copenhagen if changing plane at Kangerlussuaq. Icelandair has in summertime weekly flights from Reykjavík (domestic airport) to Narsarsuaq. Going from the airport to other places is by boat or helicopter.

By boat
Some cruise ships go to southern Greenland in the summer, for example to Nanortalik or Qaqortoq. In the autumn, a few cruise ships go from Europe to the Caribbean, and stop at Greenland. Some use the majestic Prince Christian Sound, a 100 km long, 1-2 km wide sound, with high-class sceneries.

By helicopter

 * Air Greenland operates helicopter flights from the Narsarsuaq airport to settlements.

By boat
Most cities and villages in the area are situated by or near the fjords, and local travel is therefore mostly by boats. The tourist offices in the cities arrange local boat transport, but you may be able to hitch a ride on a private boat. Blue Ice Explorer operates tour boats in the area. No matter how you do it, you will be sailing in beautiful clear water in scenic fjords with icebergs floating around you. Don't worry about the icebergs; the locals have been sailing the waters all their life and know not to sail in bad weather or too close to the icebergs.

On land
Some of the villages, like Narsarsuaq and Qassiarsuk, are connected by roads, and the locals travel around on farming equipment, jeeps or 4-wheeled scooters. When there is snow cover, snowmobiles makes overland travel easier. Some places, you may be able to rent a vehicle at the tourist office.

Hiking is quite possible and hiking maps can be bought at Scanmaps, but beware of the low scale and the large differences between contour lines, which make precise navigation difficult. Also note that "tour suggestions" merely means you might be able to follow the route, as no trails are marked and streams and lakes may vary in size throughout the year.

On a lot of the islands and peninsulas, there are sheep farms. Aside from meeting an occasional flock of sheep, this has two important side effects:
 * The sheep keep the mosquitos away, making the stay much more pleasant.
 * The sheep are lazy, and take the easiest route from A to B. If you are lazy too (i.e. not a rock climber) use the paths the sheep have already made. Just remember that your destination is not always the same as the sheep's.

See and do
The can be reached from Narsarsuaq by foot (20 km there and back), boat or helicopter.

Remains of the Norse settlements can be found several places in the area. The remains of the Greenlandic cathedral is seen in Igaliku. A reconstruction of Thorhilda's (Eric the Red's wife) church and a longhouse can be seen in Qassiarsuk. Qassiarsuk, Igaliku, Sissarluttoq, Tasikuluulik (Vatnahverfi) and (Hvalsey) together make up the world heritage site "Kujataa Greenland: Norse and Inuit Farming at the Edge of the Ice Cap".

Remains of Inuit settlements are also found several places including in Qassiarsuk and nearby Qaqortoq.

Hot springs of varying temperature are found in the area.

Just north of Narsaq is an area of major geological interest. Thirty minerals were originally found and characterized here, and 12 are found only in this area.

The, near Tasiusaq in Kujalleq municipality, is home to Greenland's only natural forest.

Go next

 * Western Greenland- home to much of Greenland's population, this region is colder and has less vegetation than southern Greenland
 * Svalbard- group of islands to the east of Greenland which are governed by Norway
 * Franz Josef Land- group of islands in the Arctic Ocean governed by Russia
 * Novaya Zemlya- group of Arctic islands governed by Russia and used for military purposes

title: Southern Greenland


text:
Southern Gulf Coast

The Southern Gulf Coast is a region in Southern Thailand that includes the provinces of Songkhla and Phatthalung, and the three deep southern provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala. The region of the deep southern provinces is also sometimes called Patani (with one t, as opposed to the province and city which are usually spelled with two t's), a name which echoes the name of the former Kingdom of Patani which encompassed the region. This is the only region in Thailand with a Muslim majority. The deep south is sometimes also said to include the province of Satun, but this guide uses a slightly more limited definition.

Cities

 * — the largest city of the south
 * — a fishing town with nice beaches
 * — ancient capital of the Kingdom of Patani
 * — a mountainous city, one of the ancient cities of the south
 * — the great city on two seas offers some great beaches
 * — border town, close to Rantau Panjang in Malaysia
 * — the largest city in the deep south

Other destinations

 * — town on the border with Malaysia, on the road from Yala
 * — border crossing with Malaysia by railway
 * — border crossing with Malaysia
 * — wildlife refuge near Songkhla
 * — border town in Narathiwat Province, close to Kota Bahru in Malaysia
 * — small beach village at the border with Malaysia

Understand
This region attracts tourists for its beautiful nature, historic locations, and traditional culture related to the unique blend of Thai-Buddhist, Malay-Muslim, and Chinese culture in the region. The majority of the population are Muslims, many of whom speak a dialect of the Malay language called Yawi.

The sultans of this area traditionally paid tribute to the distant King in Bangkok, and in return were left alone. in 1909, the area was officially recognised as Thai territory. In 1944, a policy of enforced Thai values and language began. Traditional Muslim courts were dismantled and Thai instruction was instituted in schools, much to the dislike of the indigenous Muslim population. In 1947, simmering ethnic and religious tensions exploded into the South Thailand Insurgency, which continues to the present day. Violence was most intense between 2004-2015 with attacks on the army, police and civilians from a patchwork of rebel movements. This was met with brutal repression from the state, often exascerbating the cycle of violence. In this period alone, it is estimated that 6,500 people died and 12,000 were injured due to the actions of both parties. However, as of 2022, this insurgency has largely died down and tourists are no longer in any danger, despite the region still being subject to rule by Emergency Decree.

Talk
The three deep southern provinces are a multilingual region. Thai is the main language of public life, used in administration, commerce and education. A large part of the population, however, speak a dialect of Malay as their mother tongue. This dialect is often called Yawi, after the Arabic script it is written with. The Malay language was previously only written with this script but both Malaysia and Indonesia have since switched to the Latin alphabet and Yawi (or Jawi) script is no longer widely used outside of southern Thailand (except in the highly religious neighboring Malaysian state of Kelantan and the Sultanate of Brunei).

The Yawi dialect is very difficult for speakers of standard Malay (Malaysian or Indonesian) to understand. Similarly the local dialect of Thai is quite distinct from Thai as spoken in Bangkok, although the difference is not as great. Chinese is also spoken by the Chinese minority.

Because of its dominance in the public sphere, many young Malays are more fluent in Thai than they are in Malay (especially in the cities). A Thai speaker should have no problems communicating with anybody from the deep south. Those who speak neither Malay nor Thai may run into some problems as English is not well understood. Most people know some words, though, and the children study English in school. With a good sense of humour, patience, and some imagination communication should work out though, and quite often an English speaker will be found nearby more than willing to show off some of his or her skills.

Get in
As of October 2022, Hat Yai airport has multiple flights per day from Bangkok (both airports) as well as less frequent flights from Ko Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Betong airport is new and only has two flights per week from Bangkok, at four times the price of a flight to Hat Yai.
 * Hat Yai International Airport
 * Betong International Airport

The Thai train system serves Phattalung city, Hat Yai, Yala city, Pattani city and the border crossings of Sungai Kolok and Padang Besar. If you're heading south to this area, sleeper services on this line represent good value, comfort and convenience for less than the price of an air fare.

If heading north into Thailand, you can take a bus to Sungai Kolok or a train to Padang Besar and continue north into Thailand by train.

Get around
The Southern Train Line connects (from south to north) Sunga Kolok, Yala, Pattani and Hat Yai with points north. There is also a branch line from Hat Yai to Padang Besar. These train services are suitable for travelling between towns in the Southern Gulf Coast. These regular services are cheap and comfortable enough for short trips. For example, the trip by ordinary train from Sungai Kolok to Yala town takes 2 hours and costs THB 100. Travelling by train has the added benefit that train stations are usually in the centre of town, so you are less likely to need a taxi to get you to your accommodation.

There are frequent and cheap buses between the main cities in the three southernmost provinces. Red buses go between Yala and Pattani, leaving around the corner from the bus station in Yala and from Ruedi Rd in Pattani, and blue buses between Pattani and Narathiwat. These buses leave about once or twice an hour. For travel between the smaller towns and villages, songthaews are the main means of transportation.

Long-distance buses passing through the region can be taken between the main towns. They are a much more comfortable mode of transportation, but more expensive and much less frequent. The long-distance buses all go through bus stations just outside the towns they serve.

The road system in the deep south is generally quite good, driving on your own can be an option if you feel up for it. Taxis can also be booked to take you between destinations. Travelling between any two places in deep southern Thailand generally involves going through a lot of army roadblocks. This is due to the security situation. Usually there won't be much hassle if you're a tourist, but these can significantly slow a journey down. As of 2022, tourists report most roadblocks not requiring vehicles to stop. When stops occur, they are brief and friendly.

Drink
Although Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala are Muslim-majority provinces, alcohol is still available at hotels, grocery stores and 7-elevens. Do not drink alcohol in public.

Stay safe
As the Southern Thailand Insurgency is still ongoing, and the area is still under a state of emergency, many governments and organisations warn against non-essential travel to this region. However, as the cycle of violence continues to wane, peace is returning to the area, and things will appear quite normal to tourists. Tourists are not in any greater danger in this area than they are anywhere else.

title: Southern Gulf Coast