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Puri

Puri (ପୁରୀ Purī), also known as Jagannath Puri (the Abode of Lord Jagannath) or Purushottama Puri, is a seaside pilgrimage town in the Indian state of Odisha. It is a major tourist destination with the famous temple of Lord Jagannath (means Lord of the World) and a very long beach offering beautiful and pleasant sights. There are many hotels; most overseas tourists stay near the beach.

Understand
Puri (poo-rih) literally means "city" in Sanskrit. It appeals to both pilgrims and vacationers as it blends religion with fun. Puri is one of the Char Dham (Four Abodes) sites that are considered sacred to the Hindus, and the Jagannath Temple is an example of the Kalinga architecture. The long sea beach is another major attraction of the city with its fantastic sea face view and golden sand; the water is a bit rough (which is good if you like to surf).

Talk
Like the rest of Odisha, most people in Puri speak Odia. Due to the presence of people from various parts of India, there would not be a language problem for people who speak any other major Indian languages. Hindi and Bengali are also widely understood.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Bhubaneswar, from Puri. Then take a train or bus to reach your destination.

By train
Puri is well-connected by railways. Trains are available from Howrah, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar etc. It is also a major railhead on the East Coast Railway, bifurcated from Khurda Road. is in the heart of the town and near to most hotels. While arriving by train, go to the Odisha State Tourist counter at the station for advice; they are usually very helpful and speak English. The MCO Booth is also quite helpful.

By bus
Puri is approximately 1½ hours or 60 km from Bhubaneswar and the journey costs about ₹130.

Get around
You can use cycle rickshaws, auto-rickshaws or electric rickshaws but agree on a price before you set off. Just to avoid a horrible experience in the beginning confirm twice on the price, as they frequently try to charge you more than you agreed on. There are places on C.T. Road where you can hire a Royal Enfield motorbike, good if you want to drive along the coast to Konark (Sun Temple). A cycle rickshaw is in the range of ₹520.

Temples

Events
Ratha Yatra (literally "chariot journey") is the main festival in Puri and is celebrated in June-July every year. On the first day, Jagannath and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra are transported in chariots (rathas) from Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple. They remain in chariots on the first day and enter Gundicha Temple on the second day. These deities return to Jagannath Temple after seven days, known as "Bahuda Yatra". The area between Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple remains crowded during the Ratha Yatra, therefore be prepared during these times.

Sleep
Puri is a very popular holiday resort for people from all over India but they tend to stay in the hotels nearer to Swargadwar (rather than C.T. Road). These hotels are often affordable and offer quality services at very reasonable rates.

Stay safe
In cheap hotels or guest houses on Swargadwar or New Puri, try to take care of your own belongings. Do not try to go to the beach after 8PM. If you get seriously ill in Puri it is better to go on to Bhubaneswar to the Kalinga Hospital as the hospitals in Puri are very, very basic and not too clean. The hotel should be able to get a local doctor for you if you need one.

There are mouthwatering food stalls on the beach selling fish, mutton, chicken kebabs, chops and cutlets. Do not try these, unless you want to experience the medical system of Puri. Even weather-beaten, battle-hardened, super-immune Indian stomachs can not tolerate these tasty but unhygienic attacks on your digestive system. Eat out of hotels, is perfectly fine. But do not try the seashore roadside food stalls.

Stay safe from pāṇḍās in any temple. They will extract money from your pocket ruthlessly in the name of God. They are very influential and nothing can be done with the help of law. Avoid entering the innermost sanctum of any living temple (even if you are Hindu/Indian). They will ask you to offer puja or pay respect to innumerous Gods here and there of the same temple very politely/affectionately but will demand money in the name of each God separately. No use arguing with them. If you are a bit religious/curious then carry enough change so that you can donate ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10 to get rid of them without any commotion.

Stay away from monkeys. Don't lure them with food and other stuff.

Go next
Puri, being a major tourist spot, is well connected with the rest of the country by train. In case of flight connectivity, one has to go to Bhubaneswar to get onto one. From the main bus stand in Puri, you can get buses to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack which are less than 60-70 km away. Bhubaneswar, which is a major hub, further increases connectivity.
 * The temple of Konark is nearby and definitely a must-visit.
 * Satapada on Chilika Lake is nearby and is a great place for sighting dolphins.

title: Puri


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Purmamarca

Purmamarca is a town in Jujuy province in Northwest Argentina.

Understand
Purmamarca is amongst the top travel destinations in Argentina. Located in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO world heritage site, the town sits next to the Cerro de los Siete Colores, the most famous landmark in Northwest Argentina.

On foot
You can hike between Pucarama and Tilcara, and see the hills at Maimará and the Cerro Paleta del Pintor a little further. It is about 25 km.

Get around
You can easily walk around Purmamarca and even do the Los Colorados trail behind the town to the west.

See
The old pueblo and church, with worn cobblestone paths, and feel as though you had gone back 200 years or more.

Buy
A small market loaded with items of all kinds, including Bolivian hand-woven blankets with nice, authentic designs. Wise, knowledgeable and friendly shop owners, though they may be difficult to find at siesta time.

Eat
There are many good restaurants.

 * Comarca Lodge With waiting staff professional trained at the Sala Gastronomical Institute; the meals four stars plus, including perfectly cooked steak, fabulous, intoxicating, fruit puree drizzled desserts. Even after 20:00.

Sleep
If you go to Purmamarca as part of a tour, the tour operators are good at arranging lodging for you. Otherwise, the town is not the cheapest around and you will be better off heading further to Tilcara or Humahuaca for budget accommodation.

 * Comarca Lodge - Gracious, bright, friendly people.

Go next

 * Tilcara
 * Humahuaca

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

title: Purmamarca


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Purnululu National Park

Purnululu National Park  is a world heritage site in Western Australia, 2054 km northeast of Perth. The nearest town is Kununurra which is a good 300 kilometres away, making this park pretty isolated, even more so than Uluru. Interestingly, before 1983, the Bungle Bungle Range had not been known to outsiders, although the Indigenous Karjaganujaru peoples have lived in this park for over 40,000 years.

Understand
Purnululu is the name given to the sandstone area of the Bungle Bungle Range by the Kija Aboriginal people, and the national park is also known as the Bungles National Park. The range is situated within the park, rises up to 578 m (1896 feet) above sea level and is famous for the unusual and striking sandstone domes striped with alternating orange and grey bands. The banding of the domes is due to differences in clay content and porosity of the sandstone layers. The grey banding is cyanobacteria which grows on the layers where moisture accumulates. The orange bands are layers of oxidised iron compounds that dry out too quickly for the cyanobacteria to form.

History
The term Purnululu National Park is actually quite a new one. Apart from the indigenous people, no one had known about the Bungle Bungle ranges until the 1980s, which is fairly recent as to land discovery. However, nevertheless to say, the area does have a rich indigenous history with several Aboriginal art and burial sites are numerous in this area.

The name "Purnululu" means sandstone in the language of the local Kija tribe. It is believed that it was either misinterpreted as "Bungle Bungle" or that it is a misspelling of the common Kimberley Grass Bundle. However, rumors still circulate as to the real origin and meaning of Bungle Bungle, making this "lost world" seem even more mysterious.

The park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.

Landscape
The Bungle Bungle Range is one of the most extensive and impressive occurrences of sandstone tower (or cone) karst terrain in the world. The Bungle Bungles were a plateau of Devonian sandstone, carved into a mass of beehive-shaped towers with regularly alternating, dark grey bands of cyanobacterial crust (single cell photosynthetic organisms). The plateau is dissected by 100–200-metre (330–660 ft) deep, sheer-sided gorges and slot canyons. The cone-towers are steep-sided, with an abrupt break of slope at the base and have domed summits. How they were formed is not yet completely understood. Their surface is fragile but stabilised by crusts of iron oxide and bacteria. They provide an outstanding example of land formation by dissolutional weathering of sandstone, with removal of sand grains by wind, rain and sheet wash on slopes.

Flora and fauna
The plateau and domes themselves are devoid of vegetation, but there are islands of green with more than 600 documented plant species both between the beehives and at the gorge entrances. Some of the plants in the park don't even have a name yet, as they were only recently discovered.

The fan palm (Livistona victoriae) is particularly eye-catching; it clings to walls and crevices in dangerously steep places, especially in the northwest, and reaches heights of up to twelve metres. Tree species that cling to rocks with their roots include the rock fig, the milkwood tree and the dwarf tropical red box gum.

Much of the park consists of undulating, deep red or yellow sandy plains overgrown with acacia and silver tree bushes, eucalyptus forests, spinifex and other grasses. Kapok bushes, Kimberley bauhinia, Kimberley heather and Grevillea species mix up the savannah with colour.

When it comes to fauna, the biodiversity in the park is remarkable; particularly related to the boundary between the tropical and arid climate zones, which ensures that species from both climate zones coexist. Over 40 species of mammals and over 80 species of reptiles are documented in the park.

For example, the flat-toed kangaroo comes from tropical latitudes, while the mountain kangaroo comes from stony dry zones. The frilled lizard is native to the north, the brown snake is adapted to both wet and dry habitats.

The animals that are the easiest to spot in the park are the birds. There are around 150 species, including spinifex pigeons and flocks of brightly coloured budgerigars. Other species such as the nocturnal swallowtail, white- tipped pigeon, and brown-breasted fathead are so well camouflaged that they barely stand out against the rocks they inhabit.

Get in
Access to the park by road is via Spring Creek Track from the Great Northern Highway approximately south of Kununurra. The track is 53 km (33 miles) long and is only passable in the dry season for 4WD vehicles. It will take approximately 3 hours to negotiate that distance to the visitor centre. Access by air is less painful and helicopter flights are available from Turkey Creek Roadhouse (Warmun), south of Kununurra, or by light aircraft from Kununurra.

During the monsoon season (from November and April 1) or the summer months, it is not possible to enter the park and the park is closed during then.

Fees and permits
The Bungle Bungle section of the park has a fee, although the fees tend to get a little bit complicated. Up to date fee info can be found on the park's website.
 * For a private vehicle with up to 12 people, it's $15 per vehicle, but the concession fee is $8
 * For a private vehicle with more than 12 people, $7 per occupant who 6 years or older. The concession fee is $2.50 per occupant
 * If you come by motorcycle, it's just $8

Get around
All the roads in Purnululu National Park past the caravan park are unpaved so you will need a 4WD to get around most of the time.

See
Budgerigars, wallabies, bungle bungle range, gorges, rock pools, sandstone towers and fan palm trees in crevices in rocks.

Buy
The only shop of any kind in the park is at the visitor centre.

Eat and drink

 * The visitor centre sells snacks and other quick eateries, however, they tend to be very very expensive given how isolated Purnululu National Park is.
 * Bungle Bungle Savannah Lodge has dinner and breakfast as well as a fully licensed bar

Camping
There are two public campgrounds in the park - Walardi to the south, near Cathedral Gorge and Picaninny Creek, and Kurrajong to the north near Echidna Chasm. They are basic campgrounds which offer water, shared fireplaces with a limited supply of wood provided (no collecting because it's a national park) and pit toilets. Booking ahead is advisable since you don't want to be turned back after the long drive in from the highway.

Backcountry
Backcountry camping is generally not advised due to safety concerns and is prohibited in large parts of the park.

Connect
As of March 2024, the park and its approach roads have no mobile signal.

Go next

 * Piccanninny Creek
 * Ord River
 * Panton River

title: Purnululu National Park


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Pursat

Pursat is the capital of western Cambodia's Pursat Province. It is indistinguishable from Cambodia's other small provincial capitals.

Understand
Pursat is a sleepy town that holds marginal interest. Though, it may be used a base for visits to the Tonle Sap Lake or Cardamon Mountains.

By road
The fully paved Hwy 5 runs northwest from Phnom Penh via Pursat to the county's second largest city, Battambang.

By bus
All buses between Battambang (US$2.50 from Pursat) and Phnom Penh (US$5 from Pursat) will stop here. Buses run every half-hour in the morning and early afternoon. Buses take 4 hr between Phnom Penh and 1½ hr between Battambang.

All the major bus companies service Phnom Penh — Sorya and Capitol Tour are the most reliable big names. Capitol Tour runs the latest afternoon departure from Phnom Penh at 14:00, and sometimes 15:00.

By train

Connections from:
 * Phnom Penh – 06:40, 4 hr, US$7
 * Battambang – 15:00, 2½ hr, US$4
 * Maung Russey – 16:00, 1½ hr

On foot
Central Pursat is easily covered on foot.

By taxi
Motorbike taxis hang around the market, bus stations, train station, and sometimes along the highway. A ride anywhere in town should cost around 1,000 riel. A day trip to Kampong Luang or elsewhere can be negotiated for US$5 or more. The occasional tuk-tuk can also be found.

By motorbike
The Phnom Pech Hotel rents small motorbikes by the day and half-day.

See
Like all of Cambodia's former railway towns, Pursat hosts a charming French-built railway station that has decayed into a slum, which gives the area an interesting vibe. The railway had been restored in 2019.

Do
Walking the town is the best way to know it. Children will scream "hello" at any passing tourist. Locals may invite you for some food or karaoke. As in Battambang, there is a "bamboo train".

Eat
Common to any society that has emerged from food shortages, provincial Cambodia lacks a culture that reveres cuisine and instead favours sustenance. In short, don't expect more than a cheap meal of rice and some gristly meat. Stalls and cafes around town offer similar nondescript human fuel.

Go next

 * Pursat offers access to the Cardamom Mountains, giving it potential for eco-tourism.
 * 28 km away lie the floating villages of Kampong Luang on the Tonle Sap Lake, a popular day trip.

title: Pursat


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Purulia

Purulia (পুরুলিয়া Puruliẏā) is the headquarters of its namesake Purulia district. Both the city and the district are blessed with their unique geography and culture.

Understand
Purulia has the mixed culture of Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha as it was a part of these regions for various times. From archaeological evidences to local festivals, every cultural event has got a tribal touch in it, which is the speciality of Purulia. Living mostly in rural areas and keeping intact many of their socio-cultural values, more or less in pristine forms, the rural people of Purulia have their folks to speak about many of their tenets.

Climate
Summers are hot and dry with temperatures ranging from lows of 23 °C to highs above 48 °C. Winters are dry and cool with daily temperatures ranging from 5 °C to 20 °C. Most of the rainfall occurs during the wet monsoons.

Get in
Purulia city can be accessed by bus or by train from major cities like Kolkata, Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Asansol, Ranchi,Durgapur.

Get around
Purulia is an interesting blend of nature and history. Purulia has lush green mountain ranges with rocky outcrops. It is a place for adventure sports like rock climbing. During the winter rock climbing, camping and nature study courses are held in the outskirts of the Purulia town. Purulia also has a rich heritage several archeological sites of Hindu and Jain origin are found near the town.

Purulia lacks proper public transport. To explore the town and the surrounding it is best to hire a car. Hotels can arrange for cars.

Eat

 * Hotel Aakash — In BT Sarkar Road, which also provides good quality accommodation.
 * Tripti Restaurant — A roadside eatery opposite Aakash Hotel. Very good Indian and Chinese food. Try chilli chicken (dry) and the chicken roll.
 * Mondira Snacks — At Post Office for rolls and noodles.
 * Ruchira Snacks — For rolls, cutlets, noodles.
 * Shree Hotel — For Bengali lunch and dinner.

Drink
Although drinking in Purulia is frowned upon by the locals, people are merrymaking in this town. One can find numbers of pubs and restaurant offering liquors with food.

Go next

 * Ajodhya Hill and Forest Reserve Area — there are a few buses which run to Ajodhya Hill. There is a guest house on the top of the hill where you can enjoy a night of a jungle life.
 * Baranti
 * Biharinath
 * Durgapur

title: Purulia


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Purvanchal

Purvanchal is the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of the most ancient regions of India and it enjoys a rich heritage and culture.

Cities

 * —

 * —

 * —

 * —

 * — a site of Buddhist pilgrimage

 * —

 * —

 * — the site of the Buddha Sakyamuni's first teaching after gaining enlightenment

 * — one of the holiest cities in India to Hindus, many temples are off-limits to non-Hindus, on the banks of the Ganges

By plane
The commercial airports in the region include:
 * Gorakhpur Airport, Gorakhpur
 * Kushinagar International Airport, Kushinagar
 * Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi

By car
The Purvanchal Expressway, inaugurated in November 2021, is the longest expressway in India. The expressway connects Lucknow to Ghazipur at.

title: Purvanchal


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Purwokerto

Purwokerto is a sleepy town in the Central Java province of Indonesia. It is a major transport hub, connecting major cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and Cirebon.

Understand
Purwokerto is a town of around 230,000 inhabitants (2020 census) and the capital of Banyumas Regency. It lies between Jakarta and Yogyakarta, making it a famous and bustling transit town in southwestern Central Java.

Some famous Indonesians originated from Purwokerto, such as Jenderal Gatot Subroto. These people are honoured in street names all over Indonesia.

The town is at the base of the Mount Slamet, the second highest volcano in Central Java. Purwokerto is a popular gateway to climb it, since the summit crater is about from the town centre. The rivers that flow down its slopes into the town provides some welcome greenery in the industrial drabness and hectic bustle.

Get around
Purwokerto is a relatively small town, so travelling around town should not be too expensive. You can jog around town in approximately 40 minutes.

By angkot
Although Purwokerto is a small town, instead of walking in the heat and high humidity, travelling around town can be faster and easier by angkot (battered minibuses - derived from the words angkutan kota, or city transport). These have fixed routes but pick up and drop off anywhere along that route; sometimes they can be very crowded, but it's a great way to meet the locals. There is a certain etiquette to be observed, though. Costs Rp2,500 per passenger, paid when you alight.

By online taxi / mototaxi
Gojek and Grab online taxis are ubiquitous in this town and highly recommended if you are in a rush to other places.

By public bus
There are 2 public bus services in operation.

 * TransJateng is a BRT service operated by provincial government that serves mainly Purwokerto-Purbalingga (eastbound route). Operational hour starts from 05:15 to 18:00. The bus stops at the designated, high-level platform bus shelter. Rp4,000 per person, flat rate.
 * Trans Banyumas is a bus service under the supervision of Ministry of Transportation. There are three operational routes: Pasar Pon-Ajibarang (westbound route. Operational hour starts from 05:15 with last departure from terminal at 19:45), Baturraden-Notog (north-south route. Operational hour starts from 04:45 with last departure from terminal at 18:00), and Bulupitu-Kebondalem (loop route. Operational hour starts from 05:00 with last departure from terminal at 19:20). The bus stops at the bus stop sign, some of them are integrated to TransJateng bus stops. Rp3,900 per person, flat rate.

Unlike Transjakarta in Jakarta (and just like the majority of BRT creepers in many Indonesian cities), they don't have a designated lane that separates their lane from regular traffic and has very low timetable. You may want to use these bus service if you're not in a hurry and really want to enjoy this town with its AC-equipped buses. Both BRT providers have their own app with bus tracker.

By trishaw
Traditional three-wheeled pedal-powered rickshaws known as becak can be found in most parts of Purwokerto. Haggle furiously.

See

Purwokerto is simply a major transit town, not a tourist town. Even so, it still has many destinations to be seen or visited. It has a lot of beautiful monuments on some of its roundabouts and a few well-preserved Dutch colonial buildings.

Museums

Parks
Purwokerto also has many parks that are basically local hotspots for hangout, jogging, cycling, or even just to stroll around to enjoy its scene. You can also buy foods and snacks and have a picnic in the evening (specifically in its town square).

Do

 * Sport centre: . You can also visit
 * Golf:
 * Karaoke: One of the most popular entertainment programs in town. Plenty of well-known chains throughout the city, such as and
 * Coffee house: If you want to hangout with your friends, are a workaholic, or just simply want to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, there are a lot of coffee houses in Purwokerto.

Traditional markets
Purwokerto has many ranges of traditional markets.

Boutiques
There are a number of boutiques along Jl. Dr. Bunyamin, in the northern part of the town. They're popular with youths and college students.

Shopping malls

Handicrafts
There are plenty of handicraft and souvenir stands in nearby Baturaden, a cool resort town just to the north.

Eat
Purwokerto is the heart of culinary destinations of Banyumas Regency, so don't miss any chances to explore more restaurants beyond the lists and indulge on every dish that's served in this town. The following dishes should be on every traveler's agenda:

 * Gudeg, a curry of jackfruit, chicken and egg served with rice. The most famous local dish. The most famous seller is in front of Pasar Manis, Jl Gatot Subroto.
 * Mendoan is made from very thin tempe (fermented soy bean cake), battered and fried. The best mendoan is only found in the village, even though city mendoan is quite tasty. Mendoan can be bought on Jl. Sawangan, in outlets including Mirasa and Echo21. You can buy it raw (with separate ingredients) and fry it at home.
 * Sate Kambing Sate kambing in the Purwokerto area (Banyumas, Sokaraja, Purbalingga) is also famous for very tender young goat. One of the best is Sate Tiga Saudara.
 * Soto Sokaraja, or locally called Sroto, a soup which originated from neighboring town Sokaraja, is very popular here. There are many local restaurants that serve this dish.
 * Gethuk Goreng is a fried variant of gethuk, traditional snacks made from cassava. It's as omnipresent as mendoan (specifically in Sokaraja).

Mid-range

 * There are 2 KFCs in this town.
 * There are 2 KFCs in this town.
 * There are 2 KFCs in this town.
 * There are 2 KFCs in this town.
 * There are 2 KFCs in this town.

Drink
Like in any other Javanese highland interior towns (even though Purwokerto is relatively lower in altitude than Baturaden region), wedang is quite popular due to its warming effects and rich flavours.

 * Wedang Ronde is a hot ginger drink with gluten rice balls, peanuts, jelly.
 * Wedang Uwuh in English literally means "junk drink", due to its messy herbs appearance left unfiltered in the drink. Despite of its unfortunate name, this hot, ginger-based drink added with sappan wood, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemongrass, cardamom, and sugar/honey is very healthy and gives you warming effects. You may find this drink everywhere (especially in Baturaden region).

Coffee shops
Just like many other cities in Indonesia, Purwokerto is experiencing a boom in coffee shops. Due to the high number of coffee shops in this town, it is highly recommended to explore by yourself beyond this list.

Stay safe
Mount Slamet erupted in 2009 and again in 2014, and for periods afterwards residents and tourists were warned to not approach within 2 km of the crater. Check conditions to determine the threat level before planning a visit.

Purwokerto is relatively safer than any other major cities in Indonesia. However, there were multiple cases of motorcycle theft in 2019. If you rent a motorcycle or any other vehicles, make sure to always lock its steering or wheels and triple check before you leave it.

North

 * Mount Slamet, a stratovolcano which is still active with recent volcanic activity in 2014. Travelers in Purwokerto will never miss a sight of this volcano since it's only about 15 km north of the town centre and is the highest mountain in Central Java, making it an ideal benchmark for the north direction. If any travelers are brave enough to climb it (since it's notoriosly known as one of the hardest mountain to climb in Java), you can visit Bambangan Base Camp in Purbalingga Regency or many other base camps as the starting point (there are at least 12 climbing routes).
 * Baturaden is the most famous natural tourist area just north of Purwokerto. Thanks to its temperate climate and abundant amount of waterfalls, there are many villas and tourist attractions that travelers can visit. Lokawisata Baturaden is a nature preservation on a Mount Slamet slope with waterfalls & swimming pools, plus panoramic volcano views. Wana Wisata Baturraden is an ecotourism spot with campgrounds and out-bond facilities, and also serves as a gateway to Baturaden Botanical Garden. Natural tourist attractions in here include Curug Telu, Telaga Sunyi, Hutan Pinus, Curug Kembar, Pancuran Pitu, Curug Ceheng, and many other waterfalls.

East

 * Purbalingga, home of the famous Owabong Waterpark, Sanggaluri Park, and Purbayasa River World.
 * Banjarnegara, do rafting on Serayu River and go further to Dieng Plateau.

South East

 * Sokaraja, a transit town, is famous for its soto and gethuk goreng.
 * Tambak, on the border of Kebumen Regency, 1-hour travel by bus from Purwokerto Bus Terminal for Rp7,000. Offering its famous duck satay. Price Rp10,000.

South

 * Cilacap on the south coast is a growing industrial city, with oil refinery, power station and cement factory. The adventurous can hop off to the south coast beaches of West Java by taking a boat through the Segara Anakan bay.

title: Purwokerto


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Pushkar

Pushkar is a holy city in Rajasthan, India famous for its Brahma temple, lake, ghats, and bazaar.

Understand
Pushkar is a small holy town in the state of Rajasthan famous for the Pushkar Lake, various ghats and temples spread all around the lake.

Since being discovered by tourists the areas around the lake have filled with souvenir shops, cafes selling bhang lassis and hotels - you will find an interesting mix of pilgrims, Indian tourists and backpackers.

The word 'Pushkar' means lotus flower, which is said to be the seat of Brahma, one of the Hindu holy trinity, who is worshipped as the creator of this world. The legend has it that when the demon Vajra Nabha killed Brahma's children, Brahma in turn struck him with his weapon, a lotus flower. Vajra Nabha died from the impact, and the petals of the lotus fell at three places. One of them is Pushkar, where it gave birth to a lake. Brahma is supposed to have performed a sacrifice at this lake on Kartik Purnima (the full moon day of the Kartik month [which generally falls in November]), hallowing the place.

Though Brahma is considered to be the creator of the world in Hinduism, there are comparatively few temples dedicated to him, of which the one here in Pushkar is the most important. This is also considered as Adi Teerth or Teertharaj, meaning an ancient holy place or the most important of holy places, respectively.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Jaipur, 3 hours away.

By bus
There are direct buses between Pushkar and Ajmer (30 minutes, ₹20), Jaipur (3 hours, ₹220-410), Udaipur (6 hours, ₹450), and night buses to Delhi (10 hours, ₹400-850).

By train
Due to its mountainous location, trains to Pushkar are very infrequent and slow. However, the train station in nearby Ajmer provides great connections to most major cities in India. From the Ajmer train station, you can either take a taxi to Pushkar (30 minutes, ₹400-600 asked price), order a car via OlaCabs or Uber app (flat ₹500 by the taxi union, regardless of what the app says - December 2023), or you take a rickshaw or tuk-tuk to the Ajmer Bus Station and take a bus from there to Pushkar (₹20).

By foot
Pushkar is not so big and can easily be navigated on foot. Several companies offer spiritual walking tours, which can be an excellent way to see the many temples efficiently.

By cycle or motorbike
It is easy to rent cycles or motorbikes to explore the areas surrounding the town.

By camel
Camel safaris are a very popular activity in Pushkar. See listings below.

Temples
While there are many temples in Pushkar, the majority do not allow foreigners/non-Hindus to enter. If you are allowed in, you will have to take off your shoes to enter the temples. If you only have the desire/time to visit 2 temples, the one-of-a-kind Brahma Temple and the Savitri Temple, with a beautiful view of Pushkar Lake, are must-sees.

Do

 * Bathe in Pushkar Lake  as it is much cleaner than the Ganges, though it does not meet water quality standards.
 * Parikarma is the circumnavigation of a religious object - in this case Lake Pushkar. Join other pilgrims.
 * Watch the evening prayers at Varah Ghat, a mesmerizing ceremony involving bells and lamps.
 * Watch the aarti ceremonies at the Brahma Temple. The Hare Krishna chanting will likely wake you up anyhow, so go watch! See listing above regarding the Brahma Temple.

Festivals

 * Pushkar Camel Fair (November, during the full moon) - A 14-day fair visited by 400,000 people per year. Features over 11,000 camels, horses, and cattle. Many companies offer packages that include luxury tented accommodation. It is held during a holy time in the Hindu calendar and pilgrims will come not just for the fair, but to bathe in Pushkar Lake.

Buy
Pushkar is known to be the best place to shop in Northern India. The prices are great, although the quality is subpar. You will find shops selling jewelry, clothes, cushion covers, showpieces, books, bags, handicrafts, shoes, etc.

Eat
All restaurants within the city limits may serve only vegetarian food.

If you are looking for something cheap, there are several stalls between ganesh temple and the lake selling local Dahl curry and samosa, vendors with carts sell fruit you can peel, and there are at least two thali places for ₹60.

Alcohol
Alcohol is forbidden within the city limits... but times are changing and many restaurants and hotels catering to tourists have alcohol on request.

You may consider abstaining out of respect to the holy city, but drinking alcohol in public is certainly not acceptable.

Sleep
Many hotels/guesthouses around Pushkar Lake have rooftop restaurants with views of the lake.

Respect

 * The whole of town is considered to be sacred, so whatever rules generally apply to place of worship in India, apply to the whole of town.
 * Smoking in public is prohibited by law though the rule is never enforced enthusiastically.
 * Consumption of liquor or meat is not allowed in the city, therefore it is advised to respect the rule and not carry any liquor/ meat with you while travelling to Pushkar.
 * It is advised that the men wear full length pants and t-shirt/ shirt and women wear full length clothes. Do not wear off-shoulder tops or shorts while roaming within the city.
 * Take off your shoes at stairs if you are going near the lake.
 * Be polite, but do not be pressured into making any offering at the ghats. It is not mandatory.

Stay safe

 * See also Stay_safe

The city is small and quiet safe, but as a tourist destination it attracts the usual nuisances.

 * Use common sense, don't take risks you wouldn't be comfortable taking at home. Don't accept drinks or drugs from unknown men.
 * Beggars can pester tourists. Common tactics involve giving flowers, then demanding payment or demanding payment for prayers. Be firm as these people are not respecting the sacred city.
 * Children begging should be ignored entirely; giving to beggars sets a bad example for other children in school or working.
 * Ignore the many touts in the main street who approach you "just wanting to talk", "which country are you from", "hello friend".

Go next

 * Ajmer — city that is popular as a gateway to Pushkar and is connected by road with Jaipur and Delhi; also has an important Islamic pilgrimage site
 * Delhi — India's capital and the home of the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches of government; site of the famous Red Fort and other important landmarks
 * Jaipur — capital of Indian state of Rajasthan, home to many forts, temples, palaces, monuments and gardens
 * Udaipur — famous for its lakes, palaces, forts, temples, gardens and other cultural attractions
 * Ranthambore — a national park and tiger reserve in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan

title: Pushkar


text:
Pushkin

Pushkin (Russian: Пу́шкин) is a town to the south of Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Understand
Formerly known as Tsarskoye Selo (Царское Село), the "Czar's Village", Pushkin is known for its numerous imperial parks and palaces.

Get in
Local trains run from St. Petersburg's Vitebskiy station (not the main hall, but the smaller hall for local trains to the right and around the corner as you face the main hall) to the Tsarskoye Selo station in Pushkin. A round-trip train ticket costs ₽72, and trains run at 15-20 minute intervals starting at 6:00am until midnight except:

- Leaving St. Petersburg, there is no train service between 10:00am and 12:00 noon on weekdays. The trains during that interval only operate on weekends and holidays; trains outside that interval run 7 days per week. Note that all local trains leaving the Vitebskiy Station stop at Detskoe Selo and Pavlovsk; this makes it a bit easier for non-Russian speakers, since you don't have to worry about which train to board even though different trains go to different terminus stations.

- Returning from Pushkin toward St. Petersburg, there is a gap in service between 12:30pm and 2:30pm weekdays, although trains do operate during that interval on weekends and holidays.

Eat

 * The Catherine Palace has a rather expensive cafe inside near the cloak rooms.
 * A clean, reasonably-priced restaurant called "Italian Pizza" with a variety of good food - from pizza to hamburgers to salads to sushi - is located in the square in front of the train station. Facing the station, it is in the building to one's left; enter through the basement stairs.  Open 11:00am until after midnight.

title: Pushkin


text:
Pushkinskiye Gory

Pushkinskie Gory (Russian: Пу́шкинские Го́ры, POOSH-keen-skee-yeh GOH-ree) is in Pskov Oblast, Russia.

Understand
Pushkinskie Gory (also can be called Pushgory or Pushkin Hills) is a large open-air museum around the former Alexander Pushkin's family mansion. Its area includes several villages, each having a mansion and a park, surrounding forests, and riverside landscape. There is also a settlement with the same title nearby.

Silent alleys of picturesque parks, astonishing views at traditional Russian scenery, and the total atmosphere of early 19th century - everything makes this place a perfect destination for those who want to explore the incredible beauty of hidden Russia.

The museum is best to visit at summer or early autumn, when a guest can easily get lost for a week in this place. But usually Pushkinskie Gory is a weekend destination from Saint Petersburg and Moscow. During the winter the place is also worth to visit.

As in most parts of Russia, local infrastructure is not yet adapted for non-Russian speakers, so, language barrier problems can be expected even at most westernized hotels. English guided tours are probably available in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

History

The villages of Petrovskoe and Mikhailovskoe were the familiar property of Alexander Pushkin's ancestry since the 18th century. In 1817 Pushkin visited the place for the first time and was completely charmed by it. Afterwards he spent here 2 years being in exile after his disfavour at the capital. Here he wrote a significant part of his poetry, which became Russian and international legacy, including the part of Eugeny Onegin poem.

The museum was founded in 1922 by Bolsheviks, who decided to preserve Pushkin's cultural heritage from peasant disorders that occurred after 1917 revolution. The mansions suffered greatly from fire and were carefully renovated in the 20th century.

Landscape
Low hills, pine forests, meadows, lakes, and River Sorot flowing through the museum territory.

By air
Pskov airport is 120 km away from Pushgory, serving 2-4 flights a day from Moscow. The rest of the way can be done by taxi, or hotel transfer can be arranged.

By train
Suschevo train station is about 70 km from museum. Transit trains go from Saint Petersburg (5 hours), Minsk (8½ hours). The rest of the way can be done by taxi, or hotel transfer can be arranged.

By bus
There are several daily buses to Pushgory from Pskov. A daily bus service from Saint Petersburg is also available. A ride will take 8 hours.

By car
The most suitable way to Pushkin Hills is by car.

From Riga and Moscow: take / road, turn to Pskov at Pustoshka (Пустошка), go by / road till Novgorodka (Новгородка) village, then turn right to Pushkinskie Gory. Expect 7-9 hours for the route. Form Saint Petersburg and Kyiv: take / road and turn to Pushkinskie Gory at Novgorodka (Новгородка) village. Expect 5-6 hours for the route from Saint Petersburg and 12 hours from Kyiv.

Fees and permits
Entering museum territory is free of charge. A permit is needed for those who want to enter the territory by car (€5). Visiting mansions and exhibitions is at additional cost.

Get around
Walking is the usual way to explore the Pushgory museum, but Mikhailovskoe, Trigorie and Petrovskoe are located at 5-10 km distance from each other. So, if you are not ready to walk such distance, use a car or hire a bike (bike rental is available at some hotels, e.g. Arina R.)

Eat
The place is lacking restaurants and cafes. Service in those few operating can be poor, especially if a bus tour group is being served.

Sleep
There are several sleeping facilities in the museum or right outside it. Book in advance during the summer season.

Stay safe
The place is generally safe for visitors. Take repellent in summer, because of many mosquitos and botflies.

Go next
There are at least 3 historic cities at the distance of 100-150 km from Pushgory:

 * Pskov
 * Izborsk
 * Pechory

Also, there are few beautiful mansions around:

 * Altun mansion - 15 minutes drive from Pushgory. Once a deserted noble mansion, it is being intensively reconstructed, and promises to be a beautiful destination. A hotel at the mansion will also start to operate soon.
 * Mussorgsky mansion - the world's only house-museum of famous Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky. Near / road in Tver Oblast near its border with Pskov Oblast, on the way between Moscow (350 km away) and Pushkinskie Gory (200 km away).

title: Pushkinskiye Gory


text:
Puszczykowo

Puszczykowo (pronounced: Pooshtshikhovo) is a town of 9,800 people (2016) in Wielkopolskie Voivodship, 15 km south of Poznan, on the train line to Leszno and Wroclaw, in the northern parts of Wielkopolski National Park.

By train
Most tourists arrive there from Poznan. The best way to do it is to use railways - the town is on busy train line from Poznan to Leszno and Wroclaw, and the number of trains exceeds 30 daily. The town has two stations: Puszczykowo, in the northern part (suitable for tourist planning to walk along the Warta river or to angle in it), and Puszczykowko in the centre of the town, which seems to be a right place for all visitors for the National Park, for the Fiedler Travel Museum. Local train stop - naturally - on both stations, but if you choose an accelerated train, you'll probably be able to get off only on the second station. Travel time: for local train: Puszczykowo 17 min, Puszczykowko 20; for the accelerated trains: only Puszczykowko 18 minutes.

By bus
It's also possible to use out-of-city buses to get to Puszczykowo, but the travel time can be a little frustrating. The route is served both by Poznan MPK company and by private line Eko-Rondo. In both cases you have to take a tram #2, #9 or #10 from the centre of Poznan to their final stop (Debiec), where you can catch bus number 101 to Puszczykowo. There are as many as 11 stops across the town, the best one in 'Puszczykówko-Stacja' (nearby the train stations). Bus number #101 run between 10 (Sundays and holidays) up to 18 (workdays) times a day. Travel time: appr. 30 minutes (plus appr. 15 min from the centre by tram).

Timetable can be easily found on the Poznan city-transport company.

The other line line serves the route between 9 and 17 times daily, timetable:

Besides: there're pretty many regional buses from Poznan passing by, they usually head toward Mosina, Srem, Czempin, Koscian, Leszno, Stęszew.

By car
There's an easy-to-find road from the centre of Poznan - number 430, leading directly to Puszczykowo. Travel time: appr. 30 minutes (depending on traffic) from the centre.

Get around
Puszczykowo is so small town, that all places interesting for tourists are navigable on foot. If necessary - you can always use buses #101 or Eko-Rondo to move from one place to another.

See

 * The Arkady Fiedler Travel Museum - definitely the greatest attraction in Puszczykowo. The famous Polish writer, reporter and traveller used to live in this house from 1946 (when he had come back from emigration in the UK) till his death in 1985. The museum was opened in 1974. Exhibition covers photos from his travels, exhibits from exotic cultures, musical instruments from Asia, Africa and Oceania, ceremonial masks, sculptures, weapons and even trophies made of human heads. There's a s well a big butterfly collection, tropical insect collection and aquaria with piranhas.

Besides - books of Arkady Fiedler translated into more than 20 languages. Outside the main building: copies of the most famous sculptures of the world (The Sun-Gate in Bolivia, Moai statues from the Eastern Island), the miniature (1:23) of the Pyramid of Cheops and the copy (1:1) of one of the most famous ships: Santa Maria of Christopher Columbus. The museum places in writer's house in 1, Słowackiego str,. In summer it's opened Tu-Su 09:00-18:00, in winter: Tu-Su 10:00-15:00. More:

As well, visiting Puszczykowo, pay attention to:
 * a brick house with big woodenporch - Cienista str.
 * the City Office building - former hunters' palace from the beginnings of 20th century - 4, Podlesna str.
 * a villa from the beginnings of 20th century with a balcony standing on 4 columns - 94, Poznanska str.
 * timber-framed house with a pigeon-house - Klonowa str.
 * mansion houses in 10, 12 and 26, Sobieskiego str.
 * brick and timber-framed houses in 7, 11 and 21, Ratajskiego str.
 * pension "Rusałka" from the turn of 19th and 20th century - in the forest on the Warta River bank
 * the neo-Baroque church from 1923.

Tourist trails in the vicinity
There are several pedestrian tourist trails in the vicinity of Puszczykowo and across Wielkopolski National Park, many of them can be used as well by cyclists or (in winter) by cross-country skiers:
 * marked with red signs: Osowa Gora - Skrzynka Lake - Goreckie Lake - Jeziory - so called Forrestmen's Stone - Puszczykowko railway station - Niwka - Rogalinek - Rogalin - Daszewice.
 * marked with blue signs: Mosina - Mosina Pozegowo - Osowa Gora - Goreckie Lake - Gorka - Lodz - Witobel - Steszew - Mirosławki - Otusz railway station.
 * marked with yellow signs: Puszczykowo railway station - Jaroslawiec - so called Forrestmen's Stone - Puszczykowko railway station.
 * marked with green sings: Steszew railway station - Wypalanki - Mogily - Rosnowko - Jaroslawiec - Hill 125 - Szreniawa.
 * marked with black signs: Dymaczewo Stare - Lodz - Trzebaw - Rosnowko.
 * marked with green signs (bearing the name of Arkady Fiedler): Puszczykowo railway station - cemetery with the writer's grave (on the way you're passing by The Fiedler Museum).

Buy
There aren't many souvenir shops, but in post offices you can buy some. Also you should try some traditional polish food in restaurants.

Eat
All ice-cream lovers must visit the famous bakery-and-ice company of family Kostusiak, located just next to Puszczykowko railway station. Other places to eat:

Connect
There is unfortunately no typical Information Office in Puszczykowo, in case of any questions, you can always contact:

Go next
Spending time in Puszczykowo, it's nice to drop in to:
 * neighbouring Jeziory with a museum of natural history of Wielkopolski National Park
 * to Szreniawa with the Agriculture Museum and the Bierbaums-family viewing tower
 * to Rogalin with the palace of Raczynski family, a French Park and the biggest community of oak-trees across Europe

title: Puszczykowo


text:
Putao

Putao is the northernmost city of Kachin State in Northern Myanmar.

Understand
The Rewang people predominate Putao. It has the highest peak and the only snowfall in Southeast Asia.

Putao can be reached only by air. A hydro power project was constructed near Duk Dang Village by the KIO after a ceasefire agreement with the state peace and development council.

Get in
Putao is in a restricted area and it is usually only possible to visit by air and with a permit from MTT. Because of the ongoing Myanmar army action against the Kachin Independence Army, no permits were being issued to foreign nationals for travel to Putao (Nov 2012).

By plane
A handful of airlines fly to and from Myitkyina. It is possible to join an organised tour to Putao (the travel agency arranges the permits) and it is uncertain whether permits are issued to independent travellers.

title: Putao


text:
Puthia

Puthia (pronounced pou-tee-ah) is a village in the Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh. It is known for its elaborate Hindu temple complex housing several temples complete with towering spires and intricate terracotta ornamentations. A moat surrounds the complex. The complex also has a pond in the middle. The complex also houses the colonial-styled mansion of the Puthia Zamindar (landlord) family.

Understand
The Puthia Raj family, of which the town is named, eventually came to own the area some time in the 16th century. The head of the family, Bhatsacharya, was given the title of a zamindar (wealthy Hindu land-owner) by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Their family built a number of temples and palaces on the site, surrounding the lake with a sprawling lawn. The Puthia estate flourished, and it went on to become the second-largest and wealthiest zamindary in all the Indian subcontinent. After the partition of India, the new Pakistan government revoked all zamindars of their titles and land, and the family fled to India soon after.

Today, the site has been fairly well-preserved. There are a number of Hindu temples in the area, as well as the imposing Puthia Palace, which also houses a museum. It is unlikely you'll come across any other Western tourists, but given its sheer magnificence and amazing history, the site is sure to become a traveller's wonderland as Bangladesh's tourist industry develops. Puthia is also located close to the district headquarters Rajshahi and can be explored on a day trip.

Get in
Puthia is located 23km east of the city of Rajshahi, and 16km west of Natore. The village itself is about 1km south of the Rajshahi - Natore highway. Several buses ply the 30 minute route between the two towns for Tk 20; it is possible to simply ask to get off at Puthia, and walk the short distance into town. Another option is to catch a CNG auto-rickshaw to Puthia from one of the major towns. Puthia can be explored in a day trip from Rajshai and hotels in Rajshahi can arrange for cars.

Get around
Puthia is a small place, so walking is a simple and enjoyable way of getting around. Otherwise, hail a passing rickshaw who will happily take you to the sites. It's possible to hire out the driver for a number of hours or even the entire day; if you're lucky, he might speak English and give you a nice little tour of the area, historical information included! The temples and the mansions of Puthia is surrounded by a moat. At the centre of the man-made island is a lake called The temples and mansions are all located round the Shyam Sagar and can we explored on foot.

Do
Apart from exploring the temples and mansions there is nothing much to do.

Buy
There are no opportunities for Puthia-themed souvenirs. Some interesting stores may exist in the village though.

Eat
There are a number of small establishments and street-food sellers in the centre of the village. Jhal Muri (spicy puffed rice) is a popular food. It comes in with crumbled vegetable fitters along with a dash of mustard oil and chili (extremely spicy).

Sleep
There are no accommodation options in Puthia. Although Puthia can easily be reached in a day-trip from Dhaka, if you wish to sleep nearby, the cities of Rajshahi and Natore are only kilometres away and have a wide variety of options.

Go next

 * Rajshahi
 * Natore

title: Puthia


text:
Putian

Putian (莆田 Pútián) is a city in Fujian Province in China, located between Fuzhou and Quanzhou.

Talk
Putian has its own local dialect called Puxian Min (known as Henghua in Southeast Asia), named after Putian city and the surrounding Xianyou county (albeit with slight dialectal variations between the two areas). It is not mutually intelligible with Minnan Hua, Fuzhou Hua or any other variety of Chinese. Nevertheless, non-elderly locals will be bilingual in the local dialect and Mandarin.

Get in
Putian is on both the main highway and the high-speed rail line between Fuzhou and Quanzhou, or Xiamen beyond Quanzhou. It is a major town and most or all busses and trains stop there.

Another high-speed rail line runs inland from Putian to Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi province which borders Fujian on the west.

title: Putian


text:
Put-in-Bay

Put-in-Bay is a resort village offshore of mainland Ohio on Lake Erie. Put-in-Bay is a village on South Bass Island, but the name commonly is used to refer to the entire island. A summer resort since the mid-1800s, the town is the hub of tourism among the Lake Erie Islands, with its numerous taverns, wineries, restaurants, and hotels. Along with the festive atmosphere of downtown Put-in-Bay, there are key pieces of American history to discover here, relaxing outdoor activities, and natural splendor. This island resort community is also close to a plethora of mainland parks and attractions, including the world-renowned Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky.

Understand
The primary industry of Put-in-Bay is tourism. The tourist season runs roughly between April and October.

There are approximately 500 full-time South Bass Island residents, most of whom remain on the island over the winter. Supplies and perishables are flown to the island during the winter months along with the mail, parcels and bank employees who staff the island's only bank (for one day a week) until the spring. The island has a single school that is used for all classes – grades kindergarten through 12 – and also serves the educational requirements of the residents of nearby Middle Bass and North Bass islands.

By boat
The island is a popular destination for personal watercraft and offers both public and private marinas available to dock watercraft.

Ferries from the mainland originate from Sandusky, Port Clinton, and Catawba Island. Ferries run several times/day during the prime tourist season, daily during spring/fall as weather allows. The Jet Express and Miller Boat Line are the primary carriers, carrying cars and cargo as well as passengers. Parking on the island is very limited and vehicles are not recommended.

By plane
There is a good airport on the island (2870 x 75 feet) offering charter services:

Nearby airports with national and international commercial airline service include:

Get around
Visitors should seriously consider leaving their cars on the mainland. It is so much easier and more convenient to travel around the island with a golf cart, by bicycle, or by moped, which are available for rental at several locations on the island. Put-in-Bay Golf Carts are available with 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-passenger configurations. Taxis and old-school buses meet the Miller Boat Line ferries, which dock at the old Lime Kiln dock on the south side of the island. The taxis and buses take travelers approximately 2 miles to Put-in-Bay, past the airport, for a small fee.

Cars are permitted on island roads, although speed limits are low and parking is very limited. From mid-March to late-November, you can get your car there from the mainland for $15 one-way on the Miller Boat Line (see listing above), located at the end of Route 53 on Catawba Island. Each person traveling with the vehicle also pays the normal fare of $7 per person one-way. Reservations are not required, even on weekends, and vehicles are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Besides cars, they also take motorcycles, trailers, RVs, and other vehicles. During heavier traffic periods, there can be restrictions on bringing your vehicle to or from Put-in-Bay.

Buy

Typical tourist bric-a-brac and t-shirt shops are plentiful here.

Eat
There are numerous eateries in the village. Many are located along Delaware & Bay View Avenues in Downtown Put-in-Bay, but others are scattered throughout the island.

Drink
There are many watering-holes in the village, many with live musical entertainment.

Go next

 * Go to Cleveland
 * Catch a ferry to Kelleys Island
 * Catch a ferry to the mainland and visit Sandusky or Port Clinton

title: Put-in-Bay


text:
Putnam County

There is more than one place called Putnam County:

United States of America

 * Putnam County (Florida) - A county in Florida.

 * Putnam County (Georgia) - A county in Georgia

 * Putnam County (New York) - A county in New York.

 * Putnam County (Ohio) - A county in Ohio.

title: Putnam County


text:
Putnam County (New York)

Putnam County is a county in New York's Hudson Valley region.

Cities

 * — quaint Hudson River village is a popular day trip from New York City; antique stores, cafés, and views of the mountains
 * — small suburban area that was once dominated by farmlands; is known for holding many historical landmarks of the Putnam County area.

See

 * Chuang Yen Monastery, just off Rte. 301 between Cold Spring and Carmel, the Chuang Yen Monastery contains a large Buddha, many meditation halls, and a vegetarian dining hall.
 * Chuang Yen Monastery, just off Rte. 301 between Cold Spring and Carmel, the Chuang Yen Monastery contains a large Buddha, many meditation halls, and a vegetarian dining hall.
 * Chuang Yen Monastery, just off Rte. 301 between Cold Spring and Carmel, the Chuang Yen Monastery contains a large Buddha, many meditation halls, and a vegetarian dining hall.

Stay safe
County wide 911 system for summoning emergency assistance.

Go next
Southeast Train Station-located in the Village of Brewster, part of the Metro-North railway. Train leaves every hour for New York City.

Connect
Telephone area code 845

title: Putnam County (New York)


text:
Putrajaya

Putrajaya, an "Intelligent Garden City" and the federal administrative capital of Malaysia, is a showcase city under construction some 30 km south of the capital Kuala Lumpur. To the west is Putrajaya's adjacent sister city, Cyberjaya, which is built along the same lines and is aimed at attracting the IT industry. The area used to be a plantation known as Prang Besar.

Understand
Putrajaya covers a vast sprawl of 4,931 hectares, which were mostly palm plantations before the federal government purchased the land from the surrounding state of Selangor. The city's masterplan is designed along an axial tangent which runs from the northeast to southeast, with gently undulating terrain. About 40% of Putrajaya's area is open space, but the landscape has been extensively reworked by man: lush greenery and botanical gardens are spread across the landscape, crisscrossed by large bodies of water and wetlands. Five confluences meet at the north forming a main waterway, the Putrajaya Lake, which flows across the city area.

History

The project was started in 1993 and the federal capital officially moved in 1999, although the site is still far from complete. Putrajaya became a self-governing federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) in 2001, the third in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur and the little oddball island of Labuan.

The name literally means "princes' (putra) success (jaya)". Officially, the site is named in homage to Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, but odds are it's also a tip of the hat towards the "princes of the soil" (bumiputra), a euphemism for ethnic Malays (as opposed to the richer Chinese minority) and one of the key concepts of Malaysia's affirmative action program.

Putrajaya's growth slowed down considerably when the money taps ran dry during the Asian economic crisis of 1998. While things have picked up, the city remains very quiet by Malaysian standards, a giant swath of hilly jungle crisscrossed by largely empty 8-lane highways and the occasional beautifully sculpted but near-deserted lake garden. Inevitably, development isn't always occurring in expected ways: Cyberjaya has to date mostly succeeded in attracting call centers and data warehouses, not R&D laboratories. As of 2018, the population has reached 90,000, still a long way from the planned 300,000. As a result, it has been called "a faded Silicon Valley".

By plane
The nearest airport is of course the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, developed almost concurrently with Putrajaya itself. A coupon or metered budget taxi to or from KLIA will take 30 minutes and cost around RM60. Alternatively, you can take the KLIA Transit from the airport to Putrajaya station and transfer to a taxi.

By train
For public transport the fastest choice is the KLIA Transit connecting Kuala Lumpur's Sentral train station to its airport, which stops halfway in between at Putrajaya and Bandar Tasik Selatan. Trains run every 20-30 minutes, while the journey itself take 40 minutes and the list price is RM 9.40 one-way. Beware that the KLIA Ekspres trains from the other side of the platform do not stop at Putrajaya, so double-check which train you're boarding.

The MRT Putrajaya Line also began service in March 2023, connecting directly to central KL. This is a slower commuter service, but it is much more affordable. It can take you from Putrajaya Central to Ampang Park in 46 minutes, and further north to Kepong.

By taxi
Coupon taxis from Kuala Lumpur's KL Sentral cost a fixed RM 45, but otherwise you'll have to try out your bargaining skills - figure on RM 40-50, and expect to pay more at night.

By bus
Bus services are provided from 6:30AM until 10PM and connects Cyberjaya/Putrajaya to destinations including Serdang commuter station, Puchong, Kelana Jaya, Sinar Kota and Pasar Seni LRT/MRT station in Kuala Lumpur. The one-way bus fare is around RM 3.50 and takes about 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic. Usually, on non-working days the travel time to Putrajaya is much faster, but the bus frequency is reduced accordingly.

The new Express network by Rapid KL links KL Sentral to Putrajaya with only RM 5 for an unlimited daily pass.

All public buses from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya drop and pick up passengers from the bus terminal beside the train station (Putrajaya Sentral), which is at least 5 km from the core district.

Shuttle buses to/from KL are provided by some hotels for guests, such as Shangri-la.

Get around
Putrajaya and Cyberjaya are not walkable cities. Public transportation is woefully inadequate, as the city was designed expressly for car-owners. Occasional Nadiputra buses putter about from the train station at random times in random directions. These buses charge a flat fare of 50 sen.

Tours from Putrajaya Central run every day at 11AM and 3PM at a cost of 20 RM (the 11AM trip is not available on Fridays). This takes 2½ hours and covers most of the main sights within Putrajaya. Alternatively, tours are run from KLIA for about RM 30 all-in.

By taxi
Coupon taxis from the Transit station charge RM 8-10 to most points in Putrajaya. Other taxis are limited and it's best to book by phone at +60 3-5512-2266. Other taxi hotlines include: Putrajaya Cyberjaya Radio Taxi at +60 3 8888 4000, which operates 24 hours. The meter starts ticking from RM 4, but many cabbies are reluctant to use them. Chartering starts from RM 30/hour, negotiable downwards. Grab rideshares are also available.

See

Putrajaya's main sights are the colossal showcase buildings put up in this future capital, all in the central Core District.

Note that a dress code applies to Perdana Putra, Seri Perdana and Putra Mosque, meaning no T-shirts, shorts, singlets, sandals, or "indecent" wear for ladies. The mosque lends out shocking pink robes for free, but the rest do not.

Buildings

 * Istana Melawati and Istana Darul Ehsan, the official residences of the Paramount Ruler of Malaysia and the Sultan of Selangor respectively. Not open to the public.
 * The Diplomatic Enclave, housing foreign embassies and missions — at least in theory.
 * The Perdana Leadership Foundation, holding the offices of previous Prime Ministers.
 * Istana Melawati and Istana Darul Ehsan, the official residences of the Paramount Ruler of Malaysia and the Sultan of Selangor respectively. Not open to the public.
 * The Diplomatic Enclave, housing foreign embassies and missions — at least in theory.
 * The Perdana Leadership Foundation, holding the offices of previous Prime Ministers.
 * The Diplomatic Enclave, housing foreign embassies and missions — at least in theory.
 * The Perdana Leadership Foundation, holding the offices of previous Prime Ministers.

Gardens and monuments

 * Putrajaya Boulevard, a 100-m wide, 4-km long boulevard flanked by government offices and the mainstage for National Day parade.
 * Putrajaya Boulevard, a 100-m wide, 4-km long boulevard flanked by government offices and the mainstage for National Day parade.
 * Putrajaya Boulevard, a 100-m wide, 4-km long boulevard flanked by government offices and the mainstage for National Day parade.

Night sightseeing
Putrajaya is a well-lit city. One of the attractions, the Seri Wawasan Bridge, has a breathtaking view overlooking the Putra Mosque. Park by the roadside and enjoy the night view. Alternatively, drive to Putra Mosque square and go down the escalator to the food court overlooking Putrajaya Lake.

Splurge

 * Azur, Shangri-La 2F. Cobalt blue restaurant offering an improbable menu of "Mediterranean-Asian" food from Italy to India. It's surprisingly good stuff though and not too unreasonably priced, with appetizers RM 15-20 and mains RM 30-40.

Drink
Aside from some rather comatose hotel bars, nightlife in Putrajaya is basically non-existent.

Sleep
There are no budget or midrange options in town, but suffering from acute overcapacity, Putrajaya's luxury hotels offer some of the best deals on the planet. All the hotels are brand new and near empty, unless there happens to be a big convention in town.

Splurge

Go next

 * Kuala Lumpur is just down the railway line.
 * Sepang's F1 races are quite easily accessed from Putrajaya.
 * Quite a few buses to various Malaysian destinations can be boarded at the Putrajaya bus/train station.

title: Putrajaya


text:
Puttalam

Puttalam is an industrial and agricultural processing town in the Puttalam district of Sri Lanka, but the surrounding area has a few tourist attractions.

Understand
Puttalam lies 130 km north of Colombo. It is a Muslim-majority town known for its manufacturing (the name of the town comes from the Tamil words for "salt production zone" but tourists come to see one of the largest lagoons in the country, Wilpattu National Park, Kalpitiya, and the beaches.

Get in
The Puttalam rail line connects Puttalam to Colombo via Negombo.

Puttalam has three main highways that connect it to major cities in the country, the A3 which connects Puttalam with Colombo via Negombo, the A10 which connects Puttalam with Kandy via Kurunegala and the A12 which connects Puttalam with Trincomalee via Anuradhapura.

Daily buses available to Colombo and other cities like Kurunegala, Kandy and Anuradhapura.

Go next

 * Anuradhapura

title: Puttalam


text:
Puttaparthi

Puttaparthi is the place in Andhra Pradesh, India where the guru Sathya Sai Baba lived until his death in 2011. He is considered as "God Incarnate" by many of his followers. It is a beautiful valley between the hills. It is a perfect description of a global village, where you get to see the Indian countryside along with the modern facilities.

Get in
Puttaparthi is easily accessible today by train, road and airport. It has a tiny but beautiful railway station. The airport no longer serves scheduled commercial flights. Bangalore is 3 hours away by road.

See
Sai Kulwant Hall (Darshan Hall), Chaitanya Jyoti, Old Museum, Meditation Tree, Chitravati River, Vidyagiri, International Center of Sports, Gokulam, Planetorium, Bhagawan's Birth Place, Hills near Chitravati River.

The Sathya Sai Ashram is a beautiful place filled with temples and beautiful places of worship. There are a lot of places to see like the Super Speciality hospital, schools and colleges, International Stadium, and the museum.

Do
Shopping Centre, Meditation, Supravatam in early morning with Nagar Sankirtan which gives a fresh spiritual atmosphere with purity in heart.

Eat
All kinds of food (only veg) of different countries from every corner of this Planet. Mainly South Canteen, North Canteen & Western Canteen (foreign Canteen).

Drink
All type of cool drinks with different fruits juice.

Sleep
Mainly you can get accommodation within the Aashram with a spiritual environment. There are also many luxurious as well as budget hotels.

Go next
Bangalore, Tirupati, Kolar, Chennai are cities that are quite close if not very close.

title: Puttaparthi


text:
Puttur

Puttur is a city in Dakshina Kannada, a coastal region of the Indian province of Karnataka.

Understand
The name Puttur is said to be derived from muttoor (u as in put, not but) - muttu + ooru. Muttu translates to pearl, ooru to town/city in local Tulu Language. Legend has it that pearls used to grow in the Temple Tank of Shree Mahalingeshwara.

By bus
The nearest big city is Mangalore. Frequent public transport buses are available from Mangalore. There is direct deluxe buses available in night from state capital Bangalore.

By rail
Local train service from Mangalore (50 km) and Bangalore.

Get around
The mode of conveyance inside town is by auto (3 wheeler). Point to point service are available from bus stand to Nehru Nagar, Bus Stand to Darbhe-Maril, etc.

See
Mahalingeshwara temple, Lakshmi Venkatramana Temple,

Buy

 * Arecanut (supari), a little bit of pepper.

Eat
A nice hotel in the centre of city. Town Police station KSRTC Bus station building KSRTC Bus station building
 * Hotel Hari Prasad (with three hotels in Bolwar, Dharbe & Near Mahalingeshwar Temple)
 * Nirmala restaurant near
 * Nirmala restaurant near
 * Nirmala restaurant near
 * Nirmala restaurant near
 * Sathya Narayana seafood
 * Dinesh bar, KSRTC Bus station building
 * Pradeep icecream

Go next

 * Mithur
 * Sullia
 * Manjeshwar

Connecting buses are available to Kasaragod, Badiadka, Perla from 8AM up to 6PM. Buses are available to Mysore, Bangalore. Frequent trips are available to Mangalore

title: Puttur


text:
Puyallup

Puyallup is a suburban community in Washington state.

Get in
Puyallup is located 10 miles east of Tacoma 35 miles south of Seattle. It is most accessible by car via freeway and highway, though limited transit options do exist.

By car
Puyallup can be reached by driving east from Tacoma on State Route 167, which is also known locally as River Road. This turns into a freeway heading north and provides a connection to Seattle and its nearer suburbs in King County. State Route 512 runs south through Puyallup and turns west to provide a link with other suburban communities in Pierce County, as well as a link with Interstate 5 to reach farther-flung destinations such as Olympia.

By train
operates commuter trains between Lakewood, South Tacoma (S 56th & S Tacoma Way); Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, Kent, Tukwila, and Seattle King St Station. It goes northbound during weekday mornings and southbound on weekday afternoons/evenings and during the Seahwaks and Mariners home game days. Cross platform connections to Amtrak trains are Tacoma Freighthouse Square (Tacoma stop) and Seattle King Street Station.

Get around
Driving is the easiest method of seeing Puyallup. Meridian is the main surface street in the city, running from the Puyallup River through downtown Puyallup to the shopping hub of South Hill. Pioneer Avenue is the main east/west link, cutting through downtown and serving many of Puyallup's quiet residential neighborhoods.

By public transit
For those traveling without a car the following are available as public transportation to and around Puyallup. The transportation hubs (bus stations) in Puyallup are in at W Stewart & N Meridian, north of the tracks;   along 39th Ave Sw, on the southside of the South Hill Mall; and :

 * 4 Connects Pierce College towards Lakewood Towncenter via South Hill Mall & Lakewood/SR-512 P&R. Travels along 112th St.
 * 400 Connects South Hill P&R to Downtown Tacoma via South Hill Mall, Downtown Puyallup, Puyallup Station, Pioneer Way S (SR-167). Transfer to Greyhound is in Tacoma.
 * 402 South Hill (171st St Ct E & S Meridian) to Federal Way along Meridian via South Hill Mall, Puyallup Station, and Milton.
 * 409 Connects Puyallup (29th St NE & 5th Ave NE) to S 72nd St Transit Center in SE Tacoma along Pioneer Way & E 72nd St. It continues towards Lakewood from the S 72nd St Transit Center as the #202 bus.
 * 425 Puyallup Connector. Local connections between South Hill and Puyallup Station via multiple turns to access local neighborhoods Pierce College.
 * 425 Puyallup Connector. Local connections between South Hill and Puyallup Station via multiple turns to access local neighborhoods Pierce College.

 * Weekday commuter rail service from Seattle and Lakewood via Tacoma on the Sounder S Line. ST Route 580 connects the Sounder S Line to South Hill P&R. This bus is timed with the train arrival and departure times.
 * Express bus service from Seattle throughout the week via Sumner, Auburn, and Federal Way on Route 578. This is a faster way to get to/from Federal Way then with Pierce Transit's #402 bus. Passengers transfer to Rapid A or 574 bus in Federal Way to continue towards the airport.
 * Express bus service from Seattle throughout the week via Sumner, Auburn, and Federal Way on Route 578. This is a faster way to get to/from Federal Way then with Pierce Transit's #402 bus. Passengers transfer to Rapid A or 574 bus in Federal Way to continue towards the airport.

See
Puyallup serves as a springboard to attractions outside of the city, with the preeminent draw for visitors being Mount Rainier National Park.

title: Puyallup


text:
Puy-de-Dôme

Puy-de-dome is a department in the Auvergne region. It is an area which is richly diverse in both landscape and 'flora and fauna' including eagles, eagle owls, ospreys, red squirrels, wild boar, roe deer, stags and mouflon sheep, to name but a few which inhabit this rather beautiful and largely undiscovered part of France.

Mountains, valleys, dormant volcanoes, volcanic lakes, plateaus and plains come together to form two of France's largest regional parks called the Volcanic Park and the Livradois Forest Park. The area was listed as a natural world heritage site in 2018.

By plane
The Auvergne capital of Clermont-Ferrand, which is in the Puy-de-Dôme, has its own regional airport called Aulnat, with flights from the UK.

By train
It is also well served by both rail, with links to Paris, Lyon and the South of France and motorway by the A75 which runs right through the centre of the Auvergne.

By tram
Travelling around the city has never been so easy with the Tram now fully open and which links Aubiere to the south and Riom to the north of Clermont and also encompasses the old historical district of Montferrand.

See
Chateaux and Romanesque churches are in abundance here with the chateaux at Murol, Saint Saturnin and Parentignat (near Issoire) being well worth visiting with the churches of Saint Nectaire/Orcival being of particular historical note.

Do
This region is the 'Outdoor Enthusiast's Paradise' catering to both Summer and Winter pastimes. It is famous for its myriad of walking/hiking trails and is a major destination for orienteering. The well signposted trails incorporate the Chain of Puys, Cezallier Mountains, Sancy Mountains and Livradois Forest where 'jaw droppingly' beautiful views appear around every corner. The Vallee de Chaudfour and Saint Nectaire/Murol regions are of specific interest to walking enthusiasts with a love of wildlife and history.

Cyclists are also well catered for and rock climbing and aerial sports entusiasts can find many centers dedicated to these sports at the local tourist offices in any major town.

Fishing, kayak/canoeing is extremely popular on the departments with over 7,500 km of rivers most notably the River Allier at Issoire and Vic le Compte and also a variety of lakes including Lac Chambon, Lac Pavin and Lac d'Aydat.

For both downhill and Cross Country skiers the Sancy Mountain range contains three towns of note which are Le Mont Dore (North Facing) and Superbesse (South Facing) for downhill, both are around 1000m with gondolas to just below the summit of the Puy de Sancy at over 1850m. There is a link connecting the two resorts and this will keep even the most experienced skier happy because the lift queues are virtually non-existent out of school holiday periods! La Bourboule and the surrounding countryside caters for the Cross Country Skier extremely well with very challenging trails.

The area is famous for its thermal springs and Spas providing treatments and therapies for many ailments three of these are Le Mont Dore, La Bourboule and Saint Nectaire.

Go next
Puy-de-Dôme

title: Puy-de-Dôme


text:
Puy-l'Évêque

Puy L'Eveque is a small town (Pop. 2,200) in France, north of Toulouse and located in the surrounding area of Cahors. The village is located in the Lot Department. The book From Here You Can't See Paris made this region famous.

Get in
To get in to Puy l'Eveque one must take a train from Paris or Toulouse to the Cahors station, then the bus west to Puy l'Eveque or drive. There is a very fine bus that runs from Cahors, along the Lot River for the most part, through Puy l'Eveque to Monsempros-Libos, just the other side of Fumel. The scenery is stunning, the drivers are most helpful and the schedule reasonable, changing with the seasons to adapt to school schedules, feast days and tourists. Taxis can be called from the train station in Cahors for the ride to Puy l'Eveque but are quite expensive.

Get around
Public transportation to sites away from the towns on the bus route is almost non-existent. If you're staying at any of the many chateaus/hotels in the area ask to see if owners will provide transportation and/or if you will be able to borrow a vehicle. Usually visitors will want to rent a car from any of the respected car rental companies. If renting a car is out of the question there are plenty of taxi companies operating within the area.

See

 * Zadkin Museum of Sculpture - In Les Arques, the setting for From Here You Can't See Paris.
 * Chateau de Bonaquil - Medieval chateau.
 * Zadkin Museum of Sculpture - In Les Arques, the setting for From Here You Can't See Paris.
 * Chateau de Bonaquil - Medieval chateau.
 * Zadkin Museum of Sculpture - In Les Arques, the setting for From Here You Can't See Paris.
 * Chateau de Bonaquil - Medieval chateau.
 * Zadkin Museum of Sculpture - In Les Arques, the setting for From Here You Can't See Paris.
 * Chateau de Bonaquil - Medieval chateau.

Do
The town is in the Valley of the Lot, which meanders in large loops through a wide flood plain. It is surrounded by rolling hills covered with scrub woods, full of beautiful walking and biking paths. The local tourist office sells booklets of maps with walking itineraries for the region. Nearby are scores of beautiful villages, often 'bastides' (i.e., fortified villages built by both the French and English during the 100 Years War), beautifully preserved and maintained. There are castles to visit and it is only a short trip to nearby Perigord with its karstic caves full of stalagmites and stalagtites and paleolithic art. L'Arque has a small but wonderful Zadkin Museum. Cahors is a medieval city full of narrow alleys and old buildings as well as a wonderful old bridge and churches. Fishing is possible in the river and in small reservoirs.

Puy L'Eveque is holds a fishing competition and celebration of local wines every two years (2008,10 etc) called the Fète de la Rivière et du Vignoble

In May 2010 a number of local locks on the river are to be reopened allowing river traffic on the River Lot to pass between Prayssac and Fumel, via Puy L'Eveque traversing a series of locks - the first time in over 100 years.

River traffic on the Lot was very important for many centuries as it permitted the export of the local Cahors wine (known in medieval times in England as 'Black Wine') to be exported via the rivers Lot and Gironde to Bordeaux.

Bonaguil and other castles and chateaus can be visited nearby and in Perigord. The Valley of the Celé is exquisitely beautiful and not far away. Figeac is a pretty town with a small museum dedicated to Champollion, the first modern person to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Les Ezyies de Tayac in the Perigord has a great museum of prehistory and that area is also quite beautiful, especially in the Valleys of the Dordogne and the Vezere Rivers, which have extraordinary views dotted with pretty villages and chateaus.

Buy
Postcards are available at the Cahors train station. For something more regional buy a bottle of Cahors wine. Cahors wine was made famous by a Roman Catholic Pope, who, made Cahors wine the official wine of the Catholic Church.

Eat
The Lot Department is known for the impeccable foods that the locals produce. Consult Michael Sanders' book From Here You Can't See Paris or the Michelin Guide.
 * La Recreation (in Les Arques, 20 miles from Puy l'Eveque)
 * L'Aganit is a Michelin Guide recommended restaurant located at the Hotel Bellevue. The restaurant's menu is based upon local produce, which, more than likely assures fresh foods. L' Aganit is closed during the same period of time Hotel Bellevue is closed. See the "Sleep" section for contact information.

Drink
Wine is the drink here due in part because there are over 300 wineries in the regional area. Plus this is France.

Sleep
Many hotels and chateaus close down for the low season or for only a few weeks. Check with the chateau/hotel before arriving in town.

Go next

 * St. Cirq La Popie - A village voted most picturesque in France. Located an hour from Puy l'Eveque.

There are lots of 'gites' and apartments for rent on farms and in the town and surrounding villages, as well as the hotels mentioned. One can find them on websites offering 'self catering' in the regions of Midi Pyrenees or the Lot. Puy l'Eveque is at the western extreme of the Lot region, near the eastern border of the Lot et Garonne Region. Tourist offices in these regions will supply you with detailed maps that are great for touring. Some of the prettiest villages in France (les plus beaux villages en France; has a website)are within an hour's drive from Puy l'Eveque. In the town there is a library and a "mediatech' with internet access. There are wonderful bakeries and the local produce is of the finest France has to offer. In the town there are several supermarkets, as well as others nearby. There are also local markets on different days of the week.

title: Puy-l'Évêque


text:
Puyloubier

Puyloubier is a small town/village in Provence, France.

Get around
You can get around on foot.

Do
Talk a walk on nearby Mt St-Victoire and take in the gorgeous views and wildlife.

Buy
Delicious bread and cakes from the Boulangerie "LA GOURMANDINE" at 6, rue Francis Méano (closed Mondays).

Locally made rose wine from the wine seller.

Eat
Cafe Sainte Victoire in the centre of the town offers drinks and snacks either indoors or in a lovely shaded square with a small fountain. On Fridays and Saturdays regional dishes or pizza are available.

Drink
As above.

Go next
Visit Aix En Provence and Cassis. The nearby towns of Trets and Pourrieres aren't as nice.

title: Puyloubier


text:
Pwllheli

Pwllheli is the traditional market-town of the beautiful Llŷn Peninsula (Welsh: Pen Llŷn) in Wales.

The town is on the coast, with two sandy beaches (though the better beaches lie further down the peninsula, for example; Quarry a busy sandy beach, Porth Neigwl a famous surfing beach and remote tranquil beaches like Porth Ysgo which has a 20' waterfall), a marina host to many Sailing regattas and as the market town has shops and cafés.

By bus

 * Bus station has connections from Caernarfon (where connections can be made to Bangor); Porthmadog; Nefyn; Abersoch; Aberdaron.

By car
On the A499 Llandwrog/Llanwnda - Abersoch and A497 Porthmadog - Nefyn roads.

Go next

 * Criccieth
 * Abersoch
 * Nefyn

title: Pwllheli


text:
Pyin U Lwin

Pyin U Lwin (formerly Maymyo) is a city in the Mandalay Division of Central Myanmar.

Understand
Once the summer capital of the British Raj in Burma, Pyin U Lwin retains some of the hill station look that cities like Darjeeling and Simla in India used to have in the 1960s and 1970s. Because of its history as a summer capital and a military centre of the Indian Army during British times, it has both a large Indian population and strong Anglo-Burmese and Anglo-Indian communities. As a town near the border of China, many Chinese are also settling down in this pleasant hill town. It is also an important market centre for goods from the Shan State and Kachin territories. It is home to the Defence Academy of the Burmese military, and an important military base. At an elevation of 1,070 m, there is an abundance of flowers, as well as strawberry and coffee plantations.

History
The British "discovered" Pyin U Lwin after the capture of Mandalay at the end of the Third Burmese War. An early Englishman wrote: "Pyin U Lwin, a charmingly situated village of some five and twenty houses, with a market-place and a gambling ring, won our hearts." (Herbert White, A Civil Servant in Burma). The British soon established a military post there and the village was renamed Maymyo (May Town) after the commander of the post, Colonel May, a veteran of the Indian Mutiny. Within a few years, after it was connected to Mandalay by rail, it became the summer residence of the British government in Burma (in the hot season, the civil service, almost to the man, would move from Rangoon to Maymyo). A little later, it was made the headquarters of the Burma Division, a largely Gurkha and Indian division, and the remnants of that division forms the core of the Nepali population of Pyin U Lwin today. White goes on to say that: "Without pretension to the picturesque, it is a place of great charm and quiet beauty, with no palm trees and few pagodas, conspicuously un-Oriental, more like a corner of Surrey than of Burma." While the Surrey analogy will seem a stretch to anyone who has visited Surrey, Pyin U Lwin still seems less like Burma than almost anywhere else in the country.

Climate
Cooler, relatively speaking, than the plains and the temperature rarely goes over 30°C in summer. Winter temperatures often fall below 10°C at night, so be prepared.

Read

 * Ellis, Beth, An English Girl's First Impression of Burmah, Bangkok, Orchid Press, 1997. First published in 1899, Beth Ellis's book is an irreverent look at the British Empire set in the hill town of Maymyo (she calls it Reymyo), Pyin U Lwin in modern times.
 * Theroux, Paul, The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia, Penguin Books, 1995. In his rail travel classic, Paul Theroux did the journey from Mandalay to Maymyo, meets the caretaker of Candacraig, and then stays in the lodge itself. His journey, set during a time when Burma was an impossibly closed country, is a lot easier today but is still recognisably the same. A recommended read.

By train
The train station is north of the city and there are services to and from Mandalay, Hsipaw and Lashio. Trains from Mandalay (upper class 1,200 kyat, ordinary class 550 kyat) leave at 04:00 arriving at 07:52 (but delays are common). Four hairpin bends and a steep ascent make this an interesting, if rather long, ride. You can get out and walk at various points while the train switches direction or makes its slow way up a steep ascent. There is one train daily to Hsipaw and Lashio (08:34) the journey is about 6 hours and 10 hours respectively and goes over the famous Gokteik Viaduct. To Hsipaw, upper class 2,750 kyat, ordinary class 1,200 kyat. The train from Hsipaw and Lashio arrives at 16:05 and departs for Mandalay at 17:40. The Pyin U Lwin train station is a bit far from the town centre and most accommodation, but horse-carriages and taxis are there to meet the trains.

By bus
There are no scheduled bus services to/from Pyin U Lwin. Buses to and from Hsipaw will drop you off but you have to pay the fare for the entire trip. The buses tend to be full so it is unlikely that you'll get a seat on them when leaving Pyin U Lwin.

By pick-up
There are two pick-up stations in Pyin U Lwin. Frequent pick-ups to/from Mandalay (1,500 kyat for a seat in the back, 2,500 kyat in the front) depart throughout the day from near the gas station, on the Mandalay-Lashio Road about 600 metres south-west of the clock tower. Hsipaw and Lashio bound pick-ups leave early in the morning from the Shan Market west of the town.

By taxi
Shared taxis to/from Mandalay (8,000 kyat) and to/from Hsipaw (10,000 kyat) will drop or collect you at your hotel. The Mandalay-bound shared taxi stand is across the clock tower while the Hsipaw/Lashio shared taxi stand is across from the Shan Market if you want to arrange the trip yourself. It is best to arrange a shared taxi the previous evening.

Private taxis between Pyin U Lwin and Mandalay should be about 30,000 kyat (central Mandalay) or 35,000 kyat (Mandalay airport). Negotiate.

By plane
An airstrip is under construction nearby.

Get around
It is easy to get around on foot or on bicycles (1,200-2,000 kyat per day from your hotel) or even on foot in the city centre. Or hire a gharry, old garishly painted horse-drawn Victorian carriages that live on in Pyin U Lwin. For far-flung places, frequent pick-ups ply the Mandalay road, motorcycle taxis are available in the market, as are taxis. You can also rent a motorcycle to get around from a shop near the mosque. Ask at your hotel.

See
Pyin U Lwin is relatively free of the ubiquitous pagodas. Some colonial Tudor-style houses still stand (mostly around the National Kandawgyi Gardens), albeit in poor condition, and walking around is an interesting way to see how the Raj lived. There are many churches as well, the oldest dating to about 1910.

Do

Buy
Pyin U Lwin is famous, in Myanmar that is, for strawberries, coffee, flowers, sweaters and damsons. The market is full of shops selling these products. In spring (late Feb, early Mar), flower stalls line the road to Mandalay. The Golden Triangle Cafe and Bakery sells organic coffee from local plantations (ground and whole beans, all vacuum packed). Strawberry jam is readily available (it'll show up in your breakfast). And many stores around the clock tower sell sweaters, the speciality of all old British hill stations everywhere.

Eat
Pyin U Lwin has quite a few Indian sweet shops with the usual complement of Indian sweets (barfi, laddoo, gulab jamun, etc.). If you have a sweet tooth, this is the place to indulge it. There are several shops close to the Mandalay pick-up stand (on Lashio Rd by the Clock Tower), and at least one near the Central Market.

Drink

 * A local grape wine is available in addition to the various beers. A bit sweet for Western palates, but worth a try.
 * Pyin U Lwin is the centre for coffee plantations in Burma.

Sleep
Pyin U Lwin has a few magnificent colonial houses restored as hotels. Unfortunately, almost all of these are run by the government. Candacraig, the place immortalised by Paul Theroux, is worth a visit, but don't waste your money on a meal there.

Connect
For some reason, international calls are cheaper in Pyin U Lwin and you can call overseas to the UK and U.S. for about US$3-4 a minute by shopping around. Try the call office just before the cinema on the road from Grace Hotel I to the clock tower.

 * There are a few Internet cafes in the city. One is T.Net around the corner from the Golden Triangle Bakery, 400 kyat/hour. Another is on the first street to the right after the bakery, Day and Night Internet.

Go next

 * Gokteik - the Gokteik Viaduct, a famous bridge, a marvel of British ingenuity and American engineering, is a couple of hours away by train. Most tourists stay on the train to see it and head for Hsipaw and/or Lashio, but it is also possible (and well-worth the time) to make the trip there and back in a day. Train leaves Pyin U Lwin at 08:30.
 * Hsipaw - laid back Shan town a few hours to the northeast, and a good place for trips to Shan and Palaung villages.
 * Kyauk Me - a Shan town that is much less touristy than Hsipaw, also a good base for trekking in Shan and Palaung villages.

title: Pyin U Lwin


text:
Pylos

Pylos is a city in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece.

Understand
The area of Pylos has a variety of landscapes to visit, with their own marvelous geomorphological history.

 * The western limestone-ridge
 * The city of Pylos is built on a limestone-ridge which goes north-south. It starts in the south at the town of Methoni, runs to the west of the road Methoni-Pylos where it creates one of the highest hills in the region, Ayos Nikolaos, before it dips to the city of Pylos.
 * To the north of Pylos, the limestone-ridge is interrupted creating a set of connections between the bay of Navarino and the Ionian sea. Also the amazing bay of Voidokilia is such an interruption in the limestone ridge. It is here that the waves of the Ionias sea created one of the most spectacular beaches of Greece. The breaking up of the limestone ridge caused the creation of the uninhabited island of Sphacteria.
 * The island of Sphacteria has a very steep eastern cliff. This is because there is a north-south fault-line running here, and you are looking at a fault-mirror. This means that the island was lifted and the area, which is now the bay of Navarino, dropped. This happened during the creation of the Alpine mountains (Tertiary era).
 * The limestone ridge is not very fertile, and is covered by bushes, low grasses and herb vegetation (maquis). A great place to see snakes. It is mainly used to let sheep and goats graze.
 * Although limestone is known for karst phenomena such as caves and dolines, the number of this kind of phenomena is very limited. Nevertheless, there is a nice cave to visit, just south of Voidokilia. It is now called the Cave of Nestor.
 * The eastern limestone-horst.
 * To the east of Pylos, a massive limestone bock, is sticking out above the landscape, and forms a plateau.
 * When you take the road from Kalamata to Pylos, you will notice you come down a few hundred meters before you reach the bay of Navarino
 * When you take the road from Methoni to Pylos, you will see on the left (west) the western limestone ridge and to the right (east) the limestone horst.
 * It is in this limestone horst you find the quarry of Paleochori, where you can find some great calcite-minerals.
 * The marl-area between Pylos-Kalithea
 * In the tertiary, a sea was covering the whole area around Pylos, with a few exceptions of the highest hill-tops (actually, the land was much lower, and got uplifted later on, rather than the sea being much higher)
 * If you take the road from Pylos to Kalithea, you will see to the south a flat area, mainly covered with olive-groves. This is a marl-plateau, and it was one the bottom of a tertiary see where fine sand and clay were deposited. You can still find a large collection of seashells in the deposits: mainly old forms of oysters.
 * The Flysch area to the east of Methoni
 * The Plateau of Paleonero

Get in

 * There are good bus connections from and to the nearby towns of Methoni,Kalamata and Kiparissia. Connections from these towns can get you further to Patras and Athens
 * You can get to Kalamata airport from several European countries.
 * The taxi services in Pylos (departing from the taxi rank in the main square) are much used. Don't hesitate to ask the price to get to and from Kalamata or Methoni.

Get around

 * 50cc scooters are for rent from Martin's shop in Gialova. You will need to get a bus to Gialova from Pylos to reach the shop.
 * There is a taxi stand at the main square.
 * There is a bus-stop at the main square. From there you get to the main towns around Pylos.

See
Top 10 things to see in and around Pylos:
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.
 * Sunset over the Bay of Navarino and Sphacteria or at Gargaliani beach.

Do

 * Boat tour around the area of Sphacteria. Boattrips are offered in the harbour of Pylos. The boat trips bring you to the lighthouse at the entrance of the bay of Navarino or Sphacteria.

Buy

 * Olives This is the area for olives and olive-oil.
 * Grapes The area is also known for its grapes, used for raisins and wines. You can get local wines in most of the bars, but check out especially the wine-bar ""Number 9" (see Drink).
 * Honey Bee-keepers put their beehives on the limestone ridges around Pylos, covered with an abundance of Mediterranean flowers. You will find plenty of signs for honey, put there by the local bee-keepers in the villages around Pylos.

Budget

 * Anna's Apartments, +30 2723 041415.

title: Pylos


text:
Pyongan

Pyongan (Korean: 평안도) is one of the historic provinces of Korea, now broken up into North Pyŏngan, South P'yŏngan and the separately administered capital city Pyongyang.

Cities

 * — national capital with much Stalinist architecture
 * - known for Waudo Pleasure Ground, Kangso Mineral Springs, Lake Taesang and a complex of Koguryo Tombs
 * – an important city for scientific research in the country, supposedly the "Silicon Valley" of North Korea
 * — border city with a railway connection to China, next to the Chinese city of Dandong
 * - known for Waudo Pleasure Ground, Kangso Mineral Springs, Lake Taesang and a complex of Koguryo Tombs
 * – an important city for scientific research in the country, supposedly the "Silicon Valley" of North Korea
 * — border city with a railway connection to China, next to the Chinese city of Dandong
 * — border city with a railway connection to China, next to the Chinese city of Dandong

Understand
Pyongan is one of eight historic provinces of Korea, formed during the Joseon Dynasty in the 15th century. The name is derived from the then two principal cities of the region; Pyongyang and Anju. It runs along Korea Bay in the Yellow Sea, from the North Korean capital in the south, to the Chinese border in the north. The eastern border for a large part runs along the Rangrim mountain range.

Get in
As it is in North Korea you can only enter via tour, see North Korea

See
You can see the city of Sinuiju from across the river in Dandong, China, and it is connected to it by the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge. If you're coming by train from China, Sinuiju is likely the first city you'll see. It is possible to get to around one hundred metres near to Sinuiju by boat from Dandong. Various tour boat operators along the Yalu River surrounding the Friendship Bridge charge ¥20-50. In wintertime, the river freezes over and locals on both sides trek across the border to trade (or defect). However, the North Korean army regularly patrols the border, and any foreigners caught on the wrong side can expect to be detained and accused of spying.

title: Pyongan