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Natural Bridges National Monument

Natural Bridges National Monument is a national monument in the Canyon Country of southeastern Utah, showcasing three natural stone bridges within its boundaries. Natural Bridges became the first International Dark Sky Park in 2007.

History
Repeatedly occupied and abandoned during prehistoric times, the area was first used during the Archaic period, from 7000 BC to AD 500. Only the rock art and stone tools left by hunter-gatherer groups reveal that humans lived here then. Around AD 700, ancestors of modern Puebloan people moved onto the mesa tops to dry farm and later left as the natural environment changed. Around AD 1100, new migrants from across the San Juan River moved into small, single-family houses near the deepest, best-watered soils throughout this area. In the 1200s, farmers from Mesa Verde migrated here, but by the 1300s the ancestral Puebloans migrated south. Navajos and Paiutes lived in the area during later times, and Navajo oral tradition holds that their ancestors lived among the early Puebloans.

In 1883, prospector Cass Hite wandered up White Canyon from his base camp along the Colorado River in search of gold. What he found instead were three magnificent bridges water had sculpted from stone. In 1904, National Geographic Magazine publicized the bridges, and in 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt established Natural Bridges National Monument, creating Utah's first National Park Service area.

Landscape
While arches stand on the skyline, natural bridges form in the bottoms of deep canyons. This difference is due to how each is formed: seeping moisture and frost shape arches, but running water carves natural bridges. As the curving meanders of streams carved down into the sandstone at Natural Bridges they undercut the canyon walls and bent back upon themselves until only a thin fin of stone separated them. Flash floods periodically pounded against weak spots formed by the soft siltstone layers in the sandstone. Eventually, the water cut through the narrow neck of the meander, forming a natural bridge. At first each bridge is thick and massive, as is Kachina Bridge, but as erosion attacks them on all sides, the bridges become more delicate (as with Owachomo Bridge) and eventually collapse.

Geologically speaking, the bridges themselves are relatively recent and short-lived occurrences. Since sandstone erodes at different rates (more weathering occurs when the climate is wet than during times of aridity), the exact age of the bridges is difficult to determine. We do know that ten million years ago the Colorado Plateau was flat and featureless. When the last glacial period ended 18,000 years ago, glacial melt and increased rainfall speeded the erosion of canyon country. A wet climate between 900 and 4,000 years ago probably began the erosion of most spans; the largest spans are believed to be over 5,000 years old.

Flora and fauna

Birds, desert cottontails, kangaroo rats and lizards are common and may be seen by a majority of visitors. Many desert animals are either inactive during daylight hours or wary of humans, so sightings can be special events. The area's hot climate and lack of water seems to favor small mammals. Because of their size, these animals have an easier time finding shelter and require less food and water to live. Rodents are numerous, with nine species of mice and rats alone. Large mammals like mule deer and mountain lions must roam vast territories in order to find food and water, and sometimes migrate to nearby mountains during summer.

The desert climate also favors reptiles like lizards and snakes. Natural Bridges has several known rattlesnake dens. The midget faded rattlesnake, a subspecies of the widely distributed western rattlesnake, is the most common. During spring, these dens may contain several dozen snakes. Though small (usually around 24 inches long), the midget faded rattlesnake has a very toxic venom.

Amphibians may be the last thing people think of when they visit Natural Bridges. However, the area is home to a variety of frogs and toads, as well as one species of salamander. These animals take advantage of intermittent springs and pools when they are available and remain dormant during drier periods. Witnessing a chorus of toads in White Canyon may be one of the most memorable experiences canyon country has to offer.

Plants in the park fall into three basic categories: drought escapers, drought resistors and drought evaders.

Drought escapers are plants that make use of favorable growing conditions when they exist. These plants are usually annuals that grow only when enough water is available. Seeds may lie dormant for years if conditions are not favorable. Spring annual wildflowers are escapers. They sprout following winter and early spring rains, and sometimes again after late summer rains.

Drought resistors are typically perennials. Many have small, spiny leaves that reduce the impact of solar radiation, and some may drop their leaves if water is unavailable. Spines and hairy leaves act to reduce exposure to air currents and solar radiation, limiting the amount of water lost to evaporation. Cacti, yuccas and mosses are examples of drought resistors. Yuccas have extensive taproots that are able to find water beyond the reach of other plants. Moss, a plant not commonly associated with deserts, thrives because it can tolerate complete dehydration: when rains finally return, mosses green up immediately.

Drought evaders, the final group, survive in riparian areas where water is plentiful. Monkey flower, columbine and maidenhair fern are found in well-shaded alcoves near seeps or dripping springs. Cottonwoods and willows require a lot of water, and only grow along river corridors and intermittent streams where their roots can reach the water table easily.

Climate
Southeast Utah is part of the Colorado Plateau, a "high desert" region that experiences wide temperature fluctuations, sometimes over 40 degrees in a single day. The temperate (and most popular) seasons are spring (April through May) and fall (mid-September through October), when daytime highs average 60 to 80 °F and lows average 30 to 50 °F. Summer temperatures often exceed 100 °F, making strenuous exercise difficult. Late summer monsoon season brings violent storm cells which often cause flash floods. Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 °F, and lows averaging 0 to 20 °F. Though large snowfalls are uncommon (except in nearby mountains), even small amounts of snow or ice can make local trails and roads impassable.

Visitor information

 * Park website

Get in
The entrance to Natural Bridges is at the end of Highway 275, which is roughly 35 miles west of Blanding, Utah on Highway 95. Driving time from Blanding is roughly 45 minutes. Nearly all visitors drive to Natural Bridges, although bicycling is a popular alternative. No bus or commercial transportation is available to Natural Bridges.

From Moab, take U.S. 191 south past Monticello and Blanding. Turn right on Highway 95, then watch for signage directing you to Highway 275 and Natural Bridges.

From Mexican Hat: Adventurous travelers resistant to vertigo may head north on Utah State Route 261. Ascend the Moki Dugway, then continue north to the Highway 95 intersection just east of Natural Bridges.

From Bluff, travel north on U.S. 191 to its intersection with Highway 95. Turn west on Highway 95 and watch for signage directing you to Highway 275 and Natural Bridges.

From Hanksville, travel south on Utah State Route 95.

Fees and permits
Entrances fees are valid for seven days, allowing unlimited re-entry for the week. Fees as of 2020 are:
 * $10 Per person on foot/bicycle
 * $15 Motorcycle
 * $20 Private vehicle
 * $55 Southeast Utah Parks Annual Pass (includes access to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Hovenweep National Monument)

See
The monument showcases three natural bridges, Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo. Each bridge is visible from overlooks not far from parking areas. These three bridges were first named "President," "Senator" and "Congressman" by Cass Hite, and were renamed "Augusta," "Caroline" and "Edwin" by later explorer groups. As the park was expanded to protect nearby Puebloan structures, the General Land Office assigned the Hopi names "Sipapu," "Kachina" and "Owachomo" in 1909.

Do
A nine-mile loop road provides access to overlooks for each bridge. Connect yourself to the land by hiking the trails to the base of each natural bridge, or take the Loop Trail to view all three bridges.

As the first International Dark Sky Park, Natural Bridges provides extraordinary opportunities for astronomy.

Buy
The visitor center and its bookstore are open 8AM to 5PM each day (except Thanksgiving Day, December 25th, and January 1st).

Eat
No concessionaire operates within Natural Bridges National Monument. Although packaged snack food may be available at the bookstore in the visitors' center, food for meals should be purchased in Blanding or Mexican Hat before your visit.

Drink
Remember, Natural Bridges National Monument is in a remote desert environment. While limited water may be available at the visitors' center, visitors should provide their own water.

Lodging
There is no lodging available in the park - the nearest hotels are in Mexican Hat, Blanding, or Monticello.

Camping
Overflow camping is available outside Natural Bridges.

Stay safe
As with any desert locale, take water, stay hydrated. Should you venture onto the trails, protect yourself from the sun.

Go next

 * The Moki Dugway road isn't for the faint of heart or those travelling in an RV, but is well worth the trip for extraordinary views. Take Highway 95 west, then south on State Route 261.
 * Monticello and Moab are northeast on the way to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
 * Kayenta, the Navajo Nation, and Monument Valley are to the south.
 * Hovenweep National Monument, Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, Four Corners, and Mesa Verde National Park are to the east.

title: Natural Bridges National Monument


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Natural Bridge State Park

Natural Bridge State Resort Park is a state park in Kentucky's Daniel Boone Country, within the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Understand
The park is centered on the amazing, 78-ft-long, 65-ft-high, natural stone bridge that formed over millions of years

History
This park was created as a travel destination by the Lexington & Eastern Railway in 1896, and later turned over to the State of Kentucky as a Kentucky State Park.

Landscape
The arch is in a hilly, forested area, part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. There are numerous other landmarks in thea area, such as other arches, caves, sinkholes, and unusual rocks. The whole park is near the Red River Gorge area

Climate
Kentucky has a moderate climate, characterized by warm, yet moist conditions. Summers are usually warm, and winters cool. An average 46 in (116 cm) of precipitation falls during the year, with spring being the rainiest season.

Get in
The park is accessible from the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway and is approximately 58 miles southeast of Lexington. From exit 33, the park entrance is about 2 miles south on KY 11.

Fees and permits
There are no fees to enter the park.

Get around
The Natural Bridge Sky Lift offers a quicker way than hiking to get to the bridge. Passengers ride the lift half a mile to some trails and a great view of the bridge. The Sky Lift is open from the first weekend in April through the last weekend in October. One way or round trip tickets can be purchased.

See
Within Natural Bridge State Park there are multiple landmarks to see:

 * Natural Bridge - The Natural Bridge is the main attraction of the Natural Bridge State Park. Here people stand upon a rock bridge connecting two ridges.
 * Henson Arch - Henson Arch is reached via the Henson Arch trail which is connected to Whittleton Campground. The arch is in a hole underground with a small waterfall spilling into it.
 * Devil's Gulch - Devil's Gulch is a stairway made of stone.
 * Needle's Eye - Needle's Eye is a stairway made of stone similar to that of Devi's Gulch.
 * Balanced Rock - The Balanced Rock is located on the Balanced Rock trail.
 * Skylift Overlook - The Skylift Overlook is a scenic view located right next to the terminus of the skylift.
 * Lookout Point - Lookout Point is a scenic view where people are able to get a good view of the Natural Bridge.
 * Lover's Leap - Lover's Leap is a scenic lookout over a tall rock monolith standing separate of the ridge.

Do

 * Hiking The main attraction of the park is the many trails that criss cross the park. These include the following trails, most of which either start or end at the bridge:
 * Original Trail-.75 mile-Easiest and most popular
 * Balanced Rock Trail-.75 mile
 * Battleship Rock Trail-.75 mile
 * Rock Garden Trail-1.75 miles-Great for bird and plant lovers, follows ridge, less touristed
 * Sand Gap Trail-7.5 miles
 * Hood's Branch Trail-3.75 miles
 * Henson's Arch Trail-.3 mile-Leads to an arch by a cave entrance, and a descendable sinkhole
 * Lakeside Trail-.25 mile
 * Laurel Ridge Trail-.75 mile
 * Low Gap Trail-.5 mile
 * Upper Hood's Branch Trail-.75 mile
 * Whittleton Trail-2 miles

The trails close at dark

 * Boating Mill Creek Lake is a small lake located in the park, near the Middle Fork Campground. Canoes and kayaks can be rented at the dock from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  Hoedown Island Lake is a small lake located near Hemlock Lodge.  Pedal boats can be rented at the dock from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
 * Fishing is allowed at Mill Creek Lake. All persons 16 and older must have a valid Kentucky fishing permit.
 * Miniature Golf There is a miniature golf course at the Sky Lift. Open May 1 to October 31.
 * Swimming An outdoor pool is located at Hemlock Lodge and is free of charge for the guests of the lodge and cabins.  Non guests are charged $4 per adult and $3 per child.

Buy
There are two souvenir shops in the park. One is in Hemlock Lodge and the other is at the Sky Lift ticketing office.

Drink
No alcohol is served in the park. Wolfe County, which lies just to the south of the park, is a wet county where alcohol can be purchased.

Backcountry
There is no overnight camping allowed in the back country. The park is surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest and several forest service trails connect to the park's trail system.

Stay safe
Many people fall off of cliffs each year, (around 40), which leads to a few deaths. Stay clear of open cliffs! Stay on marked trails. Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel grow very thick in the Red River Gorge and up to the cliff edges. Bushwhacking is prohibited in the park and dangerous in the gorge, as you can easily pop out of thick undergrowth into open air. During the winter, the Natural Bridge and parts of the trails may be icy.

Go next
Daniel Boone National Forest

Fort Boonesborough State Park

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

title: Natural Bridge State Park


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Nature's Valley

Nature's Valley is a small village on the Garden Route along the southern Cape coast of South Africa, tucked between the Soutrivier, the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, the Indian Ocean and the Grootrivier lagoon. It has a balmy climate and the unusual status of being surrounded by the Tsitsikamma National Park, with the exception of Platbos Reserve, which is also conservation area, albeit privately owned.

The Tsitsikamma Park is one of the most visited in South Africa, because of the pleasant climate, the beauty of the scenery, the wealth of things to do and see, and also because environmental travellers enjoy the wilderness and the biodiversity. The Cape flora found in and around Nature's Valley and on Platbos Reserve is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Nature's Valley is just a short drive east of Knysna and Plettenberg Bay and just west of Storms River.

A network of trails covers the surrounding hills and beaches. The lagoon offers sheltered water for sailing and canoeing, without powerboating and beach buggies. A walk along beaches and a rocky path leads to the Salt River Mouth after crossing Pebble Beach, a large area completely covered in sea-smoothed cobbles.

East of Nature's Valley is the Grootrivier Lagoon, which marks the end of the Otter Trail, starting at Storms River Mouth, 60km further east. This 5-day trail is considered by many hikers to be the finest in South Africa, being strenuous, scenic and extremely varied. The route meanders along the coast through evergreen forest, past boulder-strewn beaches and frequently crossing tannin-stained streams. Huts are available for the hiker at the end of each day, but bookings have to be made well in advance.

There is plenty to offer the visitor to Nature's Valley, from the many varied hiking trails to the Animal Sanctuaries next door in The Crags. It is also just a short drive to the World's Highest Bungee at the Bloukrans Bridge and Storms River Mouth.

Flora and fauna
The Tsitsikamma forest is an ecological wonderland. It can alternately be describes as a coastal temperate rainforest or an Afromontane forest. The forest on Platbos Reserve includes many if not all of the special species of tree found here, such as Real Yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), Outeniqua Yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus), and Stinkwood (Ocotea bullata). It is beautiful inside the forest, as if you are inside a cathedral. Sounds are muted, and the call of the birds are clear and simply enchanting. The forest canopy lets through dappled light, but keeps the air moist enough to smell of earth and humus. It is this forest that is so difficult to rehabilitate. It can take hundreds of years for the forest edge to advance only meters. The fynbos prepares the way for a nurse population of trees (such as Virgilia divaricata, or Cape lilac). Only under the shelter of these fast growing trees will the trees that characterise Tsitsikamma forest grow at all.

The meadows of fynbos look and feel completely different. Fynbos consists of low shrubbery, and what makes it so special is the variety of flowers and colours. Fynbos's most wonderful attribute is the spicy, woody fragrance. In a fynbos field like this the air is full of the smell.

Platbos Reserve is home to several bush and forest mammals, such as the shy bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus), caracal (caracal), Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus), bushbuck (scriptus) and many more.

The forest and the open fields hosts a vast variety of different bird species. If you are a bird watcher you will enjoy the exquisite and very rare tauraco, which is popularly known as the Knysna lourie (Tauraco corythaix) in the forest, and several species of colourful sunbird in the fynbos.

Since it is a wilderness area snakes, spiders and insects are also plentiful.

History
The area has a very interesting political, social and environmental history. Palaeontological evidence abounds of the prehistoric hominins who peopled the coastline. Archeological digs at Plettenberg Bay's Robberg and rock art in the De Vasselot section of the Tsitsikamma National Park indicate that earlier people were what are called strandlopers in South Africa, or beachcombers. By the time European traders and colonisers arrived, in mid-1600s, the people of the Cape were mainly Khoisan and Bantu peoples.

In the 18th century the port town of Knysna became a center of timber trade, which precipitated a woodcutter period of deforestation that saw some of the oldest trees in the forest, especially the yellowwoods, cut down. The forest suffered less damage than might be expected, since the woodcutters were selective about trees, leaving the forest canopy intact, and allowing the saplings to survive.

As the area developed forested areas were occasionally cleared to make way for plantations of exotic trees like pine. Forested areas like Platbos Reserve, which were initially part of the wild Tsitsikamma forest, were privately owned at the time when South Africa proclaimed the area a protected National Park, and for several decades served as farmland for potatoes and pine plantations. The soil became degraded and the forested parts started to dwindle. The fact that Nature's Valley and Platbos Reserve are privately owned areas inside the Tsitsikamma National Park make then hotspots for environmentally-minded individuals to attempt forest rehabilitation. As a tourism attraction, it is especially exciting for travellers interested in the environment and eco-friendly tourism.

Forest rehabilitation
The Tsitsikamma is an ancient forest. The Podocarpus genus (Yellowwood) is possibly as old as 105 million years, and some of the Tsitsikamma's most famous yellowwood trees are between 600 and 800 years old. Palaeontological evidence suggests the forests on South Africa's coast have existed for 20 thousand years. It is not surprising that the Tsitsikamma is a slow growing forest that struggles to recover once it is reduced.

Many factors play a role in the shrinking of the forest, including climate change over millennia which favoured savannah grassland and fynbos vegetation to weather the arid climate. The Tsitsikamma rainforest survives on a fraction of the precipitation the world's other temperate rainforests need. Deforestation and the introduction of exotic plants by colonialists also placed the forests under pressure. Even now, while the forests of South Africa's Garden Route are protected Parks, exotic plants like the Blue Gum and Australian wattles continue to consume most of the water in the soil and, growing much faster, crowd out indigenous species.

Also, the pioneer vegetation of the Tsitsikamma forest is Cape fynbos, which consists of obligate seeders and which needs fire to germinate. Since the trees in the Tsitsikamma forest lose their lower branches as they reach the forest canopy, the forest is largely fire resistant. Fire, however, endangers the young trees on the forest edges. If this forest nursery burns down with every fynbos fire, the forest cannot advance.

Forest rehabilitation is therefore a long-term project that is very labour-intensive. It involves firstly attending to the health of existing forest by clearing it of invasive plant species. Secondly, pioneer and nurse vegetation must be planted or protected. These plants on the edge of the forest prepare the soil for saplings, and faster growing indigenous trees, like the keurboom, offer saplings shade under which they flourish. The forest nursery should also be protected from the Western Cape's aggressive fires, by maintaining firebreaks.

Platbos Reserve's conservation and rehabilitation effort is a unique experiment in reforestation, and makes it a fascinating point of interest.

Climate
Although the forest is called a temperate rainforest, it manages to survive on very little rain. The rainfall is approximately 945 mm per annum. This is very low compared to other temperate rainforests, such as in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North America which has annual precipitation of 200-400 cm. The summer, especially January and December, is the rainy season. Rainy weather varies from persistent drizzle and misty days, to storms and cloudbreaks.

The temperature ranges between 23°C/17°C in January and 17°C/10°C in July. The fact that the Reserve is on the coast of the warm Indian Ocean explains the balmy climate.

Landscape
At the foot of the Tsitsikamma Mountains there is a plateau on which Platbos Reserve is found, and after another sharp drop in the groundlevel, another narrow plateau houses Nature's Valley. 'Platbos' is an Afrikaans name, meaning 'Flat Bush / Forest'. This is a rather descriptive name, as the Reserve fits onto the plateau. Nature's Valley has an equally descriptive name, as it is surrounded by mountains upon mountains, yet faces the sea.

The people
The local community consists of the permanent and seasonal residents of the seaside town of Nature's Valley, and the community of Covie, a nearby settlement. The Western Cape has a reputation of warmth, hospitality and humour, but service is often below par.

Afrikaans is the language most commonly spoken as a first language, but many residents also speak isiXhosa and English.

Fees and permits
Walking and hiking at Nature's Valley and Platbos Reserve are controlled via the National Parks board which issues permits free of charge. In season Platbos Reserve may restrict access to guests of Plateau Country House.

By car
Located on the R102, just off the N2, the village is easily accessible by car from Port Elizabeth (3hrs) and Cape Town (6hrs) as well as other towns along the Garden Route.

By bus
The main companies pass along the N2 on their Cape Town to Port Elizabeth route. You can ask to be dropped at the R102 in The Crags and from there you can hitch down to Nature's Valley.

The only BazBus stop is at the Wild Spirit Lodge and Backpackers on the R102 Nature's Valley Road.

By rail & plane
There is no rail station nor airport in Nature's Valley. The closest airports are in Port Elizabeth (201km away) and George (130km away).

Get around
The only way to get around Nature's Valley without your own car is to walk.

See
Nature's Valley beach is one of the most spectacular along the Garden Route. The village is surrounded by the Tsitsikamma National Park.

Do

 * Hike the Salt River Cove Trail and the Kalanderkloof Trail, a 5 hour mini Otter Trail
 * Visit the other Animal Sanctuaries in The Crags (10 km). Snakes, Birds and Big Cats.
 * Jump from the Worlds Highest Bungee at the Bloukrans Bridge (20 km)
 * Rent a canoe and spend some hours on the lagoon.
 * Walk the final stage of the Otter Trail.
 * Rent a canoe and spend some hours on the lagoon.
 * Walk the final stage of the Otter Trail.

Buy
Local Craft shops in The Crags

Eat & drink
There is only one shop, restaurant and bar in Nature's Valley serving good food and beer at a reasonable price.

Go next
Nearest cities are Plettenberg Bay to the west, 37km away, and Storms River to the east. The neighbouring area is called The Crags, a tourist destination full of things to do and see. They include:

title: Nature's Valley


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Big Bend Coast

The Big Bend Coast is a region in Florida that includes the rural Gulf Coast counties of Dixie, Levy, Taylor, Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco. It includes the Nature Coast, which consists of the three northernmost counties of the Big Bend Coast.

Understand
The Big Bend Coast is one of the quietest parts of the state, between the tourist spots in St. Petersburg and the Florida Panhandle. Although on the Gulf of Mexico, one of the world's warmest bodies of water during the Northern Hemisphere summer, there's not much tourism here as the coast is a swamp. The region lacks barrier islands found off most of Florida's coast; hence, population is low and concentrated on rivers and inland areas, giving it some similarities to North Central Florida to the east.

The region's climate is hot and humid in summer but can get fairly cold in winter, similar to North Central Florida. Gulf water temperatures drop substantially as the North American continent cools throughout fall, so it does little to moderate the region's climate.

Go next

 * Northwest to the Florida Panhandle with the state capital, Tallahassee
 * East to North Central Florida with cities including Ocala and Gainesville
 * South to the Tampa Bay Area with Tampa and St. Petersburg

title: Big Bend Coast


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Nature Park Bulgarka

Nature Park Bulgarka (Bulgarian: Природен Парк Българка Priroden Park Bălgarka) is a protected national nature park in the central northern part of the Balkan Mountains near the Bulgarian towns of Gabrovo and Tryavna. The park has been protected because of its picturesque mountain landscapes, the variety of rare animals and plants, as well as in the aim of preserving traditional ethnic handcrafts and beliefs in the ethnographic open-air museum complex Etar and in the Dryanovo Monastery.

Understand
Nature Park Bulgarka is a vast Bulgarian nature park occupying an area of nearly 22,000 hectares along the northern slopes of the central Balkan Mountains. The area's historical and biological significance led to the establishment of the Nature Park Bulgarka on 9 August 2002, which makes it one of the youngest members in the "family" of protected nature parks in Bulgaria.

Its attractive scenery, historical significance and location within the country makes the park one of one of the most visited sites in Bulgaria. The park is around the geographical center of the country and one of the major passages through the Balkan Mountains (namely - the Shipka passage) is on park grounds. Also, two of the most popular sights in Bulgarka, the complex "Etar" and the Dryanovo Monastery, can be identified as focal points of Bulgarian culture. Finally, the area now known as the park-museum "Buzludzha-Shipka", is one of the places of major historical significance for the Bulgarian people and is a favorite destination on national holidays.

Although there are many villages near and in the park, there are only a few towns nearby. The nearest are Gabrovo and Tryavna, both to the north of Bulgarka. The closest larger population center to the south along the road is the town of Kazanluk.

Landscape
Some of the most striking landscapes in Central Stara Planina (Stara Planina being the other name of the Balkan) are included in the nature park. Bulgarka features steep cliffs, cool meadows, forests of some of the rarest tree species and forests of century-old trees, the springs of some of the greatest rivers in Bulgaria and some of the highest waterfalls in the Balkan peninsula.

This region, between the steep topography of the Central Balkan Mountains and its lower and sloping eastern part, is characterized by significant diversity in terrain. This diversity of terrain in the area supports a great variety of flora and fauna. Further, due to the area's position in a section of the Balkans that served as a crossroads for centuries, the park is also home to many historical sites.

Climate
The park has a mountain-continental climate, owing to its position in the Balkan Mountains and distance from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. The area has warm and dry summers, cool rainy springs and autumns, and cold snowy winters – a good condition for ski resorts such as the one in the Uzana area.

The average temperatures in the summers are 12–16°С with highs around 23°С and hottest temperature registered 31°С. Those summer temperatures make the park perfect for hiking, picnics and sightseeing walks. The winter averages are -2° to -6°С with lows around –12°С and lowest registered: -29°С. Frequent snows and the lack of rapid changes in temperature make the winter climate suitable for winter sports.

History
All of the Stara Planina has a significant and special place in the history and culture of the Bulgarian people ever since the country's foundation in 681. It served as a natural fortress of the Bulgarian Empire for centuries and formed an effective barrier to Moesia (the Danube lowlands in Bulgaria) where most of the medieval capitals were located. The Central Balkan mountains, in or close to Nature Park Bulgarka, were the site of numerous battles between the Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empires and the Bulgarian people and the Ottoman Empire. For many centuries the Byzantines feared that mountain and on several occasions Byzantine armies had pulled back only on the news of approaching Stara Planina. Some of the greatest stands of the Bulgarians against the Ottoman rule were made in the Balkan Mountains. During the Ottoman rule many haiduts (Bulgarian freedom fighters) found refuge in the mountain. Close to the highest point of Stara Planina (Botev peak) is the Shipka Pass, the scene of the four battles in Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 which ended the Ottoman rule in the Balkans. On Mount Shipka there is a memorial park and close to the pass in the village of Shipka there is a Russian Orthodox church, both built to commemorate Russian and Bulgarian bravery during pass defense.

Nature Park Bulgarka, founded in 2002, has the goal of capturing the historical along with natural aspects of the Balkans. It can be said that the establishment of the park has come naturally as a consequence of the significance of the mountain in the formation of the Bulgarian identity.

Flora and fauna
The Stara Planina is remarkable for its flora and fauna. In terms of zoology, the park is located the Balkan region of European fauna.

Many wild animals, such as the Eurasian wolf, fox, the golden jackal, Eurasian brown bear, wild boar, red deer, roe deer, hare, eastern hedgehog, squirrel, badger, mink and others inhabit the forested lands of the Nature Park Bulgarka. Birds in the park include the golden eagle, the common kestrel, rock dove, great spotted woodpecker, black woodpecker, green woodpecker, cuckoo, common buzzard, owl, white wagtail, turtledove, jay, magpie, raven, hooded crow, blackbird, thrush, starling, lark, finch, nightingale, domestic sparrow, oriole, great tit and others. Reptiles native to the park lands include are three species of snakes, lizards and others. Amphibians include several frogs, salamander and invertebrates include snails, tritons and many kinds of insects. Fish in the waterways include trout, black fish, and others.

Forests cover about 80% of the park area, or 17,461 hectares. Various types of beech constitute the largest portion of the forest, at 65%. Other varieties of deciduous trees include oaks, water locust, birch hornbeam, linden, elm, acacia, aspen, maple, ash, wild cherry, holly, rowan, birch and others. Coniferous trees found in the park include white and black pine, spruce, fir, white fir and others. Gymnosperm plants covers about 0.6 ha. This botanical uniqueness, which occurs only in this part of Bulgaria and has includes special combinations of beech, yew, and laurel, makes the park a significant conservation habitat. Within Nature Park Bulgarka are designated areas established to promote greater habitat conservation.

Nearly 70% of the officially recognized medicinal plants in Bulgaria may be found within the Nature Park Bulgarka.

At least 360 plant species grow in the park, including 31 species listed as threatened or endangered. This includes; yew, wild ticket silivryak gesneriaceae, mountain maple, Bulgarian types of orchids, medicinal tweeter, mountain onion cytisus, mountain vetch astragalus, among other. However, as one of the youngest nature parks in Bulgaria, a full classification of all the types of flora and fauna available is yet to come.

Get in
Its favorable geographical location, at the geographical center of Bulgaria, it is easy to access from nearby cities, airports and railway stations from across the country. It is a "nature park" and not a national park - there is no controlled access, no gates and people may enter at any time.

By car
Convenient roads connect the park to many surrounding municipalities and towns, including Gabrovo, Kazanluk, Stara Zagora, Tryavna and Veliko Tarnovo.

Western portions of the Nature Park Bulgarka are easiest to access by roadways. The European route E85 leading from Klaipeda in Lithuania through Eastern Europe to Alexandroupolis in Greece connects Gabrovo to Kazanluk, provides access to Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, the Sokolski Moistary, the mountain villages of Chervena Lokva and Vodotsi and the Shipka Monument.

By train
Railways provide access to the park from the cities of Stara Zagora, Tryavna and Veliko Tarnovo.

Eastern portions of the Nature Park Bulgarka are easiest to access by railway. A Bulgarian Railway Line running from Gorna Oryahovitsa in the north passes to Plovdiv in the south passes through this portion of the park with stops at Plachkovtsi, close to the park, and the mountain village of Krastec inside the park.

Fees and permits
Nature Park Bulgarka is a nature park and not a national park, which means that there are no restrictions to enter such as barriers and fences or fees and taxes. It is open to any who wishes to visit, there are no permits required to harvest plants and fungi from the park.

Get around
While there are a number of villages located inside the park, they are too small to have their own taxies, bus lines or marshrutkas. However, there is regular bus service between Kazanluk and Gabrovo, which stops at the Shipka Monument. While it may be possible to hire a taxi to take you into the park, this would be prohibitively expensive. Also, as the park is situated in the mountains, to visit the more remote areas of Nature Park Bulgarka requires, hiking, bicycling or horse riding.

See
The 22,000 hectares of Nature Park Bulgarka are home to many beautiful sights and places to visit. Some of these include;

Do
Activities available in the park vary by the season. In the spring, after the snow melts, through the summer and into the fall before the snow returns, hiking, fishing, gathering herbs, sight seeing and similar activities are possible.

General activities

 *  Bird watching. The park, home to many species of song birds, raptors and other kinds of birds, is a popular destination of bird watchers from across Europe. There is a bird watching tower at Markov Stol along the First Steps eco-trail.
 * Horse riding. Horses may be ridden in the park and rented in the Uzana area. While there are no legal restrictions on taking horses into the park or riding them, many of the paths and trails are rough, steep and rocky and thus not suitable for horse riding. People interested in equestrian activities should exercise caution.
 *  Paintball. There is a paintball course in the Uzana area, which operates during the summer.
 *  Photography. The colors of the park vary widely and wildly across the park and across the year from the brilliance of the white winters, to the endless green of summer, to the warm and fiery colors of autumn. At almost anytime and at almost location, Nature Park Bulgarka is a good place for photography.
 *  Rock climbing. Nature Park Bulgarka is home to many rock faces and rock climbing is a popular activities. There is a face rock climbing wall in Uzana at the entrance to the Frist Step eco-trail, but otherwise no specified rock climbing areas and the rock faces have not been evaluated for difficulty.
 *  Fishing. Fishing in the lakes, rivers and streams in Nature Park Bulgarka is permitted and does not require a permit or license.
 *  Herb gathering. It is legal to gather herbs, for cooking and medicinal uses, from the park and this is a popular activity among the Bulgarians.
 *  Hunting. Hunting in the park is legal, though hunters are prohibited from taking certain protected species, such as the Eurasian brown bear. Hunters are urged to check with local authorities on the issue.
 *  Mushroom gathering. It is legal to gather mushrooms and fungi in the park, for cooking and eating, from the park. However, of the 300 or so species of fungi which grow in the park, many are toxic or many only be safely consumed at a certain time in the life cycle of the fungus. Caution is urged to people interested in this activity.

Hiking
The park is home to more than 30 hiking trails, some short and some of which require days to complete. Trails maintained the Nature Park Bulgarka directorate, which are entirely inside the park, include;
 * Uzana Ecotrail (Time to complete, about 90 minutes) Informational plates describing common trees dot the trail as do rest area places for making a fire, sports facilities and two shelters having barbecue pits. The entrance arch is next to Impulse Hotel and a sign displaying the layout of the path is posted nearby. Most of the trail runs through a beech forest. The peaks Shipka, Buzludzha and Bedek are seen from the panoramic ground.
 * First Steps for Magician Beginners (Time to complete the first circle about three hours; time to complete the second circle, about two hours) There are tow parts to this trail, the first circle and the second circle, both beginning at the Mountain Rescue Service in Uzana. The first circle leads to Ispolin Peak and offers panoramic views the Shipka, Buzludzha, Bedek peaks, as well Koprinka Lake and the Valley of Thracian Kings. On the way back, hikers can stop by the tower for bird watching at Markov Stol and at the end of the route, climb the artificial climbing wall which fitted on the building of Mountain Rescue Service. The second circle leads hiker to the House of Baba Yaga, with is a summer-house and a fireplace nearby. Following the marking, hikers pass the geographical centre of Bulgaria and through a mixed beech forest you will get to the Laboratory of Baba Yaga. Both circles give opportunity of acquainting yourself the medicinal plants in the region, main tree species and common mammals, birds and butterflies. A great number of educational and illustrated boards and maps are placed along both trails.

Refer to Get out, below, for information on other trails.

Buy
There are few shopping opportunities in Nature Park Bulgarka. However, there are ample shopping opportunities in Gabrovo, Kazanluk, Tryavna and Shipka village. There are no stores selling camping supplies in Gabrovo or Kazanluk, but both cities are home to stores which sell hunting supplies.

Eat
There are ample dining opportunities in Gabrovo, Kazanluk, Tryavna and Shipka village. In addition, there are Bulgarian delis, called magazines, in most of the mountain villages in the park and small restaurants in some of those villages. Lastly, most of the hotels in the park have their own restaurants.

Drink
Drinking establishments are common in Bulgaria and the villages and resorts located in Nature Park Bulgarka. Beer and alcohol are available at almost all coffee shops, restaurants and shops where food and refreshments are available. There are few establishments which serve only alcohol.

Sleep
Hotels are available in the nearby cities of Gabrovo, Kazanluk, Tryavna and the village of Shipka. Most of the hotels inside the park are located in the Uzana area, though some others and guesthouses (rental houses) are available in other locations.

Camping
Outdoor camping in Nature Park Bulgarka is permitted, however visitors are urged to use the hizha (хижа), or mountain huts, available for overnight stays in the forests. Some of the trails through the park require several days to complete, necessitating either camping or use of the hizha. The hizha are maintained by the Bulgarian Tourist Union and use of the hizha is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Whether doing out-of-doors camping or using the hizha, overnight visitors are urged to follow a Leave-no-trace camping philosophy.

Backcountry
Most of Nature Park Bulgarka qualifies as “backcountry,” being the forested hills, mountains and valleys of the Stara Planina, with paths and trails leading miles from nearby villages and roadways.

Stay safe
Bulgarians often have a flexible interpretation of hunting laws, at least in terms of when the seasons end and open, so visitors hiking back trails and engaging in camping during the autumn, winter and early spring should be alert and wear an orange vest, even if they are not hunters themselves. Hikers and campers are also encouraged to take cellphones with them and to be mindful of where the phones do and do not work.

 * Mountain Rescue Service 1 has a station in Uzana, in the western portion of the park, and near Vikanata Skala, in the eastern portion of the park. Tel. +359 2963 200.
 * In case of fire; Tel. 066 800 160, for Gabrovo. Tel. 0677 22 11, for Tryavna. Wildfires are not common, though visitors are urged to employ good sense in terms of campfires, throwing away cigarettes and being alert to the periodic local burn-ban.

Connect
GPS service is good through out the park, in terms of getting a satellite signal, though many smaller roads and trails are not marked in GPS tracking software. Cell phone service is moderate in the park, with service available on the hills and poor or none existent in the valley. None of the villages have payphones.

A tourist information center for the park is near the southern entrance to the Etura Complex. In addition, the directorate of Nature Park Bulgarka may be contacted at;
 * Gabrovo 5300 (Габрово 5300)
 * Yl. Minzuhar No. 1 (ул. Минзухар № 1)
 * Tel +359 6680 8857
 * E-Mail dppbulgarka@abv.bg (или) dppbulgarka@dag.bg
 * www.ppbulgarka.net

Go next
There are two systems of trails in the park, one maintained by the directorate of Nature Park Bulgarka and one maintained by the Bulgarian Tourist Union. Trails maintained by the Bulgarian Tourist Union, which pass out of and into the park, include;

 * Kom to Emine Trail, “E3” (Time to complete, about 20 days) The "E3" runs the length of Bulgaria, from close to the Serbian border to near the Black Sea. The small portion of this trail passing through Nature Park Bulgarka begins about 3 km west of the Uzana area along upper ridges of the Balkan Mountains, continues following the ridges through the park, passing close to Shipka Peak, Buzludzha Peak and Bedek Peak and then to hizha Gramadliva before leaving the park.
 * Bulgarka Trail, “B1” (Time to complete, about 6 days) This lengthy trail begins in Tryavna, goes through Stanchev village and Krastets village, passes close to Bedek peak and Shipka peak and ends in Gabrovo.
 * Radevtsi to Hizha Bulgarka Trail, “B4” (Time to complete, about 5 hours) this trail, running through the eastern portions of the park, begins near Poungovtsi village, passes through Radevtsi village and ends at Hizha Bulgarka, near Vikanata Skala.
 * Etura to Sokolski Monistary Trail, “B9” (Time to complete, about 2 hours) This trails begins at the Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex and ends at the Sokolski Monistary.
 * Radetski to Shipka Trail, “B10” (Time to complete, about 5 hours) A medium length trail running from Radetski village, passing a Roman era road, to the Shipka peak.

Refer to Do, above, for information on other trails.

title: Nature Park Bulgarka


text:
Naturism

Naturism – also known as Nudism or a Clothes-Free lifestyle – has a small but enthusiastic following in a number of countries around the world. It's not about sex, but a preference to abandon the artificial – and often functionally unnecessary – use of clothing to cover parts of the body. However, as nudity is often considered socially unacceptable, naturists often have difficulties finding travel destinations where they can practice their lifestyle and have their state of undress accepted.

Understand
Many countries have laws that make nudity in a public place either a crime or at least a misdemeanor offense. Also, many societies associate nudity with erotic entertainments, which are often strictly controlled or forbidden. As a result, naturist destinations are often in remote, out of the way places, discreetly advertised to avoid attracting the undesirable attention of those who would interfere with this lifestyle, either by trying to put a stop to it or by using it as a source of personal amusement.

Some naturist resorts (often called "nudist camps" by the public) are "clothing optional", leaving it up to the individual whether to wear clothing and/or how much. However, "wet" naturism (such as swimming pools, hot tubs, saunas, etc.) is nude only. Other resorts require nudity everywhere, to discourage visits by voyeurs who just want to look at naked people, and to maintain an egalitarian "we're all nude here" atmosphere. (There may be exceptions, such as cold weather.) Remote free public beaches used for naturism are usually clothing optional except if signed otherwise. In France and Brazil all naturist beaches are nude only.

Many locations maintain fairly strict codes of public conduct, intended to keep them suitable for families with minor children and/or to avoid running afoul of laws against "lewd conduct" in public. Some resorts do a quick background check to screen out those who have been expelled from other naturist venues. If your employment has a "morals clause," seek legal advice first, unless naturism is quite popular and non-controversial in the area you work. Innocent men who experience arousal should cover up, roll over, or get into the water, and NEVER seek attention. Don't visit nudist resorts or beaches to be a voyeur, and be sober. Keep cameras and cellular phones out of sight and powered off. Learn the expectations of any specific naturist destination before traveling there. You can usually use the net to find out about their rules, and other information. Even if you know the basic rules of naturism, individual resorts may have a few unique ones. Some resorts and most Brazilian naturist public beaches prohibit a single man from entering unless they are accompanied by a woman (or the entire family). Others don't insist on being accompanied, but have quotas, such as a maximum of 60 percent males members. For a single-male newcomer, this may be a distinction without a difference.

The most common naturist destinations are beaches where nude bathing and sunbathing are either tolerated in practice or formally permitted. Whether naturism is tolerated at a particular beach is usually judged from local information, the relative remoteness of the location and whether the naturist feels reasonably inconspicuous. On a 'mixed beach' without signs to demarcate an area allocated for naturism, a tension can arise between naturists and others over territory: adherents of each group feel presence of the other group spoils their enjoyment of the beach. This gives rise to dynamic situations where the suitability of a beach for naturism changes from time to time, shifting according to which group arrived first, and invisible demarcation lines seem to arise that tend to concentrate a naturist minority into "ghetto" areas.

Naturism sites can be either public or private. For the latter, you'll probably have to pay a modest fee, though sometimes this is waived for newcomers. Discounts may be available for members of a naturism organization. On-site overnight accommodations are sometimes available for an additional fee. These can become scare during the peak season, so make reservations well in advance. Tent camping may be another option. Some resorts don't keep good records, as experienced help can be hard to find. Always get their first name, reconfirm reservations, and make sure you're charged the correct amount. If any minors are accompanying you, let the resort know beforehand, and your relation to them (including shared parenting, partial custody, etc.)

Some naturist destinations are way off the beaten path, and you might have to use unpaved roads to get there. Even if the public road up to the gate is paved, chances are, the road on the resort itself is not. Be sure to bring your GPS or smartphone so you don't get lost. Set up your route beforehand, as there may be no cellular signal in remote areas. Have a approximate idea where the pavement ends, and then check the GPS setting for unpaved roads. (It's usually unchecked by default.) Note that rental car contracts often forbid driving on unpaved roads, and in any case, rental insurance or membership towing may not cover mishaps there.

South Africa
Nude beaches:

Resorts:

Austria
In Vienna the following beaches can be found
 * Keutschacher See in Carinthia
 * Tigringer See
 * Pleschinger See
 * Weikerlsee
 * Donauinsel (an artificial island in the Danube quite close to the city centre)
 * Gänsehäufel
 * Lobau

Belgium
In Belgium naturism is allowed only in dedicated inland spots and saunas and on the beach of Bredene close to Ostend. Out of Bredene naturism is not allowed in Belgian beaches. Before the opening of the naturist beach of Bredene to the practice of naturism in 2002, Belgians had to go the beaches of the Netherlands, usually Groede in West-Zeeuws Vlaanderen (Seeland), as there are no naturist beaches in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais Department of France. An exception has always been the natural reserve of Het Zwin, an empty beach between Knokke-Heist and the Dutch border, where naturism is not legal, but it has been traditionally tolerated. To avoid the increasing violations of privacy in the internet, the City Council of Bredene has strictly prohibited all types photography on the beach.

Croatia
Croatia was the first country in Europe to start with the concept of commercial naturist resorts. According to some estimates about 15% of all tourists that visit the country are naturists or nudists (more than one million each year). There are more than 20 official naturist resorts as well as a number of the so-called free beaches which are unofficial naturist beaches, sometimes controlled and maintained by local tourist authorities. Naturist beaches in Croatia are marked as "FKK".

 * Valalta Beach in northern Croatia has the largest nudist resort in the country, Valalta FKK Camping
 * Jerolim Island near Hvar is a very popular nude beach for day-tippers and can be reached by ferry only.
 * Kamenjara Beach on the island of Hvar is home to Kamp Nudist.

Finland
Nudity is accepted and quite common when swimming in private (on private property or in sufficiently remote places), in connection with sauna bathing, and the like. Usually none or all in a party use swimming suits. On official beaches clothing is usually required for anybody above 6 years old. There are some official naturalist beaches.
 * Helsinki:
 * Pihlajasaari: Has a unisex nudist beach, consisting almost entirely of rocky cliffs, with no sand. Not very suitable for swimming.
 * Seurasaari: Separate nudist beaches for men and women. No unisex nudist area.
 * Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall: a swimming hall in a historic architecture. Gender separated by day of week; clothing optional.
 * Padasjoki
 * Nakukymppi, a light-hearted sports event in June, where people run or walk 10 km completely nude. Music, food and sauna.
 * Pori:
 * Yyteri: A very small part of the main Yyteri beach is designated as a unisex nudist beach. A flat beach covered in sand.
 * Turku
 * Turku had a clothing optional swimming hall, gender separated by day of week, but it seems to be closed for the public as of 2023. The archipelago off Turku has thousands of islands where you can find a spot on the cliffs for yourselves (the nudist beach in Turku was closed).

France

 * The largest naturist resort in Europe is Héliopolis/Port Nature at Cap d'Agde on the south coast. However it does cater more to swingers and it not purely a naturist resort.
 * Sérignan Plage on the south coast is popular with families and has several nudist hotels.
 * Part of the Île du Levant in the Mediterranean is established as Héliopolis a naturist village.
 * Corsicana is one of several naturist beach resorts on the east coast of the island Corsica.
 * Bagheera Beach in Corsica is a popular nude beach with several nudist resorts.
 * Euronat in the Aquitaine region of France.
 * Plage de la Jenny in the Aquitaine region of France and 1.5 hrs south of Euronat.
 * Domaine De Belezy is a four star naturist resort some 30 miles north-east of Avignon at the foot of Mt Ventoux.

Germany

FKK (abbreviation of Freikörperkultur meaning naturism in German), was very popular in East Germany during partition and it remains more popular in the east than the west. Designated areas are marked "FKK".

 * On the sea: Naturism is quite common on the German coast of the Baltic sea, on any beach, but less common on the coast of the North sea.
 * Lakes and rivers: On lakes and rivers, there is no general rule. In some places naturism is practised, explicitly stated, or at least tolerated, and in other places it is not. If in doubt, do as the locals do. Topless sunbathing is tolerated virtually everywhere. With the apps iSwimNude or Nudist Compass you can orient yourself well where nudism is possible. The Central German Lake District and the Lusatian Lake District in East Germany both cater to FKK. Near Munich, Feringasee (Feringa Lake) and Pullinger Weiher are popular nude lakes.
 * Baths and pools: In public baths and indoor pools naturism is generally not tolerated; even toplessness might cause trouble with the pool attendant and eviction from premises. In some places naturism is mandatory during special hours or evenings; those would be marked "FKK".
 * Nude hiking: There are two official nude hiking trails: the Harzer Naturistenweg and the Naturistenweg Undeloh. The nudist campsite in Glüsingen is just over 30 km away from the nude hiking trail in Undeloh. The extensive forest area around the holiday area is not an official nude hiking area, but textile-free hikes have been made there for more than 90 years.
 * Sauna: It is very common to be naked in the sauna and you are an outsider if you enter with bathing dress.
 * Naturist campsites: present in large numbers in every federal state.

Greece
Greece has only a few explicitly nudist beaches and naturist resorts on the islands, e.g. at Tourist information offices have said that naturism is not permitted elsewhere. There are, however, many on the islands and the main land where naturism is tolerated. The unofficial nude bathing beaches are mostly in remote areas and you often need an all-terrain vehicle to reach there. In the high season from mid-July to mid-August it can sometimes be difficult to find an unofficial nudist beach, as there is a lot of activity on all beaches.
 * Crete ,
 * Rhodes ,
 * Kefallonia ,
 * Corfu and
 * Zakynthos.

Ireland

 * Brittas Bay, County Wicklow.
 * Corballis, Donabate, County Dublin.
 * Roundstone, County Galway.
 * Silver Strand Beach, Barna, County Galway.
 * West Cork, County Cork.
 * Curracloe strand is used by naturists and it has been proposed as an official naturist beach.

Italy
Topless is allowed on any beach of the country.

The following are the official naturist beaches (more info available from the Italian Naturist Federation):

 * Beach on the Sesia river in Varallo (Piedmont);
 * Beach on the Trebbia river in Corte Brugnatella (Emilia-Romagna);
 * Bassona beach in Ravenna (Emilia-Romagna);
 * Lecciona beach in Viareggio (Tuscany);
 * Nido dell'Aquila beach, San Vincenzo (Tuscany);
 * Acquarilli beach, Elba Isle (Tuscany);
 * Punta Combara beach in Livorno (Tuscany);
 * Punta del Miglio beach in Livorno (Tuscany);
 * Sabbie nere beach in Santa Severa (Lazio);
 * Focene beach in Fiumicino (Lazio);
 * Capocotta beach in Ostia (Lazio);
 * Lido le Morge beach in Torino di Sangro (Abruzzo);
 * Troncone beach in Camerota (Campania);
 * beach in Stignano (Calabria);
 * Porto Ferro beach in Alghero (Sardinia);
 * Baia delle ninfe in Alghero (Sardinia);
 * Is Benas beach in San Vero Milis (Sardinia);
 * Piscinas beach in Arbus (Sardinia);
 * Feraxi beach in Muravera (Sardinia);
 * San Saba beach in Messina (Sicily).

The following are not official beaches, but in some portions they host a long tradition of naturist attendance, and are safe to visit without wearing a swimsuit (please check the site of the Italian Naturist Federation for additional informations):

 * Porto d'Adda beach on Adda river in Lecco (Lombardy);
 * Ticino beach on Ticino river in Malpensa (Lombardy);
 * Ponte della Becca beach on Po river in Mezzanino (Lombardy);
 * Isola del Mort beach near Eraclea (Veneto);
 * Filtri beach in Sistiana near Trieste (Friuli-Venezia Giulia);
 * Barbari Coast in Sistiana near Trieste (Friuli-Venezia Giulia);
 * Lido Volano beach in Ferrara (Emilia-Romagna);
 * Capo Mortola beach in Imperia (Liguria);
 * Chiavari beach in Genoa (Liguria);
 * Fetovaia and Barabarca beaches, Elba Isle (Tuscany);
 * Marina di Bibbona beach in Livorno (Tuscany);
 * Beach on Diaterna river in Firenzuola (Tuscany);
 * Capalbio beach near Grosseto (Tuscany);
 * Marina di Alberese beach near Grosseto (Tuscany);
 * Feniglia beach near Mount Argentario, Grosseto (Tuscany);
 * Cesano beach in Senigallia (Marche);
 * Scoglio della Vela in Portonovo (Marche);
 * Arenauta beach in Gaeta (Lazio);
 * Mottagrossa beach in Vasto (Abruzzo);
 * Punta Ferruccio beach in Ortona (Abruzzo);
 * Capo Rizzuto beach accessible via the Pizzo Greco Naturist camping, Isola di Capo Rizzuto (Calabria);
 * Commenda beach in Campomarino di Maruggio (Apulia);
 * Cala di Volpe, Cala Gonone, Liscia di Vacca e Piccolo Pevero beaches near Olbia (Sardinia);
 * Porto Sa Ruxi beach in Villasimius (Sardinia);
 * Feraxi beach in Muravera (Sardinia);
 * Capo Falcone beach near Stintino (Sardinia);
 * Torre Salsa beach in the WWF Natural Reserve of Siculiana (Sicily);
 * Foce del Platani beach in Eraclea Minoa (Sicily);
 * Fondaco Parrino beach in Taormina (Sicily);
 * Marianelli beach in Noto (Sicily);
 * Capo Gallo beach in Mondello (Sicily);
 * Capo Feto beach in Mazara Del Vallo (Sicily);
 * Casello 41 beach in Foce del Belice (Sicily);
 * Canneto beach in Lipari island (Sicily);
 * Little beaches of Punta Gattara, Laghetto delle Ordine, Scarpetta di Cenerentola, Cala Cottone, Punta Guardia Vecchia, Punta Gadir, Arco dell'Elefante, Scogliera di Martingana, Vela, in Pantelleria (Sicily).

The main Italian naturist resorts are:
 * Le Betulle naturist villagein the town of La Cassa about 20 miles north-west of Turin (Piedmont);
 * Il Costalunga naturist camping, beautiful camping near the town of Sassello, 24 km. from the coast (Liguria);
 * Club Leuchtemburg in Bolzano, (Trentino-Alto Adige);
 * Cà Le Scope naturist camping, located in Marzabotto near Bologna (Emilia-Romagna);
 * Classe camping, with a dedicated wide naturist area, located on the coast of Ravenna (Emilia-Romagna);
 * Borgo Corniola, a naturist residence located in a medieval village in Lutirano near Firenze (Tuscany);
 * Sasso Corbo naturist eco-camping, located in the countryside near Grosseto (Tuscany);
 * Costamara agritourism, a traditional naturist farmhouse located in the countryside near Grosseto (Tuscany);
 * Locanda di Terramare, a naturist residence near Livorno (Tuscany);
 * BNatural Naturism & Glamping, a naturist camping in the countryside near Livorno (Tuscany);
 * Suncave Gardens, a naturist residence in the countryside of Cerveteri, including ancient etruscan caves (Lazio);
 * Parco del Gargano naturist club, with apartments and a camping area, in Ischitella near Foggia (Apulia);
 * Grotta Miranda Naturist Resort, with apartments and a camping area, in Carovigno near Brindisi (Apulia);
 * Pizzo Greco naturist camping, in front of the sea with direct access to the naturist beach, in Capo rizzuto (Calabria);
 * Le Peonie camping, a naturist camping in Dorgali, near Nuoro (Sardinia);

Netherlands
Public saunas in the Netherlands are always mixed gender and nudity is the norm when using these. In the Netherlands tanning top free is legal on almost all beaches. Municipalities with a beach (usually including quiet parts) tend to have a nudist beach; even if the municipality does not like it, it designates a quiet part as such in order to be able to forbid nudity on the rest of the beach.
 * Almere, Zilverstrand
 * Amsterdamse Bos, Zonneweide (from April 1 through September 30)
 * Lake Gaasperplas near Amsterdam access Gaasperplas metro station.
 * Bussloo, longest nude beach in the Netherlands
 * Bloemendaal aan Zee, nude beach at the north part of the beach
 * Callantsoog, sandy beach to the south - the oldest official nude beach in the country, dating from 1973
 * Grote Plas in Delft, northeast side
 * Scheveningen, The Hague, sandy beach 1 km to the north
 * Noordwijk, North past sand dunes and World War II era bunkers
 * The Hague, Zuiderstrand, approx. of sandy beach
 * Kijkduin, The Hague, two beaches
 * IJmuiden, nude beach at the south part of the beach
 * Zandvoort, sandy beach to the south
 * Vrouwenpolder, sandy beach.
 * Veluwse Bron wellness resort
 * Twente (Near Enschede), recreation area Rutbeek

Norway

 * In and around Oslo
 * Huk on the Bygdøy peninsula
 * Svartkulp near Sognsvann
 * the south east side of the islands Langøyene
 * Kalvøya
 * Strandskog in Bunnefjorden.
 * In and around Bergen
 * Kollevågen on the island Askøy
 * Rishamn
 * Sjøhaug Naturist Centre outside Moss on Jeløya

Poland
Although there no officially designated naturist resorts, there are several beaches frequented by naturists:

Coast, eastwards:
 * Międzyzdroje-Lubiewo
 * Unieście
 * Grzybowo
 * Rowy
 * Dębki
 * Chałupy
 * Gdańsk-Stogi
 * Piaski

Vicinity of big cities:
 * Warsaw - Wał Miedzeszyński
 * Cracow - Kryspinów
 * Poznań - Biskupice Wlkp.
 * Łódź - Piętnastki or Bronisławów

The naturists' guide to Poland is available here

Portugal

 * Praia da Adiça Costa da Caparica
 * Ursa Beach, Sintra
 * Praia dos Alteirinhos, Zambujeira do Mar
 * Ilha de Tavira in Algarve
 * Praia da Bordeira in Carrapateira (full nudity is acceptable beyond the popular area)
 * Praia do Meco in Sesimbra near Lisbon
 * Praia da Bela Vista near Lisbon
 * Praia do Salto near Porto Covo, Alentejo
 * Cabanas Velhas beach near Lagos, Portugal, Algarve
 * Praia de Adegas in Alentejo
 * Rio Alto Beach in Póvoa de Varzim, near Oporto
 * Duna Alta beach near Oporto
 * Praia das Furnas, Odemira
 * Praia da Afurada, Ferragudo
 * Barreta Island, Faro

Romania
Although there no officially designated naturist resorts, there are few places, mainly beaches, frequented by naturists. Topless sunbathing is generally accepted on all beaches.

Naturist beaches on the Black Sea:
 * 2 Mai Beach
 * Corbu Beach
 * Vadu Beach
 * Vama Veche Beach

Resorts:
 * Ocna Sibiului - though only a small area is reserved for nudists

Spain
Since the arrival of democracy in Spain after the death of General Franco, nudity is legal over the whole of the Spanish territory and nobody can be fined for the simple fact of being naked. Nevertheless, some city councils prefer to allocate specially dedicated locations to naturists. Moreover, there are many locations in Spain that although they are not specially dedicated by the councils to naturism, they have a long established history of naturist practice.

Most travel destinations in Spain have a naturist beach somewhere within the main tourist area. They range from commercial naturist resorts like Costa Natura in Malaga to alternative and hippy-oriented communities like in Caños de Meca (Cadiz), passing by family-oriented like Arealonga in Galicia and Waikiki in Tarragona or the mostly gay-oriented of Sitges close to Barcelona. Top-less sunbathing was introduced in Spain by northern and central-European tourist women in the early 70s in the last years of the Franco regime. Nowadays it has become extremely popular among Spanish women and although it is the norm on all Spanish beaches, not all women do it.

Sweden

 * Stockholm area:
 * Ågesta Nude Beach: Official nude beach on Magelungen, maintained by NF EOS, the Scandinavian Naturalist Federation, about 10 km south of central Stockholm.
 * Långholmen: Unofficial ("spontaneous") nude beach, on the western end of Långholmen island.
 * Källtorp Nude Beach: Unofficial ("spontaneous") nude beach, about 6 km southeast of central Stockholm, on the southeastern end of Källtorp lake. The beach is rocky and there are no public conveniences.
 * PGs Udde Nude Beach: Unofficial ("spontaneous") nude beach, about 5 km southeast of central Stockholm, on the northern end of Källtorp lake
 * Gothenburg area:
 * Amundön: Officially nude beach on the rocks of an island south of Gothenburg, between Askim and Billdal.
 * Västergötland:
 * Kattholmen, unofficial nude beach at Saltö in Strömstad municipality.
 * Korsholmen, unofficial nude beach on Koster in Strömstad municipality.

Turkey

 * Patara — while not officially nude, the beach is so long and wide that there is a place for everyone. Naturists are advised to move some distance from the entrance, where there is often a crowd (relatively speaking) of clothed families.

United Kingdom
There are about a dozen official naturist beaches. The popularity of the beaches ranges from Studland with about 2,500 users on a good day to Cleat's Shore where you are unlikely to see anyone else at all. Even the remote Holkham Bay on the North Norfolk Coast had about 500 users one Sunday in September 2005.

Whilst public nudity in Britain isn't explicitly illegal anywhere, it becomes a crime if you are 'causing offence' - therefore it would be very unwise to practise naturism even on the beach unless it is specifically designated as such.

Topless bathing is not generally accepted as much in the United Kingdom as it is in mainland Europe, but it is still practised on some beaches - try and make a personal judgement based on the people nearby.

There are well over a hundred clubs ranging from little more than a patch of grass to residential resorts.

Well over a hundred swimming pools and leisure centres offer naturist sessions.

 * Cleat's Shore on the Isle of Arran in Scotland.
 * The British national association -

Ukraine
Before the Russian occupation, most travel destinations in Crimea had a naturist beach somewhere outside of the main touristic area. The most known one was in Koktebel. Topless sunbathing was generally accepted on all beaches.

Canada
Toplessness for non-commercial purposes is nominally lawful throughout Ontario (per R. vs. Gwen Jacobs) but rarely practised. There are a few clothing-optional beaches, such as Wreck Beach near Vancouver BC and Hanlan's Point Beach on the Toronto Islands. Nudism in Canada tends, predictably, to be very seasonal by nature. Some nudist or naturist resorts and campgrounds operate commercially. The Federation of Canadian Naturists and NetNude portal have information on individual locations.

Mexico
Nudity is generally banned on public beaches in Mexico. The exception that proves the rule is Zipolite on the southern Pacific coast of Oaxaca where nudity is legal. In practice, naturists often find secluded beaches where nobody is around to be offended. There are also at least two clothing optional resort hotels near Cancun.

United States
Laws about nudity differ throughout the United States. Places like Fire Island are operated by the National Park Service, which doesn't always cite offenders. They seem bothered only if you are in a family area. They might ask you to move further up the beach if someone complains. On beaches controlled by New York state, however, nudity is illegal. Toplessness by both men and women is legal anywhere in NY except for "lewd" displays, as in strip clubs, though of course that doesn't mean it will always be accepted.

 * Sandy Hook in New Jersey
 * Fire Island in New York
 * Moshup Beach in Aquinnah, Massachusetts: a public beach on Martha's Vineyard where nudity is common and tolerated, although not explicitly permitted
 * Lucy Vincent Beach in Chilmark, Massachusetts: a beach that is open only to those living or staying in Chilmark; nudity is explicitly permitted in certain areas
 * Haulover Beach in Miami, Florida: Naturist Beach.
 * Blind Creek Beach near West Palm Beach, Miami.
 * Baker Beach in San Francisco, California.
 * Black's Beach in La Jolla, California, just north of San Diego
 * Hippie Hollow on Lake Travis in Austin is the only clothing-optional park in Texas
 * Denny Blaine and Howell Park in Seattle, two nude beaches very close to one another.
 * Rooster Rock and Collins Beach near Portland, Oregon
 * Little Beach and Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach on the island of Maui, Hawaii

Naturist resorts in the U.S. are rapidly growing in popularity. There are more than 280 naturist resorts, clubs, and campgrounds in America. Year-round upscale resorts are found in Palm Springs, California. Palm Springs is very popular with naturists as it is the sunniest city in the U.S. Being a desert, it averages only 5 inches (130 mm) of rain a year and has no mosquitoes. However, it may be expensive. Naturist resorts in Florida are also very popular, and tend to be warmer in winter than the other states on the mainland. Virtually all resorts are a member of the AANR non-profit association (directory: ). The notable exception is New Hampshire.

Australia
It isn't unpopular for someone to be nude in a beach that often only attracts one or two visitors a day. There are also more popular beaches where nudity is specifically allowed, some of which are listed below.

Australian Capital Territory

 * Kambah Pool

New South Wales

 * Armands Beach, Bermagui, Sapphire Coast
 * Birdie Beach, Wyong Shire NSW National Park & Wildlife Authority
 * Lady Bay Beach, Watsons Bay, Sydney Harbour (name changed in 1977 from Lady Jane Beach)
 * Little Congwong Beach, La Perouse
 * Obelisk Beach, Mosman, Sydney Harbour
 * Cobblers Beach, Mosman, Sydney Harbour
 * Werrong Beach, Royal National Park
 * Little Jibbon Beach, Royal National Park
 * Ocean Beach, Royal National Park
 * Marley Beach, Royal National Park
 * Curracurrang, Royal National Park
 * Samurai, One Mile
 * Belongil Beach (legal), Tyagarah
 * Belongil Beach (legal), Tyagarah

Northern Territory

 * Casuarina Beach, Darwin

Queensland
Nude beaches have been made legal in Queensland by a court decision.

Current quasi-legal beaches are:
 * Alexandria Bay (known as "A Bay") near Noosa is a popular spot with nudists and arguably the most tolerated nude beach.
 * Bribie Island — Remote beaches on Bribie were once popular with nudists, though Moreton Bay rangers as well as police now regularly patrol this remote island.

South Australia

 * Maslin Beach
 * Ocean Beach near Robe
 * Pelican Point, Barmera
 * Murippi Beach, near Whyalla

Tasmania

 * Bakers Beach (not legal, be discreet)
 * Sandy Bay – Long Beach

Victoria
Victoria has more than 2000 kilometres of coastline with hundreds of beaches. Four of those beaches are legal clothes-optional beaches. Mornington Peninsula

Great Ocean Road
 * Sunnyside North Beach, Mount Eliza, Port Philip Bay (Legal)
 * Point Impossible Beach, Torquay, West Coast (Legal)
 * Southside Beach, near Bells Beach, West Coast (Legal)
 * Cape Conran
 * Cutlers Beach, Wonthaggi Heathlands
 * The Oaks, Cape Paterson

Western Australia

 * North Swanbourne beach
 * Cable Beach, Broome
 * Warnbro Beach, Rockingham
 * Mauritius Beach, Exmouth
 * East Pretty Pool, Port Hedland
 * Ten Mile Lagoon, Esperance

New Zealand
New Zealand has no law specifically forbidding public nudity; it will usually be prosecuted as "offensive behaviour". Since 1991, however, the common law in New Zealand is that it is not offensive to be nude in a place where nudity is "known to occur". Some places where nudity is "known to occur" are:

Beaches

 * Allans Beach – Dunedin
 * Ashworths Beach – Canterbury
 * Boulder Beach – Dunedin
 * Breaker Bay – Wellington
 * Camp Bay – Banks Peninsula
 * Carters Beach – West Coast
 * Doctors Point Beach – Dunedin
 * Fitzpatrick Bay – Auckland
 * Herne Bay – Auckland
 * Hikuraki Bay – Banks Peninsula
 * Homestead Bay – Lake Wanaka
 * Kaikai Beach – Dunedin
 * Ladies Bay – Saint Heliers, Auckland
 * Lake Kaniere – West Coast
 * Little Palm Beach – Waiheke Island
 * Maitai Bay – Karikari Peninsula
 * Mapoutahi Cove – Dunedin
 * Moturoa (Rabbit Island) – Nelson
 * Ocean Beach – Hawkes Bay
 * O'Neills Beach – Auckland
 * Opoutere Beach – Coromandel Peninsula
 * Orpheus Bay – Auckland
 * Ototoka Beach – Whanganui
 * Papamoa Beach – Tauranga
 * Peka Peka Beach – Kapiti Coast
 * Pohutukawa Bay (Longbay) – North Shore, Auckland
 * Rarawa Beach – Northland
 * Ryans Beach – Dunedin
 * Sandfly Bay – Dunedin
 * Smaills Beach – Dunedin
 * Spencer Park Beach – Christchurch
 * St Leonards Beach – Auckland
 * Tapotupotu Bay – Northland
 * Tapuae Beach – New Plymouth
 * Taylors Mistake Beach – Christchurch
 * Tumbledown Bay – Banks Peninsula
 * Uretiti Beach – Northland
 * Victory Beach – Dunedin
 * Waihi Beach – Bay of Plenty
 * Waikuku Beach – Canterbury
 * Waimairi Beach – Christchurch
 * Waitata Bay – Russell
 * Warrington Beach – Dunedin
 * Whareakeake (Murdering Beach) – Dunedin
 * Woodend Beach – Canterbury

Clubs

 * Auckland Counties Sun Club – Auckland
 * Auckland Naturist – Orewa, Auckland
 * Auckland Outdoor Naturist Club – Auckland
 * Autumn Farm – Golden Bay
 * Bay of Plenty Sun Club – Whakatane
 * Guysers Gaystay B&B (for men) – Rotorua
 * Hawkes Bay Outdoor Leisure Club – Napier
 * Katikati Naturist Park – Bay of Plenty
 * Manawatu Naturist Club – Palmerston North
 * Nelson Sun Club – Nelson
 * Orchard Sun Club – Sutton, Dunedin
 * Pineglades Naturist Club – Rolleston
 * Rotota Sun Club – Rotorua
 * South Canterbury Sun Club – Geraldine
 * Southern Naturally – Invercargill
 * Wai-natur Naturist Park – Blenheim
 * Wellington Naturist Club – Te Mārua, Upper Hutt
 * Woodside Park/Waikato Outdoor Society – Hamilton

Brazil
In Brazil, public nudity is considered illegal, except in a few official nude beaches listed below:
 * Tambaba, located in the north zone of Recife, in Paraíba State
 * Praia do Abricó, in the west zone of Rio_de_Janeiro City
 * Praia da Galheta, in Santa Catarina State, a clothes-optional beach located in the east zone of Florianópolis
 * Pedras Altas, in Santa Catarina, between Florianópolis and Garopaba
 * Praia do Pinho, in Santa Catarina, next to Balneário_Camboriú, near Florianópolis
 * Massarandupió, a beach in Bahia State, located 100 km (62 mi) north of Salvador
 * Barra Seca, a beach in Espirito_Santo State, located 60 km (37 mi) north of Linhares
 * Olho de Boi, in Búzios, in Rio de Janeiro State, the most popular nude beach for gays in Brazil
 * Jurubá - in the city of Paraty, in the state of Rio de Janeiro
 * Praia Brava - a beach in the state of Rio de Janeiro

Although there are no official nude beaches throughout the state of São Paulo, naturism is commonly practiced in the following areas:
 * Praia da Desertinha, Peruíbe
 * Praia do Éden, Guarujá
 * Praia Branca, Guarujá
 * Praia Preta, Guarujá
 * Praia do Camburí, Guarujá
 * Brava Beach, in the Boissucanga section of São Sebastião
 * Praia Brava, Caraguatatuba
 * Praia Mansa, Ubatuba
 * Praia da Lagoa, Ubatuba
 * Praia do Alto, Ubatuba

Uruguay

 * Chihuahua resort town and beach, located outside Maldonado. It is the most popular naturist beach in the country, that is clothing optional and has around tourist services.
 * La Sirena beach, an off-the-beaten-path beach near Aguas Dulces resort town, located in Rocha Department. It is clothing optional. There is no lifeguard, so precautions should be taken if you want to swim in the sea. To eat or find accommodation, go to Aguas Dulces, because there are almost no tourist services on the beach.

title: Naturism


text:
Nauru

Nauru is a small island in the South Pacific Ocean south of the Marshall Islands and is the world's third-smallest country; only Monaco and the Vatican City are smaller. An off-the-beaten-track destination if there ever was one, Nauru is also one of the least visited countries in the world, with about only 200 tourists a year. The remoteness and that much of the island is a charmless open phosphate mine are two strong reasons for this.

History
In the local language the island is known as Naoero, though the name is of unknown origin. Nauru is a simplification of the name by British colonisers. The island has also been known by the names Pleasant Island, Nawodo, and Onawero.

Nauru was first settled around 3,000 years ago by twelve Micronesian and Polynesian peoples. Those twelve tribes divided the island into twelve parts; today this is symbolised by the twelve-pointed star in Nauru's national flag (the yellow line represents the Equator and the blue space the Pacific Ocean). The original inhabitants lived on fishing and even turned the lagoon in the middle of the island into a fish farm.

The first European to set foot on the island was the British commander John Fearn in 1798. The natives had a good relationship with the European ships whom they traded with. Occasionally, deserting sailors settled on Nauru. The island was devastated by a civil war between 1878 and 1888, after which it was annexed by the Germans. During the three-decade period as part of the German Pacific Territory, a king was appointed to rule the island, and the first missionaries arrived.

Mining of Nauru's phosphate deposits, which occupied about 90% of the island, began in the early 20th century under a German-British consortium. During World War I, the island was occupied by Australian forces and became a dependent territory. Briefly occupied by Japan during World War II, Nauru was recovered by Australia afterwards and achieved independence in 1968. In the 1980s, phosphate exports briefly gave Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the World. As of 2008, most of Nauru's revenue came from the export of phosphate to Australia, South Korea and New Zealand as well as other countries. The industry is controlled by the Nauru Phosphate Corporation (NPC). It is anticipated that the phosphate reserves will be completely exhausted before 2050. The sale of fishing licences is the other major revenue earner. Another source of revenue has been Taiwanese Dollar diplomacy; the Republic of China (Taiwan) used to be quite active in convincing small sovereign states of recognising their claim to be the "One China" instead of the People's Republic of China's claim, but this has also diminished since the 2000s. Another major donor of foreign aid is Australia, which uses Nauru as a detention centre for asylum seekers. Despite this, the unemployment rate is 90%.

Nauru is being used as an "Off Shore Processing Centre" for asylum seekers heading to Australia, who are detained on the island until their refugee status is determined, although current policy is to not allow anyone to ever settle in Australia. Nauru receives badly needed economic aid for this, but human rights groups and other activists have frequently accused Australia of treating people in the detention centres badly and the so-called "Pacific solution" is also controversial in Australia.

Nauru broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 2024 and recognised the PRC, in a move condemned by the United States.

Tourism could be an additional source of income for the Nauruans, although this would require better infrastructure and transportation links.

Climate
A small, flat island almost on the Equator, Nauru is a textbook example of tropical climate. The temperature is constant around the year, with even the record lows and highs per month staying within a couple of degrees. The number of average rainy days varies from 16 in January to nine in May and June.

Nauru is best avoided during the rainy season, which is from November to February. Even though full-fledged cyclones are rare at Nauru's latitude, the sky is constantly cloudy and torrential rains and thunderstorms are frequent during this time of the year.

Terrain
There are a few "sandy" beaches, but most of the shallow area around the island is coral reefs. Most of the interior of the island is worked-out mining land, which has yet to be rehabilitated. The only inland body of water is the lagoon.

Visitor information

 * official government website

Get in
The Australian offshore detention centre operating on the island means that there are always a lot of Australian government staff staying at the island's two small hotels and filling seats on the flights to and from Nauru (especially the direct flight to and from Brisbane). This, in combination with the visa requirement, means that you probably should plan and book your trip a few months ahead.

Entry requirements
All foreign visitors require a valid passport and proof of hotel booking or local sponsor in order to enter Nauru. A free visa on arrival is available to citizens of the Cook Islands, Fiji, Israel, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Citizens of other countries require an advance visa.

You can apply for a visa from: Alternatively you can send to principal.immigration@naurugov.nr@undefined or visa@naurugov.nr@undefined. It may take a long time for the visa application to be processed, so you should send your application well ahead of your intended trip. A tourist visa reportedly costs $100 (all prices in Australian dollars). If you are a journalist and intend to work on Nauru you will need a journalist visa, costing $200, although if you are going to report about the Australian detention centre on the island you might need to fork out $8000. Applications for journalist visas should be directed to: Joanna Olsson, Director of Government Information Office: [mailto:joanna.olsson@naurugov.nr joanna.olsson@naurugov.nr].

You will be sent a card that you need to fill in and return together with a copy of your passport. The visa fee is paid upon arrival in Nauru. At this time you will have to hand in your passport to the officials to be registered. The passport will be returned to you the next day.

If you're transiting through the American territories (e.g. Guam) on your journey to Nauru, you might need a transit visa or an ESTA, depending on your nationality.

Customs regulations
Passengers may bring in to Nauru:
 * 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 450g of tobacco
 * three bottles of spirits
 * a small quantity of perfumes for personal use
 * a small quantity of audiovisual products

Drugs, explosives, weapons and pornography may not be imported.

By plane

The hotel may or may not send a car to pick you up at the airport; in the worst case you'll have to walk.

By boat
Neither of the two ports in Aiwo and Anibare can accommodate passenger traffic or yachts; they are used for export of phosphate or by local fishermen. As the water is shallow near the coast, larger ships must anchor off shore.

Get around
Every year, there are on average 200 tourists in Nauru, so it has the honour of being the least touristed country in the world. Crowds aren't a problem at all. There's hardly any public transportation, so your best bet to get around would be in a rented vehicle; car, scooter or bike. Other alternatives are by foot (not very pleasant in the tropical heat and humidity) or hitchhiking, which is quite common on the island.

By public transport
There is a community or island bus which travels around the island every hour or so during the day. It costs 50 cents per trip around the island. Also, locals sometimes cling to the cars of the goods train between Aiwo and the inland mining area.

By car
Nauru is so small that it takes less than one hour to drive right around it. The 19-km Island Ring Road circles the island and is paved — however this is not the case for most of the inland roads. The airport taxiway cuts across three of the twenty kilometres of road. The only traffic lights on the island are used to stop the traffic and allow the plane to cross the road to the terminal! This is a favourite souvenir snapshot taken by visitors.

Traffic drives on the left, and drivers should be on increased lookout for animals and pedestrians while driving on the beltway.

Cars or bicycles can sometimes be rented from Capelle and Partners, the largest local supermarket. Otherwise you can ask at your hotel or just ask a local. Foreigners need an international driver's licence to drive on Nauru. Fuel shortages are not unheard of.

Talk
The official languages are Nauruan, a distinct Pacific Island language, as well as English. However, just about half of the island's population is fluent in Nauruan, and English is widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes. A phrasebook of Dorerin Naoero can be found at Nauruan phrasebook.

See
The Nauru experience is pretty much the exact opposite of all the typical South Pacific island clichés. If you're looking for sandy beaches, cool ocean breezes, and pristine blue waters, you'll find precious little of the sort. In fact, if you're looking for pretty much anything that can be described as flashy or tourist-oriented, you're out of luck. But don't write Nauru off just yet: its subtle and offbeat charms are waiting for anyone who's willing to take the time to seek them out — and that goes double for World War II history buffs, urbexers, and anyone who's just looking for a slow-paced, low-key, off-the-beaten-path getaway.

On land
Nauru is one of the few countries in the world you can walk around the whole perimeter of in a reasonable time. A sealed road goes all the way around the island and driving takes about 25 minutes non-stop. A bicycle ride takes 2-3 hours, and a walk maybe 6 hours. There is lots of nice scenery if not much to do and, going from either hotel, Chappelle & Partner department store at the top of the island in Ewa district makes for a welcome break at halfway around.

If you're into sports, you can watch the local teams battle it out at an Australian rules football match. The national game is played all through Saturday at the sports field.

In the sea
Many beaches on Nauru are shallow, rocky and not very suitable for swimming. Your best bet would be Anibare Bay (listed in above) which also is a great place for seeing the fishermen bringing in the day's catch to Anibare Harbour. If you want to try some fishing yourself, there's one company you can consult:

Events
These are the most important festivities during the year:
 * Independence Day (31 Jan)
 * Easter (late March or early April)
 * Constitution Day (17 May)
 * Angam, the Day of the Return Home (26 Oct)
 * Christmas (25 Dec)

Money
Nauru uses the Australian dollar, denoted by the symbol "$" (ISO code: AUD) as its national currency. Cash transactions are the norm; credit cards are rarely accepted. There are no exchange offices in Nauru and the single bank office, Bank of Nauru is usually closed. The island's ATM can be found at the Capelle & Partner store. You should probably still bring enough Australian dollars in cash for your stay.

Bargaining or tipping are not done on Nauru like with the rest of Australia.

Eat
Most food is imported from Australia and arrives by ship or air, usually once every six to eight weeks. You can find western and Asian (primarily Chinese) food. Because of the tropical climate dishes might not be as heavy and hearty as the original versions. As not all ingredients may be available, dishes are often rather simple.

Since Nauru is an island nation, seafood is very popular in its restaurants. Cooked and smoked hams are also very popular, as meat is one of their main dishes.

Budget

In addition to these, you'll also find some small inexpensive "eating places", selling Chinese food.

Drink

Other than that, restaurants and shops offer soft drinks and some also have alcoholic beverages.

Sleep
There are two hotels, the more expensive Menen on the east of the island and the budget Od'n Aiwo to the west. In addition to these, the supermarket has guest rooms in the north of the island.

Stay safe
Nauru is a peaceful island and all kinds of crime are very rare. In emergency situations you can call either the emergency number (117 or 118) or go to the police station, which is near the airport.

While earthquakes are not a risk on Nauru itself, it can potentially be struck by tsunamis resulting from earthquakes along the Ring of Fire, which surrounds the Pacific Ocean.

There are no records of a cyclone ever hitting Nauru, and right at the Equator they are rare. Nevertheless, if you visit during height of the wet season, be prepared for heavy rain and thunderstorms.

There are wild dogs roaming all around Nauru. They are dangerous, and locals have been warned not to walk along dark roads at night.

Swimming and surfing
Like many other Pacific islands, Nauru is surrounded by a shallow reef with cut-outs through the reef providing access for boats and harbours, and there can be strong currents across the shallow water, moving boats in the harbours, and dangerous marine animals on the reef floor. Ask for advice before venturing into the water.

It is recommended to wear a sarong or shorts over swimsuits.

Stay healthy
Water supply in Nauru is dependent on rainwater collected into tanks from the roofs of houses and from an aging reverse osmosis desalination plant. You should avoid tap water.

 * Emergency: 118 or 117

Considering its size and remoteness, Nauru has a decent healthcare system. Aside from the rampant problem of obesity among the population, the infant mortality and life expectation numbers are on par with industrialised nations. There are two hospitals on the island, Nauru General Hospital and RON Hospital, both in the Denigomodu district in the west of the island. However, if you have contracted anything more serious you may have to get transferred to Australia, so make sure you have good travel insurance when visiting Nauru!

The tropical diseases usually encountered in equatorial countries are less of a risk in Nauru, although it's recommended to get a hepatitis B shot. There is a risk of dengue fever, though, so you should protect yourself from mosquito bites.

If you come from a country where yellow fever is endemic or you've visited such a country in the last six days, you need to have proof of yellow fever vaccination.

Respect
Nauru is a predominantly Christian country, and Christian values and rules of conduct apply.

 * It is illegal to import pornographic material, and the government also blocks access to Internet porn.
 * Open displays of affection between same-sex partners may offend some in Nauru.
 * The trafficking of drugs and narcotics of any kind will be punished severely.
 * The one place on the island that you may not take photographs is the Australian processing centre for asylum seekers.

Cope
There are three newspapers in both Nauruan and English; Nasero Bulletin, Central Star News and Nauru Chronicle. Foreign newspapers are non-existent and information from the rest of the world comes from the Internet and satellite television and radio — in fact there's no local broadcasting.

The mains voltage is 240 V/50 Hz, and the plugs are Australian style. Brownouts are quite frequent.

Post
There are a couple of post offices on the island from where you can send post.

Embassies
There is only one embassy on Nauru, and a second one planned to be opened; the closest embassies of most other countries are in Australia, New Zealand or Fiji.
 * 🇦🇺 Australia

Telephone
There are public phones and a mobile phone network. You may need to buy a SIM card from the local operator Digicel if your home operator doesn't have a roaming contract with Nauru.

Internet
CenpacNet inc. is the only Internet provider, and it also owns the national domain .nr. It operates the only Internet café on Nauru:

Other than that, hotels offer computers to get online.

Go next
Virtually everyone comes and goes by the local airline and thus your next destination will be Australia or one of the few small Oceanian islands (Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Solomon Islands) the local airline flies to. When leaving Nauru, locally produced goods may be subjected to export duties.

title: Nauru


text:
Nausori

Nausori, dubbed "the Paradise of the Green" is one of the towns of Fiji.

Understand
The town resides along the banks of Rewa river. You will enjoy fresh breeze from the river all day and see people from three districts as they find the lovely little town the center for their farm sales. Saturdays are busy days for Nausori.

See
Places to visit include Korovou town, Naq Kuti Mandir (temple), Bau Beach, crossing the new EU-funded Rewa Bridge, and the historic Naililili Cathedral. A rich Fijian tradition integrated with the colorful beauty of Hinduism flourishes in Nausori and gives it all the warmth which resonates throughout Fiji.

The best thing about Nausori is its natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere.

title: Nausori


text:
Nauvoo

Nauvoo is a small town in Western Illinois.

Understand
Nauvoo is most famous for having been founded in 1840 by Joseph Smith, Jr., as one of the first centers of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, following their exodus from Missouri in the wake of the Mormon War. In 1844, owing to hostility between the Mormons and their neighbors, as well as worries over a perceived theocracy in Nauvoo, the Illinois Legislature stripped the town of its legal status, leaving Nauvoo as a large (~12,000 residents) unincorporated community de facto ruled by the LDS Church. By 1846 hostilities (including vigilante violence and the assassination of Joseph Smith, Jr.) had grown severe enough that Brigham Young (accepted by most of Smith's followers as his successor) and his supporters left in what is known as the Mormon Exodus, along the Mormon Trail.

The temple, which was the second the Mormons built after the original (which in turn was destroyed in the Mormon War) in Missouri, was burnt down by arsonists shortly following the Mormon Exodus. But in 1999 the temple was built and completed in 2002. The exterior is a faithful reconstruction, but the interior (which is off-limits to non-Mormons) follows the architectural plan of a modern LDS temple.

Following the Mormon Exodus, the original settlement was purchased by the Icarians, a French utopian society, with the intent of using Nauvoo as a main settlement with satellite communities elsewhere in the Midwest. Ultimately, the settlement folded in 1860 following internal conflicts.

Get in
Nauvoo is on Illinois state road 96, part of the Great River Road following the Mississippi River. Driving to Nauvoo from St. Louis or Chicago takes about 3 hours, depending on traffic. St. Louis and Chicago are the nearest cities with full air service; Peoria and the Quad Cities are closer and are reached by some commercial airlines. Quincy is closer still, and has been served by commuter airlines at various times, but the service is intermittent.

Get around
Drive, bike or walk; the town is too small to pose difficult transportation problems.

title: Nauvoo


text:
Navahrudak

Navahrudak, (pol. Nowogródek, lit. Naugardukas) is a town in the Grodno Oblast, Belarus. At one point in history it was the capital of Lithuania.

See

title: Navahrudak