text:
Guangzhou/Panyu and Nansha

Panyu (番禺 Pūn yùh in Cantonese, Pānyú in Mandarin) and Nansha (南沙 Nàahm sā in Cantonese, Nánshā in Mandarin) are two districts of Guangzhou in China's Guangdong province, and within the Pearl River Delta.

Get in

 * By train: Guangzhou South railway station is located in the west part of Panyu. Nansha is served by Qingsheng Railway Station.
 * By metro: Lines 2, 3, and 4 run north-south across Panyu, connecting that district to other parts of Guangzhou. Line 4 runs all the way to Nansha. The Guangfo Line connects Panyu to Foshan.
 * By bus: from many places.
 * By boat: The Nansha Port Passenger Terminal, which has ferry services to Hong Kong, is obviously located in Nansha

Do

 * Play golf at Nan Sha.

title: Guangzhou/Panyu and Nansha


text:
Paonia

Paonia is a town in the Northwestern part of the Rocky Mountains state of Colorado. It is the nearest town to the West Elks American Viticultural Area (AVA), part of Colorado's Wine Country and home to the highest wine vineyards in North America.

Understand
Home to environmentalists, new age-ers, artists, activists, as well as coal miners, organic farmers and ranchers, Paonia prides itself on its off-beat culture.

For a small town, Paonia is a bastion of progressive media, community activism and liberal thinking. Downtown Paonia boasts The High Country News, an environmental newspaper renowned for its investigative journalism. KVNF (90.9 FM) is a left-leaning Paonia-based public radio station that broadcasts from Grand Junction to Lake City.

Grand Avenue in Paonia is an eclectic mix of art galleries and boutique shops, and makes for a diverting couple of hours of browsing.

It's somehow fitting that a town filled with so many aging Flower Children from the 1960s is also named after a flower. Incorporated in 1881, Paonia was named by its founder, Samuel Wade, for the peony rootstock which he brought with him by covered wagon. Wade submitted the Latin name for the flower, "Paeonia" as the official town name to the US Postal Service. The Post Office wouldn't allow the extra vowel, so the name was shortened to "Paonia."

Paonia is a rich agricultural region with many orchards, organic farms and vineyards. In 2001, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms designated the mesas around Paonia as the "West Elks American Viticultural Area." At 6,417 ft (1956 m) above sea level, this wine region is amongst the highest in the world. Grapes grown in the area include Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir.

By plane

There are also airports in Denver and Grand Junction.

By car
Nestled in the North Fork Valley in Delta County, roads to Paonia from the east and the south are particularly beautiful. Paonia is 70 mi from Glenwood Springs on Colorado SR-133. If you're in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park or Curecanti National Recreation Area take SR-92 north. From Grand Junction take US-50 southeast to SR-92 east for a total of about 70 mi.

By train
Amtrak serves nearby Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction with the California Zephyr, which runs daily between Emeryville (in the San Francisco Bay Area) and Chicago. For more information, see rail travel in the US.

But once at the rail station, you will have to rent a car.

Get around
Downtown Paonia is only a few blocks and is easily navigated by foot. For the rest of the area, you will need a car or a bike. Paonia is 9 mi away from Hotchkiss, home of the Delta County Fair, held every August.

Itineraries

 * Delta, Montrose, Paonia & Hotchkiss - Follow US 92 west along the Gunnison River. Turn north on US 65 and stop at the wineries along Surface Creek, on the south slope of Grand Mesa, the largest flattop mountain in the world. Or, travel along the North Fork of the Gunnison River on US 92 east out of Delta and then US 133. This will take you to Hotchkiss and Paonia, where you will find yourself in the West Elks AVA.

Winery tours
The West Elks AVA is home to many fine wineries in Colorado's Wine Country. Spend an afternoon tasting and buying local wines.

Festivals & events

 * April - Annual Blossom Walk
 * May - Annual Sheep Camp Stock Dog Trials
 * June - Crawford Pioneer Days - Crawford
 * July - Cherry Days, Dreamtime Festival
 * August- Annual Wine and Dine
 * September - Mountain Harvest Festival
 * November - Barrel Tasting Thanksgiving Weekend

Internet access
Most Starbucks, hotels and coffee shops throughout the region offer wireless Wi-Fi access. But if you don't have a computer, try the public libraries.

Go next

 * Glenwood Hots Springs Pool. A huge hot spring pool that is the signature attraction of Glenwood Springs.
 * Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - A deep, narrow gorge.
 * Curecanti National Recreation Area - The visitor center is located off US 50 on the access road to Morrow Point Dam.
 * Uncompahgre National Forest - Over a million acres comprise some of the most spectacular views in the Rockies.

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

title: Paonia


text:
Papallacta

Papallacta is a village of 920 people (2010) in Ecuador.

Get in
Papallacta is 67 km (40 mi) east of Quito on the route taken in 1542 by Francisco de Orellana. It crosses over the Andes through beautiful valleys on each side. Find a bus from Quito to Baeza or Tena and tell the bus driver or cashier that you want to get off in Papallacta. You can also take the bus from Cumbaya to Baños and hop of at Papallacta. It leaves every half hour in front of the Supermaxi at the big roundabout in the north of the town. It costs $2.50 per person (2015).

Get around
A taxi from the bus stop at Pappallacta to the Termas costs $1.50 (2015). Ask the taxi drivers in advance - some will try to charge you more.

See
The thermal baths and the Reserva Ecologica Cayambe-Coca are the leading reasons to visit Papallacta. Otherwise, there aren't too many activities in this little town on the side of the hill.

The beautiful Reserva Ecologica Cayambe-Coca presents miles of lakes and trails in a preserved and secluded setting. Access, camping, and fishing fees were $5 in 2007. This reserve receives support from The Nature Conservancy, USAID, Parks in Peril and Rumicocha Ecological Foundation. The reserve is high in the Andes - around - so it receives quite a bit of rain. Access points are located past Termas de Papallacta as well as near the summit on the Via Interoceanica (as you reach the summit, look for a cement hut 400 m (1/4 mile) off the road to the north).

Eat
Trout is the most popular dish of the area.

Sleep
There are a few hosterias (small family run hotels) that are inexpensive. A few of them are along the road from Quito to Papallacta. Ask the bus driver to stop in Papallacta and you will easily find one if you continue walking along the road.

 * The Hostal/Restaurante Antisana is about 200 m from the Terms and costs $17 per person (includes a breakfast) for a room with private bathroom and hot water. It is clean and quiet. Also there are two small pools with hot water in the garden.
 * You can also stay at Termas de Papallacta Hot Springs Resort which is more luxurious and more expensive.
 * A more budget (and overall) friendly option is Hostal Coturpa in the town of Papallacta itself. The rooms are comfortable and come with hot water, space heaters, plush blankets, and breakfast for ~$15/pp. During weekends there are also hot pools on the lower level. Owner Wilo understands customer service and will go out of his way to ensure a pleasant village. +593 62-320-640, +593 62-320-180, or +593 8-6280274

title: Papallacta


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Papanasam

Papanasam is near to Tirunelveli and Tenkasi at about 40 km, in Tamil Nadu, India. It is famous for a Sivan kovil (a type of temple) and the river Tamirabarani flows here.

See

 * The temple

Do

 * Walk in the hills.
 * Bathe in the Thamirabarani River, which Hindus consider holy.

Go next
Nearby places are:

 * Agasthiar Falls (water flows throughout the year. About 40 km from Kutralam)
 * Ambasamudram (10 km)
 * Gadananathi River Dam (18 km via: Poovankurichi & Sivasailam)
 * Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR)
 * Kallidaikurichi (12 km)
 * Karayar Dam (built by the British)
 * Manimuthar Dam (built by former chief minister Kamarajar)
 * Poovankurichi
 * Servalar Dam
 * Sorimuthianar kovil (famous for aadi amavasai; where lots of people visit)
 * Vickramasingapuram (2 km)

title: Papanasam


text:
Papantla

Located close by El Tajin ruins and the interchange city of Poza Rica, Papantla is known for its downtown square (zócalo) and its cathedral, where voladores (flyers) perform. Other specialties are its homegrown vanilla liquor.

Understand
The city was founded in the 13th century by the Totonacs and has dominated the Totonacapan region of the state since then. Papantla still has strong communities of Totonacs who maintain the culture and language

Traditional dances
For religious and secular events, two dances are definitive of Papantla. According to Totonac myth, the gods told men “Dance, and we shall observe.” The Danza de los Voladores is one of these events that was originally meant to please the gods. The ceremony involves five participants who climb a 30-m pole. Four of these tie ropes around their waists and wind the other end around the top of the pole in order to descend to the ground. Each rope is wound around the top of the pole 13 times, which times 4 equals 52 and corresponds to the Mesoamerican ritual calendar. The fifth participant stays at the top of the pole, playing a flute and a small drum. The flute represents birdsong and the drum the voice of the gods. The four who descend or “flying men” represent the four cardinal directions. The flautist begins by honoring the east, from which life is believed to have originated. This dance or ceremony has been inscribed as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

The Dance of the Guaguas (also spelled Huahuas) is mostly performed by Totonacs but also by some groups of Nahuas and Huastecs who live in this area. It is a variant of the Dance of the Quetzales. The dance represents a survival of beliefs based on agricultural and the solar year. One essential element of the dance is the construction of a wooden cross which turns in a vertical position, representing the basis of creation and the genesis of cosmic life. Dancers dress in red pants, which have been elaborately embroidered, white shirts and a decorated cloth that goes across the chest. But the most distinctive apparel is the headdress, which is a large circle of woven ribbons with loose ends hanging around down the back. The dance movements involve the stomping with the boots that dancers wear.

Get in
The ADO bus station is at Juárez 207, five blocks down hill from the zócalo.

From many destinations it is easier to transfer buses in Poza Rica than to catch a direct bus to Papanta.

Buses from Vera Cruz to Papantla (M$178, 4 hr-4 hr 25 min) leave at 07:00, 08:00, 10:00, 12:45, 17:45, 19:00, 20:00 Buses from Poza Rica to Papantla (M$22, 45 min) leave 24 hours a day (generally one every hour, sometimes more)

You are able to check timetables and book tickets online from ADO or Ticketbus.

Get around
Hail a taxi for M$15-20 to take you around town. The taxi may have someone else in it, if this bothers you just wait for the next taxi.

Local buses to surrounding towns and El Tajín leave from the corner of 16 de Septiembre and Curato. The Papantla locals are very friendly, and will help you locate which bus to catch.

See

 * The main reason people arrive in Papantla is to visit the ruins of El Tajín.
 * The Municipal Palace, facing the zócalo, is marked by the classic-style pediment over the main entrance. This building contains two murals: one about the Totonacs by Teodoro Cano Garcia and the other by Xolotl Martinez Hurtado de Mendoza. The building was reconstructed in 1929, with remodeling done in 1979 and 1999.
 * The zócalo is officially named the Israel C. Téllez Park, which contains grass and a number of trees. In this plaza are weekend events such as the Danzón Fridays as well as live music on Saturday and cultural events on Sundays. On the underside of the kiosk is a mural by Teodoro Cano Garcia which depicts the indigenous concept of creation, as a world with four suns.
 * The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción was constructed between 1570 and 1590 by the Franciscans. The bell tower was built in 1875, and the clock which is there was installed in 1895. The church is in the form of a Latin cross and has an entrance flanked by Roman style pilasters. On the atrium wall is a sculpted mural by Teodoro Cano Garcia which depicts the evolution of Totonac culture superimposed on the body of the god Quetzalcoatl.
 * The city has eleven murals on public buildings or private houses. The Fernando Gutierrez Barrios Auditorium has a high relief mural depicting sports in the Totonacapan region. The Chapel of Cristo Rey on Madero Street is modeled after the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. It contains a mural by Cano about the history of the city of Papantla. The Monument to the Voladores is located on a hill in the center of the city. This hill also serves as a scenic lookout and contains a mural which narrates the ceremony from the cutting of the tree to the execution of the descent.
 * The city is home to a number of museums. The Museo de la Ciudad on Pino Suarez Street contains exhibits from the pre-Hispanic, colonial and post- Independence periods. The Museo de las Mascaras has a collection of over 300 masks from Totonacapan and other parts of Mexico, in the community of San Pablo. It was founded by Simon Gomez Atzin who collected masks and ceremonial dress for many years. The Teodoro Cano Garcia Museum exhibits works by this artist and by some of his protégés. It also contains archeological pieces and elements of Totonac culture such as dress. Other museums include the Museos del Totonacapan and the Casa de Cultura's permanent collection of paintings and sculpture.

Do
Concerts and festivals are also held in Papantla, celebrating the regions Totonac culture.

Festivals
The arrival of spring is celebrated with the Festival Cumbre Tajín in March each year at the El Tajín ruins. The name translates to 'Summit Tajín'. There are modern musical concerts as well as cultural events. This is an opportunity to see Voladores from across Mexico and Guatemala perform, experience Totonac culture and watch international music acts.

In May each year the Kani Tajín festival  is held to celebrate the towns unique Totonac culture. Kani Tajín offers workshops, games, drama, shows, music, storytelling, sports, wrestling, and traditional dances.

On December 7, there is a tradition called the Dia del Niño Perdido (Day of the Lost Child). On this day, lighted candles are placed on doorjambs and windowsills. However, the major festival for this city is the feast of Corpus Christi, which features processions, and indigenous dances such as the tocotines, guaguas, negritos, Santiagueros and voladores. The first feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated in Papantla sometime between 1550 and 1560, sponsored by the encomendero of the area, Placido Perez. A secular event called the "Festival of Corpus Christi" runs concurrently with the religious rites, which includes a livestock, agriculture, industrial and cultural fair.

The Xanath Festival presents Totonac culture to the city. The festival has indigenous art exhibits, traditional dance, costumes and music. The dances are choreographed into a single spectacle which is reworked each year.

Like the rest of Mexico, Papantla celebrates Day of the Dead but has some local variations. “Ofrendas” (altars to the dead) can be set up on tables or on board which are suspended from the ceiling. The altar is called a pachau and the lack on one in the home can bring on social rejection for violating community norms. These are decorated with palm fronds, bananas, oranges, limes, anis and chocolate figures. Food stuffs include mole, candy, tamales, local breads and other regional specialties. A glass of water and “renio” (a type of local alcohol) are also placed. Day of the Dead celebrations begin on 31 October for those who had died of natural causes. On 1 November, the souls of deceased children (called Laqsq’at’an) are welcomed. Later on 1 November and 2 November the souls of adults are said to return. It is believed that the souls come in the form of insects to eat the meals laid out in offering. It is also believed that this food needs to be freshly prepared and hot. During the nights, groups of living children go house to house singing traditional songs.

Buy
Across from Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción are the principal markets, called Hidalgo and Juarez.

Eat
A small, hole-in-the-wall style-restaurant is tucked away near 16 de Septiembre and Curato. The staff are friendly, and the breakfast M$35.

Small bakery on Lázaro Muñoz, half a block down from zócalo. The owners are very friendly, and speak a little English.

Regional specialties include frijoles in alchuchut, tashuayahun and zacahuil.

Go next
Buses to Vera Cruz (M$178, time 3 hr 35 min - 4 hr 15 min) leave at 01:00, 09:25, 09:30, 12:30, 14:50, 17:10, 17:50

For many destinations it may be quicker to transfer in Poza Rica. Buses to Poza Rica to (M$22,40 min) leave 24 hours a day (generally one every hour, sometimes more).

Buses tha do not originate in Papantla may be full when they arrive in town. It may pay to book ahead at holiday times. Save a trip to the bus station by checking timetables online using ADO or ticketbus.

title: Papantla


text:
Papa Westray

Papa Westray is one of the Orkney Islands north of mainland Scotland - nearly the northernmost, but North Ronaldsay edges it by half a mile. Papa Westray measures 4 miles north-south and a mile across, and is more low-lying and fertile than nearby Westray. In 2011 it had 90 residents, who usually just call it "Papay", pronounced Papee — the name refers to medieval priests. There's no travel information centre, but see the island website for info.

Get in
By plane: Twice daily Loganair flights link Kirkwall with Papa Westray. These flights also stop at Westray just across the channel, making it the world's shortest scheduled flight, at just under two minutes. The flight between Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay also calls at Papa Westray on some days of the week.

is midway along the island.

By boat the usual route is to first take the car ferry from Kirkwall on Orkney Mainland, which sails 2 or 3 times a day to Rapness at the south tip of Westray. There it's met by a minibus which takes you six miles north to Pierowall for the little inter-island ferry to Papa Westray. This sails May-Sep 3 to 6 times a day, taking 25 min, for foot passengers and bicycles only. Until April 2025, return fares from Kirkwall are £11.90 adult, £8.90 conc, £4.90 child. Day trips between Westray and Papay are also possible and the return fare is £5.90 adult.

Sailing Oct-April, or if you need to bring a vehicle, you need to take the Tuesday car ferry, which sails a triangular route between Kirkwall, Papay and North Ronaldsay.

is the landing point for all ferries.

Get around
Walk: it's hardly worth bringing a bike here let alone a car.

See

 * Holland Farm just south of the airfield has an attractive set of 17th-19th century buildings and the small "Bothy museum". You're free to look around anytime, but it's a working farm so take care around machinery, animals and so on.
 * Holland Farm just south of the airfield has an attractive set of 17th-19th century buildings and the small "Bothy museum". You're free to look around anytime, but it's a working farm so take care around machinery, animals and so on.
 * is a gully that the sea rages into when the weather is easterly. If anyone ever did try to leap it, he's not been seen since.
 * is a scrappy ruin on a mound on the east bank of the freshwater St Tredwell's Loch. It's a medieval chapel built over an Iron Age settlement. The 8th-century Triduana, Tredwell or Trøllhaena was supposed to have plucked out her own eyes (no doubt in an empowered sort of way) when pestered by a suitor, and spent her later years in Restalrig in Edinburgh healing the blind. She was venerated at various spots including here, and ophthalmic miracles were ascribed to her.
 * is an islet 100 m east of Papa Westray. The Southcairn is a 20-metre-long chambered cairn from 3000 BC, used as a burial place, and with ancient carvings. A modern roof has been added to protect it, enter via the trapdoor. Ask at the hostel about boat trips to get here.
 * is an islet 100 m east of Papa Westray. The Southcairn is a 20-metre-long chambered cairn from 3000 BC, used as a burial place, and with ancient carvings. A modern roof has been added to protect it, enter via the trapdoor. Ask at the hostel about boat trips to get here.

Do

 * Wildlife: bird life and seals are the main features, but always keep looking (including on the ferry), you never know what might come into view.
 * Dark skies: Papa Westray is free of light pollution so expect starry skies and maybe the aurora borealis on any clear night September to April. In summer it's a lost cause as the sky never gets properly dark.

Eat, drink and buy
Papay Co-op is the only shop, in Beltane House next to the hostel and open M W-F 9-11AM, 3:30-5:30PM, Tu 9-11AM, Sa 9-11AM, 6-7PM.

Connect
As of July 2024, the island has no signal from any UK carrier.

Go next

 * Westray can be reached without returning to the Mainland. It has sea stacks and cliffs and a 16th-century castle.
 * North Ronaldsay can likewise be reached direct by air on some days of the week.
 * Kirkwall is where all inter-island routes eventually return.

title: Papa Westray


text:
Papeete

Papeete is the largest city in and capital of French Polynesia on the island of Tahiti.

Understand
Papeete is not a tropical paradise. It is a typical government center and industrial port with small doses of French and Polynesian charm. It has shopping, eating, and drinking, but very little sightseeing for a capital city and even fewer top-class hotels. The residents speak French and Tahitian, although English is spoken by many in the tourist trade. The people-watching is superb.

By taxi
A taxi to the city is a fixed rate of 2000 F (francs) from 06:00-20:00 and 2700 F at night (Jan 2019). The prices to destinations around the island are posted by the taxi stand.

By bus
Buses to the city cost 200 F (340 F for an aller-retour (round-trip) ticket) (Feb 2019). They run every 15 min or so and take 20 min. Outside the terminal, cross the car park and go up the steps to the main road. Corsa the road and look for the square blue sign with a white bus on it. All buses go into the centre. To return to the airport, take a bus toward "Faa'a" from the stop by the large Vodaphone shop near the Papeete market.

Get around
Papeete is a walking town. Drivers stop for pedestrians at crosswalks (zebra crossings). It's really too small to bother with any other form of transport, unless you are going out to the fringes, or would simply like to experience the famous le truck for fun (hop-on, hop-off, anywhere in the city centre for about 100 F) Bring a water bottle: it can be quite hot and humid.

Taxis cost 1000 F plus 130 F/kilometre 06:00-20:00 (230 F/km at night) anywhere on the island, so they're extremely expensive to use within the city. They can be very hard to find after 18:00, apart from two taxi stands along the waterfront. Meters are unheard of, so confirm the fare (in French, if possible) before getting into a taxi, and don't be afraid to protest or refuse if you think the fare too high; as a general rule, you should never have to pay more than 1500 F for a journey from one side of the city centre to the other. Fares are posted at the waterfront taxi stands.

Many drivers distribute calling cards when you disembark; if you'll be relying on taxi transport for whatever reason during your stay, it's worth becoming a repeat customer with a driver you trust and who will give you a good deal.

Le Truck will take you to other parts of the island and around town quite cheaply.

Buy
Black pearls abound. There is just about every kind of shop, including some (particularly near the Marché) who have no problem selling you imitation balls of black glass or plastic at market prices. Be sure to look for a certificate of authenticity on the wall of the shop, and trust your guidebook for recommendations.

Eat
Eating out can be very expensive. There are some fine restaurants but expect to pay US$30 for a hamburger at a hotel restaurant or other proper sit-down establishment.

There are a lot of midrange places where you can expect to pay US$20-30 for your whole meal. French and Chinese cuisines are well represented here. Look for the word "Snack" in the name of the restaurant. There is also a conveyor belt sushi place that's very good, and the chefs are quite friendly there.

 * The best value are the roulottes, the food trucks that set up shop every evening in the big square in the waterfront park. Every day they begin setting up around dusk. Chinese, French, and Tahitian cuisine are all well represented. You can get chow mein, poisson cru, crepes, pizza, ice cream, and because this is France, everything comes with bread. Expect to pay 1500-2000 F for your meal, although you can get a couple of crepes and a drink for 1000-1200 F (Jan 2019).
 * Food stands in the public market (marché) will charge 700-900 F for a Chinese fish with rice, and there are lots of baguette sandwiches available.

Drink
You can expect to pay upwards of US$10 for a pint of beer. A (small) jug of microbrew will cost US$35. Buy pitchers of Hinano to keep the costs down.

By plane
See.

By boat
If you have the time, take the ferry over to Moorea.

title: Papeete


text:
Paphos

Paphos (Greek: Πάφος, also Pafos; Turkish: Baf) is a town at the southwestern tip of Cyprus, between the coast and the Troodos Mountains. The city is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Understand
Paphos is renowned as the birthplace of Greek goddess Aphrodite. Modern-day Paphos is divided in two, with the upper section up the hill being the commercial center, and lower Kato Paphos containing the main archaeological points of interest, as well as most hotels and tavernas.

The local government has improved the lower Kato Paphos area which combines hotels, bars and restaurants along a coastal strip a few km long. There is a front leading round to the marina and a long coastal path with amazing views - perfect for a morning or evening stroll.

Paphos was the European Capital of Culture for 2017, together with Aarhus in Denmark.
 * Visit Paphos tourist information

Get around
Paphos town is small enough to navigate on foot however the travelling around the region of Paphos will require motorised assistance! Local bus services are available however hiring a vehicle (bike, quad, car) is common place and allows for going off the beaten track to find small villages in the hills. It gets hot and humid in summer (33 °C and 90% humidity) from between late June through to early September. The rest of the year is relatively mild, with colder spells in January & February.

Karavella Bus Station open. There is no need to head to the Municipal Market bus station if the Paphos website bus site states that a bus route starts at Karavella.

Buy
Leather goods, Lace, Yeroskipou delights, Beware of stores selling copy DVDs these appear a bargain but are often poor quality and a waste of money. Also check the store's 'returns policy'. Some do not offer refunds or exchanges on faulty goods!

Overall shopping in Paphos is a pleasurable experience, with its shops spread out from the numerous quality furniture stores on the road to Polis to the small independent tourist shops on the harbourside.

There are several supermarkets in Paphos:

Eat
Paphos offers a wealth of choices to eat from world known Western KFC & McDonalds to five-star dining at Il Classico and Colosseum, and at many of the hotel restaurants. There are limitless choices from Chinese to Mexican and from traditional Cypriot meze to pizza and pasta. You must try traditional Cypriot fare, but if at all possible venture out a little into one of the villages surrounding Paphos town for not just authentic food but great atmosphere, either NE towards the mountains or should you want to travel a little further West call into Kathikas village where there are a multitude of traditional tavernas.

Drink
Accompany any traditional Cypriot dish with wine from the Nelion Winery, Vasilias Nikoklis inn offers a variety of local wines starting from Cyprus aperitif zivania, the Refreshing rose, the dry white wine the medium sweet white and red, the ofthalmo and the shiraz.

Go next

 * Tala Village: found high up north west of Paphos, Tala is a pretty traditional village, now with a large expat population but with beautiful Agios Neophytos Monastery nearby and a good range of popular restaurants.
 * The Akamas Peninsula: in the far west of Cyprus. Paphos is the closest major city to this area of outstanding natural beauty. A day may not be enough to explore the deep gorges the wild landscape and the sandy bays. This is an area of great biodiversity and ecological significance. Home to 530 plant species, a third of the total for Cyprus, 126 of which are endemic to Cyprus. It remains largely unspoilt to date mainly thanks to its inaccessibility.
 * The Diarizos river valley an unspoiled paradise for birdwatchers and nature lovers. Drive through Nikoklia village towards Troodos mountains and enjoy the views. Scenic little villages, family-run inns and wineries.

title: Paphos


text:
Paphos district

Paphos district is a region in Cyprus.

Cities

 * - the administrative capital

Get in
There are several buses that run from Pafos International Airport to the harbor and city centre, the 612 and the 613 respectively, and cost €3. The buses run from about 8am until 8pm, after which your only option will be a taxi. “Airport tax” brings costs to about €35 to the old city, €40 to the harbor.

Get around
If you are looking to find an unspoilt side of Cyprus, head for the northwestern tip of the island where you will find Polis Chrysochous. Formerly a backpacker's destination in the 1980s, Polis has grown and developed but still retains its quiet charm. Polis Chrysochous bay is spectacular and the Akamas peninsula which juts out from the end of the bay is wild and rugged offering outdoor lovers countless nature trails and rocky tracks to excite walkers and mountain bikers alike.

The mountain villages around the Polis area offer true Cypriot hospitality and authentic home cooking so get hold of a bicycle and explore! There are bikes available for hire in Polis and there is also a specialist mountain bike company in Polis that will take you on guided rides using high quality mountain bikes.

You should really take a look at the picturesque harbor and the sweet and savory shops are exquisite. One delicacy unique to the people of Cyprus is their frozen yoghurt

Do
The Akamas peninsula on the northwestern tip of the Paphos region is perfect for all types of outdoor activities. Watersports enthusiasts can scuba-dive, snorkel, paraglide, water-ski, sail, jet-ski or just swim. The rugged peninsula is also a playground for mountain biking and trekking. There are a number of nature trails on the peninsula, all clearly marked and of varying length and difficulty.

Eat
Best places to eat in the Polis/Latsi area. Try Kouppas Stone Tavern in Neo Chorio for great value authentic Cypriot cuisine or Y&P restaurant in Latsi for the best fish in the area.

title: Paphos district


text:
Papillion

Papillion is a small town in Sarpy County, Nebraska, just southwest of Omaha and west of the Missouri river. The City of Papillion (French, for the word butterfly) was founded in 1870. Legend has it that Frenchmen visited the broad valley where Papillion is now located, finding it overgrown with luxuriant grasses and multitudes of wild flowers. Swarms of butterflies flitted about in the sunlight and enthralled by the beautiful sight, one member exclaimed, "Papillion!"

Get in
The best roads that lead into Papillion are the Kennedy Freeway, Cornhusker Road, and Highway 370.

Get around
There are numerous roads that will lead you around Papillion. 84th street which turns in to Washington as it goes through downtown will bring you to the center of Papillion. Other streets take you through newer parts of the city: 72nd Street which goes north/south, and Cornhusker which goes east/west.

title: Papillion


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Papradno

Papradno is a village in Central Slovakia. Paparadno is a nice village which lies in the valley of mountains Javorniky.

Understand
It belongs to the district Považská Bystrica and is the northeast part of the Trenčin region. This village spreads on 5582 ha. About 2560 people are living there. Across Papradno flows stream Papradnianka. Hills, forests and mountains are all around, except the south, where is neighborhood village Brvnište. People already lived here during late Stone Age, because there were found parts of edge stone axes. First historic report is from 1525. In 1779 Slovak writer Hugolin Gavlovič taught at school in Papradno. He is an author of the book Valašská škola mravuv stodola. Texts for the book pumped mainly from the experiences from these people.

By bus
A more or less hourly connection is available from nearby Považská Bystrica train and bus station, for €1.05 (2017). For an exact schedule you can check cp.sk.

By car
From the D1 motorway, take the exit at Považská Bystrica. Turn right, cross the bridge over the Váh and keep right again, in the direction of Bytča. After about 6 km turn left, a sign should guide your way. After this just follow the road up the valley.

By bus
Buses from the centre of Papradno to ski-center Podjavorník go seven times a day. It takes about 20 minutes and costs €0.80.

By bicycle
It's possible to borrow a bike in Agropenzión Grunt and Hotel Podjavorník.

See

 * The Roman Catholic Church is dominant in the village. The church was built in 1792 by Lord Esterházi in Baroque style. Its beautiful chrome organ, the fourth biggest in Slovakia, is a pride not only for a church, but also for people living in Papradno.
 * In front of the church, there's a statue of Saint Ján Nepomucký from the middle of 18th century.
 * The marble cross from 1911 was built from thanks offering of American parishioners.
 * In the middle of the village there stand the market place, Municipal office, Court House and Primary school.
 * Worth seeing are also nearby mountains Javorníky.

Do

 * Hiking nearby mountains Javorniky are great place for tourism. During the season visitors can pick up blueberries on the top of the Javorniky.
 * Cycling in the mountains and around the village is enjoyed by tourists and natives every year. Tourists can borrow a bike and make a long trip across the mountains that spread all around.
 * Riding horses from agro pension Grunt. go swimming the hotel Podjavornik offers a swimming pool and some other spa services such as massages, baths, sauna and sun bed.
 * Skiing in Podjavornik: there is a ski-center with three ski-lifts.
 * Work out at fitness centre in the middle of the village
 * The animal farm is good attraction especially for children. In the farm they can see how animal live, they can try to milk cows and watch how to prepare cheese.

Buy
Postcards and some other souvenirs are for sale in the post office in the centre of the village. For anything bigger than the daily necessities you need to go to Považska Bystrica.

Eat
As is common in rural Slovakia, all pensions and guesthouses offer a menu with typical Slovak fare, sometimes using local ingredients.

Drink
There is a good choice of places where people can go for a drink in Papradno. Let’s look at the bars first. In each of four local pubs customers can taste Slovak beers.
 * Dallas is a bar where many people go to have a drink every weekend, especially Friday and Saturday.
 * Another place where customer can get a nice drink is Bowling Fun. In this bar is also possible to play bowling.
 * Bar Lucia is well known for its Friday nights discos.

Go next
The only way in by road is through Považska Bystrica so that is likely also how you will leave. How about visiting nearby Trenčín or Žilina? Alternatively you can cross the Czech/Slovak border on foot, Velké Karlovice village and train station in Czechia await you, 3½ hours hiking from Podjavorník.

title: Papradno


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Papua

Papua, also known as Western New Guinea and formerly Irian Jaya, is the easternmost part of Indonesia. It comprises the western half of the island of New Guinea, the world's largest and highest tropical island, while the eastern half is the independent country of Papua New Guinea.

Papua retains many traditional cultures and is home to some of the richest biodiversity in the world. Lorentz National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest protected area in the Asia-Pacific region, ranges from Papua's southwest coast to its central mountains.

Cities

 * — an island in the Pacific Ocean
 * — the only town in West Papua with a significant Arab-Papuan presence
 * — the capital and largest city
 * — the capital city of West Papua
 * — gateway to the most eastern point of Indonesia
 * — the largest port city in bird's head peninsula
 * — staging post for one of the world's largest mines
 * — gateway to the Baliem Valley

Other destinations

 * — the home of the famous penis-gourded Dani warriors
 * — the largest national park in Asia
 * — home of the world's richest reefs
 * — home of the world-renowned Asmat woodcarvers

Understand
Papua consists of the six provinces of Papua (the traditional name is Tabi Saireri), Central Papua (Mee Pago), Highland Papua (La Pago), South Papua (Anim Ha), West Papua (Bomberai), and Southwest Papua (Domberai) in Indonesia.

History
Like the rest of Indonesia, West Papua was part of the Dutch East Indies before World War II. However, after Indonesian independence, the region remained under Dutch rule for some time. Elections were held in the territory in 1959 and an elected council took office in 1961, in preparation for full independence from the Dutch. However, the Dutch handed the area over to a UN temporary administration, who in turned gave it over to Indonesia in 1963. A controversial plebiscite known as the Act of Free Choice, held in 1969, resulted in an improbable 100% vote in favor of joining Indonesia. The region, renamed first as Irian Barat (West Irian) and then Irian Jaya (Glorious Irian) has been under heavy Indonesian military control ever since, with the outgunned Free Papua Movement (Operasi Papua Merdeka or OPM) fighting for independence.

The name Papua was restored in 2000 in a sop to the nationalists. The province was split into two in 2003 in a very controversial move, with the Bird's Head Peninsula and surrounding islands becoming West Papua (Papua Barat). A further split occurred in 2022, to create some new provinces, Central Papua province, Highland Papua province, South Papua province, and Southwest Papua province.

Culture
Comprising the western half of the island of New Guinea, the world's largest and highest tropical island, Papua is incredibly diverse and different from the rest of Indonesia (or, for that matter, anywhere else in the world), with most of its inhabitants being Melanesians and hence, culturally similar to the indigenous peoples of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Fiji. Despite of a population of under five million, Papua is home to over 250 languages and retains many traditional cultures that were until very recently "still in the Stone Age". Cannibalism and headhunting were practiced in some areas until the 1970s. Papua is a stronghold of Christianity, so many non-halal ingredients are used extensively in the local cuisine. There are also several uncontacted peoples in the jungles of Papua who remain isolated from the modern world by choice.

Terrain and ecology

A vital tropical rainforest with the tallest tropical trees and vast biodiversity, Papua's known forest fauna includes marsupials (including possums, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, and cuscuses), other mammals (including the endangered long-beaked Echidna), many bird species (including birds of paradise, cassowaries, parrots, cockatoos), the world's longest lizards (Papua monitor) and the world's largest butterflies. The island has an estimated 16,000 species of plant, 124 genera of which are endemic.

The extensive waterways and wetlands of Papua are also home to salt and freshwater crocodile.

The interior of Papua is home to some of Indonesia's highest mountains, including snow-capped ones.

Large parts of the equatorial glacier fields in the highlands remain largely unexplored. Protected areas within Papua province include the Lorentz National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Wasur National Park, a RAMSAR wetland of international importance.

Events
Papua holds numerous events each year. Some of its famous festivals and events include the Festival Budaya Asmat, the Festival Danau Sentani, the Festival Lembah Baliem, the Festival Kamoro, and the Festival Teluk Humboldt.

Get in
Travel permits (surat jalan) are required for all travel in Papua beyond the main coastal towns. The list changes randomly, but Jayapura and Biak are generally permit-free, and Sentani, Manokwari and Sorong are usually fine. Permits are most easily acquired in Jayapura and Biak, where they're usually obtainable in one day, although they are usually available in the other non-permit towns as well. Two passport photos and a token administration fee (Rp5,000 or so) are required.

The permit must list all the places you're planning to visit, no changes are allowed unless you get a new one in the main town. Whenever you arrive in a new town in Papua, you have to get your permit stamped at the police station. Make lots of copies, you'll need them for hotels and such.

Despite the claims of some embassies to the contrary, no permits are required for the travel to Papua. It's best not to mention Papua at all when applying for a visa.

By plane
Although Papua can be accessed either by water or air, almost all travellers travel by air. The main gateway is Sentani Airport in Jayapura, but there are also frequent flights from some major Indonesian cities to Biak , Manokwari , Sorong and Timika. There are some direct flights to Papua from Jakarta, but for most destinations and carriers a stopover is necessary, usually in Makassar.

Wamena Airport to the Baliem Valley.

By boat
PT. Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (PELNI) operates boat services from other parts of Indonesia and within Papua, with serviced places on the island including Biak, Serui, Nabire, Sorong, Fakfak, Timika and Merauke. (Reports indicate it takes approximately 2 weeks from Jakarta to Jayapura; it takes 2½ days from Jayapura to Nabire)

PELNI boats KM. Sinabung from Surabaya stop at Jayapura, Sorong, Manokwari and Biak. This is a relaxing and interesting way to arrive if you have the time. PELNI provides a 3-class service, consisting roughly of economy, second class, and first class. Economy class lodging and service provides for a 2.5 x 7ft bed arranged side by side with other beds and comes with minimal meals and sanitary facilities (public bathroom). The second class service consists of a 4-bed room with basic meal services and a small private bathroom. First class service is nearly identical to second class, except that the room features a 2-bed room and a window for a view outside.

Each ship also features a mini-movie theater, and restaurant (for those who prefer to eat something more than the provided meals).

By land
The land border crossing between Papua and Papua New Guinea open to foreigners is on the north coast between Jayapura and Vanimo, PNG. Also, on the south side, there is a border post between Merauke and Wereave, PNG. There is no public transport across, so car or motorbike hire for some of the distance is required. Advance visas are required.

Get around
Most of Papua's main cities are not connected by road, but Trans Papua Sorong-Manokwari-Bintuni with almost 600 km length has been finished (the other sections of Trans Papua are being built). Cars can drive easily along the route but should bring tools to fix breakdowns and carry sufficient fuel. State-owned bus company, DAMRI serves some cities including Biak, Jayapura, Manokwari, Mimika, Nabire, Sarmi and Sorong. Flying is a practical option for covering longer distances. Boat charter for river travel is surprisingly expensive, the price going from US$50/day for a simple canoe to a whopping US$500/day (including gas) for a motorised outboard, but the price is downward gradually, because the subsidised fuel price nowadays is same in all over Indonesia since 2017. The problem in Papua is there are only limited formal fuel pumps, but private fuel vendors are available.

Since most cities which are scattered across the island, usually almost all travel within the Papua region is done by air. Big airlines such as Garuda, Sriwijaya and Wings Air (a subsidiary of Lion Air) hop between major cities in Papua. Smaller airlines including Trigana Air Service, Aviastar, Nusantara, Susi Air, and quite a few others do regional hops. Special charter flights to one of the more than 300 very remote villages can be scheduled with charter airlines such as Susi Air and Mimika Air or with flight organisations such as Associated Mission Aviation (AMA), based in Jayapura. If you are very lucky, you might be able to catch a cargo plane ride (no seat belts!) from Wamena in the Baliem Valley to Jayapura for a mere Rp50,000-100,000. But for safety, Wings Air and Trigana Air Service have scheduled flights between those two cities.

 * Susi Air to local destinations across Papua. +62 811 211 3080
 * Trigana Air. +62 967 535 666
 * Lion Air provides budget flights to and from various parts of Indonesia, and regional flights between major cities in Papua. +6280 4177 8899

See

 * See Australasian wildlife in the national park or conservation area including birds-of-paradise, cassowary, crowned pigeon, dingiso, dorcopsis, pig-nosed turtle, tree-kangaroo, waigeou cuscus, and so on.
 * Traditional houses of Papuan people, Honai, the traditional houses of the mountains Papuan, especially the Dani tribe. Rumah Tinggi of Korowai tribe, built on large and sturdy trees as the basis for the foundation. The tops of the trees are then deforested for further use as houses. All materials are of natural origin, logs and boards are used for the roof and floors, while the walls are made of sago bark and wide leaves. Jew, one of the traditional houses from the Asmat tribe.
 * Mumi Papua (Papuan mummy), the mummification is done by fumigating the corpse with firewood. There are five tribes in Papua that have a tradition of mummifying corpses, including the Mek tribe in the Pegunungan Bintang, the Dani tribe in the Baliem Valley, the Moni tribe in Intan Jaya, the Yali tribe in Kurima, and the Mee tribe in Dogiyai.
 * Historical sites, there are so many historical relics from the Dutch colonial era to the second world war in Papua, Fort Du Bus in Kaimana Regency, MacArthur Monument in Jayapura Regency, Boven-Digoel concentration camp near Merauke, World War II Monument in Biak, etc.
 * Prehistoric sites in Tutari, Jayapura Regency. The Tutari site is a rising hill overgrown with weeds, shrubs, and eucalyptus trees and there are large rocks. Some of the stones were used as a medium for megalithic paintings. Also in Fakfak Regency, there are numerous prehistoric sites in Tapurarang Kokas, there are red palms painted on cliff walls and caves.
 * 0 kilometres of Indonesia monument in Merauke, which is the most eastern point of Indonesia.
 * Grasberg mine. There is a mine tour conducted by PT Freeport Indonesia. You also have the opportunity to ride a large gondola through the fog. Don't forget to stop by Kuala Kencana, the first city in Indonesia to use underground utilities for power lines, and communications, as well as distribution of clean water and centralized sewage treatment.

Natural sights

 * Beaches, various white sand beaches can be found in Raja Ampat, Biak, Fakfak and Manokwari.
 * Clean and clear rivers, visiting and swimming in the river Kali Biru Warsambin in Raja Ampat or Kali Biru Genyem in Jayapura, also Kali Sembra Teminabuan in Sorong.
 * Lakes, you may see blue water lake, Telaga Biru Samares in Biak and many other beautiful lakes (danau) in Papua including Danau Kamakawalor in Kaimana Regency, Danau Rombebai in Memberamo Raya Regency, Danau Paniai in Paniai Regency, Danau Tigi in Deiyai Regency, and so on.
 * Turquoise water bay, fly to Serui in Kepulauan Yapen Regency to see a bay that has turquoise water named Teluk Sarawandori.
 * Waterfalls, there are numerous waterfalls in Papua, just ask people, you want to go to the nearest air terjun. You may visit Air Terjun Sasnek in Sorong Selatan Regency and Air Terjun Selani in Keerom Regency.

Diving and snorkeling
The archipelago of Raja Ampat, in the waters of the Bird's Head Peninsula in Indonesian Papua, is regarded by Conservation International as the area with the highest marine biodiversity (e. g. 553 species of corals out of the total 798 known species) on earth. Higher than any other areas in the Coral Triangle compound which consists of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It is also insanely off-the-beaten-path which greatly helps to preserve its pristine nature, options to visit the area include staying on a liveaboard or staying in one of the few resort islands Misool, Sorido, or Arborek. In Padaido islands of Biak, you may find an undersea cave, coral garden, and World War II wrecks. In Teluk Cendrawasih National Park in Teluk Wondama Regency, you may dive with whale sharks.

Mountaineering
Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) in Lorentz National Park has become a part of the World Seven Summits. In addition, there are several other mountains that can be climbed in Papua including, Puncak Trikora, Puncak Mandala, Puncak Yamin, Mount Cycloop, Mount Bijih, Mount Mebo, Mount Umsini, Mount Kwoka, Mount Yaramniapuka, and others.

Tradition
Wearing a koteka - the traditional Dani dress for men.

Eat
Native highland Papuan food usually consists of boar with tubers such as sweet potato and taro cooked in some hot stones called Barapen or Bakar batu. In lowland and coastal areas, freshwater and marine products are the main food. As a stronghold of Christianity, Papuan food regularly makes use of non-halal ingredients, and you will need to find some effort to seek out halal food.
 * Abon gulung, rolls with abon (floss) in the middle. A delicacy of Manokwari city.
 * Aunu Senebre, made from the basic ingredients of teri nasi (Commerson's anchovy) mixed with sliced taro leaves.
 * Finukhu/papeda bungkus, one of Indonesia's intangible cultural heritages, sago porridge/congee in banana leaves.
 * Ikan bungkus, steamed spiced fish wrapped in taro leaves.
 * Keladi tumbuk, boiled taro then pounded until smooth. It is served with ferns, papaya flowers, smoked fish, and sambal.
 * Keripik keladi, sweet and spicy taro chips from Sorong.
 * Kue lontar, a condensed milk pie.
 * Sagu tindis/amamaihi, a dish made from sago and grated coconut made by the Kamoro people in Timika.
 * Sate rusa, a deer satay, specialty of Merauke city.
 * Udang selingkuh, a crayfish dish in Baliem Valley. You may try this dish in the city of Wamena.
 * Ulat sagu, raw sago caterpillar.

Alcoholic

 * Swansrai, Papuan specialty drinks, especially from the Biak, Supiori, and Numfor regions, which have a strong, slightly bitter taste, and alcohol content of up to 30 percent. Similar drinks are also found in several areas in Papua with different names. Papuans usually offer swansrai in honor of guests, and it is often served in a coconut shell.

Non-alcoholic

 * Es matoa, an iced drink made from buah matoa (Pometia pinnata) and other ingredients.
 * Es sunset, an iced drink made from a juice of carrot and orange.
 * Kopi Moanemani, a type of Arabica coffee grown organically by traditional farmers of the Mee tribe in Dogiyai Regency.
 * Kopi Oksibil, a type of Arabica coffee grown in Pegunungan Bintang Regency.
 * Kopi Wamena, a coffee from Baliem Valley.
 * Sari buah merah, a juice of Pandanus conoideus. It is a plant in the Pandanus family native to New Guinea.
 * Sirup henggi, a nutmeg drink from Fakfak.
 * Teh sarang semut, a herbal tea made from musamus or ant house that is not actually a nest made by ants. More precisely, musamus is Merauke's natural masterpiece of a nest of an animal similar to the termite Macrotermes sp. The "tea" is made by Marori Manggey tribe in Merauke.

Stay safe
The Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka or OPM, pronounced "Oh Peh Em") continues to operate throughout Papua and all of Papua's major cities have seen violently suppressed riots. The OPM has also kidnapped Western hostages on two occasions, although their targets are mining company employees and Indonesian security personnel, not tourists. OPM now focuses on Timika (Freeport Mining City) to attack Indonesian military and Freeport personnel. Other areas including Jayapura, the islands surrounding Papua and West Papua Province are relatively more safe. There are also some tribes who fight with bows and arrows, but visitors are very unlikely to be injured in the crossfire.

Drunks can be encountered virtually anywhere especially during nighttime. Avoid them and never engage in a fight.

The traffic can sometimes become heavily disorganised, and in addition, there may be many juveniles without driver's licenses driving motorcycles on the roads. Should an accident, major or minor, occur, be aware that often, the non-local would be blamed for the accident unless police intervene, regardless of whether the accident was really his/her fault. Always wear a helmet when on a motorcycle.

The electricity service in Papua is not reliable in many places, and blackouts and brownouts do occur at times. As a precaution, make sure that any valuable electrical or electronic devices are protected with a protection unit such as a mini travel adapter with built-in fuse.

Large saltwater crocodiles can be encountered in all low-lying waterways and beaches.

Malaria is endemic to the province. Precautions are highly recommended.

Streetside "kaki lima" food vendors often prepare food in unsanitary conditions. Eating from these vendors is not recommended unless one's immune system has been accustomed to these conditions through previous experiences. E. coli or typhoid may be contracted from contaminated food here.

Go next

 * Maluku Islands (Moluccas) – to the west
 * Papua New Guinea – to the east, the eastern half of New Guinea, across the Fly River

title: Papua


text:
Papua (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called Papua:

New Guinea

 * Papua - an Indonesian province, also known as Western New Guinea.
 * Papua New Guinea (Independent State of Papua New Guinea) - an independent state
 * Papua Region - one of the four regional groupings of Papua New Guinea

title: Papua (disambiguation)


text:
Papua New Guinea

The Independent State of Papua New Guinea (PNG, Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini, Hiri Motu: Papua Niu Gini) comprises the eastern part of the world's largest and highest tropical island, New Guinea, together with many smaller offshore islands.

Regions
The country can be divided into 9 regions:

Cities

 * — the capital city with its interesting Zoological gardens, the Parliament building, the museum, and general Melanesian atmosphere
 * — laid-back capital of Milne Bay province and gateway to some fascinating but remote islands
 * — an attractive highland town with pleasant climate and the annual Goroka Show, centre of the country's coffee industry
 * — the country's second city, main commercial centre and gateway to the highlands
 * — a beautiful city with breathtaking flights of bats in the evening (it is illegal to hurt them), and even more breathtaking diving
 * — the 'wild-west' frontier town in the Highlands, which will introduce you to the cool, crisp Highlands weather and Highlands culture
 * — the city at the foot of an active volcano which was evacuated and severely damaged by a major eruption in 1994
 * — the border town if you want to make your way to or from the province of Papua in neighbouring Indonesia; popular surfing destination
 * — the gateway to the Sepik river, where you can experience Sepik culture, the river itself, and the elaborate carvings typical of the region

Other destinations

 * — one of the most popular experiences in PNG, a 96 km hike along a historic trail across the Owen Stanley Range, famous for its part in World War II
 * — beautiful island group well off-the-beaten-path; world-class diving and yachting heaven
 * — referred to by the anthropologist, Malinowski, as the "Islands of Love"
 * — the Fjordland of Papua New Guinea with fascinating scenery, great diving, and tapa cloth made from mulberry bark

History
There is evidence of human settlement as long ago as 35,000 years in what is now Papua New Guinea. This comes from an archaeological site at Matenkupkum, just south of Namatanai in New Ireland province. Other archaeological digs at several locations in New Ireland have discovered tools and food residue dating back 20,000 years.

In more modern times, Papua New Guinea, the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (which is the second largest island in the world), was divided between Germany ('German New Guinea') and Great Britain ('British Papua') in 1884. The Dutch had West Papua, now the Indonesian territory of Papua. The southeast part of the island, also known as Papua, was owned by the UK but administered by Australia, and thus a colony of a colony, until Australian federation in 1901, when it became an Australian territory. In 1914, the Australians did their part in the Allied war effort as a part of the British forces and took control of German New Guinea. They continued to administer it as a Trust Territory under the League of Nations on behalf of the British, and later the United Nations. However, it was not just disinterested colonialism. Gold had been discovered in several places and was rapidly exploited. Remnants of vast gold dredges can still be seen in the Bulolo and Wau area.

During the Pacific War, New Guinea was the site of fierce fighting on land (at Buin and on the Kokoda Track) and sea (at the Battle of the Coral Sea). It was the first place in the war where the Japanese advance was checked and then reversed. After the war, both New Guinea and Papua were administered from the government centre of Port Moresby on the south coast, in Papua. While it became a country in July 1949, under the name Territory of Papua and New Guinea, the country, now united as "Papua New Guinea", achieved independence from Australia in September 1975. Today Papua New Guinea continues to be the foremost country in Melanesia. The country struggles to fulfil the dreams of independence as economic stagnation, corruption, law and order problems, and a nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville (which was supported by Australia and Indonesia) all conspire to make the country somewhat less than a tropical paradise.

The attempts by Bougainville to break away at the time of Independence led to a decision to offer the regions of the country a certain amount of political autonomy and Bougainville is expected to become independent around 2027. Decentralisation led to the establishment of nineteen provincial governments and the process of dividing up the country into unviable administrative units seems to be continuing, with a decision in 2009 to split both Southern Highlands and Western Highlands provinces into three new provinces.

In 2009, Papua New Guinea received 125,000 visitors, but only around 20% of these declared themselves as tourists. The country offers the traveller a true paradox. With little tourist infrastructure outside the main tourist areas, getting around can be tough. But Papua New Guineans themselves are wonderfully welcoming people who will go to great lengths to accommodate strangers. Tourism is well developed and growing in a handful of locations. Beyond these, the country is 120% adventure travel and not for the inexperienced or faint of heart.

For people who can make it out here, the experience is unforgettable. The incredible natural beauty is simply indescribable. Its unique flora and fauna includes enormous radiations of marsupials and birds, including the Raggiana bird-of-paradise (the national symbol) and several species of tree kangaroos. Untouched coral reefs compete with spectacular World War II wrecks for the attention of divers, and the hiking is out of this world.

The central highlands of Papua New Guinea were not mapped until the 1930s and not effectively brought under government control until the late 1960s. As a result, the people are as interesting as the geography, flora, and fauna. Papua New Guinea is a place that often markets itself as 'the Last Unknown' or a place where you can still find 'Stone Age People'. Of course, telling a Papua New Guinean that you consider them a Stone Age savage is incredibly rude. While you can, if you try hard enough, find old men who remember the first time they or anyone in their society saw metal, you'll also have trouble finding anyone who has not seen Titanic. Indeed, what makes Papua New Guinea so interesting today is not the fact that it is some sort of living museum, but its incredible dynamism. In the hundred-year shift from stone to steel to silicon, Papua New Guineans have turned the shortest learning curve in human history into one of the most colourful, and often idiosyncratic, experiments in modernity ever produced by human beings. Featuring ritual garb made of human hair and rolled up Instant Noodle wrappers, rap in Pidgin English, or tribal warriors named 'Rambo' for their valour in combat, Papua New Guinea's collision with global culture has been intense and fascinating. So don't worry about the fate of 'traditional culture': in the bar room brawl between Papua New Guinea and the global culture industry the biggest worry is keeping Papua New Guinea from pummelling global culture to a pulp.

Climate
Papua New Guinea is just to the south of the equator and has a tropical climate. In the highlands, though, temperatures are distinctly cool. The (very) wet season runs from about December to March. The best months for trekking are June to September.

Terrain
The country is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, at the point of collision of several tectonic plates. There are a number of active volcanoes, and eruptions are frequent. Earthquakes are relatively common, sometimes accompanied by tsunamis.

The country's geography is diverse and, in places, extremely rugged. A spine of mountains, the New Guinea Highlands, runs the length of the island of New Guinea, forming a populous highlands region mostly covered with tropical rainforest. Dense rainforests can be found in the lowland and coastal areas as well as very large wetland areas surrounding the Sepik and Fly rivers. This terrain has made it difficult for the country to develop transportation infrastructure. In some areas, aircraft are the only mode of transport. The highest peak is Mount Wilhelm at 4,509 m (14,793 ft). Papua New Guinea is surrounded by coral reefs which are under close watch to preserve them.

Read
There are many great books about Papua New Guinea, including great fiction as well as non-fiction. An excellent book for the general reader about Papua New Guinea is Sean Dorney's Papua New Guinea: People, Politics, and History Since 1975. The third edition is the best, but it is pretty hard to find outside of Australia (and is not that easy to find there).

John Laurel Ryan, a former employee of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), also wrote an excellent book, The Hot Land which was published about 1970. Among other fascinating historical information it contains accounts of various manifestations of cargo cult, John Teosin's "baby garden" on Buka Island, and eye-witness reports that have been rigidly suppressed in other media about the Indonesian takeover of the former Dutch West Papua. This excellent and at times disturbing book will also be hard to find. Much easier to find is the book Throwim Way Leg by well-known Australian scientist Tim Flannery. The book, whose title means "go on a journey" in Tok Pisin, recounts the author's adventures in the PNG highlands while on assignment to gather zoological specimens in the mid-1980s. Its depictions of the people who inhabit this region are particularly memorable.

There is also a lot of anthropological work that has been done in Papua New Guinea (leading some to term the area an "anthropologist's laboratory"), which can contribute greatly to an understanding of the different groups in the region. Some of the more accessible volumes include Malinowski's Argonauts of the Western Pacific, centred on the Trobriand Islanders, who live just north of Papua New Guinea; Reading the Skin by Michael O'Hanlon; Coaxing the spirits to dance by Welsch, Webb et al.; The Art of Kula by SF Campbell; and Inalienable Possessions by AB Weiner.

People
Papua New Guinea has hundreds of ethnic groups and is arguably one of the most heterogeneous countries in the world. Each group has expressive forms in art, weaponry, dancing, music and costumes.

Holidays

 * January 1: New Year's Day
 * Easter (according to the Gregorian calendar)
 * June 8: Queen's Birthday
 * July 23: Remembrance Day
 * August 26: National Day of Repentance
 * September 16: Independence Day
 * December 25: Christmas Day
 * December 26: Boxing Day

 * Papua New Guinea Travel website

Entry requirements
Everyone needs a visa to enter Papua New Guinea, but a 60-day visa on arrival is available to all EU/EFTA citizens and to citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Peru, Philippines, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu and Vatican City. Citizens of other countries need to obtain advance visas from the nearest PNG diplomatic mission.

The immigration authorities will allow visa on arrival only for stays longer than 8 hours, so if you're transiting through Port Moresby, you will not be permitted to leave the airport.

By plane
Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby is the nation's international airport.

 * Air Niugini flies to and from Cairns, Sydney, Brisbane, Honiara, Koror, Nadi, Manila, Singapore, Hong Kong, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Tokyo and Port Vila.
 * Citilink flies to and from Denpasar
 * Philippine Airlines flies to and from Manila
 * PNG Air flies to and from Cairns
 * Qantas flies to and from Brisbane
 * Solomon Airlines flies to and from Honiara

By boat
The ports include Madang, Lae, and Port Moresby on the mainland, Kieta on Bougainville, and Rabaul and Kimbe on New Britain. However, they are only internal ferries. International ferries are unavailable. However, cruise ships occasionally dock at Port Moresby.

By land
The only land border is with Papua, Indonesia. Crossing it involves some preparation but is easier than it used to be. That said, make sure you have contingency plans, as the Papua New Guinea immigration officers are known to habitually not show up for work, especially on market days when they might be out drinking, and you will not be able to cross the border legally if that happens. In Jayapura, Indonesia, there is a consulate to apply for a tourist visa. The consulate is located in Mendi, a 10-min green PMV (public motor vehicle) ride away from Jayapura's capital. The price is 2,000 Indonesian rupiah (IDR).

Depending on your Indonesian visa there are different options to cross the border. If you have a visa on arrival, issued to you for example at Jakarta Airport, you can only cross the border using a boat or by stamping out at customs in Jayapura and then immediately travelling to the border 30 km away. Western travellers attempting the latter should expect to pay some miscellaneous fees and jump moderate bureaucratic hoops before leaving.

Boats can be rented from Hamedi. Any other type of visa you can rent a car, or an ojek and cross the land border. If you rent a vehicle for the crossing you should expect to pay approximately IDR300,000 from Jayapura town and upwards of IDR500,000 to return from the border to Jayapura.

By car
Papua New Guinea is a strange place when it comes to travel. The tropical conditions, fierce geography, and lack of government capacity means there are very few paved roads in the country, with a very messy road system. Most highways in PNG are not connected to one another. The big exception to this is the Highlands Highway, which begins in Lae (the country's main port) and runs up into the highlands through Goroka to Mt. Hagen with a fork going back to the coast and Madang. Shortly outside Mt. Hagen the road branches, with the southern line going through the Southern Highlands to Tari while the northern line runs through Enga province and ends in Porgera. On the north coast, a tenuous highway runs from Madang to Wewak only in theory, with a large gap between Gavien and Bak.

With the exception of a brief span of road connecting it to the immediate hinterland and a road that will enable you to follow the coast southeast for a few hours, there are no major roads linking Port Moresby to anywhere else.

Because it was administered by Australia until 1975, traffic in PNG drives on the left side of the road with right hand vehicles. The maximum speed limit is a very low 70 km/h.

By public motor vehicles (PMV)
The most common way to travel is by PMV/bus with the locals.

Lae, Madang, Goroka, Tari, and Mount Hagen are all connected by a good highway. As a newcomer it is probably advisable to get help from locals (e.g., hotel-staff). Most towns have several boarding points. A trip from Lae to Madang costs around K20, to Mt. Hagen K30 (kina).

By plane
Papua New Guinea has historically been one of the world centres for aviation and still features some of the most spectacular flying in the world. In the 1920s, Lae was the busiest airport in the world: it was there that aviators in the gold mining industry first proved that it was commercially feasible to ship cargo (and not just people) by air. In fact, Lae was where Amelia Earhart set off on her last journey.

Air transport is still the most common way to get around between major urban centres - indeed, pretty much every major settlement is built around an airstrip. In fact, the main drag of Mt. Hagen is the old airstrip! Travel from the coast into the Highlands is particularly spectacular (don't take your eyes off the window for a second!) and pilots from Australia, New Zealand, America and other countries work here just for the great flying experience. If you don't like light aircraft, flying to more remote locations here may not be the best option for you.

The two major domestic airlines are Air Niugini and PNG Air:

 * Air Niugini connects Port Moresby and, to a lesser extent, Lae with most of the provincial capitals, but does not offer much of a service between the smaller towns. A domestic route map is available. The airline flies a mixture of Boeing and older Fokker jet aircraft, and a handful of Dash 8 propeller aircraft. The airline has a good safety record, only blemished by one crash in 2018.
 * PNG Air connects a large number of smaller towns. It operates propeller aircraft seating either 36 or 72 passengers. It operates on the mainland and serves the larger islands. Historically, this airline had a poor safety record but has not had a fatal accident since 2011.

By boat
People living in the archipelagos get around locally with the ubiquitous banana boat, a 30- to 40-ft fibreglass hull with an outboard motor.

Also, two or three shipping lines also sell tickets for passengers who want to leapfrog from one city to another. These ferries run only two or three times per week and offer upper and lower class. Upper gets you a bunk to sleep on while lower gets you a hard seat.

There is a ferry twice a week between Madang and Wewak.

One small ship leaves the city of Lae once a week, stopping at Finschhafen and Umboi Island. Sleeping on the open deck of a ship as it crawls slowly through the South Pacific night is about as romantic as it sounds, but beware - it gets cold on the open ocean no matter where you are, so take some warm clothes or buy a cabin inside.

Talk
With over 800 languages, it was pretty difficult to get everyone talking to each other. Two pidgins grew up in this area; Tok Pisin (based on English) and Hiri Motu (based on the local Motu language), and when the Anglophones married the Hulis and the babies learned the only language they had in common, Tok Pisin became a creole. Tok Pisin sometimes looks like it is English written phonetically ("Yu dring; yu draiv; yu dai" means "You drink; you drive; you die"), but it is not; it has more personal pronouns than English and its own quite different syntax.

Tok Pisin is spoken in most of the country and short, inexpensive guidebooks on learning Tok Pisin can be acquired in the many bookstores. Hiri Motu is spoken in Port Moresby and other parts of Papua, though since Port Moresby is the capital, you're likely to find Tok Pisin speakers in the airport, banks, or government. When approaching locals, try to speak English first; using Tok Pisin or another language can make it look like you are assuming they don't know English.

You might sometimes have trouble hearing what the locals are saying because they speak very quietly. It is considered rude by some of the local groups to look people in the eyes and to speak loudly.

Signs are often either bi or trilingual, with English and Tok Pisin always present. Sometimes signs will only be in English, but only very rarely will an informational sign be written in Tok Pisin only.

South New Guinea
The Kokoda Trail is a 60-mile (97-kilometre) trail, beginning in the Port Moresby area and leading up into the Owen Stanley Range. This trail was first used by gold miners in the 1890s and is most known as a historical World War II site as the Japanese tried to reach Port Moresby along it. It takes between six and twelve days to hike this track, which includes plenty of ups and downs between mountain ridges and streams.

The Highlands
The Highland region is made of a long string of fertile valleys, each separated by mountains, that mean the Highlands are composed of many distinct tribal regions.

In the Eastern Highlands is Mount Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea's highest mountain (4535 m). Climbing Wilhelm is relatively easy; but three or four days are recommended to allow for sightseeing. There are views of both the north and south coasts of New Guinea from the peak. The Wahgi River in this area is considered one of the best whitewater rafting destinations in the world.

The Northern Coast

 * Madang is good for scuba diving, and the coral reefs are home to a variety of rare species of colourful fish. There are also underwater wrecks of Japanese fighter planes, with weapons and cargo intact. There are still-active volcanoes for trekkers to hike up not far from Madang.
 * Further west you come to Wewak. It is the gateway to the Sepik River region with a fascinating culture distinct from that of the Highlands. Take a long canoe ride up the river and its tributaries to visit the impressive Haus Tambaran.

The Islands

 * New Britain. This island offers excellent swimming and snorkelling. Trails in the area are perfect for day hikes and treks through the rainforest. There are also hot thermal springs and bubbling mud holes in this region of the island. The Baining people who inhabit the northeastern area of New Britain are famous for creating ephemeral art-forms, perhaps no better demonstrated than by their fire dance. A dramatic and beautifully made mask is constructed from bark for this ceremony and thrown away as worthless immediately afterwards.
 * Bougainville. Well off-the-beaten-path in the far east of the country, with great untapped tourism potential. World-class diving, dramatic treks and World War II Japanese relics are the key attractions.
 * Trobriand Islands. The so-called Islands of Love are well known for their unique culture.

Scuba diving
Go scuba diving, using one of more than a dozen local scuba diving operators. The national Scuba Diving industry body is a good starting point. Papua New Guinea has some of the very best tropical reef diving anywhere in the world.

Birdwatching
This is a birdwatching Mecca with over 700 species of birds including many birds of paradise. Definitely bring a pair of decent binoculars and ask in the villages for a volunteer to help you find the birds. An amazing experience! See also Australasian wildlife.

Surfing
Information through the Surfing Association.

Trekking
Another popular attraction here is trekking through the mountains, coastal lowlands and rolling foothills of the Kokoda and other trails. By far the most popular and set organised is The Kokoda Track, which attracts over 4,000 hikers a year. It is also possible to hike to the 4,509 meter high summit of Mount Wilhelm, the highest mountain in Oceania.

Festivals
The most popular activities for tourists here are festivals such as the Sing-Sing performances at the annual Goroka and Mt. Hagen shows. During these shows, there are usually more than fifty ensembles that turn up. The festivals are competitive and the winning ensemble is rewarded by being invited to give concerts at many restaurants and hotels during the following year. The beauty and colour of New Guinea's festivals is both pleasing to watch for tourists and helps the locals financially.

Fishing
Fishing is becoming increasingly popular. Species include Black Marlin, Blue Marlin, Sailfish, Yellow Fin, Skipjack and Dogtooth Tuna and the Giant Trevally. Mahi Mahi (Dolphin Fish), Mackerel and Wahoo. A particularly challenging fish is the black bass, which, pound for pound, is considered to be the toughest fighting fish in the world.

Flightseeing
Flightseeing is a word that should have been coined here. If you can afford it, just flying around some of the remote airstrips is an adventure in itself. There are strips that seem impossibly short, strips that seem to end with a mountain, strips where if you don't take off in time you will plunge into a ravine, and airstrips surrounded on three sides by water. From Port Moresby you don't have to fly far to get the experience. There are flights to villages on the Kokoda trail and others in the Owen Stanley mountain range in Central Province and you can fly a scheduled circuit or "milk run" in one morning, although you will have to be at the airport by 5AM. Check with PNG Air for schedules. Fane, Ononge and Tapini strips are particularly scary. Remember your life insurance.

Spectator sports
Rugby league is the national sport of Papua New Guinea.

Money
The kina, denoted by the symbol "K" (ISO code: PGK) is the currency of Papua New Guinea. It is divided into 100 toea.

Polymer banknotes in Papua New Guinea come in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 kina. Coins in Papua New Guinea come in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 toea and 1 kina.

ATMs are common in the main towns (mainly Bank of the South Pacific, ANZ and Westpac - all should accept foreign cards). Some will charge high fees, some might charge fees if you're in a different bank, and some in hotels might charge no fees (but are intended for guests only). Money changers give poor rates (similar rates to money changers in Australia) due to high business costs. Credit cards are commonly accepted in larger shops, hotels and restaurants, although there are occasional reports of fraud. Market stalls prefer small change. In some tourist spots, Australian dollars are accepted, although unlike other countries in Oceania, they may not always be preferred.

Not all foreign currencies are accepted in Papua New Guinea, and foreign currencies are not taken everywhere. If you were to use a foreign currency, your best bet will be using the Australian dollar – the US dollar are taken to a lesser extent, though you will have a better chance of getting with the Australian dollar as it was the country's former currency. Keep in mind that foreign currencies are only used in tourist spots and sometimes in major cities. No foreign currencies are accepted when in rural villages or anywhere outside the big cities.

Shopping
There is not so much shopping in the regular sense. In the major cities there are a few malls and supermarkets. Otherwise, most of the shopping is done in small markets that are held irregularly. A great place to visit is the craft market which is held once per month in Port Moresby opposite Ela beach in the car park of the IEA TAFE College. There it is possible to buy handicrafts from every part of the country. Although it is slightly more expensive than out in the villages, the prices are very reasonable. Haggling is not really an accepted custom; one can haggle a bit but to do it excessively may cause offence.

Don't buy bird feathers.

Eat
The food is largely devoid of spices. A typical way of cooking is a Mumu, an underground oven in which meat and vegetables, such as Kaukau (sweet potatoes), are cooked. In just about every meal, there is rice and another form of starch.

In the lodges that tourists stay in, there is usually a blend between this type of food and a more Westernised menu.

While it may come as a surprise for many, there are no American nor European chains in Papua New Guinea. The only chains you'll find are Big Rooster, a locally operated chicken chain, Eagle Pizzeria, an Australian pizza chain and Hog's Breath Cafe, another Australian steakhouse chain – so all either locally operated, or an Australian chain.

Drink
The main local brew, SP (short for South Pacific) Lager, is owned by Heineken. Binge drinking is a major social problem. Beers and wines are often served fairly warm due to a lack of refrigeration. Also, while the water quality varies from place to place (and in some cases from day to day), it is generally best to stick to bottled water, even in upmarket hotels.

Sleep
Hotels are very expensive (at least US$100/night, and often much more). Guesthouses are the best budget option in the towns but even then still expensive (about US$40/night) The least expensive option is to stay in village guesthouses (about US$15/night), and that is where the fun is, anyhow.

Port Moresby has international hotels including the Crown Plaza and Airways International, mid-range hotels such as Lamana, and guesthouses. The regional areas offer international and budget hotels depending on the size of the town and some provinces have guest houses.

Work
There is a workforce of close to two million people in various industries. There is high demand for skilled people, but it is difficult for those who are considered to be "unskilled" to find work. Many people have informal small businesses.

Stay safe

U.S. State Department travel advisory as of January 17, 2024: ''Reconsider travel to Papua New Guinea due to crime, civil unrest, and piracy. Exercise increased caution due to kidnapping, unexploded ordnance, inconsistent availability of healthcare services, and potential for natural disasters. Some areas have increased risk.''

Do not travel to: Central Bougainville, particularly areas near the Panguna mine, due to civil unrest.

The Highlands region, other than the towns of Mt. Hagen and Goroka, due to civil unrest.

''The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside of Port Moresby due to limited transportation infrastructure. U.S. government employees must obtain authorization before traveling to areas of concern, including the central part of Bougainville and the provinces of Southern Highlands, Western Highlands (excluding Mt. Hagen), Eastern Highlands (excluding Goroka), Hela, Enga, Jiwaka, and other areas of Papua New Guinea where one is unable to fly directly.''

The country has a reputation as a risky destination in some circles (primarily Australian ones), predominantly because of the activities of criminal gangs (known in Tok Pisin and commonly in English as raskols) in major cities, especially in Port Moresby and Lae.

That is generally a result of unemployment stemming from increased domestic migration from subsistence farming in the hills to the nearest urban area.

There is no history of heavy settlement in the Port Moresby and Lae areas. Hence, they are colonial cities comprised of a mix of tribal people which fosters instability. Madang, Wewak, Goroka, Mt Hagen, and Tari are much safer with longer periods of settlement and a more stable tribal homogeneity.

The villages are quite safe as the locals will "adopt" you as one of their own.

If you must, the most important thing is to stay up to date on the law-and-order situation in the locations you are planning to visit.

Most hotels in Port Moresby are secure and situated inside compounds, generally with guards patrolling the perimeter. However, actual gunfire in the capital is mercifully rare. If you plan on taking a tour of any city, make inquiries with your hotel or accommodation provider, as many will be able to either walk with you or drive you to wherever you are planning to go, or just around the local area if that is what you want to do.

Avoid going out after dark, but if you must, stay very alert.

Flying in small planes can be very risky. Hardly a year goes by without at least one fatal accident. While the planes are usually well-maintained and the pilots technically proficient the problem is the mountainous terrain. Many smaller airfields are situated in steep valleys. When there is cloud cover planes have difficulty in finding them and sometimes crash into a mountain. The national airline, Air Niugini, which flies internationally and to the major cities of the country has, however, an unblemished safety record in 32 years of operation.

Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are common in Papua New Guinea and are capable of growing to immense lengths of 7 m or more (although individuals over 6 m are rare). They occasionally devour humans. They are equally at home in coastal waters as they are in freshwater lakes and rivers. Avoid swimming except at higher elevations and in hotel swimming pools. Papua New Guinea, along with Northern Australia, has the highest and healthiest population of large saltwater crocodiles in the world.

Papua New Guinea is home to many active volcanoes and several of the most popular treks involve getting close or actually climbing one or more of these. Always heed local advice and a regular check of The Smithsonian Institute's Volcanic Activity Report would be wise.

Stay healthy
Tap water in some regions can be unsafe to drink.

Malaria can be a hazard as well, although many villages, particularly those connected to industry, are regularly treated for mosquitoes. Take the appropriate precautions against mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases. Malaria medication can be purchased at pharmacies.

Respect
As in many Melanesian cultures, greeting people with a friendly handshake is very important. Be aware, however, that it is a sign of respect not to make eye contact. The sight of hotel staff calling you by name, shaking your hand and looking at the floor may seem unusual at first.

Of course, do not take pictures of people without their consent, even if they have the most mindblowing clothing and makeup. Remember that they are real people, not tourist attractions.

Newspapers
Papua New Guinea has two daily newspapers that include up-to-date exchange rates and other important information:

 * The Post Courier ('the Post')
 * The National

Connect
Papua New Guinea has 2 mobile GSM operators: There is 4G LTE coverage in the capital, Port Moresby and Lae and 3G/2G coverage in most populated places.
 * Digicel PNG
 * bmobile-Vodafone

Go next
the following destinations are accessible by direct flight from Port Moresby:
 * Australia
 * Bali
 * Federated States of Micronesia
 * Fiji
 * Japan
 * Philippines
 * Singapore
 * Solomon Islands
 * Vanuatu

title: Papua New Guinea


text:
Paquetá Island

Paquetá is district of Rio de Janeiro situated on an island in the middle of the Guanabara Bay. It was a very fashionable place at the beginning of the 20th century, where the Brazilian upper class would have parties and spend their weekends. However, in the 70s, Paquetá became unfashionable among the rich, and you will find that many upper class Brazilians will sneer at the idea of going there. Don't be discouraged by that: although you'll find that most visitors are low income Brazilians, it is a wonderful place to go. Most of its houses date from the beginning of the 20th century, but there are some older constructions dating from the early 1700s, all of them well preserved. Also, the whole island was beautifully landscaped, with many cozy places to rest and enjoy nature. Because of its size and the fact that it is accessible only by boat, Paquetá is one of the safest places in Rio de Janeiro, with virtually no crimes.

Get in
You can get to Paquetá by ferry, departing in the mornings from Praça XV, downtown Rio de Janeiro. The ferry trip takes about one hour. You can also take the speed boat, leaving from a place adjacent to the ferry.

Get around
The island is a car-free zone, so getting around is limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages.

See
Paquetá is a wonderful place to stroll and spend a tranquil day. The whole place was built in the early days of the 20th century, and it is marvelously preserved. No cars are allowed in the island, which makes it a perfect getaway from the hussle and bustle of Rio. You should schedule at least half a day to spend strolling around the island, and it has wonderful places to picnic, like the Darke de Mattos park.

Do

 * Rent a bike and ride it along the main streets of Paquetá.
 * Picnic.
 * Swim at the very calm beaches. Despite them being in the middle of the polluted Guanabara Bay, they are usually proper for swimming, as oceanic drafts bring clean water (although, it is worth checking this when you're there).

Buy
Not many places to buy things there.

Eat
There are several inexpensive restaurants, but nothing fancy. Many restaurants offer nice views.

Drink
There are several bars along the main beaches where you can sit and drink beers. Some of them place sun umbrellas and serve snacks and beer at the beach.

Sleep
Paquetá offers several B&B and hotels, many of them quite affordable.

Go next

 * São Gonçalo

title: Paquetá Island


text:
Para

There's more than one place called Para or Pará:

Brazil

 * Pará (Brazil) - a state in North (Brazil)

Suriname

 * Para (Suriname) - a district

title: Para


text:
Paraíba

Paraiba (Portuguese: Paraíba) is a state in Northeast Brazil. The state is a tourist and industrial hotspot; it is known for its cultural heritage, amenable climate and geographical features, ranging from the seaside beaches to the Borborema Plateau.

Cities

 * — the state capital has beautiful historic buildings and few foreigners
 * — has countrywide fame for midwinter parties, Festa Junina or São João, in June, and hosts a large out-of-season carnival, Micarande, in April, and a few rodeos throughout the year
 * — town close to the Tambaba and other beaches
 * — known for its fossil sites (Vale dos Dinossauros)

Other destinations

 * —  an area that contains many fossilized dinosaur tracks
 * — archaeological site near the town of Barra de Santana

Understand
It is named after the Paraíba river.

The Paraíba economy is largely based upon the making of shoes and other leather products, the raising of cattle for beef, and sugarcane. Pineapple, corn, and beans cultivation are also widespread. The other important economical sector in the state is tourism, especially the state urban and unspoilt beaches, ecotourism and festivals such as "carnaval" and "São João."

Climate
Paraíba goes through wet and dry seasons, with most of its rain falling in the first third of the year, especially in March and April. However, in the east, including the coast and the agreste mesoregion, most rainfall occurs from April to June.

In the entire state, the period from October to December is the hottest and driest of the year, whereas June to August is the coldest, with temperatures in some areas reaching below 20°C.

Get in
Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport is 8 km (5 mi) from downtown João Pessoa.

The BR-101 and BR-230 highways cross Paraíba.

Do
Festa Junina (Saint John Festival) is celebrated on the 24th of June during the winter solstice. The festivities traditionally begin after the 12th of June, on the eve of St Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. During these fifteen days, there are bonfires, fireworks, and folk dancing in the streets. Once exclusively a rural festival, today it is largely a city festival during which people joyfully and theatrically mimic peasant stereotypes and clichés in a spirit of jokes and good times. Typical refreshments and dishes are served. Like during Carnival, these festivities involve wearing peasant costumes, heavy drinking, fireworks display and folk dancing.

The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday is Carnival time in Brazil. Rich and poor alike forget their cares as they party in the streets.

title: Paraíba


text:
Paraíso

Paraíso is a city of 26,000 people (2020) in Tabasco on the Gulf of Mexico. Much of the area is traditionally dedicated to fishing and agriculture. Today, it is also an oil-producing area with the mostly oil-dedicated port of Dos Bocas. There is also some tourism connected to the area's beaches and natural attractions, and the area is promoted under the state's Cacao Route tourism program.

Understand
Paraíso sits along the Gulf Coast shoreline in Tabasco on the left bank of the Seco River. It offers excellent dining opportunities on the shore, beaches with views of nearby oil platforms ("rigs"), and a central plaza fronted by a picturesque church.

Get in
It is about 75 km due north of the state capital of Villahermosa.

By bus
Paraíso is readily accessible by local and long-distance buses. In fact, the overnight bus from Merida to some cities in Tabasco makes a stop in Paraíso at approximately 06:00.

Lots of colectivos ply the route from Comalcalco (home to the largest archaeological site in Tabasco) to Paraíso. One spot they gather is on the road in front of the Chedraui/Cinepolis Plaza parking lot.

A taxi ride from there is also cheap.

By car
The city of Paraíso is linked to the rest of the state through the four-lane highway La Isla-Dos Bocas, which connects it with the cities of Comalcalco, Cunduacán and Villahermosa.

The federal highway No. 187 Mal Paso-El Bellote also crosses the city, which connects Paraíso with the cities of Comalcalco, Heroica Cárdenas and Huimanguillo.

The El Bellote-Santa Cruz state highway that connects Paraíso with the port of Frontera and with Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche.

The coastal highway of the state that connects the city of Paraíso with the port of Sánchez Magallanes, in the municipality of Cárdenas.

See

 * Mecoacán Lagoon: Body of water with small islands of exuberant mangrove vegetation and palm trees, habitat for countless aquatic birds such as herons, seagulls and pelicans, among others. In contrast to nature, the bridge that joins the Paraíso-Chiltepec highway stands out.
 * Mecoacán mangroves: Beautiful places of exuberant red mangrove vegetation that can be appreciated by tourism through a boat ride which allows contact with the flora and fauna of the tropical land mangroves.
 * Tupilco Bar: Very long beach, to the open sea, with fine sand, gray in color. The water is warm blue-green, moderate swell and shallow up to 100 m offshore. During the holiday periods it is quite crowded, mainly at Easter.
 * Republic of Paraíso tourist corridor: The tourist corridor connects the city of Paraíso with Puerto Ceiba and El Bellote. It has many restaurants serving typical food based on fish and seafood, as well as hotels of international business class chains.
 * Republic of Paraíso tourist corridor: The tourist corridor connects the city of Paraíso with Puerto Ceiba and El Bellote. It has many restaurants serving typical food based on fish and seafood, as well as hotels of international business class chains.

Beaches
Near the city of Paraíso are the beaches of:

 * Playa del Sol
 * Nuevo Paraíso
 * Playa Dorada
 * Playa Bruja
 * Playa Pelícanos
 * Playa Tortugas
 * Playa México

Festivals

 * Municipal Fair: an agricultural, livestock, industrial, artisan, artistic and fishing exhibition: it starts between April 21 and 23.
 * Feria de San Marcos: Religious festival in honor of St. Mark, Patron of the city, on April 25.
 * Candelaria Religious Festival, celebrated on February 2.

Eat
The flavored ice creams sold in the main park of the city are in great demand by visitors.

Sleep

 * Holiday Inn Express, Tourist corridor "República de Paraíso"
 * Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton, Tourist corridor "República de Paraíso"
 * City express, Tourist corridor "República de Paraíso"
 * Báez Paraíso, Blvd. Manuel A. Romero No. 100
 * Costa Esmeralda, Center
 * Hotel Dos Ceibas Suites, Center
 * Paraíso y Mar,	Paradise Beach

title: Paraíso