Different places to travel » Architecture

Bijbehara – a town in Anantnag district in Jammu & Kashmir

Traveller — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:42:57 +0000

Bijbehara or Vejibyor is a town. It is a notified area committee in Anantnag district in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, India.
The town of Bijbehara is situated in the north of district headquarters. These headquarters are located on the banks of Jhelum River which are popularly known as “Veth”. It is one of the notable towns of the district. It is four miles to the north of Anantnag town.
The town is surrounded and intersected by plateaus. These plateaus are called “The Totak Shah”. From this plateau, the whole town can be seen. There are many other plateaus which are getting urbanised.
The town of Bijbehara is filled with Chinar trees. This town is hence also known as “The Town of Chinars”.The Chinar trees were imported by Mughal emperors from Iran.

Rajouri District comprise of six Tehsils
• Rajouri
• Nowshera
• Sunderbani
• Kalakote
• Koteranka
• Thannamandi
The seven blocks are:
• Rajouri
• Manjakote
• Darhal Malkan
• Budhal
• Kalakote
• Sunderbani
• Nowshera

1. Dara Shukoh Garden at Bijbehara
• The garden is a favourite camping-ground of Bijbehara.
• It is at the bottom of the Lidar valley.

2. Lake of Pir Panjal Rajaouri
• The Pir Panjal falling under the jurisdiction of Rajouri-Poonch districts.
• It is a repository of beautiful lakes.
• These lakes are situated at an altitude between 13,000–14,500 ft.
• A lake is called “Sar” and meadow is called “Marg”.
• This stretch of Pir Panjal is full of lakes and meadows.
• It is considered a place to be well enjoyed by the tourists.
• There are more than 27 lakes between Simar Sar to Nandan Sar.
• This stretch is of an area of 900 km.
• Of these seven lakes are big in size.
• The rest of the lakes are smaller.
• Next to Kaunsar Nag, Bhag Sar is the biggest lake.
• Most of the big lakes are situated at the boundary line between Jammu division and the Kashmir valley.
• All of these lakes drain into the Kashmir valley.

The important lakes are:
- Sukh Sar
- Akal Dakshni
- Nandan Sar
- Chandan Sar
- Katori Sar
- Raviwalli marg group of lakes
- Chamar Sar
- Bhsg Sar
- Diya Sar
- Padyaran Sar I and II
- Katori Sar in Bela Marg and Smat Sar

• All the above lakes are situated in the highlands of Pir Panjal Range.
• These lakes freeze during winter.
• These lakes are available for rafting or boating only during summer season.
• Summer season is from during the months from June to October.

During their visit to Bijbehara, tourists can also visit Pahalgam and Srinagar.

Attractions of Pahalgam

• Mamaleshwar Temple
• Sheshnag Lake
• Tulian Lake
• Baisaran Meadow
• Betaab Valley
• Kolahoi Glacier
• Lidder River Rafting
• Lidderwat Valley Trekking Trail
• Pahalgam Golf Course

Attractions in Srinagar

• Shalimar Bagh
• Nishat Bagh
• Dal Lake
• Shankaracharya Temple
• Mughal Gardens
• Shikara Ride
• Houseboats
• Chashme Shahi Garden
• Hazratbal Mosque popular
• Pari Mahal (Quntilon)
• Nagin Lake popular
• Dastgir Sahib Shrine
• Khanqah of Shah Hamdan popular
• Sri Pratap Singh Museum
• Jamia Masjid
• Wular Lake
• Sangin Darwaza
• Masjid of Akhund Mullah
• Hari Parbat Fort
• Pathar Masjid
• Rozabal Shrine
• Kathi Darwaza
• Tomb of Madin Sahib
• Rainawari
• Naseem Bagh
• Harwan Garden
• Burzahom
• Garden of Char Minar
• Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara
• Khanqah of Khwaja Moinuddin Naqsbandi
• Jyeshtheshvara Temple
• Imambara Hassanabad
• Makhdoom Sahib Shrine

Things to do in Srinagar

• Shikaras in Dal Lake
• Parihaspora, Dewar
• House boating
• Bird viewing

Best time to visit / climate

The best time to visit is between April and September.

Location on Google Maps

View Larger Map

Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Bijbehara&hl=en&hnear=Bijbehara&t=m&z=13

How to get there?

1. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport.
• This is at a distance of 876 km from Srinagar.

2. Srinagar by Train
• Jammu is the nearest railway station to Srinagar.
• This is at a distance of 290 km.
• Jammu railway station is well connected to all major cities in India by rail.
• Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
• Taxi services are available from Jammu to Srinagar.
• The fare is about Rs 6000.

3. Srinagar by Bus
• Many tourist bus service providers arrange deluxe luxurious bus package tours from many neighboring cities to Srinagar.
- Srinagar is well connected by tourist bus services to:
• Chandigarh (630 km)
• Jammu (290 km)
• Delhi (876 km)
• Leh (434 km)
• Phalgan (96 km)
- Packaged tours charge about Rs 4 – Rs 5 per km.

4. By plane
• Sheikh ul Alam Airport is commonly known as Srinagar Airport.
• It is an international airport.
• Flights are operated by Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Spice Jet, Kingfisher Airlines, Go Air, Jet Lite and Indian Airlines from Delhi and Mumbai to Srinagar.
• The frequency is once or twice a day by each airline.
• The cost is approximately Rs 2,500 from Jammu, Rs 2,500-5,000 from Delhi one way and higher from Mumbai.

5. By taxi from Jammu to Srinagar
• Hiring a TATA Sumo SUV from Jammu costs approximately Rs 1,900-2,700 depending on time of year or even time of day.
• The journey takes around 8 hrs.

6. By bus from Jammu to Srinagar
• J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates fairly comfortable buses from Jammu costing around Rs 350 and does the journey in around 12 hrs.
• 2 day buses run between Srinagar and Leh staying overnight in Kargil.
• There are also direct buses from Delhi taking almost 24 hrs to reach Srinagar.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Hotels at hoparoundindia.com
• Hotels at packago.com
• Hotels at hotels.alc.co.in

Blogs / Sites about Bijbehara

• Blogs and reviews at hoparoundindia.com
• Blogs and reviews at mapsofindia.com
• Blogs and reviews at distancesbetween.com

Images and photos of Bijbehara

• Images at google.com
• Images at aikaindiaka.com
• Images at imagesofasia.com

Videos of Bijbehara

Travel – Dodecanese Islands – an island group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands

Traveller — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:47:38 +0000

The Dodecanese Islands (which means “twelve islands”) are an island group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the South Aegean Islands of Greece. These islands are off the southwest coast of Turkey, to the southward of Samos Island and to the northeastward of the Crete Island. Byzantine churches and medieval castles are the tourist specialties of the island. There are a large number of islands, with the total number being 163, out of these only 26 are inhabited islands. The most well known of the twelve islands is Rhodes, Kos and Patmos with the remaining nine being Astipalea, Kalimnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Leros, Nisyros, Symi, Tilos and Kastelorizo which are located in the east Mediterranean.
Other islands in the chain are Agathonisi, Alimia, Arkoi, Chalki, Farmakonisi, Gyali,Kinaros, Levitha, Lipsi, Nimos, Pserimos, Saria, Syrna and Telendos. There are many municipalities that come under these islands and some of them are Afantou Archangelos, Astypalaia, Attavyros, Chalki, Dikaio, Ialysos, Irakleides and Kallithea.

The regions that come under this prefecture are:
• Astipalea: This island is located between Kos and Amorgos and is a small and not very well developed island. This island is on the borders between Dodecanese and Cyclades. The island has traditional villages and wonderful sandy beaches. This island is in the shape of a butterfly.
• Halkiis: This is also a small and not a very developed island that is close to Rhodes. This island is good for those interested in trekking. The island is popular for its traditional architecture, the lovely waterfront, the calm beaches and the abandoned village in the centre of the island.
• Kalymnos is an island that is located between Kos and Leros that is close to the coast of western Turkey. This is the most beautiful island in Greece, that is also well known as the island of sponge fishers. This is actually a mountainous island but it also has two valleys that are best known for its agricultural products. Beaches, castles and churches make this is a popular place.
• Karpathos is an island that is located between Rhodes and Crete. It is the second largest island of the Dodecanese Greece islands. It is known for its clear waters and beaches and hills. This island is full of mountain villages with whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs and the narrow paved streets.
• Kos is the second most popular and the third largest of the Dodecanese islands after Rhodes. It has a good nightlife along with a beautiful landscape and soft sandy crystalline waters. There are verdant forests and the island is rich for those interested in archaeology.
• Leros: This Island is one of the smallest islands of the Dodecanese Greece islands and is full of vegetation, verdant trees, bright colored along with the deep blue of the sea and the golden sand that is the main attraction, attracting people like a paradise.
• Nisyros This Island is to the south of Kos and is a small island with the only ‘active’ volcano of Greece. The capital of the island which is known as Mandraki is a traditional settlement in blue and white colors. The beaches of Nisyros and the roads on Nisyros are not very developed.
• Patmos: This island is to the north of Leros and is known to be the most religious of Greek Islands as Saint John the Theologian who was exiled in 95-95 AD revealed and wrote the Apocalypse. It is located between Ikaria and Leros. The island has whitewashed cubic houses and flowered gardens, surrounded by narrow streets and stone steps.
• Symi: This is a small island that is located between Rhodes and Kos and to the north of Rhodes. The island has scenic towns and villages. This island is close to the Aegean and the Turkish shores and has a coastline of about 85 kilometers. This island is a mountainous island.
• Rhodes: This is the most popular and the largest of the Dodecanese islands. This island is the one of the most favorite tourist destination. This island has nice sandy beaches, picturesque villages and has an Old Medieval Town (the capital) which is very scenic. This island is very popular among the tourists.
• Tilos: This is another small and remote island that is located between Kos and Rhodes.

The provinces of Dodecanese islands are as below:
• Province of Patmos – Patmos
• Province of Kalymnos – Kalymnos
• Province of Kos – Kos
• Province of Rhodes – Rhodes City
• Province of Karpathos & Kasos – Karpathos

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate of is a mild Mediterranean climate; sunny with dry summers and mild winters. The months of July and August has the temperatures as being more bearable and is the best time to visit the place.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
One can reach these islands from Piraeus, Athens.
Most travelers arriving in Piraeus from Athens make use of the very convenient Metro Line 1 that terminates at the Port from where one can take a walk to the Saronic Gulf ferries, hydrofoils and catamarans, or a free shuttle-bus ride to the ships sailing to Crete and the Dodecanese. Direct Airport Express buses run 24 hours between the port of Piraeus and Athens International Airport.

Frommer’s Greece (Frommer’s Complete Guides)	Lonely Planet Greek Islands	Lonely Planet Greece

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at top-hotels-greece
• Hotels at dodecanese-islands
• Hotels at greekhotels

Blogs / Sites about Dodecanese:

• Blogs and reviews at bootsnall
• Blogs and reviews at lonelyplanet
• Blogs and reviews at worldreviewer
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod

Images and photos of Dodecanese:

• images at Google
• Images at greeka
• Images at united-hellas

Videos of Dodecanese:

Dodecanese Islands – Greece
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Karpathos & Kastelorizo : Two of the Dodecanese Islands – Greece

Dodecanese Islands – Greece

Kassos – A remote island

A video tour of Rhodes, Kos and Kalymnos in Greece’s Dodecanese islands

Rodos Island Greece

Poonch – a border town in Jammu and Kashmir

Traveller — Sun, 13 May 2012 05:16:40 +0000

Poonch is a town and a municipal committee in Poonch District in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Poonch is based on the Mah?bh?rata evidence. The evidence from 7th Chinese traveler Xuanzang. The districts of Poonch along with Rajauri and Abhisara had been under the sway of the Republican Kambojas in epic times.
Poonch has an average elevation of 981 metres (3218 feet). Pir Panjal range of mountains separates Poonch valley from Kashmir valley. The only road connection between the two valleys was from Jammu. With the completion of Mughal Road which connects Bufliaz in Poonch to Shopian in Kashmir, there is a direct connectivity between the two.
It consist of 4 tehsils viz Haveli, Mendhar Surankote and Mandi. Poonch is one of the remote and border district of Jammu and Kashmir state which is located at the Line of Control. Poonch is separated from Kashmir valley by the gigantic Pir Panjal range. The higheset peak is TATAKUTI which stands at 15560 ft. falls in Poonch.

Wild Life in Poonch

• Poonch District is rich in wild life.
• Forests in the district cover an area about 83.914 acres.
The rare mammals include:
• Markhor
• Musk deer
• Brown bear
• Leopard
• Ghoral
The birds include:
• Pheasant
• Black partridge
• Chakurs
• Snow cock kohlas

Poonch Specials

• Stunning scenic beauty
• Snow covered peaks
• Lush green meadows
• Dense forest
• Natural beautiful lakes
• Waterfalls

Attractions in and around Poonch

1. Noori Chhamb
• Noori Chammb is associated with the name of Mughal queen Noor Jahan.
• It is famous for its scenic beauty & water fall.
• It is located near Behram Galla in Surankote tehsil about 45 kms from Poonch town.
• The Emperor Jahangir had developed fancy & liking for this fall.
• Hence he named it Noori Chammb after the name of his beloved queen Noor Jahan.
• Mughal queen used to stay here for relaxation and bath on way to Kashmir.
• She had got fixed a mirror besides the fall on the mountain wall.
• Here she used to have her make- up after the bath.
• The remnants of the mirror are still there.

2. Girgan Dhok and Lakes
• It is a valley of seven lakes.
• It is located about 70 kms from Poonch town.
See the lovely and beautiful seven lakes which are:
- Sukhsar
- Neelsar
- Bhagsar
- Katorasar
- Kaldachnisar
- Nandansar
• These lakes are situated at the high altitude of 12000 ft. in the Buffliaz belt.
• Nandansar is one of the biggest lakes near Girgen dhok.
• The length of this lake is about one mile and its breadth is half a mile.

3. Poonch Fort
• The foundation of historic fort building in the capital of erestwhile Poonch Riyasat.
• This is the headquarter of truncated Poonch district at present.
• The Fort was planned as a composite structure for the fortification of the town.

4. Mandi
• It is a small village in a narrow valley.
• This village is enclosed by steep and grassy hills of no great elevation.
• This is situated near the confluence of two streams namely Gagri and Pulsta.
• Mandir Swami Budha Amar Nath Ji is situated in this village.
• Mandi is about 20 kms from Poonch town.

5. Rajouri
• Rajouri is a town and a municipal committee in Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Rajouri is important for defense point of view.
• Rajouri is about 130 kilometres (81 mi) away from Jammu city
• This town is on the Poonch Highway.
• Rajauri is also called the Vale of Lakes
• This is so as there are many lakes around the city.
• The area has seen a decline in tourists due to the Kashmir conflict.
• The District drives its name from Rajouri town.
• This town is historically known as Rajapuri/Rajapura.
• Rajouri District had been part of Poonch district prior to 1967
• On 22 September 1967, the government bifurcated district Poonch into two districts namely ‘Rajouri’ and ‘Poonch’

6. Lake of Pir Panjal Rajaouri
• The Pir Panjal falling under the jurisdiction of Rajouri-Poonch districts.
• It is a repository of beautiful lakes.
• These lakes are situated at an altitude between 13,000–14,500 ft.
• A lake is called “Sar” and meadow is called “Marg”.
• This stretch of Pir Panjal is full of lakes and meadows.
• It is considered a place to be well enjoyed by the tourists.
• There are more than 27 lakes between Simar Sar to Nandan Sar.
• This stretch is of an area of 900 km2.
• Of these seven lakes are big in size.
• The rest of the lakes are smaller.
• Next to Kaunsar Nag, Bhag Sar is the biggest lake.
• Most of the big lakes are situated at the boundary line between Jammu division and the Kashmir valley.
• All of these lakes drain into the Kashmir valley.

Other places near Poonch

• Loran
• Nandishool
• Surankote
• Behramgala
• Dehra-Gali

Religious Tourism in Poonch

• Mandir Budha Amarnath Mandi
• Gurudwara Nangali Sahib
• Gurudwara Deri Sahib
• Battalkote
• Mandi
• Ramkund Mandir, Mendhar.
• Shri Dashnami Akhara Mandir.
• Ziarat Sain Miran Sahib
• Ziarat Chhote Shah Sahib
• Ziarat Sain Illahi Bakash Sahib
• Ziarat Pir Fazal Shah Sahib

Trekking in Poonch

• Poonch to Gulmarg (Kashmir) via Jammia gali
• Poonch — Gaggrian Sawjian — Barshi Nallah — Barnara marg — Jamia marg — Jamia gali (15000 ft.) — Gulmarg(Tangmarg).
• Poonch to Nandishool via Loran (Sultan Pathri)
• Poonch to Yusmarg(Kashmir) via Nurpur gali and Khaara gali :
• Poonch — Loran — Sultan Pathri — Nurpur gali — Toshamaidan — Kundlan — Dood Ganga Bridge — Yushmarg.
• Poonch to Yusmarg(Kashmir) via Choti gali :
• Poonch — Behramgala — Chandimarh — Kabar Pathran — Choti gali(14100 ft.) — Kundlan — Yusmarg.
• Poonch to Tatakuti via Hill Kaka and Dhara marg
• Poonch to Shopian(Kashmir) via Peer ki gali :
• Poonch — Behramgala — Poshiana — Chita Pani — Peer gali(11500 ft.) — Aliabad Sarai — Hierpur — Shupian.
• Poonch to Hierpur (Kashmir) via Nandansar lake :
• Poonch — Behramgala — Girgen gali — Girgen marg — Panjtari marg — Khuooah — Gumsar — Nandan gali — Glacier — Nandansar lake – -six other lakes — Jaddi marg — Aliabad — Hierpur.
• Poonch to Gulmarg via Chor Gali :
• Poonch — Sawjian — Gali Maidan — Mangiana — Sari — Chor Gali — Gulmarg.

Best time to visit / climate

• It is generally pleasant and it is possible to visit the place throughout the year.
• The best time to visit is October and November.
• The summer season is from April to June and the conditions are warm for a short period.
• The monsoon season is from July till September.
• The winter season is really cold and temperature falls around freezing point.

Location on Google Maps

View Larger Map

Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Poonch&hl=en&hq=Poonch&t=m&z=16

How to get to Poonch?

• There is a small airport in Poonch.
• A railway is under construction.
• A bus across the LOC, the Poonch-Rawalakot bus has helped to re-establish ties across the border.

1. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport
• This is at a distance of 876 km from Srinagar.

2. Srinagar by Train
• Jammu is the nearest railway station to Srinagar
• This is at a distance of 290 km
• Jammu railway station is well connected to all major cities in India by rail.
• Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
• Taxi services are available from Jammu to Srinagar
• The fare is about Rs 6000.

3. Srinagar by Bus
• Many tourist bus service providers arrange deluxe luxurious bus package tours from many neighboring cities to Srinagar.
Srinagar is well connected by tourist bus services to
• Chandigarh (630 km)
• Jammu (290 km)
• Delhi (876 km)
• Leh (434 km)
• Phalgan (96 km)
Packaged tours charge about Rs 4 – Rs 5 per km.

5. By taxi from Jammu to Srinagar
• Hiring a TATA Sumo SUV from Jammu costs approximately Rs 1,900-2,700 depending on time of year or even time of day.
• The journey takes around 8 hrs.

6. By bus from Jammu to Srinagar
• J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates fairly comfortable buses from Jammu costing around Rs 350 and does the journey in around 12 hrs
• 2 day buses run between Srinagar and Leh staying overnight in Kargil.
• There are also direct buses from Delhi taking almost 24 hrs to reach Srinagar.

Some travel books from Amazon about Poonch

The Vale of Kashmir	Travels in Kashmir: A Popular History of Its People, Places and Crafts	Agony Of Dal Lake

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Hotels at wego.co.in
• Hotels at tripadvisor.in
• Hotels at holidayiq.com

Blogs/Sites about Poonch

• Blogs and reviews at poonch.gov.in
• Blogs and reviews at mustseeindia.com
• Blogs and reviews at holidayiq.com

Images and photos of Poonch

• Images at google.com
• Images at poonch.gov.in
• Images at oktatabyebye.com

Mattan or Martand – Surya Temple and a major Hindu pilgrimage in Jammu & Kashmir.

Traveller — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Mattan is a town and a notified area committee in Anantnag district which is in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Overview

• This pilgrim village is just off the road that leads to Pahalgam.
• The word ‘Mattan’ is an abbreviation of ‘Martand’.
• It has traditionally been a major Hindu pilgrimage.
• Lord Vishnu has been worshipped here in his Martand (Surya) manifestation.
• There are temples, and a gurudwara around this tank.
• Mattan has a Hindu majority and spiritual history.
• Mattan temple complex is located very near to the famous Pahalgam of Kashmir.
• It is a popular religious site of the Hindus.
• The Mattan temple of the Hindus is popular for the beautiful Shiva Lingam.
• The pious Lingam is preserved in this temple complex.
• The temple is a beautiful brick structure with surrounded crystal clear water on all sides.
• It is one of the religious places in India where the priests and pundits worship the Sun god.
• It was thus a popular place for Surya Tirth in the subcontinent.
• The Mattan temple complex is one of the much-guarded areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is controlled by the para- military forces.

Attractions in and around Mattan

• BUMZOO is a small sleepy village just two killometres from Mattan which is in Lidder valley.
• Two caves of Bumzoo are very popular and worth visiting.

1. First cave
• One cave is just 1.5 Kms from Mattan town.
• This cave is about 7 metres from road height.
• After about 15 metres it branches into two further caves.
• One straight and the other to the left are there.
• Some manmade stone structures are present in both these caves.
• The cave is pitch dark.
• The cave is visible on right side of the base of the hill from road at a point just 1.5 km from Mattan Bazar.

2. Second Cave
• The other cave is the Old shiva temple of Bumzoo kalhana.
• The temple is about 50 feet from road that overlooks river Lidder.
• The temple is inside a natural enlarged fissure of limestone cliff.
• The door of the temple has the usual Hindu Triad at the top flanked by two stone carved window type structures.
• The Verandah or the gallery is tiled with Devri stones.
• A flight of about 150 steps takes you up from the road to the Cave entrance.
• This cave temple is a protected monument looked after by archeological survey of India.
• This cave temple is older to 8th centuary Martand Sun temple which was built by king Lalitaditya.
• A smaller cave also exists at the bottom of this cave temple.
• This has been closed with wooden gate at present.

Attractions of Pahalgam

Attractions in Srinagar

Things to do in Srinagar

• Shikaras in Dal Lake
• Parihaspora, Dewar
• House boating
• Bird viewing

Best time to visit / climate

The best time to visit Mattan is from April to September.

Location on Google Maps

View Larger Map

Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Martand+Mattan,+Anantnag&hl=en&geocode=FSnWAgIdJRx7BA&hnear=Martand+Mattan,+Anantnag&t=m&z=15

How to get there?

1. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport
• This is at a distance of 876 km from Srinagar.

5. By taxi
• Hiring a TATA Sumo SUV from Jammu costs approximately Rs 1,900-2,700 depending on time of year or even time of day.
• The journey takes around 8 hrs.

6. By bus
• J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates fairly comfortable buses from Jammu costing around Rs 350 and does the journey in around 12 hrs
• 2 day buses run between Srinagar and Leh staying overnight in Kargil.
• There are also direct buses from Delhi taking almost 24 hrs to reach Srinagar.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Hotels at alltravels.com
• Hotels at tripadvisor.in
• Hotels at mybookingcorner.com

Blogs/Sites about Mattan

• Blogs and reviews at mapsofindia.com
• Blogs and reviews at autarmota.blogspot.in
• Blogs and reviews at gaffarakashmir.com

Images and photos of Mattan

• Images at google.com
• Images at flickr.com
• Images at travel.sulekha.com

Videos

Travel – Guyana – a country located in north-eastern South America

Traveller — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:00:46 +0000

Guyana is located in in the north-eastern part of South America. It is a country that has an Atlantic Ocean coastline on its northeast; to the east is Suriname; to the west is Venezuela and to the south is Brazil. It is known to be the third smallest country in South America (the first and the second are Suriname and Uruguay). The word Guyana means “Land of many waters”.
It is a non-Hispanic nation in South America along with Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil.
This place’s main events include Mashramani (Mash), Phagwah (Holi), and Deepavali (Diwali). This place is same as that of English-speaking Caribbean. It is also a founding member of the Caricom. The country is mostly populated with Amerindians and is a blend of Indo-Guyanese (East Indian) and Afro-Guyanese (African) cultures like that of Trinidad. It has the same types of food, festive events, music, sports, etc. to that of West Indies. Guyana’s main sports are Cricket and Softball cricket and football along with netball, rounder’s, lawn tennis, basketball, table tennis, boxing, squash and rugby.
English is the officially spoken language along with Creole and Amerindian dialects. This place is mostly either on highlands or on low coastal planes. The highest point is Mount Roraima which is at an altitude of 2,835 metres.
This place was initially a Dutch Colony and by 1815, the British took possession. It got its Independence on 26 May 1966 (from UK) and its National holiday is Republic Day, 23 February (1970) with the Constitution formed on 6 October 1980.
The regions of Guyana are:
• Guyanese Coastal Plain: This plain includes the cities of Georgetown, Bartica, Mabaruma and New Amsterdam.
• Guyanese Highlands: This region includes the cities Lethem and Paramakatoi.
• Corentyne-Berbice: This region includes the city Linden.

The cities of Guyana include:
Georgetown: This city is the Capital of the country and is situated in the county of Demerara.

Attractions of Guyana:
• Mashramani: This is an Amerindian word meaning “celebration after hard work” which takes place on February 23rd and it is also the country’s republic anniversary celebration. One can view a carnival-like event with parades and costumed bands through the city.
• Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Building: It is the largest and most powerful economic union in the Caribbean and housed in this building.
• Providence Stadium: It is on the north bank of the Demerara River and is the largest sports stadium in the country. There is a mall nearby called Providence Mall.
• Guyana International Conference Centre: It is a gift from the People’s Republic of China to the Government of Guyana.
• Stabroek Market: It is a large cast-iron colonial structure which looks like the statue that was located next to the Demerara River.
• The City Hall: This is a beautiful wooden structure originating from the colonial era.
• Orinduik Falls: This is the most visited falls of Guyana. It is situated on a highland river called Ireng River. This river lies on the border of Brazil and Guyana and joins Takutu River and then the Amazon River. These falls are at the Pakaraima Mountains and is known to be an extremely beautiful scene. The name Orinduik Falls is given after Orduik, which is the Amerindian name of an acquatic plant present at the falls. There are several herbal plants here. The surroundings are soothing and relaxings and one can rejuvenate mind and body. It is an eye for natural lovers and enjoyable site for children and family and one can also go for swimming here.
• St. George’s Cathedral, Georgetown, also known as St. George’s Anglican Cathedral: It is situated on Church Street. This church has one of the tallest wooden structures in the world and is the second tallest wooden church with its height being about 43.5 meters. The architect of this Cathedral is Sir Arthur Blomfield and the church was accessible to public on 1899. This is a National Monument as it was the first church, and it dates back to 1810. The arches are of Gothic style and it gives a historical glimpse into the Guyana of that time. The glasses are stained and portray scenes like Crucifixion and the Ascension and it also has a large chandelier gifted by Queen Victoria.
• Demerara Harbour Bridge, Guyana: This Bridge is a floating toll bridge of length 6,074 feet long. It was opened in 2 July 1978 and is one of the longest floating bridges in the world. The construction of Demerara Harbour Bridge, Guyana was assisted and started under the British Government. It is 1.25 miles long and has 61 spans with even small crafts being able to pass under. This bridge links people of Georgetown to the people living in West Bank Demerara and enhances business and trade in the country.
• Dadanawa, Guyana: This is also called as the Melville’s Ranch and is located on the Rupununi River in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region of Guyana. It is spread over an area of 2,000 square miles. It is also known to be the largest and most isolated cattle ranch of the country. The name is based on an Amerindian name from of the local Wapishanan of a mountain, Dadinauwau, which is close to Dadanawa, Guyana.
• Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, Guyana: This is a museum of anthropology that is one of the oldest museums of the country. It was open to public in 1982 though open in1974. It was run by a NGO of Government of Guyana. This museum houses collection and artifact of culture of Guyana. It also hosts exhibitions.
The organization takes care of the collection, exhibition and conservation of the artifacts that showcases the spectacular culture of Guyana. Dr Denis Williams (who was an archaeologist) founded Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, Guyana.
• Kaieteur Falls: It is situated in the centre of Guyana and on the Potaro River. It is a natural wonder, very beautiful. It has a single drop of 741 feet which is the largest in the world. It is located in Kaieteur National Park. It is known to be five times higher than the Niagara Falls and two times the height of the Victoria Falls. It is the 123rd tallest according to the World Waterfalls Database and the 19th largest waterfall in terms of volume and in their estimation, the 26th most scenic waterfall in the world.
• Iwokrama Canopy Walkway: It was opened in 2003 of November and has a 154 meter long Canopy Walkway from heights of 30 meters. One can see birds like the Green Aracari, Scarlet Macaw, Guiana Toucanette or Channel-bill Toucan and Red Howler Monkeys.
• Ecotourism: This is a booming industry in Guyana.
• The Rupununi Savannah, The Kanuku Mountains, Marshall Falls, Kyk-Over-Al, Shell Beach, Mabaruma, Lethem and Paramakatoi are some other destinations to visit.

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate is Tropical and moderated by northeast trade winds. There are two rainy seasons which are from May to mid-August and mid-November to mid-January. There is a threat of floods in the rainy seasons and so it is best to avoid this time for tourists.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:

Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to visit Guyana: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Luxembourg, Montserrat, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States.

By plane:
The Timehri international airport was named in honor of the indigineous displaced peoples of Guyana; and was renamed Cheddi Jagan International Airport after the President. There are daily international flights into and out of Cheddi Jagan International Airport which is about 40km south of Georgetown. International flights include flights to the US, Canada, UK and the Caribbean with Caribbean Airlines.

By car:
Guyana has roads accessible to Suriname to the East and Brazil to the south.
There are no road links between Venezuela and Guyana. Travel to Venezuela may be done by air via Trinidad or overland through Roraima State in Brazil.

Getting around:
Minibuses travel throughout Guyana and are the cheapest way to travel. Many parts of Guyana are separated by large rivers which can be traversed by way of river taxi. Taxis are a good way to get around in Georgetown or also rent cars.

Some books that will help enhance your trip to Guyana:

Guyana (Bradt Travel Guide Guyana)	Guyana [Hardcover]	Guyana, Guyane & Suriname

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotel
• http://guyanahotels.com/
• http://www.guyanahotel.com/
• http://www.herdmanstonlodge.com/

Blogs / Sites about Guyana:

• http://www.herdmanstonlodge.com/
• Expat-blog
• Travelblog
• Another Blog

Images and photos of Guyana:

• Google Image Search
• http://www.travel-images.com/guyana.html
• pbase

Videos about Guyana from youtube:

Guyana trip 2012

Guyana georgetown 12/6/11

GUYANA IS MY COUNTRY

Travel – Viñales – a beautiful and lush valley in the Pinar Del Río province of Cuba

Traveller — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:43:17 +0000

Viñales is a beautiful and lush valley in Pinar Del Río province of Cuba. It has an approximate population of 10,000 and 26 kilometers to the north of Pinar del rio. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This place is full of mountains. The mountains are called “mogotes” which means haystacks. This is a national park with mountains and caves that is in Pinar del Rio province. This park is known to have very good tourist facilities.
Attractions of Vinales:
• Calle Salvador Cisneros: This is the main street of Vinales. This street was named after Salvador Cisneros Betancourt who was a former President of Cuba.
• Casa de la Cultura: This is in the Central plaza. It hosts cultural events like music, fashion shows and children events. There is also a church and an art gallery. There is a farmer’s market in the morning on Saturday.
• Mural de la Prehistoria: It is a valley and has a restaurant, bar and a gift shop.
• Birdwatching: At the El Ranchón restaurant near the Cuevas Del Indio, there is a trail for bird watching.
• Rock Climbing: The above trail is also a rock climbing trail.
• Tobacco Farm Tours: Since this place is known for some very good tobacco, a guided tour can provide a good experienced to visitors.
• Hiking and Horseback Riding: The national park building (near the Hotel Los Jazmines) has exhibits of excursions and mogotes is the main hike.
• The main hiking trials are as below:
Cocosolo-Palmarito
Time: 5 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 8 km
Start: Hotel La Ermita
End: Mural de la Prehistoria y Campismo Dos Hermanas

Cueva del Cable (Cave of the Cable)
Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 10 km
Start: Rancho San Vicente
End: Hoya de Jutia
San Vicente-Ancón
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty: Low
Length: 5 km
Start: Hotel Rancho San Vicente
End: Ancón

Maravillas de Viñales (Wonders of Viñales)
Time: 5 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 6 km
Start: 2 km from Moncada
End: 1.5 km from Moncada

El Pinar y Su Encanto (The Pine and His Charm)
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 2.8 km
Start: Hotel Rancho San Vicente
End: Hotel Rancho San Vicente

Entre Valles y Montañas (Between Valleys and Mountains)
Time: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Low-Medium
Length: 10.8 km
Start: Hotel La Ermita
End: Hotel La Ermita

Tradiciones Campesinas (Traditional Countryside)
Time: 7 hours
Difficulty: Low-Medium
Length: 7 km
Start: Intersection of the road Capón and the Viñales-Puerto highway
End: Comunidad República de Chile

Del Infierno al Paraíso (From Hell to Paradise)
Time: 6-7 hours
Difficulty: Very high
Length: 8.6 km
Start: Resolladero río El Novillo
End: Mural de la Prehistoria

Tradiciones de Viñales (Traditional Viñales)
Time: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 5.7 km
Start: Hotel Los Jazmines
End: Hotel Los Jazmines

Los Paisajes en al Valle (The Landscapes in the Valley)
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 7.6 km
Start: Intersection of the Viñales road and the La Ermita Hotel
End: Intersection of the Viñales road and the La Ermita Hotels

En el Corazon del Valle (In the Heart of the Valley)
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 11 km
Start: Viñales Museum
End: Farm House in Viñales

Del Mirador al Valle (The View of the Valley)
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 4 km
Start: Hotel Los Jazmines
End: The town of Viñales

De la Mano del Guajiro (Of the Hand of the Peasant)
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 4 km
Start: Viewpoint at Sitio del Infierno
End: Primary School El Sitio

Cave Exploring:
1. Cuevas Del Indio: These are Indian caves located five kilometers to the north of Vinales. There is also a boat tour here.
2. Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás: This cave that is 15 kilometers to the west of Gran Caverna de Santo Tomas that is near El moncada. It is the biggest cave in Cuba.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit Vinales is between December and April. One can avoid the horrendous storms and hurricanes and avoid the sticky heat of the Cuban summer which can be unbearable for some.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
By plane: One can reach Cuba from Canada, Mexico and Europe by arriving at Jose Marti International Airport that is outside Havana. Cubana de Aviacion is the major carrier in Cuba and connects to Mexico, South and Central America, Canada and Europe. One can either take a taxi to Havana centre or take a bus service.
By boat: There are no regular boats or ferries to Cuba but private vessels may enter the marina Hemingway in Havana or marina Aqua in Varadero.
By bus: Viazul runs buses twice a day from Havana and Pinar del Rio.

Getting around:
By bike: One can use a bike to go around but one has to get one’s own bike for that.
By plane: Cubana de Aviacion or Aero Caribbean covers larger distances.
By train: The main line runs through Havana and Santiago de Cuba. It stops at Santa Clara and Camagüey. Cienfuegos, Manzanillo, Morón, Sancti Spiritus, and Pinar del Rio are the other cities that can be reached by train. Tren Frances operates between Havana and Santiago de Cuba alternately.
By bus: Viazul is the bus service in Cuba for public transport to tour the island. Astro is another bus line for touring in Cuba.
By boat: Cienfuegos or Trinidad incorporates the Canarreos Archipelago and the Juventud Islands or Jardines de la Reina Archipelago to Windward Islands is the bases for boat rides.

Travel to Vinares after reading these travel books from Amazon:

Nature Wonders VALLE DE VINALES Cuba	Frommer’s Cuba	Cuba (Country Travel Guide)

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Restaurant
• Hotel
• Cubahotelreservation
• Tripadvisor
• cuba-junky.com
• Travelpod

Blogs / Sites about Vinales:

• Lonelyplanet
• Travelpod
• bugbitten.com
• globenotes.com

Images and photos of Vinales:

• Google Image Search
• Fotosearch
• Tripadvisor
• Lonelyplanet
• Tripadvisor Canada

Videos of Viñales from Youtube:

Vinales Valley, Vinales (Cuba) – Travel Guide

Unesco World Heritage “Vinales Valley”, Cuba

Vinales Valley Cuba – World Heritage Site

Indian Cave, Vinales Valley, Cuba

VIÑALES VALLEY PINAR DEL RIO CUBA

Horse ridding in Vinales

Travel – Veraguas, a province of Panama that is to the centre-west of the country

Traveller — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:53:50 +0000

Veraguas is a province of Panama that is to the centre-west of the country. Santiago de Veraguas is the capital of this province. This province covers a land area of 10,677.2 km². Veraguas was founded by Christopher Columbus who could not establish a Spanish colony due to native Indians. Its capital, Santiago de Veraguas was founded in 1636. This is a province with coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean and is the only province to have such coastlines. The original inhabitants were Spanish-Indian origin named Campesinos. This province has a wide variety of Forests, mountains, coasts and islands where there are more than 200 varieties of orchids; more than 400 species of birds, besides mammals, reptiles and insects which attracts tourists.

This province is divided into twelve districts.
1. Atalaya District (Atalaya): Atalaya District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 8,916 and a land area of about 157 km².
2. Calobre District (Calobre): Calobre District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 12,184and a land area of about 802 km².
3. Cañazas District (Cañazas): Cañazas District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 15,999and a land area of about 800 km².
4. La Mesa District (La Mesa): La Mesa District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 11,746 and a land area of about 516 km².
5. Las Palmas District (Las Palmas): Las Palmas District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 17,924 and a land area of about 1006 km².
6. Montijo District (Montijo, Panama): Montijo District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 12,211and a land area of about 2202 km².
7. Río de Jesús District (Río de Jesús): Río de Jesús District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 5,256 and a land area of about 317 km².
8. San Francisco District (San Francisco): San Francisco District is a district in Veraguas Province.
9. Santa Fé District (Santa Fé): Santa Fé District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate land area of about 1943 km². This district is known for its orchids and Artisan Market that is known for classic Panama hats making and selling. These hats are very durable and cheaper here. Also this market sells handmade indigenous style dresses for women and girls. The district is divided into the following corregimientos: Santa Fé(capital), Calovébora, El Alto, El Cuay, El Pantano, Gatuncito, Río Luis
10. Santiago District (Santiago de Veraguas): Santiago District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 74,679 and a land area of about 971 km². This capital city houses the primary industries that include lead for 2H pencils and Spoon Handles.
11. Mariato District (Mariato): Mariato District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province.
12. Soná District (Enrique Arosemena): The district of Soná is a district within the Province of Veraguas and is located in the Republic of Panama. The capital town of this district is also Soná and hosts to the Sona Football Club 1835.

The major towns of this place are:
1. Soná
2. Bahía Honda
3. Calidonia
4. Cativé
5. El Marañón
6. Guarumal
7. La Soledad
8. Trinchera
9. Quebrada de Oro
10. Río Grande
11. Rodeo Viejo
12. El Distrito de Soná

Attractions of Veraguas:

National parks:
• The Coiba National Park: This Park has the largest coral reef of the Pacific Coast of America.
• Cerro Hoya National Park: This Park covers the southwest part of the Azuero peninsula and the surrounding sea.
• Santa Fe National Park: This is a beautiful virgin forest in the northern region of the province.
• La Yeguada Forest reserve: This reserve is known to have an artificial lake for the production of electricity.
• El Montuoso Forest reserve.

Beaches for recreation, surfing and fishing:
• Playa Santa Catalina
• Playa Mariato
• Malena and Torio

• Hiking: There are many mountains with hiking trails in the Province of Veraguas. One can explore the remote places and cultures by mingling with the locals of the province.
• Nature & Wildlife: The Coiba National Park which is a group of 38 islands including Coiba Island which is known as the largest island in Central America offers quite a large amount of nature and wildlife to explore. The waters are spread over an area covering 430,825 acres. This is a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Surfing: Santa Catalina offers big waves making it ideal for remote location surfing.
• Iglesia de San Francisco de la Montaña: This is a church that dates back to the year 1727. It has unique Baroque architecture and is a declared National Historical Monument (declared on January 27, 1937). About Seventeen kilometers from Santiago, this San Francisco de la Montaña Church is stationed. This church has hundreds of hand carved pieces and is known to have the oldest baroque group of altars of the continent. These altars are painted or covered with gold leaf. These altars have Scared scriptures carved on them with scenes, a reflection of the Spanish Catholicism mixed with the Indian culture. This is located few kilometers away from the Pan American Highway.
• Atalaya is the smallest district of the province of Veraguas with an area of about 150 square kilometers. This is to celebrate the Cristo de Atalaya, also known as Jesus of Nazareth and to thank and to ask spiritual, physical or material favors. People drive or walk and some crawl and some get there by taking 2 steps forwards and 3 steps backwards to get there. This celebration takes place after carnival until Sunday of the same week.
• The old houses of Sona: This is a town which depicts the history of the Spanish colonial times and one can see the houses that were built with palm, also called huts between 1828 and 1897. These huts had latched doors for avoiding letting pigs into the huts. There are about 80 of them and only 20 have mud walls. There are preserved traditional houses, located around the Plaza de San Isidro that date back to early 20th century.
• Coiba National Marine Park: Is on the island of Coiba which is the largest island in Central America. There are 37 surrounding islands and islets which are 30 miles off the Panamanian coast in the Gulf of Chiriquí. During the period 1919 to 2004, this island was a political prisoners location and a penal colony for criminals in Panama. It is about twenty miles to the southeast of Las Secas and one can reach by boat to this archipelago. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. This island is known for superior diving and known to be the best along the Pacific Coast from Columbia to Mexico. One can watch for the new marine species including whale and tiger sharks, sperm whales, sea turtles, angel rays and giant schools of fish and some of them are new to science. The crested eagle and several sub-species of agouti, possum and howler monkeys are housed here. It has been given the name of Garden of Eden and is known as the second largest coral reef in the Pacific.

Best time to visit / climate:

Veraguas has a tropical wet and dry climate. The dry season is from January to April whereas the wet season is in remaining year. The best time to visit this place is in the dry season.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map
Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?hl=en&q=veraguas+panama&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Veraguas,+Panama&ll=8.200616,-81.073608&spn=2.88131,3.532104&z=8&iwloc=A

How to get there:
From the City of Panama one can travel via the Inter-American Highway up to Santiago which takes about 4 hours. Take a private transportation or rented car or public transportation from the Terminal of Albrook. For travelling by airplane, take flights with a local airline departing from Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (Albrook).

To get around, a taxi is the best way.

Enjoy your trip to Veraguas with these Amazon travel books:

Lonely Planet Panama	Panama AdventureMap (National Geographic)	Fodor’s Panama, 2nd Edition

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):
• Hotels at allstays
• Restaurants at tripadvisor
• Hotels at costaricalink
• Hotels at maplandia
• hotels at exclusive hotels
• Hotels at tripadvisor

Blogs / Sites about Veraguas, Panama:

• Information on veragus at veragus.org
• Blogs and reviews at travelpost
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod
• Blogs and reviews at realestate
• Blogs and reviews at travelblog

Images and photos of Veraguas, Panama:

• Images at google
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at travel images
• Images at travelpod

Videos of VERAGUAS, Panama:

VERAGUAS, PANAMA

Living in Panama – Santiago, Veraguas

Santa Fe, Veraguas, Panama – International Living Panama

Playa la Plaza beach Western Azero Veraguas Panama

Ocean View near Torio, Veraguas Panama

Santa Fe de Veraguas Panama 2011

Travel – Santiago de Cuba – the capital of the province of Santiago de Cuba

Traveller — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:34:41 +0000

Santiago de Cuba is located in south eastern Cuba and it is the capital of the province of Santiago de Cuba. The second city of Cuba after Havana, is Santiago. Cuba is famous for its Cigars, rum, Fidel Castro, salsa, classic cars. Its official language is Spanish and its capital is Havana.
Attractions of Santiago de Cuba:
• Amusement Park: This is down the Ferris wheel stairway of San Juan Hill. It was built in 1985. It was built by Japanese investors and it has many rides that one can enjoy.
• Antiguo Carcel Provincial: This is a historical tour which is two blocks to the west of Parques Cespedes.
• ART ex: This is a shopping centre and has music collections that are popular. The other branches are the Casa de la Trova and at Patio ARTex, ARTex, General Lacret, ARTex, Heredia, ARTex, Patio.
• Ateneo: It is a cultural organization that was set in the late 19th century and now it is a educational centre for dancing, music etc.
• Ayuntamiento: This is a neoclassical architectural site that was erected in 1950.
• Bacardí Rum Factory: It is a brewing factory for rum that opened in 1868.
• Balcón de Velázquez: This is a Spanish fort which is very old and has terrace cotta tiled roofs and is towards the harbor.
• Ballet Folklórico Cutumba: This is a folk dance group that appears in the theatre Teatro Oriente. They perform on weekends with folk music and dance.
• Casa de Diego Velázquez: This is in the northwest corner of Parque Cespede and is the oldest colonial house of Cuba. It dates back to 1522 and was the residence of the first governor of the island. The house has wooden lattice windows and decorations from the 16th to 19th centuries.
• Casa de la Cultura Miguel Matamoros: It is on the eastern side of Parque Cespedes and is a San Carlos club.
• Casa de la Trova: This is the most popular club of Cuba.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit Santiago de Cuba is between December and April. One can avoid the horrendous storms and hurricanes and avoid the sticky heat of the Cuban summer which can be unbearable for many people.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:

By plane:
Airlines Aero Caribbean is operating to Santiago de Cuba from Havana.
One can reach Cuba from Canada, Mexico and Europe by arriving at Jose Marti International Airport that is outside Havana. Cubana de Aviacion is the major carrier in Cuba and connects to Mexico, South and Central America, Canada and Europe. One can either take a taxi to Havana centre or take a bus service.

By train: The train operates from Havana with stops in Camagüey and Santa Clara.
Four daily Viazul buses run to/from Havana and daily buses to/from Baracoa, Trinidad and Varadero.
The main line runs Havana and Santiago de Cuba. It stops at Santa Clara and Camagüey. Cienfuegos, Manzanillo, Morón, Sancti Spiritus, and Pinar del Rio are the other cities that can be reached by train. Tren Frances operates between Havana and Santiago de Cuba alternately.

By boat:
There are no regular boats or ferries to Cuba but private vessels may enter the marina Hemingway in Havana or marina Aqua in Varadero.
Cienfuegos or Trinidad incorporates the Canarreos Archipelago and the Juventud Islands or Jardines de la Reina Archipelago to Windward Islands which is the bases for boat rides.

Getting around:
By bike: One can use a bike to go around but one has to get one’s own bike for that.
By plane: Cubana de Aviacion or Aero Caribbean covers larger distances and operate on routes:
Cubana de Aviación
Havana – Camaguey – Havana, Yakovlev Yak-42D
Havana – Santiago – Havana, Yakovlev Yak-42D

Aero Caribbean
Havana – Camaguey – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Guantanamo – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Baracoa – Havana, ATR 72-212
Havana – Bayamo – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Cayo Coco – Cienfuegos – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Cayo Largo del Sur – Varadero – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Cienfuegos – Cayo Coco – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Las Tunas – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Manzanillo – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Moa – Holguin – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Nueva Gerona – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Santiago – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Varadero – Cayo Largo del Sur – Havana, ATR 42-300/320

Global Air (Mexico)
Havana – Cayo Coco – Holguin – Havana, Boeing 737-200
Havana – Holguin – Cayo Coco – Havana, Boeing 737-200
Havana – Santiago – Havana, Boeing 737-200

By bus: Viazul is the bus service in Cuba for public transport to tour the island. Astro is another bus line for touring in Cuba.

Learn more about Santiago de Cuba from Amazon books:

Cuba (Country Travel Guide)	Moon Cuba (Moon Handbooks)	Road to Santiago

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels
• Planetware
• Yahoo travel
• Cubahotelreservation
• Cuba.tc

Blogs / Sites about Cuba:

• Travelpod
• Travelblog
• Lonelyplanet
• Travelpost

Images and photos of Cuba:

• Google Image Search
• Cuba-pictures
• Tripadvisor
• Travel-images

Videos of Santiago de Cuba from youtube:

Santiago de Cuba ~ Club Bucanero

Bacardi Mansion, Santiago De Cuba – via ‘Coco’ taxi

Salsa dancing in Santiago de Cuba

Cuba: Santiago de Cuba.

Santiago de Cuba – The corner is a busy place

Santiago De Cuba – we check it out

Santiago de Cuba – Sunwing Flight Oct 25/2007

Santiago de Cuba – Virtual Tour (1ra Parte)

Travel – Nassau – the capital of the Bahamas

Traveller — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 16:23:51 +0000

Nassau is the capital of Bahamas (which is a member of the British Commonwealth). Nassau is the largest city in the Bahamas and is located on the eastern half of New Providence Island. It was earlier known as Charles Town around 1650 and later to Nassau, named after Fort Nassau. Nassau was also known as a pirates den. It has a population of approximately 200,000 and constitutes 70 percent of population of the Bahamas.
Bay Street is a street that runs along the shore and is the main shopping street of Nassau. It has a mix of jewelry boutiques and trashy souvenir shops. Many government buildings and company headquarters are located on Over the Hill district.
Attractions of Nassau:
• Old Town: This town is a combination of abandoned buildings and Caribbean structures. There is a pink Parliament Building with a statue of Queen Victoria out in the front.
• Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Center: This is the only zoo located in the Bahamas. One can see marching flamingo shows and feed the parakeets. This conservation centre is spread wide on five acres of a tropical garden. Flamingos march here as they are trained in formation and marching. This is a show of marching flamingos that is held daily at 10:30, 14:00 and 16:00 three times. There are Caribbean flamingos which are 40 years old and are the largest flock on Great Inagua Island in Bahamas. This centre houses Bahamas parrot and many species of iguanas. The other animals include jaguars, parrots and small mammals.
• National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, West & West Hill Streets: This centre houses the Bahamian art from the pre-colonial era to the present. The building is a renovated building which was once the residence of the Chief Justice.
• Pirate Museum: This museum is a recreation of the pirate town with a pirate ship and a pirate battle along with a few real artifacts blended. It is fun to take a guided tour.
• Fort Fincastle: This is a small fort that was built in 1793. This fort overlooks the city of Nassau. One can see it from a small hill south of town. One can view many cannons that are kept for display.
• Atlantis Hotel Aquarium: It is known to be the largest open-air aquarium in the world. There is a replica of the lost city of Atlantis through which the stingrays and shining fish swim and there are other collections of Caribbean species in this stunning aquarium.
• Balcony house: This is a restored historic structure of the 18th century dating back to 1788. The residence is very old and made out of wood, an example of a tropical colonial house. The interior has not been disturbed, and has the antiques and objects that belonged to that house originally. There are guided tours available for those who want to visit. The design and construction features are used to keep the house cool, dry and termite free, a specialty of the house. A Mahogany set of swan-neck chairs, four poster beds, a drop-front desk, china and crystal and hand-worked brass valences are among the antiques on display.
• The British Colonial Hilton: This is on the site of Fort Nassau and dating back to 1922. This place gives a view of the harbor and visiting cruise ships. The present building is a replacement to the original wooden hotel of 1898. Henry Flager was the owner and was known for building hotels along Miami Beach and along the coast of Florida. These hotels are special for their Colonial constructions. Its historic façade of towers, galleries, and molded reliefs are maintained. The restaurants and spa are special and an amusement park is also housed.
• Doongalik: This is a centre built to preserve the culture of the Black community who are the majority of the population of Bahamas. It has an art gallery depicting the bush medicine, shops, collection of Junkanoo costumes and sculptures. There are also the traditional instruments for making music out of goat skin like drums and cow bells etc., which are a special attraction.
• Government house: There is a pink and white house on the top of Mount Fitzwilliam which is a Roman-classical mansion dating back to 1801. This served as a house for the British Governor General. There is a white statue of Christopher Columbus belonging to 1830 which is on the stairs of the mansion. On alternate Sundays, changing of the guard ceremony is hosted.
• Paradise Island: Paradise Island is a Caribbean island and off Nassau, Bahamas. This Island is connected to New Providence Island by two bridges crossing Nassau harbor. This island has a variety of beaches and hotels and resorts. Cable beach is the popular one. It is dominated by Las Vegas style Atlantis resort. It is on the northern edge of New Providence. Paradise Island is also known as Hog Island. The bridges were built in 1966 and 1990. An Augustinian monastery was also installed which is dating back to 14th century French style.
Things to do: One can take a guided bus tours, explore old forts, Paradise Island and aquarium and roam around the old town.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit Nassau is May to October. This island has a tropical monsoon climate with constant temperatures almost through the year. Summertime temperatures rarely exceed 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius) and the winter months have daytime temperatures between 68 and 80 °F (20 and 27 °C), rarely falling below 50 °F (10 °C).

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
By air: Lynden Pindling International Airport is the largest airport in the Bahamas. It serves most major U.S. airlines and flights to Nassau. Limited service from Toronto and London also exists.
By sea: A total of seven cruise ships can dock at the Prince George Wharf Cruise Terminal which is adjacent to downtown Nassau.

Getting around:
• By water taxi: One can take a water taxi to get to Paradise Island from downtown.
• By minibus: These minibuses are also known as jitneys which are the bus system of Nassau city and New Providence Island. These are on and near Bay Street.
• By taxi: Taxis operate around the city and they are identified by their yellow license plates.
• By car: one can rent a car to roam around.
• By scooter: Scooter (small motorcycle) rental is also popular in Nassau.
• By bike: Bikes and bicycles also can be rented in Nassau.
• By foot: One can go around on foot in downtown.

Plan your trip to Nassau better with these books:

Frommer’s Bahamas 2012	Sailing Misadventures of the Wild Hair	The Bahamas (Multi Country Travel Guide)

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Restaurant
• Hotels
• Tripadvisor (hotels, restaurants)
• http://www.nassau-hotel.com/

Blogs / Sites about Nassau:

• Travelblog
• Travelpod
• Realtravel
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Nassau:

• Google Image Search
• Tripadvisor
• Cruises
• Placesonline

Videos of Nassau from Youtube:

Nassau Bahamas Cruise Dec. 2007

Nassau Bahamas

Nassau, Bahamas, East Bay Street Shopping District, May, 2009

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau Straw Market

Atlantis, Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau Bahamas Walking Tour – Dec 18, 2007 Pt 2

Plane Wreck at Nassau, Bahamas

nassau bahamas day & night life

Beach on Nassau, Bahamas

Travel – Paramaribo – the most populated district of Suriname

Traveller — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:50:55 +0000

Paramaribo which is also known as Par’bo is the most populated district of Suriname. This district comes under the Surinamese East Coast and the coast is the urban part of the country which includes Paramaribo along with Albina and the Galibi Nature Reserve. Dutch is the official language of Suriname, with English being also widely spoken. In other languages, Sranang Tongo which is referred to as Taki-Taki, is the native language in French Guiana. Sarnami (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese, Chinese (Mandarin, Hakka and Cantonese) and Portuguese are other languages spoken in Paramaribo.
Paramaribo is the capital of the country, and is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its colonial buildings. The capital has some very attractive British, Dutch, French and Spanish colonial architecture styled buildings. There is a fort nearby known as the fort Zeelandia, which is actually a restored fort and it houses the Surinam Museum. There is a Roman Catholic cathedral that dates back to the 19th century and which is entirely made of wood. The Independence Square, the Presidential Palace with a palm garden and the lively waterfront, Palmentuin – a park and market districts are other attractions of the place.

Attractions of Paramaribo:
• The Mosque Keizerstraat: This is the headquarters of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam in Paramaribo in Suriname, “Surinaamse Islamitische Vereniging” (SIV). This is situated in the Keizerstraat which is adjacent to the Neveh Shalom Synagogue.
• The Neveh Shalom Synagogue: It is the only synagogue of the Ashkenazi community located in Suriname. This is made of wood and was built in between 1665-1671 but later rebuilt with brick. In 1735, it was known to be sold to Ashkenazim. The present synagogue on the Keizerstraat which is located on 82 lot was designed by architect J.F. Halfhide which was completed in 1842 or 1843.
• The Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral: This is a wooden Roman Catholic cathedral that is located in the center of the city of Paramaribo, Suriname. This is known to be the largest wooden building in South America, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paramaribo. This cathedral was constructed in 1883 and it was earlier a theatre.
• Watersports: Colakreek is a recreation area that is about 50km (32 miles) to the south of Paramaribo. It contains numerous creeks having brown water, in the small savannah belt behind the coastal plains. Other than these, there are public pools in Poramaribo which are called Niew-Nickerie, Moengo and Groningen. In Jachthaven Ornamibo there are sailing facilities.
• Golf: There is an 18-hole golf course that is located about 5km (3 miles) from Paramaribo on the airport road.
• Galibi Nature Reserve: This is a nesting site for the giant leatherback turtles- Dermochelys coriacea. These are endangered sea turtles. These turtles nest from February and August which is peak season for more than 200 leatherbacks. Their eggs are known to hatch from July to September. Even green turtles- Chelonia mydas nest here along with Olive ridley turtles- Lepidochelys olivacea and hawksbill turtles- Eretmochelys imbricata. Eilanti Beach is the only beach where mass nesting aggregations occur in the Atlantic region. Christiannkondre and Langemankondre are the nearby Amerindian villages that can be visited and Carib Indian artwork is popular here. This reserve is on the edge of Marowiine River. This reserve is used by villagers for fishing, hunting, and plant collecting and small-scale agricultural activities.
• Brownsberg: This is a natural park that is located 130 km (90 mi) south of Paramaribo. The view is great over the Brokopondo Reservoir. It is a birdwatchers paradise and has about 650 birds, some of them rarely seen. The waterfall Irenevallen is very popular here, which about 10 m high. Witikreek is a stream at the foot of the Brownsberg.
• Fort Zeelandia: This is actually a restored fort and it houses the Surinam Museum.
• Kekemba Resort Paramaribo, Mangolaan: This resort is best for relaxing and swimming.
• There is a flea market that is open on Sundays which should be visited.
• Letitia Vriesdelaan: There is a flower expo at Letitia Vriesdelaan every other Sunday which is beautiful and must visit as different orchids, cacti, and other plants are for sale.
• Others: Royal Palm Gardens, Presidential Palace, Historical city center and Jodensavanne.

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate is Tropical and moderated by trade winds. There are 2 dry seasons which are from February to March and August to November. There are 2 rainy seasons from December to January and April to August. November is considered the hottest month so it is best to avoid this time.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Suriname:
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Colombia (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Cuba (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Dominica, Philippines, Gambia, Guyana, Grenada, Hong Kong, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Monserrat, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), South Korea.

By plane:
From Amsterdam there are daily KLM flights. Surinam Airways serves flights from Amsterdam and various Caribbean destinations.
From the United States, airline service is available via Surinam Airways and Caribbean Airlines via Trinidad.
The Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, which was formerly called Zanderij International Airport, is the arrival point which is located 45 Kilometers south of Paramaribo from where one can take a taxi or bus.
There are weekly flights to Trinidad, Belem (Brazil), Cayenne (French Guiana) and Aruba.

By car: There is a road from Guyana to Suriname. There are mini buses from Georgetown to Suriname.

By bus: One can take a bus from Albina to Paramaribo.

By boat: There are small boats and small ferries between Albina (Suriname) and St. Laurent (French Guiana).

Getting around: One can take a boat or car to go around Suriname. There are charter boats too.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Tripadvisor Hotels
• Yahoo travel
• Hotelscombined
• http://www.torarica.com/

Blogs / Sites about Paramaribo:

• Travelpod
• Travelblog
• Travelpost
• Travelbuddy

Images and photos of Paramaribo:

• Infohub
• Picsearch
• Tripadvisor
• Caribbeanreviewofbooks
• Flickr

Buy these books to make your trip more enjoyable:

A Journey into Another World: Sojourn in Suriname	Paramaribo: Webster’s Timeline History, 1600 – 2007	Guyana, Guyane & Suriname (Footprint Focus)

Videos of Paramaribo from youtube:

Paramaribo, Suriname

Living in Suriname ( facts and tips from Suriname)

Suriname Paramaribo at night

Garden birds of Paramaribo, Suriname

suriname paramaribo a great city