Almaty’s paid attractions fall into two groups: ropeway rides up into the Tian Shan foothills, and a handful of museums in the lower city. Most are easy to reach by bus or metro, and most take cards, though ticket kiosks in parks sometimes want cash. Prices below are in tenge (KZT), at roughly 470 to 490 to the US dollar in 2026. Ropeways and viewpoints Shymbulak ropeway excursion. Three...

Almaty is Kazakhstan’s largest city, built on the northern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau, so “up” always means south toward the mountains. It is the commercial capital, while the political capital is Astana, about 1,200 km to the north. Prices here are in tenge (KZT), at roughly 470 to 490 to the US dollar in 2026. Cards and Kaspi QR work almost everywhere, but carry cash for the...

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural Laos, so stay on main routes and marked paths and never touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, so drink only sealed drinks. Mekong boats, rafting, kayaking and swimming have caused deaths, and the Foreign Office calls...

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural areas, so walk only on marked paths, use local guides for countryside hikes and never touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, so choose sealed drinks after your walk. Rivers have caused drownings. Check FCDO and...

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province, and unexploded ordnance from the 1964 to 1973 bombing remains in rural areas. Stay on cleared, marked paths and never pick up metal objects. Several tourists have died of methanol poisoning in bars, so drink only sealed drinks. Waterfalls and rivers have caused drownings, so swim...

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural Laos, so keep to marked paths and main routes and never touch metal objects. Methanol has poisoned tourists in bars, so avoid free shots and unbranded spirits. Rivers and waterfalls have caused drownings. Route 7 to Phonsavan carries a US...

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural Laos, so keep children on marked paths and teach them never to touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, so choose sealed drinks. Rivers, waterfalls and tubing carry a real drowning risk, so keep children within arm’s...

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural Laos, so stay on marked paths. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, including licensed ones in tourist areas, so choose sealed bottles and avoid free shots. Rivers have caused drownings, and the Mekong is not for swimming. Check FCDO and...

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance from the 1964 to 1973 bombing remains in rural areas, so stay on marked, cleared paths at every site and never touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, so drink only sealed drinks. Rivers have caused drownings. Check FCDO and...

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance from the 1964 to 1973 bombing remains in rural areas, so stay on marked paths and never touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has affected tourists in bars, so skip free shots and unlabelled spirits. Rivers and waterfalls have caused drownings. Read the latest...

Waterville sits on the Kerry Way, and the village has marked walks of its own. These are self-guided trails, so you need your own map, good boots and a weather check before you set out. Kerry Way: Waterville to Caherdaniel The coastal stage is 12.5 km with 320 m of ascent and takes about 4 hours 15 minutes. It is graded Moderate. The route crosses the Currane River and climbs past Loher Stone Fort...

Waterville has a compact set of sights in and around the village: two statues on the promenade, a cable-station exhibition, ancient stone monuments and viewpoints over Ballinskelligs Bay. Most are free and outdoors. The seafront promenade A bronze statue of Charlie Chaplin stands on the promenade. The Chaplin family first holidayed in Waterville in 1959 and returned for more than ten years. The...

Waterville suits a quiet couples break: a seafront promenade, a dark-sky reserve overhead, good dinners and some of the best coastal driving on the Ring of Kerry. Plan around the Atlantic weather and book restaurants ahead. Where to stay Butler Arms Hotel stands on the seafront. It opened in 1884 and reopened in April 2026 under new ownership as a four-star hotel. The Chaplin family stayed here...

Waterville works as a base on the Skellig Coast. From the village, Portmagee is about 35 minutes away, Derrynane about 25 minutes and Cahersiveen about 30 minutes (all estimates). That makes three days of varied sightseeing without changing hotels. A three-day pattern Day 1: Waterville itself. Walk the seafront promenade and see the Charlie Chaplin and Mick O’Dwyer statues. Spend the day on...

Families staying in Waterville have a handful of easy days out: a marine centre in the village, a fairy trail and gardens, a Blue Flag beach and a boat cruise past the Skelligs. Most are within 15 to 45 minutes of the village by car. Sea Synergy Marine Awareness Centre The centre in Waterville has a touch pool, shore workshops and snorkelling led by a marine biologist. It is a useful rainy-day...

Waterville is a good base for day trips because the Skellig Ring, Valentia Island, Derrynane and Cahersiveen are all within about 25 to 40 minutes by car. Drive times here are estimates, and the roads are narrow in places. The Skellig Ring and Valentia Island The Skellig Ring loop is about 50 km including Valentia and takes about 1.5 hours of driving. With stops, allow 3 hours for the loop, or...

The best-known tours near Waterville go to the Skellig Islands, and the rest of the list is a country house, a mountain viewpoint and a brewery. Waterville village itself is not a departure point for the Skellig boats. Skellig Michael landing tours Skellig Michael is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 11.5 km out in the Atlantic. You can only land with a permit-holding boat operator licensed by the OPW,...

Šiauliai is a city for walking. The centre is flat, the main boulevard is pedestrian, and the main sights sit within about 1.5 km of each other. You do not need a guide, and the tourist office at Vilniaus g. 213-90 (+370 41 523 110) lists official routes if you want a plan. Wear comfortable shoes, and in winter bring grips, as the paths around Lake Talkša can be icy.

Waterville (An Coireán) sits on a narrow strip of land between Lough Currane and Ballinskelligs Bay, on the Ring of Kerry in County Kerry. The N70 runs through the village, and the Skellig Ring starts a few minutes away. Golf, lake fishing, dark skies and a good local brewery are the main reasons to stay a few days. Golf at Waterville Golf Links The links is a par 72 course designed by Eddie...

Šiauliai has no old town in the usual sense. Its sights are spread along a 1.28 km pedestrian boulevard, around Sundial Square and beside Lake Talkša, with the Hill of Crosses a short drive to the north. Most are within about 1.5 km of one another, so a day on foot covers them. Prices are in euros. Hill of Crosses About 12 km north of the city, the Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas) is a Catholic...

Walking Around Hlabisa Hlabisa has no village or town walking tours. Its roads have no pavements and carry livestock and fast traffic, and there is no heritage trail to follow. Walking in this area happens inside Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) with a ranger, or on marked self-guided paths at False Bay. Prices are in rand (R). Ranger-Led Walks in the Park Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife runs guided walks from...

What There Is to See Hlabisa is a small rural village with no museum, gallery, cinema or heritage site. Sightseeing here means the landscape along the R618 and the viewpoints, hides and visitor centres in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), reached through Nyalazi Gate about 21 km away. This is a short list, and it suits travellers who already plan to visit the park. Prices are in rand (R). Waterhole...

Family Outings Around Hlabisa Hlabisa is a quiet rural village, so family days out mean a short drive to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) or a longer one to St Lucia. All prices are in rand (R). Plan the longer drives for daylight hours. Self-Drive in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park A closed car is the easiest way to take young children into the park. From Hlabisa, the Nyalazi Gate is roughly 21 km away.

Staying in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park Hlabisa has little accommodation of its own, so a multi-day trip here means nights inside Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP). The park charges its daily conservation fee to overnight guests as well as day visitors, on top of the room: about R300 to R320 per international adult per day. Prices are in rand (R) on the Ezemvelo 2025-26 tariff, which ends on 31 October 2026,...

A Bush Break for Two Hlabisa is a small rural village, and the romantic option here is a night or two inside Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), where lodges look over waterholes and ridges. The park charges its daily conservation fee to overnight guests: about R300 to R320 per international adult per day. Prices are in rand (R). Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge Rhino Ridge sits on a ridge above a waterhole...

Šiauliai is a modest city, and its romance is a quiet, outdoor kind. Think gardens, lakesides and evening walks rather than spa breaks, a handful of places that suit a slow day for two. Allow a weekend at most, and pair it with a longer Baltic trip. Prices are in euros. The rose park at Frenkel Villa The park at Vilniaus g. 74 is free and open daily from 10:00 to 22:00.

Šiauliai works well as a base for two or three nights. It lies on the rail and road line between Vilnius, 215 km to the south-east, and Riga, 137 km to the north, and it is the natural overnight stop between the two capitals. This page outlines three ways to use a longer stay. Prices are in euros. Getting there and away Fly into Riga, Kaunas, Palanga or Vilnius, because Šiauliai’s own...

Distances from Hlabisa Hlabisa is a quiet village on the R618, and most day trips start with a long drive. These road distances are approximate. Destination Distance Drive time Nyalazi Gate, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park about 21 km 30 to 35 minutes Mpila Camp about 39 km under an hour Mtubatuba about 51 km about 70 minutes Hluhluwe town about 57 km about 80 minutes St Lucia town about 76 km about 1 hour...

Guided Game Drives in the Park Hlabisa has no tour operators of its own, and its visitor attractions are the guided outings in nearby Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) and on Lake St Lucia. Prices are in rand (R). Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife runs guided game drives from Mpila Camp (iMfolozi sector, about 39 km from Hlabisa) and Hilltop Camp (Hluhluwe sector). Price: R420 per person on the 2025-26 tariff,...

Hlabisa and the Park Next Door Hlabisa (kwaHlabisa) is a small rural village and municipal seat in uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal. It sits on the eastern side of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), and nearly everything worth doing here is tied to the park or to Zulu craft. Prices below are in South African rand (R). Self-Drive Game Viewing Nyalazi Gate is about 21 km from Hlabisa, roughly 30 to...

Šiauliai is an easy city for a family stay. Distances are short, the main street is pedestrian, and most attractions are small enough to suit children’s attention spans. Most museum visits take one to two hours, which leaves room for playgrounds and the lakeside in the same day. Prices are in euros. Bicycle Museum The Bicycle Museum at Vilniaus g. 139 is the most hands-on stop. Visitors can...

Šiauliai sits in the north of Lithuania, close to the Latvian border, so a wide ring of sights is reachable in a day. Most of the trips below are easiest by car, since regional buses are infrequent. Distances are by road and approximate. Prices are in euros. Hill of Crosses, 12 km north The Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas) is the closest and most visited. It is a Catholic pilgrimage site with over...

Organised sightseeing in Šiauliai is small in scale. The city has no open-top bus and no large tour operators of its own. What it does have is a set of guided visits run by museums and venues, plus day tours to the Hill of Crosses that are sold from Riga and Vilnius. This page lists what can be arranged, with prices from the venues themselves. Aušra Museum guided tours The Aušra Museum runs...

Šiauliai is Lithuania’s fourth-largest city, called the City of the Sun after a battle fought in 1236. It sits on the Vilnius to Riga road and rail line, and most visitors spend one or two days here. The centre is compact: the long pedestrian boulevard Vilniaus gatvė, Sundial Square and Lake Talkša all lie within about 1.5 km of each other. Prices are in euros. Getting here Šiauliai’s...

Bus Times and Fares Three towns near Gjakova make easy outings, and all of them have regular buses. Fares vary by operator. Destination Distance Bus time Fare Deçan 21 km about 30 min about 2 EUR Prizren 36 km about 55 min 2.50 to 3 EUR Peja 36 km about 55 min about 3 EUR Prizren buses run roughly 06:30 to 18:30, and Peja buses from about 06:15 to 18:00 or 18:30.

What Fits in a Day The country around Turkistan is flat steppe dotted with medieval ruins and shrines. Four outings suit a single day by car, and a fifth, Shymkent, suits a day by minibus or train. Start early in summer, when July highs reach 35 to 40 C. Sauran Sauran lies about 43 to 46 km north-west of the city. The Azret Sultan reserve lists it as the site of Sauran, 13th to 18th centuries, a...

Where Families Spend Their Time Most family time in Turkistan is spent at the Karavansaray, a landscaped complex of canals, shops and restaurants that opened in April 2021 and covers 20.5 hectares. Entry is free. Add the ethno-aul craft area and an evening show and you have a full day. Altyn Samruk Flying Theatre The Altyn Samruk is an egg-shaped building with an 8D flight over Kazakhstan that...

Three Ways to See the Sights Visitors to Turkistan usually choose between a guide at the Azret Sultan reserve, a one-day operator tour that adds Otrar and Arystan Bab, or a hired driver. Which one fits depends on how much of the surrounding country you want to see and how much you want to arrange yourself. Guides at the Reserve Guided visits of the Yasawi Mausoleum precinct are arranged through...

Planning Around Turkistan A longer stay lets you pair the old town with Otrar and Arystan Bab without a dawn start. Most multi-day plans use Turkistan itself, Shymkent or Almaty as a base. The pieces below can be mixed. Two Days in Turkistan Operators from Almaty use a simple two-day format. Day one covers the Azret Sultan precinct and the Karavansaray in the evening. Day two goes by car to Otrar...

What a Romantic Stay Looks Like Turkistan is a pilgrimage and heritage town, so its romance is quiet and centred on the evening. The hotel, the dinner and the canal show at the Karavansaray are the draw, and the rest of the city is better treated as sightseeing. A stay of two nights is enough. Where to Stay The Karavansaray Turkistan Hotel, also called the Harbour Hotel, has harbour-view suites...

The Yasawi Mausoleum The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is Kazakhstan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site (reference 1103, inscribed 2003). Construction began in 1389 under Timur and stopped when he died in 1405, leaving the building unfinished. It replaced a smaller 12th-century mausoleum. The turquoise-tiled dome rises about 38 m. Inside, the Kazandyk hall holds the Tayqazan, a bronze...

Two Precincts a Short Walk Apart Turkistan is a compact city in southern Kazakhstan, and nearly everything worth a visit sits in two neighbouring areas. The old town holds the Azret Sultan reserve, built around the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Beside it, the Karavansaray complex, opened in April 2021, adds canals, shops and evening shows. One full day covers both, and a second day opens up...

Short Walks, Not Long Ones Turkistan rewards a slow walk rather than a long one. The sights cluster in two areas, the Azret Sultan precinct and the neighbouring Karavansaray, and the streets between them hold little else. This page gives a circuit for each. If you want commentary, ask the reserve’s ticket office about a guide. Circuit One: The Precinct, 2 to 3 Hours Start at the Yasawi...

Tsaghkadzor is small enough to explore on foot, but it is a walk-it-yourself town. The routes below link sights rather than follow waymarked trails, and no guided city walk is listed. Allow an easy hour or two for each walk, and more for stops. Check gov.uk and travel.state.gov for current Armenia advice before you go. The town centre walk Start on Tsaghkunyats Street, where a bronze statue of the...

Why Walk Gjakova is best seen on foot. The historic core is compact, the main street is closed to traffic, and every stop below lies within a short stroll of the next. Start at the north entrance of the bazaar, and allow a relaxed half day with a lunch stop. The Route Kulla of Abdullah Pashë Dreni. The stone tower of 1790 at the bazaar entrance houses the Tourist Information Centre, where maps and...

Sightseeing in Tsaghkadzor means a medieval monastery, a house-museum, a statue, a summit view and a small park, all within a short drive or walk of each other. Check gov.uk and travel.state.gov for current Armenia advice before you go. Kecharis Monastery Kecharis stands on a wooded hillside in the northern part of town and is visible from the slopes. Entry is free. No opening hours are published,...

Noravank Monastery Noravank stands at about 1,500 m in the red-walled Amaghu (Gnishik) gorge, about 10 km from Areni and 3 km north-east of the abandoned village of Amaghu. The monastery was founded in 1105 by Bishop Hovhannes according to the history of Stepanos Orbelian. The churches are free-standing stone buildings, not cave churches. The main church, Surb Karapet, also called Surb Stepanos...

The Old Bazaar Core Most of Gjakova’s landmarks stand within a few minutes’ walk of each other around the Old Bazaar. The bazaar burned in 1999 and was rebuilt, so what you see today is largely a reconstruction on the old street plan. Hadum Mosque. Built in 1594 to 1595 by Sylejman Hadum Aga, this was the first mosque in Gjakova and is still a working mosque. The interior and dome are...

What Walking Looks Like Here Areni is a small village rather than a walking-tour town. There are no city-style walking routes, and the best walking is on the trails in the canyon above it and in the Yeghegis valley. The village itself can be strolled slowly: the lanes, the bridge over the Arpa river, the wineries and the church on the hill. Most visitors combine a short village stroll with one...

A Quiet Stay for Two Gjakova is a small, calm town, so a romantic stay here means one or two unhurried days of good dinners, evening walks and a wine tasting rather than a long list of sights. The old bazaar is the setting for most of it, and it is easy to cover on foot. The euro is the currency. Dinner at Hani i Haraçisë Hani i Haraçisë is a caravanserai from the 16th century, with a newer wing...