Traveling Info

Also known as Green Sand Beach, Mahana Beach and, erroneously, Puʻu Mahana is a green sand beach located at South Point, in the Kaʻu district of the island of Hawaiʻi. One of only two green sand beaches in the world, the other being in Guam, the beach gets distinctive coloring from olivine crystals found in a nearby cinder cone. The place has its problems: It’s difficult to reach; the open bay is often rough; there are no facilities, fresh water, or shade from the relentless sun; and howling winds scour the point. Nevertheless, each year the unusual green sands attract thousands of oglers, who follow a well-worn four-wheel-drive-only road for 21⁄2 miles to the top of a cliff, which you have to climb down to reach the beach. The sand is crushed olivine, a green semiprecious mineral found in eruptive rocks and meteorites. If the surf ’s up, check out the beach from the cliff ’s edge; if the water’s calm, it’s generally safe to swim. To get to Green Sand Beach from the boat ramp at South ...

Click here for Photo Gallery Hilo’s beaches may be few, but Leleiwi is one of Hawaii’s most beautiful. This unusual cove of palm-fringed black-lava tide pools fed by freshwater springs and rippled by gentle waves is a photographer’s delight—and the perfect place to take a plunge. In winter, big waves can splash these ponds, but the shallow pools are generally free of currents and ideal for families with children, especially in the protected inlets at the center of the park. Leleiwi often attracts endangered sea turtles, making this one of Hawaii’s most popular snorkeling spots. The beach is 4 miles out of town on Kalanianaole Avenue. Facilities include restrooms, showers, lifeguards, picnic pavilions, and paved walkways. There’s also a marine-life exhibit here. Map source: Frommer's

Everyone calls this gold-sand beach Mauna Kea Beach (it’s at the foot of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel), but its real name is Hawaiian for “native dodder,” a lacy, yellow-orange vine that once thrived on the shore. A coconut grove sweeps around this golden crescent, where the water is calm and protected by two black-lava points. The sandy bottom slopes gently into the bay, which often fills with tropical fish, sea turtles, and manta rays, especially at night, when the hotel lights flood the shore. Swimming is excellent year-round, except in rare winter storms. Snorkelers prefer the rocky points, where fish thrive in the surge. Facilities include restrooms, showers, and ample parking, but there are no lifeguards. Directions Take Highway 19 north from Kona. Turn left at Mile Marker #68. Follow the road to the end of the road for public access and limited parking. More Information Manta rays sometimes frequent the area at night Large, sandy beach Limited parking at resort No lifeguards on duty

Just off Queen Kaahumanu Highway, south of the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, lies this crescent of gold sand—big, wide, and 1⁄2 mile long. In summer, when the beach is widest, the ocean calmest, and the crowds biggest, this is the island’s best beach for swimming, snorkeling, and bodysurfing. But beware of Hapuna in winter, when its thundering waves, strong rip currents, and lack of lifeguards can be dangerous. Facilities include A-frame cabins for camping, pavilions, restrooms, showers, and plenty of parking. Click here for Hapuna Beach Gallery

This is the most popular beach on the Kona Coast and one of the best snorkeling spots; these reef-protected lagoons attract 1,000 people a day almost year-round. Kahaluu is the best all-around beach on Alii Drive, with coconut trees lining a narrow salt-and-pepper sand shore that gently slopes to turquoise pools. The schools of brilliantly colored tropical fish that weave in and out of the reef make this a great place to snorkel. In summer, it’s also an ideal spot for children and beginning snorkelers; the water is so shallow that you can just stand up if you feel uncomfortable. But in winter, here’s a rip current when high surf rolls in; look for the lifeguard warnings. Snorkeling The best snorkel route is to head to the southwest, towards the lava rock breakwater (aim for the pavilion restaurant) - this keeps you swimming against the current. Swim Coral Reef at Kahaluuagainst the current on your way out, that way you are swimming with the current on your way back to shore. Try to ...

Tourist Attractions Akaka Falls. Up-mountain (mauka) from highway 19, on highway 220, is a beautiful waterfall in an even more beautiful state park. Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. Located just a few miles North of Hilo, the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is a gem nestled in the tropical rainforest that is part of Onomea Bay. The aforementioned section of Old Mamalahoa Highway leads to it. World Botanical Gardens / Umauma Falls. One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Hawai'i is best viewed from the newly formed World Botanical Gardens. The bridge on highway 19 allows for a beautiful shot of the Falls with Mauna Kea in the distance. Kolekole Beach Park. A park located at the bottom of an erosional ravine on the edges of route 19. The park is downstream from Akaka Falls, and boast an additional waterfall that drops directly from a small cliff into the main stream, leading to Kolekole Stream. The setting underneath the highway viaduct is magnificent. Transportation Hawaii Belt Ro...

This old upcountry cow town on the northern road between the coasts is set in lovely country: rolling green pastures, wide-open spaces dotted by puu (hills), and real cowpokes who ride mammoth Parker Ranch, Hawaii’s largest working ranch. Waimea Map View Larger Map The town is also headquarters for the Keck Telescope, the largest and most powerful in the world. Waimea is home to several affordable B&Bs, and Merriman’s restaurant is a popular foodie outpost at Opelo Plaza. source: Frommers

is homes to the area's premier golf courses and seaside resorts. Kohala Coast divide into South and North Kohala. The natural habitats in Kohala range across a wide rainfall gradient in a very short distance - from less than 5 inches a year on the coast near Kawaihae to more than 150 inches a year near the summit of Kohala Mountain, a distance of just 11 miles. Near the coast are remnants of dry forests, and near the summit is a montane cloud forest, a type of rain forest so called because it obtains some of its moisture from "cloud drip" in addition to precipitation.

Kona is synonymous with great coffee and big fish—both of which are found in abundance along this 70-mile-long stretch of blacklava-covered coast. The Kona Coast has an amazingly diverse geography and climate for such a compact area. The oceanfront town of Kailua-Kona, a quaint fishing village that now caters more to tourists than boat captains, is its commercial center. The lands of Kona range from stark, black, dry coastal desert to cool, cloudy upcountry where glossy green coffee, macadamia nuts, tropical fruit, and a riotous profusion of flowers cover the jagged steep slopes. Among the coffee fields, you’ll find the funky, artsy village of Holualoa. Higher yet in elevation are native forests of giant trees filled with tiny, colorful birds, some perilously close to extinction. About 7 miles south of Kailua-Kona, bordering the ocean, is the resort area of Keauhou, a suburban-like series of upscale condominiums, a shopping center, and million-dollar homes. Kona means “leeward side” in...

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS All non-French nationals need a valid passport to enter France (check its expiration date). The French government no longer requires visas for U.S. citizens, provided they’re staying less than 90 days. For longer stays, they must apply for a long-term visa, residence card, or temporary-stay visa. Each requires proof of income or a viable means of support in France and a legitimate purpose for remaining in the country. Where to find the applications Consulate Section of the French Embassy 4101 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC 20007 Ph: 202/944-6000 Visa Section of the French Consulate, 934 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10021 Ph: 212/606-3680 Visas are required for students planning to study in France even if the stay is less than 90 days. Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Japan, and European Union countries do not need visas. If your passport is lost or stolen, go to your consulate as soon as possible for a replacement. For information on how to get...

The main headquarters 25-27 rue des Pyramides, 1er (Métro: Palais Royal/Musée du Louvre). Open Apr to Oct daily 9am to 8pm; off season daily 11am to 6pm. Branch offices Opéra-Grands Magasins, 11 rue Scribe, 9e (Métro: Opéra) Open Mon to Sat 9am to 6:30pm Gare de Lyon, 20 bd. Diderot, 12e (Métro: Gare de Lyon) Open Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm Gare du Nord, 10e 2 (Métro: Gare du Nord) Open daily 12:30 to 8pm Montmartre Tourist Office, 18 rue de Dunkerque, 10e (Métro: Abbesses), daily 10am to 7pm. For information over the phone, call & 08-92-68-30-00, which costs .35€ (40¢) per minute. The website can be accessed at www.paris-touristoffice.com The branches will make hotel reservations. The service charge is free for hostels; 2€ ($2.30) for one-star hotels; 4€ ($4.60) for two-star hotels; and 6€ ($6.90) for three-star hotels. Stars refer to government ratings, rather than those used in this guide. Offices are very busy in summer, so you’ll have to wait in line.

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In English mean "City Hall", is the building housing the City of Paris's administration. Standing on the place de l'Hôtel de Ville (formerly the place de Grève) in the city's IVe arrondissement, it has been the location of the municipality of Paris since 1357. It serves multiple functions, housing the local administration, the Mayor of Paris (since 1977), and also being a venue for large receptions. History In July 1357, Étienne Marcel, provost of the merchants (i.e. mayor) of Paris, bought the so-called maison aux piliers ("House of Pillars") in the name of the municipality on the gently sloping shingle beach which served as a river port for unloading wheat and wood and later merged into a square, the Place de Grève (French for "Square of the Strand"), a place where Parisians often gathered, particularly for public executions. Ever since 1357, the City of Paris's administration has been located on the same location where the Hôtel de Ville...

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The Conciergerie (French: La Conciergerie) is a former royal palace and prison in Paris, located on the west of the Île de la Cité, near the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. It is part of the larger complex known as the Palais de Justice, which is still used for judicial purposes. Hundreds of prisoners during the French Revolution were executed on the guillotines at La Conciergerie. The Middle Ages: Le Palais de la Cité The Île de la Cité was occupied by the Romans during late antiquity. Later, the west part of the island was the site of a Merovingian palace; and from the 10th to the 14th centuries was the seat of the medieval Kings of France. Under Louis IX (Saint Louis) (1226-1270) and Philippe IV (Philippe the Fair) (1284–1314) the Merovingian palace was extended and more heavily fortified. Louis IX added the remarkable Sainte-Chapelle and associated galleries, while Philippe IV created the towered facade on the river side and a large hall. Both are excellent examples of French religious an...

The most important remains from the Gallo-Roman era in Paris (formerly known as Lutèce in French or Lutetia in Latin), together with the Thermes de Cluny. Lying in what is now the Quartier Latin, this amphitheater could once seat 15,000 people, and was used to present gladiatorial combats. Constructed in the 1st century AD, this amphitheater is considered the longest of its kind constructed by the Romans. The sunken arena of the amphitheater was surrounded by the wall of a podium 8.2 feet (2.5m) high, surmounted by a parapet. The presence of a 135-foot (41.2m) long stage allowed scenes to alternate between theatrical productions and combat. A series of nine niches aided in improving the acoustics. Five cubbyholes were situated beneath the lower bleachers, of which three appear to have been animal cages that opened directly into the arena. Historians believe that the bleachers, which surrounded more than half of the arena's circumference, could accommodate as many as 17,000 spectato...

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L'église Saint-Eustache is a church in the Ier arrondissement of Paris, built between 1532 and 1632. Situated at the entrance to Paris’ ancient markets (Les Halles) and the beginning of the famous rue Montorgueuil, the Église de Saint-Eustache is another Parisian gothic gem. The church’s reputation was strong enough of the time for it to be chosen as the location for a young Louis XIV to receive communion. Mozart also chose the sanctuary as the location for his mother’s funeral. Among those baptised here as children were Richelieu, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, future Madame de Pompadour and Molière, who was also married here two decades later. The last rites for Anne of Austria, Turenne and Mirabeau were pronounced within its walls. Marie de Gournay is buried there. History Situated in Les Halles, an area of Paris renowned for fresh produce of all kinds, the church became a parish in 1223, thanks to a man named Alais who achieved this by taxing the baskets of fish sold nearby. To tha...