Toronto

City Statistics

Location

Ontario, Canada.

Dialing code

1.

Population

2,503,281 (city); 5,555,912 (metropolitan area).

Time zone

GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November).

Electricity

110 volts AC, 60Hz; flat two-pin plugs are standard.

Average January temperatures

- 4.5°C (23°F).

Average July temperatures

22°C (72°F).

Annual rainfall

689mm (27.1 inches).

Toronto: Overview

Toronto stands on the northern shore of Lake Ontario and the view of the city across the water is stunning and unmistakable - the CN Tower, thrusting skyward near the water's edge, was until quite recently the world's tallest tower. Framing it is a glimmering collection of skyscrapers, which give way to a dense city centre with pleasant, leafy residential areas and parks, notably along the ravines that cut through the city.

The capital of the Province of Ontario, Toronto is Canada's largest city and the fifth largest in North America. A dominant force in the business and economy of the nation, it is also the cultural centre of English-speaking Canada.

Initially claimed by the French in the 18th century, it was not until the American Revolution caused hordes of United Empire Loyalists (loyal to the British) to escape to Toronto that the city became an established settlement. Then known as York, the town was exceedingly British in character, functioning as the administrative capital of English-speaking Upper Canada and becoming a thriving manufacturing centre by the 19th century. In 1834, the city was renamed Toronto, a Huron Indian word meaning ‘meeting place'.

The Toronto of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a law-abiding city, where rules were made and rarely broken and where the overriding concern was making money. As such, Toronto gained a reputation as a conservative, boring enclave of Protestantism, a reputation that still dogs it to some extent today. Older residents can remember the days when the city would come to a standstill on Sundays and only a handful of the very best restaurants served wine.

Towards the end of the 1950s, a surge in the arrival of immigrants infused Toronto with new foods, new languages and, most importantly, new attitudes. Italians, Portuguese and Eastern Europeans arrived first, followed by immigrants from the Caribbean, Asia and India. They settled into what would become the city's great ethnic neighbourhoods - Greektown, Little Italy and Chinatown.

Toronto gradually developed a multiethnic North American character - today, one in two of the city's residents was born outside Canada. It largely shrugged off its colonial identity, although vestiges still remain, such as the English-style pubs and the ingrained habit among conservative clubs and societies of toasting the Queen before eating.

There is a similar juxtaposition in the architecture of the city itself; at first glance, Toronto does not appear all that different from any other large American city, albeit a clean one, although closer inspection reveals preserved Victorian and Edwardian buildings and a profusion of neighbourhood pubs.

The Toronto of today is a lively, cultured place with hot, humid summers and cold, damp winters. It is the most economically important city in Canada, the centre of finance, media and services, and home to more corporate head offices than any other.

By night, its people indulge themselves at the city's numerous restaurants, bars and clubs, or at the symphony, opera and theatre. More than anything, however, Toronto is defined by its citizenry - friendly, efficient and one of the most multicultural in the world.

Toronto: Tourist Information

Toronto's Eaton Centre

Rogers Centre

 Walking Tours
Walking tours of Toronto are available with A Taste of the World (tel: (416) 923 6813; website: http://www.torontowalksbikes.com/). True to its name, the company offers the ‘Kensington Foodies Roots Walk', a three hour 30 minute stroll through historic Kensington Market, sampling both the sights and the local delicacies. Tours are frequently sold out - advance reservation is recommended.

Genova Tours (tel: (416) 367 0380; website: http://www.genovatours.com/) offers a variety of year-round Toronto walking tours that cover all kinds of interests - food in St Lawrence Market, Chinatown and Little India; history at the Mount Pleasant and Necropolis Cemeteries; and star-gazing in the neighbourhoods of Yorkville and Millionaire's Row.

Ebullient tour guide Bruce Bell, the official historian of the St Lawrence Market, offers walking tours of that site and many other historic locations through Bruce Bell Tours (tel: (647) 393 8687; website: http://www.brucebelltours.ca/).

Guided tours of the city's natural heritage are available from Toronto Field Naturalists (tel: (416) 593 2656; website: http://www.torontofieldnaturalists.org/).

There are also a variety of signposted, self-guided walks that wind through the city's many parks and green spaces. Alternatively, visitors have the option of exploring the vast labyrinth of interconnected shopping areas that underlie downtown's office towers. The 27km (16-mile) PATH network (website: www.toronto.ca/path) links shopping, services and entertainment venues between the two branches of the Yonge-University-Spadina subway, south of Dundas Street.

 

Boat Tours
A boat tour of the harbour is a nice sightseeing experience. Toronto Tours (tel: (416) 869 1372; website: http://www.torontotours.com/) offers one-hour cruises of the inner harbour and out to the Toronto Islands, April to October.

Bus Tours
Grayline Tours (tel: (416) 594 3310; website: http://www.grayline.com/) runs hop-on, hop-off tours of the city centre in open-topped double-decker buses. A full circuit lasts two hours. The best places for passengers to hop on board are 123 Front Street West (corner of University Avenue) and the corner of Yonge Street and Dundas Street (visitors should call ahead, seeing as the company recommends booking at least 48 hours in advance).

Toronto Hippo Tours (tel: (416) 703 4476 or 1 877 635 5510; website: http://www.torontohippotours.com/) offers an ‘amphibus' (amphibious bus) from May to October. Departing from 151 Front Street West (corner of Simcoe Street), the one-hour tour of the city takes in the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre and Toronto City Hall before entering the water at Ontario Place for an additional half-hour tour around Toronto's harbour.

Toronto's City Hall

Toronto's Castleloma

University Of Toronto Courtyard

The Bahamas Islands

Country Statistics

Location

Chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba.

Time

GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).

Population

305,655.

Capital

Nassau. Population: 331,000.

Geography

Comprising 700 low-lying islands, mostly islets (cays or keys), atolls, and rocks, the Bahamas archipelago extends 970km (500 miles) southeastward from the coast of Florida. Sparkling, clear waters are home to vibrant underwater gardens on the world's third longest barrier reef, which contains about 14.5% of the coral on the planet. Fertile marine plains are split between two oceanic facets, the Little Bahama Bank and the Great Bahama Bank, where visibility of around 60m (197ft) is the norm. Exotic flowers, pine forest, rugged shoreline, barren savannahs, marshlands, and sandy beaches typify the landscape, on a bed of limestone and coral rocks.

Electricity

120-volts AC, 60Hz. US-style plug sockets and outlets are standard.

Bahamas Overview:

The quiet coves, sheltered bays, and crowd-free beaches of the Bahamas offer visitors the intimacy of a secluded retreat within a surprisingly expansive archipelago. Twice the size of Spain, the Bahamas is actually made up of over 700 palm-fringed isles.

Totally tropical
Named from the Spanish baja mar, meaning “shallow sea,” the Bahamas is blessed with clear, turquoise waters that are home to ancient shipwrecks and a rainbow of coral reefs teeming with fish. Pastel-colored seashells and clapboard houses painted in bubblegum hues sit amidst a tropical landscape dotted with vibrant blooms. On many of the Bahamas' most unspoiled coastal stretches, empty beaches offer total tranquility with the occasional squawking of an exotic bird and gently lapping waves as the only distraction.

Plenty to do
For a change of pace, head to one of the islands’ bustling straw markets to haggle over spices, ceramics, handicrafts, and local art. Enjoy diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, and parasailing or take to the fairways of a world-class golf course for ocean-facing holes.

Bahamian beats   
Umpteen Bahamian bars and clubs pulsate with island rhythms, from pumping goombay and calypso to Junkanoo beats. Discover riotous dance festivals that mix African slave-trade rituals with Bahamian tempo and American hip-hop twists. Or experience the age-old traditions and legends of the islands at local cultural celebrations amidst costumes, food, and song.

Bahamas: Tourist Information:

Getting here:

There are airports located on several of the islands of the Bahamas. Nassau International (NAS) is located 16km west of the city. Grand Bahama International Airport (FPO) is located 5km from the city of Freeport. The Exuma International Airport at Moss Town, Exuma (GGT), also offers a runway.

Of the many reasons why one should visit the Bahamas, here are a few:

Swimming and scuba-diving
Sharks lurking in the warm waters off Long Island are amenable to swimmers but if teeth aren’t your thing, you can explore shipwrecks or discover the stone ruins off Bimini, said to be the remains of the lost city of Atlantis. The underwater preserve of Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park are also open to divers.

Shopping
The dozens of colorful stalls at Nassau's bustling straw market are a perfect place for you to barter over local goods. For a sophisticated shop, splash some cash in the swish stores at Bay Street, a haven of designer brands.

Golf
Bahamas’ oldest golf course, at Cable Beach, has beautifully kept fairways, or there are five other world-class courses on Grand Bahama Island to choose from. Exuma’s course was designed by golfer Greg Norman, while the Abaco Club boasts a Scottish links-style course.
Blue Lagoon Island
At Blue Lagoon Island you can interact with sea-lions displaced by Hurricane Katrina and frolic with bottle-nosed dolphins in waist-high pools; many played starring roles in the movie Flipper.

Fishing
Fishing trips to Bimini’s world-class sport-fishing waters run regularly, or you can search for the elusive bonefish in Andros. At 1,800m (6,000ft), the fertile deep water trench dubbed Tongue of the Ocean is a prime deep-water spot for a major haul.

Sailing
 

The picture-perfect pristine cays and spectacular reefs of the Exumas archipelago are perfect for a leisurely sail. There’s also an upscale boating scene in the marinas, bays, and regattas of Nassau/Paradise Island to enjoy.

Junkanoo festivities
Street processions and dance bands fill the streets, along with a lively party crowd, at the Bahamian Junkanoo festivities on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. At the Junkanoo Summer Festival in June and July island music rages for days on end.

Rum cocktails
There are few pleasures in life as simple as sipping rum-laden cocktails on Abaco Beach at sundown, watching the golden sky turn a dramatic pink-crimson. To add to the magic, fairy-lights illuminate the shore as dozens of boats gently bob out in the harbor.

Get married
Couples can tie the knot on the sands, atop a wooden jetty, in a church, aboard a yacht, amidst tropical gardens, or wearing full scuba gear underwater.

Nightlife

Most hotels contain bars, lounges, and nightclubs. Live music, beach parties, and discos center on calypso and goombay bands with limbo dancing. Four casinos are spread across Cable Beach, Paradise Island, and Grand Bahama (Freeport and Lucaya) with festivals and live entertainment organized locally year-round.

More Places You May Want To Visit While You Stay In The Bahamas:

Dubai

City Statistics

Location
Southern shore of the Arabian Gulf, northeastern United Arab Emirates.

Dialing code
971.

Population
1,400,000.

Ethnic Mix:
60% Indian, Pakistani and Filipino, 25% Emirates, 12% Arab and 3% Western ex-pats.

Religion:
57% Muslim, 20% Hindu, 20% Roman Catholic and 3% other.

Time zone
GMT + 4.

Electricity
220 or 240 volts AC, 50Hz; square three-pin plugs are standard.

Average January temperatures
24°C (75°F).

Average July temperatures
41°C (106°F).

Annual rainfall
300mm (11.8 inches).

Overview

The Palm Jebel Ali

Within hours of arriving first timers soon usually stop mouthing trite phrases like ‘but that is impossible' or ‘surely they couldn't'. In ultra ambitious Dubai nothing is impossible and they surely could. Think lush championship golf courses in the desert, massive manmade islands in the shape of the world and ski slopes in one of the most arid corners of the planet.

Dubai is no longer looking over its shoulder at ‘The West'; it is far too busy showing what an Arabic emirate can do on its own with what many observers are increasingly viewing as an insight into the future of cities the world over.

It is difficult to believe today that less than a century ago Dubai was little more than a desert-strewn wildscape where Bedouin tribes roamed the sands and a huddle of settlers crowded around the banks of the lifeblood creek. Even as Europe embarked on the mass industrial destruction of WWI, Dubai still had no running water, no real roads and the main mode of transport was the camel.

Dubai first grew as a hub on the ancient trading route between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley and, by the 19th century, a small fishing village had taken root at the mouth of Dubai Creek. The village was inhabited by the Bani Yas tribe, who were led by the Maktoum family, the dynasty that still presides over Dubai today.

The city's remarkable success story really began in the 1960s. During the process of shaking off the shackles of British colonial rule, oil was struck in 1966 and Dubai has never looked back. Since the 1960s, the population has mushroomed to almost 1.5 million and now an ever-growing number of hotels welcome in the temporary expat workers and tourists who help propel the economy.

Indeed, only around a quarter of the emirate's population are actually ethnically Emirati in a population mixture that has to be one of the world's most cosmopolitan. This diversity discourages any real ethnic tensions and while conflict might rage further north in Iraq, Dubai so far has been trouble free.

Dubai's evolution has been dramatic, with sweeping skyscrapers and gleaming office blocks rising up everywhere. The rulers of Dubai have a penchant for grand projects - one year the world's tallest tower (Burj Arab), the next a string of offshore manmade islands (the three Palms and the World) and now Dubailand, a massive project that will bring over 45 major projects to a massive leisure oasis in the desert.
Dubai seems to know no end to its ambition, nor does it have any inhibitions, with more grand plans slated, such as Dubai Mall (the world's largest mall) and the colossal new airport at Jebel Ali, which will dwarf the existing one, already the Middle East's busiest.

Even with regional instability in recent years tourism (now responsible for 30% of the emirate's GDP) remains remarkably resilient in this tolerant and stable part of the Arab world with more and more tourists flocking to Dubai every year. This is unsurprising really, considering the idyllic climate for much of the year, with constant sunshine and only an average of five days of rainfall annually. During summer, however, the heat is extreme, making trips away from air-conditioned vehicles and buildings unbearable.

The future prospects of the emirate's tourist industry and its economic situation as a whole may ultimately be governed by developments in the rest of the Middle East, but for now Dubai is a city on the rise and rise.

 Tourist Information

Lovely Utopia Of Dubai

Atlantis Hotel In Dubai

 Walking Tours
Dubai is a sprawling city that can be difficult to walk around and there are no official signposted tours. However, a self-guided stroll around the older central parts of Deira and Bur Dubai is a great way of discovering the delights of the city, exploring its traditional souks or stumbling across hidden mosques or wind towers.

‘A Walk through the City of Contrasts’, covering Bastakiya and including an abra ride from Shindagha across the Creek and a walk through the gold and spice souks, is offered by Arabian Adventures (tel: (04) 303 4888; website: www.arabian-adventures.com).
Bus Tours
A number of companies offer half-day city tours, including Arabian Adventures (tel: (04) 303 4888; website: www.arabian-adventures.com) and Net Tours Dubai (tel: (04) 226 6655; website: www.nettoursdubai.com). Tours vary depending on the operator but most go to the old and new Dubai souks, Jumeirah Mosque, the thriving commercial area and include a creek crossing by abra (local water taxi).  Another option is to see Dubai by night. Post-tour dinner in one of Dubai’s many restaurants is usually a feature of the night-time tours, which also incorporate the mosques, palaces and souks. The tours operate a very organized system, with pick-up at all main hotels.

 

Boat Tours
Arabian Adventures (tel: (04) 303 4888; website: www.arabian-adventures.com) offers a variety of cruises on Dubai Creek, aboard a 20m (65ft) schooner, which sets off onto the Arabian Gulf. Alpha Tours (tel: (04) 294 9888; website: www.alphatoursdubai.com) operates evening dhow dinner cruises, which take 2 hours. Alternatively, tourists should go down to Dubai Creek and charter a traditional abra (water taxi), for a short river tour lasting 60-90 minutes. The length of the tour and the price should be agreed in advance. Otherwise, visitors can just ride one across the creek to the other side (journey time – 5 minutes). 

Abit More On The Atlantis Hotel In The Dubai:

The is the the future, the future of wonders. Dubai built the futuristic hotel on one of its islands. Its stunning, breathtaking, and luxurious. The hotel is situated on 113 acres of the Palm Jumeirah, and has about 1539 rooms. The hotel opened its doors last year in September and already attracting many visitors from all over the globe.

Atlantis is the majestic focal point of Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island that has captured the world’s imagination with its magnificent scale and ingenuity. From the moment of arrival, you’re immersed in a dazzling world of imagination, pleasure and luxury. The resort offers relaxation and thrills for couples and families alike, including a landmark hotel, unique marine habitats, an exhilarating water park, pristine white beaches, world-class cuisine, indulgent spa and cosmopolitan boutiques. To stay or visit is to live out your dreams amidst warm Arabian seas.

Atlantis Hotel In Dubai During The Day

Atlantis Hotel In Dubai Illuminates

Rio de Janeiro

City Statistics

Location

Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Dialing code

55

Population

6,051,399 (city)

Ethnic mix

70% white, 20% black, 10% other

Religion

75% Catholic, 25% other

Time zone

GMT - 3 (GMT - 2 from third Sunday in October to third Sunday in March)

Electricity

110 volts or 220 volts; two round-pin plugs are standard

Average January temperatures

30°C (86°F)

Average July temperatures

25°C (77°F)

Annual rainfall

1,086mm (42.4 inches)

Rio de Janeiro: Overview

Copacabana Beach

Rio is an awe-inspiring city where impossibly steep granite mountains rise from the ocean between glorious stretches of golden sand. Brash skyscrapers vie for space with impeccable colonial buildings, and lush forests tumble down hillsides into densely populated residential areas.

Its diverse cultures and peoples live in varying degrees of wealth or poverty.  But no matter what their background or economic standing, the Cariocas (Rio's residents) are characterized by a passion and enthusiasm for life.

The cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city) revels in life, with the beach, football, samba and Carnival the principal diversions. High above all this fun and frivolity are Rio's ever-present landmarks - the statue of Christ the Redeemer on the summit of Corcovado (hunchback) mountain and Sugarloaf with its historic cable car.

As well as these twin icons, Rio boasts a wealth of attractions and activities, plus great food, music and entertainment - enough to keep a visitor busy for any length of stay.
 
A natural port of the Baía de Guanabara (Guanabara Bay) in southeast Brazil, the city was founded by the Portugese on January 1, 1502. They named it Rio de Janeiro (River of January), under the mistaken impression that it was an enormous river mouth. Since then, it has grown to a city of over 6 million people, with a further 5 million in the greater metropolitan area.

In Rio's summer (December to February), temperatures regularly reach 40ºC (104ºF) or more. When the heat is on, tourists should follow the Brazilian example and hit the beach rather than rush around.

Rio de Janeiro: Tourist Information

Walking Tours
A number of companies provide specialist guided walks in Rio, available on request. Roteiros Culturais (tel: (21) 9911 3829; website: www.culturalrio.com.br) runs cultural sightseeing tours to Rio’s historic and colonial landmarks. Tours can be tailored to personal preferences and time available. The Downtown Rio Tour crosses the best areas of the oldest neighbourhood in town, from the Opera House District to the oldest and richest Baroque church in the city.

Rio Hiking (tel: (21) 2507 4417 or 9721 0594 (mobile); website: www.riohiking.com.br) provides English language guided walks in Tijuca forest and up Rio’s mountain peaks.

Jeep Tours
Several companies offer jeep tours to out-of-the-way attractions. Rio by Jeep (tel: (21) 2575 8626 or 9693 8800 (mobile); website: www.riobyjeep.com) specializes in in-depth tours of Tijuca National Park and out-of-town beaches. Rio by Jeep offers two ecological tours of Tijuca forest. The ‘National Park Tour’ takes three and a half hours, while the ‘Complete Tour’ is longer, at five and a half hours. Hotel pick-up can be arranged.

Jeep Tour (tel: (21) 2589 0883 (reservations) or 9977 9610 (mobile); website: www.jeeptour.com.br) offers a number of different jeep tours, as well as walking tours, panoramic helicopter tours and combined tours in Rio and further afield. Hotel pick-up can be arranged.

Helicopter Tours
For a bird’s eye view of the city, Helisight (tel: (21) 2511 2141 (week days) or 2542 7895 (weekends and holidays); website: www.helisight.com.br) offers sightseeing flights of various lengths and itineraries. A 15-minute flight covers the city centre, the Sambódromo, Maracanã stadium, Corcovado and the statue of Christ, Pão de Açúcar and Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Departures are from one of three helipads, located at Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Dona Marta Belvedere (access route to the statue of Christ) and Sugar Loaf (cable car’s first stop). Helipads are open daily 0900–1800 and night flights are also available from the Sugar Loaf and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon helipads.

Boat Tours
Saveiros Tour (tel: (21) 2224 6990; website: www.saveiros.com.br) operates a cultural boat tour around Guanabara Bay, providing a unique viewpoint of the city and Niterói island. The two-hour trip departs from the Gloria Marina daily at 0930. 

Helicopter Tours

Boat Tours

Tokyo

City Statistics

Location

Kanto region, eastern Japan.

Dialing code

81.

Population

8,457,000 (city); 12,544,000 (metropolitan area).

Time zone

GMT + 9.

Electricity

100 volts AC, 50/60Hz; flat two-pin American-style plugs are standard.

Average January temperatures

6°C (42°F).

Average July temperatures

26°C (78°F).

Annual rainfall

1,519mm (60 inches).

Tokyo: Overview

Japan's Tokyo Dome

Effortlessly blending the old and the new, Tokyo is a city that defies definition. Cutting-edge technology glitters beside ancient temples, flashing neon lights bathe kimono-clad women, and shining skyscrapers tower above stunning Shinto shrines.

At first glance a city crowded by cars and hurrying commuters, Tokyo has spots of tranquility and beautiful detail that amaze and astonish. Home to over 12 million people, this is a city with a history and a heart that captivates every visitor.

This sprawling megalopolis on the Pacific coast of Honshu is on the largest of the 6,800 Japanese islands.

In 1590, the city was founded as Edo, the capital of the shoguns, the succession of hereditary absolute rulers of Japan and commander of the Japanese army. Edo boasted its own vibrant culture, the celebrated ‘floating world’ of pleasure quarters, theaters and cherry blossoms, immortalized in the Japanese woodblock prints of the time.

Following the fall of the shoguns in 1867 (and the restoration of the power of the Emperor), the city was renamed Tokyo, the Eastern Capital, heralding its rebirth as a dynamic modern city and the showpiece of a rapidly modernizing country.

Despite the catastrophic 1923 earthquake and near obliteration during WWII, Tokyo rose from the ashes.

Now a bewildering amalgamation of districts and neighborhoods, Tokyo still thrives as a coherent whole, due to the extraordinarily efficient network of rail and underground lines that crisscross and encircle the city. These are Tokyo’s arteries, transporting legions of businesspeople, office workers and students from the suburbs and depositing them in vast stations. Two million people a day pass through Shinjuku Station alone.

The towering business districts swarm with soberly dressed corporate warriors and the demure young secretaries known as ‘office flowers’. The architectural anarchy and sheer crush of humanity assaults the senses. Amid the frenzy of consumerism, brash electronics outlets are crammed next to refined upscale boutiques and hordes of giggling schoolgirls swoon over pop idols and the latest fashions in glitzy emporiums.

Downtown, old neighborhoods cluster around antiquated shopping arcades and the clatter of the temple bell echoes across the rooftops. Here, the rhythms of the seasons are still observed. Tokyoites flock to ring in the New Year at the venerable Shinto shrines and springtime brings a flurry of flower-viewing parties and picnics under the cherry blossoms.

Traditional festivals punctuate the humid summers and the spirit of the old Edo also survives in the neon-bathed entertainment districts: modern-day ‘floating worlds’ of karaoke and cinemas, shot bars and bathhouses. Traditional kabuki theater thrives alongside opera, ballet and symphonic performances, and Tokyoites are passionate about sumo, baseball and now, thanks partly to the 2002 World Cup, football.
 
With the latest figures estimating an incredible 60,000 eateries in Tokyo and home to the world’s largest fish market, food is an obsession even closer to Japanese hearts. From bowls of steaming ramen noodles to delicate slices of sashimi, chefs compete to offer the freshest produce, and presentation is elevated to an art form.

Visiting the city is a pleasure at any time, except perhaps the sweltering heat of summer (July and August). While winter in the city is cold and crisp, spring (March to May) is the highlight of the year for many, with the arrival of delicate cherry blossoms inspiring sakepicnics in the city’s parks and avenues. Autumn (September to November) sees the oppressive summer heat give way to balmy days and golden leaves.

But avoid Golden Week (late April-May) and New Year (late December-early January), the two most important festivals in the Shinto calendar, because the city closes down. But with festivals celebrated almost every week, whenever you visit there is always something of the old Japan to experience.

Thanks to the determination of the Japanese government to attract foreign visitors, Tokyo is becoming ever easier to navigate. A recent redesign of the subway map makes traveling on the city’s excellent public transport extremely easy. English signage is good and getting better, while learning a few basics in Japanese will go a long way to help navigate the sprawling city’s streets.

With recent statistics heralding an unprecedented rise in tourist numbers, Tokyo is inspiring more western visitors than ever before. Hurtling towards the future while respecting its past, this unique city and the people that live there offer visitors an experience they will never forget.

Tokyo: Tourist Information

Tokyo's Museum

Walking Tours
The Tokyo Tourist Information Office (tel: (03) 3201 3331; website: http://www.jnto.go.jp/) provides a leaflet, ‘Walking Tour Courses in Tokyo’, outlining walking routes in several main areas of the city. Mr Oka’s Walking Tours of Tokyo (tel: 0422 51 7673; website: www.homestead.com/mroka/) offers free walking tours of the city. The historian runs a number of tours all over the city, and as they are free they are very popular.

Bus Tours
Hato Bus (tel: (03) 3435 6081; website: http://www.hatobus.co.jp/), JTB Sunrise Tours (tel: (03) 5796 5454; website: www.jtbgmt.com/sunrisetour/) and Japan Gray Line (tel: (03) 3595 5948; website: www.jgl.co.jp/inbound/index.htm) all offer a wide variety of half-day, full-day and evening bus tours, with English-speaking guides.

Boat Tours
The Tokyo Cruise Ship  Company (tel: (03) 5733 4812; website: http://www.suijobus.co.jp/) runs a regular waterbus service along the Sumida River, between Asakusa, the Hama Rikyu Gardens, and Hinode Pier. The trip takes 40 minutes (one way). The company also operates a variety of other waterbus services around Tokyo Bay, lasting between 5 and 55 minutes. Vingt-et-UnCruises (tel: (03) 3436 2121; website: http://www.vantean.co.jp/) and Symphony Cruises (tel: (03) 3798 8101; website: www.symphony-cruise.co.jp/english/) offers daytime and evening boat cruises between 1 and 2 hours around Tokyo Bay. The latter depart from the Hinode Pier.

Other Tours
See Tokyo from a rickshaw and discover areas seldom seen by other tourists. Asakusa’s Rickshaw Tour Guides (tel: (03) 5806 8881; website: http://www.ebisuya.com/) operate daily from near the Asakusa pier on the Sumidagawa River and surrounding areas.