From Wikitravel

Bahir Dar is a city in Ethiopia. A third largest city of Ethiopia, after Addis-Ababa and Dire-dawa. (pop. 201,450). A capital city for the country's ethnically and geographicaly second largest people, the Amhara. (Ethiopian official language is Amharic. The Amharas are culturally and politcally dominant in the country, competing with Tigreans)

Contents 1 Get in 2 Get around 3 See 4 Do 5 Buy 6 Safety 7 Eat 8 Drink 9 Sleep 10 Get out

Get in

The city is equipped with an International airport with paved runways, identified by the ICAO code HABD and IATA BJR; Ethiopian Airlines operates scheduled flights between Bahir Dar and the capital(Addis-Ababa) as well as with Gondar to the northwest. The city is also connected through roads (and buslines) to these cities. There is no railway that connects Bahir Dar to any city in Ethiopia.

Get around

As in the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis-Ababa, the blue mini-buses provide very efficient transportation in Bahir-dar. There are also horse drawn carts, roam the backstreets of the city. Both, the minibuses and the carts are inexpensive.

• Bahir-dar is the cleanest and well maintained city by African city standards. Even the basic accomedations have neat, but basic services.

See

• Approximately, 35 miles from Bahir-dar, there is Blue nile falls or Tis Abay(in Amharic) It is a spectacular sight. Smaller than Niagra falls, but amazingly scenic. You can take the blue minibuses or a bus to the blue nile falls. (The roads, however might get a little bumpy)

• Bahir Dar is situated on the southern shore of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile (or Abay). On the islands of the lake there are some of the world's oldest churches and Monasteries. In some of these monasteries, women NOT allowed to get in. Be cautious and be aware of traditons and rules of Ethiopian Orthodox church, when you visit, these anicient churches.

• Bahir Dar grew around a Jesuit settlement, founded in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, from which time the Pedro Páez building dates. One of Emperor Haile Selassie's palaces is located near the city, and the Emperor considered moving the national capital to the town. The palace is an impressive architectural work of its time. Facing the lake Tana (the source of blue nile) it provides a beautiful picturesque scene of blue nile.

Do

• There are several music clubs in Bahir-Dar
• Western music from the 80's and early 90's are hugely popular.
• Cycling Almost everyone in Bahir-Dar rides bicycle to get around.

Buy

Safety

• Like many other cities in Ethiopia, Bahir dar is generally safe and free of violent crimes.
• The Federal Police,(seen very rearly aroud town)the city police and the local neighborhood millitia provide security to the city.
• You may encounter some hustlers around the shore of lake tana to get you rent a boat they may get a kick-back for. The boats on the lake Tana that take you to visit the Monasteries have fixed rates. Make sure the self appointed "brokers" won't get you charged a jacked up fee for the boats.
• Other than these very few and irritable factors, Bahir-dar is the most tranquil city in Africa

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Get out

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