Pörböly

The settlement is located at the borderline of the Gemenc forest, between Baja and Bátaszék. By motorcar it is accessible on route 55, by rail on the Bátaszék-Baja-Kiskunhalas line. Pörböly formed after World War I, its inhabitants originated from the dispersed detached farms of the surrounding flood area. The number of settlers grew significantly subsequent to the floods sustained in 1956 and 1965. The village obtained its today appearance in the ‘60s. The nearby Gemenc forest provides work for its inhabitants.

The Gemenc forest being under the management of the Danube-Dráva National Park is the most extensive consecutive flood plain forest of Europe. The forest is famous of its rich bird and deer stock, and of its preserved flora and fauna. Gemenc is known as a hunting area also abroad. In excess of the aforementioned bird species and deers, wild boars, roes and foxes can also be hunted here.

At the part of Gemenc falling to the public administrational area of Pörböly there is an Ökoturisztikai Központ (Ecotouristic Centre). The building complex of high standards homes a museum, a projection room and a souvenir shop. In the museum the visitor can get known with the region itself, the local fauna and the highly significant timbering. Nature films related to the Gemenc forest and Sárköz are on in the projection room. The ones wishing to visualise the intact nature more closely, can do it by kayak, canoe and bicycle or on foot by wandering around the area on the study pathways. In excess of touring several programs and events expect the visitors from year to year.

The runaway train also starts from the Pörböly Ecotouristic Centre, which is winding 32 km long through the flood plain forest quite until the Sió Channel. At the station named “Lassi” the devices of Danube and flood plain fishing are exhibited. The small train goes according to a regular timetable all around the year. Provided that one fails to see any animal during the trip, he can compensate himself at the watch-point built nearby the ecocentre, where success is granted.

Sources: http://www.porboly.hu/, http://hu.wikipedia.org/, http://www.okoturizmus.hu