Mon conjoint et moi sommes à planifier notre 3ème voyage au Vietnam (1 mois, en décembre, les billets sont achetés) ; lui est né à Saigon, a quitté à l'âge de 12 ans en 75 mais parle toujours la langue et y a plein de famille encore. Cette fois nous amenons avec nous deux couples d'amis qui vont visiter ce pays pour la 1ère fois (et là je vous vois venir, vous me répondrez tous qu'un mois c'est trop peu, je sais, ils n'auront qu'un aperçu mais c'est mieux que rien... Les lois du travail au Québec étant ce qu'elles sont, ce n'est pas tout le monde qui arrive à avoir de longues vacances, même à ses propres frais... à moins de démissionner...🙁)
Lors de nos séjours précédents, en 95 et 2001, je me souviens d'avoir été impressionnée par les rizières, évidemment quelque chose de très exotique pour la Québécoise que je suis... Et je m'étais demandée à l'époque, comme maintenant, s'il existait au Vietnam quelque chose comme un "centre d'interprétation de la culture du riz". Il serait intéressant de visiter ce genre de "muséum" présentant les aspects scientifiques, historiques, culturels de cette importante activité humaine de ce pays, mal connue en Occident. Ici à Montréal, il y a quelques années, le Pavillon Chinois du Jardin Botanique avait une petite exposition sur ce thème, avec échantillons des types de riz, explications des systèmes d'irrigation, cycle de vie de la plante, histoire et importance de cette culture en Asie etc.... C'était passionnant et ce le serait encore plus de visiter sur place une "'rizière modèle" jumelée à un pavillon écomusée. Comme nous sillonnerons le pays du Nord au Sud, pouvons-nous trouver sur notre chemin une telle visite? J'ai vu dans une autre discussion que quelque chose du genre existait sur le bambou... Alors je suppose que oui pour le riz?
ce le serait encore plus de visiter sur place une "'rizière modèle" jumelée à un pavillon écomusée
Vous pouvez vous adresser au Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), situé à Can Tho: Thoi Thanh village, O Mon district, Can Tho province. Il s'étend sur 360 hectares dont 60 sont réservés aux bâtiments administratifs, des laboratoires, 30 hectares de champs expérimentaux, 220 hectares de champs de production et de fermes modèles.
Lucky that we have a home/Our Home is Nha May Man/Passing rain and dry seasons/In a full-of-love atmosphere/Besides my new family/I have brothers and sisters/The sun shines over the skies/Let's stay here, with all of us,
"...Vous pouvez vous adresser au Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI)..."
Bonjour et merci beaucoup pour votre réponse, je ne connaissais pas cet institut universitaire. Je suis en train de regarder leur site web, qui est heureusement traduit dans un excellent anglais (malheureusement même après plus de 20 ans de vie avec un Vietnamien, ma connaissance de la langue reste plutôt limitée 😉 ). Mais il me semble d'après ce que j'y lis que leurs activités se concentrent dans la recherche et l'enseignement formel (école des métiers de l'agriculture et agronomie), ils ne semblent pas avoir un volet axé vers la vulgarisation et l'éducation du public. Je tenterai de communiquer avec eux pour demander s'ils peuvent me référer ailleurs s'ils n'offrent pas de visites au public eux-mêmes. 🙂
Merci encore et au plaisir, j'aurai sûrement d'autres questions sur des foules de sujets dans les semaines à venir en préparation de mon voyage là-bas... Même si j'ai déjà visité le VN 2 fois, ce pays change si vite, j'ai bien peur que nos repères (qui datent de 95 et 2001) ne soient plus bien fiables !!! 😏
Lucky that we have a home/Our Home is Nha May Man/Passing rain and dry seasons/In a full-of-love atmosphere/Besides my new family/I have brothers and sisters/The sun shines over the skies/Let's stay here, with all of us,
Même si j'ai déjà visité le VN 2 fois, ce pays change si vite, j'ai bien peur que nos repères (qui datent de 95 et 2001) ne soient plus bien fiables !!! 😏
😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏
Tu vas faire beaucoup beaucoup de nouvelles decouvertes.
Ici, tout avance tres vite dans certains endroits.
Si tu passes par Nha Trang, n'hesite pas a venir me faire un petit coucou.
Si tu passes par Nha Trang, n'hesite pas a venir me faire un petit coucou.
Oui, de la belle-famille y habite alors j'y passerai sûrement quelques jours (mais sans doute pas assez pour avoir vraiment le temps de vous visiter...) Ma belle-sœur nous hébergera, sa fillle est agent de voyage et c'est notre contact au pays pour l'organisation du périple de notre mini-groupe (l'un des 2 couples qui nous accompagnent est plus âgé et ils sont forts nerveux et souhaitent un itinéraire précis avec tous leurs hôtels réservés d'avance... Un peu limitant mais bon on veut qu'ils soient bien "relax", alors on a fait cette concession même si nous on aurait préféré être un peu plus libres...)
Dommage si vous lisez le viêtnamien, vous en apprenez beaucoup plus que les pages en anglais qui ne font qu'une présentation de l'Institut.
Il y a beaucoup de pages en viêtnamien qui donnent plein d'info sur les variétés de riz et sur les résultats de recherche.
Oui... Dommage... je sais... je me sens bien minable après toutes ces années d'avoir un niveau de viet si faible ... Mais je n'ai pas une grande facilité pour les langues (une chance que j'ai appris l'anglais toute petite quand c'était encore facile...) et mon conjoint n'est ni très patient ni doué pour l'enseignement. De plus je suis orgueilleuse, ce qui se combine assez mal avec le tempérament moqueur de ma belle-famille vietnamienne (ils se moquent gentiment je sais bien, mais c'est dur de les écouter rire des mots incompréhensibles que je galère à prononcer quand on est trop "fière" comme moi...🤪) J'ai bien suivi des cours il y a une dizaine d'années mais sans une immersion ce n'est pas très utile.... Disons que ça m'a donné une base... Et je me débrouille très bien à la lecture d'un menu tout en vietnamien !!! La faim c'est super pour apprendre les langues... à croire que c'est l'estomac qui mène et pas le cerveau 😉
à croire que c'est l'estomac qui mène et pas le cerveau
Hé hé, le ventre creux n'écoute pas.
La première chose à faire (je le crois et je persiste) c'est de ne pas trop s'arrêter à la prononciation et à l'accent.
Plus d'un milliard de gens parlent anglais mais très peu ont l'accent anglais. J'ai plus de mal de comprendre quand un anglais parle qu'un hollandais🙂
Même si vous ne parlez pas encore, vous pouvez trouver faire l'effort de lire les journaux viêtnamiens en ligne et avec un bon dictionnaire sur le net, il est très facile d'apprendre à comprendre et avec le temps, le vocabulaire s'accumulant, vous arriverez à comprendre beaucoup de choses.
Lucky that we have a home/Our Home is Nha May Man/Passing rain and dry seasons/In a full-of-love atmosphere/Besides my new family/I have brothers and sisters/The sun shines over the skies/Let's stay here, with all of us,
Peut être que durant votre voyage vous aurez l ' occasion de traverser des villages de paysans cultivateurs et par le biais de ton mari qui parle le Viet, demander à un paysan des infos sur le cycle, les qualités ...
Je pense que par son expérience et les années passées dans les champs ce sera l ' une des sources d ' infos la plus crédible .
Vous pourriez en échange participer une journée à la récolte, car je pense que votre voyage tombe dans cette période.
Ainsi tu aurais des infos théoriques et pratiques et vous aurez participer à la vie quotidienne .. quoi de mieux pour connaitre un pays, pour le comprendre?
Lucky that we have a home/Our Home is Nha May Man/Passing rain and dry seasons/In a full-of-love atmosphere/Besides my new family/I have brothers and sisters/The sun shines over the skies/Let's stay here, with all of us,
Etonnant, mais inquiétant quant à la main d'oeuvre, que va-t-on faire de tous ceux qui n'auront plus leur "utilité" ?
Le Vietnam est un pays de contraste, de variété, de multiple culture et de tradition différente🙂.
Il est souvent erroné de cataloguer les vietnamiens d'une façon ou d'une autre.
Le Delta du Mékong possède d'immenses terres fertiles comme la Beauce, avec la seule différence c'est qu'on y cultive et récolte le riz 3 fois par an.
C'est un travail pénible, sous le cagnard de plus de 35°, sans compter que quand le riz atteint sa maturité, il faut récolter très vite, avant qu'une dépression tropicale ne vienne tout détruire, ne serait qu'une pluie torrentielle ne fasse pas mouiller les grains de riz et dans ce cas, la conservation ne peut pas être de longue durée, la qualité du grain de riz sera moindre et le prix de vente ne sera pas excellent.
La nouvelle génération apprendra d'autres métiers, la commercialisation du riz, la mécanique pour réparer et entretenir ces machines, la région ayant plus de moyens pourra investir sur d'autres modèles de développement donc du travail.
Dans d'autres régions du VietNam, les techniques manuelles ancestrales continueront de faire rêver les touristes.
Lucky that we have a home/Our Home is Nha May Man/Passing rain and dry seasons/In a full-of-love atmosphere/Besides my new family/I have brothers and sisters/The sun shines over the skies/Let's stay here, with all of us,
ne serait qu'une pluie torrentielle ne fasse pas mouiller les grains de riz et dans ce cas, la conservation ne peut pas être de longue durée, la qualité du grain de riz sera moindre et le prix de vente ne sera pas excellent.
ben oui, mais c'est tout simplement la raison pour laquelle la moissonneuse a été inventée puis utilisée dans de nombreuses régions du monde, qu'elles s'agissent de moissonner du riz, du blé ou autres céréales.
La nouvelle génération apprendra d'autres métiers,
on peut leur donner un conseil judicieux : la confection de chaussures. ils sont doués pour ça, c'est pour ça que nike, décathlon, etc. font fabriquer là-bas à grande échelle.
Je suis depuis peu la marraine d'1 petit vietnamien (par le biais d'1 asso humanitaire). Le probleme, c'est que je ne connais pas le pays, ni sa culture pour…
J’ai des questions très simples sur les pratiques religieuses au Vietnam. Je recherche des informations sur la symbolique de l’encens au Vietnam: est ce la…
J'ai eu un peu de mal à trouver une réponse à ma question, je vais essayé d'en trouver une ici.. Mon copain est d'origine Vietnamienne, il ne parle pas la…
J'habite actuellement a Singapour et mes parents viennent me rendre visite pendant 2 semaines au mois de Novembre. Je voudrais leur faire decouvrir le Vietnam…
Je voudrais participer aux deux jours du festival culturel des ethnies du Vietnam qui se tiendra les 18 et 19 avril prochains à Dong Mo. Je crois qu'il n'y a…
Silly question—backpack or hard-shell suitcase for the Sepilok, Kinabatangan, Tioman, KL trip?
I’m struggling to fit all my son’s and my stuff into the 70L backpack... and I’m thinking a suitcase would be easier, but I’m not sure if it’ll work for getting around.
Hi fellow travelers,
First trip to Vietnam.
We’ll be arriving in Ho Chi Minh City during Tet.
Is it complicated to find accommodation and get around during this period?
Any tips would be welcome.
Thanks for your replies.
Hi there,
I didn’t plan to return to Thailand this year, but my health conditions mean it’ll be the best place for me to stay between two trips to India. The tourism setup there is so well-organized that it’s the most "comfortable" country for a short visit. Thailand feels too sanitized for my taste, and there’s too much religion, Buddha, and the King, but it’s still the best option given how my health has been evolving. I’d considered two weeks in ThaTon for hiking, but I got too sick from the burn-offs during my trips to the mountains around Chiang Rai. So I’m not sure where to go this year. Definitely not the sea, touristy spots, or the mountains with burn-offs...
Hello.
In 1996, we crossed Vietnam from Saigon to Hanoi by motorbike—Minsk bikes we bought in Saigon. I haven’t been back since, and it seems like a lot has changed.
- We’re heading to the south (well, the north and center) with the family in July-August (3 people).
- Is the road network more developed now? Back then, there was only National Route 1 from south to north. I’m thinking of renting a car this time (no motorbike with the family—though in ’96, they had a Jawa sidecar for sale, and we hesitated… maybe it’s for the best).
- Is Halong Bay really something to avoid because of overtourism? Even back then, it was pretty crowded. Is there a less touristy alternative?
- We’ll be traveling from Hanoi down to Danang (the only city we didn’t stop in back in ’96). Even though it’s a bit overhyped in a Chinese-tourist kind of way (from what I’ve read), we’re only going for the beach—pure relaxation for 7 days. The beaches are stunning, and I know the South China Sea is warm like coffee.
- Then, we’ll visit Hoi An, where I stopped in ’96. It was already popular with backpackers back then, but no glowing boats or all the touristy fuss!
- After that, Hue, where I have great memories—it’s a beautiful city.
- And also the nature around Ninh Binh, followed by 2-3 days in Hanoi.
That’s the plan. I’d love to hear any tips to avoid mass tourism, and if anyone’s done this before:
- Is it possible to rent a car in Danang and drop it off in Hanoi?
Hey everyone,
I’m over in East Borneo in mid-July.
I’m struggling to wrap up the end of my itinerary, even though it’s pretty straightforward (long but simple).
Last year, we did Malaysia (KL and the mainland + around Kuching).
Day 1 – Arrive in Kota Kinabalu early, stroll around town and hit the must-sees.
Day 2 – Excursion to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, snorkeling at 3 islands.
Day 3 – Hike around Mount Kinabalu without summiting (450 per person, no way).
Day 4 – Poring Hot Springs + evening flight to Sandakan.
Day 5-6-7 – Kinabatangan River (still looking for the right guide).
Day 8 – Sepilok for the orangutans, the Sun Bear Centre, and Rainforest Discovery Centre.
Day 9 – Selingan, turtle island.
Day 10 – Head to Semporna.
Day 11-12-13-14 – Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai.
Day 15 – Bohey Dulang.
Day 16 to Day 25: I’M STUCK.
I looked into Danum Valley, but for 3 days/2 nights, they’re quoting 650 € per person—come on, that’s ridiculous.
I checked out a detour into Indonesia (still East Borneo), but I’m having trouble deciding what would be amazing.
I read about Sangalaki + Kakaban (2 islands, 1 base) / Mahakam Delta - Kutai (orangutans and river) / Sungai Boh (Dayak Kayan) – jungle & culture.
But honestly, I’m struggling to finalize this itinerary.
If we venture that way, we’d head back to KK from Balikpapan.
For a 4-month stay in Egypt, I had ENORMOUS problems. The regulations are very bureaucratic and extremely nitpicky there. For a 4-month stay in the Philippines, I was wondering if the procedures are just as complicated? I’m bringing my cell phone with an eSIM. Should I choose a plan from Canada for use in the Philippines, or should I get a plan only once I arrive? After 30 days, do I renew with the Canadian provider I chose before leaving, or do I switch to a local company? Do I need to register my phone with the authorities in the Philippines? (That was the case in Egypt.) For the 3rd and 4th months, will it be just as simple—renewing with a Canadian or local provider—or should I expect problems?
Hello,
I’ll be in Malaysia with my wife, mainly in Langkawi and Penang for Christmas and New Year’s at the end of 2026.
If you’ve had the experience—and since I’ve read (though it’s not very clear) that these two islands get quite crowded during this period—would you recommend booking accommodation well in advance, or is it easy to find something on the spot?
Hotels or Airbnb?
Do you have any great tips for accommodation or any practical info to share?
We’ll be staying 5 to 7 days on each island.
Thanks in advance for your replies
Hi there. To make the most of Lake Toba, is it better to find accommodation on the lake’s shores (which one?) or on Samosir Island? Thanks for your tips!
Hi there,
We’re heading to Vietnam as a family on July 8th for a little over 3 weeks (north and center). We’ve only booked the first 3 nights in Hanoi, and nothing else after that. We like to decide things on the spot and go with the flow, without rushing everywhere. But I’m still a bit unsure: when heading down to the center (Hue), is it better to book the overnight trains in advance? We don’t want to take any flights while we’re there—just use the overnight train for the long trips. But I’m worried we won’t get seats if we buy the tickets on the spot, say, 2 days before. What do the experts here think? And which website can we use to book the tickets? Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hi everyone!
I’m heading back to Thailand in July 2026 with a stopover in Cambodia to visit the Angkor site.
After Angkor, I’ve booked a stay on Ko Chang island. Does anyone know if there are direct transport options from Cambodia to Ko Chang without having to go back through Bangkok? That would be amazing!!
I think there are, but I’d need more details!!
I went to Thailand in February 2025 and don’t remember having to apply for a visa—is that still the case now? And for Cambodia too?
Thanks so much!!!
Laurence from Bayonne
I’d love to get some feedback on our itinerary—it’s probably pretty basic! This is our second trip to Asia and our first to Indonesia. We have three kids aged 20, 18, and 12. We land in Jakarta at 4 PM, spend 3 nights/2 days there, then take the train to Yogyakarta for 3 nights/2 days, followed by the train to Surabaya for 2 nights/1 day, then the train to Bromo for 1 day/1 night, a private driver to Ijen for 2 nights/2 days, then on to Bali (Ubud) for 4 nights/3 days, followed by Gili Air for 3 nights/2 days, Senggigi (Lombok) for 2 nights, and finally 5 nights in Kuta. I’m considering cutting the 2 nights in Senggigi to just keep Kuta and extend it to 7 nights. In Lombok, I’m not sure how to get around since I’m not comfortable with scooters... Your thoughts on all of this, and any advice, are more than welcome—don’t hesitate!
For those wondering why cities like Jakarta and Surabaya: we don’t often get the chance to visit big Asian cities, so we wanted to include that discovery in our trip. The trains between Jakarta and Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Probolinggo are booked. The return flight from Lombok to Jakarta is also set. Accommodations are booked but flexible (same for the trains).
Hi,
After our trip to China, we want to spend a week in the Philippines for some beach time and snorkeling.
We're looking for the best spot to settle in—nice beaches, great marine life, and short transfer times.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Does anyone know of a private transfer or taxi company that organizes transfers from the Sukhothai area to Chiang Mai?
Our routes are Sukhothai-Lampang, Lampang-Chom Thong, and Chom Thong-Chiang Mai.
My searches on Google Maps, 12Go, and others haven’t turned up much...
For our Bangkok-Sukhothai trips, I use a company I’ve already tried, but they don’t have a fleet available from Sukhothai and have to go through third-party companies—which, understandably, take their commission. This nearly doubles the prices...
There are four of us, and we’re not traveling light, so a minibus isn’t an option. ;-)
Bonjour,
En voyage en Thaïlande je suis à la recherche de jonc bouddhiste kumlai.
Quelqu’un saurait-il me guider pour en trouver?
À Bangkok j’ai visité quelques temple mais je n’en n’ai pas trouvé sur les magasins à proximité.
Si vous avez une idée je suis preneuse! Belle journée :-)
My trip’s coming up, and I’m having a bit of trouble with three bus/minivan routes. Usually, I find everything at this time of year, but this time—yikes!
Sandakan → Sepilok:
No app for this one—you just hop on bus #14 at the local terminal (pay cash on board). But where do I catch it, and where’s the stop??
Sandakan → Semporna:
From what I’ve heard, it’s the Sida Express company (great name, right? 😄).
Can’t book online, but apparently, you *have* to because there’s only one bus at 8 AM.
Where do I board, and where does it drop me off?
Semporna → Tawau:
Found this via AI—is it legit?
No online booking, as far as I can tell.
Minivans leave from a stop in the Jalan Hospital area, near the Milimewa supermarket, supposedly????
And when you arrive, does it drop you at **Sabindo Square** in Tawau?????
Hi there,
we’ll be in Mai Chau in June and we’re thinking of heading to Sapa, but first spending a few days in Bac Ha to do some hiking and explore the area.
Is this a good idea for those who’ve been there?
How do you get there?
Thanks for your feedback.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Cédric.
Hi everyone. As I’m planning my trip for next winter, I’m looking for hotel suggestions in Camotes, Bantayan, Malapascua, Bohol, and Siquijor. The ones I had in mind seem to be fully booked (unless it’s too early?). For those familiar with the area, is it easy to find accommodations on the spot in January/February? I’m specifically looking for hotels with a pool, beachfront, air conditioning, and easy scooter rental nearby. Thanks for your tips!
Hi there,
I’m planning an itinerary and would love some feedback on whether it’s doable and if the number of days per destination is enough—or too much. I was also debating whether to add an extra night on an island or spend an extra night in Kampot to visit Kep or Battambang.
March 23: Arrival in Phnom Penh in the morning
March 24: Phnom Penh
March 25: Phnom Penh
March 26: Depart for Kampot
March 27: Kampot
March 28: Depart for Battambang
March 29: Battambang
March 30: Tonlé SAP to Siem Reap
March 31: Siem Reap
April 1: Siem Reap
April 2: Siem Reap
April 3: Siem Reap
April 4: Siem Reap
April 5: Departure
Hi there,
Yesterday in the Thailand section, 100% of the new threads were just about beach destinations 😕...
So here’s the counterattack in the form of this photo thread, dedicated solely to the countryside: the locals, their livestock, fields, farms, rice paddies, small rivers, and agricultural machinery. If you’ve got any pictures that fit these categories, feel free to add them!
Comments welcome.
For each photo, I’ll (or you can) indicate the area where it was taken.
Hope you're all doing well! It's been a while since I last traveled, but I'm finally heading out again soon!
For those familiar with SOUTHEAST ASIA, I'm planning to leave in mid-June (with the trip ending at the latest in November), and I don’t have a precise idea of exact places or itineraries yet. The thing is, this period is usually the rainy season...
Any advice? I was thinking of Malaysia or Indonesia, like Sulawesi, for example (all countries and islands in Southeast Asia interest me except Bali).
Any recommendations? I’m doing my research online, but if anyone here has the time and knowledge, I’d love to hear from you.
My partner and I are planning a trip to Indonesia in September-October 2026. It’ll be our first time in Asia, and we’re thinking of hitting the classic spots in East Java and Bali, then wrapping up with a cruise around Komodo for some snorkeling/diving. Here’s a rough draft of our itinerary—I’m wondering if it’s doable.
20/09: Flight from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, arrive around noon, afternoon/evening and overnight in Yogyakarta.
21/09: Borobudur
22/09: Prambanan
23/09: Travel to Bromo (Cemoro Lawang)
24/09: Bromo
25/09: Kawa Ijen
26/09: Travel to Bali, overnight in Pemuteran
27/09: Excursion to Pulau Melujan, overnight in Pemuteran
28/09: Travel to Munduk, overnight in Munduk
29/09: Explore Munduk and surroundings, overnight in Munduk
30/09: Explore Munduk and surroundings, overnight in Munduk
01/10: Route to Ubud (via Pura Ulu Danau Bratan, Jatiluwih?), overnight in Ubud
02/10: Explore Ubud and surroundings, overnight in Ubud
03/10: Explore Ubud and surroundings, overnight in Ubud
04/10: Travel to Denpasar, flight to Labuan Bajo, overnight in Labuan Bajo
05/10: Komodo cruise
06/10: Komodo cruise
07/10: Komodo cruise, flight to Denpasar in the late afternoon/evening or overnight in Labuan Bajo.
08/10: Flight to Denpasar (if not taken the day before), afternoon in Jimbaran, overnight near Denpasar
09/10: 10:00 AM flight Denpasar - SIN, overnight in Singapore
10/10: Flight SIN-YQB
Hi everyone,
My girlfriend and I booked our tickets with Saudia Airlines for a trip to Thailand this summer, from July 5th to August 3rd. Given the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, we’re keeping a close eye on the news.
I was wondering if anyone here is in the same situation as us?
• Have you heard anything about possible mass cancellations or if the airline is still maintaining its routes to Asia?
• Are there any travelers who’ve recently returned who could tell us if air corridors have been changed (longer flight times)?
The idea is to know what to expect so we can prepare as best as possible. Thanks for your replies! !
Thanks for all your contributions on the forum—they’ve really helped me plan my trip. There are four of us friends heading to Sulawesi for 20 days. Based on all your advice, I’ve put together the following itinerary:
July 30: Makassar – sightseeing
July 31: Makassar – sightseeing + overnight bus to Rantepao
August 1–7: Tana Toraja with a guide
August 7: Tana Toraja to Tentena + visit Tentena
August 8: Early departure with a private driver to Ampana, then ferry to the Togian Islands
August 9–15: Togian Islands (2 different resorts)
August 15: Depart Togian Islands for Luwuk
August 16: Flight Luwuk to Makassar
August 17: Rammang Rammang
August 18: Stroll in Makassar, then return home
Overall, what do you think?
I also have a question about the connection between Tentena and the Togian Islands: Is it doable to leave early in the morning as planned and still be sure not to miss the ferry?
Hi everyone,
I’m currently working on a 30-day itinerary for May/June 2027.
10 days in eastern Java (Malang, Bromo, waterfalls, Meru Beriti Park, Banyuwangi, and Ijen), a short transit in Ubud for a few days, then Flores before heading back to Jakarta.
We’ll spend 15 days in Flores (the classic route: Moni, Bajawa, Riung, Ruteng, ending in Labuan Bajo).
I’d love some firsthand feedback on flights to Maumere or Ende from Bali Denpasar. I know there are no direct routes and that you have to connect through Labuan Bajo or Timor (I think), which isn’t an issue in itself.
But I’ve read here and there that flights to these destinations can be delayed—or worse, canceled—and that it’s better to fly in and out of Labuan Bajo, which isn’t exactly ideal...
Thanks for any tips or experiences you can share!
Family of 4—2 adults and 2 kids (11 and 15) who are well-traveled.
We’re planning a 15-day trip to Indonesia and would love your thoughts on our itinerary.
We love discovering local culture, food (!!), seeing beautiful landscapes, and keeping an active pace. We’re not the type to lounge on the beach for 5 hours or spend ages by the pool when we’re halfway across the world. Also, we try to avoid places "ruined" by mass tourism (like Holbox in Mexico, which we loved 10 years ago but not at all on our last visit, or Phi Phi in Thailand, completely destroyed by mass tourism).
Special note: we love traveling by train :)
Here’s what we’ve planned so far:
**Day 1**
Arrival in Jakarta, then domestic flight to Yogyakarta. Settle in Yogyakarta.
**Day 2**
Borobudur in the morning, then exploring nearby villages.
**Day 3**
Prambanan in the morning, followed by culinary discovery / market / local vibe in Yogyakarta.
**Day 4**
Train to Jombang, then driver/bus to the Bromo area. Overnight stay.
**Day 5**
Sunrise at Bromo, exploring the volcano and sea of sand. Relax in the afternoon.
**Day 6**
Travel to eastern Java, then train, ferry, and road to reach Sidemen in Bali.
**Day 7**
Sidemen
**Day 8**
Sidemen
**Day 9**
Sidemen
**Day 10**
Transfer to Gili Air (car to the port + fast boat?)
**Day 11**
Gili Air
**Day 12**
Gili Air
**Day 13**
Transfer to Ubud
**Day 14**
Ubud
**Day 15**
Return to Bali airport, flight to Jakarta, then international flight.
Does this itinerary seem coherent for a family?
Does it feel too packed or well-balanced?
Would you make any changes to certain stops, durations, or transfers?
I couldn’t find any recent posts on this topic, so I thought I’d create a new one.
We’ve just started planning our family trip to Vietnam this coming August. We’d like to travel from North to South, starting in Hanoi and ending in Ho Chi Minh.
Usually, we rent a car when we arrive and manage on our own. But I get the feeling that in Vietnam, it’s more complicated... It seems like the only option we have is to rent a car with a driver? Is that really the case?
I’m thinking of starting with a cruise in Halong Bay since we arrive on my partner’s birthday, and I wanted a beautiful setting to celebrate it. So, is the option of having a driver wait for 2 days while we’re on the cruise really feasible?
The rest of the itinerary isn’t planned at all yet. I’d love to hear your tips. We’re traveling from August 8th (morning) to the 26th (afternoon).
