Bonjour, j'ai acheté sur le site internet Bourse des Vols un billet Paris - Sihanoukville (Cambodge) en utilisant les comparateurs pendant de longues semaines. J'ai donc choisi mes billets en sachant ce que je voulais. 1 semaine avant le départ les billets électroniques sont annulés et on nous propose de partir 2 jours plus tard. J'accepte, n'ayant plus le choix... 2 jours plus tard les billets électroniques sont à nouveau annulés et BDV fini par nous proposer de nous rembourser (à 5 jours du départ) ou de nous envoyer à Phnom-Penh (250km du lieu de destination). Ayant des obligations... j'accepte. 51€ me sont remboursés alors que j'aurais pu trouver au départ un vol Paris - Phnom Penh bien moins cher.
À mon arrivée à Phnom-Penh mon bagage est perdu !! Je le récupère 2 jours plus tard. Le bagage est cassé, il a été ouvert par un service quelconque (il y a un plomb officiel de poser dessus).
BDV ne veut pas entendre parler de rien. Ils me demandent des factures de ce que j'ai acheté en attendant (comme si la marchande du marché de Sihanoukville savait ce qu'est une facture). Je suis allé au Cambodge pour y vivre. Je n'ai pas emmené avec moi ma facture de la valise (elle était neuve, de bon marché mais NEUVE). Bref si on passe pas des heures à se plaindre on obtient rien !! Je ne vais rien lâcher jusqu'à temps qu'ils prennent en considération ma demande légitime.
Je précise que lorsque j'ai demandé le nom de mon interlocuteur pour pouvoir effectuer un courrier de réclamation, la personne s'est offusquée, m'a bien dit que le client n'avait pas tous les droits (en effet, dans ce cas, je n'en ai aucun), et a fini par donner une leçon de morale bien déplacée et très frustrante, pour ne pas dire autre chose.
Je vais faire tous les forums pour leur faire une pub bien sympathique..
Bien évidemment, prmeir message sur ce forum pour se plaindre, pourquoi pas ?
En attendant, une lecture du forum AVANT, t'aurais peut être évité des désagréments.
D'une manière générale, toujours passer DIRECTEMENT avec la compagnie aérienne - mais ça c'est dit sur le forum AVANT de venir râler.
Si le chemin est difficile, le difficile est le chemin.
je dirai en completant , la meme chose que l'autre intervenant du forum en mettant un peu plus de forme 😉 ....
je te donne mon experience pour le cambodge
evitez les agences et intermediaires qui ne servent souvent a rien , voir qui posent probleme, et traitez directement avec les compagnies aeriennes.
pourquoi?
le cambodge a la chance d'etre desservi par certaines des meilleures compagnies au monde:
quatar arways, singapore airlaines, cathay, eva air, emirates (a verifier) thai, vietnam airlines , asiana ... qui en general sont tres pro et ne te balladent pas dans tout les sens .
leur conditions pour les bagages, les remboursements en cas de changement, modification , sont claires et nettes, pas comme certains intermediaires , ou il faut s'armer d'une bonne loupe pour voir que les conditions bagages et autres sont tres differents , quand aux remboursements en cas de modif.....
et puis souvent la surprise du chef au final , le fameux supplement suivant ton mode de paiement, je sais que cela a evolué, mais toujours a surveiller
comment ?
les comparateurs peuvent t'aider a voir la "temperature" coté prix suivant la saison, les jours, en prenant soin de decocher de la recherche toutes ces agences , pour ne garder que les prix des compagnies aeriennes. mais il faut savoir que ces comparateurs ont des accords commerciaux et placent d'abord leurs partenaires , "a prestation equivalente " (formule passe partout) par rapport a d'autres.
tu peux tres bien utiliser par exemple kayak , en virant les agences, et tu auras une idée plus claire pour les prix (perso , je ne garde que quelques compagnies )
ensuite tu vas voir les 4 ou 5 sites des meilleures, et tu regarde directement , leurs promos eventuelles, les conditions.
tu peux acheter longtemps a l'avance, mais si tu es en dehors des periodes tres recherchés, tu peux aussi quelques semaines avant trouver des tres bons prix
tu vas te simplifier beaucoup les recherches, perdra moins de temps, et cela ne te coutera pas plus cher.
enfin dernier conseil , prendre la meme compagnie ou filiale pour tous les vols, car pas de vol direct, donc les plans pour prendre un vol pas cher avec une compagnie, puis un autre avec une autre compagnie, à eviter, car actuellement si on un peu de souplesse pour les dates , on trouve des tres bons prix , en direct avec les meilleures compagnies.
voila c'etait ma contribution au transport aérien....🙂
Je ne comprends pas bien ta remarque ? J'ai un souci avec une agence qui ne veut entendre mon problème et j'utilise les forums et réseaux sociaux pour diffuser l'information. Il faut que j'ai une antériorité sur ce site pour le faire ? De combien de messages ? Ou peut-être en années ?
Je voyage depuis de nombreuses années. J'ai mon expérience et je ne donne de leçon à personne. Cordialement.
Il n'est pas question antériorité, mais simplement d'utiliser le forum pour se renseigner avant
Bien des participants ont agi ainsi et ils ne le regrettent pas.
Si le chemin est difficile, le difficile est le chemin.
En ce qui concerne le fait de passer direct par les compagnies, ce qui vaut pour le Cambodge est en fait valable partout.
La majorité des soucis de billets, annulations, changements pour une chose ou une autre....proviennent des intermédiaires. Sans compter qu'au final, le gain - éventuel - n'est pas évident.
J'ajoute à l'intention de l'initiateur du post, qu'un petit tour sur Google en tapant " avis bourse des vols " est édifiant quant à leur gestion des aléas !
Si le chemin est difficile, le difficile est le chemin.
J'ai un souci avec une agence qui ne veut entendre mon problème et j'utilise les forums et réseaux sociaux pour diffuser l'information
Et vous n'êtes pas, de très loin, le premier à le faire
En apparence, c'est totalement inutile, puisque les déconvenues se reproduisent sans cesse
Merci de ces infos, malgré tout
Et comme ont dit les autres sans agressivité : mieux vaut venir sur le forums AVANT, et bien lire, vous auriez évité de passer par un intermédiaire inutile et incompétent, booker directement auprès des compagnies est toujours plus sûr, et rarement plus cher. Cela fait bien des années que c'est dit et rappelé sur tous les forums
Cela dit, bon courage pour vos démarches à venir, et bonne installation au Cambodge qui est un pays très attachant à de nombreux points de vue
1 : Il faut vivre ses rêves et non pas rêver sa vie - 2 : mieux vaut vivre avec des remords qu'avec des regrets
je confirme Emirates va bien au Cambodge depuis quelques semaines... je vais en profiter -avec grand plaisir- d'ici peu 🙂. Excellente compagnie, service impeccable, prix corrects, seule ombre une escale un peu longue à Dubaï...
tu dois gérer le problème bagage directement avec la compagnie, et non pas avec BDV....
Perso ça m'est arrivé quelque fois après avoir acheté un billet sur un site (et non directement avec la compagnie) et à chaque fois j'ai adressé ma réclamation auprès de la compagnie.
Après, ça dépends de la relation client de cette compagnie et ça peux prendre du temps....
C'était un vol vendu par Bourse de vols assuré par Vietnam Airlines. Le premier vol (Paris CDG - Ho Chi Minh) était en fait un vol opéré par Air France et le second vol (Ho Chi Minh/Phnom-Penh) était un vol opéré par Cambodia Airlines. Vive la mondialisation !!
Je trouve juste hallucinant qu'ils me défoncent ma valise, qu'ils mettent un plomb dessus pour bien me préciser que ce n'est pas du vandalisme, et ensuite, rien. Pas une explication. Et c'est à moi de faire des démarches. Et personne ne répond...
Je trouve normal d'être dédommagé de manière forfaitaire pour tous ces désagréments.
je suis d'accord qu'un coup d'oeil sur google sur les avis de ces agences eclaire tres vite la situation, d'autres sont apparues du meme tonneau, pas oubliez que certaines , ne sont pas dans la legislation française, donc pour les recours , que du bonheur....
on ne peut que repeter que traitez directement avec la compagnie, ne coute pas plus cher, et qu'ils pourront renseigner tres precisement . faut comprendre que les choses evoluent vite et que les grandes compagnies ne sont plus dans leur tour d'ivoire a repondre quand ca leur chante aux eventuels clients. ils se bougent beaucoup car la concurrence est tres forte en particulier sur l'asie.
il me semblait que c'etait dans les tuyaux , ils le font direct depuis dubai? je vais regarder
sinon autre compagnie , tres bonne decouverte, c'est eva air qui passe par taiwan. tres bon service, tres bon prix , a partir de 600 euros, seule ombre au tableau comme pour emirates, escale longue a taiwan au retour (6h )
cambodia airlines doit etre une filiale ou un joint venture avec vietnam airlines, donc on n'est pas dans une mondialisation sauvage, car il doit y avoir 150km a vol d'oiseau entre ho chi minh et phnom penh, ils te font pas passer par des escales lointaines.
ceci dit vietnam airlines c'est consideré comme un cran au dessous de singapore, quatar ou emirates
à mon avis si quelqu'un a ouvert la valise et mis un plomb dessus, ce n'est pas la compagnie aérienne mais un service national de police/douane. Dans ce cas je ne sais pas si la compagnie estsupposée rembourser quelque chose.
Il y a avait peut-être des batteries ou des objets d'apparence suspecte dans la valise...
Un direct relatif, avec une escale d'un peu plus d'1 h à Yangon.
Ce que j'ai toujours aimé chez Emirates c'est le Nice-Dubaï (en A380 depuis le 1er juillet 😉) éviter Paris est un gros + pour moi.
Maintenant Dubaï-Yagon-Phnom Penh. Que du bonheur ! reste à tester... mais j'ai confiance !
Eva Air, je ne connais pas.
Le départ de la côte d'azur est un handicap... Raison qui fait de moi, une fidèle à Emirates depuis des années.
Bonjour,
Pour ma part, je n'ai jamais eu de problème avec BdV même si j'essaie toujours de passer en direct avec les compagnies aériennes.
Pour info, avec Air France j'ai déjà eu des problèmes de cette catégorie : vol annulé, retardé, valise perdue, valise ouverte avec d'effet d'effets personnels. Ceci ne fait pas d'AF une mauvaise compagnie.
J'ai aussi eu des problèmes avec d'autres compagnies.
Comme j'ai eu des difficultés à me faire indemniser, j'ai saisi le médiateur des vols (organisme officiel du gouvernement français) : http://www.mtv.travel/
C'est efficace.
A vous de voir.
A.P
Hello everyone! 🙂🙂,
A BIG thank you to all the travelers who sent us postcards this year—my students are becoming real geography whizzes!!!!!!!! I’m renewing my call for your kindness this year! We’re also working on food, so if your postcards can make our mouths water with local dishes, traditional meals, or typical recipes, that’d be amazing!!
Here’s a quick recap of the project:
I’m reaching out to all travelers and globetrotters on this forum. I’m a teacher in Creuse, working in a ULIS program (which welcomes children aged 6 to 12 with disabilities into a mainstream school). This year, I’m starting a school journal project that will involve the kids in many different topics. A big part of the journal will focus on opening up to the world, diversity, travel, countries, culture...
I’m launching a call to invite as many of you as possible to send us a little postcard (from France or anywhere in the world!) to take us on a journey and help us discover new places, countries, and horizons—much more fun and exciting than a regular geography textbook! One section of our journal could be called "We received mail from " and would be an opportunity to research that location and share what we learn with our readers (a super enriching activity in class).
The project starts in September 2025 but has no real end date, as this journal and world discovery initiative will span several school years (the kids stay in my ULIS program for multiple years). Postcards can be sent anytime—throughout the year, across seasons, even during holidays! (The kids will find them when they return.)
I hope this idea appeals to as many of you as possible and that you’ll spread the word to your fellow traveler friends. Make us dream, take us on a journey!!!
For those who’d like to write to us in a language other than French, no problem—quite the opposite!!
Thank you in advance for your participation(s)! Below is our address. Feel free to leave your own address on a corner of the postcard if you’d like us to write back! 😊
The ULIS program students
Bonnat Elementary School
12 rue Georges Sand
23220 BONNAT
Thank you, and see you soon, I hope! 😁
Julien
Many of us have noticed that bugs have been making it difficult to navigate the forum lately.
I’ll let Kate and Ticapi explain the issue:
I went to your profile to check out the Thailand travel journal, and when I clicked on it, it brought me back here again. All week, I’ve been dealing with bugs like this—it’s really discouraging from continuing on VF.🙁
I had the same thing happen, and multiple times. For me, it was Montagnard’s latest journal that kept coming up no matter which discussion I clicked on.
BOLIVIA: THE COUNTRY ON THE BRINK (What's Really Happening)
A dramatic saga is unfolding before our eyes in the Andes. Between suffocating blockades, clashes, an international airlift, and historic political decisions, Bolivia has just experienced 48 hours of rare intensity.
Here’s the full breakdown (economic, social, and political) of the last 48 hours:
For travelers and tourists: the article also includes an important note about the upcoming publication (starting tomorrow) of the precise status of roadblocks, route by route.
I’ll post the full update here on Voyage Forum!
Don’t miss this in-depth analysis. History is being written before our eyes! https://www.petitherge.com/bolivie-paralysie-et-ultimatum
I just discovered a great show on Arte.
It's called "7 en route": seven young European journalists travel around Europe in a fully converted bus, making reports on every city they visit. It's amazing! 🙂
Yesterday, for example, they were in Rome, Italy, and the reports included things like the world's smallest restaurant—a super romantic spot for two. There was also a report on the king of paparazzi in Italy.
They have to pick topics that let us discover the little quirks of each country. And at the end of each episode, we get to see the finished report.
It's such a great show, mixing journalism, travel, and discovery—basically, a must-watch!
It airs in the evening starting at 6:50 PM (I think), and it started this past Monday, July 14th.
If you watch it, let me know—we can chat about it!
I left my heart’s country eight days ago and returned to my adopted one—or was it the other way around? Scotland-Morvan, Morvan-Scotland, I’m not quite sure anymore.
After a quarter without dragging my slippers around here, even though I’d loudly declared I had no interest left in this site, here I am again!
My imagination never stays fallow for long. Just enough time for my inner land to rest. It gets overgrown with fresh nettles, the kind you can pick without getting stung. Then, it’s time to till the fragrant earth and let the story grow.
I hesitated over where to set this story.
Maybe the Highlands, maybe the Hebrides, maybe the Orkney Islands, maybe the Shetland Islands. All of Scotland is myth—easy to embroider.
But in the end, no. I’d almost be too afraid to bare my soul.
The story will take place at home. Simple, practical.
1)
This morning, I was up well before dawn, feeling a bit grumpy, but nothing a bowl of coffee won’t fix. I love my bowl, and no one dares take it. It’s porcelain, edged with intertwined blue flowers. On the bottom, it says "Revol." The factory has existed long before the Revolution. It was my great-grandmother’s bowl. She drank roasted barley from it during the war, then her Leroux chicory.
Last year, a little guy dropped it. My bowl broke into three pieces. A black anger vibrated deep inside me. The little boy was so upset, on the verge of tears. How could I scold him!
I picked up the three pieces and took Little Boy in my arms. His hair smelled of the light, sweet sweat of toddlers. A gentle hug that healed—his budding sorrow and my anger—everything vanished, and time carried on.
Today, my bowl is even prettier. Man fixed it using the traditional kintsugi technique, except he didn’t use gold powder or lacquer but superglue, and he delicately painted the cracks with woad blue. And my bowl is even more beautiful now.
I’m lingering, I can tell—it’s just that a story wraps itself in life, and life can’t be told in the snap of a finger. Life is long. Like in architecture, you start with a rough sketch, called a "sous-cul" (the initial pencil drawing), then you make a tracing, which is the work itself, the one you later carefully roll up in a wooden tube.
Life is like that: you erase, you start over, you use the nub of the pencil until it’s tiny, but you keep going—dreaming, loving.
"Living is a full-time occupation, a unique adventure. Always a surprise and a wonder, which sometimes turns into astonishment. And, from time to time, happiness."*
Alright, enough digressing—this introduction is definitely too long.
Tomorrow, I’ll get to the heart of the matter.
(I hate that expression; it feels like I’m cutting into someone’s skin.)
I’m Yann, a 28-year-old TikToker who loves traveling!
Since I’ve been to several destinations, I’d love to get a flag from each one as a sort of trophy. But from what I’ve seen online, a lot of sites sell them with what looks like really poor quality...
So I’m reaching out to you all to share a site you usually use—help me start my collection! :)
hi there
I’d love to get some opinions—I’ve never used Airbnb before.
They’re offering a key handover via lockbox.
Any tips or advice?
Is it reliable?
Best,
Hi there, I’m Laura, and I’m looking for a few people to answer some questions so I can understand your travel wishes and challenges. It won’t take long—I can chat here, by email, or by phone. Don’t worry, I’m not selling anything! 😊
On this forum, we talk a lot about trekking in the Himalayas, but I’d love to share another side of Nepal: its spiritual, cultural, and religious atmosphere, especially in Kathmandu.
Nepal, much like Tibet and Bhutan, is deeply connected to the Himalayas—the ultimate sacred mountain range. This small country exudes a calming vibe, shaped by a strong spiritual dimension. What I loved most was the unique sensory experience you get there. Walking around temples and tantric monasteries, a distinct scent fills the air—aromatic plants used for ritual fumigation. Locals mainly burn Himalayan juniper, cedar, sandalwood, and other local essences. This fragrant smoke is a way to purify the space and reach the deities, and you’re constantly enveloped in these aromas.
Another striking aspect is the sound. As soon as you step outside, you hear bells ringing in front of temples. People ring them three times before praying to announce their presence to the deities. Nepal is also the birthplace of singing bowls and sound meditation practices. In Kathmandu, you can easily find meditation sessions or "sound baths."
The spiritual dimension is everywhere: a Hindu sadhu practicing asceticism, a lama in deep red robes with his mala, turning a prayer wheel while murmuring "Om mani padme hum." Newar Buddhism, Tantrism, and Hinduism coexist harmoniously in daily life.
For those who love exploring a destination through its culture and spirituality, Nepal is an unforgettable place. What was your spiritual experience in Nepal like?
Hi,
I’m landing in Quebec and then heading to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I’d like to rent a pick-up. My question is: does this vehicle come with a cover and is it secure enough to store luggage in? I’ve heard two conflicting opinions. Thanks
I just installed the Maps.Me app on my phone. I only recently found out about this app. I’m traveling in 2 weeks and a few days, and I’m a bit stuck on how to use it.
I’m from the Montreal (Quebec) area, and I’d love to know if there’s a kind soul out there who could help me get started and use the app at least minimally.
If there are private lessons available, I’d be interested in those too.
Like many others, I’m overjoyed to hear that VoyageForum is reopening! I’ve been waiting hopefully for this, and it’s wonderful that it’s finally happening!
I just couldn’t bring myself to actively participate in other French-language travel forums—their format and way of doing things never appealed to me as much. I really hope that VF’s structure, categories, and interface won’t change too much despite the handover, because I’m very attached to them. Through thick and thin, the site has held strong—it’s amazing!
In a previous message, François mentioned that there were positions to fill ahead of the reopening, including moderators...
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this and hoping to send in my CV.
Now, after reading the latest message, it seems like the team is already fully formed. But are there still a few spots left to fill?
I’ve been a VF member for 20 years (since 2004). I’d love to contribute to this wonderful adventure as a moderator if VF would trust me with the role. If the team is open to reviewing it, I’m ready to send my CV. Could you let me know the next steps?
I’m planning a 3-week trip to Japan in May with Voyage Privé. The package includes a 5 GB eSIM, but my phone isn’t new enough to support it. VP told me I could buy a SIM card when I arrive at the airport.
Sure enough, I’ve seen online that this is possible with different providers.
I only need it for checking routes, looking up addresses, train schedules, etc.—basically using Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and similar apps. No heavy downloads or major internet use. All hotels should provide free Wi-Fi for that, right?
Has anyone got any tips for me on this? What have you tried, and how much did it cost?
Thanks for your help!
I’d like to know if you can buy reef-safe sunscreen sprays at 7-Eleven. If so, how much do they cost? We’re traveling with backpacks, so we’ll either buy 100ml here or in Thailand.
I wanted to share a really unpleasant experience from our last trip booked with Promoséjours and organized by FTI.
We booked an 8-day/7-night stay in Egypt, from June 8 to 15.
The flight initially scheduled was changed a week before departure to take off at 10 PM from Paris CDG.
In the end, it took off with a 1-hour delay and included an unmentioned stopover in Marsa Alam.
We landed in Hurghada at 4 AM and arrived at the hotel at 6 AM.
So, we spent our first night on the plane.
For the return trip, surprise—the flight was moved up. We left the hotel at 10:30 PM on Friday the 14th to take off at 2 AM and land at 7 AM at Paris CDG.
So, we spent our last night on the plane too.
After sending a complaint letter to Promoséjours / FTI, they replied that the first and last days can be dedicated to transport (which I already knew) and that no matter how many nights you book, you’re not guaranteed to spend them in the hotel—it could just as well be on the plane.
I’m really questioning this.
Isn’t there a law that protects customers in cases like this?
Because when I do the math, the first and part of the second day were spent on transport, same for the second-to-last and last day. And I paid for 7 nights for a stay that only lasted 5.
Anyway, I just want to say thanks to them—thanks to their two sleepless nights in transit, I’m coming back even more exhausted from a trip that was supposed to be restful!
I also want to warn anyone booking through this agency about visas for Egypt.
At booking, they told me the visa was included in the price, then they sent me an email saying I’d have to pay for it on-site at 25 €.
Once there, we were directed to a special line for FTI customers, and guess what? They charged us 30 €!
Basically, they’re great at making sure you *enjoy* your vacation—mostly by enjoying your wallet!
If anyone has dealt with this kind of situation and won their case, I’m all ears.
Hi there!
I’m heading to Thailand for two months.
So I thought I’d get a Thai SIM card to use Google Maps for getting around cities, mostly.
Here’s my question: will this SIM affect my apps? Or will they work the same as with my Orange SIM?
Is there any setup I need to do, or can I just pop in the Thai SIM?
I’d also like to switch back to my Orange SIM now and then while I’m in Thailand—on the same phone. Will I need to reset the phone, or will it reconnect without any issues?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Best,
Huiclos
Hi, I’d like to know where we can buy beer or wine in Chefchaouen and around Merzouga. We’ll be doing a circuit and staying at the Parador Hotel in Chefchaouen and in a bivouac in Merzouga.
Thanks for any info you can share!
Hello everyone,
I’m reaching out to all travelers and globe-trotters on this forum. I’m a teacher in Creuse working in a ULIS program (which welcomes children aged 6 to 12 with disabilities into a mainstream school). This year, I’m launching a school journal project that will involve the kids in many different topics. A big part of this journal will focus on opening up to the world, embracing differences, travel, global cultures, and more.
I’m putting out a call to invite as many of you as possible to send us a postcard (from France or anywhere in the world)! The goal is to help us "travel" and discover new places, countries, and horizons in a way that’s much more fun and exciting than a geography textbook. One section of our journal could be called "We received a letter from ," where we’d research the location and share what we learn with our readers—a really enriching activity for the classroom.
The project starts in September 2025 but doesn’t have a strict end date, since this journal and world-discovery initiative will span several school years (the kids stay in the ULIS program for multiple years). Postcards can be sent anytime—throughout the year, across seasons, even during holidays! The kids will find them when they return.
I hope this idea appeals to as many of you as possible, and that you’ll spread the word to your fellow travelers. Help us dream and explore!
For those who’d like to write to us in a language other than French, no problem—quite the opposite!
Thank you in advance for your participation! Below is our address. If you’d like us to write back, feel free to leave your address on a corner of the postcard! 😊
ULIS program students
Bonnat Elementary School
12 rue Georges Sand
23220 BONNAT
Thank you, and I hope to hear from you soon! 😊
Julien
🙂
Hi there! I have to leave Ivato/Antananarivo on December 16th. I have a lot of ariary that I’d like to exchange for euros since I might not be coming back to Madagascar (after this 21st trip). I think the exchange office at Ivato also buys ariary back. If any of you have seen the rate for this buyback in advance, thanks a million!
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for a website that would let me plot my travel route in advance so I can print it out. The idea is to create a map with a little “me” on a bike that my parents can move along as I progress, since I’m planning to cycle all the way to Nepal.
If any of you have done something similar or know of a good tool, I’d love to hear your tips!
Thanks in advance! 😊
I'm looking to buy an ultra-lightweight 50/55L travel backpack with a suitcase or front opening.
Does anyone have any brand and/or model recommendations?
Thanks,
Emma
Hello. We’re a retired couple heading to Sri Lanka from January to March. After the November floods, I’d like to know if we can offer hands-on help to the locals, maybe pack some clothes or other items people might need in our luggage, and who we could give them to. Thanks for any info from those on the ground.
Be careful when sailing between Somalia and northern Madagascar.
It appears to be Somali pirates who have widened their search in the Mozambique Channel, far from their usual attack zone, since, to my knowledge, there are no Malagasy pirates.
Not sure if this is the right section, but just wanted to warn future travelers...
Where’s Cape Vidal?
It’s in iSimangaliso, an independent park in KZN Wildlife, stunning and just a stone’s throw from St Lucia (KwaZulu-Natal, Maputaland).
It’s the beach spot at the end of the Eastern Shores road. You can swim, fish... but watch out for waves, currents, and sharks...
There’s a really nice game drive where you can get out of your car at certain points, especially at Cape Vidal.
That’s where the camp with bungalows and campsites is.
The vervets and samango monkeys (endemic to the area, and the males are pretty big) can be a bit of a nuisance if you’re trying to braai...
They’re super persistent and not shy at all—don’t let them intimidate you, and stay alert because their speed at snatching food is impressive.
Anyway...
I’m reporting two recent attacks by these hyenas... who were *not* in a playful mood...
The first one happened at night—a hyena tried to bite a camper’s nose off in their tent... and succeeded.
The other night, a camper returning to their tent in the early hours was violently attacked by two hyenas... and they had a close call!
So, if you’re camping there, be careful...
Measures are being taken, but for now, it’s a bit risky.
