Costa Rica: Our road trip through national parks, wildlife, and the Caribbean coast

Hi everyone, my irlfriend Laura and I have decided to launch a channel around a pretty simple idea: we see so much content telling us where to go, what to visit, where to sleep, or how to pay less.

But in the end, there’s not much content about what travel does to us.

Why do some places bring us peace? Why do we sometimes need to leave without really knowing what we’re looking for? Why can a journey touch us more deeply than a destination?

That’s the approach behind Explora: destinations, guides, and experiences from a new perspective, with the idea that the place itself is just a pretext.

To kick things off, we’ve posted a video explaining this approach, and we’re curious to hear from travelers here: what’s missing for you in today’s travel content?

If this philosophy of travel resonates with you, the channel might be just what you’re looking for. Feel free to check it out and share your thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/@alexlauraexplora

Best regards, Alex.

Hi there! As a big travel enthusiast, I’d love for you to check out my blog: https://allegria750110.wixsite.com/pascalevoyage https://allegria750110.wixsite.com/pascalevoyage/blog

Feel free to leave a comment! !

Cycling from Dargoire in the Loire all the way to Bamako in Mali without a phone, just IGN maps and a compass https://voyage-vtt.linked.fr

Hello

The site Les Soay de Picardie was created to promote and raise awareness about our Soay sheep and to showcase our region, Picardy, as well as other regions through travel articles. There are also tourist events, like the current "Le Souffle de la Terre" in Ailly-sur-Noye in the Oise. The Traditional Camping category is linked to the site CampingTraditionnel.fr, featuring regional maps of campsites with at least 50% bare pitches, along with articles about the camping world. In the Miscellaneous Topics category, you’ll find subcategories: 1) Travel tips, including travel insurance, visas, health, and advice from fellow travelers 2) Travel articles from around the world—Asia, South America, Europe, Africa, and North America

Hi there,

We're finding it harder and harder to locate campsites with non-serviced pitches for tents, caravans, or motorhomes. To help fellow travelers, I’ve put together maps by region showing campsites with at least 50% non-serviced pitches. I’ve also mapped out farm campsites, which are often small, charming setups. You can find all these maps in the category here: https://lessoaydepicardie.fr/cartes-des-campings-traditionnels-en-france/. Click on the maps to visit the "Camping Traditionnel" site, which is a subdomain.

Hi everyone,

Thinking about this famous hike but have too many questions? Then read THIS:

https://blogs.crespel.me/grr2/

It’s my son’s blog, written with a buddy, covering their North-to-South trek in 12 days, from June 26 to July 7, 2026.

Happy reading. Jean.

Hi everyone, we got back from our vacation in Indonesia two weeks ago, and I’d love to share my travel journal with some great tips for keeping costs down. Here’s the link to my travel journal: https://www.myatlas.com/Dri31/java-bali-lombok

Hi there,

I’m the creator of the site RandoCamping. A new hiking-planning feature has just been added to the site. It might interest anyone who likes to prepare their hike or trip in advance, in France, whether on foot or by bike.

https://randocamping.touteslatitudes.fr/ma-rando

How it works... Upload a GPX file, choose your number of days and effort level, and the app automatically splits your route into daily stages with accommodation searches based on your criteria. The calculated stages can be manually adjusted, and once you're happy with your breakdown, all that's left is to select the accommodations that suit you for each night. The route for each stage can also be fine-tuned using the Route Editing and Calculation tool. The final itinerary, with your customized stages, can be exported in GPX format to take with you on your navigation device. Your hike can be retrieved and modified at any time once you’ve saved it in GPX format.

More info on this page: https://randovelo.touteslatitudes.fr/randocamping-planifier-ma-rando/

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or feedback.

Hi there, Why not explore Honfleur, supposedly well-known, but do you know about these hidden gems?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrf0ESKxud8

I’ve had the chance to visit friends in the Aude region—Cathar country—several times and explore this area between Leucate and Carcassonne, including the famous Corbières Road 20 and the Cathar Castles Road.

Check out my article for a list of the castles and abbeys to visit along this route. Read the full post soon, and I look forward to hearing from you! Post

Hi there! After browsing VoyageForum, I noticed there isn’t much info about Bulgaria and North Macedonia, where I’m currently traveling. So, I’m sharing my blog if it can help you plan your Bulgarian or North Macedonian trip... https://bulgaria2026yan.blogspot.com/

My blog is meant to inform and introduce these destinations—please spare me the comments! But I’m available here on VoyageForum for any questions. Happy travels!

https://fouderg.eu — spans several decades of travel, mainly in Africa and vast desert landscapes.

I share my travel journals, photographs, anecdotes, and encounters, from the Sahara to the Ennedi, from Niger to Sudan, as well as many other horizons.

The site focuses on firsthand accounts, historical and geographical curiosity, and memories of regions that have sometimes become difficult to access.

It’s neither a tourist guide nor a commercial site, but a personal travel memoir, richly illustrated, for those who love remote trails, the people they meet, and long-term adventures.

Buenos Aires' oldest book temple opens its doors to you! (11-minute video) What if we traveled back in time right to the heart of the colonial period? In this new video from Studio Petit Hergé, we take you for a stroll through the legendary "Librería" de Ávila, hidden just steps from Plaza de Mayo and right across from the city’s very first Jesuit college. Between dangerously sloping basement shelves and the scent of old paper with my guest François, it’s the very soul of Buenos Aires that unfolds! Come get lost with us in the stacks right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz-hwhIZ_FA I’m looking forward to your comments—and your ideas if you’d like me to explore another spot in the capital!

Hey fellow travelers! For those of you drawn to Mexico, I put together this little site to share our 49-day trip in January 2026. (Give it a few seconds to fully load—you’ll see there are tons of photos, tips, and more!) Happy travels! https://noemarphil6.wixsite.com/voyagesdenoemarphil

We went on a safari in Tanzania from February 7th, 2026, to February 17th, 2026. It remains a wonderful memory. There were six of us in the group. Here’s the itinerary and the images that are still etched in our minds: 02/07/2026 – 6:40 AM – 8:30 PM – Flight from LYON to ARUSHA 02/08/2026 – Day 2 – MATURENI Waterfall – Coffee making and tasting at a plantation – Day 2 video (you may need to click "BROWSE YOUTUBE") 02/09/2026 – Day 3 – Maasai village of BOMA – https://youtu.be/9lwBONmBIVU Visit to local schools and the dispensary – Donation of school supplies. 02/10/2026 – Day 4 – TARANGIRE National Park – https://youtu.be/OPpTgUECj0Q 02/11/2026 – Day 5 – Lake Manyara National Park – https://youtu.be/ZFt3tLtum5A 02/12/2026 – Day 6 – SERENGETI Park – https://youtu.be/5TYJE-3IO4w and https://youtu.be/t08g-XJlmdY 02/13/2026 – Day 7 – SERENGETI National Park (continued) – https://youtu.be/ZQkD1YmPzY0 02/14/2026 – Day 8 – Access to Ngorongoro National Park – https://youtu.be/1F__NeCRxhg 02/15/2026 – Day 9 – Ngorongoro Crater – https://youtu.be/BFw7tbjuO5s, then https://youtu.be/WdbHtPcYu8o and https://youtu.be/RBp_H9OMJxY 02/16/2026 – Day 10 – Visit to Arusha 02/17/2026 – Day 10 – 1:30 AM – Transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport

FINANCIAL SUMMARY FLIGHTS 1,500 €

SEJOUIR PACKAGE 1,526 €

TIPS AND MISC. 100 €

TOTAL 3,126 €

Trip duration: from 02/07/26 to 02/17/26 => 11 days total, or 9 days excluding travel time.

1- FLIGHT DURATION WITH AIR FRANCE OUTBOUND: from 6:40 AM to 8:30 PM => 12 hours (plus 2-hour time difference in Arusha) RETURN: from 2:45 AM to 2:00 PM => 13 hours 15 minutes (not including a 1-hour 15-minute departure delay)

This city has been described a thousand times, but never in such an irreverent way.

Daring to drop Christian Lacroix, his *arlésiennes*, his boleros, his matadors, and the baroque style of his native Camargue right into the heart of Hoi An—it took some guts to draw that parallel.

https://thefabworld.com/hoi-an-en-christian-lacroix/

The second article on Hoi An is just as punchy:

https://thefabworld.com/hoi-an-en-robe-de-chambre/

Happy reading! !

Hi there! I’m Simon, and for years I’ve been exploring some of Europe’s most beautiful and well-equipped bike paths. My passion for cycling led me to start a blog where I share my travel impressions, practical tips, and photos taken along the way. I ride both well-known routes like the Alpe-Adria, the Loire à Vélo, and the Rhein Route, as well as lesser-known but equally charming regions.



In my stories, I pay special attention to the quality of infrastructure, cyclist safety, and route accessibility—for young and old, experienced riders and beginners alike. I love discovering and sharing spots that are truly welcoming for cycle tourists: well-marked, with rest areas and easy train access.

On the blog, you’ll find ready-to-follow route suggestions, tips for preparing your bike trips, and plenty of inspiration for your next adventures. I travel with my panniers, a camera in the front bag, and always keep an eye out for what’s around me. Feel free to check out my blog, Cycling Thread—you might find some ideas for your next bike getaway! :-)

* * *

I hope this won’t just be a one-off post—I’ll try to share our bike trips with you here regularly. To start: our May trip on the Elberadweg, the queen of German bike paths, between the stunning city of Dresden and Magdeburg. I invite you to visit:

Elberadweg in Germany – From Dresden to Magdeburg

The Elbe bike path is about 1200 km long, following the river from its source in the Giant Mountains in the Czech Republic to its mouth in Cuxhaven, on the North Sea. The route crosses a variety of landscapes: mountain valleys, vineyards, open plains, and coastline. As is often the case in Germany, the signage is excellent and the route easy to follow.

But what surprised us was the number of cobblestone sections! Sure, the cobblestones are well-laid and fairly smooth—but they’re still cobblestones. And when they disappear, they’re often replaced by concrete slabs, typical of river dikes. That’s just part of the face of this 30-year-old "queen"—a heritage that’s hard to replace entirely with fresh asphalt.

Along the way, don’t miss the many cultural highlights. Dresden impresses with its restored old town, the Frauenkirche, and the Brühl Terraces along the Elbe—it’s one of Germany’s most elegant cities. In Meissen, you can visit the famous porcelain factory and its Gothic cathedral. Wittenberg is a must-stop to follow in Martin Luther’s footsteps, with its castle church and Reformation Museum. And to finish, in Dessau-Roßlau, besides the Bauhaus, don’t miss the stunning Dessau-Wörlitz landscape gardens—one of the oldest English-style parks in Europe.

A few photos to give you a feel for the route and inspire you to check out our blog! :-)











Happy cycling!

Simon

Hi there, I’m sharing my hiking itineraries on the sea-to-sea trails in Corsica. Perfect for those who want to discover Corsica on foot and are looking for multi-day hikes without major difficulties. That’s right—Corsica isn’t just about the GR 20! My travel journals are all written day by day.

🐻 Mare a Mare Sud + Mare è Monti Sud 👍🏼 TRAVEL JOURNAL A 175-kilometer route with 6,694 meters of elevation gain over 10 stages on the Mare a Mare Sud and Mare è Monti Sud trails in Corsica 🇨🇵 🐻 Mare a Mare Centre 👍🏼 TRAVEL JOURNAL A 106-kilometer route with 4,415 meters of elevation gain over 6 stages on the Mare a Mare Centre trails in Corsica 🇨🇵

🐻 Mare a Mare Nord 👍🏼 TRAVEL JOURNAL A 165-kilometer route with 7,004 meters of elevation gain over 7 stages on the Mare a Mare Nord trails in Corsica 🇨🇵

Hi there! 😊 We just got back from two weeks in Madagascar, and before we left, we had *so* many practical questions. Between the sometimes contradictory info online and the lack of recent updates on certain topics, it wasn’t always easy to know what to expect for a first trip there.

So, after returning, I put together an article with all the info I wish I’d had before heading to Madagascar—just concrete tips based on our experience there.

I cover: • Visa and arrival at Antananarivo airport • Currency exchange, withdrawals, and payments on the ground • Transportation and real travel times • Health and trip prep • SIM cards, budget, and general organization • Mistakes and little hassles you can easily avoid on your first trip

The goal was to create a practical, honest guide to help people planning their trip and avoid a few unpleasant surprises once they’re there! 😊

If this can help some of you: https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/preparatif-pour-un-voyage-a-madagascar/

Happy travels! !

Hi there, We’ve just returned from 2 weeks in Madagascar, and I wanted to share our experience since we struggled quite a bit to plan our itinerary before leaving. The country is huge, the journeys are long, and with only two weeks, you really have to make choices. For our part, we opted for a fairly realistic itinerary for a first-time visit: Antananarivo, Andasibe, Île aux Nattes, and then Sainte-Marie. The idea was to mix a bit of nature, lemurs, tropical forest, and then a few quieter days by the water—without trying to cross the entire country.

In Andasibe, we spent several days between the Analamazaotra Reserve and Mantadia Park. We were able to spot lemurs, especially the indris, went on a night walk to see chameleons, geckos, and other small animals, and then did a wilder hike in Mantadia. This was probably the stop that felt the most exotic to us, with that humid forest atmosphere, animal sounds, and dense vegetation.

After Andasibe, we headed back to Antananarivo to catch a flight to Sainte-Marie, then took a boat to Île aux Nattes. It’s a tiny car-free island where you get around on foot between beaches, sandy paths, villages, and coconut trees. We mostly slowed down the pace: walking around the island, snorkeling in front of the hotel, meals at Fafana and Coco Sud, swimming, and much simpler moments. It was one of our absolute highlights of the trip.

We wrapped up with a few days in Sainte-Marie, in a more comfortable setting. The island is larger and more developed than Île aux Nattes, with more accommodations and activities. For us, it was mostly about relaxing, enjoying the pool, biking, paddleboarding, snorkeling, and a few short walks. Looking back, we might’ve spent a little less time in Sainte-Marie and a bit more on Île aux Nattes, which left a bigger impression on us.

I’ve tried to break down our itinerary day by day, including travel times, budget, accommodations, transportation, our thoughts on each stop, the pros and cons, and what we’d change if we did it again. I also cover arriving in Antananarivo, the road to Andasibe, the domestic flight to Sainte-Marie, returning to Tana, and our airport experience—where it’s best to allow plenty of extra time. Here’s the link if it helps with your planning:

https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/madagascar-itineraire-pour-2-semaines-de-voyage/

In short, our main advice would be not to try to see everything in two weeks. Madagascar requires time, flexibility, and some breathing room. It’s better to pick fewer stops but really enjoy them.

Hi there,

We passed through Guilin during our trip to China, arriving by train from Beijing. The journey is quite long, but it actually became part of the experience: watching the landscapes gradually change, taking the Chinese high-speed train, and getting a better sense of the country’s vast distances. It was already a step of the journey in itself.

Once there, Guilin seemed like a nice place to catch our breath between big cities. The city isn’t huge, and there isn’t an endless list of things to see, but the atmosphere around the lakes, the Li River, and the karst mountains is really special.

In 3 days, you can already see the highlights without rushing: the Sun and Moon Pagodas, walks around the lakes, Seven Star Park with its monkeys, and possibly Elephant Trunk Hill—though we were a bit disappointed by the latter. Guilin is also a good base for heading to Yangshuo or the Longji rice terraces if you have more time.

We’ve put together our feedback, prices, visit times, and what we’d do (or skip) next time in this article, in case it helps you plan your stop: https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/que-faire-a-guilin-en-3-jours/

Check out my blog about Crete and Gavdos: https://iledecrete.wordpress.com/ You’ll find ideas for getaways and discoveries

Hi everyone,

I’ve just returned from a trip through the national parks of southern Ethiopia, and I wanted to share an encounter that will stay with me forever: that of the Ethiopian Wolf.

Spotting this canid—the rarest in the world—on the barren Sanetti plateaus at over 13,000 feet is a breathtaking experience (literally, given the oxygen levels!). Beyond the luck of photographing it in its fiery red coat, it was the mystical atmosphere of these highlands—the "Roof of Africa"—that left its mark on me.

I’ve posted a detailed account with my photo series on my travel journal for anyone planning a trip to the Bale region or simply curious about this magnificent and endangered species.

You can find the full report here: 👉 https://www.toucan-photo.com/fr/le-loup-ethiopie-le-loup-sur-le-toit-de-lafrique/

Don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions about accessing the park or spotting local wildlife—I’d be happy to chat! !

Hello everyone,

First off: before posting, I took the time to contact the moderation team to check if this message complied with the forum rules. Since I didn’t get a response and didn’t want to go against them, I’m posting without naming the site, including links, or any promotional intent.

For the past two years, I’ve been working solo on a website project designed to help organize a trip from A to Z, whether traveling alone or with others.

The idea is to make trip planning easier by bringing together all the useful elements in one place (regions, accommodations, activities, restaurants, hidden gems, etc.).

With development nearing completion, I’m now looking for a few people interested in joining a beta testing phase and giving me honest feedback on the experience, how clear the concept is, and what could be improved.

This isn’t a promotional effort: I’m not representing a company, I’m developing this project on my own, and I’m only looking for constructive input from fellow travelers.

A few details: — No payment is required; — No banking information is needed; — It’s simply a test to gather user feedback.

If anyone wants to know more or is up for testing, feel free to reply here or send me a private message.

Thanks so much to those who take the time to read this.

Hello,

Well, this trip to Tanzania in the southern parks—Ruaha and Nyerere (formerly Selous)—finally happened in late February to early March.

It was a bit more complicated to organize than usual, with a few hiccups. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere (link), the ban on booking domestic flights in Tanzania through a French agency made things a little tricky.

However, my friend Vincent Beccaro from Objectif Nature found a solution by having a local ground operator step in—one I’d recommend if you run into similar issues.

With flight tickets secured through Kenya Airways (after Rwandair canceled our outbound flight), we easily made it to Dar es Salaam on February 22. Side note: my dealings with Rwandair to get a refund for the flights they canceled are still ongoing. This airline is dragging its feet, constantly pushing back the refund date every time I check in (which is about once a week). I won’t back down.

Back to our 10-night trip: we spent our first night in Dar es Salaam before heading to Ruaha with Auric Air.

We stayed in some incredible lodges—4 nights at Ikuka Safari Camp in Ruaha, then 4 nights at Laba Siwada in Nyerere, before returning to Dar es Salaam.

Before I share a full recap with photos, I’ve just finished editing a video I’d like to show you.

You’ll see beautiful lodges, rainy safaris, and some amazing wildlife encounters, like wild dogs and bat-eared foxes.

Sorting and identifying all the animals (especially the birds) from the thousands of photos I took will take a bit of time. Bear with me!

Watch the video here

Hi everyone!

I wanted to share my experience from a trip to Amsterdam. Spring is coming, and it’s one of my favorite destinations for this season, especially with the Keukenhof in bloom.

There are so many museums to visit and places to see, like Dam Square, the Royal Palace, Museum Square, the Red Light District... Some spots, like the Anne Frank House, require reservations. You can also take walks along the canals or even go on canal cruises.

For museums, I really enjoyed the Rijksmuseum for works by Rembrandt and Vermeer, as well as the Van Gogh Museum (combo tickets are available).



For more nature-focused outings, there’s Vondelpark, Keukenhof Park, and the windmills at Zaanse Schans... You can find all my photos and details about my trip budget on my travel journal for Amsterdam.

we just got back from 3 weeks in Cambodia with a custom trip organized by the Siem Reap agency; from the start, the agency understood our way of traveling and created an itinerary perfectly tailored to our needs. Of course, we visited tourist spots, but we also stayed with locals, met artisans, and explored markets where not a single tourist goes. We were pampered from beginning to end—the agency responded quickly to our questions throughout the trip. The French-speaking guides were fantastic: attentive, highly knowledgeable, and always accompanied by punctual drivers with little thoughtful touches. The hotels they chose matched our preferences, and the pace we wanted was respected, with some more relaxed days. If you'd like to check out my blog, here's the link: https://www.myatlas.com/blogueusedesbaous/le-cambodge-une-immersion-en-indochine. And don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything!

Honestly, taking the train in Sri Lanka is no walk in the park. Between tickets disappearing in minutes, platforms that aren’t always very clear, and that infamous “full” sign displayed weeks in advance, you quickly feel like you’re playing the lottery. There’s even a real black market for tickets on the island: some seats are resold at higher prices through middlemen or agencies, which makes things even trickier. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who sells tickets. But we learned the hard way that this isn’t the safest way to get them, and we had to find another solution at the last minute.

We definitely went through a bit of an obstacle course to manage the booking. But once on the train, riding through the tea plantations between Kandy and Ella, we understood why everyone raves about it. Tea plantations, misty mountains, little bridges, and breathtaking valleys. To make the most of the scenery on the Kandy → Ella route, it’s best to sit on the right side of the train (and on the left if you’re going Ella → Kandy). As for the class, 2nd class reserved is, in our opinion, the best compromise: authentic vibe, open windows and doors, but with a guaranteed seat. Remember to pack enough water, snacks, and toilet paper for this 7-hour journey that somehow flies by.

I’ve gone into more detail about all this in the article for those who’d rather plan a bit better than we did. https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/prendre-le-train-au-sri-lanka-guide-complet/ Happy travels! :)

Hello 😊 If you're planning 10 days in Madeira and feeling unsure about the itinerary, my first tip would be: don’t try to “tick everything off.” The island is compact, but the roads are winding and hikes take time. For 10 days, I’d structure the trip into 3 zones:

East (Ponta de São Lourenço + Pico do Arieiro) for spectacular volcanic landscapes

Central (levadas + Fanal forests) for hiking

West (Porto Moniz, cliffs, sunsets) for raw panoramas And save Funchal for early mornings or late afternoons.

A car is essential, and checking the weather ahead is key—it changes quickly with altitude. I’ve broken all this down (optimized route, travel times, parking spots, hike difficulty, what to do based on weather, mistakes to avoid…) in this post: 👉 https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/visiter-madere-1-semaine/ Even though it’s built for a week, it adapts easily to 10 days by adding more hikes or slowing the pace. If you’re looking for a balance between breathtaking nature, hiking, and quieter moments, Madeira is a real safe bet.