Here’s our account of our trip to Malaysia from September 11th to 27th.
I hope our tips can help others as much as this forum has helped us!
Day 0:
Departure from Nantes with a transfer in Amsterdam via KLM (720 €).
Day 1:
We arrive at KLIA1 in the early afternoon.
First challenge: figuring out where to pick up our luggage. Turns out the answer is right under our noses—we need to take the airport’s internal metro!
Once we’ve got our bags, we withdraw some cash from a Maybank ATM right there.
Next up: SIM card! Just outside the arrivals hall, several kiosks offer them. We go for a Celcom 5 GB card (70 RM).
Then it’s taxi time to get to KL, in the Bukit Bintang area—about 85 RM in a slightly old taxi with weak air conditioning.
We check into our Airbnb apartment, which is clean, more spacious than a hotel room, and—best of all—has a charming balcony with a gorgeous nighttime view!
We end up hanging out on that balcony, reviewing our plans for the next day. After dark, we take the monorail just a short walk away to enjoy our first evening on a rooftop at the 34th floor: Hélipad (Raja Chulan station—you have to enter the Menara Tower at the base of the station) with a panoramic view of the city and its iconic towers.
Finally, we head to Jalan Alor to grab a bite in this super busy street.
Big sleep ahead! 😴
Great night’s sleep—we don’t feel the 6-hour time difference at all. Breakfast in the apartment, then we head to the nearby metro station (Hang Tuah) to get to the Batu Caves via KL Sentral.
We discover this Malaysian quirk: there are signs, but not *too* many! 🤪Grab tokens (yes, actual tokens you scan at the gate to enter and leave in a slot to exit the station) for a direct trip: easy enough.
But as soon as you need to change lines (meaning you have to leave the metro zone to reach another one)… disaster! You have to exit, cross a street, enter a mall, and get lost following arrows that make no sense whatsoever. Anyway, we eventually catch the train and finally arrive!
It’s crowded, and there’s construction in the main cave, but the impressive statues and the monkeys—so confident they’re almost cocky—leave us grinning like idiots the whole time.
After we’ve had our fill of exploring and worked up an appetite, we decide to take the train back to Bandar Tasik Selatan station to buy our bus tickets for the Cameron Highlands the day after tomorrow.
Another adventure on the spot—still the same issue with directions! Finally, in the huge hall packed with ticket counters, a guy spots us (or rather, spots our distress, I’d say 😄) and shows us what to do (basically, queue up at any counter to pick a time, company, and seats).
35 RM per person for the trip.
We grab a bite there, then head to Chinatown to wander around a bit. Nothing much to say about this area—we weren’t too impressed.
In the evening, we go back to Jalan Alor for dinner and pick the restaurant “Mickey” at the very south end of the street. We order several dishes to share—really good and not too expensive.
After packing our backpacks, we're ready for today's adventure: heading to the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, about 1.5 hours from KL.
Travel agencies will offer tours with pickup from your hotel, but we preferred the "homemade" option that day—it cost us three times less!
So here’s a quick tutorial to get there:
Get to the "Titiwangsa" metro station: lines 3, 4, or the monorail terminus.
Cross the pedestrian bridge over the road, and you’ll find a bus station.
Ask which counter you need to go to for Lanchang—the closest stop to the sanctuary.
Buy your tickets (around 10 RM per person) and wait. A bus leaves every hour (9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM…). We took the 11 AM one and arrived in Lanchang around noon.
Once you get off the bus, if no one approaches you right away, head to the small shop right in front of the stop.
They offer to take you there and pick you up later for 60 RM round trip. Before leaving, we grabbed a bite: a full plate and a big glass of iced water each for 8 RM for two.
Before heading out, make sure to buy your return tickets to KL. You can do this at a phone shop a little further down.
On-site: contrary to what some travel agencies claim on their websites, entry isn’t paid. It’s a care center funded by the Malaysian government and donations.
You can have a guide for a group of up to 10 people: 50 RM for the group.
If you want to bathe with a young elephant and give it a little sand scrub: 10 RM per person, and a guide is mandatory.
We loved this day. We refuse to set foot in zoos or marine parks, and nothing shocked us at the sanctuary. You can watch the bath, help with feeding, hear the stories of some elephants, and see how they give a giant bottle to the youngest calf (who no longer has its mother).
The guides are super friendly, and the visitor-guide interactions aren’t commercial (there’s nothing to sell). We couldn’t resist the final bath, and it was a truly magical moment.
Quick tips: if you want to bathe, bring a towel, soap, and a change of clothes.
That evening, we ate on Jalan Alor at a Thai restaurant I don’t recommend, across from "Mickey’s."
A Chinese procession passed through the street during our meal—I heard it was to celebrate the devil. Firecrackers and colors guaranteed!
Day 4: Departure from KL for the Cameron Highlands
We leave our Airbnb apartment and head to Bandar Tasik Selatan station to catch our bus to the Cameron Highlands at 10 AM.
You need to arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled time and wait in the ground-floor waiting room. The bus leaves on time, and off we go for a 3.5-hour ride!
The first part of the trip isn’t interesting at all: Nutella fields for hundreds of kilometers. 😕
The second part is more exciting as we climb the mountain (not on the edge of a cliff, phew!) through lush vegetation with a series of twists and turns. Don’t forget your motion sickness meds if you’re sensitive to it! 😉
Arriving in Tanah Rata… uh… well, it’s ugly. Zero charm, a main street dedicated to commerce, depressing buildings, and cars everywhere.
We had booked at Father’s Guest House: friendly welcome, clean, and the sheltered outdoor areas will come in handy!
We’re starving, so we walk down the street and pick a small Indian restaurant that doesn’t look like much but has tempting buffet-style dishes. Good and cheap.
We book the bus to the Perhentians for the day after tomorrow (125 RM/person, round-trip boat tickets included) and drop off our dirty laundry at a laundromat.
The rain that started when we arrived has gotten worse, so we scrap the idea of going for a walk and head back to the guest house instead. We treat ourselves to a very British snack with tea and scones… and some proper French butter!
The rain turns into a full-blown storm, forcing us to retreat to our room. By 7 PM, it’s still pouring, and we start thinking about leaving the next morning (which won’t be possible).
To cheer ourselves up, we go for a "steamboat" at Ferm Nyonya
(you’d better be really hungry!!) and grab a beer at the pub on the corner next door.
Tomorrow’s plan (if the sky ever stops dumping rain): BOH tea plantation
The sky is clear today! While yesterday we were wearing fleece jackets and vests, today we're in t-shirts.
After breakfast at the guest house, we set off to find a taxi to take us to the BOH tea plantation (the northern one, with its terrace and factory tour) because we wanted to go at our own pace and weren’t interested in the butterfly farm or strawberry fields.
The taxi driver offers to be our guide for the morning (80 RM). He’s very cheerful, and since we weren’t sure we’d find our way back easily, we accept.
We leave at 9 AM, and luckily so—by 10 AM, it’s already traffic-jammed! (Probably worse because it’s Saturday.)
We admire the tea field landscapes, make a few photo stops, and our guide drops us off in the parking lot. We have to climb a few steps before reaching the building.
There’s an explanatory exhibit and then a factory to “visit,” but you’ll finish in 5 minutes because there’s almost nothing to see!
We stop by the shop for a souvenir and head to the cafeteria for a tasting. We find a spot on the terrace and enjoy the view while savoring a strawberry tartlet and some tea.
The downside? It’s packed in the cafeteria.
And the living conditions of the plantation workers.
Back in Tanah Rata for lunch, we decide to check out the Barracks Cafe, with its World War II-era recycled buildings.
The food’s good (yum, those stuffed buns!), but it’s not exactly cheap.
For the afternoon, a short walk: Robinson Falls. Super well-signposted, like everything else. The walk is short once you find the entrance, but not recommended after rain—the dead leaves make the steps really slippery!
The waterfall is pretty… Well, nothing spectacular, either.
In the evening, we eat at another Indian restaurant on the corner—less tasty and more expensive than the one from the night before.
We’re ready to take the minibus that’s picking us up in front of the guesthouse at 10 AM. An hour and a half later, we’ve only gone 10 or 15 km—those infamous traffic jams I mentioned earlier. 🙁
Finally, once we pass the BOH tea junction, we’re alone on the highway! A group returning from Taman Negara is waiting for us to transfer to a big bus—after grabbing a quick bite.
Around 5:30 PM, we arrive in Kuala Besut and notice the organizers have had excellent herding-dog training. 😛 We have to line up to sign a register with our passport numbers, then a guy *insists* that a few of us (including us two) do something with a young man on a moped?!
Finally, it clicks! « Fodega » = « follow the guy » 😏
So, loaded with our luggage, we follow the young man on his moped for 200 meters (baaaaa)
Then it’s the counter to pay the marine park tax (30 RM/person), and we’re allowed to pass the barrier separating us from the boats. The 30-minute crossing doesn’t leave me with a great memory at all—it gets pretty rough at times! But finally, the Perhentians!
We’re the first to get off, dropped at the dock in front of our guesthouse. Night is falling, but we’re already enchanted. Our bungalow has a terrace facing the sea that delights us (230 RM/night).
And here I am, grumbling at those who read my travel journals and never say a word—well, I did the same thing!!
So mea culpa, I’m following you, I love it, and I’m really interested in what comes next (just to see if the Perhentians have changed since we were there a few years ago ;)).
And it’s always great to have travelers who share their experiences instead of just people who come to grab info!!
So thank you so much, Servane, and see you soon! 😎
Christelle
Le monde est comme un miroir, si tu lui souris, il te sourit aussi!
On the contrary! I can’t wait to read the rest because I’m slowly planning a 17-day trip to Malaysia in November-December... :)
So go ahead as soon as you’re back to civilization! 🙂
Thanks for your encouragement, it’s really nice! 🙂
The line’s fixed today, so I’m carrying on!
Day 7:
Our stay on Perhentian Besar starts under a gorgeous sky and perfectly clear, deliciously warm water.
We decide to head to Teluk Keke beach, all the way south on the west side of Besar. To get there, we have to cross a first bridge by the rocks.
We pass a little hut serving cold drinks and tasty, super affordable meals for the islands (e.g., two noodle dishes and two cold drinks: 18 RM).
We cross another bridge and go through the camping beach (littered with trash—it’s heartbreaking), and finally:
Not much sandy space at high tide, but the snorkeling is pretty great, especially when you head toward the point and follow the rocks.
By the way, after just a few minutes in shallow water, our first encounter 😮:
And later, near the reefs, a (very) brief appearance by two blacktip reef sharks, plus the sight of two more turtles (though farther away) swimming together... 😏
A fantastic morning—we head back just as the first snorkeling boats bring in swimmers wearing life jackets.
The day’s unpleasant surprise, though: I’d remembered to protect my back from the sun by swimming in a T-shirt, but the sunscreen wasn’t enough for my backside, which turned a lovely tomato red 🤪 and had me groaning every time I had to sit down.
The next day, I invested in lycra swim pants (40 RM at the hotel’s souvenir shop—handy being on vacation in a Muslim country).
In the evening, like every evening, it’s happy hour at Tuna Bay (which serves alcohol), with a view of the little island across the way and its very pretty stilted mosque.
(poor-quality photo since it was taken from far away and on the evening of our arrival)
The days go by and are so gentle on the eyes and the heart.
Worth noting:
The bridge connecting Abdul’s beach to the beach bar was hit by the storm on the second night!
It’s destroyed at both ends, so be very careful.
I’d planned to do some scuba diving (my husband is level 1 and I’m level 2), and when we went to sign up at Universal Diver (past Tuna Bay), my husband met one of those little squirrels you see everywhere jumping from tree to tree. Except this one wasn’t shy at all!
And as we left, a little family stripping a frangipani tree, totally ignoring our presence:
Scuba diving was my biggest disappointment of the trip. I wanted to do it every day because the prices are really good (130 RM for the “refresh” dive to get back into it, and 80 to 90 RM for the next ones, depending on how many you do), but I stopped after two because we found the seabeds 10 times more beautiful and with more wildlife just snorkeling!
Another day, we ventured into the jungle to reach the south side of the island. To find the path, you have to go past the campsite and spot the toilets… There’s a tiny sign in the middle of the vegetation (did I say Malaysia’s signs are top-notch?). Off we go for 45 minutes of sweating.
We’d picked a “cooler” day for this adventure, but I’ve never seen so much sweat dripping from my nose. The mosquitoes quickly joined in, so it was more of a grueling walk than anything else. And not a single animal spotted that day!
The south beach isn’t pretty or clean, and the snorkeling is just as bad, so I’d avoid it.
I’d heard that PIR Beach on the north side of the island is the most beautiful, so we decided to check it out another day. It takes a while because you have to find where to cross (hum, ), and do a short jungle walk (the mosquito repellent is in the bag this time! ).
On that side, there are one or two hotels that seem pretty nice, but no beach.
Finally, we arrive at PIR Beach, and it’s a letdown. It’s not maintained, past the hotel there’s a disgusting stagnant pond, and it’s a dumping spot for beginner swimmers.
The snorkeling is way less fun than in Teluk Keke’s waters, but luckily we had a wonderful encounter that made the day special:
A small monitor lizard—I only saw its back legs because it bolted when we passed (my god, those things are fast!)
A giant grasshopper on the beach (my husband has big hands)
A... a thing... Indescribable... on a coconut tree trunk at sunset, right in front of our little terrace.
And suddenly, the creature leaped to the neighboring tree, gliding on membranes between its front legs and torso: a flying squirrel!
I read everywhere that 3 or 4 days were enough on the island, otherwise you’d get bored. Yet our 7 days were packed—snorkeling (+++), walks, naps, dives… We could’ve easily filled two more days without any frustration.
Restaurants are pricey compared to the peninsula. I’d budgeted a generous 30 €/day for 2 people, but we still slightly exceeded it with aperitifs and a couple of "grilled seafood" evenings that hit the wallet harder.
You eat really well, and it’s easy to switch spots depending on your cravings, as long as you stay on the same beach.
To move around, there are "taxi boat" stands everywhere, competing with each other. On the south beach, no competition and the prices are sky-high in comparison (30 RM for 2 people for a 5-minute ride). We only took one because, honestly, I hate motorboats that slam against every wave. 🤪
Little pleasures:
Drinking watermelon juice at breakfast.
Watching, in hysterics, every evening at aperitif time, a man on a bike (???!) striking poses at the end of a pier while his wife (on foot) cheers him on.
(Note: there are no roads on these islands—you get around on foot along the beach, through the jungle, or by boat. So why a bike??)
Letting your other half grab the breakfast tray before you get up, then eating while gazing at the sea before everyone else wakes up…
And to put it all in context: a map of the beaches and hotels.
Finally, a little tip for those like us who enjoy a cold beer without moving:
We bought a 5-liter keg of beer in Kuala Lumpur (115 RM, I think). It’s heavy and bulky (especially if you’re backpacking!), but it fits perfectly in the mini-fridges of hotels. 😄 I’m a little embarrassed, but we really loved this little luxury just for us!
7:30 AM: We leave our bungalow and our king-sized bed to have one last breakfast on Abdul’s terrace.
The water taxi picks us up as planned at 8 AM, and we stop to pick up a few more passengers. By 8:40 AM, we’re on solid ground in Kuala Besut and head off to find a taxi to take us to Kota Bharu, where we have a flight at noon.
The taxi driver offers the ride for 70 RM, and off we go on a trip worthy of a rally race! It was a close call, but we made it first! 😄
Along the way, we spot a large monitor lizard finishing its road crossing, and a temple where I manage to photograph a spectacular statue—pure luck.
By 9:30 AM, we’re at the airport and alive. 😛
Nothing much to report there, except that a security officer wanted us to take a spray bottle out of our checked luggage and explain what it was. Awkward moment—and in hindsight, pretty risky—where I had to explain and even mime what it was for.
Since he didn’t understand ("water spray when it's very hot"), and as a last resort, I sprayed a little water on his hand. Uh, well, he jumped like it was a terrorist attack, but thankfully, he got it and didn’t throw us in jail.
Note to self: think twice before spraying anything on airport security agents. 😊
Finally, we board our AirAsia flight to KL (20 euros per person, with 25 kg of checked baggage—spring promotion). One-hour flight.
Hi there,
Thanks for this generously illustrated feedback! 😎
You really enjoyed yourselves, and I get why you wanted to share some of your favorite moments.
For the subway in KL, the explanation is simple: the lines were built by different operators and aren’t interconnected. A bit like the French railways before the S.N.C.F.
P.S.: That gas canister trick really made me laugh. I’d probably just put juice in the fridge and look for a Chinese shop—or a 7/11—last minute for beer. 😉
Ah, thanks for explaining the metro lines! It all makes sense now! 🙂
The keg was bought in KL for the stay on the island, since there are no Chinese shops or 7/11s there (or if there are, they're very well hidden!!)
You can buy cans of Tiger beer at the restaurant of ?? (north of Tuna Bay) for 11 RM, though...
As for the generously illustrated story, it's first because I love reading them when I'm preparing a trip (especially blogs), and second because someone pointed out during my first story that it lacked photos... There you go, it's fixed
To take a taxi this time, you have to go to a counter that charges based on the number of bags (so you pre-pay, no meter). It’ll be more expensive this time (120 RM to Bukit Bintang) but much more comfortable!
Our driver was charming and gave us his card, so I’m sharing his details (he doesn’t just do airport trips):
Faizal: phone number: +60166557036
So, in the early afternoon, we checked into our last hotel. This one’s special because it’s a 4-star—our little splurge of the trip for 68 euros a night, including breakfast. 😄
After a nap, we headed to the Petronas Towers and their shopping mall to pick up souvenirs for our teenage daughter.
To avoid getting squashed (KL isn’t pedestrian-friendly at all!), we went through the Pavilion Mall next door and walked through the tunnels. Nothing much to say about the Twin Towers’ mall (I’m not buying Chanel or Dior for my daughter), but the ads for purple chips in the tunnel were hilarious (well, they made me laugh! 😏)
Put off by this out-of-reach shopping, we postponed it until the next day.
In the meantime, we had a drink at the hotel.
One last dinner on Jalan Alor at a great restaurant almost across from Mickey.
And a magical swim in the rooftop pool (with a bar) at the hotel.
The next day, after a luxurious shower, we set off for more shopping!
We went to Berjaya Time Square, and as we feared, aside from durian candies (disgusting but our daughter loves them), we could only find junk to bring her.
We were still amazed by the 9 floors and the amusement park in this mall! 😮
We grabbed a bite, left our bags at the hotel, and headed to the grand mosque for one of our last visits. I’ll spare you the hassle of getting there 😇. There, we found out the visit wouldn’t be possible for another hour, so we walked to the KL City Gallery, passing by the very pretty textile museum.
The heat made us crave ice cream more than a visit. We asked to try (so we wouldn’t die ignorant) a durian sorbet—unsurprisingly, it was awful 🙁 (but not as bad as the candies), so we went for something more basic.
Finally, we entered the mosque after covering up (they provide everything at the entrance if your outfit doesn’t meet the standards), and we listened to the explanations from a very friendly gentleman.
...except after 10 minutes, the heat in our outfits overpowered our cultural interest, and we retreated to the tiny Islamic Arts Museum (air-conditioned!).
Then, we took a taxi to Kampung Baru, known for its traditional houses.
So, was it fatigue, or were we just not in the nicest spot? But the visit left us with an unpleasant feeling—like zoo visitors or millionaires in a disadvantaged neighborhood 😐. It’s not far from the slums, and the towers right behind (the two areas separated by a huge impassable wall) reminded us of dystopian movies.
After this last visit, we had a beer while waiting for the taxi that picked us up at the hotel (100 RM) to take us to the airport—heading home!
The people are generally friendly. It ranges from folks offering to help us on the street (super nice!), to taxi drivers and guides (nice!), to the bus ticket seller (not nice at all!!!). We loved the natural interactions, without feeling like walking wallets (even a taxi driver who offered to take us to the elephant sanctuary still stuck around to give us info after we turned down his offer).
The alphabet is the same as ours, making it easy to get around.
The diversity of places in Peninsular Malaysia. In 15 days and without rushing, we managed three very different stops.
The prices: it’s easy to find comfortable accommodation in KL with Airbnb, and restaurants are very affordable except on the islands (which are still a good deal compared to France—3.50 € for a full breakfast or 4 € for a meal, for example).
Transportation is pretty comfortable and easy to find/book, at least for major routes.
The apparent cultural diversity. I’d be less categorical here because I’ve lived in Mauritius and know the cultural hypocrisy… (On the surface, it’s all love and harmony, but in reality, everyone’s sizing each other up, and racism is rampant).
The beauty of the Perhentian Islands, with their jungle backdrop, crystal-clear waters in good weather, marine life, and animals that interact with humans fearlessly.
Super cheap domestic flights.
Lowlights:
Room for improvement on signage (metro, road signs…). We’re not exactly clueless (I think), but we still needed outside help to find our way sometimes! The specialty: a sign pointing one way, then nothing else! Or multiple signs with the same name pointing in different directions??!
KL: tough to get around on foot. You’re quickly trapped by roads that are impossible to cross without risking your life. To get from one “sidewalk” to another, you have to find pedestrian bridges over the roads, and they’re not every 100 meters.
And even then, when you take those “bridges,” you’ll likely end up in a mall, and finding the exit is an adventure!
Still in KL: a very polluted, noisy, and pretty dirty city—you’ll be craving some peace and quiet fast!
Cameron Highlands: a so-so visit, even if the tea plantations are lovely. The town is ugly and so congested that the only road is hard to cross on foot…
Perhentian Besar: Some beaches are swimming lesson spots for Asian tourists, and they arrive by the hundreds!
The seabeds can be desolate (like a Martian landscape), so don’t hesitate to seek out the prettier spots.
Apparently, some people dump their trash in the water or on the beach—some places are absolutely heartbreaking! Personally, I tied a knot in my swim shirt and filled it with trash as I found it… straight to the bin!
You can also (I wish I had) pack a few trash bags in your luggage.
In conclusion:
We’ll definitely be back someday to visit Borneo!
We loved this first trip to Asia! It’s a great destination, even for an off-the-beaten-path honeymoon!
If you’ve got comments, insults, or just questions about my story, don’t hesitate! 😉
Well, thanks again Servante for this complete and beautifully illustrated feedback.
We also loved this country so much, even though it’s so little visited compared to its neighbors, and I still wonder why (religion maybe??).
See you next time on VF!
Christelle
Le monde est comme un miroir, si tu lui souris, il te sourit aussi!
Religion might be a factor... But it’s a shame, because unless you stay in certain areas, you don’t really feel the weight of radical Islam.
It’s still a very underrated destination (personally, I only discovered it while going through every country in Asia! 😄) and in a way, that’s a good thing.
Anyway, thanks for your comments—they’re always appreciated 🙂
We passed by the Coral View on our way to PIR Beach, and we were impressed by the sea-view bungalow terraces—it looked pretty luxurious!
That said, from what I remember, there’s no direct beach access!
If you have any comments, insults, or just questions about my story, don't hesitate! 😉
Just comments.
Malaysia is one of the few places in the region where people aren’t constantly after my money. Communication is easy there. It’s relaxing.
The Cameron Highlands are a victim of their own success. If you love tea, a visit to Sri Lanka is a must. 😎
The walkways. Essential for getting around in cities. The model that leads more easily to the shopping mall than to the street seems to have inspired the designers of airport duty free areas. Asian city-dwellers rarely walk; exits often lead to taxi stands and public transport stations.
Borneo is a great idea for extending your next trip.
If you have any comments, insults, or just questions about my story, don't hesitate! 😉
Just comments.
Malaysia is one of the few places in the region where people aren’t constantly after my money. Communication is easy there. It’s relaxing.
The Cameron Highlands have fallen victim to their own success. If you love tea, a visit to Sri Lanka is a must. 😎
The walkways. Essential for getting around cities. The model that leads more easily to the shopping mall than to the street seems to have inspired the designers of airport duty free shops. Asians in cities rarely walk; exits often lead to taxi stands and public transport stations.
Borneo is a great idea for extending your next trip.
Thanks for the comments!
I’ll keep your tips in mind for future trips to Asia 🙂
Thanks Servanel for this vivid and captivating travel journal. We were in Malaysia last year in October too, and your itinerary brought back memories and similar experiences... We also ended our trip beautifully at the Journal Hotel!
Have a good evening
Thanks Servanel for this vivid and captivating story. We were in Malaysia last October too, and your itinerary brought back memories and similar experiences... We also ended our trip in style at the Journal Hotel!
Have a great evening
Thanks for your reply—it’s nice to know we’re not writing for nothing! 🙂
It’s funny we picked the same hotel to wrap up our stay!
It’s true that for the price of a pretty basic accommodation in France (for a wedding, we spent a night in a rather charm-free hotel in Brittany at the end of September. For the three of us, we paid over 80 € (no breakfast included!))... We enjoyed a fantastic buffet breakfast and rooftop pool access.
Really a chance to enjoy some luxury at a bargain price!
Hello,
You managed to capture the little things in life that give meaning to travel and describe them with humor and whimsy.
A fair perspective on the other side of the mirror too:
message #16:
Finally, we take a taxi to the Kampung Baru district, known for its traditional houses.
Is it fatigue, or are we just not in the most pleasant spot? But visiting this place left us with an unpleasant feeling of discomfort. Like zoo visitors or millionaires in a disadvantaged neighborhood. We’re not far from the slums, and the towers just behind (the two areas separated by a huge impassable wall) remind us of dystopian movies.
Hello,
You managed to capture the little things in life that give meaning to travel and describe them with humor and whimsy.
A fair perspective on the other side of the mirror too:
message #16:
Finally, we take a taxi to the Kampung Baru district, known for its traditional houses.
So, is it fatigue or are we just not in the nicest spot? But visiting this place left us with an unpleasant feeling of unease. Like visitors in a zoo or millionaires in a disadvantaged neighborhood. We’re not far from the slums, and the towers right behind (the two areas separated by a huge impassable wall) remind us of those dystopian films.
Best regards,
Thanks for your comments! 🙂
Indeed, we experience our travels through the lens of humor (well, mostly self-deprecation), because it’s really important to us.
But that doesn’t stop us from noting what’s ugly... I grew up until adulthood in so-called "developing" countries, and you’ve got to call a spade a spade: inter-racial and/or religious wars, extreme poverty surviving just steps away from sheer luxury...
A big thank you, Servanel, for this beautiful travel journal. My wife and I were also in Malaysia last August, and your story brought back some great memories...
We stayed at Coral View for 9 nights, and I can confirm it’s a really nice hotel. PIR beach is by far the best on the island, and the snorkeling is fabulous.
As for taxis in KL and Malaysia, I recommend downloading the "Grab" app to find taxis everywhere for cheap. We paid 65 RM from KLIA1 to our hotel in Bukit Bintang at 2 AM—it’s really simple and affordable. You can also use Uber and compare prices.
Malaysia is a beautiful country, and the mix of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures adds a lot. The food is amazing too!
I’ll be back next year because I’d love to visit Borneo and Tioman :)
Have a good evening
A big thank you Servanel for this beautiful story. My wife and I were also in Malaysia last August, and your account brought back some great memories...
We stayed at Coral View for 9 nights, and I can confirm it’s a really nice hotel. PIR beach is by far the best on the island, and the snorkeling is fabulous.
For taxis in KL and Malaysia in general, I recommend downloading the "Grab" app to find taxis everywhere at a low cost. We paid 65 RM from KLIA1 to our hotel in Bukit Bintang at 2 AM—it’s really simple and cheap. You can also use Uber and compare prices.
Malaysia is a beautiful country, and the mix of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures adds a lot. The food is amazing too.
I’ll be back next year because I’d love to visit Borneo and Tioman! :)
Have a good evening
Thanks for your comment! 🙂
So, to pick up on what you said, Coral View did seem really nice (at least the sea-view rooms), but we didn’t share the same opinion on PIR beach.
I wrote that we were really disappointed with it because—when we went—it wasn’t well maintained, with an ugly stagnant pool at one end. 🤪
I’ll keep your taxi tips in mind for my next trip!
Thanks! 🙂
Like everyone else, thank you for this story—it has a little something spontaneous and refreshing about it. Really, really nice to read; I loved it.
I think you did a great job, even if your itinerary didn’t always hit the best spots. For example, I never go to the Cameron Highlands for various reasons, including the bad weather (rain and/or fog) and the lack of interest.
On the other hand, kudos for Kuala Gandah—it’s not visited that often.
For your next trip to Borneo, just a small note: the cost of "tourist" living (hotels and activities) is significantly higher than on the peninsula, whether in Sabah or Sarawak.
Personally, I find there’s more to see in Sabah than in Sarawak, except for Mulu Park—a totally incredible karst wonder that’s worth the effort (both to get there and for the climb, which requires being in great shape). It’s similar to Shilin in China or the Tsingy in Madagascar, but I found it even more impressive.
In Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak), you have an endemic monkey (found only in Borneo): the proboscis monkey (called *nasique* in French). Hergé used it as a model for his character, the abominable Rastapopoulos (for those familiar with Tintin).
This monkey sleeps in trees above rivers and moves inland during the day to feed. So, you can really only see it from a boat, either in the morning or evening. Given that (roughly, depending on the season), the sun rises around 6 AM and sets around 6 PM, most tourists see the *monyet belanda* (their name in Malay) in the late afternoon.
I recommend doing this visit in the morning, which will probably mean getting up around 5-6 AM to be on-site and start the tour by 7 AM at the latest. It should be over by 9 AM. In the morning, there’s hardly anyone around, so your boat pilot won’t have to juggle to make space for others to see them too. And for photos, the light is better than in the evening (it’s often a bit twilight-like when you see the monkeys).
I’m attaching a photo of nasiques.
You can find them on almost all the rivers in Sabah and Sarawak. There aren’t *that* many rivers, but nearly all of them have nasiques.
Another activity you missed is the fireflies (*kelip-kelip* in Malay). If you’re passing back through the peninsula, you can see them in Kuala Selangor, about an hour from KL (train to Rawang or KTM to Kuang, then a taxi, costing around 20 €). Or you can see them in Sabah or Sarawak. They need *barambang* trees growing around a brackish river (a mix of fresh and saltwater).
It’s absolutely fascinating—tens of thousands of little flies perched there, blinking like a Christmas tree.
About monkeys, there are also orangutan protection and rehabilitation centers. There’s one in Sarawak (Semenggoh Nature Reserve, 20 minutes from Kuching) and one in Sabah (Sepilok, near Sandakan). Like the elephants in Kuala Gandah, these are government-run centers, but there’s an entrance fee (not too expensive), and the monkeys are completely free. Some return at feeding time, when you can see them from large platforms before they head back into the jungle.
There are always a few around, because the main problem for orangutans is the destruction of their natural habitat, and what’s left today is really too limited to feed them all.
I last went to Malaysia in 2015 and chose Sabah in Borneo because this Malaysian sultanate offers more wildlife. But I also love Sarawak because of its large Dayak population. I spent three days with a Dayak guide—dressed in jeans and sneakers—but with an incredible knowledge of nature and what it offers to eat. We fished for giant prawns (seriously giant: 500g each!!!), ate fern shoots (delicious), and more...
In Sabah, you should go to Sandakan (cheap with AirAsia) and plan a stay on the Kinabatangan River. There’s a local association (Mescot) working in villages to prevent wild exploitation and the destruction of primary forests (by replanting trees) while promoting responsible tourism. You can even stay with locals (the Homestay program exists across Malaysia). Check out mescot.org—it might inspire your planning.
Also, try to see a rafflesia, the largest single flower in the world. It blooms roughly every ten years, takes between 7 months and a year for the bud to turn into a flower, and the bloom lasts about a week.
Luckily, there are many of them, so you have a good chance of seeing one, but it’s not 100% guaranteed. It’s free, but it’s better to have a guide (which does cost), because if you don’t know what to look for, you’ll easily miss it—it’s not always visible from the paths.
Don’t hesitate to ask me questions—I’m starting to know the place pretty well (26 trips between 1998 and 2015).
Like everyone else, thank you for this story—it has a little something spontaneous and refreshing about it. Really, really nice to read, I loved it.
I think you did a great job, even if your itinerary didn’t always go through the best spots. For example, I never go to the Cameron Highlands for various reasons, including the bad weather (rain and/or fog) and the lack of interest.
On the other hand, well done for visiting Kuala Gandah—it’s not that well-visited.
For your next trip to Borneo
Good evening,
Thanks for your compliments! 🙂
I agree the CH aren’t that interesting, but I’ll admit that after KL, I didn’t feel like considering another city (Penang or Malacca)...
Thank you so much for your invaluable tips for Borneo!!! 🙂
Unfortunately, our budget won’t allow us to go there in the next (3/4) years, but I’ve noted your advice and hope it’ll be useful to other readers!
First of all, a very happy New Year full of wonderful travels!
We really enjoyed your travel journal, especially since we’ve planned a trip to Malaysia this coming July.
We know Kuala Lumpur well, having stayed there several times for a few days on our way to Indonesia (Java, Bali, Lombok, Flores).
We’ve also been to Melaka—a fantastic city that’s well worth the trip and quite close to KL (just a 2-hour bus ride).
For this summer, we’re considering a week at the Perhentians, and I think Abdul’s GH looks great with its sea view. From what I understood, you were happy with it—is that right? Is it quiet there? There’s also Mama GH, which gets mentioned a lot on this site—have you heard of it? Is the beach at Abdul’s good for lounging and swimming right in front of the GH? We don’t do diving or snorkeling, just a quick dip.
We love hiking, but I get the impression it’s pretty tough due to the jungle on the island. Are there any trekking options? We enjoy walking for several hours in the morning to explore and then relaxing on the beach in the afternoon.
Did you book Abdul’s GH directly through their website, or did you use Booking.com or another platform?
One small detail: I enjoy a cold beer in the evening before dinner, so do you have to go a bit farther to find that little pleasure? Abdul’s doesn’t serve any.
We’re also thinking about the Cameron Highlands for a week, if the weather’s nice. We’d love to do some treks (and take photos) in the tea plantations. Is that possible? I think you mentioned your route was set up by your taxi driver due to time constraints and not-so-great weather.
Is Father’s GH quiet and nice?
That’s a lot of questions to start the year!
Thanks so much.
Looking forward to reading your reply.
Mina and Olivier
First of all, a very happy New Year full of wonderful trips!
We really enjoyed your travel journal, especially since we’re planning to go to Malaysia next July.
We know Kuala Lumpur well, having stayed there several times for a few days on our way to Indonesia (Java, Bali, Lombok, Flores).
We’ve also been to Melaka—a great city that’s worth the trip and quite close to KL (2-hour bus ride).
For this summer, I’m considering a week at the Perhentians, and I think Abdul’s GH looks pretty good with its sea view. From what I understood, you were happy with it? Is it quiet? There’s also Mama GH, which is often mentioned on this site—have you heard of it? Is the beach at Abdul’s suitable for lounging and swimming right in front of the GH, since we don’t do diving or snorkeling, just a quick dip?
We love walking, but I gather it’s quite difficult due to the jungle on the island? Are there any trekking opportunities? We enjoy hiking for several hours in the morning and relaxing on the beach in the afternoon.
Did you book Abdul’s directly through their website or via Booking.com or another platform?
One detail: I also enjoy a cold beer in the evening before dinner, so do you have to go a bit farther to find that little pleasure? Abdul’s doesn’t serve any.
I’m also considering the Cameron Highlands, but for a week if the weather’s nice. We’d like to do some treks (and take photos) in the tea fields. Is that possible? From what I understand, you did a set route with your taxi driver due to time constraints and not-so-great weather.
Is Father’s GH quiet and good?
That’s a lot of questions for the start of the year.
Thanks!
Looking forward to reading your reply.
Mina and Olivier
Hi Olivier,
Here are a few answers to your questions, but keep in mind that our trip was in mid-September, so not peak season!
1) Yes, Abdul’s was quiet because it’s at the end of the beach. The "deluxe sea view" bungalow had the double advantage of being right by the sea but also independent (no risk of being woken up by the neighbors’ kids 😉 ). The view from the bungalow terrace was really lovely, and you could swim right away, even in shallow water. The beach has fine sand for lounging if you want.
Meals were good, there’s a little shop, and the staff was friendly (we saw a lot of comments about them on TripAdvisor, but maybe they’d been told off because we found them very helpful).
To book: contact them directly by email (check their website). They’re not on booking sites.
You’ll need to pay a deposit of about 50% about a month before. It was a real headache because it’s either a bank transfer (with a nice fee for the bank) or sending your credit card details by email 🙁.
In the end, we created a virtual credit card with a set maximum amount and numbers that couldn’t be used after the first transaction.
It went smoothly 🙂
2) Mama: Can’t really say, except that there’s no direct beach. But it has a good reputation on TripAdvisor!
3) Walks/treks: For a relaxing stroll, it’s nice at sunset on the beach.
For jungle adventures, you don’t need to be super fit, but expect to sweat a lot and get attacked by hundreds of mosquitoes.
So bring plenty of water and good mosquito repellent to enjoy the jungle 😏.
Otherwise, exploring other beaches (some almost deserted, as I mentioned in my journal) is nice.
4) Beer: Served with other alcohol at Tuna Bay’s bar, and Tiger Beer sold in cans at Coconut (a bit farther north than Tuna) for 11 RM each.
Abdul’s doesn’t serve any, and generally in Malaysia, don’t expect every place to offer beer.
5) Cameron Highlands: It was a discovery, but personally, it’s not what I remember most from our trip. There are plenty of hiking trails, but we were there for 1.5 days, which turned into 1 day because of (supposedly) a typhoon on the coast. So if you love trekking, I think you’ll enjoy it :)
The "route" with the driver was just the road from Tanah Rata to the tea fields, with a few photo stops when possible.
Father’s GH: Clean, international visitors, outdoor areas, and a snack bar... But very basic, and hot water is optional. For the price, though, it seems to be the best in the area.
Happy New Year and happy planning!
PS: Be careful—especially for July, you’ll need to book very early (ideally now) for the Perhentians! We booked our bungalow in early January for September, and it seems we weren’t too early!
The guesthouse doesn’t accept PayPal either, and I’m not familiar with Webcard. I’ll look into it.
Before booking, just two more logistical questions to pin down our arrival day:
We’re scheduled to land at 9:00 AM at KLIA 1.
We’ll take a flight from KLIA 2—no problem, that’s pretty quick.
But at the other end, is the trip between Kota Bharu Airport and the city really about an hour of rally-style driving, based on your ultra-detailed trip report? And is there still a boat around 5:30 PM from the mainland to Besar? Did I get that right?
I’m checking if we can make it with the AirAsia flight at 1:05 PM, arriving at 2:10 PM, to avoid spending the night in Kota Bharu.
The GH doesn’t accept PayPal either, and I’m not familiar with Webcard. I’ll look into it.
Before booking, just two more logistical questions to nail down our arrival day.
We’re scheduled to land at 9:00 AM at KLIA 1.
We’ll take a flight from KLIA 2—no problem, that’s pretty quick.
But on the other end, is the trip between Kota Bharu Airport and the city really about an hour in rally mode, based on your ultra-detailed trip report? And is there still a boat around 5:30 PM from the mainland to Besar? Did I get that right?
I’m checking if we can make it with the AirAsia flight at 1:05 PM, arriving at 2:10 PM, to avoid an overnight in Kota Bharu.
Thanks. Have a great evening.
Mina & Olivier
Hi Olivier,
Watch out +++ for flight schedules!
Are you planning to take a direct flight to Kota Bharu right after landing in KL?
I really think you should consider the unexpected before booking domestic flights. Just a few hours’ delay (on departure or arrival) can throw off your whole schedule and cost you time and money.
As for boats to Kuala Besut, we were able to catch one until almost 6:00 PM... I’m not sure if there are boats for everyone at that time or only for reserved buses (the usual schedules I saw were 8:00 AM/5:00 PM).
I wanted to book at Abdul Chalet, but unfortunately, it’s not available for my dates! 🙁
So I’ll book at Reef Chalet instead. Did you get a chance to see it? If so, what did you think of it from a distance?
I also have a 50% deposit to pay—I was thinking of going through my bank. I’ll look into that ecard system.
Good evening Servane,
Thank you.
Yes, you're absolutely right, we're arriving at KLIA1.
I'm looking into it closely.
Have a good evening
What's recommended is to allow a 3-hour gap between your arrival time at KLIA1 and your departure time at KLIA2.
You’ll need to:
- Disembark the plane and enter the airport (5 to 10 minutes)
- Go through immigration (it’s pretty quick, but it can take 10/15 minutes including the tram ride)
- Collect your luggage (sometimes just 5 minutes, sometimes a quarter of an hour)
- Find and take the shuttle to KLIA2. I’ve managed it in 40 minutes, but never in less than 15/20 minutes)
- Check in your luggage again with AirAsia at KLIA2 (10 to 30 minutes)
- Go through police checks
- Walk to the terminal (it’s no small feat: depending on your departure gate, you might have up to 2.5 km to walk!!!). They’ve installed moving walkways because everyone was complaining (there are 42 now), but the minimum time is between 6 and 18 minutes if you walk briskly with luggage that doesn’t slow you down.
All in all, you should plan for about 2 hours if everything goes smoothly, but given the number of "transfers" (that’s the official term, meaning potential bottlenecks), it’s better to add an extra hour, making it 3 hours
going through immigration (it’s pretty quick, but it can take 10/15 mins including the tram ride)
A few years ago, YES. It seems like checks are stricter now—at KLIA in 2016, we waited over an hour, and in 2017, our friends waited over an hour too. Don’t overlook this when entering Malaysia via KL during peak season, of course... and during "rush hours" in the morning.
I’m bumping this thread for future travelers and adding an "unusual" section 😉
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The elevators made by Chinese companies: since the number 4 sounds like "death," it’s banned. So we stayed on floor "13A."
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Apartment entrances: you have to take off your shoes everywhere in Malaysia before entering a living space. Hence these kinds of "cages":
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Western-style toilets seem to be a fairly recent thing. In more remote areas, you’ll find squat toilets (though not necessarily dirty). There are signs to explain how to use these "alien" contraptions properly.
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And instructional posters with photos to show what to do with the hoses/showers that replace empty flush tanks (before taking this photo, I tried flushing, then—being a bit clueless—I turned on the tap) (so I left with soaked shoes).
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In hotels/guesthouses, an arrow on the ceiling will point toward Mecca for prayer:
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Dogs, explosives, and "indecent behavior" are banned on public transport . That’s how we joked for 20 minutes about the fate of a Chinese couple holding hands on the train .
In the same vein, there are train cars reserved for women and children. And apparently lesbians too .
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French (or something like it) is so chic (St. Tropez, its Eiffel Tower, its red buses):
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And the cherry on top: in a mall, a shop that’s "neither for nor against, quite the contrary":
18.7.08 Arrivée à l'aéroport Genève à 9h45 pour décoller à 11h45. Après 6h de vol avec Quatar airways, escale à Doha (Quatar) de 1h20. C'est rigolo de voir des…
Carnet destiné pour un rendu optimum, à être consulté avec les photos l'illustrant ici: « Bornéo, en Malaisie??? Bigre pourquoi pas, mais pourquoi -là? ».…
Le Laos, cela faisait plus de 10 ans que j’avais envie d’y aller. Nous avions failli y partir à l’été 2009. Mais une connaissance de mon tendre et cher avait…
Cette année, après bien des hésitations et des changements, nous sommes finalement partis trois semaines à Bornéo en famille. Voyage placé sous le double signe…
Bonjour tout le monde, nous voici rentrés d'un RT USA organisé par nos soins du 31/07/2026 au 26/08/2026.
La destination : Le Sud-Ouest USA avec le Texas, l'Arizona et le Nouveau-Mexique. 7000 kilomètres effectués à la louche.
L'Auto : Une Chevrolet Equinoxe pour deux en passant par BSP Auto et Avis. Et dedans 2 valises, un sac de voyage, deux valises cabines, la glacière de chez Walmart, le matos photos et les bouteilles d'eau (pack de 40).
Le trajet : Dallas DFW, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Alpine, El Paso, Tucson, Sedona, Albuquerque, Amarillo et Dallas pour finir avec départ sur DFW.
Les voyageurs : Deux séniors bien avancés dans l'âge (73 et 75) mais toujours en activité (pas épuisante physiquement) (pour rester vivants et financer les voyages), autonomes physiquement à 100%, intellectuellement beaucoup moins, passionnés des USA, pays où tout est possible, plus marcheurs que randonneurs, plutôt hôtels à partir de 3 étoiles que motels de bord de route, plutôt restos Italiens que nourriture US, adeptes des arrêts fréquents pour les photos, plutôt musées que rien, Plutôt sieste que marches forcées. Pas trop râleurs, juste ce qu'il faut pour rester français au pays du grand Satan qu'ils disent.
Pas trés doués pour les langues, Anglais des rues (mais bien pratique), Espagnol nul pour moi hormis : " Hola ! Una Cerveza por Favor ! " Cela fait court. Madame comprend tout mais refuse de parler.
Le coût du RT : Environ 12 000 euros avec les vols AF, Auto, Essence, cadeaux, visites et tutti quanti. Bien maitrisé puisque 13500 euros prévus au départ.
Le bilan positif : Un régal avec les longues routes à perte de vue. Des Musées à découvrir. Le constat de la présence Hispanique et de son Histoire importante dans ce secteur de l'Amérique. Des locaux adorables. Des touristes plus ou moins sympas. Un accent Texan abominable et difficile à comprendre. Des stations Gas qui sont de véritables magasins avec nourriture préparée et autre alcools vendus en Arizona et Nouveau-Mexique et des employés au top ! Toujours prêts à rigoler !
Le bilan négatif : La chaleur tout au long du séjour...43° sur Dallas en fin de séjour. Impossible de sortir dans les rues. Beaucoup de "Homeless" dans les rues de l'Hyper Centre de Dallas. Les breakfasts Hôtel toujours les mêmes. On s'y fait.
Donc, positif certes mais le concept commence à fatiguer. Il se pourrait que le modèle RT autonome soit repensé pour le prochain. SI celui qui est en haut nous prête vie.
Pour la suite, attendons les premières photos triées et passées à la moulinette.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Our first stop was just a few kilometers from Marrakech, at a lovely house perfect for relaxing and recharging before continuing. It’s called Bleu House, a little paradise on the outskirts of Marrakech. The welcome was very warm, with a beautiful pool and a lovely garden.
Next, we headed toward the Tichka Pass. The road has really improved in recent years—it’s much easier to drive now. No more getting stuck behind trucks, and today, the construction is practically finished.
Morocco has turned green after the recent rains. It’s a joy for the herds and shepherds.
I could have titled my travel journal like Carmen: "Some trips are born twice." Indeed, we had considered this destination back in February 2020. However, an honest tour operator advised us against traveling at that time due to the climate. So, we gave up and opted for Guatemala instead (see "On the Mayan Lands" on this site).
So, why this title? When I was in primary school, over 65 years ago, the illustrations in my history books (Machu Picchu) and geography books (Lake Titicaca) made me dream, and those images stayed in my mind. It took until 2026 to finally make this dream come true!
We prepared our trip with Tout Pérou, a French-speaking "agency." Everything was handled via email and WhatsApp exchanges with our contact: Laurent, who was both competent, friendly, and full of good advice.
For 200 €, Tout Pérou provided us with drivers and guides whenever we wanted, helped us buy our domestic flights (cheaper when purchased in Peru), booked shuttles between airports and hotels, and got us a discount on the train ride to Aguas Calientes, as well as on the buses between Chivay and Puno and between Puno and Cusco. In short, Laurent took care of all the logistics and the Machu Picchu tickets. It was up to us to book our hotels. Tout Pérou provided a list, but we weren’t obliged to follow it. Another advantage of the package: we didn’t have to pay in advance; we paid the service providers directly day by day.
We didn’t meet Laurent in person because he was on vacation in Europe. Before his departure, he gave us a briefing, provided a summary table with the entire program, the service providers, their phone numbers, their fees, the schedules, and gave us plenty of advice (money, exchange, safety, etc.). After returning at the end of our stay, he kept checking in on us.
Lastly, we had also gathered information from Arnaud Lagadec, who runs a hotel in Cusco and offers tours of the region. He gave us a lot of useful information. Another contact: Thomas Montaigne, very friendly, who runs an agency in Arequipa (Agence Pérou Exclusif).
Day 1 – Paris to Lima
Foreword
I’ll share our trip without any pretension—I don’t have the talent of some contributors on this forum—and I’ll illustrate it with a few photos (taken with an ordinary smartphone). My comments are personal and only reflect my own views. So, please be kind! Feel free to comment on my story as you like, but let’s avoid pointless debates.
Even though we live in the south of the Paris region, true to our habits when the flight is in the morning, we chose to spend the night before our departure in a hotel near CDG and parked our car in a parking lot in Garches. This way, we avoid the stress that often comes with traveling around Paris (accidents, roadworks, traffic jams, etc.).
Check-in and border control went smoothly on that Sunday morning. Our Air France flight was uneventful. In Lima, border control took a particularly long time, and for the first time, we didn’t get an entry visa stamped in our passports.
As planned, a driver took us to the Miraflores district, where our hotel was located. We were surprised by the numerous signs about possible tsunamis, having forgotten that Peru is prone to such events and regularly experiences earthquakes. We’d see the consequences of these during our journey.
Exhausted from the early wake-up, the 13-hour flight, and the 7-hour time difference, we had dinner at the hotel before a restful night.
Note that this day was Peru’s presidential election day. As a result, we weren’t served beer—the sale of alcohol was banned that Sunday.
It was winter, a winter with beautiful weather,
A season that only exists in the southwest of America,
I remember very well what I told you that morning
A month ago... A century ago, an eternity ago...
We’ll go... wherever you want, whenever you want...
Well, yeah, back from our adventure in our enchanting American West just a month ago, we’re already taking a bite out of one of its lesser-known competitors. "Flo, if you had to pick just one reason to justify your love for the U.S., what would it be?" The greasy, dripping burgers? No, I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying it’d be the wide-open spaces... And that’s exactly what our new quest is taking us to—a land on the other side of the globe where the horizon also seems endless, where silence tastes like salty wind and sand, where freedom is measured in kilometers of desert tracks, where the GPS is mostly there to confirm you’re lost in the middle of nowhere... Add to that magic formula the fact that you’ll see more zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, and elephants than people per square kilometer, and you can imagine us setting foot in Southern Africa for the first time, more precisely at the small airport in Windhoek, capital of... of...? Brush up on your geography, damn it! We’re landing in Namibia!!!
To be honest, Namibian landscapes have been flirting with me for ages. So how did I resist this island of temptation for so long? First, the budget. Let’s just say that for the same amount of effort (and kidneys), the bank lets you choose two other adventures almost anywhere else on the planet. Then there were my girls. Yeah, back then, they were too little to dose up on Malarone, the only malaria remedy at the time... Long story short, ten years later, all the planets have aligned. First, I won the Euromillions! Well, almost... Let’s just say my girls are now old enough... not to take Malarone, but to stop following me on all my adventures! Jackpot! "Flo, how about a little two-person caprice, just the two of us, tackling the Namibian tracks?"
As we landed on the runway, first wow effect: The horizon is immense. It’s flat as can be, incredibly flat... So much flat space! Did I mention it was flat?... Looking into the distance, it feels like your gaze could circle the Earth without hitting a single obstacle—until you end up staring at your own backside. "Oh, what a nice view!" Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen my butt from this angle! Touching moment... Sorry, I’m rambling—must be the exhaustion from the three-flight marathon we just powered through via Ethiopia and South Africa... And yet, no time to philosophize about my anatomy. As usual, we want to rack up our first kilometers to be front and center at dawn tomorrow. After wrapping up the tedious Namibian immigration formalities and meeting the 4x4 that’ll be our companion day and night for the next fifteen days, we’re off! We’re not exactly fresh, but we’re ready to tackle the next five hundred kilometers in night mode, cruise control set due south! Just outside Windhoek, the local wildlife—a jackal—welcomes us with a smile: "Welcome to Namibia!" That’s what it said! Honest... Okay, first endless straight road, first flaming sunset, first corrugated dirt track, first Milky Way with zero light pollution... You get it—it’s definitely the day of firsts... First night camping, too, in the big trunk of our Toyota Fortuner parked by the side of the track... The real adventure, the kind that smells under the arms, can finally begin...
When we started looking for a summer destination a few months ago, our first criterion was to avoid extreme heat and heatwaves. We had already been to Norway two years ago and are considering going back in the future for other occasions. So, we had some fun asking ChatGPT which destinations enjoyed a mild climate during the summer without going too far. Among the list provided by the AI were the Canary Islands... The idea of a place we wouldn’t have thought of first, both not too far away and exotic enough, appealed to us: “Hmm, why not?”
This destination had never really attracted me, though Magali was a bit more interested. Five years earlier, COVID had caused a short break in my professional activity, and I had planned a trip because the flight price was attractive, and I was looking for a destination different from what usually appeals to me, more than out of deep interest. From a distance and with a social judgment I acknowledge (it’s not great, but it’s not completely wrong), I had the image of a destination for party-goers enjoying the sun without the slightest interest in local culture, with concrete coastlines and denatured landscapes—everything I detest the most. Still, I had done some quick research on the different islands and spotted Lanzarote for its beautiful volcanic landscapes, hiking trails, beaches, and the impression of a good balance between activity and fewer crowds than Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Then I dropped the idea of going, without ever reconsidering traveling to the Canaries...
Until now! Because we started researching the different islands of the archipelago to see which ones might appeal to us the most. It was La Gomera, the third smallest island of the archipelago, more praised for its hiking trails and preserved nature than for its beaches, away from mass tourism (fifty times fewer tourists than Tenerife) but still a bit more developed than its wild neighbor El Hierro, that caught our attention. Contrary to what might be suggested later, I’m not at all addicted to AI, but I use it from time to time to synthesize quick research or simply for experimentation. Since ChatGPT had started anticipating my tastes lately as if it had become my buddy (often successfully, sometimes off the mark), I asked which Canary Island would suit me best for a trip with my family. The tool answered first with... La Gomera. So, I tested it and teased it a bit to see if this suggestion was well-founded, as the method sometimes makes it contradict itself. But no luck: “You’d appreciate the wild nature of El Hierro, but with family, you’ll find little activity for the kids. You won’t like the touristy vibe of the big islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. You could consider La Palma, but it’s really La Gomera that will suit you best, based on your interests and the criteria given.” So, we dug deeper into our research and were convinced without a shadow of a doubt that this island was the one waiting for us.
Without knowing it, we had Canarians in our circle who revealed their origins when they heard about our travel plans. One from Tenerife insisted we’d be better off choosing Tenerife (obviously...) because it also has preserved spots and that La Gomera, “you can explore it in two or three days, you’ll get bored quickly...” The other, a colleague from Gran Canaria who had never visited La Gomera, still recommended it without hesitation because it turned out her parents had just gone there on vacation: they loved it and had encountered few tourists. She also tended to think this destination was usually the subject of short stays, but according to what her parents told her, taking your time there was also a great idea. However, in our research, the idea that La Gomera is an island you can explore in three or four days max kept coming up. So, we considered combining its visit with La Palma or El Hierro, the other two that caught our eye. But hopping between islands by ferry represents a significant budget for non-Canarians, even more so for a family of four. Then, scrutinizing Google Maps, it seemed obvious that two weeks were too short to discover two islands as they deserve, and that there seemed to be plenty to see in La Gomera, given its very unique culture. After all, we read that some people spend several months a year there, others never even leave... Finally, these landscapes and this atmosphere, which seemed to us a mix of Europe, North Africa, and Latin America, tempted us. So, it would be two weeks in La Gomera, deal!
La Gomera is therefore the second... well, the third smallest island of the Canaries since La Graciosa was recently recognized as a fully inhabited island. It has the shape of a rough circle about 20 to 25 kilometers in diameter and has just over 20,000 inhabitants, half of them in its capital, San Sebastián de la Gomera, the only real town. Like its Canarian sisters, La Gomera is a volcanic formation that rose about 10 million years ago. The island is very mountainous and rugged, covered with red and black rocky landscapes. Geological activity has shaped, between the sprawling massifs that end in steep cliffs in the ocean, six coastal valleys with tropical vegetation that have favored human settlement. They divide the island like slices of a cake; from the north clockwise: the agricultural Vallehermoso, the rustic Agulo, the green, humid, and fertile Hermigua, the sunny capital San Sebastián de la Gomera, the southern and isolated Alajeró-Santiago, and the seaside Valle Gran Rey. They constitute the six municipalities (more like cantons to our French understanding) of the territory.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
La Gomera was populated late. As with the rest of the Canaries, human presence is thought to have begun about 2,000 years ago. Groups of animist Berbers, probably fleeing persecution, gradually populated the archipelago, especially the western islands and La Gomera, becoming its small aboriginal population: the Guanches (or later Gomeros). The animist and pastoral civilization of the Guanches thrived until the Spanish takeover in the 15th century, which, after a short period of harmony and mixing with the indigenous people, suddenly ended in bloodshed... La Gomera later became the “Columbus Island” after Christopher Columbus’s stopover, increasing the blending of populations. In the 20th century, many Gomeros emigrated to Cuba and other Latin American countries in search of a better life, bringing back a mix of cultures and traits quite palpable in today’s Gomeran culture. It is, however, in La Gomera that the vestiges of Guanche culture seem to have left the most traces, in the language, gastronomy, social practices... Moreover, most Gomeros, especially in remote villages, have a particular identifiable type and proudly claim their ancestral roots, even making La Gomera a bit exotic in the eyes of other Canarians.
Perhaps that’s why it has never really wanted to develop its tourist infrastructure too much. If we set aside the tourists who visit for the day by bus or boat from Tenerife on a marked itinerary (and whom we ultimately rarely encounter), La Gomera has remained a hidden gem, a destination focused on nature discovery that attracts hikers, nature-loving divers, and scientists for its fauna and flora, and to a lesser extent, beachgoers who don’t seek overly developed coastlines. Tourist activity is therefore limited. Roughly speaking, you’ll find a majority of Spaniards, including a substantial number of residents from other Canary Islands, many Germans who have a particular fondness for La Gomera and spend long stays there or own second homes, to the point that the German cultural footprint is clearly noticeable in some places (it’s said to be Angela Merkel’s favorite holiday spot), and still quite a few French. The presence of other nationalities seemed negligible to us. Most travelers come mainly for hiking, but it’s also a prime spot for whale watching. Additionally, the seaside resorts of La Gomera—San Sebastián, Santiago, and especially Valle Gran Rey—are well-known destinations for hippies, especially German ones, ranging from chic boho hippies to old-school hippies who’ve been there for decades, quite similar to those you’d meet in India in Goa, Rishikesh, or Paharganj. Thus, practices like naturism, vegetarianism, and local organic production are quite well established in some areas.
Some practical info:
- The round-trip flight from Paris to Tenerife cost us 365 € per person (outbound with Transavia, return with EasyJet), including checked luggage and three seats reserved side by side.
- We chose two bases to explore the island: one week in Valle Gran Rey, reputed to be the most pleasant of the three seaside resorts, and one week in Hermigua, more mountainous and close to the natural park. We booked two houses with balconies and views: the first at 120 € per night, the second at 99 €.
- The round-trip ferry between Tenerife and La Gomera cost us 270 € with the company Baleària Canarias, including discounts for children aged 4 and 12, but I don’t have the exact details. It was a bit cheaper than with the other company, Fred Olsen.
- Finally, we rented a car through the agency Cicar for 360 € for 16 days, which comes to 22.50 € per day.
- Apart from that, we didn’t plan anything and decided the day before or even the morning of what we wanted to do. We didn’t invest in any paper guide on the Canaries, as information on La Gomera was scarce, but we used the very comprehensive site La Gomera Travel, a travel guide published by the Canary Islands Tourism Council, a real goldmine of almost exhaustive information on the island.
Alright, off we go for 16 days of adventure discovering La Gomera!
If you're looking for great tips and offbeat spots, if you love exploring uncharted parts of a country, if the exotic is your adrenaline, then move along!
Our 15 days in early May in this part of Turkey (a country I first discovered during a city trip to Istanbul in 2017) will only tread well-worn paths and revisit popular routes. Simply because I kept hoping until the very end that our flight to Jordan wouldn’t be canceled. Events in the Gulf proved me wrong, so we left with:
Zero preparation.
Not a single hotel booked (well, except the first one), no visits planned, just a flight ticket bought three weeks earlier. No guidebook, no app—just the desire to explore southern Turkey and Cappadocia, whose images and the chance to stretch our legs had caught my eye.
Oh, wait—I did bring along a new guide: Gemini! Yes, my friends, generative AI was my chief advisor throughout the trip for sites to visit, accommodations, routes, and even restaurants! An experiment I wanted to try to form my own opinion on using this new technology. And what better way to test it than a Turkish getaway?
The verdict? You’ll have to wait for the trip recap to find out!
The main idea of the trip is also relaxation.
So, the plan is Antalya for a few days, the Turkish Riviera for a few more, Cappadocia as the highlight, and a return via Antalya to wrap up the trip. And it was all planned by AI!
So, if you're ready, fasten your seatbelts—cabin crew, doors to automatic and cross check—boarding for Turkey now!
Hi everyone, I’m Patrick, 67 years old, a seasoned traveler (already 22 trips outside Europe).
In autumn 2025, I took my first 3-week trip to Japan, with stops in Tokyo, Kamakura, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Koyasan, Tokyo again, and Nikko.
I wanted to go back in May 2026 and explore some lesser-known places to complement my first trip.
Last year, there were four of us traveling together to discover Japan (a fairly classic itinerary). This time, I’ll be traveling solo for part of the trip and with a couple of French friends for the rest.
The weather was gorgeous in May, averaging around 25°C, with two very hot days in Kyoto and only two rainy days.
As usual, I organized everything myself, gathering plenty of information from various sites, including this one.
Transportation:
An ICOCA card is essential.
I got a 5-day Kansai-Hiroshima pass because I took the shinkansen between Hiroshima and Osaka three times, and it paid for itself quickly.
Accommodations:
Mostly through Booking. No issues at all. Average cost was 46 € per night.
Meals:
For breakfast, I alternated between buying food at a konbini to eat in my room or on the train and grabbing something at local cafés.
For lunch and dinner, I tried to vary my meals as much as possible—lots of sashimi, sushi, and ramen.
Okonomiyaki in Osaka and Hiroshima.
Oysters in every form (raw, grilled, fried) in Onomichi and Hiroshima.
A variety of seafood (shrimp, shellfish) in Hiroshima and Matsumoto.
Fish whose names often escaped me, but notably mackerel and eel (unagi).
Tempura and gyoza.
Chicken skewers (yakitori) and one teppanyaki meal.
One omakase meal (9 different dishes).
In the end, not much meat aside from a few yakitori skewers. No splurges on super expensive wagyu or Kobe beef.
Average dinner cost: 4,800 yen, drinks included.
The Itinerary:
Day 1: Departure from Brussels
Day 2: Arrival in Osaka
Day 3: To Himeji, then Kurashiki
Day 4: To Fukuyama, then Tomo no Ura, then Onomichi
Day 5: Cycling the Shimanami Kaido
Day 6: To Takahara, then Hiroshima
Day 7: To Kyoto to attend the Aoi Matsuri parade
Day 8: To Miyajima
Day 9: Hiroshima, then Kyoto
Day 10: Southern Kyoto
Day 11: Northern Kyoto
Day 12: Final day in Kyoto, then to Nagatsugawa
Day 13: Start of the Nakasendo Trail (Magome to Tsumago)
Day 14: Second day of the trail (Kiso Fukushima)
Day 15: Third day of the trail (Narai), then Matsumoto
Day 16: To Mt. Fuji (Kawaguchiko)
Day 17: To Tokyo
Day 18: Excursion to Enoshima and Kamakura
Day 19: Flight home, with a 10-hour layover in Hong Kong
Day 20: Arrival in Brussels
Il arrive souvent qu'on nous demande quoi visiter en Belgique .
Et les réponses ramènent le plus souvent à Bruges , Gand, Anvers et Bruxelles , avec raison , ces villes valant la peine d'être visitées 😉 .
Toutefois, la Belgique, bien que petite , ne se limite pas à ces 4 villes .
J'habite l'une d'entre elles ( Bruxelles) , passe avec plaisir du temps dans les trois autres , mais j'ai envie d'aborder d'autres coins moins connus , qui pourront compléter le séjour de ceux qui ont envie d'en voir un peu plus , ou de voir autre chose .
C'est qu'entre deux voyages , j'aime bien visiter l'un ou l'autre coin du pays où j'habite .
D'où l'idée d'un carnet de balades .
La plupart des endroits dont je vais parler peuvent être visités en faisant l'aller-retour le même jour , au départ de Bruxelles , que ce soit en transports en commun ou en voiture .
Dans l'ordre chronologique des sujets abordés :
- Le barrage de la Gileppe ( province de Liège) -message 2 , page 1
- Le domaine de La Hulpe ( Brabant wallon ) - message 3 , page 1
- Malines ( province d'Anvers ) message 4 , page 1
- La côte - message 5 , page 1
- Le Westhoek , au départ de La Panne - message 6 , page 1
- Le Zwin, au départ de Knokke - message 7 , page 1
- Lier ( entre Malines et Anvers ) - message 8 , page 1
- Mons (Hainaut) - message 9 , page 1
- La région de Florenville . - message 12 , page 1
- Les Cantons de l'Est - message 13 , page 1
- Dinant - message 18 , page 1
- Le jardin japonais d'Hasselt - message 24 , page 2
- Louvain message 29 , page 2
- Louvain-la-neuve - message 32 , page 2
- Ostende - message 42 (page 3) et message 166 (page 9)
- Les floralies de Grand-Bigard . - message 43 , page 3
- Le bois de Halle -message 44 , page 3
- Les pralines - message 54 , page 3
- Charleroi - message 68 , page 4
- Namur - message 92 , page 5
- Le Bois du Cazier ( Marcinelle) - message 95 , page 5
- Les couques et les gozettes - message 96 , page 5
- Liège - message 99 , page 5
- Tournai - message 115 , page 6 .
- Audenarde ( Oudenaarde ) - message 121, page 7
- Jardin botanique de Meise - message 124, page 7 .
- Tongres ( Tongeren ) - message 125 , page 7 .
- Château de Beersel ( Brabant flamand) - message 126, page 7 .
- Bruxelles confinée ( messages 150 et 154 , page 8 )
- L'hôpital Notre Dame à la Rose , à Lessines ( messages 161 et 162 , page 9 ) .
- Westende ( message 167, page 9)
je complète cette liste au fur et à mesure de l'avancement du carnet ...
This travel journal is therefore intended solely for my photos, to present a consistent style.
All the shots were taken with a simple Samsung Galaxy smartphone and with whatever was at hand.
All stays combined, I’ve spent the equivalent of a year at most in Thailand, and I’m no great expert.
However, after many trips, lots of reading on VoyageForum and other sites, and conversations with many locals as well as expats, my view of the country is becoming clearer, though it’s constantly evolving. You never stop discovering and learning.
I guess I wanted to deliver a puzzle, mainly for those who want to get an idea of the country here and for those who feel nostalgic about it.
I don’t know if this minimalist sharing will interest anyone, but it’ll do me good to put it together. After so many months without traveling and then these other long months with VF closed, there’s plenty of material available.
There’ll be a mix of places, periods, and subjects, but it might well be intentional.
I suspect many Thais have dogs because they make excellent guardians for the home. Nothing better to deter burglars or to signal the presence of a snake. You’ll often see Thais tapping the top of their dog’s head, but don’t be fooled: it’s a sign of affection from them. Judging by the dogs’ reactions, they’re used to it.
Thailand is one of the countries on the planet where rabies is still present, so keep that in mind. It’s not just bites that can be dangerous, so don’t let just any dog lick you. Especially on a wound, of course.
Even though dogs often fear humans—this dangerous and unpredictable predator—we still need to stay cautious.
Be careful when walking into alleys because the dog will defend its master’s big yard. Be careful at night, and be careful when they’re in packs.
It sometimes crosses our minds that Thailand isn’t all that made for walking around, and dogs are one of the reasons.
That said, it’s not uncommon to see them chasing bikes or scooters. Cars, though? Much rarer—they’re too big.
It seems Thais prefer to give their dogs freedom by not locking them behind gates. Though sometimes the gate is closed, the little side door is wide open. Oh, and sometimes there’s no gate in front of the property, or it’s been full of holes for years.
You’ll often see dogs sleeping on the roadside, sometimes right on the road. When you approach, they move aside nonchalantly—or not at all. It’s less funny when they suddenly appear from thick vegetation, reminding visitors not to drive too fast. As a result, you’ll notice that dogs with injuries or missing legs aren’t that rare.
Since they believe in reincarnation and respect for all forms of life, they don’t chase dog packs away too much, and they don’t sterilize them enough. When you see a small pack roaming freely in the countryside, you think twice about running into them at the edge of a field.
A darker side of this is that euthanasia isn’t often practiced. Twice, we saw dogs at death’s door in temples, enduring terrible suffering with no one to help. The image (and the smell) of one of them, agonizing and exuding the stench of death, still comes back to me sometimes.
Some of you may have seen the YouTube vlog of a French woman living in Phuket who was given a little pig by her Thai friends. The animal, well-fed, quickly became a happy and enormous beast with its own garden. Yet it didn’t take long for it to fall seriously ill and become incurable. In her video, the French woman described how difficult it was to find a vet willing to perform euthanasia.
You’ll often see bowls by the side of the road. Thais leave food and water there for stray cats and dogs. Overall, they have a big heart for animals.
If you ever pop into a shopping mall, you might see people pushing their small dogs in strollers. It’s not just for fun—these strollers are provided for customers to put their pets in, otherwise you can’t bring them inside. It looks a bit odd when you expect to see a baby.
With my girlfriend Christelle, we’ve chosen South Africa for our first trip to Southern Africa, focusing on safaris—after a long debate with a Cape Town/Kruger combo.
But that would’ve meant cutting out St Lucia, which would’ve been harder to fit into another trip.
And St Lucia—thanks to Michel and all those travel journals—we really wanted to go there.
So our 11-night itinerary ended up like this, mostly shaped by school holidays:
- 3 nights in St Lucia
- 1 night in Hluhluwe
- 1 night at Mkhaya Game Reserve (Eswatini)
- 1 night at Hlane Royal National Park (Eswatini)
- 3 nights in Kruger (Berg en Dal / Satara / Tamboti)
- 1 night at Shindzela Tented Camp in the Timbavati private reserve
- 1 final night in Kruger at Lower Sabie
All of this in the off-season and rainy season, just a month after catastrophic floods that killed over 150 people and seriously damaged Kruger’s infrastructure.
I’ll jump straight to St Lucia and skip the loooong journey to get there (with a layover in Frankfurt, landing in Johannesburg, a domestic flight to Durban, and the rest by rental SUV—First Car Rental, perfect, no complaints).
To motivate readers—especially some familiar faces here—I’ll drop in a first photo.
This trip had been on my mind for about fifteen years.
But the discomfort of overnight stays, the difficulty of communication, and the prices of the few car rental options kept making me postpone the project.
And then, everything suddenly fell into place—I told myself, it’s time!
The preparations took longer than usual; the destination is still far from mainstream.
A bit of Kazakhstan?
Not in the end.
The south or not the south?
Yes, in the end.
Pre-book or go with the flow?
Only two stops were a leap into the unknown.
To help me find the ideal route, I made great use of this forum (thanks to everyone for patiently answering my questions!), pored over travel journals and blogs (Christian, Jeff), zoomed in on Google Maps and Yandex, and bought the guide published by OunTravela about this destination (the guide has been updated since).
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You’ve got your passport, international driver’s license, bank cards, and euros?
Off we go to Lyon—just one night left before our early morning flight.
Tomorrow night, we’ll be sleeping in Bishkek!
(Steak for my partner’s mischievous nephews...)
You’ll find here a post with some practical information.
And here, the version of the travel journal without comments.
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As a supplement, the route track.
Not necessarily ultra-accurate since Google has serious gaps for this destination...
After as many weeks as I have fingers on my right hand, we're hitting the road again, fully recovered from our pharaonic adventure. Back in France to drop off our daughters (sorry, girls!), this time it's just the two of us, ready to be welcomed by a new destination. They say it offers one of the richest cultural heritages in the world for those willing to put in the effort. It's the land of the ancient Silk Road, where we'll follow a journey steeped in history and discoveries straight out of *One Thousand and One Nights*. A former Soviet bloc region independent only since 1991, we'll be walking in the footsteps of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Alexander the Great, Marco Polo...
Another fun fact about this country: it's strictly forbidden to import porn on your phone. True story. The same goes for painkillers! Unless it's about sodomy—though the two don’t seem connected, that’s just how it is. Don’t ask me why! Anyway, I’m getting off track. Here’s the big question: Where do you think we’ve just landed?... To give you a hint, the locals are known for being incredibly welcoming. No sooner said than done—our first taxi driver, proud to transport French travelers, refused to let us pay for the ride. Great vibes for these two weeks ahead. So, any guesses?
Uzbekistan!!!
January 2026
Here we go again for new adventures and the pleasure of sharing them with you here! First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who helped me with the preparations, even with some last-minute improvisations just days before departure. Thanks to Montagnard74, Jojoone1, Songsam, Attila, Dennis2, NadegerFERM, and the authors whose travel journals about Laos inspired me (Montagnard74, Muriel18, Mavietongs...).
In this story, written by Richard and illustrated by me, we’ll tell you about the journey of four friends: Catherine, Richard, Nathalie, and Bruno. A reinvented but overall successful trip, filled with discoveries and surprises, the scents of spices and frangipani flowers, (too) spicy food, sunsets, and... one big mess.
Preamble:
Africa was calling to me, so a year ago, with our usual travel companions, we decided to return to the continent we love so much.
Where to go?
Uganda quickly caught our attention—wildlife we’re used to seeing, plus gorillas and the shoebill we missed in Zambia.
We got in touch with Paul, who’s been mentioned several times on the forum back in September, booked our flight tickets, secured the gorilla permits, and by early October, the most important things were done.
We still had plenty of time to hold our "prep meetings" for the final itinerary.
Three days before departure, I sprained my ankle (my weak spot, as you’ll recall from our Colombia trip).
I wasn’t in great spirits, but after a year of waiting, nothing was going to stop me.
We’d see how it goes!
Off we went for our new adventures
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
This trip was in 2023, but when I wanted to write my travel journal, VF was still closed to contributions...
So, now that I've just finished my Japan travel journal here, I figured it was high time to honor this destination we came back from so enchanted.
Disclaimer 1: This is a written travel journal. There’ll be text! Too much, for some!
Disclaimer 2: This is an illustrated travel journal. There’ll be photos! Too many, for some!
I have to say, every time I try to discipline myself, to keep it shorter, to include fewer photos... I end up adding more. It feels like my dear Aunt Nicole, who exhausted us with her slide-show evenings in the 70s/80s, decided to take her revenge. The upside for you, readers, is that you can slip away anytime without offending Aunt Nicole. I won’t even notice!
Anyway, since I love maps, here’s one to give you an idea of where I’m taking you. As you can see, we only saw a tiny part of Laos (the areas circled in red); we only had 3 weeks for ourselves (my husband’s newly retired, I still work), and we prefer taking our time over rushing around like crazy.
In broad strokes, it was very classic:
First, we “settled in” at Luang Prabang (8 days), because we wanted and needed to.
From there, we took three days to venture a little further north—not far in kilometers, but as we know, distances aren’t just about km!
Then we flew south to Paksé, letting ourselves drift down to the 4,000 Islands while stopping by the pre-Angkorian archaeological sites.
We wrapped up with the Bolaven Plateau.
A few practical notes: We arrived via Bangkok, then took a Bangkok-Luang Prabang flight, having picked up our luggage in Bangkok to check it in for Luang Prabang. No issues—the Bangkok airport, which many of you know, is very well organized.
We got our visas on arrival in Luang Prabang. Quick, but to be fair, we were on a “small” plane, and the big flights had arrived earlier, so we weren’t too crowded in line!
At the end of our trip, we didn’t fly out of Paksé but from the nearby airport in Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani (a 2.5-hour drive from Paksé), then Bangkok and Paris.
You’ll notice we skipped Vientiane to stay longer in Luang Prabang. That said, there’s now a high-speed train between Vientiane and Luang Prabang—good to know—and soon the (Chinese) train will go all the way to Bangkok and even Kuala Lumpur!
With that intro out of the way, let’s dive into the heart of the matter.
To be continued: Slowing down the pace... in Luang Prabang
I’d been wanting to discover Sulawesi for years. But then life happened—COVID, the cost of flight tickets, you name it. Long story short, years went by, but we finally set off as a family for a three-week trip in southern Sulawesi: Rammang Rammang, Rantepao, Sengkang, Bira, and Selayar.
I like to spend a good amount of time in the places I visit, giving myself the chance to really get to know the area and meet locals. So no island-hopping this time—just the south. But when I say "just," it’s not restrictive at all, given how rich this island is in landscapes, little encounters, and magical moments.
Wednesday 07/08 - Thursday 07/09:
We left Montpellier for what was supposed to be five flights, though we only took four to start, landing in Jakarta.
We picked up our luggage there to catch a flight to Makassar the next day. That’s the only way we could get an affordable ticket (702 €).
I won’t bore you with the flight details—there’s not much to say. We arrived at 7 PM and considered heading straight to Makassar that evening. But we opted for a recovery night before taking off again. Good thing we did, because my son’s suitcase was missing...
First contact with the locals was a bit stressful—a trip without your luggage isn’t exactly fun. But right away, a woman reassured us: the suitcase was just enjoying some extra time in Singapore. Maybe it was doing some last-minute shopping. Anyway, nothing serious—it was supposed to arrive at 9 AM the next day. That gave us some breathing room since our flight wasn’t until noon.
So off we went to our hotel (Days Hotel & Suites) near the airport. It was cheap (40 € for three rooms—my kids are older and need their space), but it wasn’t worth much more. The place had definitely seen better days. But no big deal—we were only there for the night, and... we got to watch France beat Morocco in the World Cup live at 3 AM. That’s what really mattered!
Friday 07/10: In search of the lost suitcase
First challenge of the morning: finding our missing suitcase. They sent us to the airport basement, to the staff entrance. We were greeted with smiles, and an airport employee led me through the underground corridors back to the baggage claim. Right on time at 9 AM, the suitcase arrived, just like they’d promised. We were finally complete!
Off we went to change terminals, grab a well-deserved meal, and board our fifth flight to Makassar.
Little side note: I struggled for a while trying to book domestic flights directly on the airlines’ websites with no luck. Without meaning to advertise (though I guess I am a little), I realized it’d be easier to use sites like tiket.com or Traveloka. That turned out to be a great choice—I even ended up booking hotels through them later in the trip.
12:40 PM: We were on our way to Makassar. First good news: we were the only tourists. Well, the only European tourists on the flight, anyway.
No, you’re not dreaming—the bag is full of... potato chip packets.
To each their own souvenirs, I guess...
When we arrived in Makassar, a driver was waiting to take us straight to Rammang Rammang: 250,000 IDR (12 €) to our guesthouse (Rammang Rammang House). Forget about meeting people on the bus—we were headed straight to the first stop of our trip, and it was already stunning.
My kids’ guesthouse:
Ours:
View of the little lake:
But not everything is straightforward around here.
I wanted to get a local SIM card for internet and calls. I found them expensive at Jakarta’s airport (20 € for 20 GB), so I decided to wait. Well, no luck in Rammang Rammang either. You can’t just buy one from the local shop—you need a Telkomsat store (they have the best coverage). So we’d have to wait for Rantepao to get Wi-Fi... When I say "local shop," I mean the little shack around the corner. No big deal—we’d find one easily in Rantepao for 5 € and 25 GB. So there we were, offline, just the four of us enjoying the amazing view.
Saturday 07/11: Rammang Rammang
We woke up early to the sound of wedding music blasting through the village (everyone’s invited!). Off we went to explore the area.
A little walking, a little boat ride (shared with a French tourist and a Polish one—yes, there *are* tourists here, just not many; 750,000 IDR for up to 8 people) through a lovely canal, and we discovered the karst site. It was peaceful and beautiful.
The river:
The karst site:
I hesitated about writing this travel journal...
This summer, we only did the classics (the 3 northern parks and Zanzibar) and let a local agency take care of everything from start to finish.
No craziness, no risks, no sleeping under the stars, no self-drive, no venturing off the beaten path, no incidents, and not even any delays in the pre-planned itinerary...
But don’t think we were disappointed!
The whole family (there were 6 of us) came back with smiles and memories of great moments spent together.
So, if you're looking for a "classic" way to discover Tanzania, this is the place to be.
Our 2-week itinerary:
- Arusha (1 night upon arrival)
- Tarangire (1 night)
- Ngorongoro (2 nights in Karatu then Irmisigiyo)
- Serengeti (3 nights in Robanda, Togoro Plains, and Seronera)
- Zanzibar Stone Town (1 night)
- Zanzibar Matemwe (3 nights)
- Zanzibar Jambiani (3 nights)
Okay, Palermo—we know it. We go there to marvel at the architectural wonders born from the Arab-Norman-Byzantine-Gothic mix. And rightly so. We also go to treat our taste buds to all kinds of delights, both savory and sweet. Again, rightly so. We go to succumb to the charms of Palermo’s women, their sun-kissed skin glowing with golden highlights. Still, rightly so. And all while fantasizing about a mafia we’ll never actually see. Anyway.
But you’ll also find street art everywhere, even in the historic center. Sometimes, you just need to step a few meters away from the main tourist highways like Cassaro, Via Maqueda, or the main arteries of the Ballarò, Capo, or Vucciria markets to stumble upon some amazing murals. Duck into one or two slightly grimy alleys, weaving past trash and crumbling walls, and you’ll find real gems.
For example, just 50 meters south of the main artery of the Mercato del Capo, there’s a great spot with dozens of murals in a tiny neighborhood of run-down mini-houses. You’ll find plenty more south of the Mercato di Ballarò, in the Albergheria (the grittier side, not the one near Cassaro). There’s some in Ballarò itself too, but it’s hard to spot when the market’s in full swing with stalls everywhere. La Kalsa isn’t left out either, nor is Vucciria—just step away from the restaurant-packed streets.
Here are a few examples that really caught my eye.
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
We landed in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and headed straight to Kasane in Botswana to pick up our car.
Our vehicle is a 4x4 because in Zambia, it's practically impossible to use anything else, especially in the national parks. I’ve already had the pleasure of visiting South Luangwa National Park—it’s one of the reasons for this trip, the main one being to travel in Africa with one of my sons.
First stop: Livingstone on the banks of the Zambezi River. Along the way, we discovered a lovely restaurant at Socrates with a super-friendly owner (we’ll actually stop there again on our way back). We spent our first night in the rooftop tent after a stunning sunset, accompanied by the grunting of hippos in the river.
The next day, we set off early, heading to Kafue NP. In fact, we’ll always leave early—waking up between 5:00 and 5:30 AM and hitting the road an hour later. Kafue is a lesser-known park, mostly forested, and the animals are skittish because they’re not used to human presence. We crossed the park from south to north and came across various antelopes. Near Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, there are plains where wildlife is easier to spot.
After Kafue, we headed to South Luangwa. This journey requires stops in Mumbwa and Petauke. Two pleasant stops where we found lodges (a nice change from the rooftop tent) at affordable prices and met welcoming people.
For me, South Luangwa is Zambia’s most beautiful park—the river is stunning, the landscapes are gorgeous, and there’s a wide variety of wildlife, including, of course, big cats. A tip for those, like us, who aren’t with a guide: if you’re staying near the park for several days, don’t hesitate to do a "game drive" to scout out where the animals are so you can return the next day with your own vehicle. Of course, in the dry season, you’ll want to focus on waterholes to see the animals—and you’ll need a bit of luck too. The elephant population is growing, and we were lucky enough to see around sixty elephants crossing the Luangwa at dawn, spread across several groups. South Luangwa is the westernmost point of our trip, and we’re now heading east to Lower Zambezi.
Lower Zambezi is Zambia’s side of Mana Pools on the Zimbabwe side. We took a boat ride on the Zambezi to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and a multitude of birds living along the water and on the river’s islands. The sunset there is also magnificent.
To explore the park, we followed the waterways parallel to the Zambezi, mostly on the western side (see our route). Lower Zambezi is the last park we visit, and the final leg of our trip will be Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls—or Mosi-Oa-Tunya ("The Smoke That Thunders")—are truly impressive, even during the dry season. We saw the falls from both countries: in Zambia for the overall view and the bridge that serves as the border, and in Zimbabwe to get as close as possible to the most spectacular parts of the falls.
This marks the end of our trip, which, despite a blown tire on the road, went off without any major issues. Zambia is a beautiful country that immerses you in wild, still-preserved nature.
From Southern Shikoku, between land and sea, to the blue waters of Miyakojima and finally Tokyo’s megacity
Hi everyone,
I have to admit, I really hesitated before deciding to write this travel journal... Writing one takes a lot of time and energy, and since this is my 4th trip, I wondered if it would actually interest anyone other than myself (both for the discovery and the writing). But after a few "Are you going to write a journal?" requests and especially the renewed pleasure from reading other travelers’ travel journals about Japan or elsewhere on this forum or elsewhere, I’ve decided to share this 4th installment in the Land of the Rising Sun here.
The itinerary:
27 full days, from late May to late June 2025, right in the middle of the rainy season, including:
-->13 days in Shikoku, from Kochi (Kochi Prefecture) to Matsuyama (Ehime Prefecture)
-->7 days in Miyakojima (Okinawa Prefecture)
-->7 days in Tokyo
The trip was decided on fairly last-minute this year, as usual.
I regularly check flight prices to track fluctuations for this destination, even without concrete plans. Finding a slightly cheaper direct flight (900 €) than what I’d seen in previous months (around 1,200–1,400 € on average) for a Paris-Tokyo route with Japanese airline ANA was too tempting to resist the urge to return to this enchanting country. After long hesitations between exploring the San’in region (Matsue, Tottori, Yamaguchi) and southern Shikoku, the decision was made—I took the plunge! The tickets are booked: Paris to Kochi with a layover in Tokyo, all with ANA, the airline I’d been dreaming of... for 1,120 € per person. Okay, it’s not cheap, but it’s still better than in 2023.
We leave in 2 weeks!! Now it’s just a matter of getting everything ready!
Intense work ahead in these 2 weeks to:
finalize a more precise itinerary and reach an agreement—yep, because even though we both love Japan, our preferences differ slightly, and we have to choose between exploring new places or taking time to revisit beloved spots...
decide how much time to spend in each selected area without rushing while still exploring
research places that might interest us and watch videos about Japan
book accommodations: yes, it’s possible to do this on the spot as we go, but last year, we noticed that last-minute options were pretty expensive, so we’re booking ahead—even if it means keeping a few options open while we decide or see if better deals pop up later
reserve rental cars
order yen
check the weather regularly and wonder if choosing the *tsuyu* (rainy season) was really a good idea—and whether we’ll be stuck in non-stop rain???
What a tough job, right? Traveling to Japan for a month—such a hard life!
Despite this being my 4th trip, the excitement is just as intense as the first time.
The only small downside is that when we booked the flight tickets, there were only a few seats left, so we’re only sitting together on the international return flight. Plus, on the outbound flight, we’ve got the middle seats.
Another lingering question: what French-language films will be available? According to the internet, the selection seems limited.
Oh well, these are just minor details—it’s almost time to fly!
PS: I’ll be posting slowly and irregularly... so for those interested, be patient or maybe set an alert...
Before Our Departure
Preparing for this trip started 9 months before our departure in June. For those planning a similar itinerary, it’s important to book accommodations well in advance, especially in the Okavango and Savuti campsites—otherwise, you might not find any availability.
Introduction
After visiting Zambia three years ago and Namibia and western Botswana a year and a half ago, this year we chose Zimbabwe (Hwange NP) and the northern half of Botswana.
Our flight from Paris was to Victoria Falls with Ethiopian Airlines, with a layover in Addis Ababa. We rented a 4x4 from Bushlore in Kasane, complete with two rooftop tents since there are four of us on this adventure. Bushlore picked us up from our guesthouse to collect our 4x4 and, most importantly, gave us a rundown of the vehicle and its equipment. Pay close attention to what they tell you—it could be crucial if something goes wrong, as it did for us during the trip.
Our Itinerary
We arrived on June 12th at noon. At Victoria Falls Airport, we got our double-entry visa right away—I’d already pre-booked it online on the site https://www.evisa.gov.zw/.
Since our vehicle was in Botswana, we had to cross the border from Victoria Falls into Botswana for the first time.
The next morning, Bushlore picked us up from our guesthouse to collect our 4x4. After completing the formalities, we headed toward Zimbabwe and the town of Victoria Falls.
We woke up early the next morning to be at Victoria Falls at sunrise. The scenery was stunning, but since it was the start of the dry season, the Zambezi was still high, so the falls had a strong flow. This made it hard to fully appreciate their beauty.
In the early afternoon, we left for Hwange NP, where we stayed for 4 days. Two days at Gwango campsite near Dete, followed by two days at Robins Camp. We expected to see more animals at Robins, but that wasn’t the case. In Hwange, we didn’t spot any predators, but we did see plenty of mammals (buffalo, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes).
After a few days in Zimbabwe, we crossed back into Botswana at Pandamatenga. We stopped at Nata Lodge for a good night’s rest—driving on the dirt roads is exhausting.
We left Nata and headed toward Nxai Pan. The road was sandy but manageable. We made a small detour to admire some beautiful baobabs at "Baines Baobabs." Then we continued to our campsite, Nxai Pan South Camp. Keep in mind that many campsites in Botswana aren’t fenced (except for the shower/toilet areas), so animals can roam freely within the camp. Take precautions, especially after dark.
After our stop in Nxai Pan, we headed to Maun. We decided to break our journey in Maun before heading to Moremi and the Okavango Delta for three reasons: first, we needed to stock up on supplies and fuel for the next 5 days; second, our fridge had broken (luckily, Bushlore has a branch in Maun); and third, the drive from Nxai to our camp in Xakanaxa in the delta would’ve taken too long. I always avoid driving after dark.
We arrived at our Xakanaxa camp on June 21st in the early afternoon. Not wanting to waste time, we booked a boat ride on the Okavango Delta, leaving at 4:00 PM for a 2-hour sunset cruise. For those interested, to the right of the Xakanaxa X1 site, there’s a sign for boat rides. The organizer is very professional and offers prices that are nothing like those of the lodges.
It was a beautiful ride through the delta with a stunning sunset. Being on a boat is much more relaxing than driving on the dirt roads. That didn’t stop us from doing self-drive safaris the next morning and late afternoon, though.
Then came the time to leave the delta and head toward Savuti, a much drier region. And that’s when the toughest part of our trip began. First, we decided to go up via Khwai. The rainy season was over, but the area was still marshy. We had to cross a few small water patches, testing the depth to make sure we could get through. Luckily, a sign on the road pointed us toward a drier route. We reached Khwai without any issues, but then we made a major mistake. Instead of taking the main track toward Mababe Gate to reach Savuti Camp, we took a straight path north and then a right turn to get to our camp. Bad call—we got stuck in the sand, with one rear wheel buried halfway and a front wheel off the ground. We were genuinely scared we wouldn’t get out, especially since we were on a deserted track, 20 kilometers from our destination, with night falling in two hours. This is where paying attention to the vehicle instructions really paid off—we had to use the jack to get out of the mess. The result: we arrived at Savuti campsite just before dark (Distance: 146.3 km, Duration: 9 hours, 56 minutes, and 3 seconds, Average speed: 14.7 km/h, tracked with Osmand). At reception, the staff couldn’t understand how we’d gotten there—we hadn’t passed through any of Savuti’s reserve entry gates.
The next morning, no one felt like driving, so we did a game drive with a guide. I don’t know if it was some kind of reward, but the outing was amazing. We saw three lions and, best of all, a pack of African wild dogs that we had time to admire and photograph. The next day, we did a short self-drive and found one of the lions from the day before drinking at a waterhole. That was the end of our Savuti adventure.
Now we’re heading to Kasane. We returned our vehicle and settled in for our last two nights there. The next morning, since we no longer had a car, we decided to do one last early-morning game drive in Chobe NP. It turned out great—we followed two brother lions and saw plenty of other mammals. The only downside of Chobe is the number of tourists, which was a change from the other parks we’d visited. That said, we’re tourists too, so...
In the evening, we took one last boat ride on the Chobe River to end on a high note with a beautiful sunset.
After a good night’s sleep and plenty of wonderful memories, landscapes, animals, and emotions, it was time to leave. We left early in the morning with the same taxi company as before to cross the border into Zimbabwe one last time and head to the airport, where we took off to return to France.
We all have two lives. And the second one kicks off the day you realize you only have one, with the determination to spend the time you have left on what truly adds sparkle to your life, Kevin! I like to elegantly introduce a trip with a philosophical quote. First, it gives you the illusion that I’m some kind of deep thinker, and second, it lets me fill up the first few lines of my blank page when I don’t know how to tell you I’m diving back into what really lights up my life: another adventure beyond the horizon! And nearly every other year, like a toxic relationship, my horizon tends to take shape in Uncle Sam’s backyard. And this, despite his cousin Donald calling the shots. Speaking of which, it was partly that impulsive guy who pushed us to be just as impulsive and snag our four flight tickets at a ridiculously low price—a direct result of foreign tourism taking a hit from BetaMax’s repeated antics... Four tickets? Who are the other lucky ones? In this case, our lucky ones are actually lucky ladies: My Flo, always up for exploring the world with me on foot, camelback, or scooter, is obviously in on the fun. The other two seats went to our daughters, Sasha and Luna, both thrilled to be part of this new American adventure...
But what’s the American West like in February?... A gamble. Let’s call it Russian roulette since we’re not landing during peak weather season. That’s why we encouraged our transportation and accommodation to get cozy and produce a little camper van, so we can stay ultra-flexible in the face of any weather tantrums. We’ll be roaming in Kara the van with the motto "Follow the sun!" Bad weather? We bolt. Snow? We speed up. Sunny? We act like it was the plan all along and soak it up.
"Okay, but why keep coming back to the same corner of the globe? After ten American adventures, you must be tired of seeing the same things, right?" But I’m not crazy, you know!... The American West is like making love to your gorgeous wife over and over, always enjoying it just as much. And contrary to what you might think, the American West isn’t just the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, and Bryce Canyon. Proof is, after ten trips to the U.S., my retinas are still untouched by three-quarters of the places I scribbled on a napkin for this adventure... Oh, and add to that my wife, who I’ve easily converted to my religion, and boom... relapse is even easier! Because yes, we’ve landed in Los Angeles after a sunny flight over Greenland, still under Danish flag for now. And we’re already heading east through the XXL traffic of L.A.’s eight-lane highways, eager to dive into our first discoveries. But first, night is taking over the sky, and second, we’ve been officially awake for 24 hours, so I suggest wrapping up this intro. I’ll tell you more tomorrow morning. Sound good?
This travel journal aims to help future travelers (well, I hope so!), since there’s so little information available about this remote archipelago. Big thanks to Lolodesiles and Ayis for answering my questions while I planned this trip!
Context
This is our fourth trip to Indonesia as a couple—after Java-Bali in 2011, Flores-Komodo in 2013, and Sulawesi in 2016—each time for three weeks. It’s also our tenth trip to Southeast Asia overall.
We’re traveling like we have in previous years: with a rough itinerary that often changes based on who we meet, tips from other travelers, how tired we are, or what we’re feeling in the moment. In the Moluccas, it’ll change constantly, mostly depending on transportation.
Our only accommodation booking: the first few nights in Ambon when we arrive.
Planned route (to be refined on the spot): Ambon - Banda Islands - Lease Islands - Ternate - Tidore - Halmahera (between Sofifi and Tobelo) - Morotai and the neighboring unnamed archipelago.
Flights: Lyon-Paris-Singapore on Air France (428 € round-trip), with good meals, champagne, and wine (we like our little comforts when going on vacation 😏). Then Singapore-Jakarta-Ambon on Air Asia and Garuda.
Return flight: Ternate-Jakarta-Singapore on Lion Air, with a 3-day stopover in Singapore before heading home.
Episode 1: Ambon to Banda
Our guesthouse, booked two days before departure, is 45 minutes from Ambon Airport, near Natsepa Beach (northeast of Leihitu). It’s a pretty average beach—quiet on weekdays but packed on Sundays (we saw the difference). It’s lined with warungs.
This rainy day helps us readjust to the atmosphere of this country we love so much.
Our “Solim Guesthouse” is a lovely house with a living/dining room and garden, costing 15 € per night for two, including a hearty breakfast.
Dinner is at Gaba Gaba, a great restaurant just a short walk away, right by the water, recommended by our host. Fun fact: it’s in the Lonely Planet, and it might be the only LP-listed spot in the Moluccas that actually matches the description (the others either don’t exist or have nothing to do with what’s advertised 😠).
For the next two days, the super-friendly owner lends us his scooter. We set off to explore the coastal villages in northern Leihitu (the western part of Ambon Island, which has a weird shape).
Laundry and trucks washed in the same stream.
Liang Beach, described as the island’s most beautiful, is almost gone (climate change or something else?), but the colors are magical.
We continue 25 km toward a snorkeling spot our host recommended, taking a gorgeous, deserted little road through tiny villages in clove plantations (oh, those unforgettable scents!), stunning coves, and dense forest.
We’re greeted dozens of times with “Hello Mister”—a daily routine in the Moluccas. Every time we stop, we pose for photos to be saved on locals’ smartphones. They don’t see tourists often.
We ask for directions to the snorkeling spot (not easy—we only know basic Indonesian like *Selamat pagi*, *siang*, *sore*, and other polite phrases). Not many people know where it is (especially since we never know which village we’re in), but we eventually reach a small village that seems to be the right place. 🙂
We ask a local to take us there by boat (it’s not reachable by land).
The spot is at most 100 meters long, but the coral is in good condition (apparently not dynamited by fishermen, unlike in other parts of this beautiful country where fishing methods are destructive and nature pays the price 😠). The fish are plentiful and diverse. It’s a great start before heading to Banda. We’re happy to have the place to ourselves… though we don’t yet realize we won’t see a single tourist for the rest of the trip!
After two days of rest, we head to Tulehu Port in the morning, aiming for the Banda Islands. We know the journey is often tricky: the Pelni ferry runs twice a month but doesn’t match our dates, the 10-seat Suzi Air plane is always full (you can’t book—you have to show up on Mondays and Fridays), and it’s often canceled due to weather. So we opt for the Tuesday speedboat (which also gets canceled if there are waves or wind), with the next one on Saturday.
We’re used to Indonesian ports—crowded, rusty boats, no English speakers—but we still feel lost. When I ask about the speedboat to Bandaneira, people gesture wildly, someone takes me to the “harbor office,” then tells me there’s no boat, others try to sell me tickets, and some just say, “No boat.”
Luckily, an English-speaking local approaches us and confirms the speedboat is broken. The next one will be Saturday *if* it’s fixed—otherwise, even later. 🤪 😠
We’re crushed. We came here for the Banda Islands… 🙁
We decide waiting five days for a maybe-boat isn’t an option, so we decide to head straight to North Moluccas, which was planned for later. We’re so disappointed we don’t even want to stay in the area. The Lease Islands don’t appeal to us despite what we’ve read, and Seram would deserve its own trip with its remote mountain tribes.
Huge disappointment—we’d been dreaming of Banda for months, with its incredible drop-offs like Bunaken, its islands covered in nutmeg trees, etc. I’d read that Banda is in the world’s top 5, alongside Bunaken (amazing—we went in 2016), Komodo (incredible—we went in 2013), Sipadan, and another spot I’ve forgotten.
We take a taxi back to Ambon (45 minutes) to a travel agency to buy plane tickets to Ternate. There’s a daily ATR72 flight at noon—perfect timing.
Ambon is the capital of South Moluccas (or Central, depending on who you ask!) with 300,000 people. The city doesn’t seem unpleasant, but we don’t stop.
On the plane, there are only about ten passengers for 72 seats. The flight attendants are stunning, as always with Wings Air—clearly, they’re hired for their looks. 😊
Stopover in Bacan—a runway in the middle of coconut trees serving a tiny town—then we fly over countless volcanoes, the last one towering over Ternate.
Bonjour,
De retour sur le forum - et première rédaction d'un espèce de carnet de retour de notre 4ème voyage en Indo.
Contexte : une trentaine de jours, en scooter et en duo, sur Florès (et une petite incursion dans l'archipel de Solor, plus précisément à Lembata (chut, faut pas trop en parler !!!), qui donne envie d'en faire beaucoup plus là bas malgré les infrastructures sporadiques), en partie dans des destinations déjà bien connues du forum (la classique Ruteng / Bajawa / Riung / Moni voir baie de Maumere) ... et qui ne parlera pas du PN de Komodo ou de Wae Rebo, puisque nous n'y sommes pas allés 🏴☠️.
Texte en anglais (issu d'une autre plateforme). Sans nul doute, des traducteurs intelligents ou pas marcheront à merveille en cas d'anglophobie 🤪.
Disponible à toute fin utile pour des détails ou infos.
Equippement : Yam' Nmax 155 ; 2x saccoches cavalières (25L) + sac de selle (30L) + saccoche tunnel (15L pour le matos photo) ; casques et vêtements d'enduro amenés depuis la France.
Itinéraire : boucle depuis Labuan bajo jusqu'à Pulau Lembata ; juillet-août 2026
Road conditions graded from A (excellent) to D (very bad, at least for a Scooter… a CRF/KLX or even honda ADV would do better on that)
D1 : Labuan Bajo – Reok via Ranggoe, Rego & Tagol (130km ; 5hrs). Section LBajo – Rego (90 km ; B) is quite good tarmac, despite a lot of elevation with many small valleys and passes. Rego – Tagol (10km ; D) is a stone road (not gravel), some ascents & very poor condition ; necessary to lower tyre pressure. Tagol – Reok port (22km, quality depends considerably from D to B). Reok port – Towncenter : B. Night @Iffah Homestay (100k for fan room, mandi attached, no breakfast), simple but clean. Notes : path to danau Sano Limbung was closed ; access to Tiwu Pai & Wae Kuli (waterfalls) not permitted in july 2026.
D2 : Reok – Riung via Pota (105km ; 3h-3h30). The road is very narrow in some part, thanks to the uncut bushes (lowering visibility hence extra caution as animals/people can suddenly appear in a turn…) but generally good condition except many eroded sections and some unpaved ones. Grade C/B. 2 nights @Mentos (285k for AC room)
D3 : Boat tour in Riung (booked directly with a captain, 800k for two for private boat incl. lunch and NP fees) + sunset from Watu Mitong Riung (should not be missed).
D4 : Riung – Muku Saki via Mbay (around 100km ; 3h30). Quality varies from A in the vicinity of Mbay to eroded sections (C) in secluded places. Night @Sao Paolo Homestay (250k for fan room with mandi, maybe overpriced but nice house and great food). Note : if you happen to pass by Mbay on Saturday, the market is well worth a stop (cheapest Ikat on the trip : you’ll be asked normal prices providing you’re OK in Bahasa…)
D5 : Muku Saki – Tanjung Kajuwulu (near Ndete) (90km, 3h). Many patholes, eroded (C). Night at Déjà Vu Homestay (220k for a matress on the floor & outside mandi/toilets ; I woud define this as a tourist trap – the quote we had for food was double priced too…)
D6 : Tanjung Kajuwulu – Waiterang (east of Maumere, 55km , 1h30). Pathholes till maumere, then All good (TransFlores), C/A. Night at Sunset Cottage (new concrete room, very serene place ; 270k for AC with bathroom ; much prefered Sunset over Lena House (more customers, more built up).
D7 : Waiterang – Larantuka via Boru and Eputobi (TransFlores ; grade A ; 115km / 2h40). Particularly liked the drink stalls (marked as Rest Area Eputobi) and the out of order aquatic park just before Larantuka (obyej wisata waiplatin). Night @ Dewy Onong Homestay, which is not advertising itself as Larantuka Beach Homestay as some contributor signals here and on goole maps review. Best breakfast of the trip (Cumi Cumi !!!) ; 275k for AC room with bathroom.
D8 : Local Boat (Kapal Kayu) from the main port to Lembata (Lewoleba). Departure 8am ; price 60k/head + 50k for the bike. Stop enroute on Adonara (where we did not stop due to fights between communities). Night @Elmany Homestay (275k for AC room with bathroom, fan room with shared bathroom also available). Whole afternoon at Pantai Hadakewa, fantastic place (good snorkeling, great views of Ile Api aka Gn Lewotolo). Road condition : A (did not expect the TransLembata to be that good…).
D9 : Loop around Ile Api (50km, 2hrs), anticlockwise. Stops enroute at Situs Tulang Paus (whale squeletton), pantai Jotona, pantai Wena (we expected to snorkel from there, but wind was very strong that day), situs Watu Nale, Selat Sonia. The western coast is far less interesting. Road conditions : bad (C) on the eastern side (up to Riangbeda), good (B/A) afterwards. Night @Elmany Homestay.
D10 : Lewoleba – Lamalera via the western and south coast (70km, 2h30). Good road (B) for roughly the first 55km (up to Tapobali), then eroded track for the last 15km (in some parts steep and dangerous) up to Lamalera (D/C). Notes : 1/ Kuma resort denied us the entry for some drink ; 2/Pantai Waijarang « complex » is abandonned but closed with fences ; you can still sneak in ; 3/ some reports advise to skip Bukit Cinta (foreigner entry fee) for Bukit Doa Watomiten (stations of the cross) ; well Bukit Cinta has also been abandonned (well spent money…sic) but remains opened with structures falling (quickly) appart. Night @Lamalera Inn (200k per head including meals ; very basic fan room + attached mandi). Planned 2 nights, spent only one, as it’s the only tenant I had difficulties with (only interested in money, initially stated crazy prices, starts loud music at 6am … and drinking moke at 8am…)
D11 : Trip to Wulandoni for the Barter Market (Saturday only). Bad road (C) along the coast. Had to report at the Kantor upon arrival, which quite surprisingly asked 100k per person (foreigner) to go inside the (outside) market. Other « local » tourists (a group from Jakarta) were not asked to pay. Well, since a market is a public space and not a zoo, we refused payment and enjoyed the activity from the kopi stall next to it. Returned then to Lamalera for the catches of the day, then to Lewoleba via the mountain road (45km, 2 hours). First 10km to Puor is in very bad condition and uphill (D/C). The remaining is on a newly constructed road (A). Note : Air Panas Sabutobo is abandonned and falling apart (again…) but there are still some water pipes along the river that you can enjoy (depending how lucky you are, just with the forest sounds as companion). Night @Elmany Homestay
D12 : Chill day alond the northern coast (Batu Payung, Pantai Hadakewa with lot of snorkeling, drove till Wailolong and backtracked to Pantai Lewolein for more snorkeling (nice canyons there !) and another fantastic sunset over Ile Api (see GMaps pictures)). Night @Elmany Homestay
D13 : Monday weekly market at Pada, southwest of Lewoleba. Renowned but honnestly dont plan any itinerary specifically for it, just an ordinary Kampung weekly market. Returned to Larantuka and Flores with the 12pm local boat (the same boat that leaves from Larantuka at 8am). Same prices as the first leg. Night @ Dewy Onong Homestay
D14 : Larantuka – Waiterang along the northern coast (100km, 3h) via Pantai Kawaliwu, Tewuk Lewokluok (trail is easy to find, very nice snorkelling in a lagoon), Pantai Lato (to my opinion the most beautiful beach on Flores and you’ll be the only visitor, as opposed to Pantai Koka) and Pantai Hia, until rejoining the TransFlores near Nebe. Grade C on the costal eroded road / track. 3 nights @Lena Guesthouse (booked ahead as it fills up quickly, but we prefered its neighbour Sunset Beach Guesthouse)
D15 : Snorkeling trip organised by Lena Guesthouse (200k per head excluding NP fees and lunch)). The drop-off near Pulau Babi is a very nice spot.
D16 : scooter day trip around the Egon Range (too lazy to hike it…), through nice Sikka villages (route : Watublapi, Umauta, Bola, pantai Doreng, Nakatoli, foot of Gn Egon, Air panas Blidit). The track from Natakoli to the foot of Gn Egon is very steep, damaged and wet (with moss) ; I would recommend not to attempt that in case of bad weather.
D17 : Waiterang – Moni (130km, 3h30, transflores grade A/B) via Pantai Koka (refused to pay the mafia entry fee…) and Jopu (some rumah Adat Lio). Stopped at Museum Bikon Blewut, south of Maumere. Very nice artefacts (especially wooden statues from Papuan, great ikat collection) although very disorganized and sadly non-visited (hence masterpieces fall into oblivion). 2 Nights @Liahz Lodge (150k for fan room, basic bathroom… but right next to Air Panas Liasembe (free, no closing time) !!!).
D18 : Sunrise from Kelimutu with a nice weather (stayed until 8.30am). I don’t know if the sunrise is really worth it (lot of people ascending and watching the sunrise – a lot but nothing compared to e.g. Gn Bromo), nearly everyone going down around 7am, then there is virtually nobody. Trip (20km one way, good road B) to Kampung Adat Nggela (Lio). Although the village is habited and mostly out of the beaten path, I have mixed fillings due to the fact that most ladies (some are pushy) try to sell you (bad) pieces of ikat.
D19 : Moni – Ende via Detusoko paddy fields, Kampung Adat Saga (Lio) and Puncak Ndona ; 75km 2h30. We really liked Saga (nice setting on the mountain, friendly villagers, no selling, mix between traditional and more modern houses in that lively village). Sunset from Bukit Raja, on the peninsula with a 360 view on Gn Iya, Gn Meja Kota Ende and the mountains behind. Note : at the end of the road (search for Gunung Meja Tourist Info Center), there is a (sand) track leading to the path. 1/ only intend the track if you have off road driving experience ; 2/ dont trust the walking time stated by Maps.me. Took us 45mins on a steady pace to reach the summit. Night @Hoja Homestay, 300k for a comfortable AC room with bathroom.
D20 : Ende – Bajawa, via Air Panas Mengeruda ; grade A, 120km, 3 hours. Note : don’t plan to short in Mengeruda (Soa), very easy to spend a half day there, especially if playing with local kids. Stay @Cinnamon GH, 250k for double with fan and hot shower (cheaper options with shared hot shower availlable).
D21 : First day in Bajawa : Watu Nari Wowo (Avatar Hill, sic…), Kampung Adat Ngada Tololela & Gurusina (very very friendly people, complementary views of Gn Inerie & Wolo Deru). Sunset from Puncak Manulalu (well… Heaven’s door Bar & Restaurant)
D22 : Second day in Bajawa : Kampung Adat Ngio (hardly visited, best view on Gn Inerie), Air Panas Malanage, Kampung Adat Bena (the most visited Ngada village (after Bela ?) in the area, we went there at the end of the afternoon to avoid tours, early morning would be fine too), and Gunung Wolobobo for a terrific sunset
D23 : returned to Gunung Wolobobo for sunrise with Gn Ebulobo in the distance (search for a track on the eastern slope, near the communication antenna). You can circuit the rim to the usual viewpoint (westside, sunset spot), the path is easy to find. Then took again the road to Aimere, visiting Kampung Adat Belaraghi enroute (the setting is maybe less rewarding than all the previous villages). 56km ; 1h30. The road to Belaraghi is fine, except the final part.
D24 : Aimere – Ruteng (105km, 3h30). Nice detour by the paddy fields of Wodo (southwest of Golo Loni) of Sunset from Golo Curu (nice encounters with locals). Night @Tange GH, 130k for room with outside (private) bathroom, no breakfast.
D25 : Surroundings of Ruteng (paddy fields north and east of ruteng ; Maps.me has funny tracks starting from Kenda), and the rather pleasant city itself (pasar, churches, lapangan). We finally skipped Liang Bua.
D26 : Ruteng - Labuan Bajo (130km, 3h30). No visits of the waterfalls close to the TransFlores (entry fee (with bule prices) + mandatory guide etc…). Sunset from Bukit Hercadi with very few locals (Bukit Sylvia & Bukit Amelia, just south, were packed). 2 nights @Wellamas Homestay, away from the harbour and its advantages/disadvantages. 230k for comfortable AC room with hot shower.
D27 : New road to Golo Mori Convention Center (another big money well spent…), with nice views on the strait separating Flores from Pulau Rinca. Some empty beaches (e.g. Pantai Pasir Pajang ; we were there on a weekday perhaps frequented by people from LBajo only). 30km (40 mins) one way, perhaps the fastest road of Flores…
D28 : Morning on the peninsula north of Labuan Bajo before taking a flight to Jakarta in the afternoon. On Google maps, the asphalt road only goes to Teras Langit ; it now (august 2026) continues to Puncak Basok and is still in progress towards the eastern part of the peninsula. On the way back, two other nice Bukit where you can enjoy nice views on the bay (and the resorts…) : Bukit Lontar & Bukit Beta. Note : we only found one public (and nice and quiet) beach in the area ; tagged as Sunset Point Beach on Gmaps. All the rest was closed by fences ; they are privately owned (although the Indonesian consitution grants the coastline as public space).
We're a family of five: one dad, one mom, and three kids aged 10, 15, and 18.
Before diving into each stop in more detail, here are a few general thoughts:
We wanted to sample a bit of everything Japan has to offer in terms of landscapes, accommodation, and transport. We were after walks, temples, restaurants, shopping, and some downtime—but no "all-inclusive experiences" or museums for this first visit.
Three medium-sized (60x42x25) canvas suitcases, plus a duffel bag and a few small backpacks. 23 kg in the hold on the way out, 60 kg on the way back. 36 kg of shopping, without even trying. I think this is the maximum suitcase size if you don’t want to stress on the Shinkansen: they fit easily in the overhead racks.
Round-trip with Cathay Pacific, layover in Hong Kong: no need to collect luggage in Hong Kong—we checked it in at departure and picked it up in Tokyo, and the same on the way back (checked in Osaka, picked up at our final destination). This let us explore Hong Kong without worrying about our bags. Food and entertainment were pretty good—meals included a little Häagen-Dazs on each flight, and the entertainment had way more Asian cinema than you’d find on a Western airline, which was a nice way to see how much weight Western culture carries in Asia.
The original plan was to fly directly from Ishigaki to Hong Kong, but due to Typhoon Dolphin, we had to cancel the Ishigaki leg. Cathay didn’t bat an eye about swapping the Ishigaki-HK flight for an Osaka-HK one, even though it was twice as long.
We were a bit too attached to the idea of ending the trip with some beach time and replaced Ishigaki with Shirahama. It was a mistake—we should’ve visited Hiroshima or spent a little more time in Tokyo instead.
Last February, I made a trip using "public transport" from France to southern Senegal via Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania.
It’s a journey of about 5,000 km, where I took trains (as far as Marrakech), ferries (to cross Gibraltar and then to reach Casamance from Dakar), and mostly buses on the long desert straightaways. I hadn’t planned any stops in advance or booked any hotels, except for the very first train to Spain, which left plenty of room for the unexpected.
Why travel by land and sea? In recent years, flight-free travel has been gaining popularity. On social media, posts explaining how to cross Europe by train as quickly as possible go viral. Traveling without flying—and making sure people know about it—has become a great way to earn a badge of eco-responsibility: an essential totem for anyone wanting to prove both their dedication to the ecological cause and the wisdom of slow travel.
I haven’t flown in years, and this journey to West Africa could easily be filed under "responsible travel." But it wouldn’t be honest to say that: in reality, it wasn’t really my aversion to flying that motivated this long trek. I see overland travel primarily as a way to experience the world’s geography at a grounded, earthly pace—the pace of the locals. Besides, I’ll be flying back, which disqualifies any claim to being a model of sustainability.
So no eco-badge, and no adventurer’s badge either: you won’t find any heroic tales of camel rides in lost lands or mineral train wagons in this account (popular with influencers, the Mauritania iron ore train now attracts tourists from all over the world, turning "the experience" into something you "have to do at least once in your life"). This five-part story, written on the road, has no other ambition than to recount a journey through places and people, and to share the thoughts they inspire in me. As simply and, I hope, as humbly as possible.
I’m posting the episodes here, which you can also find on my blog (with more photos) at the following links:
Episode 1: Spain, from Avignon to Algeciras
Episode 2: Morocco, from Tangier to Tarfaya
Episode 3: Western Sahara, from Tarfaya to Guerguerat
Episode 4: Mauritania, from Guerguerat to Nouakchott
Episode 5: Senegal, from Rosso to Saloulou
To help those who might want to make the same trip, I’ve also put together a summary of the route with recommendations—you can read it at the end of the story and on the blog:
From France to Senegal Without Flying: Route and Itinerary Recommendations
Hello and welcome aboard this new travel journal!
We’re heading off to Ireland together—a country I’ve wanted to explore for a very long time.
The moment has finally arrived.
We’ll be traveling as a family—my wife, my husband, and our 7-year-old daughter.
Here’s our itinerary:
24/07: Flight from Marseille to Dublin, overnight in Dublin
25/07: Dublin, overnight in Dublin
26/07: Dublin, overnight in Dublin
27/07: Pick up rental car, drive to Dingle, overnight near Tralee on the peninsula
28/07: Visit the Ring of Kerry
29/07: Adare, Bunratty Castle, Galway, overnight in Outheragh, near Galway
30/07: Cliffs of Moher, overnight in Outheragh
31/07: Connemara, overnight in Outheragh
01/08: Drive to Sligo via Westport and Downpatrick Head, overnight in Sligo
02/08: Slieve League, Silver Strand Beach, Glencolmcille, overnight in Sligo
03/08: Drive to Derry via Glenveagh National Park, overnight in Derry
04/08: Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Portrush, Derry, overnight in Derry
05/08: Drive to Belfast, visit Belfast, overnight in Lisburn (Belfast suburbs)
06/08: Game of Thrones filming locations: Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede, Ballintoy, etc., overnight in Lisburn
07/08: Drive to the Wicklow Mountains, visit Wicklow Mountains National Park, overnight in Blessington
08/08: Drive back to Dublin and return to Marseille.
Cost breakdown:
Flights:
Outbound flights with KLM via Amsterdam for 3: 175 € + 40,000 Flying Blue miles (so essentially a free ticket)
Return flight with Aer Lingus for 3: 489 €
Rental car:
10 days booked with Enterprise via Carigami: 443 € including zero-excess insurance.
Accommodation:
Dublin: 3 nights at Maldron Hotel New Cross: 394 €
Tralee: 2 nights in a caravan (Ocean Trail Oasis): 292 €
Outheragh: 3 nights Airbnb, family room with private bathroom: 430 €
Sligo: 2 nights at Clayton Hotel: 456 €
Derry: 2 nights at Belfray Inn: 255 €
Lisburn: 2 nights at Temple Golf Club: 232 €
Blessington: 1 night at Baltyboys Lodges B&B: 158 €
That brings our total to 3,325 € for three.
On the ground, visits, fuel, and food cost around 2,500 €.
So this was quite an expensive trip.
A few price examples:
1 liter of unleaded fuel: 1.89 €
3-day pass in Dublin: 18 €
1 scoop of ice cream: 5 to 6.5 €
Castle visit: 15 € per person
A coffee: 3-4 €
A glass of wine at a restaurant: 8-10 €
A half-pint of Guinness: 7-12 €
Now, here’s the day-by-day account of our adventure in Ireland:
Our decision is our decision. And it’s firm and final. Next winter, our plane will spread its great wings toward the island of Ceylon! "Wait a minute... Ceylon... Ceylon... that name rings a bell, but I can’t quite place it on the globe Grandma gave me for Christmas! Ceylon... Oh right, I’ve got it: Ceylon is the name of my tea!" Exactly. But the name on your pretty tea box is also the one used until 1972 for this island nation, a speck on the Indian Ocean at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent: Sri Lanka!
For this new adventure, I’m exceptionally leaving my Flo behind, cowardly replaced by a double dose of testosterone. To write the book of this journey with me, I’m bringing along my brother, who’s used to this kind of thing, and... a guest star: My model of resilience. My dad! All aboard! Or rather, all aboard our tuk-tuk! Yes, you read that right: A real tuk-tuk, a little colorful rolling box that putters along at two miles an hour. The idea? Well, Sri Lanka and its winding roads overlooking the vastness of lush nature are tailor-made for this kind of vehicle. And since it’s one of only two countries in the world that allow foreigners to rent and drive these mini speedsters, we’ll be crisscrossing the island in our two-square-meter rolling box. Plus, adopting this mode of transport is a surefire way to connect directly with the locals, who’ll surely be curious to see a foreigner driving their iconic vehicle. Not to mention the... let’s say... spicy anecdotes it might generate. I mean, heading into a subtropical zone with my jet-black dad and his unpredictable digestive flora while deliberately choosing the tuk-tuk as our *only* means of transport? That’s the winning combo for an unforgettable adventure! "More seriously, Dad, Sullivan, I’m already loving the idea of living this adventure together, the three of us—brothers and father..."
So, does the intro to this new adventure get your salivary glands going? Yes? Too bad. Because unfortunately, the program handed out by the lady at the entrance has been slightly... let’s say *crumpled*. Some might even say "scrunched up and nearly tossed in the trash." First, six days ago, as the countdown echoed in us like a call to adventure, Cyclone Ditwah grabbed Sri Lanka, played with it like a rag doll, and left it battered on the ground. The toll is devastating: over a thousand dead, thousands of homes wiped out by relentless rains, roads and railways swallowed by massive mudslides. A country wounded once again, after the civil war, the 2004 tsunami, and the post-Covid economic crisis.
But as if this weather disaster wasn’t enough to shake our unbreakable adventurer spirit, fate decided to mess with us further by cutting our trio down to two. The victim? My brother, violently turned away because of a simple date on his passport that didn’t match the border officials’ expectations. Return to sender!
So now it’s just the two of us allowed to board the Qatar Airways Airbus A380 for this trip. If he were here, Denis Brognart would say, "And in the end, only one remains!" Except I know you’ll be with us, following our adventures! Right?
Hello everyone, I’m happy to welcome you to this new travel journal.
We’re heading to Costa Rica together—a Central American destination that dreams are made of for many French travelers and attracts crowds from France.
It was the country’s wild nature and safety that convinced us to go, since we’re traveling with our 7-year-old little one.
We didn’t have much vacation time in February 2026 (only 12 days), so we optimized as much as possible.
Here’s the itinerary:
Wednesday, February 11: Flight from Marseille to San Jose via Paris and Atlanta
Thursday, February 12: Pick up the car, drive to Poas Volcano, visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Friday, February 13: Poas Volcano and drive to Manuel Antonio
Saturday, February 14: Manuel Antonio National Park
Sunday, February 15: Nauyaca Waterfall and Playa Linda
Monday, February 16: Drive to Monte Verde and Santa Elena Reserve
Tuesday, February 17: El Tigre Waterfall Reserve and Treetopia Park
Wednesday, February 18: Monte Verde Reserve with a guide and drive to La Fortuna
Thursday, February 19: Sloth guided tour, Observatory Lodge Park
Friday, February 20: Arenal Volcano National Park, Termalistas del Arenal hot springs, and night tour
Saturday, February 21: Return to San Jose, flight to Paris via Atlanta
Sunday, February 22: Arrival in Paris and flight to Marseille.
That gives us a solid 9 days in the country.
Budget breakdown:
Costa Rica is an expensive country, but no more so than France. However, almost all hikes and waterfalls are paid entry, which can really add up.
For meals, sodas (6–10 €) are cheaper than restaurants (10–20 € per dish).
Flights:
We chose Delta Airlines for the price: Marseille to San Jose was 740 € per person (modifiable, with checked baggage and seat selection included).
Other direct flights from Europe were priced between 1200 € and 1600 € with more restrictive conditions.
That’s 2220 € for the family.
Accommodations:
Alajuela, first night: 139 € (1 night) at Rodeo Estancia Boutique Hotel, with personalized airport pickup, transfer to the hotel, and a briefing from Vert Costa Rica agency the next day.
Poas: 66 € (1 night) at Cabañas Tierra Fértil (entire apartment).
Manuel Antonio: 394 € (3 nights) at La Palapa Ecolodge (hotel in the jungle).
Monte Verde: Chalet Aloha Monteverde Cloud Forest (2 bedrooms): 125 € (2 nights).
La Fortuna: Arenal Dream Garden (1 bedroom): 217 € (3 nights).
Total: 941 €.
Car rental:
I went through Vert Costa Rica agency (Vincent is a French expat who set up the agency in Costa Rica and makes great YouTube videos with useful tips).
I rented a 4x4 that was delivered to the hotel the day after arrival and returned at the airport before the flight. The total was 772 €, including full insurance (zero deductible), a child seat, and a phone with a Costa Rican SIM and WhatsApp. The rental company was Poas Rent a Car. The vehicle was well-maintained—no complaints.
Gas: 100 € for the whole trip (3 fill-ups).
Activities:
To get discounts, I bought the pass offered by Vincent, which paid for itself after just one activity. It cost me 30 € (promo since I rented the car through him).
Prices are for 3 people. I’ve added stars to rate them:
La Paz Waterfall Gardens ****: 112 €
Poas Volcano National Park *: 33 €
Manuel Antonio National Park ****: 35 €
Nauyaca Waterfall ***: 25 €
Santa Elena Reserve **: 45 €
El Tigre Waterfall Reserve ****: 141 € (with meal)
Treetopia (ziplining, suspension bridges) **: 250 €
Guided tour of Monte Verde Reserve ***: 113 €
Sloth guided tour (with breakfast) ***: 115 €
Arenal Observatory Lodge (with meal) ****: 102 €
Arenal Volcano National Park *: 34 €
Termalistas del Arenal ****: 20 €
Night tour ***: 116 €
Total: 1171 €.
Meals: 600 €
My favorite restaurants:
Poas: Food court Mercaditas in Fraijanes
Manuel Antonio (near La Palapa): La Langosta and also El Patio
Near Nauyaca Waterfall: Ricar2 el Avión
Between Manuel Antonio and Monte Verde: Soda D’Calle
Santa Elena: HG’s Food
Guadalupe (between Monte Verde and La Fortuna): Soda Río Piedras
Arenal Observatory Lodge restaurant
Arenal Oasis Ecolodge restaurant
Other expenses: 300 € (groceries for breakfast, drinks, ice cream, souvenirs, etc.)
Total overall: 6065 € (about 2020 € per person).
Now, here’s the day-by-day account of this beautiful trip.
In early March, full of carefree joy and happy to return to Morocco, we landed in Marrakech under the sun.
We spent just one night in Marrakech at the Hôtel Toulousain, as we did on our previous trip. And we booked our 3 nights for the end of our trip, the second half of March... Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! But we’re not there yet...
Our first goal is to reach Magdaz, a mountain village in the Tessaout Valley, sometimes called the lost valley.
We discovered the village of Magdaz on this forum, and we were charmed by the photos and comments from travelers who came before us.
The road is easy—it’s dry, and the tarmac takes us right to the village gates at over 2,000 meters above sea level.
We arrive in the afternoon and are left speechless by the beauty of the place. A jewel of Berber architecture! Perfectly restored granaries and kasbahs!
A young man from the village guides us on the visit and opens the doors to the terraces overlooking the village.
Several magnificent collective granaries have been beautifully restored. The warm colors of the stone capture the light wonderfully. It’s stunning!
We won’t find anything decent to stay overnight there, so we head back down a bit and settle in at the Assounfou guesthouse. Lovely welcome. The place is in excellent condition and very clean. It’s spacious, but we’re the only ones there.
First day full of promise!
We’re the first to get off, dropped at the dock in front of our guesthouse. Night is falling, but we’re already enchanted. Our bungalow has a terrace facing the sea that delights us (230 RM/night).
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Apartment entrances: you have to take off your shoes everywhere in Malaysia before entering a living space. Hence these kinds of "cages":
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Western-style toilets seem to be a fairly recent thing. In more remote areas, you’ll find squat toilets (though not necessarily dirty). There are signs to explain how to use these "alien" contraptions properly.
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And instructional posters with photos to show what to do with the hoses/showers that replace empty flush tanks (before taking this photo, I tried flushing, then—being a bit clueless—I turned on the tap) (so I left with soaked shoes).
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In hotels/guesthouses, an arrow on the ceiling will point toward Mecca for prayer:
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Dogs, explosives, and "indecent behavior" are banned on public transport . That’s how we joked for 20 minutes about the fate of a Chinese couple holding hands on the train .
In the same vein, there are train cars reserved for women and children. And apparently lesbians too .
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French (or something like it) is so chic (St. Tropez, its Eiffel Tower, its red buses):
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And the cherry on top: in a mall, a shop that’s "neither for nor against, quite the contrary":
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
A little sneak peek?
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
The karst site:
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
Laundry and trucks washed in the same stream.
We’re greeted dozens of times with “Hello Mister”—a daily routine in the Moluccas. Every time we stop, we pose for photos to be saved on locals’ smartphones. They don’t see tourists often.
Several magnificent collective granaries have been beautifully restored. The warm colors of the stone capture the light wonderfully. It’s stunning!
