Reading suggestions · Southeast Asia

I love staying a long time in the places I visit, giving myself time to discover the spots and meet locals. So no island-hopping this time—just the south. But when I say "just," it’s not limiting at all, since this island is so rich in landscapes, little encounters, and magical moments.

It's hard not to be charmed. The historic center is compact, so you can wander around, get lost (well, sort of—it's on a grid layout ;)), all on foot or by bike. There's plenty to keep you busy for several days if you want to take your time and slow down a bit.

In this story, written by Richard and illustrated by me, we’ll take you through 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 frangipane flowers, food that was (way too) spicy, sunsets, and... one major hassle.

This monastery is stunning and houses immense treasures. It’s located at the tip of the peninsula near the Mekong. It’s one of the most beautiful in Luang Prabang. The temple walls are covered in mosaics. Its façade is gilded on a richly decorated red background.

Not usually a fan of organized trips, during my stop in Labuan Bajo on Flores in May 2024, I started looking for a fisherman who could show me the islands around Komodo. At the port, I met Ari, a former spearfisher who knows the islands well—especially the best spots for fish and coral.

Here’s my account of our trip to Thailand with my partner from November 22 to December 5, 2025. First off, I’d like to wish all the VoyageForum.com users a very happy 2026, full of joy and amazing discoveries on your travels! It’s thanks to the tips I gathered on this site that I planned the trip.

Back then (reminder: 1987), I volunteer in Paris at the counter of the Rue Des Ecoles agency for a fairly well-known travel association at the time, whose headquarters are in Mulhouse. They mainly offer scheduled dry flights to Asia, charter flights to the Mediterranean basin, and flights to Mali with their own plane.

Over-the-top skyscrapers? You’ll get the idea when you see the photo illustrating this travel journal—though it might change as the trip goes on.

The sheer number of markets is what makes them larger-than-life, not necessarily their size (though Chatuchak is a beast!). Day markets, night markets, floating markets, fresh produce markets, fish markets, meat markets, spice markets, fabric markets… and even amulet markets. For luck, good fortune, protection.

New life downloading in progress for three weeks! And for that, Flo and I launched a public tender... A public tender? What's the connection with a travel journal?

Hi there, Not only do I love the countryside, but I’m also really into trains, so I’m starting this photo thread dedicated to trains in Thailand (I bet most of us have taken one at some point...).

February 9th is a pivotal day during my trip to Thailand. Up until that date, my focus had been on cities, temples, and other urban landmarks. Starting February 10th, I’ll finally leave the city behind for the outskirts—places with a different pace of life, farther from tourism, more genuine, more authentic... Then comes the idyllic surroundings of Chiang Mai, nature, the countryside, the mountains...

We’ve read it all about Bali: mass tourism, non-stop parties, ferry disasters, the kingdom of “Instagrammers,” pollution, “Bali belly”... But luckily, this island isn’t just about Kuta’s beaches and the Lempuyang Temple.

We were torn between the north and the south of the kingdom—the fear of smoke from slash-and-burn farming and a real desire to just chill on the sand tipped the scales toward the south...

What if we rented a car?

The setting is gorgeous—a stunning, well-maintained tropical garden with a lovely pool. You can also book massages. The cottages have a tropical style with living roofs, simple and no frills.

The itinerary will be pretty classic, though a bit disjointed, to fit our dates and interests. For us, we’ll arrive in Luang Prabang (LP), where we’ll take some time to acclimate, then spend a few days in the northern Laos mountains—Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi.

All my trips combined, I’ve spent at most the equivalent of a year in Thailand, and I’m not a big expert on it. Still, after many stays, lots of reading on VoyageForum and other sites, conversations with plenty of locals and expats, my view of the country is getting clearer—though it’s always evolving. You never stop discovering and learning.

I’ve decided to do all my sightseeing on foot. I pass by the museum and head toward the central market, Psar Thmey. Along the way, I stop at a pagoda. A ceremony is taking place right now. The monks are seated in the middle, a young novice faces them, and his family is on the sides. I don’t dare go in, but a man gestures for me to join him. He explains that the young monk is trading his civilian clothes for the kesa, the sacred robe of monks.