Travel here, travel there, travel everywhere—woohoo!
You quote me endlessly in messages meant for others. And *you’re* the one talking about having "the audacity of direct confrontation"?
Everyone here’s known for ages that you’re incapable of a coherent exchange. Avoidance is your MO.
You remind me of a first-gen AI, back before it became generative.
I love good metaphors—I even get paid for them sometimes.
You could share that talent with us—money isn’t everything in life. Though "a little paid" and "sometimes" doesn’t exactly scream recognition.
@Attila, since the topic’s serious:
In Latourex terms, I’d be "Free tourism."
Beyond the criteria already mentioned—price, climate, change of scenery, landscapes, sparse or dense population, cultural, photographic, or musical interest, relaxation—couldn’t others be added without risking straying too far from the topic, even if they lighten the tone a bit?
Other criteria that might narrow the range of possibilities but wouldn’t be out of place in these uncertain times:
Looking at the color photo *and* its negative?
doesn’t throw administrative hurdles in my way or put me in danger.
On top of the obvious restrictions you’ve mentioned... what about intangible considerations: conscience, beliefs, others—do they have the right to rule out a destination, temporarily or not?
Isn’t feeling like a citizen of the world about using the only power we have as privileged travelers—to go *or* choose not to go to certain places, even if they’re safe for us?
Doesn’t current events give us plenty of examples?
"Oh yes, absolutely! For my part, some destinations are completely off my list when it comes to 'carefree travel plans'! The sound of cannons is ugly! Apartheid too 😕 Unless you're an activist, committed to defending a specific cause—in which case, there’s no room for carefreeness, of course! ... Let’s go!"
I’m not convinced that European travelers—especially French ones—will really be in a position to be picky in the coming years.
So... We’re practically at war with Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus, a good chunk of the BRICS (who’ve sided with Russia), which means the U.S. too, and thus against Europe. Algeria, all of sub-Saharan Africa, persona non grata in much of West Africa, not welcome in Iran, and soon to be blacklisted in the U.S....
When do we start asking ourselves questions about the universalism that drives us?
Do you really think adding Argentina to the list because its president is liberal, India because it’s nationalist, China because it’s authoritarian and imperialist, or Saudi Arabia because women are veiled, is relevant?
"Citizen of the world" is more of a slogan than a concept, and it seems to have become a bit counterproductive.
Well...
Maybe we could create a questionnaire with specific items that users could check directly on the site (a new feature to suggest)... to keep a given topic from the inevitable digressions that could broaden the discussion once the whole class has taken the floor to list all the components of I, me. 🙂
To answer your question directly—since my main criteria have already been mentioned—I’d say a well-crafted travel journal could sway me. It’s already influenced me before! :)
Well, it’s not exactly a joy for either men or women.
Hmm... That’s your take.
Shouldn’t we stop trying to impose our norms and customs like this? Didn’t Lévi-Strauss, the anthropologist, warn us about the psychological reaction that comes from encountering very different practices?
A mutual rejection reaction, at that.
Feeling like a citizen of the world—isn’t that about using the only power we have as travelers with comfortable means... to go or not to go to certain places, even if they’re safe for us?
Doesn’t current events provide plenty of examples?
You mean safe countries we’d choose not to visit to feel more like citizens of the world? Is that what you’re saying? Which countries are you thinking of? Israel? China? The United States?
Russia? If we consider it a safe country...
But I think there are several of us in this case...
No doubt, but against science, against anthropology, against sociology.
I’ve known you to be more scientifically minded.
Is freedom a norm and a purely French concept?
Freedom?
The least one can say is that it’s only a French value by misunderstanding.
It’s collective, abstract freedom.
When it comes to freedom, in Europe, France is pretty much at the bottom of the class.
You’re sending me down a path that some won’t be able to follow; I can explain all this, but it’s really no longer the topic of discussion—it’s going to upset the purists.
It’s possible that most people in this country feel free. After all, we don’t know much about how they truly feel unless we sense a spirit of revolt, like in Iran, for example.
Freedom is a standard and a purely French custom?
(I don’t know why I’m asking this question—I feel like this discussion is going to take a turn again... 😏)
Everyone knows full well that France is a highly centralized country politically, economically, and socially. In short, most decisions are made in Paris.
So in a way, that explains it.
And it’s a country, a nation that has always struggled to find unity, in my opinion.
Some people on the forum—you know who you are—criticize France while still living here. 😉
So if you don’t like a country, shouldn’t you go somewhere else?
Might as well move to Pattaya, put your feet up, and have a bowl of rice—that’s enough to live on.
It’s certain that in Viktor Orbán’s pro-Soviet Hungary, the term freedom takes on its full meaning...
Can you seriously name one single point that shows less freedom in Hungary than in France? What could possibly convince a traveler to avoid the country due to freedom restrictions?
Do you see a difference compared to France in recent years when it comes to freedom of expression, bodily autonomy, freedom of movement, or entrepreneurship? I don’t.
But have you been there often?
Hungary isn’t liberal in its state principles, and for that reason, I prefer the Czech Republic, for example. But not to the point of avoiding Hungary altogether—especially since, in terms of cuisine and atmosphere, it’s really much better.
Are you going to trot out that old cliché about how one person’s freedom ends where another’s begins?
What I mean is that in France, we have a very intellectual and abstract conception of freedom—one that projects it onto ideals without putting it into practice. I prefer the Anglo-Saxon approach: pragmatic, individualistic, and with less state intervention.
And it’s a country, a nation that, in my opinion, has always struggled to find unity.
Absolutely. It’s a state—centralized and fairly authoritarian—that intellectually conceives itself as a nation through adherence to universalist principles. This largely explains its current precarious position in the world, which isn’t without consequences (and, in my view, this is just the beginning) for travelers.
Proudly brandishing the power of a passport is pretty misleading if, in reality, you can’t actually use it.
The cliché you mentioned is nonsense for little kids.
Besides, do you think travelers from other countries really ask themselves whether they’ll avoid a country based on grand principles and good intentions?
I don’t get that impression—at least, I haven’t heard much feedback along those lines.
I never play the lottery, but don’t worry—we’ll try to refocus your topic. It often goes like this: we stray off course and then come back... only to stray again. Whether you reply to my messages or not doesn’t really matter to me
After reading your "motivation questionnaire" about choosing a destination, a question immediately came to mind:
On this forum, especially since its revival, it seems most active members have gotten considerably older... Those who haven’t returned are mostly younger, and now the over-50s are in the majority. Sure, a significant percentage doesn’t display their age in their profile (wonder why?), but you can still get a sense of it. (Their age ) We’re more or less dinosaurs here (me for sure!)...
Over the years, our way of thinking, approaching the world, and therefore our way of traveling changes... or at least it should (more or less quickly). That applies to everyone, I think? The world doesn’t look the same at 20 as it does at 73.
Besides, the more you’ve traveled, the more limited your choices (of countries) become—since you’re only considering countries, not potential regions within the same country...
I don’t really like the Paris region or the north of France, but I’d happily go back to Corsica or the Basque Country...
So rather than going to Saudi Arabia or Qatar, which I’ll probably never visit, I’d prefer to return to other regions of Colombia or Romania.
I’ll try to answer your questions with this new perspective.
Price
If you’re talking about flight tickets, no—the price doesn’t matter to me since I travel economy and can afford any destination... and do so several times a year.
But if someone offers me a free flight to Antarctica, I’m not going—I’m not interested in penguins, and besides, no one lives there (no humans).
I also don’t want to go back to China, especially not these days!
When it comes to accommodation prices, yes—comfort, though slightly more important with age, isn’t a big factor for me. I sleep well anywhere, I’m not really bothered by noise, and since I only spend the night there, the accommodation doesn’t matter much. My luxury? A hearty breakfast (my most important meal of the day). And for that, long live Eastern European countries! (Romania, Bulgaria, etc.) and the human connections with hosts or property owners. I love talking and chatting with them. I don’t like the concrete of big hotels; I prefer modest guesthouses, "bed and breakfast"-style lodgings that blend into semi-urban, rural, or mountain landscapes. Bamboo and palm-thatched huts by the sea (no corrugated iron roofs!)—those are almost impossible to find now. Mountain refuges (not Mont Blanc!). And all of that with a good quality-to-price ratio, when possible. After all, everyone sets their own bar for comfort, luxury, etc.
A magazine article, TV report, travel journal, or Instagram ad?
That’s never been a factor for me, and it never will be—what draws me to travel is always a certain need for discovery, a taste for the unknown. So, as much as possible, I try not to copy other people’s trips. I’ll see a few "must-sees" when the opportunity arises—not all of them. But I don’t refuse a nice accommodation tip if it fits what I’m looking for...
Ease of travel
It wasn’t before, but it’s become more of a concern... especially the fear of kidnappings, assaults, abductions, or murders. I was particularly affected by the cowardly murder of a guide from Nice in Algeria (for example).
I’m also increasingly wary of problems with authorities in certain countries (what happened to some French travelers in Iran makes me think twice). The issues I had in China—arrest, police station, fines—also stick with me.
Minimal time difference?
I’m becoming more sensitive to that too, which makes me hesitate to go to Australia or New Zealand.
Actually, it’s not the time difference that bothers me but the flight duration... I’m close to considering business class.
The country with the most commonalities for all trip participants?
Not really, no.
Activities?
Yes, a little, though it’s not a must. I need mountains, wild places, and—since I love trekking and hiking—what I call "spaces of freedom" where you don’t need a ticket to enjoy NATURE. That’s why I’ve grown to love Eastern European countries like Bulgaria, Albania, and Romania in recent years: their "national parks" are hard to access by vehicle, with no facilities, no required permits, no fences, no restrictions... It’s free and open to those who earn it...
The sea for snorkeling or diving (which I barely do anymore)... Unfortunately, there are no healthy coral reefs left on the planet; everything’s destroyed or nearly so. When you’ve seen the difference over time, it’s just a fact (I’m not exaggerating).
I regret discovering the sea late—I mean, the sea as a sailor, navigator, on my own boat—because those are the people I admire and respect the most. For me, the sea (along with high mountains) remains one of the last spaces of freedom... But lack of opportunity? Courage? Not really a sea leg? A bit of all that made me realize I missed out on something important.
I was a private pilot, but flying was never a space of freedom for me—too many constraints! I gave up the controls pretty quickly...
Relaxation?
Yes, from time to time—to let my thoughts wander, enjoy my surroundings, admire, and feel... I prefer that to the hustle, the "activity" binge like swimming with dolphins, or trying to do/see everything at the risk of drowning in crowds.
The desire to push yourself?
Not really. The pleasure of discovery, yes... sometimes that might have led me to push myself, but the goal was always different. I used to seek challenge in competitive sports, which brought me a lot of joy, but travel, for me, is something else entirely. Nothing to do with sports or self-improvement.
A photo?
Since I got a phone, I take a few pictures... For years, I didn’t take any photos, preferring to keep my memories inside. Every time I came back from a trip, the first question was: "Did you take any photos?"
To complete the picture.
What I’ve only done once and will never do again: following a set itinerary, fully planned in advance with daily stages and pre-booked accommodations (not all, thankfully!). No way to go off track, change my mind, stay longer than planned, or leave a place I don’t like... what a nightmare! The anti-travel!
The only time I relapsed and booked accommodation was in Albania. The reason? My wife and I had planned a day-long trekking trip, and given the possible fatigue and likely lack of lodging at the end, we booked a guesthouse. Bad luck—on the day of departure, violent storms forced us to abandon our hike. Normally, the room cost would’ve been charged, but after explaining the situation to the host, he didn’t take a cent. Hats off to the Albanian!
My travel flaws:
- I hate private property (I mean when it spans hundreds of hectares or more with no right of way)... I trespass out of mischief...
- I love sneaking in—not for financial reasons, but for the thrill of pulling it off 😉
Example: To get to Machu Picchu, I cut through the forest with no guarantee of success and ended up in the middle of the site... In Nepal, I went trekking without a permit several times just for the fun of dodging checkpoints. I love finding the little alley that lets me skip the toll at Bhaktapur or Kathmandu’s Durbar Square.
When there’s a monument to visit, I sometimes enter through the exit...
I know, it’s not good, don’t do it...
So far, I’ve avoided countries with cold, wet climates (oceanic climate). The cold doesn’t bother me, but rain, drizzle, and fog—I really don’t like them. And since I’m often on foot when traveling, having to wear a raincoat is a hassle. So, no (or at least not yet) Norway, Iceland, Scotland, etc...
Plus, I imagine (probably wrongly) that the people in these countries aren’t very outgoing. Restaurants, bars, and shops must close early in the evening, and that would bother me...
All that energy spent criticizing ends up reinforcing the analysis. The topic is indeed—I’m not off-topic at all—about whether we can choose or avoid a destination based—among other things—on the moral judgments we hold about the laws a nation adopts.
I think it was Kola who brought up this idea.
If you believe that’s possible, I can see how taking a reflective look at what constitutes your own national framework might be tricky. Maybe even impossible.
No big deal.
Mathews, Voyajou, and Kola share generalities.
Do they choose their destinations based on moral judgments?
I don’t know.
Lillieone, yes. She answered in that vein. Actually, in a second step, as if this criterion was so obvious she hadn’t mentioned it first or as if it wasn’t essential?
I answered too. And I didn’t include it in my list of examples or really in my reply because I know how it ends here when these issues come up... They take over everything else, and the thread turns into a eloquence contest, a battle for the under-40 crowd. Those who just want to participate in the original topic flee, and all that’s left are the debaters who can fill pages without ever getting tired. I used to take part in those. It’s fun, stimulating, but over time, it’s mostly become redundant.
You answered the generalities. I think this criterion isn’t on your list when you choose, but you didn’t clearly say so.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
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C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
I answered too. And I didn’t include it in my list of examples or really in my answer because I know how it ends up here when these issues come up... They take over everything else and the topic turns into a debate contest, a battle for the under-40 crowd.
Ah, I see.
So it’s a survey or an inventory, then.
We should think about using a Forms tool.
Over time, my choice of travel has become very simple as I’ve grown older.
A country of moors, deserts, silence—if it rains, if there’s mist, that’s perfect.
A place where time seems to slow down and people take the time to chat.
Preferably seasons of frost, January, February, March on our continent, for the endless pleasure of snuggling into the chosen dwelling.
And above all, no more 15-day or three-week marathons.
And especially, no more piling up new countries.
Explore one country—or even just one region—again and again.
I probably haven’t listed all the criteria, but that’s not really a big deal. 😉
(And adapting wordplay like lighting new fires...)
(You still have points on your license, right?)
I haven’t had to choose one destination over another based on this criterion yet, but I’ll admit I’ve steered clear of certain European cities because of it after the fact.
The Crit’Air sticker has a different version in each country, and I still want to see the road through my windshield...
Plus, I don’t feel like spending my time hunting down Form 672b just to get the Crit’Air+++ pass!
Here comes the age of ecological criteria...
A twist on ethical criteria...
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No no, I have no sense of adventure, but the land of the redhead and his 😇 unhinged friends has never appealed to me. Plus, being super eco-conscious, I don’t fly, and my car refuses containers—claustrophobia, you know...😏
On the other hand, like Tatra, I’m pretty tempted by a visit to central Ukraine... not exactly touristy, just to say a quick hello to some "friendly" police officers and make sure they’re having a good time...😄
Qui boit l'eau d'une terre étrangère doit en suivre les coutumes (proverbe Mongol)
Better late than never (I was away), here’s my reply:
More about voyeurism and the thrill of the ultimate rush than actual travel.
which follows my Afghan temptation.
Voyeurism?
But isn’t everything that pulls us away from the frenetic, self-absorbed consumerism at the heart of our civilization a form of that? Why is it more voyeuristic to walk through a theocracy than among African tribes or in India with its caste system, or...?
Afghanistan is the depth of history in Herat, the books of Atiq Rahimi, breathtaking landscapes, Massoud (so much more than Brad Pitt’s character)...
And then, I don’t really know. I remember the image I had of Lebanon in the late '80s—a country ravaged by war, destroyed—and my conversations in Urbino with a student who lived there, went to the beach, went out. I’ve been wary ever since of what we’re shown.
When Iran or Afghanistan are no longer dangerous for my safety (and the threat is more external than internal), I’ll go.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Why is it more voyeuristic to walk around in a theocracy than in the middle of African tribes or in India with its castes, or...?
It’s just as voyeuristic.
But in the case of Afghanistan, it’s significantly more dangerous.
And then, we come back to the moral criteria that have been discussed at length in this thread.
I don’t want to give money to oppressors or endorse Sharia law.
Afghanistan doesn’t check any of my boxes except for vast landscapes: theocracy+++, no freedom, safety ---, denial of women’s rights, no possibility of driving, etc.
It’d be the last country I’d think of.
I’d rather find myself in the middle of a massive rave in Ibiza than set foot in Kabul, that’s saying something.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
J'ai étant plus jeune beaucoup voyagé (Europe Ouest, Est, Amérique Afrique, Asie) mais en prenant de l'âge (bientôt à la retraite), je suis plus difficile…
Réflexions de voyageurs › Grande-Bretagne · 721 replies
Depuis 2002, l'Euro est devenue la monnaie européenne. C'est un atout pour les pays qui l'ont adopté, car cela favorise le tourisme chez eux et facilite la…
Hallo les voyageurs! J'ai une question pour vous qui vous baladez de par le vaste monde. Est-ce que vous prenez en considération le régime politique d'un pays…
Les vacances d’un Bobo C’est Juillet, il faut que je pense à trouver une nouvelle destination: J’aimerais passer deux semaines dans un pays sans avoir la honte…
Elles voyagent seules. Pour le plaisir pour certaines, par obligation pour d’autres. Vous les avez peut être rencontrées au cours de vos voyages. Un homme qui…
Bonjour à tous,
Je m'appelle Loulou, Français installé en Asie du Sud-Est depuis une quinzaine d'années, actuellement à Phnom Penh, au Cambodge. Grand marcheur dans l'âme, j'ai crapahuté au Népal (Thorung La, Mardi Himal), en Inde, au Vietnam, et je continue à préparer de nouveaux treks (Char Dham, Langtang, Annapurna).
Je viens de publier mon premier récit de voyage, qui retrace trois mois de marche et de rencontres à travers l'Inde. Une partie des ventes est reversée à un centre éducatif que je soutiens à Kep, pour les enfants dont les parents travaillent dans les marais salants.
Je suis aussi en train d'écrire un second livre sur le Népal, avec un ami musicien, sur le trek du Mardi Himal — deux regards indépendants sur le même voyage.
Ravi d'échanger avec vous sur l'Himalaya, l'Inde, l'Asie du Sud-Est, ou simplement sur l'envie de partir marcher loin de chez soi.
Belle route à tous,
Loulou
Who’d like to share their best and worst travel memories in a few lines?
For me, it’s watching the TAJ MAHAL at sunrise and getting chased by dogs at the top of a mountain pass in GREECE on the way back from ISTANBUL.
THANKS GUYS
"It seems to me that poverty would be less painful in the sun" wrote Aznavour...
Not sure...😕 Who can prove that people in hot countries are happier than others?
What do you think?
Is it better to live in Montpellier than in Lille?
Are the Pygmies happier than the Inuit?
Are Canadians less happy than the people of Louisiana?
Are there more French expats in hot countries?
And your travels? Do you choose your destinations based on the climate?
Do you rejoice when a bit of sunshine appears?
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
Hi there, I’ve been traveling for 18 years now, at least 6 months a year, and as the years go by, I actually enjoy coming back to France more and more—a feeling I struggled with at first. I mean, we always think the grass is greener elsewhere.
But in the end, I find meaning in that saying about how there’s no place like home. I still love traveling just as much, but now my trips are shorter, and I enjoy spending more time in our beautiful country, even though I don’t hesitate to criticize it.
How about you? How do you handle coming back from your travels?
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