This city of Oaxaca and its region—we’re not the first to adore it. And given the current circumstances with that awful virus, I sure hope we won’t be the last either!
There’s so much to do and see here. We visited the Textile Museum on Miguel Hidalgo, just a few steps from the Zócalo. It’s free, nice, and not too big, but informative—essential for amateurs like us. Here’s a first photo showing what looks like a blanket to me. I really love the simplicity and elegance of the geometric patterns and colors, which I think are natural. 🙂 As a fun wall decoration, it reminds me of Turkmen tent hangings (the « ensi » and « kapunnuk »)—at least the ones over half a century old. Because what’s come more recently from Central Asia (and Iran), I’m sorry if I offend anyone, is often just mediocre compared to what was made in the past. Beyond the designs, colors (often garish), knot density (if it’s a rug), and the price, the main criterion for distinguishing beauty from the rest, I think, is the naturalness of the work and materials used—ugh, mass-produced factories and synthetic dyes! But of course, that comes at a cost.
For textile enthusiasts, the museum explains, among other things, the use of « maguey » fibers to weave « ixtle ». The photo shows an example of raw, undyed « ixtle ». « Maguey » is agave. It’s not just tequila or mezcal that’s made from this plant!
Not too far from the textiles, this elderly Zapotec woman at the entrance of the Mercado Benito Juárez impressed us with how quickly she crafted her baskets. Baskets of all sizes and varied patterns seemed to flow from her skilled hands. We bought two or three from her at very reasonable prices. Despite that, she seemed reluctant when I took a few photos. Indigenous people generally don’t like being photographed.
Oaxaca is a perfectly balanced city. Let me explain: it’s a big city with plenty to see, but you can easily explore it on foot. I’m not talking about the outskirts, of course. After spending over a week there, we still had so much left to discover. The basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was one of our last visits.
The basilica dates back to the late 17th century. It’s Baroque. The exterior is quite massive, as is common for buildings in the region due to frequent earthquakes, yet it remains graceful. I particularly like the Latin cross planted in the forecourt. The centerpiece is the statue of the Virgin at the back: « Salve Reina de Oaxaca », « Hail, Queen of Oaxaca ». It’s a sacred place for devout Mexicans: the image of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared in 1543… in a crate! What credulity! 😇 But hey, that was the era! The kicker is that at the entrance of the church, there’s a stone where they supposedly opened the famous crate containing the Virgin’s image.
Now that I think about it, I wonder if this isn’t where María Amparo Escandón got the inspiration for her book Santitos, the one I mentioned earlier, where I found that list of saints to pray to in certain situations. In this amusing little novel, the heroine sees the image of San Judas Tadeo appear in the greasy grime on her oven door! 😇
As we leave the basilica, night is about to fall. The basilica stands out against a backdrop of mountains and clouds in stunning colors. The cloud formations and mountains—we’re right in the middle of Carlos Castaneda’s fabrications. 😎😮
We’re slowly reaching the end of our stay in this wonderful city of Oaxaca. Alright, one last stroll around the cathedral, one last stop at one of the many stalls to find a little gift for a sister or girlfriend (cute blouses for 200 pesos), and finally, a view of our last hotel, right across from the Mercado Benito Juárez. It was basic but cheap and pretty nice—just a little disruptive at times with the joyful exuberance of the Mexican guests.
We’re taking the ADO bus to Puebla (350 km, 732 pesos for 2 people). Taxis cost us 60 pesos in Oaxaca and 81 pesos in Puebla—yes, I said 81 because we took one from the prepaid taxi stand inside Puebla’s bus station. They’re almost always available, and it’s really convenient. At least you don’t have to worry about safety since the taxis are registered and monitored.
The road from Oaxaca to Puebla? No problem at all, smooth as silk. Some nice scenery in the mountains between the states of Oaxaca and Puebla (Castaneda! Don Juan! Don Genaro! 😉).
We booked a pretty decent hotel for its reasonable price. It’s an old rustic-style house. The room is large and fairly comfortable, and it opens onto a patio, which is great for breakfast. And for a change, it’s quiet—no noisy guests here, and we’re shielded from the street by the massive stone walls of the house. We’re in a strategic location, in a lively part of the city between the market on Calle 3 Ote. and the Mercado Sapo. Plus, we’re only a 10-minute walk from the Zócalo and the cathedral.
Our first stop, guided by our stomachs, is the Zócalo, of course. The sides of the square are lined with beautiful arcades, and there are several restaurants. We have beers (1 liter each!) and eat some « chalupas ». The beer is okay (I’ve already commented on Mexican beers), but the « chalupas » are really good—it’s a discovery, 😛—and we get away with spending 200 pesos for two. You see, even in a fairly decent place, prices stay reasonable! 🙂
After eating, we cross the Zócalo. It’s a large square with great shade from exotic trees (who would’ve thought!). The beautiful fountain in the middle is working 😎: « In Mexico, there are always squares with lots of trees, lots of public benches, and especially lots of fountains that work well ». It’s been a while since I’ve hit you with one of those “in Mexico…” lines, huh! 😉
I’ll give you a photo of the end of Calle Cinco de Mayo on the Zócalo, with a beautiful building decorated with white moldings that stand out against the dark red facades. This street is very commercial and lively—worth exploring. We return from Avenida 2 Oeste to the Zócalo via the arcade of Ayuntamiento, which I think is the equivalent of city hall. There, I’m surprised by the flags hanging from a window. In the middle, of course, is the Mexican flag. On the left, I’m not entirely sure—maybe the Spanish flag? But the big surprise is the French flag proudly displayed on the right! It caught me off guard because—let’s open a history book—Puebla is one of the biggest symbols of Mexican resistance against the French aggression during the Second Empire under Napoleon III. The first battle, in 1862, ended in a defeat for the French troops led by a certain Charles Ferdinand Latrille, Count of Lorencez (described as an arrogant idiot in a movie I saw about this French “adventure”). However, Puebla was taken in 1863, and the French occupation of the city lasted a few years.
This “Intervention” certainly won’t be one of the proudest pages in our national history 🏴☠️😕 (we French). Despite these regrettable and painful events, it’s nice to see that Mexico maintains a positive attitude toward France. 🙂 At least, that’s the impression the symbolic act of flying the French flag here in Puebla gives me. But I’ll leave it to others more knowledgeable on the subject to elaborate.
Back to our stomachs: those « chalupas » were really just appetizers. So later, we venture into another restaurant that seems more local: the Pozolería Matamoros, located at the corner of Avenida Don Juan de Palafox y Mendoza and Calle 6 Norte. We head upstairs to a room that feels very “local” but is also clean. We each order a big bowl of pozol with a Sol. It’s an Indian soup made from boiled corn with thick slices of « rábanos », radishes. It’s not bad at all, and it’s filling. 😛 We pay our bill of 215 pesos and head back to the hotel because it’s been a long, entertaining day, and we’re beat now!
The French aggression during the Second Empire under Napoleon III. An initial battle in 1862 ended in defeat for the French troops, led by a certain Charles Ferdinand Latrille, Count of Lorencez (described as an arrogant idiot in a film I saw about this French "adventure"). However, Puebla was taken in 1863, and the French occupation of the city lasted a few years.
Hello Georges,
Actually, it wasn’t really an "aggression"... At the time, Mexico had an enormous debt with the USA, England, and France. The first two countries figured the Mexicans would never be able to repay it and wiped out the debt. But not France. Napoleon III sent the Legion and appointed Maximilian of Habsburg (cousin of Sissi) as governor of Mexico. This lasted 3 years.
Near Puebla is the village of CAMERONE, where the Legion suffered defeat against Mexicans ten times their number.
On your next trip to Mexico, don’t miss visiting QUERÉTARO, where Maximilian was arrested and executed by Benito Juárez. Mexico belonged to France for 3 years. 😛
And it’s to France we owe the famous mariachis. 😎
I read in one of your many posts about some high-quality hotels you recommended in Querétaro and/or San Miguel de Allende. But I can’t seem to find it again. Could you please share those addresses with me once more?
Actually, it wasn't really an 'aggression'... At the time, Mexico had an enormous debt with the USA, England, and France. The first two countries figured the Mexicans would never be able to repay and wiped out the debt...
But not France. Napoleon III then sent the Legion and appointed Maximilian of Habsburg (Cousin of Sissi) as governor of Mexico...
During your next trip to Mexico, you shouldn't miss visiting QUERÉTARO, where Maximilian was arrested and executed by Benito Juárez...
...
And it's thanks to France that we have the famous mariachis.😎
Hmm, the word 'aggression' might be a bit strong, but I'd be curious to know how Mexicans see it. From what I've gathered after some reading, there was quite a scheme on Napoleon III's part behind all this. And he had found a good pretext to get involved. What follows, I pieced together from a few Wikipedia pages, and sure, Wikipedia isn't always objective. But overall, it doesn't sound very 'correct' regarding France's role.
Since gaining independence from Spain, Mexico had been plagued by instability that financially drained the country. Mexican President Juárez acknowledged that Mexico owed 70 million pesos to England, 9 million to Spain, and 3 million to France. With Mexico's coffers empty, Juárez decided in July 1861 to suspend foreign debt payments for two years.
This was a golden opportunity for a powerful country like France to install a regime under its control and reap the benefits. According to Napoleon III, the solution was to put an end to the political disorder and establish an Empire.
By choosing an Austrian prince, Maximilian of Austria (from the Habsburg family, Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia), Napoleon III diplomatically compensated for his recent involvement in Italy. He had indeed supported Italian national movements against the Austrian Empire, which allowed him to annex the County of Nice and Savoy. After several military clashes (Magenta, Solferino), he forced Austria to cede Lombardy. But these Italian outcomes weren't very satisfying: on one hand, Italy, which owed him a lot, remained a weak and emerging state; on the other, he had alienated the Austrian and Prussian powers. You can see how the plan 'Maximilian of Austria installed by France as Emperor of Mexico' could fix everything for Napoleon III:
1) He would get back in Austria's good graces.
2) Once order was restored in Mexico, progress would follow, and Mexico would become the first industrialized country in Latin America and a prime destination for future European emigrants.
3) This plan could counterbalance the power of the United States in America by creating a Catholic Empire allied with France.
The geopolitical conditions were excellent in 1861: Mexico's debts and the attitude of Juárez's liberal government provided perfect pretexts for a 'legitimate' French intervention. Moreover, there was no need to worry about American intervention, as the U.S. was busy with the Civil War raging at the time.
A Belgian legion of 4,000 men accompanied the French. The future Empress Charlotte, Maximilian's wife, was the daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium. He thus wanted to participate in the expedition, both for family reasons and because he harbored colonial expansion hopes, as proven by a Belgian settlement attempt in Colombia. Charlotte was also a princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duchess of Saxe, granddaughter of King Louis-Philippe I of France on her mother's side, and cousin of Queen Victoria. Quite the pedigree!
The English and Spanish expeditionary forces, which had initially joined the French, abandoned the venture and left Mexico in April 1862, leaving the French (and Belgians) alone in their Mexican adventure. You might wonder why the Spanish and English, to whom Mexico owed much more than to France, dropped out while France persisted. This clearly indicates that, for France, there were other reasons besides the financial debt.
I've been to Querétaro. Lovely city. I didn't know mariachis resulted from French influence. At least France left something nice in Mexico!
For years I traveled around Mexico in a camper van, so I never had to worry about accommodation.
Since 2011, I’ve been exploring Mexico by car, but I’ve never stayed overnight in Querétaro...
However, there are at least two great hotels in San Miguel: Hotel Las Minas (expensive but fabulous) and Imperio de Angeles—cheaper but just as nice.
Generally, hotels in San Miguel are pricier than elsewhere (lots of tourists and Canadian/American residents).
I didn’t know that mariachis were the result of French influence. At least France left something nice in Mexico!
From what I’ve been told (I don’t check Wikipedia):
The French used to throw big parties at weddings and had a habit of inviting musicians.
Mariachi might be a distortion of the word mariage…?
Thanks for the reply! 🙂
I knew you’d traveled around Mexico in a camper van, just like we did in Europe over 25 years ago. I found another address you’d recommended: Hacienda Taboada (Aguas Tzermales) near San Miguel.
Starting from Querétaro, I’m planning a trip through the Sierra de Gorda and the Huasteca Potosina, all the way to San Luis Potosí in at least a week. I’ll probably have to bite the bullet and rent a car! 😐
I got back from my winter stay in Mexico on March 25th after spending 3 days in the HUESTECA POTOSINA. I’ll save that for another post so I don’t clutter up Georges’ amazing travel journal. 😛
We should make a list of all these myths spread for tourists, giving them the illusion of “understanding the country better” and adding extra depth to their trips. Because that illusion—that “extra depth”—makes people want to travel more, which fuels tourism. And where does that lead? Revenue, of course, but for whom?
I think I’ll start a discussion about this. I don’t think it’s been done before.
@Memphre: Would you mind if I quoted you if I start this thread, without using your name or username?
The streets in our neighborhood are charming, full of color and life. Bars, restaurants, shops—there’s everything. And then there’s the buzz, like that flamenco guitarist on the corner. Just a quick note: it *is* nice to listen to—and we’ve seen a few like him in Mexico—but it’s nothing like what you’d find in Andalusia! The same goes for the guitars: “in Mexico, you find guitar makers everywhere,” but I’m still waiting to see an instrument that matches the quality of Spanish guitars.
We arrive at the Plazuela de los Sapos, the “Square of the Toads.” There’s at least one toad here, decorating this fountain (“in Mexico, tra-la-la…”). There’s a flea market here, and it’s as friendly as can be—full of all kinds of bric-a-brac. The stalls are beautifully displayed, and we’re smitten with almost everything. 😎 Click, click, click—I take tons of photos. I’ll just share a small selection with you.
We cross the market, heading down Calle 6 Sur. On our left, a French restaurant called “Le Crapaud”—frog legs Provençal are probably on the menu? At the end of the street, across from us on Avenida 7 Oeste, there’s a stunning house with a façade reminiscent of Portugal’s azulejos. 😎 But I find this more interesting—the mix of red bricks and blue-and-white tiles, arranged diagonally instead of just horizontally and vertically. A unique twist on a style with Moorish origins, which might even trace back further (Iran, Central Asia)—we’ll never know who influenced whom.
We head back to Calle 3 Oeste, which leads straight to the Zócalo. There’s another market here, offering all sorts of interesting things. Two adorable Indigenous girls (I love their eyes and hair, so Asian-looking 🙂) sell colorful trinkets, including these “lazos” for hats—a kind of macramé. There’s a hat just begging for that kind of decoration. It’s the brown hat she bought in Teotihuacán, the one I placed on the Indigenous girls’ stall, adorned with the “lazo” she just picked out. See? It’s easy to find great hats in Mexico! These are the kinds of hats most Mexican women wear when they’re traveling in their own country. No need to wear “ridiculous” hats!
Today, we’re heading to the cathedral. Its two towers, the tallest in Mexico, stand right next to the Zócalo. The cathedral was founded in the late 16th century but completely renovated in the 17th century. Its facades, built from dark limestone, are impressive. I don’t have enough distance to capture the whole thing with my little camera, but I think my photos will give you a small idea.
The interior—there’d be pages to write about the interior! It’s stunning. From the entrance, we’re blown away by the massive wooden doors, cypress I think. They’re richly crafted with geometric panels that immediately remind us of what Spain inherited from the Moors and, of course, brought to Mexico. Magnificent. Imposing. 😎
It’s Baroque, so it’s quite ornate in terms of decoration, like this side door (closed) that leads to the choir and the organ: intricate colonnades and lintels, a wooden door with complicated panels, gilding, etc. Some might find it over the top. We think it’s magnificent.
We enter the nave and are blown away once again. The tall gray stone columns rise toward a multitude of domes. Several oculi generously let in daylight. The space is punctuated by massive, gilded candelabras. Despite all the decorative complexity, the whole thing is balanced and manages to convey a certain sobriety. I know some will disagree with that, but balance isn’t the same for everyone. It’s a bit like soup, right? Some like it lightly salted, others prefer it well-seasoned—never mind the pepper, chili, etc. you can add!
It’s Sunday, and a mass is being held, nearing its end. The Archbishop of Puebla heads toward an exit in a proper procession and generously sprinkles the congregation with holy water as he passes—Y and I even get a little shower ourselves. 🙂😉 The archbishop is a very smiling man; you can feel his kindness. He speaks to several people along the way. My Catholic upbringing helps me understand the emotion of the people, even if I’ve moved past the stage of blind faith (that’s an understatement). As for Y, being Buddhist, she’s open to anything that even remotely resembles religiosity. She’s in seventh heaven 😉 and doesn’t forget to join her hands (a Thai “wâi”) and cross herself when the drops fall from his aspergillum.
After these intense moments in the cathedral, we have the rest of the day to stroll through this magnificent city. Y tells me it’s her favorite so far. That says it all!
The metaphor of soup to describe the Baroque—you’ve got to be bold! 😎😎😎
The archbishop of Puebla heads toward an exit in a grand procession and generously sprinkles the congregation with holy water along the way—Y and I even got a little shower ourselves
A few more photos to show Puebla:
- 1) Avenida Don Juan de Palafox y Mendoza: a beautiful door and a lovely façade made of tiles. This is the "talavera" style typical of Puebla.
- 2) Close-up of these red terracotta tiles that nicely frame smaller tiles with floral patterns—a reminder of what you find in Spain (or Portugal).
- 3) A balcony topped with a striking pediment in exquisite pastel colors. I can’t remember where I took this photo, but it’s in the historic center.
- 4) The towers of "La Compañia Templo del Espíritu Santo," at the corner of Calle 4 Sur and Avenida Don Juan de Palafox y Mendoza. Impressive, right?
- 5) Details of the white stucco moldings on a dark red background.
- 6) The interior of this church. Baroque style similar to what I described for the cathedral. There must be differences, but I’m no expert, and the impression remains the same: it’s beautiful.
- 7) A "talavera" porch somewhere on Calle Cinco de Mayo, if I remember correctly.
- 8) Finally, there are tons of churches in Puebla, and almost all of them are worth a quick visit. But if there’s one you absolutely must see, it’s the church of Santo Domingo on Calle Cinco de Mayo. Built by the Dominican order in the late 16th century, I won’t go into another detailed description. It’s baroque, it’s beautiful. First photo taken from the entrance.
- 9) Second photo: the altar topped with a mind-boggling scaffolding of saint statues. Maybe not all the saints in creation are there, but it’s quite the gathering already!
- 10) Third photo: a magnificent pulpit. In white marble, I think, enhanced with deep blue geometric patterns that are vaguely floral. So classy! The Moorish influence is obvious—it’s quite reminiscent of Turkish baths and hammams from the Muslim world.
- 11) Finally, still in this church, we come to what has sometimes been considered the 8th wonder of the world, nothing less: the Chapel of the Virgin of the Rosary. A 17th-century masterpiece—the culmination of New Hispanic Baroque. It’s spectacular, with gilded stucco everywhere. Depending on your religious orientation, you’ll either be deeply moved or completely overwhelmed! 😎😇😮
- 12) The last photo: the chapel’s dome. No need for additional comments.
Y and I left this last church feeling pretty shaken by everything we’d seen. Maybe not completely overwhelmed, but hey, time for the nearest watering hole—it’s margarita o’clock! 😉😛
We only spent 2 days in Puebla, but what memories!
Our little breakfast served at the hotel, on our small patio, by the owner himself—a very friendly guy—wasn’t very filling, which is often the case in Mexico. So, we headed out for breakfast on the first day at Café Milagros on Calle 6 Sur. The interior is richly decorated in a very Mexican style, bursting with color—just take a look at this photo I took with my phone. On the menu, a skull invites us to “satisfy our heart” (“para un corazón contento”). 😉
By chance, we stumbled upon the Mercado de artesanías El Parián, in an alley parallel to Calle 6 Norte. Nice little market, maybe a bit touristy, but you can find all sorts of things that might catch your eye—clothes, bags, belts, etc. (photo). A few steps further, we came across a lively square full of cafés, another tempting spot, then the plaza of the Teatro Principal, where I took a photo of this beautiful fountain (another one!).
It started to get dark, and I hit the photo limit on my phone. The theater is that beautiful ochre-yellow building. This whole area seems to be mostly frequented by young people. Puebla is known for its student population.
The morning of our departure for our next stop, Cholula, we have a second breakfast at Casa del Mendrugo. It’s a café on Calle 4 Sur that we stumbled upon by chance. It’s a house built in the 16th century by the Jesuits and funded by alms, hence its name ("mendrugos" = "limosnas" or "alms").
It’s much more than just a café—it’s "the space where History, Art, Music, and Gastronomy vibrate in harmony." Quite the program! And then: "the cultural expression of the testimonies of past generations that blend with the current era and culture." I translate "testimonio" as "testimony," but I think it leans more toward "relics" or "vestiges."
Food comes first for us since we’re hungry! There’s plenty to choose from—just look at my plate: some beautifully presented chilaquiles (I think). And a cup of good coffee to go with it. 😛 Someone must’ve eaten something else too because the bill came to 290 pesos—way too expensive for just one person.
The room isn’t ordinary; it feels like what someone with great taste might set up at home. The walls are lined with shelves full of all sorts of knick-knacks. It’s nice—easy on the eyes. 🙂
When it’s time to pay, the young woman at the counter tells us we should check out "the museum" deeper inside the building. Free for us since we’re customers. Another pleasant surprise: it’s a real museum (with rooms for art workshops and lectures too). Since death holds a central place in Mexican culture, the first room is dedicated to it—so here we go again with another collection of skulls. We were starting to miss them! 😉
After a few weeks in Mexico, you’d think we’d have seen them all. But no, there’s always more to discover! We come across what I consider the museum’s masterpieces: engraved skulls. Yes!
Take the skull of the Lord "Word of Death." This skull comes from the Oaxaca region and dates back to the Postclassic period (900–1521 CE). Three photos: the whole skull; a close-up of the engraving; and once "unfolded," the engraving reveals a warrior (the colors are, of course, an interpretation). There are several objects like this, but one example should be enough. This Mexican fascination with death… Intriguing, isn’t it? And fascinating, right? 😇 😮
We’re full—both physically and culturally—after our visit to Casa del Mendrugo. Time to "grab our things" and head to our next stop, Cholula.
I know I’m repeating myself, but we really loved Puebla. 😎🙂 And we only scratched the surface. We probably only "tried" a third or a quarter of the historic center, which itself is just a tiny part of this city of 1.5 million people (double that for the metro area).
That’s all for today. Hasta luego, amigos!
PS: The phrase "Hasta la vista!" is a gringo invention. It’s a myth! 😉
I mentioned the "Sol". Along with the well-known "Corona" (not the virus!), these are my favorite beers in Mexico. They’re refreshing. 😛 I tried a few others but never found a truly excellent beer (I had the same experience in Colombia). However, I’ll give an exceptional mention to the "Indio" beer, first for its name, and for this special edition "Bienvenidos – Edición Muertos" which I find quite amusing
Actually, you can find more and more craft beers in Mexico, especially in Oaxaca. I’d already had an excellent beer from Tierra Blanca at a great restaurant (Zandunga) in Oaxaca. But before my last trip to Oaxaca in January this year, I Googled a bit and found several good sites about craft beers in Oaxaca. Thanks to those, I discovered a small bar near my accommodation that was the Oaxaca Brewing Company. Every day there were 5 different beers on tap. The bar is tiny, but the vibe and welcome are excellent.
Among the industrial beers, I like Sol, Montejo, Tecate, and Indio.
I mentioned the "Sol". Along with the well-known "Corona" (not the virus!), these are my favorite beers in Mexico. They’re refreshing. 😛 I tried a few others but never found a truly excellent beer (I had the same experience in Colombia). I’ll give an exceptional mention to the "Indio" beer, though—first for its name, and then for that special edition "Bienvenidos – Edición Muertos" which I found pretty quirky.
Actually, craft beers are becoming more and more common in Mexico, especially in Oaxaca. I’d already tried an excellent beer from Tierra Blanca at a great restaurant (Zandunga) in Oaxaca. But before my last trip to Oaxaca in January this year, I did a little Googling and found several good sites about craft beers in Oaxaca. Thanks to those, I discovered a small bar near my place called Oaxaca Brewing Company. Every day there were 5 different beers on tap. The bar’s tiny, but the vibe and hospitality are excellent.
Among the industrial beers, I like Sol, Montejo, Tecate, and Indio.
Craft beers have spread like wildfire over the last, what, 20 years? In Bangkok, you can find excellent microbrewery beers, and they’ve been around for quite a while (though the industrial beers in Thailand are pretty mediocre, to be honest).
Yeah, we really enjoyed the Sol (a bit like Corona) and also the Indio (see photo above). I’m not familiar with the others you mentioned.
We took a taxi to Cholula. It’s not far, just a dozen kilometers from Puebla, and it only cost us 120 pesos, a steal. We arrived in late morning and, despite the hearty second breakfast we had at the Casa del Mendrugo, we were already hungry. We dropped our things at the hotel and set off right away to explore Cholula.
It’s a small town that’s very easy to get around on foot. Everything is just a few hundred meters away. We naturally headed toward the Zócalo. On the east side, we came across a large religious complex, the Franciscan convent of Saint Gabriel. Construction began as early as 1540, even before the Spanish arrived in Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). The Spanish didn’t mess around—they razed indigenous monuments to build their churches. Here, it was a temple dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, the famous Feathered Serpent, that fell victim to their excessive religious zeal—one-sided religious zeal, of course, that of the conquerors.
First, there’s a chapel, the Capilla Real de Naturales. If you’re thinking “small” when you hear “chapel,” think again—this one is huge. Its massive, severe walls of black-gray volcanic stone are barely softened by cream-colored battlements. In fact, the building was almost completely rebuilt in the late 18th century. The interior is quite sober. The arrangement of columns and domes curiously resembles the style of a mosque. You might think of the Mezquita in Córdoba, for example.
Next, we arrive at the Chapel of the Third Order. Wow, the Spanish were really creative with names like that! A long cream-colored façade—already less austere. In a more distinctly Baroque style, check out the photo of the interior. The morbid obsession of Spanish Catholicism offers us a Jesus crowned with thorns, lying down but covered in a purple and gold cape.
Under the arches of the façade, now heading toward the main building, we find a dedication to the Virgin made of azulejo-style tiles. The message is quite striking:
"Most Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, receive the crown that Cholula offers you, you the Queen of Labor. Defend it (Cholula) from the communist peril and preserve its Catholic faith."
All signed by a dozen or so personalities, etc.
You might think this kind of proclamation reflects a bygone era—it dates from 1955—but something tells me maybe not. If I’m not mistaken, Latin America still has traces of the "Holy Alliance of the sword and the crosier." ¾ 🤪😇
Finally, here we are at the Church of Saint Gabriel, adjacent to the convent proper. I’ll just show you the entrance, topped by a single tower. In the background on the left is the Chapel of the Third Order we just visited. And no, that’s enough, I’m not going to tell you about this church! It’s all very nice, but let’s not forget our primary mission: finding something to eat. We finally reach the Zócalo. We walk around it without lingering and head to the other side. With any luck, it’ll be less religious and more down-to-earth!
On the other side of the Zócalo, there are several cafés and restaurants under arches freshly repainted in a brownish-red color (they were seafoam blue a few years earlier). My photo shows the parish of San Pedro in the background, a 17th- and 18th-century church. We don’t go inside—we’ve had our fill of churches for the day! We just enjoy the graphic design of its white walls punctuated by windows with brownish-red frames and topped by a tower in the same colors. The colors are fresh, too, because the church was a bright carrot yellow not so long ago.
A few steps further down Avenida Miguel Hidalgo, we stumble upon a restaurant that seems pretty nice, Casa de Frida Kahlo. The interior is a beautifully decorated courtyard. Flower pots surround a fountain from which not a single drop flows—a rare phenomenon in this country. A sort of flower bed makes for an amusing Japan-Mexico fusion: Japan is represented by a small pebble garden, while Mexico is a collection of brightly colored skulls (surprise, surprise). The staff, young and very smiley, and quite curious too, don’t miss the chance to strike up a good conversation with us. We eat some delicious arracheras. The meal plus drinks comes to the astronomical sum of 600 pesos—over 25 € for two, we’re splurging!
We pass by the Zócalo again, but this time we really cross it. This leads us to discover an outdoor photographic exhibition on a burning historical theme in Mexico: colonial aggression. A panel immediately gives us the gist (photo):
“To the 500 years since the desecration until our wisdom”
With these stirring words:
“They tore off our fruits
They cut our branches
They burned our trunk
But they could not kill our roots”
This is clearly about the deep wound still felt today by Mexico’s Indigenous peoples. Photos of a man in a warrior costume express the pride of these people.
Cholula was a sacred place for Mexicans. This city was their equivalent of Rome or Mecca. It was here that Cortés distinguished himself with a dark event: the Massacre of Cholula. On his march from the coast to Tenochtitlan, he stopped in Cholula. It was October 1519. Everything started peacefully: the city welcomed Cortés and provided food and lodging for his troops. However, the people of Cholula plotted against the Spaniards, incited by emissaries from Motecuhzoma, the Aztec emperor. They evacuated the women and children before taking action to get rid of the invaders. Motecuhzoma had sent 3,000 warriors disguised as porters. The Spaniards realized what was being plotted against them and struck first, resulting in the massacre of several thousand people.
This barbarity can never be erased, but it’s also important to understand the context. The Aztecs had certainly heard about the appalling way the Spaniards had behaved for a quarter of a century in Cuba and Santo Domingo, and they absolutely did not want to allow them access to their territories. Cortés, for his part, had only one goal in mind: to reach Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital (present-day Mexico City). These opposing intentions led to diplomatic misunderstandings and mutual distrust.
Moreover, the Aztec Empire was not perfectly cemented. It seems the Aztecs of Tenochtitlan exercised rather oppressive control over the peoples who were part of their empire. These peoples, therefore, did not hold the Aztecs in their hearts and were quite inclined to rebellion. From his arrival, Cortés had found allies among the Totonacs, the coastal people. He arrived in Tlaxcala, then Cholula, accompanied by 100,000 Totonac warriors (according to Christian Duverger, in his book *Cortés*). 100,000 warriors! From all sides, violent actions could easily be feared. And the Aztecs had a reputation for being fierce warriors. It didn’t take much for the Spaniards to become paranoid. A little spark was all it took to ignite the powder keg.
Some will see the Spaniards’ actions as an act of self-defense. Others will say the Spaniards were intruders and certainly didn’t come to do charity: they had no business being there. Personally, I lean more toward this side.
At least be aware of this historical context when visiting this part of the world. Ignoring it would be missing the point entirely.
In the early evening, on our way back to the hotel, a friendly bar catches our eye: the Mezcalería located on 6 Norte, at the corner of 6 Oriente. It must get lively later in the evening, but for now, we’re practically the only customers. Y quenches his thirst with a craft ale. As for me, still intrigued by local specialties, I go for a pulque. I’d already tried it once or twice, and I really liked it. It’s a drink that reminds me of "siasser wii", the Alsatian new wine enjoyed with walnuts and "büra brot" ("peasant bread"), or "sàátho", made with sticky rice and left to ferment cozily in rice straw in northeastern Thailand, or even "tuak", that palm wine from the Indonesian islands. 😛😉 Refreshing, lightly alcoholic drinks that go down easily—but watch out for the results… This one’s a tad sweet for my taste. All for 120 pesos.
The next morning, we head to the Pyramid of Cholula. It’s the largest pyramid ever built in Central America and, reportedly, the largest in the world. It’s far less famous than the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is taller but less voluminous.
The pyramid was built in several phases spanning over a millennium. It was dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl, the famous Feathered Serpent. You can see it from very far away. It’s one of Mexico’s most iconic postcard images: a beautiful orange church built at the top of the pyramid, standing out against the famous Popocatépetl volcano in the background. 😎 Without a doubt, the Spanish built this church to replace an indigenous temple they didn’t hesitate to destroy.
This first photo clearly shows why the Indigenous people gave the volcano its name: "Popocatépetl" means "the smoking mountain" in Nahuatl. The photo isn’t mine—I borrowed it from the museum we’ll visit later (I’m jumping ahead). You can’t see the entire pyramid here, just the top, but you’re struck by how it echoes the natural, majestic shape of the volcano. It’s not hard to see why Cholula, at the foot of the volcano, was a sacred place for the Indigenous people and why they built this pyramid there.
Cholula was also a place of paramount importance before the arrival of the Spanish. Two major trade routes crossed here, coming from Tenochtitlan: one toward the Caribbean coast and the other toward the Oaxaca region and from there to Central America. Cholula was already well-developed 2,000 years ago and must have had trade relations with Teotihuacán.
We approach the pyramid. Many people before us have had trouble seeing it as an artificial structure because it’s entirely covered in vegetation. We buy tickets to visit the ruins uncovered at its base—75 pesos per person. Let’s say it right away: you don’t need a ticket to go to the top and visit the church. The ruins might not be exceptional if you’ve already seen sites like Teotihuacán, Monte Albán, or Palenque. It must be acknowledged that archaeological excavations have probably only "scratched the surface" of the site so far. But now that we’re here, it’s a pleasant walk around the pyramid, and we have clear views of the church. There’s really only on the west side that you find something that looks like much of anything, probably the result of a recent reconstruction: the first two levels of a pyramid with a flight of steps, which isn’t unlike the pyramids of Teotihuacán.
As usual, there are several signs in this archaeological park explaining all sorts of things, in Spanish and English. They don’t fail to remind visitors of the tragic event known as the "Matanza de Cholula" ("Massacre of Cholula"). What’s said here about the Indigenous warriors who accompanied Cortés is completely different from what Christian Duverger says. According to the signs, he had an escort of 5,000 Tlaxcalan warriors and 500 Cempoalan warriors—Cempoala (or Zempoala) being the main city of the Totonacs. That’s far from Duverger’s "100,000 Totonac warriors." And given that later accounts only mention a few thousand Aztec warriors and a few thousand deaths (Aztecs and Cholulans combined), it’s safe to say that "thousands" is more realistic than "hundreds of thousands." I’ll paste the relevant passage from a sign here, in Spanish, but some of you might be able to read it easily.
The pyramid of Cholula isn’t at all like the other pyramids in Mexico: it’s covered in vegetation. A well-maintained path takes us to the top quite easily. The Spanish built the church of "Nuestra Señora de los Remedios" here between 1594 and 1666.
The view of the volcanic massif rising to the west is breathtaking. 😎 On the left, you can’t miss the famous Popocatépetl, standing at 5,426 meters, and to its right, the Iztaccihuatl, which "only" reaches 5,230 meters. In Cholula, we’re already at 2,150 meters above sea level, but these volcanoes tower over us with an extra 3,000 meters, just about 30 kilometers away.
These are the highest points in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba (or Citlaltépetl), which dominates the Sierra Madre Oriental at 5,636 meters, less than 200 kilometers to the east.
In my first photo, I carefully framed the Popocatépetl and the Iztaccihuatl between the cross and the angels at the entrance of the churchyard. This cross is probably quite recent. The ones the Spanish had erected before building the church were struck by lightning several times—was it the wrath of the indigenous gods?
In this photo, the cross marks the exact saddle between the two volcanoes. That’s where Cortés crossed the volcanic range to reach the valley of Tenochtitlan. Hence the name Paso de Cortés given to the pass, which sits at around 3,400 meters above sea level. The usual route was a bit lower and further north, but Cortés expected the Aztecs to be lying in wait there.
It might leave some people cold, but personally, I find all this history and geography absolutely fascinating. I can easily share in the Spaniards’ surprise and even awe when they first glimpsed the valley of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) from this pass. Let’s quote Bernal Díaz del Castillo, a companion of Cortés, who wrote the "Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España":
"We were struck with wonder. We said to each other that it all resembled the enchantments told of in the book of Amadis, with those great towers and stone temples rising from the water. Some of our soldiers said what they saw could only be a dream." 😮
If you look closely at this first photo, you’ll notice that the ridges of the Iztaccihuatl are snow-covered, while the Popocatépetl isn’t, despite being 200 meters taller. That’s because it’s semi-dormant—and it’s smoking! It lives up to its name! It even erupted a few weeks after our visit. No big deal, there’s no need to panic—the Popocatépetl has only had about fifteen major eruptions since the Spanish arrived! 🏴☠️😮😉
We tear ourselves away from this hypnotic view and turn toward the church. Since I’ve already written novels about Mexican churches, I’ll keep it brief this time: it’s pretty (it was extensively restored in the late 19th century). The interior: magnificent.
You two were lucky to get a glimpse of Popocatépetl. I think it’s usually pretty shy, right? Was that in November?
Maybe that view alone is worth the detour to Cholula.
You two were lucky to be able to see Popocatépetl. I think it’s usually pretty shy, right? Was that in November?
Maybe that view alone is worth the detour to Cholula.
Yes, it was around mid-November. Without a doubt, one of the landscapes that struck me the most. Plus, with all the Mexican context, it was pure joy.
"Worth the detour" is an understatement. Just think about it:
- Puebla = the wound inflicted by the French "intervention" in the 19th century
- Cholula = the wound inflicted on Mexico by the Spanish conquistadors 500 years ago
- The landscapes + the lively atmosphere + the architectural beauty, etc.
All of that packed into such a small area, in a way.
I don’t really see what interesting addition you’re making to this post. Just remarks like "I don’t like churches" or "Colonial Mexico doesn’t interest me."
Besides, what’s this definition "Colonial Mexico" in opposition to? Indigenous Mexico? It seems like a pretty narrow definition—these two sides of Mexico aren’t that separate. It sounds like something a travel agent would say:
"We offer the Colonial Mexico package in 7 days (plus one day of relaxation by the pool)… or "We offer the Temples and Indigenous Markets package (guaranteed authentic) in 6 days—with an optional 3 extra days at the beach."
Wrong! 😮
There was plenty about pre-Hispanic Mexico in this story—just look at the Cholula pyramid. There are also markets, food, history pages, and I think you’ve got some gaps to fill there! So this travel journal has something for a wide range of readers.
True, it’s missing the "paradise" beaches, but the author warned us, and I’m glad!
Mexico isn’t just the Yucatán Peninsula and the so-called Riviera Maya!
Otherwise, I’ll confirm you’re a pain, and that’s putting it mildly! And if you don’t like this journal, nothing’s forcing you to read it—or stopping you from writing your own! 😠
That’s the pot calling the kettle black. Your posts don’t add anything except negativity.
You don’t keep a travel journal out of modesty? Give me a break—you love bragging all day about how you’ve done this or that trip before everyone else, how you only travel in a certain "standard," etc...
You don’t like "colonial" Mexico? Who cares about your tastes—the world doesn’t revolve around you. And spare me the laugh about calling the Yucatán "authentic" when it’s basically Mexico’s money-making machine. You’ve got nerve.
Yeah, the Yucatán is a money-making machine, but I love it there—I adore its pyramids and attractions. For me, vacation goes hand in hand with comfort!
Le Mexique pour toujours après de nomb Les chiens aboient la caravane passe
I find this distinction some people make between a “Colonial Mexico” and “Other Mexicos” pretty artificial and, frankly, unproductive. But since it exists, it might be helpful to define what we’re talking about in such discussions.
Personally, I’d say “Colonial Mexico” refers to those regions where the Spanish left the deepest marks during the three centuries before independence. Naturally, we first think of cities most shaped by their architecture. That’s why a guide like Lonely Planet lists “Historic Colonial Cities” (page 27 of the 2019 English edition). Puebla and Oaxaca are on it: they’re the archetypes of the “colonial city” since they were founded by the Spanish—just a few kilometers from the pre-existing Indigenous cities of Cholula and Zaachila, respectively.
Does that mean when you visit Puebla or Oaxaca, you’re missing out on “another Mexico”? No, of course not. Just step outside the city, and you’ll find Indigenous communities. Take the Nahua people, for example—the largest Indigenous group in Mexico. What’s more, it’s in the state of Puebla that Nahua culture is best preserved. Just look at the 2000 census stats (population and Nahua speakers). I’m not dismissing the Maya world, but it’s not the only one!
But here’s the thing: we don’t usually explore the backcountry of Puebla state. There are no famous ruins (aside from Cholula) and, most importantly, no beaches!
I find this distinction some people make between a "Colonial Mexico" and "Other Mexicos" quite artificial and ultimately sterile.
This "non-distinction" applies to all of Latin America, which has the greatest blend of modern history: Indigenous, European, and African (Brazil, the Caribbean). Besides, colonial Mexico hasn’t existed since 1821. We should really be talking about Mexico’s colonial legacy.
….. Besides, colonial Mexico no longer exists since 1821. We should then talk about Mexico's colonial legacy.
Of course, strictly speaking.
But we say it that way to keep it short..... I hope all readers know we're not talking about some part of Mexico that, miraculously and mysteriously, remained a Spanish possession!
A heads-up for those who might be allergic to history and geography: don’t read on!
As for me, I can’t help but dive into what makes a country "tick," what lies at its core. Especially when it’s a country as fascinating as Mexico. It includes a bit of everything. Today, it’s once again about Cortés’s expedition and those volcanoes. It’s not exactly a trivial matter, you’ll agree!
Since I’ve already talked about it quite a bit, I’ll just add this map of the region from Puebla to Mexico City. I’ve annotated it to highlight 1) how the "valley" of Mexico is surrounded by a series of volcanic ranges and 2) the route taken by Cortés to reach the city of Tenochtitlan (the former Mexico City), in contrast to the easier route crossing the mountains further north but at a lower altitude (which, by the way, is the only proper road axis today coming from the east).
You can clearly see that the entire region is a high plateau. The only areas below 2,000 meters are at the very bottom left of this map. This map is actually just a small part of the central Mexican volcanic plateau.
There you go—I hope some of you will appreciate it. I did spend 2 or 3 hours on this! !
Bravo and thanks a ton +++ for this travel journal—it’s so thorough!
We’re planning a trip to Mexico, and all your tips are priceless because they’re already making us dream...
We were initially preparing a "classic" circuit in the Yucatán, but after reading your post... we’re tempted to set our bags down a little further west.
Looking forward to reading more from you!
Bravo and thank you +++ for this travel journal, it's so comprehensive!
We're planning a trip to Mexico and all your tips are precious—they’re already making us dream...
We were initially preparing a "classic" circuit in the Yucatán, but after reading your post... we're tempted to set our bags down a little further west.
Looking forward to reading more from you!
Thanks to you too! It’s great to know we’re making a difference! 🙂
Avertissement pour les « ceusses » who might be allergic to history and geography
I’m one of those "ceusses" who isn’t—quite the opposite, in fact! 🙂 I often sprinkle my travel journals with a bit of historical and geographical context, like this one:
https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=7640569;#7640569
But I worry about losing readers. I’m actually working on a third travel journal about Russia, and I’m wondering if I should water down the historical tea—it might taste too bitter for some! 😎
il me suffira d’ajouter cette carte de la région allant de Puebla à la ville de Mexico
What a beautiful job on the cartography and historical geography—complete with contour lines, no less! Bravo! 🙂
tout en bas et à gauche de cette carte
Southwest, basically! 😛
J’y ai quand-même mis 2 ou 3 heures de travail !
Oh, I know—travel journals are time-consuming, from experience. And some people don’t even realize it... 😕
I guess we’re slowly approaching the end of your travel journal!
The topic of Indigenous peoples, conquistadors, and the devastation they caused is inevitably recurring when discussing Latin American countries. It’s completely natural to feel a pang in your heart when thinking about what was destroyed, what was lost, and the conditions in which Indigenous peoples are marginalized today.
It’s natural, it’s understandable. I’m moved by it myself, like many other travelers. Nostalgia and regret are fine. But there’s also a tendency to romanticize what Indigenous peoples were really like.
Neil Young’s song « Cortez the Killer » is a perfect example. Let’s set aside the odd habit Anglophones have of using a « z » where there’s an « s » (like « Brazil » for « Brasil »—English and Portuguese). Neil Young said he wrote the song after reading several books. He must not have read them well, or those books were of questionable quality.
Let’s look at the lyrics:
2nd verse:
“On the shore lay Montezuma” “On the shore lay (or ‘stood’) Montezuma”
“With his coca leaves and pearls” “With his coca leaves and pearls”
Let’s overlook the odd use of « lay » (past tense of « to lie »), which means « lay » (as in, reclining). Why not « stood » = « stood, was standing »?
But there are two glaring historical errors: Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, was not on the shore waiting for Cortés. He never left his capital, Tenochtitlan, to meet the Spaniards on the Caribbean coast where they landed.
Second, coca use was not widespread north of Nicaragua. The Aztecs, however, chewed tobacco.
5th verse:
“Hate was just a legend” “Hate was just a legend
And war was never known” “And war was never known”
As romanticized distortions of Aztec civilization go, this is hard to beat! The Aztecs were an especially belligerent people. One of the reasons for their perpetual warfare with neighboring peoples was to secure victims for their human sacrifices. It would have been more accurate to say, « And peace was never known »!
And as for hate: the peoples they had subjugated in their empire did not hold the Aztecs in their hearts, as evidenced by how quickly many allied with the Spaniards to attack them.
This romanticization extends to Indigenous peoples of all kinds… or should we say, of all feathers? Once again, it’s the « noble savage myth » at work.
Stay polite yourself—I’d never keep a travel journal out of modesty; my memories are my own
Well, personally, I think everyone’s shown a lot of patience with you, and no one’s been rude. At worst, people just ignore your posts.
“Annoying”? Yeah, definitely… and *reaaaally* heavy-handed.
Oh, and one more thing: Stop sending me aggressive, unreadable PMs—I won’t reply. Thanks in advance.
Description du sejour:je vous fait un carnet dix ans apres mais mes souvenirs sont encore intacts. je ne vous donne pas de prix aproximatif d'abord parcqu'a…
J’adore lire les carnets de voyage sur les destinations que nous préparons ou celles qui me font rêver. J’y puise souvent de précieux conseils. A mon tour,…
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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!!!
Avant notre Départ
La préparation de ce voyage a commencé 9 mois avant notre départ au mois de Juin. Pour ceux qui veulent faire un circuit similaire, il est important de réserver les hébergements très tôt, surtout dans les campsites de l'Okavango et de Savuti au risque de ne pas avoir de place.
Présentation
Après avoir fait la Zambie il y a 3 ans ainsi que la Namibie et l'ouest du Botswana il y a 1,5 ans, le choix s’est porté cette année sur le Zimbabwe (Hwange NP) et la moitié nord du Botswana.
Le vol depuis Paris est à destination de Victoria Falls avec Ethiopians airlines et une escale à Addis Ababa. Location d'un 4x4 chez Bushlore à Kasane avec deux tentes sur le toit puisque nous sommes 4 pour ce périple. La compagnie Bushlore vient nous chercher à notre guesthouse pour aller récupérer notre 4x4 et surtout nous faire une présentation de la voiture et de son équipement. Faites vraiment attention à ce que l'on vous dit car cela peut s'avérer primordial en cas de problème comme ce sera notre cas pendant le voyage.
Notre Parcours
Nous sommes arrivés le 12 juin à midi à destination. A l'aéroport de Victoria Falls dès l'arrivée nous faisons l'acquisition de notre Visa à "Double Entrée" que j'avais au préalable réservé sur internet sur le site https://www.evisa.gov.zw/ .
Comme notre véhicule est positionné au Botswana, nous devons nous y rendre depuis Victoria Falls en franchissant pour la première fois la frontière entre le Zimbabwe et le Botswana.
Le lendemain matin, la compagnie Bushlore vient nous chercher à notre guesthouse pour aller récupérer notre 4x4. A la fin des formalités, nous prenons la route direction le Zimbabwe et la ville de Victoria Falls.
Le matin réveil matinal pour être aux chutes Victoria au lever du soleil. Superbe paysage mais comme nous sommes au début de la saison sèche, il y a beaucoup d'eau dans le Zambèze et donc un débit important aux chutes. Ceci ne permet pas d'en apprécier toute la beauté.
En début d'après-midi , nous partons pour Hwange NP dans lequel nous restons 4 jours. Deux jours à Gwango campsite près de Dete et ensuite deux jours à Robins Camp. Nous pensions voir plus d'animaux à Robins, en fait cela n'a pas été le cas. A Hwange, nous n'avons pas vu de prédateurs mais quand même une multitude de mammifères ( buffles, éléphants girafes, zèbres et antilopes).
Après cette incursion de quelques jours au Zimbabwe, nous retraversons la frontière à Pandamatenga pour retourner au Botswana. Une escale au Nata lodge pour une bonne nuit de repos car il est fatigant de conduire sur la piste.
Nous quittons Nata pour nous diriger vers Nxai Pan, la piste est sablonneuse mais c'est relativement facile. Nous faisons un petit crochet pour aller admirer quelques beaux spécimens de baobabs à "Baines Baobabs". Ensuite nous reprenons la piste pour nous rendre dans notre campsite le Nxai pan South camp. Il faut savoir que beaucoup de campsites au Botswana ne sont pas clôturés (sauf la partie douches toilettes) et que donc les animaux peuvent se promener librement au sein du camp. Quelques précautions sont donc à prévoir surtout à la nuit tombée.
Après cette halte dans le pan de Nxai, nous reprenons la route pour Maun. Nous avons décidé de faire une halte à Maun avant de rejoindre Moremi et le delta de l'Okavango pour trois raisons. La première était que nous devions faire le plein de vivres et d'essence pour les 5 prochains jours, la seconde parce que notre réfrigérateur est en panne (heureusement bushlore à une succursale à Maun) et la troisième que le trajet de Nxai à notre camp de Xakanaxa dans le delta aurait pris trop de temps. J'évite toujours de conduire à la nuit tombée.
Nous arrivons donc le 21 Juin en début d'après-midi dans notre camp de Xakanaxa. Ne voulant pas perdre de temps nous réservons une balade en bateau sur le delta de l'Okavango, départ à 16h00 pour une durée de 2 heures pour assister au coucher de soleil. Pour ceux que cela intéresse à droite de l'emplacement Xakanaxa X1 , il y a un panneau pour faire des balades en bateau. La personne qui les organise est très pro et pratique des prix sans commune mesure avec ceux des lodges.
Une belle balade dans le delta et un superbe coucher de soleil. Il est bien plus reposant d'être en bateau plutôt que sur la piste. Ce qui ne nous empêche pas de faire le matin et en fin d'après-midi le lendemain des self-drive avec notre véhicule.
Voici venu le moment de quitter la zone du delta pour nous diriger vers Savuti, une région bien plus sèche. Et c'est là que commence la partie la plus difficile de notre voyage. Tout d'abord, nous décidons de remonter par Khwai , la saison des pluies est terminée mais la zone est marécageuse. Cela nous oblige à traverser quelques petites zones d'eau que nous sondons pour vérifier que nous pouvons les franchir. Heureusement sur la route un panneau nous indique la route à suivre pour rester plus ou moins au sec. Nous arrivons à Khwai sans encombre et c'est ensuite que nous avons commis une erreur majeure. Au lieu de suivre la piste principale pour remonter vers Mababe Gate et rejoindre Savuti Camp, nous avons pris une piste rectiligne qui remonte plein nord et ensuite une piste sur la droite pour rejoindre notre camp. Erreur de jugement puisque nous nous sommes ensablés, une roue arrière enfoncée à mi-hauteur dans le sable et une autre à l'avant qui ne touche plus le sol. Au point de connaitre une véritable peur de ne pouvoir nous en sortir, le tout sur une piste déserte et à vingt kilomètres de notre point de chute quand la nuit va tomber dans deux heures. Là où ma recommandation d'être attentif aux instructions relatives au véhicule prend tout son sens puisqu'il a fallu utiliser le cric de levage afin de résoudre le problème. Bilan : nous arrivons au camp site de Savuti peu avant la nuit ( Distance : 146,3 km, Durée : 9 heures, 56 minutes et 3 secondes, Vitesse moyenne : 14,7 km/h , trace prise avec Osmand ). A la réception, la personne ne comprend pas par ou nous sommes passées, car en effet nous n'avons franchi aucune porte d'entrée de la réserve de Savuti.
Le lendemain matin personne n'a envie de conduire et nous faisons donc un game drive avec un guide. Je ne sais pas si c'est une forme de récompense mais la sortie est formidable. Nous avons le plaisir de voir trois lions et surtout une troupe de lycaons que nous avons le temps d'admirer et de photographier. Le lendemain, nous faisons un petit self drive et nous retrouvons un des lions de la veille qui se désaltère à un point d'eau. Fin de notre aventure à Savuti.
Nous partons maintenant vers Kasane. Nous restituons notre voiture et nous nous installons pour nos deux dernières nuits à Kasane. Le lendemain matin, comme nous n'avons plus de voiture, nous décidons donc de faire un dernier game drive matinal à Chobe NP qui se révèle là aussi plutôt réussi avec le suivi de deux lions qui sont frères et beaucoup d'autres mammifères. Le seul inconvénient de Chobe est qu'il y a beaucoup de touristes , cela nous change des autres parcs que nous avons faits. Ceci dit nous sommes nous-mêmes des vacanciers donc ... Le soir, nous faisons une ultime balade en bateau sur la rivière Chobe pour finir en beauté avec un très beau coucher de soleil.
Une bonne nuit de sommeil et pleins de merveilleux souvenirs, de paysages, d'animaux et d'émotions mais il est temps de repartir. Nous partons tôt le matin avec la même compagnie de taxi qu'à l'aller afin de franchir une dernière fois la frontière vers le Zimbabwe pour rejoindre l'aéroport d'où nous décollons pour rentrer en France.
Nous avons atterri à Victoria Falls au Zimbabwe et sommes allés directement au Botswana à Kasane pour récupérer notre voiture.
Notre véhicule est un 4X4 car en Zambie, il est pratiquement impossible d'utiliser autre chose surtout dans les parcs nationaux. J'ai déjà eu le plaisir de visiter le parc national de South Luangwa, c'est une des motivations pour ce voyage, la principale raison étant de voyager en Afrique avec un de mes fils.
Première étape Livingstone au bord du fleuve Zambèze, sur la route nous découvrons un restaurant très agréable chez Socrates avec un patron super sympathique (d'ailleurs à notre retour nous y ferons une autre escale). Nous faisons notre première nuit dans le tente de toit après un superbe coucher de soleil, accompagné du grognement des hippos dans le fleuve.
Le lendemain départ de bonne heure, direction Kafue NP. En fait les départ seront toujours de bonne heure, lever entre 5h00 et 5h30 du matin et départ une heure plus tard. Kafue est un parc méconnu, il est essentiellement boisé, les animaux sont craintifs car peu habitués à la présence humaine. Nous avons traversé le parc du sud vers le nord et avons croisé la route de diverses antilopes. Aux abords du lac Itezhi-Tezhi, on trouve des plaines et une faune plus facile à observer.
Après Kafue, direction South Luangwa. Ce trajet nécessite de faire des étapes à Mumbwa et Petauke. Deux étapes agréables où nous avons trouvé des lodges (cela change un peu de la tente sur le toit de la voiture) à des prix abordables et rencontré des personnes accueillantes.
South Luangwa est pour ma part le plus beau parc de Zambie, la rivière est magnifique, les paysages superbes et on y trouve une grande diversité animale y compris bien sûr les grands fauves. Un conseil pour ceux qui comme nous ne sont pas accompagnés d'un guide, si vous restez plusieurs jours aux abords du parc, n'hésitez pas à faire un "game drive" et ainsi repérer les endroits où se trouvent les animaux, afin d'y retourner le lendemain avec votre propre véhicule. Bien sûr en saison sèche, il faut privilégier les points d'eau pour voir les animaux et aussi avoir de la chance. La population d'éléphant est en croissance et nous avons eu la chance de voir au petit matin la traversée de la Luangwa par un soixante d'éléphants répartis sur plusieurs groupe. South Luangwa est le point le plus à l'ouest de notre voyage, nous repartons vers l'est afin de nous rendre dans le Lower Zambezi.
Le Lower Zambezi est la partie Zambienne de Mana Pools coté Zimbabwe. C'est sur le Zambèze que nous avons fait une balade en bateau pour voir les éléphants, hippos, crocodiles et une multitude d'oiseaux qui vivent au bord de l'eau et sur les diverses îles du fleuve. Le coucher de soleil est là aussi magnifique.
Pour notre découverte du parc, nous avons longé les cours d'eau en parallèle du Zambèze surtout sur la partie ouest (voir notre trajet). Le Lower est le dernier parc que nous visitons, la dernière étape de notre circuit sera les chutes Victoria.
Victoria Falls ou Mosi-Oa-Tunya (la fumée qui gronde), ces chutes sont véritablement impressionnantes même pendant la saison sèche. Nous avons vu les chutes à partir des deux pays, en Zambie pour la perspective globale et le pont qui sert de frontière, au Zimbabwe pour être au plus prés des chutes les plus spectaculaires.
C'est la fin de notre voyage, qui malgré l'explosion d'une roue sur la route aura été sans problèmes majeurs. La Zambie, un bien beau pays qui nous projette dans une nature sauvage et encore préservée.
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:
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...
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)
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
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.
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 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?
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!
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.
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.
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
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
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 even interest anyone other than myself (both for the discovery and the writing). But after a few people asked, "Are you going to write a journal?" and especially after rediscovering the joy of reading other travelers’ journals about Japan or elsewhere on this forum, I’ve decided to share my 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 again this year.
Since I regularly check flight prices to track fluctuations for this destination even without concrete plans, stumbling upon 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 much hesitation between exploring the San’in region (Matsue, Tottori, Yamaguchi) and Southern Shikoku, the decision was made—I took the plunge! The ticket is 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 better than in 2023.
Departure in 2 weeks! Now I just have to get everything ready!
Intense prep work over these next 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 revisiting beloved spots...
decide how much time to spend in each 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, but last year, we realized that last-minute options were pretty expensive, so we’re booking ahead—though we’ll keep a few options open in case 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—are we going to be drenched the whole time???
"What hard work," you might say! Going to Japan for a month—what a tough 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, there weren’t many seats left, so we’re only sitting together on the international return flight. Plus, on the way there, we have 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 already time to fly!
PS: I’ll be posting slowly and irregularly... so for those interested, be patient, and maybe set an alert...
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?
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).
---/---
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.
---/---
As a supplement, the route track.
Not necessarily ultra-accurate since Google has serious gaps for this destination...
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!
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.
Hi everyone,
We (two adults, 74 and 70 years old) had already shared a travel journal about our first trip to the Philippines in February/March 2019 on this forum (https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=9377175;search_string=carnet%20philippines). We had visited Manila, the Banaue rice terraces, Sagada, the Visayas (Bohol, Siquijor, Dumaguette), and on our way back to Luzon, the Taal volcano before returning to France. Delighted by this trip, organized by the French-speaking agency Alizé, we decided to further explore this beautiful country, this time focusing on Coron and Palawan.
Before writing this journal, I should mention that these are personal comments and don’t reflect any differing opinions. Without any literary or photographic talent, I’ll stick to the facts and share a few details about the visits, hotels, and restaurants.
Preparations
We decided to return in mid-January 2025 and consulted three French-speaking tour operators to create a trip based on our wishes (places to visit, type of accommodation) and budget. Comparing three operators helped us weigh their advice and make our choices. Only our first operator respected the budget, a second came close, and the third proposed a slightly more upscale trip. In the end, we chose the agency from our first trip. Our discussions helped refine our itinerary, and when we reviewed it point by point, the document provided was perfect, full of great tips. The most debated point was a 3-day, 2-night cruise between Coron and Palawan. We were tempted but worried about being the only "older" travelers among younger people and feared two uncomfortable nights. Reassured by our tour operator, we finally opted for this "exploration." We’ll come back to that later.
Once the choice was made and dates set, we booked our international flights with Cathay Pacific for 750 € per person, which offers the best schedules (short layovers) at an acceptable price for flights arriving in Cebu. Our trip started on February 25 and returned to Paris on March 15.
International flights
The round-trip flights went smoothly. Cathay does the job well, without frills. The service quality seems to have slightly declined compared to our previous trips with them. Hong Kong Airport is huge but very practical.
Note that not all airlines serve Cebu.
Recommendation: Fill out your Philippine entry form within 72 hours before your flight. This can prevent issues with the airline (possible boarding refusal) and saves a lot of time upon arrival (see the Philippine embassy website).
Domestic flights
For our two domestic flights—Cebu to Coron and Puerto Princesa to Cebu—our tour operator chose Philippine Airlines and their propeller planes. No problems there.
Day 1:
We landed around 12 PM (local time) after 17 hours of travel. A driver was waiting for us at the airport exit and took us to our hotel, intentionally chosen near the airport (Mandaue, about 10 minutes away) to help us recover and get a good night’s sleep before our early morning domestic flight the next day. The Mayoo Hotel, reasonably priced, was perfect for this. Large, beautiful room in a new building—clean, comfortable, with a spa. We could relax by the pool on the 16th floor and enjoy the city view. The breakfast was exceptional, and the staff was smiling, attentive, and helpful. An ATM in the lobby allowed for withdrawals. However, the hotel is in a neighborhood with nothing to see or do. We dined at the Korean restaurant K-GOGI across from the hotel—a real attraction and a great discovery.
Day 2:
After a restful night, we were driven to the airport around 6:30 AM for an 8:10 AM flight from Cebu to Busuanga (Coron).
The flight was uneventful. Upon arrival, we paid 200 pesos per person for the Coron tourist fee before a 40-minute transfer to our hotel: Natura Resort, located outside the city in a secluded spot. The setting is stunning—a beautifully maintained tropical garden, a pleasant pool, and the option to book massages. The cottages are tropical-style with thatched roofs, simple and unpretentious.
The owner, who speaks French, told us that given the heat and our ages, climbing the 721 steps to the top of Mount Tapyas wasn’t necessary. She gave us a few rooftop recommendations to watch the sunset over Coron Bay. After a good swim in the pool and a meal at the resort’s pleasant restaurant, we hired a tricycle to go into town. We were told it costs 150 pesos one way, and depending on the return time, it could exceed 250 pesos. But our driver gave us his WhatsApp number and charged the same price regardless of the time. He just earned two days’ worth of customers.
He dropped us off at the port where bangkas (local boats) gather for day trips. It was the end of the day, so there was a rush. A few shops around the port sold waterproof bags for marine excursions at reasonable prices (compared to back home), after some bargaining. We wandered the town’s alleys looking for the Top Hotel, whose rooftop is famous. Indeed, it’s perfectly located to admire the sunset and enjoy a refreshing drink.
We dined nearby at a small Chinese restaurant, then just had to call our driver to head back.
The night wasn’t entirely restful—our hotel had a soundtrack of all the countryside animals, and it seemed they had no set bedtime! :
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!
This travel journal summarizes a trip I took in March to Argentine and Chilean Patagonia. It starts in El Calafate and ends in Ushuaia. During my planning, I considered looking into the Australis cruise from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia, as well as the W trek in Torres del Paine National Park. In both cases, I was put off by the prices. Instead of the cruise, I found two interesting wildlife excursions from Punta Arenas: whale watching in the Strait of Magellan and observing king penguins in Tierra del Fuego. The journey to Ushuaia was by bus. For Torres del Paine, things were a bit confusing, so I reached out to two agencies. In the end, I went with a rental car option, overnight stays on-site, and day hikes. I shared my full itinerary with the agency and ended up being taken care of by a local Argentine agency and a Chilean one.
So, here we go...
Hi everyone,
Way back when, before the internet and all that, there were Larousse encyclopedias, and in the proper names section, I came across a photo of Samarkand. Just the name made me dream. I kept it in the back of my mind for later, and last winter, I revisited the idea. Within a few weeks, I managed to plan our 16-day getaway. Oh, I didn’t do it all by myself—I used a travel agency to handle the flights, accommodations, transportation, and local guide. It was a custom trip for three people, tailored to what we wanted to do, what we wanted to see, within the time we’d chosen, at our own pace.
The main goal of the trip was to visit the three iconic cities of architectural art in Uzbekistan (just for the sheer beauty of it) and, very secondarily, to take a break with a short hike.
We left in early May, flying from Toulouse to Istanbul, then to Tashkent:
- One day in Tashkent, 2 nights,
- By car (6 hours) to the Fergana region: Margilan (silk and pottery), 2 nights, with a guide,
- Back to Tashkent, then a flight to Khiva, 2 nights, 1 day with a guide, 1 day on our own,
- Train to Bukhara (6 hours, sleeper cars), 3 nights, 1 day with a guide, 1 day on our own,
- Train to Samarkand, 2 nights, 1 day with a guide,
- By car to Tersak, 1 night with a local family, short hike, same guide,
- By car to Shakhrisabz (Tamerlane’s hometown), then back to Samarkand,
- Samarkand, 2 more nights,
- Train back to Tashkent, final night, and return home.
What I took away from this Silk Road trip:
- A completely safe country in May—don’t go later because of the heat,
- The warm welcome and easy connection with Uzbeks, a multicultural people,
- A constant puzzle with currency exchange (how much is that in euros? ) 1 € = 14,000 sums,
- Logistics handled by a local agency—top-notch,
- Delicious meals at a very reasonable price,
- Total awe in Khiva and Samarkand (palaces, mausoleums, mosques, madrasas),
- The length of the trip, which let us wander and take our time.
A few photos, but not too many—I don’t want to spoil the joy of discovery!
After a first trip to South Africa in 2009 that enchanted us, we decided to return to this part of the world this year.
Given how much I enjoy reading others' travel journals, I'm mustering up the courage to try my hand at this kind of exercise (which I'm not used to at all 😕).
Thanks, of course, to everyone who answered my questions and helped finalize this trip...
So, it's decided—it'll be Southern Africa... but where, with only two weeks of vacation?
Victoria Falls, which we had to cancel in 2009 due to turbulent Zimbabwean elections, was automatically back on the itinerary (yes, I know some say "the falls, meh," but I wanted to see them 😛!). We added South Luangwa and ultimately swapped Chobe and Hwange for Lesotho.
We have no experience driving a 4x4, which limited our routes in both countries, especially since it's not yet the dry season... but that didn’t stop us from bringing back amazing memories.
Sunday, April 14: After a smooth flight (and even quite comfortable in BA’s brand-new 747), we land early in the morning in Johannesburg.
We pick up the car (a little Micra) and off we go toward Clarens, our first stop. We get back into the swing of driving (moving over to the right—sorry, to the left—to let others pass, flashing lights, hazard signals, "thank you," "you’re welcome"...).
I was expecting a small town, but Clarens looks more like a village: a large grassy square,
a few cars,
and dirt roads as soon as you leave the main street.
Still, we found the same quality of South African B&Bs here. We stayed at Patcham Place (the little white speck in the photo above is our Micra!).
We end the afternoon with a walk around Clarens and its surroundings. No doubt about it—it’s autumn...
Monday, April 15: We set off for Lesotho on nearly deserted roads, heading toward Malealea.
We quickly cross the border at Caledon Poort, and the atmosphere changes: more people on the roadside, animals, scattered huts... and lots of traffic police!
We still managed to get stopped four times! Mostly, after checking our driver’s license, it was just to chat for ten minutes or so (police aren’t like that back home!). Well, one officer wanted to fine us for not waiting for him to wave us through after I stopped at a stop sign. After some tough negotiations, he let us go 😇.
We leave the main road and find ourselves in wilder landscapes.
The road narrows until it becomes a dirt track. A short climb to the gates of paradise:
... and then it’s just a matter of descending toward Malealea.
Malealea is like a village within a village. You’ll find different types of accommodations, a canteen-style restaurant (no menu choices, but the food is great, and it’s a fun way to chat with others around big tables), and lots of activities offered in partnership with the locals.
We’re shown different rondavels to choose from... we pick this one:
Simple but clean and functional, with a private bathroom.
On the bed, "real" Basotho blankets.
We decided to stay two nights to have a full day there.
Tuesday, April 16: We opted for a four-hour pony trek to the waterfall—nothing difficult, everything is done at a walking pace, with just a few "slightly" steep climbs and descents where you have to trust the Basotho ponies (no worries, they’re sure-footed 😏).
The landscapes are truly stunning:
We walk down to the waterfall (which isn’t anything special—it’s the trek itself that’s worth it) and take the return path...
... crossing through Malealea village again.
We spend the rest of the day exploring the area, reading in the sun, and sipping marula coffee on the bar terrace.
We really loved the family atmosphere in Malealea and how the locals were involved in the activities.
Wednesday, April 17: We hit the road again toward Katse. The owner of Malealea advised us against taking our car through Theba Tseka (I know Chris did it last year around the same time, but since we’re not very adventurous, we’ll go back through Maseru and Leribe—oh well, we’ll just take the same route back from Katse).
Quick aside unrelated to the story: putting together a travel journal is taking even longer than I thought 🤪... so, the rest will come a little later...
The karst site:
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
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.
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!
A little sneak peek?
