Au vue des nombreuses reflexions qui sont nombreuses sur ce site du genre " Mais comment faire pour trouver un endroit sans trop de monde en Thailande ????' ou encore " Comment aller a la rencontre des tribus sans que cela soit a la suite de centaine de touristes???' je tiens a faire par de mon experience.
Je suis pour la premiere fois en Thailande et apres Bankok je suis alle directement a Um Phung apres avoir lu quelques lignes sur le Lonely et ecouter les conseils de Thuan ( Merci au passage ). Je n ai pas pris la formule classique 3 jours deux nuits avec visite des chutes, rafting et village tribal que proposaient tous les resorts mais en prenant mon temps j ai organise un trek de 5 jours avec les guides locaux pour rejoindre le village de Letonghku perdu dans la jungle. CETTE EXPERIENCE RESTERA INOUBLIABLE. Pour donner une idee, dans certains villages ou nous avons ete acueillis, ils n avaient jamais vus d europeens de leur vie et les elephants que nous avons vus servaient pour le travail du village et non pour ballader des touristes. Bien sur, cela demandait plus d efforts d adaptation avec les merveilleux gens du coins, pas du tout habitues a notre facon de vivre.
Donc sans rien connaitre de la Thailande et en se renseignant juste un peu on peu trouver des coins encore a l ecart et preserves des mauvais effets du tourisme et ce meme en thailande 😉.
le tourisme n, a pas que des mauvais effets, bien au contraire mais heureusement comme dit le proverbe qui se ressemblent s, assemblent et je crois que c, est encore plus vrai en Thailande .Ils ont des lieux communs et des discutions communes, ne vous inquietez pas vous les reconnaitrez .
Il est actuellement tres difficile de trouver des populations qui n, ont jamais vu de Farang, mais il doit en rester, , , les visiter doit etre une formidable experience .
Le probleme si j, ai bien compris c, est qu, il va vous manquer du temps pour ca car il faut du temps ...
Dans ce forum il y a des personnes d, experiences qui peuvent vous aider dans votre recherche, croyez moi elle n, est pas facile et tant mieux .
la vie a plus d, imagination que n, en portent nos reves .
Tu es responsable a jamais de ce que tu as apprivoise.
moi, j'y crois. En Thailande, les touristes suivent tous le même chemin, il existe une grande majorité d'endroits où aucun touriste ne se rend jamais, et comme beaucoup de thais ne voyagent pas du tout, il arrive qu'on se retrouve dans des endroits où ils ne voient défiler personne. A part un touriste un peu aventureux ici ou là ou le petit copain farang d'une amie de la famille...
Je connais bien le problème car je suis allé seul dans des villages à des journées de marche de tout chemin carrossable et où les gens ont rarement l'occasion de rencontrer d'autres populations. Mais quant à parler de gens qui n'auraient jamais rencontré de Blancs il ne faut pas exagérer et cela me fait sourire.
D'ailleurs la personne qui prétend cela dit dans le même temps qu'elle y est allée avec des guides locaux, donc j'imagine qu'elle n'était pas la première cliente !
Qu'il y ait des zones peu fréquentées d'accord, mais complètement coupée du monde NON. Une telle affirmation est de l'escroquerie intellectuelle ou de la naïveté !
J'ai un très bon ami qui a vécu 1 an en plein pays Karen, pres de la frontière birmane, parmi cette ethnie, dans les montagnes boisées est peu fréquentées du Nord-Ouest de la Thailande. Cependant même dans ce secteur, les autochtones voyaient régulièrement des Européens (notamment une mission catholique) et les gamins étaient souvent vétu d'unmaillot de foot de manchester United ou du Real Madrid. Par ailleurs, ce type de maillot semble très pratique dans ce genre de pays : confortable, facile à laver et sèche vite ! Je vous le conseille, même si ca ne fait pas très routard 😛
Bon, je m attendais pas a autant de sceptiscisme. Pour vous repondre je dirais :
J ai toujours pu faire l objet d un petit mensonge generalise entre guide, vieux chef du village et sa femme, organisateur du trek etc..., mais j ai du mal a y croire.
Je n ai jamais dit que tous les Karens que je rencontrais n avaient jamais vu de blancs, donc je precise : Deux vieux d un des village ou on a dormi sans que cela soit prevu n avaient jamais rencontre d Europeens ( j ai pas dit blanc) ca restreint bcp mais donne une idee de la frequentation quand meme ....
Pour les guides locaux, disons qu ils etaient surtout interpretes et qu ils demandaient a des gens des villages de nous accompagner ( ce qu ils faisaient avec plaisir car une grande celebration avait lieu a Letonghku justement dons ils devaient y aller) Un des guide n y etait jamais alle, l autre une fois et par une autre route. J ai tendance a les croire au vu du nombre de fois ou on s est paumes sans aide local. Le boss des guides etaient tres interresse par cette nouvelle voie jamais empruntee et prevoyait de le refaire dans trois moi avec un groupe eventuellement.
Enfin ca fait bcp de justification pour une petite phrase ( a laquelle je crois encore😛), le seul but de ce post etait d informer que certains endroits en Thailande sont vraiment peu frequentes et qu on y fait de trekks et des rencontres extraordinaires. Pour les sceptiques de la premiere fois je n ai qu une chose a dire, venez voir vous meme
PS : Dans tous les villages ou j ai ete heberge je n ai jamais vu un seul maillot de Foot, mais toujours des habits traditionnels, cela faisait surement parti d une grande conspiration organisee par l office de tourisme je suppose😉.
Tu as raison de te défendre Céline, et les explications que tu donnes dans ce deuxième message devraient convaincre tous les sceptiques. La plupart de nos amis routards ne sortent visiblement pas beaucoup des circuits très "touristiques", même lorsqu'ils pensent le faire. Toutes les personnes qui ont circulé un peu en Asie ont eu le même type d'expérience que toi. Cela m'est arrivé à plusieurs reprises dans le sud du Japon au milieu des années 80. Certaines personnes qui n'avaient jamais vu de blanc voulaient toucher mes bras. Et je ne parle pas de la Chine, ou bien du Laos et du Cambodge ou il est très courant de rencontrer des gens qui n'ont jamais rencontré d'européens (même si ils ont parfois rencontré des blancs).
Ton Trek devait être super, et si je retourne en Thailande, je te demanderai surement plus d'infos. En tout cas merci de nous avoir fait partager ton expérience.
Mon conjoint et moi partons pour la Thaïlande dans trois semaines et nous envisagions d'aller faire une expédition dans le coin de Um Phang. Tu mentionnes dans ton post que tu as choisi un circuit de 5jours plutôt que l'expédition classique... Pourrais-tu me donner des renseignements sur la manière dont tu t'y es prise pour organiser ton trek? As-tu le nom de guides locaux à me conseiller?
Merci de ta sincerite. Je reviens moi meme d'un tel trek au Myanmar, et evidemment certaines personnes n'ont jamais vu d'etrangers.
Pourrais tu STP me donner les coordonnes de ton/tes guides, car je souhaite etudier la culture de ces villages et sans touristes de preference.
Bonsoir j'aimerais partir 2 mois en thailande
Pourais tu m'aider en me donnant quelque conseil avant de partir je voudrais éviter les touriste que nous sommes
J'aimerai partir de Bankok vers le nord est puis remonter le long du triangle d'or
passer par chiang khong, chiang mai, sukhothai
Puis retour sur bankok pour les iles pendant 15jours, 3 semaines
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I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
Can anyone give me some info on this?
Thanks!
hi how can I get internet when I arrive at Haneda? I mean in areas without free wifi. Is it more interesting to buy a SIM card? If so, at the airport? thanks for your help
We're planning to go at the end of November/beginning of December to visit (with a rental car) and hike on La Palma and El Hierro for 15 full days, including 1 day for inter-island ferry transfers. What’s the best split between the two islands—8 days on La Palma and 6 on El Hierro, or even more time for La Palma? Should we have one or two home bases on La Palma? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi there,
I’m planning to cross the Gourgs Blancs Pass at the end of the month, from La Soula Refuge to Portillon Refuge. On this section near the pass, I don’t have any trail marked on my IGN map. Is the path well signposted, or should I use a compass?
Also, beyond the physical effort, are there any technical, exposed, or vertigo-inducing sections on this part?
Since I’m finding very little info, I’m being thorough with my questions.
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
hi there
I’m heading to Uzbekistan for three weeks from mid-September to mid-October 2026—a country I haven’t visited yet.
I’d love to do a few multi-day hikes in the mountains without going through a tour operator or hiring a guide. Has anyone here done this?
It doesn’t have to be all trekking; day hikes are great too.
I’m open to any tips!
Also, I see there are lots of train options if you book well in advance—does that only apply to the "fast" trains? Are there buses as well?
Hello,
In mid-November, we’ll be in Mindelo and Santo Antão.
We’ve booked transportation with Kapverden Tours.
One trip is from Porto Novo to Ponta do Sol, including the hike from Corda to Coculi.
What’s the trail like?
Then we’ll be staying in Ponta do Sol,
Here’s what we’re planning:
A hike to Fontainhas—what’s the best direction, considering we’re not great with climbs? No problem with flat terrain or descents.
Take an aluguer to Ribeira Grande and continue along the coastal road.
With the agency:
An excursion to Cruzinha with a short walk.
Return to Porto Novo via the path from Cova to… I’m not sure where yet, to pick up the car for Porto Novo, since we’ll be taking the ferry that evening.
We’ll have a guide for this hike.
We’d love to spend a day in Tarrafal, but getting back requires a boat or taxi, and it’s really expensive!
We’re a couple, 78 and 76 years old.
What do you think of this itinerary?
Not very well known: Hokkaido Island has national parks that rival those in North America. Hiking there is free (even many mountain huts) and requires no formalities. These treks are described in the LP *Hiking in Japan* guide—you can just buy the Hokkaido PDF. It’s way better than Mount Fuji. Of course, everything depends on the weather, which is very unstable in the Japanese mountains (frequent strong winds). The trails are often obstacle courses.
The Daisetsu Zan traverse is a stunning hike through volcanic terrain with a remote section in the middle that requires at least one night of camping (there are basic huts for the rest, which is popular with Japanese hikers): 4 to 6 days.
The Shiretoko traverse takes 2 days with views including an island in Russia, but the ridge is brown bear territory—there are even more here than in Denali National Park in Alaska (brown bears and grizzlies are the same). I ran into 7 in just 6 hours of hiking!
Hi,
Since I can't take on long treks, I'd love to know if there are any nice hikes around Pokhara—or maybe in another region of Nepal. Day hikes or two-day trips would be perfect.
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hi everyone,
I’m leaving on Monday, August 3rd for my very first long-distance trek: the GR223 from Coutances to Mont Saint-Michel, over 6-7 days (~11-14 miles/day), solo.
I’m looking for tips from people who know this section well (Coutances → Regnéville-sur-Mer → Hauteville-sur-Mer → Bréhal → Granville → Genêts → bay crossing):
Budget-friendly accommodations: I’m struggling to find affordable stopover lodgings (a lot of what I find online are expensive vacation rentals, not really suited for a solo hiker). If you have any great spots (hostels, hiker-friendly B&Bs, nice campgrounds), I’d love to hear them!
Bay crossing: Any feedback on guides/providers leaving from Genêts for the final crossing?
General tips for a first long-distance trek: What you wish you’d known before your first time, pitfalls to avoid, etc.
Hi,
We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
I'm heading out on a fully self-sufficient trek in Morocco (10 days) from Imilchil to Aghbalou.
Can I find screw-on gas canisters (Coleman, Primus) in Marrakech (any addresses?) or in villages between Imilchil and Aghbalou?
If not, are Butagaz canisters for camping gas (small 230g size) available?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
I’d love to know if anyone has done treks in the Rwenzori Mountains and how much it costs on average, what the infrastructure is like, the landscapes, and safety in the area. Thanks so much! I’m really looking forward to your replies.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Hi there,
I’m planning to go hiking on this island and would like to know the best time to do it. I visited for a few days in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains. So, is a star-shaped itinerary doable if I rent a car and maybe use two different accommodations?
I’m not planning to join an organized group—just traveling with one other person and organizing things ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide. Finally, even though I’ll be getting maps, a topo guide, and a GPS, I’d really appreciate your top hiking recommendations.
Thanks so much for your tips!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
Hi there, I’m planning the Annapurna Circuit for March 2027 and I’m looking for a local agency with a local guide—preferably French-speaking—to arrange this trek for us. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello!
We’re spending a few days in Toraja country at the end of May. We’d love to do a day trek—taking our time—on a route that’s stunning in terms of scenery, but not a level 5 in difficulty!
Any suggestions you can share, please?
Thanks in advance
I’d like to do the Mare a Mare Sud in May over 4 days. I’ve found quite a few places to stay along the route, but I’m stuck on the start and finish.
I’ll be arriving by plane on Sunday evening and would like to start pretty early on Monday morning. Ideally, accommodation right at the trailhead (Alzu di Gallina) would be amazing, but I can’t find anything. Any tips?
Also, for the transfer from Figari Airport to Porto Vecchio or Alzu di Gallina?
At the end, I’d like to pick up a rental car—any advice on that too?
