Voila mon sejour aux Phils touche bientot a sa fin, etant donne qu`on ne trouve pas souvent de recentes infos sur ce pays j`actualise un peu la situation.
D abord 2 semaine de sejour comme ce que je fais c` est tres court limite trop court le temps dans les transport est long et eprouvant ne se limiter qu a 2 iles et prendre son temps car les philippins sont adorables.
Le Ceres Bus, prenez des cachets contre le mal des transport car je n ai jamais vu un bus ou on est autant secoue.
Bemol pour le Lonely qui recommande la Harold Mansion a Dumaguete City. Certes ce n est pas cher mais les chambres sont vraiment HORRIBLES (surtout les moins cheres sur le toit), on se demande comment ils osent proposer ca aux gens.
Manille: Surpolluee, surpeuplee, sale, un traffic insuportable, j ai pourtant bien aime la capitale des philippines qui a en elle meme beaucoup plus de charme que Kuala Lumpur par exemple. Bon le bemol pour le traffic routier ou il faut 1h pour faire 1Km a Manille, quelle que soit l heure de la journee. Prevoyez de la marge si vous allez a l aeroport.
Boracay: Rien a redire sur la plage White beach, superbe, a voir. Bon apres on reste dans le classique plage+ fete non stop avec des rabatteur partout, prostituees, musique a gogo et j en passe. Boracay est pour moi un lieu pour backpacker aises. Les prix ne sont pas donnes, et la clientele est plutot de classe moyenne. Rien a voir avec Koh Phan Gan par exemple. Ideal quand on est en couple.
Je residais a la Isla Bonita, station 2, 800p la nuit (oui j ai un peu craque la) par contre chambre superbe, spacieuse, personnel tres sympa, cadre enchanteur au bord de la plage. Tres peu de touriste europeens en ce moment par contre c plein de Coreens et chinois.
Bacolod City: Just un stop de 2 jours, pas grand chose a voir dans cette ville. Logement a Pension Bacolod, 11St, 270P la nuit dans une chambre avec 2 lits/fan/sdb. Tres bon rapport qualite/prix personnel super cool.
Siquijor Island: PARADISIAQUE, superbe vraiment un coup de coeur pour cette petite ile ou tout le monde vous sourit, peu de traffic sur les routes, decor superbe, foret, belles plages snorkelling, plongee, tout est faisable ici.Je reside a Villa Marmarine, super. Bungalow qui donne sur la plage, vu magnifique et je tire mon chapeau au personnel et aux gerant de cet etablissement qui sont d une gentillesse IRREPROCHABLE, service impec, bref tout est parfait ici.
Prix: je paye 500P par nuit pour bungalow avec 2 lits, fan, sdb avec eau chaude + frigo et tele donc tres bon rapport qualite/prix .
Voila encore 2 jours a passer ici avant de repartir en Thailande.
etant donne qu`on ne trouve pas souvent de recentes infos sur ce pays j`actualise un peu la situation.
😉Non exact.....Un peu osé ici sur ce site qui donne des informations de dernieres actualités!!!......un peu prétentieux aussi ;excuse moi!
j`actualise un peu la situation.
valable , je confirme et signe;
expérience phil;2006/2007/2008/2009/2011.et deux mois /an
Lit AUSSI, les infos des expat qui se cassent le bol et de mon ami Lemonk encore au phil s pour quelques jours aprés 5 mois sur place!!
Combien de temps est tu resté??
Bacolod est une ville animée sympa:ne serais ce manger au PALA PALA un bon poisson ou des fruits de mer et partir en expédition au kanlaon ou au Mambukal resort puis sur Sipalay et sugar beach ou rejoindre Dumaguette par la cote ouest par tambobo bay.
Bacolod pension est effectivement ;une excellente adresse, déja signalée ici!
Boracay est aussi un lieu de destination de vacances familiales pour les philippins avant tout.les Philippins de Manille, Bacolod ou ILOILO proches aiment y faire la fete.
Quand à Siquijor rien de bien neuf dans tes propos;les tous les derniers posts ici confirment la bonne impression que nous avons aprés avoir séjourné ici......et Siquijor a beaucoup de petirts soeurs;Romblon;Bantayan, Caminguin, Camotes, Suriago et autres.
Néanmoins merci pour ton report mais relis ce site, tu conviendras de la fiabilité des informations bien récentes sur ce site sur les Philippines!
Ce qui entraîne ma réaction!.....Pas d'accord
Nav😉
Comme dit Nav on trouve en effet déjà beaucoup d'infos sur ce forum ; mais ça n'empêche pas : merci pour ton report.
J'ai une question, où as-tu dormi à Siquijor ? Ca m'intéresse, j'y vais en famille dans un mois et demi.
A Dumaguete, tu n'as pas testé une autre adresse que le Harold ?
Et sinon, tu n'as pas eu trop de pluie en juin ?
Merci d'avance ! Bon retour.
Julien
Une bonne adresse à Dumaguette: Coco Amigos restaurant hotel ; très bon rapport qualité prix;une adresse sympa pour dîner avec ambiance, musique, chanteurs.
Sur SIQUIJOR à Larena;coco Grove même propriétaire que Coco amigos, Coral Cay resort et plein d autres plus simples et plus cheap.
Beaucoup de pluies en ce moment depuis 3 semaines et un peu partout aux Philippines;informations transmises , ce jour depuis Manila et Cebu;il y a 2heures!
Les infos ici sont à jour!
Derniéres news😉
Nav
temps gris mais quelques ondees parfois en fin de journee , on va dire temps maussade mais il fait pas froid!!!lol
l'habagat est de retour a panglao vent qui fait houler cette mer de bohol et qui interdit toute plongee sur alona toutes les bangkas vont mouiller a doljo beach et plonger sur ce spot , balicasag alona ou pamilacan etant proscrit quand il y a ce vent
a part la vie est belle c'est mort ici en juin on en profite pour refaire le nipa et quelques travaux en attendant juillet
Je ne comptait pas passer pour pretentieux comme tu dis, enfin je passerais plus de temps a fouiner sur ce site ;p
Je ne suis, malheureusement, rester que 2 semaines, beaucoup trop court a mon gout, j imagine qu il doit y avoir d autres iles comme Squijor, dommage que je n ai pas plus de temps ici, ca sera pour la prochaine fois.
Et pour la meteo sinon ici a Siquijor, nuages/eclaircies, quelques averses le soir.
Ici, Quezon près de Lucena de la pluie depuis 3 jours. petite accalmie ce matin mais la pluie viens de reprendre. 11h30.
Voila pour des nouvelles fraîches. 27,2° C et 75 % d'humidité. On avais eu un début juin pourri également.
A +
coco amigos : d'accord pour l'ambiance et la musique, mais la nourriture est quand meme très moyenne, sinon pas terrible. à dumaguete, je logeais au palwa, qui sera d'un très bon rapport qualité prix quand les travaux seron terminés.....et il y aura un ascenceur !
sur siquijor, je croyais que le coco grove était après san juan en allant sur lazi ? j'ai passé quelques jours au coral cay, très bien pour les bungalows sur la plage, les chambres bon marché pas terrible. mais un bar superbe face à l'océan, et un cuisinier très ouvert sur les suggestions ( j'ai meme cuisiné avec lui ). quand meme un endroit pour routards aisés.
Merci à tous pour les réponses.
djackx67 ; à Siquijor c'est bien à la villa Marmarine que tu étais ? Tu parles de 500p la nuit, mais sur leur site ça commence à 1000p... Faute de frappe ?
Merci et bon voyage en Thaïlande 😎
Salut a tous:
Djacks bonjour😉 !
Seuls tes propos concernant les informations obsolètes sont vexants😉 et tu es le bienvenu sur ce site qui nous fait vivre les philippines en direct.
Tu le constateras ce site est bien vivant.
Salut yannick!
Si je comprends bien c 'est l'hivernage!!! quelques Nippas à remplacer, des vernis à refaire, de l'entretien...ça occupe un bonhomme!
Les conditions athmosphériques ne sont pas superbes sur Luzon deLegazpi/ Naga à Manila les typhoons se suivent et surtout les pluies tropicales qui font monter le cours des rivieres et produisent des glissements de terrain;
Les Visayas sont toujours plus protégées.
Bonjour cottetcottet
Effectivement le Coco Grove est bien situé entre San juan et lazi ;plus prés de San Juan;
J'y ai séjourné 5jours en 2006 et j'y ai gardé un excellent souvenir .... a cette époque , un excellent rapport qualité prix....un bungalow à 2000 php que nous partagions à deux!1000php /personne , celà a bien changé mais l' adresse est bonne!
A priori Joy reste la manager ;les tarifs plus élevés mais de bonnes prestations et une excellente nouriture à bon tarif.
En ce qui concerne le Coco Amigo , effectivement , la nourriture n'est pas mauvaise mais quelconque;
le soir l ambiance est toujours très sympa!
passage en 2006/2009/2010.
effectivement, Coco groove se situe bel et bien peu après San Juan, en allant vers Lazi, mais un peu avant, on passe devant le Royal Cliff Resort, endroit très bien où j' ai résidé, moins cher que Coco, ils ont un site , www.royal-cliff-resort.de.tf
Quant à Dumaguete, je viens de retrouver l' adresse de l' hôtel , très bien situé , que j' ai bcp apprécié, mais qui n' est dans aucun guide, si je ne m' abuse, et découvert en suivant les conseils d' un moto-taxi driver (ou:rider, in proper english ?)
il s' agit du Grand Pensionne Plaza, San Jose street (tels 225 1577, 422 6876 )
Non pas de faute de frappe. Quand je suis arriver a Villa Marmarine j etais le seul resident donc il ma fait 50% de reduc mais oui sinon c est 1000P par soir. La chance m a sourit je paye que 500P. ;P
Bonsoir;
Non pas le Coco Grove offre toujours un bon rapport qualité prix et à plutot augmnenté la qualité de ces prestations, mais offre encore pour 2500 php de bonnes prestations dans les anciens bungalows qui ont un peu viellit mais en tant que guest ;on benéficie de tout ce que apporte le resort y compris sa plage....On est loin du 7500 php/jour du resort de Badian island au sud de Malboal tenu par un allemand qui monopolise l'ile et interdit toute construction d autres resort sous le couvert du gouverneur du coin, lui meme protégé par Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ancienne présidente des Philippines qui vient y passer quellques jours de vacances chaque année.
une journée sur place dans l'ile est facturée 3500 php /personne!!!
Pour mon avis , le coco grove se détache de plus en plus de son image de resort confortable mais à la mode des philippines primitives béneficiant d'un cadre superbe ;son immense palmeraie!
La clientele devenant uniquement internationale, dommage!
Dans notre pays ;il est impossible de trouver de telles prestations et un tel cadre à ce prix.
Nav😉
une nuit dans un formule 1 dans une zone industrielle en france coute de 31 A 37 euros mini !! je sais que les taxes et la vie est plus cher mais bon !!
arretons !! pour certains de vouloir ds chambres a 5 ou 1O euros avec le confort !!c'est une epoque revolue exepte des endroits isoles en asie il est plus que difficile de trouver un couchage decent a moins de 8 euros
je me rappelle en 1975 dans le rajastan on payait 100 francs la nuit dans un palais de maradja refait en hotel , d'apres des clients les prix ont beaucoup changes!!lol
En Thailande oui trouver des chambres a 5 euros avec le confort c est revolue mais dans le reste de l Asie (je ne sais pas pour le Vietnam) on trouve toujours des chambres pour 5 euros, voir moins, avec le confort. Il faut juste un peu chercher , mais c`est vrai qu` a moins de connaitre l`endroit, apres des longues heures de transports, on a plutot tendance (pour ma part en tout cas) a se laisser "guider" par les rabatteurs vers la guest house pour laquelle ils bossent quand on arrive dans une ville.
Et qui ne sont souvent pas a 5 euros la nuit.
Mais heureusement qu on est pas encore a 30 euro la nuit dans un formule 1 dans ces regions ;p
Mais au Laos par exemple 4 euro la nuit aura ete le max que j aurai depense, surement un des meilleurs pays ou l `on trouve encore des prix tres bas pour un confort plus que correct sans parler du personnel toujours devoue et aimable.
Les prix ont sûrement changé, mais lors des nos voyages en Indonésie en 2004 et 2005 la chambre double dans un hôtel sans aucun luxe mais correct et propre était entre 30.000 et 60.000 (avec 12.000rp pour 1euro) un bon petit déjeuner compris. Plus de 5 euros, je ne crois pas qu'on l'ait fait une seule fois en 3 voyages. Bien sûr, il serait absurde de réclamer du "confort" dans ce cas là : eau froide et sans clim. Les Philippines semblent plus chères mais il semble aussi que ce soit pour un confort supérieur. Dans ce cas là il serait malhonnête de réclamer que les gens se ruinent pour nous faire la chambre à 5e.
Le Vietnam est bien moins cher que les Philippines ex. a Phu Quoc un beau bungalow en dur de grande taille se loue de 10 a 20$ la nuit, et pour 30-35$ on a deja accès aux hôtels 3 étoiles. Cela dit je préfère de loin l'hospitalité Philippine à celle du Vietnam 😉
Marmarine bonne adresse sur Siquijor Town effectivement, le propriétaire est Japonais il me semble. Sinon tu as le Diamond of Siquijor qui est à P600 la nuit, bon plan pour les backpackers fauchés.
Hello everyone! I’m heading off solo in February and wanted to share my rough itinerary with you. Does this sound doable?
PS: I’m not really into beaches.
D1 Departure on February 17, 2027
D2 Arrival in Kuala Lumpur – stroll through Chinatown and visit the Petronas Towers
D3: Kuala Lumpur – Chow Kit Market, Batu Caves, Little India, Bukit Bintang downtown area
D4: Early morning bus to Malacca. Explore Malacca in the afternoon and evening
D5: Another 2–3 hours in Malacca in the morning, then bus back to Kuala Lumpur. Merdeka Square area. Stay in Chinatown
D6: Bus trip to Kuala Tahan. Night tour
D7: Morning – canopy walk and Bukit Terisek hike. Afternoon – off to Lata Berkoh
D8 & D9: 2-day jungle trek in Taman Negara National Park
D10: Head to Cameron Highlands
D11: Morning hike through the plantations. Afternoon still to be decided
D12: Morning – excursion to Mossy Forest and Sungei Plantation. Afternoon bus to Ipoh
D13: Morning – Mirror Lake / Sam Poh Temple area. Afternoon – explore downtown Ipoh
D14: Morning train to Penang. Afternoon – wander around Georgetown
D15: Morning – Penang Hill and Keh Loh Temple. Afternoon – Georgetown
D16: Bus to Butterfly Garden and Spice Garden. Late afternoon – Burmese and Thai temples
D17: Morning flight to Singapore. Afternoon – Chinatown and Marina Bay tour
D18: Morning – Gardens by the Bay area. Afternoon – Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Kampong Glam
D19: Morning – The Ridges area and Botanical Garden. Afternoon – Little India, then back to Chinatown before 11:15 PM return flight
D20: Morning arrival
Hi everyone.
I’m heading to Malaysia for five weeks over the holiday season.
I just found out that tourists can pay by QR code like locals (street food, small shops) to avoid using cash.
This works with apps like Wise or TNG eWallet.
Has anyone tried this system before?
Hi everyone,
I’ll be in western Malaysia for 20 days in January and February.
I’m coming from southern Thailand to Ipoh for the Thaipusam festivities.
Then it’s off to Pangkor Island.
I’ll finish up in Malacca for the Chinese New Year celebrations before heading to Singapore.
I’ve got a 6-day gap.
I was thinking of going to K.Lipis for the jungle train and heading to Dabong, but the caves might not be open.
Any suggestions around K.L.?
Day treks?
A stopover between K.L. and Malacca?
Thanks
Hi, I’ve read that these two volcanoes are super popular and that there are *tons* of people for sunrise, especially in July. I’m looking for firsthand accounts from anyone who’s done it later, around 9–10 a.m.
Thanks for your help!
Laëtitia
I’m heading to Cambodia at the end of December 2026 – January 2027 for 3-4 weeks. Since I’ve already visited Cambodia twice, my itinerary is a bit different this time—I’d love to explore Botum Sakor Park, Chi Pat, the Tatai region, and the Cardamom Mountains. I’m traveling solo. If you have any tips on transportation, excursions, treks, sights, or accommodations in the area, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks for your feedback!
Has anyone traveled with the Laos travel agency ADV ?
I’m planning a trip to Laos and have received several quotes. Among them, this agency’s seem very reasonable, and so far, the interactions have been positive.
I’ve found a few positive reviews online, but I’d love to hear from travelers who’ve actually booked with them: how’s the organization, guide quality, accommodations, on-the-ground responsiveness, etc.
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
First stop on our discovery of the peninsula: Amphawa. It’s our first night in Thailand (we arrived at Suvarnabhumi at 8:50 AM).
Our initial plan was to explore the area before heading further south. The Mae Klong Railway Market is tempting... but what else is there to do????
We’ll be there on a Wednesday, and from what I’ve read on the forum, some say there’s absolutely nothing to do during the week—no floating market, barely any shops open, no restaurants, etc.
Others, though, say the place is actually more charming without the weekend crowds.
Could you share your thoughts? Missing the floating market is one thing, but if it’s really a ghost town on Wednesdays, I might just drop our bags somewhere else.
Amphawa seemed like a good first stop, just 1.5 hours from the airport, but I’d still like to settle somewhere a bit lively for our first evening.
We’ll be there at the end of October.
Thanks!
Hi,
I wanted to visit the plantations in the morning with GetYourGuide or by just showing up.
How much time should I really plan for?
I’d like to catch either the 3 PM or 5 PM bus back to KL.
Thanks
Hi,
I wanted to get some info about the cable car and the bridge—I see lots of different options...
How much time should we allow for these two activities? If we arrive around 4 PM, will we have enough time to visit without rushing?
Thanks
Hi there,
I didn’t plan to return to Thailand this year, but my health conditions mean it’ll be the best place for me to stay between two trips to India. The tourism setup there is so well-organized that it’s the most "comfortable" country for a short visit. Thailand feels too sanitized for my taste, and there’s too much religion, Buddha, and the King, but it’s still the best option given how my health has been evolving. I’d considered two weeks in ThaTon for hiking, but I got too sick from the burn-offs during my trips to the mountains around Chiang Rai. So I’m not sure where to go this year. Definitely not the sea, touristy spots, or the mountains with burn-offs...
Hi,
On September 1st, we're heading to Kalimantan for six weeks, probably from Pontianak to the Derawan Islands.
I've scoured this site, which is usually my go-to 😉, and others like VoyageForum, but recent info is pretty scarce.
I'd love any tips on places you've visited—our itinerary is still a work in progress.
We're two couples traveling with backpacks, using buses, boats, guesthouses, and homestays.
Thanks in advance!
Hi fellow travelers,
First trip to Vietnam.
We’ll be arriving in Ho Chi Minh City during Tet.
Is it complicated to find accommodation and get around during this period?
Any tips would be welcome.
Thanks for your replies.
Hi! I’d like to split my trip into two parts: 15 days in Phuket and 15 days in Krabi. Do you know if I can rent a car and drop it off in Krabi when I fly back to France?
Thanks for your feedback!
Have a great Sunday!
Martine
Hello,
After 1 night in Khao Sok, I’d like to find a 2 Days 1 Night package on the lake.
After reading a lot, I decided to "break the bank" and treat ourselves to a private tour—mainly to avoid the crowds.
But after contacting several operators, they offer "private tours" that are very expensive (around 700 €), yet in the details, the boats can only leave from the pier at 10 AM like everyone else. (I was hoping to leave much earlier.) The morning program is the same for everyone too (private or not). They drop us off at noon at our floating hotel (I’d chosen Phupha Waree). Free afternoon (swimming or kayaking in front of the hotel). We head back by boat for a 1-hour sunset ride. And the next morning, we leave the hotel at 8 AM to be at the pier by 9:30 AM at the latest—end of the trip.
So basically, we’re paying a lot for a private tour just to do the same thing as everyone else at the same time.
Or maybe I just had bad luck in my search.
I contacted Panida Ladi, who’s very popular on forums. We’d agreed on a private tour that matched my request (departure from the pier at 8 AM, very personalized itinerary). We settled on the itinerary and price, she asked for a Wise transfer for a 30% deposit, confirmed receipt of the deposit. Then 30 minutes later, she messaged me to say she was canceling everything because it was impossible to do the requested tour—and promised a quick refund of my deposit.
So here’s my question: Who’s done a *real* private tour on this lake? Who can recommend a reliable agency? Is it even really possible to do a private tour here?
I’m searching for a real gem for my 3rd stay in Koh Lanta: a lovely, high-quality hotel right by an easily accessible beach in a lively spot.
If you know of anything that fits what I’m looking for and want to share, don’t hesitate!
Hi, is anyone there in Flores right now? According to some websites, everything is closed and the situation is tough. But our guide says it's fine. Who should we believe? We're supposed to leave on September 2nd. Thanks to anyone in Flores at the moment!
Hi dear community,
I'm planning to visit Cambodia this winter, right after Christmas, for my first solo trip and my first trip to Asia. For two weeks (yes, I know it's short, but I really can't do more...). I have two main desires: Siem Reap and the countryside, the villages, the Mekong...
What do you think of this itinerary? Arrival in Siem Reap, departure from Phnom Penh.
SR: 5 days (1 day for arrival, 3 for the temples, 1 for the lake and its villages)
Kratie (stop on the way to Mondolkiri): 3 days (1 day of travel, 2 days there)
Mondolkiri/Sen Monorom: 4 days (1 day of travel, 1 day there, 2 days of treks)
PP: 3 days (1 day of travel, 2 days of sightseeing)
I think I need to cut one day somewhere if I travel from Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday. In Kratie, maybe? Or in PP? And I'll miss the boat trip that everyone recommends (SR-Battambang), but I don't see where to fit it in. Unless I do a PP-PP loop starting in the east, skip Kratie or just stay one night, then SR, then PP.
In my timing, Mondolkiri seems closer than Ratanakiri, which also tempted me a lot! Will it be too complicated alone? I'm thinking of using local guides or a small local agency for a nature and village getaway.
I've read that Siem Reap is very crowded between Christmas and New Year's. I could also do the circuit in the opposite direction. But I thought it would be easier to get familiar with the country by arriving in a touristy area—I might be wrong...
Thanks for your advice and opinions!
Hi everyone.
I’m planning my trip, and based on all the posts I’ve read, this country is amazing.
Of course, I’ve got a ton of questions for you.
Here’s a possible itinerary: Vientiane - Vang Vieng - Phonsavan - Sam Neua - Nong Khiaw + villages - Phongsali - Luang Namtha and the area - Udomxai - Huay Xai - Luang Prabang and back to Vientiane.
What do you think?
We’re planning to prioritize local transport—is it possible to do this loop?
We’d also love to go kayaking, but I’m not sure if the season’s right or where the best spot is.
For trekking—I read that Phongsali is the most authentic spot to visit villages and see wildlife. Do you know of a reliable agency and a guesthouse with reasonable prices?
Is it worth taking a slow boat for a stretch on the Mekong, and if so, which route?
For accommodations, is it better to book through Booking.com and Agoda or look when we arrive?
Are mosquitoes bad in Laos, and should we take malaria prophylaxis?
What’s the average daily budget (accommodation, food, visits)?
Is renting scooters a good option for exploring towns, and if so, which ones?
From what I’ve read, it’s best to carry cash—euros or dollars? Is it risky to walk around with that much cash?
I’ve still got tons of questions. Thanks to anyone who can help, and I’m open to all tips, info, etc.
Thanks again
Hi there,
I’m planning a family trip (my wife and I, both 47, and our two sons, aged 5 and 12) to Malaysia for the last week of June and the first two weeks of July 2027.
We used to love road trips as a couple, then as a trio, but since our second child arrived, we’ve taken a break with "camping village" style trips.
Now feels like the right time to get back to our old habits, while adjusting the pace for the kids.
We’re craving Asia. We’ve been lucky enough to visit Thailand, Indonesia (Bali and Lombok), and Sri Lanka before.
Friends have raved about Malaysia, so we’re definitely tempted.
For those who know and love Malaysia, what would be a good itinerary starting from Kuala Lumpur, with a maximum of 3-4 stops? We’d like a mix of culture, nature, and relaxation (just to clarify, we’re not big beach fans). All of this without rushing, of course.
Hello,
We’re a family of four with two teens aged 16 and 18. We’re heading to Thailand this summer. We’ll arrive in Bangkok and plan to take a flight to Luang Prabang.
I’ve seen there are some great visits and excursions to do (temples, markets, waterfalls) and maybe even venture a bit north to places like Nong Khiaw, Muang Xay, Muang Ngoy, or Oudom Xay.
But I’ve also heard about the Bokeo region with the Gibbon Experience.
Since we won’t be able to do everything, I’d love to hear about your experiences, impressions, and advice on the two options I’m considering, especially since we’ll be meeting family in Chiang Mai, Thailand, afterward.
Option 1: A loop from Luang Prabang heading slightly north, then a flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai.
Option 2: A few days in Luang Prabang, exploring within a few dozen kilometers around, then heading to Bokeo province for the 2-day/1-night Gibbon Experience. For this option, I saw on Rome2Rio that it’s possible to book a ferry trip on the Mekong from Luang Prabang to Huay Xay—they mention about 8 hours. But is that realistic? What type of boat is it?
Then, to get to Chiang Mai, there aren’t many options—bus or minivan—but how does crossing the border work?
Finally, for those of you who’ve been to Laos in August, what was the weather like?
We’ve already visited Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia during the same period over the past four years and weren’t really bothered by bad weather.
I’m starting a discussion about guides in the Mekong Delta because we’ve just finished our trip in this region and had a hard time finding a French-speaking guide. We had Thanh—she speaks French really well and travels all over the delta region, including Ho Chi Minh City. She’s super friendly and flexible. I recommend her wholeheartedly. If it can help someone...
Feel free to contact us for her number.
Hi everyone,
I couldn’t find any recent info on Kuching.
Can anyone recommend a hotel or guesthouse for under 100 RM that’s nice and affordable? No dorms, please.
Also, does it rain a lot in November, and is it still worth visiting Semenggoh or Bako?
We’ll be arriving in Phnom Penh this coming January and we’re thinking of starting our trip with a stop in Kampong Cham, then Kratie.
After Kratie, we’re considering heading toward Siem Reap with a stop in Kampong Thom.
That said, I’m not really sure how long the Kratie–Kampong Thom journey might take or how complicated it is.
Does this stop on the way to Siem Reap seem like a good idea to you?
If we don’t visit the Sambor Prei Kuk site, are there still any walks or sights worth checking out in Kampong Thom?
Silly question—backpack or hard-shell suitcase for the Sepilok, Kinabatangan, Tioman, KL trip?
I’m struggling to fit all my son’s and my stuff into the 70L backpack... and I’m thinking a suitcase would be easier, but I’m not sure if it’ll work for getting around.
After a stay on Koh Phayam this coming November, I’d like to spend 2 or 3 days on Koh Phra Thong before heading further south.
Do you think it’s doable to leave Koh Phayam early enough to catch the 10 AM boat from Khura Buri to Koh Phra Thong? The next one isn’t until 4 PM, which would cost me a whole day.
I’m planning a trip to Indonesia, specifically Sulawesi and Java, in September for 10 days.
I don’t know this part of the world at all—any advice is welcome!
I’ll be traveling solo and would also love tips on meeting other travelers or locals.
Hello everyone,
Not long ago, I used to travel as a couple, but my husband has since passed away, and I’ve decided to set off again. The trip I took to Cambodia in January 2025 did me a world of good.
I’m now considering Thailand, a destination we never included in our plans because even 15 years ago, people said it was too touristy. Still, I’m thinking about the itinerary below, but I don’t feel up to arranging buses, trains, or guides on my own while I’m there. I’m looking for one or more drivers and have been in touch with an agency, but their offers are just copy-paste group tours that I don’t want.
So, if you have any contacts, experiences, or advice, I’d be so grateful if you’d share them with me. Here’s my rough plan:
Arrival in Bangkok
Ayutthaya (2 nights)
Kanchanaburi (2 or 3 nights)
Sangkhlaburi/Sai Yok (3 nights)
Sukhothai (2 nights)
Lampang (I’ve planned 3 nights, but that might be a bit much—it depends on what time I arrive in the city)
Chiang Mai
Chiang Dao
Pai
Chiang Rai
I was thinking about the Mae Hong Son loop—thoughts?
What do you think about staying overnight at the Golden Triangle?
When I look online, of course, I can find agencies that organize tours to national parks, etc.
I’m retired but in great physical shape. I’d rather go hiking than sit in hot springs with crowds of tourists who’ve all arranged meet-ups. I don’t want to spend a day at an elephant camp, and I don’t want to visit Karen villages.
I’d love to hear your advice.
Thank you all,
Hi everyone,
Could you share your thoughts on my 3-week itinerary?
We’re a small group (family + friends) of 12 people, planning to leave around January 21, 2027.
Here’s my itinerary:
3 nights in Bangkok
4 nights in Chiang Mai
3 nights on Koh Samui
3 nights on Koh Phangan
4 nights in Krabi
4 nights in Phuket
I’m also open to any great tips you might have...
Thanks, everyone! Alain.
