hi there I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai. This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here. No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either. A local lunch costs around 1 €. A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach. We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €. You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities. I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).

Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.

If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed. Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.

So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.

Hi everyone, I'm planning a short 15-day trip to Turkey in January 2027. My idea is to spend a few days in Istanbul, then head down to Cappadocia (2 days of travel), then make my way to Ephesus (with a stop in Pamukkale), and return via the Aegean coast.

I’d really love to visit Cappadocia before heading to Ephesus (a must-see).

Has anyone done this route before? I’d also love to hear your great tips for accommodation in Istanbul or elsewhere.

Big thanks to all contributors. Laurent

As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.

These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?

The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.

It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.

Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkmBzW2QOE3_ZirhmdG8e2LQyaWLJxWUeyTR0LzpC8ytlufQ/viewform

Your response will be a huge help for my work and will contribute to a broader reflection on the future of the travel experience.

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to participate!!

A little link...

St Lucia is the capital of "urban" hippos... with behavior that’s not always very urban.

https://www.citizen.co.za/zululand-observer/news-headlines/local-news/2025/05/01/watch-provoked-hippo-charges-group-of-people-in-st-lucia/

Hi,

I’m starting this thread after a digression that began in the India section and continued in a travel journal about Kerala.

The original topic was whether India is—or isn’t—a nature destination.

I’ll let you all discuss and share your own definition of a nature destination. 🙂

I thought I knew the definition, but since VF reopened, I’ve been wondering—so if you could help me out, that’d be great! 🙂.

Thanks a lot!