Hi everyone, I’m looking for info on Canaima, please. I need the cheapest hotel in Canaima and a tour agency that organizes trips and tours at fair and honest prices—or maybe a local guide, please. Also, which website can I use to buy a round-trip flight ticket from Caracas to Canaima? Thanks so much!

Best regards,

We’ll be in Srinagar for 4 days in mid-May 2026 during our backpacking trip as a couple. Do you have any nice places to recommend, and what about the houseboats on Dal Lake? Should we spend all our nights there, or just one night for practicality when getting around? Thanks, Rozenn

Hi there, I’m planning a trip to Peru and have estimated how many days I’ll spend in each place. Any advice on must-see sights and tourist traps to avoid? September–October

5 days in Lima

Bus: 07:00→13:30 or 06:00 to 09:30 (express) (3 hr 30 min journey) 3 days in Paracas (beach)

3 days in Nazca

3 days in Arequipa

3 days in Puno (Lake Titicaca)

5 days in Cusco

Thanks in advance

Hi, Are there still basic, traditional, and affordable authentic accommodations in Poland? I’ll be traveling in July with my husband and our 2 kids along the Warsaw-Łódź-Toruń-Gdańsk route, and all I can find online are standardized Ikea-style apartments in the cities. When I look for agrotourism, it’s all luxury farms. Can you find farms in the countryside or city lodgings for under 60 euros per night? And if so, how? Is it possible to find accommodations on the spot without internet—like from people who put up signs—even in July?

Thanks for your reply

Hi, We’re traveling to Vietnam (the delta), Cambodia, and Laos as a group of four for two months. We’re looking for info on how to get around by car with a driver in these countries. Specifically: How much does it cost in these different countries based on distance? Where can we find these cars with drivers? Thanks for your tips, Miguel

I'd love some destination suggestions for a road trip from Nice to Livorno by car, including the routes, tolls to cross, distance, and estimated travel time. We're planning a 5-day trip, with 2 nights near Nice, 1 night along the way, and finally 2 nights in Livorno. There are 4 of us in a rental car, and we'd like to stay in either an apartment, a mobile home near the sea, or a campsite. Our budget isn't too extravagant!!!! We want to visit the Promenade des Anglais, and I've heard Menton is really interesting. Once we reach Livorno, we'll take the ferry to Corsica for 12 days with the same rental car. We're planning to leave the last week of May and the first two weeks of June 2026, so around 17-18 days total. Thanks

Hi there, I’m planning to spend two months in Mongolia, and I’d love to be welcomed by a nomadic or semi-nomadic family in the Altai Mountains. I can work and, of course, contribute money for my stay! Has anyone already had this experience? Also, is it still possible today to take the Trans-Siberian to Novosibirsk and then cross the Russia-Mongolia border at Tashanta? Looking forward to your replies! Thanks

Hi there, it’s been a long time since I last went to London. I’d love to spend a week there in July with my daughter and my niece (both young adults).

Of course, I’m looking for great tips on accommodation, and I’m wondering about renting an apartment. It seems like a better deal to save on restaurants (with the option of having a few meals at home... but is that really the case? I’m not sure about the cost of a meal in a modest restaurant, the pound exchange rate, or grocery prices...). Otherwise, I’d like to stay in accommodation (hotel or apartment) near a tube station and in Zone 1.

If you have any great tips, I’d love to hear them!

Thanks,

Marsyork

Hi everyone! I’m heading to Indonesia in September with 3 friends, and we’re starting to plan our itinerary, but we’re still not sure which islands to prioritize. We love nature, road trips, and want to avoid mass tourism. If you have any tips on less touristy but equally stunning islands, I’d love to hear them! 😊

Also, our budget is pretty tight, so we’re looking for ways to manage money during the trip. What are your tips for saving money while still making the most of the experience? And if you have any tricks for tracking and sharing expenses between us, I’m really interested! We tried Excel, but it’s not always easy to manage.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations and great tips!

Hi everyone! This is my first time in Spain, and I don’t know it at all. I’m heading to Barcelona for 3 days, but I don’t have any specific plans yet. I’ve heard it can be quite expensive, so I’d love to get some tips on how not to break the bank during these 3 days! 😊

Hi there,

I traveled through southern Peru in November 2024 and now I’d like to explore the north. We’re a group of 5 people for a 15-day trip.

Iquitos or Nauta for the Amazon rainforest—I saw that you have to fly there. Chiclayo Chachapoyas Kuelap Leimebamba Cajamarca Trujillo And if we have time, Huaraz for the Andes cordillera.

No problem taking overnight buses—they save a lot of time. Or renting a car and figuring it out as we go.

We’d also love to take the train from Lima to Huancayo, but it seems complicated—I don’t understand when it runs.

Thanks for your help! Best regards,

Hi there, we’re planning a road trip in northern Algeria at the end of January – early February. Anyone have any tips for a car rental agency that’s both reliable and not too expensive? Thanks in advance!

Hi there,

I’m considering Cape Verde for an upcoming trip, but I’m wondering if it’s really doable, and if so, which areas would work. We prefer traveling on our own without going through agencies, and without a car to keep costs down. However, since we’re traveling with a baby and a young child, we don’t want to rely on the "usual tricks" like sleeping in a tent, hitchhiking, or walking for kilometers on end. Our walking limit is probably around 4 km max with the little one. Are there enough interesting spots where we can easily see and do things from a central point, walking no more than 4 km? Places with frequent buses to reach activities or sights?

Thanks

Bonjour 21 au 29 pour CT et la péninsule... Cela me parait long. C'est quand même 8 jours...Perso, je raccourcirais. D'autant que Gordon's bay est vraiment dans le même coin. Saldanha n'est peut-être pas le plus joli coin... port maritime. Le WCNP est vraiment superbe...mais je chercherais plutôt à Langebaan... touristique mais très sudaf... Sur le chemin il y a une possibilité originale Ikwathu... mais les logements proches des bâtiments principaux donc pas ceux proches de la route et les plus proches de la mer. Encore désolé mais le Sevilla rock art trail est plus beau en photo qu'en réalité... Dans ce coin je préfère le Mount Ceder comme base de logement... balades et à un jet de pierre les Staadsal caves et rock art, pour moi magiques... Je supprimerais la nuit à Tullbagh pour y filer et y passer plus de temps (il y a deux logements simples et efficaces...et un très beau camping...) De là je descendrais jusqu'à Swellendam... pour le Bontebook NP... c'est pas l'extase mais c'est pas mal et pas cher... çà c'est si je respecte votre parcours... Après si je perturbe tout... CT ok mais si Gordon's bay c'est pour aller vers Franschoek (endroits que je connais très mal car la route des vins c'est pas mon truc...)... ben je le ferais à partir de CT... quitte à faire une seule nuit dans ce coin. De là je repars plein Ouest pour Langebaan, Ikwathu ou Paternoster (très très beau site camping à Cape Columbine). De là, Tullbagh ou pas et Mount Ceder ou autres dans ce coin (cf plus haut). De là je ne descends pas aussi bas que vous mais je reste au nord via Anysberg NR, Touwsriver et Prince Albert ce qui me met pile sur la route de la Swartberg...je ne fait que passer à Oudtshoorn pour filer vers Wilderness puis Knysna (Buffelsbay, les maisons "hollandaises" sur le chemin etc... Tistsikamma c'est loin de Knysna...) puis Stormsriver... En descendant plus bas via Montagu Ladysmith Calitzdorp Oudtshoorn il vous faut remonter vers la Swartberg... ceci dit il y a moyen de faire un circuit...et pas un allez retour mais c'est une grosse journée... Logiquement vous filez vers la mer... Vous longez jusqu'à Addo...où je pense qu'il est préférable de loger dans Addo NP. PE Durban en avion... ben oui c'est plus court...on zappe l'Eastern Cape... on ne peut pas tout faire dans la vie. De Durban... Drakensberg, oui... du Kamberg Highmoor (belles balades) et Giants et Cath Peak et Monks cowl, on pourra en reparler... Vous descendez de là vers le Hluhluwe... (essayez de loger DANS le Hluhluwe). St Lucia et Isimangaliso oui et oui et encore oui... Mais possibilité de ne pas revenir sur durban et économiser l'avion... et traversant l'Eswatini avec Hlane ou autre comme pause...A moins que Durban marque la fin en AFS ? Et vous êtes aux portes du Krüger... aroundaboutcars ok pour moi 3 fois... Pour la voiture... j'essayerais de prendre quand même assez gros...vous allez y passer du temps. Dans un pays où les accidents ne sont pas rares. Sur des routes pas toujours au top sur certains secteurs... L'idéal est le genre Hilux 2x4 et deux portes... J'ai fait le tour ? Mon opinion mais VOTRE voyage...

Hi, We’re a young couple planning to travel to South Africa after spending about three weeks in Namibia. We’ll arrive in Cape Town around mid-December, with no fixed travel duration (though our budget will eventually set a limit). After browsing through the forum, we’ve realized the country is packed with incredible spots, which makes choosing an itinerary tough. We’re looking for stunning landscapes, hikes, and so on. So, we’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. When we arrive in Cape Town, we’d like to settle in and take it easy until New Year’s, exploring at a relaxed pace. We know this period coincides with South African holidays—does that make finding accommodations (availability/prices) more difficult? Do you think it’s possible to stay in a nice place for about 15 days without aiming for the most upscale neighborhoods? Maybe somewhere a bit outside Cape Town, like Fish Hoek, and just visit the city occasionally. After that, we’ll have plenty of time (about 2 to 2.5 months) to explore the country. We’d like to take our time. In your opinion, is it better to focus on the Cape Town region, or is it reasonable to consider more distant areas like the Drakensberg or Blyde River Canyon? Can everything be done by car if we take our time, or are domestic flights sometimes more practical? Budget-wise, how much do car rentals cost? For accommodations, we usually look at Airbnb—are they affordable in South Africa? What’s the average nightly rate outside the biggest cities? Are there other platforms you’d recommend for saving on lodging? Finally, regarding safety, are there any regions to avoid besides Johannesburg? We know this is a lot of questions, but we’re still in the early planning stages! Thanks in advance for your advice!

Hi there, we'd love to visit Barbados in March 2026... or April.... It's quite expensive, so I could really use your advice on hotels, etc. We're a couple in our fifties, laid-back but not too much 😄 We’re skipping all-inclusive places since we don’t have breakfast, so they’re not worth it for us. Any tips are welcome! Thanks

Hi there,

I’m planning a trip to Lindos with my 15-year-old son for a week in July.

I’m looking for a 3-star hotel with breakfast and, if possible, half-board. Or any other affordable accommodation (up to 700 € for the week) that isn’t too far from the center of Lindos, since I won’t be renting a car. However, we do want to do some activities (visit to Lymos, etc.).

Thanks in advance.

Hi there! 😊 I’d love to take my two kids (12 and 14) away in July. We’ve never traveled all three of us together before. My son would like to go to Italy, but nothing’s set in stone… We’d like to go abroad, but I have two tricky conditions: - Budget max 1000 € all-in, I’ve tried but I can’t save any more than that 😅 - I have some health issues, so… I can’t drive for more than 2-3 hours. No way we can go by car. Also, once we’re there, I can’t do long hikes or sports (short walks and swimming are fine).

Any ideas, please?

I’ve started looking at Airbnbs and the prices are reasonable, but as soon as I check flight tickets 😵💸🔥

Maybe it’s better to go for an all-inclusive place like Booking.com?

Thanks so much to anyone who can help! 😊

Hi everyone, So great to be back on our forum!...

For the past few years, I’ve been traveling on a budget, especially by sleeping as often as possible in campgrounds or in my car... If I can help, I’d be happy to.

Hello everyone, We’re planning our next trip for this winter and need some advice to put it together. We’d love to avoid renting a car for the whole time. We visited southern Morocco back in 2011—our first trip as retirees! We loved the country so much, and now we’re heading back. Still focusing on the south, mainly for the weather. The plan is to travel down the coast from Essaouira to the Tighmert oasis at a relaxed pace. First question: is this doable without too much hassle using local transport? The idea of driving for the entire 6-week trip doesn’t really appeal to us. After that, we’d head to Ouarzazate, Skoura, the Todgha Gorge, Tinejdad, Erfoud, and then Marrakesh. I’d also like to visit the Fès region, which we can reach by train from Marrakesh. It’s a bit all over the place, and I’m realizing that as I write! Thanks in advance for your valuable input! We haven’t booked flights yet or even decided on a starting point. The trip is planned from mid-January to the end of February. We know the end of the trip will fall during Ramadan.

hi everyone, here’s the thing I just made a hotel reservation on Agoda through Kayak

I found an interesting hotel in Krabi—booking directly through Agoda was 160 € per night, but when I searched the same hotel and dates on Kayak, it showed 136 € per night... So I went with that option via Kayak, and I landed on Agoda with the original price of 160 € crossed out and the new price at 136 €. I completed the payment and instantly received an email from Agoda confirming the booking.

But why such a discount? I’ve got quite a few more bookings to make, and they’re all cheaper through Kayak. I’ve seen negative reviews about Kayak, but only for flights. Plus, at the bottom of Agoda’s site, it says Kayak and Agoda are partners.

I’d love to know if anyone else has used this method and if they had any bad surprises... Like the site canceling the reservation last minute or the price suddenly going up.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts! :)

I’ve got some new questions about Albania!

My boyfriend and I are going there for just 9 days, including the two travel days… It’s not much, but oh well!

Looking at prices online, I get the impression everything’s more expensive than I thought 😅 So, I wanted to get your feedback on a few things:

* Is hitchhiking common, easy, and generally safe in Albania? * Is it possible to find day-to-day accommodations without booking ahead? If so, are they usually cheaper than the ones you find online? * Is wild camping allowed or at least tolerated?

If any of you have traveled there recently, I’d love all the tips and great deals you’ve got!

Thanks ☺️

Hi there.

I’m planning a getaway to Bali at the end of September. I’m a bit late applying for the international driving permit through the official site. Someone told me about https://international-permit.com/en-us. Is it reliable?

Thanks for your replies.

Bonjour à tous.

Je pars cette été au Québec et au nouveau Brunswick et j'ai pris une carte revolut classic pour ce voyage. J'ai pour le moment échangé des dollars canadien sur mon appli de manière à avoir une réserve prête le jour de mon départ. Ma question était de savoir si j'allais autres frais en utilisant mon compte en dollars canadien. Je crois que je suis limité dans mes retraits au distributeur 200 euros pour ma part. Merci à vous

Hey everyone!

I’m diving into planning a trip I’ve dreamed of for a long time: crossing Africa from North to South solo, with a departure planned for October 2025 for about 8-9 months. I’m leaving from Paris with a starting budget of around 7,000 €, aiming to supplement it with work along the way.

My planned route: Senegal → Gambia → Sierra Leone/Liberia (if logistics work out) → Côte d'Ivoire → Ghana → Togo → Benin → Cameroon → Gabon → Kenya (Masai Mara) → Uganda (Bwindi gorillas) → Rwanda → Tanzania (Kili + Serengeti + Zanzibar) → Mozambique → Malawi → Zambia (Victoria Falls) → Botswana → Namibia → South Africa (Cape Town). Madagascar as a bonus if timing/budget allows from Mozambique.

I’m not a backpacking newbie—I’ve done several trips in Europe and I’m familiar with the lifestyle, hostels, local transport, etc. But Africa is my first big adventure on this continent, and I’ve got some very concrete questions I’d love feedback on from people who’ve been there.

🎭 My big dilemma: flexibility vs. pre-organized work

What matters most to me is NOT rushing through. If I feel good somewhere, I’ll stay longer. If a region doesn’t click, I’ll cut it short. That seems totally incompatible with having pre-booked work or volunteer gigs, yet I need that income to stretch my budget.

I’m torn between two approaches:

Option A: The mixed rhythm: 3-4 weeks of volunteering in a country (free accommodation, full immersion), then 1-2 countries in classic backpacker "vacation" mode, then another mission somewhere, etc. This gives a breathing rhythm and avoids burnout from non-stop volunteering.

Option B: The continuous flow: finding gigs as I go, from the previous country, contacting hosts 2-3 weeks in advance with a flexible date range. Keeping maximum spontaneity but never arriving anywhere without a safety net.

Have you tried either? What actually works on the ground in Africa?

🌍 What I’m really looking for in this trip

Not just the classic tourist spots. I want to see the country as it is—eating at local joints, taking local transport (bush taxis, minibuses, sept-places), staying with locals when possible. The big reserves and safaris are part of the plan (Masai Mara, Serengeti, Okavango), but just as much as hanging out in a residential neighborhood in Dakar, understanding how people really live.

Volunteering or work interests me for that reason too (not just for free lodging, but because it’s the deepest way to dive into a country). Working at a school in Ghana, a lodge in Kenya, a permaculture farm in Mozambique—I see it as an immersion that classic tourism can’t offer.

🎒 My concrete questions

About Workaway and Worldpackers: I’ve read a lot but would love on-the-ground feedback, especially for West and East Africa. Are hosts really flexible with dates for long-term travelers? Do the advertised gigs match reality? Are there alternative platforms you’d recommend for Africa specifically (I’ve heard of Help Exchange, WWOOF Africa, local networks…)?

About "off-platform" jobs: Is it really doable to find informal work on the spot (bars, restaurants, lodges) without prior contacts? In which countries/cities is this most accessible for a French speaker without a local work permit?

About logistics between countries: For those who’ve done the West Coast (Senegal → Ghana → Benin), how did you cross borders? Direct buses or local shared taxis at each border? And for the jump from Central Africa → Kenya, is a flight mandatory, or are there feasible overland routes?

About Madagascar: I’m considering adding it from Mozambique (flight Maputo or Beira → Tana). Those who’ve done it backpacker-style on a tight budget—is 3-4 weeks doable, or is it too short to be worth it?

I’m open to all tips, experiences, warnings, and pleasant surprises. And if you’ve got trusted local contacts (Workaway hosts, associations, community lodges), I’m all ears!

I’ve got tons of questions and I’m eager for any advice or experiences you can share!!

Hi there, We’re planning a trip for 2 adults and 2 kids to Tanzania and Zanzibar. I’ve had a quick look, and the prices are starting to get pretty wild. We’ve got a budget of 8,000 €, and I was thinking of doing three or four days of safari and three or four days in Zanzibar, but even that seems like it might be over budget. Have you got any thoughts? I was also considering heading straight to Zanzibar and doing a one- or two-day excursion by plane instead—maybe that’d be cheaper than staying in a lodge. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experiences and any price tips, departing from Nice!

hi everyone I’m just starting to plan a trip to Kazakhstan—I’m thinking 4 weeks in summer ’26—and I’m totally in the dark! What route should I take? First off, for my flight ticket, where should I fly into and out of if I want to book soon?

Is it possible to rent a vehicle with a roof rack? Is that generally tolerated? (Maybe around Almaty?)

I love trains, so I’d prefer that mode of transport.

Anyway, I’m counting on your experiences since it’s tough to find practical info about this country. Thanks in advance for your tips

hi I’m planning to visit Quebec this summer and I’d love to hear about any great tips for budget accommodations in Quebec City and elsewhere. Thanks in advance to everyone! Danilo

Hi there, I’d like to travel to Réunion but where should I stay? I’m looking for info on whether there are any youth hostels. How can I travel on a budget in this country? Best,

Hi there, For our upcoming trip to China, we're planning to get around by bus and train. For trains, we found a few sites, including: https://www.travelchinaguide.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqfiOqfmBSYlDwjPCXo4nkF7uF3ILYs_o3wlLu9uBy7gC7iN-2C, and for buses: https://www.chinabusguide.com/ but the latter site isn’t very complete. Have any of you tried other sites? Thanks for your help! Alod