Posts by Golfouette

Hi Marie, Thanks for getting back to me—I’ll contact them. Christiane

Good evening,

I’m planning a trip to Panama for January/February 2027, combining it with a circuit in Costa Rica as well. I left a message on this forum that went unanswered—I guess not many people travel to Panama. I’m copying my message here, and if you have the time and experience, your advice would be much appreciated. Thanks so much, hope to hear from you soon! //// 1) Late arrival in Panama City 2-3-4-5) Visiting the city—the canal, Gamboa Rainforest, Gatun Lake, Pipeline Road, and Soberanía National Park. 6-7: The idea is to head to the San Blas Islands for 2 nights. 8: Return to Panama City 9-10-11: Renting a car to go to El Valle de Antón for 3 nights. 12-13-14: Heading to the Azuero Peninsula for 3 nights. 15-16-17: We’d love to visit Coiba Island, but it seems tricky to fit into our itinerary. 18-19-20: Boquete and Volcán Barú for 3 nights. 21: Drive to Almirante and head to the Bocas del Toro Archipelago. 22-23: 2 nights there. 24: Return, drop off the car, and cross the border on foot at Sixaola

Hi there! We’ve decided to head to Panama this summer and would love to do a road trip with a rental car—there are four of us, and our kids are 20 and 23. Any recommendations on must-see spots and things to avoid? Great tips for lodging, restaurants, activities… Thanks so much for your help!

Hi Christelle, I’m planning a trip to Panama for January/February 2027—did you end up going? I might have some questions for you. Thanks for your reply! Christiane

Hi Christiane

Thanks for this report! 🙂 How did you get around from one place to another? With the same guide-driver, or did the agency book another mode of transport for you (I saw you took a boat for one of the legs)? Some spots seem pretty far apart... Could you share the name of your agency? (In a private message if you prefer.) Thanks in advance

Hi Muriel, I’ll reply in private

Great travelogue, and you're absolutely right to make the most of it—you’ve got solid proof that you should seize every opportunity when it comes up! I’d love the agency’s details too. I’m in touch with 4-5 agencies to plan my own 3-week itinerary, but while some things overlap, others don’t. Thanks in advance, and happy upcoming travels!

Good evening, I’ll reply in a private message—I don’t think we’re allowed to share agency names on the public forum.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Which agency did you use to organize the trip?

Hi there, I’ll send you the details in a private message.

It sounds dreamy....

Thanks Serge! We went to Anakao, Lavanono, and Itampolo back in 2007—it’s gonna be 20 years soon, I can’t believe it! Ramena is on my itinerary now, thanks!

thanks

Hello, I had posted this report from our last stay in Sainte Marie last December. Mora Mora in Boraha, 1 week with a touch of Malagasy Polynesia | Travel journal > Madagascar | Voyage Forum There’s a book by Tronchet, the comic book author, who spent several months on Île aux Nattes: "Robinsons père et fils," which also gives a literary perspective.

As for our last trip to Nosy Be two years ago, that’s on another forum—this one was still closed back then.

Thanks, I just read the travel journal. It’s been a while since I last visited Voyageforum, so it’s great that the forum is active again.

My first time in Madagascar was in 2023. I immediately booked a flight from Tana to Sainte Marie and a week in a hotel on Île aux Nattes. In the end, I stayed on Île aux Nattes for 2 months. It was fantastic—a life out of time. Île Sainte-Marie is gorgeous, the beaches on the northeast are still untouched and wild, with beautiful waves. Paradise.

Wow, two months instead of one week—that’s no small change! You really fell in love with it, and you were right to do so.

thanks for the tip

Thanks for this different perspective. I’m not pressed for time, so I can easily plan 4 to 5 weeks for this region. Thanks

Thanks for your feedback—it confirms what I’ve always thought. Have a great trip in October!

Hi everyone, I’m planning a third trip to Madagascar in 2026. This time, heading north and then part of the west coast before going back up. The question I’m asking myself—same as during our first visits—is Nosy Be or not? Of course, the photos show stunning beaches, and when you mention Madagascar, almost everyone says Nosy Be or at least has heard of it. That’s actually why we didn’t include it in our itineraries before, especially since we’d already seen paradise-like beaches in the south, and we had them all to ourselves because they were hard to reach. On the other hand, I’ve always been drawn to Île Sainte-Marie, but from the north, you have to go back down to Tana, which I’m okay with in principle. So, what’s your take? Nosy Be and its surroundings—what do you think? Just tourists looking to party? Thanks

Hi there ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) app See you!

Good evening, I have the same plan as you, but for September, and I contacted CielYunnan/Ciel Chine—it’s the same agency, since we traveled with them in Yunnan back in 2019. We were supposed to do another trip in 2020, but COVID happened. I reached out to them again, but I haven’t gotten a response. My request is for about 30 days, and now I’m traveling solo, so I think that might be bothering them, or maybe they’re just swamped with work (that’s what Yan told me—he hadn’t had the time). If you’re traveling as a pair, they might be more responsive. Either way, our trip with them in Yunnan was great. Good luck and happy travels!

Hi Joel, I’ve been looking at your photos on your profile for two hours now. Your stories are amazing too—I love them! Thanks for sharing; I haven’t finished yet—I’ll read/watch the rest.

Thanks to both of you, Christiane

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,

Thank you for this feedback and for your brave departure, Christiane 😊. You’re an inspiration for all the women who hesitate to travel alone 👍. Christelle

Thanks, Christelle—I did have a super reliable agency behind me, but yes, I was still on my own. I used to travel a lot with my husband, and we worked hard to prepare for retirement and travel. Everything changed so quickly and dramatically, and this trip was a huge comfort for me. I’m already planning the next one: China, a trip we’d also planned for 2020 but had to cancel because of COVID. Enjoy it to the fullest—we can never say it enough!