Results for "spéleo+|+121+>+84"
248 results found.
Cuba hors des sentiers battus English translation pending
Bonjour
nous sommes en ce moment a cuba (trinidad) mais nous cherchons a nous eloigner un peu des villes (trinidad nous parait deja trop grand). Pourriez-vous nous donner vos coups de coeurs "off the beaten track" sur cette ile magnifique? nous revenons juste de vinales qui nous a beaucoup plu, on cherche des petits coins dans le meme genre. Et specialement pour moi qui suis une amoureuse de la plage, connaissez vous des plages un peu sauvages et loin des grands hotels? Nous sommes encore la pour 2 semaines et demi. Je vous remercie chaleureuisement de vos reponses.
A bientot peut etre
PS: si vous etes sur cuba, avez la meme envie de vous eloigner des centres touristiques et souhaitez partager une location de voiture, nous sommes 2 et ce serait avec plaisir!
nous sommes en ce moment a cuba (trinidad) mais nous cherchons a nous eloigner un peu des villes (trinidad nous parait deja trop grand). Pourriez-vous nous donner vos coups de coeurs "off the beaten track" sur cette ile magnifique? nous revenons juste de vinales qui nous a beaucoup plu, on cherche des petits coins dans le meme genre. Et specialement pour moi qui suis une amoureuse de la plage, connaissez vous des plages un peu sauvages et loin des grands hotels? Nous sommes encore la pour 2 semaines et demi. Je vous remercie chaleureuisement de vos reponses.
A bientot peut etre
PS: si vous etes sur cuba, avez la meme envie de vous eloigner des centres touristiques et souhaitez partager une location de voiture, nous sommes 2 et ce serait avec plaisir!
Entrer à Gaza en Palestine? English translation pending
Bonjour à toutes et à tous,
je Recherche a Entrée en Palestine a gaza
Si vous avez des pistes, merci de m'en informer...
Bonne soirée à tous 😐
Itinéraire pour un premier voyage au Maroc avec une petite fille de 2 ans? English translation pending
Bonjour à tous, ceci et mon premier post sur ce forum, dont je viens de découvrir l'extrème richesse.
Je suis en train de préparer notre premier voyage au Maroc pour début avril 2009, je viens donc vous demander ce que vous pensez de notre itinéraire, ainsi que 2-3 conseils.
Nous partirons à 2 véhicules, pour un voyage familiale avec ma fille de 2ans, en alternant bivouacs, hotels et campings
Voici l'itinéraire que l'on a prévu (celui-ci n'est pas immuable !!!) :
TETOUAN, AL HOCEIMA, TAZA, BOULEMANE, MIDELT, ER RACHIDIA, TINERHIR, GORGES DU DADES, IMILCHIL, KHENIFRA, AZROU, VOLUBILIS, OUAZZANE, TETOUAN Connaissez-vous des hotels ou campings sympa sur ce parcour ? On pense faire cette boucle sur 10 à 12 jours, avec un rythme tranquille, pensez-vous que c'est faisable ? Quels sont les choses à ne pas louper aux alentours ? une idée des amplitudes de T° à cette époque et dans cette partie du pays ? dernière chose, entre les gorges du Dades, du Todra et du Ziz, quels sont les plus sympa à faire (on pensait descendre par celle du Ziz et remonté par celle du Dades)
Si vous avez 2-3 tuyaux ou adresse sur les alentours, n'hésitez pas
Merci d'éclairer ma lanterne
Julien
Si vous avez 2-3 tuyaux ou adresse sur les alentours, n'hésitez pas
Merci d'éclairer ma lanterne
Julien
Escalade au Laos English translation pending
Bonjour a tous,
Je projette courant du mois de novembre 2009 de me faire un petit voyage au laos
ce voyage a pour but de decouvrir le pay ou mes parents sont originaires, je souhaiterais de meme y rallier ma principale activites : l'escalade
Est ce certains d'entre vous connaitrez des secteurs abordables (niveau 5+/6a) ?
Hate de decouvrir cette region et qui fait parti de mes origines Je crois que la communaute francaise est aussi tres presente ca serait sympa de se rencontrer laba autour dun verre !
Jespere pouvoir organiser au mieu mon voyage, decouvrir et rencontrer plein de monde Merci davance a tous Nathalie
Hate de decouvrir cette region et qui fait parti de mes origines Je crois que la communaute francaise est aussi tres presente ca serait sympa de se rencontrer laba autour dun verre !
Jespere pouvoir organiser au mieu mon voyage, decouvrir et rencontrer plein de monde Merci davance a tous Nathalie
Longhouse et parcs nationaux à Sarawak et Sabah? (Malaisie, Bornéo) English translation pending
Pouvez-vous me conseiller des longhouses a Sabah ou Sarawak, pas trop touristiques mais qu'on peut atteindre seul par transports en commun sans depenser une fortune ?
Tout autre conseil de parcs nationaux et autres endroits naturels a visiter sans agence et sans depenses excessives est aussi bienvenu, surtout hors des chemins battus.
Merci, Pierre
Euros, dollars ou ariary pour visiter Madagascar? English translation pending
Bonjour, j'aimerais savoir si j'ai vraiment besoin d'avoir des ariary pour visiter Madagascar. Je visiterai pas mal tout Madagascar incluant des petits villages. Je possède déjà des euros ainsi que de l'argent us.
Merci,
Merci,
Hébergements et transports pour une famille de cinq à Fès et Meknès? English translation pending
Bonjour,
Du 4 au 23 aout, nous partons en famille (3 enfants 17, 15, 10ns) en itinérant 4-5 jours Rabat-Larache, 5-6j Fès Meknès, 5-6j vallée du Dra et Dadès.
Nous envisageons utiliser tous les moyens d'hébergement : camping, hotel, auberge de jeunesse, et on l'espère chez l'habitant (moyennant contributions financières) et tous les moyens de transport locaux : train, bus, petits et grands taxis.
Quel est le meilleur moyen de transport (à 5) pour se rendre au parc national de Tazzeka et gouffre de Friouato à 80km ? Combien de temps faut il prévoir ? Idem transport de Fès à Azrou ? Y a t'il vraiment des singes dans la forêt de cêdres près d'Azrou ? Connaissez-vous un accueil (francophone ?)chez l'habitant (à 5 qui accepte une participation financière) à Fès ou environs ? Quels sont les lieux incontournables de Fès et Meknès et environs ? et pour nos 3 enfants ?
Cordialement Alain
Quel est le meilleur moyen de transport (à 5) pour se rendre au parc national de Tazzeka et gouffre de Friouato à 80km ? Combien de temps faut il prévoir ? Idem transport de Fès à Azrou ? Y a t'il vraiment des singes dans la forêt de cêdres près d'Azrou ? Connaissez-vous un accueil (francophone ?)chez l'habitant (à 5 qui accepte une participation financière) à Fès ou environs ? Quels sont les lieux incontournables de Fès et Meknès et environs ? et pour nos 3 enfants ?
Cordialement Alain
Voyage de quinze jours à Cuba en septembre English translation pending
Bonsoir à tous,
A l'occasion de notre voyage de noces, nous envisagions de partir à Cuba fin Aout - début septembre. La période est-elle bien choisie? On nous a parlé de saison des pluies/ouragan.... Nous aimerions allier plage/rando-trek et découverte de la culture cubaine. Nous penchons pour loger chez l'habitant. Que pensez-vous qu'il soit faisable en 15 jours?
Merci d'avance
A l'occasion de notre voyage de noces, nous envisagions de partir à Cuba fin Aout - début septembre. La période est-elle bien choisie? On nous a parlé de saison des pluies/ouragan.... Nous aimerions allier plage/rando-trek et découverte de la culture cubaine. Nous penchons pour loger chez l'habitant. Que pensez-vous qu'il soit faisable en 15 jours?
Merci d'avance
Visites incontournables dans la région d'Holguin? (Cuba) English translation pending
Bonjour, y a-t-il des incontournables dans la région d'Holguin?
De plus, je cherche un endroit pour nager avec les dauphins mais un peu plus sauvage que les bassins...connaissez-vous un endroit? Merci
De plus, je cherche un endroit pour nager avec les dauphins mais un peu plus sauvage que les bassins...connaissez-vous un endroit? Merci
Croisière sur le Costa Magica: équipement pour les enfants? English translation pending
Bonjour, je pars sur le magica en avril et je me demande s'ils sont equipés pour les bb, au niveau literie, alimentation, chaise haute et tout....
Normalement ma fille de 3 ans aura un club pour des activités, mais pour ma 2° de presque 1 an, j'ai peur qu'il y ait pas de repas adapté...
Je me vois mal apporter la grosse poussette et une valise complète de petits pots...🤪
Merci pour vos infos😉
Merci pour vos infos😉
Idée d'un circuit au départ de Zagora? (Maroc) English translation pending
Bonjour
Nous partons avec ma copine a ZAGORA via OURZAZATE le 8/03 pour 5 jours de desert avec un ami touareg ce qui va nous emmener aux environs du 14/3, en sachant que notre avion de retour decole de Marrakech le 19 au soir que me conseillez vous comme circuit;je pensais louer une voiture et rentrer tranquille sur Marrakech(est ce une bonne idée) il doit y avoir moyen de faire un petit cicuit sympa qui sans faire 15h de voiture /jour nous fera decouvrir les incontournables de la region.Pas trop touristique quand même.Sachant que nous nous considerons plutot comme des visiteurs et non des touristes.Nous sommes ouvert a toute propositions.je sais que beaucoup de marocains se connectent sur le site.
Donc merci d'avance et Inch allha.
Francis et josy
Thaïlande: des touristes étrangers meurent noyés English translation pending
Thaïlande: six touristes étrangers et deux guides meurent noyés
14/10/2007 06:48
(Belga) Six touristes étrangers, dont un ressortissant allemand mineur, et deux guides thaïlandais ont péri noyés après avoir été piégés par des crues soudaines dans une grotte en Thaïlande, a-t-on appris dimanche de source officielle.
"Les corps de deux guides thaïlandais et six touristes étrangers, dont un enfant Allemand, ont été retrouvés", a indiqué à l'AFP un responsable local Sitichai Thaicharoen. L'accident s'est produit samedi alors qu'un groupe de sept vacanciers accompagnés de leurs deux guides se trouvaient en randonnée dans une grotte du parc national de Kao Sok, à Surat Thani (644 km au sud de Bangkok). La cavité a été brusquement inondée par des pluies torrentielles. Huit corps ont été retrouvés et les équipes de secours poursuivent les recherches pour retrouver un touriste manquant. Les autorités tentent également d'établir la nationalité des toutes les victimes étrangères. (MPA)
(Belga) Six touristes étrangers, dont un ressortissant allemand mineur, et deux guides thaïlandais ont péri noyés après avoir été piégés par des crues soudaines dans une grotte en Thaïlande, a-t-on appris dimanche de source officielle.
"Les corps de deux guides thaïlandais et six touristes étrangers, dont un enfant Allemand, ont été retrouvés", a indiqué à l'AFP un responsable local Sitichai Thaicharoen. L'accident s'est produit samedi alors qu'un groupe de sept vacanciers accompagnés de leurs deux guides se trouvaient en randonnée dans une grotte du parc national de Kao Sok, à Surat Thani (644 km au sud de Bangkok). La cavité a été brusquement inondée par des pluies torrentielles. Huit corps ont été retrouvés et les équipes de secours poursuivent les recherches pour retrouver un touriste manquant. Les autorités tentent également d'établir la nationalité des toutes les victimes étrangères. (MPA)
Cuba au jour le jour English translation pending
Bonjour,
J'étais en train de taper mon mail, il a disparu et du coup j'espère que je vais pas envoyer 2 fois la même question. Je part à Cuba toute seule et je voulais savoir s'il est possible de sortir du pack avion, hotel, serviette de plage et mojito tout inclus tout prémaché ? Je voudrais faire comme j'ai l'haibitude, décider au jour le jour, pas trop réserver... Je sais pas encore ou je vais aller mais je pensais essayer de faire un peu le tour de l'ile, pas rester tout le temps à la plage et j'aimerai bien pouvoir me balader dans la forêt. Est ce que c'est facile de se déplacer hors des coins super touristiques (le sud si j'ai bien compris, il y a moins de monde) ? Et sinon au niveau d'internet, on peut communiquer facilement ? On trouve des cibers café facilement ? Merci pour vos conseils Gé
J'étais en train de taper mon mail, il a disparu et du coup j'espère que je vais pas envoyer 2 fois la même question. Je part à Cuba toute seule et je voulais savoir s'il est possible de sortir du pack avion, hotel, serviette de plage et mojito tout inclus tout prémaché ? Je voudrais faire comme j'ai l'haibitude, décider au jour le jour, pas trop réserver... Je sais pas encore ou je vais aller mais je pensais essayer de faire un peu le tour de l'ile, pas rester tout le temps à la plage et j'aimerai bien pouvoir me balader dans la forêt. Est ce que c'est facile de se déplacer hors des coins super touristiques (le sud si j'ai bien compris, il y a moins de monde) ? Et sinon au niveau d'internet, on peut communiquer facilement ? On trouve des cibers café facilement ? Merci pour vos conseils Gé
Coins à ne pas rater en Colombie English translation pending
Bonjour,
Nous sommes actuellement au Panama et venons de mettrel e 4X4 en container pour la Colombie que nous allons traverser du Nord au Sud. Pourriez-vous nous indiquer SVP les parcs à visiter, les villes... pour rendre le séjour plus agréable qu'une grande traversée rapide sur la panam? Merci d'avance pour vos réponses.
Valérie.
Nous sommes actuellement au Panama et venons de mettrel e 4X4 en container pour la Colombie que nous allons traverser du Nord au Sud. Pourriez-vous nous indiquer SVP les parcs à visiter, les villes... pour rendre le séjour plus agréable qu'une grande traversée rapide sur la panam? Merci d'avance pour vos réponses.
Valérie.
Cherche hôtel "jeune" au Mexique English translation pending
bonjours a tousses
moi et mon potte recherchont un bonne hotel au mexique avec bonne nourriture tres belle chambres un bonne hotel quoi notre budget environ 2600 pour quinzes jours par personnes
ont recherche l ambiance la fette la detente quand il faud et la fiesta le soir et si possible avec un clientelle umpeu jeune IOI
je sais ca fais beaucoup
alors je conte sur vous pour vos avis j ais jamais ete decus par forum voyage merci a vous tousses et a bientot
Rencontre à Montpellier le 2 décembre 2006 English translation pending
Bonjour à tous,
Que diriez-vous d'une nouvelle rencontre à Montpellier?
Nous avions déjà organisé une rencontre à Palavas en janvier dernier, gros succès : plus de 30 participants, que des gens sympa, une foule d'expériences échangées, des idées de nouveaux voyages, un cercle d'amis élargi.
Nous pourrions fixer une date dans la première quinzaine de décembre, un samedi soir, le 2 ou le 9.
Je vais chercher un coin sympa, pas cher, avec hébergement pour ceux qui viennent de loin...les autres aussi !
L'idée est lançée...à vos claviers
Amicalement,
Dan
Guardalavaca à Cuba English translation pending
Bonjour,
Je compte visiter les alentour le holguin et Guardalavaca cet hiver...
qu'est-ce que je ne dois pas manquer?
Merci
Je compte visiter les alentour le holguin et Guardalavaca cet hiver...
qu'est-ce que je ne dois pas manquer?
Merci
Celendin, Chota Cajamarca au Pérou English translation pending
salut les voyageurs
je pars dans le nord du pérou, je sais que peu de personnes pouront me répondre. parmi ceux qui ont trainé leurs basques dans le coin Celendin et Chota, Cajamarca,
J'aimerais votre avis sur le potentiel géologique.
Avez vous vu des pertes de rivières, des grandes sources, bref tout ce qui se rapporte aux gouffres et grottes, aux massifs calcaire?
merci
Visiter la Bulgarie English translation pending
Bonjours,
Je pars en vacances en Bulgarie et je me demande ce qu'il y'a d'interessant, de jolie ou d'activités à faire. Ya t'il des personnes surce forum qui est déjà allé et qui a trouvé une région, un village ou un monument qu'il serait dommage de rater? Merci pour votre aide
Thibaut
Je pars en vacances en Bulgarie et je me demande ce qu'il y'a d'interessant, de jolie ou d'activités à faire. Ya t'il des personnes surce forum qui est déjà allé et qui a trouvé une région, un village ou un monument qu'il serait dommage de rater? Merci pour votre aide
Thibaut
Visiter Cuba English translation pending
Pour aller a Cuba est ce que deux semaines sont suffisantes ou faut-il plus pour visiter toute l'ile.
Ya t il beaucoup de choses a visiter ou est ce plus une destination a farniente?
Avion pour Madagascar et sites incontournables English translation pending
salut les amis.
ma copine et moi envisgeons de partir pour le mois d'avril à madagascar en sac à dos en restant 20 jours sur place.d'après vous à quel prix je peux obtenir les meilleurs billets d'avions pour cette destination.d'autre part je ne connais rien encore à ce pays, j'ai feuilleté aucun guide pour le moment.que me conseiller vous pour cette durée selon vous quels sont les endroits incontournables????
MERCI POUR TOUTES VOS INFOS
RICHARD ET NELLY
Lampe de poche sans piles English translation pending
gadget ou pratique?? .. j'ai acheter cette lampe de poche qui marche, sans pile ni batterie .. il suffit de la secouer un peut, et 15 minutes l'électricité .. en continue ..
en tout cas elle est politiquement correct .. le prix ?? 1 euro a Bangkok .. la marque? pas de marque ..
un petit coup d'oeil pour les ingénieurs avertis ..
Visiter le Pantanal au Brésil depuis la Bolivie English translation pending
Bonjour a tous,
Actuellement en Bolivie, je souhaiterais savoir s il est facile de se rendre au Pantanal depuis ce pays. Ne possedant pas de guide du Bresil, je pense qu il est indispensable de prendre une agence pour visiter le parc, connaissez vous de bonnes agences ? Combien de jours sont necessaires pour visiter le parc ? Quel budget prevoir avec l agence ? Est il possible de camper ? Au mois de juin, est ce une bonne periode ?
Merci
Seb.
Actuellement en Bolivie, je souhaiterais savoir s il est facile de se rendre au Pantanal depuis ce pays. Ne possedant pas de guide du Bresil, je pense qu il est indispensable de prendre une agence pour visiter le parc, connaissez vous de bonnes agences ? Combien de jours sont necessaires pour visiter le parc ? Quel budget prevoir avec l agence ? Est il possible de camper ? Au mois de juin, est ce une bonne periode ?
Merci
Seb.
Menton-Chamonix English translation pending
Bonjour,
Je serai en France pour un premier voyage à la fin du mois de juin. Je désire me rendre à Chamonix en partant de Menton. J'hésite à suivre la route des Alpes du côté de la France ou à passer par l'Italie via le Val d'Aoste et le tunnel du Mont-Blanc.
Que me conseillez-vous?
Merci!
Je serai en France pour un premier voyage à la fin du mois de juin. Je désire me rendre à Chamonix en partant de Menton. J'hésite à suivre la route des Alpes du côté de la France ou à passer par l'Italie via le Val d'Aoste et le tunnel du Mont-Blanc.
Que me conseillez-vous?
Merci!
Plier une tente après la pluie? English translation pending
je dois partir au cap nord et je me demande si je peux plier ma toile de tente apres une nuit de pluie ? quelles sont les conséquences pour la suite. et doit-on envelopper les sacoches dans des sacs poubelles?
Protection contre l'humidité English translation pending
Salut! je pars bosser en Guyane pour un moment et j'ai peur que l' humidité ambiante ne nuise vite à la santé du numérique que je vais acheter. Des conseils (sacoche de base avec sachets dessicants, caisson de plongée, équipement spécial...)?
D'avance merci pour vos lumières...
D'avance merci pour vos lumières...

Montants dans le Lonely Planet sur la Nouvelle-Zélande English translation pending
Bonjour à tous,
J'aimerais savoir si les montants inscrits dans le guide Lonely Planet sur la Nouvelle-Zélande sont en $US ou en $NZ?
Merci d'avance pour une réponse
Tapou
J'aimerais savoir si les montants inscrits dans le guide Lonely Planet sur la Nouvelle-Zélande sont en $US ou en $NZ?
Merci d'avance pour une réponse
Tapou
Vos avis sur les sacs de couchage duvet -15? English translation pending
Je suis à la recherche d'un sac de couchage en duvet confort à -15°C. Je suis preneur de vos avis sur les différents sac que vous avez pu tester. Je pensais personnellement au North Face Superlight ??
France: randonnée dans le Vercors English translation pending
Hello
Après avoir vu le film "Les Papillons" avec Michel Serrault, j'ai très envie de découvrir le Vercors... Je ne connais absolument pas... Je cherche des info sur cette région, surtout au niveau de la randonnée pédestre.... Alors tous vos conseils, avis, photos etc sont les bienvenus... Y a-t-il des camping dans la région ?
Merci d'avance 🙂
FeeBleue
Après avoir vu le film "Les Papillons" avec Michel Serrault, j'ai très envie de découvrir le Vercors... Je ne connais absolument pas... Je cherche des info sur cette région, surtout au niveau de la randonnée pédestre.... Alors tous vos conseils, avis, photos etc sont les bienvenus... Y a-t-il des camping dans la région ?
Merci d'avance 🙂
FeeBleue
Mexico: The Magic of the Yucatán
Hello everyone,
What a pleasure to be back on VF after a few difficult years 😎 So, before diving into the topic, welcome back to VF and above all... keep going!
Well, I’m finally picking up my old habit of posting a new travel journal.
Before heading to Mexico in the summer of 2023 with my family (my partner and our two boys, aged 18 and 16), I had somehow convinced myself—though I can’t even remember why—that the Yucatán was too touristy, too cliché, too expensive, and overrated!
The country didn’t particularly appeal to me, but faced with my wife’s insistence—she’d been there years ago, before we met, and had promised to show our sons this incredible place—my arguments didn’t hold much weight.
And thank goodness, because I have to admit she was absolutely right to take us there! In the end, we encountered far fewer tourists than we’d feared (except at a few sites), and the prices, which we’d been told were geared toward American neighbors (US), turned out to be quite affordable. In short, it was pure joy on both counts. All that was left was for the trip itself to be beautiful and memorable—and it was...
1st stop: Isla Holbox and the whale sharks
Holbox (pronounced “Hol-bosh”) is a stunning island where you can relax in an enchanting setting.

Our main goal in coming to Holbox was to swim with whale sharks. So, the first thing we told our hotel, Los Arcos Holbox, upon arrival was to arrange an excursion with one of the island’s many tour operators: Glendy Tours Holbox. We set off the next morning, bright and early.
The itinerary for this outing is the same for all tour operators (and there are about thirty of them!): roughly two hours by speedboat, then snorkeling with the whale sharks, followed by another boat ride to Cabo Catoche for lunch, then more boating to a fish-filled snorkeling spot before heading back. In total, the excursion can take eight hours—or even longer.

Besides my two sons and me, there were only two other clients on board—a French couple. Our boat was one of the very first to leave, but after ten minutes, the pilot got a radio call. We turned back without any explanation, returning to the departure dock.
There, a young woman who clearly fancied herself a diva was waiting for us. She was Mexican and boarded the boat, snubbing all five of us while flirting with the pilot and guide, who were suddenly all eyes for her. We couldn’t understand how this diva had convinced our tour operator to turn the boat around just to pick her up when she hadn’t even booked and we were already far out. We left 20 minutes late.
The two-hour journey passed surprisingly quickly, and for good reason: we spotted dolphins six times! They were leaping out of the water as they moved. Pure joy. We stopped whenever they were near the boat.

The photo isn’t great—the ultra-wide-angle lens on my GoPro makes the dolphins look smaller—but at least I got a souvenir.
A few flying fish (exocets) also glided a meter or two above the water as we sped along. The false start was forgotten, and the day was off to a fantastic start in this stunning marine environment...
When we reached the area where the whale sharks were supposed to be, the guide explained that we’d now have to scan the sea until we spotted one. It could take five minutes or forty-five, he said, and if we were unlucky, we might not see any at all!
An hour and a half later—still nothing! The captain then headed toward a distant area where about twenty other boats were already gathered.
Sure enough, there was a juvenile whale shark (still a good eight meters long) there, and all the boats were lining up to approach it slowly, one by one, so as not to scare the animal. Each boat got about thirty seconds within a few meters of it, engine idling, before making way for the next. We were allowed to approach three times, but we weren’t permitted to dive in. That’s normal—such a crowd of divers around a single animal would stress it out, and here, whale sharks are protected by regulations: swimming with them is strictly controlled. There was even a coast guard boat with us at all times, monitoring everyone’s behavior.
We were torn between the luck of seeing such a magnificent animal, even from the surface, and the discomfort we felt about the absurd situation. All those boats lined up just to catch a fleeting glimpse of the shark for a few seconds—let’s be honest, it was ridiculous. In short, the whole thing was unpleasant, and probably even more so for the shark than for us, though it did keep gulping down kilos of plankton as if nothing were happening...
When it was our turn to approach, I dipped my GoPro into the water at arm’s length and framed the shot blindly, hoping for a decent image of the shark.

On the third and final approach, the sixth passenger on board—the one we’d had to turn back for ten minutes after departure—quietly spoke to the guide and captain after putting on her flippers (even though, I’ll remind you, no one was allowed to dive). She wanted them to ask the coast guard for permission to dive with the shark—just her! She whispered so we couldn’t hear what she was offering in exchange.
The two lackeys complied and shouted the request to the officials in front of all the other boats, with no shame whatsoever. With so many witnesses, the coast guard had no choice but to refuse. The diva wouldn’t let it go and asked them to insist, which they did, but the refusal was firm and final.
On the nearest boats, everyone had heard and was stunned. They openly mocked this bimbo who clearly had no shame. Hidden behind her star sunglasses, she responded with a dismissive smile. Pathetic.
The encounter with the shark ended, and we set off for Cabo Catoche, a site on Holbox Island where we were to have lunch.

We were a little disappointed not to have had the chance to see the usual school of whale sharks (they’re often dozens swimming together!), but that’s nature’s way, and we knew it.
And then, an unlikely stroke of luck: a boat ahead of us was putting divers in the water with a pair of adult whale sharks. We joined them, and while we were putting on our masks and snorkels, the guide briefed us. He said my sons and I would go first, followed by the French couple and the diva.
But Miss World, clearly unhappy with this order, quietly complained to the guide, who eventually switched the order. It didn’t bother us since we’d only get a minute in the water anyway—what’s a minute more or less?
So the three of them got in the water, and a moment later, they were done. My two sons and I, sitting on the edge of the boat with masks on and snorkels in our mouths, were ready to finally take the plunge. But instead of continuing to follow the shark, the captain was suddenly all eyes for Miss Silicone! He even let go of the wheel for a moment to help her back on board.
One of the two sharks had already left minutes earlier, and the second was swimming farther away. Other boats were arriving, and the captain went to join the queue 100 meters from the shark. Soon, even more boats showed up. There were way too many people, the shark left, and diving was no longer possible.
I was, of course, a little disappointed not to have fulfilled my long-time dream of swimming with a whale shark, even briefly. But I was mostly disgusted for my two boys, who had been so excited about it. I told the guide exactly what I thought and asked for compensation—not for missing out on swimming with the shark (you can never guarantee seeing one, nature isn’t at our beck and call), but for clearly skipping our turn to dive. He promised a refund.
At the end of the day, back on land, he dropped us all off, and as he was about to leave, I reminded him about the refund. He agreed again, calmly got back on board, and sped off as if nothing had happened—just him and the captain, two total cowards. I couldn’t believe it.
Of course, back at our hotel (which had booked this tour operator—Glendy Tours), I explained the situation and asked for my refund again. The receptionist called the manager, who arrived with the guide. Our runaway wasn’t so cocky anymore. Inside, I was fuming, but I kept my cool during the discussion that followed.
Right off the bat, I made a point of looking the so-called guide in the eyes while telling him he’d run off like a coward. I did my best to stay calm, speaking clearly, staring him down the whole time, and repeating several times that he was a coward, in front of the manager, who didn’t say a word. The guide had clearly been told by his boss to keep quiet because he didn’t utter a word during the entire twenty-minute conversation.
Anyway, I’ll spare you the details, but in the end, the manager only offered us another excursion the next day as compensation for the “inconvenience.” It was just snorkeling with fish, not another whale shark trip. He admitted their fault, but since we had to leave early the next morning and had other bookings for the rest of the trip, we couldn’t accept. And he refused to refund us.
On Tripadvisor, Glendy Tours has a mediocre rating (3 out of 5), but more importantly, it ranks 29th out of 36 nautical tour operators rated by customers. I was pretty upset with the hotel for booking such an amateur for us.

If you want to swim with whale sharks in Holbox, you might end up with Glendy Tours. And it might go well—I certainly hope so. But given the price of such an excursion (3,000 pesos per person, about 160 €!), I’d still suggest quickly checking online before you go to see which providers have the best ratings. You’ll have a much better chance of things going smoothly with the top-rated ones than with those as poorly ranked as Glendy Tours.
On the other hand, if you’re a beautiful young woman, you can choose them without worry—you’ll get better treatment than the rest of us...
To wrap up this excursion, I have to mention the “respect for nature” angle that all these tour operators highlight. They tell us they respect the whale sharks: only two or three people can dive at a time, and only for a few minutes, so as not to disturb these gentle giants...
We believed them before we left, but that’s not what we saw. When the sharks are hard to find except for one, everyone rushes it, and only the constant presence of the coast guard prevents the tour operators from putting their clients in the water.
Because for the second shark we saw, when the divers from our boat got out of the water and we left to join the queue while it was our turn to dive, other boats quickly arrived and started swarming the poor shark, which eventually left.
In other words, it’s clear these companies only respect the sharks when they’re being watched.
Boat reversing a meter away from a pelican
And for the snorkeling near Cabo Catoche, they attract fish daily by feeding them—a practice that’s normally discouraged. Afterward, these fish can’t feed naturally anymore and become dependent on Glendy Tours and its competitors.
A quick note on the rest of the excursion: Cabo Catoche (the site where we had lunch, on Holbox Island) is the northernmost point of the entire Yucatán. The place is paradise.

On the way back, we spent half an hour snorkeling at a site that turned out to be fish-filled only because the tour operators had the bad habit of feeding the fish. But this practice, which isn’t respectful of nature, is normally discouraged.

Plus, life jackets—like in many places in the Yucatán—are mandatory!!

As divers, we didn’t find the site very interesting, but objectively, it should delight those who aren’t used to putting their heads underwater in beautiful dive spots.
We hated feeling trapped in those life jackets, stuck at the surface, and for me, the highlight was swimming next to a pelican that wasn’t too shy—it was paddling right beside me in green water.
Anyway, it seems we can’t post more than 10 photos at once on VF, so I’ll come back with the rest of the journal in another message. Because after these early trip mishaps, the rest of the journey turned out to be magnificent...
What a pleasure to be back on VF after a few difficult years 😎 So, before diving into the topic, welcome back to VF and above all... keep going!
Well, I’m finally picking up my old habit of posting a new travel journal.
Before heading to Mexico in the summer of 2023 with my family (my partner and our two boys, aged 18 and 16), I had somehow convinced myself—though I can’t even remember why—that the Yucatán was too touristy, too cliché, too expensive, and overrated!
The country didn’t particularly appeal to me, but faced with my wife’s insistence—she’d been there years ago, before we met, and had promised to show our sons this incredible place—my arguments didn’t hold much weight.
And thank goodness, because I have to admit she was absolutely right to take us there! In the end, we encountered far fewer tourists than we’d feared (except at a few sites), and the prices, which we’d been told were geared toward American neighbors (US), turned out to be quite affordable. In short, it was pure joy on both counts. All that was left was for the trip itself to be beautiful and memorable—and it was...
1st stop: Isla Holbox and the whale sharks
Holbox (pronounced “Hol-bosh”) is a stunning island where you can relax in an enchanting setting.

Our main goal in coming to Holbox was to swim with whale sharks. So, the first thing we told our hotel, Los Arcos Holbox, upon arrival was to arrange an excursion with one of the island’s many tour operators: Glendy Tours Holbox. We set off the next morning, bright and early.
The itinerary for this outing is the same for all tour operators (and there are about thirty of them!): roughly two hours by speedboat, then snorkeling with the whale sharks, followed by another boat ride to Cabo Catoche for lunch, then more boating to a fish-filled snorkeling spot before heading back. In total, the excursion can take eight hours—or even longer.

Besides my two sons and me, there were only two other clients on board—a French couple. Our boat was one of the very first to leave, but after ten minutes, the pilot got a radio call. We turned back without any explanation, returning to the departure dock.
There, a young woman who clearly fancied herself a diva was waiting for us. She was Mexican and boarded the boat, snubbing all five of us while flirting with the pilot and guide, who were suddenly all eyes for her. We couldn’t understand how this diva had convinced our tour operator to turn the boat around just to pick her up when she hadn’t even booked and we were already far out. We left 20 minutes late.
The two-hour journey passed surprisingly quickly, and for good reason: we spotted dolphins six times! They were leaping out of the water as they moved. Pure joy. We stopped whenever they were near the boat.

The photo isn’t great—the ultra-wide-angle lens on my GoPro makes the dolphins look smaller—but at least I got a souvenir.
A few flying fish (exocets) also glided a meter or two above the water as we sped along. The false start was forgotten, and the day was off to a fantastic start in this stunning marine environment...
When we reached the area where the whale sharks were supposed to be, the guide explained that we’d now have to scan the sea until we spotted one. It could take five minutes or forty-five, he said, and if we were unlucky, we might not see any at all!
An hour and a half later—still nothing! The captain then headed toward a distant area where about twenty other boats were already gathered.
Sure enough, there was a juvenile whale shark (still a good eight meters long) there, and all the boats were lining up to approach it slowly, one by one, so as not to scare the animal. Each boat got about thirty seconds within a few meters of it, engine idling, before making way for the next. We were allowed to approach three times, but we weren’t permitted to dive in. That’s normal—such a crowd of divers around a single animal would stress it out, and here, whale sharks are protected by regulations: swimming with them is strictly controlled. There was even a coast guard boat with us at all times, monitoring everyone’s behavior.
We were torn between the luck of seeing such a magnificent animal, even from the surface, and the discomfort we felt about the absurd situation. All those boats lined up just to catch a fleeting glimpse of the shark for a few seconds—let’s be honest, it was ridiculous. In short, the whole thing was unpleasant, and probably even more so for the shark than for us, though it did keep gulping down kilos of plankton as if nothing were happening...
When it was our turn to approach, I dipped my GoPro into the water at arm’s length and framed the shot blindly, hoping for a decent image of the shark.

On the third and final approach, the sixth passenger on board—the one we’d had to turn back for ten minutes after departure—quietly spoke to the guide and captain after putting on her flippers (even though, I’ll remind you, no one was allowed to dive). She wanted them to ask the coast guard for permission to dive with the shark—just her! She whispered so we couldn’t hear what she was offering in exchange.
The two lackeys complied and shouted the request to the officials in front of all the other boats, with no shame whatsoever. With so many witnesses, the coast guard had no choice but to refuse. The diva wouldn’t let it go and asked them to insist, which they did, but the refusal was firm and final.
On the nearest boats, everyone had heard and was stunned. They openly mocked this bimbo who clearly had no shame. Hidden behind her star sunglasses, she responded with a dismissive smile. Pathetic.
The encounter with the shark ended, and we set off for Cabo Catoche, a site on Holbox Island where we were to have lunch.

We were a little disappointed not to have had the chance to see the usual school of whale sharks (they’re often dozens swimming together!), but that’s nature’s way, and we knew it.
And then, an unlikely stroke of luck: a boat ahead of us was putting divers in the water with a pair of adult whale sharks. We joined them, and while we were putting on our masks and snorkels, the guide briefed us. He said my sons and I would go first, followed by the French couple and the diva.
But Miss World, clearly unhappy with this order, quietly complained to the guide, who eventually switched the order. It didn’t bother us since we’d only get a minute in the water anyway—what’s a minute more or less?
So the three of them got in the water, and a moment later, they were done. My two sons and I, sitting on the edge of the boat with masks on and snorkels in our mouths, were ready to finally take the plunge. But instead of continuing to follow the shark, the captain was suddenly all eyes for Miss Silicone! He even let go of the wheel for a moment to help her back on board.
One of the two sharks had already left minutes earlier, and the second was swimming farther away. Other boats were arriving, and the captain went to join the queue 100 meters from the shark. Soon, even more boats showed up. There were way too many people, the shark left, and diving was no longer possible.
I was, of course, a little disappointed not to have fulfilled my long-time dream of swimming with a whale shark, even briefly. But I was mostly disgusted for my two boys, who had been so excited about it. I told the guide exactly what I thought and asked for compensation—not for missing out on swimming with the shark (you can never guarantee seeing one, nature isn’t at our beck and call), but for clearly skipping our turn to dive. He promised a refund.
At the end of the day, back on land, he dropped us all off, and as he was about to leave, I reminded him about the refund. He agreed again, calmly got back on board, and sped off as if nothing had happened—just him and the captain, two total cowards. I couldn’t believe it.
Of course, back at our hotel (which had booked this tour operator—Glendy Tours), I explained the situation and asked for my refund again. The receptionist called the manager, who arrived with the guide. Our runaway wasn’t so cocky anymore. Inside, I was fuming, but I kept my cool during the discussion that followed.
Right off the bat, I made a point of looking the so-called guide in the eyes while telling him he’d run off like a coward. I did my best to stay calm, speaking clearly, staring him down the whole time, and repeating several times that he was a coward, in front of the manager, who didn’t say a word. The guide had clearly been told by his boss to keep quiet because he didn’t utter a word during the entire twenty-minute conversation.
Anyway, I’ll spare you the details, but in the end, the manager only offered us another excursion the next day as compensation for the “inconvenience.” It was just snorkeling with fish, not another whale shark trip. He admitted their fault, but since we had to leave early the next morning and had other bookings for the rest of the trip, we couldn’t accept. And he refused to refund us.
On Tripadvisor, Glendy Tours has a mediocre rating (3 out of 5), but more importantly, it ranks 29th out of 36 nautical tour operators rated by customers. I was pretty upset with the hotel for booking such an amateur for us.

If you want to swim with whale sharks in Holbox, you might end up with Glendy Tours. And it might go well—I certainly hope so. But given the price of such an excursion (3,000 pesos per person, about 160 €!), I’d still suggest quickly checking online before you go to see which providers have the best ratings. You’ll have a much better chance of things going smoothly with the top-rated ones than with those as poorly ranked as Glendy Tours.
On the other hand, if you’re a beautiful young woman, you can choose them without worry—you’ll get better treatment than the rest of us...
To wrap up this excursion, I have to mention the “respect for nature” angle that all these tour operators highlight. They tell us they respect the whale sharks: only two or three people can dive at a time, and only for a few minutes, so as not to disturb these gentle giants...
We believed them before we left, but that’s not what we saw. When the sharks are hard to find except for one, everyone rushes it, and only the constant presence of the coast guard prevents the tour operators from putting their clients in the water.
Because for the second shark we saw, when the divers from our boat got out of the water and we left to join the queue while it was our turn to dive, other boats quickly arrived and started swarming the poor shark, which eventually left.
In other words, it’s clear these companies only respect the sharks when they’re being watched.
Boat reversing a meter away from a pelicanAnd for the snorkeling near Cabo Catoche, they attract fish daily by feeding them—a practice that’s normally discouraged. Afterward, these fish can’t feed naturally anymore and become dependent on Glendy Tours and its competitors.
A quick note on the rest of the excursion: Cabo Catoche (the site where we had lunch, on Holbox Island) is the northernmost point of the entire Yucatán. The place is paradise.

On the way back, we spent half an hour snorkeling at a site that turned out to be fish-filled only because the tour operators had the bad habit of feeding the fish. But this practice, which isn’t respectful of nature, is normally discouraged.

Plus, life jackets—like in many places in the Yucatán—are mandatory!!

As divers, we didn’t find the site very interesting, but objectively, it should delight those who aren’t used to putting their heads underwater in beautiful dive spots.
We hated feeling trapped in those life jackets, stuck at the surface, and for me, the highlight was swimming next to a pelican that wasn’t too shy—it was paddling right beside me in green water.
Anyway, it seems we can’t post more than 10 photos at once on VF, so I’ll come back with the rest of the journal in another message. Because after these early trip mishaps, the rest of the journey turned out to be magnificent...