Departure Lounge
Share your travel information, advice, hints and tips. Please choose from one of the countries or regions below.
Americas - Canada
Maple leaves and Mounties, Tim Hortons' and hockey, Hollywood North and more shoreline than the Caribbean
Asia - Indian Subcontinent
Not only elephants, snake charmers, price rises, immodium and curry in a hurry
Asia - South-East Asia Islands & Peninsula
Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore
Australasia & Pacific - Australia, New Zealand & Antarctica
Do they speak English? Is there a bridge to NZ? Are kangaroos poisonous?
Australasia & Pacific - Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
Sun-drenched beaches, swaying palms, rising ocean levels...
Europe - Scandinavia & the Nordics
Fjords and hiking, meet some Vikings - Nordic Europe will be to your likings!
Recent threads in this category:
KO PHANGAN AND PHUKET REPORT.
I have just seen a BBC television show from about 2011 - ' Stacey Dooley Investigates Thailand' * , in which she examines the dark side of tourism . While waiting for an appointment to see the prime minister about the plight of sea gypsies about to lose their last remaining land on Rawai beach , Phuket she visits the full moon party at Ko Phangan . Her first reaction was to blurt out loudly to the camera - " Its sooo COMMERCIALISED !!!!! , its soooo ENGLISH !!!!!! Its not what I expected !!!!!!. Why don't more partygoers have that reaction ?.
The brief glimpses of Patong and Rawai beaches at Phuket during her visit were shocking. Many posters here fret about the party scene and thats understandable but no matter how moronic the FMP is the elephant in the room is what mainstream and upmarket tourism has done to Phuket . Without the full moon party its possible that H...
more »
May 17, 2013 8:13 PM
johnabbotsford
last reply
May 22, 2013 10:19 PM
skyex3633
9 replies
258 views
Cubana Flight Bookings
There were few posts recently from USAers reporting that bookings on the Cubana website
http://www.cubana.cu/home/?lang=en
now allowed them to pay using a US credit card. This was good news for those wanting to fly from Cancun from which Cubana is often the only alrline available.
Having just booked an internal Cubana flight I can now report that ALL Cubana flight payments are being processed via http://www.travelsandiscoverytours.com .
In the past Cubana processed non-USA credit cards direct to Cubana.
The new process provides a charge listed on card statement as Travels & Discovery S.A
Note this website also allows for hotel, tours and hire car bookings all of which presumedly may be paid via credit cards - including those from the land of the free?
more »
The Sad State of the Hotel Riviera (and others)
Hello from Havana,
Over the weekend we had some clients who want us to help plan their wedding here for this fall. Their #1 choice was the famous Hotel Riviera - until they actually took a good look at the place.
The wedding theme they had hoped for was 1950's jet-aged retro-kitsch, with a wedding by the pool and their 40 or so invited guests all staying in the hotel. On the surface the hotel is certainly a well preserved historical site. (It was gangster Meyer Lansky's Xanadu and undoing - re-watch The Godfather Part II, you'll get the broad strokes of the story.) Once you scratch below the (filthy) surface, though, the place is a (filthy) dump. I live here full-time, and am probably too-accustomed to La Habana's grittiness, and the couple is very hip and has visited here several times as our clients, so no-one was expecting the Georges V in Paris, but what confronted us wa...
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May 22, 2013 10:18 PM
kemethofer
last reply
May 22, 2013 10:18 PM
kemethofer
0 replies
20 views
location:
Kenya
kenya to ugande via suam border
hello
according to my last message- trekking mount elgon- i have another question. we start in kenya and want to enter uganda via the suam border by local transport continuing to sipi and budadiri.
has anybody done this way.? are there daily buses or shared taxis?
how long does the trip take from kitale to sipi normally
thank you all
hans; salzburg
No more San Jose CR-Havana flights
Avianca/Taca has abruptly cancelled its SJO-HAV route. Seems to be part of a large downsizing of their operations at San Jose. They'll continue to serve Havana from San Salvador, Lima and Bogota.
May 22, 2013 8:45 PM
jjl1990
last reply
May 22, 2013 10:18 PM
sadikbaevS
1 replies
32 views
location:
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan in july trekking buddy?
Hello, i arrive in bishkek on the 1st of july, and was wondering if anyone else was keen to get a trek together. I have emailed a few companies but most wanted a group. i was interested in around 11 days.
jack
May 22, 2013 2:31 AM
windward_passage
last reply
May 22, 2013 10:17 PM
skyex3633
4 replies
121 views
Day 1 - Havana or Matanzas
First time into Cuba with very limited Spanish. I'm trying to decide if I should head straight to Havana, spend a day or two at Matanzas on my way back to Varadero airport if I have time, or if I should make Matanzas my first stop. I figured there are two factors to consider (below), so any input or other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
1. Flight gets to Varadero at 2-ish pm. According to the Viazul schedules, I could catch the 4pm bus or the 6:30pm runs. I arrive on June 1. If I don't book ahead online, how likely am I to be able to get on the 4pm or the 6:30pm Viazul without an advance booking? If this doesn't work out, are there alternatives besides a cab ride (out of budget) or the Conectando (I think its last bus leaves at 2:50pm). Or would it be safer to book a casa particular in Matanzas? At least a cab ride there would be more affordable.
2. Snorkelling at [Pl...
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Travel to Thailand
My step-daughter is a Cuban permanent resident in Canada for 3 years--NOT a Canadian citizen. She wants to travel from Vancouver to Bangkok to visit her boyfriend there. When I check ticket prices, all the most economical flights have routing through either Seattle, and/or San Francisco-with stop-overs there for short periods. Can she--as a Cuban citizen--take such flights? Thanks for your help.
May 22, 2013 10:31 AM
Realmccoyone
last reply
May 22, 2013 10:16 PM
jconchie
2 replies
174 views
May 22, 2013 10:13 PM
locomotingcharlie
last reply
May 22, 2013 10:13 PM
locomotingcharlie
0 replies
23 views
location:
Laos
Gibbon Exp OR Plain of Jars
I am throwing up between the two for January 2014.
Hoping that there is somebody out there who has done both. If so, what do you think?
I have heard mixed reviews of the GE and it is $$, and the Plain looks great, but will probably buy some flights (still cheaper than the gibbon experience...)
Thanks!
May 21, 2013 11:39 PM
sanczia
last reply
May 22, 2013 10:09 PM
threedogs
2 replies
43 views
location:
South Africa
Trip do South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe
I am going visit South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe in September. Most places I want to see in South Africa, but I need advice and some information:
what is the distance between Blyde River Canyon, Three Randavels, God's Window and Bourke's Luck Petholes, is it everything in one national park?
What is the best places to see in Garden Route (the way from Port Elisabeth to Knysna)?
If I am going to Okavango and Kruger Park is it something more in other famous parks (Chobe, Caprivi or any other national parks in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe)?
What is the most beautiful places in N.P. Tsitsikamma?
If I am going to Victoria Falls what is to best places to see falls (the best entrance)?
I want to see also the skeleton Coast and Naukluft Park but Ido not know how to get there in best way (with 7 year daughter)
I will be gratefull for any advices
more »
What is the places nearby Wisconsin Dells US?
Hello everyone in lonely planet forum,
I'll participate in Work & Tarvel US on this October 2012 for 4month, as this is my first time travel to USA, I am planning my route map now, may I know any city/places is around Wisconsin Dells? Any recommend from all of you? Thanks.
Edited by: eliany
May 21, 2013 9:49 PM
jimjam
last reply
May 22, 2013 10:05 PM
Kala
5 replies
80 views
location:
Italy
Matera or Alberobello in Southern Italy?
We only have time to visit one of these places - Alberobello for the Trulli Houses or Matera for the Sassi cave houses. Which would you do? Has anyone been to one or both and which would you recommend?
Some background info - We are travelling as a family with 2 kids (6,9) and will have spent 18 days in Turkey including staying in a cave hotel in Goreme prior to arriving in Italy.
May 16, 2013 1:34 AM
LuFei
last reply
May 22, 2013 9:59 PM
LuFei
4 replies
176 views
location:
China
Hotel and travel guides in Kaili
Hi friends,
I am planning to visit Kaili and the villages around it but I have no idea how to get from Guizhou airport to Kaili. Besides, I will love to have some recommendation of hotels in Kaili and a travel agency or a guide to visit the villages around.
Thanks,
Lu Fei
May 22, 2013 9:58 PM
allencook
last reply
May 22, 2013 9:58 PM
allencook
0 replies
16 views
location:
South Africa
Safty & ease in South Africa
I am considering a trip to So Africa in this fall. Is it easy to travel from place to place without prior reservations. Also how safe is it. I am an older male.
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