FOLLOW US:

I ditched Mykonos’s $400 hotel chaos at 52 for these 150-resident Cyclades islands where hidden coves cost $100 and locals call them Greece’s secret wind sanctuaries

I ditched Mykonos's 0 hotel chaos at 52 for these 150-resident Cyclades islands where hidden coves cost 0 and locals call them Greece's secret wind sanctuaries

I spent three days fighting for a €400 hotel room in Mykonos at 52, circling parking lots at 7am while cruise ship tourists flooded every sunset viewpoint. The breaking point? A restaurant charging €45 for mediocre moussaka while Instagram influencers filmed every bite. I took the wrong ferry connection to Naxos and stumbled onto something … Lire plus

The only mine disaster site where a CEO went to prison—29 miners died but West Virginia locals guard this $0 memorial from exploitation

The only mine disaster site where a CEO went to prison—29 miners died but West Virginia locals guard this <img width= memorial from exploitation" itemprop="image" decoding="async" data-lazy-srcset="https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-23-46-20_.jpg 1920w, https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-23-46-20_-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-23-46-20_-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-23-46-20_-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-23-46-20_-1536x864.jpg 1536w" data-lazy-sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" data-lazy-src="https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-23-46-20_.jpg">

I still remember the exact moment I stumbled onto this story while researching New River Gorge adventures. A local guide casually mentioned “the mine where they actually sent the CEO to prison” — and I stopped mid-sentence. In twenty-five years photographing forgotten corners of America, I’d never heard those words together: CEO, prison, mining disaster. … Lire plus

Better than Hawaii’s $150 black sand tours: This Icelandic beach has 60-foot basalt cathedrals + puffin colonies at $0

Better than Hawaii's 0 black sand tours: This Icelandic beach has 60-foot basalt cathedrals + puffin colonies at <img width=" itemprop="image" decoding="async" data-lazy-srcset="https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-21-57-00_.jpg 1920w, https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-21-57-00_-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-21-57-00_-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-21-57-00_-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-21-57-00_-1536x864.jpg 1536w" data-lazy-sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" data-lazy-src="https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-08-21-57-00_.jpg">

I spent $847 on Big Island black sand tours over three Hawaiian vacations before a geology professor mentioned Reynisfjara during a Reykjavik layover. “Iceland’s version costs nothing,” she said, sketching basalt columns on a napkin. “And the formations Hawaii’s erosion destroyed? Still standing there after 24 million years.” Two weeks later, I stood on Iceland’s … Lire plus

We explored 900 Pacific islands in 20 years and this 180-resident Fiji village has terraced geography that protected every home from Cyclone Winston while neighboring islands evacuated and locals guard their chiefly governance from $4M resort developers and…

We explored 900 Pacific islands in 20 years and this 180-resident Fiji village has terraced geography that protected every home from Cyclone Winston while neighboring islands evacuated and locals guard their chiefly governance from M resort developers and...

After two decades navigating 900 Pacific islands, I’ve witnessed countless villages claim cyclone resilience. But when Category 5 Winston unleashed 185mph winds across Fiji in 2016, only one island proved its natural fortress wasn’t folklore — Tuvuca’s 180 residents watched neighboring communities evacuate while their multi-level terraced village at 240 meters elevation deflected the storm’s … Lire plus

We explored 900 mountain towns in 20 years and this 3,600-resident BC village has paid trail crews maintaining Mountain Biking Capital glory on gold rush routes and…

We explored 900 mountain towns in 20 years and this 3,600-resident BC village has paid trail crews maintaining Mountain Biking Capital glory on gold rush routes and…

Twenty years ago, we started documenting mountain towns across North America with one question: which communities truly invest in the trails that define them? After exploring 900 destinations from Whistler’s commercialized peaks to Vermont’s quiet hills, we found something unprecedented in British Columbia’s Monashee Mountains—a 3,600-resident village that pays a full-time crew to maintain what … Lire plus

This tiny Phuket mall locals call their secret shopping sanctuary costs 70% less than tourist traps

This tiny Phuket mall locals call their secret shopping sanctuary costs 70% less than tourist traps

I spent two decades exploring Southeast Asia’s limestone labyrinths, and Robinson Lifestyle Thalang delivers something conventional malls never could—authentic Thai shopping at prices that make tourist-trap boutiques look criminally expensive. This two-story sanctuary in northern Phuket costs 70% less than Patong’s resort shops while serving the kind of regional cuisine and local brands that disappeared … Lire plus

I ditched Cancún’s $180 resort chaos at 52 for these sacred 130-foot Yucatán cenotes where Maya shamans bless swimmers before $10 turquoise cathedral descents

I ditched Cancún's 0 resort chaos at 52 for these sacred 130-foot Yucatán cenotes where Maya shamans bless swimmers before  turquoise cathedral descents

I spent three days trapped in my $180-per-night Cancún resort, fighting for beach chairs at 6am and dodging spring breakers in crowded pools. At 52, I’d imagined something different from Mexican paradise. Then my taxi driver mentioned a place called Cenote Ik Kil—a sacred Maya water temple 90 minutes inland. I ditched my prepaid resort … Lire plus

Forget Woodstock’s $300 hotel chaos—this 1,616-person New Hampshire village has the world’s longest covered bridge + America’s first art colony at half the price

Forget Woodstock's 0 hotel chaos—this 1,616-person New Hampshire village has the world's longest covered bridge + America's first art colony at half the price

I spent $320 on a Woodstock hotel room last October, then waited 40 minutes for parking near a covered bridge already crowded with selfie-stick tours. The next morning, I took a wrong turn off Route 12A in New Hampshire and discovered something that made me cancel my remaining Woodstock reservations: a village of 1,616 people … Lire plus

I discovered airport lounges at 54—now I skip $8,000 business class for free champagne & showers

I discovered airport lounges at 54—now I skip ,000 business class for free champagne & showers

At 54, sitting in Teterboro Airport’s private terminal during a delayed connection, I watched a charter broker tap his phone and casually mention something that would save me $28,805 annually: “Ever heard of empty-leg flights?” I’d spent 25 years photographing remote destinations, accepting $8,000 business class tickets as the ceiling for comfortable long-haul travel. That … Lire plus

I discovered empty-leg private jets at 54—now I fly for $2,100 instead of $8,000 business class

I discovered empty-leg private jets at 54—now I fly for ,100 instead of ,000 business class

I discovered empty-leg private jets at 54, and it transformed how I fly. After 25 years photographing remote destinations, I’d accepted that business class was my ceiling—$8,000 roundtrips felt justified for my work. Then a delayed connection in Teterboro changed everything. A charter broker mentioned empty-leg flights—private jets repositioning between client bookings at 75% discounts. … Lire plus