Best time of the year to go?

[Rookid]

I'm traveling to Southeast Asia for a few months and wanted to do the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Obviously being my first time I was hoping some veterans or anyone else who has taken the journey could help me out with a few questions.

1) What would be a good time (month) to travel? I can either fly out of Thailand on March or go in August probably. I'd go in August but I really don't want to go when it's jammed (being from LA; i deal with enough traffic haha). If the weather isn't that shitty then I have no problem going in March and if it really isn't that busy in August or the surrounding months I could go then. Just looking for a little direction.

2) How much $ do I need to complete the entire 780km?

3) If I'm going to be in Thailand or Korea, then where would be the best place to fly in? Biarritz, France?

4) Where is the end of the pilgrimage if I plan on starting in St Jean Pied de port?

Any other help would be much appreciated.

Thank you,

Lance

[Covey]

2010 is a "Holy Year" and the Camino Frances will probably be very busy until 25 July and after that is should calm down a bit.

August is very hot and busy and this year I am starting on 2nd September at St Jean. Sept/Oct usually has good weather but without the 35C temperatures of July/August.

France and Spain are Euro-zone countries and you should plan on spending ?30-?40 per day on average, excluding the costs of getting to and from your start/finish point.

Medical insurance is an absolute must!!

Getting to St Jean is easier from inside France. Nearest airport is Bairritz. You could fly in to Paris and catch the TGV train from Paris to Bayonne and then get the local train to St Jean. You could fly from Paris to Bairritz and then catch the airport bus to Bayonne Station and then on to St Jean.

You could fly in to London and then catch the Ryanair or Easyjet flights to Bairritz. The permutations are endless, but a good travel agent might get you a decent deal on long haul to Paris and the local flight to Bairritz.

If you start at St Jean you should end up in Santiago some 32+ days later. From Santiago there are flights everywhere and it is easy to get to Madrid by coach plane or train.

[tara30acre]

Covey--I have found your posts particularly insightful and helpful, particularly the advice above. Thank you so much for sharing what you've learned!

I was considering doing the Camino this July but am having some reservations because of the "Holy Year" crowds. Of all of the routes one could choose, which do you think would be the least crowded? I've been reading about the northern route and am willing to choose the most challenging. I speak enough Spanish that I would feel comfortable off the beaten track. At the same time, since it will be my first Camino journey, I wouldn't mind traveling with a bit of a crowd--as long as it's not a complete scramble every night to get a place to sleep. (I did read your terrific advice on aiming to finish your day's walk by 2:00 and simply sticking to steady but unstressed progress.)

I apologize for such a vague question. I am keen to spend 30-35 days and was hoping you might have some advice.

Cheers,
Tara

[Covey]

The quietest route is supposed to be the northern route, but last year met a couple who had abandoned walking the route in July because they said they were the only people they had met! and were on their own in the evenings in the albergue.

The Camino Frances gets busy in July/Aug but from St Jean to Sarria it is fine, it is only the last 100kms which seems in places to be a bit of a conga dance.

Five years ago the little town of Azura which is 40kms(ish) from Santiago had just one fairly small albergue which was full by lunchtime. Today, there are 4 large private albergues plus the official albergue in Azura so the accommodation problems no longer exist.

The private albergues charge a little more than the official ones, but usually are modern because the government have only licensed private albergues for the past 6 years. The official albergues are normally full first because probably half the pilgrims are doing the walk on a limited budget and they would rather pay ?3 than ?6 a night.

The Camino Frances has a very special atmosphere. There might be a lot of pilgrims but they come from all corners of the world, all ages but with one goal. Nobody cares less who or what you are, why you are there, rich or poor because every morning you lace up your boots, strap on your pack and step out into your adventure of a lifetime.

Go to St Jean, take a deep breath, tell yourself that the mountain between you and Roncesvalles ain't that steep, and enjoy.

[geraldkelly]

I thought you might be interested in the statistics for arrivals in Santiago on the different Caminos for 2009. The Camino Franc?s still dominates but the alternatives are growing fast. Especially the Camino del Norte.

Camino Franc?s 113,001; Camino Portugu?s 11,956; Camino del Norte 9,183; V?a de la
Plata 6,254; Camino Primitivo 3,388; Camino Ingl?s 1,793; Other Caminos 302

Covey's right about overcrowding really only being a problem on the last 100km of the Camino Franc?s. But, even there, the infrastructure is evolving very rapidly. Arzua now has six hostels with over 300 beds (not counting over-flow accommodation the local authorities roll out in sports halls when needed). Unfortunately Xunta hostels have gone up to €5 a night and most of the private ones are now €10.

Ger