China and Vietnam Tours and Trips

I would skip this contiki and maybe just do specific countries you're interested in. The schedule was jam-packed with temple visits which were often very similar to one another. The Vietnam portion of the trip was party heavy which was a huge contrast to the front end of the trip.

There were just six people on our tour which was a real bonus. We were very well looked after from start to finish - including our tour director personally picking us up from the airport at 4:30 am. The tour itself covered all the main tourist attractions with lots of extra inclusions eg acrobatic show, foot massage. The river boat cruise was also excellent. It had included activities, as well. Accommodation, transport and included meals were very good. Two internal flights and two high speed train trips were also included. I definitely recommend this tour.

The tour was great and well organized. I have always wanted to visit Ha Long bay and the temples in Cambodia so this trip covered that and a lot of other interesting parts of Vietnam. (We booked this trip due to the conflict in Iran making it too difficult to get to our Great Britain tour. We appreciated the opportunity to choose another tour without penalty) The one night on the water in Ha Long Bay was a great choice. For me two nights would be too much. The on-island event demonstrating making rice paper provided by the cruise line was demonstrated by someone who was not really proficient at it which took away from the experience and meant only one or 2 people decided to give it a try. Our travel director in Vietnam and Cambodia both did a great job. The pace of the activities was great. There was downtime when needed as we adjusted to the higher temperatures and humidity. There were bottles of cold water and towels when needed. The air-conditioned coaches were a great refresher between sites. The history was fascinating. It would be great to get some of that history in written form to have at the time and take away as there was so much to absorb. Maybe a timeline of the main events and where the things we were seeing were constructed or took place on that timeline would be great. Not too much detail or it would end up as a book! We did an optional activity to do some enameling. This was great but I thought the supplier or tour director needed to give more instruction and information at the event. At the most basic level we were putting the enamel into the copper pattern but no samples of what could be achieved were given and some people only filled in the spaces with solid colour not thinking that the colours could be blended to create a better artistic result. In all a great tour that balanced the sights with the culture, food and history well.

Great tour, Rocky was amazing!

This was an amazing trip! I was initially drawn to it by the opportunity to explore the Great Wall of China without the crowds, and this trip did not disappoint - we hardly shared the wall with anyone most days, and of those we did meet they were mostly friendly locals or school groups. The scenery was also exceptional and just got better and better - by the end stages the Wall felt more like a mountain ridge walk traversing beautiful lush valleys of chestnut, apricot, walnut and mulberry trees on either side - bliss! Our guide Olly was a superstar, warm, open to any questions and without error; he clearly is very experienced and I felt in safe hands throughout - one of the best tour leaders I have travelled with. I particularly liked that Olly used local people living besides the Wall to help guide some of the more remote parts; these people were always friendly and provided a more authentic insight into living in the areas around the wall we visited. The accommodation in the more rural areas was also charming, if basic in places, and the evening meals were all excellent and never any more than £10 (including a well-deserved beer each night). Beyond the Wall both Beijing and Xi'an were very different but equally fascinating, with lots to see and do. I would recommend doing all the optional extras (Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Panda visit, etc.). On a practical note a walking pole is very helpful, as is a hat and water bottles as it can get very hot. I would also recommend getting an eSIM with an inbuilt VPN before you travel as this way you can access all the usual websites (including WhatsApp) without issue, and also use AliPay in the shops (which is very easy, especially if you set it up before leaving home). Amaps is also useful to download as Google maps does not work in China.

This is a real gem of a trip! We had a fabulous guide (Ollie) who showcased the best of his country. How amazing it was to walk on the Great Wall, see the pandas and the Terracotta Warriors and be immersed in a culture that not only has great food but is hugely fascinately. Our guide Ollie facilitated everything to make our journey as enjoyable and unique as possible - we were able to pay for meals and excursions in cash to avoid payment app issues. For me the walking on the Wall was an experience of a lifetime although it is rather steep (and poles are needed). We walked in remote areas where we had the Wall to ourselves. The accommodation surpassed expectations and was comfortable, safe and charming. Try and arrive early in Beijing as there is loads to see and it's an interesting city. I loved this trip, great group and will have only positive and happy memories.