Hanoi Tours in Winter

The tour was comparable to South Africa and John was the nicest and most caring tour guide I’ve had. His personality and wit helped mold the group into a family and he was especially attentive when I could use an extra hand. I loved seeing the natural wonders of Vietnam and Laos. All the airport transports were a pain and rook so much extra time. We needed the whispers in Bangkok to hear everything that was being said.

The best trip I have ever done with Exodus. Everything was perfect: the itinerary, the accommodation, the food! Vietnam and Cambodia are both amazing countries and this trip was the perfect way to experience them both.

The trip was very comprehensive and our guide, Tien, definitely went above and beyond to ensure the trip ran smoothly and the group was happy, well informed and very well fed. We note the change of hotels for next year. The move away from large corporate hotels (particularly the Sheraton in Can Tho) is to be welcomed. Hopefully the new hotels will have more Vietnamese character. The pace was full on, there were few opportunities to relax and use the pool, spa or gym facilities at the hotels or explore independently. The visit to Can Tho and the Mekong was the weakest aspect. We would have preferred longer in Hoi An (even in the rain!) and maybe Ho Chi Minh City rather than the Mekong. Overall it was an amazing 2 weeks and a brilliant introduction to Vietnam.

Both trips were fantastic and allowed a nice balance of group activities and time on our own. Our guide for the Vietnam portion was excellent, both in his knowledge and personality. was also phenomenal when we were stranded in Ho Chi Min City when our flight was cancelled, please let him know how much I appreciated him! I highly recommend further mentoring for our guide for the Cambodia portion. He spent too much time organizing "family photos" (a couple is fine, he had way too many), and we found he did not provide clear advance information on our itinerary. I do not know how much influence he as on the itinerary, however, while I found the SME excellent at Angkor Wat, he got into a bit too far in detail (was more like a university class). There was also a cyclo tour of highlights of the city that showed us things we could not really see behind trees and across roads; the train station was also not a memorable highlight for many. He simply did not exude confidence that he would be of assistance in any emergency. Overall a memorable trip!

Vietnam was wonderful. Our tour director was awesome. Even the weather cooperated. I think it would be nice to spend a little more time at the Vietnam museum because there was so much to see and so little time.

This tour felt like a crash course in Southeast Asia, but in a good way. I wasn’t sure how much ground we could realistically cover in just over a week but this trip proved you don’t need a month to experience something meaningful. Everything was well-organized. What stood out most to me was how different Vietnam and Cambodia felt, even though they’re neighbors. Hanoi was buzzing with life..scooters zipping by, food stalls everywhere, and this mix of modern and old that was fascinating to watch. Our guide helped us navigate the chaos in a way that made it feel approachable rather than overwhelming. Then, just when things felt fast-paced we got a breather on the Ha Long Bay cruise. Being out on the water was peaceful, the views were unreal. In Cambodia, Angkor Wat was the big draw, and yes, it was absolutely worth it. But what I didn’t expect was how much I enjoyed the in-between moments. And while there’s always a lot of walking on these kinds of trips, the pace felt doable, even for those of us who aren’t exactly as young as me (53 :p) Would I do it again? Definitely. The trip left me feeling like I got a true taste of two cultures.